Afterlife Department

Chapter 304 - Dismal

No one would want for their mistake to be pointed out to them. Not even Huo Ling, who already died and has become a soul.

"What does that mean?" Huo Ling asked. "Are you trying to pick a fight with me?" he frowned as he glared at Yi Bing.

Your mistake being pointed out to you is shameful. And shame can also be brought after death. That's why the descendants shouldn't commit a crime or a sin since it will bring dishonor to their family, up to their ancestors.

"That means that you shouldn't get your arrogance over your head." Yi Bing answered as he pushed Huo Ling's forehead using his index finger. "Let's go." He told him as he stood up.

"Huh? Where?" Huo Ling asked as he rubbed his forehead even though he can't feel pain from the physical attacks.

"Follow them!" Yi Bing answered as he continued to listen to the conversation ongoing inside the mausoleum using his hyper-hearing. He didn't wait for Huo Ling to react as he grabbed him by his hand and they flew inside the mausoleum.

Huo Ling, who was caught off-guard after Yi Bing suddenly pulled him, didn't notice Yi Bing is eating his tofu by holding his hand.

"If it's her plan to come to this place, then she shouldn't have been attacked." Yi Bing heard Huo Zichu said to Huo Huainan in a low voice when he and Huo Ling teleported inside the mausoleum where everyone has gathered.

Huo Huainan thought about it. "You're right." He said. "If it was her who planned this, she should have known some information regarding this tomb. She should have avoided being attacked. However…" he said and looked outside the mausoleum where Han Meng is pacing to and fro, as if waiting for them to come out.

"She was attacked." Huo Zichu said.

"If it wasn't her, then who?" Huo Huainan asked.

Every time Huo Ling goes on a trip, he would submit a travel waiver to their department. Huo Huainan and Huo Zichu are influential people. Naturally, their spy where Huo Ling is working would always notify them whenever Huo Ling submits a waiver, and so they would prepare in advance as they instructed their spy to suggest the safe tombs that they have chosen to Huo Ling for Huo Ling to go to.

But, no one has expected for this to happen. Huo Ling suddenly left before his supervisor could respond. Obviously, they left in haste. Furthermore, they didn't change their destination submitted through their waiver.

And so, Huo Huainan and Huo Zichu could only follow them behind in worry. Because of their haste, they didn't try to check Huo Ling's destination and just trailed Huo Ling's group. They know their son's temperament – reckless even though smart. Only his smartness saves him in critical times. Because of this recklessness, Huo Ling chooses dangerous tombs. That's why Huo Huainan and Huo Zichu had someone try to persuade Huo Ling to go to the safe tombs.

Huo Huainan and Huo Zichu should have eased their worry if they only had checked Huo Ling's destination – a small village. However, they didn't out of worry for their son. Fortunately, they didn't ease their worry, because they have responded immediately with Huo Ling's group alarm signals sent outside the mausoleum. Yet, they were still too late since Huo Ling was already gone.

Huo Huainan and Huo Zichu, who already knew Huo Ling's soul will be replaced when he reached twenty-three, wished they could say their farewell to Huo Ling. Huo Ling's grandfather even suggested to ban Huo Ling from leaving until he reached twenty-three. However, no one could stop fate from happening.

Huo Ling left, and Huo Huainan, Huo Zichu, Huo Ling's grandfather, the ones who were left, could only regret, and lament of the fate – especially Huo Ling's fate. How they wished Huo Ling wouldn't die, that he could live until his hair turned white. Yet, from the moment he was born in this world, his fate was sealed.

Huo Ling will die at the age of twenty-three, and his soul will be replaced in his body to continue 'his' life in this world. If fate could be stopped, then Huo Huainan, Huo Zichu, Huo Ling's grandfather wished they didn't know Huo Ling's fate.

But, 'ifs' will remain 'ifs', since time can't go back. Instead, time will continue to move on. However, Huo Huainan, Huo Zichu, Huo Ling's grandfather, their feelings wouldn't… couldn't move on.

"They suspect Han Meng?" Huo Ling, who heard what Huo Huainan and Huo Zichu said, asked in surprise as he looked at his parents.

"Yes." Yi Bing nodded. "You and your group coming here when you're supposed to be on your way back home is really suspicious." He said. "Your parents think it isn't just a coincidence." He added.

Huo Ling's eyes widened in shock. "It can't be…?" he muttered. He suddenly paused when he thought of something. "Could it be the work of Soul Society?!" he asked, a frown appeared on his face and his brows knit. He's both displeased and angry. Obviously, he already judged it as Soul Society's work.

"Wait… if Han Meng became like this, could it be… Andy…?" Lian Xiang spoke amidst their conversation.

Zhou Cheng, Peng Qian and Rourou froze. Their face slowly lost color as they thought of the possibility.

"It shouldn't be…" they said, trying to make their voice sound positive. They wanted to dispel the doubt that formed in their heart. But, the horrified expression on their face and their shaking voice betrayed them.

"Just what is this place…?" Lian Xiang asked, her eyes are wide in horror as she looked at the others' face and saw that the others also thought the same as her.

Andy is dead. Even if he's still alive, but they have already put him in a death sentence since they think Andy wouldn't survive this strange place. Han Meng has already turned to a demon after she's been possessed. Huo Ling suddenly became missing, and is assumed dead. Philip also disappeared before their eyes. They also assume he is dead. After all, this place is really eerie.

Then, what about them? Are they also going to die? Will they also suddenly disappear without anyone noticing like Huo Ling? What will happen to them after they became missing? Or will they also disappear right in front of the others' eyes? Will the others save them, then? Or will they also be like them who, with a dumbfounded expression, just watched Philip disappear before their eyes?

Or is it, will they also be possessed, like Han Meng, and slowly become a demon without anyone noticing, and just suddenly spring up and catch everyone off-guarded to prey on them? The more they thought about these possible scenarios that might happen to them, or they might encounter later as they go deep further in the mausoleum, the more horrified they are.

Lian Xiang collapsed after her knees became weak while Rourou fought the urge to show her weakness. Peng Qian and Zhou Cheng are barely holding back their fear and the ominous feeling that crept in their heart.

The senior policeman and the junior policeman, however, still looked calm. "We still haven't introduced ourselves." The senior policeman spoke, trying to alleviate the gloom in the atmosphere. After all, after witnessing Han Meng turned to a demon after being possessed, their future suddenly looked dismal.

"Oh." The junior policeman muttered when he felt his senior kicked him on the shin. "I'm Yang Jie!" he said, a bright smile on his face. His eyes are also curved into crescents. His voice also sounds vibrant. "You can call me officer Yang or Yang-ge!" he told the group of young men and women whose eyes started to become dull while thinking their future suddenly looked bleak.

Yang Jie's bright voice echoed in the walls of mausoleum. However, it didn't sound eerie and instead made them feel warm and cheery. The suffocating feeling of death slowly dissipated from their chest.

"Zhang Jun." the senior policeman spoke, his voice firm and powerful.

Huo Huainan's and Huo Zichu's conversation stopped. They turned and saw the two policemen are looking at them. Huo Huainan and Huo Zichu have a good impression on these two policemen. If they were other people, they would have flared up – especially Huo Zichu. However, since they saw that the two policemen looked sincere in helping them and Huo Ling's friends, they would look like the bad guys here.

"Huo Huainan." Huo Huainan spoke. His voice calm and low, but enough for everyone to hear him.

"Huo Zichu." Huo Zichu said, her voice is stern and her chin is proudly raised. She's obviously a proud woman.

"Zhou Cheng." Zhou Cheng spoke even though he already knew that the two policemen, after taking their statements earlier, and Huo Huainan and Huo Zichu, after they revealed they have investigated them, know their names.

He only spoke out of courtesy, and knows that the intention is to lift everyone's spirit up by having a topic to talk about, to divert their attention from their dismal situation.

"Peng Qian." Peng Qian spoke and slightly bowed to the adults.

"Li Rourou."

"L-Lian Xiang…"

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