Afterlife Department

Chapter 42 - Huo Ling

Stable World, S City Police Station, chief inspector's office.

Huo Ling, age 23, alias Howee Jackson. He was picked up by a nun when he was a child and was sent to a public school. When he was just about to start his high school, he had to drop out because the orphanage caught on fire. Fortunately, no one was hurt but they had to reduce the children they had to fed. Thus, Huo Ling started to work at 15 by doing odd jobs until he settled on his job as a deliveryman. His alias Howee Jackson is from his job of singing anonymously online at night.

Gu Xingfeng sighed. Everyone has their own difficulties in life. The only difference is that which is worse than the other. Thinking this, he remembered Hao Baiyun – his nemesis. He took out his phone and saw his last message: awake? There was no reply from the other party. He sent another message: are you not ill now?

Hao Baiyun replied: what do you want with young master?

This reply… Gu Xingfeng thought. If there was a 'this' before the 'young master', then it would be Hao Baiyun. However… he replied: Fei Xuli.

Fei Xuli replied using Hao Baiyun's phone: yes.

Gu Xingfeng replied: why is Hao Baiyun's phone with you?

Fei Xuli: young master told me to hold onto this in case you'd harass him.

Gu Xingfeng's brow twitched: just when did?I harass him?

Fei Xuli: I don't know. But you should know.

"…" Gu Xingfeng sighed. Hao Baiyun really chose the right person to block him. He chose not to reply and just resume his work.

Supernatural Department, Director's Office.

Seeing Fei Xuli preoccupied in his cellphone, Hao Baiyun knew it was Gu Xingfeng on the other end. Hao Baiyun remained silent and just focused on his work at hand.

Tan Yu said before that there was a monster who ate souls. Hao Baiyun had been calm back then, but he wasn't calm at all inside. A monster that eats one's souls… he thought. "Fei Xuli." He called.

"Yes, young master." Fei Xuli answered.

"Prepare the car." He said. "We're going back at home." He told him.

"Right away." Fei Xuli said and left. Hao Baiyun saw he also left the cellphone.

Hao Baiyun didn't move from his chair. There was one more thing in his mind – there was someone who killed the monster, as Tan Yu said. And – "If Xu Wenrong's soul already was eaten, then who… no. What was controlling Xu Wenrong's soul after he died?" he muttered. Xu Wenrong even had been interrogated by Gu Xingfeng. "Was it that shadow?" he muttered. He is sure he saw a shadow lurking in Fu Ling's room. "But, it wasn't hostile." He added. "Strange…"

"Young master." He heard Fei Xuli's call outside.

Hao Baiyun sighed and rose from his seat. Once he'll go back home, he will definitely find clues to this mystery!

Special World.

Dark. It's so dark. Cold… it's very, very cold. He thought as he stared at the darkness. He can now finally move his body, but only slightly since his muscles are taut and he felt powerless. He stared at the metallic and rectangular space they placed him.

Yes. This is the morgue. The people before thought he is dead after they confirmed his heart stopped beating and his mind stopped working. However, he still can think! If not, then how can he currently speak in his mind?!

He sighed. He found out that his name is Huo Ling. An acquaintance saw him earlier being sent to the emergency room and called him after he recognized him. However, he cannot speak. Thus, it was the nurses who approached his acquaintance and asked of his details from him.

He came from a wealthy family and was sent to a prestigious school. He is also smart. However, an accident befell his family and everyone died. He lived because he was currently abroad at that time as an exchange student. What should be his homecoming, he was welcomed by his family's cold bodies. He gave them a grand funeral despite their entire fortune would all be spent. The servants respected his wishes and they left him one by one. Then, he sold their mansion for him to have some money to be spent in food and clothing as he went to find work and a place to stay.

Thinking that it should be easy to find job since he is smart, he finally hit a wall. Life punched him again – this time, harder, as he found himself in the street and got only few money left. It was until then he was robbed – not only of his money, but also his life. Before he died, he asked himself if it was worth living this kind of life he had.

Huo Ling took a deep breath when he felt his heart became heavy. Why do I feel a sense of de ja vu? He thought and shook his head. No matter. He was already living this life. He could only pray he'd be luckier in his next life. For now… he had to think how to get out of this cold, rectangular box for corpses.

Just as he was thinking, he heard a noise from outside. He was about to speak but he remembered he got no voice and he can't move his mouth yet. However, the other party spoke for him.

"… why are you so unlucky?" a deep, cold voice of a man said. It's as if he was sighing.

Huo Ling was puzzled. What does he meant by that? He thought. However, he realized something. Does this man know he's alive?! He thought. He tried to move his body again, but he could only move a little. "Mhm!" a muffled voice came out of his frozen and numb lips.

The man outside seemed to hear something since he made a sudden noise. "… you're awake?" he said, surprise in his voice.

If Huo Ling could roll his eyes, he already would have! What do you mean I am awake? Aren't you speaking to me earlier? He thought and moved his fingers to tap the cold metal he was lying down. "Mh." He hummed.

The man outside seemed shocked as Huo Ling heard a rash thumping sound outside. It was the sound of a shoe hitting the tiled floor. "So you're awake." The man said.

I am! Huo Ling wanted to scream, but unfortunately, he can't. Instead of doing a monologue there, isn't it better if you have someone to speak to? So can you help me here? He tried tapping his fingers against the cold metal.

The man outside heard his response. Huo Ling felt his heart skipped a beat when the place where he's at was moved and his body was pulled out of the morgue cabinet.

When Huo Ling finally saw the outside, he was met with a cold expression of a man.

"…" Brother, I swear on my life your face is more lifeless than mine!