Zhou Ruoyi opened his eyes, only being greeted by an empty white room. He has no idea on how did he ended up in the room, wearing a white gown with both of his feet being chained. All he could remember was being picked up by four black vans on his way home from school.
But what made him intrigued was the reason of being abducted. As far as he can remember, he didn't offend anyone. And was worried that his brother might started to look for him.
How many days since he's in the room? Don't know.
However, Rouyi can feel that he was really trapped in the unknown place for several days or even worse, weeks. And strangely, he even can't move his own body as if his strength has totally escaped. Everytime he tries to get up, horrible pain revibrate throughout him, making his nerves numb.
Nothing to do, he let himself lie on the bed made with cold steel until he hears a footsteps. One, two, three until it gotten too noisy. Just then, the door made of steel opened and reveals the four men wearing all but white robe with a mask in their face.
They then unchained him while forcing him to get up. Moreover, his knees were trembling and eventually falls down so one of the men in white robe has give his support for Rouyi to stand.
As they were walking in the hallway, nothing can be seen except the wide space. Other than that, everything is white, be it a wall, a ceiling, doors, tables and only utensil were in the shades of shiny gray. After turning to the right path, they finally entered to a white room where all men in white was busy on experimenting. They aren't just men in white.
'They are..... scientist.'
But what find him odd is that in the middle of the very wide room, a strange but very gigantic and majestic tree stood firmly even in millennium age. It was shrouded by hexagonal shaped transparent barrier.
'What a surprise, I didn't expect this room to be so big that it even fit the tree who seems to be million age. Why would there be such a tree in this room? Weird geeks.' He thought.
A blonde girl wearing similar as them approached. As she handed the pad in her hand to the four men and says something, Rouyi roamed his gaze and was a bit surprised when the four men who took him was leaving him behind. He was a bit confused and should have make a cuss but because of his aching and tired body, he can't even show his expression that remain stoic.
'Ahh, dang... What the heck is wrong them? Aren't they supposed to be worried that I might escape? Anyway, perhaps they know that I can't move as much as I want. Just what did they do to me?'
Having no idea, he let out a sigh. Just then, he spot something at the corner that makes his gaze shift out of nowhere. And there he saw a wine red haired guy who seems to be around his age, with both of his hand and feet being locked in the armchair while eyes were closed and lying motionlessly.
Same as him, the guy was also wearing a white gown. As Rouyi was about to approach him when suddenly, his gaze turned to the majestic tree once again. Feeling as if it was calling him, he unconsciously went near to it until he stopped by between the barrier.
His mind went blank while staring at the tree like he was mesmerized by its beauty. He never thought that there would be some things that is as old as time can be so glorious and grace.
"The tree is beautiful, isn't it? So mesmerizing..." A voice behind him whispered. Rouyi did not turn his gaze however, he knows it was one of the crazy scientist who spoke.
With no much energy, he attempt to ignore the man when suddenly, something cold crawling through his gown into his body. And that's when he realize it was the man's slender fingers, he froze.
In his mind, he was shouting for help but couldn't even open his mouth as he can feel his body being tensed up. No one who actually did this to him. Especially when Rouyi felt his nose under his ear as if savoring his scent.
'Fuck off, you homo!'
Just then, the tree was partially making a rustling sound, making the scientist quickly turn at the tree. He don't know if he was hallucinating or not but doubting that he really heard something. Because of this, he quickly leave and the time Rouyi returned to his normal breathing.
'Tch, I never thought you would be scared from the sounds of leaves. What an idiot.'
Hilarious, but Rouyi still has his stoic face remain. He couldn't understand, but somehow, feeling saved.
'You good?'
Another unknown voice spoke this time, and it was calming. So he turn his eyes behind but saw no one. And so then, he started having goosebumps. But for the second time, it spoke, making his heart race in shock.
'Sorry, I didn't immediately take an action.'
"Wha—"
'Sshhh... they might hear you! Let's just communicate through your mind. Okay? Relax, I'm not hurting you.'
Realizing it, Rouyi quickly tries to calm his nerves. But even in his mind, his voice were still shaking in fear.
'W-what are you...?!'
'Me? Well, look in front of you.' It chuckles.
Upon following the voice's command, he saw no one. But then, his hand snap and was surprised by what he just learned. He finally had strength but not much and...
'Impossible...' He uttered in his mind full of disbelief.
'Yeah, by what you guess is right. A tree in front of you can actually talk. Not literally but telepathy.' The tree explain, making him blink twice.
'That was... awesome.'
'Also, don't worry. Only we hear each other, nothing else.'
Fearing that someone might actually heard them, Rouyi cast his eyes upon everyone but seeing them in usual movement, he believe in the tree.
'Do you perhaps have an idea on what are doing and it has to do with me? Look, I really don't know the reason why they abduct me. I even don't have an idea on what did they do to make my body so weak!' Rouyi lampooned inside.
'Oh boy, they were actually making a new species that made with fine genes of humans. Beauty, elegance, perhaps that's why they pick you just like that boy with a red haired you just saw. However... the nature wouldn't allow them to do so.'
As the tree was explaining further, Rouyi's mind only focused on one thing. Seeing the young man in unusual silence, the tree finally came into halt and letting him express the question that bother him.
'What really are you...?'
'I am Ygdrassil, the tree of life that lived since the beginning of the world.'
As hearing this, he almost dropped his jaw. He couldn't believe that the most ancient thing on earth was really in front of him. But Rouyi is not someone who easily believes so he was thinking for the tree to prove its words however, there's no time for it as seeing the four men approaching him once again.
'N-no...! I want to get out in this place!'
'Then shall we escape?'
'How?!' The young man's heart starts throbbing rapidly.
'That was easy! I know you want me to prove my words, so I'll do your wish. But as I said, the nature want to restart the world so I can't assure you that you can return to where you came from! But, will you trust me?'
'What do you mean?!'
'As the most ancient tree, I can tell that the end of the world is approaching! So hurry up and decide! Time is running out!'
'I will! Just get me out in here!'
Everything went silent. Just as Rouyi tries to blink, he heard a shattering sound. Then followed by the sounds of alarm while the room suddenly filled with red lights was the moment he realize the barrier that surrounds the tree shattered into fragments of crystal glass.
While the people inside the room starts to panic, in the middle of the room was standing the gigantic tree with its branch spreading widely with a little figure in front of it. As the scientist saw the scene, they quickly came after the young man however, before they could take him, a huge branch of the tree enveloped his body while destroying the place.
Rouyi could the dizziness and knowing that he's under the protection of the ancient tree, he closed his eyes as the world began to spin rapidly until his conscious eventually merging in the void.