Chapter 76

Deputy Warden!

At the sound of the anguished cry, Qin Ran had already determined who had made such a cry.

His body almost instinctively ran towards the direction of the gunshot, like an arrow released from a bow, fully utilizing his D-level agility.

Zhang Wei followed closely behind, equally fast, like a galloping horse that had broken free from its reins.

It was only after the two had run nearly ten meters that the numerous prison guards and the warden began to take action.

While running, Qin Ran was filled with doubts.

"Something's not right!"

Qin Ran recalled the events that had occurred since entering Alcatraz Prison, his brows furrowed tightly.

From being poisoned through their drinks to the many guards being poisoned, and then the deputy warden being shot, one thing after another.

It seemed... everything was orchestrated by someone!

"Was the deputy warden the initial target of the attacker?!"

Suddenly, this thought appeared in Qin Ran's mind.

At the same time, he saw the deputy warden lying at the intersection of the first and second-floor stairs.

The once arrogant deputy warden, now with his face shattered by the bullet, had completely lost his life.

His identity could only be confirmed by his attire.

On the wall opposite the second-floor stairway, the blood was exceptionally striking, and a bullet hole was clearly visible.

Apart from that, there was no one in sight.

Looking at the bloodstains and the bullet hole, a scene formed in Qin Ran's mind—

Because of Warden Sik's appearance, Deputy Warden Swak left in a huff.

He muttered curses as he walked up the stairs.

Then, he suddenly noticed someone with a gun standing at the second-floor stairway entrance.

Deputy Warden Swak instinctively wanted to cry out in alarm.

But the other person fired at the same time, hitting the deputy warden in the face!

This was followed by the abruptly cut-off scream heard in the dining hall.

"The shooter came from upstairs?"

Qin Ran speculated.

There were many people upstairs, after all, the second floor was the dormitory area for the guards, the third floor was the medical room, the warden's office, and the deputy warden's office, and many guards had just carried their poisoned colleagues to the medical room.

Unable to determine, Qin Ran narrowed his eyes, and immediately activated [Tracking].

Instantly, everything in front of Qin Ran became clear, and he made a discovery.

There were white footprints going up and down the stairs, chaotic like an abstract painting, but still traceable.

Because each footprint was connected!

This indicated the process of the footprint owner going up and down the stairs.

So, when a pair of downward footprints appeared out of nowhere, it was extremely noticeable!

Qin Ran walked to the side of the sudden, out-of-nowhere downward footprints and instinctively looked up—right opposite the second-floor stairway entrance.

"After firing, he climbed over the railing and jumped down!"

"Then, he couldn't go towards the crowded dining hall, so he must have run in the other direction..."

"Trying to create the illusion that he wasn't upstairs, to avoid suspicion!"

"But, he overdid it!"

Rushing to the second-floor stairway entrance, Qin Ran looked at the white handprints on the railing, which were clearly visible under [Tracking], and muttered to himself.

Immediately, the range of suspects was narrowed down.

At this moment, Zhang Wei, who was a step behind Qin Ran, finally appeared.

Zhang Wei glanced at Qin Ran, who was looking up at the stairway entrance, then at the bloodstains and bullet hole on the wall, and immediately ran towards the second floor.

As for why Qin Ran was standing still?

Although curious, this was not a reason for Zhang Wei to stop.

He needed to catch the murderer!

Because, based on his experience, Zhang Wei could confirm that the current event would definitely earn a side quest.

And if the side quest was completed successfully, it would improve the evaluation!

This was what every player pursued!

Zhang Wei ran off, and the prison guards and the warden finally arrived at the stairway.

"Swak!"

Warden Sik, seeing the deputy warden lying in a pool of blood, exclaimed in shock.

Then, anger took over the warden's face.

He scanned the surroundings and shouted loudly, "Go upstairs and find that guy! I want to throw him into the underground dungeon myself!"

"Yes!"

The surrounding guards responded in unison.

Their faces, like the warden's, were filled with anger.

Although the deputy warden was unpopular, he was still a colleague in their system, and they could not tolerate him being gunned down on their territory.

They had to find the murderer!

"Wait!"

Qin Ran suddenly stopped the guards before they could act.

Throughout, his gaze subtly locked onto one person—a guard who appeared from the other side of the group only after the other guards arrived.

"What's wrong, Mr. Qin Ran?"

The warden looked at Qin Ran in confusion.

The guards also looked puzzled, and a few of the more irritable ones were clearly impatient. If it weren't for Qin Ran's previous help in the dining hall, which had earned him a good reputation and the warden's personal invitation, these guards would not have hesitated to treat Qin Ran the same way they treated Zhang Wei.

Don't expect these guards, who deal with vicious criminals every day, to have good tempers.

"I think you need my help!"

"To find this murderer!"

Qin Ran said.

"You've already found the murderer?"

"Then please tell me who the murderer is!"

The warden looked at Qin Ran in surprise and then immediately said seriously.

"Of course!"

Qin Ran nodded.

Immediately, a side quest appeared on his retina—

[Discovered Side Quest: Unexpected Murderer!]

[Side Quest: The disliked deputy warden was killed on the stairs between the first and second floors! Although he was disliked, he was still a member of Alcatraz Prison, and the warden cannot allow his subordinate to die so unjustly—You need to help the warden find the murderer!]

"The murderer is... him!"

Qin Ran pointed to the target he had locked onto.

The warden and the guards looked in the direction Qin Ran pointed. A man in his fifties, wearing a police uniform, with an aged face, stood there.

"How could it be Old Tom!"

When the warden and the guards saw who Qin Ran was pointing at, they all shook their heads in disbelief.

"Qin Ran, are you mistaken?"

"Old Tom has been working at Alcatraz for thirty years!"

"He is very diligent and responsible, and he is the most amiable among these guys!"

"It can't be him!"

The warden looked at Qin Ran.

And Old Tom, who was accused by Qin Ran, looked at him fearlessly.

"Why are you defaming me?"

Old Tom questioned Qin Ran.

His aged face turned angry, as if he had been greatly defamed.

"Defaming?"

Qin Ran smiled lightly and pointed to the second-floor stairway entrance, speaking slowly.

"You shot from the second-floor stairway entrance, then climbed over the railing and jumped back to the first floor, and ran in the other direction—this method is not as effective as you think!"

"The best way is to hide in a crowd!"

"Of course, remember to wipe the fingerprints off the second-floor stairway railing!"

"And... change your clothes and shoes—detecting gunpowder residue is not difficult!"

As Qin Ran spoke, Old Tom's expression changed rapidly. By the time Qin Ran finished his last sentence, his face was contorted with rage.

"Troublesome guy, die!"

Old Tom pulled out his gun from his waist and aimed it at Qin Ran, ready to pull the trigger.

However, Qin Ran was faster.

The [M1905] appeared in Qin Ran's hand instantly.

Bang!

The gunshot rang out, and Old Tom's gun fell to the ground, his hand bleeding profusely.

But he seemed unaware, still glaring at Qin Ran with hatred.

"It's really Old Tom!"

The surrounding guards looked at the scene in disbelief.

"Old Tom, why!"

Warden Sik was equally incredulous.

"Why? Of course... uh!"

Old Tom snorted coldly, preparing to say something, but the next moment, he convulsed, foamed at the mouth, and fell to the ground.

Wolf's bane!

The guards and the warden, seeing this familiar scene, all drew in a sharp breath.

Qin Ran rushed over and began to induce vomiting, but his brows were tightly furrowed.

Murder to cover up!

This thought arose in Qin Ran's mind, followed by another: the other party has an accomplice!