Afterlife Department

Normal World, S City.

"This is delicious!" Mo Shi exclaimed as he ate the cotton candy he bought. Just because they're grim reapers, that doesn't necessarily mean they won't be paid or have an allowance.

As Shen Taizi had said when he had an audience with him after he was promoted as a junior grim reaper, aside from their salary, they would also have an allowance. In short, they are rich. Mo Shi doesn't know how does the Heaven has money, but he is really delighted.

Their allowance is for their work costs. For example, their mobile phone's bill. Their mobile phone is what they used to contact the humans whenever their task require it. Another is for their fare. And now, for their food.

Mo Shi was puzzled about this part. Obviously, they are borrowing a corpse as they do their task in the mortal world. Only a corpse will do for them to possess since possessing a human will be troublesome. For example, their consciousness cannot be completely wiped out for them to fully possess.

However, Shen Taizi told him that the body they use isn't completely a corpse, since their soul possesses it. The body also has the same functions as the human's. The only difference is that they can freely leave the body unlike the humans who can't unless they die and their soul would be separated from their body. Mo Shi could guess that it's because of Shen Taizi's power the body they use can be like that of a human's. 

"Ah~ I really have missed a lot of fun of life when they locked me up… mmn~" he exclaimed as he tasted the sweet strawberry flavor. "Achoo!" he suddenly sneezed. He rubbed his nose, feeling confused. "Did I catch a cold? But, grim reapers do not catch a cold. What could it be…?" he muttered. He got his answer when he received an email.

3257: (general message) To all senior grim reapers and junior grim reapers, because of the frequent appearance of the Soul Eaters, one senior grim reaper and one junior grim reaper will be paired up and use the weapon the R&D created – Angel. It is a locator designed for the Soul Eaters. Further announcement will be given later on as our director is now currently having an audience with the higher-up.

"WHA - !" Mo Shi dropped the cotton candy. "WHA - !!! WHY?!" he exclaimed as he fell on his knees. He pulled his hair. "WHY?! Why do this to me?!" he asked. "I don't want this - !"

3257: (private message) 4626, you'll be paired up with 5555.

Mo Shi immediately sent an email.

4626: senior… can't I pair up with senior 0001?

3257: 0001 is a lone wolf.

4626: then, can I pair up with you? QAQ

3257: *pats head. Sorry. This matter is decided by the senior grim reapers as a privilege. Thus, junior grim reapers can only follow. So, you should strive harder to become a senior grim reaper! *wink

4626: this doesn't comfort me at all… TTATT

3257: don't worry. Jin Wu is still a senior grim reaper despite a maniac.

4626: my chrysanthemum isn't comforted. TTATT

"What's wrong with me, hm?" Jin Wu asked as he crept behind Mo Shi.

"WAAH!!!" Mo Shi screamed as he immediately crawled away. He almost used his lightning to teleport himself in a public area. "YOU!" he glared at Jin Wu.

Jin Wu just laughed. "Come on. Let's go back to headquarters." He told him as he easily picked him up.

"What about senior 0001?"

"Yi Bing can manage well on his own." Jin Wu said and they left the world.

S City.

3257: (general message) To all senior grim reapers and junior grim reapers, because of the frequent appearance of the Soul Eaters, one senior grim reaper and one junior grim reaper will be paired up and use the weapon the R&D created – Angel. It is a locator designed for the Soul Eaters. Further announcement will be given later on as our director is now currently having an audience with the higher-up.

3257: (private message) I know you like to fly solo. You keep yourself chaste for your sweetheart, so I won't be partnering you with –

Yi Bing slapped close the holographic screen. "What's wrong?" Huo Ling asked as they waited for the next suspect to arrive. Ye Ting had just left. He looked like he was shaken after Gu Xingfeng exposed his dirty acts.

"Nothing." Yi Bing said. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Close to becoming numb." Huo Ling smiled self-deprecatingly.

Yi Bing wanted to comfort him, but the next person already came in. It was Su Lin.

Gu Xingfeng looked at him up and down. "Take a seat." He told him.

Su Lin obediently sat. "I met Huo Ling during our college." He started. "I've become friends with him during a basketball match and we're teammates. After that, we're hanging out after our basketball matches with Ah Zhe, Ah Ke, Ah Ting and Ah Ming." He said.

Gu Xingfeng's brows raised. "You're surprisingly obedient." He said.

"I… have a younger sister. Our mother is sick, and our father is a factory worker." Su Lin said. "I'm relying on a scholarship. My allowance comes from my part-time jobs." He explained.

"True. You have high grades compared with your friends." Gu Xingfeng said as he looked at Su Lin's report card.

"Huo Ling is smarter than me." Su Lin blurted out.

"That's why you killed him?"

Su Lin's eyes widened. "I didn't!" he said. "Among us all, I'm closest with him. Even Ah Ke is more estranged to him than me." he explained.

"Why is it? I heard Huo Ling met Xu Ke first before the four of you." Gu Xingfeng said.

"Isn't it obvious? Because I'm smart!" Su Lin frowned in disdain towards Xu Ke. "All they do is copy Huo Ling's assignments and reports. I do them on my own!" he said.

"So you killed him because he doesn't let you copy?"

"No! It is my own will to do my own home works!"

"Then – " Gu Xingfeng exclaimed as he realized something. " – you killed him because he's smarter than you!"

"I said that's not it!" Su Lin rose from his seat in agitation. "I didn't kill him! I'm just jealous of him – " he said before he froze.

Gu Xingfeng smiled in triumph. "So you're really jealous of him." He said as he watched Su Lin sat back on his seat in defeat. "Why do you resent him?" he asked.

"Who wouldn't?" Su Lin said. "He came from a good family. He's intelligent. He's hardworking. He's sociable. He's handsome. In short – " he looked at Gu Xingfeng. " – he's perfect." He said, his voice filled with envy. "Even my girlfriend left me because of him." He muttered.

"So you killed him because of her?"

"No!" Su Lin said. "I know it. I'm just not good enough."

"You killed Huo Ling because of your incompetence?" Gu Xingfeng said.

"No!" Su Lin gnashed his teeth in exasperation. "Why do you insist I killed him? I have no reason to kill him! If you should, you should suspect Ah Ke and Ah Zhe!" he's going mad because of anger.

"Oh? Why them?"

"Ah Ke has been with Huo Ling the most, but I know he's the one who hated Huo Ling the most!" Su Lin answered, a vein popping in his forehead in irritation. This police officer is so persistent! He thought. I have to save myself, even if pulling them down! "Ah Zhe also hates Huo Ling because, like me, his girlfriend left him for Huo Ling!" he added.

"Eh…?" Gu Xingfeng rested his back and crossed his arms on his chest as he looked at Su Lin, his eyes filled with interest. "Your group is really interesting. Because the guy is perfect, you resent him." He laughed in schadenfreude. This Huo Ling is really unlucky to meet friends like them. He thought as he looked at Huo Ling's student profile.

Su Lin proudly raised his chin. "It's his fault for being too perfect. A nail that sticks out will be hammered down." He said. "Conformity is better than individuality. He should know this, since he's smart. But too bad, even his intelligence cannot save him." He smirked.

"Ah Lin…" Huo Ling, who had been listening from the start, can't help but lower his head. Yi Bing, sitting beside him, wanted to hammer Su Lin's head.

"Pft… ahahahahaha. You're all interesting. Really." Gu Xingfeng said. "Since you all think alike, then I'll let you all be in one cell." He smiled at Su Lin who was horrified.

"You - !" Su Lin said as he rose from his seat. "I didn't do anything to him! I didn't kill him, so why – "

"Isn't resentment a valid excuse to detain you?" Gu Xingfeng chuckled. "Throw him in with the others." He told his subordinates.

"Yes!" the police officers answered as they grabbed Su Lin.

"No! You can't do this! I can't be detained! I need to go home! I need to work! NO - !" Su Lin struggled, but it was futile.