Arknights: I became an NPC in the online game

Wei Yenwu was the textbook definition of a politician.

For Felix, this was the first time dealing with someone like him. To be honest, it was almost embarrassing. In his past life, he had been nothing more than a replaceable worker—swapped out at will, doing the same repetitive work every single day. Work had numbed him, dulled him, like a mischievous cat pawing at ore with half-lidded eyes. Aside from his team leader, he never had the chance to even speak with those above him.

That was what it meant to be a cog in a massive corporation.

As for upper management, high-ranking leaders, politicians—people like Wei Yenwu—someone like Felix never even had the qualifications to be in the same room with them.

And yet, here Wei Yenwu was, his very presence pressing down like a weight. Unlike the greedy nobles with their predictable ambitions etched on their faces, Wei Yenwu kept his expression controlled—always a calm poker face. But anyone who had truly studied such men would know: the smile might be polite, yet his mind never stopped calculating.

What did Wei Yenwu lack? Nothing, it seemed. Did Lungmen really need a company like Tomorrow's Development? If Felix was being honest, aside from the technology, there wasn't much about his company that was extraordinary.

When facing someone who seemed to lack nothing—who appeared to desire nothing—it was difficult to rely on persuasion alone.

He had already been teased by Degenbrecher and Carnelian as a so-called "Sankta succubus of Terra" for his ability to charm others, but trying to enchant this smiling middle-aged dragon man sitting across from him? That was going to be a challenge.

"Mr. Felix is Sankta," Wei Yenwu said casually. "I wonder—did you come here under someone's orders?"

"I'm not familiar with the Pope," Felix replied calmly. "I've never acted under his direct command. Coming to Lungmen was my choice alone."

He interlaced his fingers lightly. "Lungmen is a city of commerce. Here, you can find rare treasures from every corner of Terra, and here you can chase dreams to their limits. Opportunities are plentiful, just as companies are."

"Tomorrow's Development can bring Lungmen something new."

"Oh?"

"Education. And wisdom."

Felix tapped the side of his temple. "On Terra, people have never truly learned to treat other races—or even other living beings—with empathy. Maybe our formal education should change. Imagine if, alongside reading, writing, and arithmetic, children were taught empathy. The world would be a very different place."

"The goddess of fortune has always favored me. By the time I was eighteen, I already held assets worth twenty million LMD. And at that moment, I understood something clearly: I would never be a slave to wealth. You couldn't spend it all even if you tried, and in any case, I don't measure wisdom by money."

"That," Felix added evenly, "is a saying often heard in Columbia's scientific circles."

He leaned back slightly, his tone steady. "Before coming to Lungmen, I learned of the Celestial Bureau (The Tianshi) in Yan, where the Celestials devote their entire lives to the pursuit of knowledge—very much like the scientific academies of Columbia. I may not be a Celestial myself, but I can still share knowledge and invention with you."

Wei Yenwu's lips curled into a grin. "I would very much welcome you opening your own research institute in Lungmen."

"But Lungmen," he added after a sip of tea, "has its own rules."

He set the cup down. "I'm glad to see that when you first entered the city, you respected those rules."

He was, of course, referring to Felix's decision at the city gates—when certain guards had offered to wave him past without the mandatory blood test. Felix had refused, fully aware that the moment he set foot in Lungmen, eyes would be on him. And so he had cooperated without resistance.

"The building across from the L.G.D. headquarters is empty now," Wei Yenwu said. "Interested in taking it?"

"Of course. Being neighbors with the L.G.D. means unparalleled security—and at the same time, it allows me to showcase everything Tomorrow's Development stands for."

Wei Yenwu let out a small chuckle.

"Interesting."

He drained his cup of tea. "Industry, technology, logistics, mercenaries… I must admit, for someone your age to be mapping out such a grand plan is nothing short of extraordinary."

"You flatter me, Mr. Wei."

Felix's self-praise had run its course, and Wei Yenwu had given him plenty of face. Truth be told, he didn't hold high expectations for Tomorrow's Development's future, but seeing Felix carry himself with such confidence, Wei Yenwu thought—if this young man came asking for a favor one day, it wouldn't hurt to lend a hand.

After all, just look at who stood behind him. The Emperor. The Duck lord.

Wei Yenwu lit a cigarette, smoke curling upward as he narrowed his eyes. He knew exactly what kind of people those two were. For Felix to be valued by both at once—what kind of charm did this young man really possess? What kind of foundation did Tomorrow's Development actually have? Or perhaps… what was it that Wei Yenwu still didn't know?

By now, Felix had already been shown to the guest lounge. Tonight, Fumizuki had taken it upon herself to keep him for dinner—a decision that, on reflection, might not be a bad thing. Wei Yenwu reached for the phone on his desk and dialed a number.

"This is Ch'en."

"Ah, little Ch'en…"

"Is there a new assignment? If so, please contact Inspector Nine directly."

The voice on the other end stayed calm and steady, unshaken by the familiar address.

"There's something I'd like to trouble Officer Ch'en with," Wei Yenwu said, sighing inwardly as his tone shifted into formal precision."

"Investigate a man named Felix Lanshem."

"Understood."

"And another thing—the building across from the L.G.D. headquarters should be unsealed tonight."

"Alright. I'll oversee it personally."

With that one sentence, who knew how many officers at the L.G.D. were about to be stuck working overtime.

Wei Yenwu stood. This dinner hadn't been of his own design, but as host, he couldn't very well leave his guest waiting—especially a guest like Felix. After all, no one strikes a smiling face. The young man was wealthy, ambitious, and far from timid. He joked easily, carried himself with poise, and spoke with the maturity of someone who had spent years navigating the marketplace.

If only little Ch'en could learn from him.

Wei Yenwu lingered over the last glowing ember of his cigarette. Such youth reminded him of the old storybooks he had read as a child—heroes who rose step by step to the very peak of power.

"Tch."

Best to keep watching. Hopefully, Felix would bring him a pleasant surprise.

As for shady dealings? The thought hardly crossed Wei Yenwu's mind. After all, Tomorrow's Development was planning to set up shop directly across from the L.G.D. Unless he'd gone completely senile, there was no way Felix would dare commit crimes right under their noses.

Dinner that evening was a spread of Yan's home-style dishes. The main guests were Wei Yenwu and Felix; after a while, Fumizuki excused herself, leaving the two men to continue their business talk.

By the end of the meal, Felix felt a rare weariness—but also a faint, quiet satisfaction. At least for the near future, there would be no issues with Wei Yenwu. Over dinner, the conversation had revolved mostly around technology and industry. Within reason, Felix had shared a few insights into Columbia's scientific circles.

The greatest benefit of the evening was clear: as long as his research institute showed promise and produced results, Wei Yenwu would lend him support.

Which meant official backing—his name spoken favorably by the city's administration, Tomorrow Development's research institute introduced to Lungmen's top universities, and his findings reported in the local press.

One thing was certain: Rhine Lab had handed the Columbian military more than enough "gifts," but even so, the authorities would never openly speak on Rhine Lab's behalf.

That had its pros and cons. To Felix, it simply meant he was now tied to Lungmen's ship of fate.

For the players, however, Tomorrow's Development would officially be recognized as a legitimate organization. Though Felix knew full well, no matter how Lungmen framed it, what truly attracted players wasn't official endorsement—it was his personal strength and the benefits he offered.

With that thought, Felix pulled out his terminal and contacted Degenbrecher.

"It's settled. The construction team can start work tomorrow."

"That fast?"

Degenbrecher's mature voice carried a hint of surprise. For the boss to secure such a prime location—one contested by so many—in just a single meeting? That was impressive speed.

"Have a little faith in me," Felix replied with a smile.

Degenbrecher chuckled softly on the other end, then grew serious. "Understood. I'll get things in motion."

Closing the terminal, Felix rode the elevator down. Reaching the first floor, he once again found himself amid the bustle of the L.G.D. headquarters.

Lungmen was immense. It had its dazzling brilliance, but also its darker, rotten underside. And yet, the world was rarely just black or white—more often, it was a refined shade of gray.

The officers of the L.G.D. were paid handsomely, but that was because they worked on the front lines, facing danger head-on. Overtime was their routine. It was already around eight o'clock after Felix's dinner, and still the lobby was crowded. Some were filing reports, some were crying hysterically, while others yawned over cups of coffee.

"Hey, Felix. You're Felix, right?"

The familiar voice caught his ear. Turning, he broke into a smile. "It's been a while, Nine."

Nine, her long red hair flowing, stepped forward with the joy of meeting an old friend. Behind her walked a Lung woman with a calm expression.

"Back in Lungmen? How long are you planning to stay this time?"

"Most likely for the foreseeable future," Felix replied. "Though of course, I'll still need to travel for business."

"Good. Then let's catch up properly sometime."

Nine glanced at the woman behind her, then shifted aside slightly to make introductions. "This is Felix Lanshem. He once received Lungmen's Good Citizen Award and helped me out back when I was learning to handle crossbows."

"Felix, this is Ch'en Hui-chieh, deputy chief of the Inspection Division."

"A pleasure."

"Just call me Ch'en."

They shook hands. Felix knew exactly who she was. Anyone who had gone through certain storyline—or even just spent time in Lungmen—knew this character. As head of the Inspection Division, her daily work revolved around catching lawbreaking players. Some even seemed to deliberately earn themselves a five-star wanted status just for the thrill of being arrested by Madam Ch'en.

Well… people's tastes could be strange.

At present, though, she was still only deputy chief. Which meant Nine must be the division chief.

"Don't forget to message me," Nine said, miming a phone with her hand. With a confident smile, she stepped past Felix, adding in a low voice, "I was going to suggest a drink tonight, but something's happened in the lower districts. I need to head out."

Her easy, commanding air didn't faze Felix in the slightest—he was already more than used to that type. His own faction already had two just like her.

Ch'en cast him a discreet glance, silent and assessing, before following in Nine's steps.

Tonight had been more than fruitful. A smooth dinner meeting, and now a run-in with one of the players' most beloved faces—the perpetually stone-faced Madam Ch'en, scourge of criminals.

A double harvest indeed.

The next day, Felix, Degenbrecher, and Loughshinny arrived at the building across from the L.G.D. headquarters. In just one night, the place had been swept clean—every file gone without a trace. The case records were no doubt already sorted and stored in the L.G.D. archives.

He also met with the subordinates sent by Wei Yanwu, who handed over all the property deeds and documents related to the building. From that moment, the building officially belonged to Tomorrow's Development.

The construction crew was more than eager to get started. Felix paid them well, and he even promised bonuses for finishing ahead of schedule. Fired up by that, they threw in twice the effort, working with full force.

Felix had no intention of tearing the place down to rebuild from scratch, but plenty inside needed to go. Old equipment, broken furniture, scraps and junk—the workers quickly gathered it all up for disposal.

Leaving the team to their work, Felix took Degenbrecher and Loughshinny to one of the safehouses purchased by the Emperor. It was here that he would begin the first round of interviews for Tomorrow Development's staff.

In his past life as just another office worker, Felix had faced his share of frustrating, even absurd, interview questions. Now that he was the one doing the interviewing, he wasn't about to make things unnecessarily difficult. He would ask what needed to be asked—no more, no less.

The first hires were clerical staff: administration, publicity, design, copywriting, and other miscellaneous departments. Felix had already mapped out the four core pillars of Tomorrow's Development's future, but every journey started with steady, measured steps. No rushing, no biting off more than he could chew.

The real stars—the players—had yet to arrive.

Clerical interviews weren't too demanding, and before long, he and the Emperor had wrapped up the morning session and moved into a short break.

"Emperor, I'm thinking of reaching out to the Sargon Contract Assassins. What do you think?"

"Eh? And why exactly do you want to get in touch with them?"

The Emperor curled his lip. "Honestly, I don't think much of their strength. They couldn't even take me down. And they're ridiculously expensive… don't tell me you're planning to pull them into Tomorrow's Development?"

"I am considering it."

Felix scratched his head and let out a sigh. "But I don't know what they're lacking."

"Lacking money? A place to live? Or maybe… love?"

Felix ticked off each possibility one by one. "I don't know enough about them. Compared to the homeless Sarkaz mercenary groups, they're even harder to recruit—because I don't know what they truly want."

"…If you're serious, I'll make some inquiries for you," the Emperor finally said. "But understand this: getting those Assassins to fully side with you won't be easy, they have their own Creed."

"It's just worth a try. I know where the limits are."

When the Emperor left, Felix turned his eyes toward the Tomorrow's Development building in the distance, now undergoing its renovation.

It was time to get in touch with Magic ZX and the others.