[Period mystery + folk horror + mutual flirtation between two formidable leads + hard-core investigations + a thousand-year conspiracy]
In the deep autumn of 1970, a corpse in the morgue clutches a bronze ritual cup she has never shown anyone.
Shen Zhuo, the Forbidden City's youngest artifact restorer, was born with the ability to see spirits. Her uncanny hands can discern the secrets of a thousand years.
Mysterious murders erupt overnight: a theater claims lives, an ancient painting ensnares souls, and zombies attack people... Every case points to a cursed Western Zhou bronze ritual vessel.
Forced into the investigation, she crosses paths with Gu Shen, a mysterious detective codenamed Vermilion Bird who vanished five years ago.
He's ruthless and cunning, with every move calculated. At a glance, he sees through every one of her disguises.
She's cool and ruthless, with a brilliant mind, and counters his every move until she backs him into a corner.
Two formidable opponents face off, locked in a relentless battle of wills.
One eerie folk mystery after another, one ancient bronze artifact after another, reveals a cursed game of chess spanning a thousand years.
She is descended from the guardians of the gate. He is a pawn. And the fragment around her neck is the final key to unlocking the sacrifice.
“Gu Shen, we're both expendable pieces in this game.”
“Then I'll flip the board and protect you for the rest of your life.”
