Original subtitles

[This is a work of fiction]

[Seven Relics of ill Omen]

[Adapted from Weiyu's novel, The Seven Relics of ill Omen]

[Episode 4]

Come in.

Madam Hong,

what happened to Mr. Li?

You all know now.

I'm Li Yaqing.

The victim was Huo Zihong,

my twin sister.

[In Memory of Huo Zihong] She shouldn't have died.

It should have been me.

The whole story

started with Zhang Guanghua.

Zhang Guanghua?

I asked Wan Fenghuo about him.

There doesn't seem to be any connection between you.

I was pregnant with Zhang Guanghua's child.

Back then,

he was a married man.

Normally,

such a scandal

could not be uncovered.

In those days,

in our small town,

Zhang Guanghua was handsome,

educated,

and naturally romantic.

He was melancholic,

lamenting his unhappy family.

He sweet-talked me,

promising to divorce for me.

I actually believed him.

By the time I was pregnant,

he had disappeared.

That's when I realized how foolish I had been.

My parents were deeply disappointed in me.

Gossip runs rampant in small towns.

To avoid prying eyes,

they took me elsewhere

to have the child aborted.

Take it easy.

Are you still dizzy?

Have some water.

I'll make you some noodles.

My father couldn't swallow the injustice.

He pulled strings

and had Zhang Guanghua transferred away.

Later, he introduced me to Li Tan.

But the atmosphere at home

was never the same again.

Food is ready.

Go ahead.

Why aren't you eating?

Does it not taste good?

Dad,

you should eat more greens.

I'm full.

You two go ahead.

I have work to do.

I was ashamed.

Never mind him.

It was all my fault.

Then one day,

Have some of the braised pork.

I got a call.

It was from Huo Zihong.

Madam Hong,

are you saying

your abducted sister came back on her own?

She was targeted

and secretly taken away.

Later, the couple who took her had a car accident.

Before they died,

they told her the truth.

So she moved back to Luoma Lake

and lived in Chenqian Alley.

She found my number in the phone book

and gave me a call.

Oh my goodness.

We look exactly alike.

Let me see.

Just identical.

My gosh, exactly the same.

Perhaps it's true that blood is thicker than water.

Though it was our first meeting,

there was no distance between us.

We were as close as if we'd never been apart.

Zihong, come here.

I realized then

Sit down.

that this was a good thing.

A great joy.

So delicious.

It would lift the gloom at home.

Here.

I wanted to pick the perfect day

to introduce her properly

and give my parents a surprise.

So silly.

Then

came on the day

of our birthday.

Zihong.

Yaqing.

You look beautiful.

Come in.

I'm still a bit nervous.

It's alright. Come in.

Is that Li Tan?

No.

Just the cake I ordered.

Come in.

Just relax.

Make yourself at home.

Take off your coat.

Just do everything like normal.

Don't be afraid.

I'll hide in the closet.

Here.

Will this work?

It's fine.

Remember, you are now Li Yaqing.

I'm Huo Zihong.

Just do whatever you need to do.

Hurry up.

Go on.

Yaqing,

bring me some hot water.

In a minute.

What are you standing there for?

Give me the water.

Silly girl.

Is... Is everything okay?

Mom?

Mom!

What's wrong?

What are you doing?

You...

Dad!

No.

No, don't.

Stay back!

No! Please, no!

No, no!

Don't...

Don't come any closer!

My mind went completely blank.

I kept telling myself

not to go out.

If I did, it'd all be over.

Then

everything faded

and I passed out.

What happened next?

Was the person

really using fishing line?

When I woke up,

I vaguely

heard him going out.

After I crawled out of the closet...

Madam Hong.

I saw

the bodies of my parents

and my sister.

Madam Hong.

They were hung in the middle of the room with fishing line.

Mom!

I completely lost my mind.

I grabbed a knife from the floor

and ran out.

How ironic.

The man I loved with all my heart

and who was always on my mind

could kill me and my family

so brutally.

I kept asking why.

Why would he do this to me?

Did you call the police?

No.

I was numb at first.

I wasn't thinking about anything.

But then,

I felt

a fire burning within me.

I wanted to kill him myself.

I wanted to kill this beast

most cruelly.

I wanted to make him suffer

exactly as he had made us suffer!

Madam Hong.

He didn't go home that night.

He went to the long-distance bus station.

I followed him.

Bought the same ticket.

Boarded the same bus.

Hatred can transform a person in an instant.

I was able

to disguise myself so calmly

and follow him

without being noticed.

After two days and nights

and multiple transfers,

we finally arrived

in Datong.

[Datong]

After what he'd done,

that beast could still

eat calmly.

What are you doing?

Pay the bill.

Why are you running?

Are you in a hurry to kick the bucket?

The flood discharge starts in three minutes.

Residents downstream of the floodgates must evacuate now.

The flood discharge starts in three minutes.

Residents downstream of the floodgates must evacuate now.

Ya... Yaqing?

How could it be you?

How could it be me?

What do you think?

I...

What did I ever do

to make you want to kill me?

And even my family!

Why did you kill them?

Why?

I didn't want to kill you!

I swear I didn't!

I don't know why!

Why did you do this to me?

Answer me!

You devil!

Go to hell!

Of course, I was no match for Zhang Guanghua.

I was losing strength.

But maybe my family

was protecting me.

I managed to climb up along the guardrail.

I sat there all night,

thinking.

I didn't kill anyone.

But Zhang Guanghua's death

was indirectly caused by me.

And if I went back,

I'd have to explain everything to the police.

Then our affair

would've been exposed.

In those days, in that small town,

gossip could ruin lives.

Even my dead parents

would be dragged through the mud.

At dawn,

watching the sunrise,

I suddenly felt

heaven had given me a second chance.

So

you decided to impersonate Huo Zihong?

The murderer was dead.

My family was avenged.

Li Yaqing's old life

was over.

It was best

to start fresh with a new name.

You already knew Zhang Guanghua's fate,

yet you still asked Wan Fenghuo about him?

I need to see him, alive or dead.

I couldn't rest easy

without confirmation.

Then what about Mr. Li?

Didn't you think about him?

No.

Not at all.

I only dated Li Tan

to make my father happy.

So you never loved him?

It was all an act?

Is that what you told him?

He looked devastated earlier.

He left without a word.

Madam Hong,

don't you think this is cruel?

He'll see his entire life's devotion

as a joke.

At least you could tell him a white lie.

It's exactly

because he wasted half his life

that I don't want him

to keep wasting it

on someone like me.

That's enough.

I've told you everything I need to.

I'm tired.

You should go now.

You don't need to feel sorry for Li Tan.

Love can't be faked.

He will find out the truth eventually.

He deserves to know.

Things seem to be clearer,

but also confusing.

It doesn't seem to help Pingting much.

What are you going to do next?

Investigating may lead nowhere.

And even if it does, it might not be satisfying.

I'll take it step by step.

I think

I should return to Xiaoshang River.

That's wise.

It's more reassuring for you to be by Pingting's side.

It's good to meet you.

See you next time.

Mu Dai,

after revealing the secret I've kept for years,

I felt a sense of relief.

But when I think about

how my cowardice and avoidance

brought misfortune to so many,

even causing some to waste half their lives,

I feel ashamed of this relief.

I've decided to return to Luoma Lake

and finish what I didn't complete.

Don't worry about me.

I'll take care of myself.

It's time I faced my past,

present, and future

with courage.

[Xiaoshang River Service Area]

Pingting.

Pingting!

[Luo Ren]

Madam Hong won't let me go see her,

and Luo Ren hasn't replied.

Why hasn't he replied to my messages?

Let's share what we know.

Hello?

Hello, Luo Ren.

Sorry.

I've been busy with Pingting's matters since returning.

Didn't check my phone much.

It's okay.

How is Pingting?

Not good.

Last night,

she almost broke the guardrail

trying to escape.

She's that strong?

Just like my uncle back then.

Physical abilities far exceed normal limits.

Thankfully, she's fine during the day.

But at night,

she acts strangely.

The nurse just gave her a sedative.

She should be okay now.

The guardrail has been reinforced.

Won't constant sedation take a toll on her body?

Yeah.

It's not a long-term solution.

But right now, staying by her side

is all I can do.

Then...

What do we do?

Physical changes.

Becoming a different person.

It does seem like being possessed.

[Wan Fenghuo]

Hello?

Hello, Mr. Wan?

Do you remember me?

It's Mu Dai.

Of course I do.

Miss Mu.

Ground rules first.

You pay upfront

for information here.

No, Mr. Wan.

Clients come first these days, right?

Madam Hong is your loyal client, isn't she?

And I'm your potential client, right?

I could even introduce more clients to you,

right?

So, for a valuable client like me,

shouldn't you

have a little chat with me

and offer some free service

to keep me interested?

You're right.

That makes a lot of sense.

Alright.

So what would you like to discuss?

Well,

you handled the Luoma Lake case.

And you know it's full of doubts

and weird aspects.

Well,

you've got connections.

Do you know any reliable experts,

like someone who studies

supernatural phenomena?

I figure

it's best to consult experts,

right?

Mr. Wan,

are you still there?

[Kun Talk]

Kun Talk?

His name is Shen Mukun.

An expert in supernatural phenomena.

Also deeply interested in ancient mysticism and aliens.

He's known in the field as Master Kun.

He's a walking encyclopedia

and has read countless ancient texts.

A true polymath.

You can consult him about this.

Hello?

Hello, Mr. Mighty.

Mr. Kun, hi.

I'm a friend of Wan Fenghuo.

My name is Mu Dai.

Wan's referral?

He mentioned you.

Honestly, that guy...

I've been busy writing a book lately.

But since you're his friend,

I'll give you five minutes. Go ahead.

Alright.

Here's the thing.

In your research, have you ever

encountered cases

where a person is controlled by some force,

leading them to do

bad things against their will?

And this force

can leave the body and harm others?

Your description is rather vague.

Maybe I'm not phrasing it well.

Listen,

if you want answers,

you need to provide five specifics:

who, what,

when, where,

and what makes it unusual.

Here's what happened.

Did you just say

human skin?

Yes.

Each victim was missing a piece of skin.

Quite rectangular.

Rectangular?

How precise? Any measurements?

Yes, let me check.

[Wan Fenghuo's Secret Document]

Twenty-three point five centimeters long

and five centimeters wide.

That's not very rectangular.

That's the size of a long strip.

This size

is very special

and highly indicative.

Very special?

From your reaction,

I can tell that you don't read books

or learn history, do you?

Ancient bamboo slips

had a standardized size.

About one chi in length.

Converted

to modern units,

that's about twenty-three point five centimeters.

Twenty-three point five multiplied by five.

That was the common size for all wooden slips.

You just said

this force can

twist the human heart

and make them do bad things against their will?

Yes.

Twisting the human heart.

Making them do bad things against their will.

Twenty-three point five multiplied by five.

I've heard

this story.

I... I even took notes on it.

Yes, but my mind

just went blank for a second.

I...

I need to check my notes.

Give me a moment.

Pocketty.

My name is Mu Dai.

I know.

That's why I'm calling you that.

If he gives you a nickname

while talking,

it means he considers you a friend.

Listen up.

Born of wood,

parasitizes in the human body,

twists the heart,

and lures its host into evil.

Thus, it is called

relic of ill omen.

Relic of ill omen?

Let's

begin.

You're saying

that Mr. Kun

heard about this thing?

He found records in his notes

from over a decade ago.

The shape matches.

The description fits, too.

Where and from whom

did he hear

about this thing?

It seems it was from...

Ren!

Pingting's in trouble!

Why did the lamp just fall?

Pingting!

Get the first aid kit!

Ren!

Hurry!

Pingting.

Hey, Ren.

Ren, be gentle.

Be gentle.

What just happened?

Nothing.

Pingting just had a fall.

Mr. Zheng got scared.

Hey, what are you...?

What are you doing?

Why do you sound so far away?

Then I'll move closer.

[Mu Dai]

You sure you're okay?

I'm fine.

By the way,

what else did Mr. Kun mention?

Nothing else for now.

He heard about it over ten years ago

during his travels up north.

It's a kind of folk tale.

The records are limited.

What are you standing there for?

You're bleeding out.

This isn't how you treat a wound.

Mr. Zheng, please get me some water.

Alright, sure.

But that cut is so deep.

What if

it gets infected?

You're injured?

Is it serious?

Nothing. Just a scratch.

I got careless.

What happened?

Pingting's condition

has worsened.

She's started attacking people,

and she doesn't just do it randomly.

She actually

uses strategies.

Strategies?

Yes.

She first sabotaged the lamp,

then pretended to be hit by it.

Thankfully, I got there in time.

What's your plan now?

I just gave her a sedative.

Then I dismissed the caregiver.

With Pingting like this,

I don't dare let anyone near her.

Do you need help?

It's fine. But with her like this,

there's no one I can turn to.

Me.

You?

Forget it.

Pingting is dangerous now.

Luo Ren,

are you doubting me

or my skills?

Mr. Zheng is getting old,

you're injured,

and Pingting is unstable.

You need someone who can restrain her, watch over her,

and help with personal care.

Who else fits better than me?

That's not appropriate.

And you're in Lixi.

It's too much trouble.

I'm not offering to help for free.

I have conditions.

What conditions?

You know I'm in Lixi.

You're covering my round-trip flight tickets, right?

No problem.

And room and board?

Sure.

Mu Dai.

Thank you.

Come on, we're friends.

It's a matter of urgency.

Don't be so formal.

Well,

see you later.

I brought a suitcase.

Let me get that.

Thank you.

Luo Ren.

Sorry,

I couldn't pick you up,

and you had to take a cab.

It's fine. You're injured.

It's nothing.

Serves you right.

This morning, when changing the dressing,

the wound was still bleeding like crazy.

You always

play the tough guy.

Old folks exaggerate.

Let's go.

Pingting.

Mu Dai.

This iron gate is new.

Here's the switch.

Usually, meals are passed through this opening.

All utensils are made of paper.

Let me.

Pingting?

What's going on?

Hasn't she showered in days?

Time to get to work.

Pingting?

Here.

Pingting,

this is Mu Dai.

She's here to help you.

Be good, will you?

Let's go.

Come on.

Fun, isn't it?

♪Give me wings to pierce the universe♪

Is the water too cold?

♪In these ordinary moments♪

Pingting,

turn around a bit more.

Let me rinse you off.

Pingting?

♪I'll fly to forbidden snowy mountain peaks♪

Pingting?

Pingting?

♪Fly over any plain I wish to go♪

♪The sky splits the dawn's horizon♪

♪Telling me the end♪

♪Is about to gently appear♪

♪Like a whisper in my mind♪

♪A fleeting touch across my face♪

♪And I remain in darkness♪

♪Every hand has two sides♪

♪One offers blessings♪

♪One waits in silence♪

♪This game has no ending♪

♪Following the traces left behind♪

♪If you were me♪

♪You'd understand every tear of mine♪

♪The reason they fall♪

♪If I were you♪

♪I'd feel each breath you take♪

♪Then we'd move forward♪

♪The sky splits the dawn's horizon♪

♪Telling me the end♪

♪Is about to gently appear♪

♪Like a whisper in my mind♪

♪A fleeting touch across my face♪

♪And I remain in darkness♪

♪The sky splits the dawn's horizon♪

♪Telling me the end♪

♪Is about to gently appear♪

♪Like a whisper in my mind♪

♪A fleeting touch across my face♪

♪And I remain in darkness♪

♪The sky splits the dawn's horizon♪

♪Telling me the end♪

♪Is about to gently appear♪

♪Like a whisper in my mind♪

♪A fleeting touch across my face♪

♪And I remain in darkness♪