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

Su Rui paused, her tail gently wrapping around her wrist. "... I like it."

This simple answer made Bai Xue's heart feel like it was soaking in honey. She buried her face in the crook of his shoulder, breathing in his unique minty scent. "I like you too..."

The sound was very soft, but Su Rui's ears picked it up. He tucked his tail in and slowed his pace unconsciously, as if he wanted the road to be longer, much longer.

The lights of Longmen Lungmen Wall were already lit in the distance, but they didn't seem to matter much at the moment. The wind in the wilderness gently blew by, carrying the fragrance of wild chrysanthemums and their whispered words, drifting into the distance.

They didn't get back to the car until night had completely fallen.

Bai Xue looked longingly at the sea of flowers behind her, then suddenly said, "Shall we come here often in the future?"

Su Rui started the car, and the taillights gently patted the back of her hand. "... Mmm."

This promise made Bai Xue's eyes crinkle with joy. Leaning against the car window, watching the starlight gradually brighten, she suddenly remembered something. "Ah! I haven't finished saying my request yet!"

Su Rui turned to look at her. "... What?"

"Tomorrow morning..." Bai Xue winked mischievously, "I want to eat the meat you grilled again!"

Su Rui's lips curled up slightly, and her tail wagged happily. "... Okay."

The car drove toward the lights of Lungmen, their shadows merging into one under the starlight. The wind of the wilderness followed them, as if telling an unfinished story.

The desolate wilderness was bathed in the orange glow of the setting sun at dusk. The SUV bumped along the dirt road, kicking up fine dust. Bai Xue leaned against the passenger window, her fingers unconsciously tracing circles on the glass, her gaze lazily sweeping over the fleeting scenery outside. Su Rui's silver hair swayed slightly in the wind, its tail loosely wrapped around her wrist like a warm, living bracelet.

"Su Rui..." Bai Xue yawned, "Are we almost there?"

Su Rui's ears twitched, and her gaze swept across the rearview mirror. "... Half an hour."

His voice was deep and steady, like a soothing lullaby. Bai Xue squinted, wanting to sleep a little longer, when she suddenly noticed unusual dust rising on the distant horizon—it wasn't natural sandstorm, but the tracks of a convoy.

"Huh?" She straightened up and pointed into the distance, "There's a car over there?"

Su Rui's tail tightened instantly, and he unconsciously slowed down. His amber eyes narrowed slightly as he looked through the windshield at the dusty area—five black SUVs were traveling parallel to them, about two kilometers apart. There were no markings on the vehicles, but their orderly formation and modified chassis clearly indicated they were not ordinary caravans.

Bai Xue curiously peered out the window. "Is it a caravan? Or...?"

"... Don't move." Su Rui suddenly reached out and pressed down on her shoulder, then quickly turned the steering wheel with his other hand, turning the car into the roadside bushes. The engine was turned off, and the car instantly became quiet, with only the sound of their breathing remaining.

"What's wrong?" Bai Xue asked in a low voice, her fingers unconsciously tightening around Su Rui's clothes.

Su Rui's ears perked up alertly, and her tail gently wrapped around her waist. "... Something's not right."

He took a small pair of binoculars from the storage compartment and handed it to Bai Xue: "Watch the third car."

Bai Xue took the binoculars and adjusted the focus. In the lens, the window of the third car was half open, and even more strangely, the back seat of the car was piled with sealed metal boxes, with small red markings on the corners of the boxes—three crossed swords.

"That is..." Bai Xue was about to speak when Su Rui gently pressed her fingertips against her lips.

His movements were very light, but his eyes were unusually serious. Bai Xue immediately understood and obediently shut up, only expressing her doubt with her eyes. Su Rui shook his head, indicating that she should continue to observe.

The convoy moved at a moderate pace, maintaining a steady distance. As the last car passed, Bai Xue noticed that the antenna at the rear of the vehicle was unusually thick, resembling military-grade communication equipment. Even more concerning was that all the windows were covered with dark privacy film, making it impossible to see inside.

Only after the convoy had completely disappeared from sight did Su Rui restart the car. His movements were slower than usual, as if he was thinking about something.

"Shouldn't we follow them and take a look?" Bai Xue asked softly.

Volume 15, Chapter 876: Go Back to Investigate

Su Rui's tail tightened as a warning. "... Danger."

"But..." Bai Xue bit her lip, "What if they want to harm Lungmen?"

"... Go back first." Su Rui's voice was soft, but authoritative. "Tell Madam."

Bai Xue knew he was right, but her curiosity still gnawed at her like a kitten's claws. She couldn't help but glance back in the direction the convoy had disappeared, and suddenly noticed something reflecting light in the roadside grass—

"Su Rui! Stop the car!"

The car slammed on the brakes. Before it had come to a complete stop, Bai Xue jumped out and ran towards the patch of grass. Su Rui's tail almost missed grabbing her, so she quickly turned off the engine and followed.

"Look!" Bai Xue crouched down and picked up a small metal piece from the grass. "Did this fall off the car?"

Su Rui took the metal plate and examined it carefully in the setting sun. It was a nameplate about the size of a thumb, with fresh cracks along the edges and a string of numbers engraved on the surface—"VII-V-9". Turning it over, there was also a blurry eagle-shaped pattern, which looked like the emblem of some organization.

"Never seen this before..." Bai Xue leaned closer to look, "Is that a license plate?"

Su Rui's ears twitched slightly as she put the nameplate into her pocket. "... Check it when we get back."

His gaze swept around, and after confirming that there was nothing else amiss, he gently pushed Bai Xue back into the car. This time, he personally helped her fasten her seatbelt, and wrapped his tail tightly around her wrist, as if afraid that she would suddenly jump out of the car again.

"Are we really not going to chase them?" Bai Xue asked, unwilling to give up. "Just follow them from a distance..."

Su Rui started the car and shook her head. "... You're more important."

This simple reason made Bai Xue's heart skip a beat. She pursed her lips, no longer insisting, but quietly grasped the tip of Su Rui's tail. "Then... at least drive faster? I want to tell Madam as soon as possible."

Su Rui's ears twitched with pleasure as she stepped on the gas. The car traced an arc across the wilderness, bypassing the convoy's route and heading towards Lungmen from the side.

As night fell completely, the outline of Lungmen finally appeared on the horizon. Searchlights on the city walls swept across the wilderness like vigilant eyes. Bai Xue, perched by the window, watched the city gate draw ever closer and suddenly noticed that there were twice as many guards on the city walls as usual—fully armed Lungmen Guard Department agents patrolled back and forth between the watchtowers, and even the rarely used anti-aircraft searchlights were on.

"Strange..." Bai Xue murmured, "Are there any activities today?"

Su Rui frowned slightly. He slowed down, his fingers tapping lightly on the steering wheel, as if he were thinking about something. His tail had somehow released Bai Xue's wrist and stood up alertly, its fluffy tip trembling slightly.

"We'll enter through the side gate," he suddenly said, turning the steering wheel towards the small gate on the east side of the city wall.

This is usually a passage used by merchants, so there are relatively few guards. But tonight, even the side gate is guarded by four fully armed guards who are checking each vehicle entering the city.

"Something's not right..." Bai Xue whispered, "What happened?"

Su Rui didn't answer, but simply took out the Wenyue Estate pass from the glove box and hung it on the rearview mirror. His movements were steady, but Bai Xue noticed that his ears remained at an alert angle, and his tail rhythmically tapped the seat—this was Su Rui's habit when he was on alert.

The guard visibly relaxed upon seeing the pass, but still routinely approached the car window. "Name?"

"Bai Xue, Su Rui." Bai Xue answered proactively, "From Wenyue Estate."

The guard shone a flashlight on their faces and checked their passes before waving them through. But just as the car was about to pass, another guard suddenly leaned against the window. "Don't leave the city lately, it's not safe outside."

Su Rui's ears perked up instantly. "... The reason?"

The guard lowered his voice. "We received a report this morning that there might be illegal armed groups operating in the area." He glanced at Bai Xue, then hesitated, "Anyway... be careful."

After the car entered the city, Bai Xue finally couldn't help but ask, "Which convoy?"

Su Rui's tail gently patted the back of her hand. "... Maybe."

The streets of Lungmen were much quieter than usual, and even the night market had closed early. Several squads of the Lungmen Guard Department were patrolling, their communicators occasionally crackling with static. Su Rui didn't go straight Wenyue Estate, but instead took a detour to the commercial street—there was an inconspicuous hardware store there, ostensibly selling tools, but actually an intelligence point for the Wenyue House.

"Wait for me." He stopped the car and released Bai Xue's wrist. "Five minutes."

Bai Xue nodded, watching Su Rui walk into the shop. Through the window, she saw him exchange a few words with the shop owner, and then hand over the metal nameplate. The shop owner, a bald middle-aged man, took the nameplate, his expression changed drastically, and he quickly pulled down the shop's roller shutter.

Less than five minutes later, Su Rui returned, carrying a brown paper bag. His expression was more serious than usual, and his ears were slightly pressed back, a habit he had when he was thinking.

"How was it?" Bai Xue asked impatiently.

Su Rui stuffed the paper bag under the seat. "... We'll talk about it when we get back."

The car started again and headed towards Wenyue Estate. Through the car window, Bai Xue noticed that all the surveillance cameras on the street corner were turned towards the outside of the city, and several plainclothes policemen were talking quietly at the alley entrance. The entire Lungmen was like a bow that was slowly being stretched taut, and they happened to be the only two people who knew where the arrow was coming from.

"Su Rui," Bai Xue suddenly grabbed his arm, "We'll be alright, right?"

Su Rui's tail wrapped around her wrist again, with a tighter grip than usual, like a silent promise, "... Mmm."

His gaze swept across the rearview mirror, and only after confirming that no suspicious vehicles were following him did he turn into the neighborhood where Wenyue Estate was located. The mansion's lights were as warm as ever, but against the backdrop of tonight, this ordinariness seemed all the more precious.

As Bai Xue watched the gate draw ever closer, a strange premonition suddenly arose within her—that small metal plaque might disrupt their ordinary lives. But at that moment, Su Rui's tail was tightly wrapped around her wrist, its warmth seeping through her fur, giving her a strange sense of peace.

Whatever happens, at least they will face it together.

The tea room of Wenyue Estate was filled with a faint scent of sandalwood. Su Rui knelt before the low table, his fingertips lightly tapping the metal plaque, his amber eyes appearing particularly deep in the candlelight. Bai Xue sat beside him, nervously fiddling with the Evening Primrose in the medicine basket—no one had mentioned them since they returned, not even Lady Wenyue had asked about the results of this collection.

"Have you found out?"

Lady Wenyue's voice came from behind the screen, accompanied by the soft rustling of her kimono. Today, she was unusually dressed in a formal black tomisode, and her hair was neatly styled, as if she were preparing to welcome some important guest.

Su Rui's tail gently patted the floor. "... Ursus."

The word made Bai Xue's fingers tremble, and she accidentally squeezed the juice out of the Evening Primrose leaf. Ursus —that northern military power, whose current queen Talulah, is known throughout the world for her iron-fisted rule.

"It really was her." Lady Wenyue sighed, lightly tapping her palm with her folding fan. "The messenger arrived this morning, saying that Her Majesty the Empress wishes to 'revisit this place'."

I guess we got to know each other by reading chapter 877 of volume 15?

Bai Xue glanced at Su Rui furtively. His expression remained calm, but his ears were already perked up alertly, and his tail was stiffening unnaturally—this was a familiar reaction to Su Rui when he was nervous.

"You... know each other?" Bai Xue asked cautiously.

The tea room fell silent. Lady Wenyue's folding fan froze in mid-air, and Su Rui's breath hitched almost imperceptibly for a moment. The Nightingale's cry from outside the window sounded particularly jarring.

"An old acquaintance." Lady Wenyue finally broke the silence, her folding fan unfurling with a "whoosh." "Talulah lived in Lungmen for a period of time when she was young."

Her gaze swept meaningfully over Su Rui: "I have some... connection with Su Rui."

Bai Xue's stomach suddenly clenched. She remembered what Lappland had said, about Su Rui's past, about those people she didn't know.

"When will you arrive?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Tomorrow at noon," Lady Wenyue stood up, "the Lungmen Guard Department has cleared Central Avenue, Chen Hui-chieh is personally in charge of security."

She walked up to Su Rui and gently tapped his shoulder with her folding fan. "You, stay at the manor tomorrow."

Su Rui's ears twitched. "... Yes."

Lady Wenyue then looked at Bai Xue: "You too, don't go out."

Bai Xue nodded obediently, but she had already made up her mind—she must see what this legendary empress looked like tomorrow.

The next morning, Bai Xue woke up early.

She tiptoed to Su Rui's door and pressed her ear against the paper door to eavesdrop—there was no sound; he must still be asleep.

Just as he was about to turn and leave, the paper door was suddenly pulled open. Su Rui stood in the doorway, already dressed neatly, his silver hair tied up in a neat knot, and even a short knife at his waist. There were faint dark circles under his eyes, clearly indicating that he hadn't slept all night.

"Good morning!" Bai Xue greeted awkwardly, "I just happened to be passing by..."

Su Rui's tail gently wrapped around her wrist. "... Liar."

His voice was lower than usual, with a morning hoarseness. Bai Xue's face flushed instantly, and she had no choice but to confess honestly, "I want to go see that empress..."

Su Rui frowned almost imperceptibly. "... Danger."

"Just a glimpse from afar!" Bai Xue tugged at his sleeve and shook it. "Let's climb onto the roof of the west wing; we can see the Central Avenue from there!"

Su Rui's ears twitched, as if he were weighing the pros and cons. Finally, he sighed, "... a quarter of an hour."

Bai Xue cheered and pulled him towards the west side of the mansion. The morning mist had not yet dissipated, and glistening dewdrops clung to the eaves. Su Rui easily leaped onto the roof beam, turned around, and pulled Bai Xue up as well. His palms were warm and dry, and the calluses on his fingertips tickled her wrists.

"Look over there!" Bai Xue pointed to the Central Avenue in the distance, "They've started clearing the area!"

Indeed, the Lungmen Guard Department agents had cordoned off the entire street, and the red and blue police tape was particularly conspicuous in the morning light. Workers were laying out red carpets, and several uniformed individuals were walking back and forth with walkie-talkies.

Su Rui's tail gently wrapped around Bai Xue's waist to prevent her from slipping. His gaze, however, remained fixed on the direction of the city gate, his amber eyes slightly narrowed, as if waiting for something.

"Su Rui..." Bai Xue asked softly, "Are you... very familiar with the Queen?"

His tail stiffened for a moment. "... Things from the past."

This vague answer left Bai Xue feeling uneasy. Just as she was about to press for more information, the sound of cannon salutes suddenly rang out in the distance—the city gates slowly opened, and a convoy of black cars drove in.

"They're here!" Bai Xue excitedly grabbed Su Rui's arm.

The convoy was even more luxurious than the one seen yesterday, consisting entirely of bulletproof limousines with dark tinted windows. Each car door handle was engraved with the Ursus national emblem—a double-headed eagle and a sword.

As the third car passed by, Bai Xue suddenly noticed a detail—the rear window had been slightly lowered, and she could vaguely see a figure inside. It was a silver-haired woman, her hair a darker shade than Su Rui's, gleaming with a cold, steely light in the sunlight.

That is...

Bai Xue's words came to an abrupt halt. The person inside the car window seemed to sense something and suddenly turned to look in their direction. Even from this distance, Bai Xue could feel the sharpness of that gaze—as if it could pierce through the morning mist and go straight to the heart.

What alarmed her even more was that Su Rui's tail bristled instantly, and his whole body tensed up. His fingers unconsciously dug into the tiles, making a soft cracking sound.

"Su Rui?" Bai Xue grasped his hand worriedly. "Are you alright?"

He snapped back to reality, his tail slowly relaxing. "... It's nothing."

The motorcade had already driven away, leaving only an empty red carpet and fluttering ribbons. Bai Xue suddenly felt that the momentary eye contact was like a silent declaration of war—and she didn't even know where the enemy was.

"Let's go back," Su Rui said softly, wrapping his arm around her waist and leading her down from the roof.

His movements were gentler than usual, as if he were confirming something. Bai Xue leaned against him and could clearly hear his quickened heartbeat.

"Su Rui," she said suddenly, "No matter what happens, I'll be by your side."