Afterlife Department

Chapter 483 – Apprentice

Special World 4512.

A vein popped in Yi Bing's forehead as he watched Huo Ling look back to Shou Ji once again. "Stop looking!" he snapped as he grabbed Huo Ling's head with his large hand and turned it, forcing Huo Ling to look to the front.

"Err, well…" Huo Ling muttered and grimaced when he saw Yi Bing's sharp glare. He looked away, and felt his ears reddened when he heard Shou Ji laughed behind them.

"If you feel worried about me, don't be." Shou Ji spoke as he patted Huo Ling's shoulder while he walked by his other side. "The matter of life and death… I already got over it." He said.

"But, you…" Huo Ling stammered. "… did you see if you should have lived instead of dying?" he asked, referring to the Name Record.

Shou Ji just smiled. Huo Ling isn't familiar with Shou Ji, and he is also not proficient in guessing other's thoughts and emotions, so he doesn't know Shou Ji's answer, and also what he is feeling right now.

"… I shouldn't have asked, right?" Huo Ling asked Yi Bing as his shoulders fell. He looked dejected.

"You shouldn't have." Yi Bing directly answered.

Huo Ling clutched his chest when he felt as if an arrow struck it. "… you are so honest." He pursed his lips as he looked at Yi Bing.

"I'm not, really." Yi Bing spoke as his lips curled up. If I am honest, I would have already confessed to you. He thought as his smile became brighter, showing that his mood is good.

"Yi Bing. Are you that happy of my situation?" Shou Ji asked when he saw Yi Bing is smiling.

"Or else?" Yi Bing asked back.

Shou Ji rolled his eyes while Shi Jiu helplessly laughed at them. Huo Ling looked worried and wanted for Yi Bing to apologize to Shou Ji for making a rude remark.

"Huo Ling. Come here." Shi Jiu called seeing Huo Ling's expression.

Huo Ling reluctantly left. Shi Jiu saw his reluctance and pulled him away. "What is it?" he asked him.

"Huo Ling. You shouldn't take everything seriously, you know?" Shi Jiu spoke. "That includes the occasional bantering happening in the Afterlife Department." He said.

"Huh? Is that fine?" Huo Ling asked, surprised.

Shi Jiu stared at him. "Haven't you already met Qi Shan?" he asked.

Huo Ling was startled. "Yes. I have." He answered. How did Shi Jiu know? He thought.

"Yi Bing and Qi Shan always banter, right?" Shi Jiu asked.

"… yes." Huo Ling answered. How did he know this, too? He thought, puzzled.

Shi Jiu smiled. "Just take Yi Bing's and our chief's bantering like Yi Bing's and Qi Shan's bantering." He spoke. "Whatever they might say, nothing should be taken from it seriously." He told him as he patted his shoulder.

"Oh…" Huo Ling nodded, finally agreeing. "Yi Bing is bantering with Qi Shan… he is also bantering with your chief… doesn't this make Yi Bing someone who likes to banter with others?" he asked as he tilted his head.

Hearing what he said, Shi Jiu laughed. "Well… you have a point." He said and glanced at Yi Bing. "Doesn't he also banter with you?" he asked as he turned back to Huo Ling.

Hearing his question, Huo Ling's face scrunched up and darkened. "It isn't bantering." He spoke. "It is bullying!" he said with a serious expression.

"HAHAHAHA!" Shi Jiu broke into a laughter.

"What? Am I wrong?" Huo Ling asked as he frowned when he saw Shi Jiu is laughing.

"No… no." Shi Jiu answered as he shook his head. He wiped the tears that formed in the corners of his eyes due to laughing too much. "Yes. You are right. Yi Bing is really bullying you." He told him.

"See? Even you can see it." Huo Ling spoke as he crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Yi Bing. Then, he suddenly remembered something. "Jin Wu, too. He is also bullying Mo Shi." He said when he recalled Mo Shi's almost crying appearance as the other hid behind him when they were still in the Normal World 2828. "The masters bullying their apprentices… is this a tradition in the Afterlife Department?" he asked.

"Pft – " Shi Jiu almost laughed and he coughed to cover up his laughter. "No… of course not." He answered.

"Huh? Then, why are they bullying us?" Huo Ling asked.

"You see, among all the grim reapers in the Afterlife Department, at present, there is only Yi Bing and Jin Wu who have apprentices." Shi Jiu spoke.

"Is taking apprentices in that strange?" Huo Ling asked as he looked at Yi Bing.

"No. It's not." Shi Jiu shook his head. "In fact, taking apprentice is normal." He said.

"Then, why didn't I see other grim reapers having an apprentice?" Huo Ling felt puzzled.

"Taking an apprentice… is not common." Shi Jiu sighed.

Huo Ling's brows rose when he heard this. Taking an apprentice is normal, but is not common? It really isn't strange, but also sounds strange? Isn't this contradictory? He thought as he looked at Shi Jiu.

Shi Jiu coughed as he scratched his cheek. "Well, you already should know that death, to most people, sounds depressing." He started. "They also fear it. But, it's because they don't know that there is life after death, which is called the 'afterlife'. So, most of the souls, after death, think that living after death is unbearable thus they would choose to reincarnate. Of course, there are other souls who wants to reincarnate in order to see their families, lovers, or friends who have passed on before them." He smiled. "So, those souls who chose to continue living after death, in other words, becoming grim reapers, are those who don't have any attachment when they were still alive." He explained.

Huo Ling didn't speak and just silently listened.

"As for those angels… they are those souls who also don't have attachments when they were still alive, but they have merits, unlike us grim reapers who might be bearing a sin." Shi Jiu's smile faded. "Of course, we don't know if we did or not, since our memories have already been erased. You should know, some souls became grim reapers as their punishment, for them to repay the sin they committed when they were still alive." He told him.

Huo Ling nodded in understanding.

"So, for a grim reaper to take an apprentice, it is normal in order for them to train their apprentice to become a proper grim reaper." Shi Jiu spoke. "But for why it is not common… it is because some grim reapers feel numb." He explained.

"… I understand now." Huo Ling muttered as he looked at Yi Bing who is talking with Shou Ji.

As if sensing his gaze, Yi Bing turned and looked at him. Their gazes met. A pair of icy-blue eyes stared at a pair of warm, brown eyes. Yi Bing was the first to retract his gaze. As for whether it was because Shou Ji was talking to him and it was impolite of him to not face the other, or he retracted his gaze due to some other reason… Huo Ling doesn't know.

He lowered his gaze and stared at his shining, black leather shoes. Because he lowered his gaze, he didn't see that Yi Bing looked back at him again.

"Yi Bing." Shou Ji called, calling the other's attention.

Yi Bing stared at Huo Ling for a while before he turned to Shou Ji, only to see the other is smiling at him while his eyes are shining some meaning.

Yi Bing didn't speak and turned his back to ignore him before he walked to where Huo Ling is. "Huo Ling." He called.

Huo Ling saw another pair of shining black leather shoes appeared across him, looking very identical to his own. It's because both pairs of shoes are of the same brand.

Huo Ling raised his head, only to meet Yi Bing's cold gaze. "Yes?" he answered.

Yi Bing stared at Huo Ling for a while and the other stared back at him with his clear eyes that seemed to be shining and looked warm, like a virgin spring. "… let's go." He spoke and turned to walk away.

"Oh. Okay." Huo Ling answered and he followed behind him.

Shou Ji walked to Shi Jiu's side as they both watched the pair of master and disciple leave.

"Yi Bing…" Shi Jiu muttered.

"Don't mention it." Shou Ji cut him off.

Shi Jiu stared at the two's backs before he retracted his gaze and then heave a sigh. "Huo Ling…" he spoke.

"Hm? What about him?" Shou Ji asked.

Shi Jiu turned and looked at him. "… why are you asking about Huo Ling?" he asked.

"Because he seems interesting." Shou Ji answered and blinked.

Shi Jiu. "…" you can't deceive me! He thought and shook his head. "I just want to say that Huo Ling… is smart." He spoke.

Shou Ji's eyes widened and he was taken aback before he broke out in laughter. "Yes…" he said and smiled.. "He is smart."