Afterlife Department

Pei manor. 

Yi Bing, Huo Ling, Shi Jiu and Jiu Ye looked around the funeral hall while secretly observing the Pei family's behavior as they held Pei Tinghe's funeral. Although Pei Tingting died last night, but Pei Tinghe died earlier than her, not to mention men are given more importance than women in an ancient era, so Pei Tingting's funeral will be held after five days. Today is the second day of Pei Tinghe's funeral. 

No matter how influential the Pei family is in the Kunpeng County, but only the other important figures like the government officials, affluent families, and the friends of the Pei family members were invited in the funeral. There is no room for common people. So, how was the four of them were invited? 

It's because of Pei Li. Yi Bing, Huo Ling, Shi Jiu and Jiu Ye were eating in a noodle shop when Pei Li passed by and spotted them with her beady black but bright eyes. She remembered them of course, as she was also carrying the mini Anji Li in her arms while she walked down the street with her nanny after they shopped for desserts. 

They naturally greeted her back. What they didn't expect is for the child to suddenly invite them home and introduce them to her parents as her friends.. The Pei family are mourning and Pei Tinghe's murderers were still not found, added to the fact that the four of them are just new to the Kunpeng County, so they are naturally suspicious of them four. Not to mention Pei Li is just a child, and they gave her a doll for no reason. 

But, Pei Li didn't throw a tantrum. She's sensible, and also shy to embarrass herself in front of the four of them, so she patiently and cutely explained to her parents about the four of them with the help of her nanny who is the witness. Naturally, they also explained themselves to the Pei family that it was just a small encounter they have with Pei Li. 

So, befriending Pei Li, the four of them were reserved seats for the funeral. Although they didn't need to attend, since they can just sneak in the Pei mansion using their teleportation skill. 

"Do you think… there's something strange in this funeral?" Huo Ling quietly asked. 

Shi Jiu yawned while Jiu Ye is shifting on his seat because of discomfort. Although he is a grim reaper, but he doesn't like attending funerals. It must be due to his mother who has given no funeral after she died, as well as them brothers who died without anyone knowing, so naturally, there also was no funeral for them. 

Yi Bing and Huo Ling already knows this since this was included to Shi Jiu's explanation to them about his and Jiu Ye's lives before they died and then became grim reapers. 

"The urn is empty." Yi Bing answered. 

Shi Jiu's yawning stopped while Jiu Ye stiffened on his seat. Although both of them can see it, too, but the other people… no. It should be said 'the people' since the four of them don't belong to 'people'. They naturally can't see that the urn is empty, so they don't know about it aside from the Pei family. Only the grim reapers see it since they have x-ray visions. 

"Right." Huo Ling muttered. He only felt there's something unsettling but didn't imagine it could be the urn that was strange, so he ignored it and didn't see that it's empty. "This is disrespectful to the dead." He said. "There is no corpse… so, why did they still hold the funeral?" he asked, then paused. "Where did the real corpse go?" he added. 

"They have no choice but to hold it." Shi Jiu lazily spoke. "Since the Anchuan Town already knows of Pei Tinghe's death. It's like a broadcast. And since everyone knows it, even if there is no corpse, but they had to hold the funeral just to save their faces." He explained. "As for where did Pei Tinghe's real corpse go, we have yet to find out." He added. 

"Their face is more important than their son?" Huo Ling muttered. 

"Can't do anything about it. A single rumor can even collapse the emperor." Shi Jiu turned and grinned. "The ancient people aren't as open-minded as us. In fact, they are very close-minded and even greatly cares about trifling matters." He explained. "It's because the ancient era has limited activities for people to bother themselves for, so they spend most of their time in rumors. The advantage of an ancient era is that people become socialistic. But, it can also become a disadvantage when you're being so socialistic, or that you're not socialistic at all." He said. "In short, it all comes down to rumors. And no one wanted to be gossiped on, especially when they have a lot of pride, and also cares about their image portrayed. So, their reputation is really important." He told him. 

Huo Ling nodded in understanding and thanked Shi Jiu. He controlled his communicator using his consciousness to note down Shi Jiu's words. "Learning a lot?" he heard Yi Bing asked beside him. 

Huo Ling turned and nodded. "Yes." He answered. "Although Shi Jiu came from an ancient era, he isn't to be underestimated. In fact – " he spoke. " – it's because he came from an ancient era that he has a lot to learn to adapt to the present and later, the future, so his knowledge was broadened as well as his experiences." He explained. "You could say that him coming from an ancient era has also another advantage, and that's he has more knowledge about the history, and he can combine the ideologies of the ancient with the present." He said. 

Yi Bing stared at Huo Ling's face before he nodded. "Mn." He answered before he sat properly on his seat. His knowledge about Huo Ling also has broadened. He just realized that Huo Ling is sophist. He can infer many things just from Shi Jiu's few words. He thinks deeply of many things. 

He can't say this is bad, but he also can't say this is good. Overthinking is good since you might find out something hidden in another layer without finding it and just stumbling upon it, which can be important information. But, overthinking can also be bad since you can go off the tangent and can make you miss out on some important things. 

But, Yi Bing believes Huo Ling can control this attitude of his. Right now, Huo Ling's overthinking is beneficial to them, as it made them organize more the information that they have gathered. The rebirth that he has guessed that was linked to the internal reincarnation with the manipulation of time behind it, and the white ribbon as one of the clues, and the 'possession' of the Anchuan Town citizens as another clue… 

With their sharp senses, they heard the conversations around them. 

"Lord Li, you look terrible. Look at the big dark circles under your eyes!" one of the officials sitting on the third row spoke as he looked at the person sitting beside him. 

Li Huchong heavily sighed as he rubbed his bloodshot eyes. "You said it. I haven't gotten any sleep these past weeks." He said. 

The official suddenly lowered his voice, but Yi Bing, Huo Ling, Shi Jiu and Jiu Ye could still hear him. "It's the Pei family, isn't it?" he whispered. "Pei Tinghe's case is indeed baffling. We have no idea how he went missing, or that he was actually kidnapped? We also don't know how, where and when he died." he said. "Did the Pei family really find his corpse?" he suspiciously turned to look at the urn sitting in the center at the front. 

Li Huchong frowned. "Whether they do or not, they don't have any plan to tell me." He said, looking displeased. "It's because they feel dissatisfied with my performance. Who can tell anyway where on earth did Pei Tinghe go then went missing?" he sneered. "He definitely just went to a brothel and was screwed there…" he muttered. 

"Lord Li!" the official tugged at his sleeve to remind him that they are still in Pei Tinghe's funeral. 

"Tch." Li Huchong clicked his tongue and finally became quiet. 

The official who talked to him sighed in relief. "But, what the hell is really happening to them, though?" he said and looked at the Pei family members in the front row. "First, it was Pei Tinghe. We can say it was just an accident. But, there's also Pei Tingting…" he shook his head when he heard Li Hua, Pei Tingting's mother, wailed while hugging her daughter's favorite necklace. 

"Ha." Li Huchong snickered. Although he's also surnamed Li, but he and Li Hua has no blood connections. In fact, he is disgusted with her because she's so trying hard to become the main wife. "Look at Madam Sun. She's about to explode." He said and grinned as if he's watching a show. 

Sun Ri, the main wife, slowly walked towards Li Hua.