Chapter 2: Too Ugly…

After walking for some time, Ji Wuxiu was panting heavily. He quickly found a sturdy tree trunk and plopped down, his body instantly collapsing into a soft, round lump.

Ah, so comfortable.

The panda lazily leaned against the tree, sprawled out in an overly familiar posture, whistling like a rogue.

Although, what came out didn’t really sound like whistling—more like random humming.

He glanced around, scratched his belly, and his thick flesh jiggled slightly.

A gentle breeze brushed through his fur, bringing a refreshing coolness that lifted his mood. His face practically radiated contentment, yet somehow, he still looked pitiful and dejected.

After a while, Mr. Panda’s expression gradually turned serious. He glanced around again as if searching for something, then finally said heavily to the system, “System, I think it’s time for me to eat.”

The system remained silent for a moment before responding: 【Host, you have to solve this problem yourself. You are no longer who you used to be. Now, you can handle everything just by acting cute.】

Ji Wuxiu suddenly realized—of course! He rubbed his still-round belly, even though he was starving.

What a miscalculation—he had almost forgotten that he could now survive on his looks alone.

The system seemed to want to encourage him: 【Work hard to accumulate your cuteness points! There are many great things waiting for you to redeem in the system store.】

Ji Wuxiu’s curiosity was piqued. “What kind of great things?”

A semi-transparent virtual screen appeared before him, displaying an extensive list of items.

【Ding! Host, do you see? The more cuteness points you earn, the more you can buy from here. Your future as a winner in life is guaranteed.】

Although the system’s voice was as monotonous as ever, Ji Wuxiu felt a surge of excitement. He had clearly seen it—this store had an astonishing variety of goods, filled with things he had never even heard of. It truly had everything one could imagine.

The only problem—everything required cuteness points.

Clenching his fluffy paw into a fist, Ji Wuxiu let out a determined “hmm hmm” sound, his panda eyes shining with hope for the future.

—Everything was for the sake of cuteness points!

—

The creature perched on the tree slowly rose, licking its lips. It stretched its body, lifting its hindquarters slightly while its claws flashed out in a swift motion. Then, with a slow, deliberate sway of its hips, it adjusted its posture into an attacking stance.

It had been watching for a long time now and could easily tell that the ugly creature below posed no threat.

Most importantly—this prey was really ugly.

It crept forward cautiously, licking the corners of its mouth in anticipation. Sharp fangs gleamed coldly in its maw, while the dim golden sunlight reflected a faint sheen off its sleek, glossy fur.

Then suddenly—

With a burst of movement, it shot out from the dense foliage, leaping through the air as broken twigs and leaves scattered in its wake.

Under the sunlight, its jet-black fur gleamed without a single blemish, sleek and lustrous. Its streamlined body exuded both agility and an undeniable lethality.

—This was a black panther in peak condition, strong and healthy.

Mr. Panda, leaning against the tree trunk, heard a roar and looked up in fright—just in time to witness the panther’s powerful leap.

—A leopard!

Ji Wuxiu’s eyes widened as he realized the panther was charging straight at him. He instantly understood what was happening, let out a terrified wail, and scrambled to his feet, fleeing in a panic.

The black panther landed lightly, its padded paws absorbing all sound. Its vertical pupils locked onto the strange creature ahead, and its whiskers twitched in slight disbelief.

—So ugly.

Then, without hesitation, it bolted forward, its graceful form gliding through the forest like a shadowy spirit. Every movement carried a brutal elegance.

Meanwhile, Ji Wuxiu ran frantically, darting into areas dense with trees, hoping to use them as obstacles to slow the panther down.

As he ran, he let out shrill cries.

Fear had made his fur fluff up, and his round, plump rear stood out starkly against the lush green forest.

“System! System! What do I do?!” Ji Wuxiu felt his scalp tingle with terror as he desperately called out in his mind.

【Ding! Host, your body was personally designed by the system. Even though you’re just a rookie without any upgrades, no ordinary animal can kill you. Besides—】

【You can conquer this panther with cuteness!】

Ji Wuxiu’s eyes lit up. Right! Why hadn’t he thought of that before?!

The black panther let out another roar, increasing its speed. It leaped over an obstacle with effortless grace, then locked onto its prey and pounced, pressing a massive paw down on the obviously plump, undoubtedly delicious-looking creature beneath it.

With a loud thud, Ji Wuxiu was instantly flattened into a sprawled-out star shape, completely unable to move. He flailed his limbs wildly, shrieking in terror.

“Awooo!” Somebody help! The leopard is gonna eat the bear!!

Just the thought of having a panther pinning him down made his fur stand on end. Every strand of fluff was bristling in horror!

Without thinking, his paw instinctively swung out—

—Take this slap!

The panther felt a sudden sting on its face. Then, as if realizing what had just happened, it let out a furious roar at the ugly prey beneath it.

“Roar—Awooo!”

The sheer force of the panther’s roar sent a weak gust of wind, ruffling Panda Ji’s fur into a mess. He trembled uncontrollably, his drooping eyes filled with fear.

T-too scary…

【Host… I told you to act cute, not to hit it.】

Even the system, which always maintained a calm tone, couldn’t help but sound a little speechless at this moment.

Shivering, Panda Ji refused to admit that he had only heard the first part of the system’s words and completely forgot about the second part.

“S-sorry… I was too nervous.”

【This system upgrades through cuteness, not some pay-to-win system where one slash grants you level 999, nor is it a system that requires searching for rare treasures to cultivate. All we need to do is act cute and whimper a little to conquer the world. How can you… not appreciate this?】

Mr. Panda lowered his head in shame, deeply reflecting on his mistake. He decided he should listen to the system and properly act cute for this black panther.

The black panther was still angry, staring at the ugly creature beneath it.

【Host! Now is the time to win it over with cuteness!】 the system reminded.

Ji Wuxiu racked his brain for ideas and finally let out a soft, stammering sound, trying to reduce the panther’s aggression.

The black panther lowered its cold gaze, pressing down even harder until its sharp claws sank into the panda’s thick fur. Then, it let out an intimidating roar—

“Awoo—Roar!”

Ow, ow, ow…

Ji Wuxiu let out a miserable cry, flailing his chubby limbs in distress.

Tears were about to burst from his eyes.

The black panther licked its lips, looking conflicted.

Normally, it would have just bitten down and ended things instantly.

But now, it hesitated—because it didn’t know where to bite.

This creature was ugly everywhere, making it hard to choose.

Ji Wuxiu was in so much pain that his face twisted in agony, and he couldn’t stop himself from wailing.

“This is it! I’m gonna die! System! I really feel like I’m dying!”

The system fell silent for a moment, as if mourning its host’s stupidity, then spoke in a tone of exasperated disappointment.

【Host, do you remember what you’re best at?】

Through tear-blurred vision, Ji Wuxiu hesitated. “Drinking and gambling…?”

Another silence. Then, the system raised its voice.

【It’s acting cute! Your best skill should be acting cute!】

Ji Wuxiu let out a tragic howl. “I get it now!”

Why did he always forget his strongest advantage?!

【Alright, host, from now on, you must give your best effort to win over this panther. This is your very first client in your panda life—you have to make it count and do your absolute best.】

Ji Wuxiu was suddenly filled with pressure. He hurriedly recalled all the panda videos he had ever seen, trying to remember the ultimate cuteness techniques of the national treasure species.

At this moment, the black panther gave up on overthinking and decided to just take a random bite.

Ji Wuxiu quickly wiggled his butt, trying his best to show that he wanted to turn over.

The black panther watched coldly and immediately refused.

Too ugly.

Ji Wuxiu didn’t understand why the panther refused, but he had no choice. Gritting his teeth, he followed what he remembered from the videos, doing his best to make a soft, cute sound.

“Meow~ Woo~”

At the same time, he turned his head toward the panther, blinked at it, and put on a sweet, obedient smile.

The panther’s eyes widened in shock, its neck stiffening as it sat up straight.

Ji Wuxiu blinked in surprise, hardly believing how effective it was.

The system seized the moment to cheer him on. 【See that, Host?! You’ve already charmed this black panther with your cuteness!】

Encouraged, Ji Wuxiu took advantage of the panther’s momentary relaxation, swiftly twisting his body to expose his soft belly. Then, he performed one of the ultimate panda techniques—the legendary panda roll!

After the performance, Ji Wuxiu panted heavily but felt very satisfied with his effort.

Surely, by now… the black panther was so overwhelmed by his cuteness that its liver was trembling, right?

The black panther was silent for three seconds before swiftly lifting a paw and retreating step by step.

Ji Wuxiu rolled to his feet, utterly shocked that he had actually escaped the panther’s clutches!

The system’s voice was filled with excitement. 【Host! Keep going! Push forward and rack up those cuteness points!】

Ji Wuxiu wholeheartedly agreed—what the system said made perfect sense.

With heavy, and clumsy steps, Panda Ji waddled toward the black panther.

The black panther instinctively took a step back.

Mr. Panda lifted his head, his perpetually lifeless expression as dumb and cute as ever.

The black panther retreated again, unable to help itself.

Mr. Panda shuffled closer.

The panther kept backing up until it had nowhere left to go, its usually cold and imposing eyes now filled with sheer terror—

As if saying: Don’t come any closer!

Ji Wuxiu drooped his eyelids, grinned harmlessly, and slowly extended his chubby, furry paw.

Let me let you feel the power of the national treasure’s ultimate move—by touching a panda’s paw.

The black panther suddenly let out a miserable scream, clutching its eyes and rolling on the ground.

Too ugly…

Too ugly…

Ji Wuxiu was startled and took a few steps back, looking completely bewildered as he asked the system, “What’s wrong with this panther?”

The system fell silent, its voice filled with disbelief.

【Ding! Your cuteness has made ‘Lightning Panther’ uncomfortable.】

【Lightning Panther’s combat power -1】

【Lightning Panther has been afflicted with a 10-second “eye-burning” debuff.】

【Cuteness attempt failed. Host, please try again.】

Ji Wuxiu: “……”