Chapter 1859: Chapter 1857: Making a Choice (Had a Dream Last Night)
For Fang Zheng, the people in this city cannot be allowed to remain.
Because they can’t even be considered actual "Undead Creatures" in the true sense.
In the Main World, there are also Undead Creatures like Liches, Banshees, and Vampires, but they are part of the orderly structure, just like races in an online game fulfilling their duties within their realms.
However, the dead in this place are BUGs.
Every programmer knows the result of BUG overflow.
"Mr. Fang Zheng, we’re not really going to storm inside, are we?"
Approaching the gate, Saten Reiko couldn’t help but feel nervous, and Misaka Mikoto and Kuroko Shirai also showed anxiety. According to Scarface, there are a total of 1.2 million dead here, nearly half the population of Academy City. They’ve never faced so many people, especially since, according to Fang Zheng, this could very well turn into a massacre... To be honest, the girls didn’t want to get involved in this.
However, Scarface’s attitude was firm, and Fang Zheng didn’t seem to intend to refuse either, which made the girls uneasy.
"First diplomacy, then force. Let’s talk to them first. If they agree, there is a chance for a resolution. But if they refuse, then we’ll have to fight until they agree."
"But... what if they all refuse?"
This time, Feli also quietly spoke up, and Fang Zheng’s answer was simple.
"Then we’ll kill them all."
Programmers fix bugs, and if the bug itself isn’t cooperative, then it’s best to delete everything.
Otherwise, should we just let it crash?!
"........."
Upon hearing Fang Zheng’s calm yet cold response, the girls couldn’t help but inhale sharply, and Misaka Mikoto furrowed her brows.
"That’s too cruel!"
"It is cruel, but let me tell you what will happen if we don’t do it."
Fang Zheng turned his head and glanced at Misaka Mikoto.
"This is a mistake. Stacking mistakes leads to data overflow. Data overflow will cause the complete collapse of this world. I suppose you’ve seen the transformation of this world. If they continue, the accumulation of cyclical data errors will result in the world’s destruction. Whether this place or the outside world, everything will go ’bang’...
At this point, Fang Zheng opened his hands and made an exploding gesture.
"Understood?"
Upon hearing this, Feli and Alisa’s expressions changed instantly. If they were merely spectators before, things were different now when it involved their own interests.
"Is this true?"
Feli felt some anxiety earlier, but now she was filled with fear.
"Indeed, if all this only led to the collapse of their own region, I wouldn’t bother with such a mess. The path is theirs to choose and walk. But their choices affecting the entire world is a different matter."
"Do we need to act?"
Now Alisa also clenched her Divine Machine, entering a combat stance. As a God Eater, she had the responsibility to protect others. Though she was indifferent to the events here before, it was different when it could impact the world she guarded.
"First diplomacy, then force. I can give them a solution, but they must accept it. If they don’t, then we have to eliminate them completely."
At this point, Fang Zheng glanced at Misaka Mikoto.
"If you find this unacceptable, you can go back and wait for the results. But allow me to inform you, from my experience, in such cases negotiations likely break down. Without a Tomb Guardian here, the people won’t die, and such immortality will bring them great arrogance and security. Without showing our strength, they will surely not engage in a proper dialogue with us."
Fang Zheng didn’t continue, but everyone could understand his implication that a conflict might be inevitable.
This was somewhat difficult for Misaka Mikoto and the others to accept.
"Sister Dear?"
Kuroko glanced at Fang Zheng, then at Misaka Mikoto, softly calling out, hoping Misaka Mikoto would leave. After all, these decisions were not within their capacity, yet Misaka Mikoto pondered and ultimately shook her head.
"No, I’m not going back. I want to see what Mr. Fang Zheng plans to do."
"Alright, it’s bound to happen sooner or later anyway."
Fang Zheng wasn’t surprised by Misaka Mikoto’s response. Though naive, she wasn’t foolish. Frankly, she’s witnessed Academy City’s dark side more than once or twice; it’s time for her to truly understand and tackle issues from a global perspective.
"What about you, Saten Reiko?"
"I’m staying too."
True to her protagonist aura, Saten Reiko gave an answer unsurprising to Fang Zheng.
"Alright then, let me show you what I’ll do next."
At this moment, Fang Zheng drove up to the gates of Osta. This city was built on a hill, with a ten-meter-high wall surrounding it. The gate was carved with various terrifying murals resembling a dark boss’s lair, and upon seeing this, everyone swallowed hard.
Feli gripped her Alchemical Steel tightly, Alisa raised her Divine Machine, vigilantly observing their surroundings, Scarface sat calmly, gently stroking his shovel, while Misaka Mikoto and Kuroko Shirai looked serious, and Saten Reiko held Lei’s hand tightly, the two huddling together... even at this moment, you still think of flirting?!
Fang Zheng glanced helplessly at Saten Reiko and Lei’s tightly clasped hands, rolled his eyes, then opened the car door.
"I’ll have a talk."
After saying this, Fang Zheng got off the car and went to the reception area at the gate, where a soldier was guarding. Seeing Fang Zheng’s appearance, there was a hint of surprise on his emotionless face.
"Who are you? What business do you have in Osta?"
"You don’t need to know who I am."
Fang Zheng unceremoniously interrupted the soldier.
"I need you to notify the ruler of Osta. Tell him I have a crucial matter to discuss, and it concerns the future of Osta and all the undead in this region."
"You...!"
Listening to Fang Zheng’s words, the guard stood up in surprise, glaring at him. Perhaps he had never seen a living being dare to speak so arrogantly in front of the undead. Thus, the guard picked up his weapon, trying to make the living one understand who ruled here, but Fang Zheng merely looked at him, rendering the guard motionless, as a sense of fear emerged from deep within his heart.
Fear!
The guard couldn’t even remember the last time he felt fear since he became a dead man, he had never been afraid again. Yet at this moment, that unfamiliar, almost forgotten feeling of fear suddenly re-emerged!
"...Wait a moment."
The guard used almost all his willpower to suppress the urge to scream. He whispered a sentence, then sat back down, picked up the microphone, and said a few words. Soon after, Fang Zheng saw the wooden door on the other side open, and a figure walked out.
"Interesting, who would have thought I’d encounter so many fascinating people? This is indeed interesting."
"Are you the one who wanted to see the ruler of Osta?"
First, there was a female voice, followed by a male voice. Yet, upon seeing the figure in front of them, the girls in the vehicle were all stunned.
The reason was simple, because what appeared before them was not just a person.
To be precise, it was two people.
On the left was a woman’s half-body, and on the right was a man’s half-body, as if someone had split them in half and stitched each half together.
"This is the first time I’ve seen someone wanting to come here to see the ruler of Osta. What do you want?"
"Certainly."
For this stitched person, Fang Zheng only displayed a moment of surprise, then quickly returned to calm.
"As I mentioned earlier, this concerns the important affairs of the entire Osta and all the dead in this region."
Saying this, Fang Zheng looked at the (two) people and smiled slightly.
"It concerns your life and death."
Upon hearing this, the expression of the (two) people changed slightly.
"Is this a threat?"
"You can consider it a threat or a notification."
Fang Zheng shrugged.
"In any case, it’s a matter for you to decide, and once you’ve made a choice, you must bear the consequences."
"..."
In an instant, the atmosphere became grave and heavy. The girls in the vehicle tightened their grip on their weapons, watching the negotiation scene outside. After a moment, the male seemed to smile.
"Alright, no problem. I will inform Her Royal Highness, the Princess."
"Strong Attack!?"
"No problem, Evil Plague."
"..."
"Allow me to introduce myself."
The male extended his hand to point at himself.
"I am Strong Attack, the Special Foreign Affairs Officer of Osta, and she is Evil Plague, the Deputy Captain of the Osta Royal Guard."
"I am Fang Zheng."
As he spoke, Fang Zheng extended his hand, and seeing his action, the duo paused for a moment, then smiled slightly and shook his hand.
"Hello, welcome to Osta."
Although the duo agreed to enter the city, meeting the ruler of Osta took considerable time. It wasn’t until sunset that Fang Zheng and his party finally received the notification from Evil Plague that they could meet Her Royal Highness, the Princess, and then they drove into Osta.
Looking ahead, the entire city was brilliantly lit.
"It’s so lively..."
Seeing the lights in every household and the bustling markets, the girls couldn’t help but lean on the windows and gaze outside. Before entering this city, they had always imagined the City of the Dead to be terrifying, eerie, evil, and frightening. But now it seemed no different from an ordinary, lively, exotic city.
Of course, if there’s any problem, it’s that everyone on the streets—be it soldiers, civilians, or others—wore masks, making it look more like some kind of carnival.
"People here seem to be doing quite well."
Gazing at the view outside through the car window, Misaka Mikoto murmured softly, while Kuroko Shirai fiddled with her hair without saying anything.
As for Scarface...
"I just want to bury them as soon as possible."
She stared out at the window, her eyes reflecting not sorrow, anger, or sympathy, but a spirit imbued with steadfast will.
"Miss Scarface, that’s unreasonable."
Saten Reiko exclaimed upon hearing Scarface’s words.
"They haven’t done anything wrong, have they?"
"But I am a Grave Keeper."
Glancing out the window once more, Scarface withdrew her gaze.
"Burying the dead is my duty."
"Uh... Mr. Fang Zheng, what do you think?"
Unable to persuade Scarface, Saten Reiko turned to Fang Zheng for help, but...
"A bug must either be fixed or deleted, no matter how interesting it seems. When it causes a collapse of the entire world, it will be anything but interesting. Cancer cells are the same; cancer cells just want to survive, but who would want them to?"
Fang Zheng shrugged.
"I gave them a choice. Now it’s time for them to choose."
