Blazing Armor

The moment the word “amputation” was mentioned, the once noisy scene fell silent, and everyone was dumbfounded.bMwKvTOLvYhgfPEsFECyxJUUOBJjcW

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The injured man, buried but not critically harmed in vital areas like the head or torso, was still conscious. Upon hearing Gao Ge’s words, he began struggling frantically, “No… no way…”zpKTfmOMhbdKgzCMaGFbMnKCusLLyo

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Shi Xiaoqian pressed down on Xiaowang, “Please, don’t move.”zQFOVqDByYPVVsfwLmFtHJWIoKuGBz

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“No… no amputation…” Xiaowang cried out in terror, “I can’t live without my legs…”gsSTnpJfzXTBlwoxFbwxwCmwdbgaTC

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Ren Yi crouched beside Xiaowang, looking at his face, smeared with blood and tears, his expression twisted in despair. Ren Yi held Xiaowang’s shoulder gently and said, “The surgeon from Hongwu Hospital is on the way. He will make the final decision.”smHxcAWlqjDiAHIXTnHtFpZTRPZHXP

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Xiaowang clutched Ren Yi’s sleeve, his voice hoarse, “Please don’t take my legs. I’m… I’m only 20. I can’t lose my legs… Please, save me… please…”gsmfqsjKsReTeXTgOWwfrLyYSldACb

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Ren Yi felt a throbbing in his temples and a stinging sensation in his nose. He spoke in a low voice, “You’re only 20. You still have a long life ahead of you. Without your legs, at least you’ll still be alive.”tqsnbbSqLgXcxvWgijlsthqTeJgbcd

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Xiaowang broke down in tears, and everyone around was deeply moved.sqbVGzwvHTJpcEmQVLFgkwcDUXDxok

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Soon, the doctor arrived with the nurse.xDUaXNcLtduYPvcqWCLKVhfUvLhzUm

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Xiaowang clung to a last glimmer of hope, looking at the doctor with pleading eyes, “Doctor, please, don’t… don’t amputate my legs. I’m begging you.”LhWBjNjdVFgaXsiYJioMolmrvtFtPH

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The doctor examined his crushed legs and took a document from the nurse. In a calm tone, he said, “Young man, even if we got you to the hospital, there’s little chance of saving your legs.”JGzVlYpSCBqhXlHwHimDSdClhALKlJ

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Tears of despair flowed down Xiaowang’s face, his eyes empty, and he muttered, “Why…”YjGlmoOzMFKjyoyHeBEwPsCwXsxylL

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The doctor handed him a pen, “To put it simply, both of your legs are already necrotic, releasing a toxin. The reason the toxin hasn’t killed you yet is because the pressure on your legs has prevented blood flow. Once that pressure is relieved, the toxins will immediately enter your bloodstream, causing acute kidney failure and shock. If we don’t amputate, you might not even make it to the hospital. Sign it.”wGfOhyMEFRvpdKIKcvfUSOXsEniksk

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Trembling through his sobs, Xiaowang signed the document.jmlTqdEiIDuLNaGnNgsWXNcVVHkAcW

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The doctor and nurse began preparing for the on-site amputation.cOjhuDNsWnNGrWznWWyYDbNusEolnJ

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Ren Yi couldn’t bear to watch any longer. He had Gao Ge handle the aftermath, while he led his team back.PtlIQvlsmqOfUmTmRBRtfgFNorVZTY

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When they returned to the squad, it was dinnertime, but no one had much of an appetite. If they had returned from a peaceful mission with good news—perhaps a false alarm or a narrow escape—everyone would be in good spirits. But after an accident like this, where no matter how hard they fought, they couldn’t avoid death or severe injury, the sense of helplessness could linger for a long time.UdrAWsZZuaprnMDuSGXEeMjktJjStc

dRLTxFQvEanIYRx

Ren Yi was getting restless. He gave Qu Yangbo a quick heads-up and left, intending to pick up the kitten from the veterinary clinic.xrKgNmWxbhzqVwsdjhYOrOrNvIKCvL

MGbiBhNsqeVuCoa

The kitten had almost fully recovered, and the vet had said it could go home, though it would need to visit a nearby pet hospital every other day for dressing changes. Conveniently, there was a pet hospital right next to their squad.ANGqIUnvmigKZEYDvTKdeXGHyQTsYg

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After a week apart, the little black kitten seemed to have gained some weight, a stark contrast to its previous near-death frailty. Although it still had bandages wrapped around it, the kitten looked quite lively, batting a crumpled paper ball inside its cage.GpmBlKJLRrcfrjFUngepIPbENeLTMz

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Ren Yi was delighted, “Is it really okay now?”ECEmgHkjTekEmczfEOdZvbJxWxKBrD

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“It’s fine, though the burned areas might never grow fur again,” the vet replied.nWdDFkVaDAifirXgUtVfSrSPKrbWRy

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“Surviving is more than enough,” Ren Yi said as he reached into the cage, poking the kitten. The kitten clutched his finger and began nibbling at it with its tiny milk teeth.TNUyaTmslhpCDKBxdWWHrgMigSCuaf

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The vet opened the cage, picked up the kitten, and handed it to Ren Yi. He gently stroked its soft fur, smiling contentedly.rVSvbndKSGUnhtbrHvaARqKcspzebd

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On the way back, Ren Yi called Gong Yingxian, “Hey, Dr. Gong, are you at the sub-bureau?”QhjjJVmuiIvaewEsDKLKZDEOHUxvNN

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“I am. What’s up?”PiskFmcUvHHYLKlpwHJDvOgvTbLtgn

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“Of course, you’re working overtime. I just happened to be nearby and have something I want to show you.”GKfjwtqRdXmrOrBqxkxKBlDVjAzKIQ

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“Alright, come on over.”apPGBlXlXvCdfgmwVgfsdHsphlhXjE

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When he arrived at the sub-bureau, the female officers in the lobby started teasing him as soon as they spotted him. “Captain Ren, why are you always stopping by our precinct every few days? Thinking about a career change?”TObfrvVbPMGkFMObRjUntGDfcPOTUd

XYIUevFNdtViVTo

Ren Yi chuckled, “You got me! With so many beauties here, unlike our squad, I’m definitely scouting the area.”gOewauXRvDCWlpKFkvEgIXCnGLNpWb

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He found Gong Yingxian hunched over a desk, deep in research. It was nearly 9 PM, yet half of the workstations were still occupied, and everyone seemed busy.hyoClKMOXZZhoasEDZAobHyeRRgGzC

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Ren Yi waved at Gong Yingxian with a smile.xajxyhTuneJTsQQqdcaQaSpipkZCfy

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Gong Yingxian, holding a thick stack of documents in one hand, said, “Just in time. I’ll take you to the cybercrime unit. We’ve made some new discoveries.” He strode over, looking hurried.RDjWXFMuOokwEbNkDeBQrGGkGJVfmz

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Ren Yi followed him, “Wait a sec, I’ve got something I want to show you.”pTxdEquPkAhHAelVyhnNGGxYZzxdWp

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“What is it?”DILoLuEvrOmrKRauRcGsjgVikjCYEM

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Ren Yi glanced around, opened the door to a nearby office, and pulled Gong Yingxian inside.YkQgxVRFxDgUqsOQthYXTqVuxCWoDk

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Gong Yingxian frowned as he looked at Ren Yi’s hand, which was casually gripping his arm. He felt a bit uncomfortable, though not in the usual way he felt when others touched him—there was no rejection, no disgust. Instead… he realized he didn’t mind it so much, and this abnormality made him uneasy.eKeFlcgDiALqfANWwTWLvHfszqEfgz

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Maybe, just as Ren Yi said, he really was slowly getting used to this person.yDDlIfQeAuvpZvjQUtRHAkXOADrMlk

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Ren Yi closed the office door, his expression showing a hint of excitement. With a mysterious air, he reached into the large pocket of his tactical uniform and pulled out something furry.vVgdFsRwACUtphnSPtiGRYvYUdmxxQ

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Black fur, golden eyes—an adorably soft and lively kitten.QyPCNBAUeHPEsVsrHcdnqherdFBneQ

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Gong Yingxian raised an eyebrow, stepping back a bit.NkQAXVXAszXaVGTVmbRQiYCViEGkIG

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“What? Are you afraid of cats?”kZedIFNStZstZwQneRIUEhBSXoiXQD

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“No.”AVaYyDUrusGyZIlxdkIoMPEvsGYTWy

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“Then why are you backing away?”vQpZBVqqFYUgjEdQmVXrzExmegsuOB

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“It’s dirty,” Gong Yingxian paused, “and cats have a higher body temperature than humans.”STsoAyfiIMmxVrSJktuxLfQnJgrFxb

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Ren Yi shrugged. “It’s been fully disinfected, it’s pretty clean. And we rescued this little one from the fire together. Don’t you want to hold it?”JYnmoSGSlwpEjEgDFeOmgcEfRBNQwW

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“No, thanks.”PdKiUBJvcAOEYhksRCkPthrLeuvVwf

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“Then just pet it?” Ren Yi gently poked the kitten’s soft belly with his finger. “It’s so soft, like it doesn’t have any bones.”wssdQieAcLAiFkquDurrlyneGDKHRn

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The kitten let out a soft “meow,” staring at Gong Yingxian without blinking.EpjEoMdGYJyNbkTQUyLSFlKpnAHOCN

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Gong Yingxian hesitated for a moment, then shook his head.UAdvbnYOdikLrmOPmrSSjZTIShCkLp

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“Just pet it! It won’t burn you,” Ren Yi said, holding the kitten closer to him. “Besides, you’re wearing gloves, what are you afraid of?”WmmkEVHPeQcJAzAURAENJSisQZOfCL

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With a slight frown, Gong Yingxian extended his hand and tentatively stroked the kitten’s belly.BDLwhNmJMPBgmIhUgSKJUBZGPVzEkE

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It’s actually this soft…APuFKppcvNUsnuIhsnXmUYPrBVVurj

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Ren Yi grinned. “Soft, right? You know, you don’t like being around people, and you don’t even have a pet. Don’t you ever feel lonely?”TIGdIJwfrhjGrwuRiDjLfhsTRzRoml

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“I have a pet.”wLLdxIwJTCoJOGziQqKBfbuBvFkGCJ

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“Really?” Ren Yi looked surprised. “You actually keep a pet? What kind? A dog?”IaBqftQqgTscyzzKsISKRPbyzggBfh

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“Want to see?” Gong Yingxian locked eyes with Ren Yi.xuhYBUhdmTlJJmlnxMqNkVvNsEQvEb

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Ren Yi’s eyes lit up. “Sure! Where can I see it?”SXQujPDruzhGIJCbAFUWGeFuhZLPeR

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“You showed me your pet, so I’ll show you mine.” Gong Yingxian spoke casually. “You could come by this weekend. Uncle Sheng’s been wanting to cook for you.”ncdhTukAueQQlpRMcOLszlaodjTOLo

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Ren Yi’s heart leaped with joy. “You—are you inviting me over for dinner?”LBpvjHWNphNmeUhZtpXdJuVWKzYDXo

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“Yeah, Uncle Sheng’s been mentioning it several times.” Gong Yingxian’s gaze shifted slightly. “And besides… friends should eat together, as you’ve said yourself.”LepHyCvmgWeFDZmfRmKLdLfafxLKUa

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“Great, then this Saturday!” Ren Yi quickly agreed.wdOPkUUIjRWMBxwIsuIZfaqJEBTVze

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Gong Yingxian glanced at the kitten. “Are you planning to keep it?”ztazwUGyVTCpnrVKJCERBLVsBXmrdL

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“Yeah, I could either keep it at the squad or at my place.” Ren Yi had rescued small animals before, but he had never thought about raising one. However, this kitten, saved from the fire with Gong Yingxian, felt special to him. He wanted to keep it close.TGnMocBRFINbNbvkyBSPovsWkkzHyq

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“Have you named it yet?”dOAuaFHnXSdcqoeZwGwPtQBNJGnTQu

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Ren Yi glanced at the kitten and grinned, “How about this?”EhJKbZABcfCnmVyHqUXyBdiVdToPkq

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“What?”XpWVLeLONKoKgCunGXToMUbDnJxvje

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Ren Yi walked over to the conference room’s whiteboard, grabbed a marker, and wrote down two characters: “涷涷.”mabBkbypxJEKEyiFRJxhEDiMnggixQ

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Gong Yingxian chuckled, “Where’d you find such obscure characters?”pLzDyZjHwmTiysJbSJsqdWnUbvzYqK

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“This is my gaming name. See, I’ve got four fires in my name, and this one has four waters—perfect for tempering my fire.”NVUztGswgxIpcTUaQTXwrYruzIrQpd

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Gong Yingxian walked over as well, took the marker, and wrote down “淼淼” instead, saying, “Completely dousing the fire isn’t always a good thing.”zQaVybYnqzQurMlFoGhCxUTjKSNNiE

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Ren Yi laughed, looking at Gong Yingxian. “You said you hated my name. Honestly, I don’t want all that fire either. If it weren’t such a hassle, I would’ve changed it already. I mean, I’m a firefighter with four ‘fire’ characters in my name—talk about bad luck.”xkNRXIXgdfdHRvqhYKrhBiMOyOIXSc

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“I told you, your fire is the ‘attacking’ kind of fire.” Gong Yingxian gazed into Ren Yi’s eyes. “And besides, it’s that fire that keeps us alive.”mYURwYUiXqEvUFcENRzWyBznVelbRI

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“What do you mean?”UdfAfTPACBNcMeEtnXwzJMPnTogjoL

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“Fire is spirit, emotion, and soul. In the five elements, the heart corresponds to fire. From phrases like ‘the flame of life,’ ‘burning out,’ or ‘rising from the ashes,’ you can see how fire symbolizes life.”czkiIquHfKMgQkDdRfiNpsaFeZScDP

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Ren Yi paused. “Captain Qiu once said that you’ve studied fire.”ahpWiplikxfpCXPyePFlzMhTkYXCKe

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“I wouldn’t call it study, but I’ve looked into fire culture. It helped me overcome my fear of fire to some extent.”ITATPUkDIUvVRLvVIDRRiLYSiTYsxC

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“And what did you learn?”dCenBgidtNaNCBpBOYLUhsIwzyujDx

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Gong Yingxian was silent for a moment before responding, “You’ve heard the phrase, ‘Heaven and Earth are not benevolent, treating all things as straw dogs,’ right?”FFvyrdsXdMmEfnBLWwnAZXXwgleKhd

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Ren Yi smiled bitterly. “In my line of work, I couldn’t understand that more deeply.”YXchUZfQotzjbCVXpqtvYNdIDQXBcK

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Gong Yingxian shook his head. “People often interpret it to mean that Heaven and Earth are ruthless and trample on all things, but that’s not quite right. The ‘not benevolent’ part means that Heaven and Earth act without will, without favor. The will of Heaven and Earth is that there is no will. They simply follow the natural order—sunrise, sunset, sunlight, rain, cold, and heat—never changing. Heaven and Earth don’t bend to the will of living beings, and the fate of all things isn’t something to blame on them.”aXKYaoebVhMPoGGjTRWMWCLOFRzmGO

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Ren Yi was a little confused.KOXJsdbzvGdsvbGkovFAFurFYzfisH

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Gong Yingxian sighed lightly, “Fire is the essence of Heaven and Earth. It, too, has no will, no good or evil. What’s truly terrifying is not fire itself, but the way it’s used—especially how humans use it.”AEQYWVVCiczXugEjjFAWgDMtlXPirr

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Ren Yi spoke solemnly, “You can understand all of that, yet you’re still afraid of fire.”xAswlVLWodZSPBFifoJPTMmBWknOmP

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“I’m working on overcoming it.”kcoMkLyXHyWnWnTCMEitvLaPyepjuf

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“You know, everyone’s afraid of something. You don’t have to push yourself to be completely fearless. No one can be completely without fear.” Ren Yi looked at Gong Yingxian quietly and said softly, “There’s nothing wrong with being afraid of fire.”lgvCljNrJGWyEMCIOZWRwcslJWRBJL

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Gong Yingxian froze.hJQFLZmLvyuZyeHGrVoMHCOVbQjjOu

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All his life, his fear of fire had caused him both pain and shame. It was a fear he’d always wanted to conquer but had never been able to fully overcome.ZpsHpmwUnVdUYfaZsqDSwiZtqqMIuL

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Yet Ren Yi told him, “There’s nothing wrong with being afraid of fire.” That sentence felt like a warm, comforting hand smoothing out the creases in his mind. Even if just a little, it allowed him to breathe easier, even if only for a moment, in the face of his fear of fire.mnxKbCpSuYbnWWRQSbBBhABkmTANsQ

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Ren Yi tapped the whiteboard and grinned. “Alright, we’ll go with ‘淼淼.’ I’ll leave one fire, just like you said.”sFqVgtzpoUgrjgaoBhMkVQrFrHYZme

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