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Chapter 286 A Divine Man, Two Failures!!!
The wind and snow seemed to relentlessly beat against the windows of the courtyard.

Makes a dull sound.

Fang Qingyu and Jiang Wei had just returned to the living room not long ago.

The heavy courtyard gate was pushed open, and Chu Kuanglan, Wei Banmeng, and Lu Jiuyuan, who were enveloped in a chilling aura, strode in.

Chu Kuanglan went straight to the water dispenser as soon as he entered the room.

He gulped down a large cup of hot water.

He wiped his mouth, his face showing urgency and a hint of barely perceptible excitement, and his loud voice broke the silence in the room:

"Found it! Fang Shen!"

He took a breath and spoke rapidly, "As you instructed, I focused on screening the Ji-named forces in these cities behind the Arctic front. Including martial arts families, martial arts schools, and merchant guilds, I identified three Ji-named martial arts families and two Ji-named martial arts schools. Among these, those that meet the core characteristic of 'speed' and have clearly established members or disciples serving within our Arctic Great Wall region..."

Chu Kuanglan stretched out a finger and shook it vigorously.

"Only one! The Ji family of Tianshuang Fortress! An old martial arts family, it is said that they have passed down an extremely powerful Great Sun level movement technique, which specializes in speed, and their disciples are known for their swift movement."

"Their family has members working in the logistics department, the city defense army, and even the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and in quite high positions!"

As soon as Chu Kuanglan finished speaking, Lu Jiuyuan calmly followed up.

He held a notebook in his hand, his voice clear and organized: "I'm in charge of investigating other areas within the Federation's territory. In summary, there are a total of 17 martial arts factions with the surname Ji and whose lineage clearly emphasizes speed. Among them, 12 have members or disciples working inside the Arctic Great Wall, distributed across different departments, with positions ranging from entry-level to mid-level."

Finally, Wei Banmeng stepped forward.

The tablet in his hand displayed organized charts: "I have cross-referenced and thoroughly examined the files of all registered personnel inside the Arctic Great Wall."

"Selection criteria: Surname Ji, martial artist, rank of major or above or holding a key position, with authority sufficient to access or influence the flow of information on some frontline missions. A total of 15 people meet the criteria."

She handed the tablet to Fang Qingyu, on which 15 names were clearly listed.

Both the position and the department to which it belongs are listed.

Next to it are the related forces marked by Wei Banmeng.

“These 15 people were cross-referenced with the Ji family of Tianshuang Fortress that Chu Kuanglan found out, and the 12 forces in the Federation that had members with the surname Ji serving in the Great Wall that Lu Jiuyuan found out.”

Wei Banmeng's finger slid across the tablet, highlighting names one by one.

"The overlap is here. Among these 15 people, 13 have family backgrounds that point to the 12 Ji-surname martial arts forces with a speed-based tradition."

"And among these 13 people, 7 of them are clearly from the Ji clan of Tianshuang Fortress that Chu Kuanglan mentioned."

The clues came to a head in an instant.

Fang Qingyu's gaze swept over the list and related diagram on the tablet.

The name of the Ji clan of Tianshuang Fortress stands out particularly amidst the overlapping clues.

Seven of his sons held important positions within the Great Wall.

A martial arts family renowned for its speed, yet operating with a low profile and profound heritage.
Although I can't say it's 100% certain.

But he is definitely the most suspicious.

"Then let's investigate these 15 people first."

Fang Qingyu's voice was resolute, "Focus on these seven members of the Ji family from Tianshuang Fortress, but we can't completely rule out the other six. Investigate their recent whereabouts and every clue."

Wei Banmeng nodded, then asked, "What about the duty assignments with Yuan Shou? Should we temporarily suspend them or ask Minister Jiang for leave?"

Fang Qingyu pondered for a moment, then shook his head.

"Let's not stop yet."

This raid and decapitation mission was issued by Minister Jiang.

However, she did not personally handle the specific coordination and information transmission processes.

Their sudden halt to all tasks was highly unusual and could easily alert the enemy.

Moreover, the army's surprise attack on the Skeleton Ice Valley Ghost Camp last night was so large that it couldn't be kept secret.

If the mastermind really does have informants inside the Great Wall.

Those who were on the list themselves must already know that the camp has been wiped out.

What they urgently want to know now is the whereabouts of that batch of 'goods'.

They were all caught.

Or, miraculously, they all escaped.

Fang Qingyu and his team are now racing against the people behind the scenes to see who can find out the other's background first.

Fortunately, when I got back yesterday...

They used the passage provided by Hong Qitian.

They also did a very good job in keeping things confidential.

Even if the other party finds out the goods are missing, it will take time to trace it back to Fang Qingyu and the others.

Therefore, Fang Qingyu and his group still have a chance to gain the upper hand.

"it is good"

The three of them responded in unison.

A silent hunt has begun.

The following day, the Great Wall of the North Pole, the Ridge Wall.

Wei Banmeng, Chu Kuanglan, and Lu Jiuyuan split up and acted separately.

As a newly recruited special Abyss Hunting Squad.

Fang Qingyu and his group may not show up much normally, but that doesn't mean they are unpopular.

There are only three such special squads each year, and their combat power is terrifying.

Moreover, Fang Qingyu is the only one.
They're also known as the strongest special squad since the establishment of the Arctic Great Wall.

Therefore, wherever Wei Banmeng and his companions went, they were almost always warmly welcomed.

Logistics and Equipment Department.

Chu Kuanglan, carrying his signature giant sword, swaggered into the warehouse responsible for maintaining the city's defense equipment.

The person in charge was a chubby lieutenant colonel. Upon seeing him, his face immediately lit up with a smile: "Oh! Lieutenant Colonel Chu! What a rare guest! What brings you here? Are you here to repair equipment or to see the new arrivals?"

Chu Kuanglan laughed and patted the lieutenant colonel on the shoulder: "Old Zhao, don't be shy! I just came to visit and, by the way, to ask about something."

He lowered his voice mysteriously, "I heard we have a few brothers from the Ji family here who are very quick and agile. My team needs a master who can run errands efficiently, so I'd like to look for one."

Lieutenant Colonel Zhao, without any suspicion, immediately introduced enthusiastically: "Yes, yes, yes! Ji Hong and Ji Yuan! They are both experts from the Ji family of Tian Shuang Fortress!"

"Their agility is absolutely top-notch in our logistics department, and they're about your age—perfect for your needs! Should I call them over to meet you?"

Chu Kuanglan noted the name down in his mind, but waved his hand and said, "No rush, no rush, let me see how he performs first."

"By the way, do they usually keep in touch with the outside world? Maybe they're from a big family, with high aspirations, and they won't get along with us."

Lieutenant Colonel Zhao laughed and said, "How could that be! I'm perfectly at ease! I just occasionally go back to Tianshuang Fortress for a visit during my leave. I have a strong sense of family, that's normal."

City Defense Command Headquarters, Archives Room.

Holding a "Special Mission Access Letter" stamped with the seal of the Yuan Shou Department, Lu Jiuyuan walked into the heavily guarded archives room with a serious expression.

The person in charge of managing the archives was a meticulous old major with thick glasses.

Seeing Yuan Shou's seal and Lu Jiuyuan's composed demeanor.

The old major did not slack off in the slightest and cooperated after careful verification.

"I need to access all the original reports from the past three months concerning patrols, reconnaissance, and resupply missions in and around the Skullcrushing Ice Valley, as well as detailed backup files of all personnel involved."

Lu Jiuyuan's voice was calm and authoritative, "Yuan Shou is investigating a clue that may be related to the infiltration of the Fate Ghost, and needs to cross-reference information."

The old major's expression hardened, and he immediately began to operate the equipment.

Lu Jiuyuan casually flipped through the archives index, then asked as if it were unintentional, "I heard there are a few skilled men surnamed Ji in the city defense army? Mobility and speed are very important for carrying out these kinds of peripheral missions."

The old major nodded as he retrieved the information: "Indeed. Ji Lie, the deputy battalion commander of the Third Battalion, is from Tian Shuang Fort."

"And there's Ji Feng from the reconnaissance squadron. That kid is quick and accurate in his reconnaissance reports, and he's incredibly agile. He's survived several near-death experiences, managing to live off the jaws of a third-tier life demon."

Lu Jiuyuan silently memorized it.

As task reports and personnel files were retrieved.

His gaze quickly swept across the signature column and the list of executors, searching for other people with the surname Ji, or non-Ji people whose mission trajectories overlapped abnormally with those of Ji Lie and Ji Feng.

Personnel Section, Ministry of the Interior.

Wei Banmeng contacted the personnel manager of the Internal Affairs Department under the pretext of "verifying the backgrounds of recent field personnel and selecting partners for the Yuan Shou special mission".

Her aloof demeanor and Yuan Shou identity made the supervisor dare not neglect her.

It provides the most detailed list and background summary possible within the scope of permissions.

"We need personnel who are agile, quick-witted, familiar with the ice field environment, and have reliable backgrounds."

The supervisor immediately pointed to several names: "Yes! Ji Wuying from the Public Security Department is first-rate in handling emergencies and has a high arrest efficiency. There is also Ji Wen from the Confidential Communications Section. Although he does not directly conduct field operations, his strength and speed are also excellent. They are all elites from Tianshuang Fortress."

Wei Banmeng wrote everything down, and paid particular attention to Ji Wen's job description.

Information relay is a very sensitive and crucial position.

She then casually inquired about the situation of several other people with the surname Ji who were not from Tianshuang Fort but were on the list, and the supervisor answered them one by one.

However, the evaluation was clearly not as high as that of the ones from Skyfrost Fortress.

At the end of the day, the three of them compiled their findings and sent them to Fang Qingyu.

The power network of the Tian Shuang Bao Ji clan within the Arctic Great Wall is clearly emerging.

With Ji Lie (deputy battalion commander of the city defense army), Ji Feng (reconnaissance vanguard), Ji Hong and Ji Yuan (logistics and technology), Ji Wuying (internal affairs and security), and Ji Wen (confidential communications) as the core backbone, they are distributed in key or sensitive positions.

The other six people with the surname Ji who were not from Tianshuang Fortress were also on the list, but their positions were far less important, their families were stronger, and their connection to the speed inheritance was far less than that of the seven people from Tianshuang Fortress.

Suspicion against the Ji clan of Tianshuangbao has risen sharply.

Just as Wei Banmeng and the other two were weaving their investigation network within the Great Wall, Fang Qingyu and Jiang Wei once again disappeared into the vast snowstorm.

They left the Great Wall of Steel silently through the unmanned passage provided by Hong Qitian.

They sped off toward the Shattered Skull Ice Valley, where the fierce battle had taken place the day before.

High in the sky, the biting cold wind was kept out by the dark golden divine aura flowing around Fang Qingyu.

Fang Qingyu, with Jiang Wei by his side, looked like two shadows blending into the leaden gray sky.

They quickly approached the Ghost Camp, which had been occupied by the garrison.

Fang Qingyu's thinking was very clear.

If the mastermind had informants inside the Great Wall, then the news of the army's capture of the Ice Valley camp must have already been known.

The whereabouts of thirty-seven precious "second-tier goods" are unknown.

This represents an unbearable loss and risk for those behind the scenes.

They are very likely clinging to the hope that something might happen.

Perhaps the kidnappers escaped in the chaos with the "goods"?

Perhaps it's hidden in some undiscovered corner?
Send people back to the scene to investigate!

What Fang Qingyu had to do was become the hunter lurking in the shadows, waiting for the person who might appear.

The two landed several kilometers away from the Ice Valley camp. Fang Qingyu opened up the Eternal Night Domain, and the thick darkness perfectly enveloped him and Jiang Wei, blocking out light and their presence.

Like two moving shadows, they silently infiltrated the perimeter of the camp, which was already under the control of the garrison.

Inside the camp, soldiers are clearing the battlefield.

No one noticed that two uninvited guests were passing by in their blind spot.

Soon, they arrived once again at the entrance to the hidden fissure next to the corpse of the Black Stone Golem.

Fang Qingyu did not go in immediately, but squatted down and carefully searched the trampled snow and icicles at the entrance with sharp eyes.

After a while.

His tense lips relaxed slightly.

Beneath an inconspicuous rock face inside the entrance, a thread thinner than a human hair remains perfectly taut.

Did you leave this?

Jiang Wei's voice rang out, carrying a hint of understanding.

"Hmm." Fang Qingyu responded softly, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes. "It seems that the soldiers trained by Commander Qin are very disciplined."

He deliberately set up this almost undetectable security device before he left yesterday.

They also informed the surrounding troops that entry was prohibited.

The night passed and the silk thread remained intact, proving that the garrison had indeed strictly followed orders and no one had entered the crevice to investigate without authorization.

This rules out the possibility that internal soldiers accidentally infiltrated and alerted the enemy.

The two then followed the narrow, cold crack passage back into the cave.

The cave was in a mess, with only broken ropes, scattered rags, and a cold ground remaining.

Fang Qingyu and Jiang Wei did not touch anything, and chose a corner formed by a recess in the rock wall, naturally shrouded in shadow.

The darkness of the Eternal Night Territory acted as the perfect camouflage, completely covering and assimilating them.

Time ticked by in the deathly silence and cold.

One hour, two hours, three hours.
The faint noise from the campsite outside the cave was the only background noise.

The chill inside the ice cave seemed to seep into your very bones.

But both of them, like the most experienced hunters, waited patiently.

Jiang Wei even closed her eyes to regulate her breathing, as if she had entered a light sleep.

Five hours passed.

Just as even Fang Qingyu began to assess the efficiency of this wait-and-see approach.
"rustle."

Extremely faint footsteps came from the depths of the crevice, approaching gradually.

Fang Qingyu and Jiang Wei opened their eyes instantly.

Their gazes met in the darkness.

Here it comes! A small, thin figure appears at the entrance of the crevice.

He was wearing the standard winter combat uniform of a garrison lieutenant, with a helmet and goggles that covered most of his face.

First, he cautiously peered out and quickly scanned the empty cave interior with his flashlight, the beam lingering for a few seconds on the broken ropes and the open ground.

Seemingly relieved yet somewhat disappointed, he didn't delve deeper, but simply stood there and checked once more.

Without hesitation, he turned around, moving even faster than when he came, and quickly retreated towards the outside of the crack.

Just as he turned around...

The deepest shadow in the cave.

It moved and extended silently, like a living thing, clinging to his back and merging with his own shadow before disappearing together into the darkness of the crevice.

Jicheng, a quiet alleyway far from the main road.

Chu Kuanglan hiccuped as he walked unsteadily, his face flushed and reeking of alcohol.

He had just come from a drinking party meant to build rapport, and had drunk quite a bit, but deep in his eyes was a clear and rapidly thoughtful expression.

"The fastest-running divine military officer, a symbol of the Ji clan's two murderers from Tianshuang Fortress."

He mumbled something indistinctly under his breath.

He repeatedly pondered the key information he had "inadvertently" overheard at the dinner table.

In the midst of the revelry, an old strategist with considerable knowledge of the ancient family genealogies of the Federation was deliberately led by Chu Kuanglan to talk about those long-standing martial arts families.

When the topic naturally shifted to a family known for its speed.

The old strategist, slightly intoxicated and exuding an air of mystery, lowered his voice and said, "If we're talking about speed, deep resources, and ruthless actions, the Ji family of Tianshuang Fortress definitely ranks high! Do you know who their ancestor is? Erfu!"

"Two losses?"

Chu Kuanglan looked completely bewildered at the time.

Because he had never heard of this person.

"Hey, that's a famous character from ancient mythology!"

The old strategist's eyes gleamed with the excitement of recounting a secret. "A deity with a human face and a snake's body! Not the chosen one, but a mythical figure worshipped by the ancients! Legend has it that he was the fastest runner and the most violent and bloodthirsty! He was a symbol of slaughter and force! Their family's secret martial arts technique is said to have originated from the divinity of this ancestor!"

"It's just that this title didn't sound good in ancient times. It was only after the Federation was established that it gradually became more respectable and accepted."

"But some of the old guys say in private that he hasn't lost that ruthless streak and the willingness to do anything to achieve his goals!"

These words struck Chu Kuanglan like a thunderclap.

While pouring the wine, he quickly looked up information about Erfu.

This is basically consistent with what the old staff officer said.

Erfu is the name of an ancient deity.

Their descendants, however, were surnamed Ji.

The human-faced, snake-bodied totem governs speed and killing, symbolizing a military officer.

A martial arts family worships an ancestor known for his killing and speed.

The core spirit passed down through their family is self-evident.

Combined with the network of relationships and job distribution they had built within the Great Wall
"Damn it. It's most likely those bastards!"

The more Chu Kuanglan thought about it, the more likely it seemed.

The effects of the alcohol transformed into anger and excitement at confirming the target.

Therefore, Chu Kuanglan declined the invitation to the second round, wanting to return immediately to report the crucial information about "two losses" to Fang Qingyu.

However, just as he was concentrating on thinking...
Just as we turned into a narrower, darker side alley.

Without warning, a hand gently rested on his left shoulder.

At the same time, a male voice, tinged with amusement, sounded close to his ear:

"Brother Chu, you seem to be enjoying your drinks and conversation quite a bit."

"You seem particularly interested in the affairs of our Ji family?"

Chu Kuanglan's muscles tensed instantly.

The effects of the alcohol turned into cold sweat that instantly covered his entire body.

Chu Kuanglan turned around abruptly, staring at the face so close to his, a face that seemed to be smiling but wasn't.
Shattered Skull Ice Valley, the temporary camp of the garrison.

Fang Qingyu and Jiang Wei, like two shadowless figures, followed the thin lieutenant back to the military camp under the cover of the Eternal Night Territory.

The lieutenant was very familiar with the camp, and he took a roundabout route, avoiding the main patrol routes.

He eventually slipped into a relatively secluded single officer's tent.

The tent was dimly lit, with only a portable camping lamp casting a faint glow.

As soon as the officer entered, he immediately drew the curtains tightly, turned his back to the entrance, and let out a long sigh, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders.

Completely unaware, the moment he pulled back the curtain, two deep streaks of darkness, like flowing ink, silently slid in through the cracks in the floor.

It silently "stood" in the shadow of the tent behind him.

The lieutenant eagerly pulled out his cell phone.

Fingers tapped rapidly on the screen as he began editing a message.

The camp lantern cast his focused silhouette onto the tent canvas, and also cast two long, dark shadows on the ground belonging to Fang Qingyu and Jiang Wei, almost blending into the background shadows.

Information editing complete.

[There was no one inside, and the goods were gone. It's unlikely they escaped in the chaos. Since we didn't encounter them, they were most likely taken away by Fang Qingyu's team.]

The instant he pressed the send button.

The screen was turned off at the same time.

That's when.

The scene behind me was clearly reflected on the smooth, mirror-like screen.

Two figures dressed in dark blue combat uniforms and wearing masks stood silently behind him like ghosts.

One of them.

He even slightly raised his hand, and a faint golden spark seemed to flash across his fingertips.

"Uh?!"

The officer's blood seemed to freeze instantly.

Extreme horror caused him to let out a short, choked sound from his throat.

His body stiffened suddenly, and without thinking, he was about to open his mouth and shout.

However, Fang Qingyu's hand was a little faster than his.

She gently pressed her hand on his shoulder.

At the same time, golden arcs of electricity, as thin as silkworm threads, surged wildly into the officer's body through Fang Qingyu's palm, instantly engulfing his entire body.

"Eh ho ho"

The lieutenant's body convulsed violently.

He collapsed as if his bones had been removed, and the communicator slipped from his hand and fell to the ground.

His mouth was open, but he could only make incomprehensible hoarse sounds. His whole body, except for his eyeballs, could only turn in terror, and he couldn't even control a single little finger.

Not to mention biting her tongue or resorting to any means of suicide.

Fang Qingyu bent down and picked up the phone from the ground; the message sent on the screen was clearly visible.

He glanced at it, then looked up, his molten gold vertical pupils shining through the mask.

He stared coldly at the lieutenant on the ground, whose pupils were dilated with fear.

How do you know it was Fang Qingyu who took it?

Fang Qingyu's voice came through the mask and echoed in the small tent.

They were fully armed when they carried out their mission last night, and their identities were kept secret from the military.

Judging from the chaos in the camp and their fully armed appearance.

How could this person be so certain of pointing at Fang Qingyu?

With a slight thought, Fang Qingyu loosened his grip on the officer's throat muscles, allowing him to barely utter a hoarse sound.

The officer's face was ashen, and his eyes were filled with despair.

After his suicide attempt failed, he resignedly gasped for breath and hissed, "The golden lightning only lasted for a moment, but I saw it from afar before. Who else on the entire front line could it be but you, Fang Qingyu?!"

Upon hearing this, Fang Qingyu nodded thoughtfully.

So that's how it is; it was the light from Shenxiao that revealed their identities.

That was unexpected.

However, this also proves that the other side was indeed closely monitoring the core area of ​​the battlefield at that time.

Then Fang Qingyu squatted down and looked directly into the officer's terrified eyes.

He said softly, "So, you're from the Ji family?"

The moment the word "Ji" was uttered, the officer's eyes widened to their limit.

Then, the officer seemed to have his psychological defenses completely shattered by the words, making strange "hoarse" sounds in his throat, and his body began to twist wildly in a state of paralysis.

"No, no, I didn't know—!!!"

He roared incoherently, his voice particularly jarring inside the tent.

Fang Qingyu and Jiang Wei did not stop his futile struggles and screams.

They simply pulled their face masks up even tighter, as if by unspoken agreement.

Only those cold eyes were visible.

Soon, hurried footsteps and soldiers' shouts came from outside the tent:

"What's going on inside?!"

"Commander Ji? What happened?"

The curtain was suddenly flung open, and two soldiers rushed in nervously.

They quickly got a clear look at the scene inside the tent.

Their comrade, Officer Ji, collapsed to the ground, screaming and struggling with a contorted face, while two masked, dark blue figures stood beside him, exuding a chilling aura.

"Don't move! Put your hands up!"

The soldier shouted sternly, drawing his weapon as he did so.

Upon seeing this, Fang Qingyu calmly raised his hand.

In his hand was a certificate inlaid with a special metal emblem.

The ferocious wolf head and the crossed blades were clearly visible in the dim light.

"Yuan Shou investigates the case."

Fang Qingyu's voice was not loud.

"Summon your highest-ranking commander here to see me immediately."

The soldier's expression changed instantly when he saw the Yuan Shou insignia on the badge, but he remained vigilant.

A soldier quickly reported this via walkie-talkie.

Soon, the sound of hurried and heavy footsteps came.

The "Anvil" commander, who was in charge of directing the attack on the Ice Valley camp last night and was in contact with Wei Banmeng, appeared at the tent door with a livid face.

He waved for the soldiers to leave and walked in himself.

His gaze swept over the slumped-on Ji Weiguan, finally settling on Fang Qingyu and Jiang Wei. His brows furrowed, and his voice was low, suppressing his anger:

"You two are the Yuan Shou brothers who assisted in the battle last night? I am Qin Bin, the commander of the 7th Army Corps of the Garrison."

He made a point of stating his name, emphasizing his identity, his gaze scrutinizing and questioning, "Can you explain what's going on? Why are you taking my lieutenant hostage?"

Fang Qingyu did not answer Qin Bin's first question.

He simply handed over the Yuan Shou certificate in his hand, turned to the page with Fang Qingyu's name, photo and rank, and clearly displayed it in front of Qin Bin.

At the same time, he handed over Ji Weiguan's phone with his other hand, and the message on the screen was clearly visible.

"Captain Qin."

Fang Qingyu's voice remained calm even through the mask.

“We need to take this person with us. And I need you to immediately retrieve all his detailed files from when he enlisted until now, his job transfer records, his complete communication records for the past three months, and a list of all the people who have had close contact with him, and transmit them to me in encrypted form. I need it now.”

Qin Bin's pupils contracted slightly as he looked at the three characters "Fang Qingyu" and the prominent colonel rank on the certificate.

Then I saw the message on my phone pointing to Fang Qingyu's team.

His expression instantly became even more serious.

The powerful captain of the Abyss Hunt personally took action, arresting people within his own camp and demanding such detailed information.
This is beyond his control.

The anger and doubt on Qin Bin's face melted away like ice and snow.

My emotions were instantly replaced by a complex feeling.

He looked at the unconscious, convulsing, and despairing Ji Weiguan on the ground.

Then he looked at the young captain in front of him, who was famous on the Arctic front.

The silence that lasted a few seconds felt like an eternity.

Finally, Qin Bin nodded heavily.

They didn't ask any further questions.

"understood."

He said in a deep voice, then turned and strode towards the tent entrance, his voice carrying clearly back:
“I’ll retrieve it myself! Within ten minutes, the data will be encrypted and transmitted to the designated internal port of Yuan Shou.”

(End of this chapter)