Arknights: I became an NPC in the online game

"Alright, eyes up."

Felix stepped into the center of the workshop and clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention. As always, he carried himself with precision and purpose.

"I've heard we've made strong progress lately—both in research and in securing new contracts. Several private companies are impressed with the pace and quality of our work. Aside from the projects I'm directly overseeing, I hope all of you continue pushing your own boundaries. Grow your knowledge. Sharpen your ideas. Make yourselves—and each other—stronger."

He didn't want the Mechanical Power Department to be filled with people just clocking in and out. Scientific research thrived on imagination. On creativity. Without bold ideas, there could be no real progress.

"What matters most," he continued, "is your ability to think. If you never dare to imagine, how can you ever create something new?"

"Director… we've actually developed a new type of sensor based on the original framework," Snowsant said, stepping forward with a document in hand. "It allows for more precise monitoring of mechanical system performance. We think it'll significantly improve equipment reliability and predictive maintenance."

Several researchers in white coats beside her nodded in agreement.

"This could be a core technology for our industrial clients," Felix said, flipping through the report. "We should consider recommending it to companies like Raythean Industries or other firms that rely heavily on mechanical systems—construction companies, for instance. Good work, Snowsant."

Snowsant bowed her head, a little flustered—but clearly delighted by the praise. A giggle escaped her lips, unintentional but genuine.

With her taking the lead, the other researchers started chiming in one after another.

"Director, we just secured a mid-sized industrial contract. The client was impressed with our past work and picked our team for the job."

"The Pioneer Association sent over a request for new mechanical components. I think we can innovate beyond the current designs."

"I heard an engineer at the tech expo showed serious interest in our department. If we could recruit him, it would be a huge asset."

As director, Felix didn't often get a chance to hear the full range of ongoing work: breakthroughs, challenges, and new ideas bubbling up from the department. Among the researchers here, the highest level of education was postgraduate; the lowest, an undergrad—which was Snowsant.

Standing off to the side, Feist felt like he was listening to an alien language.

He hadn't felt this out of place during Felix's personal tutoring sessions—those lessons had been broken down with care, bit by bit, until Feist could grasp them. But here, in the workshop, Felix and the researchers bounced between complex theories, abstract concepts, and technical jargon that left Feist lost in the shuffle.

It felt like being dropped back into his junior high classroom, staring helplessly at a blackboard full of incomprehensible equations.

But instead of shrinking back, Feist clenched his fists, his lips curling into a challenger's smile.

Good. This kind of pressure? It pushes me forward.

Being around geniuses was undoubtedly stressful—but Feist believed pressure was also motivation. He had a genuine love for mechanical craftsmanship, and with that passion came the confidence to keep learning, no matter how steep the climb.

After wrapping up the matters in the Mechanical Power Department, Felix asked Snowsant to give Feist and the Hart siblings a proper tour—introducing them to the various machines, tools, and systems around the workshop. What was done here wasn't just hammer-and-anvil labor. From the moment Feist stepped inside, he could tell—this place was about research, innovation, and exploration.

Felix, meanwhile, returned to a mountain of paperwork. Dozens of documents and order forms still needed his signature. On top of that, the announcement for next year's touring exhibition had just been released, meaning he also had to prepare new inventions and proposals for public display.

He gave his forehead a light knock. So much to do—and yet, most of it boiled down to sitting at a desk, reading documents, and signing forms.

Boring. He and Kristen both felt it. The administrative side of science could really wear you down.

Back in the workshop, Feist and the Hart siblings received their official work badges, dormitory assignments, and research uniforms. Since Felix's appointment, he'd improved the department's salary structure and welfare packages significantly. He firmly believed that no scientist could innovate properly if they weren't healthy and well-fed.

Each researcher now received a monthly food allowance, access to private office spaces, and shuttle service for their daily commute.

The Hart siblings, though starting on minimum wage, were deeply grateful. Even that base salary was far higher than what they'd earned as apprentices in Londinium. With their expenses limited to the occasional meal out, life in the dorms felt manageable—and hopeful. For the first time in a long while, they saw a future.

And for that, they pledged themselves to Felix completely.

Feist, for his part, eagerly mingled with the other researchers during their breaks. He asked questions, listened intently, and even shared lunch with them. Most of the researchers in the Mechanical Power Division were deeply passionate about engineering, design, and machinery. If they'd wanted status or money, they would have pursued fields like energy science or applied physics—far more prestigious in Columbia's academic world.

But here? There was no room for elitism.

Felix had made sure of that.

Muelsyse had personally reviewed the personality profiles and backgrounds of every researcher brought into the department on Felix's behalf. He might've been away on business trips half the time, but that didn't mean he left things to chance. He knew all too well how one rotten beam at the top could corrupt the entire structure beneath it.

So he'd made sure the Mechanical Power Department was staffed with people who were passionate, not petty. Innovators, not schemers. Workers who wanted to solve problems, not play political games.

Naturally, they welcomed Feist and the Harts with open arms. They even brought them along for a full day of research activities—introducing them to the kinds of problems they'd soon be helping to solve. When the weekly departmental meeting rolled around, the three newcomers were invited to sit in.

Feist was shocked by what he saw.

The same researchers who had been so kind, warm, and easygoing just moments ago suddenly transformed the moment they stepped into the meeting room. Heated debates erupted. Voices rose. Arguments flew back and forth without hesitation.

But every word spoken was sharp, informed, and backed by solid logic.

Feist, still lacking the technical background to follow everything, felt completely overwhelmed. Both sides in every argument sounded convincing. He couldn't even tell who was right.

It was chaotic, confusing—and exhilarating.

While the department meeting raged on, Felix took the opportunity to power through his backlog—signing what needed to be signed, reviewing what needed to be reviewed. Once that was done, he turned his attention to his system panel.

Originally, he had planned to gather the materials needed to build the Clever, but it turned out the project demanded a lot more than expected. His current engineer level simply wasn't high enough. Despite managing to roll a rare blueprint, he realized he might need to spin the dice a few more times—at least until he got a basic blue-tier design he could use to level up his mechanic class first.

'Well, I recently minted a whole batch of iron and racked up over a million experience points. Time to level up.'

Of course, he wasn't aiming for an expert-tier secondary class just yet.

He clicked to complete the Gunsmith task. His rank instantly upgraded to Level 4, earning him the new title: [Gunsmith Assistant]. The description labeled him as an important figure in any workshop, now capable of advanced customizations and firearm improvements.

+4 Dexterity. +2 Intelligence.

He didn't stop there. Spending nearly one million experience points, he maxed out the Gunsmith Assistant title—earning another +4 Stamina, +3 Intelligence, and 20 free attribute points.

His Preliminary Gun Manufacturing and Preliminary Gun Understanding skills automatically upgraded to their intermediate versions. Capping both of them to Level 10 burned another million experience points.

Then he checked his updated character panel:

[Name]: Felix Shawn Lanshem

[Title]: Pioneer (70%)

[HP]: 8440 / 8440

[MP]: 2600 / 26000

[Race]: Sankta

[Template]: NPC

[Level]: 92

[Experience]: 1023

[Main Class]: Assistant Beginner Lv1 (1/200)

[Secondary Classes]:

Gunsmith Assistant Lv20

Agent Lv10

Apprentice Mechanic Lv15

Blacksmith Apprentice Lv15

Messenger Lv1 (1/50)

Craftsman Apprentice Lv15

Apprentice Engineer Lv15

Mechanical Engineer Lv1 (0/300,000)

Mechanical Dynamicist Lv1 (0/300,000)

Ecologist Lv1 (0/300,000)

High-Energy Physicist Lv1 (0/300,000)

Originium Scientist Lv1 (0/300,000)

[Skills]:

Intermediate Gun Manufacturing Lv10

Basic Shooting Lv10

Maintenance and Repair Lv10

Custom Modification Lv10

Basic Mechanical Manufacturing Lv10

Basic Iron Manufacturing Lv10

Mechanical Strength Lv10

Basic Artisan Forging Lv10

Electronic Mechanical Application Lv10

Basic Material Forging Lv10

Basic Industrial Manufacturing Lv10

Close Combat Lv10

Swift Counterattack Lv10

Stealth Lv10

Engineering Systems Lv1

Energy Dynamics Lv1

Ecosystems Lv1

Energy Management Lv1

Originium Arts Lv1

[Skill Points]: None

[Attributes]:

Strength: 48

Dexterity: 65

Endurance: 58

Intelligence: 104

Spirit: 67

Charm: 60

Luck: 1

[Allocated Attribute Points]: 70

[Features]:

Beginner Assistance Lv1

Squad Assistance Lv1

Team Assistance Lv10

Intermediate Gunnery Understanding Lv10

Gunfighting Lv10

Handgun Manufacturing Understanding Lv10

Basic Mechanical Understanding Lv10

Basic Ironware Understanding Lv10

Basic Craftsman Understanding Lv10

Basic Industrial Understanding Lv10

Sniper Crossbow Mastery Lv10

Sniper Gun Mastery Lv10

Mechanical Energy Control Lv1 (1/200,000)

Kinetic Energy Amplification Lv1 (1/200,000)

Sustainable Development Lv1 (1/200,000)

Quantum Manufacturing Lv1 (1/200,000)

Originium Perception Lv1 (1/200,000)

[Talent]: Genius, Gunsmith's Hand, Super Mechanical Mastery

[Rank]: ★★☆ (2.34 stars)

[Comment]: Even with a PhD, he's still a nobody.

Intelligence just broke 100? Felix blinked.

It felt… underwhelming.

He didn't feel smarter. No great revelation or rush of insight followed. The jump in stats was clearly mechanical—just a number on the screen, not an epiphany in the mind.

After unlocking the Level 4 Gunsmith Assistant profession, Felix found himself able to craft more advanced submachine guns—firearms that came with much higher user requirements. These weapons demanded precision spell-casting in rapid succession, something not every Sankta could pull off.

Still, Felix had an idea.

He might not be able to wield the submachine gun himself, but what if he mounted it on a drone? With the drone acting as the medium, he could control it remotely and bypass the physical limitations.

Of course, that meant he'd need to roll for a lot more submachine gun blueprints in the future.

Lately, he'd had limited contact with players, which meant fewer experience gains. Felix took note of that. Next time he met with players, he planned to cash in big. He needed the EXP. Just leveling a fourth-tier profession took a million points—was the System even trying to be fair?

After several days of nonstop work at Rhine Lab, Felix felt physically drained—but also energized. The Mechanical Power Department was hard at work preparing for next year's touring exhibition. The first event had been such a success that each department now had additional display cabinets, meaning every researcher had a shot at showcasing their work.

For a hands-on division like Mechanical Power, the appeal was obvious—tangible results, impressive engineering, things that could be seen and touched. The more jaw-dropping, the better.

Naturally, the competition was heating up.

During this time, Felix arranged for the Hart siblings to enroll in a local middle school. Though they started off at the bottom of their class, their work ethic was solid. They studied hard, and it was clear they'd catch up soon.

As for Feist, Felix found several tutors to help him cover the subjects he'd never studied before. If things went well, he could sit for the college entrance exam early next year.

It was a huge challenge. Feist had to juggle intense academics with his growing responsibilities in the Mechanical Power Department. Between the two, he barely had time to eat or sleep.

Meanwhile, his grandmother Catherine had finally accepted Felix's suggestion and moved in next door to Snowsant's family. Now neighbors, the two elderly women often went out for walks together, sharing a peaceful slice of their twilight years.

"So lively…"

After submitting an order for materials to the black market, Felix paused on a street corner. He glanced toward a nearby bar, which was practically exploding with noise. It was still only noon, yet blaring Colombian rap and the unmistakable sounds of a brawl echoed from inside.

Not the time. Not the place.

Felix squinted at the sign over the door. He couldn't help but wonder—was this another one of those chaotic player fights, like the ones Dandao Dantart used to start back in the day just to rack up police stars?

As he walked closer, the music grew louder. The beats thumped harder. The lyrics sped up, flowing faster than he could follow. And before he even reached the door, a disheveled Perro man was tossed out like trash, landing face-first on the street.

Felix turned his eyes toward the entrance—

—just in time to spot a penguin standing confidently on top of the bar counter, microphone in hand.

It was wearing sunglasses. On its head.