The story begins when Xiaoshuai, a villager, notices that his six-year-old rooster, ""Golden Voice,"" has started crowing incessantly at midnight, shattering the peace of the village. Soon after, a series of bizarre events unfold—chains dragging on the ground, ""blood"" seeping from the stone bridge, dead fish floating in the river, unexplained red marks appearing on villagers, and livestock dying with eerie green eyes. Panic spreads like wildfire. Rumors quickly point to Golden Voice as the harbinger of doom. Xiaoshuai’s wife, Xiaomei, pleads with him to kill the rooster, and the villagers collectively pressure him. But Xiaoshuai refuses to believe his beloved rooster is to blame and sets out to uncover the truth. His investigation leads him to mysterious footprints by the river, specially made black ropes, and a terrifying incident where Xiaomei is attacked and disappears. Teaming up with the village chief, Xiaoshuai lays a trap—only to expose the real culprit: their neighbor, Auntie Er. Driven to madness by sleepless nights due to Golden Voice’s crowing, she orchestrated the entire horror show—mimicking rooster calls, poisoning the river, fabricating ""supernatural"" signs, and spreading rumors—all to manipulate the villagers into forcing Xiaoshuai to kill the rooster. In the end, Auntie Er breaks down in remorse, and the truth is revealed: every ""supernatural"" event was a carefully crafted hoax. The story critiques human malice, blind superstition, and mob mentality, delivering a message about rational thinking and resisting rumors. What began as a rooster’s midnight cry spiraled into a dark farce, exposing the trust crises and hidden cruelty in rural life.
