Afterlife Department

"You know each other?" Huo Ling asked after being unintentionally ignored by Di San. No wonder this man is familiar with him, calling his other name – 'Huo Ling', and not 'Howee Jackson'. There's the example of one acting very familiar here. He frowned as he looked at Yi Bing. But, he doesn't know how can another person… ah, no. It's yao. He doesn't know how can another one knows his name. He is most known as Howee Jackson – not Huo Ling, since he grew up in a foreign country due to his father. The only person who knows him as Huo Ling, aside from his parents, is… that man – his father's friend.

So, how do these two yao before him knows his name of his? He is certain he hadn't met them before.

Yi Bing felt he is being pierced by Huo Ling's inquiring gaze. "Yes." he calmly answered as he turned to him.. Although he felt his heart being itchy because of the curiosity in Huo Ling's eyes, but he held himself back. This guy is really cute. He is curious, yet he doesn't want to yield in his curiosity.

The corner of his lips imperceptibly raised. Di San, who had been observing Yi Bing, had seen Yi Bing was secretly smiling. His eyes are shining while he looked at Huo Ling who looked like he wanted to ask but didn't.

"What kind of yao are you two?" Huo Ling finally asked as he also looked at Di San. He is aware these two have many secrets they are keeping, and, of course, wouldn't divulge their secrets to a stranger like him. He only wanted to know how do they know him, but he doesn't want to ask. His curiosity hasn't driven him to madness.

'yao'? Di San thought and glanced at Yi Bing. He was met by Yi Bing's gaze. Seeing Yi Bing's brows raised, urging him to speak, he turned back to Huo Ling. "Grim reaper – " he answered.

"'sacrifice1 to a god?" Huo Ling said when he misunderstood Di San's answer. "There is that kind of yao?" he asked as his brows scrunched up. This is the first time he heard of a sacrificial yao. Is it… an honor to them to be sacrificed to a god? What kind of god is it? He thought as he looked at Yi Bing and Di San. 

"You're talking to two of them." Yi Bing said. Huo Ling frowned and glared at him. But, Yi Bing's shoulder just shook when he held back his laughter. His usually cold and lifeless eyes are bright as he looked at the young man.

Di San noticed their interaction and can't help but relax. "I didn't expect to see you here." He told Yi Bing.

"Same here." Yi Bing said and glanced at Huo Ling who left in a huff after being pissed by Yi Bing. However, he knew Huo Ling is a tactful person. The young man noticed they have something to talk about that can't be disclosed to strangers, thus he left.

If Huo Ling isn't tactful, he would have pestered him since earlier, trying to figure out how he had known his name.

"You… think there's a Soul Fragment here?" he asked as he turned his gaze back to Di San.

Di San's expression changed and he nodded. "We're being drawn here." He answered as he remembered the force from this world as if beckoning him. Usually, he would ignore it. Their job is dangerous and anything suspicious must be avoided. However, they currently under a task. Anything suspicious that they should avoid, now they have to jump into it"… you, too?" he asked Yi Bing.

Yi Bing fell silent. "Huo Ling is here." He said after a while.

It was Di San's turned to be silent. Yi Bing meant, he is here for his assignment and not the Soul Fragment. "Sorry." He apologized and lowered his head. He sighed as he pulled his hair.

"I don't mind. You're on edge." Yi Bing told him in a soft tone to comfort him.

Everyone is tense because of the matter of the Soul Fragment. Soul Fragment, which is a powerful object. If it fell on the hands of something evil… even an entire world can collapse. Thus, it is reasonable for Di San to suspect him.

"I also felt something is drawing me here." He finally told Di San. It can be called an icing on the cake.

Di San's eyes widened in shock as he looked at Yi Bing. "So, there is a possibility a Soul Fragment might be present in this world?" he asked.

"I had an interaction with the Soul Fragment before." Yi Bing explained.

Di San was taken aback. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Yi Bing was teasing him, then withdraw. "No wonder Huo Ling is mad." He laughed, whether in anger, he doesn't care to think. Yi Bing can be irritating.

"There's no Soul Fragment on Huo Ling." Yi Bing clarified.

Di San shook his head. There's now a smile on his face which washed away his exhausted expression. "I also am not hoping there is on Huo Ling." He told Yi Bing. After all, before when a Soul Fragment was found on Huo Ling's corpse, they were forced to kill him just to take the Soul Fragment from his corpse. Fortunately, in the end, they hadn't. Souls are precious. Even if it's just one soul, but they are alive, too.

Yi Bing nodded. "This is another strange world." He said as he looked as he looked around the ghost ship.

"Yes." Di San said. "A Special World…" he sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Is the yao Huo Ling was referring to earlier…?" he said and looked at Yi Bing.

"Another species aside from humans." Yi Bing answered.

Di San nodded in understanding. There are only two species – humans, and yao. If you are not human, then you are a yao. "I understand." He said. Fortunately, he reacted in time earlier with Huo Ling's question.

"Where are the others?" Yi Bing asked. He's referring to the other grim reapers. As a senior grim reaper, he was briefed about Di San and his team, and their task.

Before Di San could answer, a loud voice can be heard. "Here!" Feng Er answered as she, Si Shiu and Liu Lin walked towards them.

Huo Ling heard their voice and he turned. "There are more sacrifices to a god…" he muttered in surprise when he saw three new 'sacrificial yao' arrived. He felt his mind was opened to another world and he is fascinated by it. Thus, he silently watched them from afar.

On the grim reapers' side, Yi Bing nodded at the three newcomers. "How's your quest?" he asked them. He is their senior, so it's normal for him to ask them of their performance. Also, it is rare for grim reapers to gather aside when they are in the Afterlife Department, or when they are battling against the Soul Eaters like last time. Usually, they would happen to meet, but in twos – like he and Qi Shan before1, or threes at most – like 2he, Jiu Ye and Jiu Ye's friend.

Liu Lin scratched his forehead in annoyance when he remembered their previous 'travels'. "This is our sixth world already and we don't have luck." He honestly answered. He doesn't hate Yi Bing and instead respects him. He knew Yi Bing is an upright man… ehem, grim reaper. Thus, Yi Bing can be trusted.

Yi Bing turned to Si Shui. His gaze asking for his 'report'.

Si Shui has been holding on to Liu Lin's sleeve since he has a motion sickness. His usually pale face – like other grim reapers, is paler than usual. He was covering his mouth with his hand to hold himself back from puking. "Yes, ah…" he answered. His voice is weak and barely audible because of the strong wind from the sea and the humming of the engine of the ghost ship.

Feng Er's pretty brows just raised at Si Shui's pathetic appearance before she turned to Yi Bing. "Five Normal Worlds and one Special World. No luck." She answered and shrugged her sharp and thin shoulders.

Di San nodded. "It's highly likely the Soul Fragment would appear in a Special World. The Special World we're in before has blood kin and beast kin." He told Yi Bing before he sighed in lament.

The blood kin, or the vampires and zombies, has bloodless skin. This is to their advantage as grim reapers who has the same appearance like the vampires – except for their fangs and pointed ears. But, since vampires usually hide their fangs and modify their ears resembling that of humans, the grim reapers are passable to be vampires.

"But, we can't deny the Normal Worlds, too." Yi Bing said. "Just one thing's change can affect everything." He looked at Di San.

"The Butterfly Effect." Di San said. Yi Bing nodded in agreement.

"But, we didn't notice anything strange in the Normal Worlds." Liu Lin scratched his forehead in frustration.

also 'si shen' but the 'si' is different (meaning, sacrifice) compared to the 'si' in grim reaper (meaning, death)volume 2, Special World - apocalyptic world. volume 3, Normal World. Jiu Ye is a junior grim reaper fetching one of Hou Ling's friend's soul. Jiu Ye's friend is another junior grim reaper fetching the soul of the girlfriend of Hou Ling's friend.