Dimensional Codex System: I'm really not a cultist!

Chapter 895: Chapter 894: It’s Not a Date

Walking down the street with Fang Zheng, Asuna felt a bit uneasy.

It’s the first time she’s gone out alone with a young man despite her age, and even though it doesn’t seem like a date, Asuna still subconsciously felt somewhat nervous. She couldn’t quite put her finger on why; even though Fang Zheng wasn’t a stern person, unlike her mother’s perpetually serious expression, he always wore a friendly smile.

Yet, every time Asuna saw Fang Zheng, her heart would instinctively skip a beat—it’s akin to the feeling she had when she didn’t finish her homework on time and then saw her teacher as a child.

However, she dared not disobey Fang Zheng’s words, so she just kept her head down and followed behind him, wandering the streets.

People around them cast glances their way from time to time, which was normal since both Fang Zheng and Asuna were wearing the Dark Moon Sword Guild uniform. The guild uniform, designed by the guild leader and with contributions from Fang Zheng’s artistic talent, was particularly eye-catching and of high aesthetic value...

Don’t underestimate this guild uniform. In the real world, many students choose schools based on the attractiveness of the school uniform, and online games are no different. Compared to most guilds where the guild leader merely changes the color and adds a guild emblem to the default uniform, Fang Zheng’s design was far more visually appealing, naturally attracting more attention.

”Mr. Fang Zheng... where are we going?”

Ultimately, Asuna couldn’t stand all the glances from people around her and lowered her voice to ask. Fang Zheng casually turned his head to look around.

”Just wandering around.”

”.........”

Wandering?

Hearing this response, Asuna felt the urge to get angry, but before she could complain further, Fang Zheng suddenly spoke up.

”Earlier, I talked with Yuna about her chanting skill, and I have some thoughts.”

”Oh?”

At this, Asuna immediately focused her attention. She knew very well how powerful that chanting skill was, especially in recent times, as Yuna had joined the front-line attack team, and Asuna had experienced firsthand the power of the whole team’s buff. However, this rare skill didn’t adhere to any guide, and Asuna didn’t know how to learn it.

Hearing Fang Zheng say he had an idea piqued Asuna’s curiosity, and she looked at Fang Zheng ahead.

”You know, every time Yuna releases a buff, she holds a guitar and sings, right?”

”Yes...”

”I asked her earlier, and according to Yuna, she used to play and sing for the Dark Nebula Guild members to relieve stress, and then one day, she suddenly saw this skill notification...”

At this point, Fang Zheng paused.

”Have you noticed any problem?”

”Oh... what... problem?”

”That guitar.”

Fang Zheng glanced at Asuna and continued.

”I later investigated, and that guitar was sold in a general store in the Starting Town, not very expensive. It’s designed entirely based on real-world instruments, so anyone who understands music can play it. I initially thought it was just an ordinary game prop to enhance the game’s atmosphere. But now that I think about it, maybe skills are related to items too?”

”Oh...?”

Hearing this, Asuna was quite taken aback.

”Why do you think that way, Mr. Fang Zheng?”

”Don’t you find it strange? In online games, it’s true there are miscellaneous items for realism, but the quantity isn’t usually too much. Yet now, we have all sorts of shops here, besides weapon stores, equipment shops, and crafting skill stores, many general stores as well.”

As he spoke, Fang Zheng pointed to the shops ahead on both sides.

”Look at what they’re selling.”

”.........”

Listening to Fang Zheng, Asuna looked closely and saw that the general stores and accessory shops nearby displayed ordinary daily supplies in their windows, from sewing and fabrics to instruments and stationery, everything was available.

”Is there anything strange about that?”

”It wouldn’t be strange in reality, but in the game, it’s quite odd. You have to understand, Asuna, in games, everything occupies data space, and if these ’junk items’ were merely to enhance player immersion, there wouldn’t be such a wide variety. Creating a few representative objects would suffice to give players this feeling. Making them one by one is not only a huge waste of data space but also could potentially cause various system bugs.”

As he spoke, Fang Zheng walked to a shop, watching the items displayed in the window.

”Look, like these blank parchment scrolls and quill pens, they’re for recording information. But in the game, players can already store and send information through the system itself, so there’s no need for extra measures. So, what’s their purpose?”

Saying this, Fang Zheng found an NPC shopkeeper and purchased a bundle of parchment scrolls, a quill pen, ink, a carving knife, and some sewing materials.

Asuna was completely puzzled by Fang Zheng’s actions, but she quietly followed behind, watching him ’raid’ shop after shop, buying all sorts of miscellaneous items that seemed entirely unrelated to combat, strategizing, or leveling up.

Watching Fang Zheng being so ”off-task,” Asuna felt very conflicted.

In her view, Fang Zheng should be preparing to continue training and then lead them forward to defeat the second floor’s lord, then the third floor, fourth floor... There are a hundred floors here. If it weren’t for needing to drink and eat, Asuna would have liked to face bosses 24/7, blinking her eyes only to reach the end.

But now, Fang Zheng was wasting time, dragging her aimlessly shopping!!

Along the way, Asuna practically said nothing, just followed behind Fang Zheng with a gloomy aura. She dared not turn and leave or complain to Fang Zheng, only using this method to vent her dissatisfaction.

It was like a child sulking with their parents, unable to argue or hit, just pouting and sulking beside them, hoping the parents would notice their unhappiness.

Yet Fang Zheng seemed totally oblivious to Asuna’s unhappiness. He simply took her on a tour of the entire shopping street and then to a restaurant, where he didn’t even talk to Asuna before ordering a few dishes. Only when the aroma of food wafted through did Asuna realize she hadn’t had lunch since Fang Zheng dragged her out. She thought of having a sandwich during a break from leveling up, but now...

Hmph!

Glancing at Fang Zheng sitting opposite her reading the menu, Asuna coldly lowered her head.

I’d rather starve, jump from here, than take a single bite......

”Thank you for waiting, here are your steaks.”

Before Asuna could finish her inner monologue, an NPC waiter served steaming steaks before them. Fang Zheng put down the menu and nodded at Asuna.

”My treat. Enjoy.”

”............”

Watching Fang Zheng lower his head and devour his food, Asuna hesitated for a moment before also picking up her knife and fork, slicing off a small, tender piece of steak and putting it in her mouth.

The next moment, the savory sauce and the steak’s juicy, tender texture exploded in Asuna’s mouth.

Delicious!