- What to know
- Quest requirements and location
- Understanding the core puzzle mechanics
- How to set up the first device in Tainted Waters
- Transitioning toward the second device area
- How to set up the second device in Tainted Waters
- Common mistakes that cause confusion
- What to do after setting up devices in Tainted Waters quest
- Rewards from the Tainted Waters quest
What to know
- Tainted Waters is a traversal-heavy environmental quest
- You must lower the canal water level before any device setup
- Floating platforms and crates are core mechanics
- Both devices are in the Residential area of Wuling City
In Arknights Endfield, the Tainted Waters quest shifts focus away from combat and toward environmental manipulation and spatial problem-solving. Many players struggle here not because the mechanics are complex, but because the quest requires you to read the environment correctly and interact with multiple systems in the right order.
Your objective is to set up two purification devices in the Residential area of Wuling City. However, this can only be done after you lower the canal’s water level, exposing traversal paths, pressure switches, and floating mechanisms that were previously inaccessible.
This guide explains the entire process step by step, from preparation to activating both devices, without skipping logic or assuming prior knowledge.
Quest requirements and location
Before attempting to place either device, make sure the following conditions are met:
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Quest name | Tainted Waters |
| Region | Wuling City |
| Area | Residential Area |
| Mandatory condition | Lower the canal water level first |
| Core mechanics | Ziplines, floating platforms, floating crates, pressure switches |
If the water level is not lowered, none of the traversal systems required for this quest will function correctly.
Understanding the core puzzle mechanics
The Tainted Waters quest relies on three interconnected mechanics:
- Floating platforms that move vertically or horizontally
- Floating crates that act as weighted triggers
- Pressure switches that activate or stabilize platforms
Each device requires a specific sequence of interactions. Attempting to brute-force jumps or skip steps will almost always result in soft-locks or forced resets.
How to set up the first device in Tainted Waters
Step 1: Reach the lower canal level using the zipline
Once the water level is lowered, locate the zipline overlooking the canal. Use it to descend to the lower level, where the first set of floating platforms becomes accessible. This area is unreachable without using the zipline.
Step 2: Locate the floating platform control panel
After landing, look for a control panel connected to the floating platforms. Interact with it to adjust the platform positions.
Your goal here is not perfection, but alignment. Adjust the platforms so they form a hop-by-hop path toward the first device location.
Step 3: Traverse the platforms and reach the first device
Once the platforms are positioned correctly, hop across them carefully. There is no time pressure, so take controlled jumps.
At the end of the path, you will reach the first device. Interact with it to set it up and lock it into place. This completes the first half of the quest objective.
Transitioning toward the second device area
After setting up the first device, do not attempt to backtrack the same way. The path forward introduces new mechanics involving floating crates, which are essential for reaching the second device.
How to set up the second device in Tainted Waters
Step 4: Find the floating crate near the wooden shed
From the first device area, move toward a wooden shed nearby. Inside or beside it, you will find a floating crate.
This crate is not decoration — it is a mobile weight trigger required to activate pressure switches.
Step 5: Move the floating crate onto the pressure switch
Carefully guide the floating crate onto the pressure switch in the area. Once placed correctly, a platform will activate.
Do not stand on the platform yet. Wait until the crate fully settles and the platform stabilizes.
Step 6: Ride the platform to the next section
Once the platform is active, step onto it and let it carry you upward. At the top, hop onto another set of floating platforms leading deeper into the canal structure.
This area introduces the final traversal challenge before the second device.
Step 7: Locate the second floating crate and unlock its movement
In the next section, you will find another floating crate, but it will not move at first. Look nearby for a gate controlled by a red button.
Interact with the red button to unlock the gate. Once opened, the floating crate becomes movable.
Step 8: Place the crate on the pressure switch to activate the platform
Move the now-unlocked crate onto the pressure switch. This activates a platform that moves up and down, creating a timed traversal window.
Wait for the platform to align properly before stepping on.
Step 9: Reach and set up the second device
Ride the platform upward, then jump to the final ledge where the second device is located.
Interact with the device to set it up, completing the core objective of the Tainted Waters quest.
Common mistakes that cause confusion
Most players get stuck by:
- Forgetting to lower the water level first
- Missing the wooden shed crate
- Standing on platforms before crates fully activate switches
Patience matters more than speed in this quest.
What to do after setting up devices in Tainted Waters quest
After setting up both purification devices in the Tainted Waters quest, the puzzle phase is complete, but the mission will not finish automatically. You should leave the canal area using the available traversal routes and follow the quest marker back to the Residential area of Wuling City. There is nothing else to interact with near the devices, and no platforms or crates need to be reset.
Next, find and talk to Li Heng, who acts as the narrative checkpoint for the quest. After the conversation, the objective updates and directs you to the control valve. Interact with the valve to release the water, restoring canal flow. Once this is done, the quest completes immediately, with no additional combat or follow-up steps required.
Rewards from the Tainted Waters quest
Completing the quest grants a solid set of progression and upgrade materials, making the effort worthwhile even beyond story progression.
| Reward | Amount |
|---|---|
| Oroberyl | ×50 |
| Valley Stock Bill | ×4,050 |
| Protohedron | ×1 |
| Elementary Cognitive Carrier | ×5 |
| EXP | ×200 |
| Arms INSP Kit | ×9 |
These rewards are particularly valuable during mid-game progression, especially for equipment upgrades and cognitive development paths.
If you have already set up both devices, you are 90% done. The final stretch is straightforward: leave the area, talk to Li Heng, release the water, and collect your rewards.
Handled cleanly, Tainted Waters becomes a satisfying environmental quest that reinforces how Arknights: Endfield blends exploration, systems thinking, and narrative progression into a single flow.
