Afterlife Department

Chapter 429 – Belly

They felt a chill on their spine looking at Ke Hanying's eyes. Although Ke Hanying's expression looked blank, but his eyes are really scary. 

"He… he…" Jiu Ye stammered and immediately hid behind Huo Ling even though Ke Hanying can't see him because of the invisibility skill they are using. "He… he!!!" he said as he pointed to Ke Hanying with a trembling hand. His eyes held panic and fear, more panicked and fearful than Xu Hongkai's corpse earlier. 

Shi Jiu isn't currently present because he went to Li Huchong's house. Li Huchong was on his way home. Shi Jiu was fortunate this time since Li Huchong was alone. And, seeing that it was turning dark, Li Huchong invited him dinner in his home, telling him that his wife is a great cook. Since after dinner one shouldn't leave his home and just rest or go to sleep, it was expected that Shi Jiu will also be staying in Li Huchong's home tonight. 

So, Jiu Ye has no one to hide behind to other than Huo Ling, because he didn't dare to hide behind Yi Bing. He's the most respectful to him, and he felt he would disrespect his idol if he'd hide behind him. 

"Are you retarded? Why are you speaking like that?" Huo Ling asked Jiu Ye. 

Jiu Ye's face scrunched up, feeling wronged. 

Huo Ling immediately feels guilty because he was harsh to Jiu Ye just now out of irritation. "He's just a human. Why would you be afraid of him?" he asked. You're a grim reaper, for god's sake! He added in his mind. 

"I – I was startled…" Jiu Ye explained and hung his head. He knows that he overreacted earlier which he shouldn't have. It just shows how much of a coward he is, which shouldn't be an attitude a grim reaper should have. 

Huo Ling knows that Jiu Ye also knows he was wrong, so he patted his shoulder to comfort him. "I was harsh, also. I shouldn't have insulted you." He told him. 

"Senior Huo…" Jiu Ye's eyes misted and he gazed at him filled with worship. 

Huo Ling looked away, feeling embarrassed. "'senior Huo' is too formal. I'm just a new grim reaper." he said. "Just call me 'Huo Ling'." He told him. 

Grim reapers usually use their names when they were still alive. Huo Ling feels making up a new name is troublesome and he doesn't like to think much just for it, so he directly used his human name. 

"Isn't that disrespectful?" Jiu Ye scratched his head. "You're older than me…" he said. He's referring to their age before they died. He died when he was still a teenager. 

But, for Huo Ling, Jiu Ye is older, way older, than him, since Jiu Ye came from an ancient era. "…" it's actually me who's being disrespectful here… he thought and coughed. "Just don't call me 'senior'." He told him. He felt awkward by it. Usually, it's him who's calling others 'senior'. 

"Then… 'ge'? 'Huo-ge'?" Jiu Ye asked. 

Huo Ling. "…" now I feel like I'm a mafia member… he thought. "… it's fine." He said. But, this is better compared to being called a 'senior'. He felt like they were in a school or workplace. 

Yi Bing who was silently listening to them coughed to hide his laughter. He has never seen Huo Ling looking bashful. Well, not in those nine lives of Huo Ling he has accompanied him. But, during before Huo Ling died… he has never seen him, since he never met him before. He felt regretful. But, not that much regretful, since he still met Huo Ling… albeit Huo Ling's dead. This just makes them complement each other, since he, technically, is also dead. 

"Enough!" Pei Tingmeng shouted. 

Everyone turned to him. 

"This isn't the time to fight each other!" Pei Tingming said. "The one we should fight is this evil thing!" he pointed to Xu Hongkai's moving belly. 

Maybe it was provoked when it was called 'evil', just as Pei Tingming's voice fell, something slipped out of the tear in Xu Hongkai's belly and attacked Pei Tingming. 

Pei Tingming, although was very angry, but he still hasn't lost his head due to it. So, when he saw a black thing flew out of the tear in Xu Hongkai's belly, he pulled back his hand, which was outstretched towards Xu Hongkai's corpse, out of reflex. He really should be grateful of his fast reflex, or else his whole hand would've been cut. 

Fortunately, Pei Tingming reacted fast and moved, so only his palm was cut instead of his whole hand, or he would've lost a hand tonight. "AH!!!" he cried and immediately jumped back, away from Xu Hongkai's corpse. His palm his bleeding because of a deep cut. His bones could almost be seen from the cut. 

"Lord Pei!" the doctors cried and immediately treated Pei Tingmings wound. 

Maybe it was satisfied that it hurt someone, that black, whip-like thing that cut Pei Tingming's palm retreated inside Xu Hongkai's belly. 

"What… what the hell…" the other people present who originally joined for fun cowered and immediately ran out of the shed. "AAAAHH!!!" they screamed as they fled back to their rooms. They may likely also gonna leave the Pei mansion tomorrow. 

With them gone, only Ke Hanying, Ji Qiuxin, Wu Deguang, Pei Ru, Pei Tingming, the three doctors of the Pei family, and the invisible grim reapers Yi Bing, Huo Ling and Jiu Ye along with Xu Hongkai's corpse on the ground. 

"Cowards." Pei Tingming spat out as his hand was bandaged. He turned to Ji Qiuxin who was silently standing on the side. "How should we deal with it?" he asked. 

Ji Qiuxin didn't immediately answer and just observed the moving belly of Xu Hongkai. This certainly is something evil. And I came here to get rid of the evil. But, why do I feel that there's something amiss? Isn't this the one I am looking for? She thought. Suddenly, she paused when she thought of something. 

Wait. This evil thing is inside Xu Hongkai's belly. But, both Pei Tinghe and Pei Tingting died before Xu Hongkai arrived in Anchuan. Xu Hongkai might have died because of this evil thing, but who killed Pei Tinghe and Pei Tingting? If Xu Hongkai didn't die because of this evil thing inside his belly, then, was he killed by the one that killed Pei Tinghe and Pei Tingting? 

Her delicate brows knitted as she stared at the moving belly of Xu Hongkai, as well as the tear on it that sometimes open wide, but they only can see darkness in it, not the least bit revealing whatever monster is hiding inside. 

Yes – it's definitely a monster. But, they don't know what kind of monster it is, nor what monstrosity did Xu Hongkai do for him to have something evil inside his body. Yes, she believes Xu Hongkai isn't innocent. She feels he must have done something evil, that's why he died. And now, there's something inside his body that extremely isn't good and is actually dangerous. 

Xu Hongkai, this man… behind his smiles lies his wickedness. She, as a priestess, can see his hypocrisy. She can hear the ridicule in his laughs. Xu Hongkai, definitely, isn't a good person. 

"Hey!" Pei Tingming called when he saw that Ji Qiuxin just stared blankly at Xu Hongkai's corpse. Has she gone stupid because of fear? He thought as he secretly sneered. It's better if she did, but after Xu Hongkai's matter is finished. "What should we do?" he asked again. "Is it safe to take it now out of the body? Or, we should just kill it?" he said, then paused. He felt that the latter is a good choice. "Let's kill it. Taking it out is dangerous. Leaving it there is also dangerous. So, it's better to just kill it." he explained and then signaled to a doctor. 

"H-huh? Lord Pei, I – I can't… I'm afraid to kill it – " that doctor said as he took a step back. 

Pei Tingming's face darkened. "If you're afraid, then leave! Go call the servants!" he told them. 

"YES!" the doctors answered and hastily left.

Ji Qiuxin didn't answer and just remained silent. She also doesn't know which is the better choice. Although she's a priestess and has a wide knowledge, but she has little experience. Another reason why she went here in Anchuan is to accumulate experience. Then, her knowledge will then turn to wisdom. 

Meanwhile, Ke Hanying is still silent. But, the malice in his eyes increased and they can even see a faint smile on his lips, though barely noticeable. 

"What do you think of this?" Yi Bing asked Huo Ling. 

Huo Ling observed the people present before he turned to the tear on Xu Hongkai's belly. "Earlier… I might have been just mistaken from what I have seen, but…" he slowly spoke as he looked at the tear on Xu Hongkai's belly before he turned to look at Yi Bing. "That black, something thin that attacked them, was it…?" he muttered.