Afterlife Department

Chapter 485 - Deliberate

Alliance Calendar Year 1208, the ninth month, fourth day.

A man wearing a dark uniform is standing behind the glass and is watching the billions of bright, sparkling stars in the distance pass by as the spaceship cross the galaxy with both his hands clenched behind him. His posture is upright and his sharp but handsome face is devoid of any emotions.

"For every light, there is darkness behind it." He muttered as he gazed at the sea of stars. "Just like these stars. They are able to shine because there is darkness around them." He spoke, then suddenly made a pause. "No…" the corners of his lips rose in a cold arc. "They are also a part of the darkness and only able to shine by borrowing something's light." He said as he chuckled in a low voice.

Suddenly, footsteps were heard from outside the door before it stopped. Silence once again returned before it was broken again, now by a knock.

"Lieutenant Colonel." A voice spoke from outside the door. "In half an hour, we will be arriving at the Star Port of Fe Planet." The person said.

"I understand." The man addressed as lieutenant colonel spoke. "You may leave." He told him.

"Yes." The person outside answered and respectfully bowed even if the person inside can't see him before he silently left.

Silence descended once again as the spaceship continued to move, traversing the cold and dark space. Even the breathing of the man inside the office can be barely heard.

Finally, his lips parted and he spoke. "Fe Planet." He muttered as he lowered his head, his gaze finally retracted from the sea of stars, but only for him to see, from the corner of his eyes, a picture frame on the side of his table.

For a moment, his eyes flashed and he saw three people in the picture. But, after he blinked, only one person can be seen – him, Yu Yan.

…

"Oh… so this Yu Yan was once your student?" Huo Ling muttered. He was really surprised. He didn't think that there was such a relationship between Shou Ji and Yu Yan.

"Yes." Shou Ji nodded. "I met him during my visit in the military academy and I noticed his potential, so I took him under my wing." He explained.

Hearing this, Huo Ling's brows can't help but knit. "… could it be he deliberately made you notice him this time?" he asked in a small voice that is almost a whisper, seemingly absent-mindedly asked it yet also not.

But, Yi Bing, Shi Jiu and Shou Ji have sharp senses as grim reapers so they definitely heard what he said. Yi Bing's expression didn't change though he glanced at him. Shi Jiu's face twisted in a frown and his eyes are filled with disdain while Shou Ji's expression looked both thoughtful and bewildered.

Since this world has now changed because of a reborn soul… naturally, Shou Ji's memories are doubtful. They can't distinguish what has been changed, but they can guess. And that is what Huo Ling is doing right now, but in order for them to raise their guard and nothing else – like mocking Shou Ji.

"You… have a point." Shou Ji muttered in a daze. "When I saw him that time, he was fighting another military student. I saw his potential and asked my friend about him. After that…" he raised his head and looked ahead, seeming as if seeing a scene from his memory, but there was nothing ahead of them except an empty space.

"What happened that time?" Shi Jiu asked.

"After that, I saw my friend frowned in displeasure and reprimanded the academy head who was with us that time." Shou Ji answered.

"Why was he mad? Aren't they sparring?" Shi Jiu asked.

Shou Ji shook his head. "They are fighting." He answered.

They were surprised.

"The academy head panicked and he immediately called the students involved in detention. But, that time, the conference is about to start." Shou Ji said.

"A conference? So there was a conference…" Huo Ling muttered as he looked elsewhere. His expression looked thoughtful.

Yi Bing glanced at him, trying to guess what he is thinking.

"After the conference, since I and my friend were already there and also witnessed the fight, we went with the academy head who is fuming mad." Shou Ji continued. "I was also interested with Yu Yan's ability, so I was eager to meet him. Then, I learned that he was being bullied and his dream is to be a soldier to bring honor to his family. I was moved, and since I saw that he has a potential, I took him in as an apprentice." He explained. Then, he suddenly paused. He glanced at Huo Ling. "But, when you said that it was deliberate… now, I finally realized that there is something strange that day." He said.

"Huh? What is it?" Shi Jiu asked.

Yi Bing could already guess, but he didn't speak. Huo Ling knows what is it, but he also didn't speak.

Shou Ji was left to answer and he helplessly smiled. "It is a military academy and the students should be all disciplined. Even if there is a bullying happening, but all the galaxy knows about the conference. So, why should we witness the bullying? And on the day of the conference?" he asked.

Shi Jiu's eyes widened in shock. "Oh! Now that you mentioned it…" he frowned. "It can really be a premeditated plan! It was already known that there will be a conference happening and all the students should be in their designated posts. But, not only they are conducting a bullying, but it even happened before your eyes…" he explained and his eyes narrowed and flashed. "This Yu Yan truly is sly." He said.

"Not only can he attract the others' attention on him, displaying his strength, but he can also pose himself as the victim by being bullied." Yi Bing said.

Shi Jiu nodded in agreement. "Truly crafty." He snorted in disdain.

"If we go with the usual route, Yu Yan – a filial child that wanted to bring honor to his family so he embarked on a journey, he really must be a target of bullying since he came from a poor planet." Huo Ling spoke. "But, because he wasn't reborn, he definitely shouldn't be as strong as he is after he was reborn, and, of course, isn't a schemer like his reborn self, so, that time, either he should be sitting with the other students waiting for the conference to start, or he should be being bullied in some other place in the academy." He explained.

Shi Jiu's eyes widened in shock. "You are right!" he exclaimed. "The original Yu Yan should be humble, at the least, if not timid, so he couldn't be fighting back with the bullies." He said.

Huo Ling nodded. "That's right." He answered.

Yi Bing didn't react while Shou Ji fell into a deep contemplation. "So, he was bullied and wanted to change this part of his life." He muttered.

"Naturally." Huo Ling spoke. "Though, you still shouldn't have died, if this is just what he wanted to change." He said.

Shou Ji turned to him. "You sound so sure?" he said as he looked at him in surprise.

"Because his aim is to be a qualified solider. This shouldn't affect you." Huo Ling looked at Shou Ji. "He should even want to work with you. Yet, you died because of the changes he made." He explained.

Shou Ji's eyes widened.

"Then – " Yi Bing spoke and stopped.

Shou Ji and Shi Jiu also stopped. Huo Ling faced him.

" – you think that Yu Yan has an enmity with Shou Ji, and changed the world in order to kill Shou Ji?" he asked.

Shi Jiu's jaw dropped in shock while Shou Ji was stunned. "No… that can't be." Shou Ji frowned. "He is my student…" he muttered.

"But the fact that you died doesn't reflect that he cherishes your relationship with him as his teacher?" Huo Ling sharply said.

Shou Ji fell silent.

"Chief Shou. Right now, your memories were altered and is reflecting the events of the world after Yu Yan changed it. So, you can't rely on it to judge his motive of changing the world, as well as killing you." Huo Ling spoke as he looked at Shou Ji. His expression is solemn. "Right now, your memories… they can only serve as a comparison for our guesses." He told him.

Shou Ji didn't speak, since he knows that Huo Ling is right. Huo Ling didn't speak again and just looked around the surroundings.

"Err…" Shi Jiu muttered as he scratched his cheek. The atmosphere suddenly turned tense. He doesn't know how to break it.

"Let's go forge some identities for us." Yi Bing spoke.

They looked at him.

"We can't just wander around the galaxy without having an identity." He added.

They nodded in agreement. Although they have bought light brains, but the seller didn't forge some identities for them and instead recommended them to another person who specializes in forging identities.. Such a capitalistic world.

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