(7) Peaceful solution: Travelling through the laboratories Deus Ex: HR Guide
Last update: 11 May 2016
Important! I'd strongly recommend following Pritchard's advice and concealing your weapon, because you'll soon enter an area which is accessible to everyone. This means you won't be attacked or even bothered by the guards unless you decide to enter restricted zones or perform hacking games when they're looking.
Map legend: 1 - Main entrance to the laboratory; 2 - Vent in the southern storage area; 3 - Access card; 4 - Entrance to the shaft; 5 - Exit from the shaft; 6 - Upper balcony.
Proceed towards the only available exit from the first room. You'll now have to go through several corridors #1. Make a stop at the first junction #2.
Before you focus on your main objective you should go east and enter the northern room which is available to everyone #1. Open the drawer and interact with a computer terminal. You can also use the Move Heavy Objects augmentation to pick up large crates #2. This will allow you to reach additional supplies, including Typhoon ammunition. Exit the room and make a decision on how you want to enter the Lee Geng Memorial Laboratory. All available paths have been described below.
If you already have the access card (it can be found next to the dead scientist in Step 6), then you can approach the eastern checkpoint right away #1. A guard would stop you here, but Jensen would automatically show him the card and therefore gain access #2.
If you weren't able to collect an access card before you can do this right now, because there's a second card in the area. Start off by going to the southern Storage Room #1. Look around the room to find a vent cover near the ceiling #2. Place some crates here if you're having some problems getting to the vents, but it shouldn't be necessary.
Travel through the ventilation shaft and carefully interact with the vent cover leading to the northern laboratory #1. You'll have to be extremely careful here, because you can't be seen nor heard by the two guards standing outside. Search the center of the room to find an access card on the table #2. There's a computer terminal in this room and it controls cameras and robots, but using it is not recommended, because you'll probably get caught. As a result it's best to return to the ventilation shaft as soon as possible. You may now approach the eastern checkpoint and show the recently acquired card to a guard.
Another way to get in is to use the ventilation shaft which links two laboratories. In this case you'll have to start off by heading towards the southern rooms #1. Enter the room located in the south-eastern section of this area #2 (you won't have to hack any locks, so don't worry about being seen by the guards). Search both rooms for interactive drawers and for three computer terminals.
Once you've explored both rooms look for a vent cover on the southern wall #1. Enter the shaft and walk through it. The vents will take you to the A4 Laboratory located in the south-western part of the restricted zone #2.
The last possible method is to reach the upper balcony. Start off by heading south #1. Make a stop after you find yourself close to the balcony. It's the one with a vending machine located directly beneath it #2.
As you've probably suspected, the plan is to rely on the Move Heavy Objects augmentation in order to pick up the vending machine and place it directly under the balcony. Sadly, this isn't the only implant you'll need to use. The balcony will still be far away (screen above) so if you don't want to waste time placing crates on the vending machine you'll have to use the Jump Enhancement augmentation.
All methods described above will allow you to get inside the main laboratory complex. I would strongly suggest that you take as much time as you need to explore the main room (screen above). There are several computer terminals here, but you'll also find an Ebook and a datapad with a GeHong password (it's for the lgeng login).
Aside from the main room you should also take some time exploring two smaller laboratories located on the ground floor (Laboratory A4). The first room contains an Ebook and computer terminal (with level two protection, but you can use the GeHong password) #1 and the second room contains a datapad #2 with a ghost password (it's for the jlai login). Ignore the guardpost (Security Area), because you would've been attacked by the guards (not instantly, but after a short while).
Once you're done with the main floor head east and find the stairs leading to the upper balconies #1. Here you should proceed south #2, because there are a few other laboratories you definitely need to visit.
Find the rooms I've mentioned earlier and enter laboratory B2 #1. It's very important to open all the drawers found in this room, because one of them #2 contains a free Praxis kit. You'll also find a computer terminal here. Exit this room and enter laboratory B3. Here you'll find another computer terminal, however it will have a level three protection.
Return to the stairs you've used to reach the upper balconies and this time head west #1. You'll have to go through several linear corridors before you reach the stairs leading to the Data Core Server Room #2.
Important! The walkthrough is continued in Step 8 (Reaching the Data Core).