Afterlife Department

Chapter 43 - Special World

Are morgues so popular nowadays everyone is rushing just to have a place in it? Huo Ling thought as he stared face to face at the man who has a lifeless face. If he didn't hear him talking earlier, he would've thought he's also a corpse who's alive just like him.

Huo Ling still can't speak so the man before him spoke. "Do you recognize me?" the man asked.

Huo Ling shot him a 'should I know you?' look. The man paused after his expression then he looked away. I forgot. He already lost his memories. Yi Bing thought and turned back to look at Huo Ling. He still has the same face so Yi Bing recognizes him. Just that, Huo Ling looked much better compared before. But, just paler since he was just embalmed.

Huo Ling saw the man had dropped the matter, but he is curious to death… he already died. He's now just curious. He wrote this matter in his mind and would ask the man later when he can already speak. For now, he's at the man's mercy. Whatever happens to him, it's the man's doing. This man who knows him, he wanted to ask him who is he, how did he know him, what is his relationship with him and what will he do to him – precisely, his corpse. But, these questions are all saved for later.

Yi Bing saw the turmoil in Huo Ling's eyes while his body is motionless. Yi Bing suddenly felt his heart was itchy as he stared at Huo Ling. What to do… even though his face looked expressionless and stiff since he's a corpse, yet his eyes are so alive. He thought. Yes. What made him interested with Huo Ling are his eyes. They looked so bright, like fireballs dancing in the dark. Sometimes, they sparkle like black polished gems when he looked so excited.

Yi Bing was pulled from his thoughts when they heard something clattered in one of the drawers of the morgue cabinet. "Let's go." He told Huo Ling.

What? How - ? Before Huo Ling could react, the surrounding suddenly changed and they were in the middle of nowhere. Huo Ling felt the grasses prickling him replaced the cold metal on his back. Huo Ling's eyes stared at Yi Bing. What just happened? He thought.

Yi Bing saw the question in Huo Ling's eyes, yet this isn't the time to answer him. This world is special. Huo Ling might be a soul but his soul is stuck on his body. However, the reason for that is to use their soul's attribute – their power, and unleash it.

Yes – this is a world of ability users. But the ability users are technically dead. Only their soul is alive which manipulated their body to move, making them 'alive' again. This is the reason why this was called a 'Special World'. This world is advanced compared to the other worlds because of the presence of the abilities – magic. The soul being used along with its attribute is also a factor of this world being advanced – Special. Yi Bing naturally could maximize his powers in this world. Thus, he can easily teleport him and Huo Ling from the morgue.

This word is just about to start its change from 'Ordinary' to 'Special'. Huo Ling is one of those people who will be ability users in the future. However, even if Huo Ling is 'alive', but Yi Bing this time is present in this world to accompany him since Huo Ling, technically, died. Like the world, Huo Ling changed from being an 'Abnormal Soul' to 'Special Soul'. This isn't an upgrade. The type of the soul depends on the type of the world.

Yi Bing looked at Huo Ling's stiff corpse. He wanted to thaw him but he only has ice. It depends on Huo Ling and his soul attribute to thaw himself. However, if he'd do it, the decomposition of his body will be faster.

Speaking of time, it varies from every world. Yi Bing might have appeared before Huo Ling after one hour Huo Ling left the Pathway of the Clouds. But, for Huo Ling, he had experienced another 23 years – the time he spent in this world, his lifetime. He died at 23 again. Yi Bing can't help but think. "Later, you will know the significance of this world." He told Huo Ling as he poked Huo Ling's stiff arm with the grass he picked.

"W… h…. at…" Huo Ling asked. What do you mean? "Wh… o… y…?" Who are you? He wanted to ask him.

Yi Bing, of course, know what Huo Ling wanted to ask. However, he isn't in a hurry. In the previous world, he stayed with Huo Ling for only one day. In this world, his time together with Huo Ling will be longer. Huo Ling will be a zombie ability user. Thus, for as long as Huo Ling stays 'alive' while being dead, Yi Bing will be with him.

"Whe… re… are… we - ?" Huo Ling asked with much difficulty. He can't breathe anymore since his lung and heart has already stopped functioning, along with his brain. His 'voice' is the air he exhales. He twists his lips to form 'words'. Thus, instead of 'speaking', he's 'exhaling'.

"Don't 'speak'." Yi Bing told Huo Ling. "Just write." He said.

"…" that's better, but I'll need more time before I can do it. Huo Ling wanted to roll his eyes, but his eyeballs only shook a little. Everything is so inconvenient with this body! He wanted to sigh, but he'd have to have air inside his body first before he could release it! He could only move his eyes right now… and could tap his fingers! Morse code! Why didn't I think of that?! … because I don't know how to use it! He wanted to gnash his teeth in anger. He wanted to face palm. … why am I such a failure? He wanted to cry, but he could only cry in his soul. After all, his heart is already not working. His mind is not working. Only his soul…

As if something flashed in his mind, his eyes turned to look at Yi Bing who was sitting on the grass, his right leg stretched out while his left knee was raised. His elbow was resting on his left knee, his cheek on his fist. A blade of grass was in between his teeth. His black hair was tied by a red string, and the ends of the string are afloat. The locks of Yi Bing's hair were falling on his face, covering half of it, giving Yi Bing a mysterious look as his ice cold blue eyes gaze afar.

Huo Ling suddenly was in a daze… so cool… he thought as he stared at Yi Bing.