Chapter 2116 - 2114: Reunion Across Time and Space (I Feel More and More Like a Panda)

In the game, if you want to deal with Enoshima Junko in the end, Fang Zheng clearly doesn’t intend to follow the game flow here. Actually, as things stand, the mystery game can’t really be played, but he’s not without options.

Fang Zheng knows that in the game, there’s an event where Kirigiri Kyoko discovers a hidden door in the men’s restroom (don’t ask why a girl like Kirigiri Kyoko would go to the men’s restroom) in the innermost stall and then tells Makoto Naegi about it.

Subsequently, Makoto Naegi explores the secret door and discovers hidden student records inside. Just as he’s about to read through them, he’s knocked out from behind by a person wearing a mask.

That person is actually Enoshima Junko. She originally wanted to kill Makoto Naegi and frame Kirigiri Kyoko. It was a pretty good plan, considering that in the game, Enoshima Junko was already dead at the time, so if Makoto Naegi was killed, then everyone might actually see Kirigiri Kyoko as the murderer. As Fang Zheng said, no one would suspect a dead person.

And by doing so, following the "Class Judge" rules, they would all be cremated for guessing the wrong murderer. Enoshima Junko, the real culprit, would easily win.

But unfortunately, Makoto Naegi’s "Ultimate Luck" is no joke; before Enoshima Junko could take action, Kirigiri Kyoko arrived, forcing Enoshima Junko to run away.

Now Fang Zheng plans to have Makoto Naegi attempt to trigger this event. Of course, he’s not sure if it’ll work. If it does, great — the moment Enoshima Junko appears, Fang Zheng can send her back home for marriage, and then everyone can joyfully leave this hellhole.

If Enoshima Junko doesn’t appear... it’s no surprise. After all, Fang Zheng has already demonstrated his abilities. If Enoshima Junko is worried that her actions might reveal some clues, she might hide and do nothing.

But for Fang Zheng, it doesn’t matter.

If the event can be triggered, great; if not, it doesn’t matter. After all, people have to rely on themselves.

Just like right now.

"Bang!!"

Fang Zheng landed heavily on the ground, stirring up a cloud of dust. He raised his head and looked around, finding that everywhere he looked was dark.

This is the Academy of Hope Peak’s sewer, considered a "later stage scene" in the game, because in the later stages of the game, there will be a plot where Naegi gets punished, thrown into the sewer, and then saved by Kirigiri Kyoko. Fang Zheng knows about this place because it’s relatively easy to find, just not far away from the incinerator outside the first floor. Thus, he wanted to see if he could dig a tunnel to escape from below.

Just like Minecraft... Hmm, perhaps I should draw a Soulstone from Minecraft to dig bricks?

However...

"Why did you follow me here?"

Fang Zheng turned his head, looking at Kirigiri Kyoko, who was climbing down from the ladder with a flashlight in hand. He initially asked Celestia to relay the information to Kirigiri Kyoko and have her "activate" Makoto Naegi to "trigger" the event, but instead, Kirigiri Kyoko found him...

"I also wanted to see if I could find any clues."

Facing Fang Zheng’s inquiry, Kirigiri Kyoko was calm. Seeing her expression, Fang Zheng helplessly patted his head. He had forgotten that although Kirigiri Kyoko was very concerned about Makoto Naegi in the game, that was because their cooperation in several consecutive Class Judges had formed a substantial foundation. Now, with no Class Judge yet, Makoto Naegi couldn’t display his abilities, so naturally, Kirigiri would seek him out...

"I’m just here to casually look around."

"No problem."

"Alright, suit yourself."

Seeing Kirigiri Kyoko’s calm face, Fang Zheng helplessly shrugged. Celestia and Sayaka Maizono didn’t follow; they were well aware of their lack of fighting ability and that encountering trouble in such places would only be a hindrance, so they went back to Fang Zheng’s classroom to wait.

However...

"Indeed, this place is tightly sealed."

Looking at the tightly closed door before them, Kirigiri Kyoko’s expression turned serious.

"It seems that without a special key, it’s unlikely to be opened..."

However, before Kirigiri Kyoko finished speaking, she saw Fang Zheng walk to the door and then kick it.

"Boom!!"

A towering iron door, thirty centimeters thick, spun through the air before landing heavily on the ground, creating a piercing sound of friction and impact. Fang Zheng stretched lazily, then put his hands in his pockets and walked forward.

"Alright, the door is open, let’s go."

".........."

Looking at the door Fang Zheng had kicked open, Kirigiri Kyoko was silent for a moment before picking up the flashlight and following him.

In the silent sewer, there wasn’t a single figure, merely the sound of their footsteps echoing. The sewer seemed to lead to Hell, endless. Finally, observing the surroundings, Kirigiri Kyoko couldn’t help but inquire.

"Who exactly are you?"

"Alien."

"...Do you think saying that will make me believe you?"

"Whether you believe it or not doesn’t really concern me."

"If you truly are an alien, then why are you saving us?"

"The truth?"

Upon hearing this question, Fang Zheng stopped walking and turned to look at Kirigiri Kyoko.

"Honestly, I really, really, really want to destroy this planet because from the current situation, the order of this planet has already collapsed, and civilization has no chance of rising. Continuing to linger on will only pollute other places. It’s like cancerous tissue; if it’s not removed in time, it will sooner or later bring unimaginable dangers."

"But you don’t intend to do that?"

"I can’t."

Fang Zheng sighed helplessly.

"Honestly, I really want to, but I really can’t. Because if I do, it means I’ve lost faith in the recovery of this planet. Simply put... I’ve given up hope on this planet. This could very well make me succumb to that kind of despair syndrome, becoming a carrier spreading despair. Do you understand what I mean?"

"Is Enoshima Junko that dangerous?"

Upon hearing this, Kirigiri Kyoko’s expression became serious.

"That’s right, she’s that dangerous."

Fang Zheng nodded.

"Despair is an emotion, and anyone can feel it, and emotions can be infectious. Enoshima Junko is the pathogen of despair, spreading it to other places, then further expanding... Only hope can counter it, so I can only hope everything goes smoothly, that this planet can rid itself of the despair and get back on track. See, isn’t it ridiculous? Like a terminally ill person fervently hoping that a night’s sleep will cure them. Any rational person finds it hard to think so, right?"

"Wait, by your logic, we can’t even kill Enoshima Junko?"

"Yeah... I do have an inhumane method, but for dealing with Enoshima Junko, I feel humanity doesn’t matter much to her... hmm..."

At this point, Fang Zheng suddenly stopped, then turned his head to look to the side. Seeing Fang Zheng’s action, Kirigiri Kyoko also halted, turning her flashlight to that direction. Soon, Kirigiri Kyoko saw a pile of garbage, and what Fang Zheng was staring at— a particularly glaring item amidst the trash...

It was a pile of bones.

"..."

Seeing the pile of bones, Kirigiri Kyoko suddenly felt her breathing inexplicably quicken—not due to terror from seeing a corpse; she had been calm when witnessing Yamada Hifumi’s body earlier. But now, it felt as if the blood in her entire body was flowing in reverse, suffocating her.

"Go ahead."

Fang Zheng glanced at Kirigiri, lifting his chin towards the pile of bones. Although his words seemed random and bewildering, Kirigiri Kyoko somehow seemed to understand his meaning, though she didn’t want to. She hesitated for a moment before finally stepping slowly toward the pile of bones. Kneeling before the bones, she searched for a moment, then drew out an electronic notebook similar to theirs, opening it to see the contents.

The next moment, she shivered violently, collapsing onto the ground, soon seen clutching the electronic notebook, silently weeping.

Fang Zheng stood there watching Kirigiri Kyoko, not going over to console her. He knew she had recalled part of her memory. In fact, her reason for coming to this school was to find her father, Jin Kirigiri. Jin Kirigiri had been the first execution target eliminated by the Black and White Bear. What remained here now were only his remains and the electronic notebook.

After a while, Kirigiri Kyoko seemed to calm down finally. Silently, she took some items from the remains and placed them in her arms, then stood up, solemnly bowing to her father’s remains before returning to Fang Zheng’s side.

"Thank you, Mr. Fang Zheng, it’s fine now."

"Aren’t you going to collect your father’s remains?"

Fang Zheng also withdrew his gaze, looking at Kirigiri Kyoko before him. At this moment, Kirigiri had returned to her typical cool and elegant demeanor, though her swollen eyes showed that she had been crying earlier.

"After all this is over..."

Upon hearing Fang Zheng’s inquiry, Kirigiri Kyoko hesitated.

"I’m worried the Black and White Bear or Enoshima Junko might do something. If they desecrate my father’s remains, I... I’m not sure I can stay calm..."

A reasonable thought.

"Then leave it to me to safeguard."

With that, Fang Zheng snapped his fingers, and the pile of bones, along with the clothing, suddenly flashed and disappeared.

"Don’t worry, I put it in a very safe place. You can ask me for it after we leave here."

If Goldie knew that his Royal Wealth was used by Fang Zheng to store bones, who knows if Goldie would mind? But even if he did, Fang Zheng wouldn’t be afraid—he’d just stab him to death.

"Thank you, Mr. Fang Zheng."

Seeing her father’s remains disappear, Kirigiri Kyoko sighed softly before returning to normal.

"But... how did you know my father’s remains were there?"

"Oh, I heard it."

"... Heard it?"

"Yeah, I was walking here and heard a ghost saying, ’This girl looks so nice and pretty, just like my wife back then.’ So I turned my head to look... Is there a problem?"

"... No, no problem."

Faced with Fang Zheng’s answer, Kirigiri Kyoko had nothing to say.

She could only choose to remain silent.

"Boom!!"

Another iron door was kicked open by Fang Zheng, but this time, what appeared in front of them was a completely different underground passage.

"This looks like a secret passage."

With the flashlight’s illumination, Kirigiri Kyoko carefully examined the passage before her. Unlike before, it seemed more like a secret route. Instinctively, she took two steps forward, but suddenly Fang Zheng grabbed her, pulling her behind him, and at the same time, she caught a glint of steel in her peripheral vision.

"Ding ding ding!!"

Three sharp spear-like objects shot past, nearly grazing Kirigiri Kyoko’s body before embedding into the wall behind.

"Be careful, there are traps."

"Does this mean it might lead to the mastermind?"

Although taken by surprise, Kirigiri Kyoko became even more excited. Generally speaking, only the mastermind would set traps on their secret passage.

"Hard to say, either way... ooh..."

But just as Fang Zheng was about to proceed, his body suddenly shuddered.

"Mr. Fang Zheng?"

"This feeling is..."

Fang Zheng could sense the divine power within him scattering instantly, rapidly dispersing all around before disappearing completely.

It felt as if something here resonated with it.

Wait a minute, isn’t this the territory of the Goddess of Order? Could there be an Order Certificate hidden here?

Shaking his head, Fang Zheng regained focus when suddenly, there was the sound of hurried, faint footsteps from afar.

"Tap tap tap."

"Mr. Fang Zheng!"

"I heard it."

Listening to Kirigiri Kyoko’s reminder, Fang Zheng nodded and began moving forward, with Kirigiri Kyoko closely following him as they quickly ran towards the source of the sound.

"Swish swish swish."

Triggered traps appeared along the way, but Fang Zheng effortlessly dealt with them.

"Hey, is anyone there?"

Fang Zheng shouted, but no one responded. Instead, they could even hear the footsteps becoming clearer, and then...

"Ah------!"

"Swish swish!!"

The sound of mechanisms triggering and a scream echoed simultaneously, but when they looked towards the source, nothing was visible.

"Mr. Fang Zheng, could it be... a ghost?"

"Shh..."

Upon hearing this, Fang Zheng’s expression subtly changed, and he gestured to Kirigiri Kyoko to stay silent before continuing forward.

"Haah... haah..."

The voice seemed to be that of a girl, and although her appearance wasn’t visible, her painful panting hinted at her struggle. Despite the proximity of the sound, they saw only patches of old bloodstains on the ground.

"Wait, could this be..."

"Yes, this should be a voice from the past."

Fang Zheng nodded, then took the flashlight and shined it forward, soon seeing the triggered trap mechanisms and emerging spikes from the ground.

"Aaaahhhh------!!"

Once again, the sound of mechanisms triggering and a girl’s painful scream filled the air. Even though they couldn’t see it, the scene vividly illustrated the girl’s circumstances back then. She triggered a trap, and spikes from the ground pierced her foot...

Yet she continued forward.

"I... must... return to everyone..."

However, despite the continuous attack, the girl remained undeterred.

Struck by iron balls, pierced, sliced, yet she did not stop.

"I won’t lose to you, everyone will come! This won’t end here!"

Though her form was invisible, her resolute words resonated in the air, still heard by Fang Zheng and Kirigiri Kyoko.

Following the trail of blood, they reached the end, and suddenly... a gleam of brilliance flashed before Fang Zheng’s eyes.

"The time is now!"

Saying this, Fang Zheng reached out his hand.

With his motion, the trembling timeline began to grow more chaotic, intertwined. Fang Zheng gripped his right hand tightly and swung forward!

"Bang!!"

The dilapidated, dull, dark tunnel space shattered like fragments, revealing a large hole before Fang Zheng and Kirigiri Kyoko. On the other side of the hole stood a girl covered in blood, in an unfamiliar uniform, gradually walking to the goal-marked door, pushing it open.

But in the next moment, a cold glint pierced through the girl’s body, stopping her struggling footsteps.

Simultaneously, Fang Zheng reached through the broken void, seizing the girl’s collar, firmly pulling her back into their side.

"Swoosh---! Swoosh---!!"

Numerous spikes shot from the room, yet they did not harm the girl’s body.

Because now, the girl has fallen into Fang Zheng’s embrace.

"Mmm... ah..."

The girl slowly opened her eyes, looking at Fang Zheng with surprise.

"... President? Why... am I... dream?"

"I thought it was a dream too."

Fang Zheng gazed at the wounded girl in his arms, momentarily at a loss for words.

"I never expected to see you here, Seven Seas."