Afterlife Department

Chapter 344 – Guilt

Qi Shan was stunned with Yi Bing's sudden outburst. "Yi Bing – " he tried to call him, but Yi Bing raised him and thrown him to the wall. 

BAM! Qi Shan's body hit the wall and cracks appeared on the wall. Qi Shan's body fell, but before he could move, he felt his body was raised again and his body was slammed on the wall. BAM! BAM! BAM! Qi Shan's head bled, but it's as if Yi Bing couldn't see it and he continued to hit Qi Shan. 

Qi Shan's whole body ached. Yi Bing is the strongest among them grim reapers! How can he resist Yi Bing's attacks?! "Yi Bing!" he called in between Yi Bing's thrashing of him. "Lord Zero! You indirectly killed Lord Zero!" he said. 

As expected, Yi Bing froze. 

Qi Shan spat out blood from his mouth. "It was the Heaven's will.. They have always seen you as an eyesore and Shen Taizi's subordinate, so they gave you a sanction of crime!" he explained. 

"Continue." Yi Bing spoke. 

"Everyone has already seen, that although it was out of Lord Zero's will to save you, but because Lord Zero died…" Qi Shan pursed his lips. "So, they wanted to find someone to blame for Lord Zero's death, and they chose you. Everyone saw that you're the reason why Lord Zero was contaminated by the Foul, so…" he didn't continue. 

Yi Bing didn't speak. 

"Also, the Heaven and Shen Taizi have always been at odds with each other." Qi Shan continued. "Shen Taizi's position at that time is critical, and it is the Heaven that are in an advantage. So, they used you to lower Shen Taizi's power." He explained. 

"Heaven… it's always them…" Yi Bing coldly smiled. He then released Qi Shan. 

Qi Shan breathed a sigh of relief and slid down the wall. He took out a handkerchief to wipe the blood off of his face. "Yi Bing." He called after both of them have calmed down. "Tell me. Is Lord Zero… Huo Ling?" he asked. He saw Yi Bing froze and the corner of his lips pulled up. "So, it's him." he said.

"You're too smart." Yi Bing said. 

"I'll be better to Huo Ling when we meet again." Qi Shan said. 

"He doesn't remember." Yi Bing told him. 

"That doesn't matter." Qi Shan said. Then, he looked at Yi Bing. "How did he live?" he asked. Although he is happy to know that his idol is alive, but of course, he wanted to know how did it happen. 

"I suspect the Soul Fragments." Yi Bing answered. 

Qi Shan was stunned. "What?!" he exclaimed. Then, he froze. He suddenly remembered what happened in the Zombie Apocalypse World. "It couldn't be…" he muttered. 

"It should be." Yi Bing muttered. 

Qi Shan fell silent. Soul Fragments are the fragments of one's soul after the soul broke. A soul breaks when they died, or was killed. If the Soul Fragments are really Huo Ling's… 

Qi Shan stared at Yi Bing's back. "What are you going to do now?" he asked. "Huo Ling is about to finish his first cycle." He reminded him. 

"I don't know…" Yi Bing honestly answered. 

Qi Shan's brows knitted. "Do you still feel guilty of his death?" he asked. 

Yi Bing didn't answer. 

Qi Shan frowned. "What's important is that he is alive now!" he told him. 

Yi Bing froze. 

"This life of ours is very long." Qi Shan said. "So, we shouldn't dwell on the past anymore since it has already happened. We can only relive it in the present, but in order for us to move on for the future!" he patted Yi Bing's back. "Cherish the past, live on the present and anticipate the future." He told him before he left. 

Yi Bing looked at Qi Shan's back before he smiled. He didn't say anything and just quietly left, going back to the safe house of the MI6 prepared for Huo Ling. 

… 

"Your Highness, is this light alright?" an MI6 agent asked when he saw Huo Ling squinted after he walked towards the living room. 

"… I can bear it." Huo Ling answered and forced a smile before he sat on the sofa and watched the local news. 

After watching for an hour, he didn't see any report regarding the attack in the cemetery where he and Yi Bing went. He breathed a sigh of relief before he went to the entertainment channel. After watching for some time, he finally can't help it and glanced at the wall clock. 

He can't bear it anymore. "Uhm…" he called the agent that was standing by the window. 

"Yes, Your Highness?" the agent answered. They already knew the identity of Huo Ling. For one, their superiors are the uncle of Huo Ling – Jonathan, and the uncle-in-law – Lu Si. They also research on their client. So, they are triply respectful towards Huo Ling. 

"Has Yi…" Huo Ling spoke when he bit his lip. He can't say it! For more than a decade, he never had cared about anything – including himself. But, now, he has Yi Bing to care of. 

Even if he doesn't care about himself if he would come out of the closet, but he has to consider the consequence since Yi Bing will be implicated. Not that he can't hide Yi Bing's name. He wants to hide it. But, it will inevitably found out. Jonathan and Lu Si are working in the MI6, and are high-ranking. 

Even though Jonathan and Lu Si can't uncover the mystery of the assassination to Huo Ling, but finding the name of Huo Ling's paramour, it is very easy. Setting aside Jonathan's and Lu Si's overprotectiveness to their family members, but the clues of Huo Ling's romantic life are easy to find. 

Huo Ling was asexual before he met Yi Bing. He started to change when he met Yi Bing in Bolivia. Then, they met again in China. After that, they started living together. Even if the other people would regard his change as a shock because his life is being threatened, but the fact that Huo Ling is in love with Yi Bing remains. 

The royal family doesn't care about scandals. Jonathan is homosexual and is married to Lu Si. Jason Baurne remarried to a man. What does it matter if Huo Ling also would turn to a homosexual from being asexual? As Huo Ling said, the royal family isn't afraid of scandals or rumors. What Huo Ling is afraid of is Yi Bing. He is afraid of Yi Bing being implicated. 

Huo Ling doesn't even know if Yi Bing likes him, or even just interested in him. He doesn't even know if Yi Bing is a homosexual, much less if Yi Bing is repulsive towards homosexuals. Before he could find the answers, Yi Bing has already started to distance himself from Huo Ling. What could Huo Ling do? Chase him? 

Pride doesn't matter to Huo Ling. What matters to him is Yi Bing's opinion… Yi Bing's impression of him. Yi Bing has already seen him as a weak person, a damsel in distress. Could it get any worse? 

Huo Ling pulled his hair in frustration. "Your Highness, is something wrong?" the agent worriedly asked him. "Does your head hurt? I'll get you medicine. Or should I call a doctor – ?" he asked, feeling flustered. 

Huo Ling can't help but pity him. Not only Yi Bing would he torment, but also his family, his friends, and these people who is protecting him. Even though these people are being paid, but they are still protecting him. For the first time, Huo Ling felt bad. 

He is a bad person. He is troubling other people. Was he being chased because he is bad? It must be. he must have done something wrong! 

"Your Highness…?" the agent called when he saw him rose from his seat. 

But, Huo Ling didn't answer. 

"Your Highness, where are you going…?" the agent continued to ask, puzzled by his behavior. Then, he saw him walking towards the door. "Your Highness?" he tried calling again. 

But, Huo Ling didn't respond and just reached the doorknob, then twisted it. 

The MI6 agent's eyes widened when he finally saw his blank eyes. He immediately called the MI6 agents around. "Get in position! Clear the surroundings! His Highness is going out of the safe house!" he said on his phone. 

"Copy!" the agents answered. 

Why did they not move to stop Huo Ling? It's because Jonathan and Lu Si stressed to them not to limit Huo Ling's actions. Jonathan and Lu Shi have handled countless cases like Huo Ling's before and they have seen that the more they limit the person's actions, the more the stress, fear and anxiety the person feels. He would feel locked up, no different than a prisoner. Then, they would be susceptible to depression, if they already not have fallen. Insomnia, hunger-strike, irritability, to name some. Something worse to happen is paranoia. The worst is committing a suicide.