“And here we have… well, you can see what this is. Women buy one another’s company, and end up leaving with money and satisfaction. Interested in staying for a while?” Gang Ya Hui asked.

“Do you even need to ask? The journey here has been long and cold, but there might be an issue. I suppose it would be best for me to speak with the ladies themselves, rather than you, though,” Wei Yi responded, her thoughts naturally turning to the notable abnormality on her body, “They don’t answer to you, do they?”

“No, of course not. Why… ah. I think I’ve heard about something that… never mind. Go ahead.”

As she was clearly unwilling to discuss the matter further, the Ascendant didn’t push it and simply headed inside the chambers designated for this particular purpose. She pushed the doors open with her lone hand, and was greeted by several women standing about.

They were dressed modestly by northern standards, exposing some cleavage and some skin on their legs, though it was obvious that none of them wore outfits specialised for seduction. Rather, it seemed that they had just put on something decent, then made it a tad more revealing once they got to this part of the New Community. It was to be expected from women that weren’t in the business professionally, so to speak. Had they been, any random prostitute in Beast’s Rest would far exceed their abilities to draw in clients.

Seeing her enter, they naturally looked in her direction, some looking away promptly while others kept looking. They were effectively telling her whether they would be available to her.

‘Unfortunately, there’s something that needs to be clarified with them first,’ Wei Yi sighed inwardly, inviting them to come closer with her fingers. They did so, most of them noticing the absence of her left arm as they got nearer, but that didn’t seem sufficient to scare off any of them. Still, there was still time for it.

“You’re not from the Gang District, are you? Is it some northern custom to conquer a few ladies on your first night?” one of them, a tall lass with straight black hair and large chest, propped up by her folded arms, said in a teasing tone.

“Not really. I just want to make sure that nobody here is met with an unfortunate surprise.”

“What would that be?” another asked.

“Are you familiar with a common feature of a draconic bloodline?” a few were confused, though the black-haired woman’s eyes lit up nearly instantly, “You might want to explain to the others.”

The woman smirked, “It’s just much to explain. You must mean that you’ve got a cock. Am I right?”

Although she had been expecting a southern woman to be a little subtler, it conveyed the point well enough, and she wasn’t the one to say it, so nobody would have a reason to complain about her manners. Now, all that remained was to see whether any of them were still interested in sleeping with her.

“That… hm… I’m sorry, but I’ll have to refuse,” one said quickly, and a few others followed, soon leaving only three people in the group.

That wasn’t surprising. Although most of the people she had met so far were strangely receptive to her unique physiology, it was a given that there would be those to whom it simply did not appeal. It was a simple principle of physical attraction, which was the only thing at play in a situation such as this one. She respected such preferences, for there were few reasons for her not to. She also understood having specific preferences very well, given her own interests.

Out of the three that remained, one was the first woman to address her, the one with black hair and green eyes. She seemed entirely unperturbed by Wei Yi’s genitalia, instead taking pleasure in the reactions of her peers, whether positive or negative.

The second was a short woman, whether by her standards or that of the Planar Continents, whose brown hair was of similar length and in a similar free-flowing style. Her body and features were on the smaller side, but her blue eyes contained a certain eagerness and lust that was a very welcome sight. It seemed to fit her preferences, and the woman’s surface thoughts suggested something similar.

Both of them looked to be sure of their decision, but the third had some hesitations. She had an average build, height and chest, and her brown eyes weren’t exceptional, but a few things were. Her hair was red and short, an unusual style for the Gang District, and her behind was on par with Wei Yi’s own, though the Ascendant took some interest in her thoughts. She seemed slightly afraid, but there was something in the depths of her concerned ideas that was even more eager than the second woman of the group.

“Gang Su Shen, you’re not going away?” the second woman addressed the third, “You’re usually quite shy…”

“Let her stay, Gang Lan. It’ll be great if she can finally break out of her comfort zone,” the first woman replied instead, turning to Wei Yi and offering her right hand, “Before you ask, I am Gang Si Yan, at your service.”

The Ascendant accepted, but the moment their hands met in a handshake, Gang Si Yan pulled herself forward and went in for a kiss. Wei Yi could have stopped it, but why would she want to?

Instead, the moment their lips met, she moved her hand to Gang Si Yan’s back and pushed her closer in, quickly reaching out with her tongue and transforming their kiss into something passionate and deep, as if they were two lovers reconnected after a thousand years, pent up lust flowing out as soon as they find time alone with one another.

“W-We should get a room, first,” Gang Lan suggested from the side, although it took quite a while for Wei Yi and Gang Si Yan to part.

 

“Ah Ling! I’m so glad to see you again!” a dark-haired woman rushed to embrace Gang Xiu Ling the moment she saw her in the bedroom, “I had been so concerned that I was barely able to stick to all of the rules… Heavens, I love feeling you so close to me… You missed me too, didn’t you? Couldn’t even wait past the first day…”

“You’re as excited as usual… I almost don’t think I deserve you.”

“That’s nonsense. You don’t need to deserve me. Remember, I love you, I don’t just want to sleep with you, or else I’d still be going from person to person, as before,” she assured, in her own unique way, “Though, since you called me…”

“I would like to sleep with you, yes,” Gang Xiu Ling admitted, her cheeks quickly beginning to blush, “I also have a bit of a surprise for you, Lan Mu.”

“Ooh, a surprise? Are you finally going to rim me?”

“W-What? No, I’m not… That’s just disgusting!”

“You didn’t mind it when I did it, so I don’t know why you’re complaining,” Lan Mu grinned, planting a quick kiss on the other’s nose, “Anyway, if the surprise is going to remain a surprise, then I’ll wait and see. You’ve not managed to disappoint me yet.”

“Thanks, I guess… Should we-”

“Just get rid of the clothes already! You know the drill already,” she practically tore off her lover’s clothing, with Gang Xiu Ling assisting after she was down to her underwear.

As soon as Gang Xiu Ling was undressed, the two kissed, with Lan Mu removing her own clothing with far greater ease and speed. In no time at all, they were both naked, at which point Lan Mu pushed Gang Xiu Ling onto the bed and kneeled at the side of the bed, pushing her legs apart until the labia was out in the open.

Above it, a small portion of her groin was covered in neatly trimmed brown hair, though none intruded upon her lower lips.

“You should try shaving as well. It’s not much scarier than cultivating a basic technique…” Lan Mu muttered, though she knew that she wouldn’t listen at a time like this, “Oh, Ah Ling, you haven’t changed a bit…”

 

The moment the door was shut, Wei Yi slammed the brown-haired lass against it, noting with some satisfaction the delighted moan that Gang Lan produced.

Behind her, Gang Su Shen retreated to a corner and simply watched, while Gang Si Yan took the opportunity to embrace her from behind, not at all perturbed by the earlier kiss, nor her stained lipstick or how breathy she was. Rather, she was leveraging it, warm breath tickling the Ascendant’s left ear while her hands roamed.

“Are you going to ravage her?” Si Yan whispered, though Gang Lan heard her as well.

“Of course I will. Isn’t that why I’m here?” Wei Yi responded, “What, would you prefer me to fuck you instead?”

“Hm, maybe later. For now, I can serve as your… assistant. Having only one hand ought to be rather inconvenient when you wish to undress a willing, lustful maiden, am I right? I also know a spot that most men love quite a bit, so-”

“The prostate? I have that too.”

“Want me to give it some stimulation?”

“Help me undress first. You’re rushing ahead way too much.”

“Can you blame me? You are… exciting, in a way” while she talked, she removed the Ascendant’s crimson robes, revealing only the black undergarments that she wore beneath her scale armour. She had gotten rid of it during her approach to the room, hence making things rather simple for Gang Si Yan.

While she was removing the Ascendant’s bra, Wei Yi leaned in and kissed Gang Lan’s neck, making sure to leave a mark as she brought her hand down to Gang Lan’s groin, sliding into her panties and feeling the wetness of her lower lips.

“You seem excited already. Looking forward to being filled to the brim?” Wei Yi asked, sliding a finger into her pussy.

“Y-Yes… It’s the one thing I wish I’d get in a place like this…” Gang Lan admitted.

“Well, you’re about to- Ancestors’ ass, that is absurd,” Si Yan gasped as she had descended, both with her hands and body, feeling up the Ascendant’s cock, “I think you forgot to transform back from your dragon form...”

“I had just mentioned draconic bloodlines for reference. I’m not a dragon,” Wei Yi responded dryly, not turning away from Gang Lan as she pulled her undergarments down, “Will you be fine if I-”

“Today’s safe. I won’t get pregnant, so… please, do it! Right here!”

‘And I thought my mind reading abilities were good. To be fair, what else was I going to ask,’ the Ascendant dismissed that line of thought and slipped out of her panties the moment that Gang Si Yan lowered them enough, sliding her cock in between Gang Lan’s thighs. It was already half-hard when it was freed from the confines of her panties, and it soon hardened fully, all ten inches sliding in and out.

“Going to go straight to fucking her? No foreplay?” Si Yan asked casually.

“She hardly needs it. Look at her leaking onto the floor – what a naughty girl,” as Wei Yi teased, she moved her cock to slide it in between the gushing pussy lips, “Mind wrapping your arms around me? Your legs will also need to do a little work.”

Of course, Gang Lan didn’t actually have the ability to read the Ascendant’s mind, but when an arm embraced her just beneath her armpit and lifted her up slightly, she understood. She brought her legs up and wrapped the around Wei Yi’s waist, allowing herself to be brought up to a more comfortable level for Wei Yi to penetrate her. Her tip slid in easily, a sloshing sound demonstrating just how wet Gang Lan was, and the rest of her length soon went in as well.

Although Gang Lan gasped and moaned, her vagina being forced to stretch apart for something far larger than she had ever taken before, she accepted the length and girth with practised ease.

Clearly, her earlier comment wasn’t just one made from speculation or idle fantasies, though this wasn’t something that Wei Yi intended or was able to consider in significant detail. Aside from the natural distraction of a tight cunt, there was also the presence of Gang Si Yan to keep in mind, as she had stopped feeling up the Ascendant’s abs and instead spread her ass cheeks.

 

Gang Xiu Ling was afraid to employ the technique Wei Yi had given her, but it was an opportunity she couldn’t miss. So long as what the Ascendant said was true, it would be entirely safe, and she certainly failed to find any flaws with it. Also, she had already made a promise to Lan Mu. She had to keep it.

Hence, as Lan Mu had gone down on her, she triggered the Yin Soul Yang Root and experienced a strange sensation at her groin. It wasn’t entirely pleasant on its own, but when combined with her lover’s touch and tongue, she felt her whole body burning up with arousal. With every breath, it grew, and no climax was enough to relieve her, though Lan Mu did not appear to notice. She was too consumed with pleasing her, lapping up her slick eagerly, her gaze bouncing between Gang Xiu Ling’s eyes and groin.

The arousal grew and grew, until even Lan Mu could tell that something was happening. For a moment, she withdrew her lips, instead inserting two fingers to bring Xiu Ling to climax.

At that moment, as that rush of lust poured over her, she felt a heat gathering at her groin, transforming to flame soon after. It was like the very essence of yang manifested at the peak of her pussy lips, and it prevented the orgasm from appearing, leaving her hot and bothered as the edge she had been about to cross seemed so close and yet so far.

This meant that she was barely able to comprehend what was happening to her body, but Lan Mu was certainly not distracted. She clearly saw something manifest upon Gang Xiu Ling’s groin amidst a sea of sun-like light, though the moment the shape solidified, she recognised it.

Her eyebrow rose as she waited for the outcome. Perhaps this was simply a complex planar construct – such things existed long ago, and would likely exist in the future, as creating a simple shape was trivial, and making something that felt realistic and carried sensations to the user was more difficult, but not impossible. However, to go through such trouble just for that seemed… unreasonable, though that would not be the word she used.

There was another possibility. She had heard something about the Ascendant of the north, and how she had grown a dragon’s root of yang through some miracle. It seemed like nonsense when she heard it, but the more stable the shape became, and the less of the sun-like brightness remained, the more she was willing to believe the rumours.

After all, when the energy faded, what remained was clearly made of flesh and blood, and it certainly smelled like it, too. Part of Gang Xiu Ling’s pussy lips were overtaken by a heavy pair of balls that were joined to a rock-hard shaft that jutted straight up into the air, hard and throbbing with arousal. A bead of precum already gathered at the tip, which ended roughly eight, perhaps even nine inches from the base. Although it lacked any semblance of hair, everything else about it was exactly as it should be if Gang Xiu Ling had always had it.

In the end, Lan Mu could say little more than, “Whoa.”

“This… feels strange…” Gang Xiu Ling recovered after the earlier wave of arousal and gazed upon the rigid rod, “Is it… is it fine? Is it too small? Does it look alright?”

Lan Mu couldn’t help but chuckle. Although Xiu Ling displayed impressive strength and courage at times, she also managed to look like the younger one of the two, despite the situation being very much the opposite. It was part of what she liked about her, though it also proved annoying when she was too shy to consider certain things, or when her self-esteem failed to match with her actual ability. As her girlfriend, it was only right to correct such things.

Hence, she moved in again, nuzzling her cheek against the shaft, looking Gang Xiu Ling straight in the eyes, saying, “It’s great, Ah Ling. The length is way above average, too… Want me to prove that I like it?”

Even if the answer was no, Lan Mu couldn’t refuse such a delicious treat.

 

As soon as Wei Yi settled into a slow rhythm, Si Yan dove in, her tongue quickly reaching into the tight hole. After a moment of struggle, for the Ascendant’s muscles were incredibly powerful regardless of their location, the ring loosened, permitting Si Yan’s tongue to enter.

She eagerly tasted her insides, her saliva turning the ring slick in moments, though she lingered for many more of Wei Yi’s thrusts than she needed to. Her every moment was spent seemingly devouring a delicacy that had no equal in the world, and although she certainly enjoyed the experience, it was actually done for another’s sake. Her ability to use spiritual perception while focusing on other matters was minimal, so she couldn’t look in that person’s direction, but she hoped that Gang Su Shen was looking.

Indeed, she was, and although her typical demeanour would insist that she look away, she couldn’t help herself at all. The sight before her, of one woman being pounded into the door, every thrust reaching into her depths, and another eagerly going into a place that she couldn’t even fathom using for pleasure, was fascinating.

Her panties quickly grew moist as she imagined herself in both positions, involuntarily at first. The longer this went on, however, the more deliberate such thoughts became, and soon she allowed herself to be consumed in her fantasies.

At once, she saw herself as both Gang Si Yan and Gang Lan, watching without blinking once.

It was delightful to observe as Si Yan finally pulled away from Wei Yi’s ass, her lipstick stained all around the Ascendant’s asshole. The tight ring remained slightly parted, a fact that she quickly used to her advantage as she inserted her middle finger. With her earlier effort, she faced no difficulties in sliding in up to the knuckle.

Wei Yi paused, though only for a moment, “This does feel unusual, I’ll admit… Know what you’re doing?”

“Please, I’ve done this before with far, far less gorgeous fellows… Limp-dicked assholes that couldn’t get it up properly…” Gang Si Yan muttered, her disposition faltering for a moment, “A-Anyway, it should be right… here!”

Her expertise was rather obvious, for she managed to make the Ascendant falter for a second time, releasing a groan that was rather quiet yet so loud against her otherwise quiet disposition.

“That…”

“Just keep going, honey, you’ll love it,” Si Yan encouraged, “Keep thrusting, keep fucking that slut.”

“I get the slightest impression that you wish you were in my place,” Wei Yi said, deciding after a moment not to subdue her emotions or feelings and instead experience them in full. That didn’t stop her from easily understanding the situation from some of Gang Si Yan’s surface thoughts.

“Nah, you’re just… why don’t you focus on the lass’ face instead? Even from what little I can see, she looks gorgeous.”

In an obvious attempt at distraction, she began to finger-fuck the Ascendant’s ass in tandem with the latter’s own thrusts, allowing her to reach that sensitive point inside at regular intervals. Better yet, she clearly saw Wei Yi’s balls tensing up, growing absurdly heavy and full, as if they contained an ocean of cum to unleash into poor Gang Lan. It only encouraged her motions, and the moans bursting from the Ascendant’s lips made every moment worth it.

 

Although she might have been a little rusty, and unused to such a size, Lan Mu readily went down on Ah Ling’s cock, her lips easily sliding down the head and letting it fill her mouth. She put her tongue to use right away, swirling it around and coating it with her saliva, which poured unbidden from her mouth.

She had somehow underestimated her own excitement and sexual hunger, though she wasn’t going to stop. Rather, she saw no better way to show her lover just how much she appreciated her than by polishing this newly grown appendage to such a perfect shine that she could use it as a mirror in the future.

Of course, that was a silly notion, but the simple thought of sucking Gang Xiu Ling’s dick caused her heart to beat faster and her pussy to get wet at an alarming speed.

‘Eh, I don’t need these panties anyway. If she can become Matriarch, I’ll just spend all day riding her while she rests in her seat of power, letting her fill my cunt every day until she makes me look pregnant, until I go hoarse from crying out in excitement, letting everyone know just how much of a whore I am for her!’ Lan Mu blinked and remembered that she was still in the bedroom, and far from any such fantasy, ‘Right, carried away… It tastes really good, though…’

That was a less complicated direction to go in, and one that allowed her to focus on her blowjob, so she went there instead, taking the time to taste Ah Ling’s tip fully before descending further down, polishing the upper portion of the shaft.

In part, it tasted like any of the other dicks she had sucked, sweat and precum mixing together on her tongue, but there was also a hint of something absolutely divine. She had grown used to the regular taste, and put up with it, but this taste and scent were both something that were actually delightful. Both masculine and feminine in its own right, it was unique and fascinating, driving her to plunge more of Gang Xiu Ling’s cock into her mouth, bidding it to strike the back of her throat.

Even then, she found herself more attracted to the scent. She was even more familiar with the usual smell of sex than with the taste, and what she felt now was akin to the best elements being separated from the rest, then intensified by a thousand times. Primal and lustful, the musky scent of Ah Ling’s cock made her so much more attractive, at least in Lan Mu’s eyes.

Unfortunately, gaining a new cock seemed to carry with it the complete lack of stamina, as she could clearly see Gang Xiu Ling straining not to cum in her mouth after just a few minutes.

‘I’ll have to train her a bit later… Maybe get her to the edge a few times without letting her cum… Mhm, that should be fun…’ Lan Mu smiled internally, her eyes meeting Ah Ling’s, trying and failing to communicate any meaning as the latter immediately looked away with a vivid blush.

Her body didn’t have much of a choice, however. After a moment, her balls tensed up, her cock grew even harder, and a loud gasp escaped her mouth. The deluge of semen was almost audible, spilling into Lan Mu’s mouth and filling it in several spurts, spilling out from between Lan Mu’s lips before the flood ceased, letting her swallow the load and rise from Xiu Ling’s cock. She was unable to swallow everything in one go, and so she had to separate it into portions, gulping down each one loudly and with great effort.

Even after she was done, the thick scent of cum felt overwhelming, as if she had been stained for it forever. It wasn’t an unpleasant feeling by any means.

“Look, Ah Ling, I swallowed it all,” Lan Mu opened her mouth wide, showing her clean tongue to her lover, “You weren’t unpleasant at-”

She was forced to pause as she covered up her mouth and burped, causing the already significant smell to become overwhelming. There was a moment of silence between the two of them, before Lan Mu couldn’t help but laugh.

“First time for everything, I guess…”

 

Gang Su Shen had thought she was paying attention, only to realise that her mind must have slipped away to focus purely on her imaginary scenario at some point. The moment this realisation came was when Gang Lan seemed to almost be thrown down onto the bed beside her, her belly full and her body clearly exhausted of energy.

Turning back to the front, her vision was invaded by a long, hard cock pointing straight in her direction, roughly at the level of her lips.

“You’ve been staring for quite some time already. If you want a taste, you have the perfect opportunity to do so right now,” Si Yan said with an obvious grin, though Su Shen was unable to remove her gaze from the tip of the Ascendant’s shaft, feeling her mind devoting itself to viewing that hard thing.

“Hm. I have a different idea.”

“What do you- hey, what are- Ah!” Gang Si Yan cried out in surprise as she was grabbed by Wei Yi and pushed down onto the bed, right on top of Su Shen, “H-hey, Su Sh-eEn!”

Her calm and collected tone was shattered when the Ascendant positioned herself behind her and moved her moist panties aside and slid her cum-stained shaft right in, plunging most of it inside in a single go. In moments, her face exhibited just how full she felt, her façade shattering and her lust rushing straight onto the surface.

“How do you like things being turned around on you?” Wei Yi asked, thrusting in to the hilt, “And you, Su Shen, why don’t you taste her lips? I bet she would be all too happy to return the kiss right now. Won’t you, Si Yan?”

“Y-Yesh!” she replied, her tongue drooping out of her mouth.

‘I don’t think she knows what she’s replying to,’ Gang Su Shen thought, but she couldn’t deny that she was interested, ‘She does look so… so…’

Having begun this type of work only a short time ago, she didn’t know most of the words to describe her feelings. Hence, she was left with no choice but to express them directly, moving in to meet Si Yan’s lips and diving into a deep kiss. She was driven purely by instinct, so perhaps she did an awful job, but she loved every moment of Si Yan’s lips and tongue meeting with her own.

It was messy and sloppy, a fact that wasn’t helped in the slightest by Wei Yi’s continued pounding.

“You two look really hot like that,” she said, “Didn’t realise how much I missed having more than one partner… Su Shen, do you think you’re ready for me?”

Her mind was mostly occupied by Si Yan, but Su Shen understood the question anyway. Given that her pussy was within inches of Si Yan’s, as well as the Ascendant’s cock, there was only one possibility. She wasn’t a virgin, whether it came to men or women, but she had never taken someone as large as Wei Yi before. It was enough to send her heart racing, both from fear and curiosity, eventually bringing her to a decision.

‘Please, do it. Take me,’ she thought, not realising that she had not managed to voice them.

Despite that, Wei Yi nodded, pulling out of Si Yan’s pussy with a wet sound. She brought the tip to Su Shen’s lower lips, sliding it up and down the slick skin, but she then went lower, pressing her cock against Gang Su Shen’s asshole.

‘W-Wait, that-’

As before, she had only thought her words, her lips still occupied by Si Yan, but Wei Yi responded nonetheless, “I have a technique for relaxing that hole just enough for penetration… and I won’t be using it on Si Yan, since she clearly appreciates me being rough and going hard… Don’t you, you slut? Don’t bother answering.”

Since Su Shen exhibited no sign of disagreement, a finger was quickly placed on the tight ring of muscle, a strange energy permeating it. In moments, she felt herself relaxing, not just down below but all throughout the body, giving Si Yan an easy time in taking charge and dominating their kiss.

Wei Yi also didn’t wait long to press the head of her cock against Su Shen’s asshole, which only resisted for a moment before letting it inside.

Her eyes widened, but any sign of protest was devoured by Si Yan as eagerly as any moans. Since she began, Gang Si Yan had been kissing her with such eagerness that she seemed to have endless energy, going on and on, their saliva mixing and spilling out from their lips, onto their chins and down to their clothing. It was a base and perverse sight, though Su Shen could hardly find the strength to care as her tight butt was penetrated, slowly yet surely.

She felt every single portion of the Ascendant’s cock with perfect clarity, felt it threatening to split her apart yet failing to truly harm her, resulting in a truly unique experience. It was nothing like the gentle fingers and tongues that she had experienced in the New Community, nor was it anything like she imagined sex with a man to feel like. Rather, it struck a happy medium, where everything was just right.

It even felt like the red-haired woman knew exactly what felt good for her, moving in just the right way to bring out the most pleasure she could. However, that was silly… right?

‘She’s still going… how large is she? It’s like the trunk of a million-year tree!’ Gang Su Shen exclaimed in her mind, everything else consumed by the sensation in her ass. Having never felt a man penetrate her, she wasn’t prepared even for that much, and now she had to deal with a true behemoth.

When the Ascendant began thrusting, embracing both her and Si Yan for support, she felt her mind go blank. Every firm thrust blended into a blur, of which she could only recall fullness and satisfaction.

At some point, Si Yan stopped kissing her lips and went down to her neck, making as many marks as she could in as many ways as she could imagine. Gang Lan had managed to awaken eventually, though she was content to simply hold Su Shen’s hand while the Ascendant fucked the latter. Perhaps she commented on the situation, or whispered something to Gang Su Shen, but she was far too distracted to have any ability to comprehend the situation.

The fog was shattered when, with one especially forceful thrust, Wei Yi hilted herself inside her, groaning as her balls slapped against Su Shen’s ass and tightened. She felt her ass filling up in moments, the sea of cum flooding further in and causing her belly to bulge. It travelled up, further and further, seeming to reach her stomach.

Her earlier fullness seemed insignificant to now, the earlier firmness replaced with the texture and viscosity of the Ascendant’s seed.

“You…” Si Yan’s voice broke the silence, “Can you go again? I want you to fill me just like this…”