I opened the sandalwood box.
The Serpent-Brow Bronze Fish lay still inside, its tarnished body catching the sunlight with a dull, cold gleam.
The officer leaned in for a closer look and frowned：
“Because this thing got some condensation on it, you decided to spread rumors and cause a panic?”
“Jesse, you're a grown man. A college graduate. How can you be this superstitious?”
I closed the box and put the Serpent-Brow Bronze Fish away.
“I'm sorry, but I can't go back with you. I didn't spread any rumors. I'm doing everything I can to prevent a disaster.”
“If you actually want to solve the problem, you should go run a full inspection on that restaurant. You might still catch it before something happens.”
The officer pulled out a pair of handcuffs, ready to take me in by force.
That was when a white SUV came tearing down the road and screeched to a stop beside my car.
The door flew open and Serena jumped out, Melanie in her arms.
Her eyes were red and swollen. She rushed up to the officers, her voice shaking：
“Officers, please, my husband isn't a bad person. He's just been under so much pressure lately……”
She turned to look at me, and the tears spilled all at once：
“Jesse, I'm begging you, please stop this, okay?”
“Just tell the officers you were talking nonsense before.”
“Then go back and apologize to Clement, and we'll reopen the restaurant and live our lives like normal people. Can you do that?”
“If you won't do it for yourself, think about Melanie……”
I looked at my daughter in my wife's arms, and my eyes burned.
I was about to speak when Clement's voice exploded out of the crowd.
“Jesse! You've got some goddamn nerve pulling this voodoo crap!”
He charged over, face white with rage, and grabbed me by the collar：
“Do you have any idea how much money I've lost because of your psychotic rants?”
“I was finally about to turn things around, and you pull this shit on me!”
Ramona chimed in from behind him：
“Exactly! Playing fortune teller now? If you can really see the future, how come you didn't see when your own mother was going to die?”
More and more people at the rest stop were crowding around us.
“Isn't that the guy from the hotpot place? Looks pretty put-together. Who knew he was crazy?”
“Right? Total nutcase. Feel bad for his wife and kid. Guy doesn't know how good he's got it.”
I let out a breath and looked at Clement. “How many employees are in the restaurant right now?”
Clement blinked：“The hell's it to you?”
“Fifteen. So what?” Ramona cut in. “What, you think they're gonna beg for mercy on your behalf?”
I looked Clement in the eye. “Have you thought about what happens if something goes wrong with those fifteen people? What are you going to pay out with? You could sell everything you own and it still wouldn't be enough.”
“Who the hell are you cursing?”
Clement slapped me across the face.
“You really think I won't hit you, Jesse?”
He pulled out his phone and shoved the screen in my face：
“Take a good look! Business is booming!”
I focused on the screen. The restaurant's dining hall was packed, loud with voices.
Every table was full. Steam billowed over the pots and servers wove between the rows with loaded trays.
Clement waved the phone in front of me, grinning：
“Wasn't there supposed to be some bloodbath? Go on, make it happen!”
“Running your mouth about doom and gloom every damn day. This beating? You earned it. And if you don't set the record straight, I'll have you charged with defamation and thrown in a cell!”
Serena dropped to her knees, crying：
“Please, don't press charges. He just lost his head for a moment. He didn't mean it……”
“I'll apologize for him……”
Melanie burst into terrified wails.
My mind went blank.
Had I really been wrong this whole time?
Had the Serpent-Brow Bronze Fish's power of foresight been wrong this time?
Looking at my wife on her knees and my daughter screaming herself hoarse, I felt like a knife was being twisted through my chest.
I was about to give in.
Then the surveillance feed on Clement's phone shook violently.
A blinding white flash.
A deafening boom ripped through the phone's speaker, laced with screams.
The screen went black.
