Afterlife Department

Chapter 290 – Naivety

"… huh? What do you mean, my body?" Huo Ling asked. 

However, Yi Bing nor Philip answered him. Instead, Yi Bing talked to Philip. "Aio. I don't think he's that smart." He said. He's obviously referring to Philip. 

"Huh? Yi Bing, what do you mean?" Huo Ling asked. "Philip is smart, although he is silent most of the time." He said, defending his colleague. "A person's intelligence isn't determined by how many words he spoke, but by the wisdom he showed!" he told Yi Bing. 

However, that just made Yi Bing more pissed.. "Not speaking? Then, isn't he just mute? And looked dumb?" he said and smirked at Philip. 

Philip ignored Yi Bing's provocation. "Where is his body?" he asked again. 

"You really aren't smart." Yi Bing said. "A body is called a body because its owner is alive. If not, then shouldn't it be called a corpse?" he asked. 

"Wait. Wait!" Huo Ling called. "You were just talking about a body. Now, it became a corpse. What are you really talking about?" he asked. "Whose body? Whose corpse?" he added. 

"Yours." Philip answered in an emotionless voice. 

"Huh? My body? I'm here?" Huo Ling said and pointed himself even though the person he's talking to is behind him. 

Yi Bing rolled his eyes. If he hasn't seen Huo Ling's naivety earlier, he would think Huo Ling is just acting dumb towards them right now. "It's not your body. It's your corpse he is looking for." He 'kindly' explained to Huo Ling. 

"Hah?! 'corpse'?! But, I'm alive?!" Huo Ling exclaimed before he suddenly paused. "Wait. Philip… what is he looking for my corpse… pei (spit)! What is he looking for my body… pei! This doesn't sound right." He said. "I mean, Philip, you really looked for me?!" he asked, delight in his voice. His eyes turned misty because he was touched by Philip's gesture. 

"… yes." Philip answered. 

Meanwhile, Yi Bing snorted. 

Huo Ling ignored Yi Bing's sneer. "Philip. Thank you. I am fine." He told Philip. "You came here… are the others also here?" he asked. 

"… above." Philip answered. "I'm the only one who went down." He explained. 

Huo Ling clutched his chest and his tears fell. "Thank you." He said, his voice filled with emotions because of Philip's concern. "Philip. Can you do me another favor?" he asked. "This ghost deceived me to capture me. I don't know what is his intention, but I know it's bad." He explained. "Please help me escape." He told him. 

Philip looked at Yi Bing. Yi Bing raised his brows and smiled. 

Philip's usually blank expression turned grim. "I can't." he told Huo Ling. 

"Ah? Why?" Huo Ling asked. 

"I can't beat him." Philip answered. 

Although his strength surpasses his peers', but he is still inferior against Yi Bing. Not because they are from different worlds so their worlds' rules differed from each other. He can train longer and harder to increase his strength. Thus, his current strength isn't adequate to fight against Yi Bing and defeat Yi Bing. 

"Oh." Huo Ling muttered. No disappointment in his voice. He can understand that Philip has risked his life enough to inform him of the situation. "Then, tell others that I am fine and will find my way back. So, no need to worry about me." He told Philip. 

"… en." Philip answered before he turned to Yi Bing. "Where is it?" he asked, referring to Huo Ling's corpse. 

Yi Bing was about to answer when Huo Ling interrupted again. "Philip, what are you looking for?" he asked. "If it's the priestess' corpse, then it's just ahead. I'll hold this ghost so that he won't interfere with you." He told him. 

"… thanks." Philip was speechless with Huo Ling's naivety even though he has seen more than enough of it. 

Meanwhile, Yi Bing just laughed. 

Philip can't hold it anymore. "He isn't a ghost." He told him. 

"Ah? Then, what is he?" Huo Ling asked and looked at the back of Yi Bing's head. "He's a human?" he asked. 

Yi Bing almost roared in laughter at Huo Ling's question. Philip stared blankly at Huo Ling's back. He doesn't realize it's such a dangerous question, and is unknowingly setting himself such a big flag. He can even see the big flag is waving at Huo Ling. 

But, he still decided to answer Huo Ling's question. "… he's not." He told him. 

"AH?!" Huo Ling exclaimed. "If he's not, then what is he?" he asked. 

Philip slowly closed his eyes, feeling pained. He can't bear to look at Huo Ling anymore. 

Meanwhile, Yi Bing finally can't hold back his laughter. "Ahahahahaha!" whichever world it is they are in, Huo Ling always amuses him. 

"Hey! What are you laughing for?!" Huo Ling asked and hit Yi Bing in the back, which is just a tickle for Yi Bing. 

"Nothing, nothing." Yi Bing answered, but a smile still hung on his lips. His cold eyes are sparkling from laughter, making them look warm at the moment. 

Huo Ling's brows scrunched up and he frowned. His eyes narrowed as he fiercely looked at the back of Yi Bing's head, as if his pair of eyes are like a laser and are drilling a hole in Yi Bing's head. "You're clearly making fun of me." He said, his lips are pursed. 

Philip thinks this is enough for Huo Ling to (unknowingly) embarrass himself by being dumb. "Howee." He called. They're in a foreign land, and so he calls Huo Ling by his foreign name. This is also to avoid trouble in case there are people in the vicinity trying to abduct him. 

Huo Ling's mother, a foreign woman, is the one who gave Huo Ling this name. 

"Yes?" Huo Ling answered. He raised his head even though it is only a door in front of him while Philp, the one he is talking to, is at his back. 

Philip is already used to Huo Ling's naivety, and so he has a long patience towards him. "That man is laughing because you don't perceive danger from your words uttered, and the underlying meaning in it." He explained. 

However, Huo Ling's naivety seemed to be unlimited today and his brain has gone offline after crashing for three times earlier because of Yi Bing. "… huh?" he tilted his head. "What do you mean?" he asked. 

Philip. "…." I've had enough! His usually blank expression finally turned dark. He turned to Yi Bing. "Where is his corpse?" he asked. Even Buddha's patience will also run out because of stupid people. 

Yi Bing raised his brows. "You need it, you find it." He told him as he walked past Philip. 

"What do you mean?" Philip asked as he turned to Yi Bing. 

"Yes, ah. What do you mean?" Huo Ling asked before he made a pause. "Ah. I also want to know, what do you mean." He told Philip as he pointed at him as he finally can face Philip with Yi Bing's back on Philip. 

Yi Bing, not wanting for Huo Ling to converse with Philip, forced himself to face Philip. And so, Huo Ling faced a wall this time. "Hey!" he heard Huo Ling called. 

Yi Bing ignored Huo Ling as he looked at Philip's (disgusting/for Yi Bing) face. "Exactly as my words meant. If you can't understand, it's time for you to finally admit that you're dumb." He told him and smirked. 

Philip's facial muscles seemed like they were trained as Philip's expression returned to expressionless again. "What I meant, is that what do you mean I have to find it?" he clarified. "… you also don't know where his corpse is?" he asked and looked at Yi Bing when he finally understood the hidden meaning in Yi Bing's words. 

Yi Bing didn't fall into Philip's word trap. He graciously smiled at him. "I didn't say I didn't know." He said. 

This time, Philip's expression finally fell. 

Yi Bing laughed. "Also – " he said as his eyes turned into crescents. " – I don't need it, so I don't care for it." His smile became wider. "Don't think you can blackmail me with it as it is of his vessel." He told Philip as his gaze became sharp. 

"Hey! What 'vessel' this time?!" Huo Ling asked. "Also, who are you two talking about?! Why can't you tell me?!" he complained. 

Yi Bing. "…" 

Philip. "…" we've been telling you since earlier, but you're the one who doesn't understand! Please find your brain that you lost! 

Yi Bing's facial muscles twitched for holding back his laughter while Philip's facial muscles twitched because he can't stand Huo Ling's naivety anymore, feeling that Huo Ling is losing more of his face (if it wasn't all lost yet) every time he opens his mouth. 

"Don't you dare try hoodwinking me again into finding his vessel for you." Yi Bing told Philip as he looked at him with narrowed eyes. "As this is your first time offending me, I'll let this slide. As you have claimed, you're not dumb. Then, you should know I don't like your organization. So – " he said as his voice lowered. " – don't ever cross me again, or it'll be your corpse next that'll be rolling in this tomb, never to see the day again."