Trapped on a Terrifying Island, This Good-for-Nothing Just Wants to Survive

1.

Summer Kui carried the limp Chunxi on his back, heading towards their home. Discussing with Autumn Moon, he asked, “Second sister, what kind of ritual should we perform in our village? Exorcism, Eternal Burial, Mountain God Sacrifice, Welcoming the Ten Kings, or…”

Autumn Moon frowned, skeptical: “Mountain God Sacrifice, Welcoming the Ten Kings, and the like are too archaic. Where did you dig up those from? Not only me, probably even big sister, no, even our parents might not understand.”

This wasn’t surprising. On Yeh Island, various ethnic groups have long intermingled and intermarried, with many traditional customs assimilated by the dominant Japanese culture.

The gods originally worshipped by the Goryeo people, like Goulemaiyi, Military Hero, Dudang, House God, City God, Mountain God, Ancestral Gods, Hukou Bie Xing, etc., were all amalgamated into one deity – Kigari Take命, except for minor gods like the Kitchen God and Toilet God.

The complicated twelve-ritual process was also reduced to just the initial cleaning of impurities, summoning, offering wine, and the final ritual, combining the rest – the Buddhist Priest Ritual, Household Ritual, Local God (Mountain God) Ritual, Ancestor Ritual, Great God Granny Ritual, Inner Hall Ritual, God General – Executioner Ritual, Mountain Climbing Ritual, Different Faces – Great Supervisor Ritual, Buddhist Monk, City Ruler – Military Hero Ritual, Entertainer – Life-Saving Ritual into a single Kigari Take命 Ritual.

Thus, Kigari Take命 acquired multiple divine aspects like Protector God, War God, Household God, Mountain God, Plague God, etc., capable of both blessing and cursing. Like the paternal and maternal gods in many mythologies, he controlled both life and death.

However, even with such simplification of shamanistic practices, the impoverished Goryeo people still struggled to organize large-scale rituals.

Even the daily family prayers had to be changed to once a week. The offerings the Yuns made before the gods were gathered through donations from the Cicada Hiding Shrine and by scrimping and saving.

Thinking this, Autumn Moon dismissed the idea of a grand ritual: “Forget it, we aren’t as skilled in shamanism as big sister. Besides singing, dancing, and assisting, what else can we do? Let’s see what the village chief says.”

“You’re right, what we learn nowadays is all simplified, not as effective as the old ways. Better to get a reliable doctor from town tomorrow!” Summer Kui wished he could vent all his frustrations. “I don’t know who set such strict rules; we can’t even leave the village without an introduction letter!”

“Stop complaining. It’s the decision of the village council, even the chief has no say,” Autumn Moon sighed softly.

“They just want to confine us to this land, right? Goryeo Village is so close to the cursed ruins…”

“Think of it this way, we can still walk around the village at night, while the townspeople can’t even go out. That’s freedom too.”

Summer Kui spat disdainfully: “That’s freedom? I think we should stop worshipping Kigari Take命. He doesn’t protect us at all. We rely on Cicada Hiding Shrine for our livelihood, and it’s only because Fuyuki spoke well of us to the deity’s descendant. Otherwise, that high-and-mighty person wouldn’t care.”

“Don’t talk nonsense! If we blaspheme the gods, our family is doomed!” Autumn Moon smacked his head hard. “Also, don’t mention her name. She’s no longer part of the Yun family.”

“But mom and dad said if the village faces a problem big sister can’t solve, we should immediately find Fuyuki,” Summer Kui complained, unable to rub the spot she hit.

“Still talking! Still talking!” Autumn Moon hit him three more times. “Why don’t you understand? She’s not our little sister anymore. Be careful with your words, don’t trouble her!”

Summer Kui, unable to dodge while carrying Chunxi, pretended to cry: “Ouch! Second sister, stop hitting! If you hit me again, big sister will fall!”

2.

Along the way, strange sounds echoed in their ears. Looking towards the source, Autumn Moon and Summer Kui saw flickering flames in the nearby woods.

Hidden in the woods was the “cursed ruins” the villagers spoke of, an area surrounded by warning tapes and concrete walls, with glaring red letters warning, “Danger! No Trespassing.”

“Who’s playing with fire there? That’s dangerous! Let’s check it out.”

As they approached, the sounds became clearer. Finally, they realized that the “strange noises” were actually sh

aman music.

To the beat of the drum, the sounds of gongs, cymbals, panpipes, and other instruments intertwined with the chanting of a shaman.

The Yuns squeezed into the crowd and saw several shamans in colorful attire, wearing paper masks, dancing around a blazing bonfire. In the middle of the fire circle lay several unconscious children.

The shamans, holding strings of white paper money, first spread their arms wide, then let them droop, shaking their shoulders, and alternating between raising one hand and swinging their arms left and right.

Their movements, initially slow, became more vigorous with the music’s pace, shaking and trembling, occasionally emitting ghostly howls.

This was a shaman dance combining paper money dance and exorcism, derived from the Eastern Coast’s Exorcism Ritual, Jindo’s Soul Cleansing Ritual, and Gyeonggi-do’s Dudang Ritual, but with unique characteristics developed by the Goryeo descendants on Yeh Island.

The shaman’s ghastly white masks and mournful cries were indeed chilling. If it weren’t for the loud music and firelight, anyone accidentally entering the forest might think it was haunted.

“Someone’s performing a ritual near the ruins? That’s strange,” Autumn Moon murmured.

An elderly onlooker explained: “Some kids played in the ruins and disturbed the evil spirits! They came home with high fevers, vomiting, diarrhea, red rashes, and scared-looking. They live near the Liu family, so they asked Liu Granny and her apprentices for help.”

Autumn Moon and Summer Kui exchanged looks, speechless. Was the “broken house” the boy mentioned not an abandoned house, but the ruins? If so, it explained why their rituals didn’t work. The evil spirits sealed in those ruins were…

Before they could react, a cry erupted from the crowd – a child in the fire circle staggered to his feet. His skin, no longer red, had turned a dark, purplish hue under the firelight.