Sceptic
Arcane
- Joined
- Mar 2, 2010
- Messages
- 10,872
DAY TWO: CHENGDU
Welcome to Chengdu, exotic home of the even more exotic Li Deng. Who also happens to collect exotics.
Remember trying to land when we came without Chi was such a chancy affair? Well, if Chi's in the party, this is what happens if you pick an unsafe landing spot:
Don't ask me why James "Lucky" Masters, WWI flying ace, needs the help of a guy who a few hours ago didn't even believe planes could fly in order to land safely.
Anyway we click through the landing spots until we get a good one (randomized of course), and it's off to do some sightseeing.
Notice there's someone walking down the road towards us? Let's wait for him to get there and chat with him.
OK, so maybe Chi should do the talking this time as well...
Morning.
It is possible to screw up this conversation, but it's no big deal because you only lose out on one of the alternative ways into the Fortress. Since it's also the more interesting one, we definitely want to get it right. Being friendly is always a good start.
Tobacco is always welcome.
Beautiful day.
Always, with such good tobacco!
Now there's two paths through. This is a Chinese peasant in the 1920's we're talking about, so picking option 1 then letting Chi be direct on the next choice will get us what we want. The second option, however, is slightly more interesting and leads to the same outcome.
Life is hard anyway. But he gives us heartache, too.
How would you like to give him heartache?
Would like to--would like to live more.
Then you know I cannot... I...
I know you cannot feed your family when he steals your crops.
I know you cannot live in peace when his soldiers can do anything they like to you, your wife...
Yes, I know! But I am of modest strength, and there is but one of me, while Li Deng has an army equipped with guns that kill.
There is nothing I can do.
You are wrong.
Is that so?
Yes. Just give me your clothes...
What?
I know this sounds very strange, but I need to blend in here. For your protection, I can say no more.
So you expect me to stand around exposed... or do I get to wear that strange outfit of yours?
Sorry Jaesun, but it's not that kind of game.
No. Go to the arrow-plane. There are pants in the back you can put on. And you can have whatever food and tobacco you want.
I can sit in the steel-bird and smoke tobacco and eat food?!
Sure. Just go easy on the donuts--those are mine.
And by the way, what you call a strange outfit is the dress of a Ninja.
Ninja? So to be what you call a Ninja, one must wear a strange outfit?
No. See, the... never mind. We will be back before dark.
At least someone is having fun... but we did get a good disguise out of it.
While we're there, let's combine the rope and hook to get:
Now, what can we catch with this...
Sure why not.
You missed.
Oops. Well, I'm sure it'll work on the second try...
I bet that little Ninja is laughing behind my back. I'll show him!
Say, Chi, I was just thinking as I was warming up the ol' lasso. Why don't I let you take a shot?
I mean, I do this stuff all the time...
I could lasso Elsie there blindfolded with both hands tied behind my back.
That sounds interesting. Okay. Here, I tie hands.
Trying to outwit a Ninja is obviously not the best idea.
No, ya numbskull! You try! I want to expand your horizons.
Is that right?
No, the angle on your lasso is all wrong, but you're just a beginner, and it's pretty much a science.
Ye-haw! Chi the Kid lassos cow!
Oh, quit blowing your own horn! Without my guidance, your probably would have lassoed yourself.
Aaaaaaaaaanyway.
It's missing that little rustic touch, I think...
Perfect! We're ready for Li Deng!
What is your business?
Very well.
OPEN THE GATE.
FYI, this is what happens if you try and send Chi in there without both cow and peasant clothes.
Things will be different with the full disguise. But first... remember the map Wu gave us? Let's explore the alternative approach.
Now I admit it took me YEARS to figure out how this path works. It's pretty obvious that you have to wait for the guard to be out of sight, and it's obvious you need the crowbar to open the grate, but I always thought I needed to get close to the grate before using the crowbar. Turns out you just use it from this distance...
In any case, if you try and get to the grate when the guard's around, Chi warns you.
If you fail again:
So we reload and wait for the guard to walk into the guard tower.
Plot branch ahoy!
This is why I said you need Chi no matter what. He's either the one going in through the front door, or needed to open the grate. There's no way Lucky can get through either path by himself.
Yes we did. You have honor of going first, Lucky.
Thanks for nothing, Chi.
It's definitely NOT gonna be good, I can tell you...
I don't know..
Gee, ya think?
Welcome to total darkness! Thankfully Lucky has an item to handle this problem.
Now we can see where we're going, so let's move deeper! (try to hold your breath...)
This is an adventure, so if you see a hotspot, you ALWAYS try and use it.
Hurrrrrr.
The proverbial light at the end of the tunnel!
That hole is too small and too high!
Fortunately we have something to, ah, bore with.
Please to lift me a bit higher Lucky.
Be careful, Chi! We don't know what's up there.
UGH! Maybe Lucky should go on diet!
Just cut the wise-cracks and lift me up!
And we're in!
However... notice that both Lucky and Chi made it together. The alternative path has Chi going in alone at first, and since he's a Ninja he gets free run of the place, including where Lucky can never go. So we're going to reload the game and try the more interesting approach.
I get in with cow, throw over rope for you to climb.
What is your business?
I have a cow for the weekend feast!
Another one?!
Yes, it's a two cow feast this weekend.
Very well.
OPEN THE GATE.
Say goodbye to the peasant, say hello to the NINJA!
An excellent idea, so let's look around.
Notice the unguarded wall, which will be an ideal spot to get Lucky in. There's also a guardhouse to the left, which we'll deal with later.
The only item of note on the other side is the tank.
It absolutely is, which is why we'll do it.
Enough fooling around, let's enter the main compound.
Here's the layout of the place: one door on the bottom left, one on the upper left (but currently locked), one on the upper right, and the big door in the center, which we will try first.
It's Li Deng's throne room!
What progress has been made on the repairs to the tank?
It's running again but there's still an oil leak in the manifold.
Damn it, Tong!
You said it wuold be completely ready today!
What happened?
The parts are back-ordered.
Well get it running as soon as possible.
Lomax will soon send mercenaries to try to rescue his daughter.
I have even heard rumors that Lomax has recruited a man named Jake Masters to undertake such a mission.
I'll feed his liver to the jackals if he is foolish enough to even attempt to breach our defenses.
Good, but we must prepare for all contingencies. See to it, Tong.
As you command, my master.
Back to the main hall, we take the lower left passage.
Mmm, dining room. Wonder what that bottle is?
Moving on west from the dining room, we get into the kitchen, which is where the backdoor also leads (you can see the hole next to the stove).
The dog guards the stairs up, and he will NOT let you through.
Insistence is not a virtue:
Let's see what else is in the room.
Hey look, don't feed it to your dog! Maybe doing so will get rid of him...
Nope feeding him both does nothing. Wait... which OTHER item also had something about dogs in its description?
It's not as if we have anything left to lose at this point...
And the way is clear!
The knife is only essential if you get in through the backdoor. You'd better remember to pick it up if you do though!
Notice the guard stationed here. Since Chi's a Ninja he has no trouble passing through, but Lucky would if he were along. In any case going through here leads us immediately through the upper right door in the main hall, and into...
... an Indiana Jones reference.
P-p-p-please h-h-help me!
Nurse Kate, please to stay calm! My name is Zhao Chi. I am here to help rescue you.
I don't care who you are, JUST GET ME OUT OF HERE!
Soon, but first I find my partner. Together we find way to free you from cobras.
Wait! You can't just leave me here!!
Not worry, nurse Kate. I back soon with help.
Let's head back out and do just that!
Fun fact: Chi will sometimes miss and the hook will fall back on this side. I can never figure out what causes this, as this time it succeeded immediately.
I'd say "It nothing Lucky" except you heavy as an ox!! Almost throw Chi's back out to hold you!
Quite complaining. The important thing is that we both made it into the fortress.
And now we have to rescue Lomax's daughter!
I have scouted around the palace Lucky. It crawling with guards: we must be careful.
I also find Kate Lomax. She is being held in great hall on east side of palace.
All right then: let's get moving.
As soon as we get away from the wall...
FYI, if you do let the guards catch you here:
Reloading, we follow Chi's advice and hide in the abandoned guardhouse.
Sounds good- wait, what's this?
Definitely looks like a keeper.
Time to lead the assault!
Welcome to Chengdu, exotic home of the even more exotic Li Deng. Who also happens to collect exotics.
Remember trying to land when we came without Chi was such a chancy affair? Well, if Chi's in the party, this is what happens if you pick an unsafe landing spot:
Don't ask me why James "Lucky" Masters, WWI flying ace, needs the help of a guy who a few hours ago didn't even believe planes could fly in order to land safely.
Anyway we click through the landing spots until we get a good one (randomized of course), and it's off to do some sightseeing.
Notice there's someone walking down the road towards us? Let's wait for him to get there and chat with him.
OK, so maybe Chi should do the talking this time as well...
It is possible to screw up this conversation, but it's no big deal because you only lose out on one of the alternative ways into the Fortress. Since it's also the more interesting one, we definitely want to get it right. Being friendly is always a good start.
Now there's two paths through. This is a Chinese peasant in the 1920's we're talking about, so picking option 1 then letting Chi be direct on the next choice will get us what we want. The second option, however, is slightly more interesting and leads to the same outcome.
Sorry Jaesun, but it's not that kind of game.
At least someone is having fun... but we did get a good disguise out of it.
While we're there, let's combine the rope and hook to get:
Now, what can we catch with this...
Sure why not.
Oops. Well, I'm sure it'll work on the second try...
Trying to outwit a Ninja is obviously not the best idea.
Aaaaaaaaaanyway.
It's missing that little rustic touch, I think...
Perfect! We're ready for Li Deng!
FYI, this is what happens if you try and send Chi in there without both cow and peasant clothes.
Things will be different with the full disguise. But first... remember the map Wu gave us? Let's explore the alternative approach.
Now I admit it took me YEARS to figure out how this path works. It's pretty obvious that you have to wait for the guard to be out of sight, and it's obvious you need the crowbar to open the grate, but I always thought I needed to get close to the grate before using the crowbar. Turns out you just use it from this distance...
In any case, if you try and get to the grate when the guard's around, Chi warns you.
If you fail again:
So we reload and wait for the guard to walk into the guard tower.
Plot branch ahoy!
This is why I said you need Chi no matter what. He's either the one going in through the front door, or needed to open the grate. There's no way Lucky can get through either path by himself.
It's definitely NOT gonna be good, I can tell you...
Gee, ya think?
Welcome to total darkness! Thankfully Lucky has an item to handle this problem.
Now we can see where we're going, so let's move deeper! (try to hold your breath...)
This is an adventure, so if you see a hotspot, you ALWAYS try and use it.
Hurrrrrr.
The proverbial light at the end of the tunnel!
Fortunately we have something to, ah, bore with.
And we're in!
However... notice that both Lucky and Chi made it together. The alternative path has Chi going in alone at first, and since he's a Ninja he gets free run of the place, including where Lucky can never go. So we're going to reload the game and try the more interesting approach.
Say goodbye to the peasant, say hello to the NINJA!
An excellent idea, so let's look around.
Notice the unguarded wall, which will be an ideal spot to get Lucky in. There's also a guardhouse to the left, which we'll deal with later.
The only item of note on the other side is the tank.
It absolutely is, which is why we'll do it.
Enough fooling around, let's enter the main compound.
Here's the layout of the place: one door on the bottom left, one on the upper left (but currently locked), one on the upper right, and the big door in the center, which we will try first.
It's Li Deng's throne room!
Back to the main hall, we take the lower left passage.
Mmm, dining room. Wonder what that bottle is?
Moving on west from the dining room, we get into the kitchen, which is where the backdoor also leads (you can see the hole next to the stove).
The dog guards the stairs up, and he will NOT let you through.
Insistence is not a virtue:
Let's see what else is in the room.
Hey look, don't feed it to your dog! Maybe doing so will get rid of him...
Nope feeding him both does nothing. Wait... which OTHER item also had something about dogs in its description?
It's not as if we have anything left to lose at this point...
And the way is clear!
The knife is only essential if you get in through the backdoor. You'd better remember to pick it up if you do though!
Notice the guard stationed here. Since Chi's a Ninja he has no trouble passing through, but Lucky would if he were along. In any case going through here leads us immediately through the upper right door in the main hall, and into...
... an Indiana Jones reference.
Let's head back out and do just that!
Fun fact: Chi will sometimes miss and the hook will fall back on this side. I can never figure out what causes this, as this time it succeeded immediately.
As soon as we get away from the wall...
FYI, if you do let the guards catch you here:
Reloading, we follow Chi's advice and hide in the abandoned guardhouse.
Sounds good- wait, what's this?
Definitely looks like a keeper.
Time to lead the assault!