Second Skill

"Looks like I'd gotten myself into huge trouble!"

Qin Ran said it in a deliberately relaxed tone.

Yet there was a hint of probing in his words.

His years of struggling to survive had long taught Qin Ran never to trust anyone completely.

Especially when life and death were at stake!

"It's not just you in huge trouble—it's us! There were plenty of people there last night! To kiss Vulture's ass, those guys will definitely go report it! Once Vulture learns that his two subordinates were taken out by us, starting tonight, he'll send all his men to look for us! Only by killing us can that bitch preserve his reputation!"

Colin said through gritted teeth.

"My food will last two days at most. What about yours?"

Colin raised her head and looked at Qin Ran.

"About the same as yours."

Qin Ran frankly opened his backpack, letting Colin clearly see the two remaining cans inside.

Faced with Qin Ran's openness, Colin did not hide anything either. She quickly walked to a corner of the storeroom and took out a can and a packet of biscuits from beneath a shelf.

"Even if we ration it, it'll only last another day or two!"

Colin looked at the food in her hands, her brows knitting tightly together.

Clearly, she did not want to do that.

Neither enduring Hunger nor waiting here to die was what Colin wanted.

"How many people can you deal with at once?"

Colin looked at Qin Ran and asked seriously.

"If they're unarmed or not carrying guns... two or three people!"

Instantly understanding what Colin intended to do, Qin Ran answered in an equally serious tone.

Although he had perfectly assassinated two gun-wielding thugs yesterday, Qin Ran knew very well just how much luck had been involved.

If not for Colin's help, he would already have become another victim beneath their guns.

Moreover, the limits of [Stamina] remained fresh in Qin Ran's mind.

Once [Stamina] reached its limit, forget fighting—he would probably be left waiting to be slaughtered.

"Do we have to face them head-on?"

As he considered his own strengths and limitations, Qin Ran made a suggestion to Colin.

"What do you mean? You're planning an ambush?"

Colin was startled, but quickly understood.

"Yeah. They outnumber us and have guns, while there are only two of us. If we fight them head-on, we have no chance of winning! An ambush is our best choice!"

Qin Ran nodded, then analyzed the situation for Colin. "Didn't you say they originally operated near Sixth Avenue? They probably don't know this area as well as you do. And if they want to find us, they'll have to split up. Even if they have a lot of people, there won't be many in each group!"

"Colin, don't tell me they have several hundred people."

By the end, Qin Ran had adopted a more relaxed tone.

"Several hundred people? How could that be! They're not an army! Vulture only has around twenty men! If he really had several hundred people, with how arrogant that guy is, he'd probably have attacked the Rebel Camp already!"

Perhaps infected by Qin Ran's relaxed attitude, Colin began joking as well.

However, Colin quickly wiped the smile from her face.

She looked at Qin Ran. "Vulture's people don't know this place well, but neither do you, Qin Ran. You're from another district."

Qin Ran did not hide this fact and admitted it with a shrug.

"Besides, you're good with a dagger, but are you sure someone I discovered so easily can successfully pull off an ambush?"

Colin continued.

The scrutiny in her gaze made Qin Ran feel somewhat embarrassed.

Qin Ran knew Colin was referring to last night.

When he had faced off against the two men and stepped backward onto a piece of broken wood, making a sound.

"That was an accident! I guarantee it won't happen again! Besides, we have no other choice right now. I don't want to keep hiding here until we starve to death or get found by Vulture's men!"

Qin Ran explained, trying his best to persuade Colin again.

He did not want any mishaps disrupting their planned course of action.

Qin Ran did not mind fighting Vulture's group!

If he had only been dealing with ordinary thugs or survivors, Qin Ran would have chosen to avoid them, since he could not be sure whether they carried anything worth taking.

But Vulture's group was different.

One look at the guns strapped to their waists was enough to tell him that these thugs would definitely "drop" equipment.

Although he did not know the value of these firearms in the Underground Game, that did not stop Qin Ran from wanting to collect more of them. After all, he had entered this game for money.

Simply put, as long as the rewards were sufficient, Qin Ran was willing to take risks!

What was more, he had already offended Vulture's group yesterday, and he still had to survive here for six days before clearing the game.

Rather than spending those next six days in constant fear, it would be better to take the initiative and eliminate the threat.

Qin Ran was absolutely not someone who passively accepted things or acted cowardly.

After living with Genetic Virus Syndrome for three years, Qin Ran's will had become exceptionally resilient. His personality had changed as well, and his maturity, especially his mental maturity, far exceeded that of his peers.

He knew that some things could never be solved by running away.

Rather than wait for disaster to strike at the last moment, it was better to make a desperate gamble in advance.

Just like how he had chosen to enter this Underground Game with no protection whatsoever.

The same was true of his current situation with Vulture's group.

Of course, if possible, Qin Ran would not mind giving himself a greater chance of success.

There was simply too little information about the Underground Game in the real world. Even after exhausting every effort, he had been unable to find anything valuable that could help him.

But dealing with Vulture's group was different.

From Colin's tone, Qin Ran could tell that she was very familiar with Vulture's group. She had probably dealt with them before, and they had likely screwed her over.

Otherwise, she would not be this angry.

Coupled with her familiarity with the surrounding area, she would be an excellent ally.

Naturally, Qin Ran did not want to give up such assistance.

"Of course, I don't want to keep hiding here until we starve to death or get found by Vulture's men either! I agree with your plan, but I think it needs to be improved!"

Colin said.

"How?"

Qin Ran asked directly.

"Like I said yesterday, I'm good at Dodge. I think I should teach you some techniques, so you'll have more options when facing those guys! Unfortunately... I'm not very good with guns!"

Colin shook her head regretfully.

Without a sufficiently strong body and proper technique, firearms were always the choice of most people.

When someone who had studied martial arts for ten years faced someone who had learned to use a gun for three months, as long as the latter was smart enough to keep some distance, the former would definitely lose.

"Are you willing to learn Dodge techniques from me?"

The next moment, Colin asked.

[Colin is teaching you Dodge techniques. Learn? Yes/No]

At the same time, a game notification appeared.

Skill instruction? A beginner skill instructor? Or had some hidden favorability requirement been met?

Qin Ran was startled inside, and all kinds of guesses surfaced.

But he answered immediately.

"I'd be delighted!"

For Qin Ran, who had undergone earth-shaking changes after gaining only one skill, he desperately wanted more skills—as a former power-leveler, Qin Ran knew very well that without specific levels, attributes and skills were obviously among the standards used to measure strength.

Moreover, the two definitely complemented each other.

What happened next confirmed Qin Ran's guess.

After Qin Ran gave an affirmative answer, Colin immediately began explaining Dodge techniques and demonstrating them herself. When the demonstration ended, the system notification arrived as expected.

[Agility has reached F. Requirements for the Dodge skill have been met...]

[Skill learned: Dodge]

[Name: Dodge (Basic)]

[Attribute Related: Agility]

[Skill Type: Support]

[Effect: You understand how to evade in battle. Dodge increased by 10%]

[Cost: Stamina]

[Learning Requirement: Agility F]

[Note: You can use techniques such as sidestepping and rolling to evade an opponent's attacks!]

"Sure enough, attributes and skills complement each other!"

After comparing the system notifications with his two existing skills, Qin Ran reached a definite conclusion.

Moreover, Qin Ran formed another hypothesis: skills might improve attributes as well.

However, there was still too little information for Qin Ran to be completely certain.

"How is it? Have you got it?"

After finishing her demonstration, Colin saw Qin Ran standing there in a daze and could not help reminding him. Her brows were slightly furrowed together.

Clearly, she was dissatisfied that Qin Ran had actually gotten distracted while she was demonstrating.

"I should have grasped the basics!"

Qin Ran noticed her dissatisfaction. To ensure their later plan went smoothly, he immediately used practical actions to dispel it.

He easily performed sidesteps in both directions, forward and backward rolls, and two consecutive one-handed cartwheels.

The sight left Colin dumbfounded.

"Have you studied gymnastics?"

Colin asked.

Having once been a member of her school's gymnastics team, Colin knew very well that reaching such a level required at least two or three years of training. A beginner might not even perform a proper forward or backward roll, much less difficult movements like consecutive one-handed cartwheels.

"No, but I usually like martial arts, so I guess I'm fairly agile!"

Qin Ran gave an answer that could reasonably explain it.

Although the Underground Game did not require Qin Ran to keep his identity as a "player" secret, in a game that was almost real, Qin Ran would have to be out of his mind to say something that would make others think he was insane.

"So that's how it is!"

Colin clearly accepted this answer.

Meanwhile, Qin Ran became distracted again.

His gaze fell on the [Stamina] section of his attribute panel.

His Stamina, which had originally been at 100, was now down to 80.

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