Afterlife Department

"Rebellion, you say…" Gerard Jackson stared at Huo Jinghua in aghast after they heard what Huo Jinghua said. Lewis Johnson is as shocked as him, too. 

"Well, that isn't improbable." Harry Walter who can't be physically present and so he used a private line to call them, spoke. They could hear the flipping of papers in the background, and the sound of the pen rubbing against the paper as Harry Walter signed the documents. 

Huo Jinghua nodded in agreement. His expression is heavy. "Rayver Quinn isn't that old. He is 20 years younger than the Empress Dowager, and so he can rule the empire for a long time." He said. 

"En." Harry Walter muttered.. He is the one who knows best the length of the human's age, since Jiang Ce – his husband, is the head scientist and is researching this project. 

"If what you said is true…" Gerard Jackson's eyes widened when he thought of Rayver Quinn's possible rule.

"Don't think too much." Lewis Johnson said as he patted Gerard Jackson's hand softly. "This is just a possibility, and it might not happen." He said and looked at Huo Jinghua. 

Huo Jinghua sighed and just nodded. They all know that rebellion is very possible to happen. Huo Jinghua glanced at Lewis Johnson, then Harry Walter who happened to be looking at them. One thought flashed in their mind: investigate Rayver Quinn and to stop the rebellion he is most possibly plotting. 

"Is it him who killed my son?" Gerard Jackson's voice pulled them from their thoughts. 

They all froze and their gazes spoke. 

"So?" Gerard Jackson urged them. 

They all averted their gaze. "Might be him, but also not." Huo Jinghua said. "There are also other possible suspects." He said and gave them the folder. 

Lewis Johnson and Gerard Jackson opened it. Compared to Huo Jinghua, which the powerful Huo family is behind him, their connections can't compare to his. Added to the fact that there's Mary Jackson, too… 

"We have yet to find what kind of Hoobite Rocks did each of them buy." Huo Jinghua told them, then his gaze lowered when he remembered his subordinate whom he sent far away to hide. He slightly shook his head and pointed the last page of in the folder. "There's also him – " he said and pointed the name. 

"Sylv Kang?" Lewis Johnson and Gerard Jackson recognized the face of the aristocrat. 

"He is Kale's cousin, the nephew of the Empress Dowager from her female cousin." Huo Jinghua said. "He is doted on by his mother, and even the Empress Dowager dotes on him more than she dotes on Kale." He can't help but click his tongue at Kale's miserable life with his mother. 

They all can't help but pity Kale. His lack of motherly affection is one of the reasons why they helped him. 

"He acquired a Hoobite Rock after it was gifted to him." Huo Jinghua added. 

"Who gifted it?" Lewis Johnson asked. 

"I have yet to ask, but my subordinate…" Huo Jinghua's brows knotted. "… seems like he had poked the hornet's nest." He said. 

They all fell silent. Even them, no one would like to peer on in their daily activities. More especially if it is unwarranted. And they know who what Huo Jinghua meant as the 'hornet'. Weren't they just speculating about his possible rebellion earlier? 

Lewis Johnson heaved a sigh, then continued to throw out all the information regarding the people in the list of their suspects. "Baron Cloud." He said. "The Cloud family lives in a small planet surrounded by fog, thus was called the White Planet. The fog looked like clouds descended on the ground, thus their family name." he pointed on the race section in the paper. "And because of the fog covering them from the heat of the sun, their skin is pale, and their eyes are blue. They looked like Caucasian humans, but differed from us in terms of the hair, ears and nails. Their hair is naturally of green color, their ears are round and but pointed, and their nails are of blue color." He explained. 

Gerard Jackson nodded and turned to the page where Marquis Jin's information was printed. "Marquis Jin, Jin Huaigong. Of purely Chinese. His network is very wide, and naturally, he has lots of acquaintance. Baron Cloud is one of them. He works in the Ministry of Revenue." He said. 

There was a pause as they all looked at each other. "Baron Cloud calling for Marquis Jin… could it be, a bribe?" Huo Jinghua's eyes narrowed. 

Lewis Johnson and Gerard Jackson looked at each other. "We'll look into it." They said. 

Huo Jinghua looked at them and heaved a sigh. "En." He said. 

"Bertram family – " Harry Walter was done signing the documents and looked up the list sent to him by Huo Jinghua. " – they are nobles, and owns more than five planets that are bigger than the Cloud family's. Three planets are for residential purpose, while the other two are for business purposes: real estate, and entertainment." He explained. The Bertram family's money naturally came from these two planets. "Their rival, the Lix family, is an alien race that has the same status as the Bertram family. They are alien nobles, and also deals with real estate business and entertainment business."

The reason is obvious for the two families' rivalry. Not only do their business clash, but also their status. One is human race, and one is alien race. It's like they were born just to be each other's nemesis. 

Huo Jinghua sighed as he raised his teacup and sipped his drink. "For now, aside from Rayver Quinn – " he said and looked at them. 

They know Rayver Quinn can't be offended. Maybe Rayver Quinn has already found out it was Huo Jinghua's subordinate and suspected Huo Jinghua. 

" – Sylv Kang, Baron Cloud, Marquis Jin, the Gav family, the Bertram family, as well as the Lix family." Huo Jinghua said. "All are suspects, and we have to find, not only their real motive for Hoobite Rock, but also an evidence that is connected to xiao Ling's death." He said. 

"En!"