[Check Out My P4treon For +30 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!! And get chapters before publishing them here for free on my p4treon][https://p4treon.com/talkfictome]
===
The overwhelming joy of surviving the ordeal was instantly washed away by the third puzzle. Etienne straightened up, staggering toward the metal console. He examined the nine-square grid as if it were a priceless treasure, his fingers tracing the cold Roman numerals that carried a historical weight.
"The third layer..." he hoarsely murmured.
Without hesitation, he grabbed the marker and began new calculations on the wooden floor, which was already scratched beyond recognition. "The first password—our corrected matrix—is the clue."
He re-entered the numbers into his sketched grid:
75139264?
"The last square is empty," his brain worked at high speed. "This is a standard 1 to 9 grid. We already have 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 9. Therefore, this can only be one number: 8!"
He stood up and pressed the buttons on the console: 7-5-1-3-9-2-6-4-8.
Beep— The screen flashed a cold, blood-red font: PASSWORD ERROR. ATTEMPTS REMAINING: 2.
Etienne's body swayed. "Impossible... the logic is sound..." He raised his hand to try again, but Claire grabbed his wrist firmly. "Don't. We only have two tries left. If it locks, we're finished."
"The light changed," Noah interrupted, looking up.
Above the dome, the nine spotlights had shifted. The beams now converged on the giant piano relief, passing through a large decorative crystal. The crystal refracted the light, projecting a brand-new grid of ancient Greek letters onto the ceiling:
αδθγιβζεη
"It's a mapping!" Claire understood immediately.
Noah took the marker and wrote the correspondences: 7→α, 5→δ, 1→θ, 3→γ, 9→ι, 2→β, 6→ζ, 4→ε, 8→η.
"But what's the sequence?" Etienne asked, his voice pleading.
Noah's gaze settled on the bottom right corner of the relief, where the light was dimmest. Vaguely, a name was outlined: Artivius.
"That's not a name," Noah said, his voice echoing with authority. "It's a key. Artivius was an ancient Greek cryptographer. He designed a transposition cipher based on a name's 'ordinal positions' in the alphabet."
Noah's brain was an AI surpassing its time. Relying on sheer insight, he recited a new string: "1", "4", "8", "3", "9", "2", "6", "5", "7".
He reached out and pressed the buttons. 1, 4, 8, 3, 9, 2, 6, 5, and finally, 7.
Ding—
The screen changed to a soft lake blue. Elegant French script appeared: "Éternel amour vérifié" (Eternal Love Verified).
Rumble— Rumble—
The ancient stage began to bloom like a giant black lotus. The floorboards retracted, revealing a bottomless circular abyss. A visible white chill, smelling of formaldehyde and disinfectant, surged upward.
Noah picked up the suitcases. The elevator platform began its slow descent. The black lotus closed above them, sealing them in pure darkness.
In the silence of the descent, the only sound was the clicking of weapons. Noah tucked the silver Desert Eagle into his belt and checked his Beretta. A tactical dagger was secured to his calf. Claire slung her MP5 and grenade launcher across her back, sliding her "Samurai Edge" into her thigh holster.
The elevator reached the bottom. Ding.
The doors slid open to a world of pure white alloy—the heart of the Umbrella Paris Branch. Noah looked at Etienne, who was huddled in the corner. "Wait here, or come with us."
Etienne raised his head. His eyes were bloodshot but resolute. "Give me a gun. They are my family. I will save them myself."
Claire handed him a spare Beretta. Noah tossed him two loaded magazines. Etienne checked the chamber and engaged the safety with a smooth, practiced motion.
They stepped out. To the right, an electronic sensor door slid open. An overwhelming, nauseating stench of blood rushed toward them, as thick as a solid wall.
===
Note: So far this story is published up to chapter 85 on my patreon, go check it out
exclusive 18+ character images, and early chapters, please visit my Patreon. Thanks for your support!
p4treon.com/talkfictome
if you want more updates == supports with power stones
Every 40 Power Stones == Bonus Chapter
every three 5-star reviews == Bonus Chapter