Lost Gold Artem Investigation 03-03
Overview
- "You thought you were the hunter, but in reality, you fell into the fox's trap."
- Stage Cost: None
- First Clear Rewards:
Astral Memory x20
- Unlock Condition:
Emergency Medicine x80, 
Lumber x160, 
MRE x320, 
Drinking Water x240, 
LED Flashlight - 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 x90, Lumber x180, MRE x360, Drinking Water x270, LED Flashlight
Guide
- Hover to view spoiler content.
Script
Cave Depths
Following the direction of the blue fireflies, Artem and Jack arrive at the heart of the cave.
Jack explores up front with a flashlight, so Artem turns off his flashlight to conserve its battery.
Artem: Did Joshua give you the riddle?
Jack Barlow: Actually, I found it myself.
Artem: You found it yourself?
Jack Barlow: You should know that the inmates are required to write reading notes by hand every week.
Jack Barlow: So Joshua has a leather notebook.
Jack Barlow: Additionally, I'm used to writing notes by hand instead of typing them up.
Jack Barlow: I own a notebook that's the same as Joshua's. Quite a coincidence, isn't it?
Artem: Perhaps this coincidence was deliberate.
Jack Barlow: Very clever. No wonder you're already a senior attorney at such a young age.
Jack Barlow: You're right, I bought the same notebook as Joshua's after I found out about it.
Jack Barlow: I sought a chance to swap the notebooks to see if there were any clues about my father's death inside.
Artem: And you finally succeeded during an interview?
Jack Barlow: Yes. I found this riddle in Joshua's reading notes.
Jack Barlow: Imagine this: ever since Joshua was jailed, he'd been studying the Book of the Dead.
Jack Barlow: It's clearly written in his notes that the missing gold is likely where the riddle is hinting at.
Artem: How did you two ally with one another? Was Joshua willing to share the gold with you?
Jack Barlow: What could he do if he didn't agree? I already know about this riddle.
Jack Barlow: I even researched Nosta's geography and narrowed down the potential places to a select few.
Jack Barlow: This cave we're in now is also in Joshua's notes.
Artem: So you think the answer's here?
Jack Barlow: Yes. Before coming in, I checked the descriptions in the Book of the Dead again. This is it.
Jack Barlow: Either Joshua shares the gold with me...
Jack Barlow: Or I'll give the riddle's answer to the police and report Joshua for hiding the gold.
Jack Barlow: That way, his sentence will be extended and the gold will go directly to the state treasury.
Barlow confidently looks at Artem. He doesn't expect to receive a sarcastic reply in return.
Artem: Jack, you're too gullible.
Jack Barlow: What do you mean?
Artem: The inmates have to submit their reading notes to the prison guards every week.
Artem: If he were trying to hide the gold's location, do you really think he would write it in his reading notes?
Jack Barlow: What!?
Artem: You're so eager for revenge that you overlooked such a simple fact.
Artem: I suspect that Joshua even planned for the notebooks to be swapped.
Artem: You thought you were the hunter, but in reality, you fell into the fox's trap.
Jack Barlow: But... But this riddle must be real. Joshua isn't learned enough to write something like this...
Jack Barlow: He wouldn't use the gold as bait. The gold is—
*BANG*
Jack Barlow: Ahhh!
A gunshot and Jack's scream resonate inside the cave.
The vibrations startle the fireflies. In an instant, spots of blue light scatter throughout the cave.
Artem: !!!
Artem gasps, but he doesn't dare utter a sound in fear of exposing his location.
He places his hand on his holster, vigilantly scanning the direction from where the bullet came.
Jack's flashlight was dropped and had turned off, so the entire cave is shrouded in darkness.
Jack Barlow: Lawyer, save me...
Jack's voice indicates that he's alive.
At this moment, the faint click of a gun's trigger comes from the ambusher's direction, capturing Artem's full attention.
He whips out his pistol and pulls the trigger...
*BANG*
???: Ahhh!
After the second gunshot, another scream echoes out, and a gun clatters to the ground.
This time, it is Artem who fires a shot.
Artem: Don't move, or I'll shoot again.
Artem approaches Jack while aiming his gun towards the ambusher's direction.
He squats down and picks up the flashlight that Jack had dropped.
Artem: Jack, how are you faring?
Jack Barlow: It hurts...
Under the dim glow of the fireflies, the gunshot injury to Jack's shoulder is visible. Blood continuously streams from his wound.
Artem: Probably a penetrating injury, but it isn't life-threatening for now. Don't panic.
After checking on Jack's condition, Artem walks towards the ambusher, not daring to lower his gun.
Artem aims the flashlight's beam towards the ambusher's position, but no one is there.
Artem: !!!
The next moment, an explosion fills the cave with throat-burning pepper smoke.
Jack Barlow: Agh...! It h—hurts!!!
As Artem hastily covers up his nose and mouth, a figure collides into his gun-wielding hand, causing him to drop it.
The injured ambusher takes this chance to flee. Artem is unable to give chase and can only check on Jack's condition.
Trying to predict the ambusher's direction of escape, Artem taps a pre-made shortcut on his phone.
At this moment, panic is vividly visible in his eyes.
Artem: [Player]！
Outside the Cave
Having received Artem's message, you immediately rush back into the bush where you were previously hiding.
Under the darkening sky, you closely watch the cave entrance through your night vision binoculars.
You: Mr. Wing... Artem...
You: Are you okay... You have to be okay...
Your heart is pounding. You don't know what happened in the cave, but something must have occurred.
You look at the tracking app and clearly see that Artem and Jack are moving slowly...
You: They're moving so slowly. Was someone injured?
Cold sweat runs down your back.
In the middle of your distress, someone appears at the entrance of the cave.
You see an adult man through your binoculars, but his features are obscured by his raised jacket.
He has his hands on his knees as he leans forward, gasping and coughing. He looks to be in great pain.
A bloodstain is visible on his right shoulder.
You: Is that... a gunshot wound? Did Mr. Wing open fire?
He's the enemy! With that in mind, you quietly take out your tranquilizer gun.
You: (There's something up with him if he's in this area. I can't let him go.)
The tranquilizer gun is easy to operate.
To ensure everyone's safety, Marius had a security officer teach you all how to operate the gun.
You recall Artem's tips on shooting and integrate them with the tranquilizer gun lesson. You take aim at the suspicious figure.
Three, two, one—
You pull the trigger.
You: !!!
Unexpectedly... The man is outside the tranquilizer gun's range...
The missed tranquilizer dart alerts the man.
You: (He won't come over, will he...?)
You take a deep breath and calm yourself down as quickly as you can.
You aim once more at the man with your tranquilizer gun. If he comes any closer, you'll shoot again!
As luck would have it, the suspicious man detects someone nearby and quickly runs in another direction...
You feel somewhat relieved seeing the man run off, but...
You: (There's something up with him if he's in this area...)
You: (Although he's injured, he's still a grown man. I might not be able to beat him...)
You: (If he doesn't come towards me, I better not act hastily.)
You hold your tranquilizer gun and get ready...
Luckily, things turn out just as you had hoped. After catching his breath, the man runs off in another direction...
You: ...
You: Who is that man?
You: Mr. Wing, you have to be okay...
As if answering your prayers, Artem suddenly emerges from the cave.
You: (Artem!)
As you look at him, he seems to feel your eyes on him, and he turns to look at you in kind.
You see him sprinting towards you.
The distance between you and him shortens, and you start more clearly see his panic-stricken face.
Why is he so... panicked?
Before you can ask your question, you find yourself in a warm and powerful embrace.
Artem: Thank God you're all right... Thank God...
Were you... also scared and anxious?
Thankfully, you and him are both safe...
