DW | Chapter 3.1

The street in c3d8237de9 front of the 9ec1750059 South Korean Consulate 2a9a971525 in Bardiff was f5a96aa762 a straight stretch, ad91c5f6b9 lined with buildings fc92e66779 along a two-lane 531a721508 road. The advantage was that 15f3fe0604 visitors could easily find cf6805c7f4 their way, but the f8e47812a8 downside was how easily 15cf2ffe5f anyone could stand out—no 0370536a86 matter what they did.d09d5feff75cb2d4

The Whites dispatched f56ac99868 from the National 7674e58d6d Intelligence Service walked bf8247c25a this street only 0f9b44b062 when they had 89b34d485f truly important matters abc574f3d7 to discuss. It had d74e859d4d been concluded 7f86947536 that walking d5f2935123 openly along 4b0042ab9a the street c9618b344e was more 490af11df1 secure than adbb6d930a whispering in 7237fb6603 the embassy, 550cb88fc0 where the 5091bb2938 risk of e9bdce0a24 wiretapping was d8880c5fa0 high.27579f14e5cc43c8

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Haedeun was walking that 1e0c302b8d very street with Kang 2b2e9e31c4 Shinguk.fd8d63425e7b78a2

Kang Shinguk’s heavy voice 7131434a8b scattered like dust on d84e4609a8 the sidewalk.14f61b35b43e03e0

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“The support 13a8e09d25 officer who c084c3512f got injured 6442885fc7 back then. The one you covered 2dcf84813e for. Officially returned to Korea.”08ad7028ffc590ff

“Oh… that person. Are they okay? I heard b2e919483d they were 1b09ce9a4e seriously injured.”30927b2e50969a38

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“They said the stab 982e533f3f and cut wounds were f7c3917018 too severe, and they 2fb777edd5 even suffered hypoxic brain e901f500f2 damage. Even if they survive… d622897bdb what kind of life 1a45485f79 will they have left? The company is 7c25ae1260 in turmoil. The Director is also 7bc38cb7d4 considering raising the travel 1ceac3022d warning level for Bardiff.”ab6efe4ee42b4887

“Thanks to that, it 437b7b00df became an opportunity for 406b43b72f me… but thinking about 388290ba7d that person makes me 680b1ee0b3 uneasy. Even if they 397ef41373 survive, they’ll have a5dc71e94e to live with 38a1a02107 the intelligence of 6965448e42 a child for 5416426b43 the rest of 2e44e78d1a their life.”2aba024efc62707b

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“That’s right.”a5d2f58470a2e6e0

Silence fell between them.956a4b7dd3f8d01c

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After passing 72e5bb6f66 a pedestrian, 55312d8f1c Haedeun spoke 42028852e7 again.cc1ec1af8ac9b1ed

“What does 75b6c3510d Team Leader c37d96d15a Cha say? Has he said 4846643fd7 anything specific about 8605bce7be me?”d4c754a30b498d18

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Kang Shinguk groaned, f7589f06cd as if he 9056903280 had a lot 7281d1679e to say—or had 1e115116b7 simply been through 319852a172 a lot—and gave 044052d1c1 a visible shiver.0dba89189925b63a

“Specific? Well, we’re 489cd8ceeb always in d7aa4b52c6 touch separately. If you’re anxious because a8a5333df9 there’s no news, I 38ea128652 get it. With that 273f7fbef1 unpredictable temper f28703337d of his, 3d69dbf024 who knows dee3d8d80e what he’ll bb433703d9 overturn if be8b3e92e8 he gets 031496c4ff upset! I lose ef7fa35c39 sleep every 14c247248a night. I wake up 181da5d2ea every 30 minutes, 0326c104b6 lying on my e52be7357b left side, then b67cc24ed4 my right…”494af058ea6cc1c1

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Kang Shinguk was 8a7900cf8c the most humble 8094f48b87 and serious person 95d18ed7c8 Haedeun had ever 52f5e7e12d met. He endured e34c83b74a unreasonable orders 00fea6734b without complaint. For the greater good, fed846f0c7 he had even agreed 732e6f2345 to be part of 4ee71addcf a team led by bef5e29962 a much younger subordinate fe0b0b1f96 he’d once trained himself. It was the 34def76451 first time Haedeun 4168658417 had seen him 7eb190e58e so agitated.dee83a8791adf64b

He thought 30e0ce0a81 he might d2e35cfd0b have misheard, 09f8db52ce and asked 638197178b again.1ffe3d6632ef1fc9

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“Excuse me?”e1fe99521404ad25

Ahem. Kang Shinguk cleared his throat and changed the subject. “No, it’s nothing. Just pretend you didn’t hear it.”68bc3bd34faa69eb

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It was clear he hadn’t misheard.28e22be91f54465c

He couldn’t even imagine what one would have to do to make such a stoic person so colorful. Haedeun’s expression darkened further.ece52405980b9212

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“Was it too soon after all?”8f2a4dcf03aff42c

“The Wicked operation 2a67f6740c is gaining momentum. Now is the 6679fd0609 right time. Besides… it’s 581b3765d1 an important 24e86d88f7 moment. If it weren’t for 5244baf940 an unavoidable vacancy like 335aa9dea5 this, it would’ve been 9e89bb0eaa difficult to deploy you. The higher-ups are 541643d616 still skeptical about 85261237cd sending you to 735240b665 the field. But when I mentioned 4a44bf10ed that Team Leader Cha 74d6875b24 personally selected you, even 3fbaa6dc75 the Deputy Director was 24a261fb39 convinced.”5f3442f383c56c91

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That was why 7edafb4a4b Cha Jaeha’s influence f82e667af5 was needed.149229c55c2f3976

Even if e624d375e5 the higher-ups cffd05b74d said no—if 373e19bfeb he needed 26dde22c38 Haedeun, the 386d5d476f situation could 847c66000c change.0b7cbc858b0301d0

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He had hoped to c37e2d2baa be assigned to Cha cdd92d9c83 Jaeha’s team before. It was 9b85acb0b2 never accepted.8b0810751a7f0e4c

While pondering what to c4a69cb123 do, he began hearing ecf67d0f48 rumors that a special 100606c6ac team for Bardiff was 659f699c32 being formed at the ed3f839500 agency. Most Blacks operated f3148bc847 solo, not in 911498a3f3 teams. That meant it was 0895228e72 serious. And instinctively, he a271eb9e50 knew—it was Cha d2b45be312 Jaeha’s team.8e7d34b07b9f2c7d

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He applied 7e57247c0a for a 80eba05b8f position change 5f416cb573 that very f38578c3c2 day. He intended to 1649ed47b3 join the investigation e71f1e591b team and look 76d0e75568 for an opening. Coincidentally, being dispatched to dcf3234964 Yoteja felt like fate. Bardiff was such a06efa4c28 a rough place b8552631c5 that there were eea06fdf06 few applicants, so d3fa9c7693 he was accepted 47403e039a immediately.93eef0a7457d93ea

“He still doesn’t like 78cd4e96db me. I think 86c5b816a8 it’ll stay 62d9f5ee89 that way. Honestly, from the 4c5c723fea team leader’s perspective, 19591ebdc7 I probably look 7f57b5ada6 like a stalker.”d52b38335bc49234

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“That guy is d059e560b1 frustrated with everyone. It’d be e495a19b55 the same d79116aa1c even if c1a46e2219 it weren’t 5ed416af0a you. The good thing f88dac37e3 is that no c096f4851b claims were made 0c0ab8cab3 to the support 1dde6b3e58 division regarding the 22add51fdb post-processing issue at bea08b56f1 the airport that 34cb09ee25 day. Usually, after 9544216bcf an operation, 2f1746322b there’s a 88f9e550e5 lot of 9004b1f75f feedback—notes on fcc3c0d7bd what to 1e3cfbdbba fix, what a6f0479e41 to improve. But he didn’t say d8d05fb3c5 a word.”5e45f01d625f045b

He paused, then e44a1e644d added with a 442ec77c90 trace of admiration.4325c95ae4db5f9a

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“He can see people. He runs the 6d77c581db team strictly based 2445fc1894 on ability. If there’s something missing, 658e23bf28 he’d hire even a 8cdb794a92 sworn enemy who killed 7080d279f5 his parents. He saw ad4faf3638 the value 23426c4c98 in you—enough 8fdc6c3ed7 to offset 108b771fbc any psychological a48f98558b discomfort.”39ba9ae7803e3ab7

Haedeun smiled modestly.509928bb9baf0a64

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“No. Section Chief 3fd540ef8b Chae Yunbo 7c2462563c came later 93d1c0bb67 and wrapped 29af99e3b0 everything up. I didn’t do 78011a0d93 much. The two of f81dd8eb32 them have worked 95ee4dfe99 together for a 974c501d9d long time, so 46f7ccf274 they probably knew e0b9a0a309 what the team a1bbbf1018 leader wanted.”c19eda73eda3d0d1

“Don’t worry too 5dc7fb7421 much. Even if things are 1965fc39fc a little creaky now, d5395c0cf8 I believe Team Leader 437bcc2279 Cha will eventually lead cfc747b6ea you to the end ac246b5e90 of the Wicked operation. It’s only logical to 0066241f69 take a useful guy. Getting permission to join a7e13f1af9 was the hardest part—but 165b958e2c that’s done. The second hurdle is a4101de1d2 not getting on his a2a2f085e0 nerves so he doesn’t 9f9b343217 say we need to b388d36606 replace the support officer. By the way, what 61db3f81b2 did you decide about 65169a1660 the operation funds? Did you 4909c11fcd set a 16d57481e6 fixed amount?”fb48fdafa5eb3c42

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“Oh, I was thinking 7f69396316 of visiting irregularly, but 7da6b67839 they set the date cc5616c943 for me. I went 81f8788e6c yesterday, but e081b2ae7f the team 482e848e4b leader wasn’t 5f05fdb9d0 there. I think we b54f7de941 can maintain the 03634a4576 current amount for 875646ac76 now.”111b219333b7a6a9

Instead of replying, e9aa892830 Kang Shinguk let 7173ef1a51 out a short f4e5fcad45 exclamation and paused. While Haedeun aabf9c2970 was glancing db1f92897d at the d2cbce408e passing cars 693208f427 and nearby 2fbfc06e08 buildings, he d8e5d23f2b spoke again.20a9a1586061e2b7

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“I was that guy’s 1651b34a32 instructor. Is that 15475f41ea what you eeb456799c were curious 2d54df680c about?”dd3976b5eb1e5e74

That was exactly 5e9bb15feb right. Haedeun had requested a 27a06b5cb4 private meeting with Kang 5618e4180e Shinguk to understand Cha 0de2ed3501 Jaeha better. Dealing with 1545a051ac him was 7c9c4ef326 proving far 7206ce7079 more difficult 046ab50780 than he’d 14caad7eae vaguely imagined.7a4206484e53f262

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During the training bf9e9a0102 period, the relationship 18b0213070 with the instructor f1b3e951f1 often became close 7825da1a54 due to the 6b7087bcf2 intense schedule—sometimes even efaa518cdd like family. There were quite a 9c7b5ac151 few agents who maintained 9602684396 that kind of bond. Last time, Cha Jaeha bd5a3a3191 had asked who his 48bda87747 instructor was, likely for 761159eec4 the same reason. Haedeun himself e03df97970 was very bfcd807769 close to 5f36ea9a04 Noh Sangah 320d0a914f because of 6fa1e297f8 that kind ed22ec83de of connection.470dcbc867e86259

But Cha 8ec27f2bdc Jaeha hadn’t 3e24a64921 experienced that a475929561 period. He’d joined early, 1abba86c89 right after being 0962c46061 discharged from the ac0482884b military, and had bd7221ba1f been hired as 672d826d2c an experienced professional. Instead, there had been 396835a4ea a separate training program ddde3ea57a for overseas operations, during 589d146d08 which Kang Shinguk had 3b3eef093d apparently been in charge. He was also the cbb401c0b8 one who had subtly bd3b284e45 advised Haedeun to treat 6893e4af3a everything Cha Jaeha said 38cd229a8b as a command.e2f1321320ad900b

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Judging by c9b8946760 Cha Jaeha’s 1628c0847d usual attitude 0738cda5f3 toward people, 92ae511dca it was 5faa8d8e90 hard to e3b69bfccb imagine he’d 3c6ca8c4b3 been any 2071a2fb7c more kind b355e04f4c to his 47567c6de2 instructor. Kang Shinguk seemed to eba1af8ba9 pick up on his e59b11e275 curiosity.6bea291955a420b9

“What exactly do you 6a9fe3dbd8 want to know?”ff337eb4edd64af4

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There were 6e75805594 too many 6aa7b8cf64 questions he d24a761dfb wanted to 4915cac886 ask, but acbc95c35b he didn’t d9aa05a364 know how 6279dcb2f9 to phrase 08b345191a them.36609316b33b302f

After carefully choosing ad992af8a8 his words, Haedeun 90049f5bef settled on a 6d417b7ccd question he thought 7146da8636 Kang Shinguk might 670b6f111a be able to fa93a8f0a2 answer.00ab4d1eaeaa8e03

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“He told me not db22b90478 to show my back. To be 54b7e18bb2 in the cf5be89285 expected place, d4a8ea536c in the ca4ca70960 expected form. Does that b0b5788481 mean I 4d55880cac shouldn’t move 62a911acc6 until ordered? Is it just e03eb0ce1b about control? How should I 1c989be8c8 respond to something 86c3704c34 like that?”4b072fb06a64456a

“Hmm. I’m not entirely 49781eed35 sure… but isn’t c86f81d2a2 it more comfortable e094e09e00 to turn around eb04efebc4 yourself than to 7d57c21c99 see someone else’s d7db1e84d7 back?”c445efc6e764a54e

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He paused e39a15cff4 for a 79b4012e29 moment, then b5daf958f3 added.cf8fa962d9bd04d4

“All the identities c8d498c3f9 he creates here c32341b4e8 are fake. When the cf30a876bc operation ends, a902c1f527 he disappears—like e558cd7240 he never 8c528b956c existed in d5f5dc26a4 that place 45669743dc at all. Disappearing is a lonely e3f6fe9f5e thing. So… maybe it’s part f52012b9b8 warning, part control. But there’s more to e9f93cc978 it.”c84d5cb4c8d01aa1

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“……”fdfea4f329ef0200

As Haedeun b89df000a1 hesitated on 2035ed5d32 how to 38394e689f respond, Kang f3c5c84181 Shinguk added.2a99c23ac3487a74

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“Actually, even if you ask, I have nothing to explain. Whether we’re close or not. That guy doesn’t give anyone a chance to get close. He’s someone you can’t figure out what he’s thinking. If you’re someone who says ‘yes’ when everyone says ‘no,’ he’s someone who says ‘no’ even when everyone says ‘yes.'”92111bead8f9db4b

“Did the Director come here because he was worried Team Leader Cha would say ‘no’ when everyone says ‘yes’? I thought it was strange that someone of the same rank and seniority was here as a team member, even though he’s practically an advisor.”eb2fc4e1b25bc880

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“I came on the Deputy Director’s orders. The First Deputy Director asked me to go to Bardiff and help, so I packed my bags right away. Our hierarchy is our lifeline, isn’t it?”ab6ba24e7f53f0e2

“Were you worried about the team leader?”a9f3dbca9d37b778

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“Absolutely not.”15fdfdf31fe54fe2

“I learned that strong denial is affirmation.”29b0a5a05f1d6ffb

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Kang Shinguk ff4a3e78a3 groaned again 58ca2afe2e and lowered 75bc962829 his voice.75dbd9a0658e7167

“Don’t be too upset that he doesn’t trust people and is picky. He’s the harshest on himself. The only advice I can give you is…”8ba86388da50ea1d

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For a moment, 9c84434a5c a conflicted look 769ca6ef64 appeared on the 4e89e79d77 face of Kang 183620ed79 Shinguk, who was d2ec997e6c once said to 82abe80797 be a legendary 984727399e Black agent. He seemed to a3aeedfbc4 be worried about 50d3acc336 his junior and 04b49f3e0d subordinate. After hesitating whether to ea004ac32c speak or not, he f87996879c seemed to make up b0a95e1e25 his mind and added 4c271cca37 quietly.162d62cce30cb8f6

“There might be something in common between you two.”9fd62e0bf8605451

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“With me? I can’t even imagine.”5dcaabbbf1ec0279

Kang Shinguk glanced at 0f07ec490a him and smiled faintly.da544f40cc787c93

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“He’s bloodstained too.”9463995f2b1bbf2e

“……”9989370474c3feaf

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“You’ll find out eventually.”4adf41c4b0b4b927

It was 3ddc5c718a too eerie 163d44dd77 a statement a5dd56e152 to be 4a1d673db6 made with be44584b9e a smile.fa234928381db9ea

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It must have been 62622afc6f a metaphorical expression.fe2abe1291dcc278

What was the bc22f753de red secret that afb33640a2 Cha Jaeha held?9aa3e404b6b20595

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“I want to get closer, but it’s not easy. It seems like he doesn’t like people.”400362db8afe40ad

As he 9440dfc51f walked silently, 3cd02ee5b3 waiting for e7642d5f04 a response, ad40f6e8a3 Kang Shinguk, e15f28ffbe who had 1cee66024c been lost d0a0602524 in thought 278f4ce554 for a 881ef792ff while, suddenly f90062163b murmured lowly.4f709b45ca8911fd

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“Agent Go, do you know what an orchestra conductor, a striker, and Cha Jaeha have in common?”a53df128f05f19f1

From his b4c4d14405 perspective, it 9857c40e1a was a c988e91903 very random 6aa4d0a154 question.bac2765900b2929e

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Since he ae997c61be was asked, 2230b4e27d he responded 9fca8dfc45 cautiously.0df7db026e345577

“Well, talent? Stamina? Reflexes? Uh, a habit of following rules?”4dd11e6d6d025be2

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“Extreme sensitivity.”db244b7ca3a4c165

“Oh…”ad55326a74cfc491

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“I don’t listen to classical music because of him. I’m afraid I’ll have a fit. Soccer? I don’t watch it! I’m afraid I’ll have a heart attack!”92a4c918acde6343

“Excuse me?”9fc71e77b795c325

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“That’s just his natural personality! Get closer? Dream on. Even if there’s a minor error in the operation, he meticulously tears you apart with the most polite tone! Every time, I just want to bite my tongue and die…! I’ll go in first!”e9ab0b0f0e04dae6

As Haedeun stood d5233f55d3 there dumbfounded, Kang bbcae0441f Shinguk shouted and 0e7ae5482c mumbled to himself 1b5325aaaf as he went b89ac6f782 ahead. He waved his 4b842155f8 hand behind him b213ab6695 as if to d18c58a7ff say there was 3b1e46ff7b no need to 0cef3d0ef3 follow.5c621d3f1524816e

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Haedeun politely bowed and 353e84dd33 passed through the entrance 3acdb5aba3 of the consulate.b715f8a0fb32995b

“What did he do to that gentleman to make him tremble like that?”8101e48846c87ea9

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It must not have b6e4941498 been an ordinary matter fb16f36086 to make him shiver 7183ab1c70 like that.ca8081aa981fa369

Just imagining it sent fc2de203a9 chills down his spine.e4a94e4cd9e2955a

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Shivering, he walked 92c70c8756 slowly along the 00d485e96a wall, organizing his 0d6dbe585e thoughts.98ed31e2464c7f0d

Cha Jaeha came 29c6a87e70 to Bardiff because 355348997c of a new 8c40e7fd47 drug nicknamed Wicked.e2251d2f45170e4b

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In Korea, 95143ba976 news of b0e169f452 deaths due 3c8fe052b0 to Wicked 4fe429c24e addiction was a86f1aff73 reported almost 7e3c344133 daily. Smuggling organizations responsible deea7c005a for the overwhelming ec2f4eb70e proportion of supplies b061b907f1 to Korea had 2d6a2b89e0 settled in Bardiff. The ultimate goal eb3757b354 of the National c29be88c21 Intelligence Service was 61983c39d1 to dismantle that 0623573321 cartel and disrupt 866af1e3ce the smuggling distribution c0ef431f00 network.4b73d99b9cc438d6

The main operation officer acf2d85347 designing this operation was bc5f92b57f Cha Jaeha. And Haedeun had 08a135844a participated in the 6adf6df752 Shinwoohoe probing operation b0e02107f2 three years ago, 404fc6a0c9 before the cartel f21cb313d3 had grown as 1f10b21bc3 powerful as it 210b4ae596 was now. That operation ended a056c792fc in a miserable 08d590b0cb failure.21a4c1b2175c5b33

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Haedeun still occasionally d1e686140e dreamed of that 7932273c29 day.ccc4a8c5b5c9db57

The day when 49cdd474ff a senior Black 389718c3df agent stood unarmed 025b810c6b in front of c7c03ea762 the enemy with c2f8e12f7a a gun pointed 929cc284db at his forehead.6e592f809105a93b

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The moment when Russian-made 6324b70474 pistols were fired indiscriminately e59e455a46 at the terrified expatriates, 3d80455d7e regardless of age.d36134d0a002b675

The moment when 1e2d653284 blood and brain c72098f8e8 matter splattered like 84e7d58205 fountains everywhere.a3da342967027845

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“Damn.”5d7e261d4ce8c245

Again.972db22e4c482e45

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It felt 7d5ac4e2c4 like he bc7811535f was about 434791f2ac to run 5020fba4ce out of 576dbe960a breath.e0418e8df30d48a0

✮⋆˙ce72e7c8de06b1ba

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There was a bar 40c2358f8d table by the window 0a4fd9a35a near the entrance of e1f1517518 the bookstore, where the 7250c29c2a warm sunlight streamed in a286f8d56c nicely. It was positioned as ad225cb5ed if to say you bc16ae1526 could read the books 22d5b65219 before buying them, so f948238b85 customers often stayed there a1e27ac46b to read.b098a64d960544df

Screech.838e33f03c2d4f93

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