Ark Simulator, Don't I Have No Physical Form?
This time I'll be serious!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
All three bullets hit the bullseye precisely, without the slightest deviation.
Jessica's eyes widened slightly: [Wow...]
"How was it?" Su Rui's voice was tinged with laughter.
[Wow, amazing!] Her tail unconsciously perked up. [Absolutely flawless!]
"[Because you were very focused this time,]" Su Rui said. "[Actually, you could have done it, but you always got distracted talking to me before.]"
Jessica's cheeks flushed slightly: [Hmm...]
She knew, of course, that Su Rui was right. But for some reason, whenever he spoke to her in her Sea of Consciousness, she couldn't help but want to respond, even forgetting everything around her.
"Well..." she hesitated for a moment, "... I'll try not to talk during training from now on?"
Su Rui paused for a moment: [There's no need to be completely silent.]
[Huh?]
"[But...]" his voice held a hint of helpless amusement, "[At least don't get distracted when Franka's watching you.]"
Jessica chuckled: [Okay!]
In the following training sessions, Jessica was completely focused, and every bullet hit the target accurately.
"Perfect," Su Rui commented.
Jessica put down her weapon, a smile involuntarily spreading across her face, "[It's all because of you.]"
[No, this is your own ability.] Su Rui's voice was gentle yet firm. [I was just reminding you, but it's you who will carry it out.]
Jessica blinked, a warm feeling rising in her heart.
Just then, the training ground door was pushed open, and Franka and Liskarm quickly walked in.
"Jessica, the situation in Sector B is cleared," Liskarm said, his gaze sweeping over the bullet holes on the target, raising an eyebrow slightly. "... Quite an improvement."
Franka then leaned in with a smile, "Oh my, Miss, you've suddenly become so amazing?"
Jessica's ears twitched, but this time she didn't panic. Instead, she smiled calmly and said, "Hmm, a little bit more serious."
Franka stared at her for two seconds, then suddenly said meaningfully, "Looks like ' Tactical Meditation ' is working quite well~"
Jessica: "..."
[Su Rui! She's here again!]
[Stay calm, don't give yourself away.]
Jessica coughed lightly, feigning composure as she changed the subject. "How's the situation in Area B?"
Liskarm gave a brief report on the situation, while Franka continued to observe Jessica's reaction with interest, but ultimately did not ask any further questions.
Jessica felt exceptionally relaxed on her way back to her dorm.
[Su Rui.]
[Um?]
[Thank you.]
Su Rui chuckled: [Why are you suddenly bringing this up?]
"It's just..." she pursed her lips, "... without you, I might never have been able to become this perfect."
[Fool.] Su Rui's voice was incredibly gentle, [You're already excellent, you just need a little confidence.]
Jessica's cheeks flushed slightly, but this time she didn't flinch, instead giving a soft "Mmm".
The afterglow of the setting sun shone on her, casting a long shadow.
This time, however, she was no longer afraid of Franka's probing, nor was she worried about her own performance.
In the lounge of Blacksteel Worldwide, Franka was lounging on the sofa, toying with a coin in her hand. Liskarm sat opposite her, looking down as he worked on a mission report. Jessica sat by the window, holding a cup of hot tea, her gaze occasionally drifting out the window, a faint smile playing on her lips.
Franka narrowed her eyes and suddenly spoke, "Jessica, you seem to be in a good mood lately?"
"Hmm?" Jessica snapped out of her daze, her ears twitching slightly. "Ah... it's alright."
Franka smiled knowingly, "Is it really just 'okay'?"
Volume 14, Chapter 757: (No need to say it directly)
Jessica's cheeks flushed slightly, and she instinctively wanted to respond, but just then, Su Rui's voice rang in her mind:
[Jessica, you can talk to me in your mind, you don't have to say it aloud.]
She paused for a moment, then realized—that's right, she could communicate with Su Rui mentally without having to speak!
[So that's how it can be done!] she thought excitedly to herself.
Su Rui chuckled: [Yes, that way Franka won't find out.]
Jessica blinked, suddenly feeling much more relaxed. She picked up her teacup, took a small sip, and pretended to be seriously thinking about Franka's question, but in reality, she continued chatting with Su Rui in her mind.
[Su Rui, is Franka testing me again?]
[Yeah, she probably thinks your recent behavior was a bit strange.]
What should we do then?
"Don't be nervous," Su Rui's voice was reassuring. "Just be natural."
Jessica took a deep breath, put down her teacup, and gave Franka a natural smile, "Perhaps it's because the recent training went smoothly, so I'm in a better mood."
Franka raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Is that so?"
Liskarm looked up at Jessica, seemingly sensing something, but ultimately just said calmly, "It's good to be in good shape, keep it up."
Jessica nodded, secretly relieved.
In the following time, Jessica chatted with Franka and Liskarm while simultaneously conversing with Su Rui in her mind. This feeling of "dual communication" was both novel and exciting to her, and even gave her a thrilling sense of secretly doing something naughty.
[Su Rui, what did Franka mean by that look she gave you just now?]
She's probably suspecting you're secretly dating someone.
[Ugh...!] Jessica's ears perked up instantly. [How could she have such a thought!]
Su Rui couldn't help but laugh out loud: [Because you always laugh for no reason these days.]
Jessica's face turned even redder: [I... I didn't!]
Franka suddenly leaned in. "Jessica, why is your face so red?"
"Ah!" Jessica almost jumped up from her chair. "It's probably... the tea is too hot!"
Franka gave a meaningful "Oh," and didn't ask any more questions, but the probing look in her eyes intensified.
Back in her dorm that night, Jessica threw herself onto her bed and buried her face in the pillow.
[Ugh... Franka almost saw right through me today!]
Su Rui's voice tinged with laughter. "[But you did a good job, at least you stopped talking to yourself.]"
Jessica rolled over, staring at the ceiling: [But talking to you in my head... it feels so strange.]
[strangeness?]
"It's just..." she pursed her lips, "... you're right here in my mind, but I can't reach you..."
Su Rui was silent for a moment.
[Jessica.]
[Um?]
[One day, I will become a physical entity.]
Jessica's heart suddenly raced. She hugged her pillow tightly and softly murmured, "Mmm."
Jessica stood in the Blacksteel Worldwide mission hall, her fingers unconsciously rubbing the safety catch on her gun. The cold touch of the metal brought her to her senses slightly, but the tension in her chest lingered. Mission briefings scrolled across the hall's electronic screen, the glaring blue light reflecting off her slightly sweaty forehead.
"[Su Rui...]" she whispered in her mind, "[I'm still a little...]"
"Breathe." Su Rui's voice was calm and gentle, like a hand gently resting on her shoulder. "Inhale first, count to four, then slowly exhale."
Jessica closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The air was filled with the smells of coffee and electronic devices, mixed with the distant hum of machinery. She exhaled slowly, feeling her heartbeat calm down a little.
"This is the third time." Franka's voice suddenly came from behind, tinged with a mischievous laugh. "Our young lady isn't going to back out at the last minute, is she?"
Jessica's ears perked up instantly, and her tail involuntarily straightened: [Woo...!]
"Ignore her," Su Rui chuckled inwardly. "Check your equipment."
Jessica looked down at the tactical pouch at her waist—spare magazines, an emergency medical kit, signal flares, a water bladder... She checked each item one by one, and as her fingers touched each item, Su Rui would remind her of important points. This methodical process of checking helped her gradually regain her composure.
"Jessica," Liskarm's voice came from the end of the corridor, "The employer has arrived."
She looked up and saw Liskarm standing at the conference room door, his metal shoulder armor gleaming coldly under the overhead light. Franka had already skipped after him, even turning back to wink at her.
[We're about to meet...] Jessica took a deep breath and strode towards the conference room.
The meeting room lighting was much softer than in the lobby. At the end of the long table sat a woman in Wolper dark gray business suit, her SilverAsh tail elegantly draped over the back of her chair. As Jessica gently closed the door, the woman's fingers, which had been rapidly swiping across the terminal, stopped.
"This is Ms. Lina from the Victoria Trade Federation, the client of this mission," Liskarm introduced briefly. "These two are Franka and Jessica, the operators responsible for this escort mission."
Lina's gaze swept over the three of them, finally settling on Jessica. Her amber eyes narrowed slightly. "A newcomer?"
Jessica felt a sudden tightness in her throat.
[Don't be nervous.] Su Rui's voice was like a refreshing spring; [she was just confirming the team composition.]
"Yes," Liskarm answered for her, "But she has passed all the necessary tests."
Lina nodded noncommittally and took a data panel from her briefcase. "The route and rendezvous points are here. I need to make a special point—" She tapped her fingernail twice on the screen, "This shipment is extremely sensitive to vibration; the off-road vehicle must maintain a constant speed."
Franka suddenly leaned closer to the data panel: "Hey~ We have to go through the old mine tunnels? Aren't there often..."
"So we paid an extra commission." Lina interrupted her, her voice as crisp as cutting metal, "Is there a problem?"
The conference room suddenly fell silent. Jessica could hear her own heart pounding in her ears until Liskarm's steady voice broke the silence. "No problem. Departure time?"
"One hour later, in underground parking garage section C." Lina stood up and straightened her suit cuffs. "My assistant will take you to inspect the vehicle."
After the meeting room door closed, Franka let out an exaggerated sigh, "Wow, this employer is even more difficult to deal with than Originium Slug."
"Franka." Liskarm gave her a warning look, then turned to Jessica, "You're in charge of the vehicle communication system and route monitoring, any problems?"
Jessica instinctively straightened her back: [Su Rui, I should...]
Are you nervous about Chapter 758 of Volume 14? Don't worry.
"You just got a perfect score on the simulator last week," Su Rui reminded her.
"No problem!" Her voice was louder than expected, making Franka chuckle.
The cold white lights of the underground parking garage made everything look as if it were soaking in disinfectant. Lina's assistant—a Kuranta youth wearing thick glasses—was scanning the bulletproof coating of the SUV with a detector.
"The speed limit is 80 kilometers per hour." He adjusted his glasses. "The rear cargo area's climate control system is already set up, but remember, absolutely do not open the container."
Jessica climbed into the passenger seat, her fingers tracing the center console. The familiar interface made her relax a little: [Same model as the training one.]
"Check the communication frequency band," Su Rui reminded him.
As she was adjusting the radio, a commotion suddenly erupted outside the car window. Lina was yelling at the terminal, "I said it had to be filled with inert gas! If your mistake causes this..."
[She's so strict.] Jessica quietly observed the hair standing on end in her employer's eyes, which was bristling with anger.
Su Rui chuckled, "Compared to how Shining made the recruits cry during his first mission, this one is actually quite mild-mannered."
A door slammed shut from the rear of the car. Liskarm tossed his gear bag into the trunk. "Ms. Lina will be in another car. We'll go first."
Franka climbed into the driver's seat and suddenly reached out to rub Jessica's ear. "Relax~ With me here, we definitely won't crash!"
[Her words made me even more nervous!] Jessica groaned in her mind, which made Su Rui laugh out loud.
As the engine roared to life, the garage door slowly rose. As blinding sunlight flooded in like a tide, Jessica gripped the gun tucked under her knee.
[Time to leave.]