Arknights: I became an NPC in the online game

Transporting over a hundred thousand players presented a logistical nightmare. Unlike the wildly popular Swordsman, which featured a secret realm teleportation system for instant travel, or space VRMMORPGS like EVE, where battleships could carry thousands, Ark had no such luxuries.

In Ark, most players still relied on ground vehicles for long-distance travel. The most popular and efficient option was the military truck—large vehicles outfitted to carry anywhere from 30 to 50 players per trip.

Would moving these 110,000 players resemble a military operation?

Felix wasn't too concerned. After all, the mobile city of Dossoles had an even larger native population. In addition to the more than 10 million residents living openly in the city, nearly a million more dwelled in the underground sectors and sprawling slums.

As one of the top tourist destinations in the world, Dossoles maintained a permanent population of about eight million. The city itself rivaled the capital of a nation in both size and infrastructure, with large zones specifically reserved to host travelers.

How the players got there was their business. Felix only needed to take care of his own group. To that end, he customized his personal Military truck—checking the roof equipment, modifying the layout, and ultimately freeing up space for three rows of seats.

He also needed to transport a batch of equipment to Dossoles ahead of time. For this task, he entrusted the Maylander Foundation. Currently, the foundation saw him as a valuable asset—especially for handling antiques—and was willing to assist him, so long as his requests weren't too excessive.

Two days before August, ten players, including Dandao Dantart and Magic ZX, returned to Trimount, exhausted but grinning. As soon as they spotted Felix, they hurried over to report their mission progress with enthusiasm.

Since players couldn't enter Trimount directly, they congregated outside the mobile city. Although 110,000 had been invited to participate, a total of 150,000 players actually showed up.

Damn. That number was insane.

Of course, some of the originally invited players didn't end up coming. After all, most players were still in the leveling and combat grinding phase—few were willing to take a full month off for a leisurely vacation event.

Felix wasn't too disappointed. He still had Magic ZX and Yang Yan XF broadcasting live commentary by his side. Every move he made was promptly relayed to the forums by the duo, keeping everyone up to date.

---

"Muelsyse, you need to be extra cautious on this trip. Always use Originium detection before entering Dossoles."

Back at Rhine Lab, Yara held Muelsyse's hand gently, her tone filled with concern. It wasn't Muelsyse's first long-distance journey, but she had always traveled alone before. This time, she would be accompanied by a group.

As the one closest to Muelsyse, Yara naturally worried about every detail—especially her health. Elves were far more sensitive to Originium exposure than regular people. And Dossoles, despite its shiny, tourist-friendly facade, was a city roiling with hidden dangers. The slums were home to many infected, and if anything went wrong...

"You're worrying too much, Yara," Muelsyse replied with a soft chuckle. "Felix already booked us a hotel in the safe zone—Upper District. There won't be any infection sources there. Besides, the Catastrophe Messenger said there's been no recent activity reported near Dossoles."

Yara pursed her lips, her expression complicated. In her mind, Felix was the root of all this. He snatched Muelsyse from her. He had even asked if Kristen and Saria wanted to come along. Although both had expressed interest, they ultimately declined, saying they didn't have the time. Yara had secretly hoped they would go, so that they could accompany Muelsyse and maybe relax a little too... but in the end, it just wasn't meant to be.

Muelsyse wasn't wearing her lab coat today. In fact, ever since Felix had returned to Trimount, she had worn it less and less. Aside from donning Rhine Lab's signature white coat during the day while working in the institute's ecological park, she now spent most of her off-hours in casual clothes—playing with Senomi, Mandragora, and Susie, strolling through night markets with Carnelian and Degenbrecher, or going out to eat and watch a movie with Felix.

Her once monotonous routine had gradually become rich with color, reminiscent of her college days. Back then, newly immersed in the scientific world, Muelsyse had been curious about everything. She eagerly participated in social events to gather information and explore the world around her. But as her studies grew more demanding, she had been forced to abandon those social outings and pour all her energy into academics.

After graduation, she joined Rhine Lab through Yara's recommendation. There, she set a personal record—going a month and a half without ever leaving the ecological park. Meals were delivered by her water clone, and even meetings were conducted through it. That long-standing record was broken after Felix's arrival. Since then, she had begun attending gatherings again.

---

"Your summer dress is adorable."

Yara straightened Muelsyse's outfit, guiding her to the entrance of Rhine Lab with the care of a parent sending off their child.

A Military truck pulled up at the door. Felix stepped down from the driver's seat, smiling warmly at Muelsyse and offering a polite nod to Yara.

Wearing sunglasses, Yara didn't bother acknowledging Felix. Muelsyse smiled and walked over, saying cheerfully, "Sorry—did I keep you waiting long?"

"Not at all. I just got here."

"Why didn't you come inside to find me?"

Felix glanced cautiously at Yara. "I was afraid Yara would beat me up."

Yara scoffed and smirked. "Go on and have fun. I'll be stuck handling the military contracts again—same as always, just like most of last year."

"Yara, thank you for all your hard work," Felix said sincerely. As a shareholder of Rhine Lab, he understood how much she did behind the scenes. All of the institute's contracts and negotiations were handled by her.

Yara wasn't doing it for the paycheck. What mattered to her was seeing the younger generation succeed. For someone who had no need for money, wealth was just numbers on a screen.

"…Have a safe trip."

At last, Yara gave her blessing. She smiled gently at Muelsyse, then turned and walked back toward Rhine Lab.

"Let's head out."

"Mm!"

Muelsyse cheerfully hopped into the front passenger seat. She turned back to wave at the others, greeting them with a bright, "Good morning~"

Degenbrecher and Carnelian were dressed in their usual attire. Degenbrecher, used to her military garb and light armor, looked as calm as ever. Carnelian, meanwhile, had only brought along a few changes of clothes for the trip.

What caught Muelsyse's attention were Senomi, Mandragora, and Susie. The three of them were dressed in brand-new summer clothes—cute, with fashionable touches. They looked like adorable little dolls, and the sight filled Muelsyse's heart with affection.

As she spent more time with the children and formed friendships with them, Muelsyse also learned about each of their pasts. Their stories deeply moved her kind heart, stirring a sense of sorrow and empathy. She became gentler and more patient while playing and telling stories with them, quietly hoping to contribute—if only a little—to a brighter future for each of them.

Still, Muelsyse wasn't too worried. After all, the one protecting these children was Felix.

This was Susie's first time traveling. When Felix asked Degenbrecher to take her shopping for clothes, she had been visibly nervous. The moment she saw the price tags on the outfits, she kept shaking her head while muttering "mu-muri!", and anxiety clouding her face. She believed she wasn't worthy of such expensive clothing. But Degenbrecher's simple words reassured her:

"This is the boss's employee uniform."

Susie had been harboring thoughts of repaying Brother Felix someday. After hearing Degenbrecher's explanation, she fell silent, knowing full well that it was merely a comforting excuse. Still, all she could do for now was study diligently in high school, immerse herself in the study of Originium Arts, work part-time when she had free time, and strive to one day offer something meaningful to Brother Felix.

…Speaking of which, she realized she still hadn't asked him when his birthday was.

—Felix himself didn't know. He remembered it clearly from his previous life, of course, but in this life, having inherited the memories of Felix, the date had become fuzzy and unimportant. Truthfully, most Lateran orphans had no idea when their birthdays were.

Compared to Susie, Senomi and Mandragora were much more relaxed during the shopping trip. To them, they had long accepted Felix as family, and repaying his kindness was a given. It didn't weigh on them as heavily as it did on Susie.

---

Felix's equipment was brand new. For safety reasons, he hadn't changed into casual clothing. Once he confirmed everyone was seated and had fastened their seat belts, he stepped on the accelerator and departed from Trimount.

Roughly three kilometers outside the city, he came upon a large group of players.

Several vehicles were parked there, the most prominent being three off-road vehicles at the front. Behind them were buses and pickup or military trucks—vehicles capable of both off-road travel and transporting many people. At this stage of the game, few players had the resources to own personal vehicles. Most were either borrowed or bought with pooled funds—the majority being borrowed.

"Let's go."

With a faint smile, Felix drove west. The players behind him cheered and followed in their vehicles. This was when real-life skills like having a driver's license truly shone. The vehicles in-game were no different from those in the real world, and most of the current drivers were college students or older adults.

On the topic of driving—many players would eventually begin studying for driving licenses and practicing within the game. Later in the game, it wasn't uncommon to see them racing on Lungmen's elevated highways late at night or drifting on Higashi's mountain pass, seeking thrills and testing their skills.

"Feels kind of like going on an expedition."

"Doesn't it? With 150,000 people, it's practically a small town."

"I wouldn't say so. Barichara only has around 20,000 residents. The mobile city mentioned in Yang Yan's video must have a population of at least a million."

"What a day....What a lovely day!!"

The players' convoy stretched out so long that the front couldn't even see the end. Before long, they came across other convoys—NPC tour groups, also heading to Dossoles. The excitement was only beginning. How lively would it be once everyone arrived?

There were more and more convoys along the road. Fortunately, the route was a four-lane highway, allowing other groups to pass when needed. Felix noticed a tour group from Columbia—several hundred buses in total, likely numbering in the five digits. There was also a sightseeing group from Kazimierz, with nearly a thousand travelers.

At this point, Felix's convoy seemed to be the largest. It was impossible to see its end at a glance.

After two full days and nights of driving, Felix finally saw the Bolívar checkpoint in the distance. Once they passed through, it would only take another half day to reach Dossoles.

The police officer manning the checkpoint wasn't surprised by the sight of the massive convoy. After Felix explained that the people behind him were tourists from his pioneering tour group, and paid a sizable entry fee, the officer opened the gate and allowed all the players to pass through at once.

During Bolívar's long civil war, Dossoles had risen under the administration and promotion of Candela Sánchez. It was she who issued the message welcoming tourism, as she hoped the booming industry would bring considerable revenue.

Dossoles was prosperous, tolerant of various factions, and steeped in both indulgence and crime. In many ways, it was a favorite city among players. At the current stage, players were strong enough to easily defeat Dossoles' henchmen and gang members one-on-one. They disliked overly rigid systems, and an open city like Dossoles was exactly the kind of playground they enjoyed.

Beyond boasting the largest artificial sea, Dossoles also featured a central lake and an intricate network of rivers.

The convoy stopped outside the mobile city. Unlike the Kawalerielki in Kazimierz, there were no towering defensive walls. From the vehicle window, Felix could already smell the salty sea breeze drifting in from the artificial ocean.

The sea was created by pumping in real seawater. To ensure its quality, the water was transported from nearby natural bodies every summer and replaced at least twice.

The last water change had been completed in June of this year—perfect timing for Felix and the others.

Security checks in Dossoles were notably relaxed. They didn't even verify identities—there were simply too many convoys queued at the gate, and if the guards inspected each one thoroughly, they'd never finish their shift. With just a quick glance inside the vehicles, Felix's group and the others were waved through.

Upon entering Dossoles, a task notification popped up for all players. It wasn't issued by Felix himself—he received it too.

[You have triggered the C-rank mission: "Dossoles Warrior Championship in the Summer of Dossoles."]

[Mission Details: It's a hot summer day in Dossoles. You've arrived in this tourist city—are you here to explore, to unwind, or to chase your true desire? Team up to compete in the Dossoles Warrior Championship, and you might receive much more. May your wish come true!]

[Mission Requirement: Participate in the Extreme Dossoles Warrior Championship and earn a placement]

[Reward: 10,000 experience points]

A mission had been triggered—unexpectedly.

Felix had only promised to bring the players to Dossoles; after that, they were free to explore the city on their own. He had no intention of restricting their freedom—how they chose to enjoy themselves was entirely up to them.

Judging by this, this year's Dossoles Warrior Championship was shaping up to be an event to remember.