Original subtitles

ALL STORYLINES AND IMAGES IN THIS WORK ARE FICTITIOUS.

ANY SIMILARITIES ARE COINCIDENTAL.

Do you know who I am?

ADAPTED FROM THE PERIOD HORROR NOVEL BY THAO TRANG

Near you, I wish, but there

The Ho barrens, Tam Giang lagoon

What water, of late it's low

What terrain, by Law it's barred

For the longest time,

all corners of life, upon hearing the Ho barrens,

would quake in fear.

Not only was the place isolated,

and besieged by trees,

it was also home to notoriously brutal bandits.

They operated with strategy.

They had just two goals when they struck.

These were… "Steal all! Kill all!"

Not one soul is spared.

Kill them all!

It is said that…

in springtime that year, the Truong clan

who sold silk, traveled by.

There were more than 100 people.

As soon as they entered the Ho barrens,

they were ambushed by bandits,

then brutally murdered.

Some were beheaded.

Some spilled their insides.

After the massacre,

the entire area was reddened.

The stench of blood would reach so far.

The entire Truong line perished.

Save for the pregnant wife of the clan's chief, who escaped.

No one knew where she'd gone to.

It was as if she had vanished.

Enraged by the murderous bandits,

Judge Nguyen Khoa Dang pledged to purge them.

The day the bandits mowed down the Truongs

was also when Imperial guards took action.

Retreat! At once!

We're trapped!

All the leaders were captured.

Only the runts got to keep their skin.

To avoid the pursuit of the guards,

the survivors decided to find shelter

at the country's edge, where snow falls year round.

But then, they would still be anxious.

That one day, judgment would befall them.

That village… has never had a name.

But deep within,

the people believe that it is hell.

For since the land was claimed,

a curse or force no one can yet name

damages those who leave the village.

Some go insane.

Some are led into the woods and die.

Anyone who leaves the village meets their doom.

Over time, no one would dare to descend the mountain.

Except for the family of Village Chief Thap.

MR. THAP - VILLAGE CHIEF

DAU VILLAGE MARKET

Which flour was used in this, sir?

Where I live, we don't have this.

Where do you live?

My place is far!

A few mountains away.

Buy a toy figurine for your kid.

I'm still childless.

Oh my God!

Let's drink up, all!

If I may, for today, ask for some wine.

Today, we shall be drunk!

Pray you hundreds,

beg you thousands.

I pray! To you!

And you! I pray!

-Please, some alms for me, sir. -Go away!

Young sir! Sir! I beg you!

This fucking cripple here!

Smells just like an owl.

Yet always slides in right next to diners!

But young sir! Sir.

Go the fuck away!

I haven't eaten anything all day.

Beg this, pray that.

You won't leave?

Yes.

-Oh, sir! Please, sir! -Give him a fight!

-Leave now! -Hey.

Let's just drink at home.

Take him home.

I have to punch him.

Go. To home!

Yes. Pray you hundreds. Beg you thousands!

Please do good and gift me some congee, sir.

These past days I haven't a thing in me. I beg.

Here, sir!

Most grateful!

Please take it easy.

Rice cake of the mountain, from my household.

Yes.

This one is on the ground. Leave it alone, sir.

You hold this. And keep it close.

Most grateful to you! Most grateful!

Please don't bow to me so much. It will age me so.

-Dive in, sir. -Yes.

-I must take my leave. -Yes.

THE OLD BEGGAR

Being the only person who can descend the mountain,

Mr. Thap has to sell and trade for the other villagers.

-He keep his roots a secret. -Go.

So, when he goes trading at the foothill market,

Mr. Thap will always settle where passersby are few.

He won't converse or socialize with anyone.

Who knows, there might be people in the market

who have heard about the acts

of the Ho barrens' infamous bandits

from which he's descended.

Sir! What pretty fabric!

Thank you. Ladies, please take your time and look.

From now to Tet, I'll have other trips.

Hey! December's full moon is soon.

I haven't sewn any clothes.

So what will we wear? Go naked or what?

-I'll take this one! -Yes.

I want to see that one.

When there's a guy around… over here, here!

I'm off!

Whoa.

Encircling the village is an eerie and vast cypress forest

The villagers believe that

when the night arrives

fireflies with a crimson glow will appear,

waiting to collect people's souls.

To frighten those ominous bugs away, they remind themselves

they must bring with them a lantern or a torch

every time they go out at night.

Or else they'll lose their lives.

Oh, Thap!

You best go home. Quickly!

Thap!

You best go home. Quickly!

Granny…

I have told you many times, child.

Do not ever go out at night.

Why are you still not at home?

Let's go home quickly. Don't be late.

Granny!

Time is of the essence.

-Living hours are ending. -Granny!

-Granny! Why are your hands cold? -Don't be home late.

Souls turn demonic.

Hurry!

Or we'll be late.

Granny! I'm hurt.

Go.

Where is Granny, Mother?

Where did you go?

Why were you at the village gates?

Father, what are you saying?

Granny led me home!

Where is Granny, Mother?

Granny has died.

She just passed away this evening.

Everyone went out to search for you

and then saw you, collapsed, at the gates.

You were all by yourself.

Granny!

Granny!

Hey.

Let's invite him.

Let's go.

-Where is Lim going? -Hey!

Thap! Come and play.

Hey! Hey!

Are you deaf?

Come here.

What's wrong, Lim?

Hey, Lam! I'm wondering. Thap, what is wrong with him?

Since his grandma died, he's like a lost soul.

Or is his soul really lost?

Thap, where are you? Thap?

You remember,

this is the only way to enter the village.

The burden is on you now.

Woe to the village. You must protect yourself.

Woe to the village. You must protect yourself.

MRS. THAP

My dear!

I saw a snake's trail from our kitchen.

Darling!

My dear! Darling!

Darling!

Come out here and eat.

What is wrong?

A problem at the market?

Oh, it's nothing.

I'm just planning for the forthcoming order runs for Tet.

Let's eat now.

Madam Tu got me new herbal blends.

Wonder why they're more bitter than before.

No matter.

I can take whatever.

As long as we have a kid.

Thap!

Thap!

Woe to the village.

To you too, child.

Woe to the village.

So will you, child. There's still time!

Mrs. Thap! Are you at home?

Is that you, May?

Yes!

I'm sending Mr. Thap goods to sell on the full moon day.

Why, May here sure is skilled.

Anything you fancy, ma'am, it's for you.

But is mister home, ma'am?

Come inside, dear.

Yes. Good day, sir!

Don't address me so formally, Miss May.

It'll age me so.

May, please sit.

MISS MAY

I'm so used to calling you that.

Oh, sir?

Whenever you descend, please take Brother Duc along!

With that many goods for Tet, let him help you out.

Your request… Let me think on it, Miss May.

I'll be off now, ma'am.

How are you feeling, dear?

Where are you going?

Why leave everyone's goods behind?

I'll take them next time.

I have to descend for a crucial matter.

Go!

Hey you.

First time, huh?

It's packed inside.

Who guided you here?

The water stall lady in Dau Village.

I hear this Shamaness is good, ma'am?

Why, of course.

She was blessed when she was ten.

Precise readings.

Months ago, she read for my husband.

Everything she said was right.

Thanks to her, my man didn't lose a lot of money.

Isn't that right, sister?

That's right!

-Thank you, ma'am. -You may proceed.

Yeah.

Must be your first time.

Already.

I pray to you, Heavenly Emperor.

To you all, spirits and deities.

To you, oh, Mountain, Land and River gods.

Your ming, furnace fire.

Your trait, upright.

Submit to no one.

However…

God has not given you children yet.

I beg you.

Beg you, Shamaness.

These past days,

all I've had are wicked dreams.

I dreamt that my grandmother returned,

and she said, "Woe to the village."

Just last night…

I dreamt I saw a snake.

It slithered by my foot,

and it said, "Many shall perish."

I call upon your redeeming grace.

And please tell me what signs I've seen.

Unpleasant!

Darkest omens!

I worry…

Worry how, ma'am?

Your village's imminent calamity.

To reverse it,

you must host a grand ritual.

Not a normal exorcism ritual.

Yes!

How must we start, please guide us, ma'am?

You're to be present at the venue.

But offerings will cost a fortune, young man.

Go home and think.

Only that way… can your village be saved.

Oh, Thap!

Thap.

Good day.

You know my name?

This whole market knows you.

I've waited for you for days.

For me?

Been waiting to recompense you.

No need for such formalities, sir.

When I help others, I don't need anything in return.

You may reject it.

But your kindness for me, I need to remember it.

Without your help, I'd have starved to death.

Just let me repay you.

Even when I have no means.

Now! Follow me.

After you.

You, Thap, are virtuous.

The thing is…

Thing is…?

Your face is bright.

But your fate is dim.

As if…

something hovers above you.

You read fortunes?

I won't lie to you.

I was once an official's son,

I once had a proper upbringing.

Then my family found hardship.

I was the only one who got out.

A kind healer took me in,

taught me his trade and how to read I Ching.

Making herbal mixes… required attention.

I was too distracted.

And then… I kind of learned to tell fortunes.

Then my father-mentor faced injustice,

and jumped off a cliff.

I was tortured as punishment,

to the point I lost both legs.

And so I had to wander all over,

until I crawled my way here,

begging for alms to live through the day.

Today, I await you

to repay you.

I will read your fortune.

Now!

Please let me see your left palm.

When you were young…

you once nearly died

by being spirited away.

Granny!

Help me, Granny!

Granny!

Granny!

Granny! Oh, Granny!

But since you were blessed,

you got to keep your life.

At the very least your household is calm.

But your path for having a child is grim.

Let's say your ancestors love you enough

to grant you a little kid,

even so it can't avoid an early death.

If you don't mind my asking…

How old are you this year, Thap?

Thirty-eight years old.

Thirty-eight?

You will face tragedy when you're…

39 years old. Unavoidable.

This is also why…

I went down the mountain.

Sir…

Can you interpret dreams?

I kind of know how to.

But not many believe it.

They think that, dreams are nonsensical.

But they do not know…

it is in dreams

that things are shown, the future turns present.

A dream of snakes is one most ill.

If I may dare ask…

your ancestors,

did they commit a great sin?

My villagers ever since…

have only known about farming.

They've never hurt anyone.

Ever.

But is there a way to…

WICKED TAM'S TAVERN

Since you all keep asking, let me tell you.

WICKED TAM

And you know how I am.

I'm not much of a talker.

Right?

But now!

Promise me.

You won't be afraid of the ghost stories I tell.

No. I'm not afraid. Tell us, man.

-Promise? -Promise!

Then I shall begin.

Once upon a time…

In this little village,

there was a woman…

who feared most… Ghosts!

Good grief!

You only target me for scares.

Enough for you to fall off your chair.

Had I finished, who knows what you'd fall off of?

Nonsense!

Please tell us.

You, miss!

Promise you won't be afraid.

Promise!

But use a story, not trickery.

Just that once I'm done…

If you lose sleep, do not blame me.

You're a brave one.

Now which horror story would you like to hear?

The one about Reu Village, my man.

Reu?

Reu has rubbish tales.

If not about Reu Village…

-Then the ghosts in Buoi Village. -Good one!

-Buoi Village… -Uhm.

-Yarns from there only bore. -Oh gosh.

Then what is a good horror story?

I won't keep you waiting.

Wicked Tam, 'tis I, proudly presents…

The story of Dau Village.

Come here.

Do you know about…

the crippled beggar in our own area?

Who doesn't know about him.

That's right. I've seen him many times.

Hey, hey…

Don't tell me that this beggar,

is the very one that crawls around the market?

Is he also the old invalid

whose smell is always awful?

-Exactly. -Knew it.

We were right.

-Hey. -Living horror!

I don't think that guy is normal.

His eyes are always white.

Settle down and hear me out.

During last month's full moon…

I heard that there was a woman

who caught her husband being unfaithful.

How unlucky for her,

since that got her beaten until her face was swollen.

-Enraged, this was all she could do. -I despise all of you men.

-She ran out to the cornfield. -I despise this Dau Village.

-Screamed and wailed. -I despise all of you men!

-And then, you know what? -I despise this whole village.

-Right after, the cripple appeared. -I despise all of you!

Why do you cry, Missus?

It was in a manner most unexpected.

And then he… smiled and whispered something to her.

The next day,

people discovered the body of the wife in the buffalo swamp.

Good god!

Those buffalos had stomped her to mush.

It was horrific!

The old beggar must be the murderer.

Horrible!

In short,

whoever meets and talks with that cripple…

will soon die!

Do you all know about

the tale of the crippled beggar…

However many lives you took,

that much cost you'll pay!