Afterlife Department

19:05. 

The dancefloor of the ballroom was cleared. Everyone stood to the side and wore their mask. Then, 'Huo Ling' and his female companion walked towards the center. The orchestra started the music. 'Huo Ling' placed held his female companion's hand, then placed his other hand on the back of her waist, before they started to dance. 

The masquerade ball has begun. The backup dancers advanced on the center and surrounded 'Huo Ling' and his female companion while dancing. After the first part of the score stopped, the guests, who studied the dance written in the invitation to not feel ashamed tonight, also joined 'Huo Ling' and his female companion in the middle after the backup dancers made their exit with grace. 

Joseph, who has his heart only to his late queen, has already departed together with James, his brother, who was itching to leave since earlier. They took Justin with them so that Jason and Maxwell could enjoy tonight's party to their heart's content. Lu Si and Jonathan danced, too.. 

In contrast to them, Hao Baiyun and Gu Xingfeng who are standing on the side and had their mask on their hands, wore a dark expression. 

"Crap." Hao Baiyun cursed lowly. "I was so worried for xiao Ling I forgot there's a dance!" he said and gritted his teeth. "Who the hell came up with this lame part of the programme?" he asked. 

"You didn't study the dance?" Gu Xingfeng asked. 

"… you did?" Hao Baiyun speechlessly looked at Gu Xingfeng. 

Gu Xingfeng nodded. 

Hao Baiyun. "…" he sighed in defeat. 

"Do you want to dance?" Gu Xingfeng asked. 

"Are you kidding?!" Hao Baiyun asked. 

"What?" Gu Xingfeng spoke. 

Hao Baiyun rolled his eyes. "I'm not female." He said. 

"I can see that." Gu Xingfeng said before he paused when he realized what Hao Baiyun is getting at. "Are you prejudiced?" he asked. 

"I'm not!" Hao Baiyun answered. "I highly respect Jason and Maxwell, and Jonathan and Lu Si!" he told him. 

"Then what are you afraid of?" Gu Xingfeng asked. "Two men dancing isn't shameful." He said and wore his mask. 

Hao Baiyun fell silent. 

Gu Xingfeng stared at Hao Baiyun. His deep eyes look more profound after he wore his mask. "I'll borrow a female dancer, then." He said and turned his back towards Hao Baiyun, intending to leave. But, before he could take a step, he felt his hand was held and he was pulled back. 

"… let's dance." Hao Baiyun said. Because Gu Xingfeng's back is on him, Gu Xingfeng didn't see that his face is as red as an apple. 

Of course, he also didn't see Gu Xingfeng's lips rose. "En." He spoke. "Wear your mask." He told him. 

Hao Baiyun immediately wore his mask. By the time he was finished, Gu Xingfeng turned to him. 

"Ready?" Gu Xingfeng asked as he held Hao Baiyun's hand tight. 

Hao Baiyun nervously nodded. 

"Then, let's go." Gu Xingfeng spoke and led Hao Baiyun to the dance floor. How can he not study the dance for tonight? This is one of the rare times he can be intimate with Hao Baiyun. 

So, with Gu Xingfeng's amazing dance skill, Hao Baiyun was swept off of his feet and they danced peacefully. But, unlike the warm and peaceful atmosphere inside the royal palace, the outside world is already in turmoil. 

The assassins perfectly blended in the night wearing their pitch-black clothes. They found some blind spots of the royal palace to sneak in. But, how can the MI6 themselves not know the royal palace's blind spots? The royal palace is their backyard with Jonathan and Lu Si living in it. 

So, the assassins didn't expect to die after sneaking in these 'blind spots'. Of course, one can't put all their eggs in one basket. Kong Chuan also had some of his people force their way in, and this battle is bloodier compared to the silent battle on the roofs of the royal palace. The music inside the royal palace could be heard outside, accompanying the screams of those who have fallen in their own Danse Macabre. 

But, the cause of this Danse Macabre outside the royal palace can't be seen tonight. It's as if he has vanished in thin air. Kong Chuan, however, do not think so. 

He looked at 'Huo Ling' dancing with his own female companion who is dancing gracefully. "Darling, why do you look so distracted?" he heard his mistress asked and followed his line of sight. Suddenly, she frowned when she saw that he is looking at 'Huo Ling's female companion. "Is she that beautiful?" she asked as she gritted her teeth. Although that woman looked younger than her, but she is wearing a mask! Who knows, she is actually behind that mask and that the prince has a bad taste in women? 

Kong Chuan turned to her. Suddenly, he thought of an idea and he evilly grinned. He looked around and saw that the position of the dancing pairs changed again. He isn't that far now from 'Huo Ling'. "Darling, do you want to have a new 'younger sister'?" he asked. 

She sweetly smiled. How can Kong Chuan not know she is incensed now? "Darling, don't joke~" she told him and leaned her head on his chest to hide the vicious glint in her eyes. 

"Ahahaha." Kong Chuan laughed. "Right, right. I'm just joking." He said before he patted the back of her waist. "Come on. It's time to change our position." He said and grinned as he guided her towards the back of 'Huo Ling' and his female companion. 

Being near to his target, Kong Chuan uncontrollably shivered with excitement. But, he can't kill Huo Ling. He needs to capture him alive to know where did his important documents go, where he is hiding them. Thus, he controlled his emotions. But, that doesn't mean his female companion can't. He knows this, thus he let her make a move instead. 

"Sl*t!" Kong Chuan's mistress lowly cursed before she stretched her leg out when she saw 'Huo Ling' and his female companion are about to turn. When she felt something hit her leg, she smiled before she withdrew her leg and she also turned. 

"Ah!" they heard someone softly exclaimed. 

Kong Chuan's mistress triumphantly grinned. She knows it is 'Huo Ling's female companion. Meanwhile, Jason and Maxwell, and Lu Si and Jonathan have all been tensed since earlier. They became more tense when they saw Kong Chuan came near to 'Huo Ling'. They felt they are about to snap when they saw something happened to 'Huo Ling's side! 

Although they know that 'Huo Ling' is Yi Bing, but Yi Bing's face is exactly the same as Huo Ling's. Yi Bing perfectly looked like Huo Ling, except his height and built. 

Jason and Maxwell, and Lu Si and Jonathan exited the dance formation and half-walked and half-ran to 'Huo Ling's side when they saw that 'Huo Ling' and his female companion, as well as Kong Chuan and his mistress, also exited the dance formation. 

The other guests also saw them, but since in the invitation, it was written that the dance formation can't be broken, so they continued to dance and waited until the music stop. Lei Shan, however, saw someone when he and his female companion turned. That person was watching 'Huo Ling' and Kong Chuan and didn't notice him staring at him. 

His eyes widened and his pupils constricted. But, as a professional actor, he immediately recovered his calm and he controlled his raging emotions. He then turned to his female companion. "Do you feel tired?" he asked. 

"Huh? Yes." She answered and grimaced. "My feet are aching…" she whined. 

"Then, let's go back to our table and you rest." Lei Shan told her. 

"It's fine?" she asked. 

Lei Shan nodded. "Yes. Let's go." He said and pulled her out of the formation. He almost flew to their table to send her had he not considering his reputation. "Wait here. I'll go get you a drink." He told her. Without waiting for her to respond, her left. Before he went to the garden where the gazebo is located, he went to a waiter passing by and told him to send his female companion a drink. Then, he left. 

All the servants working for tonight's party dutifully familiarized themselves with all the guests as a part of their task, and also to not afford anyone to avoid getting themselves in trouble. 

Meanwhile, Kong Chuan genially smiled while Jonathan, Lu Si, Jason and Maxwell arrived and saw 'Huo Ling's is holding the back of his female companion to stop herself from falling after she 'tripped'. The four of them subtly glanced at her feet and, after they saw that she was perfectly fine, started to act concerned. 

"What happened?" Jonathan spoke. 

'Huo Ling' fixed their position and made his female companion who 'tripped' and sprained her ankle lean on him for support. The woman's face flushed deep red because of embarrassment. Do they have to be this dramatic?