Chapter 36

For Qin Ran, what was the most lacking right now?

Time!

This was an unquestionable answer.

Because only with time could he become stronger in the game, obtain more equipment, earn more points, and then convert them into money.

Time is money.

Qin Ran fully endorsed this statement. Even though money couldn't buy time, whether it was for treating illnesses, eating, or enjoying life, money was indispensable.

As an orphan, Qin Ran had a deeper understanding of this.

Thinking about the instant meals he had eaten three times a day for three years, his understanding of money was deeply imprinted on his soul.

Compared to the "Basic Medical Workbench Blueprint," Qin Ran valued the "Single Player Instance Acceleration Card" more.

However, Qin Ran would never reveal his thoughts in a transaction.

Therefore, he did not immediately agree but waited for a moment before responding.

2567: Not enough! The "Single Player Instance Acceleration Card" has no value.

Lawless: I can add up to 2000 points and 1 skill point! Any more, and I'll look for other ways!

...

No more items to offer?

Qin Ran, seeing the other party directly quote points and skill points, did not pay attention to the last sentence.

If the other party could find other ways, they wouldn't be talking to him here.

There must be no better way.

Or, the cost of those methods would be even higher!

Qin Ran, who had calculated clearly in his heart, quoted again.

2567: 5000 points, 3 skill points!

Lawless: 2500 points, 1 skill point, no more!

...

Qin Ran set the price at a point that wouldn't scare the other party away but would make them hesitant to give up.

The method wasn't sophisticated.

Because Lawless had already quoted their lowest price.

The other party had at least 6000 points and 2 skill points!

Or, at least they could use that much.

And the two items: the "Basic Medical Workbench Blueprint" and the "Single Player Instance Acceleration Card," since the other party could offer them, proved they were not essential and could be used.

So, the outcome of the transaction was predetermined.

In the end, Lawless traded 4000 points, 2 skill points, the "Basic Medical Workbench Blueprint," and the "Single Player Instance Acceleration Card" for the "Iron Fist-Ⅱ" rocket launcher with Qin Ran.

After the transaction, Lawless hurriedly said they would talk next time and disappeared.

When Qin Ran tried to contact the other party again, it showed "The other party has entered an instance and cannot be contacted."

This made Qin Ran, who wanted to learn more about the game through the other party, shrug helplessly.

However, he was not dissatisfied.

Both parties were just transaction partners, neither owed the other, and neither needed to accommodate the other.

Once the transaction was completed, each went their own way.

Of course, Qin Ran didn't mind waiting for the other party to exit the instance and then conducting another transaction—about information, even if the other party said there was nothing valuable.

But what Qin Ran needed was more basic information.

Moreover, the other party's attitude was a very good sign for Qin Ran. If there was nothing valuable, it usually meant it was cheap.

Good quality at a low price.

No one would mind.

Qin Ran smiled and checked his transaction gains.

The "Single Player Instance Acceleration Card" was straightforward; he could use it directly.

But the "Basic Medical Workbench Blueprint" required Qin Ran to study it more seriously.

Especially after seeing the system's quote—

[Do you want to spend 8000 points to manufacture a Basic Medical Workbench?]

[Insufficient requirements, cannot manufacture]

"8000 points?!"

Qin Ran took several deep breaths to calm his surprise.

Although he had guessed that building a "Basic Medical Workbench" would be expensive, seeing the actual number still made him feel uneasy.

[Points: 17000; Skill Points: 10; Gold Skill Points: 1; Gold Attribute Points: 0]

Glancing at his points and skill points, Qin Ran calculated in his heart. Choosing to manufacture the "Basic Medical Workbench" required raising [Medicine.Drug Knowledge] to the proficient level, which would cost 9200 points and 1 skill point, more than half of his current points.

And there was no accurate information about future manufacturing costs.

If the cost exceeded the price of buying from other players, it would be a bad deal.

But Qin Ran did not abandon his original idea because of this!

When accepting the transaction with Lawless, he had already planned to manufacture the basic medical workbench. Otherwise, he could have waited for the two guilds to engage in a heated battle and then sell the "Iron Fist-Ⅱ" at a high price.

Qin Ran was very clear about the importance of medicine in the game.

Especially when the game [Store] only sold basic medicine, it was even more so.

Because the blueprint clearly marked 'basic,' and if there was a basic, there would be an advanced version. Once the advanced version appeared, which the [Store] did not have, Qin Ran could imagine the huge profit.

The premise was that he must have a "Basic Medical Workbench"!

For a long-term investment, if there was a huge return, Qin Ran did not mind.

Especially when there was an item like the "Single Player Instance Acceleration Card," Qin Ran was confident he could turn the long-term into a short-term!

However, Qin Ran did not blindly manufacture it immediately.

Manufacturing higher-level drugs for greater profit was certainly correct.

But Qin Ran knew the importance of his own strength even more!

If he gave up the opportunity to increase his strength faster because of the current "Basic Medical Workbench," it would be like killing the chicken to get the eggs.

Only by becoming stronger could he obtain more equipment from instances and earn more points.

Priorities.

Qin Ran was clear about this.

Of course, if it were an "Intermediate Medical Workbench," Qin Ran would sell everything to manufacture it and seize the business opportunity.

Unfortunately, it was just a basic one.

Especially when it would cost more than half of his points, Qin Ran chose to strengthen himself first.

Because such strengthening was also expensive.

[Cold Weapons.Dagger (Basic → Novice), 200 points, pay?]

[Dodge (Basic → Novice), 200 points, pay?]

[Unarmed Combat (Basic → Novice), 200 points, pay?]

[Medical.Bandaging (Basic → Novice), 200 points, pay?]

[Medicine.Drug Knowledge (Basic → Novice), 200 points, pay?]

[Tracking (Basic → Novice), 800 points, pay?]

Five skills from basic to novice, a total of 1800 points, with [Tracking] almost taking up half.

Qin Ran chose all of them.

Five consecutive infusions of knowledge and body coordination.

[Cold Weapons.Dagger], [Dodge], [Unarmed Combat], and [Medical.Bandaging] four skills were raised to the novice level. Apart from the skill effects becoming stronger, they did not change Qin Ran's attributes.

All gave the message [Reached the current level limit for this type of skill, cannot be upgraded!]

This did not surprise Qin Ran.

When [Firearms.Light Weapons] was raised to the novice level and the attribute perception could not be upgraded, he had such a guess.

But what surprised Qin Ran was the skill [Tracking], which actually changed his perception.

[Skill Tracking (Basic → Novice)]

[Name: Tracking (Novice)]

[Attribute: Perception]

[Skill Category: Auxiliary]

[Effect: You can track your target by observing various traces!]

[Cost: Stamina]

[Learning Condition: Perception F+]

[Note: Your comprehensive application is as good as a hunting dog's nose!]

...

[Skill Tracking level up, related attribute improved...]

[Perception F+ → E-]

"Raising the skill [Tracking] to the novice level actually improved the attribute perception. Is it because of the skill book learning, or is the skill itself special?"

Qin Ran speculated.

Qin Ran leaned towards the latter but had no more information to prove it.

Of course, such confusion did not hinder Qin Ran from continuing to strengthen himself.

To be more intuitive, Qin Ran listed the detailed costs of each skill from novice to proficient.

[Cold Weapons.Dagger] 1000 points and 1 skill point.

[Firearms.Light Weapons] 1000 points and 1 skill point.

[Dodge] 1500 points and 1 skill point.

[Stealth] 1500 points and 1 skill point.

[Unarmed Combat] 1500 points and 1 skill point.

[Medical.Bandaging] 500 points and 1 skill point.

[Medicine.Drug Knowledge] 1000 points and 1 skill point.

[Tracking] 3000 points and 2 skill points.

A total of 11000 points and 9 skill points.

Among them, [Tracking] was the most expensive, equivalent to the cost of two skills from novice to proficient.

[Medical.Bandaging] was the cheapest, only half the cost of other skills.

Qin Ran looked at his 8 existing skills and seriously considered his next step in strengthening.

His most familiar combat style was [Cold Weapons.Dagger] + [Stealth] for an assassination-like mode, and [Firearms.Light Weapons] + [Dodge] for a sniper mode.

These four skills undoubtedly needed to be raised to the proficient level.

[Unarmed Combat] was also in this plan because Qin Ran could not guarantee that he would never encounter a sudden situation without any weapons.

[Tracking] naturally didn't need to be said; its special effect was extremely useful in any situation.

[Medicine.Drug Knowledge] was the foundation for manufacturing the [Basic Medical Workbench] and had to be raised.

As for [Medical.Bandaging]?

Unless Qin Ran believed he would never get hurt, it was best to reach a certain level.

At a glance, almost all needed to be raised.

Compared to the extreme approach of raising a single skill to its limit, Qin Ran preferred a comprehensive approach—because what determined whether you were truly strong was not your strongest point but your weakest point.

Especially the former was more easily countered.

This undoubtedly made Qin Ran lean towards the latter.

But raising all of them would inevitably be very costly.

Qin Ran frowned.

However, soon, his frown smoothed out.

The page turned, and the advertisement began.

The page turned, and the advertisement ended.