The System Mistook Me for a Cat

With one player AFK, the match was unsurprisingly lost.

However, Chu Tingwu added everyone except Li Bai as a friend. No one was particularly upset about the loss; instead, they were more curious about Li Bai's soup. Had the soup been saved? Gossip is human nature, and with the voice chat still on, they were all ears, eagerly listening for updates!

On their side, the opponents, seeing Imperial Consort Yang explaining things in the public chat, weren't in a rush to secure the victory either. With the score gap already wide, both sides started playing a mock match, even finding time to chat casually in the public chat.

Imperial Consort Yang showed Chu Tingwu her newly purchased hero and skill skins, while also recommending a few content creators who specialize in beginner tutorials. Chu Tingwu took the opportunity to ask her about her thoughts on the upcoming crossover event with another game.

Imperial Consort Yang said, "You mean the one with the cat-eared girl or cat-eared boy? My gaming group has been debating whether the new character is a cat-eared girl or a cat-eared boy. Of course, there are also the furry fans, but not long after, the official announcement said there wouldn't be a new hero... so the discussion gradually died down."

No new hero means no need to study new skills or team strategies. The crossover event would likely just involve selling skins, voice packs, and some limited-time reward activities. So, everyone moved on.

Imperial Consort Yang, who loves cats and owns one herself, was a bit more excited:

"The day before the crossover event is the unlimited third beta test for 'Can't Learn It.' I'll probably register an account right away."

Though it's called the third beta test, there are no registration limits, so how is it different from a full release? Players can even bring their own resources to help with testing.

Another teammate, controlling "Li Shimin," rode past on horseback, performing a dance move from the game while saying:

"I'm also looking forward to it, especially the AR gameplay. When I take my dog out for a walk, I can even pick up some cat food along the way. When will other game companies realize that if they just make games with randomly spawning items and keep updating them, they can lead players around like walking a dog?"

Imperial Consort Yang: "I don't really want to be a dog, though ==."

These two teammates were the ones more excited about the AR game, but there were also those who weren't fond of going outside and were more pessimistic about AR. They just wanted to register an account, grab the basic rewards, and leave. One of them said:

"I read the announcement. It said that although there won't be data sharing between the games, rewards earned in one game can be converted into data for the other. Does that mean I can play 'Can't Learn It' directly within 'Yuan Tang'?"

If that's the case, he could grit his teeth and play the not-so-fun online quiz for the event rewards.

But the specifics of the crossover haven't been announced yet, so no one knows exactly what kind of gameplay the cryptic announcement is hinting at.

When Li Bai returned, everyone immediately dropped the topic and eagerly asked about the soup.

Li Bai was touched: "There's only a little soup left, but thankfully the pot is fine."

"Alright, alright," everyone said, "just surrender then."

We're just waiting for you to agree.

Li Bai: "..."

Why does it feel like you don't care about my safety at all and only care about the soup?

---

Chu Tingwu put down her phone and jumped off the back of the cow.

Raphael, who had been pretending to take a stroll nearby, immediately trotted over and let out a dignified neigh, signaling Chu Tingwu to get on his back.

Chu Tingwu patted his neck in praise, mounted him, and gazed in the direction of the wind. The grass bent low, and the cattle and sheep grazed peacefully. This was the pasture area, closed off to tourists, so the artificial modifications for the crossover event were minimal. Everyone knew it was easier to find Chu Tingwu here. Although noise didn't bother her much anymore, she still preferred places with fewer human traces.

Because of this, Professor Mi was a bit disappointed that they hadn't encountered the speedboat operator from the first day again and instead had new crew members.

One day, as he went to the lake as usual, he adjusted his glasses and looked into the distance, spotting someone clinging to the cliff face.

Chu Tingwu had her back to them, climbing without any safety gear.

Professor Mi adjusted his glasses again and couldn't help but ask his students, "Take a look... is that a person... or a monkey?"

Chu Tingwu: I can hear you ==

Improving the water quality was a long-term project. After staying here for over half a month, they had grown attached to the lake and knew the cliffs like the back of their hands. According to the client's requirements, the small bay lake would offer a rock climbing experience over water. The process involved taking a climbing boat to the opposite side, stepping onto the nails embedded in the cliff, putting on safety gear, and starting the climb.

In other words, at least one climber would need to do a lead climb to set the route, marking out climbable points and reference paths, after which the construction team would make minor adjustments to the cliff based on the markings.

The climbing wall was about eight meters high, surpassing the height of bouldering walls. Tourists wanted the thrill of climbing above the water, not the embarrassment of falling in—so there needed to be at least some bolts for rappelling and someone to catch them at the bottom.

After studying the historical water levels and the soil at the base, a row of hidden stone stakes was installed near the cliff.

These stakes were slightly below the waterline, running along the cliff to another landing point. They wouldn't interfere with the boat experience but would allow climbing instructors to stand on them to assist and protect climbers.

Now, all the additional preparations were done, but the cliff remained bare.

Professor Mi was curious: why hadn't the client brought in any professional climbers yet?

Now he didn't need to wonder anymore, because they saw a very agile... employee! Yes, an employee!

Though she was far away and not wearing a hat, Professor Mi was sure that the figure looked exactly like the speedboat operator from before!

Under the watchful eyes of those on the opposite shore, Chu Tingwu climbed steadily to the top. Though she didn't use any aids, the outdoor climbing route wasn't particularly difficult—it just looked dangerous without safety gear.

She relayed her feedback to her team based on her climbing experience, discussed a second route with the system, and considered how to incorporate vines as a fun element. Then she looked down—

The water was so clear that, if not for the glaring sunlight, you could almost see the bottom.

After dredging the silt, updating the filtration system, removing all the trash, and replanting aquatic vegetation, the lake now looked artistic, with fallen leaves floating on the surface like decorations, complemented by the shadows of the trees.

Though there were still some imperfections, with continued effort, the lake would become a blue eye nestled in the heart of the pasture, a work of art in itself.

So if any tourists threw trash while on the boat, they should just... never mind, just make them pay a fine.

In the distance, Professor Mi waved his arm: seeing a familiar face made him happy. The pasture was sparsely populated, and he wanted to chat with Chu Tingwu, asking her how she felt about the changes to the lake and if she had any other suggestions.

However, one of his students squinted and hesitated, "Is she really... an employee?"

She looks kind of familiar...

Chu Tingwu noticed Professor Mi wanted to talk to her, so she nodded, stepped onto the soil, and with a deft leap—

Professor Mi: "!?"

He saw Chu Tingwu twist in mid-air, grab a protruding vine, and use it to slow her descent as she pushed off the cliff. After a couple of steps, she quickly landed on the hidden stone stakes in the lake.

The water soaked her sandals as she walked casually across the lake (on the stakes) to the shore, ready to provide her feedback.

Professor Mi was certain that Chu Tingwu wasn’t trying to show off or demonstrate some skill… because there were no cameras around her, and on the shore, there were only a few of them, plus a horse.

She had simply acted instinctively, using this quick and straightforward method to cross the lake.

His heart had almost stopped just as quickly and straightforwardly.

So, Chu Tingwu noticed: Why was Professor Mi’s attitude suddenly so cautious…?

This little old man was usually a kind and gentle mentor to his students, even speaking softly to horses and cows, but his tone toward Chu Tingwu was polite, with a hint of reverence. After their conversation, he tentatively added:

“Actually, it’s fine to take your time. No need to rush.”

Chu ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‍Tingwu: “Thank you for your concern, but I’m fine.”Nôv(el)B\\jnn

She had initially planned to leap directly onto a stone pillar with an eight-meter height difference, but considering there were people watching, she had already “toned down” her movements.

Professor Mi: “Ah, my students often act like this during experiments—”

The student behind him: “?”

Professor Mi: “I’ve told them that safety is more important than efficiency, but they never listen. As a result, they make mistakes because they’re too hasty, and their efficiency actually drops… By the way, how old are you? Are you here as a volunteer?”

Chu Tingwu: “I’ve already been admitted to university, but I haven’t started yet.”

She mentioned her major, and Professor Mi nodded: That’s quite relevant to her field, and their university’s program in that area is ranked number one in the country. He wasn’t sure if she had chosen it for career prospects or genuine interest… but that probably wasn’t his business, so he didn’t bring it up.

Chu Tingwu rode off on her horse.

The graduate student left behind was visibly struggling to hold back words.

Professor Mi turned around: “?”

Professor Mi: “If you need to use the restroom, go now.”

Some things are worth prioritizing for efficiency.

The graduate student couldn’t hold it in any longer: “Professor, she’s not just a worker—she’s the owner of the ranch! And she’s a top-tier content creator on a video platform with millions of followers. Rock climbing is a breeze for her—she’s done extreme parkour on TV! She’s also this year’s Biology Olympiad champion, admitted to our school, and has been featured in the campus newspaper and forums—”

Barring any surprises, you’ll probably be teaching her by the end of next year!

This future junior even donated a dormitory building to the school—she’s loaded!

The graduate student tried to convey this with his eyes, but Professor Mi frowned:

“With her skills, she could probably start working on research projects during her undergraduate years.”

Wealth shouldn’t be a reason for favoritism—it’s all about ability. Are you suggesting you want to be supported by a junior who hasn’t even started school yet? It’s not like we’re that desperate for research funding!

The graduate student didn’t give up and showed Professor Mi some of Chu Tingwu’s livestreams from the nature reserve.

Some of the footage was later edited by Chu Tingwu herself into a documentary titled *Walking with Wolves*, and she hadn’t cut out the parts showing human activity.

She stood there, as if she were a natural part of the environment, seamlessly blending in with the wolf pack.

Professor Mi had never seen a student like her… no, a person like her!

He immediately thought that if Chu Tingwu could participate in some of his research, many projects could make exciting new breakthroughs. They wouldn’t even need to take on side gigs for funding—wait, wasn’t that funding coming from Chu Tingwu herself?

Professor Mi: “Ah, Xiao Chu is clearly destined to be my own student.”

Graduate student: “…?”

Sure, sure, benefiting from the junior’s ranch, earning her side gig money…

They could be adopted!

-

Chu Tingwu: “?”

System: “What’s wrong?”

Chu Tingwu: “I feel like I’ve suddenly adopted a bunch of cats… They’re all calling me ‘Mom.’”

System: “Your [Intuition] experience bar did move! No, I won’t allow it!”

It immediately deleted all the online comments calling her “Mom” and gushing over her like she was some kind of adorable cub.

She’s still just a cub herself!