Afterlife Department

Yi Bing. "…" well… isn't that romantic? He thought, then grimaced. He heaved a sigh. "Huo Ling and I… our situation is different from yours." He said as he took his cup and drink.

"I can see." Gu Xingfeng muttered.

Yi Bing. "…" one more and I might violate the rules of prohibiting reaping souls that wouldn't die yet. He thought as he suppressed the irritation he felt.

"How much do you know about this world?" Gu Xingfeng suddenly asked.

"Just enough, things related to Huo Ling." Yi Bing answered. "What is so special about the Golden-Haired Monkey Clan and the Sunflower Clan?" he asked. "Even if the other yao clans were also being attacked, the Golden-Haired Monkey Clan and the Sunflower Clan are being attacked frequently." He said.

Gu Xingfeng nodded in agreement. "I know one thing about them." he said. "Their clans have the least numbers, that is why they are the ones being attacked first." He told him.

Yi Bing's brows knitted. "Attacking the smallest clans is reasonable, and after these two clans were wiped out, it will still strike terror because, smallest clans or not, wiped out is wiped out." He said.

"That's correct." Gu Xingfeng said. "As for what is special about them… the Golden-Haired Monkey Clan stores their powers in their hair, thus their hair would turn of golden color. And the deeper the color, the stronger their power." He explained. "Not only will they obtain the Golden-Haired Monkeys' power, they can also sell their skin." He frowned.

Yi Bing's expression looked disgusted.

Gu Xingfeng sighed. "As for the Sunflower Clan, what is special about them is their healing power, which they draw from the Sun." he continued. "You already know about Zhuo Xia. But, no matter how special Zhuo Xia is, there is still something that he doesn't have which the Sunflower Clan has." He looked at Yi Bing.

Yi Bing's eyes flashed. "The yao body." He said.

"Yes." Gu Xingfeng nodded. "Even if Zhuo Xia turned into a yao, and even have the same healing power, that was just his soul. He can't have a yao body, that is, the Sunflower Clan's true form – sunflowers. They can be eaten." He explained. "And if they would obtain the Sunflower Clan's healing powers, their regeneration ability would be stronger." He said. "That is why they wanted to have stronger healing power, since they believe that they won't ever die… their body would become that of immortal." He added.

Yi Bing's expression turned grim. He knows that the 'immortal' that Gu Xingfeng has spoken here is different from the 'immortal' that their country is referring to. The 'immortal' that their country is referring to is your soul becoming immortal and not your body. Even if your body dies, as long as your soul didn't, you can still live through reincarnation, which is a good method, or possession, which is a bad method.

As for the monsters' meaning of being 'immortal', that is just your body not dying. So, if someone found a method on how to destroy a monster's body, it would be the end for the monster – body and soul.

Gu Xingfeng was shocked to hear this explanation of Yi Bing. "You are really insightful!" he said as he immediately sent a message to Hao Baiyun.

Yi Bing didn't say anything and just resumed drinking his tea. Only the sound of Gu Xingfeng's phone and his fingers tapping the screen of his phone can be heard.

After a while, Yi Bing spoke. "Since it is likely the monsters doing this… how do you plan to solve this?" he asked. After all, the foreign countries also have their organization of monsters.

Gu Xingfeng took a deep breath. "As long as we have evidence, and that evidence won't be destroyed by them, we will fight them to death!" he answered.

Yi Bing nodded in understanding. This is why he doesn't truly hate Gu Xingfeng. He knows that the man is a good person. A man of justice. He is really befitting of being a man of law.

"How about you?" Gu Xingfeng asked as he looked at Yi Bing.

"As long as this world would be preserved, and its energy, then we won't intervene." Yi Bing answered.

Gu Xingfeng's brows knitted. He is obviously displeased. After all, the grim reapers will just act as bystanders while the humans, yao and monsters might die! But, he knows that Yi Bing is being honest here, since he doesn't need to adhere to their world's laws.

"If before, that would what I do." Yi Bing said.

Gu Xingfeng stared at him.

"But, ever since I have met Huo Ling, I started to care." Yi Bing said. "At first, I cared about his well-being. Then, I cared about his surroundings. Now – " he took a deep breath. " – I cared about the ones he cared." He shook his head. "If my former self would be looking at me now, he definitely wouldn't recognize me." He chuckled.

Gu Xingfeng didn't speak, since he understands what Yi Bing means. After all, he once was like him, too, albeit their difference in their races.

"If before, I would only care about the advantages and disadvantages. But now – " Yi Bing said and looked at the stairs leading to the upper floor where Huo Ling is. " – I also would fight. Not only for Huo Ling, not only for his family, not only for the people and the country, and not only for the world." He said. "I will fight for my belief, too." He told him.

Gu Xingfeng smiled. "What you believe is right, and what you believe is good." He said.

"'right'… and 'good'…" Yi Bing muttered.

What is right might not be good, but what is good might not be right. That is why Gu Xingfeng said these words both and not just either of mine. What you think is right might not be good for the others, and what you think is good for the others might not be right.

In the end, what is right and wrong is based on the law, which was made by the people, and for the people. What is good or bad is based on the people. Yet, these might contradict each other. So, what should be the choice? It all comes down in what you believe in, and which will you choose.

The right, or the wrong?

…

"Young master Hao?" Xiao Hualing muttered after she saw Hao Baiyun came out of Huo Ling's room.

Hao Baiyun raised his head and smiled when he saw her. "Going to visit xiao Ling?" he asked her.

"En." Xiao Hualing nodded. "I have something to report to senior Huo." She answered.

"Okay. He is still awake." Hao Baiyun stood on the side to let her pass.

But, Xiao Hualing just stood there.

"What is wrong?" Hao Baiyun asked, puzzled, when he saw her remained standing there.

"Err…" Xiao Hualing scratched her cheek. "I better not, tonight. I should just wait for tomorrow…" she said.

"Why?" Hao Baiyun smiled.

"Aside from a lady avoiding to visit a man's room in the night, there will be someone that might get angry…" Xiao Hualing answered and grimaced as she glanced downstairs.

Hao Baiyun understood, and he smiled.

"Young master, did you suspect me to be senior Huo's lover?" Xiao Hualing curiously asked since the first time he looked at her, which was when she was with Huo Ling in that coffee shop, he was smiling brightly.

"I did." Hao Baiyun honestly answered. "You two are both good-looking." He said. 𝑓re𝘦𝔀𝗲𝘣𝘯𝘰νℯ𝒍.c𝗼ｍ

Xiao Hualing smiled. "Thank you for the compliment." She humbly said. "But, I don't…" she said.

Hao Baiyun cut her off. "I know." He said. "I know that you don't like xiao Ling. You only see him as a younger brother." He explained.

Xiao Hualing nodded in affirmation. "And senior Huo also…" she said.

"En. He doesn't like you. He only sees you as his elder sister." Hao Baiyun smiled.

"Yes." Xiao Hualing sighed in relief.

"Then, do you think that xiao Ling likes Yi Bing?" Hao Baiyun asked.

"… huh?" Xiao Hualing muttered, startled. "Uh… this…" she stammered.

"It was obvious that Yi Bing likes xiao Ling." Hao Baiyun said.

Xiao Hualing chuckled. "Senior Yi really is that obvious?" she said.

"I have eyes." Hao Baiyun just said.

Xiao Hualing knows what he meant. Yi Bing is truly very obvious. "Actually, it was in our rule that grim reapers can't fall in love, nor have any affection." She slowly said.

"En…" Hao Baiyun lowered his head. "Because they might not reap a soul but instead save it from the claws of death." He said.

"That's right." Xiao Hualing nodded.

"It must very hard for him, then." Hao Baiyun said as he looked downstairs and saw the silhouette of Gu Xingfeng and Yi Bing.

Xiao Hualing didn't speak, since she knows what Hao Baiyun wanted to say.

"To see xiao Ling die every time, yet unable to save him… even just to make him live a little longer…" Hao Baiyun muttered. "No wonder why he became Liu Linglingg, because he knows that xiao Ling will die soon, as a compensation, he wanted to accompany him before his death.." he said.