Beast Taming: My System is Bugged-Chapter 59 - 58: Don’t Give Up on Life

"To enable Cyan Treasure to train in a different Attribute, you randomly invited a passerby with severe social anxiety in the cafeteria to practice the Wood Escape Ultimate Skill together."

"The socially anxious individual desperately tried to flee but was caught by your Old Deng Gravity Field and could not escape."

"After an in-depth conversation, you gradually came to understand the socially anxious student’s family circumstances and her plans for the future."

"You learned that she has given up on the college entrance exams and plans to find any old job after graduation. She would simply rent whatever Pet Beast her boss required."

"As someone with experience, you couldn’t bear to watch her fall into such a pitfall. You immediately pointed out the potential drawbacks of her plan and urged the socially anxious student not to give up, reminding her that the college entrance exams were her only chance in this life to transcend her social class."

Gu Ming looked at the newly updated scenario from the system with a peculiar expression.

The scenario described by the system was still wildly inaccurate. The reason for finding a partner to train a cross-attribute skill was true, but the description of the conversation that followed was completely wrong.

But what if she really didn’t want to talk to him and was, in fact, intending to give up on the exams?

Gu Ming looked at the Sunflower Seed-eating Hamster. Its aptitude was decent, placing it in the upper-middle tier among hamsters.

However, compared to Pet Beasts with Two-star or Three-star Level potential, it didn’t stand out at all. It was just a stepping stone for others on the path to the college entrance exams, with no outstanding strengths.

When it came to fighting, it was useless. Gu Ming had never seen a Sunflower Seed-eating Hamster accomplish anything in the Combat Element.

On the Cultivation Element path, however, it had a bit of a future.

The Cultivation Element didn’t require Pet Beasts to have strong combat abilities. As long as they could assist the Beastmaster with their work, they were considered good Pet Beasts.

The Cultivation Element itself was divided into several major categories: one was macro-level work based on the system of Evolution, another was daily care and nurturing, and there was also skill training, among others.

The path of Evolution was the most expensive by far. Every failed attempt was a sunk cost, and over time, the expenses became enormous. Only wealthy families could afford to pursue it.

The cost of skill training was also considerable. Students from ordinary families lacked the accumulated knowledge, making it equally difficult for them to pass the exams.

That left daily care and nurturing.

This discipline focused on dietary nutrition, managing biological cycles, and mental health. It involved long-term nurturing, and the costs weren’t as daunting, making it the choice for many students from humble backgrounds.

But because so many people chose this path, the competition was far more intense than in other fields—the pressure was dozens of times greater than the other two Cultivation Element paths.

Gu Ming thought for a moment. While they were talking about the little hamster, he casually steered the conversation toward her plans after the college entrance exams, asking which universities she wanted to get into.

Lu You shook her head. She didn’t have a dream university; she felt her life would come to an end when the college entrance exams were over.

But in front of someone like Gu Ming—so focused on the exams, charging ahead with fierce determination to get into a university—she didn’t dare voice her true thoughts, afraid he would look down on her.

Lu You said subconsciously, "I’m thinking of a... a Tier 2 university would be fine. After all, Mouse Treasure is just a Sunflower Seed-eating Hamster with limited potential."

’Actually, I was going to say a vocational college.’

But in front of Gu Ming, she didn’t dare to aim so low.

A Tier 2 Beast Taming University was already the most prestigious institution Lu You could even imagine.

As for a Tier 1 university? One of the top 100, or even top 10, in the country?

She couldn’t even dare to imagine it. That was a world she could never be a part of.

After saying this, a gloomy mood fell over her. Her mind began to spiral, consumed by the fear of being looked down upon.

She lowered her head, not even daring to look at her own hamster.

"The socially anxious individual is frightened and tells a lie in the face of your social gravity field. She regrets it immediately and secretly blames herself—’Why did I accept his invitation? I’m perfectly happy on my own.’"

Gu Ming had only been testing the waters, not expecting to make Lu You’s condition worse.

But the words had been spoken. If Gu Ming were to just leave now, not only would it fail to help her, it would likely send her spiraling even further.

’I have to help her, get her out of this funk.’

’At the very least, help her get back to some semblance of a normal life.’

Gu Ming opened his mouth to praise her but didn’t know what to say.

’Praise the potential of a little hamster, saying it’s good enough for a Tier 2 university... Isn’t that just lying to both of us?’

’She’d definitely just overthink it more and assume I was mocking her.’

’Shaking my head to show I don’t think it’s likely doesn’t seem right either. It’s a hard line to walk.’

That Gu Ming thought so much about it was a habit born from years of his own hardships and the patience learned from nurturing Pet Beasts.

’Don’t panic when you hit a snag. Be patient.’

He first glanced at the Sunflower Seed-eating Hamster. Seeing it scratch its head with its tiny paws, he could tell her Pet Beast wasn’t very confident either.

But as for whether the little hamster wanted to get into a university, the answer was a definite yes.

Otherwise, the Sunflower Seed-eating Hamster wouldn’t have gone so far as to use her phone to ask for help on her behalf.

The hamster hadn’t given up on its future, but its master had already given up on hers.

That was the root of the problem.

After thinking for a few seconds, Gu Ming took a deep breath and said, "Lu You, don’t give up."

Lu You kept her head down, her body trembling slightly. She was incredibly tense, expecting Gu Ming to scoff at her ambition.

But instead, he was telling her not to give up.

’What... what does he mean?’

’What have I given up on?’

Lu You jolted. She lifted her head slightly, peeking at Gu Ming’s face through the gaps in her bangs.

Gu Ming’s expression was completely serious, his words and look filled with a power meant to encourage her.

’How did he know?’

Lu You had only ever told her little hamster. She hadn’t breathed a word of it to any of her classmates.

Her plan was to find a job right after the exams. If her hamster wasn’t good enough to help her get one, she would take out a loan to rent a Pet Beast.

In her class, many students who hadn’t even contracted a Pet Beast were already discussing their plans to find work after graduation.

Taking out loans to rent Pet Beasts for a job was one of their daily topics of conversation.

Lu You didn’t dare speak to anyone. She just sat in her gloomy corner, only able to listen to what others were talking about.

After hearing it so much, the same idea began to take root in her mind.

Give up on the exams, rent a Pet Beast, and get a job.

It wasn’t that she was trying to be lazy; it was that her family couldn’t offer her any more support.

It was also related to her personality. She was normally very withdrawn and afraid of interacting with people.

Watching her classmates improve one by one, she felt stuck in place, or even like she was falling behind.

’What did she have to fight for that sliver of hope?’

It was a fierce "gladiator arena" out there. Even in the Cultivation Element, which didn’t require combat, there were plenty of conflicts fought in the shadows.

She’d heard some classmates say that the competition in the daily care and nurturing specialization of the Cultivation Element was even more intense than in the Combat Element.

And the words Gu Ming had just spoken pierced straight to the core of her being.

The truth was, she didn’t want to give up on the exams. She also wanted to walk a bright path with her Pet Beast, to carve out a place for herself in the world.

The world was so big, and she still wanted to see it.

She wanted to meet more adorable Pet Beasts and make more friends.

But reality was a wall. She was trapped behind a wall of social anxiety, unable to break free.

Gu Ming stood on the other side of that wall, shouting to her, "Don’t give up."

Lu You glanced at Gu Ming and realized he was serious. He truly, genuinely wanted her not to give up.