Tempting Business

You've got to find three Veles detectors and bring them to the scientists' bunker near Jupiter. Once there talk to Novikov, he said he'd tinker with them... When detectors start to turn in a profit, we'll split it evenly. All clear? Then go. It's a piece of cake, really.
― In-game description

Tempting Business is a side mission available in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat.

Description[]

Owl will offer this mission to the player after completing the missions The Hit and Transaction. Completing Mercenary Camp is not necessary.

Exactly as Owl says, the player needs to get three Veles detectors. This, however, might get tricky at the beginning since there are very limited possibilities of getting them and without visiting Jupiter early on.

Easy ways to earn three:

There is one in a stash in the Kopachy village in Jupiter, in the excavator cabin. The coordinates are given by Topol if he survives the mission Intermittent psy-emissions.
After the player discovers evidence of the Oasis's existence and reports back to Professor Ozersky, they will have the chance to purchase the Svarog Detector from Hermann, the other scientist in the bunker.
Beard will give the player one for completing the mission Bloodsucker Lair.
They often spawn in the inventory of experts, usually Zombified Stalkers.
It is awarded by Hermann for completing the mission Anomaly research.
Hermann also sells these, and the player can simply revisit Hermann to purchase three.

After getting the detectors, they need to be delivered to Novikov in the Scientists' bunker in Jupiter which should be the easier part of the job.

After informing Owl of all this and waiting some time he lets the player know that he has some more business to discuss. The time the player needs to wait varies and sleeping, traveling Jupiter <--> Zaton nor any other action seem to have any impact on speeding up the process. However, stepping outside the Skadovsk and heading to the point where the player gets the "You may now equip your weapon" message may trigger the message from Owl once at least 30 hours have passed since handing in the Veles detectors.

We've got problems. Our little business here is up in the air now. Novikov did heck of a job on those detectors - extended the working range, improved sensitivity and some other stuff... These detectors let you run circles around all other artifact hunters. I made a deal with Beard so that the stalkers he hires use those new detectors... Our agreement was to split loot evenly, but stalkers refuse to bring our half. You need to see Beard and convince him to hold up his end of the deal... C'mon you want you share too, don't you?
― Owl

When speaking personally with Owl he admits that he received the new detectors and those are outstanding. However, Beard with who he had an arrangement to let his stalkers use those new, prototype detectors and in return sharing the profit made from selling the artifacts is not living up to the task. This is when the player makes their move and is asked to talk to Beard.

Beard on the other hand has a very different understanding of the agreement, saying that he was to pay for the three detectors and he already did pay for two of them. Those two detectors are given to Beard's stalkers, Sledgehammer and Crest. The player is given the third Svarog detector prototype as Beard no longer wants to buy it.

After completing this part, Beard offers the Compass mission.

After speaking with Owl once again he feels crossed and suggests to get "help" from local Bandit boss - Sultan. The player is given a choice: side with Beard and stalkers - end the mission here and just take the cut of 1500 RU from Owl or side with Owl and bandits and involve Sultan, triggering the mission Shady Business. The mission will end immediately if the player takes their cut from Owl, but it is still possible to get Sultan involved by talking to him.

Reward[]

The player is given a Svarog detector from Beard, and 1500 RU if they take their cut from Owl. After completing this mission, Beard will begin selling low-tier artifacts, and the repeatable side mission Artifact order is also once again available if suspended beforehand due to the player killing Beard's artifact hunters.