Route answer
Required item chain: Fish Bucket / Whale Bait from the Scientist route; preserved Bowhead body. Target: Bowhead Whale → Mutated Bowhead Whale. Finish the hand-in to reach Final reported encounter.
Step-by-step route
- Complete the Scientist prerequisites.
- Obtain the Fish Bucket / Whale Bait named by the active quest; Scientific Boss Lure belongs to the separate Goblin Shark route.
- Defeat Bowhead Whale and preserve the body.
- Save before committing the body to the next trigger.
- Defeat the mutated phase and finish the final hand-in.
Do not lose the hand-in
Physics piles, the sale counter and co-op inventory confusion can all destroy a clean quest run. Name one item carrier, store important bodies away from ordinary fish, and use Save/Main Menu/Quit after a confirmed hand-in.
Verification note: Community sources disagree on a few lure and trophy names. This page uses paired terms rather than pretending one unverified label is official.