The three groups stood at the fork in the passage, a tense silence enveloping them like a thick fog.

They eyed each other warily, like predators circling their prey. The stone floor beneath their boots was uneven, worn smooth by hands long turned to dust.

Massive slabs of rock formed the walls, veined with faint, ghostly light that pulsed rhythmically,like a heartbeat echoing through the ages.

Cold air seeped from each of the three tunnels ahead, carrying strange scents of age, dust, and something metallic that clung to the tongue.

The oppressive silence stretched on until Ethan broke it,his voice cutting through like a knife.

"Well," he said with a tilt of his head as he surveyed the yawning stone mouths before them.

"Looks like this tomb is trying to keep things interesting for us! Left, right, or center? I say we flip a coin,unless anyone's hiding a map under that armor."

His joke landed flat against the weighty atmosphere, but he grinned anyway; his voice echoed through the vast corridor as his visor lights gleamed faintly, casting sharp angles across his faceplate.

Behind him, the archaeologists shifted uneasily; their nerves were frayed after everything they had already endured.

Ravik's chuckle sliced through the gloom, smooth and practiced, utterly infuriating.

His Crimson Jackals formed a loose formation around him: rifles held low but ready, eyes reflecting an unreadable glint.

Ravik himself remained calm as ever; that faint smile tugged at his lips as if this entire expedition amused him.

"Well now," Ravik drawled with feigned courtesy dripping from every word, "this is quite something! Three roads ahead and no map in sight. What shall we do now? Surely one of you clever leaders has an idea... Or perhaps,"

He glanced between Arthur and Caelum with mock innocence, "a map tucked away somewhere?"

Arthur stayed silent behind his visor; though hidden from view, his gaze was sharp enough to cut glass.

Caelum said nothing either; his men maintained formation behind him like a blade poised for action.

Ravik's eyes lingered on Arthur for just a moment too long.

He noticed it,the subtle way Arthur tilted toward the right passage and how his gaze lingered there just slightly longer than necessary.

A flicker of understanding flashed in Ravik's eyes but still that smile remained firmly in place; he was far too skilled at wearing masks.

Then without warning and hesitation, Caelum moved forward.

His boots rang against the stone as he strode confidently toward the leftmost tunnel.

His men followed seamlessly behind him,no questions asked and no explanations given,as Caelum vanished into shadows swallowed by darkness.

Arthur and Ravik both turned to watch him disappear into obscurity. The silence grew thicker once more.

Arthur and Ravik both turned their heads, watching as he vanished into the shadows.

The silence that followed felt almost tangible, thickening the air around them.

Ravik's smile sharpened, his eyes glinting with a mix of triumph and mischief.

He glanced at Arthur, savoring the moment like a fine wine.

Then, with an urgency that suggested he feared Arthur might follow him down that very path, he signaled to his men and strode briskly toward the right passage.

His pace quickened, each step echoing his determination to leave Arthur behind.

Within moments, Ravik and the Crimson Jackals had disappeared, their footfalls fading into the enveloping darkness.

Now it was just Arthur and his team. The archaeologists exchanged uneasy glances, tension crackling in the air.

Gunner shifted his stance; his rifle hung low but ready for action. Mireille let out a slow breath, her gaze darting to the ceiling as if expecting something ominous to drop from above.

Meanwhile, Ethan muttered under his breath, his visor lights flickering as he recalibrated his weapon.

Arthur raised a hand, and instantly his men fell in line behind him.

Wordlessly, he stepped toward the central passage.

As he crossed the threshold, the faint glow from his visor illuminated the stone ahead,a sight that brought a cold smile to his lips for the first time since entering this tomb.

It was calculated and predatory; a reflection of determination rather than joy.

He didn't look back.

And without hesitation, they followed him into the unknown.

---

The tunnel swallowed them whole.

Here, the air felt heavier,thick with stagnant water's musty scent mingled with rusted metal's sharp tang.

Their boots echoed against stone walls that seemed to stretch endlessly upward; towering slabs carved with faint patterns resembling scars,jagged grooves and overlapping symbols worn by centuries of neglect.

"Creepy," Ethan remarked too loudly as his voice bounced off the walls like an unwelcome guest.

He tapped on his helmet for emphasis. "Anyone else feel like we're walking through some giant beast's throat? Look at these grooves!"

"Quiet," Arthur replied curtly without turning around.

Ethan fell silent but couldn't resist grinning as he leaned closer to Mireille. "He's always this charming."

Mireille ignored him completely; her focus remained unwavering as she scanned their surroundings with her rifle steady in hand.

The archaeologists lagged behind them, faces pale and voices hushed,a chorus of whispers filled with fear rather than strength.

Time lost meaning in this endless passageway; minutes bled into half an hour or more.

A cold wind swept through intermittently, raising goosebumps beneath their suits' fabric.

With each gust came faint sounds,like whispers barely formed,syllables too broken to decipher yet hauntingly familiar.

The entire group was silent as they walked along the dark and long narrow road,it was completely quiet except for the crunching sounds of their boots hitting against the rough stone floor.

Plus the heavy breathing, the Squad vigilance was raised high,after all they are in completely different situation here and danger can come at any moment.

The archaeologists were in the middle being protected by the squad, their eyes were constantly scanning the passage especially Professor Adrian, his eyes were filled with excitement. As he constantly looked around while muttering something under his breath and also scribbling something in a small notebook he is holding.

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