Ark Simulator, Don't I Have No Physical Form? Chapter 285
Ash finally looked up, her SilverAsh eyes fixed on him. "You too."
It's not a question, it's a statement.
Su Rui smiled and didn't deny it, "We can probably hold out until Rhodes Island."
Ash was silent for a moment, then suddenly strode over and grabbed his wrist. Her grip was strong, as if she wanted to confirm that he was still real.
"You always do this." Her voice was low, tinged with suppressed anger. "You appear suddenly, and then you disappear just as suddenly."
Su Rui let her hold it, her fingertips gently tracing her knuckles. "... I'm sorry."
Ash stared at him for a long time before finally letting go, turning around and picking up his backpack. "Let's go."
--
They left the Winter Palace quietly without disturbing anyone. The morning mist had not yet dissipated, and there were almost no people on the streets, except for the occasional patrolling Inner Guard would glance at them from afar before quickly looking away.
Su Rui's footsteps were light, as if afraid of disturbing the sleeping city. He turned his head to look at the Ash and suddenly asked, "Are you angry?"
Ash didn't answer, but simply reached out and gently touched his increasingly translucent fingertips. "... No."
Su Rui laughed, "Liar."
Ash was silent for a moment before whispering, "I just don't want to get used to it."
--I've gotten used to his disappearance, I've gotten used to his return, I've gotten used to this endless waiting.
Su Rui paused slightly, then gently took her hand. "... This time it might take a little longer."
Ash's fingers tightened for a moment, then he forced himself to relax. "How long?"
"I don't know." Su Rui looked up at the sky, the morning light filtering through his hair, as if trying to melt him into the air. "But I will come back."
Ash didn't speak again, but silently led him towards the Rhodes Island Landship docked outside the city.
--
As the cabin door slowly closed, Su Rui's body was almost completely transparent. He leaned back in his seat, watching Ash sitting opposite him, his SilverAsh eyes fixed on him, as if trying to etch his final image into his memory.
"Don't be so serious," Su Rui chuckled, her voice already starting to drift. "Smile?"
Ash's lips were taut, but he ultimately didn't manage a smile.
Su Rui sighed, reaching out to touch her face, only to find his fingertips could no longer materialize. He paused, then whispered, "... Wait for me."
Ash finally spoke, his voice hoarse. "... Mm."
The next second, the morning light completely penetrated his body. Su Rui's figure vanished into the air like mist, leaving only a slight dent on the seat as proof that he had once existed.
Ash sat quietly in place for a long time before finally reaching out and placing his hand on that spot.
The ship's intercom blared, and Amiya's gentle voice came through. "Miss Ash, we are about to depart. Please prepare yourselves."
Ash withdrew his hand, stood up, and gazed out the window at the SilverAsh Ursus territory.
"... I'm waiting for you."
Volume 11, page 629: She is the P
While Lin Yuhsia was organizing the account books, she suddenly felt a slight dizziness.
She frowned, pressing her fingertips lightly to her temples, trying to ease the sudden discomfort. But the next second, a familiar voice echoed in her mind—
"Hey, Mr. Lin, busy?"
Lin Yuhsia's fingers paused, and the nib of her pen smeared a small patch of ink on the paper.
"... Su Rui?" she asked softly, her voice tinged with disbelief.
"You got it right." Su Rui's voice was as light as ever, as if he had just happened to pass by, rather than appearing in her consciousness in some inexplicable way.
Lin Yuhsia took a deep breath, put down her pen, and rubbed her temples. "... What's going on this time?"
"I don't know," Su Rui said innocently. "I woke up here."
Lin Yuhsia was silent for a few seconds, then finally sighed, "... Never mind, I'm used to it."
--
This isn't the first time.
Since Su Rui's body dissipated in Ursus, his consciousness has been like a drifting wind, occasionally appearing in someone's mind without warning, staying for a while, and then leaving silently.
He couldn't control his comings and goings, and the people he "hosted" could only helplessly accept this unexpected "tenant."
"Are you looking at the ledgers?" Su Rui's voice held a hint of curiosity. "How's business lately?"
Lin Yuhsia glanced at the densely packed numbers on the table and said calmly, "Not bad."
"Tsk, so cold." Su Rui chuckled. "I came here especially to keep you company."
Lin Yuhsia raised an eyebrow. "... On purpose?"
"Well, it's not something I can decide," he admitted readily. "But what's done is done."
Lin Yuhsia shook her head, picked up her pen again, and continued checking the accounts, but a slight smile played on her lips, "... Whatever you say."
--
Over the next few hours, Su Rui's voice would occasionally echo in her mind, sometimes teasing her about her bookkeeping methods, sometimes reminiscing about their past fun in Lungmen, and sometimes even interrupting her when she was thinking, giving her some advice that made her both laugh and cry.
"There's something wrong with this account," he suddenly said.
Lin Yuhsia stopped writing. "... Where?"
"The numbers on the seventh line of the third page don't match."
She went back to check and indeed found a slight error.
"... You're quite useful, actually." She gave a light snort.
"Of course," Su Rui said smugly. "After all, I used to manage the national treasury for Talulah."
When Talulah was mentioned, Lin Yuhsia paused slightly. "... How has she been lately?"
"I don't know." Su Rui's voice was unusually quiet for a moment. "I haven't seen her in... a long time."
Lin Yuhsia didn't press further, only giving a soft "hmm".
--
As night fell, Lin Yuhsia closed the ledger and stretched.
"Are you tired?" Su Rui asked.
"A little." She stood up, walked to the window, and gazed at the night view of Lungmen. "... How long are you going to stay?"
"Uncertain." He smiled. "I might leave in the next second, or I might stay a few more days."
Lin Yuhsia was silent for a moment, then suddenly spoke, "... Actually, it's quite nice for you to be here."
Su Rui seemed taken aback for a moment, then chuckled, "Mr. Lin, are you trying to persuade me to stay?"
"It's just stating the facts," she said calmly, "At least it's better than one person reconciling accounts."
"Ha, then I'll try to stay a little longer."
A night breeze blew by, and Lin Yuhsia's lips curled into a slight smile.
Soon, the Dossoles sun poured down like molten gold, enveloping the entire seaside city in a scorching glow. Lin Yuhsia lay under a parasol on the private beach, her eyes slightly narrowed behind her sunglasses. In her hand, she held a glass of chilled cactus juice, the straw already bitten flat.
"This godforsaken place is even hotter than Lungmen," she complained to herself.
"But the scenery is nice!" Su Rui's voice suddenly rang in her mind, as cheerful as ever, "Look over there!"
Lin Yuhsia subconsciously followed Su Rui's "direction" and saw a familiar figure walking on the beach - Chen Hui-chieh wearing a dark blue swimsuit with a white scarf casually tied around her waist. She was barefoot on the hot sand but still maintained the upright posture unique to a police superintendent.
The sunlight gilded her with a golden edge, making her silhouette exceptionally clear.
"Wow! THE P!" Su Rui suddenly exclaimed excitedly.
"What P?" Lin Yuhsia almost choked on her juice.
"Perfect! Prime! In short—Chen Sir in swimsuit version, absolutely amazing!"
Lin Yuhsia rolled her eyes as Chen walked up to her and stopped. The air seemed to freeze for a second as their eyes met.
"Wenyue arranged this?" Chen asked first, his voice colder than the sea breeze.
"Same to you." Lin Yuhsia shook her drink, the ice cubes clinking crisply in the glass. "Looks like we've both been tricked."
Chen frowned even more deeply, and looked around. "Something's not right here."
Just as Lin Yuhsia was about to answer, a strong scent of perfume wafted over. Mayor Candela, dressed in a pure white suit and skirt, walked in on high heels, followed by a blond Perro youth. The mayor's smile was more dazzling than the sunlight, but Lin Yuhsia noticed that her gaze swept back and forth between the two, as if assessing something.
"Oh dear, it seems you two already know each other?" Candela's voice was sickeningly sweet. "This is Ernesto, our best guide."
The blonde-haired Perro gave a slight bow, her earlobes twitching slightly. "Greetings, ladies."
Lin Yuhsia forced herself not to rub her temples. "What advice does the mayor have?"
"I wouldn't presume to offer guidance," Candela said, taking two gold-embossed invitations from her purse, her red nail polish shimmering in the sunlight. "There's a small cocktail party tonight, and I hope you two will grace us with your presence. As for the specifics of the engagement..." She glanced at Ernesto beside her, "Let him explain it to you."
Once the mayor was out of sight, Ernesto seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and scratched his head, "Well... actually, the seas haven't been very safe lately. Several cargo ships have mysteriously disappeared..."
Chen immediately became alert, her fingers unconsciously reaching for her waist—where her sword should have been. "Pirates?"
"Even stranger," Ernesto said in a low voice, his golden pupils slightly contracting, "Someone said they saw... moving islands in the fog."
"Wow! A ghost ship!" Su Rui exclaimed excitedly. "Boss Lin, shall we go on an adventure?"
Lin Yuhsia ignored the voice in her head. "So the mayor wants us to investigate?"
On the way back to the hotel, Chen suddenly asked, "Why were you staring at me like that?"
"Really?" Lin Yuhsia feigned ignorance.
"You've been glancing at me every now and then since we started on the beach." Chen frowned, sunlight casting a small shadow under her eyelashes. "Is there something wrong with me?"
Tell her it's because of THE P!
Volume 11, Chapter 630: Why are there pirates here? It's just a small pond.
Lin Yuhsia adjusted her sunglasses. "The swimsuit suits you very well."
Chen paused noticeably. "... That's inexplicable."
As night fell, the lights of Dossoles twinkled like stars. Lin Yuhsia stood before the floor-to-ceiling window of her hotel suite, gazing at the dark sea in the distance. She wore a dark green velvet dress, with a delicate jade brooch pinned to her neckline.
"Boss Lin is really putting in a lot of effort today~" Su Rui's voice was teasing, "Who are you trying to impress?"
"Shut up." Lin Yuhsia adjusted her earrings in front of the mirror. "It's just for the occasion. Besides, aren't you watching?"
There was a knock on the door, and Chen's voice came from outside. "Are you ready?"
Lin Yuhsia opened the door and saw Chen wearing a black suit with a burgundy shirt underneath, the collar slightly open, revealing her delicate collarbone. Her long hair was tied up high, and she exuded a sharp and heroic aura.
"Wow! Suits P!" Su Rui whistled in Lin Yuhsia's mind, "This is too powerful!"
Lin Yuhsia coughed lightly. "Very... formal."
Chen awkwardly tugged at his collar. "For easier movement."
The reception was held on the top floor of the City Hall. The crystal chandelier illuminated the entire hall as if it were daytime, and the elegantly dressed guests raised their champagne glasses and chatted in hushed tones. Mayor Candela stood in the center, like an elegant white peacock.
"Ah, our distinguished guest has arrived!" she greeted him warmly. "Please enjoy yourself tonight, we can discuss business tomorrow."
Lin Yuhsia accepted the champagne from the waiter and glanced around the room. "Half of the people here are bodyguards."
Chen nodded calmly. "What is the mayor on guard against?"
The two stepped onto the terrace, away from the bustling crowd. The night breeze, carrying the salty scent of the sea, brushed against their faces, and a few fishing lights occasionally flashed on the dark sea in the distance.
"Why did Wenyue send us here?" Chen suddenly asked.
Lin Yuhsia swirled her wine glass. "What do you think?"
"Lungmen and Dossoles have recently had trade dealings," Chen said in a low voice, "But maritime transport has been plagued by frequent accidents."
"So you sent two elites to investigate?" Su Rui interjected, "Lady Wenyue really knows how to use people."
Lin Yuhsia ignored the voice in her head. "What do you think of that 'moving island' theory?"
A sharp glint flashed in Chen's eyes. "It's not a natural phenomenon."