Reincarnation NPC, but Arknights

[Wolverine: What kind of monotone delivery was that, "It's really dangerous"? I almost believed it]

[Seele, whose toy box was stolen: I'm so envious, but unfortunately I'm in Ursus...]

[I will always love Ayase Mitsukasa: You should learn from me, delete your account first, and then create a new one on Lungmen.]

[Altair: File, here you go. How many more days until I can create an account?]

……

In fact, unexpected events like the Longmen Incident occur all over the world.

Players near a spawn point in Colombia attempted to collude with bandits to seize a nearby settlement, but ended up being double-crossed and gaining nothing, instead receiving the death penalty.

Players then realized that quests weren't always guaranteed, and NPCs could even choose to renege on their promises. The system's impartiality could only serve a supplementary purpose; NPCs shouldn't be treated as fools or idiots.

Some players protested, saying that the game system was terrible and a complete waste of time.

Then the rhythm wasn't picked up at all, like waves on the sea that quickly disappear and are swallowed up by the ocean.

Other game companies, however, showed no intention of using online trolls. They were all very honest, as if they had received some inside information or warning beforehand. Even though Arknights Online had become a hit and occupied most of the game market, they had no other ideas or actions.

The rhythm is entirely player-created, and unfortunately, the majority of players still enjoy playing it. This novel setting has actually garnered positive feedback from players.

……

Inside the camp tent, Bai Ye had finished editing her personal shop.

Now that the players have completed the tasks and accumulated wealth over the past few days, their wallets should be quite full. Isn't it time to reap the rewards?

Bai Ye selected weapons and skills suitable for current players from his inventory and combined them into a shop, while also choosing some powerful and interesting items to decorate the shop.

The current players probably have some money, but not much; most of it is probably given out by Bai Ye.

Therefore, what Baiye mainly values ​​is the players' experience.

The player's experience comes from the system, and in the end, it is given to Bai Ye, which is equivalent to pure profit without any cost. Capitalists would probably cry if they saw this.

Bai Ye had tested the waters during the public beta, and it seemed the game system wouldn't do anything to him, which put his mind at ease.

This wave of harvesting can be considered a start. Bai Ye only hopes that players can level up a few times and also upgrade their medical skills.

He also hopes to be able to concoct potions and then use that to continue raking in players' wallets!

Unfortunately, Bai Ye is a mechanical idiot and has no talent in mechanical manufacturing. Otherwise, he could have imitated Master Technician Han and become a super god-level engineer.

However, the potion preparation is not bad, especially in the early stages when players have not yet come into contact with magic and magic healing is still a very scarce skill. Healing mainly relies on medical skills and potions.

Even in the late game, potions haven't been replaced by spell healing; otherwise, this skill would have been obsolete among the native inhabitants of Terra. Spell healing isn't absolute, and some potions are incredibly powerful.

For example, a certain boxing champion, Saria, known as "Saria Daddy," would concoct a magical potion called "Chalk White Healing Needle," the principle of which is to "enhance the totipotency of individual cells and heal all injuries and discomforts."

That's an excellent first-aid medicine!

While devising how to scam—no, I should say help—players in the future, Bai Ye opened his personal shop.

"I'm about to leave. I need to take care of the goods before I go."

"To thank everyone for protecting the camp, players who participated in killing enemies can enjoy a discount."

Bai Ye then adopted the same rhetoric as an NPC.

See how conscientious I am? I know you can't afford it, so I'm deliberately trying to find a reason to lower the price for you!

Bai Ye was so moved by her own words that tears welled up in her eyes.

Having just completed a major storyline quest and distributed their equipment, the players, having eaten and drunk their fill in the game, gathered around Bai Ye, only to be stunned by what he announced.

When they saw the store project, they were even more shocked and gasped.

"These are all top-quality green equipment, and there's even a set of blue-quality heavy armor. This is just too overpowered!"

"Bai Ye, who exactly are you? And you're actually a mysterious businessman?"

"Heavy armor is too expensive, but this weapon is not bad, hmm... Rhodes Island's lightweight standard equipment. Bai Ye, did you rob someone's warehouse?"

"Here's a joke: Bai Ye himself is from Rhodes Island."

"How about a field supervisor? How about a regular pharmacist?"

Players surrounded Baiye, calling on friends and uploading game screenshots to the forum, having a great time.

Players who had previously acquired equipment also came to join in the fun, and were quite envious after seeing that there were many good items in the White Night Shop.

Wealthy individuals have already started contacting people outside the game to buy LMD (Lungmen Dollars).

As an aside, apart from purchasing the base game and gaming equipment, Arknights Online does not have any other pay-to-win features. The only thing that requires spending money is game time cards.

Yes, the game uses a subscription model, charging based on playtime.

However, the official team doesn't interfere with wealthy players trading in-game currency and real-world currency. They've even set up a third-party trading platform to facilitate item trading among players.

Of course, since this person isn't good at building economic systems and data, we won't elaborate on that aspect. Blame it on Luo Tianyi catching ghosts...

……

In short, that's not the main point; anyway, Baiye's curated stalls immediately captured the hearts of the players.

The news spread through the forums, and the players were immediately in an uproar.

Some players even "thoughtfully" posted the weapon's stats to entice players who didn't spawn at Lungmen.

Thank you so much!

Don't let me catch you in Victoria, or you'll be in big trouble!

Chapter Sixty-Eight: I Need to Regroup My Troops

"Rhodes Island Standard Sword - Prototype 1"

"Reliable light armor - polished."

"Lightweight crossbow - with sight included."

……

Because Bai Ye had set aside a limited number of items in the store, players who heard the news rushed to buy them.

"We don't have enough money if each of us buys one individually, so why don't we pool our money and buy a crossbow? That way, you can help us hold the line while we fight the monsters..."

"This shield is for you. You'll have to be at the front from now on..."

Casual players may lack funds, but they have already joined forces with friends in real life and formed teams in the game. Alternatively, some players may have forged deep friendships through shared battles and decided to team up for the game.

These players will pool their resources to buy equipment, making it easier to complete tasks afterwards.

Bai Ye is quite considerate; in addition to equipment, he also sells skills that match weapons and armor.

"Basic Crossbow Shooting"

"Cold Weapons - Basic One-Handed Sword"

"Basics of Shield Defense"

"Cold Weapon - White Raven Sword Technique"

……

Bai Ye's own skills can be upgraded directly through comprehension or by combining experience points. However, it is different for players to upgrade their skills. In addition to filling up the proficiency, they also need to learn higher-level skills from NPCs after reaching the full proficiency level, or purchase skill books to learn them.

Bai Ye certainly wouldn't sell skill books, as that would allow players' experience points to flow into the system. Instead, he would directly teach skills and then obtain experience points from the players.

After thinking for a moment, he did not show all his skills. Apart from the basic skills, he chose to unlock skills that looked more advanced, such as "White Raven Sword Technique," which required a certain level of favorability.

Yes, things like favorability and reputation are just another way for the game developers to slow down player progression, reduce the game's lifespan, and even extend its lifespan. I don't know which genius came up with this idea.

Sometimes, to gain reputation in a certain area or improve the favorability of a certain NPC, players need to complete a series of tedious tasks, run around the map, and even buy gifts that they would never have used before to give to NPCs.

As a player before, Bai Ye thought this setting was incredibly stupid, but now it's different. He's become an NPC, and all he can say about this ingenious idea is—well done!

"More powerful skills require 5 points of favor to learn, and the rest require even more..."

After Baiye finished setting up the shop window, the players realized the seriousness of the situation.

"Ah Zhe, he actually needs 5 points of favorability!"

"Does anyone know how to increase Bai Ye's favorability?"

"Lick him!"

……

Although Bai Ye frequently appears in the players' sight, everyone seems to have long been used to him. However, it is only now that the players realize that they don't know anything about Bai Ye at all.

Who is he? Where did he come from? What does he want to do? What are his hobbies? Does he have any friends?

With a host of questions arising in their minds, players realized that they might have neglected to explore the storyline and NPCs.

Of course, while players were at a loss, some clever players came up with ideas. The first to succeed was a player from the open beta, who came up to them and said, "Brother Baiye, do you remember me? We fought side by side in Lungmen before, and you even gave me your business card!"

Bai Ye glanced at the player's ID and found that it was indeed someone he had fought alongside before. He had increased the favorability of all the players who had spent money and learned skills from him in the past.

"Ah, so you've come too. I hope you can join our organization." Bai Ye showed a look of sudden realization, as if he really recognized the player NPC.

"Yada thief!"

After successfully negotiating, the player learned a sword skill.

Players who participated in the open beta were immediately moved to tears.

So Bai Ye really didn't forget us...

"Then I'm rich! Thank you, Bai Ye!" A player named "Cang Lei" suddenly perked up. Although he had previously made arrogant remarks hoping to be trampled on by Bai Ye, Bai Ye had strangely increased his favorability towards him, making him feel uneasy.

Now he suddenly realized that high favorability was actually useful. Including the favorability gained from learning skills during the public beta, his favorability level had reached 7 points, seemingly the highest among all players.

"Ding! NPC Bai Ye's favorability towards you has decreased by 3 points, now it's 4 points!"

Then, Cang Lei was dumbfounded. His system panel suddenly notified him that his favorability was less than 5 points!

What a rip-off!

The players watching from the sidelines burst into laughter. After all, Cang Lei was quite famous and was considered a comedian on the forum. The camp was instantly filled with a joyful atmosphere.

……

Bai Ye shook his head. "You offended me and still want to run away? I wasn't going to bother with you, but you came up here to mock me..."

Aside from Cang Lei's farce, everything else was proceeding according to Bai Ye's plan.

Most players are learning skills and buying equipment. After the wave subsides, a small number of players are still trying to find ways to increase their affinity with Bai Ye by starting quests or following strategies.

[Ding - Player Kotori Itsuka has gifted you 5000 LMD!]

Just then, Bai Ye, who was busy reaping experience and outwitting all sorts of players, suddenly saw the system notification, and his eyes lit up immediately.

They're sending us money!

"What a genius! He actually thought of using pay-to-win tactics..."

Bai Ye discovered that the player might be even more skilled than him, and also had no bottom line.

So straightforward, just giving away money... Although players can't give away much money right now, it can't withstand so many players.

When we were kids, we all had this whimsical thought—if every Chinese person gave me a dollar, wouldn't I have 14 billion dollars?

Bai Ye scratched his head. Would it be considered illegal fundraising to so openly collect money from players?

However, upon further reflection, Bai Ye realized—that's right, firstly, the player did it voluntarily, and secondly, he was happy after giving money, which increased his favorability. Isn't that reasonable?

It's probably similar to tipping a cute author...

Bai Ye accepted 5000 Lungmen Dollars and then raised the player "Itsuka Kotori's" favorability to 6 points.

"It actually worked!"

"Kotori Itsuka" is a wealthy young woman who saved up 5000 LMD by buying real-world currency. She then decided to try and use that same strategy to spend real money on in-game purchases.

Unexpectedly, Bai Ye actually fell for it.

Players had tried everything to find a way to increase favorability, but it turned out to be so simple and direct?

Kotori Itsuka is quite simple-minded and a very nice person. Although she was the first to discover the mystery, she had no intention of keeping it for herself. Instead, she posted it directly on the forum, and it wasn't even a paid post.

The players immediately erupted in excitement. The method was so simple?!

[I like baby horned dinosaurs: I never expected you to be like this, Bai Ye?]