今天是他結婚的大喜日子，亦是他面臨生死抉擇的一夜。

一切源於約三百年前他一位先祖的經歷。那件事，是他十五歲生日那晚，母親慎重地告訴他的。

先祖家境富裕，外表俊朗，生性風流，最愛四處遊歷。有一次，他到了巫術盛行的海地，在科科耶海灘細軟的白沙上漫步。艷陽如火，忽見一個當地少女走入淺水。她膚色如蜜，腰肢扭擺間有一種野性的美。她回過頭來，朝他盈盈一笑。那笑容不帶羞怯，像烈日下吹來的一陣涼風。他心中一蕩，便跟了過去。蔚藍天空下，清澈海水中，兩人從淺水嬉鬧到深處，肌膚相觸之間，熱情一發不可收拾。

返回沙灘，他說了許多甜言蜜語，哄得少女十分開心。少女也告訴他自己的身份，是著名巫師的女兒，滿十六歲，按照家族的規定，必須獨自搬開居住。當夜，她牽起他的手，帶他走過林間小徑，回到家中。油燈搖曳，在昏黃的光暈下，兩人發生了關係。

先祖睡醒時，嗅到空氣中瀰漫著腐肉與藥水交織的怪味。在牆角，掛著風乾的殘肢，已辨不出是何種動物。門旁的架上，擺著幾顆骷髏頭骨，還有一尊醜陋不堪的銅魔像。最駭人的，是桌上那隻玻璃罐，裡面有半截嬰孩胚胎蜷縮在渾濁的藥水中。 他見過不少世面，膽子又大，只是微微皺眉，心裡清楚這少女絕不好惹。但他被色慾蒙蔽，沒有深想，繼續和和少女胡天胡帝。

每一天，他都向少女許下很多天花亂墜的承諾，明知不會去做，卻說得情真意切。少女沉醉於他的謊言，愛意愈來愈深。

半個月後，他厭倦了。他知道少女情根深種，若說要走，她不會准許。 於是，他等她睡沉了，才輕輕下床，不敢發出一聲，摸黑收拾行囊。然後，慢慢行向門前，距離門口只有三步。

「你去哪裡？」

背後傳來她的聲音，令他僵住了。他心裡湧上一陣煩惡，但旋即露出笑容，轉過身，道：「我家突然有急事，要趕回去處理。」

他壓低聲，語氣更溫柔，續道：「處理完了，就回來。」

她哭了，眼淚無聲地滑下來：「你說過，會永遠陪我的。」 他在心裡冷笑，說過的話，算什麼？他又知道說什麼也沒用，就不發一言，轉身便去拉門。

怎料，少女撲向他，十指緊緊箍住他的手臂，像溺水的人抓住一塊浮木。他用力揮手，也擺脫不了。

「不要走……」她的聲音碎了。

他沒理會她的哀求，只覺手臂劇痛，她的指甲已掐進肉裡，滲出血來。他大怒，隨手拿起門旁架上那尊醜陋的銅魔像，重重砸向她的頭。

那一聲悶響，令他吃了一驚。

她鬆了手，倒在地上，血從髮縫間湧出來，半張臉是血，雙手指尖還沾著他臂上的血。她沒有再哭，只是用右手蘸了自己臉上的血，將兩人的血混在一起。然後，她緩緩伸出中指與尾指，筆直指向他，嘴唇急速顫動，唸著他聽不懂的咒語。她的眼睛，充滿怨恨。突然，她用盡最後一口氣，「噗」地吐出一口血。那血不偏不倚，正中他的下體，燙得像是來自地獄深處的烈焰。

他痛得慘叫一聲，跌倒在地，驚恐地低頭查看，褲子上卻乾乾淨淨，沒有任何血漬。再抬頭時，她已斷了氣。可是雙眼睜得渾圓，眼珠凸出，死死地盯著他。

母親說到這裡，嘆道：「你先祖的確是不對，但他受到的報應，太慘了。」

他問母親：「他都死了差不多三百年，莫非死後，靈魂也逃不過巫術的詛咒？」

母親回答：「唉！你先祖後來查出自己中了一個非常惡毒且無法可解的巫術，就是最多只能有一個子女，因為當他和其他女性發生關係後，翌日雞啼，就會氣絕身亡。而巫術的力量，會綿延至後代，直到第八代子孫為止。」

母親頓了一頓，續道：「而你，就是第八代。」

他心想，這不就是著名異象探索家衛斯理記述的《蠱惑》和《血咒》的變奏版嗎？（註）

他雖然沒有看過，但實在太多人提過衛斯理的記載，故他約略知道。

他不敢向母親說出自己的想法，因為母親非常認真。此外，他亦知道每一代先人，都是遺腹子。 他道：「真幸運，每一代祖先都一擊即中，成功懷孕，而且都是男孩。」

母親答：「因為你先祖尋得九粒半圭丹，俗稱誕男藥。服用一粒，必令對方懷孕，誕下麟兒。現在，只餘下一粒，待你洞房前服用，而你的兒子，則不再受巫術牽制，可以開枝散葉。」

他趕亡道：「但我會死去，我寧可不結婚生子了。」

他母親喝斥他：「你歷代祖先都是犧牲性命，來繼後香燈，否則，也不會有你。你有責任承擔他們的遺願，完成這個近三百年的任務。」

母親從來未曾如此嚴厲，嚇得他不敢出聲。

 母親語氣轉為溫柔：「不過，我為你尋得世上最後一劑不死藥。」

他問：「就是衛斯理在南太平洋一個島嶼發現的神秘藥物？」

母親道：「對，根據他在《不死藥》的記載，這藥是由植物提煉出來的白色汁液。但這個島陸沉了，我是輾轉託人，付出重酬，才尋獲這藥。你只要日後在洞房前服用，就不會死了。」

他虛應一聲，沒有討論下去，但心想：「這不死藥，不知是否真貨。就算是，也不知能否破解巫術。」

今夜，婚宴後，他要面臨生死抉擇。

如果你是他，你會選擇：

 - （A）：服用誕男藥和不死藥

 - （B）：只服用不死藥

 - （C）：不服用任何藥

Today is his wedding day. And tonight, he stands at the crossroads of life and death.

It all began about three hundred years ago with one of his ancestors. His mother told him the story on his fifteenth birthday — very seriously.

The ancestor was rich, handsome, and wild at heart. He loved traveling. One day, he arrived in Haiti, a land famous for black magic. He strolled along the soft white sand of Kokoye Beach. The sun blazed hot. Suddenly, he saw a local girl wade into the shallow water. Her skin was the color of honey, and her swaying hips had a wild, beautiful grace. She turned and gave him a warm, fearless smile — like a cool breeze on a scorching day. His heart skipped a beat, and he followed her. Under the bright blue sky, in the clear water, they splashed from the shallows to the deep. Skin touched skin. Passion exploded.

Back on the beach, he showered her with sweet talk. She was delighted. She told him she was the daughter of a famous bokor. She had just turned sixteen, and according to her family's rules, she had to live alone. That night, she took his hand and led him through a forest path to her home. By the flickering lamplight, they had a night of passion.

When the ancestor woke up, he smelled something strange — a mix of rotten meat and chemicals. In the corner hung dried animal parts, unidentifiable. On a shelf by the door were several human skulls and an ugly bronze statue. The most terrifying thing was a glass jar on the table — inside, half of a baby's fetus curled up in murky liquid. He had seen a lot in his life and was brave. He just frowned slightly, knowing this girl was dangerous. But lust blinded him. He stayed and continued his wild affair with her.

Every day, he made her big, ridiculous promises — things he never meant to keep. But he said them with such feeling that she believed him completely. Her love grew deeper and deeper.

After half a month, he got bored. He knew she was deeply in love. If he said he wanted to leave, she would never allow it. So he waited until she was fast asleep. Then he crept out of bed without a sound, packed his bag in the dark, and tiptoed toward the door. He was only three steps away.

"Where are you going?"

Her voice came from behind. He froze. Annoyance flashed through him, but he quickly smiled and turned around. "Something urgent came up at home," he said softly. "I have to go back and handle it."

He lowered his voice even more, trying to sound gentle. "Once it's done, I'll come back."

She cried. Tears slid silently down her cheeks. "You promised you'd stay with me forever." He sneered inside. Promises? What are promises? He knew nothing he said would help, so he turned and pulled at the door.

Suddenly, the girl sprang at him. Her fingers dug into his arm like a drowning person grabbing a log. He tried to shake her off, but she held tight.

"Don't go…" Her voice cracked.

He ignored her begging. Then he felt a sharp pain — her fingernails had pierced his skin, drawing blood. Furious, he grabbed the ugly bronze statue from the shelf and smashed it hard against her head.

Thud. The sound shocked him.

She let go and fell to the floor. Blood gushed from her hairline, covering half her face. Her fingertips were still stained with his blood from his arm. She stopped crying. Slowly, she dipped her right hand in the blood on her own face, mixing it with his. Then she raised her middle and little fingers, pointing straight at him. Her lips trembled fast, chanting a curse he couldn't understand. Her eyes burned with hatred. With her last breath, she spat — pfft — a mouthful of blood. It hit him right in the groin, burning like fire from the depths of hell.

He screamed in pain and fell to the ground. Terrified, he looked down at his pants — clean, no blood. When he looked up again, she was dead. But her eyes were wide open, bulging, staring at him without blinking.

His mother sighed. "Your ancestor was wrong, but his punishment was awful."

He asked, "He's been dead for nearly three hundred years. Couldn't his soul escape the curse?"

"Alas," his mother said. "Later, he discovered he was struck by an evil, unbreakable curse. He could have at most one child — because if he slept with any other woman, he would drop dead at the next crow of the rooster. And the curse would pass down for eight generations."

She paused. "And you… are the eighth generation."

He thought: Isn't this just like a variation of "Bewitched, Bewildered" and "Blood Spell" adventures, which were documented by the famous paranormal explorer Wisely? (Note)

He had never read them, but so many people talked about Wisely's adventures that he knew the rough picture.

He didn't dare say what he was thinking — because his mother was completely serious. He also knew that every father in his family had died before his son was born. "Lucky us," he said. "Every ancestor got it right on the first try. All boys."

His mother replied, "That's because your ancestor found nine Half-Jade Pills — also called Boy-Guarantee Pills. Take one, and it guarantees your partner will have a son. Only one pill remains. You must take it on your wedding night. And your son will be free from the curse — he can have many children."

"But I'll die," he said quickly. "I'd rather not marry or have kids."

His mother scolded him. "Every one of your ancestors sacrificed his life to continue the family line. If they hadn't, you wouldn't exist. It's your duty to carry their dying wish and complete this three-hundred-year mission."

She had never spoken so harshly. He was too scared to argue.

Then her voice softened. "But I found the last dose of the Immortality Drug in the world."

"The mysterious drug discovered by Wisely on a South Pacific island?" he asked.

"Yes," she said. "According to his story 'Immortality Drug,' it's a white sap from a rare plant. But that island sank beneath the sea. I went through many people and paid a huge reward to get this. If you take it before your wedding night, you won't die."

He nodded vaguely, not wanting to argue. But he thought: Is this drug even real? And even if it is, can it break the curse?

Tonight, after the wedding banquet, he must face life and death.

If you were him, what would you choose?

 - Choice (A): Take both the Boy-Guarantee Pill and the Immortality Drug

 - Choice (B): Take only the Immortality Drug

 - Choice (C): Take neither

選擇（A）：服用誕男藥和不死藥

他服用誕男藥和不死藥後，開始洞房。翌日，沒有事，逃過一劫。但過了幾個月，妻子仍沒有懷孕。

他和母親細心研究《不死藥》的記載，當讀到不死藥原來有不孕的副作用，就極度失望，沒有讀下去。他們發現不死藥雖然破解了巫術的詛咒，同時中和了誕男藥的功效。

他歎氣道：「應該在洞房前先服用誕男藥，然後，在雞啼前服用不死藥，就可以誕下男兒，又不用死。如果有認真細看衛斯理的經歷，就會有一個美滿的結果。」

[完]

Choice (A): Take both the Boy-Guarantee Pill and the Immortality Drug

He took both pills and went to the bridal chamber. Next morning — nothing happened. He had survived. But months passed, and his wife still wasn't pregnant.

He and his mother studied the records of "Immortality Drug" carefully. When they read that the drug caused infertility, they were so disappointed and stopped reading any further. They realized the Immortality Drug broke the curse, yes — but it also canceled out the Boy-Guarantee Pill.

He sighed. "If only I had taken the Boy-Guarantee Pill first, then the Immortality Drug before dawn… I would have had a son and survived. If I had read Wisely's adventures properly, everything would have ended perfectly."

[End]

選擇（B）：只服用不死藥

他想：「還是保住生命要緊，後代之事，漫漫人生，可從詳計議。」

翌日，他沒有事，但一直沒有後代。就算服了誕男藥，也沒有用。

最後，他從《不死藥》記載中，知道不死藥有不孕的副作用。此外，要持續服用不死藥，否則會成為白痴。

而衛斯理服用不死藥後，需要經過多次內分泌系統的複雜手術，才有機會不致成為白痴。雖然醫學進步了不少，但在這方面仍有很多未知之處。

衛斯理在記載最後，幽默地說：「我是連續小說主角，當然逢凶化吉，不會有事的。」

但他只是極短篇小說主角，命運又如何呢？

[完]

Choice (B): Take only the Immortality Drug

He thought: Staying alive is more important. As for children — I have a whole life ahead to figure that out.

The next morning, he was fine. But he never had a child. Even when he later took the Boy-Guarantee Pill, it didn't work.

Then he read the records of "Immortality Drug" and learned the truth: it caused infertility. Also, he had to keep taking it — or he would turn into a mental vegetable.

And Wisely himself had needed many complicated hormone surgeries just to avoid that fate. Medicine had improved, but there were still many unknowns.

At the end of his narration, Wisely wrap up with humour: "I'm the main character in a long-running series, bad luck takes one look at me and gives up, of course I'll be fine."

But he's only the main character of a very short story. So what will his fate turn out to be?

[End]

選擇（C）：不服用任何藥

他知道先祖的經歷後，心想：「兩種藥不知會否過期，也不知同時服用會否有副作用。」

於是，他決定不依賴藥物，用自己的力量去解決。他研究衛斯理的記載，發現不死藥有不孕的副作用。服用了，也解決不了問題。

而在另一個以原振俠為主角的《血咒》中，提到巫術是運用存在於宇宙的不同能量，來達到目的。

他又從另一本叫《異寶》的記載，知道衛斯理的腦部可以控制自己的腦能量，超過平時幾百倍。

他決定尋找增加腦能量的方法，加以訓練，並研究巫術的破解方法。他花了近十年時間，於超能力者和巫師之間，薄有名氣。

今夜，他在洞房時，就用自己的意志和研究出來的破解方法，以性命做賭注，去破解三百年的詛咒。

[完]

Choice (C): Take neither

After learning his ancestor's story, he thought, "Who knows if these pills have expired? And what if taking both causes bad side effects?"

So he decided not to rely on drugs. He would use his own power. He studied Wisely's stories and found out the Immortality Drug caused infertility — so that wouldn't solve the problem.

In another story, "Blood Spell" (starring a different main character, Doctor Yuen Chun Hap), it said that black magic works by tapping into different energies in the universe.

From another story called "A Peculiar Gem," he learned that Wisely could control his own brain superpower — at hundreds of times the normal level.

He decided to find ways to increase his brain superpower, train himself, and study how to break magic curses. He spent nearly ten years at it. Slowly, he became known among psychics and sorcerers.

Tonight, on his wedding night, he will enter the bridal chamber — and risk his life using his brain superpower and the methods he discovered. He will try to break the three-hundred-year curse on his own.

[End]

註：《蠱惑》和《血咒》分別是衛斯理系列和原振俠系列的故事，由香港著名作家倪匡先生著作。衛斯理系列共145個故事，主角衛斯理的想像力非常豐富，好奇心十分重，遇到怪事，一定會去調查出真相。

原振俠系列以衛斯理之名撰寫，共32個故事。

Note: "Bewitched, Bewildered" and "Blood Curse" are stories by the famous Hong Kong writer Ni Kuang. "Bewitched, Bewildered" is one of the Wisely series (totally 145 stories). Wisely is wildly imaginative, curious, and always gets to the bottom of strange mysteries.

"Blood Spell" is from the Doctor Yuen Chun Hap series (totally 32 stories), written under the name Wisely.