Ark Simulator, Aren't I Supposed to Be Intangible?

On stage, the flamenco dancers' high heels swayed to a vibrant rhythm. Jessica, however, couldn't concentrate at all— Su Rui's thumb was drawing circles in her palm, a tingling sensation traveling up her veins to her heart. She pretended to fix her hair, taking the opportunity to rest her head on his shoulder.

"Do you like this seat?" she asked in a breathy voice, her breath brushing against his ear.

Su Rui didn't answer, but Jessica felt his arm wrap around her waist. The shadows in the box perfectly concealed this intimate gesture, and Franka in the front row was tapping along to the music, completely unaware of the little movement behind her.

As the second act begins, the famous play "Love Is a Free Bird" is being performed on stage. Jessica steals a glance at Su Rui's profile through the changing lights and notices him intently staring at the stage—if one ignores the fingers stroking her waist.

"I thought you didn't like opera," Jessica said softly.

Su Rui lowered her head slightly, her lips almost touching her earlobe. "You like it now."

The warmth of his breath made Jessica's ears burn. She deliberately snuggled closer to him, the silk hem of her dress rustling softly against his suit trousers. Su Rui's arms tightened immediately, pulling her closer to him.

Franka's soft laughter suddenly came from the front row. "You guys are really 'engaged' with it."

Jessica then realized that the first act had ended, and the warm yellow lights in the audience seats had illuminated the room. She hurriedly sat up straight, only to hear Su Rui calmly reply, "Very good singing."

Liskarm adjusted his glasses. "That was a purely instrumental performance."

As the bell rang for intermission, Jessica slipped out of the VIP box under the pretext of touching up her makeup. Her flushed cheeks were reflected in the mirror, and she had to take out her powder compact and pat it on to cool them down. Suddenly, another figure appeared in the mirror— Su Rui was leaning against the door frame at some point.

"This is a lady's place—"

Before he could finish speaking, Su Rui had already slipped inside and locked the door. The small space was instantly filled with the scent of cedarwood emanating from him. Jessica was trapped in front of the sink, her back pressed against the cold marble.

"You've been following me?" She deliberately poked his chest with her fingertip.

Su Rui grabbed her wandering hand and lowered his head to kiss her lips. The kiss was gentler than Jessica had expected, carrying the slight bitterness of tequila and the sweetness of pomegranate. Suddenly realizing something, she pulled back slightly. "You drank Franka's wine?"

"One cup." Su Rui's voice was lower than usual. "It can definitely cause allergies."

Jessica's eyes widened: "Then you—"

The rest of her sentence was swallowed up by an even deeper kiss. Su Rui's body temperature was noticeably higher than usual, and his palms, pressed against the skin of her lower back, were surprisingly hot. Jessica's fingers unconsciously gripped his suit collar, wrinkling the smooth fabric.

Franka's voice suddenly came from outside the door. "Jessica? Act Two is about to begin~"

The two quickly separated. While Jessica frantically fixed her hair, Su Rui had already regained his usual composure, only his slightly disordered breathing betraying his earlier loss of control. He helped smooth out the wrinkles at the back of her dress, his fingers pausing briefly when they touched a hidden clasp.

"... It's untied," he said softly.

Jessica gasped, turning to check in the mirror—sure enough, the snap clasp at her lower back had come undone, revealing a small patch of skin. Blushing, she fastened it, then turned and playfully punched Su Rui: "It's all your fault!"

Su Rui grabbed her wrist and kissed her palm. "Mmm, it's my fault."

Back in the private room, Franka's meaningful gaze swept back and forth between the two of them. Jessica tried to remain calm and sat back down, only to find that her lipstick was noticeably lighter. She secretly nudged Su Rui with her elbow, earning an innocent look in return.

When the final act, "The Toreador Song," began, Jessica had already given up on watching the show. She leaned on Su Rui's shoulder, counting his heartbeats to the stirring melody. On stage, Carmen was dying for love, and she only wanted to stay in that moment forever—in the dimly lit box, surrounded by her lover's presence, and unwittingly protected by her friends.

As the applause thundered at the end, taking advantage of the chaos as everyone stood up, Su Rui leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Go home?"

Jessica, watching Franka and Liskarm arguing about the opera's ending, quietly hooked her little finger around Su Rui's. "Yeah, let's go home."

The villa door had barely closed when Jessica kicked her high heels aside. She turned and pushed Su Rui against the wall in the entryway, then tiptoed and kissed her. The sweet taste of the cocktail from the opera house still lingered on her lips, mixed with the faint scent of tequila on Su Rui, giving her a slightly tipsy illusion.

"Wait..." Su Rui placed her hand on her waist, her voice hoarseer than usual, "There's a mission tomorrow."

Jessica bit his lower lip in annoyance. "That's why we need to hurry." Her fingers deftly untied his tie, the silk fabric making a soft sound as it slid across her palm.

Suddenly, Su Rui grabbed her wrist and turned her around, switching their positions. Jessica's back pressed against the cold wall, and she couldn't help but shiver slightly. Moonlight streamed in through the French windows, outlining Su Rui's deep features, his eyelashes casting dappled shadows on his face.

"How much did you drink?" he asked in a low voice, his thumb tracing her flushed cheek.

Jessica blinked. "I only tried a tiny bit..." Seeing Su Rui raise an eyebrow, she quickly added, "Franka insisted I try it!"

Su Rui sighed, bent down, and scooped her up in his arms. Jessica gasped, instinctively wrapping her arms around his neck. "Put me down!"

"Go take a shower." Su Rui carried her upstairs. "You smell like alcohol."

Jessica poked his collarbone defiantly. "You were the one who drank the whole glass!" Suddenly, an idea struck her, and her eyes lit up. "Want to shower together? That would... save time."

Su Rui paused. In the moonlight, Jessica saw his Adam's apple bob, but his voice remained calm. "No."

"Why?"

You'll get distracted.

Jessica struggled angrily, but as she was being placed in the bathtub, she suddenly grabbed Su Rui's collar, causing him to stumble. Warm water poured down from the showerhead, instantly soaking their clothes. Su Rui's white shirt became transparent, clinging to his body and outlining his slender waistline.

"Now you're wet too," Jessica said smugly, brushing aside the wet black hair on his forehead with her fingers.

Su Rui leaned over her, water droplets trickling down her jawline and onto her collarbone. His eyes darkened. "Jessica..."

She tilted her head back and kissed him, tasting the water on her tongue. Su Rui's restraint finally crumbled; he held the back of her head and deepened the kiss, while turning off the running water with his other hand.

When the two finally stumbled back to the bedroom, Jessica's hair was still dripping wet. She threw herself onto the bed, watched Su Rui take a dry towel from the closet, and couldn't help but laugh, "We look like two drowned rats."

Volume 14, Chapter 781: There's still a task tomorrow.

Su Rui knelt on one knee at the edge of the bed, gently wrapping her blonde hair in a towel. "Sit still."

Jessica seized the opportunity to wrap her arms around his waist and rest her wet head against his stomach. "Help me dry."

Su Rui sighed helplessly, but still obediently sat behind her, running his fingers through her soft hair. Jessica squinted comfortably, like a cat being stroked. The only sounds in the bedroom were the rustling of towels rubbing hair and their intertwined breathing.

"Su Rui," Jessica suddenly spoke, "Tomorrow's mission..."

"I'll be by your side." His voice came from above, calm and reassuring.

Jessica turned and threw herself into his arms, her wet hair leaving dark watermarks on his clean t-shirt. "I know," she looked up at him, "But I'm still worried."

Su Rui lowered his head and kissed her forehead. "Sleep."

Jessica, however, squirmed restlessly in his arms, her fingers secretly slipping inside his shirt. "I don't want to sleep yet..."

Su Rui grabbed her mischievous hand, her voice carrying a warning. "Jessica."

"Just for a little while..." she snuggled against his neck affectionately, "I promise I'll fall asleep soon."

Su Rui was silent for a moment, then suddenly pressed her down onto the soft bed. Jessica gasped, then her lips were sealed by a gentle kiss. This kiss was different from the previous one, slow and tender, like a silent promise.

When Su Rui backed away, Jessica was so sleepy she could barely keep her eyes open. She vaguely felt someone tuck her into bed, and then a warm body pressed against her from behind. Su Rui's arms encircled her waist, and her chin rested gently on the top of her head.

"Goodnight," she mumbled, her fingers intertwining with his.

Moonlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains, illuminating the bed and outlining their intertwined figures. Outside, the night breeze rustled through the treetops, as if humming a song. Just as Jessica was about to drift off to sleep, she felt a kiss as light as a feather land on the back of her neck.

"Sweet dreams." Su Rui's voice seemed to come from a very far away.

Morning light streamed through the gaps in the curtains onto the bed. Jessica groggily opened her eyes and found herself nestled in Su Rui's arms. His arms were around her waist, his breath even and warm, brushing against the top of her head.

She cautiously looked up and saw Su Rui with his eyes closed, his eyelashes casting tiny shadows in the morning light, his lips slightly relaxed, less aloof than usual. Jessica couldn't resist reaching out, her fingertips gently tracing his brow bone, then sliding down his nose, finally stopping at his lips.

Su Rui suddenly opened her eyes, her dark pupils staring straight into hers.

"... Awake?" His voice was low and hoarse from the early morning.

Jessica's fingers froze in mid-air, her ears burning instantly. "I... I just..."

Before she could explain, Su Rui lowered her head and gently bit her fingertip.

"Ouch!" Jessica jerked her hand back, blushing and glaring at him. "Why did you bite me!"

"Punishment," Su Rui said calmly, tightening his arms around her and pulling her closer. "Sleep a little longer."

Jessica hesitated for a moment. "No! I have a mission today!"

Su Rui slowly released her, and as he sat up, his dark hair fell slightly messily across his forehead. Jessica seized the opportunity to pounce on him and kiss him on the cheek. "Good morning kiss!"

Su Rui paused, then reached out and held the back of her neck, returning a deeper and longer kiss.

"... That's what a good morning kiss should be." When he released her, Jessica was already dizzy, her cheeks flushed.

Half an hour later, Jessica stood in front of the mirror adjusting her uniform, while Su Rui leaned against the door frame waiting for her. His gaze fell on her slender back as she tied her long blonde hair into a ponytail and adjusted the tightness of her tactical belt.

"Su Rui," she suddenly turned around, her eyes bright, "Do you think this mission will go smoothly?"

"Yes," he replied briefly.

Jessica pursed her lips, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she just nodded. "Yeah! With you here, everything will be fine."

Su Rui walked over and reached out to straighten her collar. "Let's go."

The designated rendezvous point was on the third deck of the Rhodes Island flagship. When Jessica and Su Rui arrived, Franka and Liskarm were already waiting there.

"Oh, you've finally arrived?" Franka raised an eyebrow, her gaze sweeping between the two of them, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. "Looks like you slept well last night?"

Jessica's face flushed instantly. "Franka!"

Liskarm sighed and adjusted his glasses, "Stop fooling around, the mission is important."

Su Rui remained calm, merely glancing indifferently at Franka, who immediately raised her hands. "Alright, alright, I won't say anything more."

The escort team was already waiting at the designated location. It was a mixed force composed of local security contractors, responsible for transporting a shipment of important supplies to the border city. During the handover, Jessica carefully checked the list, while Su Rui stood beside her, her eyes scanning the surroundings to identify every possible sniping position.

"Confirmation complete." Jessica closed the folder and nodded to the leader of the escort team. "We will accompany them the entire time to ensure the route is safe."

The captain, a tall Ursus man, sized up Jessica, then glanced at Su Rui behind her, and grinned. "I hope you two don't hold us back."

Before Jessica could speak, Su Rui stepped forward, her voice icy. "I hope you won't get in my way."

The atmosphere instantly became tense.

Jessica quickly tugged at Su Rui's sleeve and whispered, "No, don't do this..."

Su Rui didn't speak again, but the warning in her eyes remained undiminished. The escort captain snorted and turned to arrange the departure.

Franka leaned closer and whispered, "Wow, your guy's pretty protective of his own, huh?"

Jessica blushed and glared at her. "Don't talk nonsense!"

Liskarm sighed. "Pay attention, everyone. We're about to leave."

The convoy started slowly. Jessica sat in the passenger seat, while Su Rui rested with her eyes closed in the back. The scenery outside the window gradually changed from city buildings to open wilderness, and the sunlight shone on the road, casting a golden halo.

Jessica glanced at Su Rui through the rearview mirror and found that he had opened his eyes at some point and was quietly watching her.

Their eyes met in the mirror.

Jessica smiled at him, and Su Rui's lips also curled up slightly.

The roar of engines echoed across the wilderness as the convoy slowly drove away from the city and into the boundless open field. Jessica sat in the passenger seat, watching the city skyline recede into the distance through the window. Sunlight streamed through the glass, warming her face.

"According to the route, we'll camp at the first supply point tonight," Liskarm's voice came through the communicator. "Maintain formation and stay alert."

Jessica adjusted her headphones and turned to look at Su Rui in the driver's seat. He had one hand on the steering wheel and the other on the window, his black hair fluttering slightly in the wind, and his profile was particularly clear in the sunlight.

Volume 14, Chapter 782 is blindingly bright!

"Are you hungry?" he suddenly asked, his gaze still fixed ahead.

Jessica blinked. "... A little."

Su Rui didn't say anything, but simply reached into her storage space, took out a thermal box, and handed it to her.

Jessica opened it and saw several neatly made sandwiches inside, filled with fresh vegetables and ham, the bread still slightly warm. Her eyes lit up. "When did you prepare this?"

"Good morning," Su Rui replied briefly.

Jessica took a bite, her eyes crinkling with satisfaction. "Delicious!"

She broke off a small piece and held it to Su Rui's lips. "You eat some too."

Su Rui glanced at her sideways, opened her mouth and bit down, her lips inadvertently brushing against Jessica's fingertips. Jessica's ears burned, and she quickly withdrew her hand, pretending to concentrate on eating her sandwich.

Around noon, the convoy stopped for a rest on an open plain. Members of the escort team gathered in twos and threes, some checking the vehicles, others taking out their dry rations for lunch.

Jessica jumped out of the car, stretched, and felt warm all over in the sunshine. Franka and Liskarm had already found a flat spot to sit down and were looking at a map.

"Hey, little princess," Franka beckoned to her, "Come and sit down."

Jessica walked over and had just sat down when she saw Su Rui take out a portable stove and several fresh ingredients from her storage space—tomatoes, eggs, bacon, and even a small bunch of fresh Vanilla.

Franka whistled, "Wow, are we going to cook right here?"

Su Rui ignored her, simply skillfully setting up the stove, lighting the fire, and pouring oil. Jessica, resting her chin on her hand, looked at him with a smile, "Need any help?"

"Sit down." Su Rui said without looking up.

Soon, the aroma of fried eggs and bacon wafted out, attracting frequent glances from the surrounding escort team members. Jessica noticed that the Ursus captain was staring in their direction, his eyes filled with surprise and envy.

"... You even bring fresh ingredients with you when you go out?" Liskarm pushed up his glasses, a hint of helplessness in his voice.

"Su Rui's hobby," Jessica said proudly, "Is that he prefers to cook for himself."