Afterlife Department

Yi Bing really forgot to mention it to Huo Ling, since he also forgot about what section was Huo Ling allocated to by Iris. But, he remembered that Iris included it in his e-mail sent to him. He took out his phone to check the e-mail, only to utter a low curse after he read it. 

"What?" Huo Ling asked. He immediately became nervous when he heard Yi Bing cursed. 

Yi Bing showed him his mobile phone's screen. "Special classes." He answered. 

Huo Ling's mind immediately turned blank. "… huh?" he muttered. "'special classes'… what does that mean?" he asked. 

.

Yi Bing opened the handguide as an answer. "Special classes mean… special classes." He said and expressionlessly handed the handguide to Huo Ling. 

Huo Ling took the handguide and read the paragraph. "'Special classes' are a class of students in each year who were given the privilege to choose whether they want to advance to the next grade level after the teachers, of his current grade level, approved of his advancement. If won't, the principal can approve on behalf of them.'" He read. "'Students in special classes don't need to attend classes as long as they can provide exemplary scores during the exams. They are also exempt in physical activities, but need to be present in academic competitions/contests.'…" his voice trailed off and he raised his head to look at Yi Bing. "Is Iris playing with me?" he asked. "How can he sign me up in this class!" he said and stomped his foot. 

"… he must have carefully considered that we are from an advanced world, so he enrolled you in the special classes to show that he highly admires you – " Yi Bing comforted him. 

"What bull!" Huo Ling frowned and had the urge to rip the handguide into pieces. 

Yi Bing tried not to laugh seeing Huo Ling's irritated expression. Luren has told them yesterday that there is an academic Decathlon, and Luren is one of the contestants for the academic Decathlon, aside from the swimming contest. Luren is also in the special classes, and in his third year. He is a graduating student, and he needs to take the first prize in academic Decathlon, as well as in the swimming contest – both in solo event and team event. That's why he was very mad when Mandy tried to let Prille enter the team. 

"Let's go to the library." Yi Bing said. They have to return before the police arrives in the classroom. They can just make an excuse of going to the comfort room or something on their way to the class or something. 

But, just as they arrived in the Library and Clubs Building, Yi Bing received a message from Iris. Yi Bing looked at the familiar fleur-de-lys profile picture. 

Iris: In order to make things more convenient to the police, all the students and teachers are required to be present in the Square Garden of the lecture building at 10: 00 A.M.. No one is allowed to leave the lecture building before this. 

It is a group message. 

"Let's go." Yi Bing spoke as he kept his phone. "In order for us to have an alibi, we have to change back later before we return." He said. 

Huo Ling nodded indicating his understanding. Then, they entered the Library and Clubs Building. When they arrived, they saw that the elevator is in use. In order to not waste time, they used the staircase and ran up. This is no sweat for a grim reaper. They arrived in the fourth floor in less than a minute after doing a parkour in the stairwell. 

They were about to walk towards the entrance door when they heard the elevator ding-ed. They can't help but turn to look. The sound is very catching because of the seemingly deathly silence in the fourth floor. Although libraries are usually silent, but this library… no. The whole floor is strange. And Huo Ling and Yi Bing realized it a second after that it was due to the silence. Because of the silence, the whole floor's atmosphere felt heavy. 

"This…" Huo Ling looked at Yi Bing. 

Yi Bing nodded. "This is really strange." He said, then paused. "No…" he spoke as they watched the doors of the elevator slowly opened. "There is something unnerving in this floor." his eyes are glued on the person that came out of the elevator. His senses are tingling, and it is making his right brow twitch. 

Huo Ling's eyes widened. "Luren?!" he exclaimed. 

"No. He's an ordinary human." Yi Bing told Huo Ling as they watched Luren enter the library. 

"Then… this heavy atmosphere… how can a human do this?" Huo Ling asked as he touched his chest when he felt slightly suffocated. "Could there be… really a ghost?" he whispered. 

"… although I'd like to still stick to the idea that this is a Normal World, but… this is the first time I've encountered something like this." Yi Bing frowned. 

Huo Ling fell silent. What Yi Bing is referring to is obvious. A Normal World becoming a Special Supernatural World… what a joke! Cold sweat formed in Huo Ling's forehead. "Are we still going?" he asked. 

"Go." Yi Bing spoke.

Huo Ling was about to move when Yi Bing suddenly stopped him. Through the glass walls, they watched Luren picking a book from a shelf. 

"But, before that…" Yi Bing spoke. "We have to return to our former appearances… now." He said. 

Huo Ling's expression immediately changed. If they just didn't come to the fourth floor now, he would still think Luren is just an excellent student. But, they did come here today. Huo Ling's impression of Luren now changed to being not simple. 

He pressed his communicator and his wheelchair using appeared behind him. He and Yi Bing took off their masks. Yi Bing took off the top of his uniform before he changed to the top uniform for the male teachers. 

"Let's go." Yi Bing spoke. 

Huo Ling nodded and wore the cast on his leg before he sat on the wheelchair. Then, they came out of the stairwell and walked towards the doors of the library. They aren't afraid that there will be no evidence of them using the elevator since their communicator's AI system can forge clips for them. Since Luren is already inside the library, they didn't bother with having their communicator forge the ding sound of the elevator since Luren can't hear it, anyway. 

The nearer they are to the entrance of the library, the heavier their chest felt. For even them, grim reapers, be affected… there's definitely something very fishy in the fourth floor. 

"Say… were we wrong to think that our target place is the swimming pool area?" Huo Ling asked as Yi Bing raised his ID in front of the scanner. 

The scanner beeper twice and the doors opened. "I believe in the World Energy Device…" Yi Bing spoke as they entered. 

They suddenly felt that there seemed to be something very heavy weighing their bodies. 

"But it seems that this is a Normal World is wrong." Huo Ling said. 

"… before." Yi Bing continued. 

Huo Ling snickered. 

"Student Howee?" Luren called when he heard their hushed voices. 

"School senior." Huo Ling turned and smiled. 

Yi Bing secretly snickered and Huo Ling pinched him in an angle where Luren can't see. But, they were surprised of what Luren said next. 

"You two are very close… well, as expected of engaged people. Pinching each other… it's considered as flirting, right?" Luren asked and faintly smiled, the extent of the smile for an ascetic person. 

But, Yi Bing and Huo Ling were stunned. Not because that Luren said that they were flirting, nor that it was Luren who said it, but because Luren saw it?! They thought, inwardly shocked. But, they recovered their expressions and Huo Ling blushed in 'embarrassment' while Yi Bing chuckled. 

0000: what the hell was that just now?! 

0001: I should be the one saying that. Why did you pinch me? 

0000: #$^%^* don't play dumb! How did Luren see I pinched you?! 

0001: … I really don't know. 

0000: I knew that there's definitely suspicious in this school! All my hairs rose and goosebumps appeared on my skin when Luren said it! 

0001: … can I see it? I wasn't paying attention just now on your skin – 

0000: pei1! You're focusing on the wrong point! Can't you stop playing dumb and say gross things?!?! You were also scared, weren't you?! :D 

0001: of course. 

0001: not. 

0000: ... (nmd1)

Like hell Yi Bing would admit it, much less to Huo Ling – the one he likes. Although on the surface he looks calm, but inside he's already swearing. Damn Sha Jiu… he really hates me, right? That's why he's screwing him right now! Who said this is a Normal World?! This is still a Normal World?! He thought as he smiled at Luren, fighting the urge to curse out loud when he saw a shadow floating behind Luren. 

Who said this isn't a Supernatural World?! Can you say it in front of the ghost's face?! 

ni ma de, or 'your mom'. Equivalent to 'your sister'. A curse or scold. a spitting word