3 fois vol d'âme

Chapitre 44

In the operations command center, the commander of this operation was frantically calling for help from headquarters via GPS walkie-talkie. However, before he could finish speaking, a staff officer beside him had already shot a .357-inch bullet into his heart with a Desert Eagle, leaving a bloody hole.

The staff officer's eyes gleamed with a sinister blue light, and his entire face was contorted with malice; a demonic aura emanated from him. Holding a Desert Eagle still emitting wisps of smoke, the staff officer slowly walked out of the operations command post.

In the camp before him, the fighting had ended, and corpses littered the ground. Some bodies bore dozens of bullet holes, others lay with their heads turned back, empty eyes staring fixedly at the sky, and still others had only a clear knife wound on their necks, seemingly killed instantly. However, twenty-six soldiers stood firmly there, their eyes reflecting the same gaze as the staff officer's. Judging from their physique and muscles, these twenty-six men were undoubtedly soldiers of exceptional physical and overall skill.

“God is calling us…” The staff officer looked at the twenty-six soldiers in the camp, his voice twisted and perverse.

The twenty-six soldiers all turned their gazes to the only patch of sky visible through the dark clouds, their eyes filled with a perverse and bewildering eerie blue light.

Somewhere in the mountains, eighteen Japanese Shingon Buddhist monks were all stunned by the sudden and intense demonic energy. Zhou Feiliu, who had been following the eighteen monks, also felt a strong unease, which gradually evolved into endless fear.

"The Eighteen Vajras receive the Dharma decree..." Monk Liujie said solemnly as he looked at the other seventeen monks.

"Receive our senior brother's Dharma guidance!" the seventeen monks said in unison.

"This place is now completely occupied by demons. Our Eighteen Vajras of the True Word Sect are no match for them. One Extinction, Two Life, Three Separation, Four Emptiness—the four of you will stay here with me to guard the four directions of Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise. Five Stillness, Seven Colors, Eight Movement—the three of you must quickly return to headquarters and inform the abbot of everything that has happened here. Nine Netherworlds, Ten Directions—the two of you must take this female benefactor back to China and ask fellow cultivators here for help. The other eight junior brothers, you will divide into eight groups and quickly inform cultivators throughout the country of everything that has happened here, so that they can gather at headquarters to discuss countermeasures. Also, inform your respective governments that this place has been taken over by the True Word Sect, and under no circumstances should any more troops be sent here…" The Six Precepts Monk spoke calmly to everyone with a death wish.

"Senior brother..." the seventeen monks said excitedly at the same time.

"Don't waste any more time, act quickly. The five of us will hold this position for a while to prevent the demonic energy from spreading beyond the island. You all act immediately..." Monk Liujie said resolutely.

Zhou Feiliu, standing nearby, had fully realized what had happened. Listening to Monk Liujie's words, she truly understood what the cultivation world was like—a world beyond the comprehension and experience of ordinary people. Feng Shui, Jiang Yao, and Huang Quan hadn't returned to pick her up, and she felt a sense of foreboding, thinking something must have happened to them. The situation was far too complicated; it was best to follow Monk Liujie's arrangements.

Without further delay, eighteen pure white beams of light swiftly dispersed in all directions. Among these beams of light was Zhou Feiliu, who had not yet truly begun her cultivation. Flying alongside these monks, she no longer needed to control any sword, as the two monks, Jiuyou and Shifang, each grabbed one of Zhou Feiliu's arms, making their flight incredibly fast—so fast that Zhou Feiliu dared not even open her eyes.

Just as the eighteen Vajra monks left, two Japanese Self-Defense Force cruisers appeared on the border of Yugawara Town, while three F-2 fighter jets appeared in the air at the same time.

It seems the information from the operations commander has been received by headquarters, but no one expected them to have assembled here so quickly. From the sea, Yugawara Town resembled a ghost town, shrouded in countless black clouds, the entire area exuding an aura that sent chills down one's spine. From the air, the ground was completely obscured. Three F-2 fighter jets had already entered the airspace above Yugawara Town, plunging headlong into the black clouds. Three explosions were heard suddenly from within the clouds, and the three F-2 fighter jets never emerged again.

2004-12-09 11:10:00

Yi Mie has already taken the Azure Dragon position in the Yugawara-cho area, while Er Sheng, San Li, and Si Kong have taken the White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise positions respectively. The monk Liu Jie stands alone in the center of these four positions, the so-called Great Taiji position, guarding the center of the four divine positions. Liu Jie sits cross-legged on the ground, closes his eyes, clasps his hands together, and chants a mantra in Japanese. Streams of pure white Buddhist light quickly surround Liu Jie and slowly disperse outwards, but are quickly forced back by the demonic energy enveloping the area. In the end, the Buddhist light only controls a radius of fifteen meters around Liu Jie. Suddenly, Liu Jie abruptly opens his eyes, and two silver-white beams of light shoot straight into the sky. At the same time, two silver-white beams of light also appear in the other four divine positions, shooting into the air. Above the dark clouds, the ten beams of light at the location of Monk Liujie converged into a single point, splitting into several smaller rays that formed an enormous net that completely enveloped the dark clouds and stretched infinitely out of them, enveloping the entire town of Yugawara.

All the demonic energy was forced within this net, unable to cross it even a step. The composition of this net might be like the ultimate cosmic explosion described in Japanese cartoons; although the releaser's own combat power is not very high, it can create a power stronger than the energy it contains to resist the enemy.

Gradually, the demonic energy shrouding the Heavenly Net slowly faded. About half an hour later, all the demonic energy disappeared completely, and even the dark clouds covering the sky dissipated, revealing the sky that was beginning to lighten. It seemed that dawn had broken.

The monk Liujie noticed that all the demonic energy had disappeared, but he felt it was too strange. So he used the unique spiritual communication method of this realm's cultivators, "Spiritual Connection," to contact each other. Everyone also felt strange about this change.

At the same time, the Heavenly Net was retracted, and all four of Monk Liujie's junior brothers gathered around him. Then, Monk Liujie led the way, flying towards the source of the demonic energy in Yugawara Town. When the five arrived at the source of the demonic energy, they only found the shell of a giant egg split in two on the ground; nothing else. Monk Liujie carefully examined the two halves of the giant egg shell and was shocked to discover a hole with a radius of one meter beneath it, seemingly unfathomably deep. Monk Liujie again used his spiritual sense to probe for the unique fluctuations of demons in the Yugawara Town area, but found nothing. Monk Liujie's heart skipped a beat; a strong sense of foreboding made him feel somewhat uneasy.

"Oh no! The demons have escaped from the island..." Monk Liujie said in shock, feeling a chill run through his body.

※ ※ ※

The Realm of Illusory Array.

Fujiwara Mihide was still soaking in the water with her bare, lotus-root-like feet, while not far in front of her, in the water covered with lotus leaves, a frog and a river turtle covered with black scales were chasing and playing back and forth among the lotus leaves.

Green mountains, clear waters, beautiful women, and dreamlike scenery combine to form the ethereal realm of the Illusory Array.

Suddenly, a purple light flashed behind Fujiwara Mihide, and a huge teleportation array appeared. The grass ash playing in the water and the river turtle were also attracted by this sudden appearance of the teleportation array and crawled ashore.

Feng Shui, holding Jiang Yao, pulled Huang Quan out of the teleportation array. When Frog Grass Ash saw Huang Quan appear, he trembled all over and jumped into the water with a "plop," only his big, bulging eyes showing as he timidly looked at Huang Quan who appeared with Feng Shui.

"Boss Fengshui, Sister Jiang Yao, and... what brings you all here?" Fujiwara Misaki stood up and ran to Fengshui and the other two, only to find that Fengshui had brought a woman she didn't recognize.

"Don't ask any more questions. Bring the grass ash and that black-haired river turtle. I have something urgent to attend to!" Feng Shui said anxiously, no longer able to say anything more.

Fujiwara Miho paused for a moment, then turned and ran to the shore to scoop the grass ash out of the water. Meanwhile, the black-haired river turtle had already crawled to Feng Shui's side, staring at him curiously with its two dark, hollow eyes.

Feng Shui laid the unconscious Jiang Yao on the ground, then used the "Wave of Wind from Under the Sleeve" technique to conjure four purple pills. Feng Shui picked one up and put it into Jiang Yao's mouth, handing the rest to Huang Quan.

“Give these three to the three of them. There’s no time left for them to cultivate little by little…” Feng Shui looked at Huang Quan seriously and said solemnly.

Huang Quan nodded and tossed one to the black-haired river turtle. The turtle's dark eyes suddenly lit up, for it knew what this pill meant to it. It opened its mouth, swallowed the pill Huang Quan had thrown, and closed its eyes to begin regulating its breathing.

A deep purple mist quickly emerged from Jiang Gui's body and enveloped it.

Huang Quan walked up to Fujiwara Mishu, but the grass ash held in Fujiwara Mishu's hands had only fear in its eyes, not daring to look Huang Quan in the eye, and its petite and fragile body was trembling violently.

"Grass Ash, don't be afraid, I am no longer the master of the Netherworld..." Huang Quan forced a smile and said softly.

Upon hearing Huang Quan's words, Cao Hui's eyes lit up with curiosity, and the trembling in his body lessened considerably.

"You are the master of the Netherworld?" Fujiwara Mishu looked at Yomi in shock, and couldn't help but take several steps back in fear.

Because Fujiwara no Mihide cultivated using a demonic body, she had never actually entered the Netherworld. However, those who cultivated using a demonic body naturally harbored a fear of the Netherworld. Now, with the master of the Netherworld standing before her, how could Fujiwara no Mihide not feel terrified?

2004-12-09 11:11:00

"I already told you not to be afraid. I am the wife of your Feng Shui boss. Are you still afraid?" Huang Quan said helplessly.

Fujiwara Mishu was stunned, and so was Kusahi. They looked at Yomi in disbelief, then at the feng shui in the distance, their eyes filled with confusion.

"These two are sacred medicines from the Immortal Realm, called 'Soul-Gathering and Spirit-Concentrating Pills.' If an ordinary person were to take this pill, it would be enough to completely transform them, directly reaching the 'Refining' realm in the cultivation world. However, its side effects are also extremely severe; it would make future cultivation progress extremely slow, nearly ten units slower than a cultivator who has normally reached the Refining realm progressing to the next realm. But for cultivators who have already reached a cultivation realm, it is an excellent tool for transcending tribulations. No matter what realm they have reached, as long as they take this 'Soul-Gathering and Spirit-Concentrating Pill,' they can go directly from any cultivation level in this realm to the level of cultivating into an immortal. However, it also has certain side effects..." Huang Quan handed the two purple pills to Fujiwara Misaki and Cao Hui, carefully explaining their uses.

"Isn't this too exaggerated? Such a powerful elixir, can we even eat it?" Fujiwara Mihide asked, looking at the purple pill in her hand with some fear.

Before she could even decide, Cao Hui had already swallowed the "Soul-Gathering and Spirit-Concentrating" pill. Like the black-haired river turtle, Cao Hui's entire body was enveloped in a deep purple mist, and he floated up from Fujiwara Misaki's right palm. Fujiwara Misaki was startled by the changes happening to Cao Hui. She glanced again at the "Soul-Gathering and Spirit-Concentrating" pill in her left hand, closed her eyes, and swallowed it.

The moment the "Soul-Gathering and Spirit-Concentrating" pill was placed in her mouth, before it even touched her tongue, it completely dissolved, transforming into a ball of purple energy that rapidly merged into Fujiwara Mihide's body. Fujiwara Mihide's original form was "Su," and it was only through acquired cultivation that she was able to regain her human form. After being transformed by this "Soul-Gathering and Spirit-Concentrating" pill, her entire body, like the grass ash and the black-haired river turtle, was enveloped in an incredibly intense purple energy. Fujiwara Mihide felt the changes in her body and discovered that she was no longer a demon, but had truly transformed back into a real human body, and was undergoing further transformations based on this body.

Fujiwara Mihide had never felt this way before, as if nothing in the world mattered to her anymore, as if she could change the world with the slightest movement of her finger. It was a completely transcendent feeling, unlike the feeling of being bound by the physical body during cultivation. At this moment, Fujiwara Mihide felt as if her soul could easily detach from her body, and that her body would create another new soul to protect her. When her detached soul returned to her body, it would merge with the new soul to become an even deeper soul.

In fact, Fujiwara Mihide had no idea of the significance of this soul reorganization; it was entirely the process of the formation and composition of a celestial soul.

When Fujiwara Mihide awoke from her transformation, she found herself before two extremely handsome and imposing young men. She found herself falling deeply in love with one of them—this man was Kusanagi, the transformed individual. Fujiwara Mihide's love for Kusanagi had left an indelible mark on his soul; no matter what Kusanagi looked like, she could always recognize him instantly.

Overwhelmed with emotion, Cao Hui rushed forward and hugged Fujiwara Misaki tightly, showering her cheeks with kisses like raindrops.

"How are the feng shui masters?" Fujiwara Mishu asked gently as she awoke from the warm kisses of grass ash.

"Sister Jiang Yao was seriously injured. Boss Feng Shui and my boss Huang Quan have gone to take care of her. I'm so grateful to Boss Feng Shui. I never thought I could recover to human form, and even improve upon it. Now, Xiao Jiang and I have reached the level of a beginner demon. It's truly amazing." Cao Hui looked at his body in disbelief and said excitedly.

"Sigh, I thought you'd mistake us for someone else, but it seems like there's no hope again." Xiao Jiang, who was transformed from a black-haired river turtle, looked at the couple, Cao Hui and Fujiwara Misaki, and said helplessly.

"You're that black-haired turtle?" Fujiwara Misaki looked at Xiao Jiang in surprise and asked, pointing at his face.

"Yes, you can just call me Xiao Jiang from now on," Xiao Jiang said, shaking his head helplessly.

"This is outrageous! A level that would normally require nearly a dozen units of cultivation to reach has been achieved in the blink of an eye. It's unbelievable!" Fujiwara Mihide said in disbelief, looking at her body in shock.

"Actually, this has both advantages and disadvantages for us. The disadvantage is that we will no longer be able to cultivate to the next level, while the advantage is that we will no longer have to spend so many years suffering and torment in order to cultivate into a true human form," Xiao Jiang said with a sigh.

"Oh, is that so... By the way, Grass Ash, quickly look at what changes I've made?" Fujiwara Miho suddenly remembered her own changes and excitedly said to Grass Ash.

"Hehe... Misaki, haven't you felt it? You're no longer a demon body, but a pseudo-human form created from a demon body, which has transformed into a real human form, and after further changes, you've become an immortal. In other words, you now possess an immortal body." Kusahi said, holding Fujiwara Misaki's hand with a hint of helplessness.

"Is that really true? That's great... Huh? Why do you seem a little unhappy?" Fujiwara Mihide was excited at first, but then noticed that Kusahi's expression was not very good.

“Mishu, you can no longer cultivate. That means you can only linger in this realm now, and you will never be able to truly cultivate to become a god. This is the side effect of the ‘Soul Condensation and Spirit Gathering’ pill.” Grass Ash lowered his head helplessly, not daring to look into Fujiwara Mishu’s eyes.

However, Fujiwara Mihide still wore an excited expression, because she had never imagined that she could cultivate to the legendary level of a sage. For her, it was already a dream. The idea of cultivating to godhood and becoming a deity, as described in mythology, held no meaning for her. In other words, Fujiwara Mihide had never even considered cultivating to godhood; reaching the level of a sage was already a realm she wouldn't even dare to dream of. Therefore, Fujiwara Mihide didn't care whether she could eventually become a deity.

"Grass ash, don't worry about that anymore. This level is already the best for me. I think even my sister Fujiwara Sadako wouldn't dare to dream of reaching this level. Hehehe, I'm so excited." Fujiwara Misaki jumped back and forth on the ground, looking extremely excited.

"Sigh...a woman is still a woman after all, hehe...but it is precisely because of this that I love you." Grass Ash murmured as he looked at Fujiwara Misaki dancing happily in front of him.

Part Two: Cultivation Array

Chapter Twenty-Five: The First Snow in the Realm of Illusion

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Bamboo forest, emerald bamboo forest—it seems that every illusory, fairyland-like world has a bamboo forest. Rain falls from the sky, like brocade, and a thin mist gradually rises from the bamboo forest, pale blue, making the raindrops appear as ethereal as blue crystal.

Nestled among the verdant bamboo is a small courtyard, facing a distant pool. The courtyard is filled with unknown exotic flowers and plants, and seven colorful butterflies flit among them, seemingly unaffected by the raindrops that fall as blue as crystal.

The courtyard is surrounded by a bamboo house with the layout of an old Beijing courtyard house, but only on three sides, allowing the flower garden inside the courtyard to reflect the water in the distance.

Inside the bedroom, Jiang Yao was still unconscious, but her complexion had improved considerably, and she seemed to be alright. Feng Shui sat by the bed, holding Jiang Yao's hand tightly, his eyes filled with worry. Huang Quan sat on a bamboo chair in front of the bed, his jade-like hand gently stroking Jiang Yao's face, his eyes also full of concern.

Cao Hui stood behind Huang Quan like a lackey, his hands hanging limply at his sides, his head drooping. He would occasionally pull back Fujiwara Misaki, who kept trying to peek out from behind him, afraid she would disturb the quiet atmosphere. Xiao Jiang didn't come in; he just sat on the steps by the door, watching the drizzling rain in the sky with a somewhat lost look in his eyes. It was hard to tell what he was thinking.

The atmosphere in the room was now quite peaceful. Although everyone was concerned about Jiang Yao's safety, they weren't as anxious as when they first arrived. Huang Quan looked at everyone and then at the surroundings, and suddenly felt a sense of belonging, as if he had found a home. He felt a unique familiarity with everything, but he couldn't put it into words.

Feng Shui knew that Jiang Yao wouldn't wake up anytime soon and would need to recuperate. Taking a short breath, he stood up and walked to the opposite window. Looking at the flowerbeds outside, their petals scattered by the rain, he felt a pang of sadness. The faint, refreshing scent of the rain-washed bamboo leaves mingled with the grassy aroma, carrying a subtle sweetness that evoked a melancholic, intoxicating feeling.

Looking back on the past, I feel that I am becoming less and less like a cultivator, and I am saddened by the withering of a flower I like. Seeing others suffer sometimes makes me feel pain too. I feel that I am too sentimental now, and I don't know if this is a good thing or a harbinger of some changes that I dare not think about in the future.

Suddenly, he thought of Feng Yileng from the Demon Realm. He loved autumn, the moment the maple leaves fell, the melancholy it brought, and the elegant sorrow of the plum rain season. Why did he suddenly think of him? A self-deprecating smile appeared on Feng Shui's face. It seemed he really was too dependent.

I wonder how Zhou Feiliu is doing in the mortal realm? Because everything happened so suddenly, Feng Shui completely forgot to bring Zhou Feiliu here. Yugawara Town in Japan is terrifying for a cultivation novice like Zhou Feiliu. If something were to happen to her, how could he face Yu Duotian? However, Feng Shui thought again that with the Eighteen Vajras of the True Word Sect present, Zhou Feiliu should be safe. Although she couldn't defeat the Demon God Mie Yin, with the Xuanyuan Sword he gave her, and the magical artifacts given to her by Jiang Yao and Huang Quan, escaping shouldn't be a problem.

"I hope nothing will happen to you..." Feng Shui said softly, but it sounded more like a prayer.

Beyond the bamboo grove lay a lake. On fine days, Fujiwara Miho and Kusahi would sit by the lake, playing and laughing softly, their voices warm and friendly. Now, however, it was raining. These people around him, like most people in the city, would never have met in their lives, yet they had come together for their own reasons. Was this their destiny, or a preordained fate? Was it a good thing, or a bad thing? Feng Shui dared not think any further. Because if he did, he would realize how hopelessly selfish he had become…

With his current Feng Shui abilities, he is simply not capable of protecting everyone present. Since this reincarnation, Feng Shui has realized that he has completely adapted to this comfortable life. However, dangers keep arising. Can he still protect his loved ones and friends with his current cultivation level, which is only at the 'Ascension to Immortality' stage in the cultivation world?

Giving them the "Soul-Gathering and Spirit-Concentrating" pill, while raising their cultivation level, was merely a stopgap measure that didn't address the root cause. If the Demon God Mieyin truly found this place, they wouldn't stand a chance against him with their current power. And while Fujiwara Mishu, Kusanagi, and Koji had reached a level where they could rival immortals, they were still no match for Mieyin's full-force attack.

2004-12-09 11:19:00

Jiang Yao's current situation is arguably the most serious. Although she appears to be unharmed, she has actually lost ninety percent of her cultivation power. Now, Jiang Yao only possesses the power of the 'Refining' realm in the cultivation world. The energy absorbed by the Yin Extinction Technique is simply too much. If she, Huang Quan, and Gui Eting were still the same demonic butterfly, the feng shui wouldn't be such a concern, but that's just an impossible fantasy.

Of all the people here, Huang Quan is the strongest and should be able to rival Mie Yin. However, Feng Shui is worried that if Mie Yin uses trickery in a direct confrontation, even Huang Quan, who is composed of the most powerful emotions of 'joy and anger', will be absorbed.

Feng Shui wasn't very familiar with the characteristics of the people in the Demon Realm, because no one from the Divine Heaven Realm, the Thousand Immortal Realm, or the Demon Realm had ever actually been to the Demon Realm. This was because it was a forbidden place despised by all cultivation communities; no one wanted to go there and tarnish their reputation.

This is why no one in the cultivation world truly understands what the Demon Realm is like. Although the Demon Butterfly originated from the Demon Realm, she hasn't returned for nearly a million years. In other words, the Demon Realm remains a complete mystery. What are the fallen demons like there, and what techniques do they cultivate? Feng Shui dared not think any further…

At this moment, Feng Shui felt like someone trapped in an empty mountain, only able to wander in the mountains and listen to the sound of rain belonging to another world.

The rain continued to fall, seemingly heavier than before. Feng Shui remained standing by the window; no one dared disturb him, only watching his silhouette from behind, hoping to glean something from it, but to no avail…

Slowly, Feng Shui turned around, and everyone stared in her eyes, completely stunned. In Feng Shui's eyes, they saw tears…

"I'm sorry..." Feng Shui said with boundless sorrow.

"Shui... what's wrong?" Huang Quan looked at Feng Shui's sad eyes and shed tears as well, asking in a sobbing voice.

"Feng Shui Master..." Cao Hui and Fujiwara Mishu asked in surprise at the same time.

However, Feng Shui waved his hand, stopping them from asking questions. Gently wiping away the tears from the corners of his eyes, Feng Shui calmed himself down, carefully looked at each person's face, and finally fixed his gaze on Jiang Yao, who was still unconscious.

"This illusory realm array was created by the Demon Butterfly's Enchanting Zither. In other words, this world is actually a realm array refined within the Enchanting Zither itself. Neither gods, immortals, demons, nor monsters can find this place. Because the Enchanting Zither is right here. This is the most magical realm array of all realm arrays, and only the Demon Butterfly's Enchanting Zither possesses such a realm array. In the Three Realms and Three Dimensions, there are only two ways to enter this world: one is the person who possesses the Enchanting Zither, and the other is the wielder of an illusory blade capable of tearing open any space. Both of these are here now, so there's no need to worry about the Demon God Destroying Yin finding this place," Feng Shui explained in detail.

2004-12-09 11:20:00

Huang Quan seemed to understand the hidden meaning in the feng shui's words. Just as she was about to say something, the feng shui stopped her with a look, and Huang Quan felt a sense of oppression. Because she understood what the feng shui was about to say.

"With my current strength, I'm simply unable to protect everyone's safety. What Mieyin wants is the Demon Butterfly, but the Demon Butterfly is my woman. If a man can't even protect his own woman, what value does he have in living? Therefore, I must leave you all temporarily to go outside and improve my strength. After I defeat Mieyin, I will naturally return to find you. Until I return, I hope you can all stay here and not go out. I don't know what the outside world is like now. However, this should be the safest place in the Three Realms and Three Horizons. I hope that Cao Hui, Mei Xiu, and Xiao Jiang can take care of Huang Quan and Jiang Yao for me. Thank you..." Feng Shui lowered his head in anguish, not daring to look at everyone.

"Feng Shui Master..." Grass Ash shouted excitedly.

However, Feng Shui raised his head, signaling him not to ask or speak. Huang Quan, sitting before the bed, was already sobbing uncontrollably. She knew Feng Shui too well; she knew that what he decided was unchangeable. She and Jiang Yao had just reunited with Feng Shui, but things had turned out this way. Was the love between the Demon Butterfly and Feng Shui destined to be a tragedy? Huang Quan dared not think, dared not ask, for she feared that if she spoke or did something, she would be separated from Feng Shui again for lifetimes—something Huang Quan absolutely could not allow to happen again.