Ark Simulator: Didn't I Have No Physical Form?

"Boss! Same as always!" the idol called out energetically, but her gaze suddenly stopped when she saw a corner. "Ah! The props team!"

Hoshiguma's chopsticks froze in mid-air. Moe Moe Xiang had already bounced over and sat down next to her without any hesitation. "What a coincidence! You're here for a late-night snack too?"

"Hmm," Hoshiguma mumbled in response, shifting slightly to the side.

Moe Moe Xiang leaned closer to the oden pot and suddenly lowered her voice. "Sister, you are actually..."

Hoshiguma's fingertips quietly pressed against the hilt of the sword.

"... A food blogger, right?" The idol's eyes lit up. "The kind that specializes in finding hidden gems! This Naniwa House is super hard to find!"

The hot soup almost choked him. Hoshiguma coughed twice, sensing a helpless fluctuation from Su Rui in his Sea of Consciousness.

"Yes." She went along with it, "We're making... uh... a special feature on traditional Eastern Kingdom cuisine."

"That's awesome!" Moe Moe Xiang clasped her hands together. "Can I get a shot? I'm currently filming a project called ' Idol's Private Food Map '..."

The shop owner suddenly slammed down his bowl and spoon. The two men turned around at the same time and saw the old man staring at the alley outside the door—several uniformed policemen were patrolling the shops one by one.

Moe Moe Xiang suddenly grabbed Hoshiguma's wrist. "Big sister, bend your head down!"

Without a word, she pressed Hoshiguma's head down and pulled a baseball cap from her bag, placing it on her head. Hoshiguma's green hair was haphazardly stuffed into the cap, leaving only a few strands showing. Moe Moe Xiang then quickly removed her own pink wig and put it on Hoshiguma's head without further ado.

"That'll make you look like my makeup artist!" she explained softly, casually shoving the thermos into Hoshiguma's arms. "Just cooperate!"

When the police pushed open the door, this was what they saw: popular idol Moe Moe Xiang was sharing oden with her "makeup artist," their heads close together. The woman with the pink wig was intently stirring the broth, while the idol was making a peace sign at the phone camera.

"Routine check." The lead officer flashed his badge. "Danger elements have recently infiltrated..."

Moe Moe Xiang immediately stood up and interrupted him energetically, "Thank you for your hard work, Officer! Would you like to try Naniwa House's special fish cake? It's super delicious!"

She handed over a string of bamboo wheels with practiced ease, then took out an autograph board. "Want an autograph? You can write 'To the most handsome police officer'!"

The young officers were immediately at a loss. The team leader coughed twice, glanced around hastily, and led his men out of the shop, not forgetting to remind them before leaving, "Miss Moe Moe Xiang, please don't go out alone at night these days..."

Hoshiguma breathed a sigh of relief when the doorbell rang again. She took off her ridiculous pink wig and found Moe Moe Xiang staring at her thoughtfully.

"So," the idol lowered his voice, "You're the one from ten years ago..."

Volume 16, Chapter 890: The Little Idol's Past

"... The Oni Clan hero who saved the abducted children, right?" Moe Moe Xiang's eyes shone brightly. "I saw it on the news when I was little! Although the report said he was a wanted criminal, everyone in the neighborhood said you were a hero!"

The steam from the hot soup blurred Hoshiguma's expression. She slowly put down her chopsticks, sensing Su Rui's consciousness cautiously assessing the situation.

"You've mistaken me for someone else," she finally said, her voice lower than usual.

Moe Moe Xiang laughed. She took out her phone and quickly swiped through her photo album—the photo showed the bulletin board of the old shrine in Smithing Town, with yellowed newspaper clippings. The blurry portrait did indeed resemble Hoshiguma by about 70%, but the title was "Violent Gang Attacks Diet Member's Residence."

"Look," the idol pointed to the corner of the photo, "That little girl with her face blurred is my cousin. If someone hadn't barged into the auction house back then..."

She didn't finish speaking, but suddenly stood up and shouted to the owner, "Uncle! Add a special rice cake lucky bag for this lady! Put it on my tab!"

When the steaming hot lucky bag was placed in front of her, Hoshiguma's fingers trembled slightly. Moe Moe Xiang had already returned to her seat, pretending to be engrossed in scrolling through her phone, but she couldn't hide the smile on her lips.

"Eat up," she said without looking up. "This rice cake is special; it's filled with chestnuts and red beans."

The moment Hoshiguma bit into the lucky bag, the sweet filling flooded her mouth. She suddenly remembered many years ago, on a similarly cold night, she carried the little girl she had just rescued across the snow-covered streets, and an old woman on the street corner insisted on giving them both warm sweet cakes.

"[She remembers you.]" Su Rui's voice was soft.

Amidst the rising steam, Hoshiguma saw Moe Moe Xiang secretly wink at her. The sound of police sirens faded away outside the shop, and the old clock at Naniwa House struck midnight.

The mornings in the Smithing Town have a distinctive metallic scent.

Hoshiguma stood on the stone steps in front of the headquarters of the Metalstone Society, morning mist condensing into tiny water droplets on her long green hair. The building before her was even more magnificent than she remembered—the main building with its black tiles and white walls extended to forge workshops on both sides, and the chimneys on the roof were emitting pale blue smoke, the air filled with the unique smell of iron ore mixed with coke.

"Mifune really here?" she asked softly, her fingers unconsciously stroking the rope wrapped around the hilt of her sword.

[The east wing.] Su Rui's voice echoed clearly in her mind, [Beyond the forge area, where there's an old cherry tree.]

Hoshiguma nodded and walked towards the side door. The burly man guarding the door was about to stop her, but his eyes widened when he saw the long sword at her waist. "Wait, you are not...?"

"Tell Mifune," Hoshiguma said calmly, "That the 'demon' has arrived."

The burly man's expression changed, and he hurriedly turned and ran into the courtyard. A short while later, a tall, thin man in a dark blue kimono strode over. "Hoshiguma..." Mifune's voice trembled slightly, "Is it really you?"

Hoshiguma's lips curled up slightly. "Otherwise what?"

Mifune suddenly burst into laughter, startling several sparrows on the roof. He strode forward and slapped Hoshiguma hard on the shoulder. "Twenty years! You actually dared to come back!"

Mifune didn't ask any further questions, but simply stepped aside and gestured for him to enter. "Lord Tetsusai has been waiting for you for a long time."

As Hoshiguma walked through the forge area, the soles of her boots crunched over scattered iron filings. The sounds of hammering echoed from the workshop, the young apprentices glowing red in the furnace fire. Several veteran craftsmen looked up and saw the green-haired woman beside Mifune, their hammers pausing for a moment in unison.

"Looks like my wanted poster is still hanging in your workshop?" Hoshiguma joked.

Mifune touched his blindfold. "They withdrew long ago. Now the kids in the Smithing Town all grow up listening to 'ghost' stories—heroes who single-handedly destroy human trafficking organizations."

Hoshiguma paused slightly. "Tetsusai arranged this?"

"Otherwise what?" Mifune pushed open the wooden door under the cherry tree. "Why do you think those policemen turn a blind eye?"

The branches of the old cherry tree stretched over the courtyard wall, and pink and white petals drifted down onto the stone lanterns. In the tea room deep in the courtyard, an old man with white hair was kneeling in front of a low table, brewing tea. His back was straight, and his hands, covered with calluses, were unusually steady as he whisked the tea in the bowl in a graceful arc.

"You've arrived?" Tetsusai said without looking up. "Sit."

Hoshiguma sat cross-legged opposite him, her longsword resting horizontally on her lap. Mifune quietly slipped out and closed the paper door. Only the sound of boiling tea and the occasional cherry blossom petal falling outside the window remained in the tea room.

"Did you receive the letter?" Tetsusai pushed a cup of tea towards him.

Hoshiguma took the teacup, feeling the warmth emanating from the ceramic at her fingertips. "Hmm."

"Twenty years without returning," Tetsusai's grey eyes stared directly at her, "Not even a single letter back."

The steam from the tea blurred Hoshiguma's expression. "Something..."

"The Matsumoto Family collapsed long ago," Tetsusai interrupted her. "The seventeen people involved in the deal back then are either in prison or underground."

Hoshiguma's pupils contracted slightly. She lowered her head and took a sip of tea, letting the slightly bitter taste spread on her tongue. "So the 'inheritance' mentioned in the letter is..."

"The position of second-in-command at the Metalstone Society," Tetsusai put down his teapot, "Has always been reserved for you."

A sudden gust of wind swept through the window, and cherry blossom petals fluttered against the paper door like snowflakes. Hoshiguma's green hair was ruffled by the breeze, and the ends brushed against the dark patterns on the scabbard.

"I'm not interested," she said bluntly.

Tetsusai calmly poured himself a cup of tea. "Because of Lungmen?"

"Because of myself." Hoshiguma placed the teacup back on the table. "I'm not suited for this position right now."

The old man suddenly laughed, wrinkles deepening at the corners of his eyes. "That girl who wielded a sword and slaughtered her way through half the Smithing Town ten years ago, has she learned to be humble now?"

"It's not modesty," Hoshiguma, tapping her fingers lightly on the scabbard. "It's just that I've come to realize that some things... can't be solved with a sword."

"Interesting," the old man finally said, taking a bronze token from his sleeve and pushing it in front of Hoshiguma. "Whatever you decide, take this first."

The bronze plaque was engraved with intricate cloud patterns, and in the center was the symbol of the Metalstone Society —a crossed hammer and sword. Hoshiguma recognized it; it was the token of the second-in-command, and the holder of this plaque could mobilize more than half of the blacksmiths and resources in the Smithing Town.

"I don't..."

"It's not for you," Tetsusai interrupted her, "It's for someone who needs it."

His gaze swept meaningfully over the longsword at Hoshiguma's waist. The weapon, named "Ghost Cry," had not been properly maintained for ten years; the lacquer on the scabbard was peeling off, and tiny cracks were faintly visible on the blade.

Hoshiguma was silent for a moment, then finally put away the bronze medal. "Consider it a loan."

"Whatever you want." Tetsusai stood up and opened the paper door. "Mifune will take you to the workshop. Now that you're back, at least let the old folks see you."

The plot has been modified and does not follow the original storyline completely.

Volume 16, Chapter 891: The weapon is in good condition.

Sunlight streamed in through the opened door, illuminating the sword rack in the corner of the tea room. Hoshiguma's gaze was drawn to a short sword displayed there—the weapon she had used for practice when she was a child, the knot on the hilt still tied by herself.

"It's well-maintained," Tetsusai said, following her gaze. "It's polished every week."

Hoshiguma's throat suddenly tightened. She got up and walked towards the door. As she brushed past Tetsusai, the old man suddenly whispered, "Welcome home, girl."

The heat from the workshop was overwhelming.

Mifune led Hoshiguma through the bustling forging area, where master forges frequently stopped their work to nod in greeting. Several young apprentices peered out curiously, only to be tapped on the head with pliers by the masters. "Focus on forging your iron!"

"Everyone misses you." Mifune pushed open the door to the innermost room, "Especially Master Fujiwara."

In a spacious, independent workshop, a shirtless, burly man was forging a piece of red-hot metal. His back was tattooed with a demon face, which seemed to breathe with the rise and fall of his muscles. Hearing the door open, he roared without turning around, "Get out! I told you not to disturb my work!"

"Fujiwara," Mifune said helplessly, "Look who's here."

The hammer stopped in mid-air. Fujiwara slowly turned around, sweat dripping from his chin onto the red-hot iron with a hissing sound. His gaze fell on Hoshiguma, his copper-bell-like eyes widening even further.

"Little brat..."

Hoshiguma smiled and said, "Master, your beard has turned white."

The pliers clattered to the ground. Fujiwara strode over, his calloused hand slamming heavily on Hoshiguma's shoulder, the force causing her to stumble. "So you know how to come back?!"

His gaze swept over the sword at Hoshiguma's waist, and he suddenly frowned. "Are you just going to ruin my work like this?"

Before Hoshiguma could answer, Fujiwara had already snatched the longsword and was examining the blade against the light. "Look at this blade pattern! It's all blurred! And this scabbard—" He shook his head in anguish, "The humidity in Lungmen is definitely not suitable for maintaining knives."

Hoshiguma let the old master scold him, but the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up. Fujiwara grumbled as he walked to the materials shelf and began searching for a suitable whetstone and tamahagane.

"You're not leaving today," he commanded without turning his head, "Watch how I repair your sword!"

Mifune tactfully withdrew, closing the door behind him. Hoshiguma sat cross-legged beside the workbench, watching Fujiwara skillfully light the small stove, the flames dancing on his weathered face.

"Master," she asked softly, "How have you been all these years...?"

Fujiwara paused, then said, "With that annoying little apprentice gone, it's so peaceful."

His tone was curt, but Hoshiguma noticed a framed photo in the corner of the workbench—a picture of her when she was fifteen, having successfully forged her first short sword, her smile wide and her eyes barely visible.

The fire crackled, Hoshiguma's green hair curled slightly from the steam. Watching Fujiwara begin sharpening the sword, she suddenly asked, "The second-in-command position Tetsusai mentioned..."

"Hmph!" Fujiwara didn't even look up. "That old fox loves to pull this kind of trick."

The hammer struck the red-hot metal rhythmically, sparks flying. Fujiwara's voice, muffled by the clanging, said, "But he's right, the Smithing Town needs fresh blood... especially someone like you."

Hoshiguma didn't answer. Her gaze fell on the weapon rack on the wall—displaying Fujiwara's recent works, each engraved with a unique blade pattern. The most prominent spot was empty, seemingly reserved for a particular piece.

He's waiting for you to come back.

Su Rui's voice echoed in her mind. Hoshiguma gave a soft "hmm" and watched as Fujiwara immersed the repaired longsword into the coolant, the rising steam blurring the faces of the master and apprentice.

Outside the window, afternoon sunlight filtered through the cherry tree branches, casting dappled shadows on the workshop floor. In the distance, the apprentices' synchronized chants mingled with the rhythm of hammering, like an ancient folk song from a Smithing Town.

As Fujiwara's hammering faded into the distance, Hoshiguma stood under the cherry blossom tree outside the workshop, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the longsword she had just repaired. The blade gleamed with a cold, bluish light in the sunlight, much sharper than when she arrived. She looked up at the main building of the Metalstone Society; the black-tiled, white-walled structure appeared particularly solemn in the afternoon sun.

Something's not right.

Su Rui's voice suddenly rang in her mind, tinged with a hint of alarm.

Hoshiguma's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. "Hmm?"

[Tetsusai's tea—he never puts dried tangerine peel in it.]

This detail was like a drop of ice water falling on the back of Hoshiguma's neck. She recalled the scene in the tea room—the teacup the old man pushed over did indeed have a slightly discordant citrus scent. And the real Tetsusai, that stubborn old man who personally oversaw even the degree of tea roasting, hated adding any spices to tea the most.

Hoshiguma's green eyes narrowed slightly as she glanced across the courtyard. Mifune had vanished without a trace, and several unfamiliar guards stood under the main building's veranda, their hands resting on the hilts of their swords, their postures seemingly casual yet revealing their vigilance.

"Looks like it's all an act..." she murmured to herself, her fingers quietly tracing the Hannya Shield at her waist. This large triangular shield, which she always carried with her, was covered with fine battle marks, and now it rested quietly against her lower back, like a lurking beast.

[East side gate.] Su Rui's voice was calm and analytical. [The guards change shifts every fifteen minutes; the gap is three minutes and twelve seconds.]

Hoshiguma pretended to admire the cherry blossoms and slowly moved towards the east side of the courtyard. Her steps were leisurely, as if she were just taking a walk after dinner, but every muscle in her body was subtly tense. As she passed a stone lantern, she used the action of bending down to tie her shoelaces to check the tightness of the straps on her Hannya Shield.

"What is Mifune trying to do?" she whispered, pretending to straighten her clothes, her lips barely moving.

[The Metalstone Society has expanded in recent years, annexing the blacksmithing guilds of three neighboring towns.] Su Rui's information flowed clearly, [but the traditionalists in the Smithing Town have consistently resisted, with Tetsusai being the biggest obstacle.]

A cherry blossom petal drifted down onto Hoshiguma's scabbard. She gently brushed the petal away, her fingertips discreetly tracing the hilt of the scabbard.

"[It's best to evacuate first.] "Su Rui replied, "[But I suggest taking the keepsake first.]"

Hoshiguma's gaze fell on the window on the second floor of the main building. That was the archives of the Metalstone Society, which contained the joint contracts of the blacksmithing guilds of various towns. If Mifune really wanted to annex the Smithing Town, he would definitely need these documents.

She casually walked around to the back of the main building, where the cherry trees were exceptionally lush, their branches almost touching the window frames. Hoshiguma's fingertips brushed against the trunk, and a few fresh scratches on the bark made her eyes narrow – signs of recent climbing.

"Looks like we're not the only ones having this idea..."

With her movement, the Hannya Shield slid silently to her forearm, Hoshiguma leaped onto a branch under the cover of the trees. Years of combat instinct made every movement precise and silent, not even disturbing a single cherry blossom. The second-floor window was ajar, and the rustling sound of papers turning could be heard from inside.

[Two people, one by the door, the other in front of the filing cabinet.] Through her sensory analysis, [Su Rui observed that their heart rates indicated alertness.]