Ark Simulator, Aren't I Without a Physical Body?

"Just what?"

"It's just... the view here is wide open, making it easy to observe the movements of the Ink Fiend." Xi turned her face away, but the moonlight still illuminated the tips of her reddened ears.

Su Rui didn't expose the clumsy lie. He sighed contentedly, his body unconsciously leaning towards Xi—whether because he lost his balance in his lower body or simply wanted to get closer, he didn't know.

Surprisingly, Xi didn't flinch. When Su Rui's shoulder gently rested against hers, she even slightly adjusted her position to make him more comfortable.

"Rest if you're tired," Xi said, gazing at the distant mountains. "There's nothing you can do in your current state anyway."

Su Rui chuckled, "Yes, sir."

As the night breeze grew cooler, Xi subtly spread her sleeves, shielding Su Rui, who was now only a third of his original form, from most of the cold wind. The movement was so subtle as to be almost imperceptible, but Su Rui noticed it. He closed his eyes, a satisfied smile playing on his lips.

"Xi," after a moment of silence, Su Rui suddenly asked, "Why did you and your sister... turn out like this?"

Xi's body stiffened visibly for a moment. Just when Su Rui thought she wouldn't answer, she said softly, "... It's been too long, I can't remember."

It was an obvious lie, but Su Rui didn't press the matter. He simply hummed in agreement, letting silence once again envelop the two of them.

After an unknown amount of time, Su Rui realized he was almost completely transparent, with only his left arm and head barely visible. He tried to move his fingers, but found even this simple movement difficult.

"Xi..." he called softly.

"Um?"

"I'm going to disappear." She can't really believe that, can she? I remember saying before that I would live in her mind forever.

Xi suddenly turned her head and realized that Su Rui was almost invisible. She instinctively reached out to grab her, but only managed to grasp a handful of scattered specks of light.

"Wait!" Xi's voice held an unusual urgency, "I have something else to say..."

Su Rui's last features were blurred in the moonlight, but her voice remained clear. "Let's talk about it next time we meet. I promise I'll find a more stable form..."

"Actually, I..." Xi began to speak, but Su Rui completely vanished. The last speck of light flickered a few times in her palm like a firefly before silently extinguishing.

Only Xi remained on the cliff, still in that outstretched hand gesture. The night wind scattered her unfinished words and ruffled her usually neat long hair.

"... Idiot." Finally, Xi whispered to the empty cliff. She withdrew her hand, slowly clenching it, as if she could hold onto the dissipated specks of light. So she actually believed it.

Volume 9, Chapter 543: Silly Xi

In the distant Poshan Town, Kroos was directing the townspeople to repair the roofs, Lava was setting up a protective barrier, and Saga —the nun who always seemed to see through everything—was looking up at the cliffs with a thoughtful smile.

Xi stood up, took one last look at the starry sky, and then waved her sleeve to open the passage back to the Scroll World. In the last second before stepping into the passage, she seemed to whisper something, but only the night wind heard the words:

Come back soon.

As the last speck of light slipped through Xi's fingers, her heart felt as if it were being clenched by an invisible hand. The wind on the cliff suddenly became biting, and the lights of the distant Poshan Town blurred into a hazy blur—she refused to admit that it was because her eyes had suddenly become hot.

"You idiot Xi, didn't I tell you?"

A cheerful sound, like sunlight piercing through dark clouds, suddenly exploded in her mind.

"You think I'll just live in your head all this time? The physical form disappearing doesn't mean the consciousness disappearing, how stupid."

Xi stood frozen in place. A tear, not yet to fall, lingered on her eyelashes, seemingly about to spill.

"You..." Her voice caught in her throat, her fingers unconsciously tightening around her sleeve, "... Shut up."

"Wow, that's fierce." Su Rui's voice, tinged with amusement, circled in Xi's mind. "I wonder who was just saying 'Come back soon' to thin air?"

Xi's face flushed instantly. She stood up abruptly, her wide sleeves nearly knocking over the half-finished tea on the stone beside her—it had been prepared for Su Rui's incarnation, and now only half a cup of cold liquid remained, reflecting the moonlight forlornly.

"That was just... social politeness!" Xi said through gritted teeth, simultaneously pulling her paintbrush from thin air. "Since you're so keen on form—"

The pen tip, dipped in ink, traced a smooth arc in the air. Xi's movements were more forceful than usual, each stroke seeming to be a struggle against something unseen. The lines intertwined, the outline took shape, and a familiar figure gradually appeared— Su Rui's ink avatar was recreated.

"Huh?" The newly formed Su Rui looked down at herself. "But even like this, it still..."

"I know!" Xi interrupted him, grabbing his wrist tightly this time to make sure it wouldn't pierce through again, and then opened the passage back to the Scroll World.

The two landed on the high tower of the Scroll World, Xi's private space, overlooking the entire Poshan Town. Kroos and Lava were helping to rebuild the houses destroyed by Ink Fiend below, while Saga found a pot of wine from somewhere and sat on the roof, pouring himself a drink.

"Look," Xi said, her tone as wooden as a wooden stick, still gripping Su Rui's wrist, "They don't need our help at all."

Su Rui blinked. "So you brought me here specifically to watch them work?"

"It's observation!" Xi corrected, finally releasing her grip and conjuring two comfortable chairs. "Sit down."

Su Rui obediently sat down, but just as he was about to speak, he noticed that his left hand was beginning to turn transparent. He looked helplessly at Xi: "See? I told you..."

Xi had already picked up her paintbrush again, and before he could finish speaking, she filled in the missing part of the form. Her expression was focused to the point of stubbornness, and her golden eyes shone with a defiant light in the moonlight.

"Thank you," Su Rui said softly, flexing her fingers as they materialized again. "But you'll get tired doing this."

Xi snorted coldly, "Who do you think I am? You think I'm tired from drawing a few shapes?"

"That's not what I meant..." Su Rui's right leg began to dissipate again halfway through her sentence. Xi immediately added a stroke, her movements so fast they almost left afterimages.

And so began a peculiar tug-of-war. Every few minutes, Su Rui's form would partially dissipate, and Xi would tirelessly piece it back together time and time again. Like a tireless craftsman, she stubbornly repaired a work of art destined to break.

During the third attempt to complete the task, Su Rui suddenly reached out and grabbed Xi's wrist. "That's enough."

Xi looked up and glared at him. "Let go."

"No." Su Rui insisted, unusually. "Look me in the eyes, Xi. This is pointless."

"It means something to me." Xi's voice lowered, but the strength in her hand didn't lessen at all. "I... hate watching you disappear."

These words were like a drop of ink falling into still water, creating silent ripples between the two. Su Rui loosened his grip, sighed, but his expression carried an undisguised tenderness.

"Okay," he conceded, "But at least let me sit closer? That way it'll be easier for you to fix it."

Xi didn't speak, but simply turned slightly to make room between the two chairs, just enough for one person to squeeze in. Su Rui smiled and moved over, his shoulder touching hers. At this distance, Xi could smell the unique scent of ink on him—exactly the same as the one in her studio, yet with an added, indescribable fragrance.

"Look," Su Rui pointed down, "It looks like Kroos spilled the paint bucket."

Indeed, the blonde Cautus girl was frantically trying to right a fallen red paint bucket, but only made things worse; now her trousers and boots were covered in red stains.

Xi's lips unconsciously curled up. "Idiot."

"You've said that word so many times today," Su Rui teased, then suddenly exclaimed "Ah!"—his right shoulder began to dissipate.

Xi immediately added a stroke, this time her movements were much gentler, her fingertips lingering on Su Rui's shoulder for half a second longer than necessary.

"Thank you." Su Rui leaned her head against her newly repaired shoulder. "The view is really nice from here."

Xi didn't push him away. Instead, she adjusted her position to make him more comfortable. The two of them watched the busy scene below in silence, like audience members in a theater enjoying a silent performance.

By the fifth time she completed the task, Xi's technique was so skillful that she could finish without even looking. Her pen tip drew a graceful arc in the air, but her eyes remained fixed on Lava, who was talking to the townspeople below.

"She's better at socializing than she seems," Xi commented.

Su Rui nodded. "Rhodes Island's operators are all professionally trained. Ah--" His left arm began to turn transparent again.

This time, Xi restored it so naturally, as if she were simply brushing dust off his sleeve. Looking at his arm, which had become solid again, Su Rui suddenly smiled, "We're like an old married couple like this..."

"What nonsense!" Xi's pen trembled, almost drawing crookedly, but her reddened ear tips betrayed her feelings.

On the tenth attempt to complete the painting, Su Rui's entire lower body vanished. Xi had to let him lean against her to continue painting. The two were so close that they could hear each other's breathing. Xi's eyelashes cast tiny shadows in the moonlight, trembling gently with each blink.

"You know what," Su Rui suddenly said, "Although it's a bit of a hassle... I'm actually quite happy."

Xi paused slightly in her writing. "... Why?"

"Because you care," Su Rui's voice was as soft as the night breeze, "To the point that you're willing to repeat this 'futile' thing over and over again."

Xi didn't answer, but instead worked harder to finish the last stroke, completing Su Rui's look. But as she withdrew her fingers, they inadvertently brushed against Su Rui's cheek, as gently as a feather.

Volume 9, Chapter 544: Wouldn't it be better to wait a little longer? You're being a bit stubborn.

By the twentieth time she finished painting, Su Rui had almost completely vanished. Xi had to hold him in her arms to continue painting—a posture that made her as stiff as a board, but her hand movements remained precise and accurate.

"Xi," Su Rui whispered in her ear, "Let me hug you this time?"

"... Whatever you want," Xi finally muttered.

So the newly formed Su Rui gently wrapped her arms around her shoulders, and the two continued to "observe" below in an awkward yet warm posture. Xi's body gradually relaxed, and she eventually even allowed herself to rest her head on Su Rui's shoulder.

"Actually..." Xi suddenly spoke, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible.

"Um?"

"... nothing."

By the time of the thirty-fifth completion, the moon had already set. A faint bluish tinge appeared under Xi's eyes, but her hand remained as steady as a rock. This time, Su Rui dissipated particularly quickly, becoming transparent almost as soon as it took shape.

"That's enough." Su Rui grasped her hand holding the pen. "Take a break."

Xi shook her head. "A little while longer."

"Xi," Su Rui said, unusually serious, "You've used up too much spiritual energy. I can feel it."

Indeed, Xi's fingertips had begun to tremble slightly, and the lines she drew were not as smooth as before. But she stubbornly dipped her brush in ink one last time. "Just one last time."

This time she painted exceptionally slowly and meticulously, as if trying to etch every detail into eternity. When the completed Su Rui reappeared before her, this incarnation was more solid and more vivid than ever before.

"Wow," Su Rui exclaimed, looking at herself in surprise, "This time it feels different..."

"I added a special ingredient," Xi said softly, then—to Su Rui's astonishment—she leaned into his arms. "Don't move... just stay here for a while."

Su Rui carefully wrapped his arms around her, feeling the slight trembling of the person in his arms. He looked down and found that Xi had closed her eyes, her long eyelashes casting weary shadows in the moonlight.

"Go to sleep," he whispered. "I'll be here."

"You're lying," Xi's voice was sleepy. "You're going to disappear again soon."

"But you'll still draw me tomorrow, won't you?"

"... Um."

"That's enough."

Under the moonlight, their shadows merged into one. In the distance, the lights of Poshan Town gradually went out, leaving only Saga sitting on the rooftop, raising his wine cup to the moon, seemingly toasting someone.

On the tower of the Scroll World, Xi finally fell asleep, and Su Rui's form—the specially reinforced form—held on longer than ever before, long enough to protect her throughout the entire night.

Morning light filtered through the clouds of the Scroll World, casting a golden glow upon the tower. Xi's eyelashes fluttered a few times, and her consciousness slowly rose from the chaos. The first thing she felt was warmth—a warmth different from sunlight, a warmth accompanied by the soft sound of a heartbeat.

She suddenly opened her eyes and found herself curled up in Su Rui's arms. Even more astonishingly, this ink avatar, which she had "specially reinforced" the night before, had actually survived the entire night without showing any signs of dissipating.

"Good morning." Su Rui's voice came from above, filled with barely concealed laughter. "Did you sleep well?"

Xi jerked back as if burned, her wide sleeves knocking over the tea set on the small table beside her. "You... why are you still here?" Her voice was at least eight octaves higher than usual, "I mean... your figure should..."

"Isn't that amazing?" Su Rui stretched her arm, showing off her unharmed state. "Looks like your 'special formula' worked."

Xi's ears turned red at a visible speed. She avoided Su Rui's gaze and pretended to straighten her sleeves. "It was just... a temporary adjustment of the parameters. Don't get too cocky, you might..."

What is my physicalization progress?

This unexpected question made Xi's fingers freeze in mid-air. "What?"

Su Rui pointed to the lower left corner of Xi's field of vision. "There should be a line of small text there showing my materialization progress."

Xi subconsciously looked in that direction—and sure enough, in the corner of her field of vision where she usually saw the parameters of the Painted World, there was a line of almost transparent light gray text: "Su Rui's materialization progress: 99%". She blinked, and the text was still there, even flickering slightly.

"Ninety-nine percent?" Xi read the number aloud, her brow furrowed. "But shouldn't this just be a joke of yours?"

"A little joke?" Su Rui's eyes widened. "When have I ever made such a joke?"

"Just last time! You mentioned a 'favorability system,' and that every time I draw your figure, it will..."

Xi's voice stopped abruptly because she suddenly realized that Su Rui's expression was unusually serious. Those eyes, which always held a smile, were now looking at her intently, without a trace of mockery.

"You mean..." Xi's voice suddenly became very soft, "This progress bar... is real?"

Su Rui nodded, a slight smile playing on his lips. "When it reaches one hundred percent, I'll have a permanent physical form." He paused, then added, "And most likely, I'll be the same race as you, a dragon."

These words struck Xi like a thunderbolt. She opened her mouth, then closed it again, then opened it again, like a stranded fish. A dragon? Su Rui would become a dragon? One of her kind? A being who could walk alongside her in the real world?

"Wait," Xi finally found her voice, "What exactly happened? Explain from the beginning!"

Su Rui made a gesture of surrender. "Simply put, when my consciousness searches for a host, it naturally forms an adaptation mechanism. When a sufficiently deep 'connection' is established with the host, a permanent entity can be generated based on the host's characteristics." He pointed to the small print, "And this progress is the indicator for measuring the depth of the 'connection'."

Xi's mind raced, connecting every detail of the past—every time she drew Su Rui's form, every emotional fluctuation, even last night's "extra-strength" hug... all of which were pushing this progress bar forward.

"So..." Xi's voice trembled slightly, "You always knew?"

"I know, but I can't interfere," Su Rui explained softly. "It's a one-way mechanism, entirely dependent on the host—that is, your choice."

Xi suddenly stood up and paced back and forth along the edge of the tower. The morning breeze ruffled her long hair, like a black flag. 99%. Just 1% short. So close, yet so far.