Arc 14The Witch Alliance and Bureau 749

Li Yichen helped Su Shengnan’s family revive its pharmaceutical project, brought her into his circle of girlfriends, and protected the facility from an assassin. He then took Mo Yurou, Jiang Ruoyi, and Ouyang Xuanxuan to Bureau 749, where they faced off against its members.

  • Li Yichen took Fang Enmeng and Shen Zitao’s group to a ghost-marriage escape room, where he secretly unleashed skeletal arms and paper ghosts, and later helped Fang Enmeng reach the Wedding Hall and try on bridal clothes.
  • After Mo Yurou and the others learned how Li Yichen had helped Fang Enmeng, they accepted her as their little sister, then confronted him at Hidden Dragon Manor when they suspected he was seeing Su Shengnan.
  • Su Shengnan fought Jiang Ruoyi, demonstrated her psychokinesis, and joined the women’s circle as they formed the Witch Alliance and learned that the Su Family’s pharmaceutical project depended on growing Heavenly Star Grass.
  • Ouyang Xuanxuan made the last Heavenly Star Grass seed sprout and produce more seeds, while Li Yichen suggested using spirit stones to sustain cultivation and gave Su Shengnan a Space Ring.
  • Li Yichen captured and interrogated a Jiang Family assassin, then summoned Li Xiucheng and Netherworld Soldiers to guard the experimental facility, and elsewhere, Qin Ming devoured Zhu Shanhe’s golden core and vowed to meet Li Yichen and Bai Binger again.
  • Li Yichen took Mo Yurou, Jiang Ruoyi, and Ouyang Xuanxuan to the Training Base, where Mo Yurou defeated Miao Shasha with her Spatial Blade ability.
  • Zhao Lichen trapped Li Yichen’s consciousness in a mental world, but Li Yichen shattered it and returned unharmed before Ouyang Xuanxuan used her vines to defeat Tie Zheng and Guo Fei.
Chapters 326–350 Vol. 4 Read

Ch. 326The "Ghost Marriage" Theme

Li Yichen arranged for Elder Wang to make jewelry for Fang Enmeng and had five million yuan transferred to her. After Shen Zitao and his group returned from failing to get a refund, they invited everyone to a ghost-marriage escape room, where Li Yichen agreed to go.

  • Li Yichen agreed to let Elder Wang make jewelry for Fang Enmeng and sell the leftover spirit stone scraps to him for five million yuan.
  • Li Yichen had the five million transferred to Fang Enmeng, who reluctantly accepted the money after he persuaded her to spend it as his little sister.
  • Li Yichen and Elder Wang exchanged contact details so Elder Wang could notify him when the jewelry was finished.
  • Shen Zitao and the others returned after security threw them out for seeking a refund for the damaged necklace, and Li Yichen mocked their failure.
  • Shen Zitao proposed visiting the new ghost-marriage escape room, and Hu Jing pressured Fang Enmeng to join.
  • Li Yichen agreed to go with them and pretended to be frightened by the prospect of encountering a ghost.

Ch. 327There really were ghosts

Li Yichen and his companions entered the Ghost Marriage escape room, where he secretly opened a black gate to make the game more frightening. When skeletal arms attacked the group, Fang Enmeng smashed one with a brick, leaving the others terrified.

  • The NPC ushered Li Yichen and the others into the escape room while costumed ghosts waited outside, unaware they had entered early.
  • Li Yichen heard the actors complain about the game being insufficiently thrilling and silently opened a black gate behind the group.
  • A skeletal hand grabbed Hu Jing, and when she struck back, she discovered the arm floating in the passage.
  • More skeletal arms reached for Sun Yao and Zhou Qian, and Shen Zitao turned around, saw them, and urged everyone to run.
  • A skeletal arm flew toward Fang Enmeng, who pinned it down and repeatedly smashed it with a gray brick.

Ch. 328The paper figures came alive

Li Yichen and Fang Enmeng joined the group in a funeral-hall escape-room stage, where Sun Yao accidentally brought four paper figures to life by painting eyes on one. The figures attacked the group, and Zhou Qian’s boyfriend faced a blow from one as he tried to flee.

  • Fang Enmeng smashed a skeleton into bone fragments and promised to follow Li Yichen’s lead.
  • Li Yichen and Fang Enmeng entered the funeral hall, where Shen Zitao convinced the group that the skeletal arms were props.
  • Shen Zitao and the other two men planned to use the next stage’s scheduled blackout to abduct Fang Enmeng.
  • Sun Yao painted eyes on a paper boy, and four white shadows possessed the paper figures.
  • The paper figures came alive and advanced on the group after Shen Zitao found the key.
  • Zhou Qian’s boyfriend struck a paper boy with a stool, then saw it swing its lantern-holding arm at his face.

Ch. 329Follow me

Li Yichen escorted Fang Enmeng through a haunted escape room while Shen Zitao led the group into a maze and Zheng Heng tried to take advantage of a blackout to separate her from him. The lights went out, Zheng Heng stumbled into the other women, and Li Yichen led Fang Enmeng away by the hand.

  • The group fled the mourning hall after Shen Zitao unlocked the next door, while the paper figures left Li Yichen and Fang Enmeng alone.
  • Shen Zitao assigned the group positions and led them into a confusing maze, where Zheng Heng watched Fang Enmeng and prepared to separate her during a blackout.
  • The maze lights went out, and Li Yichen shouted a warning that caused Zheng Heng to stumble into Zhou Qian and the other women, who clawed at him.
  • Li Yichen reached Fang Enmeng in the darkness, took her hand, and told her to close her eyes and follow him.

Ch. 330Three beauties

Li Yichen and Fang Enmeng reached the Wedding Hall, where they dressed as a bride and groom and took a photo together. Shen Zitao’s group eventually escaped the maze and entered a room containing three sleeping beauties.

  • Li Yichen carried Fang Enmeng through the maze to the Wedding Hall without explaining how they had arrived so quickly.
  • Fang Enmeng tried on the bridal gown and phoenix crown, then helped Li Yichen dress in the groom’s robe and hat.
  • Fang Enmeng asked Li Yichen to pose with her for a photo in front of the dressing mirror.
  • Shen Zitao’s group searched the maze for more than ten minutes and eventually found the next stage.
  • Shen Zitao, Zhao Lei, and Zheng Heng entered a room with three curtained beds and discovered a beautiful woman asleep on each one.

Ch. 331Who is she?

Shen Zitao, Zhao Lei, and Zheng Heng were terrified when the seductive beauties in the escape room turned into paper effigies, while Li Yichen and Fang Enmeng left safely. As Li Yichen offered to take Fang Enmeng shopping, Mo Yurou confronted him and asked who she was.

  • Shen Zitao, Zhao Lei, and Zheng Heng drank wedding wine with the beauties, who suddenly turned into paper effigies as the men kissed them.
  • The three men screamed and pounded on the escape-room door until the staff let them out, and they fainted at the sight of a female-ghost staff member.
  • Li Yichen and Fang Enmeng left the escape room, and Fang Enmeng asked him to take her shopping for bras.
  • Mo Yurou and two others appeared, watched Li Yichen with Fang Enmeng, and Mo Yurou sarcastically asked who the girl was.

Ch. 332Sisters-in-law

Fang Enmeng met Li Yichen’s three girlfriends and explained how he had helped her escape poverty and a forced marriage, winning their sympathy and affection. The women accepted her as their little sister and took her to buy underwear, while Mo Yurou remained suspicious of Li Yichen’s motives.

  • Fang Enmeng mistook Mo Yurou for Li Yichen’s sister-in-law, then learned that Ouyang Xuanxuan and Jiang Ruoyi were also his girlfriends.
  • Fang Enmeng told the women how Li Yichen had given her a job and saved a braised egg for her when she could barely afford food.
  • Fang Enmeng explained that Li Yichen paid her late father’s debt after her relatives threatened to force her into marriage with the village idiot.
  • Mo Yurou comforted Fang Enmeng, and the women promised to treat her as their little sister.
  • Ouyang Xuanxuan learned Fang Enmeng was eighteen and led her toward a lingerie shop, while Mo Yurou questioned Li Yichen’s motives.

Ch. 333Off to Catch Him Cheating

Li Yichen took Fang Enmeng and the four women to a lingerie shop, where Ouyang Xuanxuan paid for their purchases. After receiving a call from Su Shengnan, Li Yichen hurried off to Hidden Dragon Manor, and the women suspected he was visiting a mistress.

  • Li Yichen brought Fang Enmeng and the four women to a lingerie shop, where they teased Fang Enmeng and picked out lingerie together.
  • Fang Enmeng worried about the cost, but Li Yichen reassured her, and Ouyang Xuanxuan and the others gave her several bags of lingerie.
  • Su Shengnan called Li Yichen and asked him to come keep her company at Hidden Dragon Manor.
  • Ouyang Xuanxuan paid the 57,869 bill while Li Yichen was outside taking the call.
  • Li Yichen told the women to take Fang Enmeng back to school, then hurried away after claiming he had left something at Hidden Dragon Manor.
  • Jiang Ruoyi, Mo Yurou, and the others suspected Li Yichen was hiding a mistress and decided to catch him cheating.

Ch. 334Do you dare to fight?

Li Yichen reunited with Su Shengnan at Hidden Dragon Manor, and they were interrupted by Mo Yurou, Jiang Ruoyi, and Ouyang Xuanxuan. The women challenged Su Shengnan to fight one of them for a chance to join their circle, and she wondered if she could choose Ouyang Xuanxuan.

  • Li Yichen traveled through a spatial rift to Hidden Dragon Manor and comforted Su Shengnan, who feared the Su Family was nearing ruin.
  • Fang Enmeng warned Li Yichen by text that his girlfriends were coming, but he did not see the messages until after he and Su Shengnan had been together.
  • Dazhuang alerted Li Yichen that Mo Yurou and the others had arrived, and Su Shengnan dressed herself with her powers before they entered.
  • Su Shengnan revealed she was Li Yichen's woman and proposed joining the other women, while Mo Yurou objected to her claiming senior-wife status.
  • Mo Yurou challenged Su Shengnan to fight one of the three women for a place in their circle, and Su Shengnan asked whether she could choose Ouyang Xuanxuan.

Ch. 335Another round

Li Yichen arranged a draw to decide which of the women would spar with Su Shengnan, and Jiang Ruoyi was chosen. Their martial arts match revealed Jiang Ruoyi’s ice ability and Su Shengnan’s psychokinesis, and they began a second round with their powers.

  • Li Yichen had Su Shengnan draw a lot, and she picked Jiang Ruoyi to spar with her.
  • Jiang Ruoyi and Su Shengnan exchanged blows until Su Shengnan caught Jiang Ruoyi’s ankle and pulled her into a split.
  • Jiang Ruoyi’s ice armor formed as Su Shengnan reached for her shoulder, and Jiang Ruoyi conceded the martial arts round.
  • Su Shengnan revealed her psychokinesis and challenged Jiang Ruoyi to another round; Mo Yurou asked Li Yichen if he had given Su Shengnan her ability.
  • Jiang Ruoyi fired Ice Arrows at Su Shengnan, who blocked them with a Stone Wall that shook under the barrage.

Ch. 336Hurry Up and Praise Me

Su Shengnan and Jiang Ruoyi fought to a draw, then welcomed each other as sisters as Su Shengnan joined the group. The women formed an alliance to keep Li Yichen in check, settling on the name “Witch Alliance.”

  • Jiang Ruoyi launched a massive ice spike at Su Shengnan, who raised a barrier of stone slabs to meet it.
  • The ice spike and stone barrier shattered, leaving an Ice Arrow at Su Shengnan’s throat and a stone shard aimed at Jiang Ruoyi before Li Yichen intervened and crushed both.
  • Su Shengnan praised Jiang Ruoyi, and Jiang Ruoyi welcomed her as Sister Su; Ouyang Xuanxuan and Mo Yurou also accepted her joining them.
  • Su Shengnan smoothed over tensions among the women, and the four quickly grew close while Li Yichen praised her diplomacy.
  • Mo Yurou proposed a group to keep Li Yichen in check, and the women chose the name “Witch Alliance.”

Ch. 337Witch Alliance

Su Shengnan told the Witch Alliance that the Su Family was being crushed by three rival families and that a pharmaceutical project might save it. Ouyang Xuanxuan offered to try growing heavenly star grass from seeds, and the group went to inspect Su Shengnan’s heavily guarded laboratory.

  • Jiang Ruoyi, Mo Yurou, and Ouyang Xuanxuan unanimously made Su Shengnan the head of their Witch Alliance.
  • Su Shengnan explained that the Jiang, Shen, and Qin Families had joined forces against the Su Family, cutting its assets in half.
  • Su Shengnan revealed that her pharmaceutical project with Ouyang Hai could restore the Su Family’s fortunes if they solved the heavenly star grass problem.
  • Ouyang Xuanxuan said she might be able to grow heavenly star grass from seeds, and Su Shengnan excitedly embraced her.
  • Mo Yurou urged everyone to visit the pharmaceutical laboratory, and Su Shengnan agreed to show them the facility.
  • The four women and Li Yichen arrived at the laboratory, where Li Yichen boasted that he could easily get past its formidable security.

Ch. 338Everyone showed their talents

Li Yichen bet Su Shengnan that he and the three women could enter her heavily secured compound undetected, wagering an Ability Pearl against a meal she cooked herself. Mo Yurou, Jiang Ruoyi, and Ouyang Xuanxuan each demonstrated a different ability to slip inside, and Li Yichen then brought Su Shengnan through the wall.

  • Li Yichen wagered an Ability Pearl against Su Shengnan cooking a feast if he and the three women could enter her compound undetected.
  • Mo Yurou used her spatial ability to appear in a hidden corner inside the secured area.
  • Jiang Ruoyi froze part of a river and traveled through the ice to enter the compound unnoticed.
  • Ouyang Xuanxuan grew a vine inside the compound and climbed out of it after using her ability to get inside.
  • Li Yichen took Su Shengnan through the wall and joined the women inside the secured area.

Ch. 339A Heaven Grade Expert

Li Yichen accompanied Su Shengnan to the Su Family’s restricted research facility, where he subdued Su Cheng and learned that the family’s guards were depleted. Director Chen reported that he had failed to germinate the Heavenly Star Grass seeds, and Su Shengnan introduced Li Yichen and his companions as the experts who could help, only for Chen to reveal that just one seed remained.

  • Su Cheng tried to bar Li Yichen from the facility, but Li Yichen struck him down and forced him to let the group pass.
  • Su Cheng realized Li Yichen might be a Heaven Grade expert and told his guards to warn the second and third masters not to clash with Su Shengnan.
  • Director Chen arrived after spending two days trying and failing to germinate the Heavenly Star Grass seeds.
  • Su Shengnan identified Li Yichen and his companions as the experts who would help, despite Director Chen’s disbelief.
  • Director Chen agreed to let them try, then revealed that only one seed remained.

Ch. 340Accelerating the growth of "Heavenly Star Grass"

Ouyang Xuanxuan accelerated the growth of heavenly star grass, producing seeds and a mature plant for Su Shengnan’s team to test. Director Chen’s test results showed that the grass met every required standard, leaving Su Shengnan with a successful formula ingredient.

  • Su Shengnan confronted Director Chen for using too many valuable heavenly star grass seeds, while Li Yichen suggested deducting the cost from his salary.
  • Li Yichen, Ouyang Xuanxuan, and the others entered the freezing Seedling Room to inspect a heavenly star grass seed.
  • Ouyang Xuanxuan used her ability to make the seed sprout, grow, flower, and produce new seeds.
  • Ouyang Xuanxuan grew another plant to half a meter and gave it to Su Shengnan to test the formula.
  • Director Chen processed the grass in the laboratory, then reported that every test parameter met the standards.

Ch. 341Scatterbrained

After Ouyang Xuanxuan grew Heavenly Star Grass, Su Shengnan worried that one person could not supply enough fresh herbs for the medicine. Li Yichen proposed enriching the soil with spirit stones, then gave Su Shengnan a Space Ring, which he had already prepared.

  • Su Shengnan ordered Director Chen to recruit volunteers and arrange clinical trials, then raised the problem of sustaining Heavenly Star Grass production.
  • Ouyang Xuanxuan offered to stay and grow more grass, but Su Shengnan explained that the demand would eventually exceed what she could produce.
  • Li Yichen said the seeds contained faint spiritual energy and suggested grinding spirit stones into the soil to help the grass grow.
  • Li Yichen gave spirit stones to the women, and Su Shengnan realized she was the only one without a Space Ring.
  • Li Yichen revealed that he had already prepared a black-and-white Space Ring for Su Shengnan.

Ch. 342Willow Branches Beat the Ghost

Li Yichen caught an armed intruder near the parking area, but the man died by poison before revealing who sent him. Li Yichen captured his soul, and Mo Yurou and the others began beating it with willow branches to force an answer.

  • Su Shengnan received a Space Ring and planted three heavenly star grass seeds with Li Yichen's help.
  • Li Yichen caught a black-clad man carrying a pistol and demanded to know which family had sent him.
  • The man shot at Li Yichen, who broke his wrist and seized him, but the man poisoned himself and died.
  • Li Yichen pulled the man's soul from his corpse and threatened it until Mo Yurou fetched willow branches.
  • Mo Yurou struck the soul with a willow branch, and the women joined in when they saw it shrink with each blow.

Ch. 343Netherworld Soldiers Descend

Li Yichen tortured a Jiang Family deathsworn into revealing a plan to destroy the Su Family’s experimental facility, then summoned Netherworld Soldiers to guard it. With the facility protected, Su Shengnan and the others raced back to Hidden Dragon Manor, leaving Li Yichen wondering how he had become such a prize.

  • Li Yichen burned the Jiang Family deathsworn’s soul until he confessed that his mission included destroying the Su Family’s experimental facility, then erased him.
  • Li Yichen reassured Su Shengnan and summoned Li Xiucheng and a vast army of Netherworld Soldiers to protect the facility.
  • Li Yichen rewarded the Netherworld Soldiers with spirit banknotes, and Li Xiucheng led them away after accepting the assignment.
  • Su Shengnan asked whether the Netherworld Soldiers could destroy the three families, but Li Yichen warned that sending them on the offensive could break the worlds’ rules.
  • Su Shengnan and the other women raced their cars to Hidden Dragon Manor, joking that the winner would claim Li Yichen as her prize.

Ch. 344"Devouring Spirit Art"

Qin Ming used the Devouring Spirit Art to kill Zhu Shanhe and steal his golden core, then vowed to meet Li Yichen and Bai Binger again. Back at Li Yichen’s home, Su Shengnan left to handle the Su Family’s affairs, while Li Yichen told the others he would be away for a few days and faced their suspicions that he was leaving them.

  • Zhu Shanhe patrolled the western forest and found Qin Ming beside a mutilated Kunlun disciple’s corpse.
  • Qin Ming revealed that he had learned the Devouring Spirit Art and was devouring fellow disciples to take their cultivation.
  • Qin Ming pierced Zhu Shanhe’s abdomen, took his golden core, and swallowed it before naming Li Yichen and Bai Binger as people he would meet again.
  • Li Yichen sneezed, then woke the next morning to Su Shengnan saying she would return to the Su Family and later step down to join him as a wife and mother.
  • Li Yichen told Mo Yurou that he would be away for a few days, and she called Ouyang Xuanxuan and Jiang Ruoyi to accuse him of leaving to find another woman.
  • Ouyang Xuanxuan asked whether Li Yichen no longer wanted them, and he explained that he could not conveniently take them along.

Ch. 345Shrink Space to Inches

Li Yichen agreed to take Mo Yurou, Jiang Ruoyi, and Ouyang Xuanxuan to the Training Base with his roommates. After the group set off in a slow minivan, he used his Shrink Space to Inches technique to reach the dilapidated sanatorium gates in under half an hour.

  • Mo Yurou, Jiang Ruoyi, and Ouyang Xuanxuan asked to join Li Yichen on his trip to the Training Base, and he agreed.
  • Li Yichen met Yang Weifeng, Zhang Yong, and Sun Kai at school and dismissed their concerns about bringing the women along.
  • The group boarded a minivan marked Retired Cadres' Sanatorium, and Zhang Yong joked that the base was broke because someone had sold ten billion worth of its supplies.
  • After Mo Yurou said the drive would take five hours, Li Yichen used Shrink Space to Inches to speed up the minivan.
  • The minivan reached the gates of a dilapidated sanatorium in less than half an hour.

Ch. 346The Eternal Bottom-Ranker

Elder Wu, Elder Mo, and Elder Wang welcomed Li Yichen after he arrived at the Sanatorium far earlier than expected. Inside, Mo Yurou faced a taunting Miao Shasha, and the chapter ended as the two prepared to fight.

  • Elder Wu bet Elder Mo and Elder Wang that Li Yichen would arrive quickly, and the guard soon reported that he and six others were at the gate.
  • Elder Wu led Elder Mo and Elder Wang out to greet Li Yichen, while Elder Wang and Elder Mo accepted their lost bet.
  • Li Yichen entered the Sanatorium with Mo Yurou and learned that almost all of Bureau 749 consisted of only a few dozen people.
  • Miao Shasha mocked Mo Yurou as the eternal bottom-ranker, and the gathered onlookers expected Mo Yurou to lose.
  • Mo Yurou traded insults with Miao Shasha and declared she would beat her herself, while Ouyang Xuanxuan cheered and Jiang Ruoyi offered to help.

Ch. 347Void-Escape Talisman

Mo Yurou and Miao Shasha fought, with Shasha’s Split-Mind Control forcing Yurou to dodge her flying knives. When Yurou agreed to face the knives head-on, Elder Wu gave Elder Mo a Void-Escape Talisman to rescue her if she was in danger.

  • Elder Wang teased Elder Mo about whether Mo Yurou could defeat Miao Shasha, and Elder Wu said she trusted Yurou’s confidence and Li Yichen’s preparations.
  • Miao Shasha sent flying knives after Mo Yurou, who avoided them with Space Traversal and mocked their speed.
  • Miao Shasha used Split-Mind Control to coordinate four knives, cutting Mo Yurou’s clothing and driving her back into the void.
  • Miao Shasha taunted Mo Yurou into standing still for an attack, and Yurou accepted despite the crowd’s alarm.
  • Elder Wu gave Elder Mo her Void-Escape Talisman, explaining that it was the only one she had left and could save Yurou if needed.

Ch. 348Spatial Storm

Mo Yurou used Spatial Storm to shatter Miao Shasha’s throwing knives, then Zhao Lichen and two teammates challenged Li Yichen. Jiang Ruoyi revealed her ice abilities, but Li Yichen stepped forward to face the trio.

  • Miao Shasha’s four throwing knives closed in on Mo Yurou, who shattered them with Spatial Storm.
  • Elder Mo identified Mo Yurou’s ability as Spatial Blade, and Elder Wu celebrated her increased strength.
  • Mo Yurou mocked Miao Shasha’s broken knives, and Miao Shasha ran off in tears.
  • Zhao Lichen and two teammates confronted Li Yichen, while Ouyang Xuanxuan, Jiang Ruoyi, and Mo Yurou stood with him.
  • Jiang Ruoyi fired an Ice Arrow at Zhao Lichen, and a large hand blocked it; she formed dozens more before Li Yichen stepped forward to take the fight.

Ch. 349Mental Invasion

Li Yichen turned Zhao Lichen’s Mental Invasion against him, humiliating him by forcing him to dance until one of his companions knocked him unconscious. Zhao Lichen’s two companions attacked Li Yichen, but a woman summoned vines to intervene.

  • Zhao Lichen trapped Li Yichen’s consciousness in his mental world, but Li Yichen shattered the space and overpowered him.
  • Li Yichen returned to the square unharmed, reassuring Ouyang Xuanxuan, Mo Yurou, and Jiang Ruoyi.
  • Li Yichen made Zhao Lichen dance provocatively, and Zhao Lichen’s companion knocked him unconscious just before he could remove his pants.
  • One companion charged Li Yichen with metallic skin while another attacked with a punch.
  • A woman sent thick vines from the ground to coil around the two attackers.

Ch. 350Green Vine Barrier

Ouyang Xuanxuan used her vines to defeat and capture Tie Zheng and Guo Fei, two highly ranked Ability Users. After the vines receded, she proudly returned to Li Yichen, who praised her.

  • Ouyang Xuanxuan's vines wrapped up Tie Zheng, and Guo Fei accidentally struck him with a tungsten steel dagger while trying to free him.
  • Guo Fei dodged the vines and charged at Ouyang Xuanxuan, who created a huge Green Vine Barrier around them.
  • Ouyang Xuanxuan raised herself above Guo Fei on a thick vine as the Barrier contracted around them.
  • Guo Fei stabbed the vine beneath Ouyang Xuanxuan, but a spike from the vine pierced his wrist and made him drop his dagger.
  • The vines receded, revealing Tie Zheng and Guo Fei bound on the ground, and Ouyang Xuanxuan returned to Li Yichen, who praised her victory.
Arc 14 of 18