Translation review

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The next day, a faint light of dawn began to show.

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The next day, a faint light began to show at dawn.

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The air was thick with the raw smell of soil and the scent of sweat.

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The air was thick with the raw smell of soil and sweat.

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Zhang Wu paced past the front of the formation with his hands clasped behind his back.

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Zhang Wu paced in front of the formation with his hands clasped behind his back.

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His gaze was as sharp as an eagle's, sweeping closely over every face—some nervous, some resolute.

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His gaze was as sharp as an eagle’s, sweeping over every face—some nervous, some resolute.

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He didn't waste much breath on pressure-inducing platitudes. This collapsing world itself was pressure enough.

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He didn’t waste his breath on pressure-inducing platitudes. This collapsing world was pressure enough.

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"The rules were made clear enough yesterday," Zhang Wu stopped in his tracks. His voice was not loud, yet it reached every person's ears clearly.

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“The rules were made clear enough yesterday.” Zhang Wu stopped. His voice wasn’t loud, yet it reached every person’s ears clearly.

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"The Core Operations Department receives the best treatment, but it also bears the greatest risk."

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“The Core Operations Department receives the best treatment, but it also bears the greatest risk.”

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"Every time you go out might be the last."

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“Every time you go out might be your last.”

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He paused, his gaze sweeping across the whole field.

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He paused, his gaze sweeping across the entire field.

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"If anyone here feels this deal isn't worth it, thinks you're getting a raw deal, or feels you don't have the guts, you can step out of line right now and switch to another post."

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“If anyone here feels this deal isn’t worth it, thinks you’re getting a raw deal, or feels you don’t have the guts, you can step out of line right now and switch to another post.”

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"Leave now, and no one will laugh at you."

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“Leave now, and no one will laugh at you.”

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"But if you stay now and later drop the ball during training or operations, that's a violation of discipline."

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“But if you stay and later drop the ball during training or operations, that’s a violation of discipline.”

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"You all know the consequences of violating discipline, don't you?"

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“You all know the consequences of violating discipline, don’t you?”

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"Crystal clear!"

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“Crystal clear!”

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The past few days of drilling and getting used to one another had had some effect—at least the voices were much more in step.

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The past few days of drilling and getting used to one another had had some effect—at least their voices were much more in sync.

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After yesterday's reorganization and screening, the Operations Department now had fifty-four people in total.

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After yesterday’s reorganization and screening, the Operations Department now had fifty-four people in total.

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This was the shelter's main force for future outward expansion.

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This was the shelter’s main force for future expansion beyond its walls.

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But today, the Operations Department's task was neither training nor going outside.

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But today, the Operations Department’s task was neither training nor going outside.

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It was to help the production team's technicians carry parts up to the surface and assemble drones.

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It was to help the production team’s technicians carry parts to the surface and assemble drones.

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"Seriously, why is this stuff underground?" Zhang Wu and one of his teammates carried a heavy metal crate out from the lift platform of the underground base, panting from exhaustion.

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“Seriously, why is this stuff underground?” Zhang Wu and one of his teammates carried a heavy metal crate out from the lift platform of the underground base, panting with exhaustion.

Paragraph 26

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Zhang Wu complained to the air, "At least the ammunition center has a loading port that connects straight to the surface. This pile of parts alone is going to work somebody to death."

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Zhang Wu complained to the air, “At least the ammunition center has a loading port that connects directly to the surface. This pile of parts alone is going to work somebody to death.”

Paragraph 27

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Ling Yu's electronic voice came from the ID card in his pocket.

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Ling Yu’s electronic voice came from the ID card in his pocket.

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[Yesterday, I finally cracked the system defenses of a long-sealed area in Zone B, and that's where I found these.]

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[Yesterday, I finally cracked the system defenses of a long-sealed area in Zone B, and that’s where I found these.]

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"How convenient." Zhang Wu set the crate down steadily and wiped off his sweat, a note of negotiation in his voice.

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“How convenient.” Zhang Wu set the crate down steadily and wiped away his sweat, a note of negotiation in his voice.

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"Zhuangsheng, I'm just saying—our inspections of the power station haven't exactly been meticulous."

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“Zhuangsheng, I’m just saying—our inspections of the power station haven’t exactly been meticulous.”

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"If any more good stuff 'spawns' out of some obscure corner in the future, it'll be a pleasant surprise for all of us!"

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“If any more good stuff ‘spawns’ out of some obscure corner in the future, it’ll be a pleasant surprise for all of us!”

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"Of course, preferably something we don't have to carry."

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“Of course, preferably something we don’t have to carry.”

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Ling Yu's electronic voice betrayed no emotion. [After this, I'll search the entire power station more carefully than you all do.]

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Ling Yu’s electronic voice betrayed no emotion. [After this, I’ll search the entire power station more carefully than you all do.]

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"Then I'll leave it to you." Zhang Wu smiled in satisfaction.

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“Then I’ll leave it to you.” Zhang Wu smiled in satisfaction.

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He straightened up and looked around.

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He straightened and looked around.

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On the open ground outside the lift platform, crates of parts big and small had already piled up, and the Operations Department members were still hauling more out, trip after trip.

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On the open ground outside the lift platform, crates of parts, large and small, had already piled up, and the Operations Department members were still hauling more out, trip after trip.

Paragraph 42

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On the other side, the production team's technicians had gathered around a three-dimensional holographic blueprint projected by a Sentinel Robot, beginning the initial assembly work.

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On the other side, the production team’s technicians had gathered around a three-dimensional holographic blueprint projected by a Sentinel Robot and begun the initial assembly work.

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Especially the core Operations Department members. Though they had some psychological expectations about how dangerous their future work would be, that didn't mean they weren't afraid.

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The Core Operations Department members especially felt this way. Though they had some psychological expectations about how dangerous their future work would be, that didn’t mean they weren’t afraid.

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The former Field Squad 3, led by Shen Yan—now the shelter's Security and Sanitation Management Team—was carrying out its own work.

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The former Field Squad 3, led by Shen Yan—now the shelter’s Security and Sanitation Management Team—was carrying out its own work.

Paragraph 51

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The zombies that had been killed with headshots on the road were loaded onto the truck one by one by the team members, then hauled away for burning.

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The zombies that had been killed with headshots on the road were loaded onto the truck one by one by team members, then hauled away for burning.

Paragraph 53

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Su Wan's experiments had already proven that even after a zombie "died," the cellular tissue in its body retained the potential to re-differentiate and evolve into even stranger forms under specific conditions.

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Su Wan’s experiments had already proven that even after a zombie “died,” the cellular tissue in its body retained the potential to redifferentiate and evolve into even stranger forms under specific conditions.

Paragraph 54

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And both the Abyssal Centipede and that huge white unknown monster they had brushed past in midair had displayed behavior of preying on zombies.

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Both the Abyssal Centipede and the huge white unknown monster they had passed in midair had displayed behavior consistent with preying on zombies.

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Though it was still unknown whether the evolution of mutant zombies was related to this, clearing away these "corpses" was never wrong.

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Though it was still unknown whether the evolution of mutant zombies was related to this, clearing away these “corpses” could never hurt.

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"Bang!"

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“Bang!”

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With a crisp gunshot, a wandering zombie that had been drawn over by the engine noise collapsed in the distance.

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With a crisp gunshot, a wandering zombie drawn over by the engine noise collapsed in the distance.

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[Good shooting.] From Sentinel-2's speaker came an electronic synthesized voice of praise.

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[Good shooting.] An electronic synthesized voice of praise came from Sentinel-2’s speaker.

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"Not bad. I guess my talent in this area is passable." Shen Yan lowered the assault rifle in her hands and looked at the robot beside her. "The zombies around here are just about cleared. Next, we string up some netting by the woods and set up regular patrols."

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“Not bad. I guess my talent in this area is passable.” Shen Yan lowered the assault rifle in her hands and looked at the robot beside her. “The zombies around here are just about cleared out. Next, we’ll string up some netting by the woods and set up regular patrols.”

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[Thank you for your outstanding contributions to the shelter's safety. The corresponding Energy Points and Honor Value have been credited to everyone's ID cards.]

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[Thank you for your outstanding contributions to the shelter’s safety. The corresponding Energy Points and Honor Value have been credited to everyone’s ID cards.]

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"No need for thanks," Shen Yan turned and looked toward the towering silhouette of the cooling towers in the distance. "We're just defending our own home."

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“No need for thanks.” Shen Yan turned and looked toward the towering silhouettes of the cooling towers in the distance. “We’re just defending our own home.”

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This was their only stronghold in this changed world—or, perhaps, the starting point of their counterattack.

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This was their only stronghold in this changed world—or perhaps the starting point of their counterattack.

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"Zhuangsheng," Shen Yan suddenly spoke, her tone casual. "Do you have the book My University in your database?"

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“Zhuangsheng,” Shen Yan said suddenly, her tone casual. “Do you have the book My University in your database?”

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[What's wrong? Is there some problem with that book?]

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[What’s wrong? Is there some problem with that book?]

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"Nothing." Shen Yan shook her head and raised her gun again, locking onto a staggering figure at the edge of her vision through the scope. "It just suddenly came to mind. Feels pretty ridiculous."

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“Nothing.” Shen Yan shook her head and raised her gun again, locking onto a staggering figure at the edge of her vision through the scope. “It just suddenly came to mind. Feels pretty ridiculous.”

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"The zombie crisis broke out on my very first day of college. The classmates and teachers I never even got the chance to know turned into monsters in the blink of an eye."

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“The zombie crisis broke out on my very first day of college. The classmates and teachers I never even got the chance to know turned into monsters in the blink of an eye.”

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"When I was preparing for the college entrance exam, I never imagined my 'college life' would turn out this 'exciting.'"

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“When I was preparing for the college entrance exam, I never imagined my ‘college life’ would turn out this ‘exciting.’”

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[That's true.]

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[That’s true.]

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[Heads up—you've startled them.]

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[Heads up—you’ve startled them.]

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In the distance, a small horde of a dozen or so zombies, attracted by the gunfire, was howling and shambling toward them.

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In the distance, a small horde of a dozen or so zombies, attracted by the gunfire, howled and shambled toward them.

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"That's exactly what I wanted—saves a lot of trouble." Shen Yan smiled and raised her gun.

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“That’s exactly what I wanted—it saves a lot of trouble.” Shen Yan smiled and raised her gun.

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Beside her, the team members had already fanned out with practiced ease, raising their guns to form a sparse line of defense. They no longer even needed Sentinel-2's fire support.

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Beside her, the team members had already fanned out with practiced ease, raising their guns to form a sparse line of defense. They no longer even needed Sentinel-2’s fire support.

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[Mr. Zhao, are you serious?] Even Ling Yu's electronic voice seemed to carry a note of disbelief.

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[Mr. Zhao, are you serious?] Even Ling Yu’s electronic voice seemed to carry a note of disbelief.

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Electrician Zhao Haisheng shook his slightly numb fingers, a somewhat embarrassed smile on his face: "Small issue, small issue. I'll definitely pay attention next time."

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Electrician Zhao Haisheng shook his slightly numb fingers, a somewhat embarrassed smile on his face. “Small issue, small issue. I’ll definitely pay attention next time.”

Paragraph 83

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[I can't always notice things in time.] Ling Yu's tone turned serious. [I can't always notice things in time, so please, you must be careful.]

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[I can’t always notice things in time.] Ling Yu’s tone turned serious. [I can’t always notice things in time, so please, you must be careful.]

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After a pause, Ling Yu added anyway, [It wasn't easy surviving this disaster. Don't get too cocky.]

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After a pause, Ling Yu added anyway, [It wasn’t easy surviving this disaster. Don’t get too cocky.]

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"Yes, yes, yes, I understand. Mr. Zhuangsheng is right to scold me." Zhao Haisheng nodded and bowed, his attitude toward admitting fault impeccable.

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“Yes, yes, yes, I understand. Mr. Zhuangsheng is right to scold me.” Zhao Haisheng nodded and bowed, his attitude toward admitting fault impeccable.

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But watching him like that, Ling Yu felt not the slightest sense of achievement from saving someone—only admiration for this old electrician's hint of "fierce courage."

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But watching him like that, Ling Yu felt not the slightest sense of achievement from saving someone—only admiration for this old electrician’s hint of “fierce courage.”

Paragraph 87

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Even the newly added electricians, who were clearly younger, wouldn't dare pull off a stunt like that!

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Even the newly added electricians, who were clearly younger, wouldn’t dare pull off a stunt like that!

Paragraph 88

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Working on live wires over here—old pal, I really don't know what you were thinking!

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Working on live wires over here—old pal, I really don’t know what you were thinking!

Paragraph 89

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So it's true that 220 volts can't kill a 250-grade fool, is it? But the key point is, the voltage here isn't just 220V!

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So it’s true that 220 volts can’t kill a 250-grade fool, is it? But the key point is, the voltage here isn’t just 220V!

Paragraph 90

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[Alright, be more careful from now on. And this section of the wiring needs to be re-inspected.]

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[All right, be more careful from now on. And this section of the wiring needs to be reinspected.]

Paragraph 91

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"Got it!"

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“Got it!”

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[If you don't finish your homework, you won't get today's Energy Points.]

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[If you don’t finish your homework, you won’t get today’s Energy Points.]

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[Without Energy Points, don't even think about snacks from now on.]

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[Without Energy Points, don’t even think about snacks from now on.]

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[Crying won't help.]

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[Crying won’t help.]

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"Oh..." Xiao Xue, a little girl whose eyes had already welled up with tears, instantly held them back at these words.

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“Oh...” Xiao Xue, a little girl whose eyes had already welled up with tears, instantly held them back at these words.

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He had been about to cave and soften, but when he learned that the homework Zhang Jing had assigned was merely a few sheets of copybook practice and ten addition-and-subtraction problems within twenty, he was outraged.

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He had been about to cave and soften, but when he learned that the homework Zhang Jing had assigned consisted merely of a few sheets of copybook practice and ten addition-and-subtraction problems within twenty, he was outraged.

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As someone who had fought his way out of an ocean of exam questions, he absolutely could not accept that anyone could have this little homework!

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As someone who had fought his way out of an ocean of exam questions, he absolutely couldn’t accept that anyone could have so little homework!

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And even less could he accept that someone would dare not do it when it was this little!

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And even less could he accept that someone would dare not do it when there was so little!

Paragraph 105

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Besides these elementary school kids, under the "education" of a Sentinel that Ling Yu had specially deployed, the three underage boys who had come from Brother Dao's convoy were also reluctantly doing their homework.

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Besides these elementary school kids, under the “education” of a Sentinel that Ling Yu had specially deployed, the three underage boys who had come from Brother Dao’s convoy were also reluctantly doing their homework.

Paragraph 106

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Of course, they were deeply unhappy about being forced back into the classroom, stubbornly wanting to join the Core Operations Department, feeling that only holding a gun could give them a sense of security.

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Of course, they were deeply unhappy about being forced back into the classroom. They stubbornly wanted to join the Core Operations Department, feeling that only holding a gun could give them a sense of security.

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Experiences during one's youth could easily influence a person's entire life.

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Experiences during one’s youth could easily influence a person’s entire life.

Paragraph 110

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He didn't want these children, who had fought so hard to survive, to end up with serious psychological problems.

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He didn’t want these children, who had fought so hard to survive, to end up with serious psychological problems.

Paragraph 111

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So, for these children and the shelter's three current teachers, he had subdivided the task allocation of Energy Points and Honor Value in extra detail, keeping the focus firmly on the field of education.

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So, for these children and the shelter’s three current teachers, he had subdivided the task allocation of Energy Points and Honor Value in extra detail, keeping the focus firmly on the field of education.

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At most, it could include only moderate participation in the production team's work tasks—never the killing of those humanoid monsters.

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At most, it could include only moderate participation in the production team’s work tasks—never the killing of those humanoid monsters.

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When the last piece of modular armor was installed into place, a deep hum rang out across the field.

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When the last piece of modular armor was installed, a deep hum rang out across the field.

Paragraph 118

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It looked like a giant metal honeycomb made up of countless hexagons, about twenty meters long, pitch black all over, its surface covered with intricate pipelines and heat-dissipating grilles.

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It looked like a giant metal honeycomb made up of countless hexagons, about twenty meters long and pitch-black all over, its surface covered with intricate pipelines and heat-dissipating grilles.

Paragraph 119

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At its top and on both sides were dense launch ports, and behind every port, the faint shape of a compact drone was visible.

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Dense launch ports covered its top and both sides, and behind every port, the faint shape of a compact drone was visible.

Paragraph 120

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"Hum—"

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“Hum—”

Paragraph 121

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As energy surged in, the entire "Hive" mother unit lit up.

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As energy surged in, the entire “Hive” mother unit lit up.

Paragraph 123

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"I... damn... that's awesome!" Lin Yue tilted his head back, his mouth stretched wide enough to fit a light bulb, his Adam's apple bobbing, but no more sound coming out.

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“I... damn... that’s awesome!” Lin Yue tilted his head back, his mouth stretched wide enough to fit a light bulb, his Adam’s apple bobbing, but no more sound came out.

Paragraph 125

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He hadn't expected the thing to look this "magnificent" after assembly either! Just looking at it, you could tell it meant business.

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He hadn’t expected the thing to look this “magnificent” after assembly, either! Just looking at it, you could tell it meant business.

Paragraph 126

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["Hive" Drone Combat System, assembly complete.]

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[“Hive” Drone Combat System, assembly complete.]

Paragraph 127

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Ling Yu's voice, calm and steady, reached everyone's ears through the broadcast.

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Ling Yu’s voice, calm and steady, reached everyone’s ears through the broadcast.

Paragraph 128

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[It contains five thousand "Worker Bee" miniature bombing drones and five thousand "Soldier Bee" miniature laser drones.]

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[It contains five thousand “Worker Bee” miniature bombing drones and five thousand “Soldier Bee” miniature laser drones.]