Lost Gold Luke Investigation 03-03
Overview
- "It doesn't matter who I am, but if you ever lie to me again... Heh, I don't mind being the God of Death."
- Stage Cost: None
- First Clear Rewards:
Astral Memory x20
- Unlock Condition:
Emergency Medicine x270, 
Lumber x360, 
MRE x180, 
Drinking Water x90, 
Extinguished Torch - 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 x285, Lumber x380, MRE x190, Drinking Water x95, Extinguished Torch
Guide
- Hover to view spoiler content.
Script
Cave
Luke: Looks like you also don't know where it is?
The cave Joshua went to is exactly what you two had expected: a stream is leading underground.
A large amount of fluorescent algae float on the stream's surface, lighting up the entire cave with a blue glow.
When you arrive, Joshua is already searching for the loot underwater.
You two wait for him by the riverbank. He returns utterly devastated.
Joshua Ott: She told me it was hidden here. How could she lie to me!?
You: Who's "she"?
Joshua Ott: Janet Winton, the second in charge of our gang. She was the one who hid the gold, so only she knew its whereabouts.
You: (Still going to insist on the "gold." Is he not going to tell us the truth?)
Luke: You said you figured out the location through the riddle. How come now it's because Janet told you?
Joshua Ott: She made up the riddle to deceive the others. It's fake.
Joshua Ott: I saw that you found the riddle, so I said I used it to find the location to make you believe me.
Luke: Then how can you be sure that the location Janet told you is real?
Joshua Ott: ...
Joshua goes silent. It seems he doesn't want to answer this question.
Luke: You're planning on keeping quiet again?
You: (Luke...)
You've never felt such a cold chill emanate from Luke.
He's always felt like a warm person. Even when he's angry on occasion, he's fiery hot, not frigid cold.
Joshua seems intimidated by Luke and starts to involuntarily tremble.
Joshua Ott: Janet... Janet was my... lover...
Luke: Lover?
Luke: All your so-called brothers from the gang, they all ended up dead because of the money.
Luke: How can you be so sure that your lover wasn't lying to you?
Joshua Ott: It's impossible. The reason she hid the gold was to save up some money so we could get married.
Joshua Ott: If it weren't for her, the Golden Lions wouldn't have ended up like that. In the end, it's always the woman's fault.
You: So you think it's all Janet's fault?
Joshua's chauvinistic remark makes you furious.
You: She hid the gold so you could live a better life, and now you blame it on her...
You: She was blind to have loved you!
You: When she died in the mutiny, you didn't even think of helping her, did you?
Joshua Ott: I was just an ordinary bandit — I couldn't even help myself. How could I save our second-in-command?
Joshua Ott: Up until her death, she wanted me to escape and live.
Joshua Ott: I didn't want to disappoint her. That’s why I called the police.
You: Aren't you contradicting yourself? You called the police to not disappoint her, but you lied about the gold.
You: You're just greedy. You were dreaming about becoming a billionaire after you got out of prison!
Joshua Ott: But I didn't find the gold, did I?
Joshua Ott: I don't get it. Why did she lie to me? She's dead! Why's she still hiding the gold from me!?
Joshua Ott: Now you know that I can't find the gold either. Can you let me go now?
Luke: Let you go? That's impossible.
Luke: Aside from the gold, you're a murder suspect.
Joshua Ott: What murder? I've been busy looking for the gold and getting away from you ever since I got here. I didn't kill anyone!
Luke: I'm not talking about today, of course. But what about 10 years ago?
Just now, Artem messages us saying that he found evidence that Joshua killed Orson.
Joshua Ott: I didn't kill anyone from our gang back then...
Luke: Didn't you admit to Jack—
Before Luke can finish his sentence, Joshua's phone rings.
Luke: Answer and put it on speaker mode. I'll let you decide what to say.
Luke pulls out a triangular dagger from his waist and gently rests it against Joshua's neck.
Joshua Ott: !!!
Joshua grabs his phone in a panic. His hands tremble so much that he almost drops his phone.
???: Joshua, where are you right now? Come to the Temple of Death in the west. Get rid of some trouble for me!
Joshua swallows and looks at Luke in terror.
Luke says nothing, but gently traces Joshua's carotid artery with the dagger.
Joshua Ott: I've almost got the mask. I'll go over once I get it.
You: (Mask?)
???: No, you have to come now. Day's breaking!
Joshua Ott: I'm still far from you. By the time I arrive, it'll be light out already.
Joshua Ott: There's someone else trying to get the mask. You don't want it falling into their hands, do you?
???: Joshua, I'm telling you, the immortal ritual can only be performed with both the incantation and the artifact.
???: The God of Death's scepter has long been lost, but the golden mask in your hands might still work.
???: As long as you can get the golden mask, money isn't an issue.
???: But if the mask ends up in someone else's hands...
???: Heh, then your diary of sadistic hobbies will show up on the police's desk.
The speaker hangs up on the call.
Joshua Ott: Hey, Bryce— Tsh...
Blood trickles down Joshua's neck.
Luke: Heh, still trying to signal Bryce to come save you? It seems he's already quite busy himself.
Joshua Ott: ...
Luke: Right, you were saying that there's no evidence of you killing people.
Luke: I guess there is now. That diary, am I right?
Joshua Ott: You're just a treasure hunter. Why do you care if I've killed people!
Joshua Ott: Who are you exactly?
Luke places the dagger against Joshua's neck again. When he leans towards Joshua, Luke flashes a glance at you.
In his eyes, you sense a hint of sorrow.
You suddenly understand Luke's unfinished sentence from before.
Luke: Sorry I had to keep you in the woods for so long.
You: It wasn't that long. I understand. Your mission is confidential, so I couldn't be there.
Luke: I—It's not exactly like that. I...
You: Eh?
Luke: Forget it. If I tell you, you'd say I'm being overly protective again.
Luke: Anyway, I'll always be the person you like in front of you.
He wanted you to leave not because his mission is confidential, but because he didn't want you to see him like this.
Luke: Joshua, stop playing games.
Luke: It doesn't matter who I am, but if you ever lie to me again...
Luke: Heh, I don't mind being the God of Death.
