"Eat here. Food. Delicious food."

In the afterlife, there are all kind of delicious food you could eat. It comes as a surprise to many soul who died from starvation, but in the underworld, there is always delicious food. With one bite, you can never go back again. Forgotten all the lingering attachment of the previous life, the departed souls integrate into the afterlife society after eating. It could be said that after eating the food of the underworld, you are one with the underworld.

It is a nice mechanic, I wonder who came up with it or did it come from something previously.

Everything has a price. Even if you refuse to eat, you will just starve yourself. There was also no (legit) ways to return to the world of the living, so this is pretty much the end of the line.

Currently, I'm in (ghost) Chinese town eating (ghost) Chinese food. I think once I'm done, I will move to the high class french restaurant next door. Even in death, there are still chefs willing to cook for the recently departed.

But no one, not even the chefs wanted to eat the food though. Normally, after the first meal, a soul cedes all desire for things such as food. Then, food would become bland, tasteless, like soggy paper. No one wants to eat soggy paper.

Well, anyway, after I'm done here, I'm moving to the French restaurant next

"Second please!"

"Coming right up!"

The chef in charge was grinning from ear to ear. There are not many chances to cook a meal like this. It could be said that this is the first and last meal a person could have. There was not actually that great of a demand, so only the best chefs in life get to retain that position.

It's not the only reason I'm having second though. It is a long time since I have a decent meal. No 5 star dining for me in this new world despite it being easily within reach within the last life.

Seeing me eat, a passing soul sit down in curiosity.

After I have had second, I wipe my face and was about to leave when the miserable soul calls out to me.

"You look hungry. What is your story? From what I'm seeing, I'm guessing homelessness?"

"I pissed off a guy really bad and he slaughtered me. Since I'm here, I'm going on a gourmet tour of the afterlife."

"Okay?"

The face of the miserable soul was bewildered. However, after a while, he just leaves me alone.

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

----------------------------------------

After I was spotted at the French restaurant and a Steak Joint, it seems the souls of the dead have figured it out.

They all ganged up on me just when I was leaving the Steak Joint and tied me up to bring me before their King. Even I was surprised. Hey, at least let me finish my meal in peace.

The King of the afterlife was not actually Death. Death is kind of the outer god to these kind of people, the thought of them approaching Death for advice is unthinkable. Also, the next time they met Death is also probably the last.

The point of Death is to move on.

This is the afterlife, but it is actually not the point beyond. On the journey of life, there are many stop. This place is one of those stop, shaped by the subconscious thoughts of men trying to recreate what they are most comfortable with, a world just like the living world. From here, the journey starts, not ends.

And in charge of all of these people is the most disgusting soul, the only one who has not moved on after all of these millennia.

The King of the recent dead is ironically one of the oldest soul in the afterlife. It is the first soul that has ever died without moving on.

The strong attachment has caused the soul to smell something fierce. As the ages pass, the King of the afterlife has taken on seals, enchantment and even strange power to consolidate his position.

At least, that is what I learned the last time I "died". I also strike up a strange relationship with Unk. I think he is going to let me go after he recognized me.

Unk is the king of the afterlife after all. I expect him to survive the destruction of the universe too and has sorted out all the souls from that event.

...Though thinking about it, it is possible that all the souls may not have passed through the afterlife. There was power to destroy souls after all. It is possible that all of the life lost ceded to exist altogether.

The bloated, rotted king of the dead appears with all of his runes and seals. The smell can be recognized from afar.

I wave at him, but the dead guards slap my hand.

"Hey Unk. Think you can get your lackey to ease up on the pain? I may get angry you know. I'm also ready to go back now."

However...

Something was wrong.

"...who are you?"

...?