Coincidence

Qin Ran ate dinner in Chief John's office.

Two hot dogs, a donut, three pieces of fried chicken, and a large cup of freshly squeezed orange juice.

Even though he could only use one hand, with the other cuffed to the chair, it did not stop Qin Ran from eating with great enjoyment.

After three years of living on instant food, even fast food was a delicacy to Qin Ran.

"Thank you for food that tastes as real as this!"

After pouring the last drop of orange juice into his mouth, Qin Ran savored its sweetness and slight tartness, unable to resist narrowing his eyes in contentment.

The only thing Qin Ran found regrettable was that the food did not replenish attributes such as Health or Stamina.

All it did was remove the [Hunger] status.

Subconsciously, Qin Ran thought of the canned food and bottled water he had obtained in the Beginner Instance.

"Could this count as a beginner benefit?"

Qin Ran easily made the connection.

Then, instinctively, Qin Ran regretted not bringing out more canned food and bottled water, even though he had already taken the two rocket launchers worth the most.

Never underestimate a miser's stinginess.

Just as Qin Ran set the cup back on the table, the office door was pushed open.

Chief John walked in with a cigarette between his lips and tossed the handcuff key directly to Qin Ran.

The meaning could not have been clearer.

Qin Ran was cleared.

After unlocking the cuffs and rubbing his left wrist, Qin Ran asked, "Who was that guy? Don't tell me one of my old friends hired him?"

"No!"

"Do you remember the pickpocket gang you conveniently helped us catch while pursuing that murderer today?"

Chief John asked.

"Don't tell me pickpocket gangs have become capable of casually taking lives now?"

Qin Ran feigned surprise.

Although he was not a real detective, Qin Ran knew that thieves and pickpockets might operate in a gray area, but they would never dare commit murder.

"Of course they wouldn't, but their boss would!"

"Do you remember Jimmy, the one I told you about?"

Chief John exhaled a puff of smoke.

"Of course. Didn't he go missing?"

"Your district has become chaotic because of his disappearance!"

Qin Ran nodded.

"I have never wanted that bastard Jimmy to appear before me as badly as I do now!"

"Jimmy's disappearance left the position of underground boss in this district vacant!"

"Those who wanted to make a name for themselves and claim that position have started showing off like mad!"

As he spoke, Chief John irritably lit another cigarette.

Even though he had lit the previous one less than two minutes ago.

"So I became a target for their little 'demonstration'?"

Qin Ran understood at once.

With Chief John's explanation, he had roughly grasped the entire sequence of events.

The boss behind the pickpocket gang he had exposed at the train station today was competing for control of the district, and Qin Ran's actions had naturally been taken as a provocation.

As it happened, that boss needed more fame.

And what could earn him more notoriety than killing someone who had just offended him?

Bold, violent, and vindictive!

Ordinary people would consider that utterly unacceptable.

But to these underground forces, it was an advantage.

"Don't worry. I've already sent people to bring that bastard back!"

"I'll make sure he spends the rest of his life in a black cell!"

An angry smile appeared on Chief John's rough face.

It was enough to make anyone shudder.

John had already learned about the scene from the patrol officers, so as chief, he knew very well—

This time, those bastards had not been fooling around. They had been after Qin Ran's life.

If Qin Ran had not been such a capable fighter, then the next time John saw him, it would probably have been in the morgue he had visited at noon.

Chief John valued Qin Ran as a friend—after Qin Ran helped him solve a murder case at noon, John had automatically considered Qin Ran a friend.

"Any news about Artilly Hunter?"

With the other man's assurance, Qin Ran did not intend to press the matter further and instead asked about the young lady's whereabouts.

Because Qin Ran knew very well that the chief before him was upright and just.

He could allow Qin Ran to use excessive force in self-defense.

But he would never allow Qin Ran to deliberately create bloodshed.

Especially now, when the other man was already overwhelmed, if Qin Ran truly went and killed that boss, he would definitely end up on the chief's opposing side.

Before finding Artilly Hunter's exact whereabouts, Qin Ran had no desire to lose this ally.

Otherwise, he really would have to search for a needle in a haystack.

"I've already sent out every officer I can spare!"

"Including the reserves I kept behind!"

That was what John said.

His answer made Qin Ran realize that the side quest he had completed, [The Female Corpse at the Police Station], had already taken effect.

However, Qin Ran did not mind making the search easier for him.

"I got some more precise information this afternoon!"

"One person was with that young lady!"

"And fortunately, that person has extremely distinctive features—a scar on his face running from between his eyebrows all the way to the left corner of his mouth! His knuckles are thick, and he has injuries on his back!"

Qin Ran recounted the clues he had obtained from Gonglansen.

Then he saw Chief John stare blankly for a moment.

"What is it?"

Qin Ran asked instinctively.

"Is this the man you're looking for?"

Chief John dug out a sketch from a pile of documents on his desk.

Although Qin Ran had never seen him before, the scar stretching from between the eyebrows to the left corner of the mouth made him more than half certain.

However, Qin Ran did not say so directly.

Instead, he curiously asked about the man's identity.

"This is?"

"Black Hand Jimmy, the underground boss of this district!"

Chief John answered.

Hearing that answer, Qin Ran froze as well.

After a moment, he rubbed his brow and let out a broken groan.

"Does it really have to be this much of a coincidence?"

"The Artilly Hunter I'm looking for actually got mixed up with someone as completely unrelated as Black Hand Jimmy?"

"That means the person Artilly Hunter saved before was Black Hand Jimmy!"

"And the reason Artilly Hunter disappeared on that rainy night must have been because she was worried about that injured man—wherever he was staying must have been extremely shabby, so shabby that it did not even have a roof!"

"If Hunter learns the truth, he'll probably be devastated!"

Qin Ran studied the sketch in his hand.

This Jimmy, known as Black Hand, was not very old. If one ignored the hideous scar, his features could even be called delicate.

Moreover, the thrill brought by his identity would have an unparalleled allure for a young lady like Artilly Hunter.

What was worse, Artilly Hunter was not some helpless young lady. With Gonglansen's training, she was far stronger than ordinary people.

And that strength made her crave adventure even more.

She did not want to be confined within her father's estate, even if it was for her own good.

Likewise, that strength could become the cause of her death.

Because reality was far crueler than she imagined.

[Main Quest: Find Artilly Hunter or her corpse within one month]

Looking at the word "corpse" in the main quest, Qin Ran could not help sighing.

The description of the main quest had long made it clear what Artilly Hunter might go through.

"I don't know whether Hunter will be heartbroken, but I do know that if I can find Black Hand Jimmy, this mess in front of us will be over—I'll have enough time to deal with those bastards one by one!"

Chief John said.

"Then I can only hope there aren't too many places in the city with leaking roofs!"

Qin Ran smiled.

"Even if there are, I'll find every last one!"

Chief John said as he turned and left the office.

Watching Chief John's departing back, Qin Ran shook his head.

Nearly an entire day had already passed. The chances that Artilly Hunter and Black Hand Jimmy were still in the same place were slim.

Chief John knew that too.

But he would not give up even the slightest hope.

So Qin Ran did not try to persuade him.

Stretching, Qin Ran rose from the chair. He picked up the case containing [Viper-M1], preparing to return to his residence.

He had no desire to spend the night in an office chair.

Just as Qin Ran walked out of the office, a flustered police officer came hurrying toward him.

"Hey, Karl!"

Qin Ran waved at the young officer in greeting.

"Detective Qin Ran, where's the chief?"

The young officer nodded to Qin Ran and hurriedly asked.

"John just left!"

"What happened?"

Qin Ran asked with some curiosity.

Although Karl was young, their brief contact at noon had been enough for Qin Ran to know that he was not someone who made a fuss over nothing. For him to be this rushed, something must have happened.

"Our men are fighting Shuberk's people. Their firepower is strong, and we urgently need reinforcements!"

The other man did not hide it and gave a brief explanation.

"Shuberk?"

Qin Ran had no particular impression of that name.

"The man who just sent assassins to kill you in the street!"

Karl explained.

"Him?"

Qin Ran was surprised at first, then narrowed his eyes slightly.