Note: This is my original novel. Reposting or stealing it without permission is strictly prohibited. Violators will be held accountable!
A Childhood Nightmare: When eight-year-old Chen Xiaoxing was keeping watch overnight at the threshing ground with his mother, he saw a pair of floating white lanterns drift down from the hill of graves. The sight became a shadow that haunted him throughout his childhood.
Returning to His Hometown: Twenty years later, Chen Xiaoxing has become a reporter. When his mother's health takes a turn for the worse, he returns to his hometown of Qingshan Village, only to find it bleak and run-down. The villagers are deeply reluctant to discuss the white lanterns.
The Strange Sight Returns: On the night he gets back, Chen Xiaoxing sees the same pair of white lanterns drifting down from the mountain. At the same time, strange things begin happening in the village: livestock die, villagers disappear, and more. It is just like what happened twenty years ago.
Fragments of the Truth: Through his encounters with the old village chief, a madwoman named A Xiu, and others, Chen Xiaoxing gradually pieces together the legend of the white lanterns. They are tied to a mysterious death that took place twenty years ago.
His Mother's Secret: While unconscious in her hospital bed, his mother keeps murmuring, "The lanterns are here," hinting that she knows more about their secret.
The Horror Escalates: As his investigation deepens, Chen Xiaoxing discovers a terrifying truth hidden behind the white lanterns: the village is bound by a collective sin, and he himself is inextricably connected to the secret...
