Ed's movements stunned Albert. He reached out and took the cigar in his mouth—a small part of the thick and long cigar was now left—and pinched it with his fingers to look at it, then looked up at Ed.

"You say this?" He looked a little surprised.

"I've been staring at it for a long time," Ed said, licking his lower lip, "and my mouth is tickling." ”

“……”

Albert did not speak. His eyes narrowed behind his lenses, and he looked deeply into Eddard, a strange silence enveloping the two of them. Then, he pulled open the drawer and took out a rectangular cigar humidor from it and threw it on the table in front of Ed.

Ed picked up the box, opened it and looked at it. Inside was a neat row of large cigars, five in all, each of which was the same as Albert's smoke. He directly pulled out one, put it in his mouth and bit it, then took out the fire to light it, and sucked it hard.

Very energetic...... And it is mixed with a subtle smell of wet rain, which makes people close their eyes and feel like walking in the black clouds.

Ed closed his eyes and savored it for a moment, then exhaled a puff of smoke and looked at Albert. Albert took a bite of the cigar in his mouth and looked at Ed with a little amusement. Ed smiled as well, then slapped the table and stood up.

"Wait a minute."

Just as Ed turned to leave, Albert suddenly called out to him. Ed looked back at Albert.

"The name of the cigarette is 'Storm Clouds,'" said Albert, leaning in a comfortable position in his large chair, "and the goods from Europa are very hard to come by, and few people in the whole of Stuttgard have them...... If you still want to ask for it after you finish drawing, you can come back to me directly. ”

"Coming back to you directly?"

"Miss Eligi will tell you how to find me. She's at the door, and I'm sure she's there. ”

“……”

Ed looked at Albert, was silent for a moment, and then nodded. He already understood what Albert meant. And when he walked out the door, he found Eliki standing straight in the doorway, just as Albert had said, waiting.

"Mr. Ed." Seeing Ed, Eliki's eyes lifted, and then she bowed her head deeply and saluted.

“…… You have something to say to me. Ed looked at her and said calmly.

"Yes, Mr. Eddard." Eliki looked up at Eddard, "If you have time." ”

"Yes," Ed nodded, glancing at the glare of the setting sun outside the huge window, "just a little left." ”

……

Thirty minutes later, Ed drove out of the Orchid Valley. On the way, he called Marcy back. He happened to be talking to Eliki when Marcy called, and the beautiful woman was not in a good situation at the time, crying so much that he was in a hurry, and if he answered Marcy's call, it would definitely become even more chaotic.

When the time was free, and the time was right, he immediately called Marcy back.

"Albert?!" Marcy, who learned who Ed had just finished meeting with, was taken aback, "You're looking for him again?" What you said you were going to do was to see him? ”

"And his beautiful advisor." Ed said as he drove, "I really don't know what her position is with him until now." ”

"Albert's advisor?" Marcy was even more taken aback when she heard this, "You mean Eliqi?" Wait a minute...... Was she the last person you were talking to? Herself?! ”

"You know her, too?"

"I was highlighted by a friend from the Organized Crime Division...... You don't know how lucky you are to live to see these two guys, and twice in a row! ”

"Maybe more times in the future." Ed casually glanced at the Belvedere scenery outside the window, indifferent to Marcy's self-congratulatory assertion, "What are you looking for me?" ”

"Oh yes." Marcy reacted, and at the same time, her voice suddenly became a little lower, "There is something wrong with me about the wolf. ”

"You mean," Eddard's eyes moved, "that you think there's someone else behind the wolf?" ”

"Hmm...... No. Marcy denied Ed's question, but at the same time seemed to be provoked to think, "It's possible...... It's not worth digging into, though. Unless the wolf voluntarily confesses to someone, no one will dig into his back if he takes full responsibility. I'm talking about Emily, and Jules. ”

“…… I'm listening. ”

"After the wolf was caught, I carefully sorted out and analyzed the whole incident from beginning to end," Marcy said seriously, her voice was calm like a lone eagle standing on a cliff, "The child trafficking industry chain that has lasted for eighteen years, if you want to maintain such a forbidden area business that is banned by both the black and white worlds for such a long time, the main controller behind it must be a veteran, and it must be a super cunning guy who is incredibly clever and cunning." And Jules, a small boss who had risen to managership through his connections at the top, and with his and Emily's words, I could hardly imagine the two of them being able to do all of these things. ”

"So you suspect that behind Jules and Emily, there is some deeper power hidden?"

"And if there is," Marcy said with unprecedented solemnity, "it will probably be a deep-sea fish that can drag a space cargo ship into the water." ”

“…… Do you suspect it's Albert? ”

"Nope. He took the initiative to intervene in this matter, but it showed that it was definitely not him. I'm just wondering now if there really is some deeper force behind Jules and Emily...... Could it be that Albert knew someone and did he know something as well? ”

"Maybe you're right." Ed nodded, his gaze unmoving, "But just thinking about it won't lead to useful results." ”

"yes, I understand." Marcy sighed, "Without a new breakthrough, the matter can only be over." ”

The two continued to talk for a few more words, and then ended the call.

……

"Coffee."

"Thank you."

Albert watched as Eliki carefully placed the steaming cup on the table in front of him, then turned away, and suddenly stopped her with a sudden voice.

"Wait a minute."

“…… Anything else? ”

Eliki looked back at Albert. Her posture is habitually respectful, but her tone of voice is natural and casual, with a trusting closeness.

"Arrange for us to go back to the city center tomorrow. Tell Angelo. ”

"I'll do it."

"And ......"

"What?"

"Are you okay?" Albert stared at the part of Eliki's eye. Even though the makeup has been touched-up, if you look closely, you can still see a little trace.

"I'll be fine." Eliki said, her gaze calm and calm, "I just...... It takes a little time. ”

"Are you going to see him?"

"We've said goodbye."

"So......" Albert gestured, "it's over, right." ”

"Yes," Eliki bowed, "it's over." ”

“……”

Albert didn't say anything more, waving for Eliki to leave. Eliki nodded, then turned and left the room. Albert watched her departing back, watched her open and close the door, and sat silently in her chair, with silence for a few moments. Then, he took out a small special mobile phone from his bosom, dialed the only number in the system, and put it to his ear. Soon there was a response.

“…… It's over. "But there's a small problem, Jules is dead, but Emily is still alive...... That's it, so I don't have to worry about it, right, that's good...... Don't worry about her, the two of them won't be a problem anymore...... Okay, okay, my friend, that's it...... No, no, it's me who feels happy. I'm looking forward to our next collaboration...... Thank you and goodbye. ”

Hanging up the call, Albert's smile disappeared and he casually threw his small phone on the table. He squinted at the thing, took out the cigarette case from his arms, took out a cigar and bit it in his mouth, lit it, inhaled hard, exhaled slowly, and watched the white things float softly and softly from the air to the naked eye, slow and enchanting, like a jellyfish in the sea, like a dead ghost.

Then he picked up his mobile phone and casually threw it into the empty trash can on the side, making a "dang" sound.

"Dang Chang" sounded.