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

"Don't refuse so quickly!" Nian magically produced two sets of costumes. "Look! They were specially designed for you!"

She unfolded one of the garments—a silver-white ancient costume with a fluffy tail decoration sewn onto the back, almost identical to Su Rui's real tail. The other was a snow-white fairy dress with Bell waist chain, clearly intended for Bai Xue.

"You'll play the fox spirit, Bai Xue will play the village girl who gets kidnapped by the fox spirit." Nian gestured excitedly, "The plot is super exciting! The fox spirit battles a mechanical army to save the village girl, only to discover in the end that the mechanical army was created by the village girl's past life, and then..."

"Stop," Su Rui interrupted her rambling, "We're not interested."

Nian's smile crumbled, "So heartless?" She turned to Bai Xue, "Little Bai Xue ~ don't you want to see Little Su in ancient costume?"

Bai Xue's face flushed red. She secretly glanced at Su Rui, imagining him with his silver hair flowing down and dressed in ancient costume, and her heart raced involuntarily.

"I..."

"No." Su Rui refused again, her tail wrapping tightly around Bai Xue's wrist. "Let's go home."

Nian clutched her chest dramatically. "You've broken an artist's heart!" She snapped her fingers, and the metal fox immediately jumped onto her shoulder. "In that case, I have no choice but to..."

She suddenly removed her sunglasses, a strange light flashing in her golden, vertical pupils. "It's been enforced!"

All the small metal animals simultaneously lit up red, surrounding the three of them. The tin frog puffed out its cheeks and spewed out purple smoke; the copper sparrows formed an arrow shape in the air; and the mechanical snake raised its tail, like an antenna receiving some signal.

"Action!" Nian shouted.

Suddenly, the canal's surface boiled, and a huge mechanical dragon head burst forth from the water, as tall as a three-story building. Its eyes were two enormous rubies, and its whiskers were woven from fine copper wires, each scale gleaming coldly in the moonlight.

"My new invention!" Nian proudly patted his dragon horns, "Special effects prop and bodyguard!"

The dragon slowly lowered its head, exhaling a breath reeking of gunpowder. Bai Xue coughed, choked by the fumes, while Su Rui narrowed his eyes, his fingers stealthily reaching for the dagger at his waist.

"Don't be nervous~" Nian waved his hand with a grin, "It's just a tour of the film set."

She leaped onto the dragon's head and gestured for the two to proceed. The dragon obediently lowered its neck, revealing a luxurious chair mounted on its back—covered with silk cushions and furnished with popcorn and cola.

"How was it?" Nian asked smugly. "Much more comfortable than the movie theater."

Su Rui and Bai Xue exchanged a glance.

"... Ten minutes," Su Rui conceded.

"Yay!" Nian flashed a victory sign. "I guarantee you'll be amazed!"

The giant dragon slowly rose into the air, carrying the three of them along the canal. The night breeze caressed their faces, and the dragon scales shimmered like flowing water under the moonlight. At first, Bai Xue nervously held Su Rui's hand, but she was soon captivated by the scenery before her—the entire Lungmen unfolded beneath her feet, neon lights like scattered jewels, and the canal like a shimmering Milky Way.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Nian said, swinging his legs as he sat on the dragon's horns. "This flight path took me a week to design."

She pulled a handful of copper beans from her pocket and scattered them into the air. The beans transformed in mid-air, turning into countless miniature drones that projected holographic images— Su Rui and Bai Xue, dressed in ancient costumes, were strolling among the clouds, with a swarm of Mechanical Fox Spirit behind them.

"Look! This is your part!" Nian excitedly explained, "This scene tells the story of the fox spirit taking the village girl on a tour of the Heavenly Palace, and then..."

Her voice was suddenly interrupted by a piercing alarm. The holographic image flickered a few times, then turned into a static screen. The dragon's body also began to twitch unnaturally, and the red light in its eyes flickered on and off.

"Oh no!" Nian frantically pulled out a remote control. "Signal interference!"

The dragon shook violently in the air, startling Bai Xue so much that she grabbed Su Rui's waist. Su Rui's tail clung tightly to the railing, while her other hand protected Bai Xue's head. "What's going on?"

"There's a strong electromagnetic field nearby..." Nian frantically pressed the remote control buttons. "That old relic, Wei Yenwu, probably activated some kind of defense system again!"

The dragon suddenly swooped down, plummeting straight towards the canal. The old man's sunglasses were blown away by the wind, and his red cheongsam fluttered in the breeze. "Hold on tight--!!"

At the critical moment, the dragon disintegrated the instant it touched the water's surface, turning into countless metal fragments. These fragments quickly reformed, transforming into a giant hovercraft that steadily supported the three of them.

"Phew..." Nian wiped away a cold sweat. "The emergency plan was successfully activated."

Bai Xue lifted her head from Su Rui's arms and saw that the hovercraft was carrying them slowly towards the shore. Scattered around them were fragments of dragon scales, each floating on the water like a small lamp.

"Sorry," Nian said awkwardly, scratching his head. "It's a technical adjustment..."

Su Rui's tail bristled like a feather duster. "This is what you call 'safety'?"

"It was an accident! Purely an accident!" Nian quickly apologized with a smile. "I'll definitely improve next time!"

"There won't be a next time." Su Rui picked up the still-shaken Bai Xue and jumped ashore.

She tried to persuade him to stay, but was interrupted by the sudden ringing of her cell phone. She pulled out a vintage phone studded with jewels. "Hello? Ah, Old Wei... What? No-fly zone? I didn't know that..."

While she was on the phone, Su Rui pulled Bai Xue away quickly. Behind them came Nian's exasperated shout, "Wait! At least take the costume with you—"

The night wind carried away her voice. Bai Xue glanced back and saw the metal animals of the year lining up to jump into the canal, like a miniature water ballet. Under the moonlight, the scene had an eerie beauty.

"Has she... always been like this?" Bai Xue asked softly.

Volume 15, Chapter 857: A Terrible Movie That Was Released in Reality

"Hmm." Su Rui's tail finally relaxed. "Stay away from her."

Bai Xue chuckled. "Actually, it's quite interesting." She shook the little metal fox she'd somehow acquired. "Look, souvenir."

The little fox's eyes flashed red, and suddenly it opened its mouth, spitting out a miniature movie ticket: [Invitation to the Premiere of <Mechanical Fox Spirit>].

Su Rui sighed helplessly, "... Throw it away."

"No way!" Bai Xue stuffed the little fox into her pocket. "It's so cute!"

Her fingertip accidentally pressed a mechanism, and the little fox suddenly began to sing—a folk tune that was off-key, interspersed with Nian's narration. "The 99th day since the fox fairy fell in love with the village girl..."

Su Rui's ears pressed painfully to the back of her head.

Bai Xue laughed even harder, "Keep it! Use it as an alarm clock."

"... what ever."

The night breeze grew cool, and the two shadows overlapped under the streetlights. In the distance, the sound of Nian directing the metal animals to finish work could be heard, along with her off-key humming. The canal surface returned to calm, reflecting the starry sky, as if the farce had never happened.

Inside Bai Xue's pocket, the little fox was still singing its off-key song. Su Rui's tail gently wrapped around her wrist, as if in silent protest.

"I'll turn it off when we get home," Bai Xue promised with a smile, her fingers intertwined with his. "I swear."

Su Rui gave a soft hum, but didn't let go. Under the moonlight, their shadows grew longer and longer until they disappeared into the depths of Lungmen's streets and alleys. The little metal fox's red eyes flickered a few times in the pocket before finally settling back to normal.

The Wenyue Estate was shrouded in a thin mist at dawn, and tiny dewdrops clung to the bluestone slabs in the courtyard. Bai Xue squatted by the pond, feeding the koi, her fingertips lightly touching the water's surface, creating ripples. The koi scrambled to her hand, their orange-red scales shimmering in the morning light.

"Bai Xue!"

Aju's voice came from the corridor, tinged with urgency. "Director Nian is here! He says he wants to see Mr. Su!"

Half of the fish food in Bai Xue's hand had spilled. She suddenly stood up, water droplets dripping from her fingertips. "Where?"

"The main hall! Madam requests your presence here as well!"

Bai Xue trotted through the corridor, her wooden clogs making a crisp sound on the bluestone slabs. Just as she rounded the corner, she heard Nian's signature loud voice:

"Lady Wenyue! Your kimono is so beautiful today! You're the perfect choice for the lead role in my new film!"

Lady Wenyue sat gracefully before the tea table, her folding fan partially obscuring her lips. "Director Nian, you flatter me. However, I really..."

"No acting skills required!" Nian assured confidently, "Just standing there, she's a living, breathing classical beauty!"

Today she wore an extravagant red cheongsam, the skirt slit so high..., sunglasses perched on her head, looking like a flamboyant peacock. Seeing Bai Xue enter, Nian immediately shifted her focus:

"Little Bai Xue! Come quickly and help me persuade Su Rui!"

Bai Xue then noticed Su Rui was silently sitting in the corner. He was leaning against a pillar, his silver hair still messy from the morning, and his tail was impatiently slapping the floor. When he saw Bai Xue looking at him, his ears immediately perked up alertly.

"What happened?" Bai Xue asked in a low voice.

Nian rushed over and grabbed Bai Xue's hands. "My new film, <The Silver Moon Legend>, is missing a male lead!" She pulled out a stack of photos from her pocket, "Look! The clip of Su Rui's cameo appearance last time, the ratings were off the charts!"

The photo shows a scene from a movie starring Su Rui – he is dressed in ancient costume, with long silver hair, holding a long sword and standing on the edge of a cliff. Although it was only a three-minute scene, it caused a sensation on the internet and even spawned a dedicated fan club.

"This time I'm the lead!" Nian's eyes lit up. "A love story between a fox spirit and a demon hunter! Lots of action scenes, and even a kissing scene!"

Su Rui's tail lashed out on the floor with a "smack": "I'm not going."

"Don't refuse so quickly!" Nian magically produced a contract. "Double the salary! Plus profit sharing!"

Lady Wenyue coughed lightly. "Director Nian, Su Rui is, after all, a guard of the Wenyue House..."

"Only four hours of filming per day!" Nian immediately promised, "It will absolutely not interfere with our important work!"

Her gaze swept back and forth between Bai Xue and Su Rui, when suddenly an idea struck her. "Little Bai Xue can come too! Play the second female lead! And have a childhood sweetheart scene with the male lead!"

Bai Xue's ears instantly turned red. "I... I can't act..."

"No need for that!" Nian waved his hand boldly, "Just standing there is enough for the audience to buy it!"

She pulled a projector out of her bag and started playing it on the wall without saying a word. The video showed a clip of Su Rui's cameo appearance, and the comments section was so dense it almost covered the entire screen:

[awsl, that look is killing me!]

[I watched that three-minute scene ten times!]

[Please, director, give the handsome guy more screen time!]

"Look! The eyes of the masses are discerning!" Nian excitedly pointed at the comments section, "Su Rui has the makings of a star!"

Su Rui's ears were pressed to the back of his head, clearly uncomfortable with the exaggerated praise. Bai Xue secretly glanced at him and noticed that the tips of his ears were so red they looked like they could bleed.

"And this time there's a professional action choreographer!" The sales pitch continued, "No stunt doubles needed, absolutely safe!"

She suddenly lowered her voice and leaned closer to Bai Xue mysteriously. "Kissing scenes can be faked... if you mind."

Bai Xue choked and coughed, "I... I didn't..."

"It's settled then!" Nian slapped his thigh. "Tomorrow morning at nine o'clock, Lungmen Film City!"

She hurriedly packed her things to leave, but Su Rui stopped her. "I said I'm not going."

Nian's smile froze on her face, "Why?"

"Not interested."

"Is it because of the salary? We can discuss it!"

"No."

"Then..." Nian's gaze swept over Bai Xue's face, then suddenly he realized, "Oh~ I understand!"

She leaned closer to Su Rui mysteriously. "Worried about kissing scenes? Don't worry, the female lead is the popular actress Lin Yuqing, she's very professional, there definitely won't be any..."

"Roll."

Su Rui bristled, her eyes as cold as ice. Nian wisely took two steps back, but still wouldn't give up. "Then how about this, the script can be changed! All the kissing scenes deleted! The romance storyline cut!"

She pulled a stack of new scripts from her bag, flipped to a page with a rustling sound, and exclaimed, "Look! Change it to a brotherhood! You and the second male lead will fight side by side, sharing life and death!"

Lady Wenyue snapped her folding fan shut, "Director Nian, that's enough."

Nian's momentum instantly deflated, like a punctured balloon. "Okay, okay..." She looked pitifully at Bai Xue, "Little Bai Xue, please say something for me..."

Bai Xue looked at Su Rui with a troubled expression. His expression remained cold, but the tip of his tail gently hooked her wrist—this was their secret signal, meaning "It's up to you."

"How about..." Bai Xue asked cautiously, "We take a look at the script first?"

Su Rui's ears twitched, but she didn't say anything.

Nian immediately seized this lifeline. "Here! The latest revised version!" She handed over the script like a treasure, "The fox demon sacrificed herself to protect the village, it's so positive!"

Volume 15, Chapter 858: Bai Xue: But there are conditions.

Bai Xue opened the script; the first page contained Su Rui's character description.

[Silver Moon: A thousand-year-old fox demon, cold on the outside but gentle on the inside, who hides her identity to protect her village. Ultimate skill: Moonlight Slash (special effect requires 5 million)]

"How is it?" Nian asked expectantly.

Bai Xue secretly glanced at Su Rui. He was staring at the illustration in the script—a silhouette of a silver-haired fox demon standing under the moon, which did indeed bear a striking resemblance to him.

"... Are there many action scenes?" Su Rui suddenly asked.

Nian's eyes lit up instantly. "So many! So many! They're all your highlight moments!"

She gestured animatedly. "The opening scene is a battle in the bamboo forest! Then we rescue the villagers on the cliff! Finally, the boss battle takes place in the Moonwater Grotto-Heaven! It's all filmed on location!"

Su Rui's tail swayed gently, as if he was considering something. Bai Xue knew he was indeed interested in martial arts; he had even studied the power generation method of a certain move when he watched a kung fu movie last time.

"Four hours a day?" he confirmed.

"Absolutely no more than that!" I swore, raising my hand. "And Bai Xue can come visit the set anytime!"

Lady Wenyue gently waved her folding fan. "If Su Rui is interested, I wouldn't object."

All eyes were on Su Rui. He remained silent for a moment, then gently touched Bai Xue's hand with the tip of his tail.

"... Give it a try."