【EscapeFromDuckov】How to Obtain the Mysterious Keys X and O

Overview

This guide explains how to obtain the mysterious keys X and O, Duckov’s primary money-making method from the mid-game onwards. These keys become usable after reaching Farm Town and are a solid money-making strategy throughout the entire game.

For a comprehensive overview of money-making methods, please refer to another article. This article focuses specifically on how to acquire the mysterious keys X and O.

Related Maps

• Temporary Construction Site: X Room
• Mercenary Camp East: O Room
• Sanatorium Northwest: Mysterious Merchant
• Radar Station: Shotgunner

Zooming in on the map, you’ll see red markers near the buildings labeled “X” and “O,” so you can tell which room is which.

The Mysterious Key X and the Mysterious Key O

The mysterious key unlocks a certain building in Farm Town. Inside that building, valuable items like graphics cards appear frequently, offering a great opportunity to earn a lot of money.

X keys and O keys have prices attached, with O keys costing over 1.5 times more. The rewards are the same, but O rooms unlocked with O keys are more likely to yield higher-value items.

XO Key Specifications

• One unit lasts for 10 uses
• Cannot be key-registered
• Fits in a key case
• Sells for high prices on the black market regardless of wear

XO Keys are consumables. Each key can be used to open each X Room and O Room 10 times. They cannot be registered at the facility “Key Registration Machine” and disappear once used up. They can be stored in a key case, so if you have one, keeping it there is effective as it doesn’t take up space.

Keys wear down with use, and their retail price decreases. However, the price offered by the black market remains the same regardless of wear (this applies to items beyond just keys). Therefore, storing a key that has only one use left in your warehouse allows you to potentially sell it for a high price someday. That said, XO keys appearing on the black market is quite rare.

How to Obtain the Mysterious Key X

• Purchased from the “Mysterious Merchant” in Farm Town
• Drops in Farm Town’s “X Room” and “O Room”
• Facility: Purchased from the Black Market
• Exploration: Clothing, etc.

Here’s how to obtain the Mysterious Key X. The most reliable method is purchasing it from the “Mysterious Merchant” in Farm Town. The location of the Mysterious Merchant is covered in a separate article.

Additionally, while the chance is low, it can sometimes be found dropped in rooms opened using an XO Key. It’s also rarely sold on the Black Market. Since it’s sold at a bargain price, it’s cheaper than buying from the Mysterious Merchant, so I recommend purchasing it immediately if you find it.

Additionally, it can appear extremely rarely during normal exploration. The key drops most often from clothing items; the one I confirmed was also from clothing.

How to Obtain the Mysterious Key O

• Same as above
• Farm Town Radar Station “Shotgunner” Rare Drop

The method for obtaining the Mysterious Key O is almost identical to that of the Mysterious Key X. It is rarely dropped by the named mercenary “Shotgunner” in Farm Town. Since a single Mysterious Key O is worth around $180,000, it’s worth grinding for even as a rare drop.

XO Key Loop Method

• Farm Town South Start
• Use Bubble 0 to travel between X Room and O Room
• Use Bubble 1 south of X Room to reach the mysterious merchant northwest of the Sanatorium
• From the mysterious merchant, descend the cliff to Bubble 2
• From Bubble 2, head northwest to the Shotgunner at the Radar Station

Here’s the shortest route. Your starting point can be random—just start from the closest location. Starting from the “Farm Town South” portal is recommended over starting from the “Farm Town” portal. The “Farm Town South” portal becomes available as you progress through the quest.

If you start near the Radar Station, you’ll essentially be backtracking along the route. Of course, if you don’t need to buy keys, you don’t have to go through the Mysterious Merchant.

Bubble 1 to Bubble 2 is going downhill

There’s a shortcut down the cliff only when heading from Bubble 1 to Bubble 2. The area with the mysterious merchant is on high ground, and the high ground is surrounded by slopes. However, if you head straight up from the mysterious merchant on the map, you’ll find a section where part of the slope is broken. You can take a shortcut by descending the cliff from there.
This cannot be used when heading from Bubble 2 to Bubble 1. It’s for descending only.

XO Key Circuit Equipment

• Weapon: AK103
• Custom: Movement Speed UP
• Custom: Suppressor
• Melee Weapon: Small Knife
• Totem: Ninja
• Totem: Swift Footwork
• Yellow Syringe

Here’s the recommended gear for exploring XO rooms. I’ll explain the reasoning behind each choice.

I like weapons, so that’s fine.

There are no specific restrictions on weapons. The criteria are whether it deals sufficient damage to defeat enemies and whether it can be customized to increase movement speed or has a fast base movement speed. The AK103 is recommended because it offers sufficient firepower and can be customized to boost movement speed. Additionally, I choose this weapon because it’s easy to obtain and can be used without hesitation even if it gets worn out.

Soundproofing

Even when farming XO Keys, you’ll encounter enemy encounters. Equipping the Ninja Totem reduces your footsteps, making it harder for enemies to detect you. Getting spotted by multiple enemies is troublesome, and taking damage can cause bleeding or slow your movement speed. Staying undetected reduces the stress of farming. Similarly, the Suppressor reduces bullet noise, lowering the chance of drawing multiple enemies’ attention.

Small knife

Melee weapons and small knives have an unusual stat: a movement speed coefficient of 1.1. This means equipping them makes you move faster. While I haven’t verified it, a movement speed coefficient of 1.1 likely means your speed increases to 110%. I basically keep a small knife drawn and run whenever I’m not fighting.

The small knife was obtained from a lottery item called the “Knife Box.” The Knife Box becomes available as you progress through quests. I checked to see if there were any other weapons with a high movement speed coefficient, but I couldn’t find any.

Increase movement speed

Equipping the Swiftfoot Totem increases your movement speed. This reduces lap times, making it highly recommended. It also allows you to move out of enemy sight faster, reducing combat encounters.

Using the yellow syringe also increases your movement speed, making it recommended for those seeking efficiency.