City of Death - Shadowrun: Hong Kong

This guide will help you complete the City of Death mission in Shadowrun: Hong Kong.

City of Death Map

Starting Point
Yellow Lotus Soldiers
Medical Vendor
Local Grocer
Song / Dimalanta
Commando / Ku Feng
Turret Junction Box
Ranged Servitor
Tsang Troops
Servitor
Barricade
Hu and Co.
Heavy Soldiers
Kowloon Local / Wounded Woman
First Aid Boxes
Fire Terminals
Door Terminal
Locked Door
Fortune Engine

City of Death Walkthrough

Background

The typhoon pours down as the triad soldiers fan out in front of you, leading the way into Kowloon Walled City. Raymond shuffles along, alert and intent. Although exhausted by all that has gone on, he drives himself forward, and will not accept help from anyone. Wu watches the windows and rooftops, his rifle never leaving his shoulder. He occasionally risks a glance at his foster-father, concern, frustration, and anger playing over his face like a slideshow.

The Walled City is worse than in your first visit. Even with the rain, you can feel something in the air. It’s thicker now and it clings to your skin like invisible filth. The miserable noises of slum life are gone, replaced by something worse. The sounds of death. The sounds of fear.

As you round a corner, the group stops before heading in deeper.

— Mission Midpoint —

The deafening rattle of machinegun fire fills the air behind you, and the metallic tang of blood cuts through the stench of garbage. You press forward, wading through block after block of insanity, chaos, and death. All around you, the Walled City is descending into a churning cauldron of depravity and violence.

The comm’s of no use. You’ve tried several times, but there’s still no word from the B-Team — no sign of Raymond, or of Kindly Cheng’s triad soldiers. Finally, you reach the center of this hellhole: an industrial hatch with its door ajar.

This is the place where Raymond Black built his infernal machine. The threshold across which Qian Ya, the Queen with a Thousand Teeth, clawed her way into this world.

— Mission Complete —

You depart from the Prosperity chamber and are instantly caught up in a wave of refugees fleeing for their lives. Struggling through the panicked wave of humanity, you are able to retrace your steps and eventually reach Heoi.

Although the typhoon has passed, the scene is wet and chaotic. The newly-homeless crowd the streets, dazedly wandering, searching for missing loved-ones, and nursing injuries.

Relief workers are already on the scene, providing blankets and medical aid. Rescue personnel carry the stunned and wounded to safety. The entire area has been cordoned off by the HKPF while Knight Errant officers and a military peacekeeping force attempt to maintain order.

Karma Points

[1] Kill the ranged servitor (#8).
[8] Reach the Heart of the City.

Walkthrough

When you exit Heoi for the Walled City, you’ll be joined by a handful of triad soldiers sent by Kindly Cheng. You’ll then discuss how to approach the Fortune Engine. Eventually, no matter what you say, you’ll decide to use two groups, with you leading the first group, and your remaining companions, the triad soldiers, and Raymond in the second group.

So this mission will be relatively normal. You’ll get to select up to three companions to join you, and you won’t see the other group at all until you’ve cleared the way to the Fortune Engine. You’ll encounter lots of combat, but you won’t be entering the Matrix, and you won’t see any special vents for drones. So you can bring along whichever companions you like the best.

You’ll begin the mission in the Outer Ring of the Walled City (#1). As you make your way to the Fortune Engine, you’ll run into lots of civilians and soldiers. Some of these encounters are optional, and some are required. Almost all of them will lead to combat, but luckily you won’t face many opponents, so the battles shouldn’t drain too much of your health or healing supplies. You’ll also get some help. If you recruited Ku Feng at the end of the mission Exit, Stage Left, then she’ll join you in the Outer Ring (#6), giving you an extra combatant for most of the trip.

You’ll only have to make one real decision during your journey. At the end of the Middle Ring, you’ll have to choose between chasing a demonic servitor (#10) through one exit (Exit B), or “helping” some civilians with a barricade (#11) and using a different exit (Exit C). For the servitor option, you won’t have to fight anything (the servitor will just disappear), but its exit will put you into the middle of a fight in the Side Street (#12). For the barricade option, you’ll have to fight a major battle, but its exit will put you in a safe spot in the Side Street. Of the two, the servitor option is the shortest and safest.

When you reach the Heart of the City (via Exit E), you’ll earn 8 karma points. The Heart will be strangely empty, so you’ll be able to explore it at your leisure — and perhaps loot the medical boxes in the area (#15) for some extra healing supplies. But be ready. Right after this point, you’ll experience a long sequence of conversations and battles that will conclude the mission.

When you try to open the door leading to the Fortune Engine (#18), you’ll discover that it’s locked. You’ll then notice a terminal nearby (#17), but when you interact with it, instead of opening the door, Qian Ya and a handful of servitors will appear. No matter what you say, Qian Ya will demand that you prove yourself. This will lead to the first fight.

For this fight, Qian Ya will stand next to the door, where she’ll be protected by an astral shield. You won’t be able to damage her while she’s shielded, but she’ll be able to attack you and summon more servitors, so you should remove the shield as quickly as possible. To do this, you’ll need to interact with four terminals (#16) while fending off servitors. When the shield goes down, Qian Ya will stop summoning and become vulnerable, but she’ll also start moving around to attack you, and she’ll begin regenerating 10 HP per round. Still, she’ll only have 120 HP, so if you focus all of your attacks on her, then she shouldn’t last more than a round or two. Once Qian Ya goes down, you’ll just need to finish off any remaining servitors to complete the battle.

After the battle, Qian Ya will get back up and laugh at you, and she’ll reveal that you only defeeated a small piece of her. Then she’ll move through the locked door (#18), destroying it, and disappear. But she’ll leave behind a small pool of magic, which you’ll have to cross in order to reach the Fortune Engine. And of course, when you walk into it, you’ll be teleported to Qian Ya’s dimension, where you’ll start the second fight. So if need be, heal up your team before continuing. This is also a good place to save your game, especially if you want to see all four endings.

For the second fight, you’ll face off against Qian Ya plus three demons (two fanged behemoths and a gibbering nightmare). The demons will completely heal Qian Ya at the start of each turn, so you should kill them first and then gang up on Qian Ya. Qian Ya won’t summon anything, and all of the enemies combined will only have 360 HP, so you should be able to wrap up the battle in a handful of rounds.

After the battle, Qian Ya will once again reassemble herself, but this time she’ll let you know that you’ve amused her, and that she’s willing to talk to you. At the same time, Raymond and your other companions (but not the triad soldiers) will show up. What you say to Qian Ya here will determine which ending you’ll get for the game:

If you talk to Qian Ya, then she’ll offer you a deal: if you leave the Fortune Engine alone and allow her to continue feeding on the Walled City, then she’ll grant you 14 years of good luck. If you agree to this, then Duncan, Gobbet, Is0bel, and Raymond will turn against you, and you’ll have to kill them. This will give you Ending #1.
If you talk to Qian Ya, then you’ll be able to make her a counteroffer. While negotiating, you’ll need to make four arguments that will sway her:
- “Your life. I know how to tear open the tunnel that connects our two worlds.” You’ll get this dialogue option if you talked to Duncan and Raymond before the mission and healed their rift.
- “I know that opening the tunnel wouldn’t hurt you, Queen. But I also know that it would let the other Yama Kings through.” You’ll get this dialogue option if you had enough dreams during the campaign.
- “I’ve heard what you Yama Kings do to one another when you’re angry. The story of the Nameless King. I’m betting that there’s some truth to it.” You’ll get this dialogue option if you talked to Is0bel after completing her mission (DeckCon 2056), and heard her story about the Yama Kings.
- “You are entitled to nothing. By asking, you’ve already conceded defeat. I know your laws, Queen, and I will hold you to them.” You’ll get this dialogue option if you talked to Crafty Xu (at the Parlor of Five Phases in Heoi) in between missions and encouraged her to read her mother’s notes.
If you select all of these dialogue options, then you’ll get Ending #2.
In a slight variation to the option above, if you tell Qian Ya that she can take her “crazies” and go instead of telling her that she’s entitled to nothing, then she’ll depart, but she’ll demand that Raymond go with her. If you allow this, then you’ll get Ending #3. Otherwise, a fight will break out, and you’ll switch to the option below.
You can just attack Qian Ya. For this third and final fight with her, she’ll only have 110 HP, and she’ll be all alone. Plus, you’ll get to go first, so you should be able to kill her quickly. After the battle, you’ll need to interact with the Fortune Engine (#19). When you do, you’ll learn that Qian Ya is still feeding on the people of the Walled City, and that if you were to destroy the engine, then she’ll keep those people forever. So Raymond will decide to enter the tunnel and close it from the other side, and save everybody. This will give you Ending #4.

Regardless of your choice, when you return to Heoi you’ll see a news reporter interviewing people about the chemical spill that caused mass hallucinations in the Walled City. He’ll just shrug off the truth if you try to educate him about what really happened.

When you report in to Kindly Cheng, she’ll want to know what happened — but she won’t care what you did or who you killed; she’ll just want you to continue working for her as a shadowrunner. She’ll also let you know that a “mysterious benefactor” lifted the APB out on you, so you’ll no longer have to worry about the HKPF shooting you on sight. Finally, if you picked up dirt on Josephine Tsang during Prosperity Tower, then Cheng will pay you 5000 nuyen for it — unless you hold it back and use the Shadowrunner etiquette, in which case she’ll pay you 6000 nuyen for it.

To complete the campaign, you’ll just need to go to bed on the Safeboat. But before doing that, you might want to talk to a few of the merchants and your (surviving) companions to get a coda on their storylines. When you go to sleep, you’ll see one of the endings listed below.

Congratulations for completing Shadowrun Hong Kong!

Ending #1

The story of the Walled City riots circulates local news networks for nearly a week. Few outside of Hong Kong hear about the incident, and of those that do, even fewer care. Within the Walled City, a strange new cult comes into power, reshaping the core of the massive tenement into a grand court worthy of their queen. Stories of Qian Ya and the Yama Kings grow from urban legends to religious parables. The Queen with a Thousand Teeth holds sway over Kowloon Walled City, and all those who trespass within its walls run the risk of capture and enslavement.

After the incident in the Walled City, the unbroken lucky streak that propelled Tsang Mechanical Services into the limelight comes to an abrupt end. Evidence of Josephine Tsang’s culpability in the Walled City riots — as delivered by a “reliable source” — is aired on the Horizon News Network, and the corporation’s stock prices go into a freefall. Within a year, Wuxing, Inc. buys out, absorbs, and dismantles the company, and Josephine Tsang is quietly filed away in a corporate prison. She remains there, buried behind walls of concrete and rebar, until she hangs herself three months later.

Your own fortunes have never looked better. Qian Ya lived up to her end of your bargain; ever since you accepted her deal, fate has conspired to help you. Money flows easily. Life in the shadows quickly loses all sense of risk and challenge.

You have fourteen years to enjoy the fruits of your bargain. Fourteen years to prepare for the day when your luck finally runs out….

Ending #2

The story of the Walled City riots circulates local news networks for nearly a week. Few outside of Hong Kong hear about the incident, and of those that do, even fewer care. By the end of the month, the city is back to business as usual. In Heoi, the flow of refugees eventually slows to a trickle; those who do escape tell stories of a terrifying demon-goddess, finally driven away by one old man and a rabble of outsiders. Their mad ramblings are generally met with pity or contempt.

Heoi remains a safe port of call for smugglers, gangsters, and shadowrunners alike. You are no exception. The shadows here welcome you, in a way that Seattle never did. You’ve earned the respect of your fixer, your clients, and your community. And now that the APB on you and your team has been lifted — by parties unknown — you are free to operate openly in Hong Kong.

This place is yours now. You’re home.

Ending #3

The story of the Walled City riots circulates local news networks for nearly a week. Few outside of Hong Kong hear about the incident, and of those that do, even fewer care. By the end of the month, the city is back to business as usual. In Heoi, the flow of refugees eventually slows to a trickle; those who do escape tell stories of a terrifying demon-goddess that came to the Walled City, claimed a host of slaves, and then mysteriously departed again, dragging her servants to hell behind her. Their mad ramblings are generally met with pity or contempt.

This place is yours now. You’re home.

Ending #4

The story of the Walled City riots circulates local news networks for nearly a week. Few outside of Hong Kong hear about the incident, and of those that do, even fewer care. By the end of the month, the city is back to business as usual. In Heoi, the flow of refugees eventually slows to a trickle; those who do escape tell stories of a terrifying demon-goddess, and of an old man who sacrificed his soul to banish her. Their mad ramblings are generally met with pity or contempt.

Heoi remains a safe port of call for smugglers, gangsters, and shadowrunners alike. You are no exception. The shadows here welcome you, in a way that Seattle never did. Y ou’ve earned the respect of your fixer, your clients, and your community. And now that the APB on you and your team has been lifted — by parties unknown — you are free to operate openly in Hong Kong.

This place is yours now. You’re home.

Mission Overview

1 – Starting Point

2 – Yellow Lotus Soldiers

No matter what you say to these soldiers, they’ll attack you.

3 – Medical Vendor

The vendor here will sell you medkits and trauma kits.

4 – Local Grocer

At this spot, you’ll meet a shadowrunner posing as a grocer. If you recognize what he is (through the Gang or Shadowrunner etiquette), then he’ll introduce himself as Steel Drake, and he’ll sell you a variety of weapons and grenades (but nothing unique). If you pay Drake 100 nuyen for information, then he’ll warn you not to help the civilians since “something’s gone wrong in their heads” and they’re just as dangerous as everyone else.

5 – Song / Dimalanta

At this spot, you’ll witness a Red Pole named Song shaking down a street shaman. If you get involved, then you’ll have to fight Song and her men, but afterwards you’ll be able to shop with the shaman, who will sell you medkits and trauma kits. If you ask the shaman his name, and if you have Charisma 5, Strength 7, or the Corporate etiquette, or if you pay him a 200 nuyen bribe, then he’ll introduce himself as Dimalanta, and he’ll reveal that there’s a bounty on his head. If you try to collect the bounty, then he’ll run away. If you keep his secret, then nothing will happen. If you demand payment for your silence, then he’ll give you a Force 6 Fire Elemental Fetish.

6 – Commando / Ku Feng

When you approach this spot, you’ll get stopped by a Tsang recon commando. If you recruited Ku Feng during the mission Exit, Stage Left, then she’ll show up here and kill the commando, which will allow you to pass by unharmed. You’ll also be able to add Ku Feng to your party, and she’ll help you out until you reach the City Center. If you didn’t recruit Ku Feng, then you’ll need the Security etiquette to talk your way past the commando. Failing that, you’ll have to fight the commando and her men, plus a turret, although you can disable the turret using a nearby junction box (#7).

7 – Turret Junction Box

With Drone Control 7 or Racter in your party, you’ll be able to use this junction box to take over the nearby turret (#6). With Decking 6 or Is0bel in your party, you’ll be able to use the box to shut down the turret.

8 – Ranged Servitor

You’ll encounter a demonic servitor here. If you kill it, then you’ll earn a karma point.

9 – Tsang Troops

Inside this chamber, you’ll witness a trio of Tsang soldiers confronting a group of civilians. No matter what you do, the encounter will turn violent, but with Quickness 6, you’ll at least be able to move first — and get some free shots at the uncovered soldiers. One of the soldiers will drop an Explosive Detonator when he dies. You might need this at the barricade to the north (#11).

10 – Servitor

When you approach this spot, you’ll see a demonic servitor killing a civilian and then fleeing through the nearby exit (Exit B). The servitor will disappear when it leaves, so you won’t be able to kill it.

11 – Barricade

At this location, you’ll spot a group of civilians being held behind a barricade by some Tsang soldiers. If you “help” the civilians by using the Explosive Detonator (#9) to blow up the barricade, then you’ll start a huge fight where the civilians and soldiers will attack each other — and you, too. Unfortunately, your team will start out all jumbled together, and the soldiers will take advantage by throwing some grenades your way, dealing an unfortunate amount of damage to you (unless somebody on your team has a Shiawase Magnetic Arm). The explosion will block you from retreating, so you’ll have to join in the fight and then use the nearby exit (Exit C).

12 – Hu and Co.

When you enter the Side Street, a Tsang soldier named Hu will turn against his fellows and start attacking them, causing a fight to break out. If you entered the area after following the servitor (Exit B), then you’ll be in sight of the soldiers, and you’ll be forced to join in. But if you arrived from the barricade (Exit C), then the soldiers won’t know you’re there, and you’ll be able to let them kill each other for a while if you want.

13 – Heavy Soldiers

When you spot the heavy Tsang soldiers here, they’ll start attacking a trio of demonic servitors to the east. If you stay out of the way, then the two sides will attack each other, and you’ll only have to deal with the survivors (probably the servitors).

14 – Kowloon Local / Wounded Woman

At this spot, you’ll meet a local man named Zhou Si. If Is0bel is with you, then she’ll recognize him as a human trafficker. Talking to him won’t lead to anything. On the ground next to the man, you’ll find a wounded woman. If you interact with her, then you’ll automatically spend a trauma kit to heal her, but nothing will happen. That is, you can safely skip this entire encounter.

15 – First Aid Boxes

Inside these three boxes, you’ll find an Advanced Medkit, a DocWagon Trauma Kit, and Shamanic Salve (II). The box closest to the Fortune Engine door (#18) won’t appear until you start fighting Qian Ya.