The Red Lantern

by Tagtrick

In wartime Chongqing, the bombing lasts for years. When air raids come close, red lanterns rise above the mountain city. Guang's family keeps watch from high places, day after day, reading the sky. Sirens, shelters and running become daily life. Inside this darkness, people still try to keep life human: a song, a game of mahjong, a small joke in the shelter. It is a fragile balance. But every bombing pushes it closer to collapse. One night, more planes than ever arrive. The lantern rises again. Crowds flood into the shelter. Darkness swallows everything.

Content warnings: Contains distressing or potentially triggering themes, Scenes of violence, More information Contains themes of war, violence, death, suicide.