Ark Simulator, Aren't I Supposed to Have No Physical Form? Chapter 313

The Nightingale watched this scene and suddenly laughed.

She walked over and reached out to ruffle Su Rui's hair. "Good luck, Su Rui."

Su Rui looked up, her amber eyes filled with amusement. "Are you all ganging up on me?"

Shining gave a faint "hmm," while Nightingale blinked innocently, "Really?"

After Nightingale finished tidying up the medicine, she stretched and yawned. Su Rui's physical form was already standing behind her, gently wrapping her arms around her waist.

"Are you tired?" His voice was tinged with laughter, his breath brushing against her earlobe.

Nightingale turned and nestled into his arms, her forehead resting against his shoulder. "Hmm... a little."

Su Rui ruffled her hair and lowered her head to place a light kiss on the top of her head. Nightingale closed her eyes, letting herself sink into this warm embrace.

(That's great...)

Unbeknownst to her, Shining stood silently at the corner of the corridor, her grey-purple eyes fixed on them.

Her fingertips twitched slightly, as if she wanted to lift them up, but then she put them down again.

Are you envious?

She asked herself.

Perhaps a little.

Nightingale could embrace Su Rui without any reservations, could act coquettishly, and could be willful, because she was his lover.

And The Shining...

She lowered her eyes, turned and left.

(I am not qualified.)

Her figure appeared exceptionally lonely under the corridor lights.

The next morning, Nightingale pushed open the door to the Medical Department and found Shining already there, writing something with his head down.

"Good morning, Dr. Shining," she greeted softly.

Shining looked up and nodded slightly. "Morning."

Nightingale walked to her side, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Thank you for last night..."

Shining paused, his hand still. "Thank me for what?"

"Thank you... for pretending not to see me and Su Rui." Nightingale's face flushed slightly, but her eyes were firm. "I knew you already knew."

Volume 12, Chapter 691: Agreement Reached

Shining was silent for a moment, then finally gave a soft "Mmm".

Nightingale mustered her courage and continued, "Actually... if you also want to hug Su Rui, you can just—"

"Nightingale," Shining interrupted her, his voice still calm, but Nightingale keenly sensed a slight unease. "No need."

Nightingale opened her mouth as if to say something, but Shining had already stood up and walked towards the equipment cabinet on the other side.

(... she's running away.)

This realization stirred a pang of jealousy in Nightingale's heart, yet also left her somewhat conflicted.

She suddenly realized that Shining's concern for Su Rui might not just stem from a sense of responsibility towards the "work"...

(She wanted to touch him too, but couldn't find a reason.)

Nightingale bit her lower lip, deciding to do something.

During lunch break, Su Rui was taking a nap on the sofa in the lounge. Nightingale tiptoed over and sat down next to him.

"Su Rui," she called him softly.

Su Rui opened her eyes, her amber pupils still sleepy. "Hmm?"

The Nightingale leaned close to his ear and whispered a few words.

Su Rui's sleepiness vanished instantly. She raised an eyebrow at her. "Are you sure?"

The Nightingale nodded, her eyes resolute.

Su Rui sighed and reached out to ruffle her hair, "You..."

But he did not refuse.

After finishing her work in the afternoon, Nightingale deliberately made an excuse to leave, leaving Su Rui and Shining alone in the laboratory.

A moment of silence fell over the air.

Finally, Su Rui spoke up, "Dr. Shining, could you take a look at this data for me?"

The Shining walked over and looked down at the part he had pointed out.

Su Rui suddenly reached out and gently grasped her wrist.

Shining's body visibly stiffened, and her greyish-purple eyes widened slightly.

"Nightingale said..." Su Rui's voice was very soft, "You need this too."

After saying that, he gently pulled her into his arms and gave her a brief hug.

Shining was completely stunned, and even forgot to push him away.

Su Rui quickly released her grip, took a step back, and smiled gently. "She's right, you do need it."

Shining stood still, her fingertips trembling slightly.

(... I've been seen through.)

She lowered her eyes, her voice so low it was almost inaudible. "... Thank you."

Su Rui shook her head. "No need to thank me, thank Nightingale instead."

Shining looked up at the doorway— Nightingale was standing there, her golden eyes filled with a warm smile.

(That works.)

The Nightingale thought to itself.

(We all deserve to be hugged.)

From that day on, Shining would occasionally pinch Su Rui's cheek gently in a secluded corner, or give him a brief hug when he was tired.

The Nightingale would watch from the sidelines, a satisfied smile in its eyes.

Rhodes Island's medical team set off at dawn for a remote village on the border.

Nightingale carried a medical kit, her golden hair fluttering slightly in the morning breeze. Every now and then, she would glance back at Su Rui to make sure he was still following her.

"Su Rui, don't go too far," she whispered, her fingers unconsciously tightening around her staff.

With her hands in her pockets, Su Rui strolled slowly at the back of the line. Hearing this, she sighed helplessly, "Miss Nightingale, I'm an adult now, I won't get lost."

Shining walked at the front, her grey-purple eyes sweeping across the rugged mountain path. Hearing the conversation between the two, she said calmly without turning her head, "There are bandits roaming the village recently. Someone like him... is easy to be targeted."

Su Rui: "..."

He looked down at himself—a slender figure, fair skin, and a face that Nightingale had described as "excessively handsome"—and indeed... he was quite a target for certain criminals.

But he couldn't help rolling his eyes. "Aren't you guys exaggerating a bit?"

Nightingale pursed her lips and muttered softly, "Back on Rhodes Island, quite a few people tried to kidnap you... and last time in the village..."

Su Rui: "That was a misunderstanding! That person just wanted to ask for directions!"

Shining: "Do I need to touch your face to ask for directions?"

Su Rui: "..."

He was speechless and could only follow silently, letting the two ladies "protect" him from the front and back.

The village was more remote than expected, with rugged dirt roads and low houses. When the villagers saw the medical team, their eyes held both expectation and a hint of wariness.

Nightingale and Shining quickly got to work, examining the villagers and distributing medicine in the makeshift medical tent. Su Rui was in charge of organizing medical supplies and occasionally helping to hand over a bandage or record data.

"Su Rui, hand me the hemostat." Shining stretched out her hand without looking up.

Su Rui handed over the equipment, her fingertips accidentally touching Shining's glove. Shining paused slightly, but quickly resumed her movements.

The Nightingale watched from the side, a smile unconsciously creeping onto its lips.

(They're... really close now.)

As she was thinking, she suddenly heard a commotion outside.

Several strangers stood outside the medical tent, their gazes brazenly sweeping over the people inside before finally settling on Su Rui.

"Wow, this guy's really handsome." One of them grinned, revealing yellowed teeth. "Want to come grab a drink with us?"

Su Rui: "..."

Nightingale tensed instantly, her fingers subtly tightening their grip on her staff. Shining also stopped moving, her grey-purple eyes coldly sweeping over them.

Security personnel immediately stepped forward and blocked their way. "Please leave, do not disturb medical work."

The group awkwardly took a few steps back, but their eyes remained fixed on Su Rui: "Hey buddy, if you get bored, come find us anytime!"

Su Rui glanced at them expressionlessly, then turned to Nightingale and Shining: "Now, are you satisfied?"

Nightingale:"..."

The Shining: "..."

The two exchanged a glance and silently reached a consensus.

(As expected, we still need to keep a close eye on things.)

As evening fell, the medical work came to an end, and the villagers warmly invited the medical team to stay overnight. Nightingale and Shining were settled into a clean room, while Su Rui...

"He lives with us," Shining said calmly, her tone leaving no room for argument.

The village chief hesitated for a moment. "This... Tai He?"

Nightingale nodded, blushing, "Yes, he has to come with us."

Ultimately, at the insistence of the two ladies, Su Rui was placed in the room next to theirs—and Nightingale secretly added a Mental Barrier to the door, while Shining placed a miniature alarm by the window.

Lying in bed, listening to the rustling sounds coming from next door, Su Rui couldn't help but sigh, "... Am I here to practice medicine, or to be monitored?"

The Nightingale's voice came through the mental link, tinged with amusement. "Good girl, go to sleep."

Su Rui: "..."

He rolled over, buried his face in the pillow, but a faint smile crept onto his lips.

(Well, being looked at like that by them... doesn't seem so bad.)

Volume 12, page 692 is too crowded.

The village was exceptionally quiet at night, broken only by the occasional chirping of insects and the distant barking of dogs.

In the temporary lodging, the bed was simple but clean. Nightingale and Shining sat on either side of Su Rui, the three of them lined up like a tight defensive line.

Su Rui sat in the middle, holding a cup of hot tea, her expression somewhat helpless. "... Are you sure you want to sleep like this?"

The Nightingale nodded, her golden eyes appearing particularly earnest in the candlelight. "The village isn't safe; we have to keep an eye on you."

Shining gave a faint "hmm," her grey-purple eyes sweeping across the darkness outside the window. She lightly tapped the longsword beside the bed with her fingertips. "Just in case."

Su Rui: "..."

He sighed, resignedly lay down, and Nightingale and Shining lay down on either side of him. The three of them squeezed onto the not-so-spacious bed, almost shoulder to shoulder.

(Can I really fall asleep like this...?)

Su Rui pondered silently, but soon he realized—

Nightingale's breathing gradually became steady. She turned to her side, one hand unconsciously resting on his arm, as if afraid he would slip away in the middle of the night.

Although Shining's eyes were closed, her body remained alert; at the slightest disturbance outside, her fingers would tighten slightly.

(... They were really taking their "night watch" very seriously.)

Su Rui wanted to laugh, but also felt a warmth rising in her heart.