Enduring Light: Exploration IV
Overview
- Stage Cost: None
- First Clear Rewards: None
Guide
- Hover to view spoiler content.
Introduction
Even after so many days, you can still smell the faint scent of blood as you walk into Boss Qian's room.
No one has said a word, but the air is tense and heavy. "Journalist Pearce" is the first one to break the silence.
Luke: Consultant Wing, Interpreter Richter, what do you two from the Yingxing Trading Company want?
Vyn: I apologize, but I am unable to answer your question. I am... not the one calling the shots.
Interpreter Richter pushes up his glasses and turns to stare at Consultant Wing.
Vyn: Consultant Wing, would you like to explain why you asked for me to go along with you in the lobby just now?
Consultant Wing doesn't take offense to his aggressive tone. His expression remains calm.
Artem: Now that it has come to this, why don't we all just be honest?
Artem: Interpreter Richter, I saw you outside the hotel that day. You were using the public phone and talking to someone.
Interpreter Richter looks up slowly at the accusation. He doesn't deny it.
Artem: In this sensitive situation, I have grounds to suspect that you were the one that brought over the people from the Guangjie Union.
[Obtain Intel: Interpreter Richter > Suspicious behavior]
Vyn: Do you not think it is a bit hasty to be drawing such conclusions, Consultant Wing?
Vyn: You said you saw me outside the hotel, but what were you doing outside the hotel?
Vyn: Besides, the reason I left the hotel was to follow you.
Interpreter Richter wastes no time and fires back.
Vyn: I also saw you call someone in the telephone booth.
Vyn: So, does that mean I can conclude that you were the one who contacted the Guangjie Union and told them to come look for the Li Hotel's secret?
You: (The secret that "Interpreter Richter" is talking about isn't the information that I know, is it!?)
You: What secret?
You suppress the nervousness in your heart and pretend to not know anything.
Consultant Wing glances at you. His simple gesture calms you.
You: (Though, judging from Consultant Wing's reaction, I should still be safe...)
Luke: I actually kind of understand what Interpreter Richter is trying to say.
Journalist Pearce, who has been quiet this whole time, suddenly releases a shocking statement.
Luke: I know what the Li Hotel's secret is.
He looks at you with a firmer gaze. It looks like he's made some kind of decision.
Luke: I once investigated the real identity of Boss Li, the original owner of the Li Hotel.
Luke: Some of you might've already found out that he's a member of the Mayfly Association, but what you might not know is...
Luke: He was actually one of the original founders of the association. You can say that without him... there wouldn't be a Mayfly Association.
[Obtain Intel: Boss Li > Mayfly Association founder]
You: What!?
Marius: Did you guys not know? Boss Li and Boss Yang were like brothers.
Marius: I heard that back in the day, the two of them swore to each other that they would bring change to Xuzhou Town. But then...
Marius: Boss Li opened up his own hotel for some reason and parted ways with Boss Yang.
[Obtain Intel: Boss Li > Old news from Yang Li, Boss Yang > Old news from Yang Li]
You: ...
After hearing what "President von Hagen" said, each of them has a different expression on their face.
Some are surprised, and some are deep in thought, with the exception of "Consultant Wing." He has a deep and serious look on his face.
Artem: And how did you come upon this knowledge, President von Hagen?
Marius: There's always a way if you're interested. Journalist Pearce knows quite a bit about it too, right?
Luke: Yes, I know portions of it.
Journalist Pearce looks around at everyone's reaction. He seems to be observing and looking for something.
Luke: I heard that Boss Li didn't approve of some of Boss Yang's plans at first. And they drifted apart over time...
Luke: But the Li Hotel and the Guangjie Union have steered clear of each other's way for so many years. There's no reason to stir things up now, right?
Vyn: Maybe they found something valuable that is worth rushing over for?
Luke: So, on the surface, the Guangjie Union came here for the murderer, but in reality, they're just here to search the Li Hotel.
You: (What the Guangjie Union is probably worried about... are the files that Uncle Li has.)
You: (However, they shouldn't know where they are yet...)
You pretend to be clueless about everything and act surprised.
You: But what does Uncle Li's business have to do with what's happening today...?
Vyn: We will need Consultant Wing to explain that to us.
Vyn: Consultant Wing, you have been silent for some time... Maybe you should tell us what you have been doing.
Artem: I did leave the hotel, and I did make a phone call at the phone booth.
Artem: But that's because I was investigating you, Interpreter Richter.
Artem: Your behavior on the day of Boss Qian's murder was highly suspicious.
You: (Has Consultant Wing been suspicious of Interpreter Richter for a long time?)
Vyn: Oh? And what did you find?
Artem: On the day of the incident, you did arrive at the hotel around 5:00 PM. However, that wasn't the first time you came to the hotel that day.
Artem: There is a witness who places you around the hotel at 3:00 PM...
Artem: However, you didn't return to the hotel until 5:00 PM.
You: (If everything Consultant Wing found out is true, then that means...)
Marius: According to the time of death, Interpreter Richter, you're quite suspicious.
President von Hagen raises his brows as he voices his theory.
Marius: You even lied about the timeline. I suddenly get the feeling that you're becoming more and more suspicious as we speak.
Marius: Now that I think about it, you've been picking on Consultant Wing all this time, including right now. You're not trying to have someone else take the blame, are you?
Vyn: ...
Consultant Wing and President von Hagen's combined questioning doesn't seem to affect Interpreter Richter. His expression remains unfazed.
Vyn: I am only expressing my doubts, just as you are, President von Hagen.
Vyn: Or could it be that your sudden focus on me is the true attempt to shift the blame?
He smirks. It is near impossible to see through his thoughts.
Marius: All right, let's leave that aside then. Why don't you explain to us what you were doing at the hotel at 3:00 PM?
Vyn: I am the interpreter for Yingxing Trading Company. It was for work.
Marius: That's it?
Vyn: Yes, that is it.
His explanation is extremely simple. Even with the group unconvinced, he doesn't seem to plan on explaining further.
You: (Did he just... admit to it? Journalist Pearce did say that he think he saw Interpreter Richter at the hotel... From the looks of things, what he said was true.)
You: (Then... was he really here for Boss Qian? Or could it be for the Mayfly Association as Consultant Wing suggested...?)
Marius: We won't get anywhere like this... Looks like I have to do everything myself.
Marius has a confident smile on his face. He takes out a key and hands it to you.
Marius: The last locked safe hasn't been opened yet. Aren't you curious about what's inside? Why don't you go and take a look?
Marius: I have a feeling that you'll find part of the answer you've been wanting to discover.
You take the key and walk toward the closet with everyone watching you. You plan on opening the last safe.
In the meantime, a suspicion forms in your mind.
You: (Where did President von Hagen get the key...? And why is he giving it to me now?)
The last safe unlocks with a click. Will this be the last piece of the puzzle?
Nothing is certain at this point.
You open the safe and find Boss Qian's old transaction records and shipping manifests.
You: This big stack of files is all warehouse inventory records of Yuying Pier...
[Obtain Clue Card: Yuying Pier]
You: Warehouse 3? I remember that's...
Every Mayfly Association member knows about this. Warehouse 3 in Yuying Pier is where all of the supplies are stored.
[Obtain Intel: Yuying Pier > Warehouse 3]
Including the supplies gathered for the poor people of Xuzhou Town, and emergency funds for the association.
Only after seeing these records about such an important warehouse do you realize that...
You: Boss Qian has been moving the supplies to either sell on the black market or to impose as other goods while making a fortune in the process.
Countless entries of supplies being taken away... You find it hard to hold on to the weightless pieces of paper.
The supplies that members of the Mayfly Association traded their blood, sweat, and lives for were used by this supposed "generous man" for his own gain.
You: (Did no one find out about what he's been doing all these years?)
Soon, you discover the answer in another transaction record.
You: (He was relying on the Guangjie Union to make up for the missing funds!)
Play with fire long enough, and it will eventually burn you. Boss Qian's actions were bound to be discovered. But instead of righting his wrongs...
He chose to work with the Guangjie Union instead. He relied on their funds to fill the financial gap. Then, they conducted despicable business practices to reap massive profits.
[Obtain Intel: Boss Qian > Mayfly Association mole]
Each of these transactions bears the pain and suffering of the people of Xuzhou Town.
You: (Hmm... Some of the supplies weren't sold, but moved to Warehouse 7 instead?)
You: (This is probably his secret personal warehouse.)
You decide to go and take a look at Warehouse 7.
You: (There are definitely more secrets in Warehouse 7. I have to go take a look!)
Yuying Pier
Note: Some Enduring Light: Skeletons in the Closet IV topics must be discussed before this becomes available.
Script
As you enter the pier, you can see the boat crews on and off the boats working hard in silence.
Artem: Where do you plan to begin?
You: I want to take a look at Warehouse 7's shipping manifest. But that should be hard to come by, right?
[Obtain Intel: Yuying Pier > Warehouse 7]
Luke: Don't worry. Just leave it to me.
Journalist Pearce snaps his fingers and starts to walk toward the yard manager. It doesn't take long before he returns with the records.
Luke: Look what I got!
You: How did you get it!?
Artem: Scaring people with your reporter's license?
Luke: Come on now, Consultant Wing. When has a reporter scared anyone? Collecting evidence is a more appropriate term.
Artem: ...
You: Okay, let's see what the Great Journalist Pearce got for us.
You open the booklet and flip straight to Warehouse 7. Just as you thought, the details of each shipment are logged in the records.
"August 5th, 12:00 PM, Sunny, Small Waves. Shipment 20, Total Weight 18kg, Cargo Type: A..."
...
"September 7th, 3 PM, Cloudy, Large Waves. Shipment 5, Total Weight 6kg, Cargo Type: B"
...
You: Everything is written in detail except for the cargo type. It looks to be some kind of code.
Artem: Maybe because they're shipping things under the table.
You: Consultant Wing, do you mean these are... illegal transactions?
Artem: Yes. The shipment dates are frequent, but the shipment amount is extremely small...
Artem: Normal cargo would never ship this way. The cost is too high...
You: So it must be something that they can't hold onto and must be sent out immediately.
Artem: That is correct...
"Consultant Wing" suddenly gestures at you, signaling for you to continue the conversation with "Journalist Pearce" to hold his attention while he closely examines the booklet.
You: (Is Consultant Wing planning on memorizing it to be used for evidence later?)
You: Journalist Pearce...
To avoid disturbing Consultant Wing, you call out to "Journalist Pearce" with a soft voice, but he doesn't respond.
You: Journalist Pearce?
His focus suddenly returns. You notice that his gaze has been elsewhere ever since you and "Consultant Wing" began to speak.
Luke: Wh-what is it?
You: What are you looking at? I had to call your name several times before you responded...
Luke: Nothing... I just saw something interesting...
You: Eh?
You want to pursue the topic, but "Consultant Wing" has already memorized the contents of the booklet, and returns it to you.
"Journalist Pearce's" mind seems to be elsewhere. Now's probably not a good time.
You: (Afterward, I have to ask Consultant Wing about the next steps, and I also have to ask Journalist Pearce what he saw...)
Sailor: Hi there, do you need a hand? I noticed that you two have been walking around for a while. Are you looking for crew members to help you ship cargo?
You: Ahh... No...
Just as you're about to refuse the offer, "Interpreter Richter" interrupts you with a meaningful look. It's obvious there's something he wants to say.
Vyn: How much are your normal rates?
He signals a price. Although you're not an expert, you can tell that it's overpriced.
Sailor: It may be a little expensive, but everybody in Yuying Pier knows me. You can't even begin to imagine the customers I work with...
Sailor: If it weren't for the dip in business lately, this isn't a price I would usually accept.
Only now do you understand what "Interpreter Richter" is trying to do.
You: (The sailor might be the one shipping Boss Qian's cargo, but how did Interpreter Richter know?)
You: Business is bad? But everyone looks so busy...
The sailor's a big talker. Toss out a question, and he comes flying in, eager to share what he knows.
Sailor: You see that warehouse?
He points at Warehouse 7, confirming your theory once again.
Sailor: It's big, ain't it? I was the one that was tasked with shipping out most of the stuff inside.
Sailor: The owner of the place pays on time and never asks for anything extra. He'd be the perfect customer if it weren't for just one thing.
Sailor: There's no routine to when he plans on making shipments. I often have to wait at the pier just in case he has plans.
You: When does he usually make shipments? Don't businesses usually follow a routine schedule?
Sailor: Miss, I can tell you know what you're talking about. That's what I was wondering myself. But I honestly have no clue what goes on in these wealthy people's minds.
Sailor: Sometimes, I won't hear from him for up to half a month. And other times, he might have four to five shipments in a week. I really don't know what line of business this guy's in.
The man shares a few shipment dates. You find all the dates to be matching with the poems and the notebook.
Sailor: However, it's been a while since he rang me up. I have mouths to feed, you know? Too bad most of the other clients are already working with the other sailors.
Sailor: And that's why I'm here trying my luck with the two of you. Besides...
He looks at "Interpreter Richter" with an appealing look.
Sailor: You look a little familiar, sir. I can tell a successful man when I see one. Have we met somewhere before?
Vyn: You have me confused with someone else...
"Interpreter Richter's" response is extremely cold. However, the sailor doesn't seem to want to give up and continues.
Sailor: That's not possible, I would definitely remember someone like you.
"Interpreter Richter" looks elsewhere as if to avoid the risk of speculation.
Vyn: We should go look elsewhere, Little Boss. There is nothing left here.
You: Oh, okay...
Before leaving, you look back again at the sailor who's still trying to figure out where he met "Interpreter Richter" before. You begin to form thoughts of your own.
You: (If that sailor really is the one that helped Boss Qian ship out everything... And if he thinks Interpreter Richter looks familiar...)
You: (Interpreter Richter has distinguished features. Anyone who has ever met him before will usually remember his features. And sailors are usually great at remembering faces...)
You: (What's more important is that Interpreter Richter knew who the sailor was at first glance, and proceeded to pry for information...)
You: (If they've never met before, then this is a really long series of coincidences... However, if they have met... Then the place that they could've met would be...)
A thought zips across your mind.
You: (Boss Qian once brought Interpreter Richter to the sailor to make shipments!)
You: (If that's the case, then Interpreter Richter must have a lot of inside information. But why would he keep it to himself the whole time...?)
Seeing that you've fallen behind, "Interpreter Richter" turns around to look at you. You quickly pick up the pace and catch up.
You: (I'll ask him more about it later...)
Marius: Come on. Warehouse 7 is this way...
You nod and catch up to "President von Hagen." You arrive at Warehouse 7.
"President von Hagen" swiftly opens the cabinet door inside the warehouse. His familiarity with it amazes you.
You: How... do you know how to do that?
Marius: You pick up a thing or two surviving on the streets.
You: ...I see.
You enter the warehouse without saying another word.
Unexpectedly, the warehouse doesn't contain too much cash or valuables.
You: (Or did Boss Qian move them already?)
Marius: Have a look at this, Little Boss.
You were a little disappointed, but President von Hagen's discovery has you on your toes again.
You: The warehouse's transaction history!
Marius: The old man wasn't careful enough. How could he have left something so important lying here? Aha, I got him now.
You: As cunning as he may be, it's hard to imagine that you would have this up your sleeve.
You make the gesture of picking a lock. "President von Hagen" laughs, and the two of you open the booklet.
You: This is... the record of the donations that the Renhui Relief Hospital has received all these years...
Even though you've already heard it once from "President von Hagen" before, and prepared yourself for it...
Upon seeing the records of the large sums of money that should've gone to better the lives of the children going into a personal bank account...
Being used to shape a false image of a great "philanthropist," and the cornerstone of carving his luxurious lifestyle.
You still can't help but feel the rage boiling in your stomach.
You: ...
Marius: That old man... How could he...
"President von Hagen" takes a deep breath and balls his fists. He looks to be blaming himself.
You: President von Hagen...
You: Now is not the time for that. What's done is done. What we need to do right now is to get the money back.
Marius: It's impossible to do that.
"President von Hagen" utters through clenched teeth. He flips through the booklet.
Marius: Money like this can easily be traced. The old fox definitely laundered it and turned it into gold to be transferred.
After reading through the records, you find what "President von Hagen" said to be true.
Boss Qian embezzled all the money, and quickly laundered it to be exchanged for precious metals to be transported out of Xuzhou.
[Obtain Intel: Boss Qian > Embezzled donations]
Marius: It would be akin to looking for a needle in a haystack at this point.
"President von Hagen" continues to look at the booklet. He falls silent for a while before looking back at you again.
Marius: Go ahead and continue the investigation here yourself for a moment...
Marius: I need a minute to calm down...
You: Sure.
You don't know how to comfort him. All you can do is nod and watch him walk away.
You: (He must be feeling so much regret right now...)
Wrapup
Note: All remaining Enduring Light: Skeletons in the Closet IV topics must be discussed before this becomes available.
You return to the crime scene with a heart yearning for it all to end.
You: (Hopefully, this is the last time I have to come back here...)
Everyone gathers in the lounge just like the first time. The atmosphere is a little heavy.
Marius: I noticed that there are even more people surrounding the hotel outside.
Marius: It's about time. Looks like Secretary Gou and the others are running out of patience.
Marius: Should we sort things out from start to finish?
Luke: I don't think it needs to be that complicated. Let's just go through the order of entering Boss Qian's room.
Vyn: Little Boss, I know you have been investigating Boss Qian all this time. We should start with you.
You: I...
It's true, there is no more reason to hide and test each other anymore. You walk over and stand in the middle of the group.
You: Then, let's start with a timeline of when everyone arrived at the Li Hotel.
You: From the information that I've gathered... On the afternoon that the murder took place, everyone here entered Boss Qian's room.
You: The first was Journalist Pearce. He snuck into Boss Qian's room at 2:30 PM.
Marius: Yeah, and then he heard my argument with Boss Qian. I think... he even picked up the pearl that I dropped?
Luke: Strictly speaking, you were in a scuffle with Boss Qian.
Marius: Okay, I admit it... I put a few scratches on him. My thumb ring also left a mark on his hand.
Marius: Then? When did Journalist Pearce leave the room?
You: According to my previous theory, Journalist Pearce probably exited the window after 3:30 PM.
You: He took something with him when he left.
Luke: Yeah, I took some files to cover my tracks.
Luke: But then... I gave everything I took to the Little Boss. And then...
What comes next is the most important part. Boss Qian was probably murdered between 3:30 PM and 5:00 PM.
Vyn: The next person to enter the room should be Consultant Wing, correct?
Vyn: Consultant Wing, you are the only one that knows about Boss Qian's habit of drinking sweet lotus soup. You are also the only one with the opportunity to poison it.
Vyn: You have helped in the kitchen before, and you are aware of his dieting habits...
Vyn: So, you spiked his soup with sedatives and planned to enter the room to fulfill your objectives after he falls asleep.
Artem: ...
Consultant Wing remains quiet as he coldly stares at Interpreter Richter, waiting for him to finish his theory.
Vyn: But what you did not expect is that Boss Qian was not knocked out due to your sedatives...
Vyn: But knocked out on the floor by a person.
Vyn: This deviated from your plans. However, you had no choice but to follow the plan and search for the information that you were after.
Vyn: Unfortunately, Boss Qian woke up earlier than expected and saw you going through his stuff...
Vyn: You had no choice but to kill him with the ring blade, making it look like a violent crime committed by the Xiangjin Gang.
Vyn: Lastly, to avoid Boss Qian's body from being discovered too early, you invented the idea of it being a locked-room murder, successfully creating an alibi for yourself.
Artem: No, Interpreter Richter, you're wrong.
Artem: There are conflicting ideas in your theory. If I needed to turn the room into a scene of violent murder...
Artem: Why would I need to put in the effort to create the idea of a locked-room murder? I could've just said that the murderer ran away after committing the crime. Wouldn't that have been better?
Luke: Consultant Wing is right. What do you have to say against that, Interpreter Richter?
A complicated expression emerges on "Interpreter Richter's" face. He might not have expected "Journalist Pearce" to suddenly side with "Consultant Wing"...
You walk up and interrupt the bout between "Interpreter Richter" and "Consultant Wing."
You: That's because... the person that created the diversion of the locked-room murder wasn't Consultant Wing, but you, Interpreter Richter.
Marius: It was him?
Vyn: Oh?
"Interpreter Richter" looks at you with a confused look. It's as if he's trying to analyze your emotions.
As you look into his eyes, excitement suddenly rises up inside of you. It feels like both nervousness and excitement at finally discovering the truth.
You: Remember when we talked? You said...
You: If the Xiangjin Gang were the ones that murdered Boss Qian, they would have no reason to make the room into a locked-room murder.
You: The same theory applies to Consultant Wing.
Luke: So, the person that set up the room... must have been hoping that Boss Qian's death was discovered as late as possible.
You: That's right. The later it is discovered, the more witnesses there would be. That means there will be more interfering elements, prolonging the investigation period...
You: And he would be able to gain enough time to make sure that his partners stalled the police on the outskirts...
You: This way, he would have all the proper reasons for searching the Li Hotel.
Marius: From your tone, Little Boss, the partners that you're referring to are the Guangjie Union dogs barking outside the hotel, aren't they?
Before you could put on the finishing touch, "President von Hagen" fills in the blanks with a lighthearted tone.
However, the atmosphere inside the room is still tense.
Artem: The Li Hotel will be temporarily closed off to the public when the birthday banquet starts...
Artem: Then, both people and items inside the hotel will remain inside, waiting to be discovered.
Artem: Also, the people from the Mayfly Association who are still unaware of Boss Qian's situation would definitely not make a change of plans all of a sudden.
Artem: Interpreter Richter, your true objective... No, the Guangjie Union's true objective is the Li Hotel itself, isn't it?
Artem: Finding the thing you came here for is your ticket into the Guangjie Union to get what you really want...
Vyn: All right, I admit. You all put together a magnificent presentation.
Vyn: I did stage the locked room. The purpose behind it was just as Consultant Wing said.
Vyn: To be safe, I even smashed Boss Qian's watch and tossed the guest room key back into the room...
Vyn: Misleading everyone to think that Boss Qian's murder was a locked-room case was part of my plan.
Vyn: Then, I realized that the design was not as perfect as I had hoped. But it did not have too big of an impact on the ending.
You: (As expected...)
Vyn is not concerned with your surprise. He pauses and looks at Artem.
Vyn: Who would turn down power and status? Would you, Consultant Wing?
Artem: ...
Luke: Interpreter Richter... you would take advantage of a person's life... for power?
Vyn: Have you forgotten, Journalist Pearce? When your mentor died right in front of the Guangjie Union, you were too scared to utter a single word.
Vyn: Do you not yearn for power? No, you do not have the ambition for it and simply made the excuse of it being unattainable.
Vyn: Now, you are here to judge me about it... Do you not find that to be a little hypocritical?
Interpreter Richter has a chilling smile on his face. There seems to be an obscured maniacal glint behind his golden eyes.
Shock grips you. You can't find the proper words and continue to stare at him.
Vyn: Boss Qian's crimes rival even the tallest mountains. Even death is too light of a punishment...
Vyn: All of you, as highly as you think yourselves, are all filled with dirty secrets of your own.
Vyn: Besides...
"Interpreter Richter" speaks with a ridiculing tone. He seems to feel that victory is at hand.
Vyn: I was never the one with the knife in hand. It was Consultant Wing...
The people from the Guangjie Union begin to shout and chant on cue, almost as if it were all part of the plan.
Vyn: The murderer that the Guangjie Union is after is not me, but him.
Vyn: During Consultant Wing's rebuttal to everything just now, he never denied the fact that he murdered Boss Qian. Is that not proof enough?
Vyn: He is the murderer.
Artem: ...
You look at "Interpreter Richter," and then at everyone around the room. A feeling of powerlessness runs through you.
He and the others in the room are different from everyone that you know.
In this conflict that you are in, you are not a team, but individuals with secrets and a lack of loyalty.
You: (Interpreter Richter is right. Consultant Wing, who is trying to protect the Mayfly Association, is the murderer.)
[Obtain Intel: Consultant Wing > Murder suspect]
You: (Although he has every motivation, he is always more innocent than everyone else...)
The ruckus outside the window becomes louder. "Interpreter Richter" clears his throat and takes his time.
Vyn: Their patience is running out. Little Boss, it is time you made a choice.
You stand up and look around the room. Your emotions running rampant.
You: (Yeah, it's time I made my decision.)
Summary
Location(s)
Boss Qian's Room
Yuying Pier
