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

IN THE LAST EPISODE

Tu just committed murder!

Have you ever heard of

something called Skull Wine?

Congee Tu was a brute, a menace.

But I had no idea

he had collected such bad karma.

So are the carps ready yet?

Tomorrow morning you'll go with me, yeah?

May!

Come down and play with me.

My love is a big drum…

What a pain you are.

What now? A pain, how?

Pain, huh?

Here's pain.

Some more pain. Oh?

You say I'm a pain,

but last night you didn't let me sleep.

So who's the pain here?

It's your fault,

leaving me here for days.

I didn't mean to.

In fact, I was so troubled.

That guy, Mr. Tam, he has helped me plenty.

Now, he has to take care of the funeral.

Had I not stayed, it would have felt wrong.

I heard your story, and it gave me great chills.

I never thought

that in life there'd be such freakish stories.

You are right.

Even I, who witnessed it all, didn't even want to believe it.

Mr. Tam of late,

he's in horrid shape.

His house still has no kids,

and now there's no wife either.

I don't even know how he'll get through things.

Tam's house also can't conceive like ours?

Then we share the same struggle.

My dear.

Yes?

Do you still take your medication?

I still do.

Last month, Madam Tu gave me new herbal mixes.

Here's hoping our kid will get to be here.

I'd give up anything.

You will have a kid.

You'll have one right now.

A kid!

Stop!

What?

It's way past morning.

I must cook for the Kitchen God.

If it's noon and there's no offering,

that's bad karma.

Come here, I'll tie it.

I can do it!

Those in your village

will continue to die.

Mr. Tam.

Oh, Mr. Tam!

Mr. Tam!

Like a lost ghost or something.

Demon! Beast! Ghost! Creature!

It's me.

You awake yet?

Just a cripple, not a creature.

Right.

So?

Stop now. If you're up, we go.

But wait.

Huh?

So I am…

still alive.

Or have you died with me?

Are you fully awake or not? Huh?

Wait, wait.

You, just try and hit me.

-Try and hit you? -Yes.

Whoa, really taking your chance, there!

Really.

Go home and rest.

I think I'm just dreaming.

Sure thing.

-I smell a bit mature. -Oh God!

-Hey, Mr. Tam. -Huh?

I forgot!

What a scary dream.

23RD DECEMBER

-Late blooms for this Tet. -They are beautiful, though!

It's also a lot colder, right?

Indeed It's much colder this year.

Hach!

Hach!

Are you home?

Hach!

Hach!

Oh, Hach!

Hach!

Let's release some fish!

Oh, Hach! You home?

This girl.

Asking me to come over early only to disappear.

Madam Tu!

You're done with the offerings way early, no?

I have to be so the Land Genie and Kitchen God

can be up in Heaven's Court on time.

MADAM TU - SIR KHAN'S DAUGHTER-IN-LAW

Leave it later and they'll all be sick.

Are you done?

Hey! Who's that up there?

Didn't village rules bar butchering near the creek?

Mrs. Thap!

-That you, Mrs. Thap? -It is I.

Madam Tu and everyone have finished with the offerings?

Oh! You know what?

I was up way early,

before the rooster, even.

Done with everything.

Had plenty of free time, as a result.

Madam Tu and all are so diligent.

Can't say the same for Mr. Thap.

I bet you he's still enjoying his rolled tobacco at home.

You're talking silly, missus.

All of us here,

all year, all our lifetime, we can't leave the village.

We know absolutely nothing.

Meanwhile, your husband can be here and there,

can know this and that.

That's wonderful!

That law applies to our entire village.

No one except Mr. Thap can go down the mountain.

That's true!

-Someone's dead! -Is that May's voice?

What's wrong with her?

Everyone!

What is wrong?

Someone's dead!

Where?

Who died?

There! There's a dead body!

Someone's dead! Fish attack!

A deadly fish attack!

The fish killed her!

Move aside!

The fish have killed someone!

The fish have killed someone!

-Mr. Thap! -Carnivorous fish! Careful!

Hey there, watch out!

There are still many fish.

Murderous fish! Good heavens!

Bring her in! Mr. Thap!

Help her!

Ma'am, please take my wife home.

-Let's go back now. -There!

Do something.

Everyone! Find a way to get the body.

-Get that body out. -No! I'm afraid!

What are you afraid of?!

Come here quickly!

Everyone, everyone…

Help her!

You all! Get a stick to pull the body out.

Absolutely do not enter the water.

The fish are fierce!

All…

Nhanh lên.

Go and find a stick, something to get the body.

The fish are fierce. Stay away from the water.

-Where? Let me see. -Who is it?

Who is that?

It's little Hach!

Hach!

My daughter!

Good gods!

-Hold Madam Tu back! -Get her up.

Madam!

-Go in. -Come back, madam!

Let go of me!

Get her down first.

-Let go of me! -Hach!

Hach!

Hold Duc back!

Calm down.

Calm down.

-Let go of me. -Calm down.

Don't go near there.

Get away!

Hach!

Quickly!

How unjust!

Almost there.

The fish are still biting!

Here, pull fast.

Let go!

Let me go!

My daughter!

It's her.

My child!

My child, my child!

Good heavens! Oh, no!

Sir Kham!

Oh, sir!

This is your grandchild!

Hach! Don't leave me, Hach.

Please don't leave me.

Has anyone suffered like my child?

This badly?!

Hach! Don't leave me, Hach!

Ma'am, please ask someone to get an ox cart to bring the body back.

Oh, May!

Just get Hach back.

Oh, Duc, just bring her back. Duc!

Duc! We have to get her back.

Come! Come back to me.

Madam Tu!

Come on, come back.

Come back.

Return!

Come on back!

Ma'am, please…

Oh, Hach!

Back! You, back to me!

Come back to me.

Hach!

Hach!

Hach? Wake up, dear Hach.

It's me, Duc.

It is cold here.

Let me get you back safe.

Oh, gods, my child!

What's wrong?

Hey!

Can't you even push?

Is it that hard, huh?!

-What's wrong? -Heavens above!

You're all men here but somehow you're weaker than women now?

Useless! Get away!

Away!

Why is this?

Why, my dear child?

Why is your death so horrible, dear?

Why must you leave us so harshly and so soon?!

Maybe we just take her home?

We can't.

She died far from her home.

We can't get her back.

We must bury her now.

Push, everyone, push!

Come on now!

Come on now!

What's wrong, my dear?

To the Goddess of Mercy.

To the gods we know.

To the deities guarding this soil.

It's unlucky this child passed on early.

I bow my head, ask for your help.

That her grave be still, be neat.

Your fate was to be distant from your mother.

Please have mercy on your mother.

Have mercy on me.

Have mercy on your fellow villagers.

Go to the afterlife.

Be with your ancestors, dear one!

It's moving fine now.

How can that be?

-Go! -Let's push it.

Little Hach passed away so horribly…

But how can carps be carnivorous?

Don't think too much about it, dear.

What has happened, happened.

Let's rest.

We'll tend to it tomorrow.

Look, there's fish!

Don't throw too hard.

What that's delicious smell?

Someone is grilling, I think?

I'm hungry!

I think it's from up there.

-Let's go! -Go!

Hey!

Did you brats ask for a bite? Huh?

Sir Vo Tong!

VO TONG - THE BUTCHER

I'm just kidding.

Whoever wants a bite, come and sit.

Here!

For you.

-Thank you, sir. -Sure.

It's good, sir!

-So tasty! Here, for you. -Thank you, sir.

Sir Vo Tong, this fish is from the creek?

Yes, down there, there's so many of them.

But my elder told me catching a fish from the creek is a sin, sir.

It's all nonsense.

When you're hungry, nothing is sinful.

Hey! If it's a sin, that's all on me.

Those who eat, stay. If not, scram!

Go, Thap!

It's so good!

Our elders said eating a fish from the creek is a sin, Thap.

Don't eat!

-It's good. -Good, huh? Here, for you.

-May I have one? -Sure, you can. It's good.

So good!

Is it good?

Creek fish is good!

-Darling! -I'm up!

He's up!

Is something wrong?

Good heavens!

Did you know you passed out for two days straight?

Sir Kham's been here,

doing your pressure points, acupuncture.

Only now are you awake.

Are you well inside, my dear?

But…

Whatever did you dream

that had you unconscious and screaming?

I…

I was screaming?

I'm feeling completely fine.

Ah, hold on.

Could you leave us

and boil some remedial water?

Yes, sir.

Mr. Thap.

There is this thing I have to tell you.

I've been thinking on this.

I came to you much earlier.

But you were ill or something.

Feverish and unconscious.

Talking in your sleep.

And screaming too!

Yes…

What is it?

Please speak, I'm all ears.

When you brought Hach's body to the shore,

did you notice anything strange?

My child!

My dear!

It's her.

In all honesty,

I saw nothing, sir.

-Nothing? -Yes.

The body was still supple, Thap!

How…

How are you so certain?

When the youngsters

brought little Hach back.

That entire evening,

I really inspected her body.

My family has been healers for generations.

Of course, one's time of death, that I can estimate.

On Hach's face was a snakebite.

I'd even say that it was a krait bite.

And I will also use my healer's oath

to state this.

When Hach was thrown into the creek, she was still alive.

For sure,

I will find out the truth about Hach.

Today, I'll descend the mountain.

You have my word.

I will not let you down.

My dear! Darling!

Where are you going? You aren't yet well.

Hach's funeral is done, now I have to descend.

For what reason? This has naught to do with Hach.

You shall find out.

Go!

Mr. Tam.

You're drunk all day.

What's your plan here?

What plan, plan what?

You're still youthful.

A whole life to live.

Unless,

you're planning on ending it.

You think I have never thought of that?

I have!

But, fucking hell, I can't do it!

I'm afraid of death.

Damn it!

I want death but I fear it!

Because often,

I've even less courage than a dog.

Death doesn't come easy.

Take a look at me.

I'm not at all better

living my days with stumps for legs.

But in the end, I have to live.

Because every time I pick up a knife

I will feel that someone within gets awakened

and holds me back.

I'm then shaken.

Shaken at the thought that there's nothing after.

Oh, crippled man…

Let me ask you this, good sir.

A man like me…

can't be all bad, right?

Yes!

But damn it, I even loved my wife fully.

Whatever was tasty, I'd give her.

Whatever was pretty, I'd gift her.

Whatever I did, it was for her.

And her?

I don't know what I had to do to please her.

So what, crippled old man?

Again you ask me about marriage bonds.

How could I know about that?

But then I think

if a person leaves you to find another,

it means they need something that you don't have.

Life isn't perfect.

The sourest thing here

is that only when she's gone,

do I find out

that she was cheating with another all this time.

Damn it!

Fuck it!

I'm so inept!

Inept!

Inept and weak!

Useless!

Useless!

Useless! Useless! Useless!

Mr. Tam!

Not just useless,

but also weak.

I think you're realizing something.

Dying is difficult,

but living is not much easier.

You're a man.

Be strong and continue.

You get my drift, no?

Yes.

Once a person no longer needs you,

then why the fuck should you be sad.

No shortage of women out there.

Mr. Thap!

Why do you smell like death?

Did you host someone's funeral?

And this someone died submerged, by water, I believe?

My child!

I beg you.

You know a lot about Heaven's ways.

Please help me out. Help my village, dear sir.

-Sir. -Mr. Thap.

Please calm down.

Tell me what happened.

I will not lie.

A person in my village just died.

Never would carp prey on human flesh.

I reckon those in your village

have become demons.

Surely your villagers

did something

to insult the fish

to the point that death was compensation.

And based on your words,

the girl that died was still young.

Could it be,

the youth are paying the elders' bill?

Mr. Thap.

Try and remember.

Could her father or grandfather

have either caught or eaten fish from the creek?

Creek fish are good!

Then it's bad.

Feasting on holy animals is a great sin.

The payment is hefty.

Those in your village

will continue to die.

VO TONG'S HOUSE

What should be forgotten,

burn it down.

A grave was robbed here!

What did you do?

Once you have entered my village,

you will never get to leave.

-That is such a strange smell. -Very strange!

Everyone!

Someone is being roasted!

It's Vo Tong!