Afterlife Department

Chapter 463 - Reunion

"We were passing by when we heard a cry." Yi Bing started while Huo Ling just sat on the side in silence. "It was… a girl." He spoke.

Nobody spoke, since they can already understand. Chichi and Lan clenched their fists but they held back their anger.

"We heard the man said in a mocking voice that her parents left her to buy themselves time to save themselves." Yi Bing continued.

Xi Kai's mother gasped and her tears fell. She looked at the ward but she didn't dare go inside.

"But, the other friends of the man still went after the girl's parents since they can still 'play' with her later." Yi Bing said.

Jenny gnashed her teeth and was about to punch the wall when Rei stopped her. Rei's eyes are red and her tears are silently falling non-stop.

"I saved the girl while Huo Ling ran to chase her parents." Yi Bing spoke. "I asked the man and the man said that they have been eyeing their family. But – " he looked at them. " – the family is also white-eyed wolves, so what's wrong of robbing them?" he said.

Xi Kai was shocked. "What… does that mean…?" he asked in a hoarse voice. He looked inside the ward and saw Qi Ying's back as he stood at the foot of one of the patient beds inside.

He suddenly looked desolate.

"I heard the girl spoke. She said that her parents have always been envious of her cousins' parents." Yi Bing answered. "After they heard that the zombies attacked the north where her cousins' family are, her parents immediately took away all the jewelries, the deeds, as well as the money locked in the safe." He took a deep breath. "The house they are living in is actually owned by Qi Ying's parents. They… looted the house before they escaped." He looked at them and saw their shocked faces. "After they were assigned a residence in a school, the girl's parents complained. They were so arrogant that they didn't notice that the other people were eyeing their things, so…" he didn't continue since he knows that they can guess what happened next. "They have been running away from those people since then, but in the apocalypse, no one would help you. Instead – " he smiled. " – they will also rob you." He finished.

A long silence fell. Yi Bing and Huo Ling excused themselves to change their clothes.

"Not all reunions are good, and a happy one." Huo Ling spoke. "Sometimes, it will make you feel bad and miserable instead." He said.

They still haven't gone far and Xi Kai and the others are ability users so they heard it. Xi Kai's mother found out what Huo Ling said after Xi Kai muttered Huo Ling's words in a daze while looking inside the ward. Xi Kai's mother finally can't hold back and cried loudly. She has been pampered by her husband and was very secured in their home so naturally, she hasn't encountered such things like this. Although she also knew hardship because she was orphaned and gained her status as a famous singer-actress by her own strength, she is still na?ve compared to the way the mind works of Qi Ying's aunt and uncle.

Inside the ward, Qi Ying looked at his cousin's face and arms that were filled with bruises, and her head was also wrapped in a bandage. He almost didn't recognize her face. Although he was inside, but Yi Bing's voice was loud enough for him to hear. And although Yi Bing didn't say it, but he could that his cousin suffered greatly. The one who assaulted her must have hit her head after she resisted him. But how can a weak girl like her, and with no ability, resist for a long time?

Qi Ying turned to look at his aunt and uncle. He felt like all that he knew of them disappeared. He suddenly felt estranged towards them. It was one thing that they stole from his parents, but to also leave their defenseless daughter behind just to save themselves?!

He clenched his fists. "… Qi… Ying?" a weak voice called.

Qi Ying's eyes snapped open and he turned to look at the one who called.

…

Everyone turned when they heard a loud clatter. They saw that Xi Ke dropped his phone and he stood, frozen. "Father? What's wrong?" Xi Kai asked.

Meanwhile, Yi Bing and Huo Ling ignored them and resumed eating. They are leaving in two hours, at dawn.

Xi Ke slowly turned to his son. "… Qi Ying… his cousin… as well as his aunt and uncle…" he muttered.

Xi Kai felt his heart skipped a beat. "What's wrong?!" he immediately asked.

"His cousin woke up and became crazed. She… killed her parents…" Xi Ke answered in a low voice. "And them committed suicide." He added in almost a whisper.

But, the others could hear it. They all dropped their chopsticks in shock. They don't know what to feel at the moment. Although they are her parents, but what they did to her doesn't make them deserve to be called as her parents. But, even if they don't approve of her actions of personally killing them, but they can understand her feeling. And as for killing herself…

They clenched their fists. Yi Bing and Huo Ling saw their reactions but they didn't speak. They already expected this, since they saw what happened in the ward earlier while they were invisible. They returned after they have changed their clothes.

"You disgust me." Qi Ying spoke as he looked at his uncle and aunt who have woken up. His eyes are called and his fists clenched but trembling, as if he wanted to punch them but is holding himself back. "All those times… everything… your smiles are fake." He said and stormed outside the ward before he could raise his hand and hit them.

The others standing outside the ward cleared the way and gave him space to be alone. Meanwhile, Yi Bing and Huo Ling looked at Qi Ying's aunt and uncle trembling, but because of anger. But, when they looked at Qi Ying's cousin, they saw her smiling and mouthing something as she looked at a certain place… yes. Where Yi Bing and Huo Ling are standing.

"… I hope Qi Ying won't live the rest of his life in hate." She muttered before she closed her eyes. But, her hands are clenched into fists and is holding a knife.

…

The car is silent as no one spoke about the incident. They didn't want to tell Qi Ying about what happened.

"Ah! You are procuring goods?" they heard the guards at the gate said.

"Yeah." Xi Kai spoke in a weak voice. He glanced at Qi Ying who was sitting beside him before he turned back to the guard.

"You are so hardworking! You know the rules, right?" the guard spoke. "Fifty percent to your group and fifty percent to the base." He said and looked at their second car. "Alright. We will be expecting your return with a big catch!" he told Xi Kai before he turned and signaled to open the gate.

They won't be returning here, though. In the second car following behind them, Huo Ling is driving. Yi Bing is sitting beside him and at the back are Xi Ke, his wife, Chichi and Lan while on the first car is Xi Kai, who is driving, Qi Ying, Jenny, Chichi, Lan and Rei. Xi Kai left his parents with Yi Bing and Huo Ling since he trusted their skills.

The gates opened, and it seemed like it also opened a new hope for them as they return to north.

Northern Military Base.

"Oh! Leader Qi, congratulations!" Wen Yan said and smiled after Qi Ming told him that he finally broke through level three.

Qi Ming grinned. "Thank you!" he said. Then, he turned to Hu Feng. "General, you won't say something?" he asked.

"Something." Hu Feng answered.

Qi Ming. "…" not this joke! He thought and his face darkened.

Wen Yan. "…" the general has always no sense of humor. He thought.

"Brother." They heard Qi Ning called from outside.

Wen Yan went to open the door. But, Qi Ning didn't move and just looked at Qi Ming. Qi Ming was about to ask her what's wrong when he saw that Qi Ning was holding her phone.

Qi Ming's expression immediately changed and he clenched his fists. "… so he finally found out." He spoke, referring to Qi Ying.

Qi Ning's eyes are red and she didn't speak. Hu Feng and Wen Yan also are silent. They already know about the Qi family's situation. Only Qi Ying, this na?ve child, thought that his aunt and uncle are sincerely kind to him. That's why Qi Ming and Qi Ning didn't look for them, but they still let Qi Ying go. It's better to see with your eyes and hear with your ears for you to wake up in the harsh reality.