Ark Simulator: Don't I Have No Physical Body? Chapter 416

[I guessed.]

"This isn't just an ordinary fight." Her fingertips tapped lightly on the scabbard, the rhythm like a suppressed heartbeat. "I've killed people."

The sea breeze suddenly turned chilly. Hoshiguma could feel Su Rui's consciousness falter slightly in her mind, as if startled by this sudden confession. But she continued, her green eyes reflecting the unfathomable depths of the sea:

"Ten years ago, during the council election in the Smithing Town, there was a candidate whose dirty deeds I could not tolerate."

"I investigated for three months and finally found evidence at an underground auction house. But when I took the evidence to the Elder Council, they said..." Her Adam's apple bobbed, "'For the sake of the reputation of the Smithing Town, this matter should not be publicized.'"

[Then?]

"Then I drank three bottles of sake and went to Matsumoto's mansion with this sword." Hoshiguma's fingers slowly traced the hilt, where there was an almost worn-down engraving. "A lot of people died that night, including Matsumoto and several of his bodyguards. I... I couldn't control my strength."

The seagulls' cries suddenly became shrill. Hoshiguma closed her eyes, as if she could still smell the blood from that night—warm, sticky, with a sweet, rusty scent. Her swordsmanship was among the best in the clan, but that night, she realized for the first time that she could be so cruel.

"The elders sent me out of the Eastern Kingdom overnight," she said with a bitter smile. "They called it exile, but it was really protection. After all, the one who died was a prominent politician, and someone had to take the blame."

Su Rui's silence lasted a long time. Hoshiguma could feel his consciousness slowly flowing through her mind, like a cool stream of water trying to soothe the turbulent memories.

It's not your fault.

Finally, he spoke softly. Four words, simple yet firm.

Hoshiguma suddenly opened her eyes, a flicker of disbelief in her green pupils. "You know I killed innocent people, right? Those two policemen were just doing their duty..."

[They chose their sides.] Su Rui's voice was calm, almost cold. [But you chose your heart.]

This answer was like a dull knife, slowly but firmly dissecting Hoshiguma's long-standing inner conflict. Her fingers trembled slightly as she suddenly realized— Su Rui, the warrior who had once transformed into a demon to protect those she cared about, understood better than anyone the choices made when forced into a desperate situation.

"Ha..." She suddenly laughed, a laugh tinged with relief, "You have a really unique way of comforting people."

The sea breeze dispersed her laughter, but the knot in her chest seemed to drift away with it. Hoshiguma felt Su Rui's consciousness gently enveloping her thoughts, like an invisible embrace, without any judgment, only pure understanding.

"You know what," she turned to face the sea, her voice lighter, "That sword later got a name."

[Um?]

"' Ghost Cry '," Hoshiguma patted the longsword at her waist, "Because every time it's drawn, it makes the enemy scream for their mother."

This clumsy joke sent a wave of helplessness through Su Rui's mind. Hoshiguma grinned, his green hair shimmering like jade in the sunlight. "Well, actually, it was the elders who made it. They said this sword has drunk too much blood and has become a murder weapon."

"The sword is merely a tool," Su Rui's voice held the calm of a warrior. "What matters is the person wielding the sword."

Hoshiguma paused for a moment, then shook her head and chuckled softly, "You really are..."

She didn't finish speaking, but the heavy feeling that had been building up in her chest for years did indeed lessen considerably. The sound of the waves gradually softened, as if echoing this rare moment of candor.

"Hey, Su Rui," she suddenly changed the subject, "When we get to Smithing Town, I'll take you to see the dojo where I practiced swordsmanship when I was a kid."

[good.]

"The cherry blossom trees there were especially big; when they bloomed in spring, the petals would cover the entire courtyard." Her voice was filled with nostalgia. "I always lazily slept under the trees, which made my master so angry that he whipped me with a bamboo sword."

A slight smile crept into Su Rui's mind, as if amused by the scene. Hoshiguma chuckled along, her fingers unconsciously twirling a strand of green hair. "Oh, and the dumpling shop on the corner. The old lady's soybean flour dumplings are amazing; my sister can eat three skewers every time..."

Speaking of her younger sister, her voice softened involuntarily. Su Rui keenly noticed this change, her consciousness gently brushing against her memories like a spring breeze, without any prying, just quiet companionship.

"She should be a grown woman by now," Hoshiguma, gazing at the horizon, her green eyes reflecting the shimmering water. "I wonder if she still remembers her unworthy older sister."

Yes.

Su Rui's answer was brief but firm. Hoshiguma felt a warmth rise from the bottom of her heart, as if someone had lit a small lamp deep in her soul.

"Thanks," she said softly, her fingers lightly touching her temple, the spot where Su Rui's consciousness was most active. "It's so good to have you here."

The sea breeze suddenly shifted, carrying the scent of distant islands. Hoshiguma took a deep breath; in the salty, damp air, he could already smell a hint of the unique pine fragrance of the Eastern Kingdom —the scent of his hometown.

Volume 16, Chapter 888 is almost here!

"Almost there," Hoshiguma murmured, her hand unconsciously resting on the hilt of her sword. This time, it wasn't out of nervousness, but rather a sense of anticipation.

Su Rui's consciousness vibrated gently in her mind, like a silent support. Hoshiguma could feel his presence enveloping her like a scabbard, neither restricting her sharpness nor hindering her progress, but providing the most solid protection.

"Speaking of which," she suddenly raised an eyebrow, "Don't be so scared that you hide when you see that group of old men."

[Won't.]

Su Rui's voice carried a hint of arrogance, reminding Hoshiguma of his appearance in battle—silver hair like blades, sharp eyes, as if he could even cut through moonlight.

"Ha! That's more like it." She laughed and patted the railing. "Come on, let's go have a drink. I've heard the sake on this ship is quite good, although you can't taste it now..."

[Who says you can't? You can.]

"Then we absolutely have to go!" Hoshiguma turned and headed towards the cabin, her long green hair flowing behind her. "I'll show you what true Eastern Kingdom brews are all about!"

Her steps were much lighter than when she boarded the ship, and the "Ghost Cry" sword at her waist no longer felt so heavy. The setting sun cast a long shadow of hers, and deep within that shadow, a ray of silver light flickered quietly, like an inextinguishable star.

The Mobile City of the Eastern Kingdom slowly came to a stop in the twilight, its massive steel tracks sinking into the sand with a dull hum. Hoshiguma stood on the gangway, her long green hair billowing in the wind like a fluttering flag. She squinted at the familiar outline of the Smithing Town in the distance—a cluster of buildings with black tiles and white walls, towering forge chimneys, and red lanterns hanging on both sides of the street.

"We've finally arrived," she said softly, her fingers unconsciously tracing the longsword at her waist.

Is someone picking you up?

Su Rui's voice echoed in her mind, tinged with curiosity. Hoshiguma shook her head. "We didn't notify them." She paused, "We want to see what happens first."

As he stepped off the gangway, the hustle and bustle of the city rushed towards him. Vendors hawking their wares, children playing, and the aroma of grilled fish wafting in the air—everything was almost exactly as he remembered. Hoshiguma's lips curled into a slight smile, and his steps unconsciously became lighter.

"Let's go check out Old Fujiwara's blacksmith shop first," she whispered to Su Rui. "The old man should still be there..."

Before he could finish speaking, a deafening burst of music suddenly came from the street corner. Hoshiguma frowned and looked over, only to see that the main road leading to the Smithing Town was completely blocked by a huge temporary stage. Above the stage hung a brightly lit neon sign: "Moe Moe Xiang National Tour - Eastern Kingdom Station".

"What the heck..." Hoshiguma's lips twitched. "This girl is so popular now?"

On stage, a girl in a puffy dress was jumping and dancing to the music, her pink pigtails drawing exaggerated arcs in the air. The audience below was packed with spectators waving glow sticks, blocking the entire street.

Hoshiguma sighed, "Looks like we'll have to take a detour."

She turned to leave, but suddenly noticed a narrow passage behind the stage—a small path for staff to enter and exit, which was currently unguarded.

"Su Rui," her eyes lit up, "How about we sneak over from that side?"

[Danger.]

Su Rui's voice carried a warning. Hoshiguma, however, had already started walking. "It's alright, we'll wait until the lights dim..."

Just then, the music on stage stopped abruptly. Moe Moe Xiang's sweet voice blared through the loudspeakers throughout the venue. "The next song is dedicated to all my fans!"

The lights suddenly went out, leaving only the glow sticks in the audience's hands flashing like a sea of stars. Seizing the opportunity, Hoshiguma dashed towards the aisle—

[Etc!]

Su Rui's warning came just in time. Hoshiguma abruptly stopped, and the next second, a spotlight slammed onto the entrance to the passage, illuminating the spot she was about to pass.

"... That was close." She shrank back into the shadows, fine beads of sweat forming on her forehead.

Hoshiguma stood in the shadows to the side of the stage, her long green hair fluttering slightly in the wind. In the distance, on the stage, Moe Moe Xiang was jumping around to cheerful music, her pink twin tails drawing shimmering arcs under the spotlight.

"Are you sure you can control the lights?" Hoshiguma asked in a low voice, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the cord binding the longsword at her waist.

[Um.]

Su Rui's response carried a reassuring certainty. Hoshiguma could feel a subtle ripple rising from the depths of his consciousness, like invisible tendrils extending and quietly connecting to the stage's complex lighting control system.

The stage lights flickered subtly for a moment.

"Impressive..." Hoshiguma raised an eyebrow, noticing the unnatural shift in the spotlight's trajectory. "They can even hack into civilian equipment like this?"

[Simple architecture.] Su Rui's voice carried a professional calmness. [Three generations behind the Lungmen Guard Department's security system.]

Hoshiguma almost burst out laughing, then quickly covered her mouth. She crouched down and moved back towards the stage, her boots making no sound as they stepped on the metal supports. From this angle, she could see the busy technicians in the control room, scratching their heads at the suddenly malfunctioning control interface.

"Now?" She stopped at the entrance of the passageway, staring at the teetering spotlight overhead.

[Three seconds.]

As the countdown ended, the entire stage area suddenly plunged into eerie darkness. It wasn't a gradual dimming effect designed for the performance, but rather absolute darkness where all the lights went out simultaneously. A gasp of surprise erupted from the audience, and Hoshiguma had already shot off like an arrow.

Her figure was almost invisible in the darkness, only occasionally reflected by the faint light of an emergency light from the hilt of her sword. The passage was just a few steps away—

"Ah!"

A scream rang out just inches away. Hoshiguma slammed to the brakes, forcefully shifting her weight at the last second before crashing into the figure in front of her. By the dim green light of the emergency exit, she saw Moe Moe Xiang, clutching a thermos, staring at her with wide eyes.

The idol's pink bangs were startled, causing a few drops of milk tea to spill from her thermos and land on the tip of Hoshiguma's boot.

"Workers? Staff?" Moe Moe Xiang stammered, her gaze fixed on the longsword at Hoshiguma's waist. "This passage is closed..."

The stage lights suddenly came back on.

The blinding beam of light illuminated the two of them, leaving them nowhere to hide. Hoshiguma instinctively turned to the side, letting her long hair cover half of her face, but she still caught a glimpse of Moe Moe Xiang's pupils shrinking—those round eyes first stared at her sword, then slowly moved upwards, finally settling on her green demon horns.

"Who are you..."

"From the props team," Hoshiguma spoke first, deliberately lowering his voice than usual, "The new stunt double."

Moe Moe Xiang opened her mouth, and the straw in her thermos swayed gently with her trembling hand. Just then, the music on stage started its interlude, and the anxious calls of the staff could be heard.

"Miss Moe Moe Xiang! Please take your positions immediately!"

The idol shuddered as if waking from a dream. Her gaze darted back and forth between Hoshiguma's horns and sword, then she suddenly lowered her voice. "Aren't you... that legendary...?"

Volume 16, Chapter 889: You've Admitted Your Mistake

Hoshiguma's muscles tensed instantly.

"--The president of the cosplay club?" Moe Moe Xiang's eyes lit up. "I saw it on Twitter! The oni (Oni Clan) design is incredibly accurate! Even the horns are so realistic!"

The control room lights flickered again. Hoshiguma could clearly feel the silent fluctuations emanating from Su Rui in his Sea of Consciousness.

"Yes." She continued smoothly, "There's a performance tonight."

"That was awesome!" Moe Moe Xiang jumped up and down excitedly. "Can we take a picture together afterward? I really loved it..."

"Moe Moe Xiang! Act Two is starting!" The stagehand's shout interrupted her.

The idol hurriedly shoved the thermos into Hoshiguma: "Hold this for me!" Then, lifting her skirt, she rushed towards the stage, glancing back halfway and winking, "Remember to wait for me!"

Hoshiguma stood still, holding a thermos with a cartoon cat paw print on it.

[...]

"Don't laugh," she muttered to the air, placing the cup on the equipment case beside her. "Are all kids these days so clueless?"

The lights in the control room suddenly flickered three times in a rhythmic pattern. Hoshiguma looked up and saw the technicians frantically pounding on the control panel, while the stage lights began to flicker unnaturally.

"Hurry up," Su Rui urged. "The system needs to restart."

Hoshiguma darted through the passageway. Behind her, Moe Moe Xiang reappeared under the spotlight, making a heart shape with her hands towards the audience. Suddenly, all the stage lights went out, then came back on three seconds later—just enough to illuminate the idol looking puzzledly into the empty passageway.

The streets of the Smithing Town stretched quietly into the night, and Hoshiguma's figure quickly disappeared into the dimly lit alleyways. She touched her still-burning earlobes and suddenly chuckled softly, "Next time, let's use the main entrance."

[Um.]

Su Rui's voice still held a hint of amusement. The music from the distant stage gradually faded away, while the lights in the control room returned to normal.

After leaving the bustling area of the concert, the streets of the Smithing Town gradually quieted down. The lanterns on both sides of the stone-paved road swayed gently in the night breeze, casting warm spots of light. Hoshiguma's footsteps were particularly clear in the empty alleys, and the scabbard of his longsword occasionally bumped against the metal buckle of his belt, making a soft, crisp sound.

Are you hungry?

Su Rui's voice suddenly rang in his mind, carrying a hint of understanding. Hoshiguma touched his stomach, only then realizing that he was indeed a little hungry. The unique salty and fishy smell of the port city had somehow mixed in with the aroma of oden—the rich broth, mixed with the fresh fragrance of radish, egg and fish cake, wafted from the depths of the alley.

"You have a good nose." She chuckled and followed the aroma into a narrow alley. "But isn't it a bit too early to eat oden now? The festival hasn't even started yet."

[The old shop.] Su Rui explained briefly, [open 24 hours a day.]

Sure enough, an orange lantern was lit at the end of the alley, and the three characters "Naniwa House" on the wooden sign were somewhat faded. The bubbling sound of boiling soup came from behind the curtain, and an elderly man with white hair was putting new ingredients into the pot. When Hoshiguma lifted the curtain, the copper bell on the door frame rang crisply.

"Welcome—" the owner greeted without looking up, "Please, have a seat."

Hoshiguma chose the furthest corner seat. The wooden bar, polished smooth by time, held several bottles of aged sake. Just as she was about to order, she heard Su Rui's reminder: "[There's a wanted poster for you on the right wall.]"

Her gaze swept over discreetly—a yellowed piece of paper was pasted next to the condiment jar. The portrait had faded so much that the features were almost indistinguishable, but the outline of the green demon horns and the longsword at the waist was still striking. The lower right corner of the paper was stamped with the seal of the Forging Town Police Station, and the date was ten years ago.

"Looks like my bounty hasn't been withdrawn yet," she thought to Su Rui, tapping her fingers lightly on the table. "Boss, a signature combo, extra soup, please."

The old man then looked up, his cloudy eyes lingering for a moment on Hoshiguma's horns and longsword, but he said nothing, only silently adding a piece of tofu to the pot.

The steaming hot oden was served quickly. Hoshiguma took a bite of the daikon radish soaked in the broth, the sweet and fresh taste melting on her tongue, making her unconsciously squint her eyes. The steam blurred her face, softening the sharp edges of her features.

[tasty?]

"Mmm." She gently blew on the steam to cool it down. "It tastes better than Lungmen's."

Just as the chopsticks pierced the half-cooked egg, the doorbell rang again. Hoshiguma caught a glimpse of pink out of the corner of her eye— Moe Moe Xiang stood at the door, holding her cartoon thermos, wearing an oversized denim jacket over her stage costume, her stage makeup still on.