Afterlife Department

Chapter 234 - Hope

Before they could start to bicker with each other, they suddenly smelled something in the air amidst the smoke from the battle. Although the scent was faint, but they felt like their soul trembled for some reason. Their heart skipped a beat and their eyes widened when they realized what it is.

"This is - !" Liu Lin exclaimed after he picked up a piece of rock from the remnants of Huo Jinghua's mech.

Feng Er smelled the burnt rock. "It has the smell of a Soul Fragment." She said.

"Soul Fragment?" Huo Ling turned.

"A Soul Fragment is a piece of a soul." Yi Bing answered. "It contains the memories of the soul, as well as its power.." He explained.

"Soul Fragments… souls have a smell?" Huo Ling asked in surprise.

Feng Er nodded. "The stronger the power of a Soul Fragment, the stronger its smell. The weakest Soul Fragment has a smell that almost nonexistent." She explained.

Huo Ling really admires the wonders of the world… well, worlds.

"Let's move him to planet XTV1 first – " Yi Bing said as he carefully picked up Huo Jinghua.

"… Howee…" Huo Jinghua muttered when he heard the familiar voice they recently lost, bringing anguish in their heart, and that led everything to where it was now…

Huo Ling froze when he heard his name was called, and the voice that called him. Meanwhile everyone stared at Huo Jinghua in shock.

"… he's having hallucination because of the rock." Huo Ling said in an emotionless voice, making everyone turn to him in surprise. Huo Ling's face is devoid of emotions, as well as his eyes.

They thought Huo Ling would cry, beg them to make him alive again. However, this is Huo Ling. The Huo Ling of this world. He is strict on himself, and a very rational person. Never mind he was 'possessed' by Fengshen Sect Master Huo, Huo Ling of this world might feel regret of his death, but he knows acceptance. He had already accepted his death, his fate.

"No… Howee – " Huo Jinghua slowly opened his eyes with much difficulty. His bloodstained lips are quivering as he forced himself to talk with much difficulty. His voice is rasp because of his heavy breathing from his injuries. Then, he saw Huo Ling's figure. "Howee… it is you…" he said as a tear fell from his eye. This child that wasn't his own, yet he treated like his own treasure. It wasn't just because Huo Ling is Huo Meiying's child. But because he truly loved Huo Ling as his own son.

"He wouldn't normally see you, no one would, since you're already dead." Yi Bing said as he read Huo Ling's expression. "However, since your soul was mixed by the qi of this world, it overruled the rules and so he can see you." He explained.

"Howee – " Huo Jinghua called.

"… uncle." Huo Ling finally called as his eyes reddened. His eyes were filled with tears, and a tear fell on Huo Jinghua's face. Finally, he can't hold back his overflowing emotions and a sob escaped from his lips. "Uncle…!" he cried as he hugged Huo Jinghua. Although he is very emotional right now, but he still remembered that Huo Jinghua was injured, and suffered deep wounds that are still bleeding.

"'uncle'? You call me 'dad'." Huo Jinghua chuckled, only to groan in pain after because he had aggravated his wound on his chest. He felt like his internal organs have been squished and squashed earlier after his mech was shot and exploded. Fortunately, he had foreseen it'll happen and had pushed the ejection button. The explosion and the smoke covered his escape, and so no enemies has seen his escape and pursued him.

However, he still hasn't avoided to fall like a flattened pancake in a passing asteroid.

Huo Ling sighed. "You don't have much time. You have to save mother, and Rayver Quinn." He told him and pulled Huo Jinghua up with the help of Yi Bing.

"I know…" Huo Jinghua sighed and reluctantly looked at Huo Ling. If he already knew about Rayver Quinn's relationship with him and mentioned the man… or did he? He thought when he saw Huo Ling's calm expression. Does he only know about Rayver Quinn being cornered by the Alliance and mentioned him in passing to him along with Mary Jackson? He felt befuddled. Huo Ling's appearance right now is already befuddling. "Wait. What about you, Howee?" he asked.

Huo Ling smiled. "I'm only your hallucination because of the rock. Say my regards to mother, and father, and Lewis, and uncle Jiang, Harry, and Kale and Sam." He told him before he looked at Yi Bing.

Yi Bing nodded. Before Huo Jinghua could react, he teleported Huo Jinghua alone to planet XTV1 with him, leaving Huo Ling with Di San and Feng Er.

"Why didn't you…" Di San said.

"I just realized farewells are the hardest thing to say, next to 'I'm sorry'." Huo Ling said. "It was already hard for me to bid my final farewell to him, how much more will it be if I'd see my mother, and my father?" he asked and looked afar where countless explosions appeared, illuminating the dark space. "They will all live a long time… father, mother, uncle Jinghua, uncle Jiang, Lewis, Harry, Kale and Sam, and the new one added to my family: Rayver Quinn." He smiled. He saw Yi Bing reappeared. "Let's go." He said.

They nodded and teleported to the Hoobite Planet where Si Shui and the other Soul Fragment are.

…

Gerard Jackson grunted when his mech collided against a mech which its pilot died. "Move away!" he yelled as he pushed the floating mech with his mech and shot an Alliance's mech. "They're so persistent!" he muttered.

"Sir! Reinforcements are coming!" his subordinate reported.

"Took them too long!" Gerard Jackson rolled his eyes. However, when he turned, he saw something flying towards him. His pupils shrank.

However, before the enemy's fire could hit him, it was counter-shot. Before he could react, he heard a familiar voice spoke.

"I will never take long to come and save you." Lewis Johnson said as his mech approached Gerard Jackson's mech.

It was unfortunate they were inside their mech so they can't see each other. But, it was enough for them to stand side by side in a battle.

…

Harry Walter's expression turned better when he saw Lewis Johnson came on time to save Gerard Jackson. However, his expression fell again when he can't contact Huo Jinghua. "Your Majesty…"

Kale took a deep breath to calm himself. "We won't lose this battle. General Huo and General Quinn are safe, as well as my aunt. We have to believe them." He said and took Sam's hand. "Prepare to send the empress dowager away. I will stay." He ordered.

"Your Majesty…" they called to complain, but they shut up when they saw Kale's expression.

"I'll be with you." Sam told Kale as he held Kale's hand tight.

Kale smiled. "En." He said before he turned to Harry Walter. "Don't cease to reconnect the communication with General Huo and General Quinn. They will surely find a way to contact us." He said. "Send more people to Colonel Johnson and Colonel Jackson's side!" he ordered.

"Yes!" they answered.

Suddenly, they saw a large number of mech that came out of nowhere and flew very fast to the Star Gate. "That's - !" they exclaimed.

"General Huo's units!"

"Why are they here?! Didn't General Huo – "

"Idiot!" Harry Walter muttered in frustration. Huo Jinghua headed to planet XTV1 alone! "Your Majesty – " he turned.

"Hope… let's hope they're all safe." Kale sighed.

"… yes." Harry Walter fixed his expression. He is just a realist. However, this time, it seems that he had to hope. Hope that everything will be fine. Hope that they will win. Hope that Huo Jinghua, Rayver Quinn and Mary Jackson is alive and return.

Planet XTV1.

"Are you alright?" Rayver Quinn asked Mary Jackson who suddenly fell after they turned in the air to avoid being hit.

"… y-yes…" Mary Jackson answered as she held her head, feeling dizzy. She hit her head on the wall of the mech. Fortunately, she is A-rank on her physical strength.

"Hang on – " Rayver Quinn told her as he counterattacked to their pursuer before he drove his mech to the tall canyons. "How are you?" he asked his subordinates in their communication line.

Rayver Quinn's subordinates are definitely tougher than the normal soldiers. "Only ten were injured. No deaths." They answered.

The Alliance, although didn't underestimated them, but relied on their sneak attack to attack Rayver Quinn. And so, they only sent a few people to kill Rayver Quinn, believing their sneak attack would be a success.

"Good." Rayver Quinn said before his mech jumped out of a boulder and shot the two mechs of the Alliance that followed him.

BOOOM!!!

"Ah!" Mary Jackson grunted and covered her ears since the two mechs exploded near them and Rayver Quinn's mech was blown away.

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