Afterlife Department

Chapter 155 - Cause

"As you already know, the Walter family are the ancestors of the hunters of today. As time goes by, their family – their number, grew." The strange doctor started. "They were the first of the humankind to retaliate against the monsters, who were once humans." He said. "Thus, being a hunter is an honorable job. And being a hunter belonging to the Walter family is a prestige." He explained.

"Tch." Fei Xuli clicked his tongue as he sneered in disgust while Jing Yu frowned. Hao Baiyun just rolled his eyes at the strange doctor.

"'belonging to the Walter family'?" Huo Ling asked.

"There were the Walters as hunters. But of course, there were also independent hunters who became hunters for various reasons like avenging their family, for money, or for fame." The strange doctor explained. "However, the Walter family was a stronghold, so many hunters wanted to work for them. in other words, the Walter family also is an organization of the hunters. And at this time, they are the main one." He said.

Huo Ling fell silent as he digested the information. After a while, he spoke. "You said there were various reasons why one became a hunter." He said. "Then, what is the Walter family's reason?" he asked as he looked at the strange doctor.

It was the strange doctor's turn to become silent. "If you asked that… you should also ask what was the monster that first came to be." He said.

Huo Ling blankly stared at the doctor for a long time before the realization dawned on him. "You don't mean – " his eyes slowly widened in shock and he gaped at the doctor. " – the first monster came from the Walter family?!" he exclaimed.

"If that is so, the Walter family won't be as famous as they are now as a hunter family." The strange doctor sighed.

"Then… who, or what, is the first monster?" Huo Ling asked. "They are really related to the Walter family?" he said. He placed a finger on his lips. "As you said, they didn't become a monster. However, the first monster is related to them. So – " his eyes narrowed and his brows knitted. " – what's the answer?" he asked.

The strange doctor looked at him before he turned to the others. Then, he opened his mouth to speak. "It's none other than, they created a monster themselves." He answered. His voice is tranquil.

Pennsylvania, Walterland.

In one of the mountains in the mountainous region of a wide stretch of the land, a giant castle erects at its peak. The wind blowing is cold due to the altitude. The wind blowing through the windows and the empty hallways sounds like it's both crying and howling, and echoing in the walls, making the place feel eerie.

As the sun descended behind the mountains, the darkness slowly crept on the land, devouring whatever it touches and blanketing everything it reached. The moon hanging in the sky is the only object illuminating the surrounding, but it isn't enough. The trees its light touches looked like giant statues standing tall as the guardians of the mountains, but their silhouette made them looked like monsters.

Because of the darkness, countless torches were lit, including the torches inside the castle. The flickering orange balls of flames looked like the glowing, glaring eyes of a hungry raging beast hiding in the darkness of the night, waiting for its prey, and ready to pounce on its prey.

In one of the windows at the top of the castle, a handsome and tall man looking like in his thirties yet already in his fifties stood upright. One hand behind him, his other hand held a goblet filled with bright red liquid resembling blood. If not for the intoxicating scent of the wine, anyone who would see him would mistake it was blood inside the crystal clear goblet.

The man has a black hair as dark as a raven. His skin is morbid pale, his veins can be seen on his skin. His eyes were deep purple, making one feel bewitched as they looked at them. His nose is tall and his lips were thin and scarlet red like they were dyed by blood. One would mistake him as a vampire, but surprisingly, he is a human.

Harry Walter gazed at the land before him, but there was only endless darkness. When the wind blew, he spoke to an empty space beside him with a slight turn of his head. "You said Howee died?" he asked.

A voice answered from the darkness. "Yes." a servant answered as he emerged like he was born out of the darkness. If Thomas Wilson and his subordinates were here, they would see the person that suddenly appeared looked like the butler that received them when they arrived.

"It has been a long time since I last saw Howee… how did he die?" Harry Walter asked.

"The same way Mr. Thomas Wilson's lover died." The servant answered. "Drowning from a shipwreck." He said as he detailed the Ascend Cruise Ship's shipwreck to his master.

"Ah… such a pity, indeed." Harry Walter sighed. "Howee is the only child that was born." He said, his voice filled with lament.

The servant fell silent since he doesn't know what to answer.

China, S City, Hao Baiyun's villa, basement.

"They… created a monster?" Huo Ling was shocked. "How? I mean… why? Why did they make it?" he asked.

The strange doctor looked like he was hesitating to speak. However, faced with the sole legitimate heir of the Walter family, he has no option. "The Walter family… they were originally a family of scientists." He said. "They madly pursue the truth of this world. However, when they reached a bottleneck, they realized they had to change the way they think." He said.

"You mean…" Liu Lin said as he stared at the strange doctor in shock. If it is not science, then it can only - be the supernatural, which is beyond the science. Science is the limit of the humans' brain, thus the supernatural becomes its beyond.

"Yes." the strange doctor answered. His expression and voice heavy. "They dabbled in black arts." He told them.

Hao Baiyun, as one of the powerful and influential figures, of course he is aware of things underneath the surface, too (the underworld). Thus, he knows the Walter family also has connections to mafia. Or else, how would they easily catch stray monsters, and yao like Fei Xuli and Jing Yu?

But to hear them also dabbling in black arts… "That can't be…" his eyes widened in shock.

"Young master…" Fei Xuli called as he and Jing Yu hung their head.

Hao Baiyun looked at them. "So, you also knew." He said.

"Yes. That's why we stopped you before not to avenge Ah Yu and I for our captivity in their hands." Fei Xuli explained.

Hao Baiyun is speechless. He can only look at the strange doctor to hear more of the famous Walter family.

"The… that… the c-clone... cough." Huo Ling awkwardly said. "My father… when I heard you say they are scientists, I thought he was made out of science. But the black arts…" he muttered. Then, he remembered that the strange doctor also mentioned about soul when Harry Jackson was made as a clone of Harry Walter.

The strange doctor could only wryly smile. Silence fell upon them before the strange doctor sighed and continue. "It's not entirely black magic when Harry Walter's clones were made. Of course, there is science." He said. "The Walter family combined the science and black magic. The first result was a monster." He explained.

"So, it wasn't a curse?" Di San asked.

"How can it be?" the strange doctor said before he paused. "There's nothing that can be created out of nothing. But, definitely, something can become nothing." He said. "And that something was made from their hands. Of course, it was them to destroy it." he looked at them. "That's how the Walter family came to be hunters." He told them.

The monsters, indeed, were once humans. The monsters, they were also made by the humans. And this curse that turned the humans to monsters is called 'human experimentation', which also done by the humans.

"My father…" Huo Ling said, his voice low.

"He can't be called a monster." The strange doctor said. "Well, maybe he is. But, he is a perfect 'monster' the Walter family made." He said. As for the rest that were failed products, of course, they are the real monsters.

"So, the reason why Ah Yu only smelled a faint smell of that bastard on youngest young master Ling even though young master Ling's blood should be half his is because that bastard's blood… thinned because 'Harry Jackson' is just one of that bastard's clones?" Fei Xuli said as he looked at Huo Ling before his gaze fell on Huo Ling's corpse on the bed.

"Yes." the strange doctor said. Then, he made a pause. He looked at Huo Ling. He stared at him for a long while before he spoke. "Your father, Harry… Jackson. His death…" he said as he took a deep breath. "He was killed. Harry Walter killed him." He told him.

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