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

Hearing Fang Zheng’s response, everyone was speechless.

”How could there be magic in this world?”

Misaka Mikoto was the first to retort. However, facing her comment, Fang Zheng just shook his head.

”If you’re joking, that’s one thing, but if you truly think that, then it’s not scientific.”

”Huh?”

Misaka Mikoto was completely bewildered by Fang Zheng’s answer.

”Why?”

”Because magic is just a term to describe certain phenomena, not the essence of things.”

Fang Zheng took a sip of iced tea and continued to explain to everyone.

”For example, modern people use lighters and can video call on phones. But if you time-travelled a thousand years back and used a phone to video call people miles away, the people of that time would see it as magic. Why? Because in their eyes, magic is something beyond their understanding and what current common sense cannot achieve. At that time, people exchanged messages through letters and couldn’t possibly imagine meeting and talking to someone miles away.”

At this point, Fang Zheng spread his hands.

”So they would consider that magic, but you should clearly understand this isn’t magic. Even if you don’t fully grasp the principles, you generally know about radio waves, communication technology, etc. This is something modern civilization can achieve, right?”

Hearing this, everyone nodded. They had to admit, this was the first time they heard such an explanation, and it was quite interesting.

”Simply put, magic just describes phenomena beyond current understanding or civilization rank. So, it’s not absolute to say magic doesn’t exist. Magic and science aren’t inherently opposed, like...”

As he spoke, Fang Zheng pointed at Misaka Mikoto.

”For instance, the thunder Misaka just released would have been legendary as Thor’s daughter back then. They might have even recorded epic tales of ’Thor commanding lightning, scorching the earth...’ Could you say they were wrong?”

”No, of course not, but... this isn’t magic; it’s superpower!”

”Oh? Really? Then please explain how you control thunder. How do you use a human body to guide, control, and manipulate electricity?”

”This...”

Faced with Fang Zheng’s simple question, Misaka Mikoto was momentarily stuck. Although she understood electricity-related principles, formulas, and functions, she couldn’t immediately answer the question of how she manipulated electricity with her body.

”Well... because of superpower...”

”Then where does superpower come from? How does it work?”

”This...”

Now, Misaka Mikoto was completely at a loss, and so were Kuroko and Hatsuharu. They had never considered this question. For them, using powers was as natural as eating or drinking, but the question of where their powers came from and how they worked left them speechless.

”So you see, fundamentally there’s no difference between superpowers and magic; they’re essentially the same.”

Fang Zheng smiled and spread his hands, while Ruiko blinked curiously at Misaka Mikoto.

”Misaka, you don’t know either? I thought every ability user knew where their ability comes from!”

”That’s normal, nothing strange about it.”

”Really?”

”Yeah, in science, this often happens. You discover a phenomenon and then explore how it occurs. It’s not unusual you can’t explain it; maybe your civilization level and productivity haven’t caught up. Like the mobile phone example earlier, why couldn’t people understand or accept that far back? Because they didn’t have the productivity, theory, or foundation for it.”

Here, Fang Zheng chuckled.

”So, the origin and function of superpowers or magic might be a mystery, but with the development of human civilization, we can solve it eventually. That’s why so many scientists are working and researching this.”

”Mr. Fang Zheng, what you said is so interesting.”

Hearing this, Ruiko became excited.

”Your discussion is much more interesting than what teachers say in school about quantum theory and such... Oh, if only you were our teacher...”

As she spoke, Ruiko lay bored on the table. For her, class was the most painful because everyone else had abilities, even Hatsuharu. But she was like someone watching others happily play a game, not even knowing how to start or activate it...

”Even if I were your teacher, I may not be able to make you a superpower user. Being realistic is important too.”

Fang Zheng waved his hand.

”In fact, superpowers seem like a talent to me. Some people are born with a good voice, while others are tone-deaf. Some find geometry easy, others can’t grasp it at all. Why does this variation occur? Is it because of physical reasons? For example, those who sing well may have different vocal cords? Or differences in voice production? Or are their brains’ sound analysis different?”

”Well... it sounds complicated...”

”Of course, if it were simple, it would’ve been solved long ago. It wouldn’t be a mystery now.”

At this point, Fang Zheng glanced at the time, patted Riko beside him, and stood up.

”Alright, it’s getting late, so we’ll take our leave. You should head home to rest too.”

”Oh right, the curfew!”

Upon hearing this, Misaka Mikoto and Kuroko Shirai shivered, quickly opened their phones to check the time—then breathed a sigh of relief.

Phew, still on time.

”Oh, by the way.”

Just before leaving, Fang Zheng seemed to remember something, turning to Kuroko.

”Hey... Classmate Shirai, next time get a different underwear; the one you have now... doesn’t look good.”

After saying that, Fang Zheng left the restaurant with Riko. In contrast, Kuroko turned red and froze—only just realizing that earlier when she attacked, Fang Zheng seemed to have grabbed her leg and glanced upward...

”No... No.......”

”Classmate Shirai?”

”No waa waa waa waa waa-------!!!”

Immediately, a piercing scream erupted, and at this moment, Fang Zheng had already left the restaurant.

For Fang Zheng, meeting the protagonists from the anime was an unexpected delight, but there was also a downside: after interacting with Misaka Mikoto, he helplessly found that he felt nothing for her. In other words, this LV5 Superpower User did not possess anything akin to coordinate core data.

Thought she was like Louise, but now it seems that’s not the case.

Since Mikoto doesn’t have it, probably the other Superpower Users are the same. But Fang Zheng needs to circle around and check, right?

Speaking of which, if it’s not these, then it should be that Fantasy Killer?

In any case, let’s see how things develop first.

So, for Fang Zheng, a relatively calm day passed, and the next morning, he sent Riko to the Armed Detective Academy before yawning and returning to the research institute.

However, what Fang Zheng didn’t expect was that shortly after returning to the research institute, he saw through the monitor an unexpected person.

”Saten Reiko? What’s she doing here?”

Looking at Ruiko wandering around outside the gate of the research institute, seemingly searching for something, Fang Zheng was curious, so he decisively walked out of the institute, pushed open the gate, and greeted Ruiko who was wandering outside.

”Yo, what are you doing here?”

”Ah, Mr. Fang Zheng!”

Seeing Fang Zheng come out, Ruiko seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

”Well... this really is your research institute... I was a bit worried that I might have found the wrong place...”

”Oh? You came to find me?”

Fang Zheng was not surprised that Saten Reiko could find her way here, after all, he had given all the kids his business card yesterday.

”Yes, but I didn’t expect this institute to look so...”

At this point, Ruiko raised her head somewhat embarrassedly. No wonder she hesitated; the Quantum Neural Research Institute had been completely refurbished by Fang Zheng overnight, upgraded significantly. The outer wall appeared as a seamless, geometric structure, with a glass dome over ten meters high inside, and a décor that exuded high-class sophistication, which made Ruiko feel somewhat daunted.

Initially, she wanted to find a guard or someone to ask about the situation, but there wasn’t a single person in sight...

”It’s alright, come on in if you have something to say.”

Fang Zheng didn’t mind, he directly pushed the door open to let Ruiko in, and then took her to the reception room. Ruiko, on her way, looked around curiously at the setup, obviously unable to take her eyes off it.

”Mr. Fang Zheng, this place is just like a scene from a science fiction movie...”

”After all, creating an impression is what’s most important, right?”

Facing Ruiko’s remark, Fang Zheng chuckled, and then grabbed two bottles of drinks, sat on the sofa, and placed them in front of Ruiko.

”Well, Classmate Saten...”

”Ah, just call me Ruiko.”

”Alright, Ruiko, what brings you to me?”

”Well...”

Faced with Fang Zheng’s inquiry, Ruiko hesitated somewhat uncomfortably, then gritted her teeth as if making up her mind and asked.

”Uh... Mr. Fang Zheng, you said before that you’re researching how to give Non-Ability Users abilities, right.”

”Hmm, that’s correct.”

”Then... I want to join your experiment, is that possible?”

Here, Ruiko mustered her courage and looked up at Fang Zheng, and Fang Zheng chuckled.

”You haven’t even seen what my experiment is like, yet you want to join? Aren’t you afraid that I’m like those mad scientists in the movies, who might cut open your body and replace some parts with machinery or something?”

”Eh? Uh... it’s not really...”

”Just kidding. Although I do conduct biological research, it’s fundamental research, focusing only on genetic levels, not involving specific body organs... Well, so you want to join the experiment? It’s possible; I do need comparisons.”

At this point, Fang Zheng glanced at Ruiko.

”You’re a Non-Ability User?”

”Yes...”

Speaking of this topic, Ruiko seemed a bit dejected.

”Can I join?”

”Of course, that’s no problem. If you intend to join, then I must first clarify the purpose of the experiment. You know what it is, and we need adjustments, blood sampling, and tests... That means there will be checks and blood drawn, is that alright?”

”Um... it’s okay!”

Though a bit afraid of blood sampling, Saten Reiko still quickly nodded.

”Good.”

Upon receiving a response, Fang Zheng smiled slightly.

”Then, let’s get down to the contract.”