While exploring the Zone in Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl, you’ll often find yourself walking a tightrope, deciding who’s worth your trust. The Garbage region drives this home with two back-to-back side quests called A Big Score and its follow-up, Deceive the Deceiver.
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Babay Zakhar and his crew have built a reputation for luring rookie Stalkers into traps, and in A Big Score, you just so happen to become their latest mark. Fortunately, Deceive the Deceiver flips the script, offering you a chance to turn the tables. Whether you seek vengeance or feel merciful, here are the different ways you can handle the situation.
How To Start The Deceive The Deceiver Quest
To start the Deceive the Deceiver quest, you’ll need to finish A Big Score, a side quest offered by Zakhar Babay in the Slag Heap base in Garbage. He pitches the job as simple — collect some debt money for him, and he’ll split the loot fifty-fifty with you. Easy coupons, right? Well, it’s not.
You might need to complete any of the Slag Heap side quests first before he offers you this mission.
Once you head to the marked location, the Car Park, things take a turn. No matter what dialogue options you choose, Zakhar’s goons will attack you, forcing a firefight. Survive it, eliminate the enemies, and you’ll hear an NPC, Akopyan, calling from behind a white-and-blue-striped bus.
Don’t surrender your coupons, as they’ll attack you regardless, and you won’t be able to recover them later.
Akopyan’s the supposed debtor, and he’s injured. He’ll need a bandage, and once you patch him, he’ll get you up to speed and explain that Zakhar set him up just like you. He then proposes a plan to take Zakhar down, kicking off the Deceive the Deceiver quest.
How To Lure Zakhar Away From The Slag Heap
However, Akopyan can’t risk approaching Zakhar himself, as it would blow the whole plan, so the job falls squarely on you, but in return, he’ll arrange a reward if you succeed. The first step is to lure Zakhar out of the Slag Heap, and the key to that is convincing him that Akopyan is on the loose and gunning for him.
To sell the story, loot the Spitter weapon from Sashko Cheery’s body, one of the goons you just killed during the skirmish. This will make it look like Akopyan was behind the attack, which should spook Zakhar. After that, return to Zakhar and use the “Akopyan says hi” dialogue option to rattle him.
The weapon will be yours to keep afterward, but don’t throw it away for the duration of the quest.
Zakhar will fall for the ruse and ask you to escort him to his stash near the red containers at the Slag Heap outskirts, promising a hefty reward.
Should You Kill Or Spare Zakhar?
Zakhar’s fate lies in your hands as you escort him to his stash. Killing him right away will still let you complete the quest, and Akopyan will reward you at the Slag Heap. However, there’s a more profitable option if you’re willing to play along.
Follow Zakhar all the way to his stash and let him retrieve its contents. He’ll reward you with 2,500 coupons shortly after leading you a short distance to his men. Once you’ve pocketed the payment, take Zakhar and his goons out swiftly.
You shouldn’t wait too long or leave, as this will fail Akopyan’s quest.
After eliminating Zakhar, loot his body for a pristine AKM-74s with 100 percent durability, then head back to Akopyan at the Slag Heap to collect another 2,500 coupons. Therefore, playing it cool with Zakhar first nets you double the rewards, making this the smarter move.
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