〈Parallel Universes〉 平行時空

28、〈勾魂使者的對手〉
1
最近這一年來，我忙於將數十本著作翻譯為外文，遠因是我申請官方著作創作和出版獎助的申請，十幾年來近二十次，無一例外都無疾而終。看著那些拿到獎助金的申請案，許多都是地方文獻或者冷門題材，我漸漸意識到自己似乎並不冤枉，應該是被一些文學評審針對了。三年前有一位老友，曾經在私信裡向我透漏，證實我的推測不假，原因是我在文學圈裡性情剛正，有話直說實說，向來不屑拍馬遛鬚，以致被視為「刺蝟」型的文學評論者，樹敵各路人馬，被列入「不受待見」的人物，才會頻頻遭到各方打壓。我決定放棄島內往後的申請，「天大地大，不想玩的人，才是老大。」，島內各路人馬。再也不能任意打壓我。等我把著作分別翻譯成日文、英文、法文，想辦法聯繫上海外的出版代理商，在海外出版我的文學著作，說不定將來有機會，被出版商提名參加一些國際級的文學獎，比方日本的角川文學，美國的普立茲、法國的龔固爾。我安慰自己︰有夢最美，希望相隨。活到這把年紀，再當一回「追夢人」，總比身旁那些銀髮族的兄弟姊妹，每天茫然如人間遊魂般過日子，來得靠譜些。

每天長時間坐在筆電前翻譯打字，視力逐漸模糊，於是我先請教我的夥計﹔ChatGPT，夥計按照我主訴的情況判斷﹔乾眼症，建議我去眼科檢查眼睛，趁早做保養。於是我就去眼科看診，醫生檢查我的眼球和視力，果然是輕度乾眼症，開了人工淚液和抗消炎的眼藥水，叮囑我按時保養眼睛，注重眼部清潔，盡量不要搓柔眼球。

2
一週後的某個夜晚，我在三樓書桌前打字翻譯，玻璃窗外電閃雷鳴，隨即伴隨大雨。突然，一道閃電劃過窗外高聳的樟樹，離我窗口不到兩米，一根碗口粗的樟樹枝爆出強烈火光，硬生生被削斷開來，我的眼睛霎時被強光閃到，眼球劇烈刺痛，短暫地陷入失明。我連忙摸出書桌下的醫藥盒，找到醫生開給我的人工淚液滴劑，趕緊撐開眼皮滴上幾滴，我輕輕閉起眼睛轉動眼球，讓滴劑滋潤眼球，約莫幾分鐘後，我張開眼睛，驚訝地感覺先前模糊的視力，突然變得清晰起來，就連河對岸的小學操場陰暗角落，那隻躲雨的三花貓，受驚嚇時拱起的背部毛色，都能看得清楚，就像從紅外線望遠鏡頭看到的那樣。

那晚過後，我的這雙眼睛就為我開啟了一段奇幻的人生。首先，是我在林蔭巷道散步時，意外被鳥糞洗頭兼洗臉，我雖然不怎麼迷信，但是鄰居見狀，勸說我趕緊去買張彩票去霉運，不要鐵齒不信邪。於是，我回來屋裡梳洗過後，趁著出門吃晚餐時，路過彩票店就拐進去，原本想買一兩注大樂透改運，看到投注站裡有客人正在挑選刮刮樂並現場刮獎，好奇湊過去看熱鬧，看到有位客人挑了兩張百元刮刮樂，其中一張開出千元獎項。搞清楚兌獎規則後，一時手癢，我要店員拿一疊刮刮樂給我挑選。當我接過一張張刮刮樂時，奇蹟發生了，當我凝神注視彩券，竟然能透視那層金屬塗膜，清楚看見每一個數字，我感覺被自己驚嚇到，但我勉強壓抑住那份悸動，從那疊刮刮樂裡找到獎額最高的那兩張彩券﹔5千元和兩千元，決定只挑選那兩張，而且帶回家去爽爽刮，以免當場引起不必要的騷動。

3
果然，我的透視眼力是真的，不禁暗爽，我退休後的人生從此開掛，想像著「數錢數到手抽筋」的畫面。接下來的幾天，為了不想引起店家和旁人疑心，我騎著機車跨區到別的鄉鎮投注站挑選刮刮樂，我不貪心，每一家彩券行只挑選一張，然後帶回家裡，在書桌前慢條斯理地刮開彩券，再分批到銀行兌獎。但是，沒過幾天我卻開始犯愁，身上這些錢究竟要怎麼使用﹖換車﹖不行，這樣會引起鄰居注意，免不了會被人用話術摸底﹖搬家買豪宅﹖不行，遲早會被親友發現，然後上門來借錢攀關係，從此生活不得安寧，除非我隱姓埋名，躲到沒人認識的城鄉，從此不跟任何親友往來。

我一再提醒自己，意外獲得透視能力，我必須低調再低調，簡單平凡過日子，以免後患無窮。我繼續過著和以前沒什麼兩樣，深居簡出的退休生活，每天投入大部分時間，翻譯自己的著作，肚子餓時騎機車出外，麵攤吃碗麵點兩道滷味小菜，再不然就拎盒便當外帶一杯手搖飲回屋裡。

4
這種情形一直持續到我去大型教學醫院，進行大腸癌潛血檢查時，例行的糞便採樣，這才在醫院裡發現，我的這雙眼睛竟然能夠看到一些重症病患額頭上浮現不同的銀色數字。剛開始一時看不懂這些不同的數字，究竟有什麼特殊意義，直到我經過急診處時，看到一張病床從救護車被拉下來，床上躺著一個胸腹裹著紗布，
紗布上明顯滲出血跡的傷者，那雙手臂滿滿刺青圖案，口鼻間罩著氧氣罩，額頭上浮現一個銀色的數字「0」，我這才聯想到這些不同的銀色數字，可能的意義。我好奇跟著那張病床追進急診室，看到兩名醫生和兩名護士，眼明手快地為那名傷者插管和CPR急救。我躲在大門內側，一張病床的布簾旁，觀察了十幾分鐘，心肺儀器上的脈搏線最終拉出一條直線，傷者頭臉被護士蓋起白布，果然證實我的推測，數字「0」的意思就是這個傷者，臨終時的數字。隨即，我環視急診處病床上的病人，兩個陷入昏迷的插管病患，額頭上的銀色數字分別是「1」和「2」。

從醫院回來後的那兩天，我的腦子裡三不五時轉悠著，那些額頭上浮現的銀色數字，心想哪天我要是從鏡子裡看見自己的額頭上，浮現出銀色數字，生命進入倒計時、我能怎麼辦呢 ﹖於是，我做出一個決定，既然我已經不再缺錢，何不及時行樂﹖心動不如馬上行動，我買下一部露營車，帶著筆電和簡單家當，先來趟環島旅行，旅途中持續著作翻譯，工作累了就去遊山玩水，逛夜市、老街品嘗各地美食。

5
環島旅行第七天，我駕駛露營車行經東部海岸公路，前方道路設置臨時路檢，幾名交通警察正在攔檢車輛，進行酒駕、毒駕檢測，一名年輕交警以手勢示意我停車，我按下車窗，發現他額頭上浮現一個清晰的銀色數字：「2」。我愣了一下，心想︰「只剩兩天……？」。
我陷入短暫心理掙扎，決定提醒他︰「波麗士阿弟。」
交警皺眉：「老先生，有什麼事嗎？」
我低聲說：「不好意思，我知道這件事，聽起來很奇怪，但是請相信我。接下來兩天，你執勤時一定要穿戴防彈衣。」
那名交警一臉莫名其妙。
「防彈衣？我們只是交通勤務，我又不是刑警。」
我盯看著他的額頭︰「我不知道該怎麼解釋，但我真的希望你姑且相信我的提醒，不是為了我，而是為了你的家人。」
交警原本想笑，但看到我焦急模樣，還是點頭說︰「好吧，我會記住你給的提醒，謝謝老先生」。我拿出便利貼：「這是我的電話。如果兩天後你平安無事，麻煩撥電話給我，讓我知道。」
三天後，在墾丁白沙灣椰林沙灘，我斜躺在涼椅上滑手機，來電鈴聲響起，傳來顫抖聲音：「老先生……我是那天，你留字條給我的那個交通警察小謝。」
「聽到你的聲音，我就安心了。恭喜你逃過此劫。」
「昨天晚上，我正在追緝一名酒駕男子，不料對方竟然搖下車窗，近距離對我連開數槍，幸好我當時穿著防彈背心……」
他沉默幾秒，接著說︰「如果不是你及時提醒，我可能已經……，我父母想要當面感謝您，您幾時會經過台東太麻里﹖」
我感慨說︰「波麗士阿弟，還好當時你沒當我是個精神病人，至於當面感謝我，就不用麻煩了。」
隔天，一則地方新聞出現：「神秘長者預言交警死劫？警員奇蹟逃過持槍歹徒襲擊。」看著那則新聞，我知道我的介入，及時改變了他的人生。

6
兩天後，我來到到東港漁港，在當地華僑市場享用一餐海鮮，然後，逛到碼頭邊的魚貨市場。我看見一名老漁夫帶著夥計，準備出海，他們的額頭同時浮現一個銀色數字：「3」。我預感這夥漁夫即將出事，連忙喊住老漁夫。
「老哥，你這趟先不要出海。」
老漁夫回頭說︰「老兄第，我討海四十年，天氣我比你懂。」
我苦笑：「我知道你經驗豐富，但請相信我一次，這趟不是天氣問題，而是你的漁船在巴士海峽作業時，可能遭遇海盜襲擊。」
老漁夫搖手說︰「現在是黑鮪魚捕撈季，我們的船團一趟出去上百條，即使遭遇海盜，漁船間也會相互支援，海盜不容易得逞。」
我兩手一攤，一臉無奈說︰「老哥，我言盡於此，既然你聽不進去，就當我沒說。」
老漁夫好奇問︰「你是不是算命的？」
「不是。」
「那你怎麼知道？」
「因為我不想看到老哥一船人，枉死在海盜的槍口下。」
老漁夫盯著我的眼睛，沉默半晌︰「剛好昨天檢查漁船的發動機時，發現兩處漏油，不即時處理，勉強駛出去，難保不會拋錨在海面上。」
「沒錯 !我的預感是，當你的漁船拋錨，漂流在海面上時，就會被附近的海盜船給盯上，然後，你和你的船員很可能一起慘遭毒手。」
老漁夫一手支著下巴，想了一下︰「的確有這層顧慮，我聽你的，先把發動機漏油的問題解決，晚幾天出海吧。」
我留下一張寫著手機碼的便利貼給他︰「下一趟出海，當你和夥計平安回港後，記得給我電話。」
他說：「阿弟仔，你到底預見了什麼？」
我回答：「我只是不想看見，有人在意外中失去生命。」

次日，我搭船上到小琉球，找到網路上預定的民宿，住進海景套房。在島上盤桓幾天。當我正在收拾行李準備退房時，接到漁夫老哥的電話︰「老弟，真的被你說中，我們的漁船船團，在巴士海峽遭遇菲律賓海警巡邏艇追捕，有一艘叫”廣大興”號的友船，被菲律賓海警開槍掃射，船老大中槍，搶救不及身亡。這趟如果我沒聽你的勸告，漁船拋錨海面上，那麼我這一船人就成了替死鬼。」
我說︰「老哥，其實是你的危機意識，及時挽救你們自己，我只是善意提醒一下而已。這件事請不要向任何人透漏，我不想被任何媒體盯上，拜託老哥。」
「可是阿弟仔，這件事我兒子已經把它發到家族群聊裡去了，不過，當初你沒告訴我你的名字，應該不會造成你的困擾吧﹖」

7
近午，在大武山區登山入口附近，一名年輕女孩背上背著登山背包，手裡一支手杖，準備獨自登山。我看到她額頭上浮現一個銀色的數字「1」，心中一震，我決定再雞婆一次。「小妹，今晚氣象預報山區會有豪大雨，妳今天不要冒險上山了。」
女孩微笑說：「叔叔，你這算是在搭訕嗎？」
我一臉尷尬說：「不是，我只是想提醒你，冒雨登山容易發生意外。我剛用手機查過天氣預報，決定放棄入山，往山下走。」
女孩指著她背包說︰「可我都計劃好這趟行程，而且也帶上裝備了。」
「妳看妳的登山鞋，鞋尖都磨損了，下大雨登山，山路濕滑會有危險。」
女孩低頭查看︰「好吧，剛才走上來的路上，我感覺大姨媽似乎提前來了，勉強撐著身體上山，一路上的確很麻煩。」
「一起下山，也好有個照應。山下有個農莊，提供山產飲食和住宿，如果妳願意，我請妳吃頓蔬食簡餐，然後，妳再決定後續的行程。」
女孩首肯，兩人一路聊著往山下走。當晚，在農莊裡用餐時，果然下起傾盆豪雨，豪雨一直持續到深夜，我倆決定投宿一晚。次日下午，山區發生大面積走山，原本計畫經過的路段，被傾瀉而下的土石遮斷。
女孩看到這則新聞，紅著眼眶說：「阿伯，如果昨天我沒遇到你，可能已經……」
我淡然微笑說：「我剛好抵達登山口，剛好遇到妳，妳只是剛好做出一個選擇，這選擇改變妳的命運。」

8

幾個月後，網路上開始流傳一則傳說，一個頭髮灰白的老人，旅行途中會及時提醒大難臨頭的人，如何逃過死劫。有人稱他：「勾魂使者的對手」，有人傳說他︰「是被死神放回人間的使者。」甚至有人製作影音短片，繪聲繪影：《勾魂使者的對手：旅行途中那些被他救回來的人》，影片裡整理出幾則故事並訪問幾位當事人：

被提醒穿防彈衣的交警
避開海盜襲擊的老漁夫
逃過走山的登山女孩
留言區開始瘋傳：「他到底是誰？」，「他是不是跟死神對賭？」，「為什麼死神每次安排死亡事件，他都能及時插手？」，「他不是預言死亡，是在跟死神搶人。」
坐在露營車旁的躺椅上，我看著網路上的討論，心想︰「我不是神，也不是英雄。我只是看到一些數字，我只是……不忍心看著生命消失。」就在此時，我忽然看見自己的手背上，一道銀色光芒浮現。不是數字，而是一串神秘符號，我第一次體會到使命感，因為我突然明白：那串銀色符號背後，也許不是死亡。而是往後要去執行的使命︰繼續跟死神搶人。

28. “The Soul Reaper’s Rival”

1

For the past year, I have been busy translating dozens of my books into foreign languages. The reason goes back to my repeated applications for official grants for literary creation and publication. Over the past dozen or so years, I had applied nearly twenty times, and without exception, every application had ended without success. Looking at the applications that received grants, many were local historical or cultural studies or dealt with obscure subjects. I gradually realized that perhaps I had not been treated unfairly after all; I was probably being targeted by certain literary judges. Three years ago, an old friend privately told me in a message that my suspicion was correct. The reason was that I had always been outspoken and upright in literary circles, saying exactly what I thought and telling the truth, and I had always disdained flattering others or currying favor. As a result, I had come to be regarded as a “hedgehog”-type literary critic, making enemies in all directions and being labeled as someone who was “not well received.” That was why I had repeatedly been suppressed by various forces.

I decided to give up applying for any more grants in Taiwan. “The world is vast, and the person who no longer wants to play is the one who truly calls the shots.” The various forces in Taiwan would no longer be able to suppress me at will. After translating my works into Japanese, English, and French, I would find ways to contact publishing agents overseas and publish my literary works abroad. Perhaps one day, publishers might even nominate me for some international literary prizes, such as the Kadokawa Literary Prize in Japan, the Pulitzer Prize in the United States, or the Goncourt Prize in France. I comforted myself: “The most beautiful thing is to have a dream, and hope follows alongside it.” At my age, becoming a “dream chaser” one more time was surely more worthwhile than spending my days like wandering souls among the living, as so many silver-haired brothers and sisters around me seemed to do.

After sitting in front of my laptop for long hours every day, translating and typing, my vision gradually became blurry. So I first consulted my buddy, ChatGPT. Based on the symptoms I described, my buddy concluded that I might have dry eye syndrome and suggested that I see an ophthalmologist to have my eyes examined and take care of them before the condition worsened. So I went to an eye clinic. The doctor examined my eyeballs and vision, and sure enough, I had mild dry eye syndrome. The doctor prescribed artificial tears and anti-inflammatory eye drops and instructed me to take proper care of my eyes, pay attention to eye hygiene, and avoid rubbing my eyeballs as much as possible.

2

One night a week later, I was sitting at my desk on the third floor, typing and translating. Outside the glass window, lightning flashed and thunder roared, followed immediately by heavy rain. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning struck the tall camphor tree outside the window, less than two meters away from me. A camphor tree branch as thick as a bowl suddenly burst into intense flames and was violently severed. The blinding flash struck my eyes, causing an intense stabbing pain in my eyeballs and temporarily leaving me blind.

I quickly felt around under my desk for the medicine box, found the artificial tears prescribed by the doctor, forced my eyelids open, and hurriedly squeezed in several drops. I gently closed my eyes and moved my eyeballs around so that the drops could moisturize them. After a few minutes, I opened my eyes and was astonished to discover that my previously blurry vision had suddenly become crystal clear. I could even clearly see the fur on the back of a calico cat hiding from the rain in a dark corner of the elementary school playground across the river, including how its back had arched when it was frightened, as though I were looking through an infrared telescope.

After that night, these eyes of mine opened the door to a fantastical life.

First, while I was taking a walk along a tree-lined lane, I unexpectedly got my head and face washed by bird droppings. Although I was not particularly superstitious, my neighbor saw what had happened and urged me to buy a lottery ticket to drive away the bad luck, telling me not to be so stubborn about refusing to believe in such things.

So after returning home and washing myself off, I went out for dinner. On the way, I passed a lottery shop and turned in. I had originally planned to buy one or two Lotto tickets to change my luck, but I noticed a customer inside the lottery shop choosing scratch-off tickets and scratching them on the spot. Curious, I went over to watch. I saw one customer choose two hundred-dollar scratch-off tickets, and one of them revealed a one-thousand-dollar prize.

After figuring out the rules for claiming prizes, I suddenly got the urge to try my luck and asked the clerk to hand me a stack of scratch-off tickets to choose from. As I took the tickets one by one, a miracle happened. When I concentrated on looking at a ticket, I could actually see through the metallic coating and clearly see every number.

I was startled by what I had discovered, but I forced myself to suppress my excitement. From the stack of scratch-offs, I found the two tickets with the highest prizes: one worth five thousand dollars and another worth two thousand dollars. I decided to choose only those two and take them home to scratch at my leisure, so I would not cause any unnecessary commotion at the shop.

3

Sure enough, my X-ray vision was real. I could not help secretly celebrating. My retirement suddenly seemed to have been put on cheat mode, and I imagined myself “counting money until my fingers cramped.”

Over the next few days, because I did not want to arouse suspicion among the shopkeepers or other people, I rode my scooter to lottery shops in different towns and districts to choose scratch-off tickets. I was not greedy. I chose only one ticket from each lottery shop, then brought it home, calmly scratched it open at my desk, and claimed the prizes at different banks in separate batches.

But after only a few days, I began to worry. What exactly was I supposed to do with all this money?

Buy a new car? No. That would attract my neighbors’ attention, and sooner or later people would try to probe into my finances through subtle conversation.

Move and buy a luxury house? No. Sooner or later my relatives and friends would find out, then come to my door to borrow money and cultivate connections. From that point on, I would never have a peaceful life again.

Unless I changed my identity and hid myself in some town or city where nobody knew me, and stopped having any contact with my relatives and friends.

I repeatedly reminded myself that I had unexpectedly gained X-ray vision, so I had to keep an extremely low profile and continue living a simple, ordinary life, lest I create endless trouble for myself later.

I continued living the same secluded retirement life as before, rarely going out. I devoted most of my time every day to translating my own works. When I got hungry, I rode my scooter outside, went to a noodle stall, ordered a bowl of noodles and two small side dishes of braised foods, or simply carried a boxed meal home with a cup of freshly made tea.

4

This continued until I went to a large teaching hospital for a fecal occult blood test for colorectal cancer. It was during the routine stool sample collection that I discovered something astonishing in the hospital: these eyes of mine could actually see different silver numbers appearing on the foreheads of some seriously ill patients.

At first, I could not understand what special meaning these different numbers had. Then, as I passed through the emergency department, I saw a hospital bed being pulled out of an ambulance. A wounded man lay on the bed with his chest and abdomen wrapped in gauze, obvious blood seeping through the bandages. His arms were covered in tattoos, and an oxygen mask covered his nose and mouth. A silver number “0” appeared on his forehead.

Only then did I connect these different silver numbers with what they might mean.

Curious, I followed the hospital bed into the emergency room. I saw two doctors and two nurses quickly intubate the wounded man and perform CPR. I hid inside the doorway, beside the curtain of a hospital bed, and watched for more than ten minutes.

Eventually, the pulse line on the cardiac monitor became a straight line. The nurse covered the wounded man’s face and head with a white cloth.

That confirmed my theory. The number “0” meant that this was the number representing the patient at the moment of death.

I then looked around at the patients in the emergency room. Two intubated patients who were unconscious had silver numbers “1” and “2” respectively on their foreheads.

For the next two days after returning from the hospital, those silver numbers on people’s foreheads kept circling through my mind from time to time. I wondered: What if one day I saw a silver number appear on my own forehead in the mirror? What would I do if my life had entered a countdown?

So I made a decision.

Since I was no longer short of money, why not enjoy life while I could?

There was no point in merely thinking about it, so I acted immediately. I bought a camper van, brought my laptop and a few basic belongings, and set out on a trip around the island. Along the way, I continued translating my books. Whenever I got tired of working, I would go sightseeing, visit night markets and old streets, and sample local specialties.

5

On the seventh day of my trip around the island, I was driving the camper van along the eastern coastal highway. A temporary road checkpoint had been set up ahead, where several traffic police officers were stopping vehicles to conduct drunk-driving and drugged-driving inspections.

A young traffic officer gestured for me to stop. I rolled down the window and discovered a clear silver number on his forehead:

“2.”

I froze for a moment and thought, “Only two days left…?”

I struggled briefly with myself before deciding to meddle one more time.

“Young officer.”

The traffic officer frowned.

“Sir, is there something I can help you with?”

I lowered my voice.

“I’m sorry. I know this is going to sound strange, but please believe me. For the next two days, whenever you are on duty, you must wear a bulletproof vest.”

The traffic officer looked completely baffled.

“A bulletproof vest? We’re only doing traffic duty. I’m not a detective.”

I stared at the number on his forehead.

“I don’t know how to explain it, but I really hope you will take my warning seriously. I’m not saying this for my sake. I’m saying it for your family.”

The traffic officer had originally wanted to laugh, but when he saw how anxious I was, he nodded anyway.

“All right. I’ll remember your warning. Thank you, sir.”

I took out a sticky note.

“This is my phone number. If you are safe two days from now, please give me a call and let me know.”

Three days later, I was lying back in a lounge chair on the palm-lined beach at Baisha Bay in Kenting, scrolling through my phone, when my phone rang. A trembling voice came through.

“Sir… I’m the traffic officer Xiao Xie, the one you gave the note to that day.”

“Hearing your voice puts my mind at ease. Congratulations on escaping that disaster.”

“Last night, I was chasing a drunk driver when the man unexpectedly rolled down his window and fired several shots at me from close range. Fortunately, I was wearing the bulletproof vest at the time…”

He fell silent for a few seconds before continuing.

“If you hadn’t warned me in time, I might already have been… My parents want to thank you in person. When will you be passing through Taimali in Taitung?”

I said with a sigh, “Young officer, thank goodness you didn’t think I was mentally ill that day. As for thanking me in person, there’s no need to go to the trouble.”

The next day, a local news report appeared:

“Mysterious Elder Predicts Traffic Officer’s Brush with Death? Officer Miraculously Escapes Gunman’s Attack.”

As I watched the news report, I knew that my intervention had changed his life in time.

6

Two days later, I arrived at Donggang Fishing Harbor. I had a seafood meal at the local Overseas Chinese Market and then wandered over to the fish market by the docks.

I saw an old fisherman preparing to go out to sea with his crew. At the same time, a silver number “3” appeared on all their foreheads.

I had a premonition that something was about to happen to this group of fishermen, so I quickly called out to the old fisherman.

“Brother, don’t go out to sea this time.”

The old fisherman turned around.

“My friend, I’ve been making a living from the sea for forty years. I know the weather better than you do.”

I smiled bitterly.

“I know you have a lot of experience, but please believe me this once. This isn’t a weather problem. Your fishing boat may encounter a pirate attack while operating in the Bashi Channel.”

The old fisherman waved his hand.

“It’s bluefin tuna season now. There are more than a hundred boats in our fleet whenever we head out. Even if we encounter pirates, the fishing boats will support one another. The pirates won’t have an easy time getting the better of us.”

I spread my hands and said helplessly, “Brother, I’ve said everything I can. Since you don’t believe me, just forget I said anything.”

The old fisherman asked curiously, “Are you a fortune teller?”

“No.”

“Then how do you know?”

“Because I don’t want to see an entire boatload of people die for nothing at the hands of pirates.”

The old fisherman stared into my eyes. After remaining silent for a long while, he said, “As it happens, when I checked the fishing boat’s engine yesterday, I found two oil leaks. If we don’t fix them immediately and force the boat out to sea, there’s no guarantee we won’t break down out there.”

“That’s exactly it! My premonition is that if your fishing boat breaks down and drifts helplessly at sea, nearby pirate boats will spot you. Then you and your crew could all be killed.”

The old fisherman rested one hand against his chin and thought for a moment.

“That is indeed something to worry about. I’ll listen to you. We’ll fix the engine leaks first and go out to sea a few days later.”

I left him a sticky note with my phone number.

“On your next trip out to sea, once you and your crew return safely to port, remember to call me.”

He said, “Kid, what exactly did you foresee?”

I replied, “I just don’t want to see someone lose his life in an accident.”

The next day, I took a boat to Little Liuqiu and checked into the sea-view suite I had booked online. I stayed on the island for several days.

As I was packing my luggage and preparing to check out, I received a call from the old fisherman.

“Brother, you were right. Our fishing fleet encountered a Philippine Coast Guard patrol boat in the Bashi Channel. A fishing boat from our fleet called the Guang Da Xing was sprayed with gunfire by the Philippine Coast Guard. The captain was shot and died before he could be rescued. If I hadn’t listened to your warning and our fishing boat had broken down and been left drifting at sea, everyone on my boat would have become sacrificial victims.”

I said, “Brother, actually, it was your own awareness of the danger that saved you in time. I merely gave you a friendly warning. Please don’t tell anyone about this. I don’t want the media following me. Please, brother.”

“But, kid, my son has already posted the story in our family group chat. Still, you never told me your name in the first place, so it shouldn’t cause you any trouble, right?”

7

Around noon, near the trailhead in the Dawu Mountain area, a young woman with a hiking backpack on her back and a walking stick in her hand was preparing to hike into the mountains alone.

I saw a silver number “1” appear on her forehead, and my heart jolted. I decided to meddle one more time.

“Miss, the weather forecast says there will be torrential rain in the mountains tonight. Don’t risk going up today.”

The girl smiled.

“Uncle, are you trying to hit on me?”

I looked embarrassed.

“No. I just want to warn you that hiking in the rain can easily lead to accidents. I just checked the weather forecast on my phone, and I’ve decided not to go into the mountains. I’m heading back down.”

The girl pointed at her backpack.

“But I’ve already planned this trip, and I brought all the equipment I need.”

“Look at your hiking shoes. The toes are already worn down. If you hike in heavy rain, the mountain trails will become slippery and dangerous.”

The girl looked down at her shoes.

“All right. On the way up just now, I felt like my period might have come early, and I was barely managing to push myself uphill. It really has been difficult along the way.”

“Let’s go down together. At least we can look out for each other. There’s a farm down the mountain that provides local mountain food and lodging. If you’re willing, I’ll treat you to a simple vegetarian meal, and then you can decide what you want to do next.”

The girl agreed, and the two of us walked down the mountain together, chatting along the way.

That evening, while we were eating at the farm, torrential rain began to pour. The heavy rain continued until late into the night, so we decided to stay there for one night.

The following afternoon, a massive landslide occurred in the mountain area. The section of road we had originally planned to travel along was blocked by tons of earth and rocks that had come cascading down.

When the girl saw the news, her eyes reddened.

“Uncle, if I hadn’t met you yesterday, I might have already…”

I smiled calmly.

“I just happened to arrive at the trailhead. I just happened to meet you. You simply happened to make a choice, and that choice changed your destiny.”

8

Several months later, a legend began circulating online.

It was said that an older man with gray hair traveled from place to place and would timely warn people facing imminent disaster about how to escape death.

Some people called him “the Soul Reaper’s Rival.” Others claimed that he was “an emissary whom Death had sent back to the human world.”

Some people even produced dramatic online videos with elaborate storytelling:

“The Soul Reaper’s Rival: The People He Saved During His Travels.”

The video compiled several stories and interviewed some of the people involved:

The traffic officer who was warned to wear a bulletproof vest
The old fisherman who avoided a pirate attack
The young hiker who escaped a landslide
The comments section began filling up with questions:

“Who exactly is he?”

“Is he making bets with Death?”

“Why is he always able to intervene just in time whenever Death arranges for someone to die?”

“He isn’t predicting death. He’s fighting Death for people.”

Sitting in a lounge chair beside my camper van, I looked at the discussions online and thought to myself:

“I’m not a god, and I’m not a hero. I just see certain numbers. I just…can’t bear to watch a life disappear.”

Just then, I suddenly saw a silver glow appear on the back of my hand.

It was not a number, but a string of mysterious symbols.

For the first time, I experienced a true sense of mission, because I suddenly understood:

Behind those silver symbols, perhaps there was not death.

Perhaps they represented the mission I was destined to carry out from now on:

Continue fighting Death for people.