Ark Simulator, don't I have no physical form?

Remian nimbly jumped off Suri's lap and straightened her slightly wrinkled clothes. Although she had freed herself from the hustle and bustle and gained precious time alone, her work was not yet finished. She walked to the reading table where several key documents had been laid out, picked up the heavy notebook again, and regained her focus.

“Let me double-check these data points,” she said to Su Rui, who was still leaning lazily against the filing cabinet, as she flipped through the yellowed pages. “Although you’ve confirmed that there are no problems, I still need to personally review the process.”

Suri's reaction was an undisguised yawn, tinged with a sense of "unnecessary trouble." He had already quickly scanned the documents with his almost critical eye, confirming that there were no hidden traps or important oversights that could harm Remian or Lateran. In his view, the remaining so-called "verification" was purely a tedious and meaningless bureaucratic procedure.

"Whatever you want," he replied listlessly, clearly having no interest in continuing to immerse himself in these old papers.

He glanced around listlessly, his gaze sweeping over rows of silent metal bookshelves and dusty dossier boxes, finally settling on his portable terminal. He unlocked it with practiced ease, his finger swiping rapidly across the screen, and a sleek, visually stunning game interface appeared. The subtle electronic sound effects and the dazzling visuals of character skill animations instantly broke the overly somber atmosphere of the archives.

Suri adjusted to a more comfortable position, leaning against the cold metal cabinet door, his long legs casually propped up, completely immersed in the battles and challenges of the virtual world. To him, this was far more interesting than studying those tedious demographic statistics or old stories.

For a moment, only two distinct sounds remained in the archive area: the soft rustling of Remi's fingertips brushing against the paper, and the intense sound effects from Suri's game, along with his occasional very soft clicks of the tongue or satisfied hums in response to the battle situation.

Remian wasn't disturbed by his gaming noises. On the contrary, the atmosphere of each person focusing on their own thing while sharing the same space gave her a strange sense of peace. Knowing he was within reach allowed her to fully immerse herself in her work.

She read quickly, her eyes keenly capturing key information, her brain working at lightning speed, comparing and analyzing new data with known intelligence. Her profile appeared exceptionally focused in the light, occasionally furrowing her brow slightly as she noticed a noteworthy detail, or quickly jotting something down in her notebook.

Time slips away quietly.

When Remien finally finished carefully checking an important document, put down her pen, and gently rubbed her slightly sore neck, she was able to break free from her highly focused state.

Volume 17, Chapter 983: Addicted to Games

She raised her head and naturally looked in the direction of Su Rui.

He maintained that languid posture, focused intently on the game screen in his hands. The screen's light flickered on his delicate face, his long, thick silver eyelashes drooping, obscuring his lake-blue eyes that often held arrogance or impatience, giving his expression a rare, pure, focused concentration. His fingers moved swiftly and precisely across the screen, with an effortless elegance.

Looking at him like this, Remien felt a gentle touch on the softest part of her heart. At work, Suri was sharp and efficient; in games, he possessed a childlike, pure immersion. Both sides captivated her.

She suddenly didn't want to continue looking at those boring documents.

She put down her pen, stood up, and without making a loud noise, like a nimble cat, quietly walked to Su Rui's side.

Suri seemed completely absorbed in a key level of the game and didn't immediately notice her approach. It wasn't until Remien reached out and gently pulled the portable terminal from his hand that she realized what was happening.

The battle on the screen was reaching its climax when it was suddenly interrupted. Su Rui subconsciously clicked her tongue and looked up with displeasure at being disturbed.

What came into view was Remian's magnified face, with a sly smile.

Before he could complain, she leaned down, cupped his face in her hands, and silenced all his grievances with a tender and lingering kiss.

Su Rui paused for a moment, then let out a soft, muffled hum from her nose, the slight annoyance at being interrupted from her game instantly vanishing. He tossed aside the removed terminal (the character on the screen had probably already "heroically sacrificed himself"), his arm naturally encircling her waist, pulling her closer, and deepening the kiss.

This was a kiss that clashed with the work atmosphere, carrying a clear sense of affection and possessiveness. In the quiet archives, only the sounds of their gradually merging breaths and the subtle sounds between their lips and teeth could be heard.

After a long while, Remianne stepped back slightly, her forehead touching his, her breathing a little unsteady, her eyes glistening with tears: "Take a rest."

Looking at her flushed cheeks so close to his face, Su Rui's Adam's apple bobbed, and his voice, husky with a hint of passion, asked, "...What kind of rest are you taking?"

“A break to refresh my mind,” Remien said matter-of-factly, her fingers playfully tracing the bridge of his straight nose. “My eyes are tired from looking at documents all the time.”

Su Rui chuckled, clearly not accepting the excuse, but he enjoyed this way of "resting." He leaned in and pecked at her lips a few more times before reluctantly letting her go.

Remy straightened up contentedly, but instead of immediately returning to the reading table, he leaned against the filing cabinet next to Suri, picked up the terminal he had been playing with, and curiously looked at the screen that had turned into a "Game Over" interface: "Was this difficult?"

“Simple.” Su Rui glanced at it, her tone carrying her usual arrogance. “It was just an accident.”

"Yes, yes, Young Master Su Rui is the best." Remy Ann smiled and replied perfunctorily, casually helping him exit the interface and shoving the terminal back into his hand, "Then you play by yourself for a while, I'll just watch the last bit."

Suri took the terminal, but instead of immediately restarting the game, he watched her sit back down at the table, pick up her pen, and return to her work. His gaze shifted from the screen to her focused profile.

What followed became a peculiar cycle of intermittent intimacy and individual focus.

After working for a while, when Remien felt a little tired or just missed him, she would get up and go to Suri's side, either for a brief kiss or to snuggle in his arms for a while, exchanging a few trivial words. Although Suri would occasionally complain that she was "disturbing" him, he would always put down his game and indulge her closeness and intimacy until she was satisfied and "recharged" and returned to her work.

While Remien was focused on her work, Suri continued his gaming journey, only occasionally lifting his gaze from the screen to land on the figure working at her desk, making sure she was still within his sight before returning to the battle in the virtual world.

This model may not be the most efficient, but it is full of reassuring warmth. Serious investigative work is intertwined with sweet interactions between lovers, making the originally tedious file review process less tedious.

When Remian finally closed the last file that needed to be checked, let out a long sigh of relief, and announced "all done," the sky outside the window had already been tinged with the warm hues of dusk.

Around the same time, Suri also cleared a high-difficulty dungeon and casually put away his terminal. He stood up, stretched his shoulders which were stiff from sitting for so long, walked over to Remien, and naturally reached out to massage the back of her neck and shoulders.

"Is it over?" he asked, his tone carrying a sense of relief, as if saying, "It's finally over."

“Yes, it’s over.” Remien leaned into his arms, enjoying his perfectly balanced massage, and sighed with her eyes closed, “Thanks to you… and your ‘recharging service’.”

Su Rui's technique wasn't exactly professional, even a bit clumsy, but her sincerity and focus made her feel completely comfortable.

"Good to know." Su Rui accepted the credit without any modesty, and kissed the top of her head. "Let's go, let's eat. I'm starving."

"Okay," Remi'an replied with a smile, turning around to hug his waist. "What would you like to eat? It's my treat, a reward for our hardworking young master Su Rui~"

Chatting and laughing, the two put away the organized documents and left side by side the archive area, filled with the smell of old paper but also holding their own intimate memories. The afterglow of the setting sun cast long, intertwined shadows as they walked into their own night.

The heavy metal door of the archives closed behind me, completely shutting out the stench of old paper, dust, and a faint musty smell. The slightly cool, fresh evening air filled my lungs, invigorating me. The mobile city continued its steady operation beneath my feet, but the evening hustle and bustle seemed to possess a touch more of a human warmth than during the day.

Suri stretched his somewhat stiff limbs, his joints making a slight cracking sound. He had spent most of the day in that pile of old papers, and although he spent most of the time playing games and receiving "recharging" from Remian, he still felt uneasy all over, especially his taste buds, which were extremely craving something stimulating and tangible to wash away that invisible sense of staleness.

“I’m hungry,” he announced succinctly, casually putting an arm around Remian’s waist and leading her toward the commercial street in the residential area. “Let’s find a place to eat meat. Grilled, spicy, and salty.” He used several words emphasizing strong flavors, fully expressing his aversion to bland and sweet foods and his urgent need for strongly flavored dishes.

Volume 17, Chapter 984: Not Eating Desserts

Remien was led away by him, and couldn't help but laugh upon hearing this. She knew this would happen. Making Suri stay with her in the archives for so long was already the limit; at this moment, he desperately needed to regain control of his taste buds and mind and body in the most direct way.

"Okay, okay, let's eat meat." She readily agreed, her fingers gently tracing circles on the back of his hand that was around her waist. "I know a restaurant that's famous for its charcoal-grilled meat ribs. The seasoning is a secret recipe, and I heard you can choose the spiciness level, from 'breezy' to 'hellfire'." She said in a deliberately seductive tone.

Suri's interest was piqued, and he raised an eyebrow: "'Hellfire'? That sounds interesting." He enjoyed challenges, especially when it came to food.

“However…” Remien’s tone shifted, a sly glint in her lake-blue eyes, “After eating the barbecue, I need something sweet to cleanse my palate. There’s a fantastic dessert shop right next to that restaurant; their mille-feuille tarts and honey cakes…”

Before she could finish speaking, Suri gave her an extremely disgusted look, as if he had heard something horrible: "Here we go again. What's so good about that outrageously sweet stuff?" He simply couldn't understand the Lateran people's obsession with sweets.

"Dessert is the soul of a meal!" Remien argued, shaking his arm. "It's just a little bit, I promise I won't force you to eat it. Besides, maybe they have some less sweet options? Like... a slightly bitter dark chocolate lava cake? Or a sweet and sour berry smoothie?"

She tried to find a compromise that might suit his taste. After all, dinner is a meal for two, and she didn't want to be the only one enjoying her meal while a young master sat across from her with a sour face, as if he were being tortured.

Su Rui watched her earnestly trying to sell, snorted, and didn't strongly object anymore, but he didn't agree either. He just said ambiguously, "...we'll see when the time comes." This was already his biggest concession.

Remy knew this meant agreement, and immediately beamed with joy: "Then it's settled!"

The two walked through the gradually bustling streets. Evening was the most vibrant time in the mobile city; people hurried along after a day's work, tempting aromas wafted from various food stalls, and children chased and played in the limited open spaces. Suri still showed her usual impatience with the surrounding noise, her brows slightly furrowed, but she didn't loosen her grip on Remian's arm, protecting her by her side from being bumped by the crowd.

They quickly found the barbecue restaurant Remien had mentioned. The restaurant wasn't large, decorated in a rugged industrial style, and the air was filled with the rich, enticing aroma of charcoal and spices, making one's mouth water. It was lunchtime, and the restaurant was almost full; the sounds of chatter, clinking plates and glasses, and the sizzling of meat on the grill created a lively atmosphere.

Suri seemed fairly satisfied with the environment—at least it was better than the suffocatingly quiet archives. He walked straight to a relatively quiet corner, pulled out a chair, and sat down with fluid, natural movements, displaying a territorial awareness of always having the best spot, no matter where he was.

The waiter quickly brought the menu. Suri didn't even glance at it, stating his request directly: "Double the spiciest cut of steak. No side dishes or salad, plus an extra sausage. I want chilled ale, the colder the better." His ordering style perfectly reflected his personality: direct, efficient, and only choosing what he wanted.

Remian carefully examined the menu, ordered a regular-spicy grilled meat set meal, plus a grilled vegetable platter, and a refreshing fruit soda. After ordering, she added with a smile to the waiter, "Could you also please give us a dessert shop menu, please?"

The waiter responded and left. Suri merely raised an eyelid, said nothing, picked up the water glass on the table, took a sip, and glanced at the noisy diners around him. His face was expressionless, but the tight corners of his mouth showed that he was trying to adapt to the noise.

While waiting for the food to be served, Remien observed her surroundings with great interest. Suri, on the other hand, seemed rather bored, her fingers tapping lightly on the table unconsciously, until Remien reached out and placed her hand on the back of Suri's.

"Are you bored?" she asked softly.

Su Rui took her hand in return and scratched her palm with her fingertips as a reply.

Fortunately, the barbecue restaurant served the food quickly. A huge, sizzling, steaming steak was brought out, sprinkled with red chili powder and various spices, emitting an extremely pungent and spicy aroma. Suri's eyes immediately lit up; his boredom was instantly replaced by appetite.

He picked up his knife and fork, and with elegant yet swift movements, cut the steak open, revealing the tender, juicy meat inside. Then, he forked a large piece and put it into his mouth without hesitation.

"Mmm..." He squinted his eyes in satisfaction, nodding slightly, clearly quite pleased with the "hellfire" level of spiciness and the quality of the steak itself. The spicy stimulation instantly activated his taste buds, bringing immense satisfaction. He began to focus on enjoying his dinner, his manners not particularly rough, but quick, with a serious focus on savoring the food.

Seeing how much he enjoyed his meal, Remien smiled and began to enjoy hers as well. Her set meal had a moderate level of spiciness, allowing her to better appreciate the natural freshness of the meat and the unique flavor of the charcoal grill. The two occasionally exchanged comments about the taste of the food, but most of the time they were immersed in their own culinary worlds.

Soon, Su Rui devoured the double steak and sausage in a flash, even finishing his glass of chilled ale. He put down his knife and fork, picked up a napkin to wipe his mouth, and his face showed a lazy and contented expression after the meal. The last trace of annoyance he had felt earlier because of the archives had completely dissipated.

Just then, the waiter brought over the menu from the dessert shop next door.

Remien took the beautifully presented menu and began flipping through it with great interest. The numerous pictures of desserts on it were indeed tempting, from cakes and tarts of various flavors to delicate ice cream and fudge, each one looking incredibly sweet.

Suri glanced at it briefly, then gave a dismissive look, leaning back in her chair to indicate that she had absolutely no interest in the thing.

Remy didn't force him. She carefully selected for a while and finally ordered a signature honey berry mille-feuille and a cup of fruit and flower tea.

"Are you really not going to try it?" She closed the menu, making a final effort. "This chocolate lava cake is supposed to be made with a high concentration of dark chocolate, so the bitterness is quite pronounced..."

"No." Suri refused decisively, even moving her chair back to show that she was drawing a clear line.

Remien had no choice but to give up.

Does Volume 17 (985) meet the requirements?

The dessert was served quickly. Layers of golden puff pastry, filled with abundant berries and sweet cream, and topped with a glistening honey drizzle, looked absolutely delicious. Remian carefully scooped out a piece with her small spoon, put it in her mouth, and immediately squinted her eyes in bliss, letting out a satisfied sigh: "Mmm~ Delicious!"

Su Rui sat opposite her, watching her completely immersed in the joy brought by the sweets, his expression somewhat indescribable. He couldn't understand this obsession with sweetness, but seeing her happy, the corners of his mouth still curved almost imperceptibly, then quickly tightened again, as if to hide something.

He took out his portable device and started playing games again, seemingly trying to use the battles in the virtual world to combat the overly sweet atmosphere of the real world.

Remien enjoyed her dessert while occasionally glancing up at Suri, who was engrossed in her game across from her. The spicy barbecue and the sweet mille-feuille, the intense game and the leisurely fruit tea—two people with completely different tastes and preferences—created a strange yet harmonious scene in this noisy barbecue restaurant.

For her, the perfect dinner is eating her favorite food with someone she likes, and then sharing a relaxing and pleasant time. Whether their tastes match is not so important.

As Remy finished the last bite of her mille-feuille, completely satisfied, Suri also finished another game. He put away his device and looked at her: "Satisfied?"

"Mmm! Super satisfying!" Remian nodded with a smile, picked up a napkin and wiped her mouth.

"Then let's go." Su Rui stood up, her movements swift and decisive. "It's too noisy here."

After paying the bill and leaving the barbecue restaurant, the cool night breeze brought a refreshing feeling. The streetlights were even more dazzling than when they arrived. Suri instinctively put her arm around Remien, and the two slowly walked back the way they came.

Feeling full and surrounded by people, Suri was in a pretty good mood. He didn't even make many negative comments about the noisy environment around him.

Leanne leaned against him, feeling the evening breeze and his warmth, her heart filled with a peaceful happiness. Spicy barbecue was Suri's choice, sweet mille-feuille was her favorite, and being able to walk side by side like this, sharing their different yet complementary worlds, was perhaps the perfect harmony between them.

“Next time,” Suri suddenly spoke, breaking the silence, “find a quieter shop.”

Remianne paused for a moment, then laughed: "Okay, whatever you say."

It seems that even the arrogant young master Suri isn't entirely without expectations for having dinner together.

The warmth and satisfaction from dinner hadn't yet faded as the two returned to their temporary lodgings under the cover of night. The door closed behind them, once again shutting out the hustle and bustle of the mobile city.

Inside, only a warm yellow wall lamp illuminated the space, creating a tranquil atmosphere completely different from the outside. Su Rui took off her jacket, which was slightly stained with the smell of barbecue smoke, and casually tossed it onto the sofa armrest. Then she sank into the soft sofa and let out a long sigh, as if exhaling all the pent-up frustration from the archives and the noise of the barbecue restaurant that had accumulated throughout the day.

He instinctively took out his portable terminal, but didn't open it immediately. He just held it in his hand and unconsciously turned it around, his gaze falling on Remy, who was bending down to change her shoes in the entryway.

She moved gently, humming an off-key melody—probably some Lateran hymn—clearly in a good mood. Watching her leisurely demeanor, as if she intended to stay, a question arose in Suri's mind. The main issue here—the fate of the Sarkaz hybrids and the potential conflict—while the solution seemed somewhat "clumsy" to him, had at least provided a temporary escape by guiding them to Iberia. Remian's investigation mission was also essentially completed today in the archives.

Logically, she seemed to have no reason to stay any longer. The Lateran Notary Office typically operates efficiently and with clear objectives, rarely lingering in one place for too long.

“Hey,” Su Rui said, his voice tinged with the languor of someone who had just finished eating, “Isn’t your business here almost done? When are you going back?” He asked directly, without much beating around the bush.

For him, staying or leaving was simply a matter of scheduling that needed to be confirmed.

Remien changed into soft indoor shoes, straightened up, walked to the sofa next to him, and sat down, leaning naturally against him.

She still carried a slight chill from the outdoor night breeze and a faint sweet fragrance of floral and fruity tea.

“Well… the investigation is almost complete,” she admitted, turning her head to look at him, her lake-blue eyes appearing especially gentle in the warm light. “But, things aren’t completely over yet.”

Suri raised an eyebrow, signaling her to continue. "Sending away those mixed-race and Sarkaz who were willing to leave only resolved the most pressing issue."

Remian explained, her tone becoming slightly more formal, with the methodicalness of someone performing official duties, “but the management structure of this mobile city itself, and the long-standing tensions between Sakorta residents and minorities, will not automatically disappear just because some people leave. In fact, this incident may even cause some new fluctuations.”

She reached out and gently played with a strand of Suri's silver hair that had fallen onto the back of the sofa, and continued, "I need to make sure that after I leave, the management here can effectively maintain stability and avoid new discriminatory policies or conflicts. It may take a few more days to observe the subsequent reactions and communicate with some key figures again. In addition, there are some handover documents and reports to write... They are all trivial matters, but they cannot be taken lightly."

What she said was reasonable and entirely in line with her rigorous and responsible style as an executor in Laterano. Stabilizing the situation, eliminating potential problems, and writing reports are all part of her duties.

Suri listened and gave a noncommittal "hmm." He had no interest in these tedious follow-up tasks, but he understood that they were part of Remian's job.

He just felt it was a bit...unnecessary? In his view, a solution had already been found, and the rest was up to the people here to handle. Lateran's overreaching was sometimes not a good thing.

But he didn't say it aloud. He respected Remian's professional ethics, even if he felt it was a bit too "worrying".

“So,” Remian concluded, her tone becoming lighter, “we might have to stay a few more days. Maybe… three or four days?” As she said this time, her eyes flickered slightly, a very subtle and barely perceptible emotion flashing across them.

It wasn't just for work purposes; there was also a bit of personal motive involved. What she didn't say was that, besides those high-sounding reasons, deep down she did harbor a secret desire to stay here with Su Rui for a few more days.

Volume 17, Chapter 986: Less Than Satisfactory

This mobile city, though with its many shortcomings, lacked the omnipresent gaze and underlying rules of Lateran, and the constant need to be mindful of one's identity and responsibilities. Here, they were more like an ordinary couple, able to be more free with each other, like today, working together, eating together, kissing in an empty archive, sharing their favorite foods in a bustling barbecue restaurant… This simple and pure companionship was something she cherished dearly. She wished these moments could last a little longer. Of course, she would never tell Su Rui about this little secret.

Given his awkward and arrogant nature, if he knew that she was "delaying" her official duties because she wanted to spend a few more days with him, who knows what kind of disgusted yet smug expression he would have on his face.

After hearing her explanation, Su Rui didn't ask any further questions, only replying indifferently, "Whatever you want." Then he lowered his head and began fiddling with his portable terminal, seemingly unsurprised by the answer, yet not particularly interested in it.

Remien carefully observed his profile, trying to read something from his expressionless face.