Arknights: I became an NPC in the online game

Version 2.0 — Civilization Fortress. Players now acquire a new identity and head toward the mobile city. Upon arrival, they soon realize they're back to square one, much like when they first entered the beginner town. As they walk through the city, they'll frequently encounter NPCs marked with danger levels in purple, pink, orange, or even red. Sometimes, they may not even be able to defeat a regular office worker!

The level cap in Version 2.0 has been raised from 30 to 60. At this stage, players are significantly stronger than the average battlefield NPC and can even rival elite bounty hunter groups. Of course, NPCs have their own attributes, and level alone doesn't determine everything. Characters like certain Sarkaz mercenary captains or group leaders can hardly survive on the frontlines unless they rely on ambushes.

At the end of 1.0, some players hadn't even reached 1-star operator status. But in 2.0, with well-planned leveling strategies and properly chosen sub-classes, a few dedicated or professional players managed to reach 3-star status.

With Version 2.0 comes greater freedom. Players can now begin handling basic errands and business tasks. Many have combed through past forum guides and are preparing to save money to purchase vehicles—just like those early players who drove themselves to Dossoles. Long-distance errands and business tasks offer generous rewards and XP, making them a core part of the 2.0 gameplay loop.

Most players have now settled down in a city. However, the high cost of housing means they can't afford to buy property. For many who enjoy RP, being able to rent an apartment downtown and call it home is already a satisfying experience. Felix recalled how, in his previous life, some players rented a row of ground-floor units in Lungmen. They shopped during the day and engaged in "night activities." While undressing fully wasn't an option, they still enjoyed immersive RP, eventually turning the entire street into a red-light district—drawing the attention of Madam Chen. What followed... was a crackdown. A serious crackdown.

It was time for Felix to establish his own faction.

In Version 1.0, owning a vehicle or traveling across the map was a major hurdle, which made it difficult for players to reach him. But now, things were different. He could open a company in one location and begin recruiting players from there.

Currently, his in-game identity was that of a Laterano citizen. But for a Lateran to start a company? That was either outright impossible or required jumping through bureaucratic hoops and notary applications—something Felix found troublesome. It was best if the Laterano Sankta didn't find out what he was planning.

In Ursus, Leithanien, and Victoria, companies were controlled by the nobility. In Siracusa, by the mafia.

Colombia and Kazimierz were more balanced—Colombia dominated by industrial magnates, Kazimierz by business associations. Both were firmly controlled by capital.

Bolívar was another story entirely, with three major factions in constant conflict. Starting a business there was like banging your head against a wall.

As for the Higashi—civil war was looming. In his previous life, Felix had seen the intelligence sent back by players: the region was divided between the Northern and Southern Dynasties. The northern was ruled by the Kōgon clan, the southern by the Mistumoto clan. Military power was in the hands of eight powerful families.

Iberia? Absolutely not. Felix had no intention of building company headquarters in a place that could be swallowed by a tsunami or overrun by crawling horrors from the deep.

Sargon and Sami—located in the deep rainforest and the far north, respectively—could technically serve as locations to start a company, though they weren't particularly appealing.

As for Kjerag, it was still a small, quiet country at this stage.

Aegir was under the sea, and Felix couldn't swim. Rim Billiton was filled with bunny-like creatures constantly digging; he'd have to make his employees wear protective gear every day. Minos was home to minotaurs, a group Felix knew little about, and even players in his past life hadn't uncovered much information about them. And Kazdel? If he set up a company there today, it would probably be torn down tomorrow by some brute Sarkaz with more muscles than brains.

And Yan faces challenges stemming from political instability, historical conflicts, and resource mismanagement. The nation is plagued by internal power struggles among mandarins and political factions. Additionally, Yan's history is marked by conflict with the Feranmuts, particularly the Sui, and the aftermath of a unified empire built on subjugation. Furthermore, Yan struggles with development and educational inequalities in rural areas, along with issues related to Originium pollution and resource allocation.

Considering all of this plus his own preference, for now the suitable location seemed to be the Yan Country.

Closing the book in his hands, Felix wrapped his coat tightly around himself and stepped out of the campus gates. The sky had already turned dark, even though it was only around five o'clock. He walked toward Rhine Lab, where the New Year's party was being held.

Swiping his ID card at the front entrance, he stepped through the long corridor that led to the meeting room.

When he opened the door, he was welcomed by the warm glow of orange lights. Playing softly in the background was a classic Leithanien-era tune—a gentle, melancholic blues melody drifting from the cash register speakers.

"Good evening, Felix~"

Muelsyse waved at him cheerfully. Felix nodded in return. Besides the two of them, Kristen and Saria were engaged in a quiet conversation, wine glasses in hand. They greeted Felix with polite smiles and nods. Ahrens sat by the window, staring silently outside. Ferdinand, on the other hand, was on the phone, speaking quickly—likely discussing a business order.

As Felix approached, he overheard snippets of the conversation confirming his guess.

"I was originally planning to hold this party at the end of the year," Muelsyse said as she walked over with a glass of champagne in hand, passing it to Felix with a playful wink. "But, well, family reunions are best left for the year's end, right?"

"You've worked hard today. Kristen told me Professor Mei was impressed by your performance. She didn't expect you to handle such an intense workload... turns out you're a genius."

"This is the only way to keep up with all the other geniuses," Felix replied with a small smile. "Everyone here is incredibly talented. I can't afford to fall behind."

Only six people attended the New Year's party, but it was far from dull—in fact, the atmosphere was vibrant. Felix and Ferdinand chatted non-stop, naturally shifting the topic to mecha upgrades. Ferdinand had just secured funding from Kristen to enhance their mecha designs, aiming to make them more agile. He was even scheduled to meet a client for dinner later that evening.

"Ferdinand, you're not spending New Year's like this with your wife?"

"What are you saying? Rhine Lab comes first." Ferdinand chuckled, his lips curling into an ambitious smile. A gleam of determination flickered in his eyes. "If this order goes through, I guarantee next year's expansion will bring in even more investment projects!"

Felix nodded. "If there's anything you need, just let me know."

"Mm."

After eating a bit to settle his stomach, Ferdinand said his goodbyes to everyone and left.

After watching two movies, Ahrens couldn't help but head upstairs to sleep. As a middle-aged man, his body simply couldn't handle staying up late like it used to.

"So boring. What are you guys doing?"

Muelsyse lay sprawled out on the sofa, her slender figure fully on display. She rolled over lazily and said, "Kristen, Saria, Felix, shall we dance?"

"Like when you first joined the company?"

"Of course."

Muelsyse replied with full confidence. "I even practiced ballroom dancing for this. Who's going to hold my hand?"

Kristen gave a faint smile, while Saria looked mildly exasperated. Felix set down his champagne glass, took Muelsyse's hand, and pulled her gently up from the sofa.

Two people could dance a traditional ballroom routine; four people could rotate in a wheel dance, switching partners as the music played. After finishing one song with Muelsyse, Felix took Kristen's hand, and then danced with Saria as well.

By the end, all four of them were holding hands and doing a silly dance together.

Kristen looked slightly embarrassed, Saria's lips curved upward ever so slightly, Muelsyse was all smiles with narrowed eyes—and Felix, he was simply enjoying the moment.

The pure, unburdened life at Rhine Lab could captivate any researcher's heart.

---

With the arrival of the new year, Terra's calendar turned to 1090, and the initial phase of Rhine Lab's expansion officially began.

At the start of the year, witnessed by a host of investors and shareholders, Rhine Lab formally adopted a departmental structure. The General Construction Department branched into several parallel departments overseeing research and operations. Kristen was appointed as the "General Director" of Construction. Saria took charge of the Defense Department. Yara became Director of Human Resources. Muelsyse led the Ecology Department. Ferdinand Clooney assumed responsibility for the Energy Department. Ahrens Parvis headed the Structure Department. And Felix was named Director of the Mechanical Power Department.

Each of them received new work badges and uniforms. Previously, Rhine Lab's uniforms were purely white, no different from those of any other tech company. However, at Yara's suggestion, the new designs were tailored to suit the nature of each department and its director. Kristen's uniform was primarily white and gold, complementing her long blonde hair. Saria's was a streamlined defensive outfit, built for mobility. Muelsyse's featured tones of green and white, evoking images of vibrant natural vegetation.

Felix paid particular attention to his own design. This reform marked a new beginning for the company, and everything—from the ground up—had to feel refreshed and forward-looking.

His research coat remained white, but now included accents of green and gold, along with practical storage pockets. The clothing beneath was black. At a glance, it was somewhat similar to Muelsyse's, but Felix's had that additional touch of gold that set it apart.

The expansion was projected to be completed by mid-year. With the official announcement of Rhine Lab's development, it was expected that many fresh graduates eager to join would soon arrive for interviews.

At the same time, Yara was also in the midst of planning a scientific exhibition that would tour various regions throughout Columbia. This approach, commonly used by prominent tech companies, was an excellent way to raise public awareness and build prestige. In response, the seven senior executives of Rhine Lab were informed during a boardroom meeting that they would need to present their department's strengths at the exhibition, which was tentatively scheduled for March this year.

It wasn't a big problem for Felix. In the eyes of the Colombian Army and the Pioneer Association, he had already become known as the "Father of Drones." At the very least, the military had become a stable and loyal client of Rhine Lab, and the Ranger-class crossbow drone module had earned widespread praise and acceptance.

Displaying the Ranger wasn't out of the question—but at this stage, his knowledge had advanced further, and he needed to aim higher for the sake of Rhine Lab.

Currently, he was working in the studio with Snowsant to build a new drone. After nearly a month of effort, they finally completed it according to the blueprint. It was also Snowsant's first major project, and her bright, excited expression brought a smile to Felix's face.

The blueprint for this drone, naturally, came from his "rolled" knowledge. Its official designation: [Prototype X]. It could be equipped with three unique modular loadouts. The first was the explosive bomb module, which, as the name suggested, allowed it to drop explosive payloads upon approaching enemies—inflicting massive damage. The second was the spell module, which traded off flight speed to make room for larger spell-based weaponry. Under the control of a Caster, it could perform long-range magical attacks. The third was the shield armor module, which enhanced its defenses with additional armor, making it harder to destroy.

In addition to the Prototype drone, Felix also brought out several mechanical designs he had long kept in the bottom drawer of his cabinet—blueprints that rarely had a chance to see the light of day. Since it was an exhibition, it needed to showcase a full spectrum of innovation. Otherwise, displaying only destructive weaponry might give the public the impression that Rhine Lab was little more than a militarized tech company.

Rhine Lab is not a military industrial complex, for now.

Felix was confident: once the Prototype drone debuted, the military would undoubtedly scramble to get their hands on it.

He casually asked Ferdinand what he planned to exhibit.

Ferdinand's answer: "Mecha."

Felix simply responded nonchalantly, though deep down he doubted Ferdinand would pass the scrutiny of the ever-discerning Yara.

By February, Felix was about to complete his studies. With just one month left before graduation, his dissertation was nearly finished. In another month, he would officially become a proud doctoral graduate—a fact that had stirred no small amount of unrest in Columbia's scientific circles. The old guard of scholars scoffed at the news, refusing to believe that such a "monstrous" student could exist. They dismissed the Maylander Foundation's announcement as sheer nonsense.

At the end of February, the Maylander Foundation organized a seminar. All the directors of Rhine Lab, led by Kristen, were in attendance. Also present were researchers closely affiliated with the Foundation, professors from several leading scientific universities in Trimount, and a number of long-established figures in the academic community.

Wearing his Rhine Lab research uniform, Felix stood at the podium, unfazed by both supportive and skeptical gazes. He spoke with composure and clarity:

"...Urbanization is accelerating, and the limitations of urban spatial development have become a pressing challenge. We must reconsider the layout and architecture of our cities.

My research is grounded in a deep understanding of vitality, mechanical innovation, and forward-thinking urban development. This synthesis may offer cities a more intelligent and adaptive management system—capable of responding to change and optimizing resource usage…"

"...This vision isn't driven purely by technological ambition, but also by necessity. As urban populations grow, land resources will become increasingly scarce. Therefore, extending cities into the sky may be a viable solution—introducing a new approach to urban planning and social organization…"

"...Of course, we must also consider the challenges of such a future: airspace governance, safety, and sustainability. In striving for this vision, we must maintain open scientific, ethical, and societal discussions—ensuring that this transformation is both comprehensive and sustainable…"

"...In the world of tomorrow, humanity will soar freely through the skies, looking down upon the Terra and welcoming the dawn of a new era. Thank you."

Kristen's eyes sparkled with an unreadable brilliance. Saria gave a small, approving nod. Muelsyse looked as though she might burst with excitement, eager to be the first to applaud. Yara, noticing the sour expressions on the old guard's faces, quietly chuckled to herself. Ahrens exhaled a long, satisfied sigh. And Ferdinand clenched his fists below the table in quiet triumph.

'Got it.'