Arknights: I became an NPC in the online game

The players in Barichara Town were in high spirits. The Pioneer had returned once again to sell goods, a recurring event they eagerly looked forward to. Those who had missed the opportunity to visit the Pioneer Store before now felt blessed by fortune. Smiles lit up their faces as they happily purchased profession manuals from Felix.

Naturally, many players took notice of the trio that had been traveling alongside the Pioneer. Envy simmered beneath their admiration. Dandao Dantart, full of energy, accepted a sparring challenge from a high-level player—and easily crushed his opponent, thanks to his superior equipment. The effortless victory left him glowing with satisfaction.

Magic ZX and Qiu Muyu remained popular among the crowd. One was a well-known content creator with a sizable fanbase, and the other a beautiful girl with an air of charm. Both were swarmed by players eager to ask questions and exchange gossip.

Senomi, meanwhile, was sound asleep in the car. It was the first time she had ever traveled such a long distance. Felix drove smoothly and steadily the entire way. Nestled in Degenbrecher's arms, she slept peacefully—after all, Degenbrecher made her feel safe.

As for the imposing figure of Degenbrecher, who stood quietly by Felix's side, her presence sparked even more murmurs among the players.

When did the Pioneer recruit such a stunning subordinate? they wondered.

Her sharp eyes and striking blond hair left a strong impression. More than a few male players instantly developed a fondness for her, joining the ranks of "big sister" fans. Their envy toward the lucky trio traveling with Felix only deepened, and many eagerly approached him, hoping to trigger a quest.

"These people... they're weak, but remarkably adaptable. One must admire their courage," Degenbrecher commented, brushing off her gloves.

She had just effortlessly floored a player who had challenged her to a duel. As she watched the player's figure vanish into particles of light, confusion flickered in her eyes.

"I heard from the mayor that they suddenly showed up in town one day, in large numbers. For wanderers, isn't that... a little much?"

"They're not just wanderers," Felix said with a soft chuckle, having just finished handling a group of overly enthusiastic female players who tried to throw themselves at him. "I prefer to call them adventurers. They're driven by a love for exploration and excitement. Fearless, even in the face of stronger enemies. They're the purest form of adventurers this world has ever seen."

He glanced at the spot where the defeated player had disappeared. "And more importantly—they don't die."

Degenbrecher's eyes narrowed slightly as she watched the player who had been obliterated just moments earlier return, fully intact and brimming with energy. This time, however, the instant their eyes met, the player bolted in the opposite direction.

As he fled, he noticed with horror that his favorability score with the Pioneer had dropped to -10, and the Pioneer's personal store was now locked. Falling to his knees, he nearly burst into tears.

Of course, not every player chose death so recklessly. Many turned their curious gazes toward Degenbrecher instead, and some approached Magic ZX to ask about the identity of this mysterious "big sister."

"In the next video," Magic ZX replied with a knowing grin, "we'll definitely talk about this NPC. She has a deep connection with the Pioneer."

He didn't say anything more. Better to tease the audience first.

Degenbrecher looked sideways at Felix. "These people... they're terrifying. They don't die. Is that some kind of special Originium ability?"

"No scholar has been able to unravel their secret yet..." Felix replied. "But you're right—it would be frightening if they ever turned their blades against us. Then again, what if some of them chose to fight for us?"

He paused meaningfully.

"Did you know? In the distant land of Kazdel, both sides of the civil war have hired large numbers of what they call 'the undead'—using the undying to fight the undying."

"This is internal friction. Any force that doesn't have undead on their side will inevitably be at a disadvantage."

"Exactly. From now on, every nation will be scrambling to win over the undead."

Felix nodded. "I've already started doing that."

With most of the goods sold out, Felix didn't linger in Barichara Town any longer. Kazimierz wouldn't be revisited for some time. Once the three players got into the car, Degenbrecher gently cradled Senomi in her arms and stepped on the accelerator.

Kazdel was still a long way off. Driving in a straight line, it would take nearly two months to get there. If everything went smoothly, they should arrive by August at the latest. Since Felix had chosen the most direct route, their journey would take them through the Ursus Empire—and even through one of its mobile cities.

"This is... the Ursus Empire."

Magic ZX looked out the window at the guards patrolling in thick winter uniforms beneath the blazing sun and let out a sigh. Every region and power had its own unique customs and culture, and traveling this land felt like a living, breathing journey through Terra's complexity.

"The Ursus Empire has fought dozens of wars with Kazimierz," Felix began, offering a brief background. "It's a monarchy in Terra's north, marked by its vast territory, harsh environment, and immense military strength. At the same time, Ursus is infamous for its treatment of the infected. The government encourages discrimination and even forms special patrol units to hunt them down. Captured infected are often sent to labor camps in the northwest mines."

"This is horrible... Even if they're infected, they're still human beings." Qiu Muyu's voice was firm, her sympathy for the infected clear. As someone involved in the narrative herself, she naturally felt compassion for those suffering within it.

"In the eyes of Ursus," Felix said flatly, "the infected hold the lowest status imaginable."

He gently patted Senomi's head. She was trembling after hearing the story. "Mining is big business here. The profits are staggering. But for the infected, it's a death sentence. Extracting Originium accelerates their condition. They suffer, they die early... In the eyes of those in power, they're not people. They're not even tools. Just discarded, irredeemable garbage."

Degenbrecher was quiet. She knew Felix was a Sankta—but not like the ones she'd heard of. He felt different. An outlier among his kind. And now, she heard the sigh in his voice, the helplessness beneath his words... Was it possible that her boss, a Sankta from the Holy City of Laterano, actually held compassion for the infected? Did he carry a heart that longed to save them?

"We've cleared security. Don't worry—I have a pass," Felix said, trying to soothe Senomi as she leaned into him, seeking warmth.

Indeed, the identity of a messenger still carried considerable weight.

He would return to Ursus someday—but not yet. The time and reason weren't right. For now, he would avoid getting involved in this region's plot, at least until he reached a higher level.

Meanwhile, the three players riding in the car weren't just sitting idle while watching the story unfold. Dandao Dantart, a dedicated PVP player, accepted Felix's daily tasks and kept busy hunting or fighting infected creatures near their campsite. During one of these excursions, he encountered the powerful and awe-inspiring Jian—and later, approached Felix in private.

"Can Degenbrecher... teach me how to fight?"

Felix sensed Dandao Dantart's desire to grow stronger. In response, he assigned a task—allowing Dandao Dantart three chances each day to challenge Degenbrecher in duel practice. He also spoke with Degenbrecher beforehand, and she did not object. To her, dealing with players who couldn't even hold a sword properly was just a way for the boss to help her maintain her physical condition.

It didn't take long before Dandao Dantart were caught in a daily cycle of agony and exhilaration.

Magic ZX, meanwhile, stuck close to Felix every day, constantly asking about the history of the land, the relationships between factions, and the unique traits of different races. Felix knew he was gathering material for a popular science video. Since this information only covered the basic settings of the Ark and didn't involve any real secrets, he casually shared a selection of simplified historical facts during their conversations.

As for Qiu Muyu, she took on the role of caring for Senomi. A kind-hearted female player, she was moved to tears after hearing Senomi's painful past. This reaction startled Senomi—she thought she'd said something wrong or caused trouble. Terrified, she looked around nervously, as though expecting punishment. Felix stepped in, comforted her with a few gentle words, and only then did she begin to calm down.

Naturally, Degenbrecher was also tasked with Senomi's training. Physical drills and reaction exercises alternated daily. Senomi, determined to repay Felix's kindness, trained diligently without ever uttering a single complaint.

...

In Kazimierz, within the Chamber of Commerce, several middle-aged men gathered in a conference room for a private meeting. On the screen before them was a recent report from a mobile city—highlighting a sharp increase in reports about homeless individuals.

"Where are all these wanderers coming from?" one of them asked, perplexed. "They're not infected, but they refuse to stay in their villages and try to enter mobile cities without passes or identification. Who are these country bumpkins?"

"I received the same report," another said. "I don't know which settlement they're from. In my opinion, we should keep the current policy. If you encounter vagrants without proper identification, drive them away. Show no mercy."

"I agree. The public's mood has been unstable since the Black Knight's championship win and sudden disappearance. We still haven't identified the mastermind behind the Black Knight's support. Gentlemen, as the old saying goes in Yan Country: 'Before resisting foreign threats, you must stabilize your own nation.' After everything that's happened, internal stability is our top priority."

"Wasn't the Black Knight sold to our partner? Is there any chance she could return?"

"None. That partner invested a lot in this operation. Every order involves five or six figures. He belongs to the pro-Business Federation faction. He wouldn't break our agreement on a whim."

"The Black Knight and her companions have already left Kazimierz. We don't need to worry about her anymore. Focus all our resources on supporting the Light Knight and the Green Flow Knight."

"The Armorless Union has been in disarray lately. It's time they were reminded of their place. If it weren't for the missions and funding we provide through the Business Federation, they'd have starved to death by now."

Several people reached a consensus and nodded to each other.

As for the matter of the "Wanderer" players, they had long since forgotten about them. In their eyes, there was no real difference between the current players and the wanderers—they were all the same.

Other factions remained unaware that Kazdel had players already throwing mud at each other. All they knew from the messengers was that Kazdel was embroiled in a civil war. None of them realized that even the wanderers had begun to fight among themselves.

After all, this wasn't a blue planet blanketed with digital signals. Within a mobile city, information could still be transmitted, but between cities—or even countries—the delays and difficulties were immense.

By early August, Felix finally arrived in Kazdel—just as it was marked on the map.

Kazdel's territory was the smallest of all the major powers, the result of past wars in which multiple countries had joined forces to invade it.

Kazdel did have mobile cities, but their scale and capacity were much smaller compared to those in other nations.

As the pickup truck rolled over scorched earth, Felix let out a sigh. Players who chose the Sarkaz race and were born in Kazdel were truly unfortunate. After the closed beta ended, the newbie village had been bombed into ruin. With war raging constantly, it had become impossible for beginner towns to survive. Players had no choice but to pick a side quickly—neutrality simply wasn't an option.

The country was now in a state of total anarchy. If Felix wanted to find any official authority... there was nowhere to look.

As for the main storyline here, Felix knew little. He hadn't chosen the Sarkaz race in his previous life. Around this time, he was still messing around in a novice town, far from this war-torn land. Aside from a few significant characters introduced later in the game, he could only name two people from all of Kazdel—Theresis and Theresa.

The first impression upon entering Kazdel was that war had never truly ceased. The land remained scorched and dark, burned by repeated bombings. Forests stood bare, blackened by fire. Wildlife had long vanished. It was a land utterly unfit for human survival.

Felix recalled the history of Kazdel. In his previous life, he had read posts on the forums, where players had dug up background lore.

The Sarkaz harbored a deep hatred and resentment toward other races and factions on Terra. Long ago, they had been invaded by numerous nations and nearly wiped out. The older generation of Sarkaz retained a fierce bloodlust, fueled by memories of massacres at the hands of the Terrans. They viewed Terrans not as fellow humans, but as mortal enemies—nothing more.

If the Sarkaz were ever to relinquish their hatred, Terra would first have to abandon its prejudice and discrimination. But how could such centuries-old hatred be resolved? The Sarkaz had already been branded with countless negative labels. This was a blood feud that could not be undone.

As players, of course, we could only view such endless war as a kind of spectacle. After all, what did their life-and-death struggle have to do with us?

However, as an NPC, Felix also felt troubled by all this. The older generation was already gone, and the hatred they carried could not simply be laid to rest. How could he expect forgiveness? If a mere apology could resolve everything, why would war be necessary in the first place?

Was it really necessary to wipe out all the Sarkaz? Expel them completely from this world, leaving none alive? Felix was not a failed art student from Leithanien.

Alas, Columbia had already reached for the stars over a decade ago, yet Kazdel was still trapped in endless warfare. Felix felt a headache coming on—he could only take things one step at a time.

"There's a camp up ahead… Degenbrecher."

"I see."

Felix gently patted Senomi's head, then turned and gestured to the players not to get out of the vehicle. He armed himself with dual pistols as the back hood of the pickup truck opened silently. A dozen rangers stood ready. Degenbrecher, sword in hand, stood at his side.

The sound of movement drew the attention of nearby Sarkaz mercenaries, who approached with swords strapped to their backs. The moment they saw the cold, composed Sankta leading the group, they immediately drew their blades and charged at Felix.

Degenbrecher's expression remained calm. She stepped forward in a blur and intercepted them before they could reach Felix. With a swift and powerful kick, she sent one mercenary flying. Her longsword sliced effortlessly through another's breastplate, and with a clean motion, she knocked out the last ferocious attacker.

After executing the smooth series of moves, Degenbrecher returned to Felix's side. Her breathing was steady, her heartbeat unfazed. To her, this wasn't even a warm-up.

"It's you! How are you still alive after that natural disaster?!"

One of the mercenaries suddenly shouted in shock. Felix turned toward the voice but didn't recognize the man's face.

"You don't remember me? I captured your squad over a year ago. I was waiting for your people to ransom you… but then the natural disaster hit." The mercenary gave a greasy shrug.

Felix didn't recall his face—he looked painfully average—but since the man could describe the incident in such detail, he was probably telling the truth.

"Do you have time to talk? I don't intend to fight."

"Fine… but tell your bodyguards to keep their distance during the negotiation."