Afterlife Department

Chapter 32 – Souls

S City Police Station.

The police officer in the front desk placed down the phone and turned to his colleagues. "Chief was requesting for a back-up." He told them. "Someone died, while two people were sent to the hospital. One group will go to the hospital to closely monitor the suspects, while the other group go to the S apartment building." He told them.

"What? That creepy building?"

"Move your asses now – "

"Who died?" someone asked.

"The old man. His flesh was torn apart, including his internal organs and bones.. His head was placed inside the television." The front desk police officer answered.

"Waah. Gross! I'll go to the hospital, then – "

"No. You're going with us to the S apartment building." His colleague said and he was forced to go with them after they grabbed both his arms and dragged him out.

Huo Ling and Yi Bing watched as two groups of police officers went inside the police cars and drove to two opposite directions. "The old man died…" Huo Ling muttered, shock on his face.

Yi Bing watched the police car going to the direction of the S apartment building. "He was killed by the ghosts." He said.

Huo Ling looked at him, surprise on his face. "Ghosts can kill people?" he asked.

"Not directly." Yi Bing answered. "But they can possess someone and borrow their body." He said.

"I've heard of possessions before…" Huo Ling said.

"Ghosts can't directly harm a human." Yi Bing spoke. "However, if they'd borrow someone's body, it will increase the sins they committed, because they interfered with the living beings. If they'd kill someone, another sin will be added. There's also the possibility they cannot reincarnate." He explained. "One of the reasons why souls are transparent is to reduce the possibility of them harming the living beings. For one, using a knife to kill someone." He glanced at Huo Ling.

As expected, Huo Ling's expression turned ugly. He turned to Yi Bing, his face dark. "Don't make me hit you." He told him, suppressing his anger.

"See? If the soul would learn of the reason they died and turn a ghost after they became evil, then they will avenge themselves by killing the person who caused their death." Yi Bing said. "That's why souls have transparent body and thus can't touch things." He told him.

Huo Ling fell silent. "Then, why can they possess a person?" he asked.

"The process of Possession is to replace someone's soul inside a body, or worse – integrate their soul with the other soul." Yi Bing said. "It's soul to soul, so they can possess." He explained.

"Then, can't the souls just possess the person they hated?" Huo Ling asked.

"They can." Yi Bing answered. "However, it depends on the souls' strength." he said. Before Huo Ling could ask, he spoke. "If the soul is stronger than the soul residing in the body, then they can force out the soul inside the body, or integrate with the soul." He said. "On the other hand, if the soul is weaker than the soul residing in the body, then they can't possess them." He explained.

"What if both souls have the same strength?" Huo Ling asked.

"Then, there will be a battle of attrition." Yi Bing answered. "Whoever becomes weak first will lose." He said. "However, the soul residing in the body has an advantage and disadvantage." He added.

"How?"

"The advantage of the soul residing in the body is that it can control the body and could call for help with other humans and the humans would seek aid from exorcists to expel the foreign soul." Yi Bing said. "The disadvantage is that they have to concentrate on both controlling the body and battling against the foreign soul. Thus, their attention will be divided, as well as their strength." he explained.

"Wow… there's this thing?" Huo Ling said.

"You're still alive even after you died, so why doubt the things I told you?" Yi Bing asked.

Huo Ling shut up. "Alright, alright. Let's go now and see how Su Rong is related to me." He said and floated inside the police station. Yi Bing followed behind him, unnoticed. "If the door is locked, how will you get in?" Huo Ling asked Yi Bing as they walked towards the chief inspector's office.

"I'll use my spiritual energy. Don't worry." Yi Bing said.

Huo Ling isn't worried. Thus, he went inside the chief inspector's office and searched for the reports gathered by the police regarding the S apartment case. He was too focused passing through the cabinet and looked inside the documents he didn't notice Yi Bing's mortal body slowly turned transparent and passed through the wall!

S Apartment, 13th floor, unit 141.

Gu Xingfeng covered his nose when the rustic and fishy smell assailed their nose. Hao Baiyun's servant immediately took out a mask and wore it on Hao Baiyun. The forensic team following them had an ugly expression on their face while some retched on the side. The whole unit is filled with blood and looked like from hell!

"Sir!" the police officers called and saluted. However, when they remembered their gloves were soaked with blood, they grimaced as they helplessly watched the blood dirtied their hat. "We found sex toys inside the refrigerator." They said, then paused. "Along with…" they looked at each other.

Gu Xingfeng and Hao Baiyun could guess what they meant. They walked towards the open refrigerator and found it filled with sex toys soaked in blood. Xu Wenrong's sex organ was inside the freezer. Hao Baiyun's face was expressionless, while Gu Xingfeng didn't look bothered with it. He turned to his subordinates. "Everyone, follow me outside. The forensic team, stay." He said.

The police officers earlier could already guess what will happen next. They looked at each other while quietly following Gu Xingfeng and Hao Baiyun outside. They all went to the rooftop and the police officer together with Gu Xingfeng and Hao Baiyun earlier locked the door of the rooftop to prevent anyone from escaping. "Who was the one who reported to me earlier on the phone?" Gu Xingfeng directly asked.

Silence. No one answered, since they mysteriously forgot! The police officer standing by the door gulped down nervously as he looked at his colleagues. No way… someone was really possessed?!

Gu Xingfeng wasn't in a hurry. "Everyone now is acquainted with young master Hao from the Supernatural Department." He said as he looked at his subordinates one by one. "You should know, he is an exorcist. And what an exorcist do – " he said and spoke slowly. " – is to expel foreign soul inside one's body." He said.

Everyone sweated despite it was raining and the air is cold. It's already night, and the darkness around them isn't helping. It just added to their fear!

Hao Baiyun spoke at this moment. "Even if one was possessed, the ghost still can't use their own voice. It was that person's voice that will be heard when they spoke, since they are a foreign soul even if they have completely possessed the body." He explained.

"Do you want me to be the one to expose you?" Gu Xingfeng said. "Or was it because, you cannot speak for yourself – " he said and his eyes locked to one person. " – Xiao Xie?" he said.

Everyone turned and their gaze fell on the person guarding the door of the rooftop. "… ah?"