Bamboo Slips of Blood

In the decaying State of Qi, a charismatic prophet named Suo Yin preaches the doctrine of "Purification through the River," convincing hundreds that ritual drowning is the only path to salvation. Yin Zhi, a young scribe secretly loyal to the remnants of the ducal court, infiltrates the cult to rescue his sister and document the atrocities. As the appointed day of mass "baptism" approaches, Yin Zhi discovers that the cult leader and the usurper Cui Zhu share a terrifying secret. Every truth he carves into his hidden bamboo slips brings him closer to execution, while every lie he must live becomes a suffocating mask. In a world where survival demands complicity, speaking the truth is the ultimate luxury that costs everything.