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

Chapter 1413: Chapter 1412: Undercurrents Rising (The City Is Seriously Hot!)

”Brother, they like you.”

On the way home, Sora, who had been following Fang Zheng, suddenly spoke to him.

”Hmm? Who are you talking about?”

Fang Zheng was a bit taken aback by Sora’s words.

”Other people.”

”Other people?”

”That’s right.”

Sora nodded, but Fang Zheng shrugged indifferently.

”That’s not surprising, is it? Look at your brother, handsome and talented. They aren’t blind, it’s normal for them to like me. Plenty of girls like me, I’m sure all those present today were attracted to me, probably already thinking about writing me love letters.”

”That’s not the kind of liking I’m talking about.”

Sora knew what Fang Zheng meant, but she shook her head.

”It doesn’t seem like they particularly like me.”

Fang Zheng appeared calm. He had specifically observed while on stage that there were no goodwill values above anyone’s head, indicating it was likely below eighty.

By the way, Sora’s current goodwill value had already reached a hundred.

”Is that so...”

Seeing Fang Zheng’s apparent lack of concern, Sora didn’t say anything further, just followed behind him, heading towards home.

Night fell.

The moon gradually rose into the night sky, and in a nearby park, lights twinkled, illuminating two figures standing below.

”Sekai, it’s so late, what’s up?”

Setsuna stood quietly under the streetlamp, looking at Sekai before her, her expression unchanged from usual. However, the expression on Saiin-ji Sekai, standing in front of her, was somewhat complicated.

”Um... Setsuna?”

”Hmm?”

”The message you sent me earlier... what does it mean?”

”It means what it says.”

Setsuna quietly watched Sekai, her expression unwavering.

”I like Haruno, I want to confess to him.”

”That... that’s too sudden.”

Hearing Setsuna’s resolute answer, Sekai suddenly felt a bit flustered. She quickly waved her hands, forcing herself to smile.

”Why suddenly say this... right now...”

”Not right now.”

However, Setsuna shook her head.

”I’ve liked him since the day we entered school.”

”Huh?”

”Sekai, you remember, right? I mentioned to you before that on the day of enrollment, I was surrounded and mocked by a few seniors, and it was Haruno who saved me...”

”Ah... indeed, that did happen.”

Upon hearing this, Sekai recalled that Setsuna had mentioned this to her before. Setsuna seemed to be lost in thought, continuing her story.

”At that time, I started noticing him. After that, we ended up in the same class, and we are both class committee members... and, Sekai, you know that Haruno is a very popular person...”

Of course, Sekai knew that Fang Zheng was different from other boys. He never refused people politely from a distance, and he rarely showed gentlemanly manners to girls, sometimes not being overly courteous either. Just look at Touma; while other boys could barely utter a word in front of her, Fang Zheng was the only one who dared to tap her head with an English book while teasing her about learning sign language...

However, for many girls, this bluntness was a form of closeness...

”But... but... why now?”

Sekai was at a loss for words. She didn’t expect Setsuna to have liked Fang Zheng for so long, but why confess now?

However, facing Sekai’s question, Setsuna merely stared at her.

”Because you gave up, Sekai.”

”I... gave up?”

Hearing this, Sekai felt as if an invisible hand had gripped her heart, making it hard to breathe. She blinked, took a step back, and glanced around, as if looking for an escape route, but Setsuna’s gaze held her firmly in place.

”What are you talking about, Setsuna? What did I give up?”

However, Setsuna didn’t care about Sekai’s attempt to change the subject and directly said.

”Because... Sekai, you like Haruno too, don’t you?”

”I......?”

At this moment, Sekai’s heart skipped a beat, as if her deepest secret had been discovered by someone else.

”I didn’t...”

”Haven’t you realized, Sekai? You often talk about Haruno in front of me.”

”That’s because I’m the head of the Light Music Club, it’s normal to care about everyone, right?”

”Then why did you invite Haruno to join the Light Music Club? Before then, Haruno had never mentioned he could play an instrument.”

”I heard from Yukina that she heard Haruno singing beautifully in the music room, so I wanted to recruit him...”

”Was it really Yukina who said that?”

”......Of course it was...”

Sekai gulped, defiantly staring at Setsuna. It seemed Setsuna wasn’t going to dwell on this point.

”Alright, let’s say Yukina did say it. But since you don’t intend to confess to Haruno, there’s no problem with me confessing, right.”

”Well... there might be a problem...”

”......?”

Seeing Setsuna’s puzzled expression, Sekai was momentarily at a loss for words, then she had an idea.

”Oh, right, Yukina previously mentioned to me she plans to confess to Haruno after the LIVE.”

”I see.”

Nonetheless, faced with this ”bomb” from Sekai, Setsuna was unmoved.

”But that doesn’t interfere with my confession, does it?”

”Well, it doesn’t, but... that’s not good.”

Faced with Setsuna’s clear logic, Sekai was at a loss for words again.

”You intend to confess to Haruno, and so does Yukina; wouldn’t that make you rivals...”

”That’s fine, I’m prepared for it. Initially, I thought if it was you, Sekai, I’d give way, but you chose to give up, so it’s fine if I pursue Haruno.”

”No, I... well...”

”That’s all I have to say.”

Setsuna nodded to Sekai.

”Well, good night, Sekai.”

After saying this, Setsuna turned and left.

Watching Setsuna’s petite figure, Sekai suddenly felt dizzy. In the next moment, a surge of fear erupted from deep within her heart.

No, no, don’t go! That’s mine, mine!!

Sekai started running, striding toward Setsuna, raising her right hand high. Hearing the urgent footsteps, Setsuna turned her head in surprise, at the same time Sekai’s right hand swung down with force.

”Squelch!!”

The triangular dagger pierced Setsuna’s neck, tearing through the skin. Setsuna’s eyes widened as she stared at Sekai in front of her, opening her mouth, blood trickling from the corner.

”Se...gah...”

”Squelch!!”

Sekai pressed Setsuna to the ground, raised the kitchen knife again, and stabbed down forcefully.

”You can’t take it! It’s mine! Mine!! Mine!”

Shouting loudly, Sekai crazily swung the knife, and it was only after who knows how long that she finally stopped, panting.

”Clang.”

The kitchen knife slipped from Sekai’s hand, hitting the ground with a light sound.

”Heheheh...”

Staring at Setsuna’s ugly face in front of her, Sekai grinned and started laughing.

”Hahaha... hahaha... hahahahaha...!!!”

Dead, dead, dead! Dead! Dead!

Finally dead, no one will compete with me, no one can! Look at you now, look at that face, who would want you! No one will want you!!

”.........!”

Sekai suddenly shuddered.

The bloodied world disappeared once more, and in front of her was still that quiet park. Looking up, Setsuna was long gone. There were no bloodstains on the ground, of course no body either.

What... what happened to me just now?

Recalling her reaction just now, Sekai couldn’t help but gasp. She instinctively put her hand into her pocket, but the next moment, Sekai’s right hand recoiled as if touching a point of shock.

”Huh? Huh?? Huh???”

Staring at the silver kitchen knife in her hand, Sekai was bewildered. She distinctly remembered that she never had any intention of bringing a knife out, and there was no way her outfit could hold such a big knife... but then, when did this kitchen knife appear in her hand?

Thinking of this, Sekai felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave, shivering. She glanced around, then quickly walked over to a nearby trash bin and threw the kitchen knife in without hesitation.

”Clang!”

The sharp kitchen knife fell into the metal trash bin, making a piercing noise, echoing in the silent, deserted park, sounding just like the sinister laughter of some creature hidden in the shadows. Hearing this sound, Sekai shivered and hurriedly turned to leave.

The collaborative LIVE was very successful.

The appearance of SchoolDays made Galaxy quite lively, and everyone’s awareness of SchoolDays increased. Taking this opportunity, Fang Zheng and Yukina also announced that SchoolDays would host a LIVE event. They even mentioned that there would be a mysterious special guest, sparking considerable curiosity.

In summary, this rehearsal was a great success. The main show is what matters next.

”Haruno-kun.”

However, just as everyone was packing up to leave, Sekai somewhat bashfully called out to Fang Zheng.

”Um... there’s something I’d like to talk to you about.”

”Sure.”

Hearing Sekai’s words, Fang Zheng didn’t hesitate, nodding. Sora glanced at Sekai, then turned to Fang Zheng and said,

”Well, brother, we’re going back first.”

”Go ahead.”

Fang Zheng understood that by ”we,” Sora meant herself and Yukiko. Since Yukiko came to their home, Sora often stuck with her, mainly for playing computer games together.

By the way, as a ghost, Yukiko could enter the computer to log into an account... these days, the human and ghost duo were enjoying online games together...

”Take care on your way back.”

Fang Zheng wasn’t worried about Sora’s safety—honestly, while Yukiko may now be purified, her powers as an Evil Spirit still existed. Anyone daring to bother Sora would be sent flying by Yukiko in no time.

Everyone else said their goodbyes and left. Soon, only Fang Zheng and Sekai remained.

”Shall we go... to that café and talk?”

The café Sekai chose was just an ordinary one, and there weren’t many people inside. The two found a seat, ordered two cups of coffee, and Fang Zheng looked at Sekai, who seemed a little embarrassed. She darted her eyes around, then resolutely bit her lip.

”Um... Haruno-kun, I have something to say to you.”

”What is it?”

”Actually... actually... it’s a bit embarrassing to say...”

At this, Sekai took a deep breath.

”I... I have someone I like.”

”Oh...”

Hearing Sekai’s words, Fang Zheng immediately looked up at her head—thank goodness, no value appeared.

”Who is it?”

”Th-this is a secret, I can’t tell you right now.”

Feeling a bit shy, Sekai waved her hand and then lowered her head.

”Well... I want to confess to him, but I’m afraid of messing it up...”

”So, what are you planning to do by telling me this?”

Fang Zheng took a sip of coffee, curiously looking at Sekai. Could she like one of the guys around him? Is that why she wanted him to pass along messages or love letters? Typically, in Fang Zheng’s experience, girls with crushes would only tell their female friends. Bringing him to a café to discuss this—what was up with that?

”So, I want to practice first.”

”Practice?”

”Yes, practice!”

At this point, Sekai seemed to have finally thought of something, clenching her fist.

”Just like our collaborative LIVE today, only if the rehearsal succeeds will the LIVE event we host be successful, right? So I want Haruno-kun to help...”

”Help?”

”Yes...”

Saying this, Sekai looked at Fang Zheng, her expression a mix of tension and anticipation.

”I hope... Haruno-kun can help be my practice partner, is that okay?”