Afterlife Department

Chapter 389 – Cobweb

Moon and Eavon were shocked of Yi Bing knowing Luren likes Huo Ling. Meanwhile, Huo Ling… was shocked because Yi Bing didn't tell it to him!

"… why are you shocked, too?" Moon and Eavon asked Huo Ling.

"… I don't know that Luren likes and Renton…" Huo Ling answered in a small voice.

"… he didn't tell you?" they asked. Their faces saying, 'aren't you together? How can he not tell you?'.

"…" Huo Ling really didn't know. He raised his head to look at Yi Bing. His eyes full of resentment.

Yi Bing chuckled and fixed Huo Ling's hair that ruffled in anger. He then looked at Eavon and Moon.. "We saw Luren gazing longingly at the pool area." He answered.

Moon and Eavon fell silent. No need to ask anything more. They know that Luren is in the library, since you can see the best view of the pool area from the library through the glass wall. 

Eavon fell powerlessly on his seat. "Renton is my friend." He started. "We are neighbors, and our families became friends. We grew up together." He said. 

"Where is his family now?" Huo Ling asked. 

"His parents died during an airplane crash when their encountered a storm." Eavon answered. "He moved to his grandfather's home." He said. 

"So, his grandfather…" Huo Ling spoke. 

Eavon shook his head. Huo Ling fell silent. Moon handed Eavon his water bottle. 

Eavon sipped his drink before he continued. "It was my fault." He said. "I was the one who invited him to come here." He told them. 

Huo Ling and Yi Bing didn't react. They have already guessed it after knowing Eavon from Moon earlier. 

"He was studying in a public high school. He has inherited his parents' wealth, but he can only receive it when he was eighteen." Eavon spoke. 

Renton started his studies early. 

"I asked my parents if we could take Renton with us, and my parents agreed. But, Renton refused, saying he doesn't need pity." Eavon pressed his lips tight and his eyes reddened. He felt aggrieved when Renton said that. "So, I went to Liyone with my parents. I always remember him, so I asked my parents if they could find him a scholarship that the Fughlia High offers. That way, he didn't need to worry about the school fees and the lodging. I can share him my food." He said. 

"So, Renton went to Liyone because of a scholarship." Huo Ling muttered. 

"En." Eavon nodded. "I didn't expect he'd…" he bit his lip. 

Silence fell. 

"The girl Renton wanted to protect…" Yi Bing spoke. "Who is she?" he asked. 

Eavon turned to him. He was about to answer when the door of the classroom suddenly opened. It was Cody Stilore – the student who they talked with last week, the day Yule Portkin's corpse was found and Eram Bullone and the female teacher he's with were arrested. 

"Moon… Eavon… Eram died!" Cody Stilore told them. A shocked look was on his face. He must not be expecting for Eram to die, either. 

"WHAT?!" Eavon and Moon abruptly rose from their seats that their seats overturned and fell on the floor loudly. Like Cody, they didn't expect this news. 

"The… the patrolling guards found his corpse…" Cody's face is pale and his eyes are wide in horror. His lips were trembling as he spoke. "They… they found his corpse… in the river." He told them. 

Ever since a student died – Yule Portkins, the security in the Fughlia High increased. Iris placed patrolling guards in every nook and corner of the school, including the nearby areas. For instance – the river behind the Fughlia High. 

Their jaw dropped in shock. What is happening?! Eram's corpse was found in the same place where Yule's corpse is! A coincidence?! 

"Wait. Why was he in school?! I thought he was imprisoned?!" Eavon asked. 

Eram Bullone is already eighteen years old, so he can be imprisoned. 

"I don't know. Nobody knows how Eram returned here!" Cody answered. 

Silence fell upon them. 

Yi Bing, as the 'teacher', spoke. "Wait for your teachers' notice before you act." He told them. 

It was only then that Cody noticed Yi Bing's and Huo Ling's presence. "Aren't you two…?" he muttered as he looked at them. He was too shocked by the news earlier and wanted to inform Moon and Eavon so he didn't check if there were other people in the room. 

Yi Bing smiled. "Hello. We've talked to each other last week, remember?" he asked. 

Cody dumbly nodded. He then turned to Huo Ling. Huo Ling smiled and introduced himself. 

Seeing that the introductions were finished, Moon spoke. "Cody. We were talking about Renton just now." He told him. 

"Oh. Now that I think about it…" Cody muttered and stared at Huo Ling. "I now realized that you were similar to him." he said. 

Huo Ling was surprised. "How so?" he asked. 

"Weren't you a recipient of Iris Scholarship, too?" Cody asked. 

Huo Ling and Yi Bing, as well as Moon and Eavon, were stunned. 

"So that's why Principal Iris highly regards them!" Moon exclaimed, feeling enlightened. 

Eavon was frozen on his seat as he stared at Huo Ling, dumbfounded. "Right… Renton also became poor before he will receive his parents' wealth… and the Iris Scholarship…" he muttered to himself. 

But, Huo Ling and Yi Bing heard it. However, they schooled their expressions to not show anything of their thoughts. 

"Is that so?!" Huo Ling acted surprised. "It's an honor to be told being similar to school senior Renton!" he widely grinned. But, internally, he is cursing. 

0000: so, Iris knows Renton?! If not, how can Renton receive the scholarship?! Wasn't the Iris Scholarship personally given by Iris?! 

0001: … I feel dizzy. Let me ponder about this more. 

Yi Bing secretly frowned. He felt that there is something off about everything. Everything's entangled, but that's make them all connected. Yet, Yi Bing doesn't know how to untangle each string. He is afraid that he will make them more strained. 

They need to sort out more of the information they have gathered, now that they've obtained a new one. 

…

"Let's start with Renton, who is now a ghost. How he died, where he died, are unknown." Huo Ling started. "Renton's ghost is lingering in the library, where he found the club membership registration form which he is guarding very closely. The club he wanted to join is the swimming club which Luren, who he is 'hanging out' with and seems to be the main occupant of the library, is currently the president. Luren is friends with Hierre and Mandy, who are also friends with Prille, who is chasing after Luren." He frowned in disdain when Prille was mentioned. "Prille has a 'fateful' encounter with Rhyan, and Rhyan sought Harris to grant Prille a scholarship in exchange of helping him out. Harris and Rhyan are Iris' children, and Iris actually granted Renton a scholarship before with the help of Eavon's parents. Eavon is friends with Moon, who is Mandy's younger brother." He said. 

Yi Bing nodded, feeling satisfied with Huo Ling's summary. 

"Moon came to know Renton through Eavon who is his seatmate, and became interested in a girl who is Renton's friend." Huo Ling continued. "This girl, unfortunately, died after she committed suicide because of Yule Portkin, who is now dead, humiliated her. Yule's friend, Eram, killed him due to reasons we yet to know." He said. "Now, Eram is dead for some inexplicable reasons." He finished. 

"Good." Yi Bing clapped. 

"Right. Cody seemed to be friends with Moon and Eavon, and he hates Yule for stealing his girlfriend." Huo Ling said. "There are also two places that are our keys to solve everything: Fughlia High's pool area and Zirope Town power station." He spoke. 

Yi Bing's brows raised. "I understand the pool area… but why add the power station?" he asked. 

"Because, not only is it an energy source, but also – " Huo Ling tapped on his communicator and a holographic screen appeared. " – it is Eavon's, as well as Renton's, hometown." He explained as they looked at Eavon's student profile on the screen. "As for that unfortunate girl… since she is Renton's friend, and must be also Eavon's friend, I reckon she's also from the same hometown. And, guess what I found!" he said and slid his finger on the holographic screen, showing another student's profile on the page. 

It was of a female student's profile named Elliese Ruch. She is really pretty, but the longer Yi Bing stared at her face, the more he felt that there's something off. 

He started. "Is she…?" he looked at Huo Ling. 

Huo Ling nodded. "Yes." He spoke. "She looks like that female teacher." He said, then paused. "Or, more precisely, that female teacher looks like her." He told him. 

Yi Bing was surprised. Then, he laughed. "All the characters are now here." He said and rose from his seat. He walked towards the wall where Huo Ling pasted everyone's pictures that were connected with arrows, looking like a giant cobweb.