Lost Gold Artem Investigation 03-02
Overview
- "Jack, what did Joshua tell you about the location of the gold?"
- Stage Cost: None
- First Clear Rewards:
Astral Memory x20
- Unlock Condition:
Emergency Medicine x70, 
Lumber x140, 
MRE x280, 
Drinking Water x210 - Note - During its initial limited run, this stage's first clear reward was:
Hunter's Badge x50 - Note - During its initial limited run, this stage's unlock condition was: Emergency Medicine x85, Lumber x170, MRE x340, Drinking Water x255
Guide
- Hover to view spoiler content.
Script
You: Is this... a survival shovel?
You: It'll come in handy if we need to dig up something.
Artem: Yes, and a survival shovel does more than dig.
Artem: It can also be used as a pickaxe, stake, saw, and cutting blade. When necessary, it can also be a weapon.
You: ...Hopefully, we won't need its capability as a weapon...
Artem: Hopefully. It never hurts to be prepared, though.
Outside the Cave
You: Is this the cave where Jack agreed to meet Joshua?
You open the tracking app after receiving Artem's message.
You: No, Joshua's still about a half-day's walk from here. It doesn't seem like he's coming here.
Looking at everyone's location on your map of Nosta, you don't see anyone approaching the cave entrance.
You: Did Jack make a mistake?
If you can see this message, then Artem must be able to as well.
Even so, you still message Artem as a reminder.
You: Artem has a gun on him, and he's already wary of Jack...
You: I'd better listen to him and stay here. Best avoid creating more problems in the cave.
Thinking about Artem's awesome display of skill at the shooting club, you can't help but feel proud of him.
You: Aside from rifles, Mr. Wing's also skilled with the pistols. He's really incredible...
You: Huh?
Suddenly, something next to the rock where Jack was sitting catches your attention.
Through your binoculars, you spy something that looks like a white scroll.
You: ...
You look around to check that no one is nearby, then run downhill to pick up the scroll.
Cave Depths
Artem has already followed Jack to the deepest part of the cave.
Artem: Jack, what did Joshua tell you about the location of the gold?
Jack Barlow: What, you got an interest in the gold now?
Artem: I heard that the gang hid the gold in a very discreet place...
Artem: The police searched all over Nosta but couldn't find anything.
Artem: This cave prominently features on a map of Nosta. The police wouldn't have missed it.
Jack Barlow: So, you think Joshua lied to me?
Artem: Yes.
Jack stops and flashes his torch at the cave's upper walls.
Jack Barlow: Look up.
Artem looks up and sees a moving blue "light bar."
Artem: Are these... fireflies?
Jack Barlow: Yes. It's a unique species of blue firefly found on Nosta.
Jack Barlow: I did some research before I came here. There are only a few caves in Nosta with these fireflies.
Jack Barlow: Also, this is the highest cave on Nosta.
Artem: What does that have to do with the gold's location?
Jack Barlow: Joshua said that the person who hid the gold was the gang's second-in-command.
Jack Barlow: He's quite poetic for being a gangster.
Jack Barlow: After he hid the gold, he wrote a riddle to record its whereabouts.
Jack Barlow: The riddle was written on parchment. Joshua gave me the scroll beforehand.
Jack Barlow: As it so happens, this cave matches the riddle's description.
On the tracking app, Artem and Jack seem to be traveling towards the depths of the cave together.
You're currently sitting on the rock where Jack was, carefully studying the scroll in your hands.
You: "Immeasurably satisfied, you sleep upon the mountain's summit..."
You: "Dark blue heavens crown your radiant body..."
You: "A sapphire fluorescence graces the earth beneath you..."
You: Is this a poem or a riddle? Or both?
Based on the ink, the words on the parchment seem to have been written by a quill pen.
You: Whoever wrote this poem is very particular about details.
You: Did Jack leave this behind?
You: He brought this with him to Nosta... Is it really a treasure map?
You open your tablet and are about to search for the poem with the Big Data Lab, but the encrypted messenger suddenly rings.
You receive a short message from Artem: "Hide quickly!"
