"Rachel?"
Qin Ran looked at the proprietress of the Harvest Tavern in surprise.
Judging by how anxious Lawless had been, the two of them must have run into serious trouble in the real world. She shouldn't have been here.
Still, she wasn't an impostor.
Not just anyone could give him that faint, creeping sense of unease.
"You really are that bastard's friend. Even the way you do things is just as infuriating!"
Rachel gave a cold snort as she spoke.
"I can't rest easy with a favor left unpaid!"
Qin Ran replied with a light chuckle.
"Are you going to add that you do everything you can so you can keep a clear conscience?"
Rachel asked irritably.
Qin Ran rubbed the tip of his nose without answering, but his meaning couldn't have been clearer.
"That bastard Lawless didn't want to tell you any of this because he didn't want you dragged into it-some things are beyond your imagination!"
"But he certainly never expected you to help him this way!"
"With the support of Stanbeck's family, this matter can be put to rest for now..."
"But remember, never let anyone find out your real-world identity. Otherwise, that's when the real trouble begins!"
"Those people really know how to hold a grudge!"
Rachel's words initially carried an inexplicable anger, but her tone softened as she went on, finally becoming a warning.
A warning steeped in powerful emotions.
Even though Qin Ran couldn't see Rachel's face, he could imagine the complicated expression on it.
"Understood!"
Qin Ran nodded.
He could sense the goodwill beneath Rachel's tangled, intense emotions.
And he wasn't someone who failed to appreciate kindness.
"Be careful of the Broker and Ji, especially the latter. If our current investigation is correct, he's the most terrifying of them all!"
Rachel brushed past