Only after Lame Monkey left the Wooden House did Chen Fan get up and start to see what was inside.

He had sent Lame Monkey out to find travelers on a sliver of hope, though he knew deep down it was pointless. The sky was already darkening, and any travelers in the surrounding Wilderness would have already found a place to stop for the night.

Since this station had been around for so long, he thought perhaps the previous stationmaster had left some Ghost Stones behind. But even after turning the entire Wooden House upside down, he didn’t find a single one.

The interior of the Wooden House was incredibly simple.

A wooden bed.

There were enough rations and water for two people to last three or four days, a table, and a chair. Beyond that, there was nothing.

It was the very definition of destitution.

...

After sitting in silence on the chair for a long while, Chen Fan came to a decision. He had noticed a small earthen mound nearby, which would offer a better vantage point. When the sun rose tomorrow, he would go there to look for travelers; perhaps he could attract some passersby.

This method would likely anger the nearby stations.

’But the Chen Family isn’t some minor clan. Their name alone should be enough to intimidate them. And if it isn’t? Too bad. I’m on the verge of death anyway; being indecisive now is worse than just killing myself.’

Just then—

He suddenly felt a chilling premonition.

He instinctively pushed open the door of the Wooden House and looked into the distance. Sure enough, a deep, thick darkness was hurtling in from the horizon, devouring the twilight like a bloodthirsty monster.

In this world, night didn’t fall in a slow transition from light to dark.

It was an abrupt and rapid exchange.

Like a jar of ink being spilled across a sheet of white paper.

And once the darkness fell, innumerable Ghost Objects would emerge from within it.

"Lame Monkey!"

This was his first time witnessing such a scene. His expression changed, and he instinctively called out for Lame Monkey to get inside. But there was no sign of him outside the house. After a quick scan, he finally spotted him—stumbling across the Wilderness, making his way toward the Wooden House!

He was a good hundred meters away.

But Lame Monkey was lame, after all, and he seemed to be injured besides. His pace was agonizingly slow. At this rate, he would never make it back to the Wooden House before the darkness consumed everything.

Following a step behind Lame Monkey was a middle-aged man in a green robe, his hands clasped behind his back. His pace was unhurried, and a faint, almost imperceptible smile played in his eyes. He seemed utterly fearless of the encroaching darkness.

Chen Fan took a deep breath. His expression was grim as he assessed his own condition and estimated the time remaining. Without a moment’s hesitation, he charged out of the Wooden House and sprinted toward Lame Monkey!

The moment he was a few meters from the Wooden House, a dreadful fear flooded his mind. He could even smell the thick stench of blood in the air and feel a faint, hair-raising sensation at his back!

Fueled by terror, he ran faster than ever before. Reaching Lame Monkey, he didn’t have time for a single word, simply hoisting the man onto his shoulder. Luckily, Lame Monkey was thin; it was a struggle, but Chen Fan could manage.

"FUCK!"

Chen Fan couldn’t help but let out a furious roar—partly to vent his frustration, partly to fight back against the unknown terror. He instinctively glanced at the thick darkness sweeping in from the horizon, sparing no thought for the traveler Lame Monkey had brought back. He just lowered his head and sprinted for the Wooden House with Lame Monkey on his shoulders!

One step...

Two steps...

He had never felt a hundred meters could be so far.

Finally!

The instant he felt the tangible darkness brush past his back, he dove into the Golden Light Ring. His body tumbled uncontrollably to the ground. He struggled to his feet, panting, his eyes wide with terror as he took in the scene.

The darkness had completely enveloped the entire station.

The light from the Ghost Fire formed a transparent, golden shell, like that of an egg, enveloping the entire Wooden House and casting a Golden Light Ring upon the ground.

Outside the ring of light.

Beyond it was a darkness so thick that visibility was zero. There was no moonlight, no clouds—only the unsettling sounds that drifted in from time to time, and the occasional flash of a pale, sharp claw.

The Eternal Night... had fallen.

And now—

Only now did he notice the middle-aged man in the green robe who had been following Lame Monkey. He was standing inside the Golden Light Ring, surveying his surroundings.

Chen Fan took a deep breath. The moment he’d seen Lame Monkey out there, he knew the man must have risked his life to go to that mound to look for travelers—the vantage point was just that good. But now wasn’t the time for that. He got to his feet, composed himself, and turned to the man in the green robe, his voice low as he spoke.

"This is the Jiangbei Chen Family’s Station 37."

"Those not of the Chen Family must pay 1 Ghost Stone to stay the night. If you are of the Chen Family or an ally, you must present a Jiangbei Chen Family Passage Token."

He could tell the man before him was no ordinary person.

"Ah, this is good to see."

The man in the green robe pulled a Ghost Stone from his clothes and flicked it to Chen Fan. He smiled. "Seeing you brings back memories of my own struggles. There was a time I fought just as hard as you, risking life and limb for a single Ghost Stone."

"This station of yours... it’s just this one building?"

"Yes."

Chen Fan nodded. "This is just an Ordinary station."

The man nodded and said nothing more. He simply turned, entered the Wooden House, and closed the door.

...

Only after the man had gone inside did Chen Fan allow himself to process his excitement, which he had been forcefully suppressing. He could feel his heart pounding wildly in his chest—not just because he’d earned a Ghost Stone, but because of something more...

His system had finally activated!

The moment the man flicked the Ghost Stone to him, he felt a warm current surge through his body. Deep within his mind, an archaic bronze panel materialized.

-

You have obtained one Ghost Stone.

Activating Eternal Night Lord Panel.

You can consume Ghost Stones to upgrade, build, and strengthen various buildings within your domain.

Current buildings within the domain...

Level 1 Ghost Fire: Safety radius 10 meters in diameter. Upgrade requires 10 Ghost Stones.

Currently available to build: 5 types of basic structures, 1 type of special structure...

Level 1 Beast Trap: Can inflict a certain amount of damage on Low Level Ghost Objects. Cost to build: 2 Ghost Stones.

-

Chen Fan clenched the Ghost Stone in his hand, his gaze fixed on the thick darkness beyond the ring of light as he gulped down mouthfuls of the cold air. He was a sorry sight, covered in dried grass, but his eyes shone with a brilliant intensity!

He knew he now possessed the key to surviving in this world.

But...

’It’s just a key. How long I can actually live depends on how I use it!’

Then—

With barely a moment’s hesitation, he walked over to the Ghost Fire. Three Ghost Stones lay quietly within the flames.

Two of them were completely intact.

The third was somewhat dim.

Under normal circumstances, these three Ghost Stones would be enough to last him three nights in the Wilderness.