Ark, I became an NPC in the online game

Xia Yuan took a look at the address on the note, then crumpled it up and stepped on it.

After wandering in the dirty alleys for more than ten minutes, Xia Yuan finally saw the building at the address. It was a dirty-looking bar... In the game, has the bar become a great place to meet?

There were not many people in the bar in the afternoon, only a man in a suit and a hat was busy behind the bar.

"Want something to drink?"

He spoke to himself, with a metallic clang in his voice.

Xia Yuan sat down at the bar. "It's afternoon now. I don't want to get drunk yet. Do you have mojito?"

"Your request is really complicated. Would you like some sparkling water?"

"drink."

The man in the suit turned his head, his face was covered with steel... No, that didn't seem right, it should be his entire head and body were made of steel. The hand that handed him the cup was also an iron hand, and he had a cigar in his mouth. It looked as weird as it could be.

Xia Yuan took a sip of water and asked, "What do you want to talk to me about?"

"Aren't you surprised to see me like this?"

The man's tone had a metallic quality, but one could still hear his surprise.

"I am indeed a little surprised, but I have been walking on the land of Terra for so long, and I have seen and heard so many strange stories. Naturally, I am not surprised by your appearance, Mr. Naturally."

Xia Yuan said calmly that he knew this NPC from the player's mission in his previous life. At that time, the player was completing the mission of the Melander Foundation, and the person who connected with the player was the person in front of him... It was natural to speculate that the other party was a senior executive of the Melander Foundation.

But hasn’t the Melander Foundation always cared about supporting scientists in the scientific community on the surface? Xia Yuan thought that apart from the cooperation on orders, there was nothing about him that was worthy of their curiosity.

"A Sakota like you... is truly amazing." The man introduced himself, "You can call me the Tin Man."

"Although you already know my name, I still want to introduce myself. Xia Yuan Lanshem, just call me Xia Yuan."

Xia Yuan raised his cup and clinked it with the Tin Man.

"I am an outlier among the Sakota people. I am very aware of this. Even if the Sakota people share the same feelings, I believe it is difficult for others to understand what I am thinking."

"So, Xia Yuan, what are you thinking about?"

"A small goal? We should work hard to create a society where infected and non-infected people can live in harmony."

The Tin Man laughed, the sound of steel echoing, "Madman, a madman."

"After all, being one step ahead is a genius, being ten steps ahead is a madman. Thank you for the compliment." Xia Yuan took a sip of water and said, "So Mr. Tin Man definitely didn't ask me to come here to listen to my ideals and then laugh at me. What's the matter?"

"Two things."

The Tin Man also switched quickly. He was laughing just now, but now he quickly switched back to serious mode. "First of all, your drone and your attitude have satisfied the military and our Mayland Foundation. As one of the shareholders of Rhine Life, we have high expectations of you, and you have done it."

"It's just that there are still a bunch of ignorant old men in the scientific community who only know how to talk about qualifications. They are not satisfied with the monopoly your drones have created, and have begun to attack your academic qualifications in the scientific community."

"Education?"

The Tin Man grinned sarcastically, "If I remember correctly, Xia Yuan, you should be a student who graduated early from a church school, and you didn't enter any science major at Columbia University, right?"

Seeing Xia Yuan nod, Xi Ren said, "This is why they attack you. How can someone without a diploma or education get the favor of the military and the Melander Foundation? Xia Yuan, you make them lose face."

Xia Yuan twitched his lips, "Those old guys will bite anyone when they go crazy?"

"Oh no, they are much more vicious than Pero." The Tin Man mercilessly threw out a discriminatory remark, "Except for the old man, the young generation nowadays are all like this."

"Kristen gave me a heads-up beforehand, so...?"

"So you need to hit them hard on academic qualifications." The Tin Man sat behind the bar, crossed his legs, and began to smoke. "I know your time is very valuable, Mr. Xia Yuan. I don't need a lot of your time. How about lending it to our Melander Foundation for six months after the school season ends in September?"

"You will study mechanical engineering at Tremont Polytechnic Institute. Of course, since you have a certain foundation, Mr. Xia Yuan, the Melander Foundation will arrange private one-on-one teaching for you to ensure that you can obtain a four-year university diploma and a doctorate in a short period of time."

Xia Yuan frowned. Six months to finish college and get a doctorate? If a college student from Leitania saw this scene, they might cry directly. However, it seemed possible for him. He was a genius. His learning speed increased by 15%. He also had some basic knowledge in mechanics. Others needed to understand what they read, but Xia Yuan only needed to read the bars.

It is indeed possible to accomplish.

There is nothing big happening at the end of this year. He will be spending the New Year in Colombia at the beginning of next year. I can make plans after March.

"You mean to smack them in the face with the title of Doctor?"

"What else? Aren't those shameless old men just attacking your academic qualifications?" The Tin Man continued to puff. "Well, this situation is a win-win situation for both the Melander Foundation and you, right?"

Xia Yuan nodded. What he said made sense. Moreover, October to November was the time when players played the first mid-season tournament. The real world lasted for about one and a half months, or 45 days, and included individual and team competitions.

As for the World Championship Cup, it will have to wait until 1.0 is about to end.

This mid-season tournament is just an officially authorized tournament organized by the club itself to attract the players' attention. Most of the famous clubs from all over the world have been invited. It will surely be a grand event.

The first competition will be held in a virtual arena among players. They will transfer the characters in Arknights into the virtual arena to decide the winner.

It just so happens that the players are also busy, and Xia Yuan can also take this opportunity to make a fortune quietly.

Xia Yuan nodded and agreed with Xiren's suggestion.

"The second thing."

The Tin Man blew out a puff of smoke.

"What do you think of the 'Undead'?"

His eyes were staring straight at Xia Yuan who was drinking sparkling water, not giving him any chance to shift his gaze.

"Do you have any news from Kazdel?"

"No matter what, I am also a Sarkaz."

The Tin Man laughed hoarsely, "Are you using the 'Undead', Mr. Xia Yuan?"

Chapter 94: The Summer Is About to Begin

"Mr. Xia Yuan, my sources of information are more extensive than you think." The Tin Man lowered his hat with his hand, "I believe this is no secret to the Sakota race."

"Yes, but I will not use the code name 'Undead' to refer to them."

"Code names are just code names. No matter what you call them, their immortal nature will not be changed."

Xia Yuan raised his eyebrows. He knew that the top leaders of Kazdel had already explored the players' strengths and weaknesses, and also detected that they possessed the "immortal" Originium skills. For this group of undead, the strategy adopted by the top leaders of Kazdel was to open up a battlefield that belonged only to them.

I didn't expect the Tin Man knew even this.

"What do you think of those people?" Xia Yuan turned the question back to the Tin Man. He stood up and filled his glass with sparkling water. "I'm very curious about Mr. Tin Man's opinion."

"They are a group of mercenaries who are not afraid of death, but they are too weak." The Tin Man curled his lips, "Whoever has enough undead will have more say in the future of Terra."

"It's terrifying to think that anyone has an immortal army."

Xia Yuan smiled lightly, "I think within a few years, countries and forces will take action, whether by using benefits or threats to recruit the undead you mentioned into their own camp."

"Will there be a war then? Based on your behavior, Mr. Xia Yuan, do you want to start a war?"

Xia Yuan laughed out loud at the baseless accusation made by the Tin Man. He shook his head and said, "Mr. Tin Man, I think you think too much. I don't have such a big ambition and I don't want to unify Terra. The best outcome is for them to be incorporated into the country in various parts of Terra. The power cannot be gathered in one place, but dispersed. This is the safest way."

“It’s like the civil war in Kazdel today.”

The Tin Man took another puff of his cigarette and exhaled a puff of mist. "You are the most peculiar Sakota I have ever seen."

"Same here, you are also the strangest Sarkaz I have ever seen."

The conversation came to an abrupt end. Xia Yuan finished the sparkling water in the cup and stood up.

The Tin Man lowered his hat again. "The conversation about the 'immortals' just now has nothing to do with the Melander Foundation. It's just my personal curiosity. The Melander Foundation will contact you in September to discuss and implement the plan I mentioned before."

Xia Yuan nodded, and just as he reached the door he turned back.

"what happened?"

"What's troubling you, Mr. Tin Man?"

The tin man opened his mouth wide. What on earth was Xia Yuan, who was talking peacefully and deeply just now, saying now? What was his intention?

"No." said the Tin Man in a deep voice.

"Is that so..." Xia Yuan felt a little sorry, because players who had a technician sub-profession in the previous life could receive a job transfer task from Mr. Tin Man to unlock the technician's advanced sub-profession agent after joining the Melander Foundation... Originally Xia Yuan thought there was a chance, but now it seems a little impossible.

"...You are looking at me straight, what exactly do you want?" The Tin Man was confused by this curious Sakota, but when he thought about the many Sakota he had met so far, they seemed to be no different from Xia Yuan. Xia Yuan's personality was even much better than theirs.

Xia Yuan thought about it for a moment, and then said, "I want to know how to become an agent."

The agent sub-profession is an upgraded version of the technician sub-profession. After becoming an agent, players can master useful skills and characteristics such as close combat, sniper rifle/crossbow control, lurking and concealment. It is considered a sub-profession that players can access at the end of 2.0.

"You're interested in agents? That's rare."

Xi Ren commented. He glanced at Xia Yuan's eyes and finally felt that he was more pleasing to the eye. He threw a book from his arms and said, "Take it and study it yourself, but don't ask me if you don't understand."

Xia Yuan was overjoyed. He took the "Seven Standards of an Agent" thrown by the Tin Man and smiled, "I owe you this time."

"I have gained a favor from you, so it seems I have made a profit."

The Tin Man leaned back in his seat again, smoking the cigar that was burning to the end. "The Melander Foundation is looking forward to seeing you, Mr. Xia Yuan."

Seeing that the Tin Man looked like he had ended the conversation, Xia Yuan left with a smile. He had gained a lot this time. Not only did he get the unlocking book for the agent's secondary profession, but he also learned about the attitude of the Melander Foundation... It seemed that they wanted to use him to fight against those old guys in the scientific community and use him as a gun.

It seemed that Xia Yuan was taken advantage of in this wave, but Xia Yuan did not feel that he was at a disadvantage. After all, on the balance between being taken advantage of and the doctoral degree, the doctoral degree was more important.

In addition to the goods, the only thing that interested Xia Yuan in the black market was intelligence. Near the trading location, Xia Yuan sat down on the street corner and threw a few Colombian gold coins to the beggar squatting on the street, "Tell me if there is any interesting news recently."

The old beggar opened his mouth, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth and smiled hoarsely... Don't doubt whether he is a weak person or not. Anyone who can beg in the black market is definitely not an ordinary old man. "Three gold coins...three messages"

“The military has begun contacting major technology companies to prepare for human experiments.”

"A new-age scientist who was a revolutionary in the scientific community died in a fire when an experiment went wrong at Lankawu."

If the first piece of news only made Xia Yuan's eyelids twitch, then the second piece of news made Xia Yuan immediately know the purpose of the Melander Foundation. Well, the insects have started assassinations, and the Colombian scientific community is hopeless, and he has been dragged up to compete with this group of old immortals.

As expected of the Melander Foundation, he was just a knife from beginning to end.

Xia Yuan was a little surprised, but not too angry. Anyway, he would not stay in Columbia after finishing his studies, and those old guys would not be able to infiltrate Rhine Life. If he was not stationed in Columbia permanently, those insects would be out of reach.

“The first Dos Solás Ironman Grand Prix will be held in Bolivar soon.”

Xia Yuan suddenly realized after hearing the last piece of information he said. He actually forgot about this. However, this summer was indeed the first time that Dosoles organized an event... Well, do you want to go once?

It seems that there are no particularly important plot characters in Bolivar, and the country's civil war is a mess - this has also led to the fact that most players born in Bolivar have left, with most of them coming to Colombia, and some going to Yan Country, but the holidays in the city of Dos Solès are indeed remarkable.

Is this an opportunity for him?

Xia Yuan returned to Rhine Life with the metal obtained from the transaction and began basic metal forging.

While he was sweating profusely and browsing the forum, he found that this issue of "Terra Times" was finally updated.

I clicked on the Terra Times and the number of viewers was still in the six figures as usual.

The hosts were still Xiaolang, Yang YanXF and Yue Ye, and the three of them smiled at the camera.

After a brief self-introduction, Xiaolang said, "Before introducing this issue of Terra's interesting news, I'm sure everyone has heard about the mid-season competition."

"Yes, the first large-scale Ark Mid-Season Tournament will be held in the United States in a month. This tournament is funded by many clubs and investors, and the prize money is an astonishing 10 million US dollars!" Yang YanXF said with admiration, "And there are 32 teams directly invited this time. They are all clubs that have left a strong mark in the history of the game. Team Liquid, Dynasty, Misty Rain Tower, and Lao Gandie from the Chinese region are also on the list of invited teams."

"Currently, only these four clubs have confirmed on their official blogs that they will participate in this mid-season tournament. We are looking forward to the rest of the Chinese teams that have not yet revealed any news."

Yue Ye added, "The remaining twelve places are obtained through competition. Clubs and teams that were not directly invited can get one of the twelve seats after participating in the brutal preliminaries and winning. According to external network estimates, the number of teams participating in the preliminaries is likely to have exceeded three digits."

“It really makes our blood boil. I hope our ACL can achieve good results!” exclaimed Xiaolang.

The full name of ACL here is "Arknights Championship League". It is a professional league held in China after the birth of "Ark". It is also regarded as a high-level Ark professional competition in China and the only channel for China to reach the global finals.

After talking about the professional league for a while, the three began to analyze the intelligence of the past few months. Currently, the pass rate of people who have obtained the pioneer copy crystal has been very low. Players usually learn with their brains but not with their hands. This is currently the most difficult copy in the Ark... and it seems that there are no other copies.

"I'm telling you, this 24-person dungeon requires too many people. I'm already overwhelmed, so how can I have time to take care of the other 23?"

"It's too real. If one person makes a mistake or dies, you can still win, but if they keep dying, you can't win at all."

"This is a very challenging game for teammates. Finding good teammates is a science. I'm in the P1 building and the P2 cross strangler. I'm looking for a team to open P2. If you're interested, please PM me."

Another wave of barrage floated over.

The current predicted player completion rate is 25%. Players either have to achieve perfection in terms of mechanics or lack output, which gives many players a headache.

Xia Yuan said that he had no choice. This was a copy crystal created by the system and he couldn't defeat it himself. What could he do?

However, as players purchased and used copy crystals, Xia Yuan was still able to gain a steady stream of experience, although these experiences were no longer a surprise to him, earning a few hundred at a time, and it was unlikely that he would even be able to level up.

While watching the live broadcast, Xia Yuan noticed that a prompt bar popped up on the system.