Deus Ex: Human Revolution – Ongoing Impressions Part 6

Those pods? They weren’t just a bad, long-term hotel. They’re basically beds in stacked caskets. Rent an enclosed bunk bed. Cheap? Probably. Nice? Hell no. But, there’s a ton of them in a small space, so there’s plenty of exploring to do. I find some info about Malik’s friend in one of these pods. I also pass by an airduct that strangely leads back to the entrance of the place. On the third floor are several of these pods full of computer servers. Right next to them is our hacker friend, Van Bruggen.

Van Bruggen admits to using the hacker back in Detroit and he points us to the Upper Area of Hengsha – that’s where we need to go. As we discuss the finer points of life, chaos ensues. Belltower security is bursting through the place and they’re taking no prisoners. Gotta escape. Van Bruggen asks for a little help, in the form of one of my weapons. I’ve upgraded all of them, and I can’t bear to give one out, so I tell him to figure out how to get out on his own.

Shortly after that, I remember Tong threatening to kick my ass if Bruggen ends up dead. I’m sure I’ll hear about it later. Whatever.

I’m on the top floor and I can hear the security forces working their way through. Finally, I’m starting to do a bit better with my sneaking skills. I stay crouched to not make a sound and work my towards the air duct on the second floor. The airduct brings me to the now-closed entrance, but I make a detour through the showers. A couple of guards are around, but I sneak behind them take them down, one at a time, silently. I’m almost out of the place when I make a flub. Two more guards spot me when I carelessly run around a corner. No problem – it’s shotgun time. I whip out my upgraded shotgun buddy and blast them at point blank range. They’re toast and I’m out the door.

Back on the streets of Hengsha to do a little clean-up work. I track down the apartment of the guy who murdered Malik’s friend. Sure enough, he’s left some evidence of the murder around – a broken clock, baseball bats, e-mails. In fact, maybe a bit too much evidence. Malik has a plan though. We’re to meet the guy at the Hive and put pressure on him to confess.

At the Hive, it’s another verbal sparring battle. Hopefully, I’ve paid attention to the details at the apartment. He keeps playing dumb, and I get the option to accuse him of killing her with a baseball bat or a clock. Pieced together correctly and he’ll confess. Don’t and well… I don’t know. Again, I’ve been pretty lucky with the conversing and coerced the guy into confessing his crimes. Last step, walk away. Malik has a bit of a surprise and posts the guys confessions on the exterior of the Hive for all to see.

One last thing to finish: Way back when I arrived in Heng Shua, Mei, a local working girl asked me to help out her friend. A guy on the roof knew where she was. I couldn’t find the place on my own and I didn’t want to pay him for the info. An idea pops in my head. Pay him, knock him out, and keep my money. Sure enough, the plan works to a T. I bribe him, get the location, and then gently knock him unconscious with a punch across the face. For good measure, I hide his body by some dumpsters and go on my merry way. He’ll wake up, no worse for the wear, and I’ll still have my 2000 credits.

The girl’s location is added to the mini-map and I find her in a place that I’ve been past many times. I can’t believe I went pass that spot so many times and missed it. Then again, Hengsha confuses the shit of me direction-wise. There are three guys there. I’m a bit worried that the sound of gunshots will attract some unwanted attention from the authorities, so I upgrade my takedown aug. With the upgrade, I can take down two baddies at once. There’s a third, so I keep my stungun armed. I charge the guys and jam the Q button. Works like a charm and takes the two guys down. The third guy whips out his weapon and blasts me. I’m able to withstand a shot and I zap him with the stungun. He goes down compliantly. Search the bodies, find the code to the locker with the girl, and life is good. She’s going to run away from her job and life in Hengsha. Time to report back to Mei.

Mei is vindictive. She wants me to kill her bastard of a boss. I agree, the guys a dick, but her plan is to kill him out right, which I’m not really a fan of. So, I ask if there’s anything else that can be done. Sure, we can plant drugs on him. Great, just what I want to do. She asks if I”ll help. I say, “Yes,” but really, I don’t want to plant drugs or murder the dude, even if he’s an asshole. If I could intimidate him to quit his job, it’d be one thing, but… I’ll pass.

Enough Hungsha for me. Time to hit the train and get the medical labs in the Upper City.