The lantern suddenly went out. Of the entire street, only the spot where
"What happened?" Grandpa Bai and Old Wei both jumped in alarm.
Chen Ge's hand hung in midair, never having touched the door: "I'm not sure. It doesn't feel like a coincidence."
There had been no wind just now, the lanterns were hung high, and no one had touched it—so how had it gone out?
A faint white light flickered gently. As the paper lantern above Chen Ge's head went dark, every other white paper lantern in the village began to sway, creating an inexplicable sense of oppression.
Chen Ge and Old Wei both looked to Grandpa Bai, but even he had never seen anything like this: "Should we back out first?"
He took two steps backward. When he looked down the dirt path, he suddenly froze in his tracks.
"Watch out! Someone's coming!"
"Someone?" Chen Ge looked in the direction Grandpa Bai was pointing. Under the swaying white paper lanterns lining both sides of the street, a hazy silhouette was slowly approaching: "It seems to be waving at us?"
The shadow quickened its pace, and Chen Ge finally got a clear look.
It was an old woman wearing a dark coat. She kept her head lowered as she walked forward, only stopping when she was about to bump into someone.
"Did you come from outside as well?" The old woman's voice sounded strange, the kind that made people uncomfortable for no discernible reason.
"Also? Has someone else entered the village tonight?" Chen Ge caught the old woman's choice of words and pressed further.
"Mm." The old woman kept her head bowed while speaking, her face hidden from view—as though her face were something truly horrific.
Thinking of Sister Jiang Ling's situation, many people in
"The ones who entered the village before us—were they two children and a middle-aged man?" Chen Ge followed up with another question, but the old woman did not reply. It seemed from the start that she hadn't come looking for Chen Ge.
Her head hung so low it looked as though it might fall off entirely, yet she herself seemed utterly unaware of anything wrong, maintaining that eerie posture: "Don't knock on doors when it's dark. Be careful—the one who opens might not be human."
It was unclear who the old woman was even talking to. She simply blocked the three of them in the middle of the road. The night pressed down from above, and the lanterns on either side swayed with increasing violence.
"The village hasn't been peaceful lately. Don't wander around. I'll take you to find a place to stay." The old woman turned and walked back the way she had come. Her steps were tiny, but she moved surprisingly fast, and combined with her head dangling down to her chest, the whole effect was deeply unsettling.
"Should we follow her?" Old Wei looked at Grandpa Bai and Chen Ge. When he had first seen the old woman, an urge to retreat had taken root in his heart.
"Let's follow her for now." It was Grandpa Bai who spoke. "This old woman feels oddly familiar to me. Could it be that I saw her when I came to Coffin Village as a child?"
Grandpa Bai was the first to step forward, with Chen Ge and Old Wei close behind.
The old woman led them along the dirt paths of Coffin Village, turning several corners before finally stopping: "You'll stay here tonight. Whatever it is, it can wait until morning."
She kept her head lowered the entire time, her tone never changing once—like a puppet going through the motions.
"There are three rooms inside. One for each of you. Once you go in, don't come back out, and don't go knocking on each other's doors. Don't touch the rope hanging on the window. Don't touch the kitchen knife behind the door. Just lie properly on the bed and wait for the night to pass."