The Key

CHAPTER 7- CIPHER DECODING

CHAPTER 7- CIPHER DECODING

Day 4

Nagising ako na parang binagsakan ng isang tipak ng bato ang aking ulo. Parang may kung ano akong nalanghap pagkatapos nang laban namin ni Hundana. Huling dinig ko na lang ay ang pagbati ni Maestro Khien sa amin.

“Teka! N-nasaan sila Op at Lab?” napabalikwas ako sa aking pagkakahiga nang mamalayan na nag-iisa ako sa tahimik na lugar na ito.

Nataranta ako ng hindi ko mahagilap sina Op at Lab. Nandito ako sa tila isang silid na tanging nag-iisang ilaw lang ang nagbibigay liwanag. Hindi ko alam ang mga nangyari pagkatapos ng lahat at kung paano ako nakarating dito.

“Welcome our Top 4 players,” dinig kong bati ni Maestro.

Hindi ko alam kung anong pakulo na naman ang magaganap dahil kakaiba ang nararamdaman ko sa oras na ito. May kung ano akong naaamoy na kakaiba. Bagong laro na naman siguro ang dinagdag nila.

"Congratulations, you are getting nearer to your survival." Absolutely, another challenge to do. Mas marami na ang pagdadaanan ngayon kumpara sa nakaraan na laro. “Have you enjoyed your sleep?” usik pa nito.

“Nasaan ang mga kasama ko?” tanong na kanina pa walang kasagutan. "Nasaan ang kaibigan ko?" tanong ko kay Maestro subalit hindi siya sumagot.

“You are now on the 4th day of our selection. In order to determine whose confidence and bravery will wave in the end of this game the next challenge will test you.”

Hindi ko na alam ang mangyayari pa. As far as I observe we are being tested already and almost every day. It’s an unscrupulous nightmare to be described. I just want to end this game and go back to the place where I truly belong.

“You will be dealing with three different kind of ciphers or in short--- brain challenges. In order to get out from that stage you have to decode the cipher first. Only threee from the four of you will survive at the end of the game. The top three who can escape to the three level of challenges have the chance to be our next representative,” paliwanag pa ni Maestro.

Hindi ko alam kung matatawa na lang ako sa aking narinig. Pinaglalaruan na kami at mismong decoding na nababasa at tinuturo lang sa amin ay gagamitin na rin pala rito.

There I concluded the importance of learning. Our lessons being taught in our school has a great contributions in our survival for this game. Kahit sa anumang bagay ang lahat ng natutuhan natin ay may halaga sa reyalidad.

Since we started to attend school, we are always told that it is important to instill everything in our minds. It can help us in the future and this is exactly its purpose. To survive and win the game is its main reason why we are introduced to code.

Napag-usapan na rin namin sa klase ang iba’t-ibang uri ng codes and ciphers. Itinuro na rin sa amin kung paano ito dapat ma-decode as if we are agents nor detectives. Some of those are The Ave Maria Code, Bellaso Cipher, Dorabella Cipher, Sherlock’s code, The SOE code, The Voynich manuscript, and more. Palagi ko iyong inaalala dahil napakaimportante ng iyon tuwing practical exam namin.

“Players, you are two steps closer for your survival. Always remember, your life is a game, it’s either you play or die,” dagdag pa ni Maestro. “Okay. We are all set. Good luck, players!”

Biglang nagkaroon ng kulay itong loob ng apat na sulok na silid. Napagtanto kong nakatali pala ang aking mga paa at kamay kanina pa. Nalaman ko lang ito nang sinubukan kong lumapit sa isang monitor screen sa aking harapan.

It was all printed in full white color. I don’t know what will happen next. Or what is the significance of this LED white screen in the game.

“Your game will start in Three, Two, One, Prrrrtttt!”

Hindi na ako nag-aksaya pa ng oras nang mabasa ko ang mga letters na lumabas sa screen. The screen is touchable so we can do the trial and error process before answering.

“Remember, lalabas ang isang susi sa box na nakatabi sa screen kung tama ang sagot niyo. Kusa itong iilaw at maaari na kayong makakalas sa pagkatali," naalala kong saad pa ni Maestro.

Now I know that Op and Lab are in the other rooms dealing with this unexpected challenge. Pinaghiwalay lang kaming apat. Bigla akong natigil, hindi ko alam ang dapat kong maging reaksyon sa nakita ko. Masyadong madali para sa kagaya ko ang isang ‘to.

There’s no hint if what code we are going to use instead, we have to do the trial and error process. However, this cipher is one of my favorites and I know it will be easy for me to decode it. So, I started cracking the good as fast as I could.

AERSYDKTELLISEFVITAL

There are 20 letters in a row. If you will going to examine the letters you can create one word out of it, but technically it’s not the process to decode the code. It is totally comprise of four words but they are being combined and shuffle together.

I decided to use the Tricode method to decrypt the encrypted code. The plain text was divided into three letters as one word.

Second, I tried to reverse each chuck in order to form this kind of cipher text.

Lastly, I made combination of the letter word to form one shuffled and nerve-wracking cipher text.

Then, I started to divide the text into three letters per chunk. I immediately write it on the screen for me to decode it correctly. In the end of the process, it gave me 7 chunks in all.

AER SYD KTE LLI SEF VIT LA

I proceed on the next method. I reversed each chunk in order to get the encrypted text. The result drove me to my expectation. Alam ko na ang sagot sa code.

REA DYS ETK ILL FES TIV AL

It all makes sense after I did it. So, I tried to decode the encrypted cipher and finally I got the correct answer. I encoded my guess answer on the blank space provided on the screen. Luckily, my answer's remark was correct.

The box on the right side of the screen lit and I saw the key happily waiting on

the soft red cotton pillow. I picked the key and started to unlock the chaines on my wrists and feeet. I finally escaped from being a prisoneer of this room. I got the correct answer which refers to the annual festival we had.

Ready Set Kill Festival or known as the RSK Festival. Our own bloody festival.

Agad akong pumasok sa loob ng pinto na bumukas pagkatapos kong kalasin ang kadena na nakagapos sa akin. Wala akong ibang nakita kung hindi apat na LED screen na nakasabit sa tatlong dingding ng silid habang may pagitan ng isang pulgada ang dalawa sa gitna. Masyadong madilim ang kwarto at tanging ang liwanag na nagmumula sa screen ang bumubuhay dito.

There are names imprinted under the sreen. It was my name flashed on the screen in the right side of me while Opal and Lab’s name was on my front. Heda’s name was on my left side. Before proceeding in the next game I tried to observe the area. I saw there are three more unopened doors next to mine. It means, hindi pa sila nakakalabas. I stride to the monitor screen imprinted with my name.

“Congratulations, Rumi! You are the first player passed the first game. To give you a reward you have the chance to save one player if you will decode the next cipher,” bungad muli sa akin ng boses. “Choose wisely because admitting your mistake is better than regret.”

Another kind of cipher appeared on my screen. I try to gaze on the other monitors but only their names were imprinted. I started to decode the cipher and it keeps me too long to answer it.

Napalingon ako ng biglang namang bumukas ang isang pinto sa aking gilid at iniluwa nito si Opal. Napahinto ako sa aking ginagawa. Hindi ako makapaniwala na nakita ko ulit siya.

She’s alive.

She successfully surpassed the challenge.

Hindi na ako naghintay pa ng ilang oras. Agad na akong lumapit sa kaniyang pwesto. Niyakap ko siya nang mahigpit at naramdaman ko rin naman ang pagganti niya sa yakap ko. I missed her.

“A-ate!” she murmured.

“Op, a-ayos ka lang ba? Mabuti naman at nasagutan mo ang code. May ginawa ba sila sa’yo?!” sunod-sunod na tanong ko.

“Wala po, Ate. Mabuti na lang po at nag-review tayo bago ang selection at nagamit ko po ang tinuro niyo sa akin,” nakangiting sambit niya.

Hindi ko aakalain na seneryoso ni Op ang mga naituro ko sa kaniya at nagamit dito sa laro. We are studying our notes every night at halos doon na rin umuuwi si Op sa bahay. Gustong-gusto niya sa amin umuwi at matulog dahil marami daw siyang mga bagong bagay na nalalaman sa akin. Kaya laking tuwa ko na may pakinabang ang naike-kwento ko sa kaniya.

“Mabuti naman. Halika na at kailangan na natin magmadali," tugon ko.

Nagtungo na kami sa aming monitor screen. Maya-maya ay bumukas ang isang pinto. Lumabas mula roon ang anyo ni Heda. Nakangisi lang siyang pinagmasdan kami.

“Oh!!! Kailangan ko bang mainggit sa ginagawa niyo? Nauna pa talaga kayo sa akin. Anyway, hindi naman kayo makakaligtas dito,” bungad niya bago lumapit sa kaniyang pwesto.

Hindi na namin siya pinansin pa at agad na nagsimula si Op habang ako’y nagpatuloy sa ginagawa kong decoding kanina.

ppm.mfp.mmm.mpf.mpf.ppf.ppp/ mmf.mff.fmp.ffm

Nakita ko na ang ganitong cipher noon ngunit hindi ko lang matandaan kung saan at kailan. Nakailang trial and error na rin ang nagawa ko. Mukhang hindi madali ang isang ito para ma-decrypt. Nakailang subok muli ako ngunit mali naman ang nagiging sagot ko. Sa pagkakaalam ko hindi ito itinuro sa amin ng professor sa school but I saw this type of cipher.

"Saan na ba kita nakita?" bulong kong tanong sa aking sarili.

Sinubukan kong balikan ang mga ala-ala ko ngunit hindi ko alam kung saan magsisimula. Our potential can’t remedy the situation. At this game, our logical and detective skills are being tested by the council. The game is not about strength and tactics because just like life you have to be mindful and logical.

“Kenny’s Code (mpf version)!” I happily said when I remembered the code already.

Naalala ko na kung saan ko ito nakita. When I was reading the Mhaffon History the Kenny’s code catched my attention. This code was used last 28th RSK Festival wherein the player from Blue Badger is the only one surpasses the challenge from their selection. Therefore, he was awarded for being logical and being saved from the call of death.

I started to use the code and try to remember the mpf version and its correspondence letter. I don’t have any idea of its history but I am aware of each letters symbols. The period was being used as a separator while the virgule was for space. Therefore, there are two letters encrypted on the message.

If you have noticed there are only three letters on the code and it was the mpf. All letters that start with M was used in the first letter of A-I while P was used in the letter J-R and the F was used to S-Z. There are series and pattern used in the letter sequence.

I tried to write my answer on the corresponding blank space after I do it on the draft space I had. Hindi ko na rin namalayan na nakalabas na rin si Lab at nagsisimula ng mag-decode. Seryoso kong tinatapos ma-c***k ang code para makalabas na.

“Done!” dinig kong sambit ni Heda.

Nauna siyang makatapos at agad na pinukulan ako nang tingin. Nang-aasar niya kaming tinitignan

“Best of luck, Rumi. You will die here!” huling bilin ni Heda bago pumasok ulit sa pinto kung saan kami lumabas.

Hindi na ako sumabat sa kaniya. Natataranta na ako pero nanatili akong kalmado. Ito ang naging dahilan upang mas mabilis kong masagutan ang code.

M ppm

H mfp

A mmm

F mpf

F mpf

O ppf

N ppp

C mmf

I mff

T fmp

Y ffm

Nabuo ko ang salitang MHAFFON CITY.

Agad naman na lumiwanag ang box sa tabi ng screen at lumabas ulit ang isang susi. Dali-dali ko itong kinuha at nagtungo sa pwesto ni Op.

“Well done, Rumi. Sino ngayon ang ililigtas mo?” tanong ulit sa akin nang masagot ko ang code.

“A-ate, si Lab na lang po. Kaya ko na po 'to,” saad ni Opal.

“Huwag po, Ate. Hindi ba po nangako ka kay Op na makakalabas kayong sabay? Please, do it for me Ate masaya na po ako doon," usal naman ni Lab.

“Hin---“

Suminggit muli si Lab. “Sige na po Ate si Op na lang. Hahabol po ako sa inyo. May isang challenge pa naman po hindi ba?”

“Five---” nagsimula nang magbilang si Maestro.

“Ate si Lab na lang po!”

“Four---"

“Di pwede Lab sumama ka na kay Ate!”

“Three---“

“Hayaan mo na ako, Op. Kaya ko ang sarili ko! Please mauna na kayo! Sumama ka na kay Ate Rumi!"

“Two---“

“Bilisan mo Lab, ha. Maghihintay kami sa labas," saad ko sa kaniya.

“One---“

“May napili na ako!” putol ko sa pagbibilang ni Maestro.

“Sino na?”

“Si Opal ang pinipili kong iligtas dito," tugon ko.

“Kung gayon ay maaari niyo nang kunin ang susi sa box ni Opal. Maligayang paglabas."

“Salamat,” walang tono kong tugon.

“Good luck!”

Kinuha naman ni Opal ang susi ngunit tila ayaw niyang iwan si Lab. Maybe, among the boys courted her si Lab ang minahal niya. Love can do everything. Pero, kailangan may magsakripisyo.

“Bilis na!” pagpapaalis ni Lab.

Nagtungo naman kami sa pinto at sabay na binuksan ang aming mga pintuan. Huli kong nilingon si Lab ganoon din si Op. He smiled at me and said something using the movement of his jaw and mouth. But, I read it.

“Please take care of her," he said before we leave the room.

-END OF CHAPTER 7-