The townspeople had killed Chen, the troupe leader and his companions, then sank their bodies into the water for ten days. That explained why, when they reappeared, there was always mud clinging to the soles of their feet.
Fengguang gripped his hand in fear. “If everything you’re saying is true… doesn’t that mean we’re in danger?”
Si Jia was still trying to think of a way to calm her down when a knock came at the door, followed by You’er’s voice from outside. “Sister Fengguang, are you in there?”
Fengguang looked at Si Jia in confusion, clearly waiting for his decision.
He gave a small nod, and only then did she respond, “I’m here, You’er. What is it?”
“Sister Fengguang, there’s something I want to tell you. May I come in?”
She glanced at Si Jia and, seeing no objection on his face, summoned the courage to open the door. When she saw You’er, she forced a small smile. “What is it?”
You’er stepped into the room and quietly closed the door behind him. He gave Si Jia only the briefest glance before taking Fengguang’s hand and whispering, “Sister, let me help you two leave this place.”
“You’re willing to help us escape?” Her voice came out too excited, and she cleared her throat awkwardly to steady herself. “Why would you do that?”
“Because this place is too dangerous.”
Si Jia asked calmly, “What kind of danger?”
You’er clearly disliked Si Jia—he didn’t even look at him, choosing instead to keep his eyes fixed on Fengguang. “The truth is… we’ve been living like this for a long time. Every year, everything repeats itself. The troupe comes to our town in the spring. I get kidnapped and murdered by Chen, the troupe leader, then the townspeople retaliate and kill them. They sink their bodies into the water, and after that, the flood comes—and everyone dies.”
What he said matched Si Jia’s earlier analysis perfectly.
“Sister, don’t be afraid of me. I’ve never hurt anyone.”
Fengguang should have been afraid—but when she saw the sadness on the boy’s face, a wave of sympathy rose in her chest. She’d never been able to harden her heart against children. “You’er, I’m not afraid of you… Can you tell me why Chen, the troupe leader, wanted to hurt you?”
“She wanted my hands. Her child died, and ever since, wherever she went, she’d use her magic tricks as a cover to lure children away. Then she’d take the most beautiful parts of them—some their heads, some their feet. For me… it was my hands. She believed that if she stitched all those parts together, she could create the perfect child.”
You’er looked despondent—clearly, he still remembered every detail of what had happened to him.
Fengguang looked down at the small hand clutching hers and felt a sharp pang of sorrow. “I’m sorry, You’er. I shouldn’t have brought it up.”
“It’s okay. I go through it every year.” He looked up at her earnestly. “Sister Fengguang, this town is trapped by resentment. The only way out of the cycle is for each person to reach their ‘end point’—the moment they died. Only then can they escape. The flood is coming soon. If you don’t leave now, it’ll be too late.”
This “cycle” meant that within the year they originally died, all the events leading up to their death would replay exactly as before—and during that process, they wouldn’t be aware of who they were.
You’er continued, “Because the resentment is too strong, all of us are trapped in this town. We can’t move on or reincarnate. The only way out… is to find someone else to die in our place.”
“That’s why I stopped you from going near the river that day. Once you’re on the water, the spirits beneath will pull you under.”
wannaberecluse On SRTT Chapter 98.2