The townspeople killed Master Chen and his gang and sank their ten-day-old bodies into the water, which explains why mud appeared at the feet of Master Chen and his group when they appeared.

Feng Guang, frightened, tugged at his hand. "If what you're saying is true... wouldn't we be in great danger?"

Before Sijia could figure out how to soothe her emotions, there was a knock on the door, and You'er's voice came from outside, "Sister Fengguang, are you there?"

Feng Guang looked at Si Jia, at a loss, waiting for his decision.

Si Jia nodded before saying, "I'm here. You'er, is there something you need?"

"Sister Fengguang, I want to talk to you about something. Can you let You'er in?"

Seeing that Sijia didn't object, she mustered her courage and opened the door. When she saw You'er, she forced a smile and asked, "Is there something you need?"

You'er went into the room and closed the door. He glanced at Sijia, then took Fengguang's hand and whispered, "Sister, let me take you away from here."

"You're willing to take us away from here?" Realizing her tone was too agitated, she coughed awkwardly and changed to a calmer tone, "Why do you want to take us away from here?"

"Because it's too dangerous here."

Si Jia asked, "Where does the danger come from?"

You'er didn't like Sijia, so he didn't even glance at Sijia. Instead, he kept looking at Fengguang and said, "Actually... we've been living like this for a long time. Every year, everything repeats itself. The opera troupe comes to our town in the spring, and I will be kidnapped and killed by Master Chen. Then, the people in the town will kill Master Chen and the others and sink their bodies to the bottom of the water. Then, there will be a flood, and everyone will die."

His words were exactly the same as Si Jia's analysis.

"Sister, don't be afraid of You'er. You'er has never harmed anyone."

Feng Guang should have been scared, but seeing the boy's sad expression, she felt a pang of sympathy. She had never been able to be cruel to children. "You'er, I'm not afraid of you..." Can you tell me why Master Chen and the others want to... to harm you?

“Master Chen wanted my hand. Her child died, so every time she went to a new place, she would use the guise of magic tricks to lure away those children. Then she would take the most beautiful parts of those children, some heads, some feet, and mine… my hand. She would piece these things together, thinking that she could get the most perfect child.” You’er looked dejected, still vividly remembering the scene of being murdered back then.

Looking at the boy holding her hand, Feng Guang felt a pang of sadness in her heart. "You'er, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought this up."

“It’s alright. I go through this every year, Sister Fengguang. This town is trapped by resentment. Only when everyone’s time ends, that is, when they die, can they break free from the cycle. Soon, the flood will come. If you don’t leave now, it will be too late.”

The so-called cycle means that in the year these people die, they will experience the events that happened before their death, and while experiencing them, they will not be aware of their own identity.

You'er continued, "Because of the heavy resentment, we are all trapped in the town and cannot be reincarnated. The only way is to find a substitute... That day, I didn't let Sister Fengguang go near the river because once she got on the water, she would be dragged into the water by the ghosts in the water."