Afterlife Department

"W… what?!" they all exclaimed when they finally managed to find their voices. "A… grim reaper…" they muttered under their breaths. "What would that have looked like?" they asked as they looked at each other.

Xiao Hualing's brow twitched when they heard their question. "Please don't casually ask this. Anyone who would see a grim reaper's true form would die." She told them.

Everyone suddenly felt that their necks have turned cold. They subconsciously touched it and sighed in relief when they still felt it. They thought that they have lost their necks just now. They looked at Xiao Hualing who is smiling kindly at them but they felt their spine turned cold all of a sudden.

They can't provoke her! They thought and immediately lowered their heads in fear. They don't dare doubt Xiao Hualing's words since they can see that Yi Bing is very powerful. Even if Xiao Hualing is a woman and wore a gentle smile and kind expression on her face, they don't dare underestimate her.

In fact, women are the most deceptive beings in the world. Because of the preconceived ideas of the women being weak, many men fell prey to them and, worse, didn't have a good end. They have seen many of this kinds especially in the yao world. Thus, they didn't dare provoke Xiao Hualing when they saw her, especially with Huo Ling, who is their boss' cousin, and Yi Bing, who is a fearsome being.

So, as long as nobody provokes the other, there won't be a problem.

"You… said… xiao Ling transformed to his grim reaper form… for the first time?" Hao Baiyun asked as he looked at Xiao Hualing.

Xiao Hualing nodded as an answer. "En. I don't know when has senior Huo become a grim reaper as I am also a new grim reaper." She explained.

They all fell silent. Being a grim reaper may look good since a grim reaper is powerful. But, the conditions of being a grim reaper is extremely harsh, especially the first condition, which is dying. And, like what they had heard from their boss Hao Baiyun, if you become a grim reaper, the memories of your loved ones regarding you would be erased, like Hao Baiyun's case of him forgetting Huo Ling's existence before. This is truly sad and harsh.

"Xiao Hualing." A cold and deep voice spoke behind them.

Their souls almost jumped out of their skin. As expected, when they turned, they saw Yi Bing standing behind them. They felt goosebumps appeared on their skin as they looked at his figure in the darkness. They subconsciously shivered, especially with the chill that is emanating from his body, literally. They already heard that Yi Bing's power is ice.

"Senior Yi!" Xiao Hualing immediately started as she stood upright.

"Are you done receiving your task?" Yi Bing asked her.

Xiao Hualing immediately looked at Hao Baiyun and the latter nodded in affirmation. "Yes." Xiao Hualing answered.

"Monitor Huo Ling's condition. Tell me if it has finally stabilized." Yi Bing ordered.

"Yes!" Xiao Hualing answered and immediately ran towards the room where Yi Bing brought Huo Ling.𝐟𝐫𝗲𝙚ｗ𝚎𝐛𝙣𝐨𝙫𝘦𝗹.c૦m

"Xiao Ling's condition is not stable?" Hao Baiyun asked as he looked at Yi Bing.

Yi Bing looked at him. He was about to say something to Hao Baiyun when someone blocked Hao Baiyun from his sight. It was Gu Xingfeng.

"Mr. Yi. Even if xiao Yun and Huo Ling are now separated with life and death and Huo Ling now belongs to the Stable World as a grim reaper…" Gu Xingfeng spoke as he bravely met Yi Bing's icy gaze. "… you can't deny the fact that xiao Yun is Huo Ling's cousin. And, even if xiao Yun has forgotten Huo Ling due to special circumstances, xiao Yun can now recall Huo Ling, thus, establishing his familial connection with Huo Ling emotionally." He explained.

A suffocating silence fell upon them as they all held their breaths while watching Gu Xingfeng confront Yi Bing. No matter how powerful Yi Bing is, no one would just stand by and watch someone they love be spoken to harshly by someone, unless that person is a scum and insincere with their feelings to the other.

Fortunately, Gu Xingfeng is not a scum, and he truly loves Hao Baiyun. So, he is willing to die for Hao Baiyun's sake, even if it is just to prevent Hao Baiyun from being scolded by Yi Bing.

As expected, Yi Bing's gaze became colder as the temperature in the room dropped. Just as everyone think that they are going to die, they suddenly heard a beeping sound coming from Yi Bing's watch. Then, they felt that the atmosphere returned to normal.

"Consider yourself lucky as Huo Ling's relative." Yi Bing said before he stormed off to Huo Ling's room.

Everyone finally released the breaths that they were holding. They know that Yi Bing was offended by Gu Xingfeng. Who dared to talk like that to Yi Bing? So, they thought that Gu Xingfeng would die right then and there. Gu Xingfeng also has expected to die, thus he braced himself. The only thing he regretted was not properly apologizing to Hao Baiyun, as well as leaving their children, and Hao Baiyun, in this world.

But, fortunately, Yi Bing retreated. From Yi Bing's words, he let Gu Xingfeng, especially Hao Baiyun, off because they are Huo Ling's relatives. This is giving them face.

"Haa…" Hao Baiyun sighed in relief as cold sweat trickled down the side of his face. His face is pale, but he still turned to Gu Xingfeng and hugged the other tight. "Don't do that again, please!" he said and cried.

Gu Xingfeng smiled. He hugged Hao Baiyun back. "Which man would let their wives be scolded like that?" he said. "I am sorry for defending you late." He told him and sighed.

"No…" Hao Baiyun shook his head. "If you won't die, then I am willing to be scolded more than a hundred times." He told him.

Gu Xingfeng chuckled and kissed Hao Baiyun's temple. "Yi Bing should know how to treat Huo Ling's condition, so let's leave Huo Ling's matter to them." he said.

Hao Baiyun knows that he has gone out of line twice now, so he knows his mistake. He bit his lip, but he doesn't look as unwilling as earlier. "En." He nodded.

"Good." Gu Xingfeng sighed in relief.

He knows that Hao Baiyun is smart, so he isn't worried. But, Huo Ling is still Hao Baiyun's relative no matter what, thus he was worried there earlier. Fortunately, Hao Baiyun is willing to concede.

"Boss Hao. Chief Gu." A female voice called.

Among them, there is only Xiao Hualing. As expected, they saw Xiao Hualing returned.

"What is it?" Hao Baiyun asked, feeling nervous. Did something happen to Huo Ling? Was that why Yi Bing's watch rang? He thought.

Xiao Hualing saw Hao Baiyun's anxious gaze and she smiled. "Senior Yi's condition is now stable and he is recuperating fast." She told him, assuring him.

Hao Baiyun sighed in relief. Then, he smiled. "Thank you." He said.

Xiao Hualing shook her head and waved her hand. "No, no. It is all thanks to senior Yi." She said.

Hao Baiyun. "…" is it too late to make Yi Bing my enemy now? He thought seriously.

Gu Xingfeng. "…" ah, my wife is angry again… he thought and helplessly sighed.

The others. "…" such a landmine ah! Sister Xiao Hualing, are you really not deliberately poking our boss' sore spot?! They thought as they looked at Xiao Hualing with suspicious gazes.

"What?" Xiao Hualing asked and blinked.

Everyone. "…" alright, we will buy this act of yours for now. They thought and sighed.

Xiao Hualing smiled. "Senior Yi has a message for you." She said, now telling them the reason why she returned.

Everyone immediately started.f𝚛e𝚎𝘄𝒆𝚋𝚗𝚘ѵ𝑒𝚕.𝑐𝘰𝑚

Xiao Hualing's expression now turned serious. "Senior Yi said that they extracted information from the monsters before they killed them. The monsters said that, indeed, they were hired to abduct senior Huo." She said, then suddenly paused. "If they won't be able to, then, kill him." she added.

Everyone's expression darkened. Although they have already expected it, they still feel angry and disgusted. What's more, they feel frustrated since the enemy is in the dark while they all are in the light, so their actions can be seen while they can't see the enemy's. furthermore, with the enemy ordering for Huo Ling to be killed, this is the example of 'can't have it then destroy it'!

"The monsters in the plane were all suicide warriors." Xiao Hualing looked at them.

They didn't speak. Since the plane was tampered to explode, naturally, only those who wanted to die are the ones who would take this task.

"Anything else?" Gu Xingfeng asked. He knows that this isn't the only matter that Yi Bing have. He can feel it.

As expected, Xiao Hualing nodded. "Yes." she looked at him. "Senior Yi said that they have found a base in the area where their plane has crashed.." She told them.