Arknights: I became an NPC in the online game

When it came to bases, Felix couldn't help but think of Rhodes Island—the mobile base of Rhodes Island Pharmaceuticals, capable of traversing land. That particular landship was constructed atop the massive skeleton of a giant creature. Apart from Rhodes Island, it was said that Black Steel International also possessed a landship at its headquarters, one that could likewise travel across terrain.

The key difference, however, was that Black Steel's landship had been built entirely from scratch.

A city can't be built in a day. Constructing a mobile base remained a formidable challenge for Felix. Even with his efficiency, creating a landship within a few short months was simply unrealistic. As for purchasing one—while the price might be clear, actual availability was a different matter. Even Raythean Industries, a major player in that market, didn't produce landships of that scale.

In Dossoles, one naturally followed local customs. After enjoying a summer-themed dinner, Felix and the others boarded a luxury yacht that night, gazing out at the brilliantly illuminated city from the artificial sea.

It truly was a marvel—like a moving city brought to life.

The next morning, after waking, Felix began checking forum updates. Overnight, the boards had exploded with travel and crime-related posts. Many featured scenic photos of the sea and night views taken by men and women, alongside open invitations to team up for criminal missions. These posts received numerous likes. At the same time, several players submitted applications to participate in the Dossoles Dossoles Warrior Championship—an event with "very generous" rewards that had clearly caught the attention of ambitious teams hoping to make a name for themselves.

Those who had initially planned to come but canceled last minute now looked on with envy, consoling themselves with the thought that they could always come next year.

In addition to the casual players, many professional teams and high-level players were also arriving for the Championship—including the pro team from Yanyu Pavilion, who traveled all the way from Leithanien. With the Terra mid-season tournament approaching in October, it seemed the team's Casters had successfully acquired their professional or secondary-class certifications from the Caster Academy in Leithanien. After discussions with their coach, Baimi, team leader Yan Fei believed this trip would allow for both training and relaxation—and possibly trigger a limited-time Dossoles mission.

So far, however, no limited mission had been triggered. That morning, the Pioneer drove to the tourist district where most players were staying and began setting up shop.

Introducing himself as Crazy Dave, Felix caught the players' attention instantly. They were excited to see the Pioneer—not just because of who he was, but because he had swapped out his usual sleek, mechanical look. With the arrival of summer skin, Pioneer had given himself a seasonal makeover.

Wearing sunglasses, a short-sleeved shirt, beach shorts, and twin holstered pistols at his sides, he exuded both relaxation and adventurous charm.

The players crowded around to open his shop—and were instantly surprised and thrilled.

"W-What is this? I've never seen this gear before!"

"Whoa! The Burning Sun Crossbow pierces enemies—way better than anything we have now… The Summer Night Sword has a chance to inflict vulnerability, and the Sea Foam Dagger deals occasional Art damage? These are amazing!"

"No, these aren't divine weapons. They're summer-limited editions! If you get one of these…"

The players' eyes sparkled as they whispered excitedly among themselves, as if they had stumbled upon limited summer skins. Unlike rare character drops requiring gacha pulls and luck, these exclusive skins and items simply sat in the store—quietly waiting to be bought.

Clearly, once the players realized that they could purchase limited-edition weapons directly without relying on loot boxes, they surged forward in excitement, eagerly clicking through the store to buy them.

In addition, they discovered that more craftsman and mechanic job books had been added to the bookstore, which filled them with joy. Wasn't this exactly what they had been hoping for? After all, many had long coveted the mechanical armor worn by the Pioneer , but the Pioneer's bookstore never stocked it, and no suitable instructors could be found among the other national factions. At the time, players speculated that perhaps the Pioneer would unlock these sub-classes once their favorability with him reached a certain threshold. Now that the books had finally arrived, wasn't this the confirmation they had waited for?

That said, only a small number of players among the masses were able to purchase the production-class books. Support roles weren't particularly popular in the current version. Even though the Pioneer himself belonged to a support class, he was a legendary NPC—his combat power existed on an entirely different level from that of the players.

Still, hundreds of players bought the job transfer books for craftsmen and mechanics from the Pioneer, looking at Felix with the reverence of disciples admiring their master.

Qiu Muyu and Xiao Xuegao also successfully purchased the job transfer books. Their usual splurges were typically reserved for fashionable outfits, and now, dressed in trendy midriff-baring clothes, they caught the attention of many male players. As blacksmiths, they could now repair team equipment durability, and aside from quests, they could earn a bit of extra income through crafting. They looked toward the Pioneer with admiration—after all, he was their teacher now.

The Yanyu Pavilion guild made significant purchases, too. Not only did they spend heavily on weapons, but they also acquired a batch of limited-edition armor. Preparing for the Dossoles Warrior Championship, they knew they had to be well-equipped. In addition to the Championship, they were also thinking ahead to the upcoming mid-season tournament in two months of Terra time. They might not see the Pioneer again before then—and being unable to upgrade their equipment would be a serious problem. Taking this chance, they went on a spending spree, using up all the money and experience the Yanyu Pavilion guild had earned in recent times.

Meanwhile, Felix also sold a large number of other profession and sub-profession books. His experience points rose rapidly.

"I hope you enjoy your summer in Dossoles, adventurers."

After taking such good care of his "player needs" Felix took his leave—but instead of driving back to the upper district, he stayed behind. Today, Carnelian and Muelsyse were taking the three little ones out to play at the hotel, and he wasn't needed at the moment. Rather than lounging by the hotel pool with nothing to do, Felix preferred to spend his time exploring Dossoles—perhaps there was still an adventure or two waiting to be found.

---

The situation in Bolivar remained complicated. There were three major powers at play: the former rulers, the Singas Dynasty, which eventually fell under the sway of Leithanien during and after the Witch King era; Columbia, the opportunistic power that had risen from behind; and the true Bolivarians, who longed to liberate their homeland and fight for their future.

Yet in Dossoles, these three powers all managed to coexist peacefully. That was why Columbian gold vouchers were accepted as valid currency here.

This might be the mayor's plan—or perhaps her conspiracy—but Felix wasn't certain. He hadn't known much about Bolivar in his previous life, nor had he been active here in this one.

Over the next few days, as the first round of the Dossoles Warrior Championship began, Felix continued wandering around the lower district. His time spent here wasn't without reward. At the very least, he witnessed firsthand a gunfight between expatriates from Leithanien and Columbia in the lower city. The real Bolivarians, disguised as gang members, had been harassing and stealing from the hotels owned by Leithanien and Columbian expatriates... though for now, it was just small-scale skirmishes.

Still, the downtown area was undoubtedly a place tainted by the sins of money.

One afternoon, Felix continued exploring the map and arrived at a bar. Despite it being daytime, the place was already crowded with patrons—mostly workers taking a break during their shifts. They drank beer while watching the opening match of the first Dossoles Warrior Championship on the TV, occasionally erupting into loud claps or exaggerated laughter.

Most of the workers drank Chico, a cheap distilled liquor brand now common throughout Bolivar. Known for its strong kick, it was widely beloved among the poor. Many others drank Golden Cup beer, a local brand brewed under the Dossoles government. Compared to the various high-end liquors available, beer still remained the most popular drink in this city of endless celebration.

Felix walked in and took a seat at the bar. Usually, when a tourist chose to sit at the counter, it wasn't for any ulterior motive—they were most likely here for information.

"A Golden Cup beer."

The calm-looking Liberi bartender behind the counter asked in a low voice,

"Are you of age?"

Felix had been asked this question plenty of times before. He simply nodded and pulled out a generous number of gold chips and alloy currencies—enough to cover his recent expenses while wandering through the lower city.

"A Golden Cup beer. Please wait."

The Liberi man silently turned around and began to mix the drink. Felix noticed that the bartender's bare arm was partially covered with a towel—and when he turned, a horrifying scar beneath the towel was briefly exposed.

More than that, this bartender didn't seem like an ordinary civilian. Even if he were Terran, it was unlikely that a normal person could develop such a muscular physique just from casual training... It looked more like someone who trained relentlessly—but why would a bartender need to build such a body?

When the man returned with the beer, Felix glanced at his hands. They were rough and covered with calluses, especially in the center of the palms and near the base of the fingers—definitely not the kind of calluses left by typical labor work.

"Guest..."

Felix simply smiled, pretending he hadn't noticed anything, and turned his gaze to the television.

On-screen, the broadcast was introducing the rules: the audition period would last for ten days. Contestants needed to qualify through various tryouts held throughout the city. In total, there would be forty audition events. With the enormous number of tourists and players flooding into Dossoles, at least thousands of teams were expected to participate—and most would be eliminated.

What was being broadcast live on TV was the South District auditions. Dozens of participating teams had to collect a sufficient number of red balls at specific locations, and only the first-place team to reach the finish line would pass the auditions. Naturally, the competition scene was filled with cheers and applause. Felix observed the contestants among the teams—they weren't the only ones competing. They were all players, and naturally, none would go easy on each other.

After drinking two glasses of wine, the workers returned to the construction site to continue their labor. At that moment, Felix set down his glass and glanced at the Liberi bartender, who had been silently wiping glasses this whole time.

"Dad, can I help clean the cups?"

Suddenly a young girl voice rang out from back. Felix shifted his gaze and noticed a young Liberi girl emerging behind the bar. She looked a year or two younger than Senomi, around ten years old, with short black hair and a pair of innocent black eyes that blinked curiously. She smiled naturally at the bartender.

"Okay. This cup is for you."

In front of strangers, the Liberi bartender didn't speak much. He handed her a cup and instructed her to wipe it with a small towel.

Felix smiled at the heartwarming scene, but his expression dimmed slightly as he noticed the bartender's wary glance. Wasn't it normal to feel happy when seeing something so cute?

"Soldier?"

The single word caused the bartender's arm muscles to tense instantly. He stepped forward, shielding his daughter behind him.

"Sir, you…"

Before the man could say anything further—perhaps to demand he leave—Felix shook his head.

"Do I look like a spy working for Leithanien or Columbia just based on my race and appearance?"

The bartender exhaled and shook his head to save face.

"I've never heard of any spies from the Sankta tribe."

"That's good. So why are you so nervous?" Felix took a sip of wine and whistled in relaxation. "I'm just a messenger, walking across this land. I came to Dossoles merely to deliver a message."

The man nodded, seemingly convinced by Felix's words.

"And the reason I looked at your daughter just now is because I have three sisters about her age."

Hearing this, the man eased his guard and asked:

"Sankta, what do you want to know?"

"It seems you already know the Sankta people are naturally curious," Felix chuckled.

He walked over to the front of the shop and flipped the sign from Open to Closed.

"—Hey, if you do that, how am I supposed to make money?"

Before the man could finish his protest, Felix pulled out a handful of alloy coins from his pocket.

Thinking it wasn't enough, he also took out a few gold chips.

"I'm booking this bar."

---

The middle-aged man's face twitched slightly.

"Fine. What do you want to know?"

"Let me guess," Felix said, not answering directly. Instead, he continued casually, "You're a soldier—it's obvious. Soldiers from Columbia and Leithanien wouldn't be here at a time like this, and any agents they send out definitely wouldn't have such obvious physical traits. So that makes you a real Bolivarian soldier, doesn't it?"

"As for why you're in Dossoles—you're probably here to scout out the enemy's situation, right? After all, most true Bolivarians always have that question in their minds: What kind of place is Dossoles, really? What happens when the three powers intersect here? Is Dossoles, a city immersed in pleasure and crime, really the Bolivarian city that lives in the hearts of true Bolivarians?"

Felix smiled and finished the rest of his drink in one motion. He pushed the empty glass toward the man, who now wore a complicated expression.

"If you don't mind—how about telling me your name?"

Of course, Felix had already scanned the man in advance.

[Lv69 Pugh Silva] (Yellow)

"Pugh. You can call me Old Pugh. And you, aggressive Sankta guest?"

"Felix. My goal is to travel the world and help people solve their problems."

"In other word, you want to be Terra errand boy."

Felix just chuckled at that comment.