Chapter 1 (Part 1) What People Do Before They Die

  My name is Lin Fei.

  But more people like to call me "trash", "little rascal", "stinky rogue" or "pervert".

  Actually, a name is just a code name, just like I'm called Lin Fei, but I don't have the ability to fly high in the sky, and instead I'm more like a puddle of muddy water beside the city wall of Luoyang.

  Lying on the top of a big locust tree, I covered my head with a wide lotus leaf, narrowed my eyes, stretched my neck and stared at the garden of Wang Yuanwai's house across the street.

  I am a man, and of course I'm looking at a woman, and she's even a beautiful girl.

  She sat on the swing in the garden, leaning back her head, happily swaying back and forth, her snow-white neck flashing in the sunlight. The swing would sometimes soar high above the wall, and sometimes disappear into the shade of the trees, with silvery laughter sprinkled all over the ground.

  The scorching sun blazed down, the sunlight was so strong that it made the leaves wilt, and the sweat streaming down almost stuck to my eyelids, but I still gazed with gleaming eyes, entranced.

  "Second brother, you're peeking at Miss Wang again!" A person under the tree lifted their head and shouted at me. On their dirty little face, two green dragons shot out of their nostrils and quickly retreated back in.

  "Shh!" I raised my index finger and placed it on my lips, while waving my fist at him.

  His name is Li Jie Jing, he's our younger brother in the gang of beggars, swindlers and thieves. I'm second-in-command in the gang because I'm clever, the leader can't be caught, once something goes wrong, the authorities will investigate, and the leader will definitely suffer the most.

  The bird that sticks its head out gets shot.

  "Stop staring and come down quickly! The brothers are all waiting for you at the White Horse Temple entrance." Li Jie looked up at me with wide eyes, this steeply towering tree, in our gang, not many people dared to climb it, so when I bravely climbed up the tree under the gaze of over a dozen brothers in order to sneak a peek at Miss Wang, I gained a bit of pitiful pride.

  "The color of the sky is determined by the wrapping." The brothers in the gang said this at last.

  Is someone like me worthy of pride?

  I took another greedy glance at Miss Wang, then slid down the tree, bringing Li Jie with me, and swaggered towards the White Horse Temple in the south of the city.

  As we walked along, passersby covered their noses and frowned to avoid us. Even the burly men had to walk around us.

  Li Jie was so smelly that he was like a leftover dish that had been left out for several nights, with flies buzzing around him. Any brother in the gang who had a stuffy nose would sniff him and their nose would clear up immediately.

  I'm no better off either, haven't taken a bath in half a month, and when I smile, my face is pitch black.

  But my clothes were washed very clean, although they were torn, but very clean.

  In the afternoon, White Horse Temple was quiet, with all pilgrims gone. Within the yellow temple walls, monks' weak chanting voices could be faintly heard.

  More than a dozen tattered young men were gathered by the wall, some staring blankly, others leaning against it and dozing off, while still others concentrated intently on catching lice.

  "Xiao Fei, you've finally arrived!" A sturdy and dark-haired young man came forward.

  I lazily greeted him: "Boss, hello."

  Big Bear is the leader of a gang of beggars, swindlers and thieves. He lives up to his name, being both black and sturdy, with lots of hair on his arms. I think it's very likely that his father was a wild man from the mountains.

  We are all orphans, wandering the streets every day, with nothing to do. In order to be able to eat and drink enough, under my initiative, this gang with a seemingly long name was formed.

  When they saw me, more than a dozen brothers gathered around, and Da Xiong said in a loud and clear voice: "Xiao Fei, let's follow the old rules. You come up with a plan, and we'll listen to your arrangements."

  "No no no! The idea was yours, I just provided a suggestion. Suggestion, got it? If something goes wrong, I don't want to take the blame."

  The big bear said impatiently: "Alright alright, whatever you say is what it is. We all know your dead father was a scholar, but only you like to pick on words!"

  I smiled wryly and reminded them that my late father was a Xiucai. A Xiucai, you know? Someone who can read and write, and could take the imperial examination to become an official!

  Before his death, Father seemed to be able to be called and scolded by the county government's attendants.

  "This time, the plan is to be carried out at the Daxiong Treasure Hall of Baima Temple. The target is a merit box filled with copper plates." I deliberately coughed and put my hands behind my back, speaking in a tone that was both casual and authoritative: "Do you all understand?"

  Li Jie wiped her nose: "Second brother, we already knew, just say what to do quickly."

  I gave him a white eye: "What's your hurry, kid? Anyway, you're always outside waiting for the wind, what's the use of telling you?"

  The second youngest of the gang, Er Huizi, hesitated and said: "Second brother, there are so many monks in Baima Temple, isn't it too risky for us to go steal money?"

  "Coward, do you understand?!" I said viciously: "Today, the county official is holding a Buddhist ritual for his dead father in the temple, and most of the monks have gone to the yamen. There are only a few left. This opportunity is once in a lifetime, can't you see that even the patrol officers on the street are not around this afternoon?"

  The big bear nodded and said: "Second Brother is right, I secretly took a look just now, there are only three or four bald donkeys left in the White Horse Temple."

  "So, my plan is that Er Hu Zi, Xiao Qian, and Zhu Da Mao will take the first action. Your target is the vegetable garden of Baima Temple. Pretend to steal cabbage to lure the bald donkeys over. Wang Fu Gui, you're the fastest, so you'll take the second action. First, enter the Daxiong Treasure Hall, then rush towards the back hall. This way, the bald donkeys responsible for receiving incense guests will definitely chase after you, and the Daxiong Treasure Hall will be empty."

  The big bear exclaimed excitedly: "I understand! Then we'll go in third, grab the treasure chest and run. I'm the strongest, one person can carry it!"

  I nodded: "Don't let everyone go in, leave a few people to respond, just in case. Now I count one two three, everyone scatter and start acting!"

  More than a dozen brothers immediately scattered, I followed Er Huizi and three others, around the south wall, let them step on my shoulders, one by one climbed over, turned into the vegetable field. I lay on the wall head, nervously peeping. Soon, the monks heard the movement, all rushed over. For a time, chickens flew and dogs jumped, the monks' scolding and Er Huizi's east-west fleeing were chaotic.

  The first step is successful!

  I pulled out a short flute from my bosom and blew three loud bird calls.

  Things are going as I expected, step by step.

  The two tiger sons were beaten by the monks for a few times, but they were still released. Although they are monks, they don't show mercy when they start their hands. Looking at the swollen panda eyes of Er Hu Zi, I smiled happily.

  When I see others in trouble, I am always very happy. This is my only pleasure apart from secretly watching Miss Wang.

  Before long, I heard a string of frantic footsteps rushing from the temple gate.

  It worked!

  I raised my arms and cheered, but lost my balance and fell off the wall, landing heavily on my butt.

  Damn it!

  I ended up falling into the vegetable field of Baima Temple!

  Painfully covering my mouth, I was just about to get up when a pair of hemp shoes suddenly appeared before my eyes.

  Terrible!

  I lifted up my head and oh heavens, it was actually Master Kasyapa of White Horse Temple!

  The whole city of Luoyang knows that Gye is a very powerful bald donkey, and even Emperor Tang Xuanzong in the palace has to respectfully call him a living Buddha.

  Because of his extraordinary abilities, he is considered the greatest prophet in history, unparalleled throughout the ages.

  His prophecies have never gone wrong.

  However, this expert rarely shows his face and is shrouded in mystery. Maybe he knows he's very ugly, with a gaunt face like a skull.

  I hastened to extricate myself, and with a flattering smile said: "Master Jia Ye, I have long admired your great name! My admiration for you is like the surging waters of the Luo River, unceasing and continuous, just like..."

  "In sixteen years, you will only have sixteen years of life left." Gaya stared at me in shock, with a seven-colored rainbow light shooting out from her pupils.

  I was shocked all over.

  The sky was bright and sunny, but suddenly dark clouds gathered, a somber hue.

  "Boom!" A loud thunderclap shook the sky, and a dazzling blue lightning bolt split the clouds, striking down. Gaya was motionless, stunned like a wooden chicken, already transformed into a charred black piece of charcoal, emitting a pungent roasted meat smell.

  Gaya was struck dead by lightning.

  I stared blankly at him, suddenly let out a loud cry and rushed out of Baima Temple.

  Heavy rain is pouring down.

  I was sixteen years old this year.

  Heavy rain pours down, thunder and lightning strike together.

  Soybean-sized raindrops fell densely, splashing up a hissing sound of arrows, the dark sky seemed to be lashed out with countless snow-white whips.

  The field of vision is a vast expanse of white, and pedestrians are all hiding under the eaves. Only I, like a madman, am sprinting wildly through the empty streets while trembling with fear.

  I know I'm done for.

  Gaye's prophecies had always been accurate, and being struck dead by lightning only proved the ancient saying: "Those who leak heavenly secrets will be punished by heaven!"

  I'll be damned if I care about your ancestors for eighteen generations! I'll be damned if I care about heaven! I'm only sixteen years old, okay?!

  I don't know how long I ran, but with a "thud", my legs went soft and I knelt down on the ground, with dizziness swirling around me. Here was already the outskirts of town, the Luo River flowed gently, like a greenish-black ribbon, the river surface misty rain rose, empty and desolate. Wiping my face hard, I couldn't tell whether it was rain or tears.

  I will die soon. It wasn't until late at night that I accepted this cruel fact.

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