The Real Awakening

Chapter 3: Numbers

By the time Ye Xiao and Su Mu had left Nanshan Prison, it was already past noon. 

The midday sun enveloped them with a blazing heat. The temperature was seriously extreme, a distinct contrast to the gloomy, cold and wet surroundings of the prison.

Deng Wei Ning escorted the pair of young officers to the exit with an unsightly expression. The serial killer in that cell who required heavy observation had suddenly foamed at the mouth and fallen into a state of shock. Fortunately, per the prison physicians examination, it was declared that the convicts large amount of mental pressure and excessive stress had caused acute oxygen deficiency. The man would recover with some rest and was not in critical danger. If the convict had suddenly died in the prison, the responsibility would have been beyond what Deng Wei Ning could take. It might have even led to rumours and slanders spreading outside about prisoner abuse. Good thing that serial killer only temporarily lost consciousness. What did those two little cops even do? 

As Deng Wei Ning watched Ye Xiao and Su Mu enter their police car, he couldnt help but let out a bitter chuckle.

The car slowly started and drove down the rugged mountain road. After passing through the multiple defence checkpoints, it swiftly went on its way.

At a reasonable speed, the car returned back to the city centre at some point past two. Ye Xiaos stomach growled in hunger; originally he had planned to drive directly back to the station, but after pleading and pestering nonstop, the duo ultimately ended up going to a Japanese ramen restaurant called Kikui. 

As it was past lunchtime, there were not many customers in the ramen place. Ye Xiao strode in and found a two-person table in the corner. After glancing around, he pointed at the incomparably beautiful and tantalising photo of pork bone ramen on the signboard poster, ordering two extra sized portions in addition to two orders each of stewed eggs, takoyaki, honey-roasted eel, beef gyoza, shrimp tempura, tuna salad

Su Mu sat across from Ye Xiao, silently listening to the other mans order. As time passed, his expression fell further and further. When he finally couldnt stand it any longer, he stopped Ye Xiao but the latter had practically gone through and listed 80% of the menu already. 

Are you a pig? Su Mu shot a disbelieving glare.

Ye Xiao chuckled and scratched his head. Have you seen a pig that can use chopsticks?

Su Mu rolled his eyes, not bothering to bicker back.

With a laugh, Ye Xiao reached over to pluck out two pairs of chopsticks from the box on the table. He passed one pair over to Su Mu while earnestly asking, Hey, do you seriously think that No. 13 was wrongly accused?

Su Mu took the chopsticks and replied, I dont know. But judging from what weve seen, he doesnt seem to be acting.

But how would the fingerprints and the person captured on the surveillance cameras be explained?

Ye Xiao blinked as he peered at Su Mu in confusion.

Su Mu turned to stare at the three bottled sauces at the side of the table and simply stated four words, They cant be explained.

Ye Xiao rubbed his chin in contemplation. According to the three investigation reports, none of the victims from the cases are acquainted with No. 13 at all. Moreover, there werent any places where they wouldve crossed paths, nor were there any conflicts of interest. What reason could there have been for him to resolutely murder them so cruelly?

Su Mu raised a brow as he flatly commented, Some people dont need a reason to murder. There are plenty of abnormal people in the world.

But he didnt seem abnormal to me. Insteadinstead he looked pretty innocent.

Hmph, if its that easy for you to be overly sympathetic, I recommend you quit your police job sooner rather than later. 

Su Mu scoffed.

You

Ye Xiao gave a glare in reply, but after a moment of silence he murmured, And based on the current situation, theres a 99% chance that the charges will be declared in the court session a month from now. Even if they cant find No. 13s motive for murder, the conclusive evidence makes it impossible to deny the accusation. So all of our so-called investigation right now is a mere work formality 

In his heart, he truly believed that this serial killer was innocent, yet suffered from being unable to confirm his thoughts. The fingerprints and camera footage were both evidence.

As he inwardly beat his own brains, the waiter arrived with two large steaming bowls of pork bone ramen. Soon after, the side dishes arrived one after another, resulting in over a dozen fine delicacies filling the table. Ye Xiao couldnt help but feel beyond elated by the gourmet food before him and he eagerly picked up his chopsticks to start wolfing down everything.

The corners of Su Mus lips twitched as he watched. Sometimes, he honestly suspected that this guy was either the reincarnation of a starved ghost, or possessed a bottomless pit as a stomach. Ye Xiaos appetite was always much more developed than his lacking brain. 

Seriously, something mustve gone wrong for a person like this to have become a criminal investigator.

Su Mu sighed and picked up his chopsticks to slowly begin eating too.

Oh right, when I checked the previous investigation records, I noticed multiple issues. I think we should go pay a visit to Officer He Zhi Dong later and hear his thoughts on the incident. What do you think?

As Ye Xiao spoke, he lowered his head to inhale the noodles and finished off more than half the bowl.

I think that even if we went and asked, he wouldnt necessarily know anything.

Su Mu slowly replied as he calmly plucked one of the small sauce bottles to add to his soup. After a bit of stirring, he lightly tasted it.

Is Officer He currently taking leave to recuperate at home? Ye Xiao asked.

Yes, apparently he could have retired in another three years, but he has no choice but to stop early. And because he blinded his eye himself without any relation to others, he couldnt even receive compensation payment for his injury.

That really is a pity, Ye Xiao sighed. He swallowed a delicious takoyaki and commented, Plus, his colleagues at the station are spreading rumours about him being possessed, because why else would a perfectly fine person suddenly hurt himself? 

Heh, if he really did get possessed, then Im afraid hes not the only one. 

Su Mu indifferently spoke as he took a bite of noodles.

With a tempura shrimp tail sticking out from his mouth, Ye Xiao raised his head to ask, Are you referring to Officer Luo and Officer Kang?

Su Mu nodded. Luo You Wei murdered his wife and jumped off a building after interrogating No. 13, while Kang Lei went insane. With He Zhi Dong self-harming as well, I have a feeling that these three incidents are not accidents nor coincidences.

Not accidents nor coincidences? Pfft, are you telling me they were deliberate plots? Ye Xiao licked off the butter on his lips and shot a teasing look at Su Mu while laughing in spite of himself. Oi, you cant possibly suspect No. 13 did those, right? 

All three of their incidents only occurred after they came into contact with No. 13, Su Mu remarked in an unhurried tone as he lowered his head to sip the rich pork bone broth.

But youve seen the surveillance tapes of the interrogation room as well. From beginning to end, No. 13 never even touched He Zhi Dong. Please tell me what method he used to cause He Zhi Dong to self-harm.

Ye Xiao stuffed a gyoza into his mouth and chewed on it while adding, Besides, Luo You Wei killed his wife in his own home, making it even more impossible to connect with No. 13 in prison. If you ask me, the three incidents are purely a coincidence. Though because its a pretty extreme coincidence, its made everyone overly suspicious. What do you think?

Su Mu kept his head down as he wordlessly drank soup instead of replying. Eventually, he lifted his eyes and suddenly broke the silence. Did you know that the day before Luo You Wei strangled his fiancee, Zheng Shu Yi, he had just found out she was having an affair?

Huh? An affair? Ye Xiao asked in astonishment, You mean that it was actually a love-related murder?

Yes, Zheng Shu Yi had been hiding another man aside from Luo You Wei, and he never knew.

Su Mu paused before continuing, But that day, Luo You Wei, who never went to work early nor left late, came out from Nanshan Prison after meeting with No. 13 and did not return to the station. Instead, he went directly to some motel in the city, burst into a guest room, and exposed Zheng Shu Yis affair catching them in the bed, actually.

Eh Ye Xiao could imagine the scene. He blinked as realisation dawned on him. No wonderno wonder he ended up losing control of his emotions and strangling his fiancee in her sleep.

Its rumoured that Luo Yi Wei had always been deeply in love with Zheng Shu Yi. They had already sent out wedding invitations, and the two should have been happily together. Yet it was suddenly discovered that everything had been a scam. Unable to accept it, he killed his fiancee with his own hands, then chose to die with her. 

Su Mu described everything in an unhurried, level tone, as though discussing an 8-oclock TV drama filled with angst and dogblood. After setting down his chopsticks and wiping his mouth with a napkin, he crossed his legs and leaned back against the chair to stare expressionlessly at Ye Xiao, who was gnawing on eel with relish.

Ye Xiao swallowed the bite of eel in his mouth and asked in confusion, How did Luo You Wei know Zheng Shu Yi was having an affair at that moment? And the precise location? Did he hire a private investigator?

No, and thats where the issue lies. Su Mu looked at Ye Xiao. Luo You Wei had always held complete faith in Zheng Shu Yi; he had never investigated her on his own or through a third party. That morning, he had even made a reservation for a lovers seat at an expensive sushi place, intending to eat dinner there together with Zheng Shu Yi after work. In other words, until that very morning, he hadnt detected his fiancees cheating actions.

Tch, then according to what youre saying, he shouldnt have had any reason nor awareness to have suddenly charged into a motel and caught the couple in the act. Unless Ye Xiao chomped down on a fishbone as he muttered this with a deep frown.

Su Mu continued on in his place, Unless someone told him.

Right! Unless someone told him! Ye Xiao spat out the fish bones in his mouth and asked, But, aside from himself and a private investigator, who else would specifically look into where and when Zheng Shu Yi was having a secret affair?

As he spoke, he glanced at Su Mu and leaned forward. In a lowered, half-joking and half-ridiculing tone, he commented, Oi, Dead Fish Eyes, dont tell me that youre trying to say that its No. 13?

Why not him? Su Mu lifted his eyes and replied, Luo You Wei suddenly ran out of his interrogation with No. 13 midway, and ran straight to the scene of the adultery.

Ye Xiao considered this for a moment before shaking his head. No no no, there must be some mistake. That cant be possible?

Why cant it be possible? Su Mu shot back.

Ye Xiao blinked, freezing for a few seconds before laughter burst out through his lips. Please, youve seen that No. 13 as well. Hes not only locked within the impenetrable Nanshan Prison, but hes even bound by a straitjacket and fetters. He cant even walk straight, so how could he have possibly left the prison to investigate these matters? Besides, what does it matter to him if Luo You Weis fiancee is having an affair or not?

Yes, whether or not Zheng Shu Yi was having an affair did not affect him in any way. But, what if he just wanted to tease the investigator that was interrogating him? Because the matter seemed extremely interesting.

Interesting? Ye Xiao cocked his head in confusion. I dont see how its interesting.

The corners of Su Mus lips shifted upwards as he evenly stated, Luo You Wei was a young and promising investigator with a stable occupation, a blissful relationship, and was just about to step into a wedding hall. Everything appeared to be so perfect, and he himself was deeply submerged in the drunkenness from this pinnacle stage. Dont you think its quite interesting to watch a person fall from the highest peak down into a bottomless abyss of eternal damnation?

Er

Ye Xiao was speechless for a long time as he stared at Su Mu in disbelief. I dont understand youhow could you have such abnormal thoughts?

Hah, abnormal?

Su Mu sneered and mockingly answered, You should realise that there are plenty of people with even more abnormal thoughts.

Alright, alright. Ye Xiao waved his hand, not sure whether to laugh or cry. At the very least, I cant see No. 13 being a person as abnormal as you at the moment.

Su Mu did not respond nor refute, instead calmly staring back with his arms crossed.

Ye Xiao sighed and finally placed his chopsticks down reluctantly. He let out a satisfied burp and said, Seriously though, theres something that Ive always wanted to ask you. Why did you originally want to become a police officer?

Su Mu arched his brows. 

Ye Xiao laughed in spite of himself and explained, Because I feel like with your personality, you might have been more suited to become a criminal rather than a police officer. Something like a coldblooded killer, or maybe a criminal mastermind.

Criminal mastermindhah, thank you for your praise.

Su Mu raised his lips into a thin smile that did not reach his eyes. He did not directly answer Ye Xiaos question, nor did Ye Xiao ask any further. Not trying to probe into each others pasts could possibly be a hard-to-come-by tacit agreement between them.

After eating and paying for the grand meal at Kikui, they did not return to the police station. Instead, they drove to where Officer He Zhi Dong resided.

Along the way, Ye Xiao couldnt shake off the feeling that their direction of investigation was deviating from the focus. The higher-ups had transferred this case to them to look into No. 13s true identity and motive for murder. Yet for some reason, Su Mu seemed more intrigued by the reason behind the previous three officers getting injured.

Could it be that those three accidents really are related to No. 13?

Please, isnt that a bit outrageous?

How could a criminal behind bars have that kind of ability? Dead Fish Eyes is indulging too much in the impossible.

As Ye Xiao thought this from where he sat in the front seat, he couldnt help but shake his head in amusement.

Su Mu shot him a look from the rearview mirror and coldly declared, If youre ridiculing me in your mind right now, please dont show it on your face, or else I will feel extremely annoyed.

As soon as Su Mu said this, Ye Xiao clearly sensed the car speed up. He hurriedly grabbed hold of the door handle, curving his lips down to hide his smirk.

After passing through multiple streets, they finally arrived at He Zhi Dongs residence at a quarter past four. 

It was in an old residential community, where every building was no taller than six floors. Most people living there were middle-aged and elderly who had retired. The entire block was brimming with the strong aura of activity. It was unlike many so-called advanced residential areas that were just filled with too cold and too stiff reinforced concrete.

Su Mu found the nearest empty space to park the car by the curb, and the both of them strode into the residential area. Following the door numbers, they arrived before an old building with mottled walls. 

They climbed up the stairs to the fifth floor and pressed the doorbell of Officer He Zhi Dongs home. The person who opened the door was a plainly clothed, mid-aged woman with greying hair.

This was He Zhi Dongs wife.

Mrs. He had been busy preparing food to cook, an apron still around her waist and a partially washed onion in her hand. Upon seeing the two completely unfamiliar young men that had arrived at her home for no apparent reason, she couldnt help but stare blankly. Before she could voice any questions, they heard a loud and clear voice come from inside. 

Ah Wan, who is it?

Dont know, dont recognise them.

Mrs. He turned to respond back.

A medium-sized figure belonging to a man past his fifties walked out.

The mans hair was grizzled, and he was on the skinnier side. However, he seemed energetic in spirit, and he had a healthy frame. The only thing that was out-of-place was the eyepatch he wore. It was diagonally across his face, covering the entire left eye. He looked just like pirates in cartoons, and at first glance, it was a bit of a comical sight.

Without a doubt, this person was He Zhi Dong.

Ye Xiao met his gaze and showed his own ID while providing a simple explanation for their purpose in coming.

Oh, is that so? You two are the fourth ones responsible for No. 13s case?

He Zhi Dong was quite surprised as he used his remaining right eye to scan the two young men in front of him. With a bitter smile, he invited them into the living room.

Mrs. He poured them all tea before returning to the kitchen.

Ye Xiao sat on the sofa feeling extremely restless as he glanced around. Finally, his gaze fearlessly stopped on He Zhi Dongs covered left eye.

Haha, do you want to see? 

He Zhi Dongs eyes curved upwards to show his eye wrinkles as he chuckled in understanding and calmly removed the eye patch under Ye Xiaos curious watch. A pitch dark eyeball was revealed underneath the patch. At first glance, it didnt seem any different from an ordinary eyeball, but upon closer scrutiny, it was evident that the pupil was especially glossy. It was bright black in colour and reflected an unusual glow from its depths. 

The original eyeball was already surgically removed; this is made of glass. It was just inserted recently and I havent gotten used to it yet, so I went the extra mile and covered it with a patch. When my grandson came last week, he even said I was like a pirate.

He chuckled as he pointed at his own left eye and calmly stated, I was just lucky. My doctor at the time said that if the fountain pen had penetrated just a bit deeper, it wouldve injured the brain cortex, and it wouldnt have been as simple to fix as putting in a fake eye.

Although his words were downplayed, Ye Xiao could hear the frustration and bitterness behind them. After a moment of silence, he cut straight to the point. Forgive me for my bluntness, but why did you do it back then?

He Zhi Dong smiled. Many people have asked me that question.

As he spoke, he used his chin to point at the kitchen and quietly stated, Even now, Ah Wan continues asking me that question. But Im very sorry to say, I still cannot answer it.

At this, a trace of barely detectable distress flashed across the face of the over half-century old police officer.

Su Mu slowly asked, Could I trouble you to describe the course of events again?

He Zhi Dong smiled bitterly. Actually, I dont know what to say about it either. Because at the time, I felt as though I had been possessed.

Oh? Possessed? Su Mus brows shot up in astonishment.

He Zhi Dong nodded. Yes, I couldnt control my own actions back then. He narrowed his eyes as he tried his best to recall the memory. Im not sure why. In that moment, I was clearly consciously aware, and I knew exactly what I was doing. Yet I couldnt control my movements, just likejust like a ghost had taken over. I could only watch on as I saw myself eat the notes, thenthen pick up the fountain pen and stab it into my own eye. I was terrified, really so terrified, but I couldnt stop my own hands

It felt a bit out-of-place to hear such words come from the mouth of a weather-beaten investigator, but there was true fear in He Zhi Dongs remaining intact right eye.

Several months had already passed since this incident, but he evidently had lingering trauma.

After brokenly telling the story, He Zhi Dong was quiet for a long while. Then he abruptly seemed to think of something and quipped, Oh right, I heard that of the two who took the case after me, one died and one went crazy. Is that true?

Ye Xiao shot a glance at Su Mu before gravely nodding and admitting, Its true.

I heard they were both young?

Yeah.

Sigh, truly a pity.

He Zhi Dong sighed and took a sip of tea as he murmured, Could this be a curse? Anyone thats interrogated No. 13 ends up with a horrible end

Curse? Ye Xiao was stunned. Officer He, do you also think this is related to that convict?

Putting down his tea cup, He Zhi Dong waved his hand and said, No, I cant be certain of anything, its just my intuition. After all, No. 13 isnt someone easy to deal with. You guys must be careful too.

Oh? Not easy to deal with? How so?

The image of No. 13s helpless and panic-stricken appearance popped up unbidden in his mind. No matter how he thought about it, he didnt think of the criminal as someone difficult to handle.

He Zhi Dong frowned. Uncommunicative, crafty and sinister. Even though he confessed to the crime, he refused to say his motive for murder. That person is shrewd to the core and extremely elusive.

Ye Xiao could only stare blankly at this. Uncommunicative? Crafty and sinister? Shrewd to the core? Is this the same No. 13 that I saw? 

The most critical part was

You said he already confessed to the crime? Su Mu suddenly asked.

Yeah, he even stamped his print on the statement of confession. You guys didnt know?

Huh? How could that be? Ye Xiao blinked, flabbergasted as he said, But he clearly claimed in front of our faces that he had been wrongly accused.

He Zhi Dong wasnt sure whether to laugh or cry. Hah, wrongly accused? He never told me that he was wrongly accused.

Ye Xiao tilted his head to shoot a baffled look at Su Mu.

Su Mu muttered to himself for a moment before voicing, Excuse me for asking, but did the No. 13 you met have a stutter?

Stutter? He Zhi Dong furrowed his brows and replied, No, he rarely spoke, but his diction was very clear.

With this, the entire situation became even more incomprehensible. 

Had the stammering No. 13 they had witnessed been a deliberate act?

But what was the purpose of such an act? Just to win over their sympathy? Or could there be another reason?

Ye Xiao and Su Mu left He Zhi Dongs residence with even more unsolvable riddles.

The next morning, they headed straight to the mental hospital in the outskirts of the city to see the third investigator who had taken this case: Kang Lei.

Kang Lei was truly, completely insane. When they arrived, he was in the middle of repeatedly slamming his head against the wall, to the point where his scalp was bleeding. Eventually, under the medical personnels best dissuasion efforts, he finally calmed down.

Upon calming down, he immediately buried himself under thick woollen blankets, curled up fearfully in a corner of the ward, mumbling to himself as his body trembled.

Ye Xiao attempted to approach him to say a few words, but as soon as he got close, the man hid deeper beneath the blankets and began to wail loudly. The hysterical screams were like the desolate cries of a pig being slaughtered.

With lack of a better option, Ye Xiao could only retreat and powerlessly scratch his head. He pleadingly glanced over at the short-haired girl standing at the wards doorway.

The girl was Kang Wen, Kang Leis younger sister. She was his only relative in the city.

Kang Wen had just graduated last year and was currently working at a small trading company. After her brothers mental issues had occurred, she had taken on the responsibility of caring for her brother while working. If she wasnt at the office, she was at the hospital, making her extremely overworked. She looked beyond thin and pallow. 

The girl tiredly pushed away the hair in front of her eyes and gave a numb, bitter smile. Dont ask me, I cant do anything either. Gge doesnt allow anyone near him, including me.

Why?

I dont know, but I heard the primary doctor say Gge is afraid.

Afraid?

Yes, he always feels like someone will harm him.

Who? Who will harm him?

Dont know, it might just be a figment of his imagination.

Kang Wen shook her head and resentfully bit out through clenched teeth, With police as an occupation, he was originally overly suspicious, plus its dangerous as well. I urged him long ago to quit the profession, but he refused to listen and claimed it was his childhood dream. Now look, his dream has turned into a nightmare he can never wake from. Our parents back in their hometown still dont know about all this; I have no idea how to tell them. Am I supposed to just say that Gges already gone mad?

As the girl spoke, she cradled her head in her hands with an anguished expression. 

Su Mu then inquired, Why do you think that your brothers abnormal mental state is related to his profession?

Kang Wen raised her head and confidently answered, Is there a need to even ask? My brother was originally someone with a naturally cheerful personality. He always loved to laugh, loved to have fun, and he had a large group of friends that never left his side. But ever since that incident two years ago, he completely changed. He never smiled, never initiated conversations, and stayed depressed the entire time. And now hes even

The girl choked on a sob and did not continue.

The incident two years ago? Ye Xiao couldnt help but probe further, What happened?

Kang Wen rubbed her red eyes and replied, Two years ago, Gges partner died.

Partnerdied?

Yes, he died in the line of duty while they were carrying out an assignment.

The girl took a deep breath and continued, That person was Gges partner while working, but also an amazing brother in their everyday lives. I often ate together with him too, we were all very close. He was slightly older and took great care of us both. Who wouldve thought that such a good person would end up with bad repercussions? This world is just so unfair

As she spoke, a trace of derision formed on the girls haggard face. 

Do you know how this person died? Su Mu asked.

What? Kang Wen was taken aback.

I said, do you know what kind of case this person was handling when he died? Was it an accident or intentional?

Oh, I only heard about it from someone else afterwards; Gge refused to tell me. 

Kang Wen thought to herself for a moment before answering, They seemed to have been tracking a drug smuggling case. When they infiltrated to investigate, their identities were exposed. Gge escaped in time, but his partner

Oh, no wonder Ye Xiao sighed and expressed his understanding. Because your brothers partner died while he continued living, he felt apologetic and completely changed.

But, but that obviously wasnt Gges fault! Why did he have to put the blame on himself! 

Kang Wen emotionally raised her voice while furiously glaring at Ye Xiao.

Ye Xiao took a step back and tactfully shut his mouth.

Su Mu studied Kang Lei, who was still cowered in a corner. It was evident that it would be impossible to communicate with him in his current state.

Thus, after a while, Ye Xiao and Su Mu bid farewell and took their leave.

When they walked out from the hospital entrance, Ye Xiao sighed and tilted his head back to face the dazzling sunlight. Gazing up at the vast sky, he murmured, Hey, Dead Fish Eyes, if I suddenly died in the line of duty one day, would you

No.

Before Ye Xiao finished his sentence, Su Mu directly blurted out his answer without hesitating for even a tenth of a second.

Ye Xiao froze. Su Mu had already walked on as he said without turning his head, If you died in the line of duty one day, it would likely be due to your own low IQ. So I wouldnt grieve or feel sorrow because of you; you would have deserved it.

W-W-What did you say!

Ye Xiao gloomily glared at Su Mus back and huffed, You bastard, pighead, cold-blooded animal! You cant even be bothered to say something out of courtesy?!

Su Mu snorted and indifferently replied, Oh, understood. When that day really happens, I will fulfil your wish and put on a bit of an act.

You

Filled with anger, Ye Xiao only glared back without saying anything more.

The two arrived at the parking lot one after another. Just as they were about to open the car doors, they heard a shout behind them.

Please wait a minute!

Kang Wen ran over from a distance, panting as she pulled out something from her bag. I know that you guys are currently investigatingthe same case as Gge was beforeThis iswhat I found while tidying Gges clothes. He had very carefully saved it in his suit pocketI figure it might be related to the case. Theres no use in me keeping it anyways, so I might as well give it to youHopefully itll be helpful

As she spoke, she passed the item over to Ye Xiao.

It was a slip of paper with a string of Arabic numbers.

13, 17, 26, 41, 49, 2

And underneath the bizarre string of numbers were three large English letters:

E, S, P.

What in the world do these numbers and letters mean?

Flabbergasted, Ye Xiao lifted his head to look at Su Mu.

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