Arknights: The Life Inside

Yoren stared at the group chat, his eye twitching as he glared at the image on his phone screen. His fingers flew across the keyboard.

[Jacob Dumas: It's not useful. I suggest you uninstall the game.]

His mood plummeted like a rock in water. The screenshot from the group member made his stomach churn. That damn little sheep. He had spent three full 648-yuan charges trying to pull her. Three. And what did he get? Not even a single strand of wool.

Now, not only was he broke, but he had also blown through his next two months' living expenses.

Yoren turned off his phone, shut his eyes, and leaned back on the school rooftop, letting out a long, weary sigh.

The world has gone mad.

Early May had brought a new obsession to the gaming world—a tactical strategy mobile game called Arknights.

Natural disasters, Originium, Infected, the Reunion Movement. The game's apocalyptic aesthetic, intricate lore, and stunning illustrations captivated players instantly.

The internet was flooded with images of a certain girl with long ears and a loose coat. The community had affectionately dubbed her "Ami...Ma...Hu...ahem, Amiya-chan!"

"If the footprints of life are destined to be buried by the dust of time, then we can never stop moving forward."

Amiya reached out her delicate hand. "Blade Master, will you still stand by my side?"

And just like that, thousands of players were lost to the siren call of Rhodes Island, throwing themselves into the world of Terra as devoted Doctors—somewhere between genius tacticians and lunatics consumed by the gacha gods.

The classroom hummed with post-lecture chatter. Yoren slumped at his desk, staring blankly out the window, his soul barely tethered to his body.

His best friend, Zhang, leaned over and whispered, "Yoren, I heard you spent money again?"

"Mm. Three times 648."

Zhang winced. "And?"

They had both been there from day one, both sworn swordsmen of Rhodes Island. Zhang knew exactly what Yoren had been chasing.

Yoren ruffled his own hair. "Don't ask. Just let me be."

Zhang sighed in understanding. "It's okay. Eyjafjalla is just waiting for you somewhere, Yoren. When you're ready, she'll come to your side."

Yoren clenched his fists. "But—"

Yoren grabbed his hand dramatically. "Don't say it. I know how much you long for her. I know the pain."

"Uh… no, I mean, I'm flat broke. I can't even afford instant noodles for the next two months."

Zhang's face lit up with an enlightened sage smile. "Yoren, your money hasn't disappeared. It has simply transformed into another way of being with you. In the world of gacha, we call this—the law of conservation of energy."

Yoren stared at him, caught between admiration and the overwhelming urge to punch him.

"Zhang...thank you…"

"Oh, by the way, I did a ten-pull during lunch."

Yoren blinked. "And?"

Zhang rubbed his head sheepishly. "Little Sheep's potential +1."

He grinned, his eyes narrowing into infuriating slits. "Haha, isn't it funny? The thing I want never comes, but the one I already have keeps showing up. Life is so unfair. Meow meow meow—haha!"

A nerve in Yoren's forehead twitched.

As if summoned by the scent of suffering, other classmates swarmed around them.

"Yoren, what's your in-game ID? I wanna add you."

"Yoren, is Little Sheep any good? I pulled her this morning, but I'm not sure if I should level her up."

"Yoren, my Little Sheep just hit E2. Which skill should I use when clearing maps?"

Yoren's expression darkened with each question.

"That's it!" He slammed his desk and stood abruptly. "You can all go to hell!"

A chubby classmate strolled over, an amused glint in his eye. "Yoren, do you prefer hot pot lamb or roasted lamb leg?"

"I love neither alright!"

Shouldering his bag, he stormed out of the classroom without looking back.

The sky had grown heavy with dark clouds, the wind picking up. Yoren walked home, his rage slowly cooling.

Honestly? He wasn't that upset about failing to pull Eyjafjalla. He was frustrated, sure. But more than anything, he was excited about Arknights itself. He loved the world, the lore, the thrill of piecing together its mysteries.

He pulled out his phone. The weather forecast had been right—tonight would bring a heavy storm.

A thought flickered through his mind. If Terra were real, would the sky before a natural disaster look like this? Dark clouds churning, the wind whispering warnings of impending chaos?

A shiver ran down his spine.

The rain came crashing down just as Yoren shut his front door.

Throwing his bag aside, he collapsed onto his bed and pulled out his phone, instinctively tapping on Amiya's profile picture.

"Akunako!"

The familiar game interface loaded.

——Doctor, welcome back!

A soft smile tugged at his lips.

Maybe Eyjafjalla hadn't come home yet, but that was okay. As long as he kept playing, one day, she would.

The game had been out for a month, and its popularity showed no signs of fading. The first event had just launched, pushing the hype to even greater heights.

Yoren loved diving into the lore, uncovering hidden details the developers had scattered throughout the game. Online forums buzzed with theories—who the Doctor really was, what Amiya's fate would be, and even connections between Arknights and real-world myths.

As Yoren dug deeper, a strange thought took root in his mind.

If Terra were real, would they still treat Arknights as a game?

War. Ruins. Freedom. Death.

We sit in comfort, unaware of what it means to lose everything—to be Infected.

Like Amiya had said:

The dead will never return.

Yoren stared at his screen, lost in thought. The rain pounded against his window, the world outside dark and restless.

Then, a new message appeared on the screen.

Human, are you willing to change the world of Terra with your actions?

Yoren froze.

Was this… a new game feature?

The words remained, unblinking.

Thunder rumbled outside, and a chill crawled up his spine.

Human, are you willing to change this world with your actions?

Yes or No.

His pulse quickened. His hand hovered over the screen.

What is this? A hidden event? A prank? It wasn't April Fool's—

CRACK!

A deafening thunderclap.

Startled, his finger accidentally hit Yes.

The phone slipped from his grasp.

BANG!

The screen smacked him square in the face.

Then, the world went dark.

Yoren felt himself falling—

Falling—

Into an abyss with no end.