Arknights: I became an NPC in the online game

Yara walked into Kristen's office in silence, holding two cups of hot cocoa. She cast a glance at the shareholder who had joined the company, worked for barely a month, and then essentially became a hands-off boss. Now he was casually recounting tales from his journey on the Terra—while Kristen sat listening, eyes wide with curiosity like a child hearing bedtime stories. With a helpless sigh, Yara left the room.

Kristen was a scientist who rarely had the chance to travel, much like Adele Naumann—a student with little hope of setting foot on this land. In this way, the two were strikingly similar, both filled with curiosity about Felix's stories of exploration.

Felix focused on what he had learned during his visit to William University in Leithanien, sharing the insights of Professor and Mrs. Naumann. He wondered if those perspectives might be of help to Kristen in some way.

Once Felix finished speaking, Kristen took a sip of hot cocoa and began talking about the minor happenings at the company during his absence. Most of these details had been quietly passed along by Muelsyse, but Felix still listened with great patience.

He was, after all, an excellent listener.

"By the way, I've found a student who's genuinely passionate about mechanical engineering for Rhine Lab," Felix mentioned, "Her name is Snowsant. I met her in Lungmen, Yan Country. She's enthusiastic about both mechanics and engineering, and plans to study at Trimount Polytechnic University in Columbia at the end of the semester."

Kristen smiled knowingly, "Did you recommend her, Felix?"

"Well, I owe a lot to those who helped me realize my own dreams," he replied. "I'm just trying to do my part for someone else's."

"What exactly is your dream?"

"To build a floating mobile city or space city—one that can avoid natural disasters or catastrophe, where the infected and non-infected can live together in harmony, and where a vast ecological park thrives."

Kristen chuckled, "Sounds like you're helping Muelsyse chase her dream."

"I'm helping with yours too," Felix replied gently.

Kristen pursed her lips and let out a soft hum.

"How long has it been since you left the Rhine Lab Building?" Felix asked.

There were dormitories inside the Rhine Lab Science Building reserved for employees, and Felix had one as well. For many dedicated scientists and researchers, the ability to roll out of bed and dive straight into experiments was the ultimate dream.

Kristen thought for a moment, and then kept thinking… and thinking.

"…"

"You haven't left the building since I left, have you?" Felix asked.

"There's just been too much work," Kristen said, offering a helpless smile.

Felix chuckled. "Sometimes I envy my compatriots. The empathy among the people of Sankta allows them to truly feel each other's thoughts, to understand the meaning behind their actions and words, and to share in each other's joy. They seem so carefree—work is work, rest is rest. That's why they're so happy."

"Kristen, chasing your dream is admirable—but when's the last time you actually went out? Science doesn't thrive in isolation from society."

Science and society are interrelated and mutually dependent. The advancement and application of science are crucial to the functioning and progress of society—and in turn, society provides the support, resources, and practical applications necessary for scientific development.

"If you don't take a good look at the people of this land, how can they ever understand you?" Felix said, coughing lightly before continuing, "As a shareholder, I've decided to revise the company's internal policies. From now on, everyone gets two days off each week. No one is allowed to enter the lab or conduct experiments during that time. Everyone must step outside and experience this world."

Kristen gave a half-hearted protest. "Felix, don't forget—I hold more shares than you."

"…All right."

Hearing Felix's reluctant concession, Kristen smiled like a young girl. "But you're right. I really haven't gone out in a long time."

She stood up and made a phone call. "Hello, it's me. Come to my office—there's something I need."

Not long after, Saria entered the office in her research suit. She paused when she saw Felix. "…You're back."

"What's up, Kristen?" she asked, turning to her longtime friend and partner, with whom she'd gone through college and built a business.

"I want to go out for a walk today. Can you come with me?" Kristen asked, her voice laced with a rare note of playfulness.

Without hesitation, Saria nodded. "I don't have anything urgent. I can leave now."

"All right, let's go."

Felix watched their backs as they left, smiling with quiet satisfaction.

Yara appeared at his side at some point and softly thanked him. "I was starting to worry Kristen might get stuck in a rut… Sorry to trouble you with all this."

"No trouble at all," Felix replied. "But I meant what I said about the break days." He explained to Yara the policy he had discussed with Kristen. It wasn't just for morale—it was for the health of the researchers, too. Spending all day in the lab without sunlight wasn't sustainable. "When the time comes, try to get Kristen on board. I'll need your help with that."

"…Understood."

Their conversation ended in the corridor, and Felix turned and made his way toward the ecological park within Rhine Lab. There were no designated work areas or detailed plans laid out there, but everyone tacitly considered it Muelsyse's domain. Unless absolutely necessary, they rarely disturbed her while she worked.

In any case, researchers from different departments usually didn't interfere with each other's experiments. Progress was shared only during internal Rhine Lab meetings, typically in the form of PowerPoint presentations.

Felix knew he needed to clean up before heading into the ecological park. With that thought, he returned to his dormitory—only to find subtle signs that the place had been disturbed. Given Rhine Lab's current scale, hiring cleaners for personal dorms was out of the question; most employees handled such tasks themselves.

Though he felt a bit puzzled, he headed to the bathroom and freshened up, washing away the fatigue from the long drive from Barichara Town. After changing into casual clothes, he made his way toward the ecological park.

The gate to the ecological park opened automatically, initiating a brief round of disinfection and sterilization. Moments later, Felix stepped into a world completely enveloped in green.

Though he had worked at Rhine Lab for quite some time, this was his first time entering Muelsyse's ecological park.

The scent of plants filled the air. Some species were so rare they couldn't be found anywhere else on Terra. But more striking than the foliage was the silence—deep, peaceful, and comforting.

This space was like the coziest of greenhouses, enclosing all its beauty and life within a sanctuary of warmth.

Muelsyse was nowhere in sight.

Felix strolled toward the center of the park, where a clear, deep pool lay surrounded by vibrant flora. Some of the plants were in bloom, releasing a soft, pleasant fragrance into the air.

He didn't make a sound, not wanting to disturb the tranquility.

Gazing into the pool, he spotted a familiar figure.

The elf woman sat at the bottom of the water, eyes closed. Her skin, nearly translucent, glowed faintly in the filtered light—her race, a water elf, allowed her to breathe underwater with ease. She appeared to be resting.

Seeing this, Felix chose not to interrupt her. Instead, he made his way to a nearby workbench, settled into Muelsyse's chair, and began to examine the Pathfinder lying there, polished to a mirror-like shine.

Its durability had slightly declined. He had no tools on hand, and seeing the module's durability bar not at full made him uncomfortable. He made a mental note to mention it to Muelsyse later and help update the module for her.

He adjusted the chair into a reclining position and looked up at the soft white glow and the surrounding green canopy. Gradually, he leaned back and let himself relax.

It reminded him of lying on the roof of a car at night, staring at the stars while crossing distant lands. That quiet, unspeakable sense of serenity. On the way to Trimount, many players liked to do just that—lie on top of their vehicles and stargaze after finishing their PvP practice.

There was a strange but comforting security to it, like being swaddled in warmth. Slowly, Felix closed his eyes. He thought to himself that Muelsyse's job surely didn't involve sleeping all day—and began to doze off.

Ten minutes later, a slender figure emerged from the pool. Her once water-like skin gradually returned to a snow-white hue. Barefoot, she stepped softly onto the ground and let out a long, satisfied yawn.

The sound of steady breathing made her movements freeze. Muelsyse instinctively covered her chest and lower body. She was used to working alone in the ecological park—after all, only a few people had access here: Kristen, Saria, Yara… and Felix.

Why was Felix included? She had read his personnel file in Rhine Lab's internal system and added him by mistake.

Now, hiding behind a large tree, Muelsyse peeked toward the workspace. There, lying back in a chair, was a Sankta with a faint golden glow above his head. He wore a light gray eye mask, his breathing even and calm.

Muelsyse's cheeks slowly turned rosy. She quickly used an Originium technique to summon her clothes. After hurriedly slipping into her undergarments, outerwear, lab coat, and shoes, she finally let out a breath of relief.

Her heart was still pounding. This was her research institute—so why did she feel guilty?

The girl approached Felix with a faint pout, her steps light and cautious, as if afraid to disturb someone lost in a dream.

Casually, Muelsyse formed a sofa out of water elements, lay down upon it, and turned to look at Felix's sleeping face, now just a short distance away.

Although the two had traveled together, it was often only her water clone accompanying him—after all, she had her own responsibilities: work, reports, meetings, and more. The place where they had truly spent the most time together was in Leithanien.

She had never actually seen Felix's sleeping face before. Usually, after saying goodnight, she would cancel her Originium techniques and start her own rest routine in Columbia—thus missing out on these quiet moments.

So this is what he looks like when he sleeps… Huh, the corners of his mouth are curled up. Is he having a sweet dream?

Sankta love sweets. Could he be dreaming about desserts?

Muelsyse didn't disturb him. Having just finished her own rest, she wasn't tired, so she simply continued to gaze quietly at Felix's sleeping face.

Eventually, Felix stirred from his dream. His slow, deep breaths gradually became more rhythmic. He moved his hand from his chest and reached up to remove the light gray eye mask—gifted to him by Dandao Dantart, who had said it originally came from an old Sankta gentleman in Siracusa.

His golden eyes were momentarily clouded with sleep, but quickly cleared as he returned to wakefulness. Seriously, how could he fall asleep here?

"Good morning~"

Muelsyse's gentle voice drifted into his ear. "You slept for one hour and fifteen minutes, Mr. Lazy."

"Calling me lazy is unfair. I drove for days before getting home," Felix replied with a smile, turning to look at her. Only the heavens knew how exhausted he was from the drive. Thank goodness for forums and videos to pass the time—without them, he would've been bored out of his mind.

"Well, thank you for your hard work, Mr. Shareholder~"

Muelsyse beamed. In that moment, she looked like a lotus blooming from clear water—graceful, sweet, with a hint of coquettish charm that only added to her already unique allure.

Felix reached out and poked her cheek. It was soft, warm, and slightly sticky with a healthy pink flush.

"Hey, hey, what are you doing?"

Muelsyse's cheeks turned a little red, and she lightly swatted his hand away.

Felix looked back up at the ceiling. "I was checking if you were a water clone. Their faces are always cold—like actual water."

"Really? Do I look like a water clone now?"

Muelsyse covered her mouth and laughed softly, then leaned in with a whisper. "Felix, if I recall, you owe me quite a few meals and movie dates."

"I'm here now, aren't I?"

Felix stood up from the chair, gave a small stretch, and shook his head. "This chair is really nice. I should get one for my office. That way, I can lie down and nap whenever I'm tired."

"Mr. Ahrens and Mr. Ferdinand think so too."

"By the way," Felix said, recalling the scene he'd witnessed upon entering, "were you resting in the water just now? I'm curious, Muelsyse—do you usually sleep in a bed, or in the water?"

"Ah!"

He was met with a flustered yelp from Muelsyse—and a column of water splashing straight into his face.

Felix felt as though he'd just drunk a few mouthfuls of the Fountain of Life… His hair was soaked again. Now he'd have to dry it.

"You... Felix, did you see anything?"

"What was there to see?" Felix lifted the damp gray hair from his forehead and replied with a helpless expression. "All I saw was a blurry figure resting at the bottom of the pool... What's the big deal?"

What an unexpected disaster.

"O-oh… Is that so? I'm sorry." Realizing she had overreacted, Muelsyse quickly tried to change the subject. She took hold of Felix's arm and said, "Come on, let me dry your hair before you go out. Even though it's summer, you still have to be careful not to catch a cold."

"…And whose fault do you think that is?"