Afterlife Department

Chapter 646 – Fiction

Gu Xingfeng's brows raised as he looked at Hao Baiyun. "Director Hao came here in my humble office to ask me to investigate these 'pranks' happening in the dormitory of the trainees of the Yuhua Entertainment?" he asked.

"I believe that this should be your profession's task instead of my department's." Hao Baiyun said. "I will tell Mo Yang about this." He told him.

"Did I agree?" Gu Xingfeng smiled.

Hao Baiyun just stared at him. Gu Xingfeng stared back. Jiang Xinduo broke into a cold sweat and he is anxious. He is afraid that at any second Hao Baiyun and Gu Xingfeng would fight and exchange fists! But, seeing Fei Xuli's and Jing Yu's calm faces, Jiang Xinduo repeatedly told himself not to panic and remain calm.

And he was right to do that since Hao Baiyun and Gu Xingfeng, although glaring daggers at each other making the atmosphere become tense, they remained on their seats and didn't make any move. Against each other.

Hao Baiyun calmly gazed back at Gu Xingfeng. "I believe that chief Gu also is curious as to who dared to exchange their fate with another?" he said.

Gu Xingfeng didn't answer. Hao Baiyun also didn't speak again. Jiang Xinduo thinks that this should be the most suffocating moment of his life. He was thinking, at this time, that he would never pick up any case related to the entertainment industry since it was very unlucky for their waters run deeply. Just listening to the words 'exchanging fates', this already can make one's blood turn cold and make their hairs on their body rise in horror.

Who the fck in their right mind would do something that only existed in the online novels? If Jiang Xinduo didn't hear this from Hao Baiyun's mouth, and heard the confirmation from his superior's mouth, he would never believe that something fantastical like exchange fates could actually happen in real life!

Now, he realized that it wasn't reality that was based on fiction, but the other way around. How can one write fiction without basing it from reality? Jiang Xinduo wanted to cry and would want to send gifts to the online writers that are writing about these fantastical matters like exchanging fates. They are genius! If he currently is just not in the battlefield of Hao Baiyun and Gu Xingfeng, he would have already left to buy online novels and read them for reference on what he will do next!

Suddenly, Jiang Xinduo saw Gu Xingfeng's expression changed, and Hao Baiyun, Fei Xuli and Jing Yu also froze. Jiang Xinduo was puzzled by their expressions and he was about to ask when the four of them suddenly turned to the door. Jiang Xinduo also turned and saw the other officers are actually peeking through the glass wall.

Jiang Xinduo broke in a cold sweat, fearing that Gu Xingfeng might suddenly explode and Hao Baiyun would feel offended by their officers' behavior. But, he saw that the four's expressions don't look angry but instead looked… wary? What is wrong? Why would they be wary? This is a police station, and is Gu Xingfeng's territory. Why would Gu Xingfeng suddenly look wary, too?

Jiang Xinduo was about to speak and ask them what's the matter when he suddenly felt that the temperature in the room rose. That's weird… the air conditioner shouldn't be malfunctioning, right? They just changed it this week! Then, he saw that the lights flickered. "…" hey… he thought, suddenly feeling the hairs on his nape rose when he realized it. There shouldn't be a ghost in this room, right? He thought, then looked at Gu Xingfeng's and Hao Baiyun's serious expressions.

Even Fei Xuli and Jing Yu are serious. Jiang Xinduo nervously gulped and he stood stiffly.

"It is not a ghost." Gu Xingfeng spoke when he saw his subordinate's pale face.

"H – huh?" Jiang Xinduo blinked.

"But, it is something close to a ghost." Gu Xingfeng said and looked at Hao Baiyun whose expression looked solemn.

Jiang Xinduo's face turned a shade paler. "This… boss, if it isn't a ghost, then what is it?" he nervously asked.

If it is a ghost, then it should be Li Fengxin, right? But then, Gu Xingfeng said that it wasn't a ghost. Hao Baiyun didn't refute it, too.

Gu Xingfeng didn't answer while Hao Baiyun heaved a sigh. "And there are two of them." he said.

Jiang Xinduo sucked in a sharp breath. Two?! He thought and nervously looked around.

"Young master." Fei Xuli called. "Why would they go here?" he asked in a quiet voice, as if afraid of disturbing something.

Hao Baiyun didn't answer. "Jing Yu." He called.

"They already left." Jing Yu answered. "It seemed… they just passed by." He told them.

Everyone sighed in relief, as if granted amnesty.

Jiang Xinduo wiped the sweat off his forehead. "Who… who are they?" he asked.

"Soul Envoys." Hao Baiyun answered. "If you aren't familiar with these two words, there are another two words that are used as a popular term for them." he looked at Jiang Xinduo. "'Grim reapers'." He said.

Jiang Xinduo's breath got stuck on his throat. No wonder Gu Xingfeng and Hao Baiyun were so tense! Two grim reapers actually visited their humble station! He thought and felt his heart beat wildly inside his chest due to fear. "Why… why would they be here?" he asked in shock.

Jing Yu shook his head. Fei Xuli was also pondering. "Could it be…" he muttered as he looked at Hao Baiyun, then Gu Xingfeng. "They are also here for this matter of exchanging fates?" he asked.

Gu Xingfeng and Hao Baiyun froze. "… that isn't impossible." They said and looked at each other with their gazes speaking.

Grim reapers ferry souls, but what if someone's soul escaped from death and another soul replaced it? A soul which its time has not yet arrived?

…

Mo Shi bit his finger as he paced back and forth while Huo Ling's expression is serious as he sat on the bench.

"What to do?" Mo Shi anxiously asked. "Those mortals…!" he muttered.

Huo Ling looked at him. "This is indeed troublesome." He said.

Mo Shi nodded in agreement. "Yes. After all, they sensed our presence!" he said.

Huo Ling paused. "… no. That isn't what I meant." He told him.

"Huh?" Mo Shi looked at him. "What do you mean, then, by troublesome?" he asked.

"… weren't you listening to what they are talking about earlier?" Huo Ling grimaced.

Mo Shi paused and tried to recall. "Oh! That is right! They were talking about exchanging of fates!" he said.

Huo Ling nodded. "Yes… exchanging fates." He sighed. "Someone actually exchanged their fate with the fate of Li Fengxin, who actually shouldn't be dying yet." He said.

Mo Shi frowned. "So, this is why Li Fengxin became an Abnormal Soul?" he asked.

Huo Ling was about to answer 'yes' when he suddenly froze after he recalled something. "No." he said as his brows knitted. "Li Fengxin is already dead and was about to directly reincarnate. She became an Abnormal Soul was because her direct reincarnation was interrupted." He explained and frowned.

"What?" Mo Shi also thought that this is puzzling. "Not only her fate was changed when she was alive, but also even after death?" he said.

Huo Ling closed his eyes and rubbed his temples when he felt his head hurt. "This case is more troublesome than You Ri's case!" he sighed, feeling frustrated.

Mo Shi patted his shoulder in sympathy. "But, Li Fengxin's fate when she was alive…" he muttered, feeling sad for Li Fengxin.

Huo Ling nodded, indicating that he understands what Mo Shi is trying to say. "Exchanging one's fate with another isn't what an ordinary person can do, much less know." He said. His expression is serious.

Mo Shi's eyes narrowed. "You mean, the monks and exorcists and the likes?" he said, knowing what Huo Ling wants to say.

Huo Ling nodded. "Yes." he answered as he rose from his seat. "But, the people of the supernatural world know that this is a taboo thing, as even helping someone exchange their fate with another person's fate, a heavy price will be paid by them." he said.

Mo Shi pinched his chin as he pondered. "Judging from those mortals in that office earlier, they know about this matter, yet they are against of this." He said.

"En. Hao Baiyun has a good reputation. He is an upright person." Huo Ling said. "The same can be said for Gu Xingfeng. They would definitely not tell anyone about this matter, so this matter shouldn't be caused by them, nor they are involved aside from investigating this case." He explained.

"Then… who could it be?" Mo Shi wondered.

"It is simple to know." Huo Ling spoke. "To exchange one's fate with another, both have to share the same name as well as birth dates." He said.

Mo Shi's eyes widened in surprise.. "Then, let's go find them now!" he said.