What did I do to make you so...disrespectful?

The group returned to their seats.

Valona looked at Amarune, who stood meekly beside Yevian, and felt a pang of jealousy.

"Mr. Ye Wei'an is truly a gentleman who cherishes women."

After muttering a complaint under her breath, she turned her head away and picked up her wine glass.

Maranse, who was standing nearby, took in his sister's reaction and was secretly surprised.

Given Valona's usual fiery temper, seeing Ye Wei'an so protective of another woman (especially a lowly maid), she simply muttered a lukewarm comment and let it go.

She neither gave him a hard time nor deliberately caused trouble, which was completely out of character for her.

Only Lord Yevian could have made Valuna so tolerant and restrained.

At the same time, Ye Wei'an took out several sparkling pieces of jewelry from his system inventory and pushed them in front of Aklav.

This is a silver brooch, cleverly twisted into the shape of a vine entwining a leaf, and inlaid with tiny turquoise stones;

There was also a pair of earrings with extremely fine gold wire coiled into flower buds, adorned with moonstones at the center.

Akrav's eyes lit up instantly. He carefully picked up the brooch and examined it closely under the light.

“By Serene, this is the craftsmanship of the Valley of Spikes,” Akraf immediately recognized its origin. “These lines, this naturalistic style… only local artisans could make this. It’s completely different from those ostentatious things from Zambia that try to pile gold on everything. This simple yet dynamic style is especially popular these days.”

He looked at the pair of gold-threaded earrings again: "These earrings, which combine the style of the Comanso elves... must be the work of a half-elf craftsman. There are very few people in Susar who can make this kind of gold-threaded earrings."

He raised his head, his gaze fixed intently on Ye Weian. "How many such fine pieces do you have, sir? I mean, complete sets of jewelry with a cohesive style?"

"Young Master Delcast has a good eye." Ye Wei'an was very satisfied with his expertise. "I have more than ten sets of similar jewelry, in addition to a batch of loose pieces."

Akrav was even more excited: "Complete sets of Spike Valley ornaments and half-elf ornaments... this is not the kind of stable supply that ordinary caravans can provide. Forgive my frankness, but most of the skilled artisans in the valley have already found buyers. The 'origin' of your shipment..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but the meaning couldn't be clearer.

Ye Wei'an picked up his wine glass and took a small sip: "There are always some 'unclaimed' mines and craftsmen willing to take on 'special orders,' aren't there? The important thing is that the goods are good."

"Understood, understood." Akraf smiled knowingly. "I like doing business with sensible people. As long as the quality of the goods is good and the price is right, I don't care where they come from or how they got them. We can discuss the specific quantity and price another time, shall we?"

"Okay." Ye Wei'an nodded and gently clinked glasses with Aklav.

Next, Ye Weian reached preliminary agreements with several interested businessmen on a few more deals, and his smuggled goods were basically sold out—including the batch of aphrodisiacs.

He has found sellers for most of the supplies he wants to purchase in bulk.

Everything is going smooth.

The only thing that surprised him was that the dot representing "Amarune Whitewave" on the minimap had inexplicably turned into a faint red, indicating hostility.

Even after he intervened to help, the light spot remained a pale green, representing goodwill.

What exactly happened?

Did I do something to offend her unintentionally?

Or is it that one of the people she's dealing with is her enemy?

Ye Wei'an felt a slight stirring in his heart, but showed no sign on his face, continuing to chat and clink glasses with others with composure.

He had originally planned to find an opportunity to recruit her before leaving the club.

It seems I have to find another way.

Outside the club, the night grew deeper.

The masked dancers have already performed several times.

All the business deals had been finalized, and all the faces he needed to meet had become familiar with. Ye Wei'an then took his leave.

"Thank you both for the introductions tonight; the experience has far exceeded my expectations." He raised his glass to the Jin Yu siblings in a toast.

Although Valona was somewhat reluctant to part with him, she knew her limits and simply reminded him, "Be careful on your way back. As for those transactions... if you need the Golden Feather family's help, please don't hesitate to ask."

Maranth echoed this sentiment.

Valona wanted to take him back, but Yevian said that his hotel was not far away and he could walk back, and also sober up a bit.

However, after leaving the club, Yevian did not return to the "Dragon's Jaw" Inn as he had said.

He simply wrote a note saying "I might not be going back tonight," and found a driver to take him to the "Dragon's Jaw."

He then wandered into a quiet, deserted narrow alley next to the club, arrived at the club's back door, and patiently waited.

On the minimap, that faint red dot is still in the club, wandering around.

About half an hour later, Guangdian also began to leave the club.

However, instead of heading towards the club's main entrance, it took a longer route to the club's back entrance.

As the back door opened, Ye Wei'an could see his target walking out.

Ye Wei'an immediately followed.

As a warlock, Ye Wei'an's attributes and expertise are all focused on spellcasting; it can be said that he has no talent for stealth or tracking.

But this did not stop him from tracking down a sorcerer who was proficient in this art.

Because Ye Wei'an was dozens of meters away from his target, separated by a street, he had no need to worry about making too much noise and exposing himself.

With the mini-map, he wasn't afraid of getting lost.

And so, the two left the walking trail one after the other and entered the lower town.

After passing through two backyard passageways filled with clutter and turning a corner with a faded sign, you'll find yourself in a relatively open backstreet.

Right there, Ye Wei'an quickened his pace slightly, cutting in from another side road, and ended up blocking the figure wrapped in a dark cloak.

Amalune Whitewave abruptly stopped in her tracks. Beneath the hood of her cloak, a sharp, dagger-like glint flashed in her dark eyes in the dim moonlight, and her body instantly went into a state of alert, ready to fight or flee.

She clearly hadn't expected to be cornered here, and even less expected that the person cornering her would be Ye Weian.

"Good evening, Miss 'White Waves'," a familiar male voice rang out, as if greeting an old friend, "or...should I call you 'Shadow of Silence'?"

Under the faint moonlight at the alley entrance, Ye Wei'an saw Amarune's true face for the first time.

Akrav, as expected of a seasoned singer, was right about Amalune.

Even in such dim light, that face could be described as "deep and captivating".

It wasn't the bright sweetness of Valona, ​​nor the noble elegance of Redra; rather, it was a beauty with an exotic flair.

Her skin was a healthy wheat color, her nose was high and straight, and her lips had a clear and full curve. Most striking were her eyes—even in such a guarded and unpleasant state, they were still incredibly charming, carrying a cat-like alertness and a hint of untamed wildness.

Her thick black hair was simply tied back, with a few stray strands sticking to her sweaty forehead.

Amarune White Wave stared at Ye Weian, her eyes filled with both wariness and confusion.

"How did you..." she said, her voice slightly panting from running, "How did you keep up with me? I'm sure I shook off all the tails."

Ye Wei'an didn't speak, but casually raised his right hand.

A small, flickering blue-white flame lit up at my fingertips.

Even from several meters away, Amarun could sense the terrifying power contained within.

"As you can see, I am a spellcaster," he flicked his finger, and the flames silently extinguished. "With the help of magic, it's quite reasonable for me to catch up with you without you noticing."

"...That annoying mage."

Amalune pursed her lips, posing the more crucial question: "Then what about my identity? And how did you know I was... 'The Silent Shadow'?"

"Observation, speculation, and a little bit of intuition."

Ye Wei'an said in a relaxed tone, "A skilled sorcerer would actually appear in this place where nobles gather, engaging in a somewhat illegal 'side job,' while secretly stealing from the wallets of nobles... Coincidentally, a mysterious master thief has recently appeared in Susar. Unlike ordinary petty thieves, he only steals from nobles—the connection is not difficult to make."

"So, now you've cornered me and caught the legendary 'Shadow of Silence'."

Amalune's face darkened, a hint of despair in her expression: "What's next? Are you planning to immediately shout to attract the patrol, or personally drag me to the palace guard? Report me, collect the reward, and perhaps even win the gratitude of a bunch of nobles? They'd be more than happy to see my back whipped raw, my property confiscated, and then rotting in a dark, sunless dungeon!"

Her tone grew increasingly agitated.

"That's right, there are definitely many people who want me dead. I've stolen their jewels, exposed their secrets... and you, you're no different from them. Now that you've caught me, you can easily become their hero, right?!"

Looking at her prickly and apprehensive demeanor, Ye Wei'an remained silent for a moment before letting out a soft sigh.

"Amalun Whitewave," he uttered her full name, "what have I done to deserve such...disrespect from you?"