Afterlife Department

"I know now…" Hai Baiyun said. "But, you… how do you know?" he as he looked at Yi Bing in puzzlement. "Aren't you from the Stable World? How do you know so much of our world? And of… xiao Ling's life?" he asked and looked at Huo Ling.

Huo Ling remained silent.

Yi Bing ignored Huo Ling's cold expression. He knows that he must be angry right now. But, he just can't ignore this. He had to test to which extent will this Special World's rules overrule their, Stable World's, rules they carry on their bodies, as well as its effect on the natives of this world.

"Of course, I know." He said as he played the fork with his fingers. "I was their neighbor, named 'Liu Lingling'." He explained.

BAM! Everyone inside the coffee shop jumped after being startled by the loud noise when a chair fell down the floor. They all turned and looked at the handsome young man with fair skin, amber eyes and brown, bushy hair.

Fortunately, the two children on their table are well-behaved and were already used to the noises due to them being yao and have seen and heard many startling things. Thus, a chair violently falling on its back wasn't that surprising at all.

"X – xiao Ling?" Hao Baiyun called as he stared at his cousin.

Huo Ling's face is dark. Then, he raised his head and forced a smile. "I will go out to take a breather." He said and stormed out of the coffee shop.

Yi Bing fell silent. Xiao Hualing stared at Huo Ling's back before she glanced at Yi Bing whose head hung low.

Hao Baiyun looked at Yi Bing suspiciously. "… you angered him." he said.

"En." Yi Bing answered. "Huo Ling is now a grim reaper of the Stable World." He said.

Hao Baiyun understood. Yi Bing meant that Huo Ling has now no connection with the Hao family.

"I know…" he said and clenched his fists. "I… just want to know if his life is better now." He explained.

"He is." Yi Bing answered.

"Good." Hao Baiyun sighed in relief. His eyes are red due to tears.

"Daddy, uncle…" Tang Tang called.

Tian Tian, although doesn't understand some words they are saying, he can guess the gist of it. He looked at outside where Huo Ling is standing with his back on them.

"He, along with Xiao Hualing, came here to investigate a case." Yi Bing spoke, breaking the silence and changing the topic.

"What case?" Hao Baiyun asked.

Yi Bing didn't answer and looked at Xiao Hualing who has become a part of the background.

Xiao Hualing's lip twitched. "About the disappearance of the Golden-Haired Monkeys." She answered.

Hao Baiyun's eyes widened while Yi Bing's brows knitted.

"You are also investigating it?" Hao Baiyun was surprised. 𝐟𝗿𝚎𝐞𝓌e𝒃𝑛𝒐ѵ𝒆𝑙.c𝚘𝓶

Xiao Hualing was also surprised. "You, too?" she asked.

Hao Baiyun nodded as an answer. "They are yao, after all. It is my duty to resolve this." He said.

…

Huo Ling ignored the gazes of Lan Tian, Zheng Jiang, Zi Chen and Jin Chulin as he stood at one corner and pondered over things. He is fuming mad. It was Yi Bing who said to not talk about the past since being a grim reaper is a new life granted to them. So, why is he digging his past now?!

He frowned.

"You… who are you?" a voice asked behind Huo Ling.

Huo Ling turned.

Gu Xingfeng's brows are knitted and he is looking at him with a frown. "You are not xiao Yun. But why are you also a fox?" he sharply asked. "A nine-tailed fox?" he added.

Huo Ling's brows also knitted as he looked at Gu Xingfeng. He knows Gu Xingfeng, since he has met him when he was still alive, and also after his death and he became a soul. "You are familiar with the fox clan?" he asked, not answering Gu Xingfeng's questions.

But, instead of answering, Gu Xingfeng's eyes suddenly sharpened and he pulled him. "Watch out!" he shouted when he saw something glistened in a corner and approached Huo Ling, who has his back on it.

Huo Ling's eyes widened and he turned. He instinctively raised his foot to kick whatever it is. He and Gu Xingfeng then heard a muffled grunt. The attacker probably didn't expect that Huo Ling would fight back.

"A nine-tailed fox… another nine-tailed fox…" a strange voice muttered. "A pure nine-tailed fox." It added.

Huo Ling and Gu Xingfeng sharply turned, but they didn't find anyone. Then, they realized that the voice is coming from inside the wall!

Huo Ling, who is really angry today, now found something to vent his anger. He unceremoniously pushed his hand to the wall, and his hand went in! Then, his hand grabbed something inside, and they heard a yelp. The enemy also didn't expect for Huo Ling to be this reckless!

"You fcking coward!" Huo Ling yelled in anger and he yanked that creature out.

"Ah!" the creature exclaimed as its body came out of the wall.

Huo Ling saw that it was an ugly creature with a slimy body covered in a dirty and tattered clothes. Huo Ling was taken aback, and his grip loosened. The creature seized this chance to escape! Huo Ling immediately reacted and tried to press his hand to the wall again, but his hands didn't go in this time.

"It escaped." Huo Ling spat in dissatisfaction.

Gu Xingfeng looked at him, dumbfounded.

"Huo Ling!" Yi Bing called when he arrived. He sensed Huo Ling's aura grew.

"Xiao Ling!" Hao Baiyun called, following.

Tian Tian and Tang Tang are pulled by Xiao Hualing. Lan Tian, Zheng Jian, Zi Chen and Jin Chulin are following behind them three.

"'xiao Ling'?" Gu Xingfeng muttered.

"Gu Xingfeng!" Hao Baiyun exclaimed when he saw his husband.

"Father!" Tian Tian and Tang Tang cried as they ran towards Gu Xingfeng.

"What happened?" Yi Bing asked.

But, Huo Ling didn't answer.

"An enemy attacked… him." Gu Xingfeng answered when Huo Ling didn't answer. "Xiao Yun. He is also a nine-tailed fox… who is he?" he asked Hao Baiyun.

Lan Tian, Zheng Jian, Zi Chen and Jin Chulin are also puzzled.

"Uncle! He is uncle!" Tang Tang answered.

"'uncle'?!" Lan Tian, Zheng Jian, Zi Chen and Jin Chulin exclaimed.

Tian Tian coughed. "Father… he is daddy's long-lost cousin. Uncle Ling is grandaunt Ning's son." He summarized.

Lan Tian, Zheng Jian, Zi Chen and Jin Chulin are shocked. He is really a member of the fox clan! And he is their master's cousin! They thought as they looked at Huo Ling who wore an ugly expression on his face. … though his temper isn't good. They added in their minds.

Yi Bing knows that Huo Ling is still mad at him. He helplessly sighed. "Xiao Hualing." He called.

"Yes, senior Yi?" Xiao Hualing immediately answered.

"You go with them. Huo Ling and I still have some matters to talk with." Yi Bing said as he grabbed Huo Ling's hand but Huo Ling dodged it. "…" really such a temper… he thought.

"Leave me alone." Huo Ling said. "I will go investigate alone. Xiao Hualing, you gather information on their side." He told her.

Xiao Hualing. "…" okay, bosses… since you both said that I will stay with Hao Baiyun's side, then I will! "Sure!" she answered to both of them. Fortunately, really fortunately, Huo Ling is considerate to her and didn't make things hard for her.

"Huo Ling – " Yi Bing called.

Huo Ling didn't answer and just walked away.

Hao Baiyun, Gu Xingfeng and the others. "…" lover quarrel? They thought and looked at Xiao Hualing.

Xiao Hualing. "…" maybe. She answered.

Yi Bing ignored them and followed Huo Ling. Then, their figures disappeared from their sight.

Hao Baiyun sighed. "What was that just now?" he asked Gu Xingfeng.

"A monster that can travel through walls. It attacked your… cousin just now." Gu Xingfeng answered. "Is there a yao in the country?" he asked.

Hao Baiyun's eyes narrowed. "You suspect that it might be a monster?" he directly asked. He meant, a yao, but not of their country's. Thus, it is a monster.

"I am not sure… it smelled your… cousin's smell." Gu Xingfeng frowned.

Hao Baiyun's expression turned ugly. "What did it say?" he asked.

"It said that your cousin is a pure nine-tailed fox." Gu Xingfeng answered.

Hao Baiyun's expression instantly darkened.

Gu Xingfeng could guess that the situation isn't good. "Tell me what it is." He said.

"Before xiao Ling returned, I am the only nine-tailed fox yao." Hao Baiyun said.

Gu Xingfeng nodded and didn't ask what Hao Baiyun meant by 'returned'.

"But, because I had Tian Tian with you, and now Tang Tang, I am not pure..." Hao Baiyun's face flushed red. "Both my body… and power." He said. "You already know about my body… as for my power, it now halved with Tian Tian and Tang Tang. Thus, they have stopped targeting me." He explained.