This guide shows how to complete the quest ‘A Needle in a Haystack‘ and all the choices available in the quest for the game STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl, which was released on 20th November 2024.
Starting Location
To begin the quest, speak with either Cpt. Zotov or Gaffer about an NPC Solder. They will ask for your help in tracking Squint.
Note: This quest is related to Cpt. Zotov if you start the quest after speaking with Gaffer then he will start a different sidequest – Invisible Nets.
Explore the warehouse with the radiation hazard signs
After agreeing to help Captain Zotov, he will direct you to the warehouse with the radiation hazard signs to locate Squint. Head to the location indicated on the map below.
Enter the tallest building in the warehouse area. Also, stay alert for aggressive dogs in the area.
Go upstairs and speak with NPC Mug. Offer him 1500 coins to get information on Squint’s location.
Check the farmstead where Squint might be hiding
Proceed to the windmill located on the northeast of the Lesser Zone. Refer to the location of the old windmill in the map below.
Head inside the windmill and go up the stairs. Climb the windmill carefully and disarm the shotgun traps by interacting with the thin rope.
Upstairs you will find NPC Squint hiding in the windmill.
Retrieve the Sensors from Squint
Kill Squint
You can choose the [Attack] option to kill Squint and then loot the Ward Sensors from his corpse.
Help Squint
If you choose to help Squint then he will ask you to bring an artifact from the nearby cave. This will start the sidequest Piece of Cake.
Piece of Cake Walkthrough
As the sidequest starts, go to the gray house just northwest of the Old Mill, refer to the location below.
Enter the hole in the floor and follow the tunnel to reach the cave.
Inside the cave kill the invisible mutants.
Explore the cave to find an area with radioactive green fumes. Use your detector to locate the artifact in the area.
After obtaining the artifact, retrace your steps to return to Squint at the Mill.
Give the Artifact or Keep the Artifact
If you choose to give the artifact to Squint, he will give you the Ward Sensor. Alternatively, if you decide to keep the Mold Artifact and attack Squint, you can still loot the Ward Sensor after defeating him.
Give the Ward Sensors to Captain Zotov or Richter
You can now choose to give the Ward Sensors to Richter in the Gaffer’s house or to Captain Zotov. Both choices will have different effects in the game ahead.