Afterlife Department

Chapter 329 – Call

Di San and Gu Shi held their breath, which is a mistake. They felt like they are suffocating because of the darkness. They can't see anything, not even their hands and feet. They can't even see each other. And because of it, it gave them the idea that they don't have a body. Only consciousness. 

Emptiness. This is what they currently feel. They feel their mind going blank, and momentarily forgot their purpose for coming here. If not for their communicators suddenly vibrating, they definitely would have lost themselves here. 

Di San's face immediately became as dark as the bottom of the pot. But, remembering that nobody could see his dark expression, he voiced out his complaints. "DAMN IT! Whose f*cking idea is it to not light the interior of the Rainbow Tower?!" he asked and immediately slapped his arm where his communicator is.. 

The communicator lit up, and the holographic screen popped up, giving the surroundings inside of the Rainbow Tower some light. 

"F*ck!" Di San cursed when he saw that there's not a thing in sight. 

"Di San." Gu Shi called from beside him. "Are you alright?" he asked, his voice filled with concern. The pitch-black darkness rendered their sense of sight useless. Might as well render them blind. They can only use the sound – their voice, to communicate to each other. 

"Yes." Di San answered. 

Gu Shi blew out a sigh of relief before he also opened his communicator. They saw a message from Yi Bing. "He said he has sent us the special box to place the Soul Fragment inside." He said. 

"En." Di San nodded. "He asks us if we're already inside the Rainbow Tower, and…" his voice trailed off when he saw the next words of Yi Bing's message. "F*ck!" he can't help but curse again. If there was just something in front of him, he would have already kicked it because of anger. 

"… and, we might be affected of the Soul Fragment, thus we won't see anything for we might be already inside its area of effect." Gu Shi continued. He can't help but lick his lips in nervousness as he tried to look around. "I don't see any stairs. Ask him how do we escape the Soul Fragment's influence." He told Di San. 

"En." Di San answered and immediately sent a call request to Yi Bing. 

Normal World. 

Huo Ling, Yi Bing, Hao Baiyun and Gu Xingfeng are in the middle of a silent meal when they suddenly heard something ringing. They looked at each other, then their gaze fell on Yi Bing's wristwatch. 

Yi Bing's expression didn't even change. "A special watch." He said before he rose from his seat and left. Before he could leave, they saw him tap on his watch and then placed an earpiece on his right ear. 

"… so cool!" Hao Baiyun exclaimed. "Is his watch one of the devices the agents of MI6 use?" he asked, his eyes sparkling as he looked expectantly at Huo Ling. 

Hearing Yi Bing being mentioned, a smile formed on Huo Ling's lips. "Yes." He answered. 

Meanwhile, Gu Xingfeng snorted on the side as he sipped his drink. "Is he really an MI6?" he asked. 

Huo Ling and Hao Baiyun looked at him. "Yes. Why did you ask that?" Huo Ling asked. 

"It's just… he's more like a mercenary than a man of justice." Gu Xingfeng honestly answered. 

Huo Ling fell silent. He knows that Gu Xingfeng is blunt. But, he still felt angry. He doesn't want anyone doubt Yi Bing. 

"Xiao Ling." Hao Baiyun called, worriedly looking at him before he turned and glared at Gu Xingfeng. "You watch your – " he said and was about to say 'mouth' when the wall made of glass near them suddenly broke! 

The broken pieces of glass fell and crashed on the floor, and something hit the cup in front of Huo Ling, causing it to also break! 

"AAAAH!!!" Huo Ling screamed and covered his head as he ducked. 

"XIAO LING!" Hao Baiyun cried as he also ducked and covered his head. 

As soon as the glass broke, as well as Huo Ling's cup, Gu Xingfeng already moved and turned their table upside down, blocking the window that crashed near them. Then, he pulled Hao Baiyun and Huo Ling to the back of the table to protect them. The guests are all screaming and running away, fleeing for their life. 

"Damn it!" Gu Xingfeng cursed as he took out his gun. 

Hao Baiyun's face paled. But, he didn't forget to appease Huo Ling who was silently crying. Fortunately, Huo Ling knows how to remain silent at a crisis like this. 

"Gu Xingfeng…" Hao Baiyun called. 

"I won't let you die." Gu Xingfeng said as he turned to Hao Baiyun. Then, he reluctantly glanced at Huo Ling, as if Huo Ling was just an extra. "Look for his phone and call that fake MI6." He told Hao Baiyun.

Hao Baiyun didn't know whether to be mad or laugh. "Even at this time, you still doubt his identity and call him a fake?" he asked, but nonetheless followed Gu Xingfeng's instruction to look for Huo Ling's phone. Unfortunately, Huo Ling's bag was out in the open. "… xiao Ling. Do you know Yi Bing's number? I'll try calling him." He said. 

Huo Ling shook his head. "I don't…" he weakly answered. 

Hao Baiyun. "…" is Yi Bing really a fake MI6 agent? Why didn't he give Huo Ling his contact number?

Gu Xingfeng. "…" because he is fake! He thought and peered outside. He saw someone also peering from behind of one of the cars in the parking lot. He didn't hesitate to shoot! 

BANG! The assassin didn't even have time to cry because he already died. At the same time, someone shot their table where they are hiding. 

Huo Ling pressed his lips tight, sweat forming on his face as he listened to the exchange of bullets by the two sides. Just how many times should I be assassinated in one day?! He thought, feeling exasperation. "… Yi Bing…" he called. Before his voice could even fade, he felt a cold wisp of air and smelled the snow. Before he could react, they heard a series of gunshots, and the people firing at them suddenly disappeared. 

Gu Xingfeng and Hao Baiyun turned, only to see Yi Bing standing in front of Huo Ling, his arm holding the gun still raised. There is no expression on his face, but somehow, as they look in his eyes that are staring at Huo Ling, they saw the coldness in his ice-blue pupils has disappeared. 

"I'm here." Yi Bing spoke, ignoring Hao Baiyun and Gu Xingfeng on the side. Then, without minding his image, he knelt down before Huo Ling and pulled the trembling Huo Ling in his embrace. 

"Y-Yi… Yi Bing…" Huo Ling called, his voice shaking. He shuddered when he felt the ice-cold skin of Yi Bing. But, for some reason, he felt Yi Bing's embrace is warm instead. He buried his tear-stained face on Yi Bing's chest, seeking comfort. 

Gu Xingfeng and Hao Baiyun. "…" they looked at each other before they sighed in relief. 

"Where did you go?" Hao Baiyun asked. 

"… call from work." Yi Bing answered. 

Di San and Gu Shi called him and, ignoring Di San's complaints, he instructed Gu Shi on how to get to the top of the Rainbow Tower. But, in the middle of the call, he saw some suspicious people. He didn't think twice before firing at them, but he didn't expect that there are many of them. He killed each and every one of them while instructing Gu Shi on what to do. 

However, he suddenly heard Huo Ling's voice. He immediately ended the call with Gu Shi before he rushed back inside and kill the remaining assassins left. 

"Don't…" Huo Ling spoke, his voice pulling Yi Bing back from his thoughts. 

"Hm?" Yi Bing looked at the top of Huo Ling's head. He can't help but remember the first time they both met, when Huo Ling is still alive. 

The other is wearing a sunny yellow jumpsuit as his work uniform, and in the middle of the day. He looked like an egg yolk being fried by the sun. His brown pupils are bright, and his brown hair is bushy. He is complaining, and it added to his image of liveliness. It is very unfortunate for a young man like Huo Ling to die at a young age of twenty-three. Such a short-lived life. 

"Don't…" Huo Ling spoke. 

"'don't' what?" Yi Bing asked. He felt Huo Ling clung to him tightly, despite his whole body is weakly almost lying on his embrace and shaking from fright earlier. 

"… don't – " Huo Ling spoke and whispered the remaining words. 

Gu Xingfeng and Hao Baiyun didn't hear what Huo Ling said. They only saw Yi Bing's eyes widened in shock and his pupils constricted and shook. It also seemed that Yi Bing's hand holding his gun trembled. Then, they watched as Yi Bing raised his other hand and held the back of Huo Ling's head. He leaned down and spoke to Huo Ling's ear. His voice low and nobody could hear except Huo Ling. 

"I promise – " Yi Bing whispered. " – I won't leave you again." He told him.