Sister's Home 4

Rule Five: The Crisis of the Full Moon

The fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month finally arrived. Xu Si waited until nightfall, then, under the cover of moonlight, returned to the dilapidated temple.

A strange, eerie aura permeated the surroundings, and the moonlight reflecting off the temple walls made the structure appear particularly sinister. Xu Si stepped inside cautiously, only to find the Sister Drum still sitting in its original place. She approached it slowly, observing it closely. Suddenly, the drum emitted a low, resonant thrum, and instantly, all the lights in the temple extinguished.

Xu Si recoiled in terror, realizing she was enveloped in a shroud of darkness. Eerie laughter echoed in her ears, accompanied by a voice that hissed, "You have broken every rule. Today is the day you die."

Fighting off panic, Xu Si struggled, recalling every rule she knew and forcing herself to remain calm. She shouted, "I will not be cowed by you! I will uncover the truth!"

Just then, a beam of light erupted from the Sister Drum, illuminating the entire temple. Within the glow, the figure of the Sister appeared. Her eyes were no longer filled with sorrow, but with tenderness.

"Young lady, you are very brave," the Sister’s voice resonated through the temple. "In truth, ever since I was fashioned into this drum, my soul has been trapped here."

"The rules I set were meant to protect both the village and those from the outside."

"The fact that you could remain calm in the face of such a crisis proves you are a kind and courageous person. I hope you can grant me one final wish so that my soul may finally rest."

Xu Si nodded quickly. "Sister, tell me what to do. I will certainly help you."

The Sister spoke slowly: "To the east of the village lies a dry well. My remains are buried there. If you dig them up, bring them to this temple, and perform the proper rites of passage, my soul will find peace."

Rule Six: Truth and Redemption

Following the Sister’s instructions, Xu Si went to the east of the village. Amidst a patch of overgrown grass, she found the dry well. A foul, putrid stench rose from it. Xu Si took a deep breath and began to dig. After several hours of labor, she finally unearthed the Sister's remains.

She carefully wrapped the bones and brought them to the temple. There, Xu Si performed the rituals exactly as the Sister had described. As the ceremony progressed, the Sister’s spirit became increasingly clear.

Looking at Xu Si, her eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you, young lady. You have finally set me free." With those words, the spirit transformed into a ray of light and vanished into the sky.

From that day on, although the legend of the Sister Drum persisted, the strange occurrences ceased completely. Xu Si finished her research, documenting the truth behind the drum in a book to share the story with the world.

Standing on that land once filled with terror, Xu Si felt a profound sense of reflection. She understood that some rules existed to protect people from harm, while some truths required courage to unveil.

However, the peace did not last long. One day, Xu Si received an anonymous letter containing only one line written in blood-red ink: "Do you think it is over? The curse of the Sister Drum will never vanish."

A sense of foreboding washed over her. She decided to reinvestigate the matter to prevent any further tragedy. Xu Si returned to the ancient village, where the residents were shocked by her reappearance. An elder pulled her aside, looking frantic. "Young lady, why have you returned? Ever since you left, strange drumming has been heard in the village from time to time. Everyone is living in fear."

Xu Si’s heart sank; she had not expected this. To find more clues, she decided to stay in the village. That night, she wandered alone, attempting to locate the source of the sound. The moonlight cast shadows in the narrow alleys, and the surroundings were deathly silent.

Suddenly, a low drumbeat echoed from afar. Xu Si followed the sound. At the edge of the village, she found an abandoned house; the sound was emanating from within. She approached cautiously and peered through the window to see a massive Sister Drum, its surface shimmering with an ominous light.

Just as she prepared to investigate further, a sinister laugh rang out from inside: "You should not have come back. This time, you will not escape."

Xu Si turned to run but found herself paralyzed. From the darkness, a figure slowly emerged—it was the Sister she had previously laid to rest, but now, her eyes were filled with hatred.

"Did you think a simple ritual could end everything?" the Sister asked coldly. "For so many years, I have been trapped in this agony. You shall all pay the price."

Xu Si struggled, shouting, "Sister, I know you have suffered, but we cannot let this hatred continue. There must be another way for you to find true peace."

The Sister seemed touched by her words, and her figure paused.

Xu Si seized the moment. "Sister, tell me, what wish remains unfulfilled? I will help you."

The Sister was silent for a moment before speaking slowly: "I was not made into a drum of my own volition. It was the village shaman, driven by his own greed, who deceived everyone. I want you to find the shaman’s descendant and make him atone for his ancestor’s sins."

Xu Si agreed to the request. After a difficult search, she finally located the shaman’s descendant, Zhao Yu. He was an ordinary young man who knew nothing of his family's past. Though he was skeptical at first, Xu Si’s persistence eventually convinced him to return to the village to face his family's history.

Back at the house, before the Sister Drum, Zhao Yu followed Xu Si’s guidance, sincerely apologizing to the spirit and expressing his willingness to bear the burden of his family's debt.

Suddenly, the drum emitted a brilliant light. The Sister’s figure appeared once more, this time wearing a look of relief. "After all these years, I have finally waited for this day. Thank you, young lady. And thank you, descendant of the Zhao family."

With those words, her soul dissolved into countless specks of light and vanished.

From that day on, no strange sounds were heard, and peace returned to the village. Xu Si finally understood that the key to breaking the curse was not merely a ritual, but the courage to face the truth and the compassion to resolve hatred.

With the final dissipation of the spirit, the gloom that had long hung over the village was lifted. Yet, for Xu Si, the event remained a ripple in the lake of her mind that refused to settle. She knew there were likely many more unknown rules and stories waiting to be discovered in this world.

She compiled her experiences into a detailed report, sharing it with folklorists and experts, sparking intense debate. While many admired her courage and persistence, others were skeptical, labeling her account as too bizarre and lacking scientific basis.

Facing the criticism, Xu Si did not rush to defend herself; instead, she quietly began preparing for her next expedition. Soon after, she heard of a secluded village in the distant mountains where a mysterious ritual capable of controlling dreams was said to be practiced.

The news thrilled her. Without hesitation, she packed her bags and embarked on a new journey. The road was arduous, filled with rugged mountain paths and harsh weather, but nothing could stop her. When she finally arrived at the mysterious village, the locals were wary of her presence. Drawing on her past experiences, she communicated with patience and slowly earned their trust.

In the village, she met a young man named Afu, who knew a little about the ritual. He warned her that manipulating dreams carried immense risks; a single mistake could trap one in an abyss of endless nightmares.

Xu Si did not shrink back. With Afu’s help, she began to delve into the rules and taboos surrounding the ritual. A brand new adventure had begun, and she wondered what heart-stirring truths she would uncover in this unknown realm...