Fishing Fanatic, Strange Temper

Uncle Yu had recommended that I seek this man out, and he was even Uncle Yu's senior brother.

That meant Song Decai definitely had real skills. There was no doubt about that.

But why had Master Cao been turned away every time? Were his conditions for helping too steep?

That worried me.

So I asked,

"Master Cao, why were you turned away every time? Is the master's threshold for helping people really that high?"

Master Cao sighed.

"It's not that high. That guy just has a whole load of strange quirks, and he holds grudges something fierce.

The first time I went to see him, he said I'd interrupted his fishing and stepped on his shadow.

Then he said the living and the dead walked different paths, so he wouldn't help me.

I talked until my lips were practically worn out, but it was useless."

"Fishing? His shadow?"

I was confused for a moment.

Master Cao nodded.

"Yeah, that guy's a famous fishing fanatic.

But he's terrible at it. Whenever he can't catch anything, he blames this and that.

He has real ability, but his temper is especially awful.

Over the past few years, I've gone to see him on and off many times, so I've picked up a few things.

If you're going to find him, it's best not to go while he's fishing.

Or rather, wait until he catches a fish.

Anyway, never go talk to him while he's fishing.

If you do, he definitely won't help you."

No wonder Uncle Yu had specifically warned me before I left.

He said his senior brother had a strange temper, and there was a high chance I'd be turned away.

As I was thinking about it, Master Cao spoke again.

"Little brother, I know the man.

Fish Mouth Pier happens to be the end of the line.

Since you helped me, once I park the bus,

I'll take you over there and point him out to you.

Hopefully, he can help you..."

Having someone lead the way was naturally for the best. After all, I didn't know the man.

So I nodded and agreed.

Along the way, Master Cao never asked what exactly had happened to me.

He only kept warning me about how strange Song Decai was.

He told me never to step on his shadow or scare away his fish.

I couldn't say taboo phrases like "empty-handed" or "dead fish," either.

In short, there were quite a few taboos. As long as I broke even one of them,

he would fly into a rage and might even hit someone.

There was no helping it. I needed to find someone who could save my life.

Naturally, I committed all of it to memory.

About an hour later, we arrived at the terminal for this route, Fish Mouth Station.

This place was a river inlet that faced a river directly.

That was why it was called Fish Mouth.

Fish Mouth Station was only a few hundred meters from Fish Mouth Pier, so it wasn't far.

After parking the bus, Master Cao hurried over and led me toward the pier.

This area was fairly remote, practically out in the suburbs.

There weren't many pedestrians or vehicles on the road.

Master Cao led me to the pier before long.

It wasn't a cargo dock, but an old-fashioned pier, with only a ferry moored by the shore.

Scattered along the pier were twenty or thirty people fishing.

Most had set up sun umbrellas for themselves.

Some had one rod each, while others had several...

The two of us stood above the pier and looked down.

Even though we were still some distance away, Master Cao immediately pointed at an old man in the distance with seven or eight fishing rods lined up before him.

"See him? That's him.

That skinny, dark old man.

The old man with seven or eight rods in front of him, arguing with someone—that's him."

I looked closely and saw a skinny, dark old man arguing with a fat middle-aged man beside him.

I couldn't make out what they were arguing about, but I understood quite a few of the profanities.

Every word out of his mouth was foul.

This was Uncle Yu's senior brother, the corpse collector Song Decai.

A genuine master.

I just hadn't expected our first meeting to be in Zaun.

Master Cao gave an awkward smile beside me.

"Don't judge him by that. He really does have genuine ability.

Any corpse that others can't handle, he can.

He's famous around here.

People here call him Corpse Head Song.

It means the head of corpses.

He's just got a strange temper and a bit of a violent streak."

I nodded, having identified the man.

Master Cao continued,

"Then I won't go over with you. If he sees me with you, he definitely won't help.

Remember what I told you. Never speak to him while he's fishing, and don't step on his shadow."

"Understood, Master Cao. Thank you."

Master Cao grunted, nodded to me, then turned and left.

After Master Cao left, I waited at the pier.

I didn't go over, following Master Cao's advice.

Song Decai hated being disturbed while fishing more than anything.

I didn't dare go over and tempt fate.

Since it was still early, I waited in the shade by the pier.

I realized that Corpse Head Song could really take the heat.

It was scorching outside. Everyone else had umbrellas, but he alone sat under the blazing sun and fished.

He fished from morning until afternoon, and when he got hungry, he gnawed down two steamed buns.

I never saw him leave his fishing spot.

No wonder he was so skinny and dark.

And whenever anyone around him spoke a little too loudly, he would turn and shout at them.

The other fishermen all kept their distance from him.

Still, everyone else had caught something, more or less.

Only Corpse Head Song had the most rods—seven or eight laid out before him—yet there was no movement at all.

I sat by the pier, unable to find a chance to approach.

I could only wait until he finished fishing, or until he caught something, before going over.

But I waited and waited, from morning until dusk.

No matter how sleepy I became, I didn't dare fall asleep.

I kept watching him. If I wanted to live, I had to find an opportunity.

If I really fell asleep and missed my chance, I would die tonight.

I was exhausted and sleepy, but I couldn't leave.

Seeing that the sun was nearly setting and he still showed no signs of leaving, I began to grow restless.

I paced a short distance behind him, praying that he would get lucky, catch a fish, or pack up and go home.

Then, at that moment, I heard a sharp ripping sound.

The old man tugged on one of his rods, finally getting a bite.

"Ha ha ha, it's finally hooked! It's hooked..."

He spoke with obvious excitement.

The fishermen around him craned their necks to look.

Then the next second, with a snap, the line broke.

The surrounding fishermen gave a few mocking chuckles.

The old man glared at them furiously and immediately started cursing.

"What the hell are you laughing at? You've jinxed me rotten."

The others likely knew about his strange temper, so they turned away and ignored him.

Still muttering curses, he prepared to bait another hook and cast again.

"Damn it, I finally got a bite, and it got away."

But just then, I noticed movement on another one of his rods.

Corpse Head Song was crouched on the ground tying a fishhook and hadn't noticed at all.

Seeing that, I hurriedly called out,

"Sir, fish... a fish is on the hook..."

Hearing my voice, Corpse Head Song looked up at me.

The moment he saw me, he suddenly froze.

He didn't immediately reach for the rod with the fish on it.

Instead, he frowned, narrowed his eyes, and looked me over from head to toe.

Seeing that he hadn't moved, I spoke again.

"Sir, you've got a fish."

Only after hearing me again did he snap out of it and turn around.

He grabbed the rod with the fish on it.

As he reeled it in, he spoke with his back to me.

"You've got good luck, kid.

If you want to live, stay by my side and fish with me tonight.

If you want to die, leave now!"