Afterlife Department

Chapter 52 - Subservience

Huo Ling caught a falling, sparkling blue light. When the blue light landed on his palm, it was absorbed on his skin. Huo Ling felt a chilling cold crawled from his palm towards his wrist, his arm, all over his body. "Ha – " a soft gasp came out of his mouth, followed by the release of a puff of smoke when he felt his mind cooled along with his heart. A sharp and cold pain hit his brain and heart at the same time. Then, his eyes became mirrors, reflecting the countless green and blue sparkling lights continuously falling from the sky and onto the city. They sparkled inside Huo Ling's eyes like stars.

Yi Bing blinked and he made a pause. His gaze from the unconscious Qi Shan turned to Huo Ling who was standing in the veranda, gazing outside. "Huo Ling?" he called. This was the first time he called Huo Ling's name in this world – in this life.

Huo Ling felt his soul trembled. He wanted to move his body, but he couldn't. This was like when he woke up in this world – cannot move his body. However, hearing Yi Bing called him, his soul shook again and he turned. His actions would be stiff since his body is now a corpse. But, Huo Ling felt it was different this time.

Yi Bing who saw Huo Ling slowly and stiffly turned felt strange. "What did you do?" he asked Huo Ling. He expected Huo Ling to write on the wall using his fire ability. This was how Huo Ling always responded to him. However, there were no movements from Huo Ling. "Huo Ling?" he called again, looking for an assurance that nothing was wrong with Huo Ling. However, his heart skipped a beat and then sank when he saw Huo Ling still didn't answer.

"There's… something wrong… with him – " Qi Shan said in between his breaths after Lei Shan electrified him awake.

"What is it?" Yi Bing asked Qi Shan, but his gaze never left Huo Ling's glassy eyes.

"Should you… know better - ?" Qi Shan said as he got up from the floor after he was pulled up by Lei Shan.

Yi Bing fell silent as he silently stared at Huo Ling's dazed face. Huo Ling must have been affected by Wholeness. "Nod if you want to say yes. Shake your head if your answer is 'no'." he told Huo Ling. Seeing Huo Ling quietly nod, he started asking. "Did you catch a falling light?" he asked. Huo Ling nodded. "Do you feel anything strange?" he asked again. Huo Ling nodded. "Can you use your ability and explain it to me?" Huo Ling shook his head. Yi Bing's brows furrowed, and Qi Shan was puzzled, too. Lei Shan, on the other side, just watched them in silence since he doesn't know what they were talking about.

"What did you do to him?" Qi Shan asked Yi Bing. "My command on Connection is to only side with Lei Shan. Anything beyond it, it's on you." He told Yi Bing.

Yi Bing could understand what Qi Shan meant. Qi Shan only wanted the public to be in favor of Lei Shan. Yi Bing only relayed the message to the public's mind. However, anything beyond the Connection's command, Yi Bing should have done that. Thus, what happened to Huo Ling is something Yi Bing did. However, Yi Bing never did anything out of scope of Qi Shan's command. So, what happened to Huo Ling? Yi Bing was totally confused. "Raise your hand." he tried. Huo Ling immediately raised his hand.

Qi Shan suddenly laughed. "Now you found yourself a dog." He said.

Yi Bing glared at him. "Shall I make you one?" he asked.

Qi Shan immediately shut up. He can still feel the Singularity's effect since Qi Shan was planning on using the Wholeness for a whole month so that Lei Shan's enemies will be pressured and confess their wrongs. Qi Shan was surprised to find an unfamiliar name when he searched the internet after Lei Shan's stunt from the Tianxing Entertainment's building. Liang Lin – this guy was mentioned by an insider. It seems that he's the cause of Lei Shan's death. Lei Shan might have seen the name, but Qi Shan didn't see any reaction from him. Lei Shan's memories are slowly recovering, but the memories of his death are still locked. Qi Shan could only investigate on his own about Lei Shan's death so that by the time Lei Shan's memories of his death was recovered by him, Qi Shan already had dealt with his murderers and their conspirators. "It couldn't be he'll be like this for the whole month?" he asked Yi Bing as he looked at Huo Ling. "Well, this world's a vacation for you, anyway." He shrugged as he patted Lei Shan's shoulder indicating they should be leaving to search for more clues on the news and the internet after the public's favor shifted to Lei Shan. Who knows someone might mention a thing or two regarding Lei Shan's affairs or the people connected to him? "Since his body already died, then you might have affected his soul with the Wholeness. Be sure not to tear his soul… I know, I know. Lei Shan, we're leaving!" he told Lei Shan and they immediately left.

Yi Bing sighed as he combed his hair in frustration. "Come here." He called Huo Ling. Huo Ling immediately walked towards him. Yi Bing checked him but it's as Qi Shan said – Huo Ling's soul was affected. "This is troublesome…" he muttered. If something would happen to Huo Ling's soul, his reincarnation will be affected. They had to wait for Huo Ling's soul be treated before they can send him to his next life. Worse, he cannot enter reincarnation anymore. What's more troublesome is that it was Wholeness that affected Huo Ling's soul. Its potency is greater than Qi Shan's Connection. Unlike the humans who only has to side with Lei Shan but can still continue with their normal life every day, Huo Ling – a soul, has follow Yi Bing's every order unconditionally. "You can't use your body unless I told you?" he asked Huo Ling again. Huo Ling nodded. That meant Huo Ling can't control his own body, and he'd have to wait for Yi Bing's order to move. "You also can't use your power?" he added. Huo Ling nodded again.

Yi Bing sighed. Instead of a vacation, it seemed like Yi Bing has to be a nanny this time. He has to look after Huo Ling this time.