Arknights: I became an NPC in the online game

For the first time, Ulšulah truly realized that her employer was insane—driving a pickup truck straight onto an active battlefield. Although the fighting hadn't started yet that day, there was no telling whether the undead on either side might suddenly see the vehicle as a threat and charge at it with reckless abandon.

The roar of the engine caught the attention of the "Undead" players. One by one, they gathered at the perimeter of the camp, standing on tiptoe to peer in the direction of the sound.

"Did another army send reinforcements? Supply units wouldn't be driving through here, right? Damn, the rations here in Theresis are awful. Seeing Yan players eating well every day—real meat, real drinks—makes me so jealous!"

"That doesn't sound like a transport truck. Which suicidal NPC is out here patrolling the battlefield?"

"Ugh, I regret picking Sarkaz. It's nothing but fighting. Every time I die in PVP, I lose experience. What a terrible deal. I should've picked a different race—I might've had a normal starting questline at least."

"You're so shallow. People pick Sarkaz because they want to lick the feet and tails of the hot Sarkaz girls!"

The players' banter might have been amusing in short bursts, but this was their daily reality. From login to logout, it was nonstop PVP.

Even hardcore PVP veterans were growing exhausted. Fighting all day, every day, wasn't just mentally draining—it was punishing. Sure, you could gain experience quickly, but dying meant losing it just as fast, and the death timer only made things worse.

Some ordinary Sarkaz players had started to envy the peaceful lives of other races.

Look at Columbia players, they'd think. They can stop by cafés on their way to quests, sipping coffee and indulging in their bougie roleplay.

Or the Yan players—eating real Chinese food every day, spicy hotpots, sweet dishes, sour snacks—and being served by charming cheongsam girls who actually boost favorability.

And Kazimierz? Don't even get started. How many times had the Pioneer visited them already? Those players didn't even know how good they had it.

Sarkaz players longed for a Pioneer to come sell them gear or supplies. But when they saw the one driving toward them was a Sankta, despair set in all over again. A Sankta NPC in Kazdel? Was he looking to die?

Some players were already thinking of deserting. They were sick of the endless war and just wanted to relax somewhere under the sun with a nice cup of afternoon tea. To hell with the war. They just wanted to lie flat.

Then, the pickup truck rolled to a stop in the center of the battlefield. The engine cut out. A Sankta with a golden halo stepped down from the driver's seat.

"Hey... does that military pickup look familiar?"

"Wait a sec—someone just got out—holy crap, it's a Sankta! No, it's the Pioneer!"

"Aaaaaaah! I'm a Pioneer's loyal dog from now on! Nobody stop me—I'm going to buy some equipment!"

With the release of Magic ZX's first video, every player came to know the mysterious NPC who sold weapons, gear, and profession books. The Sarkaz players were no exception. Their most common complaint? That it was a pity this enigmatic figure belonged to the Sankta race. After all, they were Sarkaz—angels and demons couldn't be friends. And players? They were just as jealous.

But now, today of all days, they discovered that the Pioneer had actually arrived on the Kazdel battlefield?

From Magic ZX's video, they had learned that this Pioneer harbored no deep-seated hatred toward the Sarkaz. On the contrary, he was an unusually special protagonist-type NPC—broad-minded, principled, and noble in character. Now that he had come here personally… maybe, just maybe, they could trade with him?

The players were visibly stirred. Their excitement only grew when they noticed three players disembarking from the pickup truck—obviously the ones who had triggered a hidden quest. After speaking briefly with the Pioneer, the three split into two groups and headed toward opposing camps.

It didn't go unnoticed that their equipment was visibly superior. Naturally, those closest to the water got to enjoy the moonlight first, and the rest of the Sarkaz players could only watch with burning envy.

Dandao Dantart arrived at Theresa's camp, carrying a bloodstained longsword. During his earlier conversation with the Pioneer, he had triggered a quest: [Pioneer's Request]. The mission required him to clarify the Pioneer's neutrality to both factions. The adventurers from Kazimierz had learned of the ongoing conflict in Kazdel and, concerned about the health and supplies of fellow adventurers, had come with good intentions—hoping to delay the conflict, if only temporarily. At the same time, they could offer supplies and equipment for sale, should either side be in need.

Dandao Dantart was met by players aligned with Theresa's army. Much like the Theresis faction, the true decision-makers were several gaming guilds and a handful of high-level players. However, unlike Theresis, which had backing from professional teams like Dynasty, Theresa's side lacked that kind of support.

"Wait, Dandao Dantart—you're saying the Pioneer is offering us weapons and supplies?" asked Yang YanXF, clad in plain mercenary garb that looked worlds apart from Dandao Dantart's shining armor. "But isn't the Pioneer Sankta? Why would he help us?"

Dandao Dantart simply shrugged.

"You should've seen the first video from the Magic ZX. His reason for coming to Kazdel has nothing to do with race. According to him, we're all humans living on this land—there's no hierarchy."

"As for how he even knew about you? He heard a player mention it back in Kazimierz… and remembered."

Yang YanXF let out a long sigh.

"An NPC like that… really is protagonist material."

Dandao Dantart raised an eyebrow.

"No protagonist-type NPCs in Kazdel?"

Yang YanXF smiled bitterly.

"It's… hard to explain. We don't even have a proper main city here. And those Sarkaz high-level officials? They treat us like trash. If it weren't for the money, experience, and loyalty contribution points from the missions, we'd have bailed a long time ago."

Meanwhile, over in Theresis territory, Magic ZX and Qiu Muyu were delivering the same explanation. The Dynasty Team members accepted it without hesitation. After all, they were here for rewards and experience points—not to get entangled in the politics or reasons behind the war.

The Pioneer's appearance was a stroke of luck.

And as professionals, they weren't going to say no to that.

The players' attitude mirrored that of the Dynasty Team. Truthfully, after fighting for so long, everyone was growing weary of war. Without rewards, who would willingly risk their life on the battlefield day after day?

Ulšulah stood beside Felix.

"You don't seriously intend to talk and do business with the undead, do you?"

"Why not?"

"Their origins are unknown, their birthplace is a mystery, their Originium abilities are undocumented, and not a single one of them is infected. Even if they are technically Sarkaz, they don't behave or look like Sarkaz," Ulšulah replied calmly.

"It would be nice if the high-ranking royal court officials thought the same way."

Ulšulah: "…"

She couldn't shake the feeling of being subtly insulted.

Just then, she heard footsteps. To her surprise, the so-called undead—who fought ferociously without fear of death—had actually left their camp and were moving toward the center.

Instinctively, Ulšulah stepped forward, ready to shield Felix from any potential attack. But in the next moment, her wrist was gently caught by Felix.

"Stay back. They mean no harm."

Ulšulah glanced at her employer, then shook off his hand gently. Folding her arms, she leaned against the pickup truck with a look that said, "I wanted to protect you, and you didn't appreciate it—so now I'm annoyed."

Degenbrecher chuckled at the scene.

As the three players who had been walking at the front approached, Felix issued their quest rewards and then took his place at the center point, beginning to speak.

"I am a Pioneer. I come from Kazimierz."

"I heard from your companions that you all once came from the same shelter, only to be separated along the way. Now you've arrived on Kazdel's battlefield, joining opposing armies in this ongoing conflict."

"But rather than calling you undead, I prefer to see you as adventurers—individuals who stepped onto this land to pursue your own goals. War may be endless, but I hope to create a sliver of hope here in Kazdel."

As his simple, heartfelt words fell, two system prompts appeared before the players:

---

[The Pioneer's Store is now open to you]

[You have triggered the B-level prize pool quest: "Flowers on the Battlefield"]

[Quest Description: A mysterious merchant claiming to be a Pioneer has arrived. With peace in his heart, he walks upon this scorched land bearing kindness. Regardless of race or history, he seeks to establish a town where the Sarkaz can temporarily rest, free from the ravages of war.]

---

"What the hell? It's a prize pool mission? And the guaranteed experience is 100,000? Am I seeing things? Did I accidentally type in an extra zero?"

"I remember the Pioneer's last prize pool quest—it was about hunting claw beasts... But this? This is more like a construction quest. We're building a town—collecting wood, stone, and other raw materials."

"So… does that mean the war's over?"

"You've got a Pioneer quest and you still want to go to war? Are you nuts? Even if we fight later, just stay far away from the town. I'm not risking the Pioneer's favor."

"Wait a sec—does this mean we get to live in that town? I've had it with our shabby, stinking camp."

The players approached Felix, whispering animatedly amongst themselves. Watching them, Ulšulah instinctively tensed, ready to grab Felix and escape at a moment's notice.

But when she saw the warm smiles on the faces of the undead, Ulšulah couldn't help but wonder—what was it about this employer, Sankta, that allowed him to connect with the undead so effortlessly, winning them over with just a few words? What kind of nonsense was this?

The players, meanwhile, had noticed the pink-haired beauty in a mercenary uniform and the blonde woman in military attire standing behind Felix. Their eyes lit up immediately.

"These two girls are all wrapped up… hehehe, I want to sniff their shoes and feet."

"Where did these two NPCs come from?"

"Bro, didn't you check the forums? That blonde lady's been with the Pioneer since he left Kazimierz. As for the pink-haired girl, she's probably a new NPC."

Ulšulah could feel the undead players' gazes lingering on her face—and even on her feet. A chill crept down her spine. Were these undead players planning to attack her?

Degenbrecher, however, paid no mind to the players' attention. Perhaps she had grown immune to it long ago. As a Black Knight who roamed the wilds, she had never lacked attention and had long since grown accustomed to being observed.

In Felix's shop, players found items tailored to various roles—pathfinders for reconnaissance and gathering, swords for melee fighters, crossbows for ranged attacks, and even rare staves. Staves were incredibly scarce—and pricey. Many players who had chosen the Sarkaz race had taken up the Warlock profession. But since they weren't infected, they couldn't freely wield Originium Arts, relegating them to logistics and supply roles until now.

But who didn't want to be a wizard shouting "Explosion!"? That was the dream!

On top of that, Felix offered high-durability, high-attack gear with actual attributes. Compared to the equipment distributed by the Sarkaz Army—chipped swords, dull knives, and low-durability, gray-quality mercenary uniforms—it was a night-and-day difference. No wonder the players had been complaining: You want us to fight, but you don't feed us? What kind of war are you waging here?

Suddenly, Felix's stall was flooded with players. They surrounded him with sparkling eyes, as though he were the very center of the universe. They pulled out all the Sarkaz currency and Lungmen coins they had hoarded over the past few months and began spending without hesitation. After reaching certain spending thresholds, they unlocked higher favorability ratings.

Even more exciting, they discovered new sub-professions listed in the bookshop—including the knight, Kazimierz's signature sub-class!

The players were thrilled by this. They could now learn Kazimierz's secrets without ever leaving their base. They were completely satisfied.

Felix had reaped a six-digit sum in assets and over 400,000 experience points from the players. The Sarkaz players had nowhere else to spend their money—no entertainment options, and the only available gear was subpar junk—so many had become hoarders. The wealth they had quietly accumulated far surpassed that of players from Kazimierz or Columbia.

Felix was pleased, and so were the players. But once the excitement settled, they began to carefully examine the mission details.

No clues? What was this—some sandbox survival game where you dig dirt, chop wood, and build everything from scratch?

In situations like this, asking the quest-giver directly was clearly the fastest route. Huang Tian Hou Tu, the captain of Team Dynasty, stepped forward and asked politely, "Mr. Pioneer, do you have any specific requirements for the town?"

"I'd like to build a town where both sides can communicate peacefully..."

Felix began to outline his vision for the settlement. The facilities were standard—residential zones, trade areas, development sectors, and agricultural fields... though the poor soil quality made crop growth a challenge.

As Felix spoke, a new prompt appeared in front of the players.

[Initial development town blueprint acquired]

With the blueprint in hand, players instantly gained access to a list of required resources, the quantities needed, and a series of side missions like animal taming. Even better, the team with the highest contribution would earn 50% of the experience from the prize pool!

With a team cap of 30 players, that meant every member of the top team could potentially reach level 7 or 8—maxing out both skill and feature levels.

"Hurrah for Mr. Pioneer!"