The System Mistook Me for a Cat

Yang Flower Wetland is the most renowned bird-watching forum in Huaguo, attracting a large number of bird enthusiasts who provide real-time updates on the progress of migratory bird flights. During this period, most winter migratory birds are en route to their nesting grounds, making it the liveliest time on the forum.

This year, the arrival of the Red-rain Falcon to breed at a private ranch has sparked considerable discussion.

The Red-rain Falcon arrives annually, but its choice of landing spots often leads to a rather precarious existence. This time, landing at a private ranch has people hopeful that the rancher, seeing an opportunity to profit from visitor fees, might treat the birds better. Of course, such outsiders likely aren't versed in how to coexist with Red-rain Falcons, so professionals will need to step in.

Luckily, there are plenty of professionals among the forum members.

Some of the more active "big shot" accounts might even belong to industry insiders. One of them had previously mentioned they would be going to Shanwan Ranch, prompting many to urge them to provide a live text update of the Red-rain Falcon's migration progress.

However, after a few posts, they simply posted a link to a video channel and said, "You guys can watch it yourself."

The bird enthusiasts clicked on the link, hopping from Chu Tingwu's live streams to Cheng Cai's private coverage, then onto Shanwan Ranch's official account, which diligently updated with a plethora of photos and videos. They were thoroughly satisfied.

—With such a high volume of updates and clear, professional footage, the Red-rain Falcons were almost enjoying the same treatment as pandas.

This ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‍year's viewing experience was top-notch!

Indeed, this year's experience was exceptional. Many enthusiasts visited the ranch to watch the birds, and as soon as the Red-rain Falcons departed, they hastily packed their bags and headed to Yuchén Wetland Park to await the next wave.

Wetland Park attracts more bird species, and compared to migratory birds that are less picky about landing spots, most prefer Wetland Park for its abundant food resources. Thus, it's a paradise for bird watchers during migration season.

The Red-rain Falcons arrived slightly later than usual, but the dense cluster of tiny birds landed, their red beaks chirping. Many of these birds barely took a moment to rest, as some hunted while others napped. The wind gently ruffled their soft fur.

This was a busy, urgent family, and while the scene was somewhat chaotic, sharp-eyed observers noticed a few birds missing.

Those that had fallen out of formation and failed to reach the migration site likely never would.

Someone sighed, "…But the numbers this year are already quite good."

Compared to previous years, the main flock remained largely intact.

But who knows how many will ultimately reach their destination.

---

Chu Tingwu listened to the voice in her earphones while setting her shoes aside to dry—

The downside of following "wildlife" is that, despite meticulous planning, unexpected events can still occur.

Like being forced to traverse a forest.

Perhaps due to "genetic memory," despite occasional directional deviations, Diandian managed some major routes correctly. Thus, the migratory birds landed in protected areas, and so did Diandian, choosing spots rich in food and far from human disturbances.

Chu Tingwu had prepared several contingency plans, applying in advance for drone flights and helicopter routes. However, compared to the speed of bird flight, the pace of human bureaucracy seemed painfully slow.

The system reassured her, "It's fine. We're familiar with the protected area. I'll tell you the positions of the cameras so you can avoid them or delete the videos."

Chu Tingwu: "=="

So, as long as no one sees you breaking the rules, you're not really breaking them, right?

She wasn't overly concerned with formality, but recalling her "study-life" experiences in the protected area now being used for this felt a bit ridiculous.

If she had driven purely by road, the journey from Sulu Protected Area to Yuchén Wetland Park would have taken around five days. But humans certainly couldn't take the aerial route. Diandian's flight time was slightly shorter than the main flock, and Chu Tingwu's hurried journey with it somewhat made up for that. Now, as the young bird proudly landed, exuding an attitude of "I don't need to be fed; I can find my own food," Chu Tingwu found herself trudging through the forest barefoot and being splashed with mud by a crocodile.

Crocodile: "…"

Chu Tingwu: "…"

After a mutual glance, Chu Tingwu passed by, and the crocodile resumed its spot in the mud pool.

Finally, the voice on the earphones delivered some news. Although Chu Tingwu had never been to the Sulu Protected Area, before arriving, she had applied for a research project related to Red-rain Falcon studies—though currently, the project only consisted of her and Diandian—and research teams entering protected areas wasn't uncommon. After her application was approved, the staff even inquired if she needed a local guide.

Chu Tingwu politely declined and meanwhile reported her current coordinates.

The staff on the other end: "=="

Well, it seemed she was already quite deep into the area.

Was it their low efficiency, or her high efficiency?

But sensing the Red-rain Falcon's presence nearby, Chu Tingwu, barefoot, traversed some flatter ground, taking a deep breath—then stretched out her hand and drew three marks on a tree trunk.

Sulu Protected Area was home to a variety of wildlife.

She was leaving markers, or rather, her "scent," warning other animals not to come closer.

As she continued with her markers, the sounds ahead gradually diminished. Before any creatures with dangerous pheromones approached, they had already fled.

Even Diandian, who spotted Chu Tingwu before recognizing her, almost spread its wings to flee, but hesitated halfway and eventually landed... Despite Chu Tingwu's scent change, the days of interaction made it remain, though cautiously, its beady eyes fixed on her.

The other bird, however, chirped even louder, obviously scared, but its claws were caught in a twig, and its feathers were drenched, looking quite wretched.

Chu Tingwu subtly altered her scent, tied her coat around her waist, waved Diandian away, and began climbing the tree.

This was a full-grown Red-rain Falcon.

Not only was it trapped, but its condition didn't seem great either, likely driven by hunger. As soon as Chu Tingwu brought it down from the tree, another creature entered the territory she had previously marked with that dangerous pheromone—

"We must be careful; it's too quiet here. There could be some dangerous animals nearby." the guide said.

"So, do you think we'll get to see a tiger today?" someone from the magazine asked.

Chu Tingwu: "…"

No tigers, but there's a cat.

Indeed, unable to sense any danger or pheromones, only humans walked past.

As they turned and saw the unfamiliar Chu Tingwu, they paused. Compared to their heavily armed group, she looked more like a lost tourist who hadn't prepared properly for entering the forest area, not even wearing shoes, appearing quite disheveled.

Yet, she was still feeding a bird, even bringing along bird food in such a state?

And it was a Red-rain Falcon—they recognized it at a glance!

The magazine crew: "..."

The guide "ah"-ed, starting to look for spare shoes, but as he approached, both Red-rain Falcons instinctively moved back—one flew to a tree, the other burrowed into Chu Tingwu's collar and perched on her hood, revealing only its beady eyes.

Chu Tingwu mimicked a couple of bird calls, coaxing the one on the tree down and covering it with her shirt before thanking the guide for the shoes.

Curiously glancing at Chu Tingwu's exposed skin, he noticed no wounds, not even mosquito bites, starkly different from their party. She seemed to have suddenly appeared in the forest, making them wonder if she had arrived by helicopter.

Until one of the magazine crew hesitantly asked, "Excuse me, are you A Chu?"

Chu Tingwu smiled at her.

Although it wasn’t deliberately promoted, the news of Chu Tingwu chasing the red-headed harrier southward has sparked several discussions on the migratory bird forum, and some industry insiders have also taken notice. While they are unsure whether this is a publicity stunt or if the young girl truly intends to follow the bird, nor can they determine if Diandian will catch up with the main flock or be domesticated by Chu Tingwu, the attention continues to grow.

As news of the red-headed harrier flock appears day by day in local newspapers across different cities, enthusiasts gather these reports, and accounts disseminate the updates. Meanwhile, Diandian’s progress is shared by Chu Tingwu herself on her personal account, with Shanwan Ranch occasionally re-posting to keep followers updated.

They comment:

“Compared to its brethren, it started its journey a bit late.”

And now, the magazine staff think that Diandian has found a companion.

The adult red-headed harrier, though fed, remains somewhat wary, flying off halfway before perching back on Chu Tingwu’s shoulder, displaying a mix of familiarity and caution. As Chu Tingwu finishes her rest, the bird calls out, preens its feathers, and then suddenly stretches its wings.

Diandian: "Chirp chirp chirp!"

The red-headed harrier soars into the sky, and the magazine’s photographer immediately raises the camera. Diandian hurriedly chases after it, leaving two parallel trails in the air.

The magazine staff sigh with a sense of wonder, and one of them looks at Chu Tingwu, inviting her to leave the protected area together in their car—only to find Chu Tingwu already preparing to leave.

The person quickly says, “Don’t venture in alone anymore; there are dangerous wild animals nearby.”

By the time Chu Tingwu’s voice reaches them, she is already far away: “It’s fine… I know where they are.”@@novelbin@@

The magazine staff are still confused, but the guide observes her actions with admiration: Her movements are so sharp, she looks more experienced than even their own team.

Chu Tingwu indeed knows.

The forest, though more diverse in species, feels more like her home than the city. Whenever she follows Diandian through areas inhabited by wild animals, her three skills—genetic inheritance, intuition, and mastery of experience—accelerate.

Especially genetic inheritance—

As she encounters more wild animals, her genetic information seems to be subtly adjusting, correcting past errors in size comparison. After all, her size is much larger than a “cat,” so she likely won’t encounter a tiger five times her size.

When she finds a car parked on the other side of the forest, a red-headed harrier lands in mid-air.

It circles and lands on the car roof, complaining to Chu Tingwu with practiced ease. Though she doesn’t understand the specific words, she can sense Diandian’s disappointment.

As a young bird, it can’t keep up.

The adult bird is neither the lead bird nor Diandian’s parent, so it won’t take care of it. The two birds can’t form a formation. Despite meeting, they must part ways to continue their journey.

That evening, someone spotted the adult red-headed harrier, marked as MK3490, and was surprised to see it flying solo after the main flock. The next evening, the official account of Nature's Enigma magazine posted two photos: one showing two red-headed harriers standing behind the same person, the figure blurred but the harmony between bird and human evident, with sunlight filtering through the forest in the background.

The other photo shows the adult and the young bird flying together into the sky, sparking anticipation.

Fans commented:

“That’s a young bird, and it probably won’t catch up, but the flight speed data of MK3490 has come out… It might just keep up with the flock! It flies so fast!”

Chu Tingwu gently strokes Diandian’s head: “You’ll catch up; you’re just a little slower.”

Diandian focuses on eating, paying no attention to her, clearly unaware of human assessments.

But the next day, as Chu Tingwu opens her live stream, the drone’s camera captures the young bird in flight—

Someone compares the IP and can’t help but exclaim, “Is the bird in the previous magazine photo actually Diandian?”

Their Diandian may be young, but it’s still quite diligent!

Before this thought finishes rolling through their mind, they notice Diandian’s speed slowing slightly but still trying… trying, matching the pace with the drone, and then gently landing.

The drone’s camera turns, clearly showing the red-headed harrier clinging to the back of the drone, wings still spread.

It’s all about appearances.

The audience: “…?”

Chu Tingwu: “…”

Wait, let me explain!

This is the first time the kid has done this; it wasn’t like this before!