Afterlife Department

A deafening silence befell the palace when the call with Rayver Quinn ended after Rayver Quinn hang up the call with Kale, His Majesty the Emperor. 

"Your Majesty…" they called. However, they all lowered their head. What is there to say? Rayver Quinn is mad, but his words are right. They can't give the throne to the Alliance. But the emperor, Kale, could just easily say he can do that. 

It was like they felt betrayed. Harry Walter didn't say anything, but his expression is called. He just silently left after uttering an excuse to guard outside and left some guards for the emperor. The ministers looked at each other and bowed as they respectfully excused themselves, giving the emperor some time to be calm. 

"Kale." Sam called.. In front of the others, he calls him 'Your Majesty'. However, they were the only ones left in the palace. 

"Am I wrong?" Kale asked. 

Sam didn't answer, since he knew Kale could realize that himself. 

Indeed, Kale knew he was in the wrong. He shouldn't have said those words. Not only was it not right for a monarch to say those words, but he, indeed, betrayed not only the empire, but also his people. Everyone was fighting for the empire's safety and everyone's peace. Everyone is risking their life in exchange for everyone's safety. 

Yet, he easily gave up. "I am only fighting for one person… my goal is only one person, and not the many. I wanted to protect only someone, not everyone." Kale said and looked at Sam. "I am sorry, my beloved. I have failed. I failed not only you, but everyone." He said as his tears fell. 

He didn't forget that Huo Ling died because of him. Huo Ling was implicated. This blood-stained throne... 

"Kale…" Sam's heart ached when he saw his tears. He has seen Kale naïve before. He has seen his immaturity. He also has seen Kale grew up to be a matured man. Yet, what he hadn't seen is Kale's fragility. 

Kale never let him see it. He wasn't there when Kale knelt before Huo Jinghua. He wasn't there to see Kale bowed to Lewis Johnson and Gerard Jackson. He wasn't there to see Kale begged Harry Walter. He wasn't there… he wasn't there… 

But, that was before! "I am here for you…" he told him. "I am here for you now. I know, you did everything for my sake. I know, you are doing your best for me. But – " he said and smiled as he wiped Kale's tears. " – what I see is you doing your best for your loved ones. You striving for the empire's peace. You… living for everyone. Kale, what you were wrong is not giving up the throne, nor giving up the empire." He said. "What you are wrong, is giving up yourself. That's what everyone was mad at you. You can't think only by yourself. Kale, we are all here for you. We are all your subjects, aren't we? So why are you working all by yourself? Use us. We won't blame you. Work us to death. We won't curse at you. That's what we are for, as your subjects. So, Kale, you, as the emperor, giving up is what you shouldn't do. Working alone is what you cannot do, for we are all here, waiting for you. Just tell us – " he said as he helped Kale us before he himself knelt before him. " – Your Majesty, what are your orders?" he asked as he smiled. 

Kale felt as if his heart is about to burst as he stared hard at Sam with his reddened eyes. "My people – " he said with a hoarse voice as he hold back his tears, suppressing his emotions. " – stomp all those people trying to invade our country!" he said. "No one can dare step on this land without my permission! Men, arrest them! If they would resist, then kill them! No one can defeat the empire! Our land will not be invaded. Our wealth will not be seized. Our safety will not be threatened. Our peace will not be stolen! Our flag is still high, fluttering. It will never fall!" he yelled. "ATTACK! The Alliance should fall!" he yelled. 

"YEAAAAAAHHH!!!!!" everyone roared until their voice became hoarse. Their reddened eyes are filled with unshed tears. 

Lewis Johnson and Gerard Jackson are panting from exhaustion, yet they smiled when they heard Kale's voice. Harry Walter guarding outside the palace smiled, and Rayver Quinn who stood tall as he gazed at the sky lowered his head to hide the tears in his eyes. 

They are glad they didn't place their trust to a wrong person. They are glad they didn't give their hope to an incapable ruler. Kale finally found his own self and will lead the empire gloriously from now on. 

Hoobite Planet. 

Huo Ling's eyes suddenly widened and he gasped when they reached the Hoobite Planet. He turned back to the direction of the empire. 

"Huo Ling?" the grim reapers called when they saw him suddenly stopped. "What's wrong?" they asked. 

Huo Ling gazed at the dark space dotted with colorful stars. The corners of his lips curled up into a smile. "Nothing." He answered as he hid his smile. Kale… you've finally grown up. Be thankful Sam is very patient with you, or else I'll personally smack you! He thought. His lips can't help but curl up again. 

"Something good happened?" Yi Bing purposefully lagged behind his colleagues to chat with Huo Ling as they walked to the direction of the Hoobite Rock garden, a famous tourist attraction all over the galaxy. 

"Mn." Huo Ling answered. With Yi Bing's question, he finally couldn't hide his smile. "Kale finally grew up." He said. 

"Isn't he a grown-up?" Yi Bing asked in confusion. 

Huo Ling stopped and turned to him and stared to see if Yi Bing was joking. 

"Hm?" Yi Bing muttered, his brows were raised in askance. His expression looked like he was clueless. 

Alright. Huo Ling thought. Let's play with someone playing dumb. "Some time in the past, we played a game in the palace. Mother arrived and found we've broken a vase. Both of us were wearing a frowning face. Now, guess, who should be blamed? And what is it the game we currently play?" he asked and gave Yi Bing a wide smile. 

Yi Bing. "…" alright, alright. It's my fault. It's me to blame. He retracted his gaze to look away. "I get it. I get it. I'm sorry – " he said. 

"Really?" Huo Ling's smile became wider. 

Yi Bing suddenly shivered when he felt a chill on his spine after he saw Huo Ling's smile. Really, this devious guy. If he was also a grim reaper, I bet he would've already beaten me. He thought. 

"A game? What game were you playing?" Feng Er asked when she heard them. 

Liu Lin rolled his eyes while Di San looked at Yi Bing with an accusing gaze. A game, seriously? You can still play a game in this situation? His eyes spoke while his expression is stern as he pulled Liu Lin to Yi Bing's sight to remind Yi Bing of their task. Liu Lin almost spat out blood after being rudely pulled it almost tore off his arm because Di San was mad. 

Huo Ling laughed. "Nothing, just a mind game." He told them. 

"Oh." Feng Er shrugged. She admits she is dumb with this puzzle games. 

Di San saw Yi Bing was avoiding his gaze too and so he decided to drop the matter. "Let's go. We're almost there." he told them. 

"Yes!" they answered. 

Inside the heart of the maze with more than a hundred paths intertwined was a young man with lifeless eyes staring at the towering statue of a Hoobite. The statue was made for the Hoobites' god. They believed that the god gifted them a magical rock that gave them an everlasting peace. 

This peace, in truth, is just actually an effect of the rock. More precisely, this 'peace' is just an elated feeling the rock makes them feel elated, dreamy and over the moon. This is the truth of the Hoobite Rock. 

It acted as a hallucinogen. Fortunately, it doesn't affect someone's health or change their body. It is also isn't addicting. But, if placed in the hands of the wrong people, such as Marquis Jin, something beneficial can become harmful instead. 

Fortunately, for Sylv Kang, Rayver Quinn unearthed Marquis Jin's secrets or else he would've become a puppet emperor that reigned for a short time before he was killed without him knowing a single thing. 

Several figures leapt over the walls of the maze as they do not wish to waste any more time traversing the maze's paths and finding out the right path. They already wasted more time than they should. The young man with lifeless eyes noticed their arrival and he turned to squint his lifeless eyes in the darkness to make out the figures coming his way. 

However, the young man already knew who they should be. "Leader! Lin-ge! Feng Er-jie! Senior 0001!" Si Shui cried, but with a flat voice and an emotionless face. 

Yi Bing who was about to leap to another wall almost slipped and fell. Why am I the only one address as a 'senior', and with his code?!