Hearing Lancy's words, Cotton, Sean, and Lu Hua exchanged glances, their faces showing a mix of emotions.
After a moment of silence, Sean swallowed and said to Lancy, "You're wondering what major event will happen next year, aren't you?"
Lancy quickly waved her hands in denial. "I'm not saying we have to look—2010 is only a little over five months away. If we find out about some disaster ahead of time, wouldn't we just be living in constant fear?"
Sean replied, "But the poem on page '10' might not necessarily predict a disaster. Maybe it foretells some great event that's going to happen in 2010!"
Lancy said, "Look at the first three poems. Which one of them isn't predicting a major disaster? I don't think this author had any intention of foretelling good news!"
Sean turned to Cotten and Lu Hua. "What do you guys think?"
Lu Hua hesitated. "I'm not really afraid of learning about some disaster in advance—after all, even if we know about it, that doesn't mean it'll happen here. It's just that I feel…"
"Feel what?" Sean pressed.
Lu Hua shook his head in confusion and said, "I just feel like this whole thing is too strange, too bizarre. It's so surreal, it's like we're in a dream. And besides, there are still so many unknowns, so many inexplicable questions that we haven't figured out yet. If we just recklessly try to uncover events that are about to happen in the future, could it…"
He trailed off, leaving the rest unsaid.
Sean asked, "You're not seriously worried about revealing the secrets of heaven and getting punished, are you?"
Lu Hua didn't respond. Instead, he looked at Cotten, as if seeking his opinion.
Cotten, who had been resting his chin in thought, finally raised his head and said, "What we're dealing with right now is undeniably strange. But let's take a step back and approach this logically. If the three poems Lu Hua randomly selected all align perfectly with the major events of their respective years, then we have every reason to believe that the rest of the book's contents are credible. In other words, it's highly likely that the major events from 2010 onward are also predicted in this book. And the accuracy—while perhaps not 100%—is probably close enough to be reliable, say 80 or 90 percent."
Cotton glanced around at his three friends, his expression serious, and said, "This means that we've likely stumbled upon a rare and extraordinary book of prophecies purely by chance! In that case, we have no choice but to keep reading."
"What do you mean?" Sean asked, looking at him in confusion.
"Think about it. If this book really can predict major disasters that are about to happen, then once we know about them, we could find ways to prevent some of these catastrophes, or at least prepare in advance! If we can do that, imagine how many lives and how much property we could save!"
Lu Hua looked at Cotton hesitantly and said, "I've thought about that too, but what I'm worried about is…"
"'The idea of divine retribution is pure nonsense!'" Cotton said firmly to Lu Hua. "'We're people of the 21st century, how can you still believe in such unscientific things!'"
Lu Hua replied, "But is a 'prophecy poem' in line with scientific thinking either? Yet here it is, right in front of us."
Cotton countered, "Nostradamus's Centuries has long been deciphered, and its various versions have been spread worldwide in different languages. I haven't heard of anyone suffering any divine retribution from it."
Lu Hua muttered, "You can't be sure. Who knows if the people who deciphered The Centuries faced any retribution? It's easy for you to talk—I'm the one who translated it!"
"You! I never thought…"
Sean raised his hand between them, signaling for calm, and said, "You two stop arguing. Let me make a suggestion."
Both Cotton and Lu Hua looked at him.
Sean said, "Cotton's idea is definitely a good one, but Lu Hua has to do it voluntarily. We can't force him to continue translating—this thing is just too strange, beyond our understanding. I think we should let fate decide for us."
"Flip a coin?" Cotton caught on and said directly.
"Whatever works," Sean replied, then turned to Lu Hua. "What do you think? Are you in?"
Lu Hua thought for a moment, then nodded. "Fine, let's do it! Don't think I'm scared or lacking in curiosity. Actually, if what we're doing can really save many lives, then I'll accept whatever retribution comes my way. Never mind, let's just flip the coin."
Lancy took out a one-yuan coin from her pocket and handed it to Sean. "I happen to have one."
Sean asked, "Who's going to flip it?"
Lu Hua said, "You flip it. If it lands heads up, I'll translate the remaining poems tonight. If it lands tails, then it means fate doesn't approve of us doing this."
"Ah?" Lu Hua exclaimed when he saw the coin standing upright at his feet. "What does this mean? Is this heads or tails?"
Lancy said, "Let's flip it again."
"No need." Sean stared at Lu Hua and said, "I think what fate is telling us is that… this decision is up to you."
"Well…" Lu Hua looked up and saw the three of them staring at him. He opened his mouth, then sighed deeply, saying solemnly, "Alright, I said earlier that if this can save lives, I'm willing to face any consequence—I'll do it. I've decided. I'll translate the remaining poems."
"Alright," Sean replied, and he tossed the coin into the air. It landed on the wooden floor beneath their feet. To their surprise, the coin spun a few times and rolled toward Lu Hua's feet, where it tapped his shoe and then came to a stop—standing upright on the side of his sneaker.
"That's great!" Cotton said happily, patting Lu Hua on the shoulder. "That's the spirit!"
"Don't celebrate too early," Lu Hua replied. "There's still one problem. Even if we know about the disasters that are about to happen, who's going to believe us? It would be bad enough if people just laughed at us, but if things go wrong, they might think we're deliberately spreading rumors to cause trouble!"
Cotton said, "Well, when the time comes, we can hand the book over to the government, let the experts study it. That way, they'll know we're not just making wild claims."
"Let's not worry about that for now. We'll cross that bridge after Lu Hua finishes the translation tonight. Who knows, maybe the predictions for the next few years are all about great things, and it will be a happy ending for everyone?" Sean said.
Lu Hua glanced at his watch, surprised to see that it was almost five o'clock. He picked up the book, stood up, and said, "I think I'll get started on it now. Translating all of this is no easy task."
"Alright," Sean said to everyone. "Tomorrow afternoon at two, come to my place. Don't be late."