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[Alexandr Korol]

and then they get taken, threatened with prison or recruited. But I was the opposite — I always wanted my knowledge to be for good, to strengthen the protection of the state or the country, or to strengthen security for peaceful citizens. That was always my approach — not to harm. So I always thought: “Wow, if someday I end up in the intelligence services, I’ll say: ‘Hey, cool.’” And they’ll say: “Yeah, cool, you’re a smart guy.” I’d say: “Yeah.” And they’d say: “We’re working on something, join us.” And I’d answer: “Sure, no problem, I’ll figure it all out.” So I always had this idea that together we’re strong. And what’s wrong with that? But no one ever came. Why? Maybe they had more important things to do in the world than deal with me. Or maybe it’s just that nowadays there are so many fake, phony self-promoters claiming they “see” things or “can do” something. Maybe I got lost among them, and that’s why no one can spot me, assuming I’m just like those people standing on nails somewhere in Bali. Maybe that’s why. So maybe nature is just hiding me from everyone — I don’t know. But I do understand that if it’s God’s will, or the system’s, or nature’s — whatever you want to call it — for me to write a huge number of books for humanity, then I’d probably be doing it under very different circumstances. That’s why, interestingly, my life has always been arranged in such a way that all distractions get eliminated: no personal life, no friendly get-togethers. The moment I start thinking about anything like that, spend even one day on it — it all collapses. And then I shut myself away again for six months and write books. And that’s been my entire life. Seriously — everything revolves around books. All I ever do is write books — that’s the core of everything. The rest is minor, occasional. Sometimes I’m allowed a pause so my psyche can reset, to digest something, so I’m ready to write the next books. And during those pauses, I might allow myself a little bit of everyday life — but it’s so modest, you wouldn’t believe it. People have dreams, desires, relationships, plans for the future, things they live for and worry about — but for me all of that feels devalued. The only thing that has value in my life is the path. My path through books — these books. And as long as I’m writing them, life has meaning. I’d even say, my life has meaning only for that reason. Because why else would the system need me if I stopped writing? It’s like writing is the only reason I came here — I’m here to write books.