The Nightfall

In a daze, Noah felt something soft and plush pressed against him.

Opening his eyes, he saw a round and delicate face with a radiant smile. Auntie grumbled and said, "Brat, how dare you to leave me alone going to the date!"

She plopped down on her nephew, leaning forward and lifting her butt to sit forcefully. Noah was seated with a stifled grunt, feeling almost crushed.

Irritated, he swiftly turned the woman upside down, eliciting a shriek from his aunt-in-law. In that moment, he realized that darkness had enveloped the outside world, revealing that he had inadvertently slept through the entire day, from morning till night.

"It's time for dinner!" Nina was lying on her side, playfully kicking her nephew's rear end.

"Don't even think about getting back at me, alright? I'm all about respecting the oldies and showing love to the young ones. I ain't gonna stoop down to your level, bro."

The living room wafted with the tantalizing aroma of a mouthwatering meal, enveloping the scene as Noah's grandparents settled around the dining table. Grandpa, with his tall and slender frame, sported a head of striking silver-white hair, and his demeanor held a sense of seriousness.

"So, how's it going? Is the blind date finally going well this time?" Grandmother inquired, her eyes gleaming with anticipation, her excitement palpable.

"Not too shabby, he's raking in a cool million bucks a year as a high-flying corporate executive. Pretty awesome, huh?" Nina enthusiastically nodded her head, resembling a hungry chicken pecking away at rice.

"You say that every time, but you always end up quitting." Grandma stretched out her finger and playfully poked her daughter's head, reprimanding her, "Grow up and think about your age."

"Yes, your age." Noah was gloating on the side before his cousin kicked his calf hard. The two of them kicked each other under the table, causing the table to rattle.

"If you're not interested in eating, then go back to your room," Grandma bellowed, and both Noah and his aunt-in-law obediently lowered their heads, hastily commencing their meal.

"Hey, Grandma, when is John coming back?"

Noah asked.

Their uncle's family lived across the street, and with Noah's aunt and uncle currently away on a trip, their cousin had been joining them for dinner during this time.

"He mentioned that he'll be working late tonight and won't return until tomorrow morning," Grandma replied, voicing her complaint. "He's such a hard worker, completely unlike his lazy father."

The mention of working late left Noah feeling disappointed, and he couldn't help but let out an exclamation of, "Oh."

After finishing dinner, Noah and Nina went to their respective rooms, leaving Granny to clean up the mess.

When he returned to his room, Noah locked the door and picked up his mobile phone to dial his cousin's number.

Unable to convey his thoughts in person, Noah decided to make a phone call instead. However, to his dismay, the call connected swiftly only to be met with a voice on the other end informing him that the phone was switched off.

"In a meeting?" Noah had no choice but to hang up the phone. John was busy with his responsibilities as a security police chief. His work schedule and meals were irregular, so it was not uncommon for him to be unreachable.

He had gotten used to it.

Noah lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, letting his thoughts wander...

Assuming that Aubrey's disappearance was intentional and that the other party's target was the black card, then I need to be cautious. The safest approach would be to give the black card to John, who could then report it to his superiors. With the administrative level of the Massachusetts Police's Department, the influence of external forces from the state of New Hampshire was limited.

Nonetheless, the most pressing issue for Noah was the disappearance of the black card. The concept of a card that could mysteriously vanish was unsettling, and without locating it, he couldn't hand it over to the authorities.

His sole recourse was to confide in his cousin and entrust him with the task. After all, as a regular college student, Noah felt powerless in such affairs.

Suddenly, Noah felt a slight pain in his forehead, accompanied by heat. He instinctively scratched his head, but the pain intensified. Confused, he approached the dressing mirror near the window to examine himself.

In the mirror, he saw his own face—a young man with clean features and fair skin, devoid of the harshness of the world or the wear and tear of time.

Only the vigor of youth was evident. However, on his forehead, there was a black round moon mark, vivid and lifelike, with visible irregular patches on its surface.

Below the mark, a progress bar read: 90%.

Noah was shocked and rubbed his forehead vigorously, but the mark seemed like a tattoo that couldn't be removed.

"How did this mark appear on my forehead? When did it happen?"

Noah's thoughts were muddled, a mix of panic and confusion. Just then, a message flashed in his mind:

"Wait! Isn't this mark the black moon on the card?" Noah's realization struck him. The black card hadn't been lost; it had somehow entered his body and transformed into a mark on his forehead, leaving him bewildered.

In his perplexity, Noah noticed that the progress bar under the Black Moon seal had reached 92%, and his forehead burned as if counting down.

"What is this? Is it paranormal? High-tech? An illusion?" Noah wondered, recalling the letter's contents about the card being a life-changing gift.

"The black card is indeed a treasure, and my previous speculation was correct. Someone coveted the card, and Aubi didn't want the other party to get their hands on it, so he sent it to me and disappeared because of it,"

Noah pondered, his eyes fixed on the progress bar with a mix of worry and anticipation. What would happen when the progress bar reached 100%?

Having witnessed the mysterious mark on his forehead, Noah was curious about the changes that would follow. After enduring a few more searing pains, the progress bar under the Black Moon finally completed its journey, reaching 100%.

In the next moment, an emotionless voice echoed in his ears:

"[Identity card restart complete...]"

"[Name: blank (please name immediately)]"

"[Race: Human] "

"[Profession: The Night Wanderer]"

"[Level: 0]"

"[Skills: None]"

"[Experience Value: 0%]"

"[Moral Value: 60 (initial value)]"

Below the moral value, a line of notes appeared:

"[Don't let your moral value fall below 60. You may not have had a choice before, but now please be a good person.]"

Noah stared at the fluorescent blue character attribute panel that appeared before him, utterly confused. "What is this thing?" he wondered aloud.

Tentatively, he said, "System?"

Once again, the emotionless voice resounded in his ears:

"[Please name your character now!]"

A fluorescent blue handwritten box materialized on the attribute panel, suspended mid-air.

"No system, or it's so unintelligent that it can't even communicate..." Noah thought, taking things one step at a time. He extended his finger and wrote down his name:

Noah Eveline

"[Warning, please do not use your real name.]"

Unable to use his real name, Noah was taken aback. He then wrote down his second name:

Overlord

[Naming success! In ten seconds, the spirit realm will open.]

Hearing the voice echoing in his ears, Noah was confused for a moment, saying, "What the hell, opening the spirit realm? Shouldn't you first explain what it is?"

Before he could regain his composure, the ten-second countdown had ended.

[Ding, the Spirit Realm map has been opened. Welcome to the "Night Wanderer -- Hoosac Tunnel," Realm-Code: 0079.]

[Difficulty Level: S]

[Type: Solo (Deadly)]

[Main Quest One: Survive for three hours.]

[Main Quest Two: Explore Spirit Realm 0079. Current Exploration Progress: 0%.]

[Remark: Non-Spirit-Realm items cannot be brought in. Exceptions: Clothes]

[Introduction to Ghost Tunnel Realm 0079:]

[Have you heard of the dreaded "Hoosac Tunnel," one of the Ten Terrifying Tales of the Massachusetts? This eerie tunnel was constructed at the close of the previous century. During its construction, a team of workers ventured into the tunnel on a fateful rainy night to excavate, but they vanished without a trace.]

[The Security Department conducted an extensive search operation, spanning several days. They managed to locate one of the workers who had been involved in the ill-fated digging, deep in the mountains. However, the remaining workers remained elusive, their whereabouts unknown.]

[The lone survivor of the incident endured unimaginable horrors, succumbing to an inexplicable stimulation that drove him to madness. Despite numerous attempts by the authorities to extract information, his ramblings were ceaseless and focused on one ominous warning:]

[He said: "Don't go into the temple, don't go into the temple...]

The sound in his ears dwindled, gradually fading into an imperceptible whisper, while the scene before him distorted and blurred, akin to the rippling surface of a wrinkled lake. Within moments, the disarrayed imagery began to smooth out, revealing a dimly illuminated space with uneven walls and a finely gravelled path beneath his feet.

"What has just happened?"

Noah's gaze darted anxiously as he tried to make sense of his surroundings. To his astonishment, he found himself standing within an ancient tunnel adorned with archaic xenon lamps affixed to the curved ceiling, casting a feeble orange glow.