When the villain knows the plot

In the blink of an eye, three years have passed, and the Naqin tribe led by Zhu Sheli has grown into an invincible force in Beiyuan.

Combine vertically, connect horizontally, divide, disintegrate...

With his planning step by step, no force in Beiyuan could compete with him.As soon as the recruitment order was issued, martial arts masters eager to make contributions also came to him one after another and joined him.

His reputation resounded throughout the Northern Plains, and he had faintly become the overlord of one side. He was only one step away from being the real king of the Northern Plains.Everyone has already seen where this young man with astonishing skills and excellent military skills will point his sword next——

And Lin Wangcheng!

After so many years, will the super power that ruled the royal city change again?

When the soldiers approached the city, the gate of Helin King City was closed tightly, and the Agula tribe in the city could not defend it.Only a few martial arts masters stood in front of the formation and challenged Zhu Sheli.

Zhu Sheli sat firmly in the formation, smiled slightly, nodded to several people beside him, and stepped forward to fight one by one.

Three games in a row, all three games won!

The whole army erupted into loud applause, and the morale of the army was soaring.

In the final battle, Zhu Sheli rode up and went into battle in person.Within three moves, the master of the enemy's formation was cut down with a single blow.

The momentum in the army has risen to the highest level!

Qing Geer and others led the army and greeted Zhusheli in front of the reining formation.Bayan said with emotion: "Unexpectedly, I could see this day! Following the young master is the most correct decision in my life!"

Everyone also sincerely responded in unison.

Zhu Sheli was neither arrogant nor mad, and said with a smile: "The Agula tribe stationed in the king's city has been at ease for too long, like a piece of wood eaten by moths. It's time to change the master of the king's city. God has stood on our side By the way, glory and wealth are waiting for us to take them ourselves!"

The upper tribes of Beiyuan have always lived by water and grass. Only the only super power can settle in Helinwang City, which stands majestically in the west of Beiyuan.Helin City was built on an oasis with rich water and grass, prosperous and rich, and it was the most prosperous in the Northern Plains.

Those who settle in the royal city can belong to various tribes in the Northern Plains and enjoy annual tribute.It's just that as the Agula tribe became weaker and weaker day by day indulging in the rich and noble township, the prestige of the royal city was gradually not taken seriously by everyone.

Taking advantage of the high morale in the army, Qing Geer gave an order, and the crossbowmen came out, raised the huge bow | crossbow that was half a man's height in their arms, and pointed it at the closed city gate.

This crossbow is extremely strong, if it is not a person in the martial arts, it is impossible to use it by all luck.

After counting to three, everyone clicked on the mechanism and shot out the crossbow | arrows.

Hundreds of crossbow|arrows whizzed away with great power, and after two breaths, the gate of Helin King City was riddled with holes. "Shoot again!" Qing Geer shouted.

After three consecutive shots, the city gate collapsed.

Zhu Sheli led the army and filed in.

……

Xie Xiaoqing hid his figure, hovered over the royal city, and looked at the scene below.

The royal city has changed hands, and the Naqin tribe and the Alliance tribe have settled in the city.This densely populated city is divided into three parts: the royal palace, the upper city, and the lower city. The upper city is home to high-ranking officials and nobles, while the lower city is the area where ordinary people live.

These days, in order to make room for the Naqin tribe, the families who originally lived in the upper city were driven to the lower city by soldiers one after another, and had to live in temporary huts.In a market in the lower city, Zhu Sheli ordered people to set fire to it, burning dozens of shops in a row, leaving an empty space.This open space has now been turned into a busy construction site. Hundreds of craftsmen and slaves are building a towering altar for offering sacrifices to heaven according to the blueprints drawn in Zhushe.In addition to this one, there are several places in the city that are undergoing major renovations at the same time.

Sigh...why do we need to spend so much time on construction and waste money!

Xie Xiaoqing took another look at the sky.The sun is becoming more and more poisonous, and people who are building fortifications under the sun must have a hard time.

With a wave of his hand, dark clouds emerged in the sky, blocking the hot sun.

……

It was almost early morning, and Xie Xiaoqing was still meditating in Zhushe, and Xie Xiaoqing had already got up, supported his shoulder, and kissed him lightly on the forehead.

"I'm going out today, and I'll be back soon." He said softly.

"Okay." Zhu Sheli opened her eyes and watched him leave.The little wolf cub also caught up and wrapped around his feet, biting the corner of his robe.Xie Xiaoqing patted its little head, and the little wolf cub obediently let go and squatted down.

With a thought in Xie Xiaoqing's mind, the evasion technique worked, and he swept out of the royal city.

The place he was going to was far away, but fortunately for a cultivator who transformed himself into a god, he could go back and forth within a day.Zhusheli was busy with general affairs, so he didn't bring it with him, and the person he was going to meet probably didn't want to see Zhusheli either...

The vast verdant grassland, the cattle and sheep scattered like pearls on the grassland, were all left behind in a blink of an eye.

In the afternoon, he had already crossed the border of Beiyuan, flew into the Zhongzhou area, and stepped into the steaming Cangyang Mountain.

When I set foot here again, many old things came to my mind.Let's pay homage to the old friends who died here later, Xie Xiaoqing thought.

He suppressed his emotions, came to the sky above a volcanic lava lake, and shot a green light towards the center of the lake.The green light turned into a blue bird with bright wings and threw it into the red magma.

After a while, the lava lake slowly descended, revealing the mansion below. At this moment, the door opened, and Xie Xiaoqing swept in.

The scene in front of him changed, and he was already in a magnificent palace made of jade.

"Well, you little friend, you still remember to visit me at last!" said a youthful voice.

Taoist Yu was still lazily leaning on the throne in the hall like Xie Xiaoqing did when he first saw him.Seeing Xie Xiaoqing, there was a hint of a smile on his face, but there was nothing in his tone.

After Xie Xiaoqing was reincarnated, he also visited him to thank him for saving his life.After so many years, Xie Xiaoqing has been promoted to a cultivator who is at the pinnacle of the secular world, and Taoist Yu's "little friend" has not changed.

Xie Xiaoqing didn't care, and said with a smile: "You mentioned it last time, today is the time when you ascended to the Immortal Realm for ten thousand years, so I naturally want to come to congratulate you."

Taoist Jade waved his hand: "What's the matter? My body has gone to the fairyland to have fun, but I'm left here to guard the cave. I can't go anywhere, alas!" His jade-colored eyes fixed Xie Xiaoqing, "I'm just looking for There is a reason for you to come here again. You are a good-natured kid, and you are a descendant of that old wood, but unfortunately, you are too stupid, so I can't let go of my heart!"

While chanting, he counted with his fingers. At first he looked calm, but after a while, his brows became more and more wrinkled.Xie Xiaoqing couldn't help being drawn by his expression, feeling a little uneasy.

After calculating this hexagram, Taoist Yu's eyes lit up, and he gave Xie Xiaoqing a hard look.

"The hexagram is extremely fierce, with a near death... Although I can't see the details, this hexagram has a lot to do with your evil master. Didn't I warn you a long time ago, stay away from him? I have died once and I don't know Repent, and you deserve to be cheated to death by him again!" At the end, she gritted her teeth, without any grace, obviously furious.

Xie Xiaoqing didn't answer the call.He doesn't want to contradict Taoist Yu, but he will never listen to his words and leave Master...

The master has promised not to attack him first, and unless the master repents, he will not waver in his determination to stay with the master for a long time.That ominous hexagram is related to Master, perhaps because he was seriously injured in order to protect Master from a disaster, and he narrowly escaped death, isn't there still a glimmer of life?

Seeing that he was silent and should not respond, Taoist Yu snorted coldly several times.

"What a seed of infatuation, can I grow a tree of peach blossoms if you plant it? I think you can change the way of carnival, tie up your precious master, and do this every day. Can be earlier!"

Although what he said was angry, Xie Xiaoqing's cheeks flushed slightly.

"Senior, don't mention my master. I once got a few pieces of rare jade in a blessed land. Can you see what kind?" He took the lake blue stone with a warm jade light from the storage bag. Take it out.Come to visit Taoist Yu, he also prepared gifts in advance.

Daoist Yu was addicted to jade like his life, so he was attracted attention and stretched out his hand to snatch the rare jade.

The two chatted for a while, and Xie Xiaoqing left.

"Wait," Taoist Yu called him, and looked him up and down again, "I smelled it as soon as you came, you have a layer of ominous evil spirits on you, what evil place have you been to recently? ?”

Xie Xiaoqing was stunned: "I've been living in the royal city of Beiyuan recently, why, does this evil spirit hinder me?"

"Wangcheng?" Taoist Yu didn't answer him. After thinking for a moment, he said, "It turns out that it is indeed like the evil spirit leaking from the dark spring under the Beiyuan Wangcheng. It was the seal that my friends and I set up back then. , how did it come loose so quickly?"

"Mingquan?" Xie Xiaoqing asked confused, "I have never seen this place before, the seal is loose, do I need to reinforce it?"

"I'll teach you the method, you can go and try it!" Yu Dao said humanely, and entered Xie Xiaoqing's mind with the location of the dark spring and the sealing method.

Xie Xiaoqing glanced through it briefly, and was suddenly startled.

The location of the Underworld... is exactly the altar for offering sacrifices to heaven that Zhu Sheli ordered people to build!Is there any connection between this?

"What?" Daoist Yu asked when he saw that his expression was not right.

……

Beiyuan Wangcheng, in the palace.

Zhu Sheli was chatting with Bayan and other loyal subordinates about the general affairs in the city, when one of them broke in without notification.

"Tababu?" Zhu Sheli turned his head to look, frowning slightly.

What a bitter breath!He just went out for a day, why did he look so cold when he came back?

Could it be... Zhu Sheli's heart sank, but his face remained calm, making all his subordinates stand back and watching Xie Xiaoqing walk in front of him.

Xie Xiaoqing also waited for the others to leave the room, then stared straight into the eyes of Zhu Sheli, and said: "Tell me, what kind of formation did you set up in this royal city?"

His tone was cold.His pair of originally quiet and clear amber eyes were faintly red.

Can't hide it?Zhu Sheli's heart sank completely.

He has studied the art of strategy and war, and knows that there are always variables in everything, and there is no reason that there is always a strategy that will never be exhausted.It's just a pity that he has been planning the formation for many years...

Xie Xiaoqing had already grabbed one of his hands and held it in the palm of his hand, but he didn't seem to be charming at all.He slowly tightened his hand, and a faint pain was transmitted from the hand that was restrained by him.

Zhu Sheli has always been knowledgeable and knowledgeable, knowing that sophistry is useless, so she reluctantly replied: "It is... the Xuanyin Great Formation."

"Taoist Yu is really right!" Seeing the speculation confirmed, Xie Xiaoqing let out a miserable laugh, "This array absorbs the power of the underground spring, and when it is opened, another thousand people will be sacrificed. At that time, all the people in the lower city will be turned into dead... ...You don't care about the lives of so many people! How could I teach an apprentice like you?"

Blood flashed in his eyes, and his hostility deepened: "Your memory has recovered?"

Just as Zhu Sheli was about to answer, he felt a pain in his head. From the palm of Xie Xiaoqing's pinching him, a great force came out, rushing straight to his sea of ​​consciousness!The scene in front of him instantly became blurred.

"You... actually searched for my soul!" Under the pressure of the realm, Zhushe didn't have the strength to break free, and said with difficulty.

Having all of one's memories unreservedly viewed one by one, such a humiliation can only be inflicted by enemies.Even though he was open-minded, he couldn't help but feel a pang in his heart.

In Xie Xiaoqing's heart, why doesn't it hurt?This scene also reminded him of the scene in Yangxi City Lord's Mansion many years ago, when the extremely overbearing thunder and lightning big handprint pressed on the top of his head, trying to search his soul.At that time, it was Master who tried his best to protect him in his arms... Xie Xiaoqing was in a state of confusion, and he gritted his teeth to stabilize himself.

Even if Master would hate him for this, he still has to do it!The master lied to him so many times, he didn't even dare to believe a word of the master anymore. Only by searching the soul can he truly learn the truth.

The memories in the pearl house flooded into his consciousness like a rolling wave.In most of the pictures, there is his own figure.

Zhu Sheli lowered her eyes and remained silent, her eyelashes trembling slightly on her pale cheeks.

The master in this life...does he really regard himself as the closest person?Xie Xiaoqing cut off his thoughts forcefully, and browsed through the memory fragments pouring into his consciousness.The memory of the short 20 years in Zhushe can be read after a while.

"You haven't recovered your memory, so where did you learn about the formation method?"

The soul search technique is extremely overbearing. Although Xie Xiaoqing restrained his spiritual power, when he received it, Zhu Sheli's figure flickered, and he gasped for a long while before he could speak: "In my previous life... I sealed a formation in my soul Figure, this is the only thing he left me."

He had severe head pain, and he spoke intermittently, but in his bright eyes, there was a stubbornness and firmness that was not subdued: "I didn't know what it was at first, but I figured it out after learning the simple formation in the exercises. You told me what kind of person I was and what I went through, and then I fully understood what he wanted me to do."

"I'm still going through the third catastrophe, and Ying Long is still chasing me. When I recover to my original cultivation, I'm afraid I won't be an opponent, so I have to rely on the power of this formation. His decision is my decision. Of course I’m going to do my best.”

"Even if thousands of innocent people are killed?"

"Yes, he doesn't care, and I..." Zhu Sheli didn't finish speaking, and there was another sharp pain on the bone of his hand!

"Hahahahahaha..." His words made Xie Xiaoqing furious and laughed wildly, "It turns out that everything I have done in the past 20 years is extremely ridiculous! I actually have delusions about you, and I hope you can be kind to others , cherish the lives of others..."

Bright red tears of blood slipped down from his eyes.

Xie Xiaoqing seemed to have seen Zhu Sheli's childhood scene again.He led the young and lovely children to open medicine halls in plague-ridden villages and towns to treat people.He asked Zhu Sheli to help decoct and deliver the medicine.The boiling hot medicinal juice accidentally burned the little hand in Zhushe, but he held back his tears and brought the medicine bowl to the patient.At that time, he was so relieved, thinking that he could correct Master's evil nature...

Hahaha...how could he be so stupid and naive!

For his own selfishness, the master did not hesitate to drag half of the people in the city into the Netherworld. If he hadn't found out, he would have succeeded!

"It seems that I chose the wrong path in the Yingzhou faction. Let you die with me," he leaned down and approached the bead house sitting in front of him, his expression was pain and despair, his eyes danced With frenzied magic flames, "I will kill you first, and then I will accompany you after I atone for your sins..."

On Xie Xiaoqing's body, the murderous aura soared, and the heavy coercion almost broke the bones in the pearl house.

Zhu Sheli knew that he was telling the truth.If he says a wrong sentence again, he will be provoked to do it.

Under pressure, he still tried his best to raise his head.

"I made an oath that I will not harm you first, and I will not harm you when I activate the formation. I did not deceive you with a single word..."

He said word for word, looking at the past calmly.

I only concealed, I didn't deceive you, I didn't feel sorry for you, you don't care if you do something to me in order to publicize others, so why bother you... It's like being let down by me, not only humiliating, but also saying that I let you down, that's why Want to kill me?

His words made Xie Xiaoqing, who was on the verge of madness and insane, quiet for a moment, as if he was thinking about what he said.

"Okay, okay, good one didn't deceive me!" He closed his eyes, then opened them again, "You promised not to harm me, and if I attack you again, it will appear that I am sorry for you..." He chuckled a few times, He said miserably, "You had expected this day long before you used this oath to trip me, right? You... calculated well! If you had made a blood contract with me back then to blackmail me, Now I have made up my mind to kill you. Now, I can no longer do anything to you..."

Agitated by emotion, the hand he was holding on to the bead house suddenly tightened, and a tooth-piercing voice came out.

Zhu Sheli's eyes darkened and he almost passed out.

This soft and smooth hand... was led by the master when he was young, and he put it in the palm of his hand to keep warm in the winter, and interlocked with his fingers when he was in love, but now, it is held by him. Crush yourself.Thick blood surged up from his eyes, and the spiritual power in his body was restless. Xie Xiaoqing knew in his heart that this was the emergence of a demon in his heart, but he was unable to break free, and fell deeper and deeper.

The only sanity remaining in the altar told him that he could not stay here anymore, otherwise he would do something that would destroy both of them...

He managed to stay awake, forced a drop of blood from his fingertips, and fused with a drop of blood in the bead house.Recite the incantation, stretch out a finger, let the blood drop into Zhu Sheli's body.

"Okay, I'll save your life, and I'll settle the bill later. Daoist Yu told me that if you want to activate the formation, you don't have to sacrifice your life. You only need to take something from the Primordial Realm of the Western Wilderness to suppress the formation." , I’ll go get it for you right now.” Xie Xiaoqing said.

Under his questioning, Daoist Yu reluctantly told him about the matter, and at the same time said that the place was extremely dangerous, and he, a cultivator who transformed himself into a god, broke into it, and he would really die without life.

For Xie Xiaoqing, who had lost all hope, that place couldn't be more suitable.

"I placed a blood contract on you. If I fall there, you will also die from the backlash. Over the years, I have cherished you so much, and regard you as more important than my life. If I am not afraid You want to cause harm to others, and I am willing to die for you." Xie Xiaoqing said coldly, "But now, I have changed my mind, if I die, you can die with me!"

There was no sound in Zhushe, the terrible pain came from his wrist, and he was so painful that he couldn't speak.

Xie Xiaoqing had left him, turned and left.

The Tabibu in the pearl house?

Seeing Xie Xiaoqing strode out of the palace gate, Bayan and others who were guarding outside the palace looked at each other in surprise.

They all knew that Xie Xiaoqing had a gentle temper, how could he become such an evil spirit?

Xie Xiaoqing left without even looking at them.Before leaving, he seemed to be looking towards the south of the royal city.

"Oh", he snorted coldly, and the hostility on his face became heavier.

In a blink of an eye, his figure disappeared.

"Young Master!" Everyone who stepped into the hall saw a scene that shocked them even more.

"Young master, your hand..." Bayan hurried forward, confused.Was it really Xie Xiaoqing's poisonous hands?How could he be cruel to the young master!

Qing Geer hurriedly called for the doctor, Zhu Sheli shook his head: "No need."

He summoned a jade bottle from the storage bag with his mind, poured out two pills with his good hand, and put them in his mouth.

The pain eased a little, but the injury didn't get better at all.Wherever the power of the cultivator of Huashen came, how could it be resolved by ordinary pills.

Everyone felt compassionate.The young master's right hand is already a blurred mass of flesh and blood, its original shape is completely invisible.This famous hand that had beheaded the elder of the Yunlan Sect might never be able to hold a knife again.

Bearing the severe pain in Zhushe, seeing everyone's nervous appearance.Forced a smile.

"I can't save my hand, but fortunately I'm still alive for the time being."

……

Thousands of miles of yellow sand, big sun and dark sky.

The Western Wilderness is the most desolate continent in this world, and the Bone Desert on the border of the Western Wilderness is the most desolate place in the Western Wilderness.

The wind tornado reaching up to the sky lingers in the Bone Desert all year round, and the violent undercurrent hidden in the air can tear the monk who strays into pieces in an instant.

"Damn it, I can't go any further!" A woman in bright yellow clothes flew over, looked at the scene in front of her and sighed, reaching out her hand to stop the crowd who followed her.

"Uncle Xu, we are about to catch up to that villain, why stop?" The few people who followed were all wearing special blue and white Taoist robes with jade rings around their waists, obviously they were all disciples of the Yingzhou Sect.

Xu Hanxiu shook his head: "Further ahead is the Bone Burial Desert, even I can't trespass, let alone you?"

Are you going to return in vain this time?Everyone looked unwilling, but helpless.They have all heard of the reputation of the Bone Burial Desert, it is indeed an extremely dangerous place!The devil they were chasing and killing probably dared to barge in because he possessed a rare defensive magic weapon with dual natures of wind and earth.

"Go back." Xu Hanxiu said that it is useless to delay here.

They were about to turn back, when Xu Hanxiu let out a soft "Huh" suddenly, with a look of surprise on his face, he turned his head and looked in a certain direction: "Someone is coming."

As soon as the words fell, the disciples who were a little less perceptive also saw the green-clothed cultivator flying over.

So powerful...and so terrifying!

The face of the visitor was icy cold, his eyes were red, and the violent spiritual power in his body could not be suppressed, and leaked out.With the spiritual power of evil spirit, it was like a tiny black flame burning on the skin of his robe.

"Xie Xiaoqing?"

Xu Hanxiu blurted out, feeling even more shocked in her heart, she could hardly believe her divine sense.The breath from the visitor did carry a hint of her familiar smell, but the Xie Xiaoqing she knew was extremely gentle and kind, how could there be such a strong evil spirit on him?

He... actually fell into a demon?

Thank you, uncle?The disciples were also taken aback.Although they are not familiar with Xie Xiaoqing, they have heard of the name of one of the few sects who are capable of transforming gods.

Xie Xiaoqing acted as if he hadn't seen them, and flew into the bone-burying desert in the blink of an eye.Although it was a dangerous place, it was nothing to the cultivator who transformed the spirit.

Everyone stayed where they were, looking at each other.

The next moment, the man full of evil spirit suddenly turned back and landed in front of Xu Hanxiu.

"Why are you here?" he asked.If it wasn't for the cold tone, it would have a warm and pleasant voice.

"How did you become like this?" Xu Hanxiu said.Seeing that Xie Xiaoqing didn't answer, he sighed inwardly, and said: "We accepted the mission of the sect and came here after chasing and killing a demon who used living people to refine medicine, but he accidentally escaped into the bone-burying desert..."

Although she was quite concerned about this old friend, she didn't dare to ask any more questions.Xie Xiaoqing has fallen into a demon, and it is unpredictable to do anything. If it makes him go crazy, how can she, a mere Nascent Soul cultivator and a few Golden Core disciples, be able to resist it!

"Living people refining medicine?" Xie Xiaoqing repeated slowly, and a look of hatred suddenly appeared in those blood-soaked eyes.

He raised his hand, and grasped the void with the palm of the rising black flame.In an instant, a gray-robed monk appeared in front of him.

The grey-robed man Ding Chen looked suspicious. He, a vicious Nascent Soul Demon, was picked up like a chicken cub from the air, and he had no power to resist!

"Is this the person?" Xie Xiaoqing asked.

"Yes." Xu Hanxiu nodded.

Under the hood of terrifying coercion, Ding Chen couldn't move for a moment.He knew that he would not be able to escape today, and he still didn't give up, his thoughts turned quickly.He didn't know Xie Xiaoqing, and he couldn't guess how he was related to the Yingzhou School, so he simply went all out and said loudly: "Senior, spare my life, and I have a Tianxuan Seven Treasures Spirit Pill to offer!"

Thinking about it, this person has a strong evil spirit, and he should also be a member of the demonic way, and the Tianxuan Seven Treasures Spirit Pill, which is said to be able to help cross the catastrophe, is the dream of all cultivators who transform themselves into gods.

Unexpectedly, as soon as the words came out, the hatred in that person's eyes became heavier.

Xie Xiaoqing didn't look at him again, he clasped his five fingers together, and the sound of flesh and blood splattered, and Ding Chen's chest and abdomen exploded into a cloud of blood mist, and fell to the ground without a sound.

"Trample on human life for selfishness, deserve to be killed!" Xie Xiaoqing said coldly.

He didn't stay any longer, and disappeared from everyone's eyes in an instant.

His attack just now was quite ruthless, seeing that everyone in the Yingzhou faction felt chills in their hearts and dared not make a sound.It was not until he left for a long time that a disciple timidly said: "Master Xie... How could he become like that? When he was still in the sect, I was ordered by Master to send something to Fengming Mansion. The Master Uncle Xie I saw was gentle and kind, and he didn't have any pretensions about being able to transform into a god."

"It is said that Uncle Xie and Elder He Yu have always been inseparable, but now they are alone. Could it be..." another person guessed.

"Qi Yuan." Xu Hanxiu stopped quickly.

Although Xie Xiaoqing walked for a while, they couldn't sense his aura anymore, but the scope of the cultivator's spiritual consciousness was beyond the imagination of these disciples!Although she reacted quickly, she was still a step slow.

A gust of wind blows head-on, and there seems to be a fierce murderous aura in the wind.Everyone was in a hallucination, and saw the monk in blue suddenly turn his head back, and glanced at himself with red eyes.

That look was so cold it could freeze the blood.

After a while, the illusion dissipated, and everyone let out a sigh of relief.

"Let's go." Xu Hanxiu said.She put Ding Chen's body into the magic weapon and prepared to take it back to the sect as an excuse, so she used the escape technique and flew back first.

The reason for Xie Xiaoqing's obsession...she thought in her heart.

When she saw Xie Xiaoqing coming alone, she actually thought of that too.Although Xie Xiaoqing didn't tell her, she could also see his deep affection for Heyu. Now that he has fallen into a demon, could it be... Has Heyu fallen under the catastrophe again?