"Tick... tick... tick..."
The sound of rain outside the 22nd-floor apartment window echoed like the relentless ticking of a giant clock, eroding every second of Chen Xuwu's remaining sanity.
Inside, there was only the blue glow of his laptop monitor illuminating his pale face, and the stale aroma of instant coffee, mixed with the cold sweat that had clung to his shirt for hours.
"Ding!"
The 37th email notification of the night blinked in the corner of the screen, as if counting down his last breath.
Chen Xuwu, a 27-year-old man, stared at the number with a blank gaze, his eyes burning red like embers about to die out.
Every blink felt like sandpaper scraping his cornea, stinging and dry.
His body slumped in the swivel chair, his right shoulder numb, and his left hand trembling violently as he tried to press the Shift key.
"If I die from work... please bury me in a plant pot," he mumbled, his voice hoarse and broken, his throat feeling like it was gnawed by sand.
A bitter laugh escaped his lips. "At least I can grow again... like grass, free from all this."
"Creak... creak..."
His shoulder joint popped loudly as he tried to reach the empty coffee cup on the table. Five cups.
Five cups of instant coffee that only managed to make his heart beat erratically, racing like a wild, choked horse.
[New Notification: CEO Meeting Deadline moved to 08:00 AM.]
A crazy smile curled on his lips. "Hahaha... 3:42 AM... working myself to death..."
His thin fingers still danced over the keyboard, though they had lost all sensation.
The keys were sticky with sweat and last night's instant noodle crumbs.
His vision began to blur, the letters on the screen dancing erratically. His head felt heavy, as if molten lead flowed through every vein. Then...
"THUD!"
The dull sound of Chen Xuwu's head hitting the table echoed.
The laptop monitor swayed, displaying the last lines of code he typed.
"Splish... splash... tsshhh..."
His empty coffee cup tumbled, spilling the remaining cold black liquid onto the extension cord.
An electrical spark flashed, briefly illuminating the creeping darkness.
His body went still.
His vision dimmed, the sound of rain faded, and darkness swallowed him.
Silence.
Darkness.
Yet... he felt. Not his body, not pain, but a strange emptiness. And he heard.
"Huuuuhh... huuhhh..." his own breath, but without a chest. Air, but without lungs. An existence floating, weightless, painless.
Then, another sound emerged. Not an echo from his old world, but a deep resonance, as if from the very core of the earth.
The voice was heavy, calm, yet full of authority.
"Son of man... you are too far from your origin."
"Your exhaustion is not from work, but because you left the land where you grew."
The voice permeated, calming the emptiness.
Like ancient roots humming from within the earth, pulling him back to something fundamental.
"So we... grant you a second chance. But this time, not as a worker. As a guardian... of balance."
Suddenly, a strange sensation spread. Not a sound, but a cheerful and absurd feeling, appearing directly in his mind:
[DING! Welcome, Heir of Nature's Tao! Nature System Activated!]
[New body configuration... complete. New location: Traditional Cultivation World.]
[Features unlocked: Speak with living beings, control elements, enhancement through harmony.]
"Huh?! System?!" Chen Xuwu tried to shout, but his voice only echoed in his head, without a throat to produce sound.
This was strange, very strange.
[Hint: Don't panic. This is not your usual isekai cheat. This is... NATURE.]
"Whoosh... Whoosh..."
The sound of wind swept through the valley, carrying the scent of damp earth and sweet wild flowers. Chen Xuwu opened his eyes.
The sky stretched clear blue above him, adorned with white clouds moving slowly like cotton.
Emerald green grass spread as far as the eye could see, every blade appearing alive and full of energy.
The pure, cold air pierced his lungs, yet it wasn't a painful cold, but refreshing, cleansing every trace of fatigue from his soul.
"Chirp! Chirp!" Birds sang from the branches of towering giant trees, their melodies sounding so real, so close.
He looked up.
His body felt light, as if years of grueling work had been lifted.
His breath was relieved, every inhale filling his chest with an energy he had never felt before.
"This... isn't Shenzhen. This... isn't office hell..." he mumbled, his own voice sounding unfamiliar, clearer, more alive.
[Location: Sky River Valley – Southern Region of Zhongyao Continent]
[Qi Connection: 60%. Nature Affinity: 100%]
[First Mission: Touch a tree and make it smile.]
Chen Xuwu frowned. "What does 'make a tree smile' mean?!"
Was this a metaphor? Or was he truly insane?
[Hint: Touch the tree. Not a passionate hug. Feel it.]
He stared at the ancient tree nearby. Its trunk was thick, its bark rough yet radiating a strong aura of life.
Slowly, his right hand reached out, touching the tree's bark.
"Thump..."
A strange sensation enveloped him.
Not just warm energy, but a gentle flow of life, like roots spreading within him, connecting him to the earth.
Chen Xuwu's eyes closed. He heard. Not with his ears, but a voice echoing directly in his mind, a soft voice... from within the tree.
"Thank you... for returning. We missed your touch."
A faint smile appeared on Chen Xuwu's lips. This... was real.
[Mission Complete: Tree smiled. +100 Exp. New skill unlocked: 'Empathic Leaf Knot']
"Rustle... rustle..."
The sound of bushes moving as he stepped, exploring the valley.
Every step felt light, every footprint seemingly welcomed by the swaying grass.
He tried to touch a wild flower, and the flower seemed to respond by spreading its petals.
"I can talk to birds... rabbits... even mushrooms?!" He couldn't help but exclaim.
[Small bright red mushroom: 'Don't step on me! I'm a rare mushroom, you know! It took a hundred years to grow this big!']
Chen Xuwu gasped, quickly pulling his foot back.
"Sorry, sorry...!"
[Agile squirrel leaping onto his shoulder: 'You smell good... like earth after rain. I like it. Take me wherever you go!']
[Passive Effect: Aura of Body Harmony Lv.1 — living beings feel comfortable near you.]
"Oh no... don't all living things stick to me!" He laughed, a genuine laugh, a laugh he hadn't heard from himself in a long time.
[Bonus Mission: Help a female cultivator water flowers. Time limit: 5 minutes.]
Chen Xuwu sighed. "Okay, simple. Water flowers—"
[Warning: You must not stare at the chest area when the woman bends over. Failure to comply will cause the flowers to spray an unremovable itchy powder for three days.]
Chen Xuwu: "...WHAT?!" Cold sweat dripped down his temples. This was no longer just a system, this was... nature's moral guardian?
"Click..."
The sound of a branch snapping behind him. Chen Xuwu turned around.
A girl emerged from behind the bushes. Her long green hair flowed beautifully, adorned with a silver leaf-shaped hairpin.
An elegant white-green, leaf-designed robe draped her body. Her clear eyes radiated curiosity mixed with caution.
"You... a human?" Her voice was soft yet firm.
"But why is your aura like... a sacred tree? I've never felt such a strong aura from a human."
Chen Xuwu scratched his head, awkward.
"I'm... not sure either.
My name is Chen Xuwu. I just woke up... from a past life that was a bit... traumatic."
The girl smiled slightly. "Lin Qianyu. Disciple of the Green Sky Sect. You're strange... but the flowers around you bloom beautifully... when you speak."
"Whoosh..."
As Lin Qianyu spoke, petals from the surrounding flowers fluttered, as if welcoming Chen Xuwu's presence, creating a magical scene.
[Mission Success: Make spiritual plants bloom in front of the female cultivator. +200 Exp. New skill: 'Touch of Life']
Lin Qianyu smiled again, wider this time, though a faint blush appeared on her cheeks. She looked at Chen Xuwu with a warmer gaze.
"...You're really a walking tree, aren't you?" she joked.
By the clear riverbank, Chen Xuwu sat.
The water flowed calmly, reflecting the starlight beginning to appear in the night sky.
"Crunch... crunch..."
The soft sound of grass being stepped on as he stretched out, feeling the softness of the earth beneath him.
The night sky shone brightly, stars blazing like scattered gems.
The gentle breeze felt like a warm embrace from the earth, calming every corner of his soul.
"If I once lived for work... now I live for life itself."
A peace he had never felt before enveloped him.
[Official Title Obtained: The Ruler of Nature]
[System: Welcome, Guardian of Leaves. This world awaits you. Many secrets are hidden, many dangers lurk. But with harmony, you will become a true king.]
And so... Chen Xuwu's story began, not as a work slave who died in despair, but as the king of all that lives and grows, a guardian destined to bring balance to a new world.