Afterlife Department

Chapter 426 – Xu Hongkai

Huo Ling turned to Yi Bing. 

Yi Bing's face looked calm. "If it's really Hualing who is possessing Pei Ru, and her purpose for asking the question is out of revenge to Pei Tinghe, then why did she still ask that question to Han ma, when she has already gotten her revenge after killing Pei Tinghe?" he asked. 

Huo Ling's eyes widened. "I'm thinking of this, too!" he said and sighed as he opened his notes. "This is really though-provoking… she has already killed him, so why is she still…" his voice trailed off when he realized something. His jaw dropped and he looked at Yi Bing in shock. "… lingering…" he muttered. "Her ghost is still lingering." He said. 

Yi Bing also froze. It's as if the fog in their mind has cleared. "Yes… Pei Tinghe is her objective, so why is she still lingering?" he asked, then paused. "Actually, how much does she hate him… how much was she heartbroken for her to commit suicide?" he asked. 

Huo Ling started when he heard this question. "Pei Ru said that Pei Tinghe's vices are drinking and whoring. Was she heartbroken because of jealousy?" he asked. "Or, did he say hurtful words to her? It must be… ai." He sighed. 

They are not her to say that receiving hurtful words is a petty reason to commit suicide. Yi Bing also realized this and so he didn't comment. 

"But the question still remained: why is she still lingering? Shouldn't she had already moved on from this since she had already avenged herself?" Huo Ling asked. "But, she didn't. And she even pulled the souls, turned back the time to make them reborn…" he muttered when his voice abruptly cut off when he realized something again. He looked at Yi Bing and Yi Bing also looked at him. "Reborn…" he muttered. "After one died, their soul returns to their body at a specific time." He said. "So… what is the specific time they returned, and – " his eyes slowly widened in horror. "At which point of time we are in right now?" he asked and stared at Yi Bing. 

Yi Bing spoke slowly as his mind processed the thought. "In the past, Hualing died. Then, she turned into a ghost and made everyone reborn." He said. 

 "But, she is still dead…" Huo Ling said. 

"Pei Tinghe is also dead." Yi Bing said. Then, they stared at each other. 

Huo Ling's heart thumped as he parted his lips. Then, he pressed them tight as his mind worked fast to gather his thoughts. "Hualing made the sundial to turn back the time for everyone to be reborn. But, she didn't reborn." He said. "Was it because she doesn't want to, or that she couldn't?" he asked. 

Yi Bing nodded in understanding. "But, their memories of the past would return only for a short time. This is the 'possession'." He said, and his expression hardened. "Everyone was reborn…" he muttered. 

Cold sweat formed on Huo Ling's forehead as he also realized it. "So, we're currently in the present. This is a fact." He said. 

"Yes." Yi Bing nodded. "And, it seems that the people whose memories would return is random, and only a few, and for a short while." He said. 

"En. That's right." Huo Ling nodded. "So, Pei Tinghe becoming missing…" he spoke when he suddenly remembered it. 

Yi Bing looked at him. "His memories must have returned to him." he said. His expression serious. "And, knowing that Hualing wanted to revenge after what he had done to her, he tried to escape. He must be good at hiding since no one could find him." he explained. "Except Hualing, the ghost." He smiled. 

"That must be it." Huo Ling said. "As for Pei Tingting and lord Xu… it seems that they were implicated?" he asked. 

Yi Bing thought about it. "I think Pei Tingting's matter isn't simple." He said. "Remember that Hualing, while possessing Pei Ru, asked Han ma the question?" he asked. 

"Yes…" Huo Ling answered. "So, Pei Tingting must also have done something wrong to Hualing?" he asked, then frowned. "The Pei family really are a bunch of evils." He said. 

Yi Bing laughed. "Let's go. The prayer will start." He said and rose from his seat. 

"Oh. What about him?" Huo Ling asked and looked at Ke Hanying still sitting on the riverbank, watching the water in the river flows. 

"He'll come back." Yi Bing answered. "Let's go back earlier so we can talk with Shi Jiu and Jiu Ye, asking them of the result of their tasks." He said and walked away.

"Yes." Huo Ling nodded. He glanced at the back of Ke Hanying before he followed Yi Bing. 

Meanwhile, Ke Hanying was staring blankly at the flowing water. "Hualing…" he muttered, speaking the name for the nth time. He raised his head and gazed at the sky, at the sun shining brightly above the white clouds. 

The clouds… as while as her skin. The sky… as clear as her eyes. The sun… as bright as her smile. Hualing… she's as beautiful as a flower (hua), and her laughs are like a tinkling bell (ling). So vibrant. so pure. But, like the flowers by the roadside that was plucked… her life ended. 

He remembered when they were young, they were so free and happy. Who would've thought that their peaceful days would end? 

"Xu. Hong. Kai." He spoke the second name he uttered today through his gnashed teeth. 

Xu Hongkai is one of the lords in Anhe. He is known for his altruism. Be it old or young, sick or disabled, he helps. But, who would've known that behind his kind smiles lies a poisonous dagger that can stab them anytime? 

Xu Hongkai disguises himself as a kind person. Through his charitable acts, he is actually choosing someone to fulfill his desires. And, mostly there are young. Like Ke Hanying and Xiao Hualing, these poor children who were suddenly orphaned, so no one taught them about the world and the black hearts of the people. 

They were easily taken away by Xu Hongkai since they recognized him as a good person and he promised them clothing, food and shelter – the basic needs of a child. Little did they know that they will be suffering a nightmare. 

(Trigger warning: pedophilia)

Xu Hongkai started touching them during the second day from their arms, then their cheeks. The next day, he is touching their neck, their backs. The following days, he is touching their waist, their butt. Then, the days after that are their thighs and legs. When it reached the time he touched their private parts, they began to doubt. 

A child's emotions are obviously shown in their face, so Xu Hongkai naturally noticed it. He retracted his intentions for a few days. Then, he began touching them again. This time, he was removing their clothes. For them to relieve their doubts, he told them that this is what a father does to his children. So, they really didn't doubt him, since a charitable person has a kind heart and is trusted. 

They lived what they thought a dream but is actually a nightmare disguised as a dream. This was fortunately shattered one day, when Xu Hongkai wasn't around, and he and Xiao Hualing ran around Xu Hongkai's mansion to play. They wandered afar and got lost, and found a small cottage very carefully hidden inside the woods and they wouldn't have noticed it if they didn't hear some small noises. 

They opened the door, which surprisingly wasn't locked since the owner must have thought that no one would have found this place. And so, his and Xiao Hualing's world collapsed after they saw some children the same age as them filled with bruises. Their faces are pale and their eyes are empty like they have lost their soul. 

One of the children who was still sane heard them and wryly smiled at them when he saw their expensive clothes and beautiful skin. "So, you are the next ones." He said before he ignored them. 

Ke Hanying and Xiao Hualing, although naïve, but not totally stupid. They finally realized that they have been deceived. So, they asked the children to come with them to escape. And they did, since, fortunately, Xu Hongkai didn't return that day along with his guards, who thought that they, the children are harmless and stupid. 

Ke Hanying took a deep breath to calm himself. Unfortunately, since they all are panicking during their escape, he and Xiao Hualing have been separated. He tried to find her, but he can't find her. He also moved to other towns in fear that Xu Hongkai would find him. He also feared that Xu Hongkai would find Xiao Hualing. He prayed for her safety, as well as those children. 

Even when he grew up and established his name in the Anhe, he didn't stop looking for Xiao Hualing. He even looked for her in the Anchuan, but he never found her. He never saw her again after their escape. Her small figure… her bright smile… her vibrant laughter… she will forever remain a child in his heart.