Side missions in Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl can be just as demanding as the main quests. While they offer great opportunities to earn coupons or discover rare artifacts, these missions can be challenging. One such mission is “A Light in the End of the Tunnel”. It is a side mission that takes place in the Wild Island Zone. It’s easy to miss unless you venture south to Quiet’s camp from the Noontide Base, as the main storyline will guide you east toward Zaton instead.
Keep reading to learn where to find this mission, how to deactivate the portable psi-installation emitter, earn rewards, and the steps needed to complete it.
How to Find the Mission: A Light at the End of the Tunnel
You can access this mission in the Wild Island region at Quiet’s Camp. Shortly after completing the “Hot on the Trail” main mission in Stalker 2, Quiet will contact you via radio, requesting your assistance. His camp is situated south of the Noontide Base.
Head to Quiet’s Camp and speak with him. If you agree to help him, he will direct you to meet someone named Peat to gather information about the portable psi-installation device. Afterward, you’ll need to retrieve and deliver the device to Sidorovich in Rookie Village.
Stalker 2: How to Find Peat
To locate the psi-installation emitter, you’ll need to track down Peat, the last person Quiet assigned to the task, who has since gone missing. This journey is quite lengthy, so it’s important to travel light, stock up on energy drinks or water, and prepare for a 1 km trek heading south. There isn’t much to elaborate on for this part of the mission, except to stick to the road and carefully navigate around the numerous anomalies you’ll encounter along the way.
Along the way, you’ll come across various buildings and points of interest, but they aren’t relevant to the mission. You’ll notice an eerie quietness when you arrive at the checkpoint (no pun intended). Feel free to explore the other room if you’re curious, but your destination is the tower to your right. Head to the upper room and search the desk to find a recorded interrogation message about Peat.
Going to Rookie Village to Find Peat
The recorded message will point you toward Rookie Village, which will be your next destination. Return to the main road and travel north/northwest to reach the village. Once there, locate the doctor, marked with a first-aid sign, and talk to Whale. Ask him about a wounded stranger who recently arrived. Luckily, the stranger is in the same building! Head to the adjacent room to find Peat resting on a bed. Speak with him to get the code for the bunker housing the psi-installation.
Stalker 2: Making Your Way Through the Abandoned Tunnel
Your next objective will be to go to the Abandoned Tunnel. But before heading to the Abandoned Tunnel, take some time to offload your loot and restock your ammo. You’ll be facing zombies and a few mutants, so make sure you’re well-prepared with plenty of ammunition, healing supplies, and some food. Once you’re ready, set out for the Abandoned Tunnel.
Use the code you received from Peat to unlock the door to the Abandoned Tunnel. Be prepared to encounter a number of zombies along the way, but they shouldn’t pose too much of a challenge.
Shortly after entering the Abandoned Tunnel, you’ll come across a locked door that you must pass through to reach your objective.
Once you go through this door, be aware, it will lock behind you, and you’ll have to exit the tunnel through a different route. This will involve facing at least one powerful mutant. Make sure to save your progress beforehand and ensure you’re fully prepared for combat. Press the button to unlock the door and proceed through. This will bring you significantly closer to the portable psi-installation.
Stalker 2: Getting the Psi-Installation
Beyond the locked door in the Abandoned Tunnel, the area becomes significantly more dangerous. You’ll need to rely on your parkour skills to navigate the challenging terrain and make your way toward the psi-installation.
Eventually, you’ll spot the portable psi-installation inside a train car. The psi-installation will activate, preventing you from picking it up until you either disable or destroy it.
Here, you’ll have two choices:
- Find a way to deactivate the psi-installation
- Break the psi-installation
How to Turn Off the PSI Installation
To deactivate the psi-installation, you’ll need to eliminate the Poltergeist roaming the area. Poltergeists attack using psychic powers to hurl objects at you. While the room offers plenty of cover, it also contains electrical hazards scattered throughout, making it easy to accidentally take damage. But you can defeat the Poltergeist quickly by luring it toward the explosive tanks scattered around and hitting it with them.
Alternatively, you can shoot or use grenades, but this method may take longer. Be sure to grab and use Medkits to restore health and stay alive!
Note: Save your progress before entering the room. To defeat the Poltergeist, listen for the sound of it lifting an object, locate the object, and use cover to avoid being hit. The room provides enough space to maneuver, so you can minimize damage by using cover strategically.
How to Break the Psi Installation
If you’re unable to kill the Poltergeist, you can opt to destroy the psi-installation instead. Simply shoot it until the blue light shuts off, allowing you to take it.
Note: If you destroy it, you’ll receive fewer rewards upon completing the mission, so it’s better to find a way to deactivate it to earn more rewards.
Taking the Psi-Installation to Sidorovich
After defeating the Poltergeist, return to the psi-installation emitter and pick it up, as you’ll need to take it to Sidorovich in Rookie Village. The good news is there’s a shortcut back, but the bad news is you’ll have to fight a PSI-Mutant that can use your own weapons against you. From the emitter, head southeast through the door into a tunnel. Follow it, activate the switch on the opposite side, and continue.
At the next intersection, turn left, then right to find a ladder. Climb down into some chemicals, quickly move into the pipe ahead, jump over the chemicals, and break the wooden panels to reveal another ladder. This will drop you onto a safe anomaly that prevents fall damage. Collect supplies to the west, then head east. If you have trouble passing the anomaly, crouch.
Prepare for a tough fight with the mutant when you drop down. If you’re lucky, grenades may work, but once in combat, wait for the mutant’s shield to disappear before attacking. It can deflect bullets and will frequently steal your weapon. Stay near the left wall, unload all your ammo, and after several hits, it will die. Loot the stash near where you landed.
Finally, exit the tunnel, head northeast to Rookie Village, and find Sidorovich by following the objective marker and heading down the nearby stairs. This will end the mission and reward you.
You’ll be earning 2,400 coupons by delivering a functional psi-installation and 1,800 coupons if you deliver a damaged psi-installation to Sidorovich.
Choosing Between Quiet and Sidorovich
After leaving Sidorovich’s bunker, Quiet will call to discuss the reward. This triggers a timed choice where you can tell him that he’s getting a bonus, as Sidorovich claimed, and you have no reason to doubt him.
Alternatively, you can tell Quiet that Sidorovich is a crook. If you’re familiar with him from the other games, you know he often tries to scam you, paying low prices for both mission rewards and items. The outcome of this choice is still unclear though. And with this, the mission concludes, but Sidorovich will have additional missions for you if you’re interested.
Concluding Thoughts
“A Light at the End of the Tunnel” is a challenging yet rewarding side mission in Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl. Whether you deactivate or destroy the psi-installation, your choices influence the outcome, offering valuable loot and engaging gameplay.
