People who come back from the dead
Huge raindrops poured down from all directions, like an enraged god splashing a bathtub full of water on the earth. No schemer could stand firm and they all sought shelter under the eaves. The streets were also washed away and became a little quieter.
The howling wind pounded against the glass, and the lights came on inside. Zhang Chong's light gray Zhongshan suit melted into the warm light as he flipped through the Northeast report that his subordinates had just delivered. Burning houses, villagers buried alive, crying children—each photo was like a sharp knife slowly slicing through his heart.
Unwittingly, the photo was crumpled into a ball. Zhang Chong closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and slowly lowered his raised hand, instead flattening the crumpled photo. His palms turned somewhat pale from the force.
These are all incriminating evidence! They must be taken to the League of Nations to confront Japan and let the world see the true face of the Japanese army. Suddenly, a thunderclap rang out, making everyone's ears ring. Zhang Chong paused for a moment, his gaze briefly sweeping across the window, where his disheveled, stubble-covered appearance was reflected.
In a daze, he heard a burst of laughter. He stood in the hall of the League of Nations, wearing the Order of the Plum Blossom on his chest. However, his indignant speech only drew laughter from the foreigners. When he asked for reasonable assistance, they fell silent, and some representatives even left the hall.
When we are getting soaked in the rain, no country will help us, even when we are down to our lowest point. Zhang Chong has personally experienced that helplessness and resentment, and knows all too well the character of the bureaucratic lords of the League of Nations.
Haha, so what if there's a lot of evidence? In the minds of foreigners, at most they'll take a piece of the pie from Japan and seek peace. Who cares about the life or death of a weak country?
The sky grew increasingly dark, mirroring the path China lay ahead. Zhang Chong looked up, forcing back tears, composing himself before immersing himself again in the vast amount of intelligence. Even knowing the harsh reality, he still wanted to fight for his fellow countrymen. A weak nation has no diplomacy, but a weak nation has patriots.
At that moment, a report stained with brown splatter marks came into view. Pressure, like thorns, gripped his knees, and his leg bones throbbed with pain. Zhang Chong silently turned to the last page: Stinger Team dead, Giant Team dead, Wasp Team dead... Five special agent teams sent to the Northeast—all wiped out.
The thorns grew wildly, binding his limbs and rendering Zhang Chong unable to move, until a long thorn easily pierced his stomach. An unbearable pain erupted in his stomach, and he regained feeling in his limbs. He hunched over in pain, using a stapler to press against the painful spot, while his other hand rummaged through the table for medicine bottles.
With a crash, the photo on the table fell to the ground, and the twins' smiling faces became distorted amidst the sound of shattering.
"Section Chief, are you alright?" Clerk Xiao Xue rushed into the room, and seeing that something was wrong, she quickly found the medicine bottle. "I'll get you a cup of hot water."
"No need." Zhang Chong took the medicine and swallowed it directly with the cold water in the cup. He was already numb from the pain, and even the cold water wouldn't bother him.
"Why don't you take a day off and go to the hospital? Just taking stomach medicine isn't enough," Xiao Xue said worriedly.
"Thank you, it'll be fine in a bit. You can go ahead and get back to work." Zhang Chong's voice was still trembling as he clutched his stomach, bent down to pick up the photos of his daughters, and shook off the crumbs.
"Okay, I'll ask the cleaning lady to clean it up. Please don't move, or you might cut your hand again," Xiao Xue kept nagging.
"Enough with the nonsense. Help me fill out a few death compensation application forms later." Zhang Chong tore off the last page of the list of the dead and said in a hoarse voice, "Never mind, I'll do it myself."
"Section Chief, let me handle this little thing. I have experience dealing with the General Affairs Department. You can just sign it later." Xiao Xue said, taking the list of the fallen.
A knock sounded at the door, and the two turned around at the same time.
"Zhang Chong, your stomach problems have flared up again." Xu Qiao stood at the door with a smile. "I'll give you a day off tomorrow. You can go to the hospital or spend time with your daughter. What will I do if you overwork yourself?"
"Thank you for your concern, leader. However, it is a time of national crisis, and I dare not delay. If I were to cause any harm to the country, I would be guilty even if I were to die a hundred times over," Zhang Chong said politely.
"I'm the boss, listen to me, take a day off tomorrow." Xu Qiao's tone was unquestionable. "Put aside what you're doing for now, there's a big job tonight."
“Okay, everything else can wait, but there’s something I have to do, or I won’t be able to sleep.” Zhang Chong pointed to the list of the dead and said, “The entire team I sent to the Northeast was killed in action. I want to apply for a subsidy for them. Manager Xu, please grant me special approval.”
Xu Qiao raised an eyebrow and glanced at the list, then said casually, "The subsidy is fine, but you have to change your reason for applying. You can't write that you were fighting against Japan; instead, you have to write that you were killed by the Communist Party while they were arresting members of the Communist Party."
What? Zhang Chong almost thought he had misheard. They were martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the country in the war against foreign aggression. Why change it to dealing with the Communist Party? The Communist Party was just a domestic security issue, not on the same level as the War of Resistance against Japan.
“Manager Xu, this is not the same thing,” Zhang Chong said solemnly. “It’s not just about the subsidy, but also about the subsequent honors. Their children should be proud of their sacrificed parents.”
“You have a problem with your thinking. Dying at the hands of the Communist Party is also sacrificing yourself for the country,” Xu Qiao said matter-of-factly.
Zhang Chong pursed his lips, remaining noncommittal: "Manager Xu, if you lie too much, you might end up fooling yourself. What are you really afraid of? Are you afraid of offending the Japanese?"
“Whether I’m afraid or not is not important. What’s important is that you understand what the higher-ups mean. They don’t want to provoke Japan, so they’re trying to delay as long as possible,” Xu Qiao advised. “If this subsidy is seen by the Japanese spies who are lurking in the shadows, they will turn around and bite us.”
Zhang Chong stared into Xu Qiao's eyes, his tone chilling: "Just kill these lowly Japanese spies. When I was transferred from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, what did you tell me? We should be tough on our own people, and even tougher on foreign powers."
Xu Qiao seemed taken aback and cleared his throat: "Ahem~ We need to be tough, but now is not the time. We simply don't have the capacity to fight a large-scale war. You should know that the Northeast Army secretly murdered a Japanese spy, directly giving the Japanese invaders an excuse to launch the September 18 Incident. You don't want Jiangnan to become a second Northeast, do you?"
"So we won't resist!" Zhang Chong roared. "The common people may not know who issued the order, but do you think I don't? I just received intelligence from Jinzhou that after the Japanese army blew open the city gates, they launched a brutal massacre. My intelligence agents tried to organize the evacuation, but apart from one informant on the periphery, no one escaped. That intelligence report is still stained with the blood of our team members. And this isn't enough to earn us the honor of a martyr?"
Xu Qiao sighed: "The president has his own difficulties. The national treasury is empty, and we have to rely on others for aid in terms of airplanes and artillery. The warlords around us don't listen to Nanjing's orders. Once a war starts, we really can't win."
“Poverty and fighting spirit are not necessarily related. I heard that the International Soviet has not sent grain to the Soviet areas for half a year, but are their fighting forces weak? We were defeated in three encirclement campaigns.” Zhang Chong said excitedly, “During the Wanli period, when the internal strife was so fierce, they still knew to send Qi Jiguang out to fight against the Japanese pirates and protect the people. Now the Nanjing government is not even as good as the feudal court. What kind of president is he? He is just a stinking warlord who bullies his own people.”
"You... we can just keep these words to ourselves inside, but don't let them get out of here, or the Chen family uncle and nephew won't be able to protect you a second time," Xu Qiao said sternly.
"No need to trouble your superiors. Rather than live a cowardly life in a remote corner, I would rather join the volunteer army and die for my country." Zhang Chong's chest heaved violently, as if he wanted to pour out all the resentment he had accumulated.
The room fell silent, save for the urgent patter of the rain.
Xu Qiao hesitated for a long time before speaking: "Our Central Army is full of talented people, it's not your turn to take up arms. Don't be impatient. If you can't help but declare war first, what if those restless warlords around us take the opportunity to besiege us? Nanjing must consider the overall situation and not ruin our overall plan because of the people of a few cities. Right now, we are in the right. As long as we can get the mediation of the major powers, Japan will withdraw its troops."
Is this human language? Hahahaha, Zhang Chong suddenly burst into laughter, and a flash of white light from lightning split his face, making him look quite eerie even in broad daylight.
Xu Qiao walked over to Zhang Chong, put his hand on his shoulder, and said gently, "I know you're disappointed, but neither of us can change the situation. Let's be realistic. Honors can't buy rice or grain, only silver dollars can. Without subsidies, are you going to let the team members' families starve?"
The pitch-black sky mirrored his current mood. Zhang Chong clenched his fists. Were the people of Northeast China destined to become victims of political maneuvering? He couldn't accept it.
Perhaps not getting a reply, Xu Qiao turned to Xiao Xue and said, "Secretary Xue, write it as I say. After you finish writing the pension application form, take it directly to my office. I will give them special approval. Remember to keep a close eye on the people in the general affairs department afterwards."
Xiao Xue glanced at Zhang Chong out of the corner of his eye, and seeing that he did not object, he accepted the order and left, closing the door behind him.
"Alright, don't be angry. It's not a big deal," Xu Qiao comforted her.
The issue of resisting Japan can be dealt with in a long time, and Zhang Chong did not intend to get entangled with Xu Qiao any further. He could only suppress his resentment and force a smile: "Manager Xu, you are right. I didn't control my emotions. What do you want to see me about?"
"Go to the Songhu Command and sound them out for me later. I'll give you three days off afterwards." Xu Qiao took out a report. "This is the list of attendees for the Soviet Area's major conference next month. See if you recognize anyone."
Zhang Chong casually took the list; it was mostly people whose names were already on the list, so how could he not be familiar with them?
A few unfamiliar names caught his attention, probably newly nominated local representatives. One of them, Li Peiguo, was even a member of the Central Committee's Organization Committee. Huh? Newly nominated people are already in core departments? The CCP is running out of people.
"Have you discovered a newcomer surnamed Li? Li Peiguo not only joined the organizing committee, but he's also running for the new head of the organization department." Xu Qiao paused deliberately. "What if he's not a newcomer, but an old hand who's been resurrected?"
"Who?" Zhang Chong turned his head in confusion.
“Yu, Chao, Yang,” Xu Qiao said, enunciating each word clearly.
"Impossible! He's shattered into pieces!" Zhang Chong's shock quickly turned to chaos. Not only was he there, but people from headquarters and even those from Chicken and Goose Alley were there too. Everyone saw him explode into pieces. In the end, the body parts were carefully compared, and they were all correct.
"Don't look at me, I don't know what's going on either," Xu Qiao said calmly. "Our agents saw him at the life meeting and were almost scared to death."
"Which agent? I don't know him." Zhang Chong looked at Xu Qiao suspiciously. Since Zero was taken into custody, their organization had suffered severe damage and could not recover for a while. How could anyone still attend their upper-level meetings?
Xu Qiao laughed and said, "The plum blossoms bloom first during the Lesser Cold. His code name is Lesser Cold. This person reports directly to me, but only Committee Member Chen and I know his true identity. If Zero hadn't been useless and Yu Chaoyang hadn't suddenly reappeared, I wouldn't have wanted to activate him at all. I was hoping he could compete for the position of Minister of the Organization Department. It's a pity that Yu Chaoyang is too senior and can't compete with him at all."
It turned out to be Xiao Han. I had seen him in a report before. He had activated it once during the first campaign to wipe out the Soviet areas, but it seemed to have been exposed and was sealed off later.
Zhang Chong felt relieved: "Now that it's restarted, could we ask him to help rebuild the communication network? Or could we completely eliminate Zero? The G Party releases a little bit of information every few weeks, and I'm not even sure if Zero is dead or alive now."
Xu Qiao flatly refused: "No way! He can't have any lateral contact with any lower-level agents. He has his own mission. Zero, a converter, is dead, so be it. I'd rather not get my hands dirty killing him. Let's find a way to instigate those thugs in Chicken and Goose Alley to kill him. They should be more afraid of their agents being exposed."
Zhang Chong nodded in agreement: "After you activated Xiaohan, did you receive any important information?"
"Indeed, there was one. This air raid was originally flawless, but the Soviet area received a telegram from an underground party member named Peony half an hour in advance, successfully notifying the main force to evacuate," Xu Qiao said earnestly.
"I know that, but I sent my men to arrest them that day and they couldn't catch them. We even offended people we shouldn't have." It's so annoying. Zhang Chong pressed his temples. The Communist Party is really too cunning. They deliberately sent out telegrams near the Green Gang's usual meeting place, so that when they searched, they would clash with the Green Gang and cause trouble, giving the real Communist Party members time to escape.
This wasn't the first time this had happened; it was probably a standard self-protection mechanism for underground Communist Party members, Zhang Chongru thought.
"Hmph, the more you feel you can't afford to offend someone, the more suspicious you become. How could an ordinary person have access to military secrets?" Xu Qiao said pointedly.
“The air raid was carried out by the air force. The person you suspect has never been to an air force base, and they haven’t even had any professional dealings with you. If you’re going to investigate, you should investigate the air force first,” Zhang Chong argued.
Xu Qiao glanced at him sideways: "It means you made a mistake in your work. Gao Junxiao went to the Longhua Arsenal to pick up a batch of weapons three days before the air raid. Coincidentally, the arsenal was busy loading ammunition for the air force during those days. Maybe he saw it when he picked up the weapons."
Manager Xu always brought his subjective emotions into his intelligence analysis, which gave Zhang Chong a headache. He had already investigated these matters. Gao Junxiao only came for a short while, signed the documents, and left. The documents were not delivered to the Shanghai-Songjiang Command until the next day.
Even if we assume Gao Junxiao knew the amount of ammunition and that it was for the air force, how could he know it was for an air raid on Ruijin and not routine training or an attack on another warlord?
The air raid on Ruijin was a top secret. Not only were the people at the arsenal unaware of it, but even within the Air Force, only high-ranking officers knew the entire plan. Ordinary pilots only learned their destination before takeoff. Unless Gao Junxiao possessed supernatural abilities, no one could tell him his destination.
Knowing he couldn't persuade Xu Qiao, Zhang Chong immediately changed his approach: "Manager Xu, arresting members of the Communist Party should be done on a case-by-case basis. What he can see, anyone who goes to the Longhua Arsenal can see too. Gao Junxiao has connections; we can't arrest him based on that alone. If things escalate, we won't be able to handle it."
Xu Qiao choked, and said sarcastically, "Hmph, it's good to take shelter under a big tree. Never mind him for now, we must catch Peony. He poached Zero and sent Yu Chaoyang back. He's really capable."
After a moment's thought, Zhang Chong asked, "You suspect that Shaoyao is someone from the Songhu Command?"
Xu Qiao responded, "Yes, tonight Commander Xiong will be hosting the commander of the 19th Route Army and the advance team at the headquarters. The most complete group of people will be there."
"I'll investigate immediately," Zhang Chong said, and walked out.
The image of Li Sheng flashed through Zhang Chong's mind, and he became the first suspect. It was strange that Li Sheng had suddenly asked for leave to go back to his hometown, but unfortunately, no clues were found. Now that Yu Chaoyang had come back to life, it must be related to him.
A fierce wind howled, like a thousand horses galloping past, whipping up debris from the streets and sending it flying wildly through the air. In contrast to the chaos on the streets, the command headquarters remained brightly lit, shielding it from the storm.
The auditorium, which is usually used for large meetings, has had its chairs removed and has been transformed into a buffet-style restaurant, with long tables laden with all kinds of food and fine wines.
At the entrance, Commander Xiong made way for him: "Commander Cai, please clear the way first."
"Commander Xiong, no need to be so polite, let's all go together." Commander Cai was thin but stood ramrod straight, speaking with a Cantonese accent.
The two walked into the inner hall side by side, picking up champagne from the table. Commander Xiong raised his glass and said, "Now is a time of national crisis, so let's keep things simple. I hope Commander Cai will understand. In the future, after we drive out the barbarians, I will personally brew some plum wine for Commander Cai and we can talk about everything under the sun."
"That's only right, cheers." Commander Cai clinked his glass against the rim and downed it in one gulp.
Snap! The flash went off at the perfect moment, freezing the instant. The harmonious atmosphere between the two extended into the inner hall, where everyone was picking out their favorite food from their plates.
A noodle stall was crowded with people. Gao Junxiao, carrying wontons, finally managed to squeeze through the crowd and find a table to enjoy his food when a Cheng Yaojin suddenly appeared in front of him, with a small tortoise shell coiled in his hand.
"Handsome young man, your complexion is rosy and your forehead is bright, as if the Red Phoenix Star is shining upon you, indicating that good fortune is approaching. Would you like me to do a fortune telling for you?"
Gao Junxiao looked up and decisively stretched out his hand: "I don't like formalities, give me the gift money."
"Nonsense! I, Huang Xiaoxian, have been to Guangdong and Guangxi for years and have never even heard of wedding gifts." Huang Xiaoxian slapped her hand away, putting on a nonchalant smile. "Besides, this time it's an old classmate who personally delivered the wedding invitation, so of course I'm going to eat my fill. Right, Xiao?"
"Get out of the way. If you don't even pay the gift money, we can't be brothers anymore," Gao Junxiao replied, half-jokingly.
“We can do it. Brotherhood can’t be measured by money. True brothers share the good times.” Huang Xiaoxian leaned closer and took a sniff. “These wontons smell so good.”
Gao Junxiao quickly protected the soup bowl: "How can mere wontons be worthy of your precious palate? You should have roast pigeon."
"Huh? There are pigeons, where are they?" Huang Xiaoxian's eyes lit up instantly as she searched for the target in the arena.
"Turn left after you go out, then turn left again, and you'll see a large courtyard. On your right, there's a pigeon coop with a wall of pigeons. The pigeons inside are all as big as chicks; they were all specially bought by Commander Xiong," Gao Junxiao said vividly.
"Wow~ It's so amazing. When will the food be served?" Huang Xiaoxian rubbed her hands together, looking expectant, her accent now perfect.
"Serving the food depends on your speed, whether you're as fast as a military dog." Gao Junxiao smiled happily.
"Why? (Why) is there a competition?" Huang Xiaoxian scratched her neck and suddenly gave Gao Junxiao a slap on the back. "Damn it, you bastard, you're so vicious. If I eat a carrier pigeon today, I'll be reincarnated as a carrier pigeon tomorrow."
Ouch! Gao Junxiao winced in pain, but his smile only widened: "Hehehe, what are you afraid of? Aren't you someone who dares to eat anything except vegetarian food?"
“Is vegetarian food something that ordinary people can eat?! You want me to give up char siu, roast goose, free-range chicken, rice noodle rolls, shrimp dumplings, spare ribs... No way, no way, no way.” Huang Xiaoxian shook her head like a rattle drum. “If I could eat vegetarian food, I would have gone to Longhu Mountain to become a disciple and learn the arts long ago. Maybe I would have my own Taoist temple now and be teaching the Tao.”
“It’s alright. Marksmanship is a kind of technique, and ballistics is a kind of principle. If others don’t understand the principles of technique, you can demonstrate a set of fist techniques for them,” Gao Junxiao said seriously.
Huang Xiaoxian happily rolled up her sleeves: "Well, well, well, it would be a shame if you didn't publish a book. I'm in a good mood, so I'll give you a free fortune telling."
"It's free, then let's try the 'eat' character." Gao Junxiao was too lazy to argue with him anymore; if they kept going, the wontons would all get soggy.
Huang Xiaoxian rolled her eyes and muttered to herself, looking like a blind fortune teller. Then, she solemnly wrote on the table: "Eat, half mouth, half beg. You're eating wontons again, which means using your mouth to break through chaos, disrupt the balance, and transform the universe into two extremes. This foretells a change you'll face, probably a verbal disaster. Boss, take my advice: from now on, try to speak less and don't plead or defend others."
“It’s impossible not to speak, Master Huang, is there any way to break this?” Gao Junxiao hadn’t finished eating yet, so he could only continue to play along.
Huang Xiaoxian smiled slightly, as if she had been prepared: "There's no way to break it. Too much talk leads to mistakes, but silence isn't always golden either. When things return to normal, a new balance will be created. You see the lightning and thunder outside, it's very domineering, but the storm will eventually stop, and the sun will still rise as usual."
"Playing coy. You know I never provoke trouble, but if someone tries to mess with me, I won't just sit and wait to die." Gao Junxiao finished the last sip of soup and wiped his mouth with satisfaction.
"You ate so fast! You didn't even leave me a drop of soup." Huang Xiaoxian clung to her, looking surprised.
"No, there are so many dishes on the table, why are you staring at my bowl instead of taking any?" Gao Junxiao pointed to the circle of food outside.
"The food you cook smells especially good. Boss, could you get me another bowl? There are so many people at the wonton stall, I can't squeeze through them. Poor me, I've been on the train for a whole day and night, my bones are about to fall apart from all the jostling. Not only can I not sleep well, but I can't eat well either. The train food is so bad that I've lost weight. My mom won't even recognize me when I get back." Huang Xiaoxian pretended to be pitiful and circled her wrist.
It's only been a day, and the child is already spoiled and probably deserves a beating. Gao Junxiao felt nothing; he even wanted to laugh. He remembered back in military school, Huang Xiaoxian, taking advantage of being the youngest in her class, would always find various excuses to shamelessly ask others to get her meals.
Most people wouldn't bother with him, but the teaching assistant Qin Quqi was this kid's nemesis, because he really knew how to whip someone.
Gao Junxiao put on a stern face and gave him a quick elbow: "Sit up. You're not acting like a soldier. Believe me or not, I'll whip you a few times to remind you of the days when you could only sleep on your stomach."
Rubbing her belly, Huang Xiaoxian exclaimed dramatically, "What?! I don't believe it! You're not Qin the Madman. I'll just give you another divination, this time using tortoise shell divination, to predict whether your first child will be a boy or a girl, guaranteed to be accurate!"
Huang Xiaoxian shook the little tortoise shell enticingly. At that moment, a male voice with a Cantonese accent sounded behind her: "Huang Banxian, telling fortunes for others again? Tell my fortune too."
"Wait for me, gust...gust...there's a gust of wind, it's really strong. I'm going to put on some more clothes first." Huang Xiaoxian's tongue twisted abruptly as she prepared to slip away.
Unfortunately, Commander Cai's orders came even faster: "Huang Xiaoxian, listen to my command, stand at ease, stand at attention. Do not move without my order."
Seeing that Huang Xiaoxian had behaved herself, Gao Junxiao immediately stood up straight and gave Commander Cai a standard military salute: "Greetings, Commander Cai."
Commander Cai returned the salute and said apologetically to Gao Junxiao, "I'm sorry, it's my fault for not disciplining him properly. I will punish him when we get back. It's a disgrace to the family of a commander of an independent regiment who is spreading feudal superstitions in a revolutionary army."
"Commander Cai, he was actually joking with me. We've known each other for a long time; we were roommates in military academy." Gao Junxiao glanced at Huang Xiaoxian, intentionally trying to protect her.
After hearing this, Commander Cai's expression softened considerably: "Oh, I see, you little rascal asked me for leave. Aren't you the one getting married next month? What's your name, and what are you doing here?"
"Yes, that's right. My name is Gao Junxiao, and I'm currently a counselor in the Military Law Department," Gao Junxiao replied in detail.
Upon hearing this, Commander Cai raised his eyebrows slightly and lingered on Gao Junxiao for a while: "Counselor Gao, your Commander Xiong is missing. Can you help me look for him?"
"Sure. Please go first." Gao Junxiao had no reason to disagree. He was already full, but why did Commander Xiong suddenly disappear? He had clearly put everything aside to welcome the 19th Army.
"Reporting to the commander, I request permission to go together," Huang Xiaoxian shouted.
"Commander Cai, why don't we take him to redeem himself? Otherwise, his presence here is too conspicuous and has a bad influence," Gao Junxiao chimed in.
"Hmph, you bastard, someone's pleading for you, why don't you thank them?" Commander Cai coldly tossed out a sentence and walked at the front.
When Gao Junxiao, Huang Xiaoxian, and Commander Cai saw Commander Xiong outside the hall, they all stopped in their tracks. At the end of the back corridor, Commander Xiong looked unfriendly and was saying something agitatedly, but unfortunately, the wind and rain were too loud to hear clearly. However, the large gestures he made with his hands seemed to be issuing an order to leave.
"What's going on?" Gao Junxiao gestured for the two to wait a moment while he went to assess the situation. He cautiously approached and finally saw that the person opposite Commander Xiong was Zhang Chong. Zhang Chong was equally tense, and the atmosphere between the two was extremely tense, which was quite fitting.
As he got closer, he couldn't help but gasp. Behind Zhang Chong, two secret agents had detained Li Sheng.
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