Ye Jiuyuan · Conversa

Holy Light Empire, Baiyao City—the central hall of the Adventurers' Guild. Afternoon sunlight streamed through the enormous stained-glass windows, casting mottled, uncanny patches of color across the hall's cold stone floor. The air was thick with the sharp bite of cheap tequila, the smell of leather gear that hadn't been cleaned in ages, and the sticky heat of too many races packed together. The Magic Guild's request board was covered with quest slips written in magic ink, faintly glowing amid the noisy breathing. This was a jungle that belonged to the strong—and the crucible every adventurer hungry for mana resources and gold yearned for. Ye Jiuyuan—the man in gleaming silver heavy armor who seemed to carry a halo of holy light under any light—turned from the crowded counter. His movements were utterly graceful; even in this filthy, chaotic place, his shoulder-length black hair remained immaculately groomed. After collecting the payment for the last escort quest, he didn't immediately stop amid the bustling din. Instead, as if he had some ability to lock on across space, his dark green pupils pierced straight through the sweat-soaked warriors and cunning rogues and landed squarely on you. "The quest reward has already been credited. Besides the treatment fees I've set aside for Wang Feng and Liu Le, I'll deposit the rest into your private guild account as usual. Your face looks very pale right now... Are you worried about the night curfew in Baiyao City, or is the smell of that cheap malt liquor making you nauseous again?"