Chapter 833: Hunter and Prey

Seeing Zu An trapped, a sinister smile flashed across Wei Pingyang's face. "Die!"

The flying sword in his hand hummed. Then, a plume of white mist suddenly erupted from its tail, followed by a deafening boom that made the eardrums of many distant observers ache. That was the sound of the flying sword breaking the sound barrier. With Zu An now controlled by his aura, Wei Pingyang's lips curled into a slight smile. Once this guy was dead, the rest of the Crown Prince's faction would be insignificant. Although he had lost a life-saving artifact, obtaining the dark dagger in Zu An's hand would surely compensate for his loss.

Just then, a terrifying pressure emanated from Zu An's direction. Even Lu Xiao, who was diligently recuperating nearby, involuntarily opened his eyes, staring in shock at Zu An's location. The terrifying aura was such that even he felt an uncontrollable urge to kneel and tremble. Wei Pingyang, as the target, bore the full brunt of it. He turned deathly pale, his body trembling uncontrollably, and his knees buckled, causing him to plummet from the air and land directly on his knees. It was the might of the Taia Sword's domain!

Zu An felt the pressure around him instantly lift. Without hesitation, he charged directly towards Wei Pingyang. He could only use the Domain of Might once for a short period, so he naturally couldn't waste it. However, a figure flashed and blocked Wei Pingyang, taking the full force of the lethal sword strike meant for him. Zu An was stunned. The person in front of him was Mu Ping, another retainer from Prince Qi's Manor. Why would he jump in to take a blow for Wei Pingyang? Were the retainers' bonds really that strong? Even if Wei Pingyang were his own father, he would surely hesitate. As Zu An wondered, Mu Ping didn't look at him. Instead, he struggled to turn his head towards Wei Pingyang, uttering a faint, "You..."

Unfortunately, the curse of "Dagger of Poison" had already activated. His body glowed with black runes, and he promptly dropped dead. Wei Pingyang seized this opportunity to recover. As a Grandmaster, even the Domain of Might could only disorient him for a brief moment. He immediately propelled his flying sword, which swiftly sliced across Zu An's wrist. Zu An quickly retreated, but it was too late. A sharp pain shot through his left hand, making him lose his grip on the "Dagger of Poison."

"Hahaha, your wrist tendon must be severed," Wei Pingyang said, still looking somewhat shaken. He couldn't believe that he, a Grandmaster, had almost died twice at his opponent's hands. Zu An clutched his wrist in silence. If it had been anyone else, that flying sword attack would likely have crippled their hand. But with his physical resilience, this strike wasn't enough to disable him. However, he showed no outward reaction, intending to lull his opponent into a false sense of security before delivering a surprise at the right moment. What perplexed him most was why Mu Ping had taken the blow for Wei Pingyang. Otherwise, Wei Pingyang would have been dead by now.

Fortunately, Lu Xiao, who was some distance away, answered his question. "Wei Pingyang, you actually cast a Puppet Charm on Mu Ping?" He Li, standing nearby, also retreated further, his gaze fixed on Wei Pingyang with a mix of anger and apprehension. The Puppet Charm, as its name suggested, transformed a person into a puppet. Ordinarily, no abnormalities would be visible. Only when the master faced mortal danger would the puppet sacrifice itself without hesitation to save them. This skill was incredibly sinister and had very stringent conditions, which was why it had always been rejected by society. In earlier years, all cultivators who practiced such wicked arts were exterminated. It was unexpected that Wei Pingyang, a mere retainer of Prince Qi's Manor, would possess such a malevolent skill.

Wei Pingyang calmly stated, "If I hadn't happened to know this trick, that kid would have ambushed me just now. If I die, Brother Lu, you wouldn't survive either." After his life-saving jade pendant shattered, an alarm instantly blared in his mind. Fearing that his opponent might possess other unexpected skills, he secretly cast the Puppet Charm on Mu Ping, who was closest to him. Among the various retainers, he had the best relationship with Mu Ping, was most familiar with his cultivation, and Mu Ping had no guard against him, making the casting of the charm easier. Conversely, if his Puppet Charm had been used on anyone else, even someone with lower cultivation than Mu Ping, it would never have been as effective.

Hearing his words, Lu Xiao couldn't retort. He was currently at a crucial stage of his recovery. If Zu An were to kill Wei Pingyang and then attack him, he wouldn't be able to defend himself at all. Wei Pingyang continued, "What's done is done. Blaming me now is pointless. The priority is to quickly eliminate this boy and then complete the task assigned by the Prince." Lu Xiao nodded. "Exactly. The priority is to complete the Prince's mission. He Li, what are you dawdling for? Hurry up and deal with that woman, then go after the Crown Prince and them!"

He Li looked troubled. Although the woman was only a sixth-rank cultivator, she was so pitiful that no man could bring himself to strike a killing blow against her. However, since Lu Xiao had invoked Prince Qi, he couldn't object and just grunted, "Alright, alright." He was a peak ninth-rank expert. Once he became serious, Daji was immediately in grave danger. If not for her innate talent of enchanting all men, making them feel pity, she would probably have died countless times already.

Zu An knew this couldn't go on. He quickly signaled Daji. Daji took out her pipa and gently plucked its strings, and the Demonic Allure music spread outwards. Within Prince Qi's Manor's faction, those with lower cultivation suddenly turned their weapons on their comrades, instantly throwing the scene into chaos. Simultaneously, a large number of fierce beasts suddenly appeared from the surrounding forest. Although the strongest among them were only Pale Giant Wolves, their sheer numbers overwhelmed, charging directly into the crowd, causing flesh and blood to fly everywhere.

"What's going on?" everyone from Prince Qi's Manor exclaimed in shock. Even Lu Xiao and Wei Pingyang were bewildered. The sudden loss of sanity among their comrades was easy to explain—it was likely some enchanting skill used by that incredibly beautiful woman. But what about these fierce beasts? Why had they gone berserk and rushed out? Of course, they didn't know that Zu An was using the Jade Cong to communicate with some smaller beasts nearby, using them to harass other beasts and throw the surrounding animal groups into disarray. Unfortunately, the beasts controlled by his Jade Cong had limited power. Otherwise, if he could have lured some terrifying beasts from the mountains, he might have been able to wipe out everyone from Prince Qi's Manor here.

In his helplessness, He Li no longer bothered with Daji. He had to first suppress the unrest here, otherwise, if they were completely annihilated, there wouldn't be enough manpower to pursue the Crown Prince. He could have dealt with Zu An, but witnessing Wei Pingyang, a Grandmaster, nearly die twice at his opponent's hands made his hair stand on end. "This monstrous talent should be left to the Grandmasters," he thought.

"Brat, I must admit you've truly surprised me. With your ant-like cultivation, you've pushed us to this point. But now, it all ends," Wei Pingyang said, his gloomy eyes fixed on Zu An. He beckoned, and the "Dagger of Poison," which had been knocked to the ground, flew into his hand. "This is mine now. Let's see what else you've got."

"Fool," Zu An scoffed softly. With a thought, the "Dagger of Poison" returned to the keyboard space. He silently cursed his bad luck; he couldn't operate the Dagger of Poison remotely. Otherwise, if he could have seized this chance to cut Wei Pingyang's palm, it would have been over. Seeing the dagger vanish into thin air from his hand, Wei Pingyang was not surprised but delighted. "So it can recognize a master. It truly is a divine artifact! Haha, once I kill you, it will be mine." With that, he no longer stood calmly as before. Instead, he gripped his sword in a stance and charged directly at Zu An.

"So fast!" Zu An's heart tightened, and he quickly dodged. However, no matter how he employed his Sunflower Phantoms, even creating three identical afterimages fleeing in different directions simultaneously, his opponent easily saw through them. Wei Pingyang laughed. "Locked on by a Grandmaster's divine sense, your fancy tricks are useless." As he spoke, his flying sword, darting through the air, attacked Zu An from all directions, as if two Grandmasters were attacking at once. Zu An couldn't possibly defend against it, and soon, various bloodstains bloomed across his body.

"Hmm, your body is quite tough, enduring such heavy injuries and still holding on," Wei Pingyang chuckled. "But it's all over now. Let's see if you can still fight when your heart is shattered." His speed suddenly increased by a notch, and he thrust directly at Zu An's chest. In that instant, Zu An immediately felt that no matter where he dodged, this sword would pierce his heart. So he decisively activated the key: "Your pants dropped!"

Wei Pingyang was just admiring the speed and timing of his attack when he suddenly felt a chill between his legs. He looked down and saw a trembling, shriveled little worm exposed to the air. Wei Pingyang was utterly bewildered. Lu Xiao was speechless. He Li was equally stunned.

"You brat, I'll slice you into a thousand pieces!" With his private parts exposed to so many onlookers, Wei Pingyang's composure instantly shattered. Enraged, Wei Pingyang's fury surged to an astronomical level.

Zu An inwardly cursed. He had intended to counterattack, but a Grandmaster's spirit was simply too powerful; Wei Pingyang could anticipate his movements. Even while pulling up his pants with one hand, he had nearly injured Zu An with the other. "Your pants dropped again," Zu An repeated, sensing the killing intent. Unfortunately, it had no effect this time. A clear light flashed around Wei Pingyang, and his pants remained firmly in place. Wei Pingyang sneered, "You dare be so arrogant with a mere incantation art."

Mi Li's voice echoed in Zu An's mind: "At the Grandmaster realm, one can already establish a spiritual force field around themselves, capable of neutralizing some incantation skills. If incantations truly had no weaknesses, the Dragon Clan would have long ago unified the world." While clumsily dodging Wei Pingyang's attacks, Zu An wryly chuckled, "Queen sister, can you please stop cutting out so often? It's really terrifying." Mi Li's calm voice replied, "I told you, don't rely on me. I will not help you."

"Not even in this death trap?" Zu An asked. "If I die, you won't survive either." "Don't threaten me with that," Mi Li answered. "This situation is your own doing. If you insist on staying to be a hero, then be prepared for a true sacrifice." Zu An's stubbornness flared. "I refuse to believe I won't survive." He didn't bother talking to Mi Li anymore and charged directly into the ranks of Prince Qi's Manor's elite guards.

Wei Pingyang's cold laughter echoed. "Trying to use Prince Qi's men as cover to make me hesitate? Pointless. Under my divine sense, I can accurately pinpoint your target." As he spoke, he himself, like a flying sword, pursued Zu An. Zu An smiled. "Who said I'm using them as shields? I just don't want to waste my ultimate move. I have swords too." The moment he finished speaking, he summoned the Azure Luan. A high-pitched, clear cry resounded, followed by an azure divine bird soaring into the sky. A massive sword phantom descended, then transformed into countless sword energies that enveloped the entire area.

Screams of agony erupted as countless of Prince Qi's Manor's elite guards were instantly cut down by the fierce sword energies. After the sword rain fell, only a few people within dozens of yards could still stand, but all were heavily wounded. The elite guards from Prince Qi's Manor further away stared in utter horror at the scene. So many people from Prince Qi's Manor, and more than half were killed by him alone in an instant!

"Well done, Lord Zu, mighty!" Liu Xian's weak cheers came from nearby. At this moment, three arrows were stuck in his back, half a blade was deeply embedded in his shoulder, and a long gash on his abdomen spilled out colorful intestines, which he was holding with one hand to prevent them from falling completely to the ground. Clearly, he was at his last gasp. His cultivation was not high to begin with, and even after burning his essence blood, he had only temporarily risen to the peak of the sixth rank. There were many elite guards of Prince Qi's Manor at this level, and facing such overwhelming odds, even with Liu clan warriors desperately protecting him, his injuries kept accumulating. Later, seeing the Liu clan warriors fall one by one, he became bloodthirsty. Although he killed many enemies, his own injuries grew increasingly severe.

The Eastern Palace side was already at a distinct disadvantage. After the recent fierce battle, they were almost completely wiped out, with only him and a few family warriors remaining alive. Seeing more and more enemies surround him, he was ready to close his eyes. But then Zu An, like a divine soldier, descended from the sky, forcefully eliminating a large number of Prince Qi's elite guards. These men had countless family warriors' blood on their hands, so seeing them eradicated was a form of revenge. But as that surge of adrenaline left him, he could no longer hold on and collapsed to the ground.

Zu An rushed over to support him. Seeing that his life force was gone, he said apologetically, "I'm sorry, I couldn't save you all." In his recent clashes with Wei Pingyang and He Li, he had faced danger multiple times and couldn't afford to be distracted for a moment. By the time he came over, only a few people from the Eastern Palace faction were left.

"We stayed here fully prepared to die. We don't need you to save us," Liu Xian said with a smile. His usual greasy smile was now exceptionally carefree. "Is there anything you want me to relay?" Zu An asked in a deep voice. "Yes, there's a lot I want to say," Liu Xian's eyes began to glaze over, and his voice gradually lowered. "I know everyone in the capital looks down on me, but given my innate talent, what could I do? If you can make it out alive, tell my father that for all these years, he's been dragged down and mocked by the people of the capital because of me. But at least this time, he can stand tall and proud. His son isn't a good-for-nothing who only knows how to chase women!"

Zu An said in a deep voice, "By then, not only your father, but everyone in the capital will know that." "Really?" A smile appeared on Liu Xian's face. "Oh, and I have several concubines at home. Please quietly let them go, lest the Liu clan force them to be buried with me. I couldn't bear to harm them after they followed me. I don't want to die in a foreign land. If there's a chance, please make sure someone from the Liu clan enters the secret realm again to retrieve my remains. I also don't want to be enshrined in the Liu ancestral temple, lest I anger the Liu ancestors. My death looks too gruesome; it would harm my reputation as a handsome and dashing man. So, just burn me and scatter my ashes in the river next to the Celestial Immortals Pavilion. Then, when the girls there see the river water shimmering, they'll know it's me greeting them. Ah, what a pity. I had planned to use my peerless charm to conquer the academy's seven young ladies after leaving the secret realm..." Liu Xian's voice grew fainter and fainter until it finally ceased. His eyes were wide open at the moment of death, clearly filled with many unfulfilled wishes.

Zu An gently closed his eyes. "Rest assured, I will fulfill all your wishes."

"You can't even save yourself, and you want to fulfill others' wishes?" A figure tremblingly stood up, covered in bloodstains, with clothes reduced to tattered rags, looking like the most wretched beggar. However, his eyes were incredibly sharp, indicating that his injuries were not as severe as they appeared. Wei Pingyang said with hatred, "I have to admit, you're truly capable, kid, pushing us into such a desperate situation. That last move was also astonishing. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to kill me."

Zu An's heart sank. That had been almost his most powerful move, yet it still couldn't defeat his opponent. Was it truly impossible to beat a Grandmaster without being one yourself? "Everyone else, go capture the Crown Prince and Princess! This fellow is mine," Wei Pingyang commanded. The warriors who had stayed behind to cover the Eastern Palace's retreat were now almost completely wiped out, though Prince Qi's forces had also suffered significant losses. They had surrounded and killed this group with an absolute advantage, yet still suffered over half their number in casualties. He wondered how they would explain this to Prince Qi upon their return. The greatest casualties, he realized, were caused by this very person!

He Li, another retainer and a peak ninth-rank expert, had just awakened those controlled by Daji and suppressed the rampaging beasts. He had also witnessed Zu An's sky-filling sword energies. He grew increasingly terrified. "If that move had been directed at me, I probably wouldn't have survived," he thought. Keeping a distance from this monster was the best strategy. Thus, when he heard Wei Pingyang's instructions, he had no objections. He quickly led the remaining elite guards from Prince Qi's Manor in pursuit of Bi Linglong and the others. Many of them were injured or crippled, so catching up wouldn't be difficult.

Zu An also realized this. He wanted to stop them, but Wei Pingyang blocked his path, giving him no opportunity. If they caught up, then the sacrifices of so many, including Liu Xian, would have been meaningless. Zu An sighed inwardly. He still shouldn't have let emotion guide him. Although he thought this, his gaze became exceptionally resolute. He looked towards He Li and the others and directly activated his "Verbal Abuse" skill. Almost instantly, those people turned their heads back, glaring furiously at Zu An. In that moment, they felt as if he had killed their fathers and stolen their wives. In each of their minds, only one voice remained: "Kill him! Kill him!" Even in He Li's mind, who had been very wary of him, various thoughts emerged: "This child has such cultivation at such a young age; what will happen when he fully matures? We must nip such a genius in the bud as early as possible to truly rest easy later."

After activating this skill, Zu An quickly used "Great Wind" to depart in the opposite direction from Bi Linglong and the others. He wasn't foolishly seeking death, but had a certain degree of confidence. Once he entered the mountains, with the map Jiang Luofu gave him and the Jade Cong's spiritual connection ability, he could fully utilize the terrifying fierce beasts to deal with these people.

He sped along, and just as he was about to enter the forest, a streak of light, even faster than Wei Pingyang's flying sword, suddenly shot from the side, piercing directly through his back. His body shuddered, a blood flower violently burst open on his chest, and then he fell limply into the pond below.

Lu Xiao, who had been sitting cross-legged in meditation some distance away, slowly stood up. The streak of light returned to his side, reforming into the shape of an iron sword. Wei Pingyang and He Li were astonished. "Brother Lu, your injuries have recovered?" Lu Xiao said coldly, "So many of you were put in such a disarray by a young junior. If I hadn't recovered earlier, he might truly have escaped." He Li's old face flushed. Wei Pingyang smiled. "Brother Lu's divine powers are truly unmatched. Injuries that would normally take an hour to recover from are now nearly healed in just over half an hour." Lu Xiao smiled faintly. "Thanks to Prince Qi, who bestowed upon me a healing elixir, I recovered much faster than expected." Wei Pingyang and He Li looked on with envy and jealousy. "Brother Lu is indeed highly favored by the Prince."

Wei Pingyang cursed inwardly. "Lu Xiao, that old schemer, could recover in just half an hour, but he didn't tell me the truth just now, keeping us in the dark. He must have been deliberately guarding against me, fearing I might pose a threat. When dealing with this guy in the future, I must be extra vigilant." He Li's gaze fell on the iron sword revolving around Lu Xiao. "Brother Lu, your vital sword was just destroyed, yet you've already refined another iron sword so quickly. Truly unfathomable." Lu Xiao gently stroked the sword's blade. "This sword was my early companion. It was originally meant to be discarded and destroyed, but I'd used it for many years and grown fond of it, so I kept it by my side. I never imagined it would play such a crucial role this time. It just goes to show, one should always value old attachments, for they can bring unexpected rewards." If he had switched to another sword, he wouldn't have been able to refine it to such a level of dexterity so quickly, making it difficult to seize that fleeting opportunity to kill Zu An.

"That young thief truly has some ability. To possess such cultivation at such a young age... at his age, our combined strength probably wouldn't be enough to fight him," Wei Pingyang couldn't help but sigh. Lu Xiao said calmly, "Have there been any shortage of astonishingly talented geniuses throughout history? If one cannot grow to the end, then no matter how brilliant, it holds no meaning."

He Li approached the pond, looking at the emerald water now stained red with blood. "By the way, is that guy really dead?" Wei Pingyang's eyes darted around. "We haven't seen the body yet. Why don't I go down and check?" "What, are you doubting my judgment?" Lu Xiao scoffed. "My sword strike shattered his heart meridian. Not even a Grand Golden Immortal could save him now." Hearing him say this, He Li and the others who had been affected by Zu An's "Verbal Abuse" skill collectively breathed a sigh of relief. The violent killing intent in their hearts finally dissipated, though they still felt some confusion about what had just happened to them.

Wei Pingyang gave an awkward laugh. "Naturally, I wouldn't dare doubt Brother Lu. It's just that this matter concerns Prince Qi's great undertaking, and no one can be left alive. It's better to confirm." "Don't use the Prince to pressure me. Don't think I don't know what you're thinking," Lu Xiao scoffed. "You just have your eyes on someone else's dagger and want to seize the opportunity to claim it for yourself." Wei Pingyang's expression changed. He wondered if this guy was trying to snatch it from him. Just as he was about to speak, Lu Xiao interjected, "Our most important mission this time is to capture the Crown Prince and Princess. They are still fleeing. Our priority is to pursue them. As for other matters, you can return and retrieve them yourself after the mission is complete." "Brother Lu is right," Wei Pingyang replied. Seeing that the other party had invoked Prince Qi, Wei Pingyang couldn't say anything more. Crucially, Lu Xiao's cultivation was superior to his, so he could only agree. He secretly wondered if this guy also coveted the treasure. He would have to guard against Lu Xiao secretly returning to retrieve it.

Next, Lu Xiao took the lead, pursuing in the direction Bi Linglong and the others had vanished. Wei Pingyang and He Li followed closely, trailed by the remaining experts from Prince Qi's Manor. Before long, the group reached a fork in the path. The elite guards of Prince Qi's Manor scouted the surroundings and returned to report, "They split into two groups, running in different directions." "Brother Lu, what should we do?" Wei Pingyang asked. Lu Xiao scoffed. "That girl Bi Linglong's petty trick is merely to make us divide our forces. Unfortunately for them, they have so few people. We outmatch them in both expert realms and numbers. What if we split our forces? You two go left, I'll take the right. Ensure no one is left alive."

"Alright!" Soon, Prince Qi's Manor's forces split into two teams, one following Lu Xiao, the other following Wei Pingyang and He Li. As pursuers, smiles of ease hung on their faces. Victory was at hand; with the Crown Prince and Princess eliminated, Prince Qi's ascension to the throne was inevitable. Wouldn't they become crucial officials in the new regime? Becoming dukes and marquises would be a given, and they would finally establish their own lasting family legacies. However, their mood quickly soured because, before long, both groups discovered another fork in the path ahead. Clearly, the targets had split again.

"What a cunning woman!" both Lu Xiao and Wei Pingyang cursed under their breath. Such a strategy could only have come from Bi Linglong. "It's meaningless, unfortunately!" He Li said, encouraging his subordinates with a smile. After all, they held the absolute advantage. If the targets split, they could naturally split too, maintaining an absolute advantage regardless of the path. After encountering several more forks in the path, Wei Pingyang and He Li's teams also separated.

All along the way, Wei Pingyang couldn't stop thinking about the dark dagger in Zu An's hand—the dagger that had instilled deathly fear in him. "Could that bastard Lu Xiao have secretly gone back to steal the dagger right now? Otherwise, why would he have stopped me from going into the water to retrieve it? Hmph, that guy has been wary of me for years, afraid that my cultivation would surpass his and threaten his status. This time, Prince Qi gave him a life-saving elixir but didn't give one to me, just because he's the chief retainer. I must replace him." Various thoughts flooded his mind, and he grew increasingly impatient. He found an opportunity to separate from his subordinates and, while ostensibly searching alone, flew directly back along the path they had come.

Fearing discovery by Lu Xiao, he didn't dare waste time and sped along like the wind. At the Grandmaster realm, one could fly through the air, so he didn't take long to return to the previous battlefield. The scent of blood here had attracted quite a few fierce beasts, but they posed no threat to him as a Grandmaster. He went straight to the pond and jumped directly into the spot where he remembered Zu An falling. As a Grandmaster, his utilization and familiarity with the forces of heaven and earth were far beyond what ordinary cultivators could match. A mere pond naturally posed no challenge to him. He didn't even need to form a protective barrier around himself; he could directly use his primal energy to communicate with water elements and breathe underwater. He descended, and as he went deeper, the surrounding light grew dimmer. However, this didn't affect him. He simply extended his divine sense to scan the surroundings, with no need to use his eyes.

"Found you!" Wei Pingyang rejoiced, then quickly dived, rushing towards his target. Soon, he "saw" Zu An lying at the bottom of the pond, his skin as pale as a corpse, with a large hole in his chest, evidently caused by Lu Xiao's flying sword. There was no more bleeding, but Wei Pingyang wasn't surprised. After so much time, his blood should have long since drained away. He didn't waste time, immediately reaching into Zu An's clothes, trying to find the mysterious black dagger. "Is this guy an ass?" he thought in frustration. He touched something unexpected, and Wei Pingyang felt as if he had taken a massive blow. He also recalled how the opponent's incantation had made his pants drop, exposing his private parts to everyone. All along the way, he felt as if he could sense the mocking glances from his subordinates. Thinking of this, he wished he could just vanish into a crack in the earth.

Just as his mind wandered, the "corpse" beside him suddenly moved, wrapping itself tightly around him like an octopus. "This guy isn't dead?" Wei Pingyang was greatly alarmed. How was this possible? Lu Xiao's full-power strike was something even he couldn't withstand head-on. How could this young man? But it didn't matter. He would just send him off for good. He immediately channeled his power, intending to shatter his opponent to death. To his shock, as soon as his power coalesced, it was drawn away by a powerful suction force. "What's happening?" Wei Pingyang was bewildered. In that instant, he felt every inch of the person clutching him acting like a black hole, emitting an immense suction. The primal energy within his body surged out instantly, like a dam breaking.

"No!" Wei Pingyang's face lost its earlier composure, and he struggled desperately.