In traditional beliefs, burying a whole corpse is a sign of respect for the deceased, while cremation is considered a great disrespect. Only corpses that have undergone strange transformations or display ominous signs are subjected to burning. The practitioners of this dark art, known as corpse burners, face extreme danger in their trade. Especially at midnight, when one corpse burner works alone in a locked room, if the body turns into a vengeful spirit, the burner is certain to die.
Qin He, a corpse burner working at the canal docks of the chaotic Da Li Dynasty, makes a living from this perilous occupation. For him, facing not just the dead, but the unknown threats they might carry, has become routine. His life had been uneventful—until the mysterious “corpse-burning reward” system emerged, turning his world upside down. This reward promised a generous payout for the burning of dangerous corpses, but it also pulled him deeper into a web of peril.
As the rewards grow, Qin He’s choices begin to shrink. He becomes bolder, with no fear of the malevolent corpses that might rise again. Slowly, he begins to entwine his fate with ever-greater risks. In each life-or-death situation, he not only battles the dead but struggles with his own inner turmoil.
In this turbulent era, Qin He’s destiny is inevitably tied to darkness, death, and the transformed bodies he burns. As he delves deeper into the art of corpse-burning, where will it lead him? Everything hangs in the balance, waiting for him to make his next move.
