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

Chapter 1386: Chapter 1385: If You Can’t Convey It, Just Let It Go

For Fang Zheng, this was not a particularly sleepless night.

If it were someone else, they might be tossing and turning, but for Fang Zheng, this wasn’t something worth worrying about. Indeed, Sora and he were related by blood, but for Fang Zheng, this was just a ”background setting.” Even though they grew up together, to Fang Zheng, Sora felt more like a childhood friend.

Besides, even if something unexpected happened, as long as Fang Zheng took Sora back to the Main World, everything would be fine, so he had nothing to worry about. What’s the big deal? Moreover, his body was a condensation of the soul, so returning to his own body would be a different matter.

The problem was... other people’s reactions wouldn’t be so easily dealt with.

Fang Zheng had tried using Future Sight to see others’ reactions when they found out about his relationship with Sora. As expected, while it might not be a big deal to him, the idea of siblings being together was too hard for others to accept.

Of course, if it were merely difficult to accept, it wouldn’t matter much. Fang Zheng didn’t live for others’ opinions, but the problem was... what happened to everyone afterward.

Sekai called Sora out, demanding she break up with Fang Zheng, which Sora refused. Then they had a conflict, and Sekai killed Sora, and realizing she had killed someone, Sekai fled only to be hit by a passing truck... Well, GAME OVER.

Yukina threatened Sora and Fang Zheng to break up, or she would make their relationship public. Then, Sora, angered, killed Yukina. As she left in a panic, Sora tripped on the stairs, broke her neck, and died... Again, GAME OVER.

Upon learning of the relationship between Fang Zheng and Sora, Kazusa Touma severed ties with them and left Japan. During her flight to Europe, the plane crashed, leading to yet another... GAME OVER.

Among these people, the only ones Fang Zheng could rely on were Gui Kotonoha and Kiyora Setsuna. They not only didn’t lose control but tried to help. However... it’s useless.

Just one GAME OVER was enough for Fang Zheng to consider returning home to get married. Not to mention, these were all random events, and it was impossible for Fang Zheng to stop them every time. In fact, stopping them didn’t help; according to this world’s ”rules,” it was set in stone. Fang Zheng might end up turning Heartbeat Remembrance into Death Has Arrived... and that would be another story.

So now for Fang Zheng, the problem wasn’t about accepting anyone’s love but about how to make others accept his relationship with Sora.

Besides, the future Fang Zheng saw wasn’t unchangeable, since these futures were based on Fang Zheng directly accepting Sora and then confessing their relationship to others. Since everyone’s emotion towards Fang Zheng and Sora wasn’t deep enough yet, having some extreme reactions was understandable.

And according to Fang Zheng’s Future Sight, these death flags were accidents. Sekai accidentally killed Sora and then was hit by a car. Sora killed Yukina in anger and then accidentally fell and broke her neck...

So as long as he increased their favorability, gradually getting them to accept...

But on second thought, what if raising their favorability too much made things more troublesome? It might not be accidental murder, but premeditated murder!

MMP, this world is truly filled with malice...

Fang Zheng finally realized that the moment he came to this world, he’d been set up... by this damned world...

Still, how to solve this wasn’t important at the moment, after all, the cultural festival was just around the corner.

”Everyone! We’ve finally finished the lyrics for our original song!”

Saiin-ji Sekai excitedly pushed open the door, waving the manuscript in her hand. Seeing her appearance, the others curiously turned their attention to Saiin-ji Sekai. According to the order of appearance, SchoolDays was the grand finale, meant to perfectly conclude the cultural festival. Therefore, after discussion, they decided to change the third song to an original one. Of course, this was just a provisional plan; if no good lyrics were found, they’d stick to the original plan.

But looking at it, Sekai seemed pretty desperate.

”Whew... this is harder than exams. I spent a lot of time to finish the lyrics with Yukina.”

As she spoke, Sekai proudly placed the manuscript on the table, and others curiously picked it up for a look.

”What can I say... it’s a bit embarrassing...”

Standing beside Sekai, Komizo Yukina looked a little shy. After all, showing something you wrote to others... requires a bit of courage.

”Haruno, what do you think?”

Kiyora Setsuna glanced over the lyrics from beginning to end, then handed the manuscript to Fang Zheng without a word. Fang Zheng accepted it and looked at the title.

”Unrequited Love?”

”Ugh...”

Hearing Fang Zheng read it aloud, both Sekai and Yukina appeared a bit tense, while Fang Zheng quickly scanned the lyrics. Clearly, this was about a one-sided love... Hmm...

”Well... the lyrics themselves are not bad, but...”

”But?”

”But this song isn’t suitable to perform at the cultural festival.”

Fang Zheng patted the manuscript.

”These lyrics describe an eternal unrequited love that never gets spoken. The feeling’s too negative, wouldn’t it be better if everyone could be happy at the cultural festival? Ending it with this song... doesn’t seem appropriate.”

”Ugh... is that so?”

Hearing this, Yukina and Sekai seemed a little disappointed, but Fang Zheng quickly perked up, picking up the guitar.

”If you want to say it like that, I actually have a song here with a similar meaning to yours, but much better for revving up the atmosphere.”

”Oh? What song?”

”Listen to me.”

Faced with Sekai’s curious inquiry, Fang Zheng strummed the strings a couple of times and began to play.

The prelude was gentle and soothing, immediately grabbing everyone’s attention. Then, under the watchful eyes of a group of girls, Fang Zheng began to sing softly.

”Speaking to myself, seeking what we desire...”

How romantic...

Upon hearing this, everyone couldn’t help but have stars in their eyes, but in the next moment, Fang Zheng’s originally gentle voice suddenly changed.

”A woman gives her whole heart, the North Sea wind cuts to the bone with sorrow!”

”...What?”

”A mistaken love scatters, resentment lingers endlessly!!”

”Huh???”

”To you far away, there’s no way to convey my feelings. Standing in the wind, with tears washing my face! Oh, the cape where women of thirty stand...”

”STOP! STOP!!!”

By this point, Fang Zheng’s voice had already become hoarse and distorted, filled with resentment, while Sekai and her group were laughing so hard they couldn’t catch their breath, even Komizo Yukina was holding onto the table, laughing so hard she couldn’t stand upright.

”Classmate Haruno, this is too much, we’re not women abandoned at thirty! What era’s enka is this!”

”What’s the difference? It’s all about heartbreak, right?”

”No, no, this is absolutely a no-go, thirty is definitely off-limits!!”

World crossed her hands, making a big X, and Komizo Yukina, Kiyora Setsuna, even Touma and Wasa nodded in agreement—for women, age is an issue that can never be ignored!

”Alright, I was just joking.”

Seeing the atmosphere become lively again, Fang Zheng shrugged with a smile. Of course, if this were in China, he could sing ”Friend” or ”My Deskmate,” but here in Japan, he was too lazy to translate the lyrics... After all, the tunes are different, making it a hassle.

In that case, well... There’s another song.

Thinking of this, Fang Zheng’s eyes lit up, and he picked up the guitar again.

”Alright, no more jokes, I think this song is quite fitting.”

”Okay, let’s hear it then.”

At this moment, Sekai was catching her breath, but she still looked at Fang Zheng warily.

”It won’t be about the women at the cape at thirty again, right?”

”Don’t worry, that was just to lighten the mood.”

Fang Zheng shook his head and picked up his guitar again.

”Alright, this time it’s for real...”

As he spoke, Fang Zheng strummed the guitar strings again, and soon, beautiful music filled the air once more.

This time, no one spoke.

Listening to Fang Zheng’s singing, Sekai and Yukina’s expressions turned a bit melancholic, while Touma sat silently by the piano, not speaking. Even Sora sat quietly in a chair, resting her chin in her hands, gazing at Fang Zheng, while Setsuna just looked at Fang Zheng silently.

After a long time, the song ended.

”Clap clap clap!!”

As the music faded, Sekai immediately started clapping hard, and the others followed suit, as if waking from a dream.

”Awesome, this song is truly amazing! Haruno, did you make this?”

”Well, sort of...”

Before this, Fang Zheng specifically searched online and couldn’t find this song, so he decided to just borrow it.

”How about it? Pretty good, right?”

”This is it!!”

World made the decision, then excitedly looked at the others.

”What about you guys?”

”I have no objections.”

Yukina shook her head, her eyes sparkling.

”Honestly, I really want to sing this song.”

”I have no objections either, it’s a great song.”

Touma and Wasa gave their responses, and Setsuna nodded in agreement without saying a word.

”Then it’s decided!!”

World excitedly raised her hand.

”This time, we’re going to have the best cultural festival ever!”