Starting Off Survival With A Small Treehouse

Chapter 985: Chapter 556: Indescribable Fear

As she spoke, she pushed Shi Wanyun out of the room.

The mature woman was waiting outside for her at that moment. Seeing her come out, she resumed walking forward.

Shi Wanyun followed closely behind her.

”When you meet the Host shortly, try not to lose your composure.” The woman walked beside her, speaking softly, ”The Host’s appearance is somewhat... unusual to us humans, so avoid showing any disrespect.”

”Okay, I understand.” Shi Wanyun nodded.

She was extremely nervous now, able to hear her own heartbeat.

These advanced intelligent beings had brought them to this world, and they were her hope for returning to her original world!

Continuing to follow the mature woman, she realized at some point that it was just the two of them left.

They both stopped in front of a door.

The woman extended a hand, and the door opened.

It was a narrow, small space.

”...An elevator?” Shi Wanyun exclaimed in surprise.

”A lift, driven by the bioenergy of the world tree. The Host’s location isn’t in the lower regions, but at the very top of this world tree.”

With that, she entered the lift, and Shi Wanyun followed closely behind.

The lift doors closed immediately, and it began ascending.

The entire lift was completely enclosed, with no view of the outside, and inside there were no buttons or displays, just a row of relatively dim ceiling lights, preventing the lift interior from being too dark.

From the sensation of the thrust underfoot, the lift’s speed was very slow.

Maybe just a few dozen centimeters per second, much slower than a normal elevator.

Also, for some reason, the lift’s ascent had a feeling of obstruction, like an elevator that hadn’t been used in years suddenly being put into operation.

The lift ascended silently.

”Should I also call... the Host?”

Shi Wanyun asked the mature woman next to her, who seemed lost in thought.

The mature woman snapped back to attention and nodded.

”The title ’Host’ doesn’t literally mean that they are our masters, but rather the master of this world tree, just like when you visit someone’s house as a guest; they are the host, and you are the guest. So, no need to be overly nervous, the Host isn’t that concerned about us humans.”

So that’s what the Host means...

”But what about number 228 and the others...” Shi Wanyun asked with some confusion.

Last night, when number 228 was telling her about this place, there was an undertone of servile submission.

”Oh, most of the people below misunderstand the meaning of ’Host.’ Actually, the term ’Host’ is what we, who arrived in the first batch, use for the master of each world tree, but the people below also think that the master of the world tree is their master.”

The woman smiled slightly, ”We’ve explained it before, but the misunderstanding persists, so we’ve simply let it be. After all, having such a respectful attitude toward the master of the world tree makes it more manageable for us.”

More manageable?

Shi Wanyun’s eyes slightly shifted.

”I guess you’ve inferred it.”

The woman leaned against the wooden wall of the lift, chuckling lightly, ”Indeed, the Host only makes some basic rules and doesn’t really interfere with the operation of this world tree. The vast majority of the activities here are managed by us humans, and I am one of the managers of the female area.”

”I see...”

Only now did Shi Wanyun understand why most people here had never seen this so-called Host.

Because this Host doesn’t really manage things at all!

”Then why does the Host want to see me?” Shi Wanyun voiced her internal doubt.

”That, I actually do not know either.”

The woman shook her head, ”As one of the five managers of this world tree, over the last nearly fifty years, we’ve mostly been unable to contact the Host. The last time we had access was... eleven years ago, at the end of the fourth batch’s survival selection.”

”Eleven years ago?” Shi Wanyun was genuinely surprised, ”That long ago? Does this Host truly not care about the things below?”

The woman nodded, ”Except for making a few rules that almost no one would break, they don’t care, completely hands-off.”

Speaking, she gently patted the wall of the still-ascending lift, ”This lift is unusable during most times. Only when it’s operational can we managers have communication with the Host.”

”Three days ago, this lift suddenly activated, and the Host summoned all of us managers, informing us that in the coming days, there might be a fifth batch of survivalists attempting to smuggle in. If discovered, it must be reported immediately.”

”So... Is that why you suddenly apprehended me?” Shi Wanyun whispered.

”Yes, last night the lift stopped operating again, and only this morning, just now, did it start working again, so I went to meet the Host, who instructed me to bring you over immediately.” The woman nodded.

Although the woman was a manager here, she displayed remarkable patience with Shi Wanyun, answering all her questions without reserve and with a gentle smile.

Aside from her slight fondness for Shi Wanyun, it was more because of the Host’s interest in her.

This Shi Wanyun was the first human in fifty years that the Host had proactively requested to meet.