Afterlife Department

The sounds of footsteps echoed in the cold walls of the hallway as two figures from opposite sides walked towards each other. Both have a handsome face, and wore the same uniform. The medals on their chest dangling as they walked, and the insignia of the empire they wore proudly. 

One wore a cold expression while the other one has a gentle, and even smiling expression on his face. The soldiers following behind them cautiously lowered their gaze, never dared to even look at their own boss' face. 

"General Quinn." Huo Jinghua greeted with a smile as their groups met at the middle. 

"… general Huo." Rayver Quinn spoke with a cold hum. 

"Done reporting to His Majesty?" Huo Jinghua asked and glanced at the wide doors of the palace. 

"En." Rayver Quinn answered. His piercing gaze on Huo Jinghua's face. 

Huo Jinghua noticed Rayver Quinn's gaze on him. "Does general Quinn have something to say to me?" he asked.

"En – " Before Rayver Quinn could answer, Huo Jinghua received a call. 

"Please excuse me, general Quinn." Huo Jinghua said as he raised his hand. When he saw it was Mary Jackson calling, his eyes lit up. "Meiying?" he answered before he walked away, completely missing to see the emotion flashed in Rayver Quinn's eyes. 

The soldiers left forced themselves not to shiver when they felt the atmosphere turned even colder, and more suffocating. General Huo, why do you have to poke the sore spot of general Quinn?! Why flaunt your happiness?! Why are you rubbing it on his face?! 

Rayver Quinn never had a wife, nor even a husband or a lover. He's as frigid as ice. The soldiers didn't dare to look at what expression Rayver Quinn was making now, so they also didn't see his dark expression. 

Rayver Quinn walked away, his cape fluttering. His subordinates don't know whether to follow him and looked at each other. Their moment of hesitation made them lost Rayver Quinn. 

"You want to see me? No need to be so polite, right?" Huo Jinghua happily said. "I'll see you after I reported to Kale… His Majesty." He said and glanced back, only to see Rayver Quinn was gone. "See you later!" he said and immediately ended the call before walking back. 

"General Quinn left. We don't know where he went." The soldiers immediately said when they saw his inquiring gaze. 

Huo Jinghua frowned before he walked to find Rayver Quinn. The soldiers looked at each other, their eyes speaking. Should we follow them? What if they'd brawl? Although the soldiers see both people looked proper, but it is inevitable to compare them. 

Both have a powerful family to back them, both are generals, and both are even handsome! Before, both were bachelors. However, 3 years ago, the balance between the two has been broken when Huo Jinghua married the Royal Princess, Mary Jackson. Now, Huo Jinghua has one-upped Rayver Quinn. 

Oh. It's 'two'-upped. Huo Jinghua has friends, but Rayver Quinn, though it looked sad, he has no friends. 

The soldiers left sighed. Although their generals are 'rivals', but it isn't necessary for their subordinates to be rivals, too. And so, with their generals gone, they left and find a place to drink. 

Meanwhile, Huo Jinghua who reached the entertainment center looking for Rayver Quinn suddenly hit his head. "Not only did I forgot to report to His Majesty, but I don't even know where to look for that friendless fiend!" he exclaimed at his idiocy. Now, he is too far from the palace, and even had to delay his meeting with Mary Jackson. "Just where does that fiend had gone to?! Even his own people don't know where to look him for!" he said through his gritted teeth as he drove his maglev car. 

'Fiend' is what the soldiers secretly call Rayver Quinn, even his own people, since he always wore a morose expression he looked like the devil. 

"Wait – " Huo Jinghua suddenly paused when he realized something. " – why am I looking for him?!" he asked. 

Before he could answer his own question, Rayver Quinn's figure appeared in his monitor. There he is! He exclaimed when he saw the other was walking by the river. Huo Jinghua's brows can't help but raise as he drove towards the other person. Does he plan to drown himself? He thought and his maglev car landed not far from Rayver Quinn. 

Huo Jinghua immediately went out of his car and ordered his car to go back home as he'll just walk following Rayver Quinn. The maglev car rose in the air unmanned, and then disappeared in the sky. 

Huo Jinghua saw Rayver Quinn turned into a corner. He immediately fastened his pace to follow the man, only to be shocked when he saw after he turned that the street looked familiar. Isn't this near my home? He thought as he walked down the familiar path. He can't see Rayver Quinn anymore, but he has an inkling that Rayver Quinn has gone to the Huo manor. 

With the progress of the current situation, and their guess of Rayver Quinn's planned rebellion, Huo Jinghua should feel fear for the people in the Huo manor because Rayver Quinn might kill them to start his rebellion. However, for some reason, he even felt calm. 

What is happening to me? Have I gone mad? He thought as he quickened his pace, only to see the area where he reached. "This is – " he muttered under his breath when he saw the familiar shops around. Even many years have passed, but this place never changed. 

Only the blanket of snow on the ground and the roofs of the houses around, as well as the shower of snow and the grey clouds in the sky are missing and Huo Jinghua would feel that day of that year in winter, he found a child that was almost buried in the snow and was about to freeze to death. "Ah Cui…" he subconsciously muttered as he stared at one corner, as if he could still see that child. 

However, what he saw was an adult crouching in a corner, completely the same was as Ah Cui.