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Largo Winch: Empire under Threat
Updated May, 2005. Thanks to Steve Metzler for the solutions to the hacking puzzles.
This is a longish game. The walkthrough would go on forever if we elaborated upon everything. To keep it manageable we have zoomed in on the relevant points. Please search around everywhere, there's lots of extras to look at to build up the atmosphere. And, of course, please don't let it spoil your fun. There's nothing like succeeding at solving a puzzle for yourself.
After the introduction you take control of Largo in the hotel foyer. Have a look around to get used to the controls. Small tutorials will pop up during this first part of the game.
Go up the stairs. Open the window ... it might be useful to remember this. Enter the VIP room. Talk to Sullivan and Candy in the first alcove. Talk to Simon and Samantha in the next. Walk past the bar. In the next alcove take the champagne bottle. Take envelope from seat. Look at it in your inventory to get plastic Press Card.
Continue left and out to the terrace. Talk to Jenny. Sullivan will interrupt to tell you that Sharon is arriving with bad news. Go back inside and talk to Sharon. Exhaust all questions. A cut scene warns you of a bomb threat. You are now locked in. While Simon tries to open the door you had better do something. If you talk to Simon he will give you a clue.
Go back to the terrace. Take trowel from plant box. Look at balcony nearby. Climb over rail and move along ledge to the window you noticed earlier. Use plastic card to open it.
Follow the sound of ticking downstairs, it will get louder. Examine panel under painting. Use trowel on it. Discover alarm clock. The bomb's a hoax.
Head back upstairs, Simon has unlocked the door. Talk to him. Talk to Sullivan to learn what happened. Go to bar and take champagne glass. In the next alcove talk to Sharon, she's a bit shaken. Out to the terrace and talk to Jenny. Back to Sharon, she might need a drink. In inventory combine glass and bottle. Give glass to Sharon. Cut scene follows. You walk Sharon home to get her backup of the stolen documents.
You are attacked in the park. Defeat the mugger -- it's easy.
Sharon goes for a shower. Look around for CD. Go into living room and take it from chair near piano. Use CD on computer. Read everything and exit from computer. Cut scene shows love interest, then you fly to Mexico with Joy, your Security Advisor.
After Joy leaves talk to security guard. Enter the building. Talk to receptionist. You'll need to convince her that you are her boss. Look around the room for some magazines. One of them has an article about you with a photo. (In your inventory look at magazine to find article then select article to show her). She calls for Maroto, the Manager. Talk to him about everything. Jenny will arrive, talk to her and you will go to the Vivarium where you will be locked in with a couple of deadly snakes on the loose. There is a glass enclosed fire extinguisher near the door but you don't have anything on you to break the glass. Go down the left hand aisle and take the hammer from the rack behind the snakes. Go back the way you came and use hammer on glass. One of the snakes will now start to move. Take fire extinguisher and use it on the snake in the right hand aisle. The security guard will rush in. Watch cut scene.
Talk to Maroto again and question Carmen (the receptionist). Use the elevator behind Maroto to go to the lab. Talk to first technician (Javier) on the left. He seems preoccupied and has lost his mixer. Go to other end of lab and talk to the second technician. He's the prankster who hid Javier's mixer. Take the elevator out of lab 1 and go straight across to lab 2. Enter inner door and go right, take the security file from the cabinet. Talk to Salma Paz. She won't say much yet so take the mixer from the bench in front of her and go back to first lab. On the way you will run into the Security guard, talk to him. Continue to lab 1 and give mixer to Javier. Talk to him to learn that Salma has more to tell you. Back to Salma for more questions. Watch cut scene where you meet up with Joy again and head for Jack Place's place.
Look around, the door is locked. Take key from yellow pot to left of door and enter. Look around and note answering machine with no cassette. Find book on corner table and look at it in inventory to get blank sheet of paper. In the next room get test tube from refrigerator. Look in the bin near the computer to find the missing cassette. Play it to hear about Jack's dealings. Try the computer, it needs a password. Look at test tube in inventory to learn it smells of citric acid. Combine acid with blank paper and look at it to get the password. Enter password and read files on computer. Save and exit to face second fight. Tip: take out the guy with the baseball bat first. Cut scene takes you back to New York.
Talk to Candy to learn Sullivan is in the Boardroom but first go to your office behind Candy and check computer for emails and other story information. Then take the elevator in front of Candy to the Boardroom. Talk to Sharon and then Sullivan. If you've read your email you'll know to 'sell' when asked about Lundwana. Talk to Sullivan again on all topics then off to Main Computer Room for cut scenes and computer hacking puzzle to learn name of hacker. This strategy puzzle is easy. Consider the playing area to be a 2 x 4 grid, with rows as numbers, and columns as letters (top left = 1a, top right = 1b, etc.). Then you need to make the following moves:
1. Move towards grid
2. Move towards grid
3. Move onto bottom left of grid (4a)
4. Move right (4b)
5. Move up (3b)
6. Move up (2b)
7. Move up (1b, find hacker's address)
8. Move down (2b)
9. Move left (2a)
10. Move down (3a)
11. Move down (4a)
12. I think you can get down from here :-)
Now off to Vorograd.
Talk to apartment superintendent and say you used to work with the KGB and you are now working for the Russian State. Get Kostenko's room number and description. Check out mail boxes and fuse boxes under stairs then head upstairs. Find room 3A and Simon will inspect the lock and find a booby trap. You need another way in so up to next level to the room directly above. Simon will pick the lock. Inside take dirty sheet from bed and clean sheet from cupboard and combine in inventory. Then on to balcony and tie rope sheet to railing. Simon will take over and tell you he can't enter the flat below because the window is electrified. Back downstairs to entrance and take the fuse. Back up to 3A, you can now get in. Play answering machine to learn about Omega. Take small key from floor and burnt fax from rubbish bin. Downstairs again and use key to open mailbox. Take envelope and open it to get letter. Back up to Simon and take matchbox from chair near pizza box. Simon will then diffuse the bomb and a cut scene will take you to Omega.
NOTE: Having trouble getting the fax and the matches ... try using the Enter Key (the 'look' command).
Talk to Olga, she won't help yet. Look at vending machine to learn it only takes coins. Anything else will jam it. If you try to go downstairs Olga stops you so show her the Omega letter and she'll let you pass. Talk to man at table and play cards till you win. Ask all questions then he will give you a token. Exit by door to right and note screwdriver in technician's toolbox. Enter room at end of corridor. There's an interesting drawer in the desk but you need something to open it with! Go back up to vending machine and use token to jam it. Olga will call the technician so you can go back and borrow his screwdriver. Return to end room and open drawer to get laptop. Another hacking puzzle to access it. This one is a little more difficult than the first hacking puzzle. It's a 4 x 4 grid. First, we need to cover off as much of the grid as possible with our free moves. Then, we have to sit in the corner and wait a bit:
1. Move towards grid
2. Move onto bottom left of grid (4a)
3. Move up (3a)
4. Move up (2a)
5. Move right (2b)
6. Move right (2c)
7. Move down (3c)
8. Move down (4c)
9. Move onto first objective and find password. Oops. We have to move next to the top right corner to defuse a bomb
10. Move up (4c)
11. Move right (4d)
12. Move up (3d)
13. Move down (4d)
14. Move up (3d)
15. Move up (2d)
16. Move down (3d)
17. Move left (3c)
18. Move left (3b)
19. Move down (4b)
20. Move right (4c)
21. Move right (4d, and now skip a move)
22. Move up (3d)
23. Move up (2d)
24. Move up (1d)
25. Move onto bomb in top right corner and defuse
26. Move left (1d)
27. Move down (2d)
28. Move down (3d)
29. Move down (4d, and now skip 4 moves until the virus peters out)
30. Move up (3d, and skip a move)
31. Move down (4d, now wait again for the virus to exhaust itself, then escape along row 4)
Read the files to learn about airport rendezvous. Exit to Gagarine Paradise.
Outside the club check out the fire escape, you need something to reach the ladder. Enter club and watch cut scene for clue about drink. You can't go upstairs so talk to waitress. Simon is missing. Try to enter room behind bar and the bartender stops you. Talk to drunk at bar to learn about Ulla Ulla drink. Talk to bartender and ask for Ulla Ulla. It may take a while so now's your chance to explore the back room and get some sleeping pills and a broom. Exit and have your drink if you like. If you go outside to use the broom on the ladder you won't be able to get past the guard upstairs so now to make use of those pills. Talk to waitress again about going upstairs and learn her name is Tanya. Find payphone in corner and phone the bar, you have the number on the matchbook. Save. Dial number to speak to Tanya. Answer: Brother; Cough; Russian Dialect. After cut scene run to the vodka glass and slip in the sleeping pills. Go outside and use broom to lower the ladder. Climb up and watch guard put to sleep. Look at guard to get his gun and lighter. Save. Enter room for stalemate. A shoot out won't work. So knock over the vodka bottle onto the case of money. Use lighter on it and you will find that money is worth more than a life. After cut scene follow Simon to the airfield. Talk to Simon to ask him to pick the lock.
At the airfield you must flush out Vladimir. Walk to the hut at the left of the truck and take the shovel. Use it on the barrel at the top of the crate. Walk between the crate and the hut to the front of the car then push it. Follow the car to next crate and take bottle of alcohol. Take rag from crate near hut. Combine rag and bottle to make Molotov cocktail. Save. Walk to rear of car and use Molotov cocktail when action icon shows up. Talk to Vladimir. Cut scene followed by fight. Tip: Simon has a special skill to restrain an attacker for one turn. Use it on the guy with the sledgehammer. Largo can deal with the other two.
Back in New York and Largo needs to find out about the ring Vladimir was wearing. Talk to Candy then check your email. Read especially about Mentek and Thinskin technology as Sullivan will ask you for a decision about it. Go and talk to him in the Boardroom. Choose don't buy. Talk to him again especially about the ring. He mentions a painting in your office. Go to the main computer room and talk to Joy. Back to your office, watch cut scene with Sharon. Check out red painting near bookshelf. Learn about Sarjevane. A cut scene will whisk you to the island.
Look around and open toolbox to get hammer. Take metal arrow then note locked electrical cabinet and lattice gate to the right that needs electricity to open. Walk further right and look at hose pipe to get metal ring. Open metal cabinet with arrow, the fuse is missing. In inventory use hammer on ring to make flattened ring then use it on cabinet to open gate.
Inside look at Nativity Scene and note positions of carvings. You can't use the monk statue yet, so walk back past the fountain (remember it for later) and go up the stairs. Follow stairs up to right and enter first door. Note Bible on table and read it for an important clue. Look at chessboard labeled Anastasie. The Ming vase will come in handy later so admire it while you can. Exit this room by back door and walk left and enter the last room. Note locked cabinet near window. Examine desk and open draw to get small key. Open the cabinet and take White King. Take strange statuette from another cabinet then search all shelves for bizarre statuette and mysterious statuette. Approach the altar with three cavities then examine statuettes in inventory. They all come apart and you must put them back to make three complete statues: Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Remember the carving downstairs. Place them in the altar cavities Joseph, Jesus, Mary left to right to open secret passageway.
Follow passageway to secret cave. Check out dry font. Take empty bottle from bar and the chess book from desk. Back down to fountain in courtyard to get water. Return to font and use water on it to reveal Black King. Back up to chess board and use the chess book on it. Then place the two kings on the board. Next place chess pieces as shown in the book. Another secret passage!
Enter fireplace. Read inscriptions on either side of the door. Follow the tiles to spell out the name Maurice. Tip: Don't hold down the arrow key or Largo will be hard to control. Enter the open gateway. Go to the altar and solve the sliding tile puzzle (evil laughter). This will reveal the word AXIO and you'll be zapped back to New York.
Walk toward Candy's desk and you will have a conversation with Jenny. When she leaves talk to Candy. Go to your office and read your email. You have an investment policy decision to make and also someone is spamming your network. Go to see Sullivan in the Boardroom. Make your decision. Talk to him again about AXIO. Go to the computer room, talk to Joy then talk to Kerensky on the next terminal. Use the computer just behind Joy. Oddly enough, this third hacking puzzle is a bit easier than the previous one. Or maybe we just got lucky! There are six rows in the grid this time, with your objective up at 1a:
1. Move left (5d)
2. Move up (4d)
3. Move up (3d)
4. Move up (2d)
5. Move up (1c)
6. Move left (1b)
7. Move left (1a, find e-mailer's identity)
8. Move right (1b)
9. Move right (1c)
10. Move right (1d)
11. Move down (2e)
12. Move right (2f)
13. Move down (3f)
14. Move left (3e)
15. Move down (4e)
16. Move down and return to reality
Go to your office computer to access AXIO. Read files to learn about Helena Deckovar. Talk to Joy in computer room about espionage agency. Talk to Kerensky to learn about Sardinia. Talk to Joy again to arrange trip. Go to reception where Candy will remind you of your date with Sharon. Steamy cut scene then it's off to Sardinia.
Talk to man sitting on step to learn about the Monastery and its new inhabitants. Talk to boy. Talk to Luigi the grocer. Go out of the square towards wrecked vehicle. You will find a key nearby between two rocks. Open rear of vehicle and take fan belt. Use key on front of car to get scotch tape. Go to base of cliff and look at the generator. Use fan belt on it. It's out of gas so head back to the square and talk to Luigi. He won't sell it for US dollars so talk to woman near fountain. Her son is missing. Go to cliff. The boy has fallen and broken his leg. Talk to him. Search base of cliff to the left to find bush. Take sticks. Combine tape and sticks to make splint. Use splint on boy. In cut scene the grateful mother gives you a silver pendant. Use this to buy gas from Luigi. Oops he doesn't believe you came by it honestly. Talk to woman to learn her name. Now you can convince him. Take gas and use it on the generator.
A monk recognises you but Joy takes care of him. Take the rope from the crate and the robes from the basket. You and Joy will wear them. Get the rag from the railing and use it on the monk to gag him. Use the rope to tie him up. Now search him for a magnetic card.
Enter courtyard and follow wall right to the first door. Enter corridor and search the 4 rooms. Remember the grates in lower walls, they could be useful later. You meet Joy in one of the rooms. Exit to courtyard and enter the only other unlocked door ... big chapel. Approach the altar, it's trapped. Look around, the side exit is locked. Find the picture to left of the altar and take it off the wall. Push button. Go behind altar and use card on statue to unlock the side door.
Enter and take elevator. Follow your nose to the courtyard balcony and find door to the library. Search all shelves above and below, and note there are several missing books. Now search benches and desks for green book on monastic life and red book on the Balkans. Find shelf on the History of the Monastery and slot in the green book. The red book goes in History of the Eastern Countries and then a section of the bookcase revolves. Find it, and examine the two suspicious books attached by chains. You need help so go back downstairs and get Joy. Together you open the secret door and go upstairs. Joy hears noises behind a heavy door and tells you you've got to get rid of everyone! Take the iron crucifix from wall. Find nearby locked door and open it with the crucifix. Inside open box to get gas. Don't forget the mask and Swiss army knife. Remember the grates downstairs, it's time to calm everyone down. After you have used the gas on the 4 grates return to Joy. All's quiet, so ready your gas mask and follow Joy into the room.
Inside examine computer to see incriminating evidence. Helena Deckovar is involved here. Use knife to cut out print scanner and open security door. Enter computer room and face another hacking puzzle. This time the grid is in the shape of a pyramid:
1. Move onto grid (4a)
2. Move down to first objective (5a, pick up nightshift ale)
3. Move right (5b)
4. Move up (4b)
5. Move up (3b)
6. Move right (3c)
7. Move right (3d)
8. Move right (3e)
9. Move down (4e)
10. Move left to second objective (4d, now we have to get to the very top of the grid to deactivate the lock)
11. Move left (4c)
12. Move up (3c)
13. Move right (3d)
14. Move up (2c)
15. Move up (1b)
16. Move up to third objective and deactivate lock
17. Move down (1b)
18. Move left (1a)
19. Move right (1b)
20. Move down (2c)
21. Move left (2b)
22. Move left (2a)
23. Move down (3b)
24. Move left (3a)
25. Move down (4a)
26. Move left and exit back to reality
In addition to unlocking the inner office door, you also find more evidence on this computer. When you are done reading, go into the inner office and look around. Find African statue on shelves to right of door. Use it twice to open desk cupboard. Yet another hacking puzzle to learn about missing retro virus CD in Mexico. OK, now you're on your own :-) It would take at least 150 moves to detail the solution to this puzzle. What you need to do is head for the centre of the grid, and just keep increasing the weight of each node to 4 (hit space while sitting on a node, and choose that option). When you feel comfortable about evading the anti-viruses, head over towards the objective to the top left of the grid. Then when you have nearly the entire grid lit up with nodes of weight 4 that are under your control, go to the objective at the top centre of the grid, and then make your way home... Joy announces she has mined the monastery so save and prepare for a fight. Tip: Deal with the baddies with the crossbows first. As you exit the Monastery there's another fight. Use the same strategy. Cut scene takes you back to Mexico.
Check to see what Simon gave you: bleeper, grapnel and cable, pliers and crowbar. You have to work with these objects so find the 'active' part of the electrified fence. In inventory use pliers on grapnel twice to get thin steel cable and then detours. Use detours on fence then cut with pliers. Crawl through. After small cut scene keep crawling, keeping the low wall between you and the guards. You can get right up to the wall in front of them. When you are close enough to interact with the guard on the left, press the bleeper and watch them disappear.
Climb fire escape and use lever to open door. Enter. Inside take acid from first table and sleeping pills from next. Approach the door that leads to Lab 1 to learn you need to press two buttons at either end of the room simultaneously to unlock it. Next go into Vivarium and take spool of wire from shelf then return. Now for the buttons. Climb steps near second button and note smoke detector. Tie wire to it. Next attach grapnel to wire. Use spool of wire again to attach grapnel to nearby shelves. Then use acid on it. Watch cut scene to see the fruits of your labour.
Go to Lab 1 and head for the door to the vault. Use crowbar on the locking mechanism. Solve latch puzzle and enter vault. Examine shelves and Salma will arrive and tell you what number DVD you need. After this cut scene you'll have another fight. As usual take out the crossbow baddies first. Back to NY
Talk to Candy and then pop up to the Boardroom for a chat with Sullivan and a report on your last 'deal'. Talk again then back to your office to view the DVD in your computer. In cut scene Salma will offer to analyse the DVD further and Candy will alert you to a secure email in the computer room. Go there to get message then off to Sharon's
Knock three times then enter. OH NO a trap! You pass out and wake to find Sharon murdered and you're holding the murder weapon. You must get out of here. Take Tuxedo from wardrobe, hairpin from table, and scissors from bathroom. Try to leave, the door is locked ... but the key is on the other side! Look in the mirror, you'd better get changed so put on the Tuxedo. Use scissors on folding screen to get piece of cardboard. Slip it under the door then use hairpin to get the key. Unlock door and leave bedroom.
In the living room you can't miss the fish tank. Remember Sharon keeps her spare keys in with the poisonous fish. You'll need something to get them out so pick up the ruler from the table and glue from the desk near the laptop. Exit to the kitchen area and take the fork from the bench top. Back to the fish tank. In inventory put glue on the ruler then attach the fork to it. Now get the keys. Oh No! Doesn't work! Perhaps the bourbon from the kitchen table will do the trick. Go get it and pour it into the fish tank. Now you can get the keys and leave. Once out in the corridor the only escape is via the window. You'll make a quick phone call as you approach it then out you go.
After chatting with your friends it's time for another hacking puzzle to learn who sent the bogus email from Sharon. This one only has a single solution, so we'll go through it step-by-step:
1. Move onto grid (3a)
2. Move right (3b)
3. Move right (3c)
4. Move up (2c)
5. Move right (2d)
6. Move down (4d)
7. Move right (4e)
8. Move up (3e)
9. Move right (3f)
10. Move up (2f)
11. Move right (2g)
12. Move up (1g)
13. Move right (1h)
14. Move down (2h)
15. Move up (1h, can't move onto objective or we would be trapped there when anti-vurus comes out!)
16. Move left (1g, and keep adding weight until it becomes a '4-node')
17. Move down (2g, and turn it into a 4-node)
18. Move down (4g, and turn it into a 4-node)
19. Move down (5g, and turn it into a 4-node)
20. Move left (5e, and turn it into a 4-node)
21. Move up (4e, and turn it into a 4-node)
22. Move up (3e, and turn it into a 4-node. Now we have the anti-virus comitted to following us, and it will peter out right where we want it to, at node 1g)
23. Move right (3f)
24. Move up (2f)
25. Move right (2g)
26. Move up (1g, this is where the anti-virus will exhaust itself)
27. Move right (1h)
28. Move down (2h)
29. Move down to objective, find out who sent e-mail
30. Move up (2h)
31. Move up (1h, and skip turns until ant-virus is gone. Wow, only 1 move to spare!)
32. Move left (1g, and go back the way you originally came to make your exit)
Jenny Lucas sent the e-mail! Read her personal file and note she was born overseas. Find Joy outside and talk to her, she'll tell you to chase up more about Jenny's origins. Next talk to Simon and he'll tell you to contact Kerensky who will, wait for it, prime you for another hacking puzzle, this time you must hack the FBI ... it's the last but not the trickiest! All you need do is take control of the nodes in the centre of the grid. Keep adding weight to them until the are all 4-nodes. Then start moving over to the left. When you've built up all the nodes around the objectives, move onto them making sure you are not in immediate danger. Once both objectives have been visited, make your escape along the bottom of the grid. When finished hacking, read the files.
So Jenny Lucas is Helena Deckovar! Go and tell Joy and Simon then next go to Salma in the underwater cave. Cut scene reveals the humanitarian milk shipment to Drinavia is contaminated. You've got to stop it! Talk to Kerensky, he can't help. Back out to Joy, too late, the baddies (Nightshift) have arrived, you have to deal with them one by one. Exit by back door and take Salma's necklace from the top of the steps. Return and take the fireplace exit to puzzle room with trapped stone. Place the necklace behind the trap then go and break the Ming vase to attract attention. Watch greedy guard grab the necklace. One down, three to go!
Exit through gate in puzzle room and continue on to find next the Nightshift behind an iron gate. Take electric cable and turn off power to the sparking box. Use cable on box to rig trap. Two down, two to go. Exit through the newly opened gate and turn the statue to neutralise the next Nightshift. One to go!
Return through fireplace and outside. Take steps down to next level but instead of continuing down to the courtyard walk behind the steps and find the bell ropes. Save. Use the ropes and the way is clear ... well almost. Salma has been kidnapped and taken on the freighter. You must follow ... but not without another fight!
Take grapnel and cable. Talk to Joy then make your way forward. Open metal cabinet on wall - locked! Use the grapnel to open it and take electrical wire. Sneak up to second metal ring and tie wire to it to make a trip. Ring the bell ... 1 down ... more to go! Continue and note water faucet before heading down. Next reconnect the plug then follow the lead (literally) to see where it goes. It ends at the feet of two more guards! Sneak right past them to get the bucket. Back for some water then get behind the guards again and wait for action icon to tip out the water. Turn on the electricity ... 2 more down!
Move ahead to see two more guards .. no passing them. So return to the scene of your last crime and use the ropes on the railing. You'll swing over the side of the ship and sidle along to get rid of one more guard. Simply bypass the other one by climbing the ladder. Watch cut scene where Joy gets diverted ... you're alone again.
Take wrench and go down steps to pick up rope. The lower door is locked so go back and enter the one above. There's a grate here and it's open. Crawl in and you'll find a small door that needs a special key. Continue searching till you find a spinning fan with the key just out of reach if you're fond of your fingers. Back out. Head off down the ramp till you find a passage blocked by steam jets. You might want to do something here! Continue down and pick up the broken hook and note the jammed grate. Try to go further, your pathway is blocked so return to the spinning fan and use the broken hook to get the key. You can now open the other small door and use the valve to turn off the steam. Return to the not-so-steamy passage and take the oil. You can now open the jammed grate just below. Crawl in. You come across a hole with a guard standing conveniently below. Drop the wrench on him then use the rope to climb down.
Look around. Take the LCD timer from the barrel. Up the stairs there's a door that needs a number code. You'll soon run into Salma ... and your penultimate fight! Tip: use the extra weapons asap! After fight free Salma. You can't move the crate blocking her prison but Joy will arrive and give a hand. Salma has the code to unlock the nearby door so watch the cut scene and the two women will leave.
Open the coded door and pick up the C4 explosive. Take the detonator from the ammunition case. Combine it with the timer to make the ignition. Use this with the C4 to make a time bomb. Put the bomb in the crate of explosives and Helena turns up. You get shut in so climb the ladder. Before long you'll meet her again for the final showdown ...
Provided you win, of course, you'll save Drinavia and become a hero!
See the metzomagic.com Review of Largo Winch: Empire Under Threat.
Copyright © Rosemary & Gordon 2002.
All rights reserved.
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