Original subtitles

(Hello, dear listeners.)

(Midnight Story Hour) (Welcome to Midnight Story Hour.)

(Today, we present to you)

(a fantasy adventure radio drama series,)

(Turquoise Land.)

(Written by Wei Yuzhi.)

(Performed by Xian Gongfu.)

(In the mysterious realm known as Turquoise Land,)

(lurks a bloodthirsty mystic creature)

(called Earth Fiend.)

(Meanwhile, a fiend-hunting group bearing a millennium-old mission)

(of justice,)

(the South Mountain Hunters, stands ready for battle.)

(An earth-shattering legendary adventure)

(is about to unfold.)

(In ancient times,)

(a meteor fell upon South Mountain.)

(Flames devoured forests, and scorched earth bred anomalies,)

(forming Turquoise Land.)

(From this area emerged fiendish beasts)

(that fed on human flesh and terrorized people.)

(They were named Earth Fiends.)

(Warriors marched to South Mountain to exterminate them)

(and sealed the remaining fiends beneath dark iron gates.)

(The guardians who remained)

(evolved into)

(a secret organization monitoring supernatural threats,)

(the South Mountain Hunters.)

(Each having its own art, three clans, Blade, Hound, and Whip,)

(maintained strict codes)

(and gathered quadrennially to patrol the mountains,)

(protecting humanity across generations.)

(As time has passed,)

(people believe the fiends have all been vanquished.)

(But while fangs are easily spotted,)

(human disguises hide sinister hearts.)

(Beneath the Turquoise Land,)

(Earth Fiends may have infiltrated mankind,)

(lurking in wait,)

(ready to shatter the peace.)

=Love on the Turquoise Land=

(This story is a work of fiction)

=Episode 1=

(As the saying goes, it takes a range to make a mountain,)

(and it takes trees to make a forest.)

(This area was once called Nanba Weald,)

(a desolate place that even birds and dogs avoided.)

(It's seen bandits and mountain fiends.)

You're such a renowned artist.

Why choose our backwater

for your creative retreat?

By the way,

have you heard the child-eating mountain fiend tales?

It's a long way ahead. Let me tell you the full story.

Long ago,

there lived a deranged old woman in Nanba Weald.

Childless her whole life,

yet she took in every orphan,

abandoned child,

or disabled infant

from nearby villages and towns

and raised them all alone in the mountains.

A living saint, people said.

But here's the twist.

Guess what?

(Roadsound Welfare Home)

A warm welcome

to Roadsound Pharmaceuticals' management,

General Manager Mr. Yan

and Vice President Mr. Xiong,

who've graced our welfare home

amid busy schedules.

Also,

let's welcome our new colleague

with another round of applause,

Mr. Gou Yan,

and invite him to say a few words.

- Great. - Great.

- Great. - Great.

(Caring for Children's Growth, Committed to Welfare)

Hello.

My name is Gou Yan.

Good.

Well said.

Concise and clear, right?

- Right. - Right.

Kids,

from now on,

Mr. Gou Yan is family.

So you should support

and help each other,

right?

- Right. - Right.

- Right. - Right.

We've long heard

of Roadsound Group's General Manager, Mr. Yan Tuo,

a promising young leader

of remarkable talent.

- You flatter me. - We're finally meeting you in person.

Mr. Zheng, you're too kind.

My main purpose

is to introduce

Mr. Gou Yan to everyone

and to thank you

for giving our Roadsound Group

an opportunity to give back to society.

The one in green.

Your blood bag.

Keep close watch.

Mr. Yan, you're too kind.

Let me tell you straight up.

That old woman wasn't human at all.

She was a man-eating mountain fiend.

Hadn't the magistrate whose daughter was missing

mobilized hunters to search the mountains,

(Qiao Ya) who knows...

Sorry.

This is my wife.

Mr. Yan, I know you're busy,

but today,

you must stay for dinner.

Mr. Zheng, thank you,

but we have other plans.

We shouldn't trouble you further.

Don't be so formal.

It's no trouble at all.

Just share a simple meal with the kids.

It's by your group's stan...

We have other matters to attend to.

I see.

Ms. Wang,

take Mr. Gou to acquaint him

with the facilities.

I'll escort the guests out.

Yes, Director.

It's okay, Tutu.

I will come find you later.

Go with Ms. Huang first.

Let's go.

Let's go.

Hello, Mr. Gou.

Ms. Wang,

be careful with your bandaged hand.

Just a minor cut.

It'll heal soon.

Alright then. After you, sir.

Mr. Zheng, you first.

After you.

Take a look.

Please.

We have an art studio,

a dance studio, and so on.

After you.

After you.

It was over.

A complete disaster.

Twenty strong hunters

were all bitten to death by an old woman.

The magistrate was so terrified.

He stood frozen in the yard,

trembling like a leaf.

His head was spinning.

And he couldn't move an inch.

Finally,

he managed

to croak out a sound.

Then the old woman,

silent as death,

appeared right...

Darn it!

Rushing to your grave?

Nearly ran us into the ditch.

In this backwater place,

if anything happens,

there's no help for miles.

Oh my.

Miss Nie,

my apologies.

Where were we earlier?

Let's continue.

Mr. Sun,

please focus on the road.

Got it.

We're almost there.

Just past this bend.

Molten iron was poured

cauldron after cauldron

into these marshes.

Then one day,

torrential rains came,

making the area

steam for three days straight.

Ever since,

nothing grows for miles around.

Know what villagers call this area?

The Iron Coffin.

And where's this coffin?

Right behind this very mountain.

So

the old woman's tales

originated from here.

Villagers feared her

and worried she'd return to feast.

Guess what?

They pooled funds to build a Temple of the Righteous Lord.

You know?

It's a Temple of Zhong Kui.

The temple enshrines Lord Zhong Kui himself.

Mind the steps.

Zhong Kui catches ghosts, right?

With this lord

standing guard here,

no ghost,

fiend, or wraith

would dare come near.

But before building this temple,

something even stranger happened.

One day, the magistrate's mansion caught fire...

What did you call this temple?

Temple of Lord Zhong Kui.

Does he have three heads and six arms?

Yes or no?

Aren't you the tour guide?

Well,

our Yanguan Province has countless heritage-listed

grotto Buddha statues.

Four 5A-rated scenic spots

in Xicang alone.

Let me take you there.

It'll be worth your trip.

No need.

I came to see something unique.

Fair enough.

Artists always take unconventional paths.

Such kinds of

folk religious carvings

don't follow standard conventions,

but they have their own charm.

Do you hate tourists like me

who ask about attractions

not in your scripted tour?

Nonsense.

It's a learning opportunity for me.

(Roadsound Welfare Home)

- Hurry. - Come play.

Alright, kids,

let's wash up and eat. Come on.

- Okay. - Okay.

Be careful.

Sculptor? Pfft.

I checked.

She sells toys.

And they're toy ducks.

No matter

how famous she is, she shouldn't be so rude.

Look how she puts on airs,

acting like she carved

the Venus de Milo, David,

The Thinker,

or something.

So pretentious.

I told you not to take this job.

You wouldn't listen.

It's not that.

When the money's good,

cabbage becomes jade.

Who says no to that?

The big artist is paying well.

I need to save up for the betrothal gifts.

Cut the act.

I think you're just

smitten with her pretty looks.

Don't be ridiculous.

You call her pretty?

She's nowhere near you. Right?

What's wrong?

I'll talk to you later.

Gotta go.

Sales of the old models

have dropped 40% already.

By month's end,

Ninja Duck needs three new skins.

(Mr. Lu) Though you created it,

it doesn't belong to you anymore.

It belongs to customers and fans.

Harry Potter isn't J.K. Rowling's.

Sun Wukong isn't Wu Cheng'en's.

And Ninja Duck isn't yours, Nie Jiuluo.

Hermit Duck.

What?

It's Hermit Duck, not Ninja Duck.

That's what customers call it.

Don't correct your gods' pronunciation.

I can't cater to these 'gods' anymore.

I need real artwork.

Proper sculptures.

Not mass-produced toys.

Luo.

Miss Jiuluo.

Master Nie.

Your current wealth,

resources, and followers

all come from those mass-produced toys.

You're financially set now.

And you want to pursue art?

Don't take this the wrong way.

You're burning the bridge you crossed.

Burning the bridge?

There's landscape, architecture,

expression, and rage.

Great material. Let me jot this down.

New skins. New skins. New skins.

I want new skins by the end of this month.

Ninja Duck.

The sun's setting.

Everyone back to your rooms.

The sun's setting.

Everyone back to your rooms.

Sun.

Director, Tian has food poisoning.

Come take a look.

She started saying she hurts

and won't stop asking for Ms. Wang.

Where's Ms. Wang?

She's not back yet. Check on Tian first.

Okay.

Hurry up.

(Mr. Lu)

(Call Duration)

(Upholding Artisan Spirit, Wholeheartedly Serving the People)

(New message received)

(Burn After Reading: Today, we will honor the past and welcome the new.)

(Don't be late, old friends.)

Mr. Sun?

Mr. Sun?

Mr. Sun?

Mr. Sun?

(ID Card)

(Household Register)

(Work ID)

(Xiong Hei Calling)

(Answer)

Xiong.

It's done.

What?

Didn't you want to keep

(Diploma) this outing with me from Ms. Lin?

I just deleted the entrance surveillance footage.

Okay.

Thank you.

I'll treat you to dinner.

Where are you?

I can't cover for you for long.

Didn't I tell you I'm meeting a client?

I'll buy you some late-night snacks.

Mr. Gou Ya.

Yan Tuo?

What's wrong? Where are you?

Yan Tuo?

Yan Tuo?

Yan Tuo, talk to me.

Yan Tuo?

Yan Tuo?

Yan Tuo, talk to me.

Xiong.

I don't need a refund

or compensation.

I just need a proper explanation.

How could your guide

abandon a client in the middle of the tour?

And even now,

I still can't reach him.

Didn't you say to send another car for me?

Where's the car now?

How long must I wait?

Hello?

Hello?

(Low Battery)

(Roadsound Welfare Home)

Hello?

Xiong, what's this?

You're just injecting him?

Weren't you meeting a client?

I was supposed to,

but then I couldn't find my phone.

I searched the car.

I thought maybe I left it

in the welfare home restroom.

So I came back,

and there it was on the sink.

Since I was already here,

and Gou Yan is your relative

in this new place,

I went to his dorm to leave some money.

Then what?

As soon as I entered the dorm, you called.

Then

he lunged at me covered in blood.

You know the rest.

Wait.

Are you sure he didn't bite or scratch you?

Absolutely not.

Didn't I tell you?

I checked my whole body.

You said

he lunged at you covered in blood?

Yeah.

He was covered in blood when you saw him?

Right.

If you're not hurt, where'd the blood come from?

(Ms. Lin)

Xiong?

Don't come closer.

Wait there for me.

(Room 302, Binhai Grand Hotel)

(Lu)

(Miss Nie, look.)

(I learned how to braise beef shank from online videos.)

(It looks decent.)

(Miss Nie, the osmanthus in our yard has bloomed.)

(Miss Nie,)

(I've already changed the bedsheets twice)

(and cleaned all the windows.)

(If you don't come back soon,)

(I'll have to dig up all the courtyard tiles)

(and relay them from scratch.)

(Otherwise, I'll feel guilty)

(about getting paid to loaf around.)

Mr. Sun?

What's wrong?

I...

I've already quit.

You'll get a refund.

If you need compensation,

contact the agency.

How did you get hurt?

Let me check.

No need. I have to leave.

You should leave too.

What happened?

Mountain fiend.

It was a mountain fiend.

It's alright. Stay calm.

Tell me what happened.

I can help you.

Mountain fiend.

Mountain fiend.

Let me see your wound.

Mountain fiend.

Mountain fiend.

Mountain fiend. Mountain fiend.

It's here.

Stay quiet.

The power's out.

What's going on?

The power's out?

Exactly. Why the blackout?

Mountain fiend.

Mountain fiend.

Mountain fiend.

Mountain fiend!

- What's wrong? - Why the blackout?

Why isn't the power back?

The alarm!

Where?

Is there a fire?

- Go. - Go downstairs.

- Fire! - There's a fire!

Let's go.

Make way.

I'll leave.

Use the stairs.

This way.

Stop her!

Get downstairs now.

Hello, I'm Vivian.

Hi, I'm Yukou.

- We're the Vi-Yu Girls. - We're the Vi-Yu Girls.

- Vi-Yu Girls! - Vi-Yu Girls!

You're Mr. Gou?

Gou Yan. Just call him 'Gou Ya.'

Mr. Gou Ya.

Why not let Ms. Lin get you an easier job?

Office work would be better.

Why come to this remote mountain area?

Look, there's nothing here.

If not for you,

I wouldn't have known

we support a welfare home.

Ms. Lin said

charity should stay pure.

It's not advertising.

No need for fanfare.

See? That's visionary thinking.

Mr. Gou Ya,

once we arrive,

just tell me what you need.

We're all family here.

Don't be shy.

I suppose it's in the family blood.

Your relative's quieter than you.

Not a relative.

More like a clansman.

♪The shapeless fire clings to matter to illuminate♪

♪Yet malice in darkness defies the flame's pursuit♪

♪A noble name must do righteous deeds♪

♪After sunrise, even wise words falter in truth♪

♪Heaven-forged fire scorches flesh and bone♪

♪Dig out the truth buried beneath the earth♪

♪Heaven-sent tides can't quench this reckless fire♪

♪If we don't retreat, we'll go through it together♪

♪Heaven-kindled flames are different♪

♪Truth's madness is hiding under the surface♪

♪The large waves are rolling towards the sky♪

♪Farewell to the old times, and scenes fade away one by one♪