Ark Simulator, Am I Not Without a Physical Body?

Franka leaned closer, her eyes fixed on the sizzling bacon in the pan. "Could I have some?"

Su Rui glanced at her and pointed to the small plate next to her with her spatula. "Help yourself."

Franka cheered and immediately grabbed a slice of bacon. Liskarm sighed, but still accepted the sandwich Jessica offered.

Sunlight streamed into the small picnic area, and the aroma of food mingled with the wild breeze, creating a strangely cozy feeling. Jessica took a bite of the egg Su Rui had just fried and sighed contentedly.

"Is it good?" Su Rui asked.

Jessica nodded vigorously, a little egg yolk on the corner of her mouth. Su Rui reached out and gently wiped it off with her thumb, the movement as natural as if she had done it countless times.

Franka, standing to the side, exaggeratedly covered her eyes. "Ouch, my eyes!"

Jessica blushed and kicked her, but she felt secretly delighted.

After a break, the convoy set off again. Jessica fastened her seatbelt, looked out at the vast wilderness, and said softly, "This kind of journey isn't so bad, actually."

Su Rui glanced at her, a slight smile playing on her lips, "Mm."

The car wheels rolled over the dry sand, kicking up a cloud of fine dust. Jessica leaned against the window, gazing at the rolling hills in the distance, the sunlight turning the wilderness golden.

Su Rui tapped her fingers lightly on the steering wheel, glanced at the rearview mirror, and suddenly narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Something's up." His voice was low and calm.

Jessica sat up straight immediately, her hand already on the gun at her waist. "Where?"

"Two o'clock, behind the rocks." Su Rui's gaze didn't move, but Jessica knew he had locked onto his target. "At least five people, armed."

Franka's voice came through the communicator. "Yo, finally something fun is starting to happen?"

Liskarm immediately interrupted, "Don't be careless, they might be robbers."

Jessica quickly adjusted her headphones and lowered her voice. "Should we notify the escort team?"

Su Rui shook her head. "Let's confirm first."

He subtly slowed down, allowing the convoy to gradually increase its distance. The Ursus captain at the rear seemed to notice something amiss; his gruff voice came through the communicator. "What's going on? Why are you slowing down?"

"Vehicle inspection," Su Rui replied briefly, her tone so calm it betrayed no hint of unease.

Jessica quietly lowered the car window, letting the wilderness wind rush in, and at the same time, under the cover of the wind, gently pulled the safety catch on the gun.

--

In the shadows behind the rocks, several raggedly dressed robbers were talking in hushed tones.

"Boss, they've stopped!" A thin man rubbed his hands excitedly. "The car must have broken down!"

The leader of the robbers was a burly man with one eye. He grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth. "Get ready to move. Take out the people in that car first!"

Su Rui tapped her fingers lightly on the steering wheel.

Three seconds later.

Jessica took a deep breath and gripped the gun tightly.

"Three."

The robbers burst out from behind the rocks, brandishing crude weapons and wearing ferocious grins.

"Two."

Captain Ursus roared into the communicator, "Enemy attack! All personnel on alert—"

"One."

Su Rui slammed on the brakes and simultaneously pushed open the car door, his figure flashing out like a ghost. Jessica followed closely behind, her gun already raised and aimed at the robber in the lead.

Gunshots rang out across the wilderness.

The battle ended quickly.

The robbers clearly underestimated the strength of the escort team, especially the teamwork between Su Rui and Jessica —with almost no extra communication, the two had already completed the suppression of fire and the elimination of the enemy. Franka and Liskarm quickly sealed off the flanks to ensure that no one escaped.

Captain Ursus arrived late with his men, his face grim as he looked at the scattered corpses of the robbers on the ground. "You... you moved pretty quickly."

Su Rui put away her weapon and gave him a cold glance. "You're too slow."

Jessica tugged at his sleeve and whispered, "Never mind..."

Liskarm walked over, adjusted his glasses, and said, "It's getting late, and continuing on our way is too risky. I suggest we set up camp here."

Captain Ursus snorted, "Then let's rest and leave tomorrow."

As night fell, the temperature in the wilderness plummeted.

The escort team members gathered in twos and threes, lit a campfire, and took out their rations for dinner. Jessica sat on a flat rock, watching Su Rui take out several heated meat patties and hot soup from her storage space.

"Dinner," he said briefly, handing her the food.

Jessica took the soup and sipped it slowly, the warmth spreading from her stomach throughout her body. Franka and Liskarm joined in, and the four of them sat around the small fire, the firelight reflecting on their faces.

"What are the arrangements for the night watch?" Liskarm asked.

Su Rui glanced at the escort team in the distance and said coldly, "We won't take turns with them."

Jessica understood what he meant—they didn't trust those people.

"Su Rui and I will take the first half of the night," she suggested, "Franka and Liskarm will take the second half."

Franka stretched. "No problem~"

Night fell, and only the crackling of the campfire and the occasional sound of the wind remained on the wilderness.

Jessica leaned on Su Rui's shoulder, gazing at the starry sky, and softly asked, "Do you think... those people are reliable?"

Su Rui was silent for a moment before answering, "Unreliable."

Jessica nodded and said nothing more. She knew that Su Rui's judgment was rarely wrong.

The night breeze was slightly cool, and she leaned closer to him. Su Rui's arm naturally wrapped around her shoulder.

Volume 14, Chapter 783: Good Morning

The morning mist shrouded the wilderness like a thin veil. Jessica stirred in Su Rui's arms, her eyelashes fluttering as she opened her eyes. The campfire had long since died down, leaving only a wisp of thin white smoke rising and merging into the dimly lit sky. She gently looked up and found that Su Rui had already woken up, leaning against a rock, his dark eyes calmly gazing at the distant horizon.

"Good morning..." she murmured softly, her voice still soft and sweet from just waking up.

Su Rui looked down at her, gently brushing aside the stray hairs on her forehead with her fingers. "Did you sleep well?"

Jessica nodded, sat up from his lap, and stretched. The morning breeze brushed her cheeks, carrying the dryness and fresh scent of grass unique to the wilderness. She turned to look around— Franka was still curled up in her sleeping bag, only a tuft of fiery red hair showing; Liskarm was already awake, sitting not far away polishing her gun, the lens reflecting the morning light.

The escort team members also got up one after another, and Captain Ursus was gruffly directing his men to pack up their equipment. Jessica noticed that their gazes would occasionally sweep over them, but they would quickly look away again.

"I'll go prepare breakfast." Su Rui stood up and pulled Jessica up with her.

The portable stove was set up again, the flames flickering gently in the morning breeze. Su Rui took out a few fresh eggs, a packet of bacon, and a small bag of flour from her storage space. Jessica squatted down beside her, helping out by pouring water from the kettle into the small pot.

"Do you want me to make pancakes?" she asked, her eyes sparkling.

Su Rui hummed in agreement, his fingers deftly mixing the flour into a batter, then adding chopped Vanilla. Jessica watched him, chin in hand, and couldn't help but whisper in admiration, "You can even make such a refined breakfast in the wilderness..."

The bacon on the stove began to sizzle, and the aroma of oil immediately filled the air. Franka's nose twitched, and she suddenly popped out of her sleeping bag. "What's that smell so good?!"

Liskarm sighed and put away his gun, "Can't you be a little more cautious?"

Franka skipped over, her eyes fixed on the bacon in the pan. "Chef Su Rui! Could you fry one more slice?"

Su Rui ignored her, simply flipping the golden pancakes with the spatula. Jessica chuckled and quietly slipped a slice of bacon to Franka: "Shh, eat quickly, don't let him see."

Franka took a bite, touched, and exclaimed, "Little Jessica is the best!"

Breakfast was simple, but piping hot— Vanilla pancakes with crispy bacon and a soft fried egg, served with a cup of hot tea. Jessica took small bites of the pancakes, her eyes squinting contentedly. The morning light gradually brightened, the mist over the wilderness dissipated, revealing the vast, earthy yellow land.

Captain Ursus walked over and asked gruffly, "How much longer? The convoy is about to depart."

Without looking up, Su Rui said, "Five minutes."

The captain stared at their lavish breakfast, his Adam's apple bobbing, but ultimately said nothing and turned away.

Jessica asked softly, "Aren't they a little envious of us?"

Franka, her mouth full of food, mumbled, "Of course! They're eating dry military rations!"

Liskarm pushed up his glasses. "Focus on your food, don't choke."

After clearing away the dishes and retrieving the stove from its storage space, Jessica dusted off her uniform and looked up into the distance—the journey was still long, and the wind in the wilderness was beginning to grow hot.

Su Rui stood by the car waiting for her, his black uniform making his figure appear even taller and more slender. He extended his hand to her. "Let's go."

Jessica jogged over and took his hand. "Mmm!"

The midday sun hung high in the wilderness, its heat distorting the distant scenery. The convoy stopped beside a weathered rock wall, taking advantage of the rare shade to rest. Jessica jumped out of the car, immediately squinting from the blast of hot air. She raised her hand to shield her forehead as she watched Su Rui take out folding tables, chairs, and ingredients from his storage space.

"What are we having for dinner today?" she asked, her hair sticking to her neck with sweat.

Su Rui took out several pieces of marinated steak from the food container; the meat's texture glistened enticingly in the sunlight. "Charcoal grilling."

Franka had somehow squatted down beside him, her eyes fixed on the steak. "This thickness... it's at least A5 grade, right?"

Liskarm sighed and put away the map, "Can't you guys have a bit of a sense of urgency when you're on a mission...?"

The portable grill was quickly set up, the pale blue flames of burning charcoal licking the cast iron mesh. Su Rui's slender fingers used silver tongs to flip the steak, the fat dripping onto the charcoal and sizzling, instantly filling the air with a rich aroma. Jessica sat beside her, resting her chin on her hand, watching the oil droplets roll on the crispy surface of the meat, and couldn't help but swallow hard.

The sound of rumbling stomachs echoed from the escort team. Several Ursus members peered longingly in their direction, their hard, dry biscuits suddenly losing their appeal. The Ursus captain coughed heavily, but couldn't help taking two steps closer to the source of the aroma.

"Should we share them with them?" Jessica asked softly.

Su Rui's eyelashes trembled slightly in the heat as she silently placed three more steaks on the grill.

When the first steak was cooked to a perfect medium-rare, Jessica began to portion it out on a plate. The Ursus team members thanked her politely, but the tall captain walked right over, his thick arms resting on the edge of the folding table.

"Not bad." He stared at Su Rui's cheeks, flushed from the heat, then suddenly reached out his hand. "My name is Ivan."

Su Rui frowned at the hand extended in front of him, bearing fresh burn scars. Just as he hesitated, Jessica suddenly stepped between them, grabbing Ivan's hand first. "I'm Jessica! This is the steak Su Rui grilled, please enjoy!"

She smiled brightly, but her fingers tightened subtly. Ivan raised an eyebrow in surprise, then suddenly realized, his bronze pupils shifting between Su Rui and Jessica: "Ah! I see."

Suddenly, oil splattered on the grill. Su Rui nimbly leaned back to avoid it, a few drops of hot oil splashing onto Ivan's tactical boots. The Ursus man, however, seemed unfazed, instead leaning closer to the grill, his thick beard almost brushing against Su Rui's shoulder. "That's some professional heat control..."

Jessica immediately shoved the plate into Ivan's arms. "Your steak! Please come over and enjoy it!"

Liskarm silently adjusted his slipped glasses, while Franka's shoulders trembled as she tried to suppress a laugh. After Ivan walked away laughing, Jessica immediately turned back to check on Su Rui: "He didn't touch you, did he?"

Su Rui shook her head in confusion, wiping the sweat from her nose with her charcoal-covered fingertips. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing!" Jessica grabbed his wrist and put it back by the grill. "Just focus on grilling the meat!"

At the makeshift table under the shade of a tree, Ivan was cutting his steak with a dagger, raising his glass in a toast. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled patterns on his plate. Jessica squinted and pulled Su Rui closer to her— the Ursus man's gaze was too intense, more irritating than the midday sun.

Franka, biting her fork, leaned closer. "Little Jessica's food-guarding instinct~"

"No way!" Jessica retorted, blushing, but then put all the mushrooms that Su Rui had just grilled onto her own plate.

Volume 14, Chapter 784: I'm Not Just a Chef

The afternoon sun was still scorching, but the convoy was ready to set off again. Jessica stood beside the car, watching Su Rui deftly and skillfully pack the folding tables, chairs, and grill into the storage space. Ursus Captain Ivan walked over, his muscular arms still stained with a little oil, clearly indicating that he had been quite satisfied with the lunch.

"Your team is quite interesting." Ivan grinned, revealing a row of slightly sharp teeth. "Mercenaries from Blacksteel Worldwide, they even bring their own private chefs?"

Jessica instinctively moved closer to Su Rui, but this time her tone was gentler. "Su Rui isn't just a cook, he's our team's best sniper."

Ivan raised an eyebrow, his gaze lingering on Su Rui for a few seconds, as if reassessing something.

"Ha, no wonder." He nodded. "Judging from your posture just now, you certainly didn't seem like an amateur."

Su Rui didn't respond, only giving him a brief glance before opening the car door. "Let's go."

Jessica nodded politely to Ivan and quickly climbed into the passenger seat.

With engines roaring, the convoy set off again. The wind of the wilderness blew in through the car windows, carrying the dry, dusty smell. Jessica watched the scenery rushing past outside the window and suddenly realized that the escort vehicles had unknowingly moved alongside them.

"They seem a little more relaxed," she said softly.

Su Rui glanced at the rearview mirror. "Stay alert."

Jessica nodded, but in her heart she felt that compared to the tense atmosphere in the morning, at least she didn't have to be on guard against her companions all the time.

The afternoon journey was calmer than expected. The wilderness stretched out endlessly, with only a few tenacious bushes swaying in the wind or wild animals gliding by in the distance. The windows of the escort vehicle rolled down, and several Ursus members even hummed rough folk songs, their voices carried on the wind across the open field.

Franka's voice came through the communicator. "Hey, the atmosphere's great~ Want to sing one too?"

Liskarm calmly interrupted, "Focus on driving."