The violent pulling sensation felt like being swallowed by an invisible vortex. Ryan's consciousness plummeted through the darkness, the roar of wind and fragmented, eerie whispers filling his ears—sounds from an abyss, cold and malicious, coiling around his eardrums. He struggled desperately, but his body felt drained of all strength, at the mercy of this force. He didn't even have the courage to open his eyes.
Just as he thought he would vanish completely into this darkness, a cold, mechanical voice suddenly exploded in his mind, clear as if someone were broadcasting directly into his ear: "Suitable host detected. Shadow Pawn System initializing… 10%… 50%… 100%. Initialization successful!"
The voice was like a thunderclap, instantly yanking his scattered consciousness back somewhat. He blinked hard and found himself still standing in the master bedroom of the tycoon's villa. The cool solid wood floor was still under his feet; he could still smell that faint, sickly-sweet scent. The dark tunnel, the pulling sensation—it all felt like an incredibly vivid hallucination.
"Wh-What is that?" Ryan blurted out instinctively, his voice hoarse and panicked, as if just breaking free from chaos. He looked around. Everything in the room was exactly as before: the wardrobe door open, that eerie dark-red symbol still pasted on its inner wall, the black aura around it seeming even denser than before.
"Greetings, host. I am the Shadow Pawn System, dedicated to assisting the host in becoming the ultimate supernatural detective," the mechanical voice sounded again, utterly flat. "Binding host basic information… Binding successful! Host: Ryan; Level: 0; Shadow Points: 0; Initial skill unlocked: Eye of Truth (Beginner)."
Shadow Pawn System? Supernatural detective? These two unfamiliar terms left Ryan utterly stunned. He pinched his arm hard; the sharp pain confirmed this wasn't a dream. Could that bizarre symbol have been the medium to bind him to some mysterious system?
Before he could digest this shocking information, the system's prompt sounded again: "Host detected in critical danger zone. Issuing Newbie Mission: Escape the current area. Mission Reward: Newbie Gift Pack x1."
Danger? Ryan's heart clenched. He whipped his head around to see Marcus charging toward him with a狰狞 expression, a gleaming dagger now in his hand. The blade was stained with a smear of undried dark-red liquid—clearly a weapon prepared in advance.
"Kid, what was that power just now? Related to that symbol?" Marcus's voice was grating, like sandpaper, his eyes filled with undisguised greed. "Spill everything you know, or I'll gut you right now!"
Ryan trembled with fear, instinctively backing away two steps until his back slammed against the wardrobe with a heavy thud. Watching Marcus close in, the dagger's cold gleam getting nearer, his mind raced. He had no idea about the symbol's secret or the source of that power. His only hope now seemed to be the Shadow Pawn System that had suddenly appeared in his mind.
"System! How do I get the Newbie Gift Pack? Help me!" Ryan screamed mentally.
"Detecting imminent mortal threat to host. May consume 0 Shadow Points to unlock Newbie Gift Pack in advance. Proceed?"
"Yes! Unlock it now!"
"Newbie Gift Pack unlocked successfully! Congratulations, host. Acquired: Faint Invisibility (Duration: 10 minutes, Cooldown: 30 minutes), Beginner Magic Manual x1."
As the system notification ended, Ryan suddenly felt his body grow light, as if all weight had been drained away. Looking down, he nearly cried out in shock—his limbs had become semi-transparent! Sunlight streaming through the window passed right through his body, casting a complete patch of light on the floor with no shadow whatsoever.
He was invisible!
Marcus, who had been charging toward Ryan's location, abruptly stopped mid-stride the moment Ryan vanished. A confused, wary expression crossed his face. "Where'd he go? He was just here!"
He scanned the surroundings, eyes sharp as a hawk's, his grip tightening on the dagger. Marcus slowly walked to where Ryan had been standing, reaching out to grope blindly through the air. When his fingers brushed past Ryan's arm, Ryan held his breath, not daring to make a sound, frozen stiff.
Fortunately, Marcus didn't detect his presence.
Ryan's heart was in his throat. He knew the invisibility lasted only 10 minutes; he had to escape the room within that time. He moved cautiously, trying not to make any sound, slowly inching toward the door. The bedroom floor was solid wood; though polished, stepping heavily would still produce faint sounds. Every step felt like walking on a knife's edge, straining his nerves.
When he was just two steps from the door, his foot suddenly kicked something with a clatter—he'd accidentally struck a ceramic vase in the corner. The vase crashed to the floor, shattering into countless pieces. The sound was piercingly loud in the silent bedroom.
"There!" Marcus reacted instantly, lunging toward the source of the noise. Though he couldn't see Ryan, the sound gave away his position. He swung the dagger wildly, slashing and stabbing at the area where Ryan stood. The sharp blade grazed Ryan's shoulder, sending a bone-chilling cold through him.
"Damn it!" Ryan cursed inwardly, hastily dodging sideways. He knew he couldn't delay any longer; he had to find a way to open the door. But he'd already tried—the door was locked by Marcus and couldn't be opened from inside.
Just then, the system's prompt sounded again: "Host in danger. Automatically activating initial skill: Eye of Truth (Beginner). Skill Effect: Can see through low-level dark magic and disguises; sense nearby dark energy fluctuations."
As the skill activated, Ryan's vision suddenly shifted. The previously normal room now held many things invisible to the naked eye—a dense black aura swirled around Marcus. This aura was identical to the black mist around the symbol in the wardrobe, like viscous ink constantly seeping from his pores. What shocked Ryan even more was seeing an identical tattoo of the symbol on Marcus's left wrist. The black aura was thickest around the tattoo, writhing slowly as if alive.
"So you're with that symbol!" Ryan instantly understood. Marcus wasn't some senior detective; he was a villain involved with dark magic, possibly even the kidnapper of the tycoon.
Marcus's attacks grew increasingly frenzied, the dagger swinging faster and faster. Ryan could only keep dodging. His clothes were slashed open, a slight stinging pain on his skin. Half his invisibility time was already gone. If he didn't find an escape before it wore off, he'd be completely at Marcus's mercy.
Ryan looked around frantically, his gaze suddenly landing on the bedroom window. It was open, overlooking the villa's backyard with a thick lawn below. It was the second floor, about five or six meters high—but jumping was better than being killed by Marcus.
Without a moment's hesitation, Ryan turned and dashed for the window. Marcus sensed his intent, roaring in anger, "Trying to run? No way!" He bounded after Ryan, dagger aimed viciously at Ryan's back.
Ryan felt the sharp wind at his back. He abruptly sped up, leaped, and flung himself out the window. As he fell through the air, he instinctively curled his body, bracing for impact. A heavy thump—he crashed onto the lawn, a sharp, agonizing pain shooting through his knees. His vision darkened, nearly blacking out.
But he didn't dare stay. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he scrambled up and limped toward the edge of the villa grounds. He could hear Marcus's furious roar from behind, but no sound of pursuit. Glancing back, he saw Marcus standing at the window, glaring venomously at his retreating figure, but not jumping down to chase.
Clearly, that eerie symbol mattered more to Marcus than pursuing him.
Ryan didn't dwell on it, putting all his energy into running toward the distant street. He ran for nearly half an hour, until the villa was out of sight, before stopping to lean against a large tree, gasping for breath. The wound on his knee throbbed painfully; his clothes were smeared with dirt and grass, a complete mess. Looking down at his body, he saw the invisibility effect had worn off; he was back to normal.
"System, what is that symbol really? Why is Marcus so fixated on it?" Ryan asked mentally.
The system was silent for a moment before slowly replying, "The symbol is a dark magic marker, used for locating targets and transmitting energy. Marcus is a low-level dark magic user, nourished by the symbol's energy. Detailed information requires host level increase to unlock."
A dark magic user? Ryan's heart sank. He hadn't expected to be dragged into something so dangerous. Just then, the system's prompt sounded again: "*Main Quest Updated: Uncover the Truth Behind the Tycoon's Disappearance. Mission Reward: 100 Shadow Points + Basic Magic Manual.*"
As Ryan was about to ask for more details, a strong chill suddenly crept up his spine, as if something was watching him from the darkness. He whipped his head around but saw nothing. The street was sparsely populated, streetlights dim. Only the leaves rustled in the wind, like whispers from hidden corners.
But he could clearly feel that gaze hadn't vanished; it was getting closer. Ryan's heart pounded wildly. He knew the danger wasn't over. Marcus and the dark forces behind him wouldn't let him go easily. And who was this hidden watcher? Marcus's accomplice? Or some other dark creature?
He clenched his fists, his gaze hardening. No matter the dangers ahead, he had to uncover the truth behind the tycoon's disappearance. It wasn't just about completing the system mission; it was about survival. Only by gathering enough information could he find a sliver of hope in this supernatural world filled with unknown perils.