Start and prerequisites
Pick up a Four Axes case file in early Broken Puppet Valley to start investigating the Four Axes Rebellion. PC Gamer describes the first file on a table in a house near the bell. Continue to the outpost and defeat Peng Meng, The Axemaster; the objective then becomes collecting evidence of conspiracy. Later locations require tools and story progression, not just another sweep of the starting area.
How to read this location list
PC Gamer’s overview and detailed count do not reconcile: the article says “seven more” while its seven-location list includes the initial file and separately mentions a boss drop. Use the seven locations below plus the separate Peng Meng reminder, not a fixed total. Numbers are our reading order, not in-game file numbers or a mandatory collection order; unrestricted collection order is not established either.
1 · Broken Puppet Valley: house table
Start at the Broken Puppet Valley bell and check a nearby house. Pick up the case file on its table; PC Gamer identifies this as the file that starts the quest. The article does not identify the exact house or coordinates, so use the bell and indoor table as landmarks.
2 · Broken Puppet Valley: body by the shrine
In Broken Puppet Valley, look for the shrine and inspect the body beside it for another case file. This is a separate pickup from the house table. PC Gamer does not give a more detailed approach or the distance between these two locations.
3 · Between Rustblade Pavillion and Outpost Courtyard
Pass the Rustblade Pavillion bell toward the Outpost Courtyard bell. Before reaching the latter, find the area where the game teaches an aerial assassination on a man by a campfire. Collect the case file from the table there.
4 · Near Axemaster's Holding Cell
Use Axemaster's Holding Cell bell as your landmark. In the area where The Hunt has killed everyone, inspect the table and take the case file. This description identifies the scene; it does not require fighting The Hunt again.
5 · Sha-Chi Tower: lower forge
First obtain The Hunter's Chain Sickle and use it to reach the top of Sha-Chi Tower. Take the Sha Chi Tower Base Camp Key, then unlock the door beside Creek Valley Plains Entrance bell. Search the table in the forge area on the tower’s lower level. The source also uses Hunter's Sickles; this guide does not treat those names as proof of two different required tools.
6 · Festering Secret: deliver the letter
After defeating Peng Meng, use Dread Axe to break the barrier in the outpost. Defeat the enemies inside and speak to the captain. Take his letter to the lieutenant near Long Pillar Overlook bell, in the area opened with the tower key above. The lieutenant gives a case file as the Festering Secret handover reward; the article does not name the letter or specify dialogue choices.
7 · Return after Village of Lu: Lady's Cave
Progress through Crimson Forest to Village of Lu and obtain Leave None Alive, which sends you back to the outpost. You can now pass the earlier obstruction. Enter the area with houses, go up into Lady's Cave and pass through to the outside. Use Hunter’s Sickles to reach the platform and collect the file. This is a later cross-region return, not a pickup available on your first outpost visit.
Separate reminder · Peng Meng drop
Defeat Peng Meng, The Axemaster and collect his dropped case file as well. PC Gamer mentions this separately from its seven-location list. Do not omit it or use it to assert an exact overall total: the relationship between the drop and the article’s differing counts is unclear.
Later handover · story spoilers
Later handover · story spoilers
After progressing through Village of Lu, reach the fourth region, Pangzhen. Look for the marked building near Pavillion of Knowledge Crossroads bell. Defeat the Shadow Order guarding it, fight through three floors of masked enemies and obtain the rooftop key. Unlock the door on the top floor, go outside onto the roof and speak to Child of Insight about Axemaster to hand over the evidence.
Reward and upgrade · spoilers
Reward and upgrade · spoilers
The reward is Blood Oath Dagger, used for Soul Temper on Dread Axe Phantom Edge. You must also unlock that ability from Myst at Orders underground tavern. Collecting the listed files does not automatically temper the axe: the later handover and Myst’s ability unlock are separate parts of the progression.
Blocked route, failure or missable?
If the seventh route is blocked on your first outpost visit, continue toward Village of Lu and Leave None Alive before returning; that is the reported progression gate, not evidence of a bug. PC Gamer lists no failure branches, irreversible cutoffs or recovery methods. Its silence does not guarantee the quest is unmissable or recoverable after any story event; no specific NPC death or chapter cutoff is established here.
Source and scope
This route summarizes Sean Martin’s PC Gamer guide published on 2026-10-29, not our own playtest or an official walkthrough. The article does not identify the tested platform, patch/build, difficulty or playthrough; those remain unknown. Place and item labels retain its English wording, including Pavillion. The location list is not a claim of exact coordinates, verified in-game numbering or an unambiguous case-file total.
SOURCE LINKS
Sources
Sources for this page include game announcements, store listings and independent reporting. Publication names and dates help distinguish official information from reported observations.