The story follows Wei, a brilliant but socially awkward Chinese student who relocates to Auckland, New Zealand, after receiving a scholarship. She moves in with her Aunt Ling and cousin Angela. Wei and her late father shared a congenital facial disfigurement, which her father attempted to cure through experimental skin grafting. Tragically, his experiments led to his death when the regenerative serum he developed caused his skin to grow uncontrollably, smothering him.
Determined to continue her father's work, Wei enrolls in a local university and becomes a research assistant under Professor Paul. However, her social life is strained by Angela and her clique, who mock Wei's appearance and heritage. After a series of humiliations and betrayals—including Professor Paul's exploitation of her research—Wei snaps. In a fit of rage, she kills Angela, removes her face, and uses her father's perfected serum to graft Angela's face onto her own.
Assuming Angela's identity, Wei continues her descent into madness, eliminating those who threaten to expose her, including members of Angela's friend group and Professor Paul. Her actions culminate in a grotesque transformation, leaving her unrecognizable and merged with the decaying corpse of a homeless man who once showed her kindness.
