Afterlife Department

Chapter 267 - Lu Si

"… senior. Why aren't we using devices like those of the spies?" Si Shui asked as they ate the wraps Yi Bing brought back.

"You watch too much nonsense movies." Yi Bing said as he patted Si Shui's head.

Si Shui felt his skull almost caved in because of the weight of Yi Bing's hand. Not to mention the weight of his hand is the weight of an adult's hand, which is slightly heavy, but also the fact that Yi Bing's strength isn't something to laugh at.

Si Shui stiffened also because of the pressure Yi Bing is emitting. "En." He said and lowered his head as he continued to gather more information about the Xi family and Lee family from the internet. Although the internet has only superficial data of these aristocratic families since the people, most especially the rich, have to have their privacy, too. There are also some false data in the internet, so one shouldn't rely on using internet too much to not be misled by this false information.

"Don't think because Feng Er is there in the Xi family to gather the Xi family's dirt for me to present Jonathan Baurne and Lao Xie, you can slack off from your task." Yi Bing added.

Si Shui coldly sweated and increased the speed of his fingers tapping on the keyboard. "Yes!" he answered.

Yi Bing nodded in satisfaction. When he woke up earlier, he had returned to normal. However, Di San has already left like Feng Er and Liu Lin, and he learned Di San's plan from the message he left with Si Shui. Since Di San plans to pry for more information with Jonathan Baurne, too, then Yi Bing doesn't need to return to the Baurne family for the mean time but he had to dig out the Xi family's dirty secrets in return since that's the excuse Di San had for his absence in the Baurne family.

"Senior." Si Shui's monotone voice made Yi Bing return from his thoughts. "The key to Xi family's secret is their marriage with the Lee family." He said.

"Tell me." Yi Bing said as he straightened his back and leaned to the computer screen.

"Twenty-four years ago, the Xi family declared marriage with the Baurne family. However, suddenly, the winds changed and they jumped on the Lee family's boat." Si Shui started. "The reason the Xi family released is that they despise the mafia because of their 'violence', and that they are worried for their daughter's welfare if she married a 'violent' man." He said as he read an old article he dug from a social website. Then, he clicked on another window and a news article appeared on the screen. "But, here, it was said that Xi Ningsu who will be marrying Joseph Baurne. However, since the Xi family changed their decision, Xi Ningsu will be marrying David Lee." He said.

Suddenly, Yi Bing's expression changed when he remembered something and he looked at Si Shui's bland expression. "If I remember, Liu Lin said that the Xi family member who appeared on the Lee family's dinner with Hao Baiyun and his father is – "

"Xi Ningxi." Si Shui said as he stared at the name that appeared on another news article which the topic is about the marriage of the Xi family and Lee family. The bride's name is Xi Ningxi, not Xi Ningsu who is going to be wed.

Yi Bing turned his gaze back on the computer screen and read the heading of the news article. "'Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. David Lee for tying the knot! May they have a blissful life!'" he read, then also read the first sentence, which is the main topic. "'Mr. David Lee and Ms. Xi Ningxi have tied the knot!' Xi Ningxi… Xi Ningsu…" he muttered.

"Xi Zhengtian has two sons, Xi Zhengteng and Xi Zhengting, and has one daughter, Xi Ningxi." Si Shui said.

Yi Bing blinked. "Then, who is Xi Ningsu?" he asked as he looked at Si Shui, their gazes talked.

Si Shui returned his gaze on the computer screen. "Also, senior. By law, Xi Zhengteng should be the heir. However, he disappeared. And now, Xi Zhengting is the heir of the Xi family." He said and pointed Xi Zhengteng's name on the screen. "Senior… Xi Zhengteng disappeared, also twenty-four years ago." He added.

Yi Bing frowned. "What exactly happened twenty-four years ago…?" he asked himself.

Si Shui didn't answer, since he himself also doesn't know. He resumed tapping on the keyboard until his fingers suddenly stopped. "Senior." He called after a while. "I found something. Not of the Xi family, but of the Lee family." He said.

Yi Bing turned to him. "I don't care about the Lee family. I want you to find the Xi family's dark secrets." He told him.

"But… this matter is also of twenty-four years ago." Si Shui said in a low voice. "And… I also found that, this is related to someone of the underworld." He said as his voice became quieter.

Yi Bing's attention was finally caught since the underworld is related to Huo Ling. "Who?" he asked.

"Lu Si." Si Shui answered.

…

Di San stared at Gu Shi, feeling speechless, after he heard the backstory of the three leaders of the factions in the underworld. "Lu Si… appeared in the underworld twenty-four years ago?" he said, his expression looked surprise but inside, he suddenly felt strange. There is definitely a conspiracy brewing here! He thought as he controlled his expression to remain calm.

"Yes." Gu Shi nodded as they sat on the bench. He treated Di San with food as a token of their new relationship as colleagues. "Lu Si was found by Jonathan Baurne while Jonathan Baurne was on his way to Lao Xie's place." He said.

Di San is holding a warm burger on his hand. "It was Jonathan Baurne who found him?!" he was sincerely shocked.

Gu Shi nodded. "Yes. In the underworld, one normally wouldn't care if he found a corpse on the street." He said. "However, Jonathan Baurne is inherently kind and has a good temper, which makes him not fit in this world. Added to the fact that Lu Si is of the same age as him, he took pity to Lu Si and personally carried him to Lao Xie's place. When they reached the gates, Jonathan Baurne, who is a young master and never did any strenuous work, was utterly exhausted and fainted." He chuckled. "Fortunately, the guards at the gate spotted them and immediately aided them."

Di San gaped at Gu Shi. There was such a past between Jonathan Baurne and Lu Si?! He thought, shocked.

Gu Shi could tell his thought judging from his expression. "Yes. You could guess, Jonathan Baurne and Lu Si are in that kind of relationship." He smiled before he paused. "But, that was all in the past now." He sighed in pity. Not waiting for Di San to ask the question, he continued. "Jonathan Baurne's family died, leaving him only of his young nephew, Jason Baurne, and he was barely eighteen that time. He had to give up Lu Si." He said and resumed eating his burger.

Di San's burger has already gone cold, but he had to eat to mask the calculation that flashed in his eyes. So, that's why Yi Bing said there's a strange tension between Jonathan Baurne and Lu Si. He thought as he lowered his gaze. "What happened to Lu Si, then, after Jonathan Baurne left him?" he asked.

"Lu Si was also seventeen at that time. He has no family, no wealth to inherit. He is a nobody, which more foils his relationship with Jonathan Baurne who is wealthy, and has a title to inherit." Gu Shi said with a sigh. "Lu Si has to leave. However, Lao Xie already treated him like his son, like how he treats Jonathan Baurne. Lao Xie is the most saddened with Jonathan Baurne's and Lu Si's breakup. He gave Lu Si a large sum of money before Lu Si left." He said. "Then, who knows how he did it, but after three years, he returned with a large number of people with him, who are his followers. The underworld then had a third faction, and Lu Si is obviously the leader." He finished.

Di San stared at Gu Shi in awe, which is directed to Lu Si. Suddenly, he remembered something. "Lao Xie has a large information network. Does he know where Lu Si came from?" he asked.

Gu Shi stopped and turned. He stared at him. "No." he answered. "Lu Si just suddenly appeared like he fell from the sky." He said.

At the same time, in the secret room of the Lee family. Liu Lin stared at the wall with his eyes wide in shock. He looked at the countless clippings pasted on the wall, then the documents on the paper. "What the fuck…" he muttered under his breath when he saw a news article about a family massacre. "The Lee family isn't the Lee family… but the Li family that disappeared twenty-four years ago?!" he exclaimed before his gaze fell on the fifth picture on the newspaper. It was the picture of the fourth son of the Li family. When Liu Lin recognized the face, he sucked in a cold breath.

It was Lu Si! The leader of the third faction of the underworld!