BtB 2006 - Level 14 - Forbidden Houses Of Ni Leng Hua

Level by Hochgiftig (Jens Nolte)

Walkthrough by Selene

Background Story:

There's a mysterious city in the East of the Chinese deserts - Ni Leng Hua. An artefact is hidden there, meant to have an incredible magical energy. This is the Burang. Lara is on her way to a temple in the high mountains of Ni Leng Hua, where the Burang is meant to be. Help Lara getting through the Forbidden Houses well to get the Burang at the very end.

Pickups: Small medipacks, normal shotgun ammo, large medipacks, Yin + Yang (=Yin Yang), Red Fan, Diamond, flares + 2 Secrets

Enemies: Snakes and ninjas

Welcome to Ni Leng Hua - the mysterious first secret:

The first thing you'll do the second the level starts is to get a secret. As soon as the game begins IMMEDIATELY press Jump and Roll together and then Action. You won't see what happens because of the camera angle, but what you do is to land on a slope, jump and roll in mid-air so that Lara is facing upwards on the slope and grab the edge. Climb down the ladder as far as you can, drop and press Action again to grab the alcove below. Pull up and get the notorious Secret 1: a small medipack. Climb down to the bottom of the ladder and drop into the pool.

Swim down to the bottom of the pool and pick up the small medipack. Climb out of the pool and take note of a few essential things here. First of all the two closed gates to the E, which we will open in a little bit. Right in front of the first gate you will find two blue dragon tiles. To the right and left of them you will discover two depressions in the floor, each of them containing a blue moveable piece. Turn around and go climb the ledge to the W. Pull the two switches here (one to the left, one to the right) and go back down. By pulling the switches you have activated two raising blocks so now the two moveable pieces will be on the same level as the floor. You should also begin to hear grunts and shouts from a very active ninja on the floor above, but we'll deal with him in due time. For now move each of the pieces onto the blue dragon tiles to open the first gate.

Ladders, spikes and switches:

Go over to the second gate, which is still closed, and head over to the left wall (N). Climb the wooden wall here up to a ledge with another ladder. As you start climbing the ladder you will begin to see spikes on the floor next to you. There is also a ladder behind you guarded by more spikes so to get to the ladder you need to climb up until Lara's feet are resting on the sixth rung counted from the top. Do a backflip-roll manoeuvre and press Action to grab the ladder. Lara will start losing health so immediately start climbing to avoid taking too much damage. Continue climbing to the top and this time follow the ladder around to the left until you're right above some more spikes and a jump switch. Position Lara directly above the switch, let go of Action and immediately press it again. She will grab the switch on her way down and this will cause the spikes below her to retract. You can now pick up the normal shotgun ammo on the floor.

Climb back up onto the ladder again and continue making your way left until you reach a crawlspace. If Lara refuses to climb in let go off Action, and press it again immediately together with the Up arrow key and the Duck key. Crawl through and go down the ladder at the end. You're now in a room with a closed trapdoor in the middle and three switches on the wall. The closed trapdoor is leading down to another trapdoor and yet another one at the bottom of a long shaft. You need to pull all three switches in order to open them all. Each time you pull a switch a snake will appear in the room so you'll need to kill them as well. I found it best to pull the green switch first, then the red one and finally the blue one (judging by the colours of the corresponding dragon tiles).

A long fall, kung fun practise and the Yin:

Once you have finished the switch and snake business the shaft leading down should be all open and you will see the ninja you heard earlier running around on the floor below. Unfortunately there is no other way of dealing with this than to drop all the way down and lose quite a bit of health in the fall. You'll also have to whip out your guns here and deal with the ninja before he packs too much of a punch on poor Lara. Once he's down pick up the large medipack that he drops and the Yin from the pedestal, when you do this the trapdoor in the room opens. Before going down though pull the switch in the room to open a door near the second large gate. If you drop into the room below you will lose a bit of health. I was quite low on that at this point and so I found a way of getting down there with no health loss. Stand with Lara's back up against the wall with the blades stuck in it facing straight onto the open trapdoor (W). Do a standing jump towards the opening while pressing Action and Lara will land in the pool below, no damage taken.

Opening the second gate:

Climb out of the pool and once more head through the first large gate. This time climb up the ladder on the right (opposite of where you climbed it in the first place) and you'll find an alcove with a button. Push it and drop back down. Go through the first gate again and you will notice that a block has raised by the S wall. Climb it and jump to grab the switch high up on the wall. Welcome the sound of the second large gate opening and drop down from the block. Proceed through the first gate, draw guns and walk carefully towards the second. As you reach it a snake will swim out from around the corner ahead. Start wading backwards while firing lose at it and hopefully you should be able to kill it before it reaches Lara.

Wade on until you reach a ladder at the end. If you turn around and look up on the wall you will spot a jump switch below a slope. So face the ladder and climb up until Lara's feet are at the 12th rung from the bottom, backflip and roll in mid-air and press Action. She will land on the slope, slide and grab the edge. You can now finally position her directly above the switch, let go of Action and press it again and she will grab hold of it and pull it down. Climb the ladder again, this time go all the way up until her hands are holding onto the fourth rung from the top. Backflip and as soon as you land on the slope jump forwards and press Action. She should grab onto a ledge above and opposite of the slope. Pull up and proceed to the switch on the left wall. It opens the black and white door ahead (N) and it is timed. Pull it, turn right and run through the door before it closes.

Here there is a gemstone receptacle on the wall, but we need something to put in it. So for now let's concentrate on the small wooden door next to it. Stand in front of the door and press Action to make Lara kick it open. Draw guns here, enter and go around the corner to the right where a very cranky ninja will come to greet us. Kill him swiftly, but be very cautious not to jump into the burning pedestal in the N/E corner or let the ninja push you into it. Once he's dead go around to the right and climb the block here. Do NOT pull the switch on the other side of the block, otherwise you won't be able to proceed. Above you there's a trapdoor in the ceiling so stand directly below it facing W and jump up while pressing Action to pull it down. Turn around 360 degrees on the spot, jump straight up and press Action to grab the ledge above. Climb up and press the button here to lower a block below where you climbed up. Drop back down the same way you came and drop down again to the bottom, where there's a switch to pull. Doing so opens the door in the N wall. Climb back up, but before leaving the room through the newly opened door go around the block below the ceiling trapdoor and pull the switch. This will lower the block on the other side even further down, revealing a small passageway (the reason you had to pull this switch last was because you'd be unable to reach the first switch otherwise). The passageway is blocked by a door, so we'll come back here later on. For now go out through the newly opened door to the N.

The Pagoda Garden - some tree gymnastics:

As you enter you will be shown a fly-by of an area with a pagoda, a temple up on a rock, waterfalls and a few jump switches among the trees. In this area there's nothing more threatening than a monkey, so wade around the left side of the pagoda and at the end of it turn right and climb onto the jetty. Enter the pagoda and you will see two moveable pieces perched upon two white blocks, two red dragon tiles on the floor and a fan table with one fan missing. As you step out onto the jetty look right and notice the switch on the wall of the pagoda. Pull it and you'll hear a trapdoor opening somewhere. Turn around to face N, wade forwards and past the tree and go around it to the left twice (E). On the tree trunk here you'll find the trapdoor you just opened and a ladder leading up. Climb through it and dismount on a branch to the right (there's a switch on the left side, but for now it's impossible to reach because of the spikes so we'll get there later). Turn around 360 degrees and walk onto the bulky branch to the W. Walk to the edge, turn around again and drop and hang from the edge. If you look down you should see a very hidden jumpswitch right below you. Drop and press Action again to grab it and pull it down to open another trapdoor even further up in the tree.

*NOTE: If you're extremely low on health here you should use a medipack as you will lose some health in the fall.*

Climb back up the ladder and dismount onto the right branch again (we'll get back to the trapdoor you just opened in a little bit). Go over to the branch with the jumpswitch again, but this time turn left (N) to face the sloped part of the branch. Do a standing jump across it to slide down on the other side of the branch. Walk to the edge and do a standing jump over to the pagoda roof ahead and to the left. Walk diagonally across the roof (S/E) and when you reach the flat part with the red column look down and to the left to locate another jumpswitch. Turn around to face W, drop backwards and do the same drop and grab sequence again to pull the switch down (this time the fall will not harm Lara). Head back to the ladder in the tree and climb up to the top this time through the second open trapdoor.

When you reach the top climb around one corner to the right. Backflip and draw guns to take out the aggressive ninja waiting up here (what on earth are those guys doing up in the trees anyways??). Once he's down go to the second ladder on the branch (the rightmost one), climb it and head around to the left until you can drop down on the next branch. First take a mental note of the switch around the trunk to the right. We need to raise the trapdoor below it in order to be able to flip that switch so we'll deal with that all in due time. Now walk to the E side of the branch and do a running jump to the temple roof, guns drawn to take out the two ninjas on guard here. The first one will appear as soon as you get onto the roof, the other one only when you cross halfway over it. This way there is a chance you can kill them one by one. You can also jump back to the branch you came from and kill them from safety here (if they drop down onto the rocks below walk to the edge of the branch and continue firing). Once they're history go around the balcony to the right and pull the switch here to get a shot of the pagoda. Head right from the switch and go over to where the roof slopes down in a triangle (when facing towards the switch you will have a lookout post on your right side). Drop off the roof here to land on the rocks below. Here there's another switch behind a cage on your right and one switch behind the red column ahead. Pull the latter one to see the blocks in the pagoda lower. We'll get back to the switch behind the cage later, for now slide safely down to the ground level and enter the pagoda.

A Red Fan for your thoughts and a Diamond for your kiss:

First go to the moveable piece nearest to the S wall (the other one is nearest to the fan table). Go around it to the left and push it twice onto the red dragon tile. You will see spikes up in the tree. Go to the other piece and stand next to it facing W. Pull it out once, then go around it to the opposite side and push it once. Head around it to the right once more and pull it twice onto the red dragon tile. You're now shown the spikes retract up in the tree so now it's time to go do something about it (the first time around the spikes retracted after I moved the first piece to its correct place. The second time they didn't retract until after I moved the second one). Leave the pagoda and go around the tree to the left, then climb the ladder up to the first branch. Dismount and turn to face the ledge where the spikes were (N/E). Do an angled standing jump over there and pull the switch. Now you'll see a Chinese fan up on the pagoda roof. I guess you already know your way back there by now: do an angled standing jump and grab the branch you dismount on from the ladder. Go right onto the bulky branch, jump over the slope, walk to the edge and do a standing jump to the pagoda roof where you can pick up the Red Fan. No doubts as to where it goes....drop down to the ground, enter the pagoda and place the fan on the fan table (you'll have to stand facing E to be able to place it there). This opens a trapdoor in a familiar setting.

Leave the pagoda and climb the tree ladder to the top. Go around the right corner and climb the second ladder around to the right where you can drop down on the branch. From the right side of the branch do a standing jump to the raised trapdoor and pull the switch here. This raises the cage door and gives you access to the switch behind it. Jump back to the branch and make your way across to the temple roof, right and drop down to the stone ledge with the cage. Do a standing jump into the cage and pull the switch. This time you see a door opening, revealing a crystal. Make your way back to the ground and now you can leave this area for now through the door where you first entered.

Drop through the trapdoor from before and enter the passage to pick up the Diamond. We will put it to use in a moment so climb out onto the floor above, carefully make your way past the fire without getting too close for comfort and head back out through the wooden door where you first came in to this area (remember there is a receptacle on the wall here??). That is where the Diamond you just found goes.

The Water maze - switches, blades and a secret:

Now you will be shown back to the starting area, where the trapdoors between the two large gates open. At the same time the timed door leading out of this area also opens so let's go back to the start. Drop down onto the slope, slide down, hang from the edge and drop into the water filled passage below. Wade around the corner and swim down into the newly opened passage. Pick up the large medipack in the S/E corner and continue following the tunnel to the left up the ramp and around the right corner. At the end squeeze through the tight opening to the left, head around the corner and there's another tight opening down by the bottom. Go through and head right at the junction (left is only a closed door). Swim on and when you reach the second junction swim left and surface (the right side only leads to another one of those pleasantly closed doors).

Climb out of the water. There's a switch to your right and two clanking blades; a high one to the left above you and a knee-high one around the left corner. Pull the switch first to open an underwater door. Drop in the water and swim straight (W) and right around the corner. Continue around the corners and past a closed door to the left. Round the corners to the end past an opening above you and pick up some normal shotgun ammo. Go back to the opening where you can surface. Climb out of the water and pull the switch here to open the door you passed on your way in here. Drop in the water and swim back there and through the door which is now on your right hand side. Head around the passage until you can climb out of the water and pull another switch to lower a block out by the clanking blades. Make your way back out there, going right at the first junction. But as soon as you reach the place where you climb out by the clanking blades turn left and swim straight ahead. The block here has lowered, revealing a passage in to Secret 2: the shotgun. Once you got it swim out and back to where you can climb out by the blades.

Stand with Lara facing the wall (E) as close as possible to the blade without losing health and as it clanks towards the E wall sideflip left to clear it. Now turn right to face the block and blade higher up. Look above and grab the monkey swing and make your way over to the passageway, safely over the second blade.

The timed switch and spike shaft:

Once you've gotten past the blade continue along the passage dropping down into a shaft with a switch on the left side. To the left of the switch there is a ladder and a trapdoor. The switch opens the trapdoor, leading way up to spikes shooting out of the ladder. Climb up the ladder until Lara's hands are directly below the iron-wrought red tile and backflip into an alcove with a timed switch. The switch shuts off the spikes shooting out from the ladder higher up. You need to flip it, turn right, hop backwards and do a running jump to grab the ladder. Immediately climb up to the top as fast as you can.

*IMPORTANT BUG NOTES: The spikes are supposed to be shut off until the timed switch flicks back up. Some people have managed to do this, but others (myself included) have noted that the switch slides back up AFTER the spikes start shooting out. If you encounter this bug there is sadly no way to get past the spikes unharmed. You'll need to climb the entire ladder to the top while the spikes shoot out and take as many medipacks as you need. Another glitch is that there is an invisible floor right above the red iron-wrought tile. If you climb too high up and then backflip you'll be stuck on that floor and have to reload.*

Boulder runs and spiked walls:

Once your past this point pull the switch to open the gate here. Walk carefully onto the ramp and left and STOP before reaching the blue dragon tile. Once you cross it a boulder will start rolling down the ramp behind you. At the end of the ramp there is a hole in the middle with a climbing pole. On each side of the hole there is a ledge with a burning lantern and some pickups. What I did was to start off one step before the blue tile. Start sprinting down the ramp with the boulder in hot pursuit. As you near the end of the ramp stop sprinting and run to the left (or right if you prefer) taking care not to run into the burning lantern. Or you just jump at the climbing pole, try to grab it very high. To do this sprint to the end of the passageway and then stop sprinting and press the jump key when Lara steps on the slope. Once you got this cleared pick up the shotgun normal and wideshot ammo on each of the ledges. Drop into the hole and grab the climbing pole. Position Lara so that she's facing the ramp and backflip. Continue through the open gate here.

The gate will slam down behind you. As soon as you reach the corner in the passage to the left you will be flattened by a spiked wall so go right this time. Start forwards and as soon as you step onto the elevated step two spiked walls starts sliding back and forth ahead. Go as close as possible and time your run past each of them starting from the right hand side. The next trap is another boulder, which you can see up the ramp on your left side. Walk down the ramp to the right and stop before you reach the lower floor with the dragon tile. Opposite of it there is a pit and a ladder with a clanking blade near the base. To get past this unharmed do an angled standing jump from the left side past the dragon tile. The boulder starts rolling so quickly run down the rest of the slope and at the edge of the pit jump forwards, press Action to grab the ladder and climb up to avoid taking damage. Climb up towards the top and there you'll see a closed trapdoor. Go all the way up until Lara's hands are resting on the third rung from the top. Do the backflip/roll in air manoeuvre and press Action to grab a ladder on the wall behind. There's a jump switch right below where you grab on, so position Lara above it, drop down and grab the switch to pull it down. As soon as you land on the slope below immediately backflip/roll and press Action to grab the first ladder again. Now you can climb all the way to the top. There's another ladder here so climb that too and pull up onto a floor with a boulder ahead. As soon as Lara stands up backflip to the ledge behind and the boulder will roll down and into the hole with the ladder. You can now jump across, go ahead and enter a large area with waterfalls, lots of ledges and switches and some spikes plus a gate to the left.

1001 ladders, ledges and switches:

First walk to the right and pick up a small medipack behind the bush (crouching while pressing Action seems to be the only way to get her to pick it up), then slide down to a red floor. Go right (W) to the edge and do a running jump over to the small wooden platform. Turn left and do another running jump to the next platform and a running jump plus grab to the last one by the switch. SAVE your game at this switch, you're in for a tricky timed jump sequence. As soon as you pull the switch some platforms raise above the spikes on the opposite side of where you jumped over to the first wooden platform. Here's the sequence that worked for me:

Pull the switch-turn around to the right 360 degrees (rolling doesn't seem to work)-run to the edge and jump, aiming for the right side of the next platform-continue running and jump to the next, angling Lara right in mid-air to land on the far right side of it-sideflip right to the red floor-turn right and run towards the first white platform-run onto it from the left side and run diagonally across, jumping at the end to land on the final white platform-continue running and jump, then grab the wooden platform ahead. Well done, you made it.

Pull the switch on this platform and climb down the ladder ahead (S). Pull the switch on this platform to raise another platform across the room. Turn left and do a running jump to the next wooden platform, grabbing the edge on your way. Pull up and do a standing jump to the next block in front of the spikes. From here do a standing jump across the spikes, grab the ladder and immediately climb up to avoid taking a lot of damage (seems we have a thing for spikes here). Climb around the corner left and backflip onto the tall pillar behind. Turn and do a running jump W to land on the timed platform you raised a little while ago. Do another running jump from this to grab the wooden platform straight ahead. Do a standing jump to the next wooden platform, where there's another switch to pull. Turn around again and now you need to go to the next platform ahead. Some of the wooden platforms seem to be too small to get a decent run-up for a running jump, this one being one of them. To solve this problem start running from the back on one side, veer in diagonally towards the middle of the platform, straighten her up so that she runs straight on again and jump at the edge. This seems to give her the correct distance. So do a diagonal running jump towards the next platform and grab the edge. Pull up and do another running jump to the next platform with a switch you can pull. Doing so raises a white platform to your left.

But for now turn right and do a standing jump to grab the ladder. Climb all the way to the bottom and pull the switch on the wall to the N. Turn right and go straight across the shallow pool where there's another switch on the N wall, pull that one too. For now take a mental note of the depression in the middle of the pool, which contains a gate we'll open later. Go back to the ladder in the corner and climb it until Lara's waist is on height with the wooden platform behind her. If you backflip from here she'll land straight on it (if you go higher up she'll overshoot the platform). Turn around and perform a running jump with a grab to the next platform E. Pull the switch and back you go to the previous platform, same way. Do a stand-jump ahead to grab the ladder and climb up until you can barely see another wooden platform behind Lara. Backflip to land on it and you'll find a switch you pulled earlier. Turn to face E and do a running jump + grab to the next platform. Take a note of the ladder on the wall to the right, we'll come back to that later once we have lowered the platform that for the moment makes the upper part of the ladder off-limits to you. Instead do two more running jumps to the E, first to the white platform you raised a few moments ago and the second to a switch we've seen before. No need to pull it again though, instead climb the ladder and this time you can go all the way to the top. When Lara's feet reaches the end of the ladder backflip to another wooden platform. Turn around and do a running jump to the white bridge.

Follow the bridge to the end (W) and once you reach the rocks jump over the slope to land in a small alcove with a switch. Pull it to lower the middle trapdoor by the long ladder (the one I mentioned in the paragraph above), but before exiting the alcove draw guns and jump up and down shooting at the snake that has apparently dropped down from the sky. When it's dead jump back over the slope to the bridge and head along it to the end where you came up. Do a running jump back to the wooden platform on the left and, standing on the edge, jump towards the ladder while pressing Action to grab it. Climb down to the bottom, turn right and do a standing jump to the white platform to the W, but be quick to press Action to grab the edge and save Lara from a nasty fall. Another running jump will land you next to the ladder and this time you can climb it all the way to the top. Pull up, notice the receptacle on the left wall (meaning we'll come back here again later) and run up the stairs to pull the switch and see the gate to the left of the timed platforms from the beginning open.

I will not provide you with an exact route of getting back to the open gate. The reason is simply because I can't. I could and will give you two alternative routes that I found useful, all of them include doing the timed run from the start over again. I don't know if this is the official way of doing it or the way the builder intended it to be, but it worked for me.

1) Make your way back up to the bridge via the long ladder in the S/E corner. Face N and do a running jump back to the red ledge where you entered this room. From here make your way back to the timed switch and repeat the run and jump past platforms until you reach the newly opened gate. This is easy, but will cost you quite a bit of health.

2) This way will cost you only a tiny slice of health, but is also more difficult. To do this you need to retrace your steps back up on the bridge. Position Lara EXACTLY like in this screenshot.

Do a running jump over the jutting rock, veering Lara hard left in mid-air while pressing Action. She should land on the rock, drop off and land on the wooden platform next to the red floor, losing a tiny slice of health in the process. This may take many tries though and you need a solid portion of luck to get it right. Run-jump back to the platform with the timed switch and repeat the timed run-jump across the platforms and through the open gate on the left.

The Mirror Room - getting the Yang:

Go to the end and climb onto the level above. You're now in a beautiful mirror room and the mirror will indeed reveal more than what meets the eye. The mirror is covering the S wall, there are four switches on the N wall and a gate separating this room from the next to the E. Half of the room (the half with the switches) has a fixed camera angle, so to see things better you need to stand over by the mirror. If you look at the switches they are seemingly the exact same. Not quite though. Turn to face the mirror and you will see that there are blue dragon tiles above two of them that are not visible if you look at the wall above them. These two are the second and fourth from the left. Go over and pull them to open the gate to your right (if you pull any of the two other spikes will shoot out and kill Lara instantly).

Enter the next room and ahead of you there is a tall ledge which has a much needed item placed on top of it. We need to find a way up there so once more look in the mirror to your right and spot three blue dragon tiles on the floor. Again these are not visible on the floor itself. Step on the three of them while using the mirror as a guide (doesn't matter in which order) to raise a block in the N/W corner. Climb it and turn right (E). You need to get to the tall ledge so look towards the mirror to spot an invisible monkey swing in the ceiling above you. Jump to grab it and, using the mirror to see where to go, traverse across to the other side where you can drop down and pick up the Yang. Leave this lovely room and go back out to the cave with the platforms.

Finding a way out:

Make your way across to the left and climb the ladder in the S/E corner down to the platform below. Turn right and go past the next two platforms with first a standing jump and grab and then a regular running jump. Climb the ladder to the left up to the top again. If you haven't already you can combine the Yin and Yang to make a Yin Yang which you can insert in the receptacle to the left. As you do so the gate in the water filled opening far down at the bottom of the cave opens. Climb down the ladder again and go around the perimeter of the cave to the left (if you face the ladder) until you reach the block in front of the spikes. From the left side of this ledge angle her to face the water filled opening at the bottom, hop backwards to get a run-up and do a run and swan dive. Lara should land straight in the opening, no damage taken.

There are still challenges ahead, so use a medipack according to your needs. Swim down and follow the passage until you can swim through an opening higher up to a junction. There is a small medipack on your left, but a snake will also come down from the right so either grab the medipack now or wait until you've finished the next part (I prefer the latter). Whether you pick it up now or not go right and around the corner. The snake is luring around here so you need to be quick. At the end swim up and left. Hurry over to the floor where the ninja is milling around and climb out of the water. Now that you're at least on dry land kill the ninja first and afterwards deal with the snake from safety. Once they're both taken care of drop into the water again. If you haven't already picked up the small medipack in the underwater tunnel do so now and return to this room. Before climbing onto the floor again though, swim over to the right side of it (when facing N) where you can dive down under water, swim down into a small depression and pick up a large medipack.

Ninja Academy - claiming the Burang:

Climb out of the water and pick up the flares in the N/E corner before pulling the switch on the N wall to open a trapdoor to your left. Drop down and slide down the ramps to the bottom and a room with a tall pillar in the middle and four switches on the walls opposite of the pillar. Your goal here is to raise the white block on the right side of the pillar so you can climb onto it. You need to pull all four switches and as you pull the last one poor Lara is ambushed by no less than four ninjas. Expect to take quite a beating and use medipacks if you need to. When they're all dead claim the goodies they dropped: a large and a small medipack. Now climb the white block you lowered and from there pull up on the tall pillar. Here you can finally grab the grand prize: The Burang that you came so far to find. Picking it up causes two blocks to slide away, creating a hidden passage down in the room below. Follow either the right or left path (they both lead to the same spot) and enter the red lit tunnel. Continue going on along the passage and here the level ends.