Quick answer: In Crimson Forest, the Blood Letter from the Nimble Thief is dropped by the bandit alone at a campfire on the plateau north of the Outlaw Trap bell. Confirming the book card starts Honor Among Thieves.
In Phantom Blade Zero, the letter is a book, filed under Books > Wulin Tales, and it sits a short walk from a bell. The only real obstacle is a mounted bandit who patrols the path between the bell and the camp.
Where the Nimble Thief’s blood letter is
This is a regular bandit rather than a boss, and he has no name bar. His health is far below the rider’s. Move toward him and he leaves the fire, lunging at you from a few metres off; he goes down fast. The reward for defeating him is about 360 Remnant Dust.
Near the Outlaw Trap bell, you can also find the Crimson Forest Tunnel Crank and two fragments of the Preservation Talisman, which make the Preservation Jar.
Watch for the Bandit Sword Rider on the way
The Bandit Sword Rider is a sword-wielding bandit on horseback who patrols the path west of Outlaw Trap, between the bell and the slope up to the campfire. From far off, he notices you and charges.
- On Pathbreaker difficulty, his charging combo can take almost a full health bar at once, around 860 of 892 HP.
- While he is mounted, attacks cannot hurt the horse; your blows strike the rider.
- He has a sizable health pool and later engages you on foot.
Resting at the Outlaw Trap bell brings the Bandit Sword Rider back, so a rest before the climb puts him on the path again.
Reading the letter starts Honor Among Thieves
Picking up the drop opens a book card. The header reads “Books”, the title “WULIN TALES”, and the subtitle “Blood Letter from the Nimble Thief”, with a torn letter page in calligraphy on the left. The text is the thief’s own confession of his past thefts, and it opens with “I was somebody once. At thirteen, I stole a landowner’s jade belt.”
The Tales list also has more entries for Crimson Forest: A Severed Mindseal, Festering Secret, Four Fierce Axes, Triple Threat, and Flesh Lily. The Phantom Blade Zero side quests list covers all of them. The tale’s marker shows where to take the letter.
