[2] The film progresses on a non-linear timeline and ties together the contemporaneous stories of several protagonists who are from the same rural village in a mountainous region.

Before reaching the village, Zongyao comes across a funeral procession and is told by one of the mourners that Bai Hu has died, his body burnt beyond recognition, after falling asleep drunk in the forest and setting his surroundings on fire with his cigarette butt.

The next morning, Li Qin discovers that Baoshan has been accused of killing Huan, who had disappeared overnight, and burning her body.

In front of other villagers, Baoshan asks Li Qin to provide him with an alibi for the time of the supposed murder.

Later, Li Qin is informed that the identity card of her husband Chen Zili had been found on the burnt body and that the corpse is his.

Zhuang, who had caused the villagers to suspect Baoshan for killing Huan, arranges the funeral of Chen Zili, to curry favor with Li Qin.

Bai Hu then makes his way to the village, reaching it at night, where he comes across Zongyao and Huan, resulting in his own death.

In the last story which begins around the time of Bai Hu’s death, village chief Xiao Weiguo, Zongyao’s father, is walking home through the forest after attending an unrelated funeral.

Li Qin leaves the coffin containing Bai Hu’s body with Weiguo, asking him to locate the unknown deceased’s kin.

Overcome with guilt and unable to have closure, Weiguo takes Zongyao to the police and tell the authorities the whole story.