Ark Simulator: Don't I Lack a Physical Form?

Xi's pupils suddenly contracted.

Suddenly breaking free of her restraints, she snatched the scale. "Ha! So your sister had already made her move!"

She triumphantly held the scales above her head: "Since that's the case—"

"Snap!"

She broke the scales in half on the spot.

Reiwa Yu both froze.

"Now it's even," Nian pushed the shards in front of the two of them. "Shall we renegotiate?"

Su Rui squatted on the street corner, gazing worriedly in the direction of the breakfast shop.

(I hope they don't start fighting...)

Suddenly, the shop door was kicked open. Three figures rushed out simultaneously, lunging at him with astonishing speed—

"Little Su!"

"Come over."

"Stop."

Su Rui's tail bristled, and he turned and ran, kicking the bluestone slabs behind him and leaving several cracks.

"Wait! Little Su!" Nian's voice came from behind, tinged with laughter and a hint of danger, "Don't run so fast~"

Su Rui dared not stop. He ran frantically, calling out Xi's name in his heart, "Sister Xi! Sister Xi! What happened? What are they going to do to me?"

Xi's voice echoed in his mind, tinged with languor and teasing. "Come into my arms, and I'll tell you."

"Jokes at a time like this!" Su Rui's tail was taut, almost blurring her vision. "Did they plot something terrible?!"

Xi didn't answer directly, but just chuckled softly, a laugh that made Su Rui's scales tremble.

"Stop running away!" Nian's voice grew closer, "We're not going to eat you!"

"Liar!" Su Rui shouted without turning her head, "You said the same thing last time, and the result was—"

Volume 9, 568 official shots

Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly felt his feet lighten, and he was lifted up by an invisible force.

"Got you." Ling's voice came from above. She had somehow appeared on the rooftop, holding a wine jug in her hand. Her azure spiritual energy transformed into chains, binding Su Rui's ankles and suspending him in mid-air.

"Sister Ling!" Su Rui struggled, her tail wagging wildly, "Put me down!"

Ling slowly took a sip of wine, a slight smile playing on his lips, "No, if I let you get away, Xi will be angry."

Su Rui was on the verge of tears, and could only continue to plead for help in her heart, "Sister Xi! Save me!"

Xi's voice finally carried a hint of helplessness. "Idiots, they just wanted to..."

What are you thinking?!

I'd like you to play with them for a while.

"Liar!" Su Rui's tail was trembling. "Their eyes didn't suggest they were just playing around!"

Just then, Nian caught up, smiling as she reached out and poked Su Rui's cheek, "Wow, you run pretty fast!"

Su Rui closed her eyes in despair. "It's over..."

However, the expected "punishment" did not come. Nian simply ruffled his hair and withdrew the spiritual chains, allowing him to land steadily.

"Okay, okay, I'm just teasing you." Nian said with a grin, "We just discussed taking turns playing with you from now on."

"Take turns... with me?" Su Rui's ears twitched as she looked at them warily.

Xi's voice finally rang in his mind, tinged with a hint of helplessness and doting. "Yes, they promised they wouldn't go too far."

Su Rui: "..."

(What kind of agreement is this?!)

Before he could protest, Nian had already put her arm around his shoulder. "Come on, Little Su, it's my turn to keep you company today~"

Su Rui: "..."

Su Rui was dragged into a makeshift photography studio by Nian. The bright lights made him squint. Before he could react, Nian slammed the door shut and locked it, a sly smile on her lips.

"Nian, Sister Nian?" Su Rui's tail wagged nervously from side to side. "Weren't we supposed to be filming a movie? Why are there only the two of us...?"

"Of course, we'll shoot some 'material' first!" Nian grinned, leaning closer and gently tapping his nose with her fingertip. "Don't the audience all say that only you are outstanding in my movie? Then this time, let them see what real 'acting skills' are!"

Su Rui's ears twitched; something felt off. "But... didn't Sister Xi and your sister say..."

"Shh—" Nian pressed her finger to his lips, a sly glint in her red eyes, "They're not here, what are you afraid of?"

Before Su Rui could retort, Nian had already pushed him onto the soft couch in the set, then straddled his waist, looking down at him. Su Rui's scales instantly exploded, golden light flashing wildly, and his cheeks burned bright red.

"Sister Nian! This isn't quite right..." he stammered, placing his hands on her shoulders but not daring to push her away forcefully.

"Don't be nervous~" The young man chuckled, his fingertips gently tracing the corner of his eye. "This is just for the sake of the plot, understand?"

She leaned down, her red hair falling down, the ends brushing against Su Rui's cheek, making him shrink back in ticklishness. Her breath was close, carrying a faint scent of gunpowder and rouge, making Su Rui's head spin.

"Come, look at me." Nian's voice suddenly softened, carrying a hint of seduction, "Imagine we are lovers reunited after a long separation..."

Su Rui's Adam's apple bobbed, and she subconsciously looked up, meeting Nian's smiling red eyes. Her fingertips slid from the corner of his eye to his lips, gently caressing them, as if admiring a precious work of art.

"Very good..." the young voice murmured, "That's it..."

Her lips slowly approached, and just as they were about to touch Su Rui, there was a sudden "click"—

Su Rui snapped back to reality and realized that the metal creation from years ago was holding a camera and bouncing around, recording everything.

"Perfect!" Nian jumped off Su Rui, clapping his hands triumphantly. "This scene is absolutely going to be a box office hit!"

Su Rui: "..."

(So... that was all an act?!)

His tail drooped limply, a mixture of relief and inexplicable disappointment.

Nian glanced at him, then suddenly leaned close to his ear and whispered, "But... I didn't act out a single thing in that scene just now~"

Su Rui: "...?!!"

Before Su Rui could recover from the "acting lesson," Nian's hand was already on his shoulder again.

"Nian, Sister Nian? Wasn't it already finished filming...?" Su Rui's tail involuntarily tensed, the golden spots between the scales flickering.

Nian tilted her head, a sly smile curving her red lips, "That was just a test shot; this is the actual footage~"

"What—uh!"

Before Su Rui could finish speaking, Nian had already leaned down and kissed her. Her lips were softer than he had imagined, carrying a faint sweet fragrance, like melting honey, making him feel intoxicated.

Su Rui's mind Blank for a moment, her hands helplessly resting on her shoulders, but she couldn't muster the strength to push her away.

Nian's fingertips gently caressed the scales behind his ear, where the skin was exceptionally sensitive. Su Rui's breathing quickened instantly, and his tail involuntarily wrapped around her waist.

"Good boy..." The young man chuckled, his fingertips sliding down Su Rui's neck, gently lifting Su Rui's chin. "Don't be nervous, relax..."

Su Rui's ears burned, his heart pounded so hard it felt like it would burst out of his chest. He wondered, dazed, was this really a movie shoot? Why were Nian's movements so practiced? Why was her breath so close? Why...?

"Bang!"

A loud bang suddenly came from outside the door, as if someone had kicked the door hard. Su Rui snapped back to her senses and instinctively tried to get up, but Nian pressed her back down.

"Never mind what's going on outside~" Nian's voice carried a lazy laugh as she lightly tapped his nose with her fingertip. "Focus, Little Su..."

Outside the door--

Xi's nails dug deeply into her palms, and a dangerous glint flashed in her dark dragon eyes. She stared intently at the closed door, the sounds of Nian's unrestrained laughter and Su Rui's rapid breathing ringing in her ears.

"Let him go!" Xi said, each word distinct and her voice as cold as ice.

Ling leaned lazily against the wall, the wine jug in his hand swaying slightly, a faint smile playing on his lips, "What's the rush? Nian's not going to eat him."

"She's already eating!" Xi's tail slammed into the ground, instantly cracking several cracks in the bluestone bricks.

Ling chuckled and placed a hand on her shoulder, "Calm down. If you rush in now, it'll make things even more difficult for Su Rui."

Xi's chest heaved violently. Finally, she closed her eyes tightly, gritted her teeth, and said, "After this is over, I'm going to burn the entire film set of 'Year' to ashes..."

Ling shrugged, tilted her head back, took a sip of her drink, and a hint of amusement flashed in her eyes. "Whatever you want, but..." She paused, "Are you sure Su Rui doesn't like this?"

evening. "..."

(I feel even more urge to kill now.)

Volume 9, page 569: The Wine-Making Gentleman

In the room--

Su Rui was completely disoriented by Nian's antics, his body limp and sinking into the soft couch, his cheeks flushed, his tail drooping listlessly. The young man chuckled and pinched his cheek, "How was it? My 'acting' wasn't bad, was it?"

Su Rui's mind was still reeling, and after a long pause, she managed to stammer, "... Is this really a shot the movie needs?"

Nian blinked, then smiled like a cat that had just stolen some cream, "Of course not~"

Su Rui: "..."

(I was definitely fooled!)

Nian's fingertips gently traced his collarbone as she whispered, "However, if you'd like, we can shoot a few more takes as backup..."

Su Rui's tail bristled instantly. "No, no need!"

Nian laughed heartily, finally letting him off the hook. As she stood up, she gave him a light kiss on the forehead. "Okay, okay, I won't tease you anymore. That's enough for today~"

Su Rui lay sprawled on the couch, staring blankly at the ceiling, her mind filled with only one thought—

(How am I going to explain this to Sister Xi later...?)

Outside the door, Xi's murderous aura was almost solidifying.

Ling shook the empty wine jug and said leisurely, "Want a drink? To cool down."

Xi glanced at her coldly. "Right now, all I want is to drink Nian's blood."

make. "..."

When Nian carried the dizzy Su Rui out of the room, she was met head-on by Xi's dark dragon eyes that seemed to spit fire.

"Yo~ Xi-mei, were you waiting long?" Nian greeted her with a grin, deliberately tightening his arm around her to make Su Rui, who was in his arms, press closer to him. Su Rui's cheeks were still flushed, and her eyes were unfocused, clearly not yet fully recovered from the "intimate scene" just now.

Xi's tail lashed out at the ground, cracking the bluestone bricks with a sharp, inky black. Her fingernails had turned a razor-sharp black, and her voice was as cold as ice. "Put... him... down."

Nian blinked, but instead of letting go, she bent down and kissed Su Rui on the top of her head. "Don't be so fierce, we're just preparing for the movie~"

"Ready?" Xi's voice was dangerously low. "You call that ready?"

Su Rui finally snapped out of her daze, sensing the awkward atmosphere, and struggled to jump out of Nian's arms. "Xi... Sister Xi! Let me explain..."

However, Nian mischievously tightened her arms, preventing him from breaking free, and whispered in his ear in a voice everyone could hear, "Oh dear, is Little Su shy? Weren't you quite engrossed just now?"

Su Rui: "..." (Sister Nian, are you trying to kill me?!)

Xi's pupils had shrunk to slits, and the Ink-Wash Spiritual Power around her began to surge uncontrollably. Just before she was about to go berserk, Ling suddenly reached out and pressed down on her shoulder.

"Alright," Ling said lazily, shaking the wine jug. "That's enough, Nian."

Nian pursed her lips and finally reluctantly let go of Su Rui. Freed, Su Rui immediately scrambled to hide behind Xi, her tail tightly wrapped around Xi's waist, looking up at her pitifully. "Sister Xi..."

Xi gave him a cold glance, but her tail honestly wrapped around his wrist, pulling him closer to her. She raised her hand to wipe Su Rui's mouth, the movement rough yet carrying a hint of barely perceptible tenderness. "If you dare to be alone with her again, I'll nail you to a painting for a month."

Su Rui nodded frantically, "I won't do it again, I won't do it again!"

Nian, watching from the side, clicked his tongue and said, "Tsk tsk, Xi-mei is really possessive~"

Xi's tail suddenly lashed out like a whip, striking Nian's calf with a sharp "smack".

"Aww!" Nian jumped up dramatically, "Xi-mei, you're trying to murder me!"

Xi snorted coldly, "If there's a next time, it won't just be your legs that get whipped."

Watching this farce unfold, Ling shook his head helplessly. "Alright, didn't you say you were going to make a movie? Are you still going to make it or not?"

Nian rubbed her swollen calf, grimacing as she said, "Shoot! Of course we'll shoot!" She turned to look at Su Rui, who was hiding behind Xi, and winked, "Little Su, are you ready to be the male lead?"