Afterlife Department

Chapter 311 - Nan Chi

The next day.

Huo Ling helplessly watched Zhou Cheng, Peng Qian, Rourou and Lian Xiang spook themselves after they, together with Huo Huainan, Huo Zichu, Zhang Jun and Yang Jie, entered a dim and cold hallway filled with life-sized and life-like statues.

"T-they… they won't… they won't suddenly move and jump to seize us, right?" Lian Xiang asked, her voice shaking and is filled with fear as she held her breath when she passed by a statue and her shoulder almost bumped into it because of the narrow path.

She released her breath after seeing that only the tip of her sleeve slightly grazed the arm of the statue.

"It… it couldn't be… right?" Rourou asked. She tried to make her voice sound cheerful, but it just sounded awful since it sounded shaky.

And although she said that, but her voice is filled with doubt. She immediately stiffened after she turned and came face-to-face with a statue. Her pupils constricted and she almost kissed the statue's face.

Peng Qian's face twisted and turned green as he ducked down, almost crawling on the floor, to avoid the arm of a statue. "What are these?!" he asked.

Zhou Cheng didn't answer and just continued going past the statues. He doesn't know what are these statues, either. Some are in groups of two, three, four or five, while some are standing alone in a corner. Because it was daytime, they didn't use their flashlights. However, the light illuminating the inside of the mausoleum looked somewhat dim, and so they can't clearly see these statues expressions. Also, there looked to be some shadows in the corners.

But, since it's daytime, they didn't mind them since they don't believe something will happen to them because the sun is up in the sky. Also, they don't want to spook themselves, so they didn't overthink.

"What?" Huo Zichu who was assisted by Huo Huainan spoke and turned to them. "Wasn't this the way to the room where my son disappeared?" she asked.

Zhang Jun, who looked cool avoiding touching the statues, and Yang Jie, who is flexible, looked over the group of young men and women after they heard Huo Zichu's question.

"W – w – we… we're panicking at that time, and so…" Peng Qian answered and avoided their gaze.

Zhou Cheng is cool-headed and so he calmly spoke. "I was in a hurry, so I didn't look carefully to the surroundings." He explained. "But, we went right when we entered." He said, his voice is firm.

Huo Huainan, Huo Zichu, Zhang Jun and Yang Jie have observed these four young people's temperament and they know that Zhou Cheng is a rational and upright person. He knows how to repay the favor he owed to the others. Thus, they know he isn't lying. They could also see that from his expression, and his voice is clear.

If even Zhang Jun and Yang Jie, these policemen, couldn't detect Zhou Cheng's lie, then they have lived in vain. "There weren't statues when you came in and out of the mausoleum?" Zhang Jun asked when he noticed that something is wrong.

"Yes." Zhou Cheng nodded.

"We – we didn't see these statues, either." Peng Qian spoke. "Or else, we wouldn't go this way…" he said.

Huo Zichu frowned while Huo Huainan's expression is obscure. They finished passing through the statues before they spoke. "Basing from their clothes and accessories, are from a tribe." Huo Huainan said. "If my guess is correct, they must be the Naya tribe." He looked at the patterns imprinted on the clothes of the statues.

"Naya tribe?" they asked.

"The Naya tribe is where a female mortal that ascended to godhood came from." Huo Huainan said.

"'a female mortal that ascended to godhood?!" Peng Qian exclaimed. "Could it be - ?!" he said and looked at Zhou Cheng. Zhou Cheng's eyes narrowed, obviously also recalled something.

"What is it?" Huo Zichu asked.

Zhou Cheng turned to her. "When we came in, Huo Ling found a bas relief. It was about a priestess that turned out to be a god." He explained.

"A priestess…" Huo Huainan thoughtfully muttered.

"If it's a priestess – " Huo Zichu spoke and looked at Huo Huainan.

Rourou and Lian Xiang, as well as Zhang Jun and Yang Jie, were looking at them back and forth, silently listening as they spoke. Rourou and Lian Xiang were left outside the mausoleum yesterday, so they don't know anything of what Zhou Cheng and Peng Qian have seen when they went with Huo Ling and Han Meng who entered the mausoleum for research. Meanwhile, Zhang Jun and Yang Jie are merely bystanders. They looked bored.

Huo Huainan nodded at Huo Zichu, indicating he understood what she meant to say. "It's really her." He said, probably referring to the priestess Zhou Cheng and Peng Qian are talking about.

"Who?" Rourou and Lian Xiang asked, completely puzzled. They felt that they were talking through riddles and they can't keep up with them.

"That female mortal who ascended to godhood is a priestess." Huo Huainan spoke. "She is the daughter of the chieftain. Instead of marrying a man, she chose to become a priestess and devoted herself to her profession." He explained. "Instead of choosing a wealthy life as the chief's beloved daughter, or serving only her husband if she had married and their children if she became pregnant and then gave birth, she chose to serve their people as a priestess, and did charitable works like treating the ill and teaching the children. The gods were moved by her selflessness and altruism, as well as her being devoted when praying, so they made her a god." He told them.

"She's amazing…!" Rourou and Lian Xiang muttered in awe.

"After she became a priestess, her people held her in higher regard." Huo Huainan continued. "They offered her food and other things, but she insisted for them to keep it for themselves since she won't be hungry or cold after she became a god, and that they should care for themselves more than her." He said.

"But – " Peng Qian said when he recalled what they have seen in the bas relief. " – she was killed by her people." He said.

"Yes." Zhou Cheng nodded. "It was because she gave birth." He said.

Rourou and Lian Xiang turned to him in shock. Zhang Jun's brows raised, didn't expected there was such a twist in the story. Yang Jie started, and his eyes brightened. He looked like he wants to listen for the gossip.

Meanwhile, Huo Huainan and Huo Zichu's expression became solemn. "It was an accident." Huo Huainan spoke.

"'an accident'?" they said.

Huo Huainan nodded. "One of the hunters was chasing a wild boar. The wild boar made him chase it for the whole day until the dusk. The hunter didn't notice there was a cliff ahead, and so when he jumped to seize the wild boar, he fell." he said. "Fortunately, there was a river and his life was saved. However, a snake bit him and his body was washed downstream. It was in the direction of the temple – the priestess' residence. The priestess found him. Because the priestess has no servants, she treated him personally. But, who would've thought – " he sighed. " – that snake that bit him is a special snake that can only be found in that mountain. The snake's venom is equivalent to an aphrodisiac, so…" his voice trailed off.

Rourou and Lian Xiang blushed. Peng Qian coughed while Zhou Cheng's face became blank. Zhang Jun didn't react but Yang Jie whistled. Huo Zichu just scoffed at their reactions.

"The priestess is physically weak despite being a god. But, because her mortal body was enhanced, she immediately became pregnant." Huo Huainan continued. "The priestess was ashamed. Even though she has decided not to get married, but it doesn't mean that she wants to get pregnant outside marriage. However, she was already a god, and the other person is a mortal. They can't be together. And so, she sent the mortal back to the mountain and settled him in a safe place, away from the dangerous animals. Then, she went back to her temple and decided to raise the children after she gave birth." He explained. "Who would expect – " he shook his head.

"Somebody found out?" Lian Xiang said, her eyes are fileld with distress for the priestess.

Huo Huainan nodded. "It was when she gave birth, and the cries of the infants were heard." He said. "The tribe was small, so everyone knew if there are pregnant women. But, they knew that no one was pregnant at present. And the direction where the cries of the infants were heard is the temple. So – " the corners of his lips were pulled down. " – they came to the temple. The nearer they got to the temple, the louder the cries. Not just one infant, but two. They called the priestess to come out, and the priestess did. After the priestess admitted that she, indeed, gave birth, they were all enraged. They called her name – " his voice became low. " – 'Nan Chi'."