Afterlife Department Novel

Chapter 47 - Gift


“Ah? Look! A mascot!” someone shouted when the elevator ding-ed and its doors opened.

Everyone’s attention shifted from their work to the mascot that appeared in front of the elevator. “Aww… so cute!” the women exclaimed when they saw a baby mascot that is two meters tall.

Meanwhile, the men look amused. “What’s that in the box?” they asked as the baby mascot walked towards them.

It was already lunch time. Many people were gathered in the company’s cafeteria. Thus, when they saw something new, they would look at it. “Hey, buddy!” someone approached the mascot Lei Shan. “What are you doing here?” he asked and turned to the others.

“… hungry..” Lei Shan answered. Because his voice was unearthly and hoarse, and he’s stuffed inside the costume, no one recognized his voice.

The man laughed. “What’s inside the box?” he asked.

Lei Shan wanted to answer, “your head.”, but he held himself back. This man makes him feel uncomfortable – especially his laugh. “Gift.” He answered.

The man looked surprised. He turned to the others. “Is it someone’s birthday?” he asked.

“I remember Xiao Lin was talking about his birthday before.” Someone answered.

Someone walked to the front, laughing. It’s the man named ‘Xiao Lin’. “I never said when was my birthday, but who guessed it right?” he asked and turned to his friends. But, his friends didn’t answer, probably keeping him in suspense. Xiao Lin then turned to mascot Lei Shan. “So, what will their gift to me be?” he asked, looking very excited.

The man earlier snickered and left. Obviously, he doesn’t like this Xiao Lin. Xiao Lin is pretentious. No one minded the man leaving either. They seemed to not like the man, but they also looked like they were just sticking with Xiao Lin for appearances.

Lei Shan looked at each of them in the cafeteria. Everyone was already attracted by the commotion. Suddenly, his eyes caught sight of someone who just arrived. It was a young man with a clean face. However, his eyes are sharp and his face is cold.

“Luo Ying!” the people who saw the newcomer cried out. Luo Ying – he’s a rising actor and is suspected to be a film emperor in the future. Because of this, many senior actors are displeased of him. On the other hand, the actresses seemed to like this fresh meat and wanted to do unspoken rules with him – taking him on their bed.

Luo Ying was displeased. He naturally refused them resulting in offending these big people. Because of this, his career was on the decline lately. Many laughed in schadenfreude and secretly mocked him. Who told him to be so ambitious? Well, being ambitious is natural, but who told him to be so self-important? Even the previous film emperor Lei Shan was humble. This cub, he wanted to be a tiger! Dream on!

Lei Shan also recognized Luo Ying. But, his impression of his is a haughty newcomer and nothing more. He sometimes provoked him, but Lei Shan has a good temper after walking through the entertainment industry. Thus, he didn’t pay him any attention and turned to Xiao Lin who was waiting for him to open the box and now looked impatient when he didn’t move. Some people started to video the scene. “Well?” Xiao Lin can’t help but speak, maintaining his professional smile on his face.

Lei Shan finally moved. He slowly pulled the end of the ribbon and the bright red ribbon slipped down the box. Lei Shan then opened the box. After a while and they all saw a chocolate cake. “What? So it’s just a cake.” Someone said, then he was followed by the others.

“So much for hyping.” Someone laughed.

Xiao Lin’s face turned red in humiliation. He wanted to yell at Lei Shan but had to hold himself back since his ‘good’ friends are still videoing him. Xiao Lin was forced to take the cake. “Thanks.” He said through his gritted teeth. His hand holding the heavy tiered-cake gripped tight.

Lei Shan just nodded. However, who knows who noticed it, but someone suddenly screamed. “Oh, my god!”

“What is that?!”

“Cockroaches?! Aaaaaah!!!!” a woman screamed and then ran away.

Xiao Lin’s face paled and dropped the cake in shock when countless cockroaches suddenly came out of the cake. The cake fell on the floor, looking destroyed. Suddenly, Xiao Lin saw something within the cake.

No one scolded Lei Shan due to the sudden turn of events. Lei Shan was about to leave when someone who had a fast reaction and has a high tolerance with the cockroaches blocked him to prevent him from going inside the elevator. “Where do you think you’re going?!” he asked. He must be Xiao Lin’s ‘good’ friend. “Do you think this prank is funny? Who are you? Who ordered you to do this?!” he asked, mad. Some people who had climbed on the tables still continued to record the scene that turned chaotic.

Lei Shan didn’t answer and turned away. He heard the man called him ‘hey!’ and was about to follow him when a cockroach climbed on his leg. He had to deal with the cockroach and so he gave up. Lei Shan continued to walk towards the floor-to-ceiling window.

“Look! What is he doing?!” someone exclaimed and turned their phone to him. However, they almost dropped their phone when they saw Lei Shan raised his hand and smashed the glass wall!

CRASH! Then, the next scene made them felt chilled and shiver. The mascot baby jumped out of the building! “AAAAH!” someone screamed and immediately ran away. She was followed by the others after their initial shock. Who wants to stay here?! Someone just jumped from the 18th floor! Who wanted to be involved in an ‘accident’?!

But, even if they escape, but there are still CCTVs. Who knows who did it but the scene in the cafeteria was actually played live? Everyone was stunned when they saw Lei Shan jumped. Those who were near the entertainment company saw the baby mascot falling from the building and they uploaded a video of it until its fall! Everyone on the area where the baby mascot fell felt frightened. However, there was even more frightening!

Someone who would fall from a place as high as that, their death is definitely guaranteed. However, who would have imagined they would see the baby mascot moved! They all immediately escaped thinking that the costume was haunted. Some thinks that the entertainment company was cursed. However, some who remained calm saw another thing falling from the broken window of the entertainment company.

“I was murdered. I didn’t die from an accident.”

It was a tarpaulin falling and was blown by the wind. The background of the tarpaulin is the late film emperor’s face – Lei Shan.


Use the arrow keys (or A/D) for NEXT/BACK chapter.

 Comment