The third ARG campaign of Arknights, titled "Stand by Her Side," was held around the release of Episode 14 and PV 4, three years after the release of PV 3. The messages were noticed and then deciphered by Team Future, the direct successor of the once active GORIE.
Phase 1[edit]
The decipherment began with a series of Baudot codes (modern ITA2) and the "http://" URL hidden in 03:15 of the video which was deciphered as "stand by her side." Upon entering it with the official website of Arknights' CN server (http://ak.hypergryph.com/standbyherside), it displayed a crossword puzzle with seven clues and a login system. These clues represented the names of the stars in our universe.
| Clue No.
|
Answer
|
Deciphering clues
|
| 1
|
Algol |
Clue 1 comes from a picture featuring a star in the center, a row of codes at the bottom left corner: begin/printf(($gl$,"Hello, DWDB-221E"))/end, and a background containing several demons. The code is written in the ALGOL system; DWDB-221E is the name for the Civilight Eterna, or the Sarkaz's Black Crown; Algol is named the "Devil's Star" in Greek and Arabic astronomies. The demon depictions are also part of the promotional poster used for Sarkaz's Furnaceside Fables.
|
| 2
|
Alphard |
Clue 2 gives a note: "the spine 01:56 - 1:57", and this refers to 01:56 and 01:57 of PV4 featuring Kal'tsit curling up and being surrounded by a skeleton of Ouroboros. At a blink second of the cutscene, there is a group of astronomical coordinates at the bottom left (09h 27m 35.2433s,-08° 39' 30.969) which is the coordinates of Alphard. Alphard is referred to as "the backbone of the Serpent" by Arabs, hence the cutscene's association with a serpent skeleton.
|
| 3
|
Pleione |
Clue 3 gives two images of a star, one with two and the other only one. When altering the image's white contrast, it reveals a message: "We're 6, we're 7. After 100,000 yrs, they would not be able to tell you from me," and three groups of codes in ASCII: "49;48;48;48;48;48;66;67" (left star image), "50;48;50;48" (right star in image), "110:101:119:32:98:114:97:110:99:104" (bottom left) that are deciphered respectively as "10,000 B.C.", "2020", and "New Branch."
The star images and the years represent a stimulation of Pleione's location with Atlas between the year 10,000 BCE and modern era (2020) - with Pleione having moved behind Atlas, explaining the message. "New Branch" refers to Muelsyse's outfit Young Branch. Pleione is also the name of an Oceanid nymph in Greek mythology which fits its association with Muelsyse who is an Elf.
|
| 4
|
Antares |
Clue 4 gives an image of a CD case's side with the label "7243 8 29194 21", which leads to an album by the British music band Blur, Parklife. The two sides of the image contain additional clues: 71/89 (left); ► ►16 (right). The clue on the right represent the song of the album written on the CD case, which is its eighth song "Far Out," and the clue on the left is a hexadecimal numeral for 113/137; or 01:13 of the full song (01:37). At 01:13 of the song, the name "Antares" is mentioned.
|
| 5
|
Capella |
Clue 5 gives a short clip of audio in PV4 which is from the cutscene of the pile of old televisions displaying strange symbols as well as the credit to Starset. At the bottom right, a television shows a symbol resembling YouTube and a video link "UC0jG8cS7Azclc9CyclG3iZg." The link leads to a short video clip by the user DM01 featuring a boat with the name "Capella."
|
| 6
|
Regulus |
Clue 6 gives an ASCII code "＆＃71;＆＃71;＆＃48;＆＃49;" that is deciphered as "GG01," the intel number for Siege. At 01:57 of PV4 where Siege leaves the Victoria Crown behind, a flash cutscene is displayed featuring the constellation of Leo and an ecliptic. The large star lying on the ecliptic is Regulus.
|
| 7
|
Alhena
(γ Gem) |
Clue 7 features the second volume of Bonner Durchmusterung, a German star catalog. The highlighted word "1223 2.1 62921.4 •1631.3" is the astronomical coordinates of Alhena when converting their right ascension (RAC) and declination value (DEC).
|
Filling the answers and arranging the puzzle would then result in the username "ELCARO," or "Oracle." (The Doctor's former team name as revealed in the Babel event) The password for the login system was hinted with a clue:
| “ | How can I tell whether a star is moving towards or away from me? | ” |
The clue suggested the Doppler effect, and at 01:41 of PV4, there was a scene of blurred red and blue light which could be interpreted as Morse code. The answer was "11708102," or July 11, 2018, the date of Arknights' second beta test in the CN server.
After entering the username and the password on the login system, a website was displayed featuring a transparent cassette tape with a crossed out name "Oracle-2" in a blue screen. Participants then just needed to fill in the name, contact number, and their house address. Thus, this ended the first phase of the ARG.
Phase 2[edit]
The second decoding game occurred on May 16, 2024, when the players participating in the ARG campaign received a transparent cassette tape that was identical with the one in the website, thirty cassette tapes in total, with a Klein Blue J-card. The cassette tapes featured a six-minute long voice message in Mandarin given by the Doctor who was voiced by their Chinese VA in the anime, Feng Junhua.
The Oracle's Voice Diary[edit]
"The Custodian", TT 9th March 209, 16:29
我还记得,最后一次和你辩论的时候,你说自己绝对不会再和蠢人共事,就算这个蠢人,是宇宙里最后一个还在尝试挽救文明的人。呵,现在看来,我也是一个蠢人。但我绝对不是最后一个试图再做点什么的人。想必这个时候,你一定已经和家人做了告别。但他们一定不会知道,你不会进入石棺,我们都清楚。保存者计划没有得到很多支持,原因不是这项计划没法拯救所有人,而是必须有人为此付出残忍的牺牲。你会独自度过漫长的时光。而我会等待阳光,从轨道反射镜都散去,熄灭我面前的这盏灯。弗里斯顿,泰拉上的最后一个蠢人,向你告别。
"The Fosterer", TT 23rd December 228, 02:16
陆,很抱歉没能继续回复你,但这是一个迟到的好消息。你在深蓝之树的那几位几公里长的大朋友,他们活体组织样本的环境适应性分析已经全部完成。从分析结果来看,他们能从毁灭中幸存下来。但他们也需要很多时间,才能成为播撒新希望的航船。陆,请不要认为你的成功对我们来说为时已晚,让他们活下去吧。这些美丽的海洋生灵没有必要加入我们的毁灭,未来也许他们会带上我们留下的一点点尘埃,向冰冷的虚空迈出一步。
"The Security", TT 16th January 229, 09:46
爱德,这是我最后一次向你说明我的看法。很快,所有的人造天体都会成为轨道上的墓碑,再也没人可以对他们发号施令,你也一样。我还记得你的小副业,那家开在拖船里的老餐馆,没有合成设备,只有围裙和烤炉,而你是最后一个知道怎么宰杀动物、怎么把他们加工成食物的人。你总是反对我们遗忘,所以爱德,我希望你能够理解,我们需要的不是胜利,是存续。天堂支点的确是一件强大的武器,但我们的敌人无法被武器打倒,设置 ■■■■ 没有意义。
"The Lumberer", TT
请想象一片不完美的树林,昆虫与飞鸟并不常见,也没有狩猎的野兽在其中漫步。有时,两颗原本相差无几的树苗,一颗夭折于幼年,另一颗却长出了繁盛的树冠；有时某些树木会投下恶意的影子,让他们的邻居在阴影中枯萎。这些都算不上多么可怕的事,毕竟他们只是树木而已。但是在这片树林里住着一位伐木工,伐木工勤劳地挥动着斧子,树木在他面前一一倒下,无论他们的枝杈是否蓬勃、果实是否甜美、叶片在阳光下是什么颜色。没有哪棵树了解这位伐木工的来历,那些古老的树木早已沉寂,也没有哪棵树能阻止伐木工挥动斧子,再盘根错节的枝干也会被劈开。你相信吗？竟然有这样一片树林,这样一位伐木工。
好,我们继续。这一天,伐木工照常举起了斧子,又一棵树在他面前倒下,可伐木工转身离去后,树桩里溢出了树脂,把断裂的枝干粘合在一起。伐木工清理出的空地再一次长满了树木,而且还不止于此,透明的树脂吞没了这片只存在于故事里的树林,你眼前很快就只剩下一枚漂亮的琥珀,没有随风而动的树木和伐木工的斧子,也没有分型、函数、与哲学的纤维在湿润的土壤中生长。现在,我需要你记住这枚琥珀的样子,它真的很美。
- Unofficial translation
"The Custodian", TT 9th March 209, 16:29
I still remember the last time we debated; you said you would never work with fools again even if they were the last person in the universe trying to save civilization. Now, it seems I am also a fool, but I am certainly not the last person attempting to do something. By now, you must have said goodbye to your family, but they still don't know that you won't enter the Sarcophagus. We both know that the Preserver Project didn't gain much support. The reason is not that the project cannot save everyone, but that someone must make a cruel sacrifice. You will spend a long time alone, yet I will wait for the sunlight to disperse from the orbital mirrors and extinguish the light in front of me. Friston, the last fool on Terra, I bid you farewell.
"The Fosterer", TT 23rd December 228, 02:16
Lu, I'm sorry to keep replying to you, but here is some belated good news. Your several-kilometers-large giant friends inside the Caerula Arbor, their living tissue's environmental adaptability analysis is fully complete. According to the analysis, they can survive the destruction. But they'll also need a lot of time to become vessels that spread new hope. Lu, please don't think your success came too late for us. Let them live on; these beautiful marine creatures need not to join our destruction. Perhaps in the future, they will carry a bit of the dust we leave behind, taking their first step into the cold void.
"The Security", TT 16th January 229, 09:46
Ed, this is the last time I'll share my viewpoint with you. Soon, all artificial celestial bodies will become tombstones in orbit. No one will be able to command them anymore, including you. I still remember your little side business, that old restaurant on the tugboat. No synthetic equipment, just aprons and ovens. You were the last person who knew how to slaughter animals and process them into food. You always opposed our forgetting. So, Ed, I hope you understand that what we need is not "victory," but "survival." The Celestial Fulcrum is indeed a powerful weapon, but our enemy cannot be defeated by mere weapons. Setting up ■■■■ is meaningless.
"The Lumberer", TT
Imagine an imperfect forest where insects and birds are rare, and no predatory beasts roaming around. Sometimes, there will be two seedlings that were originally similar; one withers in its youth], while the others grows a flourishing canopy. Some trees will often cast malicious shadows[note 1], causing their neighbors to wither in the shade. These are not that terrifying; they are just trees after all. But in this forest there lives a lumberjack.[note 2] He diligently swings his axe, and the trees fall one by one before him, regardless of whether their branches are magnificent, their fruits sweet, or their leaves colorful in the sunlight. No tree knows the origin of this lumberjack. Those ancient trees have long become silent, and no tree can stop the lumberjack from swinging his axe. Even the most intricate branches will be split. Could you imagine there is such a forest with such a lumberjack?
Let's continue. On this day, the lumberjack raised his axe as usual, and another tree fell before him. But after the lumberjack turned away, branches sprouted from the stump, and the broken branches rejoined. The clearing made by the lumberjack grew dense with trees once again, and it didn't stop there. Transparent resin engulfed a forest that only existed in stories. Soon, before you, only a beautiful amber remains.[note 3] No trees swaying in the wind, no lumberjack's axe, no fibers of fractals, functions, and philosophy growing in the moist soil.[note 4] Now, I need you to remember the appearance of this amber. It's truly beautiful.
In the fourth section of the video, the parable of "The Lumberer", several numbers were spoken in machine in every sentence, and they were identical with the codes in GB 2312, the standard computing code for Chinese characters in Simplified Chinese. These codes then provided another set of message:
| “ | 3015 4472 3667 5552 2826 5220 4215 3631 1774 5049 3012 2492 2436 1168 4764 4837 0333 0345 0365 0110 0317 0316 | ” |
The J-card came with a sentence in Spanish, both on the front and the back. They were both quoted from poems written by the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, the front being from En la voz del poeta collected in the Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair and the latter from La poesía:
| “ | Me miran con tus ojos las estrellas más grandes. | ” |
| “ | Y vi de pronto el cielo desgranado, planetas, plantaciones palpitantes, la sombra perforada, acribillada por flechas, fuego, y flores, la noche arrolladora, el universo | ” |
| “ | The biggest stars look at me with your eyes. | ” |
| “ | And suddenly I saw the heavens unfastened and open, planets, palpitating planations, shadow perforated, riddled with arrows, fire and flowers, the winding night, the universe. | ” |
The J-card also contained an encrypted message with several black stripes that were divided into different sections based on the recipients. The black stripes were Code 49 barcode that, when grouped together, meant "overcontact binary." When puzzled together, the message hidden beneath the barcodes was deciphered as the message of the Lynchpin:
Lynchpin
Lynchpin of Substantia Grisea |
|
| Never forget where you are going. Subspace may have been conquered, and off-course mind may be your only enemy in a voyage, yet it is still a great one. |
The term "lynchpin" can only refers to a widely adopted therapy that utilizes a noninvasive mind-implanting technique to sharpen an individual's spatial perception, and memory capacity. Most recipients, or "lynchpined," any subspace navigators onboard any SST-capable vessels, the such enhancement are vital to them in carrying out their duties.
In summary, "lynchpin" takes effect by imprinting an individual's mind pattern in a critical debate process and periodically restimulating the same pattern in that individual's meta-consciousness layer. For navigators, this will almost always ensure a spontaneous, clear and logical recognition of a specific travel destination, otherwise proved difficult under prolonged subspace exposure. |
When typing "lynchpin" with the website line (https://ak.hypergryph.com/lynchpin), it revealed a page resembling a huge linchpin. While appearing to be a progress chart, it was actually a loop cycle starting from the following data: 15% (from the day the cassettes were delivered), 24%, 33%, 34%, 35%, 35%, 0%, 4%, 12%, 15%. The number changed every 12:00 a.m. (UTC+8). As of May 31, 2024, the "lynchpin" cycle began the second round.
Phase 2 progress gallery[edit]
The unpacked cassette provided by Hypergryph sent to the participants.
Code 1 in Spanish written on the J-card
The deciphered encrypted message given by the J-card when puzzled together
Phase 3[edit]
The third phase occurred on February 14th, 2025, around the time when See You Soon was released in the CN server, nearly eight months after the second phase. This time, a new clue was provided by a renewed image in the Campaign Mission tab featuring a scene of the Doctor and Amiya wandering in the wilderness with several Feranmuts at 3:22 of PV4. Beneath the line “Thank you for your support” contained a set of Braille written “by my side.” Upon entering it with the official website of Arknights' CN server (http://ak.hypergryph.com/bymyside), it would redirect back to the /lynchpin link, but this time being a whole new page that was identical with the /standbyherside site featuring another login system. The username and the password were related with phase 2:
- The username was VFTS352. The hint was from in the J-card barcode deciphered "overcontact binary." VFTS 352 is the most massive and earliest overcontact system humans have ever known.
- The password was 48399110. This was from the loop cycle in /lynchpin page in which they are the numerals added to each loop everyday before decreasing back to 0 (0+4=4; 4+8=12; 12+3=15; 15+9=24; 24+9=33; 33+1=34; 34+1=35; 35+0=35).
After keying in the new username and the password, it would appear a yes-and-no question resembling a psychological questionnaire. The following questions are given below:
最近发生的许多事情都令你感到疑惑,并且难以接受。
[同意/不同意]
你认为自己被他人赋予了难以看到希望的使命。
[同意/不同意]
你怀疑自己很长一段时间以来的判断和选择出现了错误,并且认为自己是时候放弃一些事情了。
[同意/不同意]
感谢您的配合,
接下来,我将询问你对一些具体观念的看法,以此来检验你的判断与逻辑能力。
准备好了吗？
[我会坦诚相告。]
个体生命的价值会因其认知与行为能力而有所区别。
[同意/不同意]
存续是文明的第一目的。
[同意/不同意]
在上一条问题的前提下,文明的价值同样可以被衡量比较。
[同意/不同意]
文明的目的间接构成了其中每一个个体生命的行为准则。
[同意/不同意]
在上一条问题的前提下,文明的准则,是个体生命对抗注定的毁灭与虚无的唯一答案。
[同意/不同意]
生物生命不是唯一的生命形态。
[同意/不同意]
没有实现概率的希望是一种谎言。
[同意/不同意]
那你现在又在坚持什么呢？/这就是你现在坚持这些荒唐举动的理由吗?*
你开始产生戒备了？**
[同意/不同意]**
请不要怀有无必要的戒备,我更希望你将这当作一场正常的谈心。
现在,请仔细回想自己过往的一切,然后回答对以下问题的看法。
请敞开心扉,好吗?
[好的。]
有理由的背叛应当被原谅。
[同意/不同意]
并非出于自私的隐瞒不该被当作一种欺骗。
[同意/不同意]
你会理解我的。
[同意/我会有自己的选择***]
测试结束,感谢你的配合。 请相信,你所做的一切选择都是有意义的。Many r ecent happenings have left you confused, and you find it difficult to accept them.
[Agree/Disagree]
You find it hard to believe the mission others have tasked you with will succeed.
[Agree/Disagree]
You suspect your judgement and choices have been wrong for a long time, and you believe it is time to abandon some things.
[Agree/Disagree]
Thank you for your cooperation, Dr. {nickname}.
Next, I will ask for your opinion on specific ideas to examine your judgement and logic skills.
Are you ready?
[I will be honest.]
The value of a life varies, based on the individual's cognitive abilities and competency.
[Agree/Disagree]
Survival is civillization's[sic] top priority.
[Agree/Disagree]
Following the previous question, the value of a civilization can also be measured and compared.
[Agree/Disagree]
The pur pose of civil ization indirectly frames the rules of conduct for every individual life within it.
[Agree/Disagree]
Following the previous question, the rules governing civilization are the only tool with which individuals may fight against predestined doom and annihilation.
[Agree/Disagree]
Biological life is not the only form of life.
[Agree/Disagree]
Impossible hope is a sort of lie.
[Agree/Disagree]
Then, for what do you pe rsist now?/Is this the reason why you persist wit h such absurd actions?*
Have you begun taki ng precautions?**
[Agree/Disagree]**
Please refrain from t aking unnecessary pr ecautions. I prefer you simply treat this as a normal conversation.
Now, carefully recall everything you've ever done, then answer the following questions.
Please be candid with me, alright?
[Alright.]
A betr ayal with a reason ought to be forgiven.
[Agree/Disagree]
Concealment for a selfless reason should not be taken as deception.
[Agree/Disagree]
You will understand me.
[Agree/I will make my own choice.***]
The test has concluded. Thank you for your cooperation.
Plea se believe me when I say,There[sic] is meaning in every choice you make.*In this gray line, the former appears if the player chooses "agree," and the latter appears if the player chooses "disagree."
**This specific line will be automatically retracted.
***This line will appear if the player does not response for 2 minutes.
Upon completion, it showed a result chart with the label “synchronized” in the circle's center. The numbers on the left represented the questions; the T and F stood for true or false the player chose during the questionnaire; the bar beneath represented the ratio of true and and false chosen. The display color also differs depending on their choices. If the player mostly chooses true, it displays gray; if mostly false, it will display bright blue. It is highly suggested that the gray color represents an agreement over Priestess' ideology, whereas the blue color suggests the Doctor's own personal stance without her influence.
Global participation[edit]
Unlike the previous two ARGs, the third stage of ARG 3 is open to the Global server as a community event for See You Soon when it was released in Global starting from their Twiter/X post with the ARG link provided below. Players just need to login their Yostar account and they are eligible to participate in the site's psychological questionnaire.
| A "message" to Global server players
|
The 'present' of every life is shaped by the countless choices it has made in the past, and the 'future' of every life will be reshaped by the choices it makes now.
Such is the way of Terra, such too is the path for you, Doctor.
Since you woke up—from Chernobog to Lungmen, then Victoria and the rebuilt Kazdel, even deep within the Originium—you have walked through many stories and decisions.
But greater trials are approaching. Are you ready? It's time to give your answer to Terra.
Believe that every choice you make is meaningful.
Source: Arknights Official Twitter/X account post (August 8, 2025)
|
- Global link: https://arknights.global/lynchpin
Final results[edit]
The answers for the questionnaire provided from Phase 3 would greatly affect the narration in Episode 15. In 15-17 After, it would begin with two alternate cutscenes of a conversation, one being Priestess and the Doctor/Oracle, and the other the Doctor/Oracle with "AMa-10", before entering the main storyline. These cutscenes differ from each other based on whether the players' answer for the session is gray or blue. These intros are only available to those who had participated in the session (others will receive the normal narration without the flashback).
In the CN server, the special cutscene would only be accessible until 03:59 (UTC+8), April 21st, 2025 (CN), whereas for Global, they seem to remain unlimited.
- To check out the transcripts of the special cutscene, see 15-17#Special Cutscene for more infomation.
External links[edit]
- For more information to learn more about the ARG decoding process, check out these websites:
- ↑ Here is an allegory of the Collapsal's origin from Kargereich.
- ↑ Here is an allegory of the cosmic disaster befalling upon Terra, aka. the "disaster from above," the "Observer."
- ↑ Here is an allegory of Originium. Originium has always been frequently compared with an amber as in the case of the Integrated Strategies collectibles like Scarred Amber, Body of The End, and Reality of The End.
- ↑ Here is an allegory of the Assimilated Universe. The "amber" that engulfed an entire forest describes how Originium converts living beings into cryptic "data" stored inside its "universe."
- ↑ The original code for 3012 is actually 粳 (jīng, lit. "seed") but rhymes with 经 ("already"). Here will only be displayed the corrected version.
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