I was awakened by the villagers' screams.

Opening my eyes, it was already bright outside.

I turned my head and looked at the cinema.

Where did the white lantern in front of the door go? It was replaced by two festive red lanterns.

I watched as everyone hurriedly ran towards the village entrance, grabbing someone and asking, "What happened?"

The person replied, "The village guardian is dead! Right under the crooked-neck tree at the village entrance!"

I stood frozen in place, and an image of the village guardian's dumbfounded face appeared in my mind.

He was standing by my side just yesterday.

Fear filled his eyes as he looked towards the cinema.

I vividly remember his words: "Don't go, never enter..."

Could the village guardian's death be related to the cinema?

I quickly ran towards the village entrance.

The village guardian's body lay smashed on the muddy ground.

A large depression was formed in the back of his head, his flesh and blood mangled.

Due to the violent impact, his eyeballs were popped out, pulling blood vessels and nerves, blood pouring out.

In the palm of his hand, he clenched a piece of paper stained red with blood.

There were crooked and twisted words written on it: "Never go to the cinema."

A wave of nausea overwhelmed me, and I couldn't stop vomiting.

The village chief had already called the police.

The nearest police station arrived at our village, but it would take three hours.

I was concerned about my father, so I went home first to check.

My mother was cooking breakfast. When she saw me entering the house, she smiled and patted my clothes with a cloth.

"You're back, Gangzi. Are you tired from working outside? Yesterday, I stewed your favorite braised pork. It's just right to heat it up this morning."

I was stunned.

Did my mother forget about me going out last night?

"Where's Dad?"

I asked anxiously.

My mother looked at me puzzledly, "Gangzi, your father passed away three years ago. Mom knows you couldn't accept it..."

Passed away?

"Are you really my mother? Yesterday, my dad went to the cinema and didn't come back all night! You actually forgot?"

I grabbed my mother's wrist, staring at her eyes intently.

I suspected she had turned into a monster.

"Gangzi! Your father really died three years ago. You even came back to the village last year to visit his grave!"

My mother looked at me in astonishment, her eyes filled with fear and heartbreak.

"Where's my father's grave?"

"Western mountain."

"Good, I'm going to see it!"

I let go of my mother, disregarding breakfast, and quickly ran towards the western mountain behind the village.

There were over thirty new graves on the half-mountain slope that used to be covered in thick vegetation.

I looked at each one: Aunt Feng, Big Brother Li, Grandpa Zhao, Grandma Liu...

They were all clearly alive people!

Did they meet their demise after watching a movie yesterday?

Finally, in the middle of the cemetery, I saw my father's name.

I walked over step by step.

I picked up a wooden stick and dug into the soft soil.

There was an urn buried underground.

I smashed it fiercely.

The gray-white powder scattered in the wind, carrying a strong odor of decay.

I was certain that this wasn't ashes.

I had attended funerals at the funeral parlor, and fresh ashes are odorless substances, not the fishy smell that comes out of the sewer.

Where did my father really go?

As his only son, I must uncover the truth.