Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 586 Even His Majesty, especially His Majesty
Thales walked out of the cell where Anke had been interrogated, his expression blank and his mind in a daze.

In front of Raphael and Nob, he still instinctively maintained the dignity and composure befitting the Duke of Starlake, his every move elegant and steady—he remembered everything that had happened in the interrogation room, and how his words and actions, rather than their specific content, had a profound and irreversible impact.

This was his fortune, and also his curse.

But when the two secret agents approached, still respectful (yet with lingering doubts), and asked the prince, "What did he say to you?"...

“It’s nothing,” Thales said, remembering only that his voice was calm and composed, as always.

"He was just unwilling to accept his fate and was begging to live."

Neither Raphael nor Nob said anything.

However, the Bone Man's gaze lingered on him for a little longer.

Norbu looked around more seriously.

But that doesn't matter anymore.

The carriage is about to depart; what will you do?

Hold tight to your sword.

The words that Anke, barely clinging to life, managed to utter with all his might echoed in his mind like a leech, reverberating loudly and persistently.

"Please follow me, Your Highness, the exit is this way."

Before the absent-minded Thales, Norb bowed respectfully, displaying humility and modesty.
"According to the rules, we cannot return the way we came."

But Raphael appeared before him and Thales, giving Nob a dismissive glance:
"I'll see him out."

Nob smiled and nodded without refuting, while Gomez behind him looked back and forth between the two, occasionally stealing a glance at Thales.

But Thales didn't care.

The boy only remembered that he politely and humbly thanked Nob and Gomez, and mechanically left under their respectful, submissive, or flattered gazes.

"You said you only started taking charge of interrogations today?" Raphael stared intently at the calm-faced Nob.

“Indeed.” Nob smiled and nodded as he watched the prince’s departing figure.

Raphael glanced at the unconscious Anker.

"What a blessing."

The skeletal man said coldly, then turned and followed the prince:
"What a coincidence."

Norb bowed respectfully and saw Raphael off.

Only when the other person disappeared did his eyes become deep and strange.

"Good, that troublesome prince is finally gone." Wiping his sweat, the fat Gomez, like someone who had just finished a major exam, tugged at his apron, causing his fat to jiggle. He turned to look at the naked Anke and happily grabbed a pair of pliers:
"Now we can get back to the main point, let's see how thoroughly I squeeze him dry..."

"Gomez."

"Yes?"

Norb turned around, his face expressionless:

"stop."

Gomez walked towards Anker with the pliers in hand, but his smile froze halfway through.
"Okay, I'm coming right now—wait, what?"

Norb, with a calm expression, walked towards the unconscious Anke, leaning on his cane.
“From now on, stop using harsh torture on him, and stop using gentle torture such as sleep deprivation. If necessary, even give him pain relief.”

Gomez looked completely bewildered:
"Then... how should we ask them?"

Norb shook his head:
"Let's just pretend we're on guard duty now, and keep the interrogation to the point of being verbal; that's enough."

Having worked together for a long time, Gomez sensed the calm yet resolute tone in the other person's voice and hesitated slightly:
"But we've finally made it back to the capital, and now we've encountered this major case in the Western Wilderness. If we don't seize this opportunity to make a contribution..."

"We have already done a good job."

Nob glanced into the darkness outside the door, then leaned down to observe their prisoners, his eyes gleaming:
"Just now."

Have they already made a contribution?
Gomez blinked, still unwilling to give up, he wanted to try again:
“But didn’t you say this guy is holding back or hiding something, maybe even some big news? The previous interrogators almost broke him. We need to get something out of him before he completely breaks down or is sent to the gallows, so Lord Hansen—”

“No,” Nob interrupted him again, straightening up with his cane in his hand, “trust me.”

"He won't die."

Under Gomez's puzzled gaze, Nob glanced at Anke, who was covered in wounds and almost completely injured, and said quietly:

"Not today."

Thales walked expressionlessly down the dimly lit underground corridor of the Secret Service.

But he felt as if he were standing on the Demon Prince Tower of the Baki Camp, enduring the biting wind, the flying sand, and the icy palms.

He told me that if I ever had to use this as a bargaining chip...

Raphael walked ahead of him, leading the way, his back to him, a somber figure.

[I must give it to you...]

Instead of returning the way they came, they went through checkpoint after checkpoint, navigating through the maze-like underground corridors.

But Thales no longer cared.

[This is the only option I can give to you.]

Thales clenched his fist.

why.

His gaze pierced through the darkness of the corridor, and in a daze, it was projected onto the Western Wilderness a thousand miles away, to that repulsive-looking, eccentric nobleman who often liked to laugh maliciously.

Just a few months ago, he was speaking eloquently and giving advice on current affairs in front of me.

He displayed a unique style, showing concern for the country and its people.

but.

why?
He is the person behind Anker.

He handed over the very thing that could have been used to suppress the feudal lords of the Western Wilderness and destroy his own Great Wall.

It was handed over to... a bright star.

Thales gritted his teeth.

He didn't understand at first and felt extremely anxious.

But after he came to his senses, he became even more anxious, restless, and uneasy.

why?
Cyril Falkenhausen.

That self-righteous and pretentious old bastard.

What gives him the right to do this?

Who does he think he is?
What power does he have?
What logic does he have?!
he--

"Wow, Morat's snake cubs."

A male voice with a northern accent came from behind the cell door, pulling Thales back to reality:
"haven't seen you for a long time."

Raphael ignored the other person's familiar tone and strode past the cell door.

Snake cubs.

Upon hearing this, Thales, in a daze, felt a strange sense of familiarity—back in Exter, Grand Duke Aurelius of Wilan often called him "the little viper of the stars" in a vicious tone.

What's more, the prisoner who said this had a northern accent.

It was as if he had returned to the past.

Returning to those days in Dragon City when, despite the hardships, he was able to persevere without much worry, and even find joy amidst the suffering...

Dragon Sky City.

Thales' pupils twitched.

He paused, his steps faltering, and he came to a complete stop.

Raphael sensed something was amiss, frowned, and turned around.

Thales slowly turned around and stared intently at the iron prison door from which the sound had come.

A small gate was left open on the door, and the unusually bright light in the corridor cast a dim glow on the gate, revealing a blurry figure.

"What an honor it is to have you grace us with your presence!"

Thales's eyes slowly widened.

He took a deep breath and leaned forward, trying to see the figure behind the iron gate.

Until a hand suddenly reached out from behind.

"Qiang!"

Raphael appeared in front of him, roughly pulled the iron gate shut, and locked it securely.

"You've gone to the wrong place, Your Highness," the Bone Man said nonchalantly.

"The way out is ahead."

Thales stood in front of the cell, staring intently at the closed iron gate.

"why?"

The prince's voice unconsciously took on a hint of coldness:
Why turn it off?

Raphael maintained his smile and asked in return...
"Why did you stop?"

Thales paused for a moment, his gaze fixed on the iron gate.

“Open it,” he said calmly.

Raphael chuckled softly, his attitude casual and cynical:

"Just an annoying prisoner..."

Thales looked around. There were many such narrow cells in this small corridor, but clearly, only this one was holding a prisoner.

Solitary confinement.

“Open it, Raphael,” Thales repeated calmly.

The atmosphere was a little solemn.

Raphael paused for a second, his smile gradually fading, and he reverted to a businesslike tone:

"Your Highness, these are the Secret Service's wanted criminals and internal affairs..."

Thales didn't let him continue; the prince slowly enunciated each word, his voice as cold as ice:
“I command you, Raphael: Open it.”

Raphael frowned:
“According to the rules of the Secret Service, Your Highness…”

Thales' eyes flashed with anger, and he lost his composure and roared:

"Damn it, just open it!"

In that instant, all the oppression and grievances he felt in the secret department transformed into rage, exploding in his chest.

Faced with the prince's sudden outburst, Raphael's expression remained unchanged, his eyes gradually becoming calm.

Thales could no longer tolerate it. He stepped forward, grabbed the handle without saying a word, and pulled open the iron gate!

"Keng!"

The clanging of metal echoed in the corridor.

Raphael did not stop him, but his gaze was cold.

"What's wrong, La?" the same voice rang out again, mocking:

"It's been so long, how about you treat me to a nice meal?"

A stubble-covered face appeared at the gate, casting a cold glance at Raphael.

The moment Thales saw the other person's face, his eyes widened.

"Gu?"

Shock and confusion washed over Thales at the same time, forcing him to speak out:
"It's you?"

Behind the gate, the face, so characteristic of the Far East, stiffened slightly.

The prisoner turned to Thales, slightly puzzled.

Raphael's expression darkened, and he let out a barely perceptible breath.

That's right.

Incredulous, Thales scrutinized every inch of the Far Eastern prisoner's face, overcoming any doubt about the prisoner's voice, and completely confirming his earlier guess.

It's him.

It was indeed him.

Six years ago, the butcher in Dragon City, the Far Easterner who had given him shelter and a meal on that desperate morning after the night of Dragon Blood.

“It’s you, Gu.”

Thales said blankly.

In an instant, scenes from the past flashed before his eyes: Longxiao City, Xichi Avenue, the butcher shop, Little Sly...

but--

"and who are you?"

Through the narrow gate, the disheveled-looking Far Eastern man glanced at Thales and gestured toward Raphael with his lip:
"His mistress, whom he longed for day and night but could never have?"

Raphael snorted coldly and did not reply.

"I……"

Thales looked at his old friend, seeing him huddled in this narrow and confined cell, and felt a complex mix of emotions, a feeling that was hard to describe.

He took a deep breath.

"Six and a half dollars, remember?"

Six and a half dollars.

In that instant, the prisoner's gaze slowly froze.

He took a closer look at the handsome young man, who was neatly dressed and only half a head shorter than Raphael, and gradually realized what was going on, and then felt relieved.

"Oh," Gu turned around, his face disappearing at the gate, followed by a muffled thud from the iron gate: "It's you."

"So you escaped, Little Prince—and perhaps you're no longer little."

His words were full of melancholy and感慨:

"You and your little maid didn't fall into the hands of that cunning Commas man."

The Little Prince.

Commas people.

Gu's words stirred up Thales' memories.

It was as if he had returned to the butcher shop from six years ago, climbed onto the table with the little rascal, picked up a bowl, and drank the meat soup with a heavy heart.

Raphael exhaled through his nose, clearly displeased.

"what happens?"

Thales lunged at the iron gate and asked urgently:
"Gu, why..."

Thales paused in his speech.

and many more.

Gu's impression of himself was still from six years ago, the moment Marquis Slays took the prince and the little rascal away.

Thales' pupils slowly dilated.

He had no idea what happened to him after that night.

They were even less aware of the story of the second prince of the stars, which later spread throughout the common people.

That means……

Thales frowned, staring intently at the darkness behind the gate.

A disdainful laugh came from behind the iron gate.

Thales took a deep breath, suppressing his anger, and asked Raphael beside him as calmly as possible:

"He was imprisoned here six years ago."

The prince spoke with difficulty:
"why?"

Raphael crossed his arms, his expression slightly somber.

"Six years?"

Gu's voice rang out, tinged with surprise and self-mockery.

"Damn it, without the sun as a reference, the time calculation is indeed inaccurate."

Thales felt a pang of sadness upon hearing this.

He thought of the guards and prisoners in the prison of bones, and the profound感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a complex feeling of deep emotion or wistfulness) they all expressed after learning the length of their imprisonment.

“Your Highness, you have completed your task,” Raphael said coldly.
There's absolutely no need to complicate things.

Gu's sneer rang out again.

Thales suppressed his unusual emotions and tried his best to think calmly and rationally.

six years ago……

Something must have happened to Gu after they parted ways.

This led him to this place, where he is now imprisoned.

The sins of the River of Hell came uninvited, filling Thales's mind, washing away his memories, and revealing an old scene.

[Your Highness, do you remember what happened in Dragon Sky City six years ago?]

On the day he fled Dragon City, Putila's words in the secret passage echoed in his ears.

No, that's not all.

Six years ago, on that day, in the shadows unseen by us, beyond Valhalla and the Shield District, other things happened.

Thales suddenly looked up.

"That night, Raphael."

He looked at Raphael, staring intently into the other's dark red eyes:
"In Dragon Sky City, that night of dragon blood," the prince gritted his teeth and pressed for the key question:

“Aside from disasters, besides Rumba, besides what happens in Valhalla…”

"What else did you do?"

“What does he have to do with Gu?” But Raphael remained motionless, his expression deep and somber.

"What have you done?"

The same Far Eastern man with a northern accent answered the boy, his tone full of sarcasm:
"What else can they do?"

"As always, upholding the fine traditions of the secret department, they won't even let go of the bones left over by dogs."

Thales and Raphael turned to look at the cell at the same time; the former looked surprised and suspicious, while the latter looked gloomy.

"Just like they did to everyone, including you."

Gu called out the boy's name with a cold smile:
"Prince Thales".

Thales's expression changed, and he was about to speak, but Raphael spoke first, his tone distant:

“I would love to answer your question, Your Highness, but this is not my case.”

Thales's face darkened.

"Nonsense," Gu scoffed from behind the door, exposing Raphael's words.
"Six years ago, wasn't it you who first found me?"

Thales squinted at Raphael.

This wasn't the first time he had rejected her today.

The skeletal man stared at the darkness beyond the sluice gate, his eyes filled with terror.
"Your Highness, your private contact with a wanted criminal is already an exception; please don't take any more risks..."

"Lord Hansen said it!"

Thales suddenly raised his voice, interrupting Raphael:
"The reason I don't get along with you is that we always do things our own way and there's no communication between us."

Raphael said nothing.

But Thales stared intently into his red eyes, as if trying to tear open the world behind his pupils:
"Now is a good opportunity for change."

The Far Easterners behind the door laughed, half mocking and half disdainful.

Raphael remained calm and composed, silently enduring the prince's sharp gaze, which seemed capable of piercing through iron walls.

“Not here, not now,” he said calmly.

In the dimly lit corridor, Thales and Raphael stood on either side of the iron prison door, facing each other in silence.

The ever-burning lights elongated their shadows, like two parallel train tracks.

The gate on the door blocked their way, making it dark, gloomy, and bottomless.

"He helped me, I owe him my life."

Thales felt incredibly calm. The sin of the River of Hell flowed through every vein in his body, making him increasingly aware of the location of this small corridor.

It was as if he stood outside the oil painting.

Gazing at the universe within the painting.

“If he’s locked up, I need to know why.” Thales’ tone was cold, yet carried an undeniable air of authority.

That night.

That crucial night.

That night not only altered the future destinies of two great powers and determined the world's political landscape, but it may also have been a night of hidden undercurrents, burying countless secrets.

That was the night that aroused Putila's suspicions, forcing her to evade the Secret Service's surveillance and privately warn Thales.

Clearly, Gu is one piece of the puzzle.

Raphael's aura gradually changed, from smooth and casual to sharp and dangerous, causing Thales a slight sting.

In that instant, the person standing before him was no longer Raphael, the young man who had rescued him from prison six years ago and then risked his life to go to Valhalla with him.

Instead, he is a secret agent, the Bone Killer, whose identity is mysterious, whose intentions are unpredictable, and whose methods are terrifying and dangerous.

But Thales didn't back down an inch, simply meeting the other's gaze head-on.

"If you're going to show compassion, then perhaps you need to know that as well."

Raphael's voice deepened, yet carried a strange, grating quality, its warning unmistakable:
"He has harmed us and owes us many lives."

They harmed us.

Thales was silent for a second.

“I’m not letting him go,” the prince said, his expression softening slightly, but his words remained firm, gradually escalating:
"I just want to find out some things—secrets concerning the Starry Sky royal family."

Raphael squinted.

"Knowledge must be kept secret," he stated calmly but firmly, quoting the motto left to the Secret Service by the former head of the Secret Service, "The Wise Minister" Halva Karabyan:

"It is our department's responsibility."

Thales's gaze sharpened.

"You missed the first sentence."

The prince retorted sharply, speaking coldly:
“You are the king’s eyes and ears.”

Raphael snorted coldly.

"When you are crowned king," the skeletal man's reply made the atmosphere even colder and more somber.

"It's not too late to talk about it later."

Crowned king.

Thales remained expressionless.

But within him, the sins of the Hell River began to boil anew, transforming anger and coldness into dangerous weapons.

Raphael frowned immediately—his hands involuntarily tensed.

"You're wrong, Your Highness, you've grown up."

However, at that moment, Gu's voice rang out, interrupting the unfriendly conversation, still full of sarcasm and disdain:
“You and the secret department don’t get along, not because you can’t communicate with each other.”

Thales and Raphael turned their heads at the same time.

The face of the Far Easterner reappeared at the gate; he knocked lightly on the iron gate, his tone full of contempt.
"It's because you're still a human being."

He stared intently at the skeleton, his eyes cold and sinister.

"Not... a monster."

Raphael's expression remained unchanged, but the corners of his mouth slowly tightened.

"Do you know, Prince?"

Gu suddenly laughed and said to Thales in a serious tone:

"Six years ago, in a hotel in the Spear District of Dragon Sky City..."

The next moment, Raphael's arm blurred into a shadow and pressed the iron gate shut!
Thales made a swift move!
But the instant their skin touched, Thales' expression changed:
An immense force, a distinct stinging pain, and a strange, writhing sensation of flesh all came from my hand at the same time.

This is--

"boom!"

A brutal clang of metal echoed down the corridor!
Thales stared at the scene before him, his face ashen.
He gripped the Bone Man's wrist tightly, but he couldn't stop the man from pulling the iron gate shut again, plunging Gu's sarcastic expression back into darkness.

He lost.

The River of Sin roared and flowed swiftly, relieving the numbness and pain in Thales's hands.

Thales looked up angrily:
"Open it."

But Raphael's arm was as if cast in bronze and iron, firmly pressed against the handle of the iron gate.

"Your Highness, we have a good relationship and have even shared life and death," the Bone Man said softly.

Please don't make things difficult for me.

The River of Sin boiled once more. Thales gritted his teeth and exerted all his strength, but Raphael's arm remained motionless, like an endless black hole, silently enduring all the power Thales could unleash.

A few seconds later, knowing he was no match for Thales, he exhaled through his nose and released his opponent.

The sin of the River of Hell receded painfully from his hands, leaving only a roar of resentment.

“I think I understand,” the second prince said, his gaze sharp as a sword, piercing Raphael’s eyes.

"Why can't you and Miranda be together?"

The skeletal man's expression changed slightly.

"That's definitely not because of your identities."

Thales said coldly:

"And simply because of you, because of who you are."

"Raphael Lindbergh".

Raphael remained motionless, his expression frozen.

Looking at the other person's expression, Thales silently began to ponder.

Gu didn't finish his sentence.

But that was enough.

The information revealed by the Far Easterners, like a long-lost puzzle piece, flowed into Thales's churning mind.

That's enough for him to piece together the next clue.

Next chip.

[Listen carefully, Your Highness. What I'm about to say is something that Gilbert, that hypocritical old fox, would never tell you.]

A warning, tinged with deep skepticism, echoed in his mind:
[It's not something that some mysterious secret department would tell you.]

[I will remember this, Your Highness.]

In this matter, don't trust anyone...

"Hotel".

Thales silently gazed at Raphael:
"Gu told me about the hotel in the Mao District."

As expected, he was pleased to see Raphael's expression change slightly.

The Bone Man said in a deep voice, "That was because he had ulterior motives and ill intentions, trying to sow discord and disturb your peace of mind."

Thales smiled.

“But you told me that the headquarters of the secret department in Longxiao City, which is the mahjong parlor in the Maoqu District that I left, was also a hotel six years ago.”

Raphael's hand remained pressed against the iron gate, his face as cold as ice.
"I didn't say that."

Thales stepped forward, a contemptuous smirk playing on his lips:
"That means you forgot."

Raphael's eyes flashed.

The handle of the iron gate deformed between his knuckles, making a metallic bending sound.

Thales frowned as he looked at the skeletal man's delicate, fair hands, recalling the man's stunning entrance when he broke into the prison and took six lives with a single sword strike.

“Impossible,” Raphael said slowly, his face stiff.

"Where did you hear that?"

Thales ignored the power in his opponent's hands and met Raphael's dark red eyes again.

"Karen Booker".

The moment the name came from Thales' mouth, Raphael's gaze grew even colder.

Thales knew he had made the right move, and that was the crux of the matter.

So the prince pressed his advantage:

"He was not only the owner of that inn, but also a top-level intelligence officer from the Kingdom's Secret Service who had been infiltrating Dragon Sky City for twenty years. On that chaotic day, he died in a home invasion robbery."

This time, Raphael remained silent for a long while before speaking slowly and deliberately:

"Who told you that?"

Thales recalled the secret headquarters in the Spear District of Dragonstreet City, and the secret passage through which he escaped control.

“I met Booker when I was in Dragon City. He was a good man, but he could never have died from a robbery.”

Raphael snorted coldly:
“You were on the run all day, there’s no way you could have known him.”

Thales showed no weakness:
"I know a lot of people."

"And you, you are just too ignorant."

This phrase, which he had learned from Ricky, left Raphael speechless for a long time.

“This is no use, Your Highness,” Raphael said, no longer dwelling on the topic, his gaze shifting to the cell where Gu was imprisoned:

"I regret that I cannot grant you such an unreasonable request."

Seeing the unyielding skeletons, Thales grew increasingly irritated.

He will not cooperate.

Like the secret society, they never liked the prince, let alone obeyed him.

The prince came to this conclusion.

But at that moment, Thales remembered what the Black Prophet had just said:
Whether you like me or not is not important.

The important question is whether your dislike for me can transcend our pre-existing relationship and, under your control, bring about real benefit.

At that moment, Thales looked at the unfriendly skeleton, clenched his fist, and then slowly relaxed it.

"Yeah, you're right."

"You can't do it."

Duke Xinghu slightly raised his chin, seemingly unconcerned about the other person's reaction:

"Maybe I should go find Norb."

After saying that, Thales turned around without hesitation and headed back the way he came.

Raphael, left behind, stared at the boy's retreating figure, his brow furrowing deeper and deeper.

Thales continued walking as before, but deliberately made his steps heavier, the sound of his footsteps echoing in the dark and oppressive corridor, one step after another, like the beating of war drums.

Raphael's gaze became increasingly fixed.

One second, two seconds, and the prince's figure slowly blurred in the darkness.

In fact, Thales knew that what Raphael was unwilling or unable to do for him, Norb, who had been away from the Secret Society for many years and was returning to the capital for the first time, might not be able to do either.

but.

The prince shed the unnecessary burdens in his mind and strode forward, recalling the most effective way of bargaining he had seen on the streets during his time as a beggar.

Finally, when Thales counted to the tenth step...

"Your Highness!"

Thales stopped in his tracks at just the right moment.

With his back to Raphael, the corners of his mouth were slightly upturned.

Thales turned his head, his expression still somber.

Raphael released his grip on the iron gate, but instead of opening it, he walked step by step toward Thales.

"It won't be of any use no matter who you talk to about this matter."

The Bone Man said calmly:
Even His Majesty.

Thales's heart sank.

His Majesty.

damn it.

Your Highness, you must do this, and you should do this...

The truth about the bloody year, and about your own background, can only be discovered, investigated, and verified by you yourself.

Remembering Putila's warning, Thales took a deep breath, trying hard not to think about the figure on the throne:

“I’d be happy to give it a try and see what my father says.”

Thales turned to leave again.

Just now.

"Sariton!"

Raphael's words echoed through the walls, successfully stopping Thales in his tracks.

Surreyton.

Surreyton?
When the long-unheard name was heard again, Thales' expression changed slightly.

Whether it was the beautiful figure in the Sunset Bar or the terror of leaping off the Sky Cliff, both thoughts surged into my mind at this moment.

"What do you mean?"

As if time slowed down, the second prince slowly turned around and spoke in a deep voice.

Raphael stopped in front of him, took a deep breath, and seemed to have made up his mind with great determination.

"This Far Eastern man you're concerned about, Gu..."

The Bone Man spoke softly:
“He is a staunch ally of the Sarridon family and has been secretly working for the ‘King-killing family’ for over a decade.”

顾。

Raphael said he was... what?
Thales' expression remained unchanged, but his eyes slowly widened.

The family that murdered the king...

ally?

Do you understand?

Raphael regained his composure and looked into Thales's grey eyes:
"It's no use talking to anyone about this."

Even His Majesty.

The Bone Man narrowed his eyes, his words sharp and forceful, like knives:

"Especially His Majesty."

I'll be typing slower while I'm out and about. This chapter is related to Chapter 86 of "Dragon Blood" and Chapter 62 of "The Traitors," which readers can refer to.

Sigh, the regular reader group has exploded again. The new group number is 912178642. Do whatever you want, I'm out of ideas.

Also, there's an event on Qidian's Wangxue comment section where you can get book coins for voting with monthly tickets. Remember to check it out; you might as well take Qidian coins if you want.

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(End of this chapter)