The three women's eyes moved over his face first, but only for a brief moment, and soon their gazes settled on the backpack hanging from his shoulder. They did not stare openly, but Zich saw the pause, and his lips curled slightly.
People who survived long enough in Layer One usually developed sharp eyes for value, and even though his backpack looked plain at first glance, the quality was still far above what most beginners carried around openly. Seeing greed this early was almost reassuring in a strange way, because honest predators were easier to read than polite ones.
Adjusting his backpack strap and checking the angle of his sword at his waist, Zich took the right path from the split passage as if he had not seen them at all.
Behind him, the three women remained silent until he disappeared into the corridor.
