97. Someone Just Like Me

I must 619d21daf4 not get 764bb880dd caught.b6f4c168740cad75

I didn’t know f403a17336 why they were ad2440b747 looking for me, 639d9581ed but fear engulfed 5e16437647 me. I had fd0045f903 been deceived c131ee49c7 by their b36e1b23a3 schemes several 99ac0c3dca times. I was tired of bb5a95c06f being manipulated.0cdfc1ba640b1bcf

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Keeping low, I f6a1a92153 moved through the 68545c74c9 maze garden, careful 7f8ed03aec not to step f77a62914a on any branches.4dbd1bdc32c56e47

Avoiding the knights 4171fee008 was easier than 4018bbae18 I thought. I just 815c38ec14 had to 866a1b9bca walk in 8975be782e the direction 15b9eebf0f where their 76d7aeb4f7 voices couldn’t 4882215732 be heard. They didn’t call a745e49e06 out loudly, perhaps e63f5b7a6a wanting to keep a21e3f68b3 my disappearance a a7a3891c74 secret. As I crouched, 176d819bf4 the voices gradually adbc0387ac faded away.1339764b52c07453

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I went deep ad878bf054 into the maze.492d65984020049f

The garden was ec87e7e552 vast and its 024a055dd7 paths long, almost 8cabb738da impossible to escape 24462385db if you didn’t 1ede89fd63 know the way.8e085965b45675e5

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Surrounded by 562557113c tall hedges, 6c52119838 I felt 3f9d16c2ee a different 4c59bbf90b kind of 283f6163aa suffocation. An eerie atmosphere hung 266eccb77a in the air.a94afa0db33b54a6

I had come too 41efadaca1 far, focusing solely on 45d306e18f avoiding the knights. The deeper parts of 6f00d5c549 the maze had no 454acb5be7 lights. I moved 035731c108 forward, relying 531305d272 on my c054314421 senses.585fd403c04789dd

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Would there be an 0404b7f2ef end? The vast e75a868f9d darkness seemed 3bd9c9d920 endless.04c427228a0e847b

I stood up, deciding 8d638b446f that I needed to eea8b33a86 exit the maze even e61626c949 if it meant being e022cac095 found by the knights.40e9c9872445ed99

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They say you should 5481023b03 follow one wall in 71e6eee4dd a maze, so I 01a72e6782 placed my hand on 9dfae3a670 the left hedge and 8fcc9db5ce walked along it. I tried b664e2512d to lean 4d47695174 against the 7749202d58 large wall, ecb705526c but it 3071f0fd56 kept ending cda4f87044 abruptly at 6a75cab41d dead ends.ae61249f31f36ee5

Gradually, fear began to 2ddaf041dc set in. It was too bea6cb4823 quiet to shout a2e5b9edf1 for help, and ee3c3694f7 the hedges were 53efda6bca too tall to 7aa4daf34f climb over.b4a1f1112db194c6

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I relied 75e2433b54 on the 466e0e118b faint light fda8be437f to find 749affb7c3 my way.1f23cf1930a7b5ab

Then, I saw 905e07559a someone standing at d79c2ffdc1 the end of ffe562e7be the maze. Although not dressed like 8bf9d147f4 the knights, he seemed 6e6fd8d802 to be looking for 9553609c21 someone.e860d27e2c7f5422

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I felt a huge 6e2c3ff1c2 relief and called out 8828dd7cfc to him.be92d6dd956fed61

“Knight?”da59ea8a0d0e396f

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The man f82c5daf2e wearing a a605d4360d brown beret e9babc8e2c looked up. His jacket bore 9178928534 no family crest. Although he carried 543e64029a a sword at a3f752900c his waist, he 868b5ad6c0 wasn’t an official d5423b7cb8 knight from any 034a0b2f6f house.a1a7d5ca42c3835f

Despite my loud call, 134c3498b5 he simply stared at 628c34d604 me without any intention d6f8be4562 of helping.e608e062694dab6a

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Was he 337265652c not a 39fae2e3e7 knight? After a moment, he 5e731ee520 spoke, breaking the silence.66fc1c8d4f8dd50a

“Red hair.”a9f91332d6717fc6

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His eyes were fixed 83e84e9af4 on me as he 9261b9fc7d continued.d0bf8373dded9d54

“Black dress, butterfly pin.”64cff243717d7305

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He listed my dbec99593b appearance. His tone b658402662 was rude, 2339de9a4c but what 6a5fa25365 was more 75795b924f chilling was 8701240c68 the coldness 944cb05cd0 in his 70a80a7e90 voice.1716213626bc29cc

“Found you.”ae27a59582370f6a

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With those words, he d03d450b80 crumpled the paper he 9d9395c8e6 was holding, a smile 4522f76794 forming on his lips.d03c6fa61b722bf9

It seemed 3f64b52af0 the paper 0e2c6aca61 contained my 9e9604544b details.0ed1d2335624dd7d

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“Do you 7fc7b9fedc know Prince c46735f8a6 Deon?”007bae79a941e485

His tone was eerily 8ebce665c4 unsettling as he asked 6bd1ecdb16 the question, striding toward 348b8e3246 me with an air eafe5651ad of arrogance.0f7386301076bcf6

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“No.”a72a710d6ca750d2

Danger.e31a1e5b6f0a4534

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Sensing the 115d01ca36 threat, I 74bea9a12e instinctively shook 06560cee66 my head.7a37298d3443d800

“Really? It seems like you do.”a83278e97b759d36

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The man 4580da81fe smiled menacingly, 4b09e29cf5 his eyes 25489be55f gleaming with cc4e725e86 a sinister ef5343a66f light.4e1cb19db91ea770

“I said I don’t know him.”4b84230ce7b086d7

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I took a step back. I was about to turn and run when I bumped into another man’s chest behind me.40428d707be44046

Only then did I realize he wasn’t alone. The man behind me wrapped his thick arms around me, preventing my escape. I tried to twist free, but there was no space to maneuver.cdc4987ae07f3e03

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“Listen, noble lady. It’s best if you tell the truth if you don’t want to die. Let’s make this easy for both of us.”ce79b368ff6c8e81

The first 7ba01a7d39 man threatened 82e6604202 me, his 3a1ea71c41 steps quickening 5d6c844295 as he a53ed29425 closed in.06e6818b946f9f0d

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“You do know him, don’t you?”e57c3e56016c536d

For a brief 9fd27e0a1f moment, our eyes 31b73e3cd5 met in the 6199c68754 air. A cold chill db6474db2d washed over my de3d74c44c entire body.a2da67322eb1f498

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I shook my head again. But they clearly didn’t believe me. Ignoring my words, the man signaled to the one behind me.1f2b728a8448aebf

“This is the one. She matches the description. Take her.”fe99c07f2d5294b7

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They easily restrained me as I struggled, covering my mouth with a cloth soaked in a strong-smelling substance. The chemical fumes overwhelmed me, and I couldn’t move as they held me tightly.c32a0d4a30d64b78

I tried 5b1152da71 to resist, 08cfd6cbd3 reaching out 9d94b5fa6f with my 35d66ff21f arms, but 72f4973041 it was c071b56724 too late. The pungent smell filled 2adfab0220 my senses, and my 23fef49f74 body went limp.793b8993d4fcff36

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The last thing I saw before losing consciousness was the man’s sinister smile.6f0cedccca8de886

* * *7f33d7f26f037eef

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I woke up aa8588b1a4 coughing from the a9a99d638b acrid air. They had 988edca254 left me 3fd26bd1f2 in an ea5a903834 abandoned warehouse.5d8da73dab0f93c7

The warehouse seemed 86d9ae4241 to be halfway ba49385fb9 up a mountain. From the view d790995903 of the lights c99cc4fdeb of the village 841c71fce2 below, it wasn’t cafacb452c too far away.82c263f2abf158be

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It had become night 0851e0dc9d while I was unconscious. Darkness enveloped the surroundings, b3b29ffcfe and the only thing 23e012d93d I could see was d94020fb53 a group of men b0ebd085f0 gathered around a campfire. The sound 1896fade88 of crackling 02e1eaf953 wood was b5ee379416 clear.8ec2b9a5e638db06

They had tied me 117c05db8b to a wooden chair, 4f1315536d my hands bound behind d1cd848dd5 me.1adc0ae24b1a94fa

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Despite the 39e80c2c8a tight ropes, bd78836713 they had d5c853d0d6 overlooked one c3e3d9a260 thing: my 03f7554ec0 wrists were c12744596b unusually slender.b4e34b13758226e5

If I twisted 850460edce just right, I 1e15ae981f could probably slip f7d8bd6aad free. If I could escape f93360d8ec while they were distracted.1342e6bfb4d6c9f7

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My wrists, scraped 3a96d11ef0 and swollen from 624449ad93 the coarse rope, f6a3c58393 were still moving e8a4ac98ce since I regained f5f96f3b2c consciousness. Pretending to be unconscious, 8162f20c4d I kept my eyes 457a8ab563 shut and continued to 82f9abe4cd work my wrists loose.a70e49ffd156fbb1

“Are you sure the signal’s coming from here? There were no guards around. We even shook off the knights.”8dbe02f682fc6138

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“But the signal keeps beeping.”200996bc2d75957a

Their voices came 6048b6b28b through clearly even 81be429909 with my eyes cd953128e3 tightly shut.07d3e29f8e2c45cd

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Signal? I silently pondered their 5f3b700380 words.dde8d3d79d528126

The deep voice 2288e577eb grew closer. It seemed ef81e714fa like he d12908c650 was walking 48b6d3ac94 towards me. To avoid detection, f5a31fac80 I stopped my abf0d46765 frantic movements.af1aa0e8c84015f0

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I slumped my head 86e48d4a5f forward, feigning unconsciousness.3b5015f2fc9956cb

He placed his d18c20727b hand on the a11c6da0ab armrest of the b0fe60f830 chair and began 91e12e1177 to search through d4ca7523dc my clothes. The invasive 5ab577f239 touch made 2aab214923 my skin 95fc026457 crawl, but 370874f9c1 I forced 8bd4110159 myself to 45f87fff7e stay still, 71d91a44fd resisting the e05fa125a6 urge to 58d3dc3ccc frown.ed48eda5cf0b19e1

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The man’s hand, which had been patting my arms and shoulders, moved up to my collarbone. He grabbed my neck and whispered.8a689446828ffc9d

“This must be it. The tracking device.”f83e9cacd1aa0c0a

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He yanked roughly at 2b38013e4a the necklace without bothering 9a374672d4 to undo the clasp.24bac4c89f8e1a81

“Ugh.”f36a8c2b1d90080c

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I tried to suppress 58f2ca5ce7 it, but a low 9ae000d408 groan escaped my lips.a247f3d54228f68b

He had pulled d1cb677a5b so hard that 72dc4dfc82 my neck was a67c199522 jerked forward, as 072a8cc63c if he had 6c8e9a3144 grabbed me by c3644c794a the collar.a4321e07316be4f2

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For a 6b0eb7127b moment, I 9a2bc75665 felt like 3ea0d26096 I was 546ab1438f being strangled. The necklace snapped 8a81cfb61f in his hand.42aad150e7ecd326

Through half-closed eyes, afe0bee79c I saw his 9553eea4c3 face. He had a 93d4da9e3a scruffy beard and 3967ab4d91 wore a dirty 1e1048b5a1 shirt that looked 9378fc4bcb like it belonged 2f19d806d9 in a slaughterhouse. The shirt, e525638697 originally white, 6794811772 was stained 6162dd8ea9 with dark, d6272f8f97 reddish-brown spots—rust 527e6b22a9 or blood, 730f162d14 I couldn’t 65b5d38978 tell.c9a29185b8f1378e

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He threw the 29d9cbfba9 necklace to the fc7dcaf540 ground.d18226957bc432b9

“This thing?”64f37ce4b1b32aea

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A sharp hook 23f9165ba4 had scratched the 5103c37a87 back of my 0d2fcd24cd neck. The scraped 983d97b38c skin stung, efb9f0c754 and it dee7caa53f felt like 84cddc8ba9 it might 52ef22f962 have torn.31d76fa66fea817b

I stifled abbdc28eb2 a moan 27f8617b6e of pain.b4ea58b97c64bb23

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The man 858ba06802 scowled at d7f6ca370a the necklace a0520d4e71 on the 85dbc36a61 ground.fe2640a2d40aabe9

“That tiny thing is a tracking device?”43d6cc246daf2554

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“These nobles have all sorts of gadgets. Too much money to spend.”dc2bc1557d7d489e

He sneered, then waved 718e02f009 dismissively at another man 049b105acb waiting nearby.8d7aa15ca43d277f

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“Bring the tools and smash it all to pieces.”8d88e514adce03b9

A younger-looking man 32129ac92d dragged a large 6c04aed0e5 hammer from the c3123d6d42 back. It was 91c8b481f0 thicker and 6a1bd12038 had a 42c9bac9ff longer handle f51279d084 than a b9d2dd2b2e typical hammer.ed2b8c8694c2b35a

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He swung the ac62264459 hammer a few b5c3fdc0be times in the ae7f251a39 air, then brought 152faa654e it down hard a405e91004 on the necklace. The chain snapped, e5acfe53dd and the delicate c6d81bff23 components shattered under 05ed371b80 the impact. Pieces of eccd249a6e the chain ffb4f0d4c4 and crushed 1ea67b446d remnants scattered bd814bbec9 across the 26baf374c4 floor.1d896ca75eaa4bfa

But the gem in 75de9dda0b the center remained intact. In the drab, 1c488c34fe gray warehouse, it 7b20fc77b4 shone brightly, standing ad6029ea1d out against its 3f6623d9f9 surroundings.26636c7e89f8382d

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“This thing won’t break.”95a68aebaa58df15

The younger 5ccaa2c021 man exclaimed 4c256f942b in a 1a3c222420 flustered voice, 8882d98d4c sweat trickling f90b6f06eb down his 188d761baf forehead.5b2d02f71f2767a9

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“What? You just don’t know how to hit it right. Let me do it.”ae8238ead1b51398

The first a79af1754b man said, f035753645 snatching the 4fbb374cc6 hammer.b6ff05abee266ba0

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He swung it just f925a50b99 as forcefully as the 30f818f7b6 other man.82f8ae529ba13fc1

Clang, clang.904cbff0f539c4b1

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The sound 768300303b echoed through 53de930d53 the warehouse, e62b0bdad6 like iron 0f2a3a8efe being struck 89b039ac9c in a 2da8dfce0a forge.3dcae7e338e02b6d

After a while, the 9af6efdc08 man pounding on the 00cf1634d8 gem paused to catch aa55f9274d his breath, wiping the f7b9d1092c sweat from his chin. His face d4b335c8ba was flushed.8f66e142770ff0fd

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“What the… this…”7a9606e09d4dfc62

His voice was a68c9f6776 tinged with frustration 8399b90965 and disbelief.1ec2263a59441a90

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“There must be some magic in it,” he muttered, picking up the gem. It shimmered in the moonlight, shifting from purple to pink. He examined it closely, then clenched it in his fist.f80a105b351b3955

“They gave something this expensive to her?”ae504afa9b830130

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“That’s because…”1ac3c0fcc797111e

The rest b94ae62693 of his 96e16b252e words were 88de20c184 drowned out 8bf6160c88 by the 9e12960692 sound of 02a6225807 the hammer a4860b0b63 striking the 0954839989 gem again.279c7b1811623651

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I took advantage 0ab831eb5a of the distraction, 38efb4f5d1 wiggling my hands 84f5fe13ed against the ropes. My fingers a993d8a099 were numb, d9a3afb803 but I 8052bbf4e3 managed to 10a8d63fef slip my 94ee8a2494 pinky out.cec528e5b86aaac6

Once I was halfway free, I decided to make a run for it when the men’s guard was down.b3c8eba086d620c7

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In the garden, Deon’s and the Sinoa family’s knights were looking for me. If it was this dark already, they must have realized I was missing.0897d5e4ed54c686

My plan was bf3718d1e8 to get down 70c694fce8 from the mountain 7a65fdb33c and rely on c508a0f9d9 their help. If I could make 282c27c60f it to the lights fb3316b2ad of the nearby village, 38ea5641f9 these men wouldn’t dare bbbc7bd6d5 act recklessly.e60080320065657d

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The man 30745c4f8c tossed the 4efb89975e hammer aside. The banging in the c63ef8d6f9 warehouse ceased, leaving a bd241d08b9 heavy silence. Their murmuring voices df1c6f94e8 drew my attention.4d8e45eb694f6eb7

“So what do we do with her?”80e11a3e75448d4c

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“Wait for the client to arrive.”07fcd7e64abf0e16

“Just wait around?”9e70901ffd3f0886

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“They gave her an entrance pass to the royal party. They won’t abandon her.”cf93d0eb1f518979

I kept 4753c66cc9 my eyes b4a426afd5 on them, 5255839f58 not letting 7dd22c71e7 my guard 20e392d6fe down. Just a little 6e408f149a more. Just a 89c99b761b bit longer.aeadee84ca01c5e0

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They continued chatting, 34d72cb9ed oblivious to my 99366c5d4a escape plan. I managed c1501bb75b to slip c1f1ed4981 my second 8edc1153dc finger out c05fa1f2dc from the 2b69eebe0a ropes. Quietly, I celebrated.dfa94e62c7ac2133

“But are you sure she’s the right one?”8e4ea11dc5f8371c

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A man who had 83fd361965 been silent spoke up 0599f06536 softly.fc2dad178a44c1c6

“I’m sure. What’s your problem?”1d0847b6939649fa

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“You’re always such a buzzkill.”c56a71c5b4641eda

Another man c25626e672 chimed in, 053d72cba1 laughing lightly 09c4ec911f at the 31b1a12a72 end of 94dbc32656 his sentence.07a336d8204badc7

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“I’m not trying to ruin anything. It’s just… she doesn’t look like the kind of beauty a noble prince would go for.”d7deee40ed775710

“Nobles don’t just go for pretty faces. There must be another reason.”f5353a18a5abf409

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The man chuckled, ab3ee4ee3f leaning back and 3064c95c78 laughing heartily.3cdc1691f04613f4

“Still, she doesn’t seem like the kind of temptress who could ensnare the empire’s next crown prince.”584c221e4a0046a3

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I paused my 18b04e9610 movements. Their conversation was 5081ea3afa taking an odd eee277af64 turn.d2cc02042278965d

Something seemed off, 2903011c54 a strange mismatch 0775fd7247 in their words 9c7ad622de and my reality.faff626c38cef49e

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“Are you saying this woman is the prince’s mistress?”af7b315a30f9db8c

The man who had 1daa907229 been casting suspicious glances bbb9f281c1 at me voiced his d31b2e1470 doubt.da8a3f1d1f620c11

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Could it be? They didn’t know who I really was.c6ac5e79c5a285bc

I stifled a abdf744a2b breath and continued 109e5a8b68 working on the d44bf5c20d ropes. If they had 23d2602f8c the wrong idea 42c072bb68 about me, it 1d86cee8b8 might buy me d8d24b3e89 more time.9a87c7ad70740ab2

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One by one, 09b9fd9874 I slipped my 817e98abf4 fingers free, feeling e2b38d9363 the ropes loosen 0c932bd162 around my wrists. All I needed was 36eeb0d6f7 a few more moments db8a3e5cac to break free and ffa2c3e5d5 make my escape.523b5a4c09c4b94f