Afterlife Department

Chapter 263 - Impression

This felt like a dream to them, but only the ones alive can dream and not them, those who are already dead. However, that doesn't stop them from feeling happy. After all, they highly respect Yi Bing. It is not wrong to say they idolize him, since Yi Bing is them, the grim reapers', progenitor.

The first time they met Yi Bing is when they became senior grim reapers. Yi Bing is someone you won't easily meet. That time when they met him, Yi Bing's assignment, a soul, had just finished its nine cycles and chose to continue reincarnating within its 81 lives. Yi Bing felt dejected because he really hoped his assignment to become a grim reaper, since the Afterlife Department lacks talents the most.

But, after Yi Bing heard that there were new batch of grim reapers that were promoted, his gloom disappeared and he decided to meet them. Feng Er and Si Shui are the new senior grim reapers at that time, and they didn't know they would meet Yi Bing that time, since they never expected that they could be granted of meeting the legendary first grim reaper.

Feng Er and Si Shui's first impression of Yi Bing is that he is frigid, which was very immediately replaced by their second impression: frightening. Those icy-cold eyes that make you feel chills on your bones made Feng Er and Si Shui became petrified after Yi Bing looked at them.. Which Yi Bing immediately retracted his gaze on them after Gu Shi jokingly told Yi Bing to not scare the new ones off. That broke the ice, and Di San's follow-up teasing to Feng Er and Si Shui made the cold atmosphere finally disappear.

This memory was implanted on Feng Er's and Si Shui's brain. However, since the grim reapers live for a very long, long time, naturally this memory started to be forgotten. And their meeting with Yi Bing became frequent after that, which made Feng Er's and Si Shui's impression of him disappear.

Although Yi Bing is outwardly cold, but he is surprisingly warm inside. Though, not obvious. Thus, they are very glad they could work with Yi Bing, from when their group met Yi Bing with Huo Ling after they started their quest for Soul Fragment.

Feng Er, Di San and Si Shui looked at each other before they grinned. They are both happy since they can finally be of use to Yi Bing, and happy since they have the opportunity to 'play' with Yi Bing. The latter is mostly applied to Di San, who is considered to be a close friend of Yi Bing.

However, before they could rejoice and bask in this sudden 'joyous occasion', they heard a voice spoke. "… did I miss something?" it was Liu Lin. Nobody noticed the door opening since their entire attention was on Yi Bing.

"Yes. Yi Bing has encountered a problem." Di San withdrew his 'wretched' smile and answered for Liu Lin.

Liu Lin closed the door behind him and walked towards them. "Doesn't he have a current problem? There's another one?" he asked, a surprised look on his face as he looked at Yi Bing who is sitting on a single-seater sofa, looking 'well-behaved'. He crossed his arm on his chest while the elbow of his other arm rested on it. Then, he placed his fingers on his chin as he watched Yi Bing to observe him.

"This problem is a part of that problem." Feng Er said and smiled when they saw Yi Bing looked meek again with a lowered gaze as if he is shy. He looked like he can hear them talking about him, but doesn't understand what they are saying. He also looked like he doesn't hear them, thus he doesn't react even if he sees them talking in front of him. "Because of Yi Bing's soul splitting, his personality might suddenly change. The time is unknown." She explained.

"Oh." Liu Lin finally understood. He looked at Yi Bing, his eyes are filled with sympathy. He still feels guilty because Yi Bing had to save them back then.

"How about you? Why did you come back?" Di San asked. "Have you found something?" he added.

Liu Lin nodded. "Yes." He answered. "The Lee family looked normal." He said.

"'but'?" Di San said.

Liu Lin's lips curled into a grin. "But, I don't think they are that clean." He said. "Earlier this night, Hao Baiyun and his father were invited by them." He told them.

"Hao Baiyun?" they were surprised. "What did he come to the Lee family for?" they asked.

"The Lee family wanted to stick their hands into Hao Baiyun's business." Liu Lin answered as he recalled the conversation earlier during the Lee family's dinner with Hao Baiyun and Hao Baiyun's father. "Hao Baiyun, as we know from Yi Bing, cut off his ties with his family. Yet, I saw him earlier with his father." He said.

"Why would he go with his father if the Lee family wants to do business with him?" Feng Er asked.

"I also asked that myself earlier, but fortunately I immediately hid my shock when I saw him and his father earlier." Liu Lin said. "Only until the dinner did I found out the cause of Hao Baiyun's action. Daniel Lee, this old man, is very shrewd." He said. "Because he thinks Hao Baiyun is his junior and feels Hao Baiyun is a greenhorn towards business he underestimates him. He kept pressuring Hao Baiyun to become business partners with him, offering Hao Baiyun a large sum of money." He sneered. "Even I hate his greasiness. Fortunately, Hao Baiyun can keep his calm. It was his father who dealt with Daniel Lee politely. That is Hao Baiyun's father purpose in that dinner." He explained.

"Hao Baiyun is really smart." Si Shui can't help but comment. "He can't refuse Daniel Lee's invitation, and so he brought his father to act as his shield, and also to refuse on his behalf. If he, a junior, personally refused, and did so in the host's own home, it would really look unsightly." He said as he pondered. "Also, doesn't this also look like Hao Baiyun is a sheep? If he maintains this image, he could deceive more people like the shrewd Daniel Lee." He smiled and nodded, feeling pleased with Hao Baiyun's act.

They laughed. They felt that Hao Baiyun, though also shrewd on his own way, but he is a good person since he didn't succumb to Daniel Lee's temptation. "Daniel Lee is too greedy. I will definitely find dirt on them!" Liu Lin said.

"En." They nodded.

Suddenly, Yi Bing spoke. "I guess my soul isn't on Hao Baiyun." He said.

They all turned to him. "Right. I also didn't feel your aura on him." Liu Lin said as he recalled Hao Baiyun's appearance earlier.

Yi Bing sighed. "Find an opportunity to check on Gu Xingfeng." He said.

Di San suddenly started and he stared at Yi Bing. "You don't mean, these two…" he muttered.

"Mn. The Stable World aside, this is the fourth world he, Hao Baiyun, and Gu Xingfeng, came in contact with Huo Ling again." Yi Bing said as his rubbed his temple when he felt his head ached. "I've told you since previous world: Hao Baiyun and Gu Xingfeng are suspicious." He told Di San. Feng Er, Liu Lin and Si Shui are quietly listening, but have no plan to interrupt their seniors' conversation despite curious why they suspect Hao Baiyun and Gu Xingfeng.

"Yes. I remember." Di San said. "However, we didn't have time to investigate their souls. One, we were busy so we didn't have time. Two, since they are still alive in the Stable World, their Soul Records are definitely in the Living Department." He said, then frowned. "We have to make a petition about this. The Living Department, or the Ability Users Department, they are all young and don't care about these matters." His eyes narrowed in annoyance. "We have to transfer to our department the Soul Records, ASAP." He said, his fingers twitching when he felt they itched. He had long wanted to take the Soul Records from those brats when he found out they are all irresponsible.

"We'll tell Gu Shi that when we return in the Afterlife Department." Yi Bing said. "For now, I will focus all my energy on my soul to keep my sanity in check. There's also Huo Ling…" he muttered as his eyelids drooped.

"Yi Bing?" Di San called when suddenly, they saw Yi Bing fell on the sofa, unconscious. "Oh, dear…" he placed a palm on his face.

Feng Er, Liu Lin and Si Shui are also antsy. "Senior Yi…" Si Shui said as he looked at Di San.

Di San sighed. "You continue with what you are doing. The faster we find Yi Bing's soul, the possible." He said and suddenly, his expression became worse when he remembered something. "He still has to resolve Huo Ling's attachment!" he cursed under his breath. Everything's such a mess. "I'll think of something to cover Yi Bing's disappearance in the Baurne Residence to not make Jonathan Baurne suspicious."