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

Su Rui unconsciously held his breath. Without the lenses obstructing his view, he could see the brilliance in Shining's eyes more clearly. Her pupils displayed a wonderful sense of depth in the sunlight, like the thin mist in the mountains at dawn.

"I... still have a few documents..."

His explanations seemed weak and feeble, especially when Nightingale's lips suddenly pressed against his neck. The kiss was as light as a feather, yet it sent a slight shiver down his spine.

Nightingale's arms were like a warm scarf, enveloping him completely. She was wearing the Medical Department's uniform skirt today, the fabric making a slight rustling sound with her movements. Su Rui could clearly feel her heartbeat against his back, steady and strong.

"It's break time!"

Her tone rose, with a coquettish ending. Her fingers restlessly fiddled with Su Rui's collar, her fingertips occasionally brushing against his bare skin, causing a slight shiver.

Shining's movements were even more restrained. She simply and gently pulled the pen from Su Rui's hand, her movements as fluid as if she were performing a precise surgery. But as she leaned forward, her long silver hair fell down, the ends brushing against the back of Su Rui's hand, bringing a slightly itchy sensation.

The ink has dried.

She pointed to the blurred mark on the document, a slight smile playing on her lips. This was an expression rarely seen on Su Rui —like a glimpse of melting glacier, fleeting yet breathtaking.

As the sunlight gradually slanted westward, it cast long shadows of the three people on the wall. Su Rui found herself trapped in a gentle cage: behind her was Nightingale's warm embrace, and in front of her was Shining's focused gaze.

"You..."

His protest was interrupted by a sudden kiss from the Nightingale. The kiss landed on the corner of his mouth, carrying the sweet scent of strawberry lip balm. The Nightingale's eyes, up close, shone with a dazzling gold, the shadows cast by her eyelashes resembling butterfly wings.

"This is punishment," she winked mischievously, "Because you've been working so long and ignoring us."

Shining remained silent, but her slightly forward-leaning posture conveyed her stance. Her breath carried a faint minty scent, mingling with the sweet fragrance of Nightingale to create a wondrous harmony.

Su Rui could hear his own heart pounding and feel the resonance emanating from Nightingale's chest pressed against his back. To his surprise, when he looked at Shining, he noticed a faint pink blush spreading across her fair neck.

The afternoon passed in tranquility. The Nightingale, like a satiated cat, lazily played with Su Rui's tie. Her fingers twirled deftly, occasionally brushing against his collarbone.

What do you want to eat tonight?

Her question was casual, yet it warmed Su Rui's heart. This kind of everyday conversation, this feeling of home, was a warmth he had never dared to hope for.

Shining suddenly stood up, her silver hair gleaming in the setting sun. She walked to the window and adjusted the blinds to the most comfortable position. This simple action brought tears to Su Rui's eyes—only Shining would remember that he liked the feeling of sunlight streaming in at a 45-degree angle.

"Tea."

She spoke briefly, yet had already taken out Su Rui's favorite jasmine tea. The aroma of the tea filled the air, blending with the sunlight and the scent of ink to create a unique fragrance.

As the last rays of sunlight disappeared from the documents, Su Rui found himself completely surrounded by the two of them. Nightingale had somehow ended up sitting on his lap, while Shining stood beside him, her fingers gently combing through his dark hair.

"It's time to go home."

Shining's voice was softer than Ping's, and her grey-purple eyes appeared exceptionally deep in the twilight. Her fingertips occasionally brushed against Su Rui's earlobe, causing a slight shiver.

Nightingale looked up at them, her golden eyes brimming with laughter. Suddenly, she reached out and grabbed Shining's tie, pulling her into the embrace. Their breaths mingled in the twilight, their heartbeats gradually synchronizing.

"Go home."

Su Rui whispered the word, which rolled across his tongue with an unprecedented sweetness. Nightingale placed a light kiss on his lips, while Shining gently took his hand.

However, in the wilderness of Kazdel, the wind howled, carrying sand and gravel, making the tent fabric of the makeshift medical station flutter loudly. The last rays of the setting sun shone through the gaps in the canvas, casting dappled light and shadow on the makeshift operating table.

Shining stood before the operating table, her long, silvery-white hair casually tied back, a few stray strands falling beside her cheeks, glistening with fine beads of sweat. Her movements were precise and calm, the scalpel in her hand gleaming coldly in the dim kerosene lamplight. Nightingale prepared the medicine beside her, her golden eyes intently focused on the markings on the measuring cup, her fingertips trembling slightly—not from exhaustion, but from the crude laughter drifting from outside the tent.

The heavy curtain was roughly thrown open, and three mercenaries, reeking of alcohol, swaggered in. The leader, with a hideous scar across his face, brazenly scanned Nightingale before finally settling on Su Rui, who was adjusting her bandages in the corner.

They tried to reach out, and the air inside the tent froze instantly.

Shining's hand gripped her staff, which looked like a staff, but Su Rui knew it was also a sword.

The sword flashed, and the troublemakers didn't even have a chance to scream.

Volume 12, Chapter 701: Blood-Red Twilight

The twilight in Kazdel is always tinged with blood.

The makeshift medical station tent swayed in the wind, the glow of the kerosene lamp casting swaying silhouettes on the canvas. Su Rui was organizing the medicine cabinet, her fingers deftly sorting and arranging the glass bottles. Nightingale sat beside her, her long golden hair falling onto the medicine record book, her pen scratching softly on the paper.

The Nightingale suddenly heard a sound. "Tsk, here we go again." Without looking up, the Nightingale simply sighed softly, "This is the third batch this week."

Su Rui's fingers paused slightly, a hint of helplessness flashing in her dark eyes. "Do you want me to handle it?"

"Need not."

Shining's voice came from the corner of the tent. She was wiping her longsword, her silver-white hair falling over her shoulders, and her grey-purple eyes reflecting the cold glint of the blade.

The tent flap was roughly flung open, and three mercenaries, reeking of alcohol, barged in. The leader, with a gruesome scar across his face, scanned the inside of the tent with unbridled arrogance.

Su Rui continued arranging the medicines expressionlessly, without even raising her head.

Seeing that no one was paying attention to him, the scarred man became enraged and strode forward, reaching out to grab Su Rui's collar.

A flash of silver light.

The man's hand froze in mid-air, his pupils shrinking. Shining was already standing in front of him, her longsword still in its sheath, but the tip of the sheath was precisely pressed against his Adam's apple.

"Roll."

Her voice was soft, yet it made the temperature inside the tent drop dramatically.

The scarred man swallowed hard, forcing a calm step back. "Heh, this little chick's got quite a temper." He winked at his companion, "Teach her a lesson—"

Before the words were even finished, Shining had already vanished from the spot.

The first mercenary felt a numbness in his knee and looked down to see the scabbard had precisely shattered his kneecap. Before he could even scream, he was struck again on the back of the neck, and his vision went black as he collapsed to the ground.

The second mercenary's longsword was only half-drawn when his wrist was struck hard by the scabbard. With a cracking sound of bones breaking, his weapon flew out of his hand, followed by a powerful blow to the abdomen, sending him crashing through the tent and flying out of the room.

The scarred man finally panicked, pulling out a short knife and waving it wildly. "You, you stay away!"

Shining appeared beside him like a ghost, his scabbard flicking slightly. The dagger spun through the air, tracing a gleaming silver arc in the kerosene lamplight. As it fell, the scabbard struck the back of the blade with pinpoint accuracy—

"Bang!"

The dagger was driven deep into the ground in front of the man's feet, only half an inch from his toes.

The man's legs buckled, and he collapsed to his knees.

Silence returned to the tent, broken only by the faint crackling of the kerosene lamp.

Shining's longsword remained sheathed. She turned and walked back to the corner, her silver hair gleaming coldly in the lamplight.

The Nightingale finally raised its head, its golden eyes sparkling with amusement. "This time it's 0.3 seconds faster than last time."

Su Rui put down the last bottle of medicine, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Should we dispose of it?" he asked, pointing to the unconscious mercenary on the ground.

"No need." Shining sheathed his longsword, his grey-purple eyes sweeping across the dark night outside the tent. "Someone will come to collect it."

Nightingale closed her notebook, stretched, and said, "Work's done for today!" She skipped over to Su Rui and affectionately took his arm. "What do you want to eat tonight?"

Shining silently walked to the other side and gently took Su Rui's hand. Her fingertips still carried the coolness of the scabbard, which made Su Rui feel incredibly at ease.

"Go home."

The three figures disappeared into the night of Kazdel, the kerosene lamp on the tent behind them swaying gently, casting long, long shadows.

The twilight in Kazdel is always tinged with the smell of gunpowder.

Su Rui stood on the earthen slope outside the medical station, gazing at the sky in the distance, stained red by the flames of war. His amber eyes reflected the burning clouds, as if trying to etch every scar of this land into his memory. Nightingale gently wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, resting her chin on his shoulder.

"What are you looking at again?" Her breath brushed past his ear, carrying a faint scent of herbs.

"Watch how this country burns itself to Ash." Su Rui's voice was soft, his fingers unconsciously stroking the short sword at his waist—a sword given to him three days ago by a dying Sarkaz warrior, its hilt engraved with ancient runes.

Nightingale followed his gaze. On the distant horizon, the flames of Originium Arts rose and fell, like a never-ending fireworks display. She knew that each of those points of light represented death, but at this moment, she inexplicably found them beautiful.

"Let's go."

This statement came suddenly, yet it was also perfectly natural.

Inside the medical tent, Shining was checking the medicines. Her silver hair was bathed in the warm glow of the simple kerosene lamp, and her grey-purple eyes focused intently on each label. When Su Rui and Nightingale lifted the tent flap, she said without looking up:

"We have three boxes of sulfonamides left, but we're running out of antibiotics."

"We don't need to replenish it," said the Nightingale.

Shining's fingers paused. She looked up and saw the rare determination on Nightingale's face, and the glimmer of light in Su Rui's eyes. No further explanation was needed. She closed the medicine box and nodded gently. "Where to?"

This question brought a brief silence to the tent.

"Victoria?" Nightingale counted on her fingers. "I heard the clock tower in Londinium sings."

"Ursus is too cold." Su Rui shook her head. "How about the snow-capped mountains of Kjerag?"

"Bolivar is in a civil war," Shining calmly reminded him. "Mobile City in Columbia require identification."

Finally, Nightingale made the decision. "Let's go to Siesta first!" Her eyes shone like stars. "We can see the sea, and Blacksteel Worldwide has an office there that can help Su Rui get legal status."

Su Rui raised an eyebrow. "You planned this all along?"

Nightingale smiled without saying a word, and pulled a crumpled travel brochure from her pocket. The cover featured the golden beaches of Siesta.

Shining looked at the creases on the handbook, which had been repeatedly rubbed together, and suddenly realized that Nightingale might have started planning this escape half a year ago. She sighed softly and pulled a metal box from under the bed—inside were three sets of fake identity documents, currencies from various countries, and a car key.

"I also prepared some," she said, her ears turning slightly red.

Su Rui's eyes widened: "When did you—"

"A girl's secret." Nightingale winked mischievously.

It only took them two hours to pack their belongings. At three in the morning, the three of them left the medical station with their bags on their backs.

Nightingale walked at the front, clutching the map given to her by the village chief, humming an unknown nursery rhyme. Her skirt was damp with night dew, but she didn't care, her steps as light as if she were dancing.

Shining brought up the rear, her silver hair gleaming coldly in the moonlight, her grey-purple eyes scanning her surroundings warily. Her sword was hidden beneath her cloak, its scabbard pressed against her back, ready to be drawn at any moment.

Su Rui walked in the middle, his luggage stored in his System Space. His breathing was steady, but his gaze would occasionally sweep towards the distant mountain ridge, where a few flashes of light would occasionally appear, whether from patrols or wild beasts, he couldn't tell.

Volume 12, Chapter 702: Travel?

"We need to speed things up," Shining suddenly said. "It's almost dawn."

Nightingale nodded, put away the map, and quickened her pace. The three of them walked along the dry riverbed, avoiding the main road. Occasionally, they could hear the roar of engines in the distance, but they would soon disappear into the night.

After walking for about two hours, the abandoned mine that the village chief had mentioned finally appeared in the distance. The railway tracks meandered through the weeds, covered in rust, but the tracks were still relatively intact.

"This is it." Nightingale breathed a sigh of relief, wiping the sweat from her brow. "The train should be arriving soon."

As soon as he finished speaking, a deep whistle sounded in the distance.

The three exchanged a glance and quickly concealed themselves behind the bushes beside the tracks. A few minutes later, a dilapidated freight train slowly pulled up, its engine billowing black smoke. The carriages were covered with tarpaulins, and several fully armed mercenaries could be vaguely seen patrolling between them.

"Smuggled train?" Su Rui asked in a low voice.

"Hmm." Shining nodded. "They don't check identities when transporting goods for the black market."

The train slowed down and finally stopped near the mine. Several mercenaries jumped off and began inspecting the cargo.

"Now," Shining whispered.

Under the cover of darkness, the three quickly moved towards the back of the train. Nightingale nimbly leaped onto the carriage and reached out to pull Su Rui up, while Shining was the last to climb up, her movements clean and efficient.

The carriage was filled with wooden crates, emitting a faint smell of tobacco and spices. The three found a secluded corner to sit down, and Nightingale took a water bottle out of her backpack and handed it to Su Rui.

"We did it," she whispered, her eyes filled with excitement.

Su Rui took the water bottle, took a sip, and smiled slightly, "Hmm, it worked."

Shining leaned against the box, closing her eyes to rest, but a very faint smile appeared on her lips.

As the train pulled away from the Kazdel border, Nightingale leaned against the window, watching the scorched earth and smoke recede into the distance, and let out a long breath.

"Finally..." she murmured softly, her fingers unconsciously stroking the window frame.

Shining sat opposite her, his grey-purple eyes slightly lowered, his fingertips lightly tapping the scabbard, as if calculating some kind of rhythm.

Su Rui leaned against the corner of the carriage, closing his eyes to rest, but the corners of his mouth were slightly upturned. His storage space contained all the luggage of the three of them—medicine, dry food, clothes, and even a few novels that Nightingale had secretly slipped in and some tea treasured by Shining.

"Su Rui," Nightingale suddenly turned her head, her eyes sparkling, "Where do we go next?"

Su Rui opened her eyes, her amber pupils gleaming faintly in the dim light of the car. "Didn't we already decide to go to Siesta?"

"Yes, but what about after Siesta?" Nightingale counted on her fingers. "We can go to Victoria, ski in Kjerag, or explore the rainforests of Bolivar!"

Shining looked up. "Bolivar is still fighting a civil war."

"Then let's go to Victoria!" Nightingale clapped her hands excitedly. "I've heard that the afternoon tea in Londinium is especially wonderful!"

Su Rui chuckled, "You just want some black tea with scones, right?"

The Nightingale stuck out her tongue. "You caught me."