Ark Simulator: Don't I Have No Physical Form?
Moreover, the environment here seems to be a rainforest. Because the environment is quite humid, the girl who is Su Rui's host is wearing very revealing clothes.
The girl, known as the Eunectes, whose real Zumama, is currently working with her tribesmen on a huge, ugly-looking machine.
After observing for a moment, Su Rui directly marked the outcome of their debate within the Eunectes's field of vision:
"Connect this pipeline at this location, then readjust the pressure relief valve; you've tightened it too much."
"Who's there?" Su Rui's sudden voice made the Eunectes raise its head and warily look around, but it found nothing. Instead, its subordinates looked at it with confusion. "What's wrong, Eunectes? What happened?"
"Didn't you hear me?" The Eunectes glanced at its subordinates with some confusion, then began modifying the wiring of the enormous, ugly thing in front of it.
"A voice was telling me how to modify this, and it even marked the directions."
The Eunectes paused for a moment, clearly realizing this as well, and pointed to the location Su Rui had marked in her field of vision, asking:
"Didn't you see?"
The only response the Eunectes received were questioning looks from the tribe members. "What do you see? Eunectes, are you too tired? Or too hungry? But you just ate with us!"
The Eunectes was also somewhat confused, but Su Rui continued, "Give up. They can't hear my voice because I live in your mind now. Only you can hear me. By the way, you can talk to me directly in your mind; you don't need to speak."
The Eunectes paused for a moment, then glanced at its companions around it. Confirming that they truly couldn't hear Su Rui's voice, it cautiously inquired:
Who are you?
"My name is Su Rui, and I'm now your support system. I can help you with many things, such as Scanning Vision, allowing you to know all the information within a vast area. This system can also assist you in combat. More importantly, all electronic devices, provided they have power, can be controlled by me."
Su Rui's words immediately brightened the Eunectes's eyes, and she stopped worrying about how Su Rui had appeared in her mind:
'Can you make me Big Ugly?'
"... You mean this gigantic mechanical thing? Of course! I mean, you guys actually managed to cobble together a barely functional machine from a bunch of junk."
Su Rui scanned the enormous machine before him from head to toe, marveling at it.
The Eunectes didn't think there was anything wrong with Su Rui's assessment; on the contrary, it was quite proud.
"Big Ugly isn't good enough yet, but we'll make it better and better, so can you help me?"
'Of course... By the way, aren't you really curious about how I came to be?'
'Does it matter? You're here to help me, right?'
"... Oh, right?" Su Rui didn't quite understand the anaconda's direct way of communicating. Didn't she have any doubts at all?
But after hearing Su Rui's answer, the Eunectes simply nodded. "Then there's no problem. From now on, you're my friend. Now, tell me how to assemble it."
As it spoke, the Eunectes once again turned its gaze to the enormous mechanical body in front of it.
Volume 8, Chapter 458: Departure!
Seeing how quickly the Eunectes accepted him, Su Rui was somewhat at a loss. Logically speaking, shouldn't there be a step of gaining trust? Although gaining trust was usually easy, this was far too easy.
However, since the Eunectes had said so, Su Rui opened her Scanning Vision and revealed some of Big Ugly's problems:
"The screws on the feet are too loose, and they don't actually fit the body properly. If possible, you should replace them. Also, the bearing on the waist is not installed correctly, and..."
Following Su Rui's instructions, the Eunectes had no doubts and began adjusting the parts of the huge, ugly thing in front of it as Su Rui requested.
The Eunectes's skillful movements drew gasps of amazement from its surrounding subordinates.
"As expected of the Eunectes leader, she's truly formidable!"
"But wasn't she just scratching her head and ears with us a moment ago?"
"Does it matter? Let me tell you, aren't you amazing?"
"Of course she's amazing! I'll argue with anyone who says she's not!"
The Eunectes ignored its subordinates' comments, instead looking with delight at the Big Ugly before it, now modified by Su Rui:
"How's it going, Big Ugly? Is it running now?"
"... If you insist on saying it can run, then it definitely can, since I've already fixed all the non-compliant details for you. However, I can only say that its current operating condition is probably not very good, because the strength and wear resistance of some parts are not suitable for this kind of mechanical body; it's only barely adequate."
"It's alright. It's already quite an achievement to have done this with the current parts. We'll get better parts later."
The Eunectes nodded, undeterred by Su Rui's assessment, and continued, "Then, Su Rui, could you help me operate this Big Ugly? We're not very proficient in mechanical design yet, so the cockpit can only fit the High Priest. You said you can operate the electronic instruments, so..."
"Sure, at least there are electronically operated devices inside Big Ugly's joints, which I can operate. However, if you want smoother operation, we'll need to install some more electronic control panels later."
"I understand. After we see how well the Big Ugly ' works, we'll go to Inam's to buy more parts."
"Alright, I'll begin then. Tell your men to keep their distance, and don't be afraid."
'My men are all reliable, so I have nothing to fear.'
As the Eunectes spoke, it still waved its hand as Su Rui had instructed, gesturing to its subordinates:
"Everyone step back, Big Ugly is about to make his move."
"But Chief, hasn't the High Priest arrived yet? How do we activate the Big Ugly?" The subordinates beside her asked the Eunectes with a puzzled look. By the way, they were all Crocodile People, but the women generally only had crocodile tails to show their racial characteristics, while the men were all upright crocodiles.
"Just step back and watch." The Eunectes wasn't sure how to explain Su Rui's presence, so it simply waved its hand, signaling its men to retreat.
Although his subordinates were puzzled, they did as the Eunectes requested.
Then, Su Rui activated the Big Ugly, and amidst the astonished gazes of the tribe members, manipulated the Big Ugly to stand up.
"How are you feeling?" The Eunectes looked at the Big Ugly that was now moving, and a blush crept onto its cheeks.
Su Rui can make her works stand up and move, so in that sense, Su Rui is simply the perfect partner for her.
With this thought in mind, the Eunectes couldn't help but feel a little nervous, eagerly awaiting Su Rui's answer.
But Su Rui only controlled the Big Ugly to twist its joints a few times, making mechanical noises, without answering her. Instead, she thought to herself:
"Your machine doesn't even have a speaker, how am I supposed to answer you? If I had to say, its combat power is practically invincible in the rainforest."
Although its mobility is practically nonexistent, making it an extremely vulnerable target, it's still considered top-tier combat capability in the rainforest.
Just as Su Rui was about to praise the Eunectes, the Eunectes was still pondering what Su Rui had just said:
"The sound system is missing, is that right? Wait a moment."
As she spoke, the Eunectes went into her room, took out a tape recorder containing cassette tapes, placed it in the control chamber of the Big Ugly Big Ugly, then jumped down from it, her eyes sparkling as she continued to look at Su Rui expectantly.
"Now? Is it okay?"
Should I call you naive or ignorant? You didn't even think about the wiring.
Su Rui was somewhat helpless, but fortunately, he didn't need a connection to operate electronic devices. As long as there was energy within his operating range, he could control Su Rui.
With a sigh, Su Rui answered the Eunectes's question directly using the speaker tucked into the cockpit:
"Yes, no problem. You can talk now. If you really want to talk, the speaker isn't enough to power you. I suggest you find a place to connect the speaker to the main unit so that the energy can be shared."
"Okay, let's do it this way! We'll go find Inam to buy the parts!"
Upon hearing Su Rui's voice coming from inside the Big Ugly, the Eunectes's cheeks immediately turned red. Looking at the huge mechanical body in front of it, it couldn't help but get excited and then jumped directly onto the Big Ugly's control cabin.
Although the Eunectes can't fit inside, she can sit on the outside of the Big Ugly, so that counts as riding, right?
Reaching out, the Big Ugly Eunectes, "..."
"Let's set off for Inam's trading company."
"Are you sure you want me to drive this over? Won't it cause chaos?" Su Rui, somewhat doubtful. Although everyone in the rainforest was simple and honest, they were perhaps a little too simple and honest.
"Of course, if anyone dares to block their way, let Big Ugly beat them to a pulp!"
Eunectes spoke, it brandished its shield and axe.
"... Okay." Just like Su Rui's assessment, everyone in the rainforest is a bit too simple-minded; they solve all problems with their fists.
Su Rui wasn't worried about fighting, but if this "fragile" machine twisted or broke any of its internal parts due to excessive movement, things could get complicated.
Furthermore, "We need a better engine. The current, Big Ugly engine is like the heart of a 120-year-old heart patient; it's a miracle it's even working."
"Alright, we'll go get you a heart transplant right away!" The Eunectes let out a few excited laughs and waved to its tribe.
"Let's go, let's go to Inam's trading company together!"
"Oh!!!!" Led by the Eunectes, everyone cheered and followed behind the Big Ugly driven by Su Rui, heading towards a certain direction in the rainforest.
Volume 8, Chapter 459: Machine Soul?
As they followed the Big Ugly driven by Su Rui through the rainforest, the Crocodile People of the Eunectes tribe couldn't contain their excitement and reached out to stroke the Big Ugly's hard and cool metal shell:
"Chief, how did you get this machine moving? Did you give it a soul?"
"Hmm?" The Eunectes was momentarily speechless, unsure how to answer. Instinctively, it mentally sought help from Su Rui: ' Su Rui? How should I explain this?'
'You can tell them that you, Zumama, are the God of All Machines, and therefore, under your blessing, the machines have gained machine souls.'
"Isn't this utter nonsense?" the Eunectes, somewhat exasperated. "Isn't there a more respectable explanation?"
'Then just say you don't know either, but you have the ability to make the machine obey you temporarily.'
The Eunectes nodded, looked at its subordinates, and slightly modified Su Rui's statement:
"I don't know what happened, I just suddenly felt like this machine would obey me."
The Eunectes's words immediately drew another round of cheers from its subordinates, some of whom excitedly raised their hands above their heads.
Su Rui then played a song on the speaker. "You came from Dandong, bringing back a city of snow-white beauty~ I want to eat Cantonese food~"
The Eunectes looked at the Big Ugly beneath it with a mixture of confusion and surprise, and asked, "You can sing? I don't remember this song being on the cassette tape."
'Of course I can, but this isn't me singing.'
Su Rui answered the Eunectes's question, but at that moment, the Eunectes and Su Rui's conversation sounded like a whisper, overwhelmed by the cheers around the Eunectes.
After hearing the Big Ugly mecha spirit Su Rui, operate the speaker and sing a song, the Eunectes's subordinates became even more excited and happy, as if the Eunectes's words had been answered and their guesses had been confirmed.
Although they had never heard this song before, it didn't stop them from cheering along in the atmosphere of the song, waving their arms as they walked around the Big Ugly, some of them so excited that tears streamed down their faces.
'I've never seen them so excited before,' the Eunectes with some emotion.
"That's because you know that it's actually me, this unreasonable individual, who controls the Big Ugly. But they don't see it that way. It's their efforts and devotion that awakened the machine spirit, bringing it back to life in response to their demands."
"... That makes sense." Putting herself in her subordinates' shoes, the Eunectes nodded. "I'm even a little envious of them."
'What's there to envy? You know more than they do. By the way, what are you planning to use as currency to buy things? They don't seem to be carrying much on them.'
Su Rui scanned the Eunectes and the surrounding Crocodile People and found that none of them carried any currency, but each of them carried some mechanical parts.
'We usually trade mechanical parts and Originium with Inam, exchanging parts we don't need for parts we do need.'
The Eunectes spoke, then hesitated before adding, "And then there's Originium. We mine Originium, Inam said it can be sold for a lot of value, so she accepts it as currency."
"... So, besides scavenging and mining the Originium in the tribe, you don't really have any other legitimate sources of income, right?"
'What is the source of income?' The Eunectes paused for a moment, and Su Rui paused as well.
'Okay, I understand.' After all, even without proper production activities, the people in this rainforest can survive each season by relying on naturally grown fruits and some stored food.
Logically speaking, living by relying on the weather should not be able to support a large population. However, the simple and honest folk customs and lack of knowledge in this rainforest ensure that the number of inhabitants does not exceed the number that nature can provide.
And so, Su Rui and the Eunectes drove the Big Ugly, leading their tribesmen, toward the merchant tribe of Inam.
Meanwhile, Inam, the petite, dark-skinned Liberi girl, had been waiting at the tribe's entrance since early morning. Upon seeing the Eunectes and the Big Ugly it rode, she realized who it was and waved to the Eunectes Eunectes.
"I could hear the noise you were making from far away. What are you doing?"
"Inam, we've built the Big Ugly! Let's buy better parts to make Big Ugly even more powerful!"
As the Eunectes spoke, it jumped off the Big Ugly vehicle driven by Su Rui and came to Inam's side.
"Okay, I understand. By the way, this big thing can't be driven into my house; you'll have to park it outside."
"Of course I know. Let's go in. You guys stay here and watch over Big Ugly, make sure no one takes it away."
As the Eunectes spoke, it followed behind Inam and entered Inam's shop together.
Su Rui's voice rang out in the Eunectes's mind: 'You know I can control Big Ugly remotely, right? So there's no need to worry about Big Ugly being taken away by someone else. Besides, such a huge lump of iron, it would take at least a dozen people to move it.'
"Of course I know, but you also told me that the current 'Big Ugly' is prone to malfunctions, so it's always good to be careful."
Eunectes spoke, she and Inam entered her trading house, which was actually Inam's room, where various items were displayed as merchandise.
The Eunectes couldn't figure out all the details, so she simply asked Su Rui, "What do we need?"
"... Considering you probably don't have that many general equivalents to trade right now, these are what I need. We can buy other things later when we have more money."