Ark Simulator, Don't I Have No Physical Form? Chapter 536

"I...I'm at work." Jessica's voice trailed off, her head drooping slightly, her fluffy cat ears drooping, and her tail wagging nervously. "At a...security contractor company."

Security contractor? Eyjafjalla immediately recalled the Blacksteel Worldwide members outside the "Oak" coffee shop last time—those dapper, dark-gray uniformed individuals who swiftly quelled the chaos. Could it be...?

"Is it... Blacksteel Worldwide?" Eyjafjalla asked tentatively.

Jessica looked up abruptly, her blue eyes filled with surprise. "You... how did you know?"

"Ah, I ran into some trouble at another coffee shop a few days ago, and luckily, people from Blacksteel Worldwide happened to be passing by and resolved it," Eyjafjalla explained, still shaken by the chaos of that day. "I'm very grateful to them."

Upon hearing that she was an ordinary citizen who had been "helped," Jessica seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, her tense shoulders relaxing slightly. However, the tension in her eyes didn't completely disappear; instead, a hint of unease and... shame lingered.

"Oh, I see... Um, I wasn't there that day..." Jessica said softly, as if she felt apologetic for her absence. "Actually, I... I just started working here recently, and I'm still... in my training period. Today... I sneaked out by myself, wanting to... want to experience a 'normal' coffee shop..." Her voice trailed off, and her face flushed slightly.

Eyjafjalla suddenly realized. No wonder Jessica was so nervous and uneasy, looking like she had wandered into unfamiliar territory. It turned out she was a newcomer who had secretly run away from the company (or her boss?). Looking at her like this, Eyjafjalla felt a little amused and a little sorry for her. She remembered her own bewilderment and anxiety when she first arrived in Trimounts, facing this bustling metropolis.

"It's alright, it's quiet here, perfect for resting," Eyjafjalla said with a smile, pointing to the books on her desk. "I came here to read too; it's been a bit stuffy staying at home for so long. Are you... having a tough job?"

When work was mentioned, Jessica's expression became even more complicated. She bit her lip, and there seemed to be a glint of tears in her blue eyes, but she held them back.

"It's... it's okay... it's just... it's a little hard to get used to." She said in a low voice, "The training is very strict, and the seniors are all very capable. I... I can never do well... And every time I go out on missions, seeing so many... homeless people on the streets, and there are conflicts, I feel a little..." She didn't finish her sentence, but her reluctance and confusion were clearly written on her face.

The word "homeless" resonated with Eyjafjalla. In Cumberland County, homelessness was a part of her life, and she herself had once been one of them. After moving to Trimounts, especially to middle-class neighborhoods like Oak Street, the number of homeless people seemed to have decreased, but they were not nonexistent. In more marginalized neighborhoods, under bridges, and at subway station entrances, those ragged, listless figures remained an undeniable scar on this glamorous city.

"Yes..." Eyjafjalla responded softly, her voice tinged with a sigh of empathy. "Columbia ...it looks prosperous, but in reality, there are more and more homeless people. I...I used to see a lot of that in Cumberland County." She didn't go into detail about her own past, but the heaviness was palpable.