Ark Simulator, Am I Not Without a Physical Body?

"Row east for half an hour." The old man squinted at their lifeboat. "Your boat... is rather unusual."

Su Rui's silver dust quietly scanned the old man: [Originium reaction, ordinary fisherman.] His fingertips lightly touched Hoshiguma's hand.

Hoshiguma's green hair relaxed slightly. "We encountered a storm." She lied without batting an eye, "The ship sank."

The old man nodded and tossed a water bag from the boat. "Have some, you all look exhausted." His gaze lingered on Su Rui's silver hair for a moment, "Your hair is really unusual, kid."

Moe Moe Xiang suddenly interjected, "Grandpa! Is there a monster in this lake?"

The old man laughed heartily, "Only big fish and water birds!" He rowed his boat away, wishing them good luck!

The afternoon sun shone on the lake, making it shimmer like shattered silver. The lifeboat drifted into a patch of reeds, Hoshiguma carefully removed the makeshift splint. "It doesn't seem to hurt as much anymore."

Su Rui gently examined her injury with her silver hair: [A fracture, needs immobilization.] Her silver hair swayed slightly. "Don't move."

"Better than you." Hoshiguma's green hair swept across his chest. "Someone's heart almost stopped."

Mio's snake-shaped tattoo suddenly rose from the water, entwined with several seaweeds: these seaweeds had considerable medicinal value. She processed the seaweeds and applied them to Hoshiguma's arm, saying, "It can relieve pain."

Moe Moe Xiang was playing a game using the Silver Dust Projector when she suddenly exclaimed, "Mr. Su Rui! How long can this projection last?"

[If we have enough energy, by evening.] Yin Chen formed a smiley face, "What do you want to play?"

"Awesome!" Moe Moe Xiang excitedly as she paddled through the water. "I want to play the one I couldn't beat last time!"

Hoshiguma's green eyes narrowed dangerously. "The wounded are playing games?"

Su Rui's silver hair fell down. "[Maintaining the projection helps with energy circulation.]" His expression was extremely serious.

Mio suddenly pointed her kunai at the center of the lake. "I can hear a speedboat."

Yin Chen instantly retracted all projections, and the lifeboat quietly disappeared into the reeds. Two motorboats roared past, the people on board wearing uniforms, but not bearing the markings of Rhine Lab.

"A patrol boat from a tourism company." Mio's snake-shaped tattoo slowly relaxed. "False alarm."

Hoshiguma's green hair remained taut. "What a coincidence." Her demon horns gleamed faintly. "A patrol boat appeared just as fishermen were passing by."

Su Rui's silver dust silently seeped into the lake. "[There are underwater surveillance devices.]" He lightly touched the water's surface with his fingertips. "They've been tracking us ever since we fell in."

Moe Moe Xiang clutched the camera tightly in fright. "Then aren't we being watched?"

"Let's play along." Hoshiguma's green hair suddenly whipped up. "Let them watch a good show."

Volume 16, Chapter 938: They took the bait.

As the setting sun painted the lake a golden-red hue, the lifeboats appeared to be completely out of control. Hoshiguma's "injured arm" dangled in the water, Su Rui's silver hair was dull and lifeless, Mio's kunai was broken in two, and Moe Moe Xiang was "crying."

"That's over the top," Mio reminded him expressionlessly. "A normal person can't cry for three hours straight."

Moe Moe Xiang rubbed her red eyes. "But I'm really scared..."

Yin Chen suddenly trembled slightly: [They've taken the bait.]

A speedboat approached silently. The people on board were dressed in rescue team uniforms, but their tactical boots and gloves gave them away. "Need help?" the leader called out, the rescue rope in his hand gleaming with Originium Arts.

Hoshiguma's green hair moved without wind, Hannya Shield suddenly rose from the water. "I've been waiting for you for a long time."

The battle ended quickly. Silver Dust bound all the attackers, and Mio's snake-shaped tattoo precisely disarmed them. Moe Moe Xiang carefully photographed the faces of each attacker. "These don't seem to be from Rhine?"

"Mercenaries." Hoshiguma's green hair swept over the tattoo on the back of one of their necks. "' Lake Yaksha ' team, specializing in dirty underwater jobs."

Su Rui's Silver Dust retrieved a communicator from the speedboat. "[They're contacting ' White Fox.'" A cold light gleamed at his fingertips. "That's my codename."

The lake breeze suddenly turned cold. Hoshiguma's green hair wrapped around Su Rui's wrist. "Looks like you have quite a few admirers."

Lights appeared on the distant lakeshore, and the faint sound of patrol whistles could be heard. Yin Chen quietly propelled the lifeboat toward the lights. "Where are we staying tonight?" Moe Moe Xiang asked, holding her camera.

Hoshiguma's green eyes reflected the distant lights. "Let's find a spot where we can see the whole lake." Her fingers intertwined with Su Rui's. "Let those guys see how comfortable we are."

The lifeboat slowly sailed toward the lake shore, leaving trails of silver dust at its stern, like stars falling to earth.

The city's neon lights lit up one after another in the twilight, like a jewel box spilled across the earth. Hoshiguma's green hair gleamed with a metallic sheen in the warm light of the elevator car, her fingertips constantly entwined with Su Rui's silver hair, as if afraid he would slip away like moonlight through her fingers. The elevator silently glided to the forty-seventh floor, outside the glass curtain wall was a bustling cityscape at night.

"Why a sushi restaurant?" Su Rui's silver hair brushed against the viewing glass. "You don't seem to like raw food very much either."

Hoshiguma's demon horns brushed against the elevator mirror. "Let's change things up." Her green eyes reflected the fleeting car lights below. "Besides, it's high enough here to see where those rats are moving."

As the elevator doors slid open, the aroma of the sushi restaurant wafted out. The spiciness of wasabi mingled with the slight sourness of the vinegared rice. A woman in a kimono bowed and led the way. "Sir, your reserved terrace table is ready."

The terrace's location was ingenious; outside the glass railing was a 360-degree panoramic view of the city, while the inside was secluded by bamboo curtains. Su Rui's silver hair was ruffled by the evening breeze, a few strands brushing against Hoshiguma's cheek. "...

It's too conspicuous.

"That's what we want them to see." Hoshiguma wiped his lips with his thumb. "To let those rats know that we don't take them seriously at all."

The female server brought over the appetizer, a delicate glass bowl filled with water shield soup. Hoshiguma's green eyes narrowed slightly. "Change it to chawanmushi (steamed egg custard), he doesn't eat cold food." Her fingertip lightly tapped the menu, "All raw food will be cooked, and the wasabi will be served separately."

Su Rui's silver dust gently wrapped around her wrist under the table: [You don't have to accommodate me.]

"Shut up." Hoshiguma's green hair swept over the small dish of vinegared rice. "Today, I'm in charge."

The master chef at the sushi counter displayed his nimble knife skills, slicing the tuna belly into perfectly thin slices under the gleaming blade. Moe Moe Xiang, perched on the railing of the next table taking pictures, exclaimed, "That flame-grilled sushi is amazing! Can I take a picture?"

Mio's snake-shaped tattoo silently snatched her phone. "Focus." Her kunai tip held salmon roe. "Two surveillance points to the northeast, three to the southwest."

Hoshiguma's green hair moved without wind as she picked up a piece of seared halibut sushi and held it to Su Rui's lips. "Try this." Her demon horns turned slightly towards Mio, "Have they had enough of looking?"

"Still adjusting the focus." Mio's snake tattoo slithered across the tablecloth. "We need a more intimate shot."

Su Rui's silver hair suddenly stood on end, and Yin Chen formed a rapid warning under the table: [Sniper Reflection!]

Hoshiguma's Hannya Shield instantly deployed, blocking the bullet's impact with the glass; the muffled thud of the bullet striking the bulletproof glass was perfectly masked by the music playing inside the store. Without changing her expression, she picked up another piece of conger eel sushi. "Keep eating, don't look up."

Startled, Moe Moe Xiang knocked over her soy sauce dish, and Mio's snake-shaped tattoo quickly coiled around the falling porcelain. Yin Chen quietly repaired the cracks in the glass, and Su Rui's fingertip tapped lightly under the table: [Switch to vibration wave detection.]

"Boring." Hoshiguma's green hair fell down, brushing against his ear. "Have some tea."

The chef suddenly presented a specially made sushi boat, its surface shrouded in dry ice mist, creating a fairyland-like atmosphere. The sushi in the center of the boat was arranged in the shape of Hannya Shield, with the Hoshiguma logo adorned with Hoshiguma. "A special offering from our restaurant," the female chef said, bowing slightly. "I wish you both a pleasant evening."

Hoshiguma's green eyes flickered slightly, and suddenly she grabbed Su Rui's collar and kissed her. The taste of tea and the spiciness of wasabi lingered between their lips and teeth. The kiss lasted for a full ten seconds, under the watchful eyes of countless surveillance cameras.

"That's enough." She released the panting Su Rui, her fingertips tracing her lips. "Now they should be satisfied."

Mio's snake-shaped tattoo slowly retracted into her sleeve. "Three surveillance points have been removed." She flicked a piece of sea urchin sushi with the tip of her kunai. "Exaggerated acting, but effective."

Su Rui's ears were bright red, while Yin Chen was in a state of panic under the table: [...]Why?

"To assert sovereignty." Hoshiguma's green hair tangled around his fingers. "To let those scum know what happens to those who mess with you."

A light drizzle began to fall from the night sky, the terrace lights casting soft halos in the rain. Hoshiguma ordered a pot of hot sake, but only poured Su Rui a cup of oolong tea. "The wound can't get alcohol on it," she said, her green hair brushing against his shoulder where a bullet had grazed him. "Have some tea."

Su Rui gently lifted the teacup with his silver dust. "[They're evacuating the crowd.]" His fingertips traced across the table. "There are unusual energy fluctuations in the underground parking garage."

"I guessed it." Hoshiguma's green eyes reflected the neon lights in the rain. "Mio has already taken care of it."

Moe Moe Xiang suddenly leaned over and whispered, "Um... Sister Wu asked if we wanted to try the couple's set meal, which comes with a limited-edition dessert..."

Hoshiguma's demon horns gleamed faintly. "Yes." Her fingertips traced the most expensive set meal on the menu, "One of each of the limited editions."

When the dessert cart arrived, the entire terrace was filled with a sweet aroma. The matcha tiramisu was decorated with Hannya patterns, the chocolate lava cake was shaped like demon horns, and even the ice cream was sprinkled with star-shaped gold leaf.

"That's an exaggeration." Su Rui's silver hair swayed slightly. "We can't finish it."

Volume 16, Chapter 939: Waiting for the Mouse

Hoshiguma's green hair fell down, and her oni horn gently touched his forehead. "Then eat slowly." She scooped up a spoonful of ice cream and held it to his lips. "Eat until those mice can't help but jump out."

The rain intensified, blurring the city beyond the glass curtain wall. Silver Dust quietly deployed a protective field beneath the table, enveloping the terrace in a warm barrier. Su Rui's fingertips lightly touched the scar on Hoshiguma's hand. "...

It's time to go.

"What's the rush?" Hoshiguma's green eyes reflected the gleam of the dessert cart. "Their main course hasn't arrived yet."

The words had barely left his mouth when the entire building suddenly shook violently. An explosion came from the underground parking garage, and flames instantly engulfed the lower floors. The alarm blared, and the lights on the terraces went out abruptly.

A glint of silver dust shone in the darkness, steadily catching the falling cutlery. Hoshiguma's Hannya Shield unfolded into a complete protective shield, protecting the four of them in the center. "Looks like the main course is a bit early." Her green hair fluttered in the firelight. "Su Rui, take Moe Moe Xiang and go first."

Su Rui's silver hair stood on end: [Let's go.]

"Don't make me say it a second time." Hoshiguma's demon horns glowed a fiery red. "Mio is already clearing the escape routes."

The light of silver dust suddenly enveloped Moe Moe Xiang, but Su Rui's fingertips gripped Hoshiguma's clothes tightly. "...

You are injured.

"It's just a minor injury." Hoshiguma wiped the ice cream stain from the corner of his lips with her thumb. "I'll settle the score with you when we get back."

Fire sprinklers began spraying water, the rain mixed with burning Ash. Amidst the chaotic sirens and screams, Hoshiguma suddenly pulled Su Rui close and planted a kiss on his lips, smeared with matcha powder.

"Now, let's go."

The silvery light enveloped the two as they glided towards the safety passage, Hoshiguma's Hannya Shield like protective moonlight in the firelight. When she turned to face the oncoming attackers, the demon horns in her green hair shone like a blood moon.

"Alright." Her fingertips traced the knife marks on the Hannya Shield. "It's time to show some people what the real price of 'interrupting a date' is."

Hoshiguma's fingertips still lingered with the sweetness of matcha, and her Hannya Shield whirred and spun amidst the exploding flames. Her green hair billowed wildly in the blast wave, the ends brushing against the fallen sushi boat, and her demon horns gleamed with a predatory, blood-red light, like a beacon of death in the thick smoke. "Perfect for digestion," she said with a languid laugh, as if she had truly just enjoyed an ordinary dinner, rather than been subjected to a series of attacks at an altitude of four hundred meters.

Su Rui's silver hair, like spiderwebs under the moonlight, silently retreated behind the shattered sushi counter amidst the thick smoke. Shards of tuna belly clung to his sleeves, and the barrel of the "Snowy Owl" rapid-fire gun emerged from beneath the overturned counter, its eerie blue etched patterns resembling the eyes of a beast awakening in the darkness. His fingertips traced the Hannya pattern etched by Hoshiguma on the gun barrel, and silver dust coalesced around him, forming an invisible barrier that blocked all the flying glass shards.

The first attacker to rush onto the terrace was dressed in a askew firefighter's uniform, but the fire axe in his hand gleamed with Originium Arts glow. Hoshiguma didn't even glance at him; her Hannya Shield effortlessly parried the slash, the edge of the shield grazing the attacker's jaw with a sickening cracking sound. "Poor disguise." Her green hair swept across the fallen man's face, the mask slipping off, and her boot tip lifted his tactical belt. "At least you should have changed out of your standard quick-draw holster."

The second bullet fired silently from Su Rui's gun, piercing the shattered observation window seventeen meters away and precisely penetrating the sniper's scope. The faint sound of shattering glass was perfectly masked by the fire alarm. Yin Chen quietly caught the falling lens and completed fingerprint sampling within 0.3 seconds. [Three o'clock, two observers.] His voice, transmitted directly to Hoshiguma's ears through the vibration of Yin Chen, "Sound of heavy equipment moving in the corridor, possibly wheeled shields."

Hoshiguma's demon horn twitched slightly, and the Hannya Shield suddenly flew out of her hand, tracing a sharp arc along the edge of the terrace. A metallic clang and screams rang out simultaneously as two attackers attempting to climb the outer wall plummeted, their safety harnesses dangling precariously from the shattered steel structure. "Post-dinner exercise shouldn't be too strenuous." She caught the returning shield, wiping the blood from its edge with her fingertips, and casually wiping her bloodied thumb on the surviving sushi mat. "It can easily cause indigestion."

Su Rui's rapid-fire gun fired in quick succession, the bullets piercing precisely through the gaps in the bamboo curtain, exploding into three sprays of blood in the distance. The muffled thuds of bodies falling echoed, accompanied by the hissing of Originium equipment overload. [Corridor cleared.] Yin Chen compiled a concise battle report, "But the main course has only just been served."

A heavy crash echoed from the elevator shaft; some kind of large machinery was forcibly breaking through. The crisp sound of snapping steel cables was like a death countdown. Hoshiguma's green hair moved without wind. "Where is Mio?"

"Playing hide-and-seek." Mio's voice came from the ventilation duct, accompanied by the sound of metal tearing apart. "There's a cute excavator in the underground garage, dismantling a load-bearing column. I've prepared a surprise gift for it." A faint explosion could be heard, followed by the groaning of a malfunctioning machine.

Suddenly, Moe Moe Xiang's livestreaming stick emerged from the ruins, the camera cleverly avoiding the bloody scene. "Viewers, you've seen it! This is what happens when you interrupt someone's date!" Her camera focused on Hoshiguma's Hannya Shield, "Isn't Hoshiguma handsome! Send gifts! Wait... isn't that rocket launcher a bit too much?"

Hoshiguma's green eyes narrowed dangerously. "Kid, turn it off..."

Before the words were even finished, the entire floor suddenly tilted. The elevator doors were ripped open by a giant drill bit, and the modified engineering machinery revealed its menacing drill bit, its surface covered with a lead layer clearly designed to protect against Originium Arts. Su Rui's silver hair instantly bristled. "[Shockwave Weapon!]" He aimed his rapid-fire gun at the drill bit's hydraulic connection, "Three bursts are needed to break the armor."

"Too slow." Hoshiguma's Hannya Shield slammed heavily onto the ground, and the demon horns in her green hair blazed brightly. "Let me teach you how to take apart toys."

She suddenly leaped up, her Hannya Shield spinning like a frisbee towards the drill bit. Sparks flew from the metal as brilliantly as New Year's fireworks, the edge of the shield precisely wedging into the gap of the transmission device. Amidst the groans of mechanical overload, Hoshiguma's figure climbed along the drill bit like a ghost, her tactical dagger plunging into the hydraulic pipe interface, her body suspended in mid-air to avoid the spray of hot oil.

"Now!" Her shout cut through the mechanical noise.

Three Etching Rounds pierced the core along the cracks created by Hoshiguma, turning the giant machine into a smoking pile of scrap metal. Su Rui's gun muzzle emitted a faint smoke: [Perfect Guidance.]

"Good teamwork." Hoshiguma landed lightly, her green hair brushing against Su Rui's gun barrel. "Just a little slow."

Su Rui's silver hair fell down. "[You're disrupting my firing rhythm.]" He tapped the gun with his fingertips. "Next time, signal three seconds in advance."

Volume 16, page 940 (that one)

The fire alarm suddenly changed frequency, and the sprinkler system sprayed extinguishing agent mixed with foam. White foam quickly enveloped the entire space, reducing visibility to less than a meter. Under the cover of the foam, silver dust spread out like sharp tentacles, instantly marking all heat sources. [They are using the fire escape to maneuver.] Su Rui's rapid-fire gun turned to the southeast corner, "There are civilians trapped in the safety passage on the west side, four people."

Hoshiguma's Hannya Shield suddenly unfolded into a fan-shaped barrier. "Mio, clear the area." Her green hair danced like seaweed in the foam. "Moe Moe Xiang, mislead the surveillance."

The pink-haired girl immediately raised a heat jammer disguised as a lipstick. "It's done! Now they can only see My Little Pony reruns!"

The serpentine tattoo moved like a deadly fish in the foam, each flash accompanied by a muffled groan and a thud. Su Rui's bullet pierced the foam curtain, accurately taking down the attacker who was trying to take a hostage. At the same time, Yin Chen gently placed the unconscious hostage in a safe corner. Just as the last enemy was pinned to the wall by Mio's kunai, the sprinkler system stopped.

Silence fell suddenly, broken only by the sound of water dripping from the broken pipe, like an encore for the surprise attack. Hoshiguma's green hair clung wetly to his cheek, and Oni-Horn gently touched Su Rui's forehead. "Dessert time?"

Yin Chen pulled half a box of surviving matcha daifuku from the ruins; the dessert box still bore the shop's fox logo. Hoshiguma took a bite of the blood-stained dessert, a dangerous smile playing on her lips, "Looks like the amount of exercise after dinner... was just right."

The distant sirens grew closer, and the gleam of the silver dust silently faded into the night. Only the newly added deep scratches on the Hannya Shield recorded this sudden "digestion exercise." Su Rui's fingertips brushed over the new wounds on the shield's surface, and the silver dust shimmered slightly: [Needs to strengthen the alloy plating.]

Suddenly, Hoshiguma grabbed his gunpowder-scented silver hair and, amidst the escalating sirens, planted a kiss tinged with matcha and blood. "I'll help you maintain your guns when we get back." Her green eyes shone brightly in the night. "Now, it's time to meet those late cops."

The blue and red lights of the police cars flashed crisscrossing the street below, like an uneasy river of neon lights. Hoshiguma's green hair shimmered slightly as the police spotlights swept across it. Her fingertips gently combed through Su Rui's silver hair, smoothing out a few blood-stained, knotted strands. "Don't speak later," her voice held an undeniable gentleness. "I'll handle all the negotiations."

Mio's snake-shaped tattoo silently slipped back into her sleeve, the tip of her kunai still dripping with condensation. "The police brought in Originium Arts detection team." Her gaze swept over the mess on the floor. "Should we clean up the traces?"

Su Rui's silver hair moved without wind, and silver dust swept across the ground like living quicksand, bullet casings, bloodstains, and even fingerprints vanishing in the light. [Complete purification in three minutes.] His fingertips lightly touched Hoshiguma's hand, "But they've already detected residual energy."

"Perfect." A sly glint flashed in Hoshiguma's green eyes. "Let certain people know what we've done here." Her Hannya Shield suddenly slammed heavily into the ground, deliberately leaving deep cracks. "This is a calling card for those who come after us."

A cacophony of footsteps echoed in the stairwell, the clanging of riot shields growing louder. Moe Moe Xiang nervously clutched Mio's sleeve. "W-what pose should we take? Surrender or...?"

Hoshiguma suddenly pressed her down into a relatively intact chair and shoved a broken matcha latte into her hand. "Play the role of an overly frightened diner." Her green hair swept over Su Rui. "You're the pastry chef I brought along."

Su Rui's silver hair instantly fell down: [Why a pastry chef?]

"Because you're covered in powdered sugar." Hoshiguma's fingertips brushed the matcha powder off his collar, then casually shoved the "Snowy Owl" rapid-fire pistol into the collapsed lower level of the dining car. "Now, smile."