Afterlife Department

Chapter 102 - Suspicious Behavior

"Let\'s say it is suicide, but that doesn\'t remove the fact they committed crimes." Gu Xingfeng said as he opened the door for Hao Baiyun when they went back to the station.

Hao Baiyun entered his office. "It\'s like Huo Ling\'s death triggered their crimes to be exposed." He can\'t help but say.

Gu Xingfeng nodded. "Yeah. The question is, is Huo Ling\'s death the condition or is it a coincidence?" he asked as he and Hao Baiyun looked at Huo Ling\'s student profile. "We didn\'t find any records of him in the CCTVs buying this water bottle." He said and pointed the water bottle in the screenshot of the rape video. "His life is too clean, ne." he added and his brows raised.

It\'s just as Xu Ke and Su Lin said. Huo Ling is too perfect he\'s almost unreal. But, he is real. And now he died. The heaven is jealous of a mortal\'s perfection they killed him.

"The fact that their crimes were exposed, they\'re all coincidentally the enemies of Huo Ling." Hao Baiyun sighed.

Hearing his words, Gu Xingfeng paused. "There\'s no such thing as a coincidence." He said as he raised his head from the folders and then looked at Hao Baiyun. "Only opportunities the man has made." He said as he opened all the folders and spread them on the table. "I have said this before, and even the dean pointed this out. How can someone perfect like Huo Ling befriend a philanderer – " he said and pointed at Ye Ting\'s profile. " – a hopeless romantic – " he said and pointed at Rong Zhe\'s profile. " – a fraud – " he said and pointed at Su Lin\'s profile. " – a hypocrite – " he said and pointed Xu Ke\'s profile. " – and a liar?" he said and pointed Lu Ming\'s student profile. He paused and glanced at Hao Baiyun\'s expression. When he saw him looked calm, he continued. "Is Huo Ling running a charity? There\'s no common ground for their group except they\'re a bunch of misfits." He said as he looked at the six people\'s profiles placed side-by-side.

Hao Baiyun couldn\'t help but nod in agreement. Now that Gu Xingfeng pointed this matter out, this really seemed suspicious. "Are they lying about Huo Ling not knowing they hate him?" he asked. "Or is it – " he said as his words slowed down upon realization. He raised his head to look at Gu Xingfeng as he spoke. " – Huo Ling is just pretending to not know?" he asked. "Is he really dumb to not notice?" he added.

Gu Xingfeng\'s eyes slowly widened when he realized it. "It couldn\'t be…" he muttered as he looked at Huo Ling\'s smiling picture.

"That\'s what Lu Ming and the others have thought, thus they really couldn\'t see the bigger picture." Hao Baiyun said. "May or may not be it is Huo Ling that\'s doing all of these, but it is a fact that these all – their dirty secrets, came out after Huo Ling died." He explained. "The purpose is to expose their crimes committed." He said before his expression turned solemn. "Whether or Huo Ling knew or not, but the fact he died… this person\'s motive can be to avenge Huo Ling, or just – " he said before he paused and gasped. He raised his head and looked at Gu Xingfeng with widened eyes in shock.

Gu Xingfeng sharply inhaled when he also realized it. "The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind?" he said. Seeing Hao Baiyun nodded, he frowned. "So someone hates their clique?" he said as he pondered.

"It must be." Hao Baiyun said.

"Then why did he kill Huo Ling while the others only had their crimes exposed?" Gu Xingfeng asked in puzzlement.

"… maybe because he was forced to kill Huo Ling?" Hao Baiyun said and held his head when it ached. He felt like all of his brain cells have been used up.

Gu Xingfeng saw Hao Baiyun\'s frowned and he chuckled. He raised his hands to gently massage Hao Baiyun\'s temple. "Xiao Yun. You should have joined me." He told him. He\'s referring to being a police officer.

"How could I? I\'m physically weak." Hao Baiyun pursed his lips.

Gu Xingfeng laughed as he planted a kiss on those cherry-red lips. "Thank you for helping me." He told him.

Hao Baiyun\'s frown disappeared. "I… just don\'t want to see you tired." He told Gu Xingfeng and lowered his head.

Gu Xingfeng\'s smile disappeared and he hugged Hao Baiyun. "Xiao Yun." He called. "I really want to do it now." He whispered to him.

Hao Baiyun\'s eyes widened and his face burned. "You rogue!" he yelled. However, Gu Xingfeng already kissed him and pushed him to the table.

Jiang Xinduo who passed by and saw the closed door of their superior. He raised his hand, not to knock but to place the \'Do Not Disturb\' sign on the door. Then, he left as if nothing has happened.

Tsuting University, dormitory.

"I\'m like any other student studying in this university." Huo Ling started. "Filled with dreams, but had to wake up in the reality." He looked at Yi Bing. In all of his life, he\'d never realize he\'d meet a grim reaper – even if when he died. But, he did. And now he\'s dead. "I grew up in a small town with my parents and grandparents. We\'re only a small family. I had no aunt nor uncle, nor I had any siblings. There\'s only me, my mom, my dad, my grandma and my grandpa in our family." He said. "Due to the small number of our family, and my grandparents had been hardworking people, we\'re well-off." He smiled. "But, my parents work in the city, thus I was forced to go to the city and live with them. My grandparents chose to stay behind to watch our land, and I and my parents visit them from time to time." He said. "Because of my upbringing, I grew kind and hardworking. My grandparents love me, as well as my parents are proud of me. But…" he sadly smiled. "I still died young in the end." He sighed.

"I\'m sure, even though they are sad, but they still will feel happy you lived a satisfying life." Yi Bing comforted him.

Huo Ling sweetly smiled as he stared at Yi Bing. Ah… what should I do? He thought and lowered his gaze to hide his emotions. I want to kiss him. He thought. I think I fell in love with a guy, and a grim reaper at that. He closed his eyes as he leaned his head on Yi Bing\'s shoulder.

"Huo Ling?" Yi Bing called when Huo Ling had gone silent.

"Let me stay like this for a while." Huo Ling said. "I think, if I continued to live, I must have disappointed them." He said.

"Why?" Yi Bing asked.

"Because I\'ll make a decision that will not be accepted by them." Huo Ling answered.

"Don\'t they love you?" Yi Bing asked. "I\'m sure they will forgive you and accept your decision." He told him.

"They won\'t." Huo Ling said with certainty in his voice. "Because they…" already warned me not to fall in love. He thought. Since I have been arranged to be married since I was young.

He closed his eyes as he continued to lean on Yi Bing\'s shoulder. Strange… I\'m already dead and has become a soul, yet I still felt a comfort I think the most wonderful I experienced in this lifetime. He thought as he glanced at Yi Bing. I wonder how Shang Mi was doing now… He\'s referring to his fiancée when he was still a teenager.

His father and Shang Mi\'s father were close friends and promised to marry their children in the future. However, Shang Mi\'s family decided to move to America and told them they\'d be back when Shang Mi grew up and then arrange for his and Shang Mi\'s marriage. His father and Shang Mi\'s father were constantly communicating to update their children\'s life.

I apologize, Shang Mi. But, I fell in love with someone. He thought. He liked Shang Mi and felt comfortable with her. He thinks marrying her will be fine, since Shang Mi is the best girl he had met. However, he never imagined how small his world is. He finally met Yi Bing, but unfortunately, he\'s already dead. However, Yi Bing is a grim reaper, so being a soul is fine with him. As long as he can see Yi Bing...

Yi Bing was puzzled by Huo Ling\'s silence, but he didn\'t find the silence unsettling. Huo Ling… he thought. Life always hurts you. Shall I force you to be a grim reaper? He looked at Huo Ling. However, you still led a satisfying life in each world. Thus, I won\'t rob you with these lives you\'ll have in the future. He lowered his gaze and saw the fireball pendant on his neck. He comforted himself.

Even if he felt dissatisfied to not see him always, but they will still meet each other again.