Villain: Manipulating the Heroines into hating the Protagonist

Chapter 994: The Birth of the Holy Nether Sea Organization

The very foundations of the Myriad Ocean Region were trembling. A massive, unprecedented geopolitical shift had occurred within the wider expanse of the territory, an event so monumental that it threatened to drown every island in a tide of blood.

For centuries, the demonic sects and the righteous sects had waged countless, brutal wars. Their mutual, inherent hatred had acted as the primary balancing force in the region’s power dynamics. However, the absolute, overwhelming dominance of the Myriad Ocean Palace—ruled by a tyrannical Late-Stage Nascent Soul Overlord—had finally forced these bitter, blood-sworn enemies to reconsider their survival strategies.

In a historic, highly secretive summit held on a desolate, barren atoll shrouded in perpetual storms, the supreme leaders of the most powerful demonic sects and several highly influential, disillusioned righteous sects had met. Driven by a shared, desperate desire to overthrow the Myriad Ocean Palace and claim the region’s ultimate resources for themselves, they achieved the impossible: they formally merged their forces.

Thus, the Holy Nether Sea Organization was born. It was a terrifying, massive amalgamation of ruthless demonic cultivators and highly disciplined righteous experts, united by a singular, bloody purpose. The sheer scale and combined power of this new organization instantly sent massive shockwaves of terror throughout the entire region, creating an atmosphere of profound uncertainty and looming war.

Back on the Isle of Whispering Petals, the tranquil gardens of Wang Jian’s primary residence were bathed in the soft light of the afternoon sun. Yet, a palpable tension hung in the air.

Wang Jian lounged comfortably on a wide, cushioned spirit-wood bench beneath the shade of a weeping willow tree. His very fair, pristine white skin and obsidian black hair contrasted beautifully with the casual, flowing white silk trousers and loose, unbuttoned tunic he wore. His starlit, abyssal dark eyes were currently focused on the two exceptionally beautiful women sitting on either side of him.

Yue Lingshan, his dear, virtuous wife, possessed a flawless face that was currently marred by deep worry. Wang Jian, utilizing his eccentric tastes, had ordered the sect’s tailors to craft highly specific, modern-style silk garments for his women. Yue Lingshan was currently dressed in a pure white, pleated silk skirt that barely reached mid-thigh, paired with a tight, short-sleeved silk crop top that left her smooth, very fair midriff completely bare. The incredibly tight fabric of the top strained desperately to contain the sheer, massive volume of her very large, bouncy breasts.

“Husband, the news from the passing merchant vessels is terrifying,” Yue Lingshan murmured, her voice trembling slightly. She leaned into his side, seeking comfort. “They say the Holy Nether Sea Organization has millions of disciples. Righteous swordmasters fighting alongside blood-cultivators… it defies logic. Will our small sect be swept up in this madness?”

On his other side, his youthful concubine, Hua Ling, wore a matching outfit in a vibrant shade of pastel pink. Her perky, voluptuous breasts pushed proudly against the tight silk as she hugged his muscular arm. Hua Ling possessed a hidden, knowing glint in her beautiful eyes. She knew perfectly well that her husband was a terrifying predator who kept a stable of sluts hidden in the shadows, including her own mother. She did not fear the outside world, for she knew the monster she slept with was far more dangerous.

“Do not worry so much, Sister Lingshan,” Hua Ling giggled, pressing her soft, large breasts deliberately against Wang Jian’s bicep. “Husband is incredibly strong. He will protect us from any stray waves.”

Wang Jian smiled a gentle, comforting smile, playing the role of the devoted patriarch to absolute perfection. He wrapped his arms around both women. His large, calloused right hand casually, openly cupped Yue Lingshan’s massive, heavy breast right through the thin white silk of her crop top. He gently kneaded the abundant flesh, his thumb brushing over her sensitive peak.

“Ling’er is correct, my love,” Wang Jian soothed his wife, his left hand mirroring the action on Hua Ling’s perky chest, squeezing the soft globes openly in the sunlit garden. “Fellow Daoists across the sea are panicking, but our Isle is safe. The Holy Nether Sea Organization and the Myriad Ocean Palace are two massive leviathans preparing to clash. It is a battle between absolute giants. They will not spare a single glance for a minor, secluded sect like ours.”

“Mmm… Husband, please… not out here,” Yue Lingshan whispered, her face flushing a deep, furious red as his hand aggressively massaged her large breast, her virtuous nature clashing with the sudden rush of pleasure.

“You are my wife,” Wang Jian chuckled, pinching her nipple through the silk, causing her to gasp and lean her head against his shoulder. “I will touch you wherever I please. Rest assured, I have fortified our defensive arrays. We will simply close our doors and wait for the storm to pass.”

While he offered words of profound comfort to his oblivious wife and his knowing concubine, Wang Jian’s internal thoughts were vastly different. He was internally quite worried, but not out of fear. His brilliant tactical mind was already racing, calculating the immense risks and the staggering, chaotic opportunities this monumental geopolitical shift presented.

‘The Myriad Ocean Palace will be entirely, frantically preoccupied with this new, massive threat,’ Wang Jian thought, his fingers trailing down to stroke the bare, soft skin of Yue Lingshan’s exposed midriff. ‘This massive conflict will create endless blind spots across the region. It is the perfect, bloody cover for our own expansion.’

Later that evening, the facade of the loving husband vanished entirely as Wang Jian descended into the deepest, most secure subterranean war room of the Fragrance Melody Sect.

The room was illuminated by pulsing, tactical array maps. Wang Jian sat at the head of a massive obsidian table. Surrounding him was his true, dark council—his exceptionally beautiful, heavily corrupted sluts.

Shangguan Wan’er, the former Mistress of the Golden-Scale Auction House, stood to his right. She was dressed in an outfit Wang Jian had explicitly designed: a tight, black spirit-silk pencil skirt that hugged her incredibly curvy, plump buttocks, paired with a crisp, white silk button-down blouse. The blouse was unbuttoned dangerously low, the fabric straining and completely failing to hide the inner, creamy slopes of her massive, heavy breasts.

Mu Lianhua and Hua Yimei, the two mature, breathtaking milfs of his faction, were also present, dressed in equally arousing, modern-styled silk garments that highlighted their hour-glass figures and very large, bouncy breasts.

Resting on the table was a specialized, highly encrypted communication artifact, glowing with a faint silver light. Wang Jian was currently connected to the Shadow Flowers—Qiu Yun, Su Ning, and Bai Xue—who were deeply embedded across the region.

“The intelligence is verified, Master,” Su Ning’s voice crackled through the artifact. She was currently operating as a revered core genius within the demonic Blood Shark Hall. “The Holy Nether Sea Organization is rapidly recruiting to bolster their vanguard armies. The influx of rogue cultivators is massive and chaotic.”

“Excellent,” Wang Jian replied, his dark eyes gleaming with absolute, calculating malice. He reached out, his hand slipping casually beneath the hem of Shangguan Wan’er’s tight black skirt to aggressively fondle her plump, curvaceous ass.

“Ahhn… Master,” Shangguan Wan’er let out a soft, breathy moan, her pale blue eyes fluttering as she leaned her hips subtly into his bruising grip, her body entirely addicted to his casual degradation.

“We will not remain idle while they tear each other apart,” Wang Jian declared to the room, his aura radiating a terrifying, absolute authority that made the women around him shiver with profound lust. “We will use this chaotic influx to implant our shadows deeper. But more importantly, we will use the Holy Nether Sea Organization as our personal, blunt instrument.”

He outlined a highly complex, multi-layered strategy. He did not intend to attack the Consortium’s rivals with his own forces.

“Wan’er,” Wang Jian said, his fingers pinching the soft flesh of her ass cheek. “Your arrogant uncles and your treacherous cousins within the Golden-Tide Consortium have fortified their private islands. They are a nuisance.”

“They are arrogant fools, Master,” Shangguan Wan’er whispered devotedly, her massive breasts heaving against her white silk blouse. “They deserve to be crushed.”

“And they shall be,” Wang Jian promised. He leaned toward the communication artifact. “Su Ning. Qiu Yun. You are to orchestrate a massive, coordinated campaign of disinformation within the ranks of the Holy Nether Sea Organization. You will plant fabricated intelligence among the vanguard commanders.”

Wang Jian’s plan was brilliant and utterly ruthless. “You will subtly leak documents and rumors suggesting that specific factions within the Golden-Tide Consortium—specifically the branches controlled by Wan’er’s rivals—are secretly hoarding massive stockpiles of profound-sea minerals, healing elixirs, and offensive arrays intended directly for the Myriad Ocean Palace’s war effort.”

“Let the Holy Nether Sea Organization believe that aggressively attacking these specific merchant islands will severely, irreparably cripple the Palace’s supply lines,” Wang Jian explained, a dark, wicked smile spreading across his face.

“The demonic and righteous commanders of the new alliance are bloodthirsty and greedy,” Hua Yimei noted, adjusting the crystal glasses she wore as part of her erotic ‘teacher’ outfit. Her heavy breasts bounced within the tight confines of her crimson silk dress. “They will view the independent merchant estates as easy, highly lucrative targets to fund their impending war.”

“Precisely,” Wang Jian agreed. He pulled his hand from beneath Wan’er’s skirt and reached up, casually unfastening another button on her white silk blouse, parting the fabric to expose the lacy edge of a sheer black undergarment and the staggering, pale volume of her cleavage. He dragged his thumb heavily over her chest, enjoying her immediate, shuddering gasp. “The board is being set. Execute the plan.”

Over the next few months, the strategy unfolded with terrifying, bloody precision.

The embedded spies within the Holy Nether Sea Organization expertly manipulated the tactical situation. Su Ning, utilizing her status and her soul-charming arts, convinced a brutal, Early-Stage Nascent Soul demonic commander named Xue Kuang that a massive cache of resources was hidden on the private island estate of Shangguan Ming, Wan’er’s arrogant cousin.

Simultaneously, Qiu Yun fed identical, corroborating forged ledgers to the righteous commanders within the alliance.

The bait was taken entirely.

Massive, highly coordinated strike forces belonging to the demonic and righteous alliance descended upon the private, luxurious islands of Shangguan Wan’er’s primary rivals within the Golden-Tide Consortium.

The attacks were overwhelmingly brutal, sudden, and entirely overt.

Skies turned black with the sheer number of Flying Ships bearing the crest of the Holy Nether Sea Organization. Thousands of cultivators rained down upon the merchant estates. The heavy, profoundly expensive defensive arrays surrounding the private islands of the Azure Cloud Commerce Guild and the targeted Consortium branches groaned and shattered under the combined, relentless assault of high-tier blood-magic and righteous sword formations.

“Breach the vaults! Leave no survivors!” Commander Xue Kuang roared, his massive, blood-red saber cleaving through the desperate, overwhelmed guards of the Consortium.

The heavily guarded vaults of Shangguan Wan’er’s competitors were violently breached. Ancient, reinforced profound-iron doors were melted into slag. Mountains of high-grade spirit stones, priceless herbs, and crates of rare ores were ruthlessly seized by the invading alliance.

The leadership of these rival branches, pampered merchants who relied on hired muscle, were ruthlessly slaughtered in their own opulent halls.

For weeks, Wang Jian received a steady stream of highly encouraging reports. He sat in his war room, utterly excited, watching the tactical map glow red as his enemies’ rivals were systematically erased from the Myriad Reefs Sea Region. The Myriad Ocean Palace, completely, frantically preoccupied with fortifying their core, inner territories against the massive new alliance, could not spare a single soldier to protect the peripheral, independent merchant guilds.

“Perfect,” Wang Jian thought, pouring himself a cup of rich spirit wine. He watched Shangguan Wan’er kneeling on the floor, polishing his boots with absolute submission. “The board is being cleared, the wealth of my enemies is being scattered into the chaotic winds of war, and my hands remain entirely, perfectly clean.”

However, Wang Jian had severely underestimated the absolute, foundational power structure of the Golden-Tide Consortium.

The true, ultimate failure of the plan occurred exactly two months into the operation, targeting the most heavily fortified, personal island estate of Shangguan Jue, a powerful, highly ambitious uncle.

The Holy Nether Sea Organization had deployed a massive vanguard fleet, led by three Peak Core Formation commanders. They shattered the outer barriers of the island and descended upon the main courtyard, preparing to slaughter Shangguan Jue and loot his legendary, overflowing personal treasury.

Just as the demonic vanguard prepared to execute the screaming merchant and his family, the very fabric of the sky above the island tore open with a deafening, apocalyptic CRACK.

The ambient spiritual energy within a hundred-mile radius instantly froze, suffocated by an overwhelming, absolute pressure that defied human comprehension.

From the spatial tear, a figure descended, wreathed in blinding, furious golden light. It was Shangguan Hongtian, the supreme Patriarch of the Golden-Tide Consortium, a powerhouse standing firmly at the Mid-Stage of the Nascent Soul Realm. Accompanying him was an Early-Stage Nascent Soul elder, their auras combining into a storm of absolute devastation.

“Ignorant vermin!” Shangguan Hongtian’s voice boomed, not merely shaking the air, but vibrating directly within the spiritual seas of every cultivator present. “You dare touch the bloodline of the Golden-Tide?!”

The Patriarch did not draw a weapon. He simply raised his right hand and pushed it downward in a casual, sweeping motion.

The physical manifestation of his Mid-Stage Nascent Soul intent formed a massive, golden palm in the sky, hundreds of feet wide. It descended with the inescapable, crushing weight of a falling meteor.

The three Peak Core Formation commanders of the Holy Nether Sea Organization, powerful men who had slaughtered countless foes, could not even scream. The golden palm struck the vanguard fleet.

BOOOOOOM!

The destruction was absolute and instantaneous. The massive Flying Ships were swatted out of the sky like fragile insects, splintering into burning wood and twisted metal. Hundreds of elite cultivators were instantly vaporized into clouds of bloody mist by the sheer, unadulterated kinetic and spiritual force of a single, casual strike from a Nascent Soul expert.

With a mere thought, the Early-Stage Nascent Soul elder accompanying the Patriarch manipulated the spatial laws, instantly shifting Shangguan Jue, his talented descendants, and the entirety of the island’s massive treasury into a secure, portable spatial domain.

The overwhelming, absolute power of the Nascent Soul realm completely, effortlessly crushed the meticulous, brilliant planning of the infiltration.

Back on the Isle of Whispering Petals, Wang Jian stood perfectly still in his study, holding a fractured communication talisman.

“Master,” Su Ning’s terrified, trembling voice echoed from the jade slip. “The Patriarch intervened personally. The attack failed completely. The vanguard was annihilated in a single strike. Shangguan Jue and the resources were successfully extracted without a scratch.”

Wang Jian’s pristine white skin tightened over his jaw. His starlit, abyssal eyes darkened into a terrifying, churning storm of profound anger and sudden, harsh realization.

CRASH!

Wang Jian backhanded the heavy obsidian desk, the sheer, explosive force of his Stellar Demonic Qi shattering the priceless stone into a thousand jagged pieces.

‘Meticulous planning, flawless infiltration, perfect manipulation of geopolitical forces… all of it rendered entirely, pathetically useless in the face of absolute, overwhelming cultivation power,’ Wang Jian thought, his brilliant tactical mind absorbing the bitter, undeniable truth. ‘A Nascent Soul expert doesn’t need to outsmart the trap. They can simply step on the chessboard and crush the pieces into dust.’

He took a deep, steadying breath, forcefully reigning in his demonic fury. He needed to secure his assets immediately.

“Su Ning. Qiu Yun. Listen to me carefully,” Wang Jian commanded, his voice cold and sharp as a razor. “The Consortium’s Nascent Soul experts are now fully alerted and mobilized. You and all the embedded orphans are to lay absolutely, entirely dormant for the next six months. Do not transmit data. Do not execute any manipulation. Fade into the background.”

“Yes, Master. But what if they initiate internal inquisitions?” Qiu Yun asked nervously.

“If a Nascent Soul Realm expert actually begins to forcibly read the souls of the disciples,” Wang Jian explained grimly, “the soul-binding contract of the Demonic Scripture will protect your core memories and prevent you from speaking. However, a Nascent Soul expert is attuned to the deeper laws of the universe. While the soul-reading would fail to extract information, they will undoubtedly realize something is strange. They will realize the soul is being protected by a high-tier, foreign technique. It might reveal your presence as spies, which would be a catastrophic loss.”

“We will become invisible, Master,” Su Ning promised before terminating the connection.

Wang Jian stood amidst the ruined desk. The failure burned his immense pride. It was a stark, infuriating reminder of how incredibly difficult it was to utterly destroy the core rivals of Shangguan Wan’er. They possessed the ultimate fallback: the absolute protection of Nascent Soul Realm experts who could solve almost any problem with overwhelming, tyrannical strength.

He needed to vent. The dark, aggressive Yang Qi within his Stellar Demonic Core was boiling, demanding an immediate, violent release.

“Call them,” Wang Jian ordered empty air.

Within minutes, the grand, expansive main hall of the sect—a place usually reserved for solemn ceremonies and formal addresses—was transformed into a private den of absolute, unhinged debauchery.

Wang Jian stood in the center of the vast hall, having stripped entirely of his pristine white robes. His dark, heavily muscled physique was on full display, his massive, corded dick already fully erect, twitching with boundless, frustrated lust.

The heavy, gilded doors opened, and his elite MILF squad entered.

They had dressed exactly as he had commanded, wearing the bizarre, incredibly sexy modern-styled silk garments that highlighted their mature, voluptuous figures to absolute perfection.

Mu Lianhua, the stunning master alchemist, wore an incredibly tight, azure blue uniform styled like a modern air hostess. The tailored silk jacket strained desperately over her massive, heavy breasts, the top buttons completely undone, exposing the deep canyon of her cleavage and the heavy emerald piercings tugging at her pink nipples. The matching blue pencil skirt was obscenely short, barely covering her curvy, bubbly buttocks, her long legs clad in sheer, dark silk stockings.

Hua Yimei, the former Sect Leader, was dressed as a strict, deeply erotic teacher. She wore a form-fitting, knee-length crimson silk dress that featured a high slit running all the way up her right thigh. A pair of clear crystal, non-prescription glasses rested on her beautiful face, giving her an air of strict authority that clashed perfectly with the massive, soft globes of flesh spilling out of the plunging, V-shaped neckline of her dress.

Shangguan Wan’er, the masochistic merchant, reprised her role as the ultimate, slutty office secretary. She wore a skin-tight, black silk pencil skirt that clung to her incredibly wide hips and plump ass. Her top was a crisp, white silk button-down blouse that was currently unbuttoned entirely down to her navel. Her very large, bouncy breasts were barely restrained by a sheer, black lace bra that did absolutely nothing to hide her hardened, tight pink nipples.

“Master,” the three mature beauties greeted him simultaneously, their voices thick with heavy, unmistakable arousal. They could feel the terrifying, boiling lust radiating from his body.

“Your grandfather proved exceedingly bothersome today, Wan’er,” Wang Jian growled, his abyssal eyes locking onto the merchant queen.

Shangguan Wan’er shivered violently, her wet pussy clenching instantly. “I am sorry, Master. Punish me for my bloodline’s arrogance.”

“I intend to,” Wang Jian declared, closing the distance in a blur of motion. “I intend to punish all three of you.”

He didn’t bother removing their incredibly sexy, modern-styled outfits. The visual contrast of their clothed, constrained bodies being violently ravaged fueled his decadent perversion perfectly.

He grabbed Shangguan Wan’er by the collar of her white silk blouse and violently hauled her forward. He didn’t unfasten her skirt; he simply grabbed the hem of the tight black silk and ruthlessly shoved it up around her waist, completely exposing her dripping, virgin-like pink pussy and the pitch-black Slave Seal on her abdomen.

He threw her face-down across the massive, polished jade table in the center of the hall.

“Ah! Master!” Wan’er gasped as the cold stone hit her skin.

Wang Jian stepped behind her, grabbing her incredibly sexy, curvaceous, plump buttocks. Without a single drop of mercy or lubrication, he thrust his massive, rock-hard dick deeply into her tight passage in one brutal, relentless strike.

“AGHHHH! YES! DESTROY ME!” Shangguan Wan’er screamed, her back arching violently. Her massive, heavy breasts, constrained by the sheer lace bra and the unbuttoned white blouse, pressed flat against the jade table.

Wang Jian set a savage, unforgiving rhythm, his hips snapping forward with devastating force. The incredibly loud, wet slapping sounds of his pelvis colliding with her ass echoed endlessly through the cavernous main hall.

SLAP! SQUELCH! SLAP! SQUELCH!

He pounded the merchant queen mercilessly, venting his profound frustration at the Nascent Soul experts by completely degrading their direct descendant.

While he fucked Wan’er over the table, he turned his demanding gaze to the other two mature beauties.

“Lianhua. Yimei. Come here,” Wang Jian ordered.

The air hostess and the teacher eagerly approached, their massive breasts bouncing heavily within their tight silk uniforms.

“Service me,” he commanded.

Mu Lianhua dropped to her knees beside his driving hips. She leaned forward, her beautiful face flushed with pure ecstasy. She opened her luscious lips and eagerly took the entirety of his heavy, sweat-slicked balls into her warm, wet mouth. She began to suck and swirl her tongue around his sack, loudly and enthusiastically servicing him from below while he relentlessly hammered into Wan’er’s pussy.

Slurp. Suckle. Squelch.

Hua Yimei stepped up directly in front of him. She pressed her incredibly voluptuous body against his chest. Wang Jian reached out with his free hand, grabbing the lapels of her crimson teacher’s dress. With a violent yank, he completely tore the top of the dress open, entirely exposing her very large, bubbly, soft breasts to the air.

He buried his face into her profound cleavage, aggressively swallowing the soft flesh of her left breast. He sucked hard on her tight pink nipple, his teeth grazing the sensitive skin.

“Ahhn! Master! Eat me! Use my breasts!” Hua Yimei moaned loudly, tangling her fingers in his dark hair, entirely abandoning her dignified persona as she pressed her massive, soft globes firmly against his face.

For four entire days and four uninterrupted nights, the main hall became a localized dimension of pure, unadulterated, demonic lust. Wang Jian did not stop fucking them. He did not allow them a single moment of rest.

His massive dick remained incredibly rock solid, fueled by his bottomless, unending lust and the sheer, visual perfection of their sexy, clothed bodies being constantly violated.

He fucked them in all sorts of degrading, animalistic positions across the grand hall. He pinned Mu Lianhua against the massive, ancient structural pillars, lifting her by her thighs and pounding her tight pussy while she still wore her azure blue air hostess jacket, the fabric ruined and stained with sweat. He bent Hua Yimei over the Sect Leader’s grand throne, spanking her curvaceous, plump buttocks until they were a canvas of vivid red handprints, tearing her crystal glasses from her face as she sobbed in pure, mind-melting ecstasy.

He utilized his hands, his mouth, and his massive dick to explore every inch of their voluptuous bodies. He pulled and tugged their heavy nipple piercings aggressively, making the mature women scream in a mixture of agony and explosive pleasure.

Wang Jian climaxed repeatedly over the ninety-plus rounds. He flooded their wombs with scorching torrents of his stellar seed. He pulled out at the last second, showering his thick, sticky white semen all over their massive, exposed breasts, completely ruining their sexy, modern-styled silk blouses.

“Lick it clean, sluts,” Wang Jian growled, pointing to the thick puddles of his cum resting on Shangguan Wan’er’s cleavage.

Hua Yimei and Mu Lianhua eagerly crawled over, their tongues darting out to lick and swallow every single drop of his precious essence from the merchant’s skin, making loud, obscene slurping sounds.

But the sheer number of his climaxes paled in comparison to the women.

Shangguan Wan’er, Mu Lianhua, and Hua Yimei climaxed countless times. Their bodies were pushed entirely past their physical limits. Every time he aggressively squeezed their massive breasts, every time his thick shaft hit their deepest spots, they shattered into continuous, rolling orgasms. Their bodies writhed, convulsed, and twitched uncontrollably on the polished floorboards, their minds completely reduced to puddles of primal, masochistic lust.

“Ah! I’m cumming! I’m cumming again! Master, my mind is breaking! Ahhh!” Shangguan Wan’er sobbed, her white silk blouse completely torn open, her black skirt hiked around her waist as she lay sprawled on the floor, utterly defeated by the pleasure.

By the end of the fourth night, the venting session finally concluded. The grand hall was slick with sweat and their combined juices. Wang Jian stood amidst his heavily breathing, completely exhausted, thoroughly satisfied sluts. His pride had been appeased, his frustration burned away in the fires of their bodies.

He looked down at the three incredibly sexy, mature women, their modern-styled silk outfits ruined and stained, their bodies bearing the marks of his absolute dominance. The path to conquering the Myriad Ocean Region and the Golden-Tide Consortium would be incredibly difficult, blocked by the absolute power of Nascent Soul experts. But as he watched his sluts whimpering happily at his feet, Wang Jian knew he possessed the patience, the cruelty, and the boundless demonic ambition to see it through to the bloody, inevitable end.