Chapter 30

Qin Ran did not know who was responsible for the camp's defenses.

It could be Saluka, or it could be someone else.

However, whoever it was, they were not someone who just put up a show. The watchtowers, machine gun fire networks, and patrols were enough to prove that.

Even with the rebel soldiers' numbers sharply reduced, they had to cut down on personnel.

But, wherever there should be defenses, there were always people guarding.

Except for the open ground in front of him.

Qin Ran did not believe that someone who had made the entire camp's defenses airtight would make a mistake here.

The only explanation: there was a trap here!

And landmines were undoubtedly the perfect choice.

They could cause significant damage and alert the soldiers in the camp.

It was a win-win.

"Hope it works!"

Qin Ran thought as he examined the open ground in front of him.

In the next moment, he activated the skill [Tracking].

Instantly, the world in Qin Ran's eyes changed.

White, red, and black intertwined, and then rows of white footprints appeared in Qin Ran's vision.

These white footprints were very light, almost like a layer of ash, ready to be blown away by the wind.

Qin Ran knew this was due to the passage of time.

Time, the most terrifying thing, could turn anything profound into something mundane, followed by forgetting and disappearance.

Fortunately, Qin Ran arrived just in time.

If he had come a few days later, he probably wouldn't have found anything.

Even more fortunately, Qin Ran, following the footprints, found a safe path.

Carefully, Qin Ran stepped on these footprints and moved forward.

By the time he reached the wall, his forehead was already drenched in sweat.

Walking through a minefield, bearing the fear of explosions, was undoubtedly a test of Qin Ran's mental fortitude.

More so, the physical toll of the [Tracking] skill.

In just a short distance of a dozen meters, Qin Ran's stamina, which had already increased to 150 due to his attribute enhancements, dropped by more than half.

"Active skills really drain stamina!"

Qin Ran panted as he checked his stamina.

When his stamina was fully restored, Qin Ran bent his legs and then leaped up, grabbing the top of the wall with both hands. With a strong pull, he climbed up the wall.

Qin Ran quickly and carefully leaped down from the wall, rolling into the shadows.

A series of actions completed seamlessly.

Apart from the final move of blending into the shadows, which relied on the [Stealth] skill, the rest were accomplished by Qin Ran's enhanced physical abilities.

Although it was just a small upgrade from F to F+, the changes were clear to Qin Ran.

His strength was greater, his speed faster, and his stamina noticeably improved.

If he were still at the level when he first entered the game, Qin Ran might have been able to complete these actions, but to do so seamlessly was unimaginable.

To be able to do it relatively smoothly, Qin Ran was already overjoyed.

"Just F+, what if it's a higher level?"

Qin Ran speculated, a surge of excitement rising in his heart.

As long as he continued, he would soon be able to improve to a higher level.

However, Qin Ran quickly realized the environment he was in and forced himself to calm down.

Standing in the shadows, Qin Ran only moved forward along the predetermined route to the three-story building, which was originally a school but now served as the camp's office and warehouse, after he had completely calmed down.

Searchlights cast their beams back and forth on the playground.

Especially the corners and hidden areas, which were frequently illuminated.

This made Qin Ran's progress slow.

Every few steps, he had to stop and wait for a new opportunity.

At the same time, Qin Ran was once again grateful for choosing to appear at this time when the defenses were weak.

Of the three searchlights that originally patrolled, only two were functioning.

Otherwise, he would have no time to wait for a new opportunity and would be discovered by the other searchlight.

Of course, there were also the patrolling rebel soldiers.

Although their numbers had decreased, their effectiveness had not diminished.

In Qin Ran's eyes, these patrolling rebel soldiers were the ones he needed to be most cautious of.

Because, humans not only have eyes but also ears and noses.

The shadows might conceal his form, but they could not hide his sounds, so Qin Ran made every step as light and silent as possible.

As a result, Qin Ran's speed was naturally not fast.

It took him a full ten minutes to move from the wall to the three-story building, which was guarded by two rebel soldiers.

Without alarming the two guards, Qin Ran had already chosen his entry point—

A window on the second floor.

He chose this spot not only because it was closer to him and out of the two rebel soldiers' line of sight but also because the window's glass had already been shattered, allowing Qin Ran to pass through safely.

Like a rabbit leaping and a hawk swooping, Qin Ran hopped onto the first-floor windowsill, then climbed up to the eaves between the first and second floors, and finally slipped through the window.

Like the first floor, this place was also empty.

Apart from a blackboard, there was a pile of messy desks and chairs.

Qin Ran could not confirm what had initially happened here, but the dried bloodstains on the ground, visible even without the [Tracking] skill, gave him some ideas.

The bloodstains must have been very thick initially.

Otherwise, they wouldn't have covered such a large area.

This meant it was not the blood of one person!

It would take the blood of dozens of people to form such a large area!

"Damn rebels!"

Anger flashed in Qin Ran's eyes.

War would make you die like a dog.

Qin Ran would not deny this.

But at the same time, he would not deny his current anger.

Looking at the desks and chairs, which were only two-thirds the size of normal ones, Qin Ran could not imagine the scene of innocent children facing the wolf-like rebels: helpless, terrified.

He seemed to hear the gunshots that once echoed here.

He seemed to see the young lives that had perished.

Those children, like him, had so many hopes and dreams for life.

But unlike him, those children didn't even get a chance to realize and touch the most beautiful things before being torn apart.

Without even a shred of opportunity left.

This feeling...

Made Qin Ran's chest feel heavy.

Made his breathing difficult.

Made Qin Ran experience a long-forgotten anger.

A usually calm person, once truly angry, was not easily calmed.

Qin Ran wanted to do something to vent and calm down.

And, conveniently, he seemed to be able to do something!

Growing up too early made Qin Ran unable to believe in simple kindness and benevolence.

But he would not become evil and cruel.

Because he had been helped before.

This gave him a bottom line to stick to.

So, he was willing to help an innocent person within his capabilities.

Just... within his capabilities!

After another glance at the black, dried bloodstains, Qin Ran turned and left the classroom, walking out through the open door and quickly confirming his destination.

A place guarded by a rebel soldier was too easy to identify.

After all, apart from the two guards at the door, Qin Ran only saw this rebel soldier in the entire building.

The place he was guarding must be the most important!

Drawing his dagger, Qin Ran quietly approached the guard.

The corridor was narrow, and the entire floor was lit by only one dim light.

But this did not affect Qin Ran's performance.

On the contrary, [Stealth] + [Cold Weapon. Dagger] made Qin Ran feel like a fish in water in such an environment.

Like a hunting cheetah, Qin Ran pounced on the guard, covering the guard's mouth with a strong hand before the guard could react, and with a swift slash of the dagger, cut the guard's throat.

[Stab: Critical hit, causing 100 damage (50 Cold Weapon (Dagger) (Basic) x 2), opponent dies...]

Confirming the guard's death, Qin Ran glanced at the locked door and immediately searched the guard's body.

In the next second, Qin Ran found a set of keys on the guard's belt.

[Name: Warehouse Key]

[Type: Key]

[Quality: Common]

[Attributes: None]

[Special Effects: None]

[Can it be taken out of the instance: No]

[Note: If you can pick locks, you don't need it!]

Click!

The large lock opened with the turn of the key.

Qin Ran pushed open the door, and immediately, boxes appeared before his eyes.

Eagerly, Qin Ran walked to a box, smashed the lock with his dagger, and lifted the lid.

Borrowing the dim light from the corridor, Qin Ran saw the contents of the box.

A rocket launcher!

[Name: Panzerfaust-Ⅱ]

[Type: Rocket Launcher]

[Quality: New]

[Attack Power: Strong]

[Ammo Capacity: 1 round]

[Attributes: None]

[Special Effects: None]

[Requirement: Explosive Weapons. Heavy Weapons (Basic)]

[Can it be taken out of the instance: Yes]

[Note: Depending on the rocket, it can cause different effects such as explosions or armor penetration, provided you have such rockets.]

...

Lifting his hand to touch, the item's information appeared before Qin Ran's eyes.

However, unfortunately, Qin Ran did not have the skill [Explosive Weapons. Heavy Weapons (Basic)].

Although he could still use this powerful weapon, he could not control it as easily as a light firearm.

After a moment's hesitation, Qin Ran turned and smashed another lock, opening the next box.

[Name: HK-20]

[Type: Firearm]

[Quality: New]

[Attack Power: Strong]

[Magazine Capacity: 100 rounds]

[Attributes: None]

[Special Effects: None]

[Requirement: Explosive Weapons. Light Weapons (Basic)]

[Can it be taken out of the instance: Yes]

[Note: To use it, you need a lot of 5.56mm bullets.]

...

Qin Ran's eyes lit up; this was a weapon he could use freely.

However, this did not make Qin Ran stop smashing locks and opening boxes.

This was not enough!

He needed more!