Arknights: I became an NPC in the online game

After the New Year, Felix bid farewell to several acquaintances he had met in Lungmen. Before departing, he gave each of them a thoughtful parting gift.

To Nine, he presented a brand-new crossbow, custom-made just for her. It featured precision machining that enhanced its range. The weapon was designed in black, white, and red—colors that perfectly matched Nine's usual attire.

The gift was clearly given with care.

After their final training session, Nine sat beside Felix, sipping water.

"Nice to meet you, Pioneer. I hope we cross paths again someday."

"I hope you won't be injured the next time we do," Felix replied with a smile. "Working at the Guard Bureau seems exhausting—make sure you get some rest."

"Thanks for the reminder. I will…"

Nine turned her head slightly, her gaze distant for a moment before looking back at Felix.

"Thank you for the gift."

"As your friend, I don't have much to offer… but I sincerely wish you a safe journey."

"And I wish you good health."

Felix's tone softened. "Don't get caught in a dead end. Lungmen might be considered a paradise among many mobile cities, but the conflict between the infected and the uninfected still can't be resolved. As a Guard Bureau officer, Nine, you need to take care of yourself."

"I will. When you return, maybe I'll have made leader of the inspection team."

Nine smiled and raised her fist toward Felix.

"Thanks for everything these past few days."

"Likewise. It's been an honor. Until next time."

It wasn't a farewell marked by grief or finality—it was the kind of farewell exchanged between like-minded individuals wishing each other a bright future.

Felix's gift to the Snowsant was a brand-new set of tools, specially purchased from Dagu Plaza. True to her nature, Snowsant was shy and initially refused to accept them, but her grandmother stepped in to express her thanks and accepted the gift on her behalf.

In Yan culture, even a small act of kindness should be repaid a hundredfold. Snowsant took that lesson to heart. She walked Felix downstairs in place of her grandmother and gave him a grateful hug.

With everything settled, Felix fired up his engine and transported the two of them back to the starting town they had originally come from. Since Felix had previously stayed there, the town had gained considerable attention and had grown in size. Many players had gathered, clearly eager for the Pioneer's return. They came prepared with experience points and LMD, ready to spend at Felix's shop.

However, Felix didn't have much inventory left. He had spent little time forging recently, and he'd need to restock once he reached Victoria. In a frenzy, players bought out all his remaining goods and career books from the bookstore. In one go, Felix earned a million LMD and over 100,000 experience points.

He had no plans to go to Higashi. Taking the long route wasn't an option with his current schedule. Besides, most players in Higashi had already migrated toward Yan's border, leaving few behind. A separate trip just for them wouldn't be worth the effort.

After resting for a night in the town, Felix waved goodbye to the reluctant players and embarked on a new journey.

His destination this time was Victoria.

He would pass by the border of Kazdel, through Siracusa, and circle around Leithania before arriving in Victoria.

Victoria is a monarchy steeped in ancient ruling traditions. It is governed by the Draco and Aslan clans, who emphasize hegemony and expansion, with the ambition of establishing a world order centered around Victoria and ushering in a new era for the nation.

In ancient times, Victoria was ruled by the warlike Draco race, until the arrival of the Aslan. After a brutal conflict, the Aslan clan seized control, securing their right to rule. This dramatic shift in power is still preserved in the oral traditions of wandering singers and poets.

The historic treaty between the Dracos and Aslans granted the Aslans the right to claim the title of king, and for countless years thereafter, Victoria has been dominated by three major powers, including these two ancient clans.

The Draco and Aslan races are not available as player character options—which is entirely reasonable. After all, if hordes of Dracos and Aslans suddenly appeared, Victoria would probably fall into civil strife overnight.

It's just like how players choosing the Sarkaz race can only select the more common species. If everyone could play as a Wendigo, Banshee, or Vampire... well, that would instantly turn the game into "Make Kazdel Great Again." or "Thousand-Year Reich" ambition might be born.

Long ago, Victoria's early pioneers left their homeland and migrated westward, eventually establishing what is now Columbia.

As a country bordering many others, Victoria has absorbed a wide array of cultural influences. Kazimierz's knightly tournaments, Yan's calligraphy and painting traditions, and more—all coexist here in a rich tapestry of culture.

The women of Victoria's upper class were truly refined. During his time in Victoria, Felix completed several mission chains and obtained detailed documents describing the comprehensive moral education of these noblewomen. It was also common for them to shuttle gracefully between various parties and manors.

After searching the forums to find out where Victoria's novice players were currently gathered, Felix stepped on the accelerator. Victoria has a two-tiered administrative structure consisting of mobile cities and counties.

Mobile cities require no introduction. Counties, by contrast, are smaller, immobile cities without mobile cores, meaning they cannot move. Fortunately, due to the rarity of natural disasters in Victoria, people there don't live in constant fear of being crushed by Catastrophe the next day.

Felix's destination was not a mobile city. His supplies were running low, and continuing toward a regularly moving mobile city would likely leave him hungry in the coming days. So, for the sake of replenishing his rations, he chose to stop in a county-level city.

At the city gate, Victoria's mounted police stood guard. After Felix presented his pass, they respectfully allowed him entry.

The full name of the county was Oak Grove County, named for the expansive oak forests surrounding it. Most of the residents here made their living through carpentry. Many branches of major furniture companies operated in the area, with factories and production centers set up throughout the city, creating a strong industrial atmosphere.

But the scenery here was truly beautiful, with the elegant scent of oak lingering in the air. The people living here led a more leisurely life—the hustle and bustle of a fast-paced world didn't belong to them.

There was a factory nearby, which meant Felix could replenish his supplies here. He suddenly felt that he might stay for a while. After working at the forge for some time, he could head to Novice Town—or maybe take a look at the Mobile City Cat. After all, he still had plenty of time.

Across the entire map, it was already late February. Felix parked the car in front of a hotel and booked two rooms. Muelsyse didn't need a room of her own, since she didn't control her water clones while sleeping at night anyway.

Once settled in, Degenbrecher and Senomi took a short rest. Senomi has been sitting in the truck for nearly two months, and her little rear had gone a bit numb. Now, lying on a soft bed, a faint smile formed on her sleeping face.

Felix, after enjoying the comfort of the bed himself, left the hotel after nightfall.

The best place in a city to catch wind of rumors was always a bar—not one in the upscale districts, but the kind frequented by ordinary people.

Bar culture in Victoria was thriving. It was common for people to come in after work for a drink, a chat, and some good old-fashioned gossip—a rare pastime in these parts.

Oak Grove County was mainly inhabited by Felines. When Felix stepped into the bar filled with Felines, the room fell momentarily silent, but soon returned to its usual bustle.

The interior reminded Felix of the Hog's Head Inn from the Harry Potter novels. Everyone wore stained, grimy clothes. The sticky floor hadn't seen a mop in ages.

"It's a stranger, and he doesn't even look like an adult," the bartender muttered, sounding a lot like someone named Bald Martin. Then he raised his eyes and said, "A Sankta—what are you doing here?"

"I'm a messenger, and I am of age."

Felix answered calmly, "I need to deliver messages across Victoria. Since I just arrived, it's only natural to gather information."

"Do all messengers have that habit?"

"No. Just me."

The bartender pushed a cheap beer toward him. Its alcohol content was low, but the price was right—common folk drank it more for the comfort of drunkenness than the taste.

Felix took a sip and said, "The area I'm staying in looks as elegant as a royal garden. It took me twenty minutes to walk here. But here—this place—it's no different from the downtown slums I saw in Lungmen. Something like this shouldn't exist in Victoria, or Oak Grove County."

"Why's that?"

The bartender sneered, but then his expression changed. He studied Felix's face carefully, confirming that there was no mockery in his words. This messenger wasn't the type to laugh at others' misfortune.

With a heavy sigh, he finally said, "Because we're from Tara."

The relationship between Tara and Victoria was akin to the real-world struggle between Ireland and Britain.

Victoria had risen through conquest and foreign wars. Tara, its neighbor, had been repeatedly attacked, and in the end, had no choice but to become part of Victoria.

After the Tara people became part of Victoria, they were never truly accepted. Instead of being treated as equals, they were oppressed in every possible way. Though they were given a more dignified title, their reality was harsh—they lived at the very bottom of society.

Victoria banned the use and development of the Tara national language, seeking to sever the cultural roots of the people. It forbade Tara nobles from holding private or large-scale gatherings to prevent any formation of local power. The old aristocratic class was retained, used as a tool to rule the people—Towers ruling over Towers—ensuring the disconnect between the social classes remained.

The once-proud Tara people had become second-class citizens, long since numbed by injustice.

Taran, drunk in the bar, had likely fallen into that same numbness.

"Mr. Messenger, I suggest you leave once you've finished your drink. The Tara curfew is approaching, and the Victoria police aren't exactly reasonable people." The bartender said this softly. "Don't come here too often. It's not safe."

Felix paid double the price for his drink. As he handed over a Victoria gold coin, the bartender looked momentarily stunned. "Mr. Messenger…"

"Take it. Intelligence has its price."

"But—"

Before he could finish, loud shouts and yelling erupted from the street, making Felix's expression turn serious. The bartender quickly knocked on the table and called out, "Time to go home, everyone."

The patrons muttered their dissatisfaction but rose unsteadily to their feet and began staggering toward the door. Many wore looks of frustration and flushed cheeks, clearly affected by the alcohol.

"It's curfew. What are you still doing here? What are you looking at? Go home now!"

"How many times do we have to say it—are you degenerates deaf? No gatherings on the street at night!"

"You hear me? Break curfew again, and you're looking at jail time and prison food!"

Several mounted Victoria police officers barked orders, rifles in hand.

"This is our home! We're not the ones who should be leaving!" someone in the crowd muttered indignantly.

One of the officers' expressions turned grim. "Who said that? Step forward, you scum!"

As tension rose, the people of Tara glared at the police with hatred. They longed to fight back, but had no weapons, only seething resentment.

"You. Step forward and tell me—who said that?"

The mounted officer sneered, randomly pointing at a woman who looked visibly uneasy. The other mounted officers advanced silently, their oppressive presence forcing the woman to stumble backward and collapse to the ground.

One officer gave a cold snort and kicked at her. The woman barely managed to shield herself with her arm, but the blow was strong—her arm instantly swelled from the impact. She bit her lip, struggling not to cry out.

"Don't bully Mom!"

A young girl with short black hair and feline ears suddenly stepped in front of the woman, arms spread wide to block the mounted officer's path.

Judging by her age, she looked to be around twelve or thirteen—rather thin and showing signs of malnourishment. Yet, her pair of golden eyes stared unflinchingly at the mounted policeman, filled with defiance.

"No, come back quickly!" the woman behind her cried out in panic, pulling at the girl's body in an attempt to shield her. But the girl broke free from her grasp and stood her ground, stubbornly positioning herself in front of the woman once more.

"Where did you come from, you bastard scum?"

The policeman, feeling his authority challenged, suddenly grew stern. He hated the look in the girl's eyes and wanted to blind that gaze filled with hatred using the tip of his spear.

But just as he raised it, his movement was interrupted by a calm voice.

"—It's curfew now. You should head home and get some rest. Taking your anger out here won't bring you any satisfaction. What you really lack is someone to assert your authority over."

A Sankta stepped forward, positioning himself between the mounted police and the black-haired girl. With a faint smile, he said, "Can you recommend any good bars in Oak Grove County? The drinks here are far too bland."

The black-haired girl slowly raised her head. In her golden eyes, she could only see the tall figure of the Sankta—and the golden halo above him.