Robert couldn't persuade Duwei's stubbornness. What troubled him most was Duwei's insistence on going into the mountains to see what the monster looked like.
Robert's gaze towards this Spahn knight turned somewhat unfriendly. In his view, all these troubles were brought about by this guy. If anything happened to the young master... even a slight injury or scare, Robert would have to bear the responsibility!
Though Robert had developed some fondness for this young master who was easygoing and gentle in his demeanor throughout the journey, the decision to venture into the mountains to see the monster seemed like childish nonsense to Robert!
With a sigh, Robert could only resolve to stay close to the master once they entered the mountains, ensuring his safety with his sword. Besides, he consoled himself, in these plains, the creatures encountered wouldn't likely be high-level monsters.
Robert's self-assurance seemed effective. Because in the Roland Continent, there existed a peculiar rule concerning monsters.
Monsters referred to beasts born with innate magical abilities. Their strength, however, was measured by a peculiar standard: according to the majority of known monsters, their danger level was inversely proportional to their size.
In other words, the larger the monster, the less powerful it tended to be. The truly dangerous ones were often those with small statures.
Since this Spahn mentioned encountering a big creature nearby, Robert believed his martial skills should suffice.
Meanwhile, Spahn couldn't help but feel trapped. More than the monster issue, he worried about the safety of the young master of the Roland family.
However, Duwei had insisted on going to see it... Spahn would prefer not to have the assistance of those dozens of guards.
But Duwei was adamant. Even if Spahn refused his offer, he would go up the mountain with his people! Weighing his options, Spahn felt it would be better to accompany them himself. At least with more people, it would be safer.
The mercenaries proved quite efficient. Half an hour later, over twenty mercenaries stood fully armed at the entrance of the inn. Duwei left behind some servants to guard the inn and departed with two squads of cavalry.
Duwei put on light armor, looking a bit frail but reassuring nonetheless. Joline knew they were going into the mountains to search for a monster—she had done such tasks before. Hunting monsters and exchanging their carcasses for gold coins was a common source of income for many adventurer teams on the continent.
Spahn gathered the final twenty men from the garrison in the Half Angle City. Though it was still somewhat thin, seeing the guards and escorts of the Roland family in their shining armor with fine weapons, Spahn felt somewhat relieved.
Truly, they were the regular imperial troops. Spahn, along with Robert, the two highest-ranked knights, discussed and divided the men into three squads. They arranged the local troops, mercenaries, and the Roland family's guards into different units. Each squad ensured a mix of various types of soldiers, including close combat fighters and archers, through some adjustments.
The other two squads were led by Spahn's two lieutenants, while Spahn himself and Knight Robert, the two strongest in martial prowess, remained by Duwei's side.
Spahn had made up his mind that even if this mission failed, he must ensure the safety of the young master of the Roland family at all costs! Otherwise, if anything happened to the eldest son of Emperor No.2, his future in the military would be ruined! Compared to that, catching the monster was no longer important.
It's worth mentioning that the other two squads each consisted of only twenty people. Meanwhile, Duwei's group had a whopping forty subordinates, with thirty of them being the Roland family's guards, and the remaining ten being rare archers under Spahn's command.
Spahn even presented Duwei with a precious military crossbow for self-defense, as he could tell the young master likely lacked archery skills. Having a military crossbow would increase his safety margin.
Thus, Duwei's team possessed forty of the most elite regular soldiers (the quality of Roland family's guards was definitely not inferior to regular troops), two level four knights, and a legitimate mage.
Such strength was quite formidable.
The three squads immediately set off from the city, entering the Half Angle Mountain through three different paths. They dispersed in different directions to search, each carrying signaling devices similar to the flares Duwei knew about. If any squad found the monster, they would immediately engage it and signal for assistance.
They agreed that the meeting point for the three groups' searches would be the central valley of the Half Angle Mountain.
Duwei rode amidst the crowd into the Half Angle Mountain, seemingly unaware that he had become a burden to everyone... or perhaps he was feigning ignorance.
Fully armed with forty subordinates, they spread out in a fan shape upon entering the Half Angle Mountain, carefully searching for any suspicious traces. Spahn and Robert, the two knights, closely guarded Duwei.
The trail of the monster in the Half Angle Mountain was first discovered by hunters from a small village on the southern slope of the mountain. According to Spahn's explanation on the way, the local hunters initially saw footprints on the forest floor, mistakenly believing it to be some large wild animal roaming the mountains. They even gathered a few experienced hunters to hunt in the mountains but discovered the monster's tracks in the south. Realizing they were no match for a monster, the hunters promptly returned to the city garrison to report the situation. According to their accounts, the discovered monster was of considerable size, resembling the size of a lion or tiger. Although they couldn't see clearly due to the distance, the entire body of the creature emitted a glow, indicating it was definitely not an ordinary beast.
Upon entering the Half Angle Mountain via the mountain path, everyone dismounted, including Duwei. The soldiers dispersed on both sides to search, while the five best fighters led the way at the front of the queue.
In such a situation, Duwei couldn't even see any monsters... every step he took was carefully flattened and explored by someone else! Not even a rabbit could hide in the bushes.
Feeling a bit bored, Duwei looked around at the dense forest and the occasional chirping of birds. He glanced at Spahn, who seemed slightly tense, and smiled.
He was well aware of what was on Spahn's mind: "Sir Spahn, have you ever seen a real monster?"
Spahn hesitated for a moment and then replied, "Yes, I once served in the Imperial Storm Legion in the north for four years. Our army was stationed on the eastern side of the 'Frozen Forest,' which is known as the place with the most monster sightings on the continent. During patrols, we encountered some. Fortunately, the ones that roamed the outskirts of the forest were generally low-level monsters with limited threat to humans. We never dared to venture deep into the forest because the higher-level monsters inside were not something ordinary soldiers could handle."
Duwei pondered, "What do monsters look like then?"
Spahn pondered for a moment before responding, "Monsters are essentially just beasts, but much more formidable than ordinary animals. Ordinary beasts only harm people with their claws and teeth. But monsters are naturally able to use some low-level magic instinctively, so they can be troublesome to deal with."
"Have you ever personally hunted down a monster?" Duwei asked.
Spahn's face reddened, and he replied softly, "Master Duwei, back then, I was just a second-level knight. With my abilities, it was impossible for me to single-handedly hunt down a monster. However, my squad once encountered a formidable creature during a patrol. It was a unique species known as the 'Storm Magic Wolf' that lived in the Frozen Forest of the North. That creature was incredibly fast. Arrows couldn't hit it, and its fur could instantly freeze into crystalline ice, as hard as our armor. Blades couldn't harm it, and it could even emit wind blades from its mouth through howling, making it very difficult to deal with. When our squad encountered it, ten soldiers were no match for it... I remember in that battle, four of my comrades died, and the survivors were all injured. In the end, it was our squad leader who bravely endured a wind blade attack, cut off the wolf's tail with a sword... the weakness of that Magic Wolf lay in its tail. Losing it weakened its magic. After we stripped its fur, it was quite valuable, and its magic core could fetch a good price. Magic cores of monsters are favored by mages because they're excellent tools for storing magic power and materials for making various magic scrolls."
Recalling his youth, Spahn couldn't help but feel emotional, "I remember when I served on the edge of the Frozen Forest, many adventurer teams would enter the forest against our advice to hunt monsters for money every month. However, one-third of them couldn't come out alive. We don't even know how many died in the forest, and some mages even died in there."
Duwei sighed, glancing at Solzkyar beside him.
Both of them knew that mages wouldn't hunt monsters for money. However, monster cores were exceptionally attractive to mages, as they were essential magical materials.
While Spahn spoke, he used his sword to cut through a forked branch that extended onto the path ahead, smiling as he said, "Master Duwei, you don't need to worry. According to the pattern, the larger the size of the monster, the lower its power. The creature we encounter shouldn't be too formidable. With me... hmm, and Sir Robert here, we won't let any harm come to you."
Duwei nodded, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, then glanced at Robert, who had been silent. "And what about you, Robert? Have you hunted monsters?"
Robert's expression grew serious as he pondered for a moment, then gently brushed aside his thick curly hair, revealing his neck.
It was then that Duwei noticed an astonishing wound on Robert's neck! It was clearly a puncture wound, as if something had pierced fiercely into his neck from one side! Although it was an old injury, and evidently a long time had passed, the wound was still red, indicating how severe it had been at the time!
"This is from a monster," Robert said in a low voice. "I once went to the 'Sunset Swamp' in the south, and in the swamp, our group encountered a flock of Gryphons."
Before Duwei could speak, Spahn, Solzkyar, and even Rolin, who was following behind, all gasped in unison! Spahn exclaimed, "A flock of Gryphons? My word, how did you survive?"
"Gryphons? Are they really that dangerous?" Duwei asked.
Solzkyar shook his head. "More than dangerous. Gryphons are flying monsters, one of the most troublesome monsters, if not counting those legendary beasts. They're avian creatures that are about the size of a regular eagle, but they can emit a lion-like roar. Their feathers are as hard as steel, and their sharp claws can easily pierce our armor. Their beaks can even snap a knight's sword in half... The most troublesome aspect is their ability to fly. Their tough feathers make them impervious to ordinary arrows. Moreover, their cries can induce panic, and stronger ones can even cause dizziness."
"Mental attack magic?" Duwei took a breath.
"What's lethal is that these terrifying creatures aren't just encountered individually... they're the only type of monster... that's a communal species! Meaning, these troublesome creatures move in groups. In the southern swamp areas, even small armies would choose to retreat if they encountered these creatures! Because facing a large group of these formidable creatures attacking from the sky would be incredibly difficult to withstand."
However, Rolin, looking at the wound on Robert's neck, frowned and asked, "How did you survive?"
Robert shook his head. "I thought I was as good as dead. Half of the people who went into the swamp with us died that day. A Gryphon clawed at my neck, and its talon nearly pierced through. But later, we found a huge tree hollow in the swamp. We hid in it, staying there for a whole day. The entrance to the hollow was small, and those creatures lost their aerial advantage, unable to attack us from the sky. We managed to hold out for a day until the Gryphons finally left. Eventually, I was brought back by the rescue team sent by the family, and my life was finally saved."
He paused, a touch of melancholy crossing his face. "My younger brother died there. He suffered the same claw wound on his neck as me, but he wasn't as lucky. His head was torn off on the spot."
Duwei was shaken, looking at Robert, and quickly whispered, "I'm sorry, Sir Robert. I didn't know..."
"No, it's nothing," the knight shook his head, forcing a smile. "That was many years ago, and since we swore allegiance to the family, our lives have long been prepared to sacrifice for the family at any time."
Everyone couldn't help but feel a deep respect for Robert, even Rolin couldn't help but glance at the knight a few more times. However, Rolin soon raised a question. "Sir Robert, Sir Spahn, I have a question."
"What is it? Please speak, Lady Knight Rolin," Spahn showed respect to this nobleman's honor, female knight.
Rolin spoke slowly, "From what I know, most monsters live in forests, but they rarely inhabit the central regions of the continent. Monsters need to replenish their magic, so they only live in those peculiar places on the edges of the continent, such as the Icebound Forest in the north or the Sunset Swamp in the south. These places are teeming with various magical plants... the habitats where alchemists gather ingredients for magic potions. Or, some places are rich in certain special minerals, which also attract monsters to live around them. However... Half-Angle Mountain is just an ordinary forest, filled with ordinary pine and maple trees. Moreover, there are no special minerals here. So, does anyone else find it strange that a monster suddenly appears here?"
Spahn and Robert both stopped in their tracks, their faces turning serious, even the mage Solzkyar furrowed his brow in thought.
"Rolin, do you know a lot about monsters?" Duwei asked.
"I've had quite a few adventures and have followed several mercenary groups into the Icebound Forest to hunt monsters," Rolin explained. "So, I'm probably the one here who has dealt with monsters the most."
"You've been to the Icebound Forest in the north?" Spahn showed a surprised expression. In his opinion, this female knight probably obtained her title of honor from the nobleman by relying on her beauty alone. He never expected Rolin to have such experiences!
Even Robert showed a hint of surprise.
Rolin whispered, "Yes, that's right. I've been there a few times."
"I don't know much about the habits of monsters. If what Lady Knight Rolin says is true... then we really need to think about it carefully," Robert said. "The appearance of the monster is indeed suspicious."
Meanwhile, Spahn, although he didn't say anything, had a somewhat dismissive expression.
Obviously, Spahn didn't believe Rolin's words.
Spahn, an experienced knight, could easily discern the skill of this female knight. He judged that her skills were not remarkable. Most likely, she gained the favor of the nobleman because of her pretty face... and those beautiful long legs.
Entering the Icebound Forest in the north? Several times? What a lie!
After an afternoon of searching, they found nothing, not even traces or feces of the monster.
There was no news from the other two search teams either.
Seeing the sky darkening with the setting sun, Sir Spahn suggested that they rest on the spot for a while and return to the city while it was still light out. They could continue the search early tomorrow morning.
This decision was entirely due to Duwei's presence.
If it weren't for the noble young master, Spahn's original plan was to continue searching through the night. But now, with this untouchable and fragile young master in the group, Spahn didn't dare to take any risks and prioritized safety. Otherwise, searching for monsters on the mountain at night would only increase the danger.
During the rest, Robert arranged for guards to watch the surroundings, while Spahn sent two of his archers to climb up a tree to observe the surrounding area.
"Rolin," Duwei called out as Rolin was about to adjust the saddle.
"What do you command, master?"
"I believe you," Duwei said softly, a statement that made Rolin tremble. The female knight turned to look at Duwei.
Duwei toyed with an unknown wildflower in his hand, his smile relaxed. "I know that Sir Spahn doesn't believe you. He thinks you're just boasting."
A bitter smile appeared on Rolin's face.
And not just Spahn, but probably most of the soldiers accompanying the Roland family think the same way...
Rolin felt a sense of helplessness welling up inside her.
"I believe in you," Duwei said softly, taking a few steps closer and looking at Rolin's resigned expression. He smiled and said, "Because, coincidentally, I know that you are a descendant of the Moon Clan. And it just so happens that I've read in an ancient book that the Moon Clan possesses a natural ability. If what the book says is true... then I believe that entering that Icebound Forest wouldn't be too difficult for you. Even if you encounter a large number of monsters, it wouldn't pose too much danger to you."
Rolin was even more surprised, her voice trembling as she exclaimed, "You... you know about that too?"
"Books," Duwei chuckled. "Books are the source of human knowledge. Reading more books always has its benefits."
With that, the adolescent boy walked up to Rolin, gently patting her shoulder and smiling. "My lady knight, we must work hard. Otherwise, we might be looked down upon by others. Did you not notice today? They all see me as a burden. But you, you are my first honored knight. We must both strive to make a good impression."
Rolin looked carefully at the young boy in front of her, feeling a warm surge in her heart as his words sank in!
Yes! They all see me as the kind of woman who climbs the social ladder by sleeping with men! But the one who truly respects me and trusts me is the young master before me!
Unable to hold back her emotions, Rolin bowed deeply to Duwei, her voice trembling as she said, "Yes, my master. Rolin will definitely work hard and will never let your honor be tarnished!"
After a brief rest, Spahn immediately gathered everyone and prepared to descend the mountain. He ordered someone to send a signal to contact the other two teams. Soon, there was a response from the other side. Another team was actually not far from where Duwei and his group were. From the signal's location, it seemed that the distance between the two parties was only about a mile.
The two knight commanders immediately ordered everyone to line up and set off to meet their companions.
However, just as they were halfway there, even the forefront of the group where Robert was could already see their companions waving at them...
Suddenly, a piercing roar echoed from the side! Then, a massive figure swiftly emerged from the nearby forest, engulfed in flames that scorched everything in its path!
"...A monster?!!" Someone shouted in shock, and immediately, everyone was alarmed!
"Form up!!" A deep, commanding voice rang out from behind the group. Robert had already drawn his broadsword, shouting loudly, "Don't panic! Form up, flank it from both sides! Don't let it escape! Archers, get ready! Frontline, raise your shields!"
Orders flew quickly from Robert's mouth. After all, most of these people were guards from the Roland family, and Robert's voice immediately reassured everyone.
Meanwhile, Spahn wasted no time. He had already gathered the archers and ordered them to take position in the trees.
The monster, for whatever reason, chose this moment to burst out, seemingly unafraid of the many humans in front of it.
Duwei finally got his wish, laying eyes on the legendary monster.
It was even larger than Duwei had imagined, towering like an elephant. It had a massive horn on its forehead, rough and thick skin, and its limbs were as thick as pillars, trampling through the soil as it charged forward, emitting a piercing roar while flames engulfed its entire body!
This bizarre and ferocious creature, engulfed in flames, made it difficult for the humans to intercept it. The soldiers who had formed up with shields were unable to block it head-on and could only reluctantly make way, while the archers in the trees began shooting arrows. However, the arrows seemed to inflict little damage on the monster's thick hide.
Fortunately, due to its massive size, the creature moved slowly. The soldiers raised their spears from a distance to intimidate it.
"Don't be afraid, it's just a Flame Rhinoceros," Rolin spoke up, seeming to breathe a sigh of relief. She stood beside Duwei, taking a half step forward to shield him. Her voice was low, seemingly explaining to Duwei alone, "The Flame Rhinoceros is considered one of the lowest-tier monsters. Apart from being a bit stronger and able to emit flames, it's not that terrifying. And its running speed is quite slow. As long as we have a few sturdy bows, it's as good as a sitting target."
Robert heard Rolin's words and immediately commanded loudly, "Raise your spears! Block its path!"
The Flame Rhinoceros ran a few steps forward but found itself surrounded by humans on all sides. With rows of spears aimed at it, the creature dared not charge forward recklessly. After all, despite its tough hide, it was far from invincible against weapons. It let out a few cries of frustration but ultimately didn't dare to charge head-on into the spears. Instead, it abruptly stopped and then turned to flee in another direction. However, its slow movement speed was now its weakness.
The soldiers quickly moved to flank it from both sides, gradually narrowing its escape route. Meanwhile, the archers in the trees continued to shoot arrows. Although the arrows didn't cause much damage, their sheer number caused some to embed in the Flame Rhinoceros's back.
As the Flame Rhinoceros found itself increasingly hemmed in by humans, its movements became more frantic, and its roars grew more agitated. At this moment, Solstice, Duwei's sorcerer, stepped forward.
The sorcerer had raised his hands, and under his robe, his sleeves fluttered rapidly. Then, with a whooshing sound, several fireballs shot out from his hands and flew towards the Flame Rhinoceros.
With a loud bang! Under the gaze of dozens of eyes, the fireballs accurately hit the monster, causing flames to burst forth, engulfing the area in a blaze. Almost everyone was forced to squint against the intense red light!
Amidst the roar of anger and frustration, the Flame Rhinoceros suddenly glowed with a red light all over its body! Then, with a whoosh, right before the eyes of many...
It disappeared!!
The soldiers were momentarily stunned, but then erupted into cheers!
Looks like the sorcerer is really powerful!! He took down that creature with just one move!
However, these ignorant soldiers failed to notice the perplexed and confused expression on the sorcerer's face.
Disappeared?
I used Fireball spell. Even if it could kill the creature, it shouldn't have vanished without a trace!
The ordinary soldiers didn't understand this, but Robert and Spahn, being fourth-level knights, did!
At the moment when the Flame Rhinoceros suddenly disappeared, the two of them showed expressions of astonishment and concern. While everyone was still cheering, Robert shouted loudly, "Everyone, step back! Be careful!!"
Duwei was also stunned. When he saw the monster vanish suddenly, he couldn't help but ask Rolin, "Rolin, would the body of this kind of monster disappear after it dies?"
"No way!" Rolin's expression changed too. "This thing... its body disappearing, I've never seen it happen."
Just then, at the spot where the Flame Rhinoceros had disappeared, a blue flame shot up into the sky! Then, a sharp and loud howl came from within the flames!
It was clearly the howl of a wolf!
And then, within the blue flame, a giant wolf suddenly leaped out!
This giant wolf had a body covered in ice-blue fur, appearing almost crystallized! Its body was massive and powerful, its claws sharp as blades! Despite its size, it moved as fast as the wind!
In just a blink of an eye, several soldiers' cries of pain could be heard...
Immediately, the wolf let out a howl, and suddenly, a gust of wind blade shot out from its mouth!
"It's the Galestorm Magic Wolf!!" Spahn exclaimed in shock, his face pale with deep fear.
This sudden appearance was exactly the Galestorm Magic Wolf he had mentioned to Duwei and others earlier—a creature he had encountered before, having sacrificed several comrades to hunt it down!
However, what terrified Spahn wasn't the wolf itself... but how utterly bizarre the situation was!
He had never heard of a Flame Rhinoceros transforming into a Galestorm Magic Wolf upon death!
There was no time to think too much. As Spahn had said, this Galestorm Magic Wolf indeed had crystallized fur, making it resistant to swords and blades. Its speed was also exceptionally agile, and with its sharp claws and teeth, several soldiers were injured by its pounces.
The wind blade shot out, hitting two soldiers who were holding shields, causing their shields to instantly shatter and sending the soldiers flying!
Watching from afar, Duwei couldn't help but sigh, "What a formidable creature!"
"Rolin, can monsters transform? Can a Flame Rhinoceros turn into something else? But these two creatures look so different," Duwei asked.
"No! Master, something seems off! The monster we encountered... seems to be a kind I've never seen before. It's definitely not an ordinary Flame Rhinoceros!" Rolin's expression darkened. She held her sword in front of Duwei, her eyes fixed tightly on the distant wolf.
With a loud shout, Robert charged forward, his broadsword emanating a silver light! He swiftly swung it down towards the wolf.
Rolin's eyes lit up from afar, "Anger!"
The wolf seemed to sense the threat from the light on Robert's sword. It didn't dare to confront it head-on and instead jumped aside, aiming a side pounce towards Robert's chest and shoulder.
Robert shouted loudly, his body slightly bending as he swung his broadsword horizontally. A beam of light shot out from his sword, fiercely piercing towards the wolf's abdomen!
The wolf was indeed formidable, able to change direction mid-air! With a twist of its body, it evaded Robert's Battle attack. Upon landing, it swiftly swiped across Robert's arm!
With a hiss, Robert grunted as several bloody marks appeared on his arm. Fortunately, the wolf had only grazed him with its claws, so the injury wasn't severe.
Just then, a shout rang out, and everyone saw Spahn from afar taking action! He snatched a spear from a nearby soldier and hurled it with force!
The spear turned into a meteor, slamming hard into the wolf's back! But to everyone's surprise, they heard a clang as it failed to penetrate and was instead deflected off! It was evident that the wolf's crystallized body was incredibly tough!
Though it endured Spahn's spear attack, the wolf seemed to be in pain. It rolled a few times from the impact but managed to get back up, albeit at a slower speed, indicating that it had sustained some injuries.
"Solzkyar, now!" Robert shouted, brandishing his sword and forcing the wolf to retreat with consecutive strikes.
The mage in the distance responded to the call and quickly shot out several fireballs once again.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The continuous barrage of fireballs hit the surrounding ground, with only three striking the wolf.
Clearly repelled by these fire-based spells, the wolf howled in agony, its movements becoming more sluggish. Seizing the opportunity, Robert struck down with his sword, hitting the wolf's tail!
During their earlier conversation, Spahn had mentioned that the weak spot of these Galestorm Magic Wolves was their tails! Robert remembered it vividly.
Sure enough, as soon as he severed the wolf's tail, it howled in pain and collapsed. But then Robert saw his sword blade emit a flash of light!
After the light faded, not only did the wolf's body vanish, but even the severed tail disappeared!
Vanished? Playing this trick again?
Duwei, from afar, shouted loudly, "Be careful, everyone! This thing is likely to transform again!"
Robert's face also turned serious, about to say something...
Suddenly, a low roar came from the sky! It sounded like the roar of a lion!
Then, more and more lion roars followed, getting closer and closer. From afar, it seemed like there were countless lions heading towards them!
A lion pride? Damn it, this is a plain area! How could there be such a large number of lions?
Robert, hearing the increasingly closer roars, seemed to realize something. His expression twisted in an instant, and he bellowed furiously, "Be careful! Everyone, be careful! What's coming is..."
Just as he was about to finish his sentence, everyone saw it! A group of creatures with wings spread out, diving down from the sky! They covered the sky and seemed to possess sharp claws, feathers as hard as steel, and roared like lions!
"Griffins!! It's a group of griffins!!"
As if a nightmare from years past had returned, a look of despair appeared on Robert's face! He had personally experienced the terror of facing a group of griffins!
With only so few people now facing such a large group of terrifying creatures, what awaited them would likely be nothing but a massacre!!
But before the knight could finish his words, screams rang out, and two soldiers were already pierced through their bodies by the griffins' sharp claws and thrown far away!
Amidst the blood and flesh flying around, a large group of griffins descended from the sky, one after another...
Rita's face was also extremely ugly, and she tackled Duwei to the ground...