Metal Gear Solid 5 - Blood Runs Deep: Kungenga Mine, child soldier evacuation
How to reach the plantation, find the Mbele soldier, clear out the Kungenga Mine and escort the children to safety in Blood Runs Deep.
Welcome to Metal Gear Solid 5 - Blood Runs Deep, the 18th main story mission of the game, following on from Rescue the Intel Agents.
Blood Runs Deep Mission checklist:
- Eliminated the former rebel Mbele soldier
- Eliminated 5 prisoners being held at Kungenga Mine
- Extracted child prisoner
- Extracted the former rebel Mbele soldier
- Completed the mission by extracting 5 child soldiers without the enemy discovering their escape
- Eliminated the gunship
- Extracted 5 snipers from areas near Kungenga Mine, NE and SW Guard Posts
- Extracted 3 armoured vehicles
When you're ready for more red-hot infiltration action, bring up your mission menu and activate 18-Blood Runs Deep Next, select the only Landing Zone available in the area. Finally, set your buddy to D-Dog, your Drop Time to 0600, then commence the mission.
Your task this time around is to find and eliminate six mysterious targets situated around the mission zone. One is located at the nearby Bampeve Plantation, while the remaining five are being held captive somewhere in the mines, further afield.
Blood Runs Deep: Reach the plantation and locate the Mbele soldier
As soon as you land, you'll spot two objective markers - one leading north-east toward Bampeve Plantation and the other leading east toward Kungenga Mine. We'll start by investigating the plantation in search of our first target.
Head north-east across the wilderness, following the yellow objective marker. When you reach the main road for the first time, ignore it and continue moving north-east. As you close in on your target, you'll hit the road again as it moves north-east toward the plantation. Keep to the right of the road and proceed cautiously, keeping low and sticking to the undergrowth to avoid detection.
As you near your destination, you'll spot a number of burned-out hovels up ahead. Immediately to the east of the first hut, on the right-hand side of the road, you'll spot a raised, rocky outcrop, overlooking the entire area. Make your way up and use your binoculars to scan for hostiles.
There are numerous enemies stationed around the plantation and your first target is mixed in with them. Fortunately, the target's distinctive attire makes him easy to spot among the crowd - just look for the guard wearing a white t-shirt and black beret.
Your target usually patrols the cluster of buildings at the northern end of the plantation, so it's likely that you'll need to move further north-east to find him. Complete your recon, then begin the journey north-east, sticking to higher ground as the hilltop runs alongside the main road.
Stay prone and use the tall grass as cover to avoid being spotted by the guards below. Be particularly cautious as you near the watchtower on your left - you're practical eye-to-eye with the guard stationed inside. Once you're safely past, continue north-east until you reach the ledge ahead. Attempt to locate your target again with your binoculars, then drop down to the dirt below.
Infiltrate the plantation and extract the former rebel Mbele soldier
Immediately lie prone and begin crawling north-east, sticking close to the sheer rock face on your right. When the road ahead comes into view, approach it carefully, keeping watch for patrols.
As soon as it's safe to do so, slip across to the other side of the road. Keep close to the green makeshift wall on your right and continue forward until you hit the rocks ahead. Take a left and move north-west, passing by the large white building on your left. Note that you'll find some Rough Diamonds in the red and yellow sack to your right.
At the end of the long white building, you'll spot a stack of three wooden crates. From here, look down the alleyway to the left. Your target should be located in the small clearing at the end of the passage. When you've spotted him, thin out the enemy ranks in the area and, once it's safe to do so, tranquillise your target and Fulton him away from the mission zone.
With the first target dealt with, retrace your steps until you reach the main road. Pass through the green makeshift walls and follow the road south-east away from the plantation. Shortly, as the road bends south, you'll spot a small hut to the left. Leave the road and head directly toward the objective marker, climbing up the hill as you go.
When you hit the sheer rock wall ahead, take a right. Keep the wall close to your left-hand side and continue following it along as it slowly but surely winds around to the north-east. Eventually, the raised ground that you're on will start to subside until you're level with the adjacent road. Keep moving north-east and, soon, you'll spot a junction on your right. Say goodbye to the wall and cross the road, following the track south-east away from the junction.
Stick to the right-hand side of the road and continue forward until you reach the ledge overlooking the mine to the south-east. Immediately lie prone and scan the area for hostiles. When you're ready to proceed, slip down the hill and make your way toward the small entrance gate in the perimeter fence behind the nearby watchtower - deal with any hostiles that approach.
Unlock the gate then head on into the base, sticking close to the rock wall on the left. Slip past the low blue and red huts to the right, and continue east along the wall. Keep moving and, eventually, the rock wall will make way for a chainlink fence. Follow the fence along (passing by the yellow truck) and rejoin the rock wall a little further ahead.
Still pressed against the wall, begin journeying south toward the heavily-armed enclosure. Soon, your path forward will be blocked by another chain link fence. Once you reach it, eliminate any guards nearby and follow the fence to the right. Take a left once you reach the main road and travel deeper into the enclosure, keeping the fence close to your left.
Follow the fence along until you join the rock wall again. Continue forward and, eventually, you'll find yourself behind the south-east facing wall of a squat pink building with a comms truck parked outside. Enter the building through the second door to the right and liberate the glamour poster from the wall and Spandau Ballet's classic 'True' from the cassette player.
When you're done, slip back outside and continue moving along the rear of the buildings, heading south-west. Once you've made it passed the blue building, you'll reach a long ledge overlooking an enormous pit. Break out your binoculars and scan the area below.
Need help with The Phantom Pain? Our Metal Gear Solid 5 guide and walkthrough explains how to complete every main story mission, and explains their many optional objectives. We also have lists of Blueprint locations, Tape locations, Key Item locations, how to unlock S Ranks and a Metal Gear Solid 5 Achievement and Trophy list.
Locate the five remaining targets
Next, look for the small wooden walkway nearby, leading downward. Drop to a crouch and follow the walkway to the lower level. Once you reach the end of the walkway (opposite the small covered enclosure) lie prone and take a left, moving along the rock wall. Stay low to avoid being spotted - there are numerous enemies in this relatively confined area.
Follow the wall until your reach the mine entrance. Unlock the gate then head into the tunnel beyond. Run along the passage and stop when you reach the green gate to your left. Examine the door and you'll automatically head deeper into the mines. Once the cut-scene is over, enter the cell and grab the Rough Diamonds on the ground.
Escort the children to the extraction point
Your next task is to escort the children you've rescued to the chopper rendezvous point outside. First, though, pick up the injured child sat on the cell floor. Next, leave the cell and head back along the tunnel until you reach the green gate.
On the other side, take the tunnel to the left and follow it along until you arrive at the gate leading back out into the open air. Note that the other children will tag along automatically.
Next, unlock the gate, head outside and turn left. Immediately, your charges will come to a halt behind a low rock wall. Follow the on-screen instructions and command the children to wait. Be warned that the mission will end if one of the children is killed, so proceed carefully.
Don't dawdle for too long, however - after a while, the enemy will discover that the children are missing. If this happens, reinforcements will storm the area, making the mission's end sequence considerably harder. Furthermore, you'll complete a secret objective if you manage to make it out of the area before the children's absence is noted.
To proceed, you'll need to eliminate the enemies patrolling the area beyond the low wall. Drop the injured boy down with the other children and start moving south into the camp. Keep close to the rock wall on your left and approach the green tent ahead, dealing with any hostiles in the area. Once the camp is free of enemies, return to the children, pick up the injured boy and command the kids to 'go' if they haven't moved already.
Your charges will storm ahead and come to a halt behind another wall to the south, partway along the watery ravine running to the south-west. Head on over to their position, command them to 'wait' then pop the injured boy on the ground. Next, take care of the hostiles on watch to the south-west.
When the route ahead is safe, collect your injured charge and command the group to follow again. Move south-west along the ravine, sticking to the water as it begins to widen out. Pass under the small bridge ahead, drop off the ledge and eliminate the enemies in your path.
Note that it's best to keep the injured boy on your shoulders from this point on. If your opponents realise that the children are missing, several soldiers will converge on your position from back along the ravine. Needless to say, the injured boy will quickly be discovered if he's left alone.
Reach the chopper and rescue your targets
Once you've eliminated the hostiles patrolling near the small white hut on the left-hand river bank, start moving toward the rendezvous point as quickly as possible. When you reach the debris preventing you from continuing along the water, take a right and clamber onto dry land. From here, charge up the hill, stop at the Landing Zone and wait for the chopper to arrive.
Note that you'll need to stay vigilant here - if you've taken too long and the enemy search party reaches your position, the children will come to a stop. As such, it's unwise to run on ahead. Instead, stay with the group and deal with incoming hostiles swiftly. Additionally, if the children randomly stop behind rocks, simply command them to 'go' again.
Once you reach the rendezvous point with the children in tow, place the injured boy onto the chopper. The remaining four targets will approach and sit on the ground. Hoist them into the helicopter one-by-one then climb aboard yourself. It goes without saying that this is tough to do with the enemy bearing down on you. If you're struggling, consider restarting from the previous checkpoint and moving more swiftly this time.
Once you're in the air, the mission will end and you'll receive the Key Item [Children's Reward], plus the [Front: Chick] emblem part. After the debriefing, you and your charges will automatically return to Mother Base. Let the cutscene play out then summon a chopper and depart.
- Keep reading for our guide to completing On The Trail, the next mission in the game.
- Stuck somewhere else? Head back to the first page for the rest of our Metal Gear Solid 5 walkthrough.