Night Flash's Shadow Side Story Full Walkthrough and Details | Where Winds Meet

A group of people is surrounding the legendary steed once ridden by a Khitan envoy...so Ma Qiu says. Join the crowd and investigate.

[1] Join the crowd.
You notice a group of people surrounding a horse. According to Ma Qiu, it is the "legendary steed once ridden by a Khitan envoy."

[2] Talk to Qi Feijun.
Li Aili seems to be angry at the "warrior" who used the horse to save a Khitan and let the horse end up with horse dealers. Qi Feijun tells you that Nigh Flash's Flying Light is their pride. You are given the choice to:
・steal the horse at night
・pay big for the horse
Even if you choose the second option, their only solution is to steal the horse.

[3] Wait at Zi hour the next day to steal Night Flash.
You can adjust the time or wait.

[4] Go near the stables in Harvestfall Village.

[5] Eavesdrop on the horse dealers.
Looks like the horse is missing!

[6] Search westward along the road.

[7] Ask the Greenwood Bandit about Night Flash.
He first confirms if you are connected with the masked hero. Once he thinks you're not, he becomes at ease. He tries to take your money for information, but you kick his ass anyway. He tells you that the horse ran into the prison. He also tells you that the masked hero was the one who rode the horse three years ago.

[8] Time to enter the Courier Station and find Night Flash.
Finding Night Flash at the corner of the station, you see Constable Xiaoliu with it.

[9] Talk to the constable.
He tells you that the horse dug up something and Brother Lin took it.

[10] Go to Brother Lin.
It looks like the horse dug up a string of prayer beads. The beads have blood and bear the character "Xiao" on it. Lin Yao tells Lord Song that the three years ago, the men who died in this inn bore the surname Xiao. They agree that you can take the horse.

[11] Follow Song and Lin.
Following the two, you find that the horse is gone and Constable Xiaoliu is unconscious.

[12] Wake him up and speak to him in private.
He tells you that he slept through the unsolved Riverside Station case from three years ago, just like what's happening now. Back then, the station was just an inn and a group of northern brawny men arrived. Most of them died, and the rest vanished without a trace. The leader was a devout and his body was never found. Lord Song now occupies the same chamber that the dead man once stayed in.

[13] Investigate the Inn's second floor.
You find:
・An Account Book:
Three years ago, some noble guests from the northern Xiao Clan checked into the Courier Station.
The Xiao Clan's entourage arrived at the station.

A dusty account book dropped by the former innkeeper of the Riverside Station.
The writings on the open page recorded the information of the guests traveling through the inn.
...
The third day of the month, 959 CE...
The Xiaos, traveling from the north, stayed in the Imperial Suite for two nights, meals included and stored their carriages here.
Two thousand coins unpaid.

・Another Account Book:
Some swordsmen— chaotic and mysterious—soon followed the northern guests and checked into the Courier Station.
A group of swordsmen from Qinghe checked into the courier station the day after these guests.

A dust account book dropped by the former innkeeper of the Riverside Station.
The writings on the open page recorded the information of the guests traveling through the inn.
...
The fourth day of the month, 959 CE...
Qinghe swordsmen Li, Chen, Wang, Guo, and others in a large room for one day, food not included. Fifty wen paid in advance.

・Broken Window Lattice
The window lattice was damaged, the marks clearly man-made; slashed by blades, the damage was beyond repair.
The window lattice on the second floor had once been slashed and damaged by blades.

Riverside Station was a stop on the path that one must take to travel south from Qinghe, and was abandoned three years ago for a reason.
The local government acquired it and converted it into a transition prison, and signs of renovation could be seen everywhere.
The broken window is now covered by a screen.
But the damage doesn't look like it came from disrepair, but more like being struck by weapons.

・Rusty Dagger (Found outside the window)
In one corner of the eaves lay a forgotten dagger, rusted and marked by Khitan craftsmanship.
A distinctive Khitan short dagger was found in the northern guests' room.

A short dagger left behind on the eaves, heavily rusted, its scabbard nowhere to be found. The blade has a slight curve and is forged from refined steel, resembling the distinctive curved sabers of the Khitan.

[14] After gathering all the clues, start your deduction.
Q : What was the identity of the northern guests from three years ago?
A: Three years ago, some noble guests from northern Xiao Clan checked into the Courier Station.
+
In one corner of the eaves lay a forgotten short dagger, rusted and marked by Khitan craftsmanship.
=
The northern guests were, in fact, a group of Khitan nobles.

Q: What happened to the Khitans three years ago?
A: Most of the northern guests were killed or wounded; Xiaoliu lay unconscious, unaware of all that had transpired.
+
The window lattice was damaged, the marks clearly man-made; slashed by blades, the damage was beyond repair.
=
The northern guests were ambushed, suffering heavy casualties.

Q: Who attacked the northern guests, and what was their motive?
A: Some swordsmen—chaotic and mysterious—soon followed the northern guests and checked into the Courier Station.
+
The northern guests were, in fact, a group of Khitan nobles.
=
The swordsmen from Qinghe ambushed and killed the northern guests upon discovering their Khitan identities.

[15] You hear a horse's neigh.
Check where it is coming from. You find Qi Feijun with the horse. He tells you that they found the horse in Jadebrook Mountain. How could that be? You just saw it at Riverside Station.

[16] Go to Jadebrook Mountain and speak with Qi Feijun.
It seems like Night Flash wants to go to the Wild Woods.

[17] Investigate the two strange spots in the Woods.
There's a giant bear around so watch out.
You find:
・Han Corpse
The deceased had died many years ago, and his body was heavily decomposed. Judging from his attire, he appeared to be one of those swordsmen. The sole fatal injury was a narrow, deep wound to the neck, as if struck with the exact tip of a sword by a skilled hand.

・Khitan Corpse
The deceased has been dead for many years, his body has largely decayed.
Yet, his boots remain surprisingly well preserved. From their style, they appear to have come from the northern Khitan lands. A blade rests in his hand. It is slightly curved, and it was forged from iron. Looks like a type of curved blade distinctive to the Khitan.
His waist and chest bear multiple wounds from various weapons, some deep, some shallow, a clear sign that the skills of his attackers varied greatly.

[18] Continue exploring.
You find:
Sacrificial Remnants
Fresh steamed veggies with flour and bean cakes, gnawed by wolves, only scraps remain.
Sniffing carefully, you can detect the faint fishy scent unique to soybean oil.

[19] Track the scent of the Sacrificial Remnants using Wind Sense.
You find Little Mohe.

[20] Talk to Little Mohe.
You confirm that he was the one who left the offerings there. It helps to "wash away sins so they can finally rest in peace." What's more important is he tells you what happened three years ago. During the fight between the Hatless and Kittens (Khitan), the Khitans were almost defeated with one man standing, their leader. Then came a swordswoman who knocked out all the Hatless attackers. She has a blindfold and carries short knives. Then the woman and the remaining Khitan vanished. In the morning, he saw the Khitan again riding a magnificent horse.

[21] Check on Night Flash and Qi Feijun.
Night Flash wants you to dig on the ground.

[22] Do what the horse wants.
You find a Dusty Pouch.
A small, dusty pouch containing a jade horse figurine and an unsigned note.
On the note it says:
Borrowed one horse for three years. Returned two in kind. I remember Lord Qi's kindness well.

[23] Talk to Qi Feijun.
He doesn't want to tell you the warrior's identity. But it seems like someone else is familiar with the horse...

[24] Talk to Qingxuan.
He tells you that Miaoshan once brought the horse up the mountain.

・Echo Jade x 50
・Qinghe Exploration x 50
・Enlightenment Point x 100
・ Character EXP x 20000
・ Coin x 20000