The footsteps drew closer and closer.
Just as Qin Ran had expected, they stopped outside his door.
Knock, knock-knock.
"Hello, I'm a fellow passenger bound for the Island of the Finish. May I come in?"
The rhythmic knocking came with a voice.
"Come in."
Qin Ran raised an eyebrow. He had no interest whatsoever in the purpose of this visit-after what had just happened, anyone showing up now could only have two objectives.
First, to sound him out.
Second, if possible, to recruit him into their newly formed little group.
Before the foul-mouthed man who had ended up overboard appeared, Qin Ran had heard his visitor's footsteps moving back and forth through the cabins, though he had paid little attention.
Clearly, those rounds had not been for pleasure.
Had the "overboard incident" not interrupted him, Qin Ran believed the man would have come calling much earlier.
Qin Ran wanted no part of a visit laden with such probing.
Still, remembering that he needed more information, he ultimately chose to let the man into his cabin.
Creak.
With a faint scrape, a young man walked in.
He was in his twenties, but already sported a thin mustache above his upper lip. It did not make him look remotely unkempt.
Instead, like his hair, it had been meticulously groomed.
"Hello, sir."
"I'm Eisind. And you are?"
"Oh, have you heard about what happened earlier?"
The man introduced himself with a smile and asked Qin Ran his name, but when he realized Qin Ran had no intention of answering, he moved straight on to another question.
There was not a trace of awkwardness in between.
That made Qin Ran give him another look.
He knew how to work a room.
He was exceptionally adept at socializing, which matched his earlier behavior.
"Yes."
Qin