Afterlife Department

Chapter 154 – Exposed

"Ha… haha… hahaha. Ahahaha…" Yi Bing laughed as he slowly stood on his feet He immediately groaned from the pain when he moved his limbs and his muscles were stretched, but the pain can't dampen his mood from the discovery.

He thought that strange doctor was an archangel, but it turned out he's actually… 

"What?! What did you say?!" Liu Lin asked as he stared at Yi Bing in shock. A Soul Fragment? There really is a Soul Fragment in this world?! After travelling for many worlds, they finally bumped into it?! he thought as he gaped.. And, that strange doctor…

"He might be possessed by the Soul Fragment, thus his personality changed." Di San said and sighed as his eyes that used to look at the doctor with wary now looked at the doctor with sympathy in them.

Feng Er groaned in pain as she woke up. "I heard you said 'Soul Fragment' and I came to… finally, after all that torment, we've found it?" she asked.

Yi Bing, Di San and Liu Lin. "…" how long has she been sleeping and she just woke up now?

Si Shui didn't notice the other three's silence as he updated Feng Er of what happened.

Hao Baiyun, Fei Xuli and Jing Yu were far from Yi Bing and the others thus they didn't hear all the words Yi Bing, Di San and Liu Lin said. "What did you just say? Did you find something? What's wrong with the doctor?" Hao Baiyun asked while Fei Xuli and Jing Yu still recuperating on the side, but they also are now looking at Yi Bing's group.

Yi Bing, Di San and Liu Lin. "…" can't you all focus on that strange doctor right now and just talk later?

Hao Baiyun, Fei Xuli and Jing Yu. "…" weren't you talking more since earlier than us?

However, even if Yi Bing, Di San, Liu Lin, Si Shu and Feng Er now knew the enemy, but it didn't lower their vigilance. Instead, they became even more wary since it is the Soul Fragment they are facing with. The Soul Fragments are unpredictable. They can be strong or weak. However, the one they are facing now is very strong. Such a bad luck they have.

Huo Ling noticed the change in the atmosphere. The first one he looked at is Yi Bing. It's his subconscious reaction. These days he was with Yi Bing, he had developed a subconscious dependence on the man.

Seeing the man's calm eyes, he remembered Liu Lingling. He's really him. He thought. For some reason, he felt his heart calmed down. "What do you mean, my father is alive?" he asked as he turned to the strange doctor. The vigilance in his eyes came back and he raised his guard up.

However, for some reason, the strange doctor still didn't attack him. "He is alive." He said.

"How is he alive?" Huo Ling asked. "Where is he?" he frowned. He has been asking this since earlier, and the strange doctor seems like avoiding answering him of his father's whereabouts. Thus, he thinks the strange doctor is lying to him and was baiting him to his side.

Does he think I am a three-year old child to be this naïve? Huo Ling sneered as he glared at the strange doctor.

"Pennsylvania." The strange doctor answered.

"Huh?" Huo Ling was taken aback. He finally answered me? He was surprised before he regained his calm. No. He wasn't answering since earlier but now that he answered… he's definitely trying to trick me again! His anger flared up in his chest as he balled his fists.

Strange doctor: no. It's not that I 'didn't' answer, but I 'can't' answer. Did your (polite) friends give me the chance to answer? They're conversing back and forth I didn't see a chance to answer! You wronged me!

Hao Baiyun, Fei Xuli and Jing Yu reacted. "'Pennsylvania'?!" Fei Xuli said, his eyes narrowing. "He can't be in Walterland?!" he looked at the strange doctor.

"Did you just say 'Walterland'?!" Liu Lin said. "The homeland of the hunters?" he said.

"The hunters?" Huo Ling spoke. "You mean, my father was caught by them?" he asked and looked at the strange doctor. He hadn't forgotten that his father was possessed by a monster thus Yi Bing was forced to kill him.

"No." the strange doctor answered.

"'no'? He wasn't in Pennsylvania?" Huo Ling was confused. However, Hao Baiyun fell silent.

"He is in Pennsylvania." The strange doctor said.

"Then, what do you mean by 'no'?" Huo Ling impatiently asked. After all, he still wanted to see his father again.

"He wasn't caught by the hunters." The strange doctor answered. Before Huo Ling could ask again, he spoke. "He is the leader by the hunters." He told him.

"… WHAT?!" Huo Ling and the grim reapers reacted. "What do you mean?!" he asked. He had a foreboding feeling and, again, he looked at Yi Bing as if seeking for comfort.

Seeing Huo Ling's pleading gaze, Yi Bing spoke. "You don't mean… Huo Ling's father is the head of the Walter family?" he asked.

The strange doctor didn't answer, but his silence confirmed it.

"How can it be…" Yi Bing's brows knitted. "I killed him…" he said and he looked at Huo Ling. Seeing Huo Ling's eyes were clear and not a trace of blame on them, he sighed in relief.

"What you killed…" the strange doctor's eyes dropped as if he was thinking.

'what' you killed? Not 'who'? They all thought when they caught the keyword. Suddenly, Hao Baiyun felt a chill ran down his spine and he looked at Huo Ling's corpse on the bed. "It can't be…" he said.

Fei Xuli and Jing Yu saw Hao Baiyun's face turned green and their jaw dropped when they realized it. "Could it be – " they said and looked at Huo Ling.

Yi Bing, Di San, Liu Lin, Feng Er and Si Shui noticed the change in expression of Hai Baiyun, Fei Xuli and Jing Yu and a suspicion flashed in their mind. "Clone?" Yi Bing spoke.

The strange doctor started as if his mind became clear. He raised his head and he looked at Yi Bing. "Not entirely." He answered. "It's still him." He said. "Both flesh and blood… and soul… formed from witchcraft… it's Harry." He explained.

They were stunned. "How…" they muttered under their breath.

"Forbidden magic." Fei Xuli's face darkened. The West is the best with dark magic.

"How did you know all of this?" Liu Lin asked.

"I'm… a doctor of the Walter family." The strange doctor answered. "I escaped together with that 'clone'." He explained.

They all fell silent. Earlier, they almost tore at each other. However, now… they all looked at the strange doctor. "So, you mean, I have two fathers?" Huo Ling asked as he looked at the strange doctor with a strange gaze.

"Only one." The strange doctor answered.

They all understood. Huo Ling's father is only Harry Jackson, not Harry Walter. Huo Ling also understood and he smiled.

"So, you want to resurrect him to meet Harry Walter?" it was Fei Xuli. His eyes were sharp as he looked at the strange doctor. He and Jing Yu still haven't forgotten what they have been through in the hands of the hunters of the Walter family.

Suddenly, the tension returned. "Huo Ling. Come here." Yi Bing called.

Huo Ling started and he was about to go to Yi Bing, the strange doctor raised his hand to grab him. However, Yi Bing and Hao Baiyun already expected his actions and Yi Bing shot an icicle to the strange doctor's hand while Hao Baiyun made a whip of wind to slap the strange doctor's hand.

Huo Ling reached Yi Bing's side unimpeded while the strange doctor was forced to retreat. But, his clothes on his chest were torn and blood seeped through, dying his impeccably white clothes and cloak red.

"Stop!" Di San called. "He's a mortal. Even if he's possessed by the Soul Fragment, he's still a mortal!" he told Yi Bing. Fortunately, the wound on the strange doctor's chest was caused by Hao Baiyun and not by Yi Bing. He sighed in relief.

Huo Ling, however, was staring at Yi Bing. "… should I still call you 'Liu Lingling'?" he quietly asked.

Yi Bing almost stumbled on his feet when he heard Huo Ling's question. "Such a girly name, dare I still use that?" he asked him back.

"You're the one who proposed that name… you're the one who introduced yourself with that name…" Huo Ling mumbled.

Yi Bing. "…" this is really shooting myself on my foot. "Just call me 'Yi Bing'. That's my real name." he told him.

"En." Huo Ling nodded.

Di San, Liu Lin, Feng Er and Hao Baiyun. "…" what's this feeling of being fed by dog food?!

Si Shui is an airhead so he's blind by PDA while Fei Xuli and Jing Yu were glaring at the strange doctor, who has a default deadpan face. Thus, they have no reaction with Yi Bing and Huo Ling's actions.