The Kid Who Disappeared is an optional fieldwork mission found near the end of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. While you might be eager to rush towards the game’s finale and reveal the mysteries you’ve been pursuing, taking a detour into the jungle to search for Aran is truly rewarding; this is a classic Indiana Jones adventure.
The Khmer Warrior Temple, concealed beneath Wat Si Sawai, is filled with traps, challenges, and puzzles, making it one of the game’s most intricate exploration experiences. Keep reading to discover how to navigate it successfully, from start to finish.
How to Begin the Kid Who Disappeared Fieldwork
After you wrap up your first visit to Tongdang and hop back into your boat, Gina will inform you that Sunan’s nephew has gone missing for a while. Aran resides in a treehouse located near the southeast edge of the map, so your first order of business will be to head there with your boat.
Pro Tip:
The treehouse isn’t very far from Tongdang, but before searching for Aran, you might consider raiding Voss’ gold stash and gathering the Royal Army’s radio frequencies. This way, you can purchase map guides from Tongdang, ensuring you don’t overlook any hidden treasures during your exploration.
You should be able to dock shortly after spotting the treehouse. Follow the path in a counterclockwise direction, climbing when necessary, until you reach the ladder leading up to the house. Don’t forget to grab the recipe next to the ladder before climbing up and pulling the planks off the door to get inside.
Inside, examine the bulletin board to your right to find a snapshot of Aran and Sunan. Once you collect the photo, Gina will draw your attention to a loose plank on the floor. Lift it to discover a map of Wat Si Sawai, the vast temple complex in the southwest. With the map in hand, use the zipline from the balcony to make a swift return to your boat.
How to Access the Khmer Warrior Temple
Sail southwest from the treehouse and dock at the Wat Si Sawai pier, located on the eastern side of the island. There’s a single path that leads toward the temple complex, but be cautious of the two patrolling guards. You can either sneak up on them using the nearby ruins or find a way past them quietly.
Pro Tip:
As you approach Wat Si Sawai, look for a path on your left. You can discover the combination for the Sukhothai Rebels’ safe here as part of the Tiger’s Path Mystery. Snap a photo of it, then head back down the path; the climbable ledges along the way also provide an escape route later, although using them now might lead you straight into a trio of Blackshirts.
As you navigate through the enemy camp, stay to the far right. This will give you enough cover to reach the main temple and allow you to pick up a shovel for defeating a heavy guard just inside the entrance. Usually, the heavy guard is positioned at the doorway on your left, while his companions are asleep and don’t pose any risk. Loot their stash for some cash, then return to the entryway.
Pass through the root-covered tunnel directly across from the main entrance to access the Khmer Warrior Temple. You’ll soon hit a fork; the right path leads to a dead-end, but you’ll find the Handyman Adventure Book there, which enhances the durability of your melee weapons. The left path leads to the Warrior Trial, where Aran is trapped behind some debris.
How to Free Aran
Once the dialogue concludes, Gina will point out a door to the left of Aran’s location. The door has handles on either side; you should turn the handle on the right while Gina pulls the one on the left to open the door.
To see better, use your lighter to ignite the brazier in the next room. The pipe below the brazier has water flowing but is missing a segment. Grab the pipe segment near the door that you came through and place it in the gap. This will allow the water to flow through the pipes and operate the hydraulic mechanism to open the next door.
Pull the lever at the end of the hallway to descend to the lower level. Remember, you’ll need to wait for Gina to catch up before Indy will engage the lift. Once at the bottom, follow the sunlit path through the ruins, as any unlit paths will lead to dead ends and hazards.
Cross the bridge made of large wooden gears and climb the big root to get over the wall. Take note of the blocked passage to your left; it won’t be accessible right now, but you’ll need to use it later once the gears start turning. For now, just drop down on the other side of the wall.
Snap a photo of the Naga Statue ahead to your left, then go straight through the collapsed wall ahead; there’s a climbable wall just beyond it to your left. Turn right once you reach the top and move along the corridor until you see a large, inactive waterwheel. Use this as a platform to run across, but be quick, as Indy’s weight will cause it to turn, potentially dropping you into the pit below.
How to Elevate the Platform for Aran
Wait for Gina to catch up, then follow her into the room beneath you. Here you’ll find another pipe segment puzzle. Start by activating the water with the handle on the left, near Gina. Next, take a photo of the cogwheels next to the big wooden structure for bonus Adventure Points, then have Gina help you push the wooden structure forward. This will expose a lever that requires water to operate.
Take the pipe segment and position it in the socket near the lever. This segment can be inserted either horizontally or vertically, but make sure it’s placed correctly to allow the water to flow. If placed incorrectly, just remove it and try again from a different angle.
Even though the water still isn’t directed to the lever, this setup will open a nearby hydraulic door. Step inside to obtain an L-shaped pipe segment. Swap out the straight pipe in the main room with the L-shaped one to send the water to the lever, and place the straight pipe in the adjacent socket to complete the flow.
Pull the lever, then head through the door Gina highlights to reach Aran.
How to Navigate the Wooden Gears
The corridor will lead you back to the wooden gears, which will now be turning in a rhythm. Time your movements carefully to slip through the openings in the vertical gears, while jumping to land on the horizontal gears as they come toward you.
Swing across to the large root you climbed before; the left path is now open. Drop down onto the gears and move toward the furthest one. Stand at the edge to perform a running jump to the ledge on the right, allowing you to swing across the chasm from the opposite gear.
Upon landing, crawl under the rotating gear that’s blocking your way, then take another running jump onto the cog to the right. From here, you can reach the stairs leading to the next room, where a lever to activate the lift for Gina is immediately to the right.
When she joins you, Gina can turn the handles on the door across from the lift, just as you did in the first room, to clear the way forward. Follow the corridor ahead to a dead-end with an Ancient Relic. After that, take the side passage and turn right at the fork. When you arrive at a pit of spikes, a lever on the right side will raise a bridge for you to cross.
How to Solve the Khmer Pipeworks Puzzle
In the final chamber of the Khmer Warrior Temple, you need to divert water into three drains at the far end to get the waterwheels moving and raise the exit platform. However, several pipe segments are missing, and the water isn’t even flowing yet. Thankfully, that is an easy fix.
How to Activate the Water
Upon entering the chamber, immediately turn left to find a ladder. Climb it to reach the valve that will start the water.
How to Collect All Four Pipe Segments
The first two pipe segments can be found on the ledges on either side of the chamber. Climb the stairs on either side to grab them, and then throw them down to the ground level. This may take a bit of Indy’s stamina, so avoid consuming fruit until after you finish the puzzle.
Look for a staircase on the left side of the room. Take a torch from the basket at the top and use it to light the braziers in the lower room. Then, return with the pipe segment you find.
Pro Tip:
Before proceeding, grab the metal rod at the top of the stairs and break through the bricked-up doorway in the lower room to uncover a space with an Ancient Relic.
Afterward, you will have two L-shaped pipes and a T-shaped pipe. Place one of the L-shaped pipes in the socket where the water flows to redirect it to the left; if done correctly, the water will flow out near the locked door on the left side of the chamber. Then, use the other L-pipe to turn the water again, allowing it to open the door.
Once inside, move through the large gear when you see an opening and retrieve the straight pipe beyond it. Bring it back to the main room. With all four pipes, you’ll be equipped to solve the puzzle.
Correct Pipe Placements
Remove all pipes from their sockets, then place the T-shaped pipe in the first socket to start water flowing both left and right. Follow the right-hand pipe to where it exits, and use an L-shaped pipe to steer it to the right, powering the rightmost wheel.
Important Reminder:
Always ensure the pipes are positioned correctly to direct the flow as intended.
You should see water flowing into the central socket. Position the remaining L-shaped pipe to turn the water to the left, directing it straight towards the center drain. Finally, place the straight pipe in the socket by the door to power the left wheel.
If everything is hooked up correctly, the platform will rise. Advance along the path until you can push open a door with Gina. You will reunite with Aran at the main entrance. Talk to him in the Shiva Shrine that he unlocks, and grab the Ancient Relic from the base of the statue. Collecting three relics in this adventure is a formidable achievement!
However, the quest truly concludes only when you return to the village and speak with Sunan. Once you do, feel free to engage with him again to embark on a new quest titled Lost in the Past. Are you ready for even more excitement?
