Labyrinth Exploration 101 - Chapter 143
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Labyrinth Exploration 101 Episode 143
Spear Ghost(6)
[Can you hear me?]
Crackle crackle. Seo Jong-myeong’s voice wavering through the frequency.
“Don’t worry.”
Lee Jun-ho turned off the radio. He picked up the phone receiver while looking at the blood dripping from his forearm.
“I hurt myself just like you said.”
─Phew. Thank goodness!
A long diagonal wound, cut deep enough to expose muscle.
It’s hot like a burn. The pain is heartbreakingly agonizing, but not entirely unpleasant.
Lee Jun-ho smiled.
“But you know what. I’ve been thinking about something.”
Who is it… where is it…
“Why was only the child’s corpse left behind? Everyone else went missing.”
Missing.
Not just Seo Jong-myeong, but all other clues pointed to disappearances, not murders. Because there were no bodies.
But Kim So-yeon was found.
What about all the other missing people?
Were they buried somewhere no one could find them, somewhere no one could ever discover them?
That simply?
─You found her. Thank goodness.
“No. No matter how I think about it, we didn’t find the child’s body – that bastard just couldn’t use it.”
The child’s face had been almost completely torn off.
‘Almost.’
One ear remained. As if he hadn’t been able to finish the job.
“The culprit wore the teacher’s body and killed So-yeon. And then he was planning to transfer. But.”
Splash splash splash… Looking painfully at the blood pooling on the stair landing, Lee Jun-ho took off his clothes. Both his coat and shirt at once.
“That’s when the witness came. You came.”
─…Yes. That’s right.
The bastard on the other end of the receiver responded.
─I witnessed it and barely escaped. I’m trying to tell you that method now.
“Right. You.”
Lee Jun-ho’s smile deepened. The corners of his mouth split as deeply as a ghost’s.
“Let me ask you. How did you recognize us and call us ‘you people’ from the very beginning?”
What the witness had said when he first answered the phone.
‘Don’t tell me, you people, this number, are you at Jeoldong Elementary School right now?’
‘Damn it. Since you’ve answered this phone, you people are in the exact same situation I was in back then.’
“I was definitely the one who answered. Not Seol Ha-woon, not Kang Hyeon, not Kate, just me alone.”
─…It was a guess. Who would go there alone?
“Just so you know, don’t hang up the phone. I know that 3-minute thing is all your bullshit too.”
In this village, 3 minutes is at least 60 minutes.
─What do you… the public phone rang three times. That’s how this call connected. Did you even read the precautions-
“Hey, you son of a bitch.”
Lee Jun-ho floated his clothes in the blood. The white fabric was being dyed crimson.
“Since when was this a public phone?”
[Jeoldong Elementary School Safety Phone!]
[Call your parents~]
[3 minutes free!]
“This red telephone is a safety phone. The public phone is separately on the 1st floor, you bastard.”
The conversation Seol Ha-woon and Seo Jong-myeong had when they first came here.
‘Is there a telephone anywhere?’
‘There’s one on each floor’s stair landing. There’s also a public phone on the 1st floor.’
Seo Jong-myeong clearly distinguished between the stair landing phone and the public phone.
Souls are honest. Honest enough to believe Truck is police.
Therefore, this safety phone is definitely not a public phone.
“Where do you get off trying to fool me with such shallow tricks.”
Kids… where are you…
“I think you didn’t escape. No, you weren’t allowed to escape. You killed that witness.”
Lee Jun-ho thoroughly soaked the front and back of the clothes.
“It never made sense from the start. Why would a bastard like you just leave a witness alone?”
Who’s there…!
He picked up the red-dyed clothes and threw them down the stairs.
Flutter, flutter.
They fell slowly.
“You told us to suspect Seo Jong-myeong, but let’s think about it. The door closing.”
It’s you───!!!!!!!!!
“It was right after I answered your call.”
The vengeful spirit came thudding down, brushed past Lee Jun-ho, and lunged toward the red clothes that had sunk to the 1st floor.
“If she had to wear red clothes, that child wouldn’t have died either.”
The child died while wearing red clothes.
“You wrote the 9th clause too, didn’t you? Do you have a color fetish?”
Red clothes are probably his ‘restriction.’
Talents don’t manifest infinitely.
Especially with annoying, shitty abilities like this, the conditions and limits are clear.
“Right after killing, you have to cut off the victim’s face and swallow the body using some method we don’t know yet. Within at least a few minutes.”
Probably the reason the missing people’s bodies weren’t found.
“While definitely wearing red clothes.”
It’s an unusual restriction, but it’s actually convincing since it’s a talent closely related to human ‘appearance.’
“That’s why the vengeful spirits go berserk when they see red clothes. Because of you stealing their bodies and contaminating their souls.”
─….
“I’ll tell you. You tried to devour So-yeon but got caught by the witness, and wasted time hunting down and killing the witness. That’s why you couldn’t properly dispose of the body.”
The witness remained silent for a long time.
“How about that.”
A bright smile bloomed across Lee Jun-ho’s face.
“You’ll be caught soon, won’t you?”
─…Haha.
The other side laughed in the same way.
“What are you laughing at, you fucking bastard. I’ll find you and tear you to pieces. Bastards who touch kids don’t even deserve to live-”
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha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hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah
Drip.
The call ended.
“…This fucking bastard.”
Lee Jun-ho turned on the radio again.
“Mr. Seo Jong-myeong. Can you hear me?”
[Yes.]
“Where is the ghost right now?”
[…going back up there from the first floor.]
No… where is it…
“Can’t you attack inside the classroom?”
Lee Jun-ho crouched down and prepared to leap.
Ghosts do prioritize chasing people in red clothes, but if you get caught, you’re definitely dead.
It’s a definite hunch.
[I’m not sure about that, but please get away from there quickly.]
Whoosh! He shot up several meters from where he stood.
Push off the wall once more on the 4th floor, then up to the 6th floor.
Hey! Who’s running in the hallway!
I returned to the science lab without being late.
“Phew.”
Lee Junho, relieved, looked at the two people in the science lab and the truck.
The truck flashed its headlights.
─So you found out as much as you undressed.
“…Huh!”
Lee Jun-ho discreetly covered his completely bare upper body. Kate turned her gaze away as if she couldn’t stand the sight, and Kang Hyun took off his coat and tossed it over.
“Wear that.”
“Hey. If you take everything off and just wear this, wouldn’t it look even more perverted?”
“Better than being cold.”
“That’s just how it turned out~ Well, it’s no big deal~”
Lee Junho leaned against the window as he explained his deduction.
I don’t want to show off, but my body moves on its own.
“Sure.”
Ganghyeon looked at Soyeon.
“This child….”
─…a corpse that has become neither soul nor vengeful spirit.
A pitiful dead soul that was spat out before being consumed, that is, during digestion, becoming nothing at all.
“What the hell.”
Lee Junho roughly tousled his hair with a disgusted expression on his face.
“It’s such a shame. So much…”
Kate also showed performative sympathy.
For the camera, for the viewers, even close your eyes tightly as if you’re observing a moment of silence.
“Now let’s think hard about how we can get out of here.”
─I think we already have a solution.
“Really?”
Lee Junho’s eyes widened.
─Hey. You. Tell them yourself.
─…Huh? Me?
Suddenly the truck was playing a dual role.
─Yeah. You.
─How? Can I just say it?
Listening closely, it’s Yoon Hwa-rim.
─Yeah. Go ahead, I’m listening.
─Mmm… Hey everyone~ I’m Hwarim. I went around the village investigating Teacher Lee Se-eun, you know? That Teacher Lee Se-eun, she apparently really loved children.
He/She loved children very much.
The three people’s gazes fixed on Soyeon on the desk.
─And that Kim Soyeon girl… she’s from an orphanage. Since she has no family… she relied heavily on Teacher Lee Seeun. Teacher Seeun would even invite her home and spend time with her often…
Everyone nodded.
Seol Ha-un switched his grip on the microphone.
─What sound does a ghost make when it cries?
Guys…
Just then, I faintly heard the ghost’s voice.
─I’ve been looking for this. There’s only one child, but I have to send her. To the adult the child loved most.
“Yes. Just in case, this red coat is a bit….”
Junho took off Soyeon’s coat.
“Let’s go right away. I’ll lead the way.”
Ganghyeon opened the door. Lee Junho lifted Soyeon into his arms.
“Hey. The teacher is looking for you.”
Going outside with the child.
Trudge, trudge.
I go down the stairs.
Trudge, trudge.
A resonance that feels particularly intense. I’m still not certain, so I’m a bit nervous too.
Who’s there──!
Don’t run in the hallway!
The ghost spotted them. The group froze, stopping dead in their tracks.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
At the end of the hallway, the vengeful spirit strides closer. Swaying like a crane fly.
His arms are ordinary, but his legs, waist, and especially the area below his chin are unusually long. His neck in particular is so long that even when it reaches the ceiling, he still has to keep it half-bent.
Her cause of death was likely strangulation.
Who are you!
“…Teacher. Here.”
Lee Jun-ho carefully set So-yeon down. Then he stepped backward.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
It’s you──!
Thud thud thud thud thud!
The vengeful spirit that had been charging at the living with blue eyes, not even looking at So-yeon, suddenly.
….
Stopped.
Looking down at the small child placed at its feet, quietly.
It lowered its gaze silently.
It bowed its head.
As if trying to confirm the child.
Like a beast sniffing its young.
So-yeon….
─Let’s go.
Truck called to the three people. The group moved their legs again.
You were here….
The vengeful spirit’s body slowly bent down.
It descended toward the corpse.
With its neck, arms, legs, it embraced the child.
The last scene that caught Lee Jun-ho’s eyes.
My So-yeon…..
The three people reached the Central Entrance on the 1st Floor. The door was still closed, but flash! A flashlight shone on them.
“Everyone, come this way.”
It was Seo Jong-myeong.
He guided the group to a side door… or rather, what could barely be called a hole. It was a gap in the corner of the shabby Security Room.
They crawled out of the school grounds wriggling.
The foggy Night Sky had never felt so welcome.
“…Wow. Shit. This is crazy.”
“Haa… Is there any cold Water anywhere.”
“…I want to shower.”
Lee Jun-ho, Kang Hyeon, Kate. All three were soaked in sweat.
Seo Jong-myeong asked.
“Is everyone alright?”
─Yes. We’re safe.
Truck answered instead.
“That’s a relief. Did you get what you wanted?
─Yes. We obtained evidence.
How that thing’s ability works. And clues to track it down.
It’s a great achievement.
“That’s fortunate.”
Seo Jong-myeong took off his hat in relief.
“….”
“….”
“….”
Everyone stared at the back of his head for a moment.
It was dented like a steamed bun with a bite taken out of it.
It was an injury that perfectly matched the Club that Seo Jong-myeong held in his hand.
Kate muttered in disbelief.
“So you’re carrying around the weapon that killed you with your own hands…”
* * *
A night where the full moon illuminated the fog, with no sign of dawn approaching.
Lee Jun-ho was sitting on the Stand.
All the strength had drained from his body. Even half of his body was covered in blood.
“…Did I cut too deep.”
He was trying to examine his forearm that was still bleeding when.
─You got excited just like yourself.
Rattle rattle rattle rattle. Truck approached.
“Right.”
Lee Jun-ho chuckled.
“I swore… too much. This is going on broadcast.”
─Don’t worry about that.
Whirr. Truck made its Robot Arm round and placed it on Lee Jun-ho’s chest.
Sizzle!
“Ah, hot!”
Lee Jun-ho was startled.
“What, what is it?”
─A Tattoo proving you’re real. I stamped the other kids too.
[R]
“No. If you’re going to do it, at least make it cool. What’s with this pig grade Mark… Does it work?”
─Yeah. If you get eaten, this Scab will disappear.
“Ah. Then well… Pfft.”
Lee Jun-ho chuckled. But he soon became serious and looked up at the Sky.
His eyes became cloudy.
Suddenly, he felt really shitty.
“…You know. Me.”
Lee Jun-ho muttered while letting out a deflated breath.
“I had a younger sibling.”
In memories not so distant, a face still clearly smiling. An outline that wouldn’t fade even with time.
“She was… 9 years younger than me.”
To me, always a young and cute Child.
“But she died.”
Before she even turned nine, she left this world too early. She withered away without even discovering her dreams.
“She was murdered. That little Child.”
From that moment, it felt like a screw in my heart broke.
I got angry easily, just kept laughing emptily, and wanted to cut down anything that annoyed me.
Crack crack crack crack. The sound of twisting rang out constantly.
Lee Jun-ho looked at his own wound.
“He was stabbed much deeper than this. Was it 17 times, or 16 times…?”
Though bone fragments were visible beyond the muscle, it was already healing.
I heal, but my younger sibling cannot return.
“On that bridge, I heard his voice. Just a little, after a long time.”
Lee Jun-ho gritted his teeth. His jawline hardened like stone.
“Da-on. He was such a pretty kid.”
Now he’s gone too far away.
Forever, we can never meet again.
─That’s unfortunate.
“…”
It was T-like comfort, but still, it must be this person’s sincerity.
Since he seems like someone naturally bad at empathy. Since this person has no family either.
“But you know what. When hyung killed James in the Space Labyrinth, do you know why I got angry?”
─What was it.
Even his response was T-like.
Lee Jun-ho let out a hollow laugh.
“…I was angry because I couldn’t kill him. I should have killed him. The one who betrayed me.”
Haah…
He exhaled the hot air filling his lungs and took in the cold sky.
“But what’s even stranger is. I want to kill people I hate and…”
Lee Jun-ho placed his hand on his sword.
“I also want to kill the people I cherish. If a situation comes where they must die.”
I hope they don’t die at someone else’s hands.
If they must die, please let it be by my hand.
“Funny, right? How did I end up like this…?”
How did I become so pathetically broken?
“If I’m not careful, will I become like this villain too?”
─No. Set principles.
Truck answered briefly.
“Principles?”
─Yes. Lines you absolutely won’t cross. And lines you absolutely won’t allow.
Seol Ha-woon’s voice is mysterious. You could say it feels uniquely trustworthy.
It’s dense and seamlessly stable, making the nickname Jemal-ol so understandable.
─And just leave yourself between those lines. So you don’t explode. So you don’t break. If you maintain that for a long time, those lines will become your own beliefs and sustain you.
Truck flashed his headlights. It seemed like a smile.
Lee Jun-ho also grinned.
“Thanks. But…”
Now, this is Lee Jun-ho’s final deduction.
“Hyung knew from the beginning, didn’t you?”
The decisive clue came from the conversation between Seol Ha-woon and Seo Jong-myeong.
When Seol Ha-woon first asked about a ‘telephone’ rather than a ‘public phone’, everything was actually decided.
Still, the reason he didn’t step forward was to fill our quota?
To hand over the spotlight to us?
No.
Absolutely not.
This person…
“You suspected us. Until the very end.”
It was because he suspected us.
─…
Did I hit the mark? Truck says nothing. Doesn’t even move.
“Heheh.”
Lee Jun-ho felt like the victor against that Jemal-ol─
─Did you come alone? Then meals 1 nyang, lodging 1 nyang.
“…Huh?”
Lee Jun-ho’s face contorted in dismay.
─Really? Only 1 nyang? Then you can only get lodging. But you know what. From what I can see, you probably have about 3 nyang, Ho-jong.
“…”
─If you don’t buy now, you’ll definitely regret it later. Especially when the other kids are eating, you’ll just be sucking your fingers.
“Ugh…”
He squeezed his eyes shut.
This guy suddenly went into business mode again.
─Look look~ You do have it. 3 nyang… 2 more nyang than that? Total 5 nyang? Good, if you pay all 5 nyang at once, I’ll give you a discount of 3 lodgings and 3 meals. I’m not that heartless a person…
You’re damn heartless, what are you talking about.
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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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