Chapter 00140: The Funeral Notice
# The Funeral Notice
Chapter 140
Novel: Above Destiny
Chapter 140: The Funeral Notice
Before dawn, a light rain fell, dispelling the damp heat in the air.
The morning mist lingered between the cliffs, muffling the clamor of the tides.
Ji Jue, who had just fallen asleep not long ago, was awakened by the sound of a car driving through the mountains.
He opened his eyes and walked toward the door, where he saw Old Tang standing there.
An elderly man in a black suit handed something over before turning and leaving without so much as a glance at the unburied bodies on either side.
"Who was that?" Ji Jue asked.
"... Someone from Lei Yaoxing's side," Old Tang replied, his expression complicated as he looked at the item in his hand.
"Here to collect the bodies?"
"Not exactly. It's related to collecting bodies, but not the ones here," Old Tang said, handing the item over.
"Take a look for yourself."
Ji Jue took it.
It was a thin piece of paper, like some kind of notice.
Unlike a wedding invitation, it was a plain white card with subtle watermarks.
It was a funeral notice.
"Deceased: Lei Wuye..."
After reading the opening lines, Ji Jue glanced at the signature—Lei Yaoxing—and instantly understood.
"So the old man finally kicked the bucket?"
After clinging to life for over half a month, the old man had finally breathed his last, leaving behind a mess for others to clean up.
How lucky could one old bastard be?
But a funeral at this critical juncture...
Ji Jue instinctively felt something was off.
With Lei Wuye's death, all his so-called "friends and family" had likely received funeral notices.
Whether out of sentiment, propriety, or their own circumstances and future plans, they would probably show up.
In other words, this funeral might very well become the first gathering of all members of the Cliff City's underworld after more than a week of bloodshed.
"This is going to be a big meeting," Ji Jue muttered to himself.
Though it was Lei Wuye's funeral, whether he died peacefully or not no longer mattered.
This funeral could very well determine the future of Cliff City's underworld—and the meeting might only have two outcomes: either Lei Yaoxing would use his bloody methods to suppress everyone and ascend to the position of leader, or things would fall apart, and everyone would go home to continue fighting until only one winner remained.
No, if things weren't handled properly, this funeral might not just be Lei Wuye's.
Who knew how many others would end up buried alongside him?
In that fleeting moment of thought, Ji Jue felt like he had grasped something crucial, but the idea quickly slipped away.
What puzzled him even more was the person this funeral notice was addressed to...
Not Chen Xingzhou, but Chen Yubo.
He pulled out his phone, intending to call Wen Wen for some information, but the call didn't go through.
Her phone was on do-not-disturb mode, and only a preset text message came through, saying she was in a meeting and would call back later.
In fact, it didn't take long before the call came.
Before Ji Jue could even ask, Wen Wen spoke first.
"Chen Yubo received a funeral notice?"
"Yes," Ji Jue replied.
"Should we do something about it?"
"Up to you. Whether you go or not doesn't matter," she said.
"It's already over."
"Huh?" Ji Jue was confused.
"It's a bit complicated to explain right now, but you don't need to be so tense. If you're interested, take that fool Chen Yubo with you and go. It'll be a good show."
Wen Wen chuckled, as if thinking of something.
"There should be people from the Security Bureau on-site. As long as you don't go up to Lei Yaoxing and provoke him, he won't be able to touch you. Don't worry."
She added, "It's fine to go. Consider it seeing things through to the end."
It's over?
After hanging up, Ji Jue pondered for a long time but still couldn't make sense of it.
In the end, he decided to go and see for himself.
After all, Sister Wen wouldn't just kick him into a pit of fire.
Besides, after all the anxiety and tension on the fringes of this foggy struggle, shouldn't there be some kind of answer?
"Shall we go take a look?"
He turned to Chen Yubo, who was pale-faced.
For a moment, Chen Yubo seemed to want to say something but held back, tears even welling up in his eyes.
Can I not go?
Unfortunately, no.
And you can't bring the cats...
What if your cat jumps onto the coffin during the funeral and scares Lei Wuye back to life? Who would be responsible then?
And so, after tearfully bidding farewell to the two cats, the extremely reluctant Chen Yubo finally got into the car under Ji Jue's urging, along with Old Tang.
Despite constantly muttering, "Our contract doesn't include going out. You'll have to pay extra!" he still followed along, grumbling things like, "If things get violent, I'm leaving immediately."
But when they were almost at their destination, he got out of the car to buy some grilled sausages by the roadside.
He devoured two bowls of soup noodles and three baskets of steamed buns, stuffing his mouth until it was bulging, his lips glistening with oil.
Squatting by the roadside, he watched the luxury cars passing by, clicking his tongue in admiration.
"So lively."
Despite Lei Wuye having just passed away, the largest funeral home in Cliff City was already fully prepared.
The scene was solemn and dignified, with white wreaths lining the entrance, each adorned with various condolence messages.
In the lingering light rain, someone stood at the entrance, handing out umbrellas to the guests.
One after another, black umbrellas opened, the raindrops glistening like dewdrops as they fell.
Hundreds of umbrellas moved back and forth along the narrow road.
At first glance, the sea of black looked like dried blood and death flowing out from the cemetery, spreading like a plague down to the city below.
So solemn it was almost laughable.
Ji Jue took a bite of a roadside bun and sighed.
"Even in death, he's making such a scene. What a pity."
"What's a pity?" Old Tang asked, puzzled.
Ji Jue replied, "It's a pity I don't like black umbrellas."
They should have hung some red decorations.
Wouldn't that be more festive and vibrant?
After watching the commotion by the roadside for a while, the two returned to the car, bringing a basket of steamed buns for Chen Yubo.
Unfortunately, Chen Yubo was too nervous to eat.
One moment he was saying that a man should live with dignity and die with honor, even if it meant taking a knife to Lei Yaoxing and going out in a blaze of glory.
The next, he was worrying about what would happen to his cats if he died, begging Ji Jue to take good care of them and buy them plenty of canned food.
After much reassurance that he would be fine, Chen Yubo finally got out of the car, trembling, and opened his umbrella, heading toward the farewell hall.
Unexpectedly, at the entrance, they saw the greeter.
Lei Yaoxing.
This was Ji Jue's first time seeing the man who had stirred up the turmoil in Cliff City's underworld these past days.
But he looked like an ordinary middle-aged man, his hair slightly graying, his expression serious yet with a hint of warmth.
He didn't have the imposing aura of someone who could devour ten children in one sitting.
Even though an entire team of his subordinates had been wiped out in the villa last night, when he saw Chen Yubo today, he showed no sign of anger or joy.
He simply looked at him carefully and said, "Chen Yubo?"
Chen Yubo tried to appear tough, but his face twitched, and his voice trembled.
"Yes."
"It's our first meeting. I didn't expect you to be so different from your brother... You're a lucky one!"
Lei Yaoxing studied him for a long time, then reached out and patted his shoulder.
"Don't worry. Today, all guests are welcome. Go in and take a seat."
From start to finish, he didn't even glance at Ji Jue or Old Tang behind Chen Yubo.
Ji Jue was perfectly fine with being treated as air.
After offering incense, a few children and unfamiliar young women in black veils bowed in return.
They were likely Lei Wuye's relatives, but their expressions were tinged with unease and anxiety, barely concealed.
In the flower-adorned coffin lay an old man, dressed in new clothes, his expression serene.
After completing the formalities, Chen Yubo scurried to the back to sit down, keeping his head low, afraid of drawing attention.
Meanwhile, Ji Jue watched the crowd with interest.
Most of them were prominent figures, many of whom he had seen on TV.
But after offering incense, they all left in a hurry, not lingering.
Clearly, they wanted no part in the life-and-death struggles within the underworld.
However, quite a few people stayed after offering incense, sitting down on either side.
Some looked solemn and serious, while others appeared irritable and displeased, whispering to each other.
They grouped themselves according to their factions, some close, some distant, but all clearly demarcated.
Many of them were bandaged or in casts, especially the woman sitting in front of Chen Yubo.
She practically had "I'm not happy" written all over her face, smoking without regard for the occasion, flicking ash as if no one else was around.
On her meticulously maintained face, a gauze eye patch covered one eye.
She had lost an eye.
When she turned to look at them, Chen Yubo's head shrank even further.
Old Tang looked over in confusion, while Ji Jue kept his head down, focused on his phone, completely unfazed.
Seeing Chen Yubo's reaction, she frowned in annoyance and looked away.
On Ji Jue's screen, the footage from the surrounding cameras and even the traffic monitors at the intersection had already appeared.
Soon, a black car caught his attention.
It was clearly an older model but well-maintained.
The car wasn't a luxury brand but rather a common one.
What stood out most was the emblem on the car.
A radiant ring embedded within three circles.
The Radiant Church?!
Clearly enjoying special treatment, the car from the Radiant Church drove right up to the front of the farewell hall.
A somewhat gaunt old man stepped out, his skin dry and weathered, wearing a simple black robe with no adornments.
In the Radiant Church, only one kind of person dressed like this—those who had taken a vow before the light, renouncing personal wealth and profit, swearing never to harm others, and following the teachings of the Radiant Doctrine.
They were the official members of the church!
In Cliff City, there were only two or three such people...
Ji Jue's eyes widened as he finally realized who this was—the elder in charge of the Radiant Church's assets in Cliff City!
Clearly surprised by the elder's arrival, even Lei Yaoxing was momentarily taken aback.
He stepped forward to greet the old man, exchanging a few words.
After entering, the elder declined assistance from others, calmly offering two sticks of incense.
Then, to everyone's surprise, he refused the usher's invitation to rest in a side room.
But he didn't leave either.
Instead, he walked straight to the seats on either side and, under the astonished gazes of everyone, sat down not far from Ji Jue and the others.
Noticing Ji Jue's stunned expression, the elder looked up and nodded politely before lowering his gaze again.
He sat there, calm and unmoving, like a mountain.
Ji Jue stiffened for a moment, his scalp tingling instinctively.
Those who didn't want to get involved in the underworld's internal struggles but had come out of obligation had all left after offering incense.
But the elder had chosen to stay and sit here...
Was the Radiant Church about to get involved in the mess of the underworld?!
---
Due to constant feedback from readers that the group was too crowded and they couldn't get in, the stingy author refused to open a new group and couldn't manage it anymore.
So, in a moment of inspiration, the author decided to kick out some long-inactive members.
As it turned out, this wasn't a good solution and ended up hurting many silent subscribers.
The author sincerely apologizes.
I'm really sorry.
I'm an idiot.
At this stage, the author's work in the group will focus on answering reader questions.
The fan value required to join the group is only 30, so please don't worry about space or availability.
In the future, there will likely be another group for full subscribers, and at that point, no one will be kicked out (in fact, this group probably won't be cleared again either).
In any case, thank you all for your understanding.
I'll keep working hard!
(End of Chapter)