Afterlife Department

Chapter 317 - Retribution

When they entered the mausoleum, they found Rourou running. They immediately followed her and found her go to the room where Huo Ling died.

Rourou stopped outside and catch her breath. She saw the pool of blood on the floor. "Philip!" she called when she saw Philip carefully holding Huo Ling's corpse and silently wiping the blood off of Huo Ling's face and neck. "Philip…" she called, her voice lowered. She remembered that Philip and Huo Ling were childhood friends.

"He has always been a younger brother to me…" Philip said as wiped the blood off of Huo Ling's arm and hand.

"I know." Rourou said and lowered her head. Women are sensitive to the emotions of other people. She could see that Philip really cares for Huo Ling, even though he doesn't speak much.. It could be seen through his actions.

"He reminds me of someone…" Philip continued. "But, that someone is gone. And, I didn't expect for him to also be gone." He said as he looked at Huo Ling.

"Philip…" Rourou looked at him, her eyes filled with pity. She then took out something from her jacket. "You can still save him." She told him.

Philip turned to her.

Rourou raised the object in her hands. "This is the Soul Furnace." She said. "I stole it from the Soul Society. I only want my freedom." She bit her lower lip. "I don't have a use of this object. Here, take it. This can save Huo Ling." She told him.

Philip didn't speak but he immediately grabbed the object from Rourou's hands. "You…" he said as he looked at Rourou.

Rourou smiled. "I can't pay for all my sins, but at least I could save one of the victims." She said and looked at Huo Ling. "Go find a place to hide. Zhou Cheng and Peng Qian killed Andy." She told him. Then, she bade him goodbye and left.

Philip nodded and didn't ask anything more. He placed the Soul Furnace on Huo Ling's abdomen before he carried Huo Ling. He walked around before a hole suddenly appeared on the floor. He turned and saw there's a staircase leading downwards. Philip remembered Rourou's warning about Zhou Cheng and Peng Qian. He then unhesitatingly walked downstairs, and he disappeared before their eyes. The hole leading downstairs then disappeared.

"What the…" Yang Jie finally couldn't help but speak. "That… that now - !" he said, his eyes are wide. "Rourou and Philip… they might still be alive?!" he said. "And…. Huo Ling – " he looked at Huo Huainan and Huo Zichu. "What is the Soul Furnace? It can revive the dead?" he asked. He saw Zhang Jun glanced at him and he immediately shut up. But, he already asked what could be asked.

"We can only ask." Zhang Jun spoke.

"Huh?" Yang Jie looked at him.

Zhang Jun didn't answer and just looked outside the door. They all turned.

Suddenly, a woman's voice spoke. "How did you find out?" she asked. Then, a figure appeared. It was Rourou!

"Footsteps." Zhang Jun answered.

Rourou bitterly smiled.

"Between a human and a ghost, one would distinguish them with their footsteps." Zhang Jun said. He meant, humans would always have footsteps.

Rourou helplessly shrugged. "Every third midnight, they would turn into ghosts and relive their death." She said.

"I don't care about them. Where is my son?" Huo Zichu asked. Huo Huainan stared at her.

Rourou looked at them. "Follow me." She told them and walked outside. Huo Huainan and Huo Zichu immediately followed her.

"Senior." Yang Jie called. "Should we also follow?" he asked.

"Follow." Zhang Jun answered and ran after them.

Yang Jie nodded. "Alright!" he answered as he followed behind Zhang Jun. They will definitely find out the truth!

On their way, they found the statues of the Naya tribe. "They turned into stones after they touched the treasures in this place." Rourou said. "They would block the way to remind people of their greed." She explained and walked past the statues.

"How did you know?" Yang Jie asked.

"I've already become one with her." Rourou said, her voice has no fluctuation as if she's saying something perfunctory.

But, it brought chills in their spine. 'become one with her'? There's only one more being in this place – the owner of this place, Nan Chi. Rourou said she became one with Nan Chi? Nan Chi possessed her? So, is she still Rourou, or Nan Chi? Is she a friend or an enemy?

As if reading their thoughts, Rourou spoke. "I don't harm anyone. It was this place." She said. "And those who harm others or have evil intentions of this place, this place will harm." She explained.

"So, Han Meng, Zhou Cheng, and Peng Qian…" Yang Jie said.

Rourou nodded. "Han Meng was possessed by the demons in her heart. Zhou Cheng and Peng Qian tried to escape their responsibility, so they had their karma served to them." She explained. Like Nan Chi, this place read Zhou Cheng's and Peng Qian's thoughts, so it didn't permit them to leave and instead killed them.

"Rourou and Philip…" Yang Jie spoke in a low voice.

"Rourou is plagued by a problem, and her heart is kind, so I helped her solve it." This is Nan Chi. She is Nan Chi, not Rourou. "Philip is alive. Because he is willing to help someone, I helped him solve his problem." She said.

Yang Jie wanted to ask about Huo Ling, but saw that even Huo Huainan and Huo Zichu weren't talking, so he shut up. There is definitely something wrong with Huo Ling's case. He remembered that Zhang Jun said before, that Huo Ling's case is a premeditated murder. But, what they saw is that it was an accidental death. So, why would Zhang Jun say it was a premeditated murder?

"He's alive." Nan Chi spoke. She's obviously referring to Huo Ling, whose status is the only one remaining unknown.

Yang Jie's eyes widened in shock. 'alive'?! Wasn't Huo Ling dead? So, he was really revived?! Just what is the Soul Furnace? How powerful is it?! Although he has many questions he wanted to ask, but he couldn't ask. He could only listen and absorb the information they are willing to disclose.

…

After Yi Bing showed Huo Ling how he died, he immediately took Huo Ling away, not letting him see how the others disgustingly died.

"Rourou is alive?" Huo Ling asked as they went back to where Nan Chi's corpse lies.

"Technically, yes." Yi Bing answered.

"'technically'?" Huo Ling looked at him.

"Nan Chi's soul possessed her." Yi Bing said.

Huo Ling was shocked.

"But, it is a better solution for her." Yi Bing spoke.

"What do you mean?" Huo Ling asked.

Yi Bing didn't immediately answer and walked around the table. "She's the traitor in the Soul Society. The Soul Furnace was stolen by her." He said.

"So, she's the mastermind?! She's the one who led us to this place?!" Huo Ling said.

"Yes." Yi Bing nodded. "But, she didn't do it out of malicious intention." He said.

"What are you…?" Huo Ling is puzzled.

"She did it not only to save her life to escape from the Soul Society, she also wanted to hide the Soul Furnace so that the Soul Society won't find it and maliciously use it again." Yi Bing explained. "Also… she did it to save you." He added.

"Huh? Me?" Huo Ling pointed himself.

Yi Bing nodded. "She brought you in this tomb so that the Soul Society won't harm you." He said.

Huo Ling fell silent.

"But, with the Soul Furnace returning to the tomb, its soul gathering power will lose its effect." Yi Bing continued.

"What does that mean?" Huo Ling asked.

"All the present foreign souls inside the vessels' body will be ejected and return to their origin." Yi Bing answered.

Huo Ling looked at him in shock.

"The vessels will die, since their original soul was already consumed by the Soul Society as a form of energy." Yi Bing said. "Then, the ones who consumed the energy from the Soul Furnace, their soul will disintegrate. So, Rourou's soul will disintegrate. Her only salvation is being possessed by Nan Chi, so she can continue to live." He explained.

Huo Ling's jaw dropped. "Then… what about Philip?" he asked.

"It seemed that Rourou made a request with Nan Chi. She knew Philip is her colleague, and knew Philip's motivation of joining the Soul Society. So, she asked Nan Chi to help Philip." Yi Bing answered.

"So… Philip is – " Huo Ling's eyes brightened.

"Alive." Yi Bing said and suddenly stopped.

"Hm? What's wrong?" Huo Ling asked. He watched as Yi Bing bent down and poked the bottom of the table.

A tile from the bottom of the table fell, revealing something glowing inside.

Huo Ling was surprised. "What's that?" he asked.

Yi Bing picked up the glowing object and looked at it. "Something that kept the souls of your friends inside this place, making them relieve their death." He answered and stared at the dazzling orange crystal.

It was a Soul Fragment, and it is emitting a strong power.

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