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

Nightingale's eyelashes fluttered twice, concealing her smile as she adjusted her hair. She subtly turned the vial upright, her fingertips gently smoothing the edge of the label, a movement as delicate as adjusting the orientation of a flower.

"That was very well done," Su Rui said approvingly. "Even Kal'tsit couldn't find it."

Nightingale's lips curved into an almost imperceptible smile, but she quickly suppressed it. She reached for a vial of potion, but her fingertips paused in mid-air—because Su Rui suddenly added:

"However, your ears are red."

Her ear tips immediately burned, like thin cherry blossoms exposed to the sun.

"Nightingale?"

Shining's voice came from behind her, Nightingale's fingers trembled, almost knocking over the medicine bottle. She quickly steadied herself, and when she turned around, her expression had returned to calm, though the blush at the base of her ears had not yet faded.

"Are you alright?" Shining, holding the medical record, his golden eyes looking at her with a hint of doubt. "You seem... a little distracted."

"It's just... I'm checking the expiration date." Nightingale's voice was slightly softer than usual, and her gaze shifted slightly, as if looking through Shining into some void behind her.

Shining turned around following her gaze, only to see an empty corridor. She thoughtfully looked away, and finally just nodded and left.

No one knew that at this moment, in Nightingale's mind, Su Rui was chuckling softly:

"Your pupils dilate by 0.3 millimeters when you lie."

Nightingale's breath hitched, and she immediately turned around to pretend to tidy up the cart, but because she moved too quickly, her fingertips accidentally touched a pair of tweezers—the metal instrument suddenly floated up and swayed slightly in mid-air.

Her Originium Arts always spiral out of control when she's emotionally unstable.

"Wow," Su Rui's voice was teasing, "Looks like I have more influence on you than tranquilizers."

Nightingale bit her lower lip, trying to suppress the heat spreading from her chest. She reached for the floating tweezers, but her fingertips trembled, and she only managed to grasp them after two attempts. The hem of her white coat traced a flustered arc with her movement, like the wings of a startled bird.

In the lounge, Nightingale stared blankly at the steaming coffee. The liquid in the Mark reflected her slightly flushed cheeks as she gazed at her reflection, her thoughts drifting elsewhere.

"What are you thinking about?" Su Rui's voice suddenly rang out, so close it seemed to be right next to her ear.

Nightingale's fingers trembled, the Mark suddenly tilted, and hot water splashed onto her sleeve, spreading a dark stain.

"Be careful." Su Rui's warning came a step too late.

Nightingale hurriedly put down her cup, grabbed a tissue to wipe her cuffs, but then heard footsteps behind her.

Do you need any help?

Shining's voice came from behind, and Nightingale's back tensed instantly. She didn't dare turn around, but simply shook her head, her voice almost inaudible. "I can do it myself."

She strode out of the lounge, but was stopped by Shining at the corner of the corridor.

"Nightingale," Shining's voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable weight, "Recently you've always... distracted."

Nightingale clutched the medical record to her chest, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the edges of the paper. Her gaze drifted to a point in the void, where a shadowy figure, visible only to her, was grinning mischievously.

"It's just... the coffee is too hot," she answered softly, her earlobes almost bleeding red.

Shining frowned slightly, his gaze shifting for a moment between her and the empty corridor, before finally sighing, "If you need anything, you can find me."

Nightingale nodded and quickly left. Only after she had retreated into the equipment room and closed the door did she let out a long sigh of relief and bury her burning face in her palms.

"It's all your fault..." she muttered to herself.

Su Rui's illusory image coalesced before her, and translucent fingers ran through her hair, bringing a slightly cool sensation.

"But you like this secret game."

The Nightingale did not refute.

Indeed, whenever others looked at her with puzzled expressions as she suddenly blushed, a secret thrill would well up inside her. This was a channel that belonged only to them, a wavelength that no one else could hear, the most intimate wavelength.

She looked up at Su Rui's illusory figure, his silhouette reflected in her golden eyes.

"... Um."

She responded softly, a small smile playing on her lips.

This is their secret.

Nobody will ever know.

Volume 12, Chapter 682: The Shining seems to have noticed.

The smell of disinfectant filled the Medical Department. Shining stood in front of the medicine cabinet arranging equipment, her eyes constantly following Nightingale's figure. She noticed that the blonde Sarkaz girl smiled faintly at the air for the third time today, her fingertips unconsciously twirling her staff—as if interacting with someone unseen.

"Do you need any help?" Nightingale was clearly startled when Shining approached, and the tips of her ears quickly turned pink.

"No, no need..." Nightingale lowered her head to adjust the cuffs of her white coat, but Shining keenly noticed that her gaze kept drifting unconsciously to the upper right, where there was clearly only an ordinary lamp.

(What is she looking at?)

This question lingered in Shining's mind. She recalled Nightingale's recent unusual behavior: sudden blushing, smiling at the void, occasional pauses as if talking to herself... as if another person lived in her mind.

"Dr. Shining?" Nightingale's voice pulled her back to reality. "The patient in bed number 3 needs a dressing change."

OK."

As Shining rounded the corner of the corridor, she inexplicably stopped. Through the half-open door, she saw Nightingale gesturing to the air, her golden eyes brimming with starlight.

Shining suddenly remembered her medical report from last week— Nightingale's brain scan showed abnormally active neural signals in a certain area, which she initially thought was just a side effect of Originium Arts...

(I see.)

She took a step back gently, not disturbing this secret conversation that belonged only to the Nightingale. She was no longer the obsessive researcher she once was, and would no longer use cold instruments to dissect this beauty.

(If you had given her wings...)

Shining gazed at the blue sky outside the window, a barely perceptible smile appearing on her lips.

(Then let's take her flying farther.)

The smell of disinfectant filled the Medical Department. Nightingale was tiptoeing, organizing the medicine cabinet, her fingertips lightly fiddling with the labels on the medicine bottles. A faint smile played on her lips, and her golden eyelashes trembled slightly under the light, as if she were immersed in a conversation that only she could hear.

Shining stood not far away, the sleeves of her white coat rolled up, revealing her slender yet strong wrists. She gazed at Nightingale's retreating figure, her grey-purple eyes thoughtful.

(She was talking to "him" again.)

This thought had been lingering in Shining's mind for a long time. Recently, she noticed Nightingale's unusual behavior more and more frequently—suddenly pursing her lips and smiling, her ear tips turning red, her gaze drifting to some point in the void... as if another person lived in her mind.

Shining gently put down the medical record in her hand and walked in slowly.

"Nightingale." Her voice was soft, yet it made the Nightingale's shoulders tremble slightly, like a startled bird.

Nightingale quickly turned around, her fingers unconsciously tightening around her staff. The Originium on the staff glowed faintly, as if in silent vigilance. Her eyes flickered for a moment, then she lowered her eyelashes, avoiding Shining's gaze.

"... Dr. Shining?"

Shining gazed at her, her tone gentle yet undeniably probing. "Lately, you seem to... talk to people quite often."

Nightingale's breath hitched, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the patterns on the staff. In her mind, Su Rui's voice immediately echoed:

She's testing you.

Nightingale pursed her lips, trying to make her voice sound calm, "I'm just... practicing Originium Arts incantations."

Shining narrowed her eyes slightly, her gaze falling on Ye Yan's slightly reddened ear tips.

"Really?" she asked softly, a hint of a smile in her voice, "But what you just said was..."

Nightingale's fingers tightened abruptly, and the staff's light flashed brightly for a moment. Her heart raced, and countless thoughts raced through her mind—

(Did she hear that?)

(Did she discover Su Rui?)

(She... wants to steal him away?)

The thought made Nightingale's chest tighten inexplicably. She subconsciously took a half step back, a hint of wariness flashing in her golden eyes, like a small animal guarding its food.

Shining noticed her reaction and paused slightly.

(Is she... wary of me?)

This realization stirred a complex emotion within Shining. She had once been Nightingale's "researcher," the one who had bound her to the experimental table. Now, Nightingale had a new reliance—someone she couldn't see, yet clearly more trustworthy than her former self.

She paused for a moment, then finally just sighed softly.

"Nightingale." Her voice was softer than usual. "I just... wanted to make sure you were alright."

Nightingale raised her eyes, still with a hint of hesitation in them, but her tense shoulders relaxed slightly.

"... I'm fine," she answered softly, her fingers still gripping the staff tightly, as if clinging to the only piece of driftwood.

Shining looked at her and suddenly realized— Nightingale's wariness might not just be due to the shadows of the past.

(She was afraid I would take "him" away.)

This thought brought a bitter smile to Shining's face. In the past, she would indeed dissect any anomaly without hesitation and bring all the unknown under control. But now, she was no longer that obsessive Absolver.

She nodded slightly and took half a step back, giving the Nightingale enough space.

"If there's anything I can help with..." she paused, her voice almost inaudible, "You can tell me."

Ye Yan was taken aback, seemingly not expecting Shining to back down so easily. Her eyes flickered for a moment, and finally she nodded slightly.

"... Thanks."

Shining turned and left, the hem of her white coat tracing a clean arc. Her back remained upright, yet it carried a hint of loneliness.

Nightingale watched her departing figure until Su Rui's voice echoed in her mind:

She gave up.

Nightingale's tense nerves finally relaxed. She let out a soft breath, her fingertips unconsciously circling her staff.

"... Is she trying to steal you away?" she asked softly, her tone tinged with jealousy she herself didn't realize.

Su Rui chuckled and gently ruffled the top of her head with her virtual fingers.

"Idiot." His voice was gentle yet firm. "I'm your 'tenant,' remember?"

The Nightingale's lips finally curved into a small smile, and the starlight in her eyes shone brightly once more.

This is their secret.

No one can take it away from me.

Nightingale was organizing the medicine cabinet in the Medical Department when suddenly her fingertips trembled, and the glass bottle almost slipped from her hand. Her pupils dilated slightly, and her breathing became rapid.

"One hundred... one hundred percent?" she murmured softly, her voice filled with barely suppressed joy. Suddenly, the Originium at the tip of the staff burst forth with dazzling light, illuminating the entire medicine cabinet in a dreamy blue.

Su Rui's voice echoed in her mind, tinged with unusual tension. "Wait, Nightingale, not now—"

But the girl had already impatiently raised her staff, her long golden hair moving without wind. She closed her eyes, the energy of Originium Arts flowing around her, and she began to softly chant ancient Sarkaz incantations.

Although materialization doesn't require incantations, Nightingale seemed to enjoy the ritual, so Su Rui didn't say anything.

Volume 12, Chapter 683: Please wait a moment before materializing.

"In the name of the morning star, I use the illusory to represent the real..."

"Nightingale! Stop!"

Just as the incantation was about to be completed, the automatic door to the Medical Department suddenly slid open. Shining walked in carrying a stack of medical records, the hem of her white coat swaying gently with her steps.

Nightingale's staff fell to the ground with a "thud," and the light from the Originium instantly went out. Her cheeks flushed red, and she hurriedly squatted down to pick up the staff, only to bump her forehead against the medicine cabinet with a "thud."

"Ugh..." She covered her forehead and squatted on the ground, her golden hair falling down to cover her flushed face.

Shining strode over and knelt down to check on her. "What happened? Are you hurt?"

Nightingale shook her head desperately, refusing to look up. Her mind was filled with the "accident" that had almost happened—if Shining had arrived a few seconds later, she would have summoned a naked Su Rui in front of the entire Rhodes Island!

(This is so embarrassing...)

Su Rui's voice carried a helpless smile, "I warned you."

Nightingale retorted angrily in her mind, "Why didn't you say earlier that materialization would... would do that?!"

"I thought this was common sense?" Su Rui teased her deliberately, "Or... is Miss Nightingale actually looking forward to seeing--"

"Don't say it!" Nightingale screamed in her mind, but accidentally shouted it out loud.

Shining looked at the girl who had suddenly shouted, puzzled. "Nightingale?"

"I... I'm fine!" Nightingale suddenly stood up, only to bump into the medicine cabinet behind her. The bottles and jars rattled dangerously, and she frantically tried to steady them, looking like a frightened little bird.