Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work - Chapter 298
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Even If I Fall Into a Ghost Story, I Still Have to Go to Work Episode 298
There are people inside the train.
Not just Go Young-eun, but people who appear to be ordinary citizens.
“…!!”
♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪
But there was no time to get sentimental!
“F-first, get on!”
“Yes!”
At Young-eun’s urgent words, my companions and I pushed our bodies into the subway….
“No!”
Something burst out from behind Young-eun and stabbed at my shoulder, pushing me.
A mop handle wrapped with duct tape.
“…!”
And all sorts of things came rushing out and began pushing me away.
“Get off, get off!”
“Don’t let them on! Who do they think they are to board!”
“No…!”
The people inside the train were stabbing at our group with makeshift poles created from various household items, pushing us out the door.
The rejection visible on their faces.
Hostility toward outsiders.
Fear.
“Don’t get on!”
“W-wait a moment. These are people I know! They won’t create a dangerous situation….”
“How the hell are we supposed to know that!”
A middle-aged man in padding snapped at Go Young-eun.
“Hey! Then why don’t you just get off!”
“Right! Get off!”
“Sir, please calm down!”
‘Damn!’
They were ready to kick out even Go Young-eun.
‘It’s overheating…!’
Even if I forced my way in with strength here, it would still have a negative impact on Young-eun.
I quickly racked my brain.
‘Something to negotiate with.’
These are people who have been trapped in Segwang Special City for several years.
Something direct and certain to resonate with these people.
“We’ll share food supplies!”
“…!”
“We have edible things! Packaged foods!”
I hurriedly pretended to take something from my pocket while pulling out a combat ration and waved it in my hand.
“…!”
A hunger like greed flashed across the people’s faces.
“We have more extras.”
“Hand it over first!”
“If you let us on, we’ll give it to you!”
I pulled the food back. The people looked at each other in confusion….
“Hurry. The doors are closing!”
And.
The screen doors are closing.
The moment the people inside the train, who had been exchanging glances, stepped back slightly, we quickly stepped inside the door.
“…Phew.”
We made it on.
Whirrrr…
The train departs.
But inside, we stand confronting the people who appear to be citizens, as if we’re isolated from them.
“….”
“….”
‘…About twenty people, I’d say.’
The experience of meeting multiple civilians in a ghost story.
The agent who would be most familiar with this situation spoke first.
“…Are you citizens of Segwang Special City?”
“What, you’re asking as if you’re not one yourself….”
The middle-aged man in padding who had been mumbling suddenly grasped the context.
“You’re not? You came in from somewhere else? You guys came from outside!”
“…!”
“Hey, recently! There’s a place that opened up, you came in through there, right??”
“Right! Otherwise there’s no way you’d look so intact!”
People murmur and crowd around us.
“Can we get out? How did you get in?”
“There’s a way to get out?”
“They came in! These people seem to know how to get out of here….”
It’s a reaction close to madness, like mayflies swarming toward streetlight.
But the Bronze Agent is someone who would straightforwardly say ‘there isn’t.’ That won’t do!
“Wait, please wait!”
I raised my hand and intervened.
“We came to our senses a few days ago and woke up at Casino Station Platform. …Is there anyone here who woke up with similar symptoms?”
“….”
“What on earth happened to this special city….”
“Ugh.”
The middle-aged man in padding who had been confronting us clicked his tongue and his expression changed.
And he looked back and forth between Go Young-eun and us, frowning.
“Just like her. Nothing special. Tsk.”
“….”
“Still, let’s see if you’re carrying anything useful.”
The madness had subsided.
But instead, their eyes had changed.
Greed and avarice.
Primitive desire for good supplies.
“Since we let you on, show us all the food you’re carrying.”
“I refuse.”
Manager!
“What, what?”
“You have no authority to privatize public transportation and collect fares from passengers.”
“This is….”
The padded middle-aged man tried to poke Lee Ja-heon’s chest with the mop handle, but his arm was caught immediately.
“Ugh!”
Thud!
The stick rolled across the floor. The middle-aged man frantically struggled to pull his arm free, but no matter how much he flailed, Manager Lee Ja-heon remained calm and unmoved.
“Please stop.”
“Huh? What?”
“Aaaaah!”
Chaos spread throughout the electric train interior. Several people jumped back and tried to call someone over. Damn it!
“Manager. It’s fine. Given the special circumstances, it would be better to share food supplies.”
“Oh my, that’s right. Our manager is quite strong, you see. He was just holding on, but the atmosphere turned out like this. How about letting go and continuing our discussion, Manager?”
“Yes.”
Manager Lee Ja-heon released his arm. The middle-aged man backed away, picked up the mop handle again, and squeezed between the people.
Eyes filled with terror.
And hostility rising again.
“….”
“Noru. This is actually better. This way we won’t be taken advantage of.”
Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je whispered in a low voice.
‘…I understand what you mean.’
Six healthy adult men and women would be difficult to accept all at once into such a closed, small-scale group.
‘It’s better to be in a negotiating position than to be taken advantage of and robbed.’
The problem was that this was Go Young-eun’s residence. But….
‘The treatment Young-eun receives itself is concerning.’
I had a bad feeling.
“Train Conductor!”
“Who did you let in?”
Clatter.
A person wearing a hat came out from the front cars, that is, the engineer car.
It seemed to be the ‘someone’ people had gone to call.
He appeared to be the same age as the middle-aged man, with thin lips that made him look somewhat mean, wearing an engineer’s hat.
He seemed to be the representative of this train shelter.
“Hello.”
But without responding to the greeting, the person looked us six up and down and said this:
“Where do you think this is, acting so arrogantly? Huh? If you’ve entered a safe place that others built, you should say ‘thank you~’ and bow down gratefully, not go around hitting people!”
“We didn’t hit anyone….”
“Enough. Get out.”
Then several people who had been standing back regained their momentum and joined in.
“That’s right, make them get out quickly!”
“So outrageous, really!”
“The world is in this state, and they came to steal the shelter we’ve all cultivated?”
Amid voices of fear and rejection, the train conductor waved his hands dismissively.
“Either all get out. Or, well, grovel and beg for forgiveness!”
“Train Conductor, wait a moment….”
“Young-eun. Why are you so stupid, kid?”
Go Young-eun stopped.
“We accepted you because your paternal aunt said you were a medical student, but it turns out you’re not even a real doctor and you’re on leave. What, is this a place to show off knowing how to do some disinfection?”
Go Young-eun’s face flushed red then turned pale again.
“You don’t know how to do anything properly, yet you bring in outsiders and all. What….”
This can’t go on any longer.
“Wait.”
“Stop it.”
“…!”
The words that came out simultaneously with mine overlapped.
It was the voice of someone who had apparently rushed to the first car, breathing heavily, coming from the connecting passage on the opposite side.
A woman who appeared to be in her 40s, wearing a navy vest with ‘Segwang Transportation Corporation’ written on it.
“No, Station Master, that’s….”
“How long has it been since we’ve seen decent people in here? They’re people Young-eun knows, so how wonderful to hear news from outside.”
“…Yes, yes. Well.”
The so-called train conductor suddenly lost his momentum.
So did the people who had been shouting from behind.
“I’ll handle these people, so everyone please return to your seats.”
“….”
The crowd hesitated then dispersed.
I could see people who had been quietly staying put, worried about causing a disturbance, breathing sighs of relief.
Tap.
The train conductor also brushed past me, hitting my shoulder.
I heard him muttering.
“Acting all high and mighty because she’s his niece.”
“….”
I casually stuck out my leg.
The train conductor yelled ‘Ugh!’ and nearly fell over, barely regaining his balance and glaring back at me irritably.
‘What.’
When I stared back at him as if asking whether he had accidentally bumped into my foot, he flinched and went on his way.
‘Phew.’
I rubbed my neck.
Feeling someone’s gaze, I turned my head, and Baek Sa-heon, who had made eye contact with me, flinched and quickly turned his head away.
‘Acting exactly the same….’
There was a hint there though.
Strong against the weak, weak against the strong.
It seemed this train had quite a few people who were very exclusive toward outsiders while having only survival instincts left….
‘I suppose it’s inevitable if they’ve been trapped for years.’
“Thank you for your help.”
“Don’t mention it.”
I listened to the station master’s voice as she exchanged greetings with Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je, who had stepped forward as our representative, while looking around the train.
[Hmm, it’s like a camping car occupied by homeless people. Not a very pleasant sight.]
It was a blunt description, but it actually looked quite cozy.
Inside the train, from blankets to bowls and household items, it clearly felt like people were living there.
Each seat had bedding or living equipment visible, and even the floor by the doors had fairly good quality outerwear and half-mattresses brought from somewhere.
Moreover, all the windows were covered with newspaper.
As if isolating so that outside couldn’t see in, and inside couldn’t see outside.
“….”
Wary gazes.
“Looks like about twenty-five people in roughly two cars. So estimating the total number…. Hmm.”
“It would be better to get off and talk.”
Just the gesture of assessing personnel numbers could be taken as a threat.
However, it seemed someone else had caught a different part of this conversation.
“Don’t, don’t get off, wait and see. We need somewhere safe to sleep somehow anyway.”
It was Go Young-eun.
“So, I’ll try talking with my aunt…”
“Sanyang.”
I bowed my head first.
“Thank you so much. For letting us on board even in this situation.”
“….”
He had clearly witnessed me dying covered in blood with various body parts missing, so seeing me appear unharmed would be enough to suspect a ghost story phenomenon.
And he himself probably wasn’t in a very welcome position here either.
“Still, I came back safely as promised.”
Go Young-eun seemed to be holding back tears.
Deputy Manager Lee Seong-hae tightly hugged Go Young-eun, who was trembling as she tried to suppress her surging emotions, and began patting her back.
The atmosphere calmed down after a while.
We moved to the rear cars following the ‘Station Master’s’ guidance instead of the car where the commotion had occurred.
“The front cars have a bit of an atmosphere. Please follow slowly.”
That’s when I finally got to hear the proper story of how Go Young-eun ended up in this shelter.
“…I heard a ‘rumor’. That someone called a Chogae Agent had created a safe shelter in one of the subway trains.”
“…A Disaster Management Bureau Agent?”
“I think so.”
I could tell from the Bronze Agent’s expression upon hearing the answer.
‘An agent I don’t remember.’
So probably… it might be a Blue Dragon Team agent.
The moment I thought that, my smartphone rang.
“…!”
Was this… the Blue Dragon Team’s final trace?
“…Is that Chogae Agent on the train by any chance?”
“…No. After going out to Ohu Station saying they’d get food supplies… they never came back.”
“….”
I nodded heavily, and the Bronze Agent fell quietly silent.
Then the Station Master’s voice was heard.
“We’ve arrived.”
Clatter.
The door leading to the train’s seventh car opens.
And the interior that was revealed was…
‘…A market?’
-Canned goods exchange
-Gold always buying
Paper signs made by tearing open delivery boxes and pressing down hard with magic markers were visible.
People were each sitting on the floor, and shabby mats were laid on the chairs as if preparing to display something.
The priority seats had boards added more formally.
-Car 8 accommodation ticket purchase window
[They’re like street vendors. Crude, but they’ve done a decent job imitating them.]
A kind of commercial area.
The members of this car looking at us showed surprise or wariness in their gazes, but not as excessive as the front car.
“Car 7 is where we trade with people from outside the train. It’s kind of a neutral zone… On Tuesday mornings, at a set time, we open the doors and accept people.”
Ah.
You might be able to purchase special items that exist only in Segwang Special City’s subway at Car 7.
So that’s what it meant.
‘Is this how they collect survival supplies?’
I inwardly frowned looking at the ‘Car 8 accommodation ticket’. I understood why that padded middle-aged man from Car 1 tried to extort us for free food.
Did he deliberately overreact?
“If you had come to this car, there wouldn’t have been such a big commotion. It was worse because you happened to enter Car 1. That place is… well, the area the Train Conductor is in charge of.”
“…Haven’t there been people who came to trade but then insisted on staying here permanently?”
“There have been, but outsiders can never spend a night on the train without permission. Only people that both the Train Conductor and I agree on are accepted as members.”
That tone wasn’t simply about kicking people out.
‘It seems like the agent who created this place set up some kind of measure.’
Anyway, the ‘Station Master’ who had been talking with people in Car 7 looked at me and extended his hand for another handshake.
“I’m late with introductions. I’m the person in charge of the rear cars. I’m Young-eun’s Aunt, and everyone calls me Station Master. I was originally a station employee, but things turned out this way.”
Wait.
This subway Station Master?
“By any chance… were you acquainted with an employee named ‘Heo-un’ at Hanbam Station?”
“Heo-un?”
Though puzzled by the sudden question, the Station Master answered diligently.
“Ah, I remember. You mean Lee Heo-un?”
…!
All three characters of the name written on the Joyful Research Institute ID card match exactly.
‘So it really was that person.’
“But he’s not a station employee.”
“Excuse me?”
“He’s an external technical staff member. The kind who comes to the machine room to work when there are problems.”
The Station Master stroking his chin continued.
“…Come to think of it, this city railway did have a lot of external personnel coming and going to the machine rooms at each station… Well, they were probably doing something like smart farming.”
Smart farming.
‘Growing vegetables with plants and such in the subway… was that it?’
“Of course, it wasn’t really smart farming, but some business researching new materials that could only be processed underground… Anyway, people from headquarters kept coming.”
Meaning it was a special subsidiary business.
That’s when I was certain.
‘Joyful Research Institute was definitely here.’
The new material would be the dream liquid.
Segwang City’s subway was originally a facility that Joyful Research Institute had infiltrated for research purposes.
“But why are you asking about this…?”
“Because we found his body at Hanbam Station.”
I briefly explained about Hanbit Library’s closure and the station office that was revealed as a result.
“Really? He rarely had reason to enter the station office… Anyway, I understand. So that’s what happened.”
What came back from the Station Master was the characteristic reaction of someone who had become numb from seeing too many people die.
Instead, they reacted more to the news of the closure.
‘Phew.’
They must be someone who experienced a situation where hundreds of thousands died in an extinction-level disaster.
In that sense.
“…What on earth happened in Segwang Special City?”
“…Even Youngeun didn’t know, so you really all don’t know.”
The Station Master’s face darkened.
“What on earth happened outside? According to Youngeun, Segwang Special City became a ghost story itself and turned into a non-existent area.”
That was also correct.
And for now, it would be better to only know that much.
…Rather than telling them that the government organization the Agent who created this Shelter belonged to chose to abandon and seal off the entire region, not just postpone rescue.
“That’s right.”
“Phew.”
And I silently waited for the other person’s response.
“…And what happened here.”
What happened on the day of the Segwang Special City disaster.
…
“…To put it simply, it was like a horror movie.”
“At that time, I was working at Segwang Station, when suddenly people started screaming and running down into the station. I even saw people who fell and got crushed on the stair floor and died. But they still didn’t stop.”
Aaaaah!
Scenes I’d seen in various disaster movies, horror films, and found footage videos played back as images in my mind.
In the shaking screen, people’s feet rushing down and someone falling. Blood, panic, screams, chaos.
“I was wondering what was happening when headquarters radioed that it was some kind of terrorism. I made an announcement broadcast first, then ran to try to respond somehow. While doing that, I looked outside the exit…”
The Station Master’s voice trembled.
“Behind those people, strange forms were chasing them. …I could hear footsteps.”
Thud.
“They were like giant swollen masses of flesh. Looking like two or three people mashed together.”
Thud.
“It felt so unreal that it seemed even more like a movie. And then I realized.”
“Real people were actually clumping together to become like that.”
“The people outside the exit were muttering, then suddenly covered their ears, stopped, their bodies swelled up and they started clumping together. Like masses of mucous membrane.”
I found myself imagining it.
“And I heard strange voices. To heaven? To paradise… I think that’s what it meant…”
…
“After that… I came to my senses and quickly lowered the fire shutter at the exit to block those flesh masses from entering.”
Bang bang bang bang!
“I still remember the sound of people who were still alive outside hitting the shutter. …And how it gradually became silent.”
The Station Master stopped speaking with a pale complexion.
“…That’s all I know. It would be difficult to explain it repeatedly. Bad things have happened before just from recalling it like this.”
“…Yes.”
It must be a contamination issue.
“Anyway, for that reason, it would be in your best interest not to think about going outside the subway. …Though this place isn’t exactly a normal space either.”
The Station Master nodded in greeting and soon went to the Shelter people who had set up Street Vendors.
[An interesting description. Friend, what do you think?]
What do I think?
‘…It really seems like a biochemical terrorism ghost story.’
Biological Hazard.
People who were muttering strange sounds clumping together to become flesh masses.
It’s the type that makes your spine chill because it seems both occult and like a viral infection.
‘It was definitely an infection-type ghost story.’
Right.
The ghost story that erupted in Segwang Special City was a supernatural hell that infected people as hosts like a zombie virus, spreading at tremendous speed.
Naturally, I think of the ‘Teacher’ from Sekwang Technical High School. The strange mucous membranes and pulsating flesh that were spreading there too.
‘So the evil thing that invaded the school was… the Segwang Special City disaster.’
…Thinking about it gives me an instinctive sense of tension. I wiped away the cold sweat that had formed under my chin.
The last thing that bothers me.
‘Paradise? Heaven?’
They said people were muttering such things, but just before this I had already seen a related document containing those words.
For this invitation research
Using children’s paradise syrup
-> My opinion!
Children’s paradise syrup.
‘…As expected.’
No matter how I think about it, what the Joyful Research Institute was researching was the cause of the disaster.
And reasoning through the words…
‘Was the Joyful Research Institute conducting experiments to turn this Segwang Special City into a heaven-like place through wish fulfillment?’
And it failed in a ghost story-like way, resulting in this mess?
But…
‘Why did inviting me to this world become follow-up research to this insane result?’
With a strange chill, I raised my head.
And the thing is.
Segwang Special City.
Extinction-level supernatural disaster.
‘…Didn’t I originally remember more details about this?’
My chest feels cold.
Right. I definitely remembered what the Segwang Special City ghost story was.
Because I read it on the Wiki.
‘That’s why I immediately caught on during the spy mission.’
If there were clues that might be related to the Joyful Research Institute, I should remember them in enough detail to recall and connect them by now…
…
‘I forgot at some point.’
That’s, that’s probably…
After becoming 130666.
“…”
No way.
‘Is this also… a side effect of the Wiki editing ability?’
No. Feeling some vague fear right now is meaningless.
I need to quickly escape from pointless thoughts.
Because now I’ve caught a clue.
‘Among the Joyful Research Institute facilities at each station, find a place I can visit.’
And in Segwang Special City, there are already sufficient methods prepared to utilize the Darkness Investigation Records.
I gripped my smartphone tightly.
Since the wiki gets updated when I check stations, I can find hints there and move accordingly.
….
‘If that’s the case.’
I raised my head.
This circular train had already passed Segwang Station at some point.
“We went around one full circle in the meantime.”
“Oh, we can see outside from here.”
The door of Car 7 didn’t have newspaper pasted over its glass window.
“Station Master, if it’s alright, may we also check if there are any supplies worth trading here?”
“Ah, of course. Though the goods might not be fully prepared since it’s before Tuesday.”
I left my companions who started browsing the street vendors and approached the door alone.
The Station Master advised from behind.
“Oh, the doors only open on Tuesdays, so they won’t open automatically right now.”
“Yes.”
…It really hits me now that the doors of Cars 1-3 opening in front of us earlier was the result of Young-eun forcing it.
‘Phew.’
And it’s fine that Car 7 won’t open right now.
‘What’s important is that I can ‘check’ it.’
This station is Midnight, Midnight Station….
I watched the outside scenery of the train passing through the platform of stations I knew.
Midnight Station where the casino was, Midnight Station where the library was.
And….
♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪
The next station.
This station is Twilight, Twilight Station….
I checked through the glass window.
That platform… appeared to be bleached white.
“…!”
“Ah, this is a place where you absolutely cannot get off. It was possible before, but now it’s at a temperature humans can’t endure.”
Hot heat transmitted through the window.
I listened to the explanation while doing my best to scan the interior of the platform.
Then….
It gets updated.
‘Good.’
Like that, I went around Segwang Special City and updated all stations completely in the wiki.
I thoroughly acquired all the text like licking it clean.
…There were some quite shocking stations too.
‘It’s fine.’
What’s important is that I now know which stations to pass.
‘First, I don’t need to visit Twilight Station directly.’
If we get off, we’ll all burn to death together, and the completion gimmick would probably be something like returning all items to their original places, which is practically impossible.
‘I won’t waste time.’
Let’s end the exploration of that station here.
Pass.
And the remaining three stations are actually equally dangerous….
‘To a place where I can acquire items.’
Good.
The path is definitely set.
And I can feel it with my skin.
…The anticipation that at this rate, I’ll soon be able to find the necessary answers within this strange subway’s maze-like ghost story.
Whether it’s Ho Yu-won’s or mine.
“Are you finished with trading?”
“Yeah. Roughly done. Want to take a look too?”
I received advice from my companions who had been browsing the street vendors first, and checked several items.
And I purchased several ‘unique items’ that others hadn’t bought as food.
“You’re buying that?”
“Got a problem with it?”
“No.”
I stored everything I purchased well.
And….
“Opening the door? If it’s that station, I can open it for you briefly.”
After finishing the conversation with the Station Master about getting off at one station, we set aside half of the remaining food from trading and handed it to Go Young-eun.
“I’ll bring more again.”
“….”
Go Young-eun, who had been silently looking down at it, calmed her breathing.
And she spoke in a low voice so others couldn’t hear.
“It seems like, from the circumstances, you all know how to go back and forth between this special city and the outside.”
“….”
“By any chance, even if we die here, are we fine outside?”
“…Yes. Something like that.”
“…!”
Go Young-eun’s head snapped up. A slight light appeared in her eyes.
“Then can other people also get out if they die here?”
“No!”
Good heavens.
“That’s not the case. It’s possible for us because we entered through a special method.”
I explained about Ho Yu-won’s project.
“…Ah.”
Go Young-eun’s eyes completely died.
And….
“How convenient. Well, well.”
“….”
“Phew. Sorry. It’s just… overwhelming.”
Go Young-eun sighs and rubs her tired face as I stand frozen.
The frustration, shame, and something like despair dwelling within her shows through.
“…At least, I’m genuinely glad you’re safe.”
“…”
“I’ll also… try to find more ways to get out of here in my own way.”
Living as an outsider in a small society is exhausting work. Especially if it’s a shelter in the middle of a disaster.
The wiser and more capable one was, the greater the mental hardship would be…
‘…Young-eun.’
That’s when it happened.
“Agent Park Ha.”
The Bronze Agent spoke.
“Next time I come in, I’ll bring agent equipment.”
“…!”
“You’ll be able to move around more effectively.”
Go Young-eun hesitated for a moment.
But as if realizing something, a flash of light seemed to flicker in her eyes, then she swallowed.
“…Yes.”
“And… thank you.”
The Bronze Agent hesitated before speaking.
“For letting us board the train, we learned that there are still survivors here.”
“…!”
“Sanyang.”
I added.
“Director Ho must know how to get something out of here. That’s why he started the project in the first place.”
“…!”
There’s definitely a way out.
That’s what I was indirectly saying.
“So… if possible, could you share all the ‘rumors’ you’ve heard about this subway or Segwang Special City?”
“Of course.”
We had quite a long conversation, collecting information about Young-eun’s ‘rumors’.
And.
♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪
“We’ve arrived.”
At our destination once again, we stepped through the door the Station Master had opened for us.
“Be careful.”
Young-eun had more color in her face than before.
“When you finish exploring and come to Car 7, I’ll see the signal and open it right away. I already got permission from Paternal Aunt, that is… the Station Master.”
“Thank you.”
[When you have a strong goal, that’s how you get out of a slump! Congratulations, Noru. You’ve gained a local collaborator.]
‘…Right.’
However.
‘I’m not sure what you’ll think about this station.’
[Friend?]
I was the last of our group to get off at the platform.
The place we chose is right here.
Segwang Transportation Corporation
Ohu Station
This place with the ominous name Blood Broadcasting Station…
“…Lighting?”
Somewhere flashy and psychedelic lights were spinning and flashing, fireworks were going off, and confetti was scattered all over the floor.
And on the stairs covered with red carpet… a giant font sign.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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