Afterlife Department

"Normal World 112. A supernatural world." Yi Bing spoke as he gave a folder to Huo Ling.

Huo Ling opened the folder and saw that there was someone's profile. "You Ri?" he muttered when he saw a young woman with a graceful smile in the picture.

"She is a soul that should be directly reincarnated but something happened and she turned to a ghost." Yi Bing spoke. "A resentful ghost." He added.

"So, we have to resolve her attachment?" Huo Ling spoke.

Yi Bing nodded. "We also have to investigate what happened to her and she turned into a resentful ghost." He told him.

"Then, it must be she has discovered how she died?" Huo Ling tried to guess.

"It's not possible." Yi Bing answered.

"Why?" Huo Ling asked.

"Why does a soul directly reincarnate without a grim reaper's help?" Yi Bing asked back.

"… because the soul peacefully died." Huo Ling answered. "So, it must not really be that she discovered how she died. I was wrong. Sorry." He apologized.

"Don't be. As long as you understand and think about your words before you say them." Yi Bing told him.

Huo Ling nodded and read the girl's biography printed from a 'page' of the Death Note so that it would be inconvenient for them to carry it and to not expose themselves if someone were to see them taking out the Death Note out of nowhere. "… so, this time, we are 'ferrying'?" he asked when he realized it.

Yi Bing nodded and pleased that Huo Ling noticed it. "Yes." He answered. Before, they were just investigating things. "This is the main job of a grim reaper. But, I have a special privilege." He looked at Huo Ling.

Huo Ling rolled his eyes at him.

"When there was still the underworld, the Soul Envoys would ferry the souls until they reach the Naihe Bridge where they would drink Meng Po's soup and forget their previous life." Yi Bing spoke. "For the sinners, Hei Bai Wuchuang (Black and White Impermanence), would confirm if they have sinned. If they did, they would be sent to King Yanluo (Yanluo Wang, or Yama) to be judged in which layer of hell will they be sent." He explained. "But, now that the underworld is no more. Fortunately, there is the Death Note and we will imprison the sinners, or have them work for the Afterlife Department for eternity. If they resist the prison or the Afterlife Department, then we'll dissipate their soul so that they can't be reincarnated." He said.

Huo Ling nodded, indicating that he understood.

"So, us, we will be ferrying a soul this time." Yi Bing continued. "I also have ferried many souls before while sometimes I would investigate some cases. Since I have already taken you to investigate some cases, then I will take you to ferry a soul." He looked at Huo Ling. "Like what I did for you before." He added.

"Okay. So, I will investigate first the cause of the soul's attachment and help her resolve it. Then, I will take her to the Pathway of Clouds and walk through the rain for her to reincarnate?" Huo Ling said.

"That's right." Yi Bing nodded. "If you are now clear, then we can go – " he said and rose from his seat when they heard a knock on the door. "Come in." he spoke.

The door opened, revealing a handsome man wearing a frameless eyeglasses making him looked colder than the usual. Huo Ling suddenly remembered what Yi Bing told him before about the underworld and, looking at the man who looked sterner than Yi Bing, he thought that the man looked like King Yanluo even if he has never met the underworld's king before.

"I am not King Yanluo nor his reincarnation." The man spoke as if reading Huo Ling's thoughts.

Huo Ling. "…" sure, as you say.

Yi Bing snickered. "Bai Liu. What did you come here for?" he asked.

886, or Bai Liu, turned to Yi Bing. "Don't worry. You have done your job well." He told him as he entered. Following behind him are three grim reapers, and the third and last one to enter is someone familiar to Yi Bing and Huo Ling.

"Jiu Ye!" Huo Ling exclaimed and rose from his seat.

"Senior!" Jiu Ye called and smiled.

"Oh. I remembered you saying while on our way here that you are acquaintance with Yi Bing's apprentice." The second grim reaper with a carefree smile on his lips spoke as he looked at Jiu Ye.

"Huo Ling." Yi Bing called. "They are from the Inspection Department. Their chief is Bai Liu, code 886." He said and pointed the man wearing eyeglasses. "Their vice-chief is Wu Yi, code 514. Then, there's Bai Wu, code 250, their apprentice." He said and pointed the third grim reaper who is a youth and is grinning foolishly.

Huo Ling was surprised. "Two grim reapers can have the same apprentice?" he said.

Yi Bing's eyes narrowed. "Why? You want another teacher?" he asked with a dark tone.

"No." Huo Ling kept his expression blank.

Yi Bing snorted and turned to Bai Liu. "Jiu Ye actually joined you?" he said and looked at Jiu Ye, code 9910.

"Yes. Shi Jiu also agreed. I took him as an apprentice, too." Bai Liu answered. "We are here since our tasks coincides." He said.

Yi Bing's brow raised. "Normal World 112?" he asked.

Bai Liu nodded. "Some incompetent made a mistake again. We already sent them to Jin Wu to throw to the little black room." He explained.

Huo Ling wanted to ask what the 'little black room' is but he knows, with Yi Bing's style, he will personally make him enter it. Thus, he shut up.

"That explains why our target soul Ruo Yi, who is supposed to directly reincarnate, suddenly turned into a resentful ghost." Yi Bing muttered. "So, we will be cooperating this time?" he asked.

"Our departments don't have a conflict." Bai Liu raised his brow.

Yi Bing nodded. Then, he turned to the three people behind Bai Liu. "… you'll be bringing your family along?" he asked.

"Bai Wu is still inexperienced and Jiu Ye will be integrating with our team. Wu Yi is tagging along, but he can be our meat shield in case we will encounter a Soul Eater." Bai Liu explained and glared at Wu Yi who rolled his eyes.

Everyone knows already about the Soul Eaters' reemergence, as well as them appearing in other worlds.

Yi Bing nodded in understanding. "This is my apprentice, Huo Ling." He told them. "Code 0000." He added with a smile.

Bai Liu stiffened while Wu Yi's smile decreased as they both thoughtfully looked at Huo Ling. Bai Wu is stupid, like his code implies, while Jiu Ye is ignorant of what is happening so they remained silent and let the adults talk.

"Let's have a pleasant cooperation."

…

Mo Shi curiously looked at the words 'little black room' on the door. "… what exactly is inside?" he asked as he turned back to Jin Wu.

"Why don't you try committing a crime so I can also throw you in?" Jin Wu asked back.

Mo Shi's face is covered in dark lines. Is this how a disciplinary officer should act? He thought. "I won't!" he said.

"Oh? Is it that you're afraid of what could be inside the little black room, or you are afraid of me because I will punish you differently?" Jin Wu's lips curled up as he looked at Mo Shi.

Mo Shi felt all the hairs on his body rose on their ends and he shivered in fear. "No! I am a law-abiding citizen!" he answered.

Jin Wu laughed. "Sure, sure, whatever you say." He said and finally stopped teasing him. "But, I am really telling the truth." He spoke.

"What?"

"That I will punish you differently." Jin Wu answered.

Mo Shi took a big leap back. "You… you stay away from me!" he pointed at him.

"Hahahaha!" Jin Wu roared in laughter when he saw the frightened expression of the little rabbit. "Isn't it because I am bias towards you because I lov… like you?" he said, almost slipped.

"Argh! Leave me alone! I'm going to Ling-ge!" Mo Shi said and turned on his heel, about to fly away to escape.

"Huo Ling? He and Yi Bing will be travelling with the Inspection Department team." Jin Wu spoke.

"Huh? The Inspection Department?" Mo Shi was surprised. He already heard about the other departments. "Did they do something wrong?" he worriedly asked.

"No. It's just that their tasks coincide." Jin Wu answered.

"Oh." Mo Shi muttered.

"Not escaping anymore?" Jin Wu asked.

Mo Shi's face instantly darkened. He knows! He thought and slightly panicked.

"Alright, alright. I won't tease you anymore." Jin Wu said.

Mo Shi sighed in relief.

"But I want you to sing for me!" Jin Wu grinned when he remembered that time he fetched the other and the other was singing.

Mo Shi felt he wanted to collapse. Isn't this still teasing me! He thought.

Jin Wu chuckled, enjoying seeing Mo Shi's reactions. Finally… I can do this again with you. He thought when he remembered how happy he was to be the one to fetch Mo Shi that time. When he held the other's hand, he felt his body was about to explode in happiness.

Before, we were separated.. Now, we will have all the chances to be with each other… for eternity.