Ark Simulator, Am I Not Incorporeal?

Jessica couldn't help but chuckle, turning to Su Rui: "What did you think of their singing?"

Su Rui paused for two seconds, then commented calmly, "The pitch is off."

Jessica laughed even harder, reaching out to poke his arm. "You actually listened attentively?"

Su Rui's lips curled up almost imperceptibly, but she quickly regained her usual indifference.

As dusk fell, the convoy stopped on an open plain. The setting sun painted the wilderness golden red, and the distant mountain outlines gradually blurred in the twilight.

Ivan walked over, his attitude noticeably more casual this time. "Shall we camp here tonight?"

Liskarm adjusted his glasses and nodded in confirmation. "Open terrain, good visibility, suitable for surveillance."

Jessica watched as Su Rui took out a tent and ingredients from her storage space, hesitated for a moment, and then said to Ivan, "If you don't mind, you can have dinner together."

Ivan's eyes lit up, and he patted his chest. "We brought wine!"

Franka immediately chimed in, "Yay!"

Liskarm sighed, but this time did not object.

Su Rui glanced at Jessica, a questioning look in her eyes. Jessica winked at him and whispered, "We can't always be on guard against them, can we? Besides..." She lowered her voice, "With you here, I'm not afraid."

Su Rui gently squeezed her palm with her fingertips, which was taken as tacit consent.

Night fell, and the campfire flickered across the wilderness. The two groups sat together, the aroma of food and wine mingling in the night air. Ivan raised his jug, took a hearty gulp, and then handed it to Su Rui: "Want a sip?"

Su Rui shook her head. "I won't drink."

Ivan laughed, "Afraid of getting drunk?"

Su Rui glanced at him indifferently. "A person on night watch needs to be alert."

Ivan paused for a moment, then nodded. "That makes sense." He turned to Jessica, "You Blacksteel people have good discipline."

Jessica smiled, took the hot soup Su Rui offered, and sipped it slowly. The firelight reflected on her face, casting a warm orange-red hue.

The sound of wheels rolling over gravel echoed in the car. Su Rui rested one hand on the steering wheel and the other on the window, his gaze casually sweeping across the receding wilderness outside. The withered yellow grass rippled in the wind, and occasionally a few startled gerbils would flash by in the distance, disappearing into the crevices of the rocks.

It's too quiet.

There were no ambushes, no skirmishes, and he barely even saw a few Originium Slug. If it weren't for the few Ursus armored vehicles in his rearview mirror, he would have almost thought it was just a normal wilderness road trip.

"Su Rui."

Suddenly, two slender fingers pinched his cheek, giving it a gentle tug. He turned his head and saw Jessica, who had somehow turned off the team comms, looking at him with puffed-out cheeks.

"You're spacing out." She released his hand, the lingering warmth of her fingertips making his skin slightly itchy. "This isn't like you."

Su Rui blinked and looked ahead again. The road shimmered with heat under the blazing sun, and his fingers tapped unconsciously on the steering wheel. "Too smooth."

"Huh?" Jessica tilted her head. "Isn't it good that things went smoothly?"

A soft clanging of metal came from the back seat. Liskarm, who was maintaining her weapon, didn't even look up and said, "Blacksteel Code Number Three—"

"The calmer the surface, the more turbulent the currents," Franka replied lazily, toying with an Originium Bomb. "But those Ursus people seem really relaxed; they were just discussing what to grill tonight on the communicator."

Su Rui glanced at the rearview mirror. Ivan's sunroof was open, and she could see someone with their arm draped over the side, a cigarette between their fingers emitting thin wisps of smoke. They were definitely too relaxed.

"Stay alert," he said softly, his right hand subtly pressing the tactical knife hidden under the seat.

Jessica suddenly leaned closer, a strand of her hair brushing against his ear. "Actually... I just saw something in the drone footage." She pulled up her terminal; the screen showed a rocky hill three kilometers away. "The heat source here doesn't seem to be reacting quite naturally."

As he zoomed in, Su Rui noticed a metallic sheen between the rock crevices. It wasn't the rust of an abandoned vehicle, but a deliberately concealed fresh luster. He squinted, and the sound of the wind in the wilderness suddenly became piercing.

"Should we notify them?" Jessica asked softly, her finger hovering over the communication key.

Su Rui thought for two seconds, then shook his head. "Confirm first." He stepped on the gas, and the convoy's speed subtly increased. "If it's a trap, warning them now will only alert them."

Franka whistled, "That's more like it!" She had already set the fuse on the Originium Bomb without anyone noticing. "I knew it couldn't possibly turn into a picnic."

Liskarm finally raised his head, his gaze behind his glasses sharp as a knife. "Maintain formation, prepare for engagement."

Jessica took a deep breath and reconnected the communication channel. Her voice still sounded cheerful, but Su Rui could feel the tension in her shoulders. "Captain Ivan? Can we speed up a bit? We want to cover as much distance as possible before dark."

A hearty laugh came through the communicator from the Ursus man, "No problem! Perfect for letting the lads stretch their muscles!"

Su Rui's fingertips brushed against Jessica's hand, the cool touch calming her slightly. Outside the window, the wilderness scenery continued to rush past, but at this moment, every crevice in the rocks and every clump of bushes seemed to conceal danger.

Volume 14, Chapter 785: It's too quiet.

The sound of wheels rolling over gravel echoed inside the vehicle. Su Rui rested one hand on the steering wheel, glancing at the rearview mirror. The armored vehicles escorting the convoy kicked up a cloud of dust, and the rough laughter of the Ursus people came through the open windows, mixed with the roar of engines.

It's too quiet.

Not the sounds—but the wilderness itself. There were no insect chirps, no rustling of gerbils, and even the wind seemed frozen.

"Su Rui?" Jessica's voice came from the passenger seat; she keenly sensed his tension. "What's wrong?"

Su Rui did not answer immediately, but slowed down slightly and subtly slid her right hand toward the tactical knife under the seat.

"Ten o'clock," he said softly, but loud enough for everyone in the car to hear, "Shrubs, reflections."

Liskarm, in the back seat, immediately put down her gun maintenance tools, pushed up her glasses, and the lenses reflected a cold light. Franka yawned lazily, but her fingers had already quietly gripped the hilt of her Thermite Sword.

Jessica quickly pulled up the drone's feed, zoomed in, and the thermal image on the screen showed a blurry human-shaped outline in the bushes.

"Crossbowmen," she whispered to confirm, "At least three, and..." Her fingertip traced across the screen, "... there's an ambush behind the rocks."

Su Rui's breathing remained steady, but her eyes had become sharp.

"Prepare to engage the enemy."

The sniper rifle barrel protruded silently from the gap in the car window, and Su Rui's fingertip lightly rested on the trigger.

The crosshairs of the scope steadily locked onto the shadow in the bushes.

Bang!

Gunshots ripped through the silence of the wilderness; bullets pierced the infiltrator's skull, and blood exploded in the bushes, creating a dark red stain.

Almost at the same second, several dark figures suddenly leaped out from behind the rocks, and the sound of crossbow bolts piercing the air suddenly came!

"Clang--!"

Liskarm's shield snapped up, and a poisoned crossbow bolt sparked as it struck the metal. Jessica had already leaped out of the car door, firing a rapid burst of shots from her pistol. Two ambushers who rushed at her were struck in the chest, blood splattering as they staggered and fell to the ground.

Franka laughed loudly, and her Thermite Sword swept across, the blazing white flames instantly distorting the air. The enemies rushing towards her didn't even have time to scream before they were vaporized into charred remains by the high temperature.

"The Ursus people are under attack too!" Jessica shouted into the communicator, her voice trembling with rapid breathing.

Su Rui's sniper rifle fired again, the bullet precisely piercing through half a head peeking out from behind a distant rock. His movements were calm and efficient, each bullet taking away a target without the slightest hesitation.

"Cover me! I'll take care of the crossbowmen!" Liskarm shouted, thrusting his shield forward and knocking down a charging enemy. Jessica followed up with a shot, the blood splattering onto the sand and quickly drying in the intense heat.

Franka was like a crimson whirlwind, leaving only scorched earth in her Thermite Sword. Her laughter echoed across the battlefield, "Oh dear~ this number is hardly enough!"

Su Rui's sniper rifle didn't stop firing; his gaze swept across the battlefield, confirming the location of every threat. Suddenly, his pupils contracted—a metallic glint flashed atop a distant sand dune.

"Jessica, get down!"

Almost instinctively, Jessica ducked, and a poisoned crossbow bolt grazed her hair before embedding itself deep in the car door.

Su Rui instantly turned his gun around, locking the scope onto the shooter on the sand dune.

Bang!

The bullet pierced the man's throat, and his body rolled down from the height.

On the other side, Ivan's team was caught in a melee. Ursus men roared and swung their battle axes, blood splattering across the sand in grotesque arcs.

"You scum!" Ivan roared, cleaving an enemy's shoulder in two with his axe. "Who sent you?!"

The ambushers did not answer; they were well-equipped and highly trained, clearly not ordinary robbers.

Su Rui's sniper rifle fired again, supporting the Ursus defenses. Each bullet precisely reaped the distant threat; his breathing was steady, his eyes as cold as blades.

"Su Rui! To the right!" Jessica suddenly shouted.

As Su Rui turned to the side, an ambush attacker pounced from behind the car, a dagger aimed straight for his throat!

His reaction was lightning fast; his left hand swiftly gripped the other man's wrist, while his right hand drew a tactical dagger, a flash of cold light—

Laugh!

The blade slit the enemy's throat, and blood splattered onto the car window.

Franka's Thermite Sword traced a blazing white trail across the battlefield, her laughter filled with unrestrained fighting spirit. "Come on! Get closer!"

Two enemies attempted to flank her, but she merely glanced at them contemptuously and swept her sword across—

"Boom!"

A burst of molten aluminum flames erupted, instantly carbonizing the two men's bodies into charred skeletons as they collapsed to the ground.

Liskarm's shield knocked down the last enemy who had managed to get close, and Jessica finished him off with a shot, bringing the battle to a close.

Su Rui slowly lowered his sniper rifle, the barrel still slightly warm. His gaze swept across the battlefield, and only after confirming there were no survivors did he speak in a low voice:

"Check ammunition and provide support to the Ursus."

Thirty seconds later, the wilderness returned to silence, with only the smell of gunpowder and blood lingering in the wind.

Jessica wiped the sweat from her brow; her pistol magazine was half empty. "Who sent them?"

Franka flicked the Ash off her sword, a dangerous smile on her face, "Who knows? But remember to send something more durable next time."

Su Rui didn't answer. His gaze fell into the distance—the bodies of the ambushers had no markings, but their equipment was far too sophisticated for ordinary robbers.

Someone didn't want them to reach their destination alive.

Ivan strode over, blood still dripping from his battle axe. "Thanks, your sniper was pretty reliable."

Su Rui glanced at him indifferently, without replying.

Jessica nodded slightly. "It's a pleasure doing business with you."

The winds of the wilderness blew again, carrying the smell of gunpowder and blood.

The smoke of battle had not yet dissipated, and the wind of the wilderness, carrying the stench of blood, swept across the battlefield. Su Rui leaned against the car door, a sniper rifle resting across his lap, his fingers skillfully disassembling the weapon's parts. His movements were light, almost silent, but every detail was precise—barrel, trigger, magazine, he checked, wiped, and reassembled them one by one.

The metal parts gleamed coldly in the sunlight. He ran his fingertips over the gun barrel, making sure there was no damage, before slightly raising his eyes to scan his surroundings.

The battlefield has already been quickly cleared.

Franka was burning the last enemy's body with her Thermite Sword, the blazing white flames turning flesh and blood to Ash, leaving not a trace. Liskarm was half-crouched on the ground, rummaging through the ambushers' remaining equipment, trying to find any clues that could identify them. Jessica stood not far away, her pistol already reloaded, but her gaze kept glancing at Su Rui to make sure he was safe.

Volume 14, page 786 is unmarked.

Su Rui withdrew her gaze, slung the sniper rifle back over her shoulder, and stood up.

"No markings," Liskarm said, walking over and adjusting his glasses. "The equipment is standard, but all markings have been removed."

"Professional." Franka flicked the embers from her sword and grinned. "Too bad it's not heat-resistant enough."

Jessica jogged over, a speck of dust still clinging to her bangs. "Su Rui, is your gun alright?"

He shook his head and reached out to brush away the speck of dust from her face. "It's nothing."

His fingertips brushed against her skin, warm and soft. Jessica's ears turned slightly red, but she quickly regained her composure. "We should get going. If we delay any longer, we won't reach the next campsite before dark."

Liskarm nodded. "The convoy is fully prepared and ready to depart at any time."

Su Rui's gaze swept across the wilderness once more.

The convoy drove back into the wilderness, the roar of engines echoing in the dry air. Su Rui sat in the back seat, a sniper rifle lying across his lap, sunlight streaming through the car window and illuminating the black gun's cold metallic sheen.

This is a custom-made, high-precision sniper rifle with a long, elegant barrel and a matte finish that won't reveal your position when aiming. The stock is made of a special composite material, and its curvature, conforming to the shoulder line, has been adjusted countless times to ensure stability during firing. Su Rui's fingers gently traced the gun's body, his fingertips able to feel every tiny scratch—marks left by countless missions.

He unscrewed the maintenance toolbox and took out a special cleaning stick and gun oil. With practiced movements, he disassembled the barrel, the slender metal tube gleaming with a deep, dark light in the sunlight. He squinted, using the light to inspect the rifling—thankfully, there was no wear or carbon buildup.

"Every time I watch you maintain the guns, it feels like you're handling a work of art." Jessica turned her head from the front seat, resting her elbows on the back of the chair, her chin on the back of her hand, her eyes fixed on his movements.

Su Rui didn't look up, but a barely perceptible smile relaxed his lips, "Gun is a partner."

His voice was soft, yet carried an undeniable seriousness.

Wrapped in an oil-soaked cloth, the cleaning rod was slowly pushed into the barrel, rotating to remove the last trace of gunpowder residue. His movements were extremely meticulous, maintaining a uniform force with each push and pull to ensure no damage to the delicate rifling.

Franka leaned in from the other side, her Thermite Sword casually slung over her shoulder. "Hey, Su Rui, how long have you had this gun with you?"

"Five years," he replied briefly, while taking out the firing mechanism and cleaning every tiny part with a small brush.

Liskarm glanced in the rearview mirror and, unusually, joined the conversation. "Blacksteel's standard equipment doesn't have such meticulous maintenance requirements."