Arknights Is Real

“You damn whales, go die!”

The chubby kid in the class also joined in.

“Xia Feng, do you prefer hotpot lamb or roasted lamb?”

“Get lost, I like eating grass!!!”

As Xia Feng finished speaking, he grabbed his backpack and left the classroom without looking back.

In the distance, faint rumbles of thunder could be heard, and dark clouds gathered over the city, while the breeze brushing against his cheek began to grow stronger.

Walking home, Xia Feng’s mood wasn’t as bad as it appeared. More than the disappointment of not getting a particular operator, he was genuinely fascinated by the world of Arknights. Yes, he truly loved this game.

He took out his phone and glanced at it.

The weather forecast was right; there was going to be a heavy rainstorm this evening.

As a long-time sufferer of “chūnibyō” syndrome, Xia Feng couldn’t help but compare the darkening sky to the “Catastrophes” in the world of Terra.

Looking up at the sky.

If the world of Terra really existed, people living there would probably see similar scenes before a Catastrophe. No, the spectacle there would be far more grandiose than this approaching rainstorm.

The sky changing color, meteor showers of fire—when a Catastrophe strikes, no one would have the mind to appreciate the sky, because it would be the final scene of death blooming.

Shaking off these idle fantasies, Xia Feng quickened his pace, aiming to get home before becoming drenched.

Back home, just as Xia Feng closed the door, the torrential rain arrived.

He tossed his backpack aside and sprawled out on his bed in a big “X,” habitually pulling out his phone and instinctively tapping on Amiya’s icon.

“Arknights!”

START—Beginning to wake up—Submitting to feedback nerve.

“Doctor, welcome back!”

Seeing the familiar UI and hearing Amiya’s familiar voice, Xia Feng couldn’t help but smile.

Even though his beloved Eyjafjalla hadn’t appeared yet, as long as this game existed, his encounter with Eyjafjalla would eventually happen. As a true fan of Arknights, Xia Feng was already very satisfied.

A month had passed since the game’s launch, and its popularity had not waned. In fact, it had soared even higher with the start of the first event.

When he had no sanity left, Xia Feng would spend a lot of time researching the background story, and the developers had put in significant effort in this area, leaving hidden clues related to the game everywhere for players to speculate and uncover.

In major online communities, players speculated about various mysteries, such as the true identity of the Doctor, Amiya’s ultimate fate, and even connected some clues to information from religions and classic literature.

Undoubtedly, players had enough patience and enthusiasm to discuss these backstories and the grudges and bonds between operators.

Naturally, this puzzle-like exploration and speculation was irresistibly appealing to Xia Feng as well.

When he had no sanity left, he meticulously read through all the operators’ background stories and thoroughly understood the major factions.

As he delved deeper, Xia Feng suddenly had a feeling.

If the world of Terra were real, would we still approach Arknights with a mindset of entertainment and leisure?

War, ruins, freedom, death.

Living in a peaceful world, we can’t comprehend the despair of those stripped of their identity and home, because we are not—Infected.

Just as Amiya said.

“The deceased will never return. If all of this were real, how would we, caught in the whirlpool of the world, choose?”

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The rain outside grew heavier, and Xia Feng lay on his bed, staring at his phone screen, lost in thought.

Suddenly, a line of text appeared on the UI.

“Human, are you willing to use your actions to change the world of Terra?”

Xia Feng was taken aback, staring at the suddenly appearing text in disbelief.

What’s going on? Is this a new feature in the game update?

He reached out to touch the screen, but the phone seemed to be frozen, with the text still clearly displayed in the middle of the UI.

Although it wasn’t completely dark outside yet, the room was very dim due to the storm clouds.

Staring at the eerie text, Xia Feng involuntarily swallowed, feeling the hairs on his body gradually stand on end.

“Human, are you willing to use your actions to change this world?”

“Yes.” “No.”

As the text changed, Xia Feng lay on the bed, his pupils gradually contracting, and his fingers trembling slightly.

What the… what kind of joke is this? An official prank? But it’s not even April Fool’s Day!

Crack!

Just then, a thunderclap boomed outside the window!

In his heightened state of tension, Xia Feng jolted, and his finger accidentally pressed “Yes.”

His hand slipped, and the phone fell from mid-air.

Thud!

The next second, the phone screen accurately smacked into his face.

Xia Feng’s vision went dark, and he felt as if he were falling into an endless abyss.