Ark Simulator, Don't I Have No Physical Form?

"Ah!" she cried out and stepped back, nearly bumping into the island behind her.

"Use the pot lid as a shield," Su Rui quickly suggested. "Lower it slowly, don't be afraid."

Jessica's hands trembled as she held the pot lid in front of her, approaching the stove like a shield. Oil splattered and splashed onto the lid; she could even feel a few drops of hot oil splashing onto the back of her hand.

[Sobbing...] Her voice was already trembling with tears, [Cooking is so hard...]

"Your hand is much steadyer with a gun than this," Su Rui teased softly. "Think about how you managed to hit a moving target from 300 meters away?"

"That's different!" Jessica said, turning the fish fillet over in frustration. "The target won't splash hot oil and bite me..."

One side of the fish was already golden brown, but when she tried to flip it, the fish fillet completely fell into pieces. The cream sauce also went wrong—the lemon juice was added too early, causing the cream to curdle.

Jessica stared blankly at the mess in the pot, and tears finally streamed down her face uncontrollably.

I messed it up...

"Jessica," Su Rui's voice suddenly became unusually gentle, "Look to your left."

Through her teary eyes, she turned her head and found that the butler robot had quietly slid over at some point, with a perfectly pan-fried salmon on its tray.

[Huh?]

"I had the housekeeper prepare a backup plan," Su Rui said with a smile. "But the one you cooked yourself looks delicious too."

Jessica glanced at the exquisitely presented dish prepared by the housekeeper, then at her own mangled "creation" in the pot, and suddenly burst into laughter through her tears: [Liar... it's clearly a disaster...]

"But this is your first time cooking," Su Rui's voice was as gentle as if she were coaxing a child. "You know, when Shining first made coffee, he blackened the whole kitchen."

"Really?" Jessica sniffed and wiped her tears with her sleeve.

"Really?" Su Rui laughed. "So, would you like to try your own masterpiece?"

Jessica hesitated for a moment, then used her fork to poke at a piece of charred fish fillet. The moment she put it in her mouth, the salty and bitter taste made her wrinkle her nose—she had forgotten to remove the scales.

"[It tastes awful!]" she said, sticking out her tongue, but then couldn't help laughing.

Jessica curled up on the soft bed, the fluffy down comforter enveloping her like a cloud. Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the neon lights of Lungmen shimmered in the night, while a few stars peeked out from the distant sky, a rare sight indeed.

[Su Rui, can you see the stars?] She pressed her face against the cold glass, her breath condensing into a small white mist on the windowpane.

"Yes, very clear." Su Rui's voice sounded exceptionally gentle in her Sea of Consciousness, "Even brighter than when I saw it on Rhodes Island."

Jessica drew a tiny five-pointed star on the mist with her fingertip. "[I used to do this a lot when I was little... when I couldn't sleep, I would count the stars outside my window.]"

Her voice trailed off. "Back then, I always felt that if I counted to one hundred, my wish would come true..."

The warmth of the blankets contrasted strangely with the coldness of the glass, and Jessica wrapped herself even tighter. The butler robot glided silently down the corridor, casting a fleeting shadow.

"And now?" Su Rui asked softly, "Do you still believe?"

Jessica didn't answer immediately. Gazing at a particularly bright star in the distance, she suddenly asked, "[Su Rui, have you ever seen a real shooting star?]"

A gentle ripple spread through her Sea of Consciousness, like someone chuckling softly. "I've seen it. On the snowy plains of Ursus, you can see meteor showers all night long."

"[That's so nice...]" Jessica's voice was filled with longing. "[I've only ever seen artificial things... On my tenth birthday, my father hired drones to spell out my name in the night sky.]"

She unconsciously clutched the corner of the blanket: [But those points of light will soon disappear... unlike real stars, which stay there forever.]

A night breeze blew past the window, rustling the cherry blossom trees in the courtyard. A few early-blooming petals were swept up by the wind and gently tapped against the glass.

"Jessica," Su Rui suddenly called her name, her voice as soft as a feather, "You've been talking about your childhood a lot lately."

"Really?" she blinked. "Maybe it's because..."

The words caught in her throat. Jessica buried half her face in the blanket, leaving only her eyes gazing at the starry sky. She didn't want to admit it, but Su Rui's presence made her recall those deliberately forgotten, lonely times—the days in the huge villa when only the butler robot kept her company as she counted stars.

The Plans After Volume 14, Chapter 765

"Want to hear about the starry sky I saw in Kazimierz?" Su Rui changed the subject at the opportune moment. "The observatory there shows the entire Milky Way."

[Hmm!] Jessica's eyes lit up.

Su Rui began to describe the sights seen from the tower—how to identify the wings of Pegasus, how to find the small galaxy hidden behind Andromeda. His voice was deep and soothing, Jessica felt as if she were lying on those ancient stone bricks, able to reach out and touch the dazzling galaxy.

[Su Rui...] Her eyelids grew heavy. [After materializing... shall we go to Kazimierz to see the stars together...?]

"Good."

The response in her Sea of Consciousness was gentle yet firm, but Jessica could no longer hear it clearly. Her breathing became long and even, and her fingers loosened their grip on the corner of the blanket. Outside the window, a shooting star quietly streaked across the sky, and a faint smile hung on the girl's lips, as if she were dreaming of something beautiful.

The moonlight gently spilled onto the bed, casting a silvery glow on her sleeping face.

The morning sunlight streamed into the room through the half-drawn curtains. Jessica groggily turned over, nuzzling her cheek against the soft pillow. She wasn't fully awake, but her mind was already instinctively searching for that familiar presence.

"[Su Rui?]" she called softly in her heart.

"Good morning, Jessica." Su Rui's voice rang out immediately, gentle and clear, like the first breeze of the morning.

Jessica rubbed her eyes, a smile involuntarily spreading across her face. She reached for the terminal on the bedside table; the screen lit up, displaying Su Rui's materialization progress—60%.

This number has remained unchanged for several days.

She stared at the screen, tapping it lightly with her fingertips, as if urging it to grow faster.

[Su Rui...] She hesitated for a moment, but couldn't help asking, [What exactly is this progress bar based on for its growth?]

There was a brief moment of silence in my Sea of Consciousness.

"... It will take time." Su Rui's voice sounded somewhat helpless, with a hint of barely perceptible hesitation. "Your body and mind need to adapt to my presence; hastily accelerating the process might affect stability."

Jessica pouted. "[But I haven't touched it for days...]"

"Just let things take their course." Su Rui's tone was gentle yet firm.

Just as Jessica was about to ask further, a small line of text flashed on the terminal screen—

[Based on Su Rui's favorability rating.]

She blinked, wondering if she was seeing things. But the words were definitely there, and then they disappeared just as quickly, as if they had never been there at all.

[... Pfft.] She covered her mouth, almost bursting out laughing.

"What's wrong?" Su Rui asked, puzzled.

[It's nothing!] Jessica tried to suppress her laughter, pretending to be nonchalant as she lifted the covers and stepped barefoot onto the soft carpet.

She walked towards the bathroom, her mood much lighter than before. So that's how it is... so the progress of Su Rui's materialization depends on his feelings for her?

Doesn't that mean... if I make him like her more, the process will speed up?

This thought made her heart beat slightly faster.

At breakfast, Jessica was more mindful of her behavior than usual.

She sat at the dining table, elegantly picked up her black tea, took a small sip, then slightly narrowed her eyes, revealing a satisfied expression.

"The black tea is really good today," she thought to herself, deliberately.

"Yes, it's your favorite Earl," Su Rui replied, a hint of a smile in her voice.

Jessica glanced discreetly at the terminal—60%, completely unchanged.

... So it seems that ordinary daily conversations don't affect the affection level?

She thought about it for a moment and decided to try a different approach.

"Su Rui, the weather is so nice today." She put down her teacup, turned to look out the window, and sunlight streamed down her profile, her eyelashes casting tiny shadows on her cheeks. "Would you... like to come for a walk with me?"

"Of course," Su Rui's voice was gentle. "Where would you like to go?"

"[The shopping street!] "Jessica cheered inwardly. "[I want to pick out something for you!]"

"... For me?" Su Rui seemed somewhat surprised.

[Hmm!] She stood up and walked briskly towards the dressing room. [Although you can't materialize it yet, you'll need it someday, right?]

She opened the wardrobe, her fingertips brushing over rows of exquisite clothes, and finally chose a light blue dress.

"Actually, there's no need to do it on purpose..." Su Rui's voice carried a hint of helplessness, yet also seemed to hide a trace of expectation.

"No, I have to buy it!" Jessica insisted. "Consider it... advance preparation!"

She changed her clothes, tidied her hair in front of the mirror, and then nodded in satisfaction.

The numbers on the terminal remained unchanged.

... Looks like that's still not enough?

The shopping street was bustling with people. Jessica wore a wide-brimmed hat, covering half her face to avoid being recognized. She walked briskly down the street, occasionally stopping in front of a shop window.

[Su Rui, what do you think of this?] She stopped in front of a jewelry store and pointed to a silver tie clip.

"... I don't need a tie clip." Su Rui said with a hint of helplessness.

"But it suits you perfectly!" she insisted. "Simple yet elegant."

She pushed open the door and walked into the store. With the warm greeting of the shop assistant, she bought the tie clip without hesitation.

"Thank you for your patronage!" The shop assistant smiled and handed over the beautifully packaged box.

Jessica took the bag and walked out of the store in a happy mood.

[See, it suits you perfectly, doesn't it?] She proudly waved the bag in her hand in her mind.

"... Thank you." Su Rui's voice carried a hint of helplessness, yet also seemed to hold a touch of tenderness.

The numbers on the terminal remained unchanged.

Jessica frowned slightly.

... Could we be going in the wrong direction?

She thought for a moment, and then a brilliant idea suddenly flashed in her mind.

"[Su Rui, let's go over there!]" She pointed to a dessert shop on the street corner.

"... Didn't you just have breakfast?"

"But that shop's strawberry cake is famous!" she blinked. "And... I want to eat it with you."

Su Rui was silent for a moment.

"... good."

Jessica went into the dessert shop and ordered a strawberry cake and a hot cocoa. She chose a seat by the window and placed the cake in front of her.

[Even though you can't eat it now...] She gently poked the strawberry on the cake with her fork, [but when I feed you, you must savor it!]

"... Hmm." Su Rui's voice was low, seemingly somewhat helpless, yet carrying a barely perceptible softness.

Jessica glanced furtively at the terminal—61%.

Her eyes lit up instantly.

... Success!

She suppressed a laugh, lowered her head, and took a bite of cake. The sweet cream melted on her tongue, and her mood brightened.

So that's how it is... Su Rui's favorability rating will increase because of her initiative to get close to her.

What if... she were even bolder?

Volume 14, Chapter 766: Shall we rest together?

In the evening, Jessica returned to the villa, carrying several shopping bags. Humming a tune, she walked into the bedroom and laid out her purchases one by one—a tie clip, a hardcover book, a dark blue scarf...

"[Su Rui, look!]" She sat on the edge of the bed, waving the scarf in her hand. "[This color suits you well, doesn't it?]"

"... We bought too much." Su Rui sighed.

"Not at all!" Jessica retorted with a smile. "These will all be necessities once you materialize!"

She gently pressed the scarf against her cheek, the soft wool making her want to rub it against her face.

"I really want to see you soon," she said softly, her tone carrying a hint of anticipation and coquettishness.

Su Rui did not respond immediately.

Jessica waited a while, then suddenly heard a soft beep from the terminal.

She looked down—65%.

Her heart skipped a beat.