coagulation; freezing; solidification
to be covertly swapped; to be replaced (e.g. with a counterfeit)
salvation (of the world); saving the world
chief; main; principal; important
unnatural; artificial; false; forced (e.g. smile); empty (e.g. compliments)
wincing; cowering; shrinking; flinching; recoiling
interest (in something); enthusiasm
to feign ignorance; to pretend to be ignorant of; to play innocent; to brazen it out
to slip into; to crawl into (under); to conceal oneself (under); to sneak into; to infiltrate
sharing a common destiny; sitting in the same boat
hard; solid; stiff; tight; strong; firm (not viscous or easily moved); safe
plotting; planning (crime, intrigue); ringleader; mastermind; leader (of a plot)
you can never be too careful; you can't be too cautious; better safe than sorry
fragment; scrap; piece; shred
front-facing; forward-looking; positive; constructive
monitoring; watching; observation; surveillance; guarding; supervision
that being the case; in that case; if that's how it's going to go
meticulous; careful; discreet; scrupulous; prudent
small point; knob; protuberance; aloneness; loneliness; solitude
care; precaution; guarding; caution
then; in that case; considering; if that is the case; if so
cunning and experienced in the ways of the world; crafty and worldly-wise; sly old (fox)
to strengthen; to emphasize; to emphasise
underwater; behind closed doors; behind the scenes; below the surface
illegal; illicit; unlawful
machinery and materials; equipment; materials for manufacturing machinery
underground organization; underground organisation
guerrilla; guerrilla warfare; sudden
to get burned and stuck on (e.g. rice in a pan); to become uncollectable (e.g. debt or loan); to become irrecoverable; to remain unchanged (e.g. stock market)
strengthening; intensifying; reinforcement; reinforcement
approval; license; licence; permission
declaration; statement; proclamation
too many to count; too numerous to mention
to be in the firing line; to bear the brunt of (an attack, criticism, etc.); to face (e.g. questioning)
to play a leading role; to play a central part
young; juvenile; child in the first year of kindergarten
as a child; when one was a child