Arknights: I became an NPC in the online game

The Department of Mechanical Dynamics had grown into a division of over fifty researchers—about the same size as most other departments. The difference was that its director, Felix, was rarely around. News and directives usually passed through Yara, leaving every researcher to pursue their own projects.

To put it kindly, it was "a hundred flowers blooming." To put it bluntly, it was "flies buzzing without a head."

In other departments, researchers followed their directors closely. The Old Goat often brought his students along for experiments. Ferdinand, whenever he tested mechs with Felix, made sure his apprentices were there to record data and handle errands.

Those errands were growth opportunities, small but vital. Seen from afar, the other departments looked like manicured lawns. In contrast, the Department of Mechanical Dynamics was a wild, untamed forest.

"Director, you're here!"

Felix's arrival drew a flurry of attention. Dozens of gazes turned his way. He nodded back at them one by one, noting some new faces, fresh energy, and ideas. For Rhine Lab's future, that could only be a good sign.

The department had expanded. Multiple researchers now shared each studio, working either independently or in collaboration on different projects.

Feist and Snowsant weren't present—they were both studying at Trimount Institute of Technology. Feist, though about the same age as Snowsant, was technically her junior. To catch up on both middle and high school coursework in such a short span just to qualify for Trimont's grueling college entrance exams… Feist had worked tirelessly. Passion, perhaps, accounted for most of that effort.

Both were gems Felix had unearthed himself—his true protégés within Rhine Lab, much like the Old Goat and his student Silence in the other timeline. This life, however, Silence's entry into Rhine was still some time away.

Feist and Snowsant shared a genuine love for mechanical dynamics, and they weren't afraid of hammering steel with their own hands. Whether their futures lay in Rhine or on the broader frontier, they would shine in their own right.

The Hart siblings, meanwhile, were still in school. For now, their role was mostly to study and help with odd jobs. Felix didn't expect them to develop a deep passion for engineering like Feist or Snowsant. As long as they completed their tasks on time and stayed loyal, that was enough.

With his experience, answering researchers' questions was no challenge. His expertise as a specialist wasn't for show. After offering guidance to a few who were stuck in confusion, Felix moved into his personal workshop.

The Automaton—Clever. Even in the late stages of version 3.0, these rare constructs were seldom seen. The reasons were simple: the materials were notoriously hard to obtain, and skilled machinists were few. On top of that, only a handful of players had ever rolled the blueprint for it.

Even Felix, in his past life, had only seen such blueprints once at an auction. The price? He couldn't recall exactly—only that it was far beyond what he could afford.

It was because of this project that he had been living so frugally, every coin squeezed tight. The materials alone had devoured close to ten million. The Maylander Foundation hadn't exactly fleeced him, but the expense still felt like someone had carved flesh from his side.

Once he fully mastered the schematics and gained proficiency, he could downgrade the materials and cut costs, making each Automaton cheaper to build. But until then, the price was excruciating.

Before starting, he glanced at his engineer's advancement quest:

[Hack into enemy terminals and eliminate them via hacking (0/20)]

"Great… no relation to Automatons at all. That can wait."

Setting it aside, Felix began work. He picked up his tools and, with a craftsman's precision, set to grinding metal. A patient bar of progress crept forward as he worked. Then came more refining—other materials, one by one, prepared with care. Flames roared in the furnace, sparks bursting in every direction. Helmet on, Felix cut into steel, the grinder's edge shaving it into the shapes he required.

Felix had little trouble with coding. Ever since becoming an Engineer, his grasp of terminal systems had grown deeper. Terra had its own language and code, and after entering the commands into the program, he waited for the process bar to advance.

It wasn't the romanticized image of "many hands making light work." In reality, the production life of a craftsman meant repetition: progress bar, materials, progress bar, grinding, progress bar… again and again.

This time, Felix didn't distract himself with forums. Instead, he focused wholly, with the kind of reverence that made it feel as though every piece of equipment, every machine, held a soul of its own.

50%

For the Automaton's armor, he chose D32 steel, one of the toughest metals available. Typically used to craft weapons—whether rare cold arms sold for absurd sums on the black market, or Originium staves—this material gave the construct formidable durability.

60%

Dual-polar nanoplates formed its inner circuits, enabling it to run programs and granting it antigravity flight. Alongside this, the Automaton carried modules for high-beam illumination, heating, cooling, and even basic speech.

75%

A bonding agent sealed in the volatile Originium components within, ensuring an almost endless lifespan. As long as the construct wasn't destroyed by external force, the internal Originium cycle would run indefinitely.

90%

Sintered core crystals lined the armor, Originium layers, and central engine. These acted as conduits, translating Felix's commands precisely into the Automaton's neural core, granting it genuine autonomy.

100%

The finishing touch: crystalline electronic units, forming its "eyes." Equipped with scanning, thermal imaging, and telescopic vision, they allowed the Automaton to truly see the world around it.

By the time the work was done, it was deep into the night. Only a lone lamp lit the workshop. As the progress bar ticked to completion, Felix exhaled, relief washing over him.

Every machine… every construct… carries its own life, its own soul.

A faint smile crept across his face as he gazed down at the Automaton resting in his hands.

[Automaton 'Clever' – Zero]

[Quality: Purple]

[Durability: 9000/9000]

[Requirements: Intelligence 40]

[Abilities: Electro-Shock — releases an arcing electric net, damaging and with a chance to paralyze enemies]

[Trait: Forged from D32 steel, greatly increasing durability]

That durability… it nearly rivaled Helena's Sorrow. And to think it was purple quality. Honestly, most of that came from the exorbitant materials he had poured in. At his current level, crafting one of these should have only yielded blue quality at best.

At that moment, his Machinist quest registered complete. His subclass advanced from Apprentice Machinist to Machinist's Assistant. After pouring in the accumulated experience, he scraped his way to level 20, gaining 20 free attribute points. A fully-leveled Machinist's Assistant granted him +1 Strength, +2 Dexterity, and +3 Intelligence.

Adding in his saved points, Felix now held a staggering 90 free attributes. His skill Basic Mechanical Crafting had also upgraded to Intermediate Mechanical Crafting.

His overall level climbed by five, but the real thrill came from reaching the fourth tier. He flexed his body, testing himself—but there was little change physically. That was to be expected. A production profession was still, at its core, about production. Most of the growth was poured into Intelligence.

For now, Felix ignored the attribute points he had just gained and focused his gaze on the Automaton.

As the program booted up, the construct slowly lifted into the air under his watchful eyes. It scanned the surroundings before hovering obediently at his side.

This wasn't true artificial intelligence—at least not yet. It was a machine waiting for his commands. Still, Felix was satisfied. For now, this result was exactly what he had hoped for.

"Scan materials."

"Command accepted."

The Automaton lowered itself, manipulating magnetic force as it drifted toward the pile of supplies in the corner. After a basic scan, it responded in a flat, formulaic tone:

"Scan complete. Material: D32 steel."

"Not bad. Not bad at all."

Preloading data really made a difference. Felix looked at the small floating machine, unable to hide the delight in his eyes. From here on, all it would take was a long period of training—feeding the Automaton more and more information.

He didn't bother giving it a fancy name. After thinking it over, he decided to simply call it Automaton or Clever. Keeping things straightforward. Once he programmed it to perform periodic scans and circle around him during flight, he finally exhaled and collapsed into his chair.

He had done it. In the early days of version 1.0, he had created mechanical equipment that shouldn't have existed until the late stages of 3.0. The Automaton's birth carried extraordinary significance for him. He had once again broken through the timeline, surpassing the age of his previous life.

This technology, however, was not something he intended to sell. The Automaton was too important. Its functions far too versatile. In the wrong hands—whether the military or criminal groups—it could evolve warfare itself and spark a revolution. Even though the wars of the future would no longer be fought with swords and spears, but with overwhelming firepower, the implications were dangerous.

He had to push his Craftsman class further. It was time to begin researching vehicles.

Outside, Rhine Lab's grounds rested in peaceful silence, but within its walls the lights still burned bright. Felix didn't even need to check to know—Ferdinand was almost certainly working late again. And Felix understood him. Ferdinand carried a deep passion for science, even a kind of romance for it, and a sincere devotion to Rhine Lab. Of all the department heads, he was the one Felix got along with best.

It wasn't about research direction. It was about outlook. Both of them saw their projects as products—things that could be sold, leveraged, and turned into benefits for Rhine Lab.

Prototype drones… It was about time to add new modules. Keeping the military hooked on their tech was the key.

After clocking out and leaving the workshop, Felix spotted Muelsyse sitting in the courtyard. She was surrounded by lush greenery, her plants curling around her like a quiet embrace. She lifted her head toward the night sky, eyes clear as water.

Hearing footsteps, the water elf turned her face slightly. Joy and a warmth that melted the heart softened her gaze.

"You're here. I've been waiting for a long time."

"…Sorry."

Felix smiled faintly. Muelsyse took a few steps toward him, her attention immediately caught by the construct floating at his side. Her lips parted slightly.

"This… is your new research?"

"Yes. I just finished making it."

He took her hand and explained the Automaton's functions and advantages. The more she listened, the wider her eyes grew.

"This is a breakthrough for its time."

"Maybe. But even if I hadn't made it, someone else would have figured it out in a few years. I've just gotten there first."

There was no pride in his voice—only honesty. "I don't plan on revealing the Automaton to the military. Once Columbia has access to equipment like this… war and the future itself will change."

"I understand."

Muelsyse nodded gently. Watching as he put the Automaton away, she lowered her voice.

"So… you've only told me about this?"

"Mm. Let's call it our little secret."

The fewer who knew, the better. But with Muelsyse, Felix didn't mind sharing. Their bond had already grown close. And even if Kristen learned of it, he wouldn't act against him. From the early days of Rhine Lab's founding to his role now as chief executive, Kristen had always kept a respectful distance from the department heads' projects. Supportive, but never overbearing.

"It's late already… How about a midnight snack?"

Muelsyse tugged Felix's hand, leading him forward. "I know a bar—Saria recommended it to me once. I never wanted to go alone, so I thought I'd wait until you came back."

"Sounds good. I'm a proper, legal adult now. Let's celebrate our reunion with a drink."

Columbia at night still held its own rhythm. A few restless kids were skateboarding and partying in the plaza, while only a handful of liquor stores and bars kept their doors open. Felix held Muelsyse's soft, delicate hand as he pushed open the door to the bar for her.

"Rhine Lab researchers? Take a seat."

Recognition didn't surprise either of them. They sat facing each other, ordered some small dishes and drinks, and let their eyes wander toward the night outside the window.

The phonograph played a mellow, wistful blues tune. The bar's atmosphere was easy and light. Muelsyse reached across the table, interlacing her fingers with Felix's. From the corner of her eye, she cast him a furtive glance, only to pull back shyly and turn her face toward the window again.

Her soft, pointed ears had already flushed with a rose-pink hue.

"How's Tomorrow's Development going?" she asked.

"Short on people and contracts, but it's only just begun. I'm not in any rush."

Felix gently kneaded her slender fingers, teasing her palm with a playful scratch. Muelsyse bit her lip, cheeks burning, and retaliated with a quick squeeze of his hand.

"The distance is the hard part. Even with a water clone, I can't stay by your side all the time."

"True. But the days of being together again—living together—aren't far off."

"L-living together…"

"Haven't we already been living together all this time?"

Muelsyse gave a soft hum of assent, her voice small and hesitant. "Living together only really counts if… if we sleep in the same bed."