Twisted Empire - Episode 33&34

 

TWISTED EMPIRE

Twisted Empire - Episode 33&34

(Her Blade, His Neck )

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All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied, or reposted in any form, or by any means without a written permission from the author.

Copyright © 2025 

by Naomi Cindy B.

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All colour seemed to drain from Sierra's face, and her lips came apart with a soundless gasp as Four's eyes broke her black box and pulled her out mercilessly like a lowly thief.

It's like the secret she has been keeping under dirty wraps got unwrapped and tossed in the air.

Her nerves felt acidic, and the way his eyes are locked tightly on hers is not helping things.

Her heartbeats became more sporadic as if the blood-pumping organ would burst out of her chest.

Thankfully, he only said it to her hearing—no one else heard it, so she quickly gathered herself back together and managed to conjure a smirk to her lips.

She badly wants to grab his face and kiss the f+ck out of those fresh, red lips of him right now. She wants to be his first kiss since she knows he has never kissed. She just wants to taste his saliva in her mouth and...

No...no... She's thinking too far again.

She steadied herself, widening her smirk.

"In love with you?" She raised her shoulders arrogantly. "Don't be silly, Four. I'm two years older than you. I'm 31, dude. You're my stepbrother, and I'm only looking out for you." 

"Lookout for yourself instead, grandsis. And of course you're 31, maybe it's time to leave the base and go start a family" Four bluntly replied, his tone slicing as he took a step away from her.

He finally went downstairs, trying hard to kill the sound sound of the blast that's still fuckin with his mind and head.

It's like that little moment of talking with Sierra blocked out the noises before, but now they're back in waves.

His neck veins are stretching again, and they're slightly dark this time like he's suffering from a virus.

The moment he left, the field became noisy, and those who had their hands on their mouths began lowering them.

Paine is still on the ground, crying and scrapping snowflakes in his palms as some sergeants climbed the podium to carry Abbey's body.

Alex left the field very fast, and Allegra quickly followed him, catching up shortly.

"You sent Abbey, didn't you?" she said, and he quickly covered her mouth, pulling her to a corner.

"Are you insane? Why the f+ck would you say that loudly?" 

"No one was passing by, so stop being oversensitive. Why would you send Abbey? He's a senseless scum, the nuisance of the male barracks! There are other smart people like April or Skye! At least, those two were part of our former squad" Allegra replied.

"You think I didn't try? Skye wouldn't take my hands, and I didn't even bother going to April cos I know she's even more loyal to Four" he explained.

"Did you try torturing them out of the base? Blackmail them with secrets they won't be able to resist?" Allegra replied.

"What are you saying?" Axel asked interestedly, and Allegra scoffed.

"You know nothing, do you? You could have come to ask me for pointers, but nah...you were busy shoving me aside" she said.

"I never shoved you aside I swear to gawd. I was caught up planning all of these and I even forgot myself" Axel hurriedly replied.

"So..." Allegra pulled his uniform by the buttonholes, brushing her lips on his cheek before raising her lashes.

"You're telling me you haven't fucked with the base prostitutes since the last time we met?"

"I swear on my life, I told you I was caught up, Allegra .." he said pleadingly.

Cassie walked past with Kash at this point, and though Kash is holding her hand, she couldn't stop herself from looking back at Axel and Allegra. 

The way Allegra is rubbing bodies with Axel made her throat shake.

She almost fell, but Kash was conscious enough to catch her, and she swallowed.

"What's wrong? You ok?" He asked.

"Yeah, let's go" Cassie held his arm tight, rushing off with him.

"I've been caught up with retraining too, I missed you though" Allegra traced Axel's inked chest.

"How much?" Axel replied with thrilled, shadowy eyes.

"Find out tomorrow night. I'll wait nakedly for you at my unit. And I'll tell you every move you need to make about April and Skye" she replied as she walked backwards, away from him.

"You know I'm becoming a Major Sergeant at the promotion, right?" he said, and Allegra stopped walking.

"I've been wondering why dad gave Four the Master Sergeant just like that, it's cos a bigger seat is awaiting me, and I'll finally claim it" Axel's voice is hyper as he spoke.

"Of course, the throne has always been yours" Allegra replied awkwardly.

"Always been yours, indeed" Sierra said, whipping past Axel.

"Coming to see you at the hospital was a mistake" Axel snarled.

"Thank gawd you know, don't do that again in the future" Sierra replied.

"Wait...what's so special about Four? Why the f+ck would you like him and not me when we're both your half-brothers?" Axel queried, the jealousy in his expression unhidden.

"Maybe because he's more handsome and perfect? He's the better brother" Sierra replied and joined Allegra.

Together, they left the field, and Axel rolled eyes before turning back to the departing armies.

Paine is still on the ground, crying like a kid.

The sergeants are already carrying Abbey's body.

"Allegra was right, shouldn't have sent a dumbo like Abbey. Dude didn't last" he muttered and was about to leave the field when he saw Teal.

She's already leaving with her friends.

"HOW DARE YOU DARE ME!" Her words at the examination hall rang in his head.

He smiled, then he pocketed his hand and left.

Now that Cassie already gave in, it's hightime he starts with Teal.

--

[Teal's Suite]

Silence embraced Teal again like a second skin, and she sighed as she placed the key card on the sensor.

She's trying hard to get used to the loneliness of sleeping here alone always, but it's just not happening.

Sh's not used to sleeping alone.

When her parents were still alive, she slept cradled between them always.

After their death, her uncles took over. They might not be sleeping in the same room as her, but their rooms were right beside hers—under the same roof.

When she came to this base, she was at the barracks, and though the bathroom arrangement sucked, at least she enjoyed sleeping in a room full of people.

But now she has to put up with this stupid suite where she spends nights alone like a widow.

Instead of green, the door sensor flashed red, meaning there's someone inside already.

With a frown, she stepped in, and she didn't even realize she's barefoot till her foot got chilling sensations from the cold floor.

She looked down at the feet and hissed before going in fully.

The door shut gently behind her, and she was surprised to see him sitting on the smallest couch, manspreading with his back to the backrest.

There's a small medical kit in front of him, and that forlorn look on his face, again.

He's like cursed with sadism.

She began walking to him, and his eyes unravelled her like a god's as they shifted to her.

"What's going on?" She asked, sounding indifferent and unperturbed by his presence.

"Sit down, you can't go about barefoot even if you're maleficent" he replied concisely, opening the medical kit.

His face is still bloody—he's still freshly wounded, so why is he here instead of treating himself when he obviously needs treatment?

"You're the one who needs treatment so you should probably...ah!" She gasped abruptly as Four pulled her right arm, then he hauled her body to him.

Her butt landed on his laps softly.

She tried standing, but he trapped her two legs in the middle of his own legs, and she looked at him with a scowl.

She could smell him so much, and the way his scent is clogging her nose is making her want to soak him in bleach just to destroy that smell.

"I didn't ask you to treat me" she said.

"Keep shut, or I'll show you what happens if you don't" he replied, his eyes focusing on the kit as he brought out a small tube of bactine and betadine.

"Of course" she muttered, making faces.

"Loneliness is insane work, I get you" he replied, pressing the ointments into a cotton bud.

"I'm not lonely. I have Rook, Brent, Shannon, April and—"

"And where are they now?" He cut her off, lifting her right leg.

She quickly wrapped her right arm on his shoulder so she won't fall off.

"Of course they're sleeping in their barracks room" she replied.

"And here you are—alone and sulking like a candy-robbed kid" he said, and Teal went quiet without meaning to.

He's speaking too confidently as if he has a black journal of her life in his wardrobe. She wouldn't be surprised if he actually has it.

"I'm not sulking" she intentionally shook her leg that he's holding, and he looked up. Their eyes met.

It's like hell and somewhere deeper than the depths of it. A mixture of carnage and sin.

Their lips are so tensely close as his fingers tightened around her toes.

His hold ate into her bones.

"Stay still, Ambrose. Don't make me use this cotton bud somewhere else in your body. Somewhere much more interesting" he said, and she went totally silent.

BODY.

That word made her remember that night in his Unit.

His cold but intentional touch on her br+àsts, and the way he cupped her p+ssy through her p+nties.

She remained silent for her own good, and he continued applying the ointment on the wound.

When he was done with the first feet, he moved to the second feet.

She was even surprised at her own long silence since she can't seem to stay silent around him no matter what.

He dropped the second feet after getting done with it too, then he picked out a small band-aid and stretched his hand to her face.

Her eyes are already getting drowsy at this point, and he stuck the patch to the small cut on her right cheek

"Stop calling me Ambrose, I have a name" she muttered sleepily.

"Earn it" he replied, the rasp in his voice soothing in a kind of way.

"I should earn you calling me by my name?" She replied as he lifted her up from his laps, carrying her into the bedroom.

"Mmm" he replied, and she closed her eyes.

"You're a freak" she murmured as he lay her in bed.

She pulled the duvet over herself before he could do it, and she turned her back on him, dozing off so fast.

Four stood there, the sound of her heartbeats reaching his ears.

That's another thing. Her heartbeats come extra loud when she's sleeping.

He'd have pulled her gown off her body and wear her something more comfortable for bed, but that'd wake her, so he cancelled that and removed her hairband instead, letting her hair spread across the pillow.

He left the suite, and Teal changed position in bed.

The curve of the dinner card prickled her skin through her pocket, and it made her eyes open slowly.

She pulled out the card and smiled through her sleepiness a little...

"Tomorrow it is." She muttered, dropping it under the sheets before closing her eyes back.

--

[Four's Unit]

Yulia was already waiting with another medical kit when Four arrived.

She has an extra key to this unit, so her access isn't questionable.

"I knew you wouldn't treat your wounds. Are you still inclined to self-treatment?" She said, her mood light but at the same time worried.

Four sat in front of her, dragged the kit to himself on the table and pulled out a mirror.

He was viewing his face as he removed the splinter of glass from his temple.

Blood followed it out, then he began cleaning it up with gauze.

"Use the saline solution" Yulia offered, unable to watch the blood gushing out. Traces of blood are even trickling out of his ears.

"This is bad, the explosion affected you too much, you need the hospital" Yulia said, standing up.

"I don't" Four replied flatly.

"Don't say that again! Do you know how scared I always get whenever you're wounded or ill? I had three dead babies before you stayed for me so try to understand my worries and stop being so difficult and indifferent everytime! You won't allow any care, you won't allow me to worry about you and I don't even know what's going on in your head! I don't understand you...and it scares the shit out of me every damn time!" Yulia ranted.

Four dropped the mirror and looked up. The blood on his face is gone with the gauze. He has cleaned the one in his ears too.

"I saw your neck veins earlier at the podium, they were almost black. Please get treatment. I don't want you to experience that deadly sickness again." Yulia said, fighting back tears.

"No" Four replied blankly, standing up. It's like her words don't deter him.

Yulia was with him within a second, and she hugged him tight.

"Then promise me. Promise me you won't get sick." She said.

Shockingly, Four hugged her back, and she smiled.

"I'll be fine, go to bed" he said calmly, and she nodded.

She stayed in his arms though...for few more minutes before breaking the hug.

"Goodnight, giant spider" she said, and he replied with a little smile.

Yulia finally left.

Four went back to the private room and pasted the big dipper painting back on the wall, then he went for a cold shower, running his fingers over his scar repeatedly under the running water.

When he came back to his bedroom, his pillow is the first thing he sighted.

There are still strands of Teal's hair on it from the last time she spent the night here.

He has been wanting to pluck them out, but he just kept postponing without a valid reason.

He cleaned up and went back to the Edu Room. He got himself a cigar stick and was blowing clouds out of his mouth and nose as he scrolled through the screen.

His head feels too occupied, but it's not because of thoughts or whatever...

The explosion will leave an impact in his existence, and he just knows it.

He's already feeling f+ckin sick, but hiding from Yulia and everyone else is his modus operandi.

No one has to know what he's battling with.

Presently, he's impatiently waiting for Usman's next move. But how was that bastard able to hack his car? 

How was he able to know everything he has been keeping from everyone?

Who the f+ck is Usman? 

What's his motivation? He wouldn't just start bombing people without a reason.

And why is he always Mentioning Teal?

Earlier today, he even talked shit about loving her. Seriously?

He dropped his cigar and opened his small bottle of gin, downing it.

Maybe he needs to calm. Maybe he needs to restart.

For today, he's gonna take his mind off that part and focus on the just-concluded mission.

He dialled Kash on a video call, connecting to the screen.

"Yes sir" Kash's face appeared, but his face scrunched immediately.

"Sir, are you ok? Your face looks pale" he said quickly.

"Who disposed the fifth human bomb?" He asked.

"It was Brent, and he came back unscathed" Kash replied.

"Brent..." Four ate the name in his mouth like a meal.

Kash immediately got what this is all about, and his eyes widened a bit.

"No, sir. You can't be suspecting Brent" he said.

"And the reason is?" Four muttered, turning his back on the screen.

"I know him better than any of the armies, sir. Brent isn't a bastard. He's carefree and pure" Kash replied.

"I'll decide that myself" Four replied, hanging up.

--

[Male Barracks, Rook's Room]

The exhaustion from the mission made the boys sleep fast.

Rook and Brent and Theo are already dozing off, but Paine is still up on his bed, crying like a bitch.

And some others are still awake in the room, whispering things about Abbey's execution and how Four is too cruel to kill him like that.

Rook woke up in the middle of these chats, and he left for the bathroom to take a leak.

He looks drowsy with sleep all-over his eyes as he urinated in the low ceramic bowl.

But then... someone else joined him, and he blinked off his sleep.

It's Theo.

Theo looks drowsy too, but when he saw Rook, his sleep blinked off too.

Their eyes clashed like magnets, each vying for power as they both held their cocks forward with their left hands.

At the same time, their views shifted from their faces to their c+cks, and their Adam's apple moved irregularly with something that resembles control dominated their faces.

Rook's lips moved for once in a millisecond, but...

As they both shook off the droplets from their peeholes...

As the c+cks flung up and down...

They both felt their feet turning hot and gummy on the floor. Their balls tightened, and their chests contracted at the same time.

Their eyes moved back to their faces, and it was Theo who first covered up.

He left the bathroom first too.

Rook covered up too, backing the wall with a hard-on. "Damn it"

--

[Next Morning, Allegra's Suite]

Sierra spent the night here, again.

She's starting to get used to staying here than the noisy barracks.

She didn't sleep though, not even a wink throughout the night.

All she kept thinking about is him.

Four DeVille.

His lips. His height. His body. His eyes.

All of him.

She moped about it till morning broke, and she got wet throughout most of the night—shamelessly so.

There's already a bunch announcements and reminders on the base group, and as she read them, she nearly laughed.

→Because of Morgan's leaked video, Privates aren't allowed to use phone in the base anymore. They're to submit their phones to the Sergeants at the field later today.

→If anyone needs to make a call, he or she can go to the cantonment call booth and do it with permission.

→Announcements and notifications will be made with the base voice intercom from now on.

→Tonight, the Maelstrom squad members are having an exclusive dinner with General Pedro.

→Dusk is Morgan's questioning with the panel.

→Tomorrow is the promotion ceremony.

"Oops, so many reminders" Sierra sighed. She might be a Private, but she's never submitting her phone.

The base is less scary right now with various ongoing shits at once, and there's time to jolly.

"You're not going to the field?" Allegra peeped inside.

"Coming" Sierra got down from the bed, but then, her phone lit up with a text from 'Mom'

Mom: I'll be at the promotion ceremony tomorrow, sweetheart.

"Yes!" She jumped.

"What's up?" Allegra asked.

"Mum's coming tomorrow" Sierra smiled happily.

"Wow" Allegra smiled. "Trouble is surely looming. Lady Yulia is in the base presently yunno?"

"Do I give a fûck? I even want mum to ruin Yulia's face for me, and I definitely can't wait for the shock on her face when dad pronounces me as the Major Sergeant" Sierra scoffed.

--

[Cantonment Clinic]

Abbey might be the only remaining member of his main family, but he's got aunties.

His body has been sealed in a black coffin.

DIED IN SERVICE—AN UNFAITHFUL BETRAYER was plastered to the coffin cover in white letters.

It's currently getting carried out of the clinic morgue by the attendants.

The coffin was placed inside the base ambulance, and it was sealed shut. The driver is gonna be taking his body to his maternal aunties 

General Pedro and Lady Yulia are outside, and they made sure more enough Sergeants followed the ambulance in the journey.

As the ambulance drove out of the gigantic clinic, Yulia sighed.

"I think Four is sick" she said worriedly.

"That's not true, he looked fine this morning" Pedro replied.

"Of course he looks fine to you. You never pay attention when it's not Sierra" Yulia rolled eyes and left, the scarf in her hairtail swirling with the morning breeze.

Pedro followed her, and the weight of tomorrow seems to be slowing his movements down.

The escorting Sergeants trailed behind as they walked to the cars which rode out.

Paine came out of the clinic, eyes puffy and heavily sorrowful.

It's like he's the only one who's affected by Abbey's death. It's painful to watch everyone go about their lives as if Abbey wasn't one of them.

He's gonna pay everyone back in their own coins, especially Axel.

He's gonna end that bastard totally, and his ruins will be ruined too.

He dipped his hand into his pocket and brought out Abbey's phone.

Abbey didn't take his phone to the mission yesterday, so it's still safe with him, and it has enough secrets about everyone in the army.

He's gonna unleash hell on everybody.

He's gonna submit his own phone, but Abbey's phone is staying with him, and he's gonna use it to cause problem.

Serious one.

--

[Military Base]

The field is loud with chats and hisses and complaints from Privates as they submitted their phones to the black baskets in front of the receiving Sergeants.

Thanks to stupid Morgan, their mobiles got seized, and only gawd knows when they're getting it back.

Teal was frowny as she dropped her own phone, and she sighed out before joining her friends.

"Now what? How do I watch my DIY YouTube videos!" Shannon complained.

"Goodbye my dating app" Brent muttered funnily.

"My games" Rook muttered.

"My period app" Teal added.

April and Skye were silent. Since they're Specialists, their phones are still intact.

"Sorry, y'all" April laughed as Skye curved his arm on her waist. She rested her head on his shoulder.

"You both need to just shut up" Shannon muttered, and April laughed again.

"I heard tomorrow's promotion ceremony will be huge. The president himself is coming!" Brent said.

"You can't be real" Teal blinked.

"Trust me" Brent said confidently.

As they chatted freely, Skye suddenly felt eyes on them, so he looked up.

Truly, there are evil eyes.

Axel is staring hatefully at them from an angle. He's staring particularly at Teal though.

Sierra is staring loathly from another angle—at Teal.

Allegra too.

Skye gave middle fingers to all of them, then he faced his gees back.

"You've been summoned to the Master Sergeant's office, Private Brent" a Sergeant said suddenly, and Brent gasped.

"What! Me? Why?" His heart skipped beats as he looked at everyone.

"What's going on? I'm not gonna get electrocuted, right?"

"It's fine, just go" Rook assured.

With his heart in his throat, Brent left with the Sergeant.

Almost instantly, a new face entered the field, and Teal remembered she had seen him at the president's mansion yesterday.

He's a huge guard, and he's wearing a suit, his hand holding a huge white box with a bow on top.

"From the president" he bowed, handing the box respectfully to Teal.

"I'm your chauffeur for tonight. We're leaving at 6" he said eloquently.

Teal faced the others, and he found their eyes wide.

"It's real, your date with Xanthe! Meaning you won't be attending the Privates exclusive dinner with the General" April gushed.

"The president's son?" Skye blinked in surprise.

Rook pulled Teal to one side, and she held the white box tight as they faced each other.

"Are you really gonna go? You know how Snowman is" Rook said.

"Even you? Rookie stop... I was betrothed to him, accepted. But I don't like him and he's free to uproot whatever tree he sees fit, but I'm going on this date." she said.

"I have a feeling this isn't gonna end well, Battery..." Rook drawled worriedly.

"Trust me" Teal assured.

The time is thirty minutes to 6, so she hurried back to her suite and had a fast shower.

Thanks to her complementing pale skin and snatched body, everything looks good on her, but the dress itself is so gorgeous.

It's a short purple one with diamond encrusted carefully in it's ensembles like beads, tight on her breàsts and waist, and her cleavage is exposed. She doesn't care.

She improvised tongs in her hair with few hair clips, and then she let the shinny, healthy hair fall all the way to her mid-back. 

There's a makeup kit in the package, so she wore her usual minimal. Her lipstick gave her lips a kissable glitter.

Strapping the tall black heels to her feet, she sprayed perfume and stood tall, her damn straight legs carrying her out of the suite.

The chauffeur has been waiting in front of the room, and he's the one who escorted her out of the base, ignoring the prying eyes of the armies till they arrived at the park.

When she saw the black limousine waiting, she wondered where this is really going.

The chauffeur opened the door for her, and she hopped in like a queen.

She was driven away.

--

[Disciplinary Board Room]

The room was built like a question with several confusing graffiti on the walls, and the roof is slanted to the side. Windows are small and it's almost suffocating to look at them. 

It's doubtful if they even allow air inside the room.

The Disciplinary Sergeants are already waiting inside the room, and there are rumors that the D-Sergeants are the meanest in this base. They're too tricky and have no mercy. If you fail their interrogation, you'll land in the Base Prison.

Morgan was already shaking with cold as she stood outside the walls.

The testifiers who were gathered by Stormy are there with her, and Stormy is also there, rubbing her fingers to calm her down.

"Remember, Teal did it, period." She said, and Morgan nodded.

"Morgan Hall?" The holler came from inside, and Morgan stiffened.

"Go!" Stormy pushed her in, and she gasped as the door closed behind her.

She's now in front of the five D-Sergeants, and they look really mean. She's not sure she has seen them before.

They're broad-shouldered, straight-faced, and mighty on seat.

She felt invisible hands choking her as she sat in the free plastic chair in front of them, conjoining her shivering fingers on her laps.

"It's an edited video, posted by Teal. I have my explanation, and I have testifiers" she spoke calmly.

--

[Master Sergeant's Office]

Brent couldn't stop his nervousness as he stood in front of the most feared man in this base.

He had to fold his sweaty palms in front of himself, and his face is down as he couldn't look him in the face.

Four is sitting in front of him, looking fine but not really fine.

He had to use wet lip balm to conceal the paleness of his lips. His hair is sprinkled on his forehead for the first time, and they covered his wounded temples and half of his right eye.

His uniform is fitted on his taut body as if he expanded overnight, and his eyes are knives, literally.

Sergeant Kash rushed into the office, breathing heavily.

"Trust me, sir. Brent is not a spy" he said, and Brent quickly looked up.

"Spy? Me? No!" His mouth moved faster than blades as he spoke.

"My surname is Loyalle for a reason. My family is the most peaceful family in my city. Never have we ever raised a bastard and I will not become one. I drove the car out of the president's mansion last night and truly there were only two minutes left, but thanks to the cocoa plantation, I was saved. And the car really blew up like fireworks cos it didn't affect my ears like I expected. I came back straight to the president's mansion and witnessed everything else that happened, including when the president gave Teal the invitation card for a dinner with his son, and when—"

"Rewind" Four interrupted him sharply.

"Sir?" Brent swallowed.

"Dinner card?" Four's eyes hooded with sudden red, and Brent swallowed again.

"Yes sir... it's today, and she..." He trailed off.

"She what!" Four slammed his palms on the table, and Brent flinched fearfully.

Even Kash flinched slightly at the harshness.

"She already left, I think. The president sent a chauffeur" He stuttered.

Four's hands folded hard, and his nails dug into his palms as he took his lips into his mouth, licking away the balm and biting his lip in the process.

His lower lip bled, and blood dropped on the desk from it.

"Sir" Kash said shockingly.

"Name of the diner place" Four muttered, the blood spreading on his now pale lips as his chin tightened.

"The Olive Grove" Brent replied, stepping back.

"Call the place, Kash. Get me the camera footage of every room" Four said, his scary calmness still intact.

Kash quickly dialled the place on the telephone. Thanks to their online number on their ad page.

He spoke with the manager for a minute before facing Four who's still bleeding on the lip. The blood is still dropping on the desk.

"They said they can't spare the footages for anyone tonight cos the president is in with his son and his son's...girlfriend" Kash said awkwardly, still holding the telephone.

Four's eyes rolled up with a damned-to-hell stare, and he took his own phone with veiny hand.

He has the president's hotline—thanks to Pedro.

So he dialled the line, and as it rang slowly, the impatience in his chest ballooned.

He's a patient man, but this night? It's gone with the wind.

The line finally picked, and his lips came apart.

"President Spyros Dimitris, you have zero seconds to return my wife to the base—by my Unit door. Or I'll have to appear in the world's current affairs tonight for slaughtering you and your horny son" he stated, his lips bloody,

His lips wet.

TBC.

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