Beast Taming: My System is Bugged

Suddenly, he felt a gaze—so penetrating it seemed to see through Illusion and Reality—projecting toward him with the precision of a spotlight from the high and distant royal viewing box.

Despite the thousand-meter distance, the countless bobbing heads, and the shimmering halos of energy in between.

That gaze remained cold and clear, locking firmly onto his position.

Gu Ming instinctively raised his head. His eyes cut through the clamoring crowd and hazy light, searching for the source of the gaze.

At almost the same moment, his gaze crossed the vast Space, meeting the eyes of the Thirteenth Prince, Zhou Shichen, who sat high above, concealed behind special glazed glass. It was a silent, fleeting exchange.

Zhou Shichen’s eyes betrayed little obvious emotion.

There was no admiration, nor was there disgust—only the faintest, almost imperceptible trace of scrutiny and curiosity.

It was as if he were confirming for himself what this rising academic star, the subject of some discussion, actually looked like.

Or perhaps, he was assessing something.

The stare lasted less than two seconds.

He was the first to look away, his focus returning to the central performance area below.

His posture was composed and natural, as if that precise glance had been nothing more than a random pause while casually scanning the crowd.

But Gu Ming knew with crystal clarity that it was no accident.

This outstanding Prince, who naturally emanated Dragon Qi and possessed the innate bearing of a ruler, had clearly taken notice of him—the first-year student who had become famous for his academic achievements.

It wasn’t hard to understand why.

Back during the National High School Beast Taming Competition, Gu Ming had already come into contact with an admissions officer who, to some degree, represented the interests of the Thirteenth Prince’s faction.

At the time, however, he had declined their olive branch for his own reasons.

He had originally assumed that a great personage like the Thirteenth Prince—a man of revered status, buried in state affairs—wouldn’t take the rejection from a minor figure like himself to heart. He thought the matter was long over.

However, times had changed.

Now, thanks to several influential papers published in the *Peak* journal, Gu Ming’s academic prestige was dazzling. His influence had long since surpassed the university’s walls, causing a stir within the Beast Taming academic circles of the Zhou Capital and even the entire Great Zhou empire. He had become a figure who could no longer be ignored.

Under these circumstances,

It would have been difficult for the Thirteenth Prince, a member of the royal family who was bound to keep an eye on talented individuals throughout the nation, *not* to notice him.

The Prince only needed to give a casual order, and someone would undoubtedly deliver a detailed report on Gu Ming’s background and experiences—including the "old business" of him once rejecting the faction’s invitation.

At this, Gu Ming could only secretly hope that the Thirteenth Prince, who seemed so poised and unfathomable, was not the type to be narrow-minded or hold a grudge.

Otherwise, receiving "special attention" from a Prince who was not only high-ranking and powerful but also immensely strong himself would be anything but a pleasant experience.

「In the arena.」

The grand Pet Beast group performance had concluded, and the motes of light filling the air began to dissipate.

The final, symbolic roars of giant beasts echoed through the stadium, but the audience’s ignited passion remained at a fever pitch, with one wave of cheers cresting higher than the last.

Just then, the host’s voice, full of energy, boomed through the amplification Array once more:

"Next, let’s welcome to the stage... Wenquxing University’s most brilliant academic star in this year’s competition and one of our competitor representatives, Gu Ming!"

As Gu Ming heard his name called out once more, he could distinctly feel the Shadow Cloak draped over him ripple slightly. It was a tremor of nervousness transmitted from Ah Ji through their contract.

Meanwhile, inside his Beast Taming Space, Cyan Treasure seemed to be holding its breath, and invisible beads of sweat felt as if they were forming on Ah Kun’s broad back.

Gu Ming gave a helpless, wry smile in his heart and responded to his partners’ anxiety:

’Alright, alright, don’t be nervous...’

’...though, wow, that really is a lot of people.’

He took a deep breath, calming the slight tremor in his heart.

He had Ah Ji retract the Shadow Cloak, revealing his normal appearance, then stepped toward the brightly lit entrance of the passage.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!