I am the default companion NPC bound to the ultimate Boss of a horror game. Everyone in the entire server knows it. I am cowardly and low-level. I don’t even know how to scare the players. Every time rookies enter the dungeon, I just hide in a wardrobe and shiver. Jarvis, on the other hand, is an Abyss-tier Boss. He is the most dangerous entity in the entire Infinite Corridor. With a single thought, he can reset any dungeon instance. So nobody understood. Nobody knew why a supreme being like him would ever look at a useless NPC like me. Only later did I realize. It wasn’t affection. It was merely a habit. 01 I had been with Jarvis for three years when the System launched the first cross-server event. It was a massive affair. All the high-tier players gathered. The Great Hall of the Abyss was ablaze with light. I sat right next to the Boss’s exclusive throne. That was my designated spot. It had been that way for three long years. Every monster knew it. Every player knew it. I belonged to Jarvis. At least, until the event began and a girl stepped forward. Her name was Sienna. She was the top-ranked player in the real-world server and the most popular streamer on the platform. She was beautiful, daring, and broke speedrun records with ease. In just six short months, she had risen to the legendary hall of fame. The moment she arrived, the crowd erupted into cheers. Jarvis sat on his throne, his expression as cold and detached as ever. But then Sienna walked up to the stage and smiled. “I’ve heard the Abyss Boss is unmatched,” she said, her voice carrying across the silent hall. “I’ve always wanted to test that theory.” The silence was absolute. Everyone knew her words were a direct provocation. Yet, in the very next second, Jarvis did something unexpected. He smiled. “And how exactly do you want to test it?” he asked. It was the first time he had ever acknowledged a player in public. I froze. Beside us, the skeletal butler responsible for tracking game data froze as well. The hall held its breath for two agonizing seconds before exploding into a frenzy of whispers. Sienna’s eyes lit up. “What if I win?” Jarvis rested his chin in his hand, looking completely unbothered. “Then you get a reward.” With a wave of his hand, a dark, shimmering authority panel materialized in the air. A collective gasp echoed through the room. That was the Abyssal Writ, the highest-tier clearance pass in the game. Whoever held it could enter Jarvis’s primary domain at will. For the past three years, that permission had belonged to only one person. Me. I stared at the glowing writ, suddenly feeling very cold. 02 Once the event ended, the community forums exploded. [Did the Abyss Boss just fall for the top streamer?] [Abyssal Writ granted to a player for the first time!] [Is the bound NPC finally losing her crown?] Dozens of posts flooded the front page. I didn’t read them. Clutching my plush rabbit close to my chest, I slipped back to my room. In the dead of night, Jarvis returned. Seeing that I was still awake, he reached out and gently ruffled my hair. “What’s wrong?” he asked. I looked up at him. “Where is the Abyssal Writ?” Jarvis paused, seemingly caught off guard by my question. “It was just a reward,” he said softly. “Required for the event.” I offered a quiet nod and lowered my gaze, refusing to say more. If it was just a reward, why did it have to be that specific token? If it was just for the event, why choose the one thing that connected us? Perhaps sensing my withdrawal, Jarvis pulled me into his arms. “Are you angry?” I shook my head. “No.” And I meant it. Because in that moment, I suddenly remembered something. Jarvis and I had never actually gone through a formal bonding process. I was merely a randomly generated NPC, while he was the supreme ruler of the Abyss. In theory, he could replace me whenever he pleased. I had no right to be angry. 03 The next day, I went to work as usual. Hide in the cabinet. Shed a few tears. Hand the key to the players. But the moment my shift began, a group of players barged in, recording with their system cameras and laughing. “Is this her?” “The NPC who got replaced by the streamer?” “She looks so ordinary.” “I heard the Boss kept her around for three years. He must be bored of her by now.” They chuckled among themselves. I curled up inside the wardrobe, hugging my knees, and kept silent. By afternoon, a new post topped the forums. [Breaking! Sienna receives permanent Abyssal clearance!] In the attached clip, Jarvis stood before his throne, personally handing the Abyssal Writ to her. Sienna accepted it with a radiant smile. The crowd cheered. Staring at the screen, a strange sense of detachment washed over me. Three years ago, when Jarvis gave me that same clearance, he had looked at me with the same intensity. He had told me, “From now on, nobody will ever bully you.” I had believed him for a very long time. 04 That evening, the skeletal butler came to see me. He hesitated for a long time before handing me an application form. “My lady,” he said gently. “Several other dungeons are currently short-handed on NPCs. If you wish to transfer…” He left the rest of the sentence hanging. But I understood completely. Everyone assumed Sienna would replace me. Even the monsters believed it. Staring down at the paper, I let out a soft, wry laugh. “Can I transfer to a completely different sector?” The butler blinked in surprise. “You want to leave?” I nodded. “Yes. I want a change of scenery.” He remained quiet for a long moment before asking, “Does the Master know?” I shook my head. “It doesn’t matter.” Three days after I submitted the request, the main System approved it. [NPC Designation: 0731.] [Transfer request: Approved.] [Effective in: Seven days.] Staring at the glowing notification, I felt a weight lift from my chest for the very first time. During those seven days, Jarvis became busier than ever. He was managing the cross-server events, streaming with Sienna, and coordinating with the main platform. The forums were entirely saturated with news of them. Some said Sienna was the only player worthy of standing beside the Boss. Some said she was the true protagonist of this world. Nobody knew I was already preparing to leave. 05 On the seventh night, Jarvis finally returned. He brought a mechanical rabbit with him. Standing at the doorway, exhaustion was written all over his face. “I heard you’ve been unhappy lately,” he said, holding it out. “I bought this for you.” Looking at the toy, I felt a sudden urge to cry. If this had been before, I would have been overjoyed. But now, it felt entirely meaningless. I took the rabbit and whispered, “Thank you.” Jarvis frowned, sensing the coldness in my tone. “Evelyn,” he said, using my name for the first time. “What is going on?” I simply smiled. Then, I unclasped the clearance pendant I had worn around my neck for three years. I placed it gently into his palm. “I am returning this to you.” The air in the room grew heavy. His expression shifted, hardening. “What is the meaning of this?” I met his eyes. “My transfer request went through. I am leaving the Abyss tomorrow.” Silence fell over the room like a physical weight. For the first time, Jarvis looked genuinely bewildered. He stared at me as if I were speaking a foreign language. “What did you just say?” I looked at him, the dim light catching his handsome features. He looked exactly the same as always, yet everything felt so distant. Suddenly, I lost the energy to argue. So, I let out a soft laugh and crinkled my eyes. “Nothing. Just a joke.” Jarvis watched me for a few seconds, as if searching for something. Ultimately, he just reached out and patted my head. “Don’t make jokes like that,” he said, his tone carrying a hint of exasperation, as if I were merely throwing another childish tantrum. I lowered my head and murmured an agreement. I didn’t explain, and he didn’t press. After all, over the last three years, I had said similar things so many times. “I don’t want to stay here.” “I want to work somewhere else.” “What if I run away one day?” Every single time, he would simply pull me into his embrace or offer a few half-hearted words of comfort. He had never once taken me seriously. That night, he left as usual, leaning down to kiss my forehead before he walked out. “Get some rest.” I stood by the door, watching his silhouette disappear down the long hallway. Only when the footsteps completely faded did I quietly close the door. 06 The next morning, the System finalized the process. [NPC 0731: Transfer fully effective.] I dragged my suitcase out of the Abyssal Citadel. There were no farewells, and I notified no one. I had already said my goodbyes the night before. It was just that no one chose to believe me. I boarded the transit train heading to Sector 13. Only after the train chugged to life and started moving did the intercom suddenly screech with static. Then, a name that had absolutely no business being broadcasted outside his domain echoed through the entire train. “Attention all units.” “The primary Abyssal instance has entered total lockdown.” “The Supreme Boss authority has seized control of all servers.” “Currently searching for NPC 0731.” I slowly raised my head. Outside the train window, the once-bright sky was slowly turning into the color of fresh blood. 07 Instantly, the entire carriage went wild. “The Supreme Boss authority?” “Is this a joke?” “The ruler of the Abyss never interferes with external sectors!” “Who on earth is NPC 0731?” The train was packed with monsters and minor NPCs, all whispering and looking at each other in confusion. I quietly pulled my hat down, a terrible premonition settling in my gut. A second later, the broadcast blared again. “Repeating notification.” “Target: NPC 0731.” “Name: Evelyn.” “Identifying features: Easily frightened, prone to crying, carries a plush rabbit.” The carriage fell into a dead silence. Dozens of eyes slowly turned to look at me. I froze. I was doomed. Three minutes later, I was sprinting through the train, desperately clutching my suitcase. “She’s over there!” “Catch her!” “The bounty is a hundred thousand points!” “Don’t let her escape!” I ran, tears streaming down my face. I had never realized I was worth so much money. The conductor chased me with a megaphone, shouting, “Miss Evelyn! Your boyfriend is looking for you! Please do not disrupt public order!” I nearly tripped over my own feet. What boyfriend? He was my ex. And who in their right mind locks down the entire server database over a breakup? Fortunately, the train finally screeched to a halt at Sector 13. The portal hissed open, and I dove straight through. 08 The world finally grew quiet. Sector 13, also known as the Ruined Fairground. It was one of the most remote and neglected dungeons in the game. There were no high-level players, no competitive leaderboards, and barely any decent loot. Its only saving grace was that it was incredibly far from the Abyss. Or so I thought. Two hours after stepping off the train, I saw the Abyssal Legion. The sky split open, revealing a massive, swirling rift. Thousands of flying monsters swarmed the heavens, blocking out the sun. The ground trembled as columns of high-ranking armored beasts marched in perfect formation. My jaw dropped. These people were absolutely insane. The supervisor NPC in charge of my reception turned pale. “Miss Evelyn, who exactly are you?” I wanted to know the answer to that myself. Just then, a system alert flashed before my eyes. [Server Announcement.] [The Abyssal Boss has upgraded the bounty.] [Anyone providing actionable leads on NPC 0731 will receive one million points.] The entire server lost its mind. The community forums crashed under the sheer volume of traffic. I sat in my tiny staff dormitory, watching the threads multiply at a dizzying speed. [The Abyss Boss Hunts Down His Runaway NPC] [Rumor Has It the Boss’s Girl Fled] [Does Anyone Know What Happened?] [One Million Points! My Mom Is Asking Why I Haven’t Logged In to Join the Hunt] There were tens of thousands of replies. [I heard she dumped him.] [No way, seriously?] [My buddy works in the Abyss. He said the Boss hasn’t slept in three days.] [Not three days, it’s been five.] [They’ve already terminated seventy-eight managers in the main dungeon.] I quietly shut down the interface, too terrified to keep reading. 09 That evening, there was a knock on my dormitory door. The supervisor stood there with a deeply complicated expression. “Miss Evelyn, someone is here to see you.” I blinked. “Who?” The supervisor swallowed hard. “Sienna.” A few minutes later, in the reception room, I met the legendary top streamer for the second time. She was even more stunning in person than on screen. When she saw me, she paused, seemingly surprised by my plain appearance. After a moment, she let out a soft laugh. “So, it really is you.” I nodded, shifting uncomfortably in my seat. Sienna looked at me and asked, “Why did you run?” I hadn’t expected her to be so direct. I remained quiet for a brief moment before replying, “I just wanted to work in a different place.” Sienna stared at me as if I had just given the most absurd answer in the world. “Just because of that?” I nodded. “Yes.” She laughed, shaking her head. “Evelyn, do you have any idea what’s going on?” “The entire server thinks I stole your spot.” I was stunned. Sienna leaned back against her chair, her expression showing a hint of weariness. “But the truth is, I’ve only ever seen Jarvis three times.” “The first time was at the event.” “The second was to receive the prize.” “And the third time…” She paused. “He came to find me.” I raised my eyes instinctively. Sienna continued, “He told me never to set foot in the Abyss again.” I sat frozen. “Why?” “Because he said it would make you unhappy.” The air in the room grew entirely still. Sienna stared down at her teacup, turning it slowly. “I thought he was out of his mind at first. But then I realized…” “He was just using me as a tool.” I had no words. “The event needed hype, and it needed a controversial figure, so he chose me. But the moment the event ended, he revoked my clearance immediately.” Sienna met my gaze. “Evelyn, did you ever even bother to ask him about it?” My mouth opened, but no sound came out. After that day, I indeed hadn’t asked a single question. I had simply filed for a transfer. 10 Suddenly, terrified screams echoed from outside the reception room. The entire building shook violently. Red alarms began to flash frantically on the walls. [Warning!] [Warning!] [An SSS-tier hazardous target has breached the perimeter!] [An SSS-tier hazardous target has breached the perimeter!] My heart leaped into my throat. The supervisor practically crawled into the room, gasping for breath. “Miss Evelyn! Run! The Abyssal Boss is here!” A deafening explosion tore through the room. The concrete wall crumbled into dust. Through the thick shroud of smoke, a familiar silhouette emerged. He wore a long dark coat, his pale skin contrasting sharply with the shadows, and his intense gaze locked directly onto me. It had only been seven days, but Jarvis looked visibly thinner. And terrifyingly cold. The entire hall was dead silent. Nobody dared to breathe. Only the automated system warnings continued to blare. I stood frozen, my chest thumping wildly. Jarvis stared at me as if I were a precious, long-lost treasure. After an agonizing pause, he spoke. “Evelyn. Come home with me.” I took a step backward. Jarvis’s entire body stiffened. The silence deepened. It was the first time I had ever refused to go to him. And it was the first time he had ever seen such unfamiliarity in my eyes. 11 Long after that day, someone dug up the surveillance footage of the encounter and posted it online. In the video, the most terrifying Boss in the game stood in the center of the ruins. And the usually timid NPC raised her head for the first time, asking him a quiet question. “Jarvis, did you come to find me because of a habit?” “Or because of love?” The silence in the hall was so profound you could hear a pin drop. Everyone waited for his answer. But Jarvis remained silent. He stared at me, his brow furrowing deeper and deeper. He looked like a man facing an impossible, unsolvable puzzle. Nobody in the room dared to draw a breath. Jarvis kept his eyes on me, eventually repeating, “Just come back with me.” I shook my head. “No.” His expression darkened. “Why?” I felt a profound exhaustion wash over me. In the past, I would have immediately explained myself. I would have told him why I was sad, why I felt slighted, and why I cried in secret. But now, I didn’t want to explain anymore. Because the pain I felt had been real. The moments of being overlooked had also been real. “Jarvis,” I said softly. “Have you noticed something?” “In these past seven days, you have never once asked me why I left.” He froze. “You only wanted to find me and drag me back. But you never cared about the reason I wanted to go.” Jarvis stared at me, speechless. Looking at him, many memories began to float to the surface. It wasn’t just about the Abyssal Writ. In the past, I had always made excuses for him. He was busy. He wasn’t good at expressing himself. He was the Boss. He had too many responsibilities. So every time I felt hurt, I kept it to myself. But those feelings never truly disappeared. They simply accumulated, day by day, until there was no room left to hold them. “I don’t want to go back.” 12 Jarvis stood frozen, the color draining from his face. The system interface popped up another alert. [Target’s desire to sever connection is rising.] [Estimated time to unbinding: 28 days.] [27 days.] The countdown had begun. Jarvis’s pupils contracted. This was the highest-level binding agreement. Once the countdown ended, I would no longer belong to the Abyssal instance. We would have no connection left whatsoever. He took a sudden step forward. I instinctively took a step back. Three years ago, when I first met him, I loved being near him more than anything. Even when I was shivering with fear, I would cling to his arm and refuse to let go. But now, I was actively dodging him. Jarvis’s face grew increasingly pale. He finally realized that I was truly letting him go. 13 That night, Jarvis did not leave Sector 13. The entire fairground dungeon was placed under maximum security. All the resident NPCs were too terrified to sleep. But after that encounter, Jarvis didn’t try to see me again. Some said he had returned to the Abyss and cancelled the bounty. A few days later, I returned to my dormitory clutching my toy rabbit. The moment I opened the door, I froze. A familiar box was sitting on the floor. I knelt down and opened it. Inside was an old scarf. The stitching was uneven and incredibly crooked. I had knitted it myself two years ago. I had spent an entire month on it, but when I gave it to Jarvis, he had simply said he didn’t care for such things. I had been heartbroken for a very long time. I never expected him to keep it. At the bottom of the box was a slip of paper with a single line written in his sharp, elegant handwriting. [I didn’t dislike it.] I stared at those words for a long time, unable to move. 14 Suddenly, a server-wide announcement blared across the entire system. [Emergency Notice.] [The hidden dungeon of Sector 13 is opening ahead of schedule.] [Hazard Level: Unknown.] [Dungeon Designation: The City of Oblivion.] Hearing the announcement, my face went completely white. Because three years ago, that was exactly where I had come from. Back then, I had no past, no memories, and no identity. My system profile simply read: [NPC 0731.] [Created: Three years ago.] Yet, in the dead of night, a lingering voice in my subconscious always told me that wasn’t the truth. Whenever I dreamed, I would see a city of snow, and someone standing in the raging blizzard, calling my name over and over. Every time I woke up, my chest would ache with an unbearable tightness. I had once asked Jarvis, “Did we know each other before?” He had been reviewing documents at the time. He had paused for a fraction of a second before answering quietly, “No.” And I had believed him. But now, as the City of Oblivion reopened, a profound sense of unease settled deep in my bones. The next day, the entire server was abuzz. An unknown hazard level, a complete system lockdown, and even leaderboard players were blocked from accessing any details. The forums went wild. By noon, the System issued a new exploration quest. [Countdown to the opening of Oblivion: 24 hours.] [Entry Condition: Must possess the Ancient Emblem.] The very next second, my inventory slot flashed with a brilliant red light. An item I had never seen before materialized. [The Ancient Emblem.] [Holder: Evelyn.] I gasped. How was this possible? Before I could process it, my entire system interface began to glitch violently. Screeching alarms echoed in my mind. [Anomaly detected.] [Anomaly detected.] [Archived data discovered.] [Bypassing restrictions…] A flood of memories crashed into my mind. I saw endless snow. I was standing on top of a high tower, with a roaring fire consuming everything behind me. In the distance, a young man covered in blood was stumbling toward me through the storm. His voice was muffled by the wind, but I could still hear his desperate plea. “Evelyn! Don’t jump!” A searing pain split my head. I fell to my knees, cold sweat soaking through my clothes. Static filled my ears. [Memory recovery: 1%.] [2%.] [3%.] At that exact moment, back in the Abyssal Citadel, the cup in Jarvis’s hand shattered into tiny pieces. The skeletal butler nearly fell to his knees in terror. “Master?” Jarvis slowly raised his head, his face incredibly pale. “Her memories are returning.” The air in the room turned to ice. The butler’s face went white. Because the entire Abyss knew. Three years ago, Jarvis had done something. Something that no one dared to mention. And now, that secret was about to unravel.
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