Chapter 436 - 227: Congratulations to the Host for Participating in the "Hundred Sects Grand Competition"! (Part 2)
Chapter 436: Chapter 227: Congratulations to the Host for Participating in the "Hundred Sects Grand Competition"! (Part 2)
Just as he was preparing to clean Horn Carved Qi Zai’s enclosure, his phone rang.
The caller ID read: Huang Zhongmu.
Yang Qi answered without a second thought. "Director."
"Xiao Yang, is now a good time? If you’re free, come to my office." Huang Zhongmu’s voice came through the phone, his tone no different than usual.
"Of course, Director. I’m on my way."
After hanging up, Yang Qi returned his cleaning tools to the storage room, washed his hands, straightened his uniform, and headed toward the administration building.
He arrived at the office building.
He knocked on the director’s office door. Inside, Huang Zhongmu was alone, sitting behind a wide desk and looking at a document.
"Xiao Yang, you’re here. Sit." Huang Zhongmu took off his glasses and pointed to the chair opposite him.
Yang Qi sat down as told, his back straight, waiting for what would come next.
Huang Zhongmu pushed the document in his hand forward slightly. With a warm smile, he got straight to the point. "I called you in to tell you something. The Huaguo Zoo Association’s East China Collaboration Zone is holding its annual exchange conference. It starts next Wednesday in Liangcheng and will last for three days."
"As a key institution in the province, our Donghua Zoo naturally has to send people. Besides myself, the zoo has decided on two other representatives for this trip."
He paused, his gaze falling on Yang Qi with obvious appreciation.
"You’re on the list too."
Hearing this, Yang Qi was slightly taken aback.
’The Zoo Association’s annual conference?’
’Sending me to attend?’
’That was a bit of a surprise.’
’I’m just a frontline keeper. Even with the title of "Special Consultant to the Municipal Bureau," don’t I lack the qualifications to attend this kind of high-end, expert-filled conference?’
Just as he was thinking—
[Congratulations to the Host for participating in the "Hundred Sects Grand Tournament"! The Host is requested to display their divine might in the tournament, defeat the disciples of other sects, claim the top prize, bolster the sect’s prestige, and make a renowned name for yourself!]
’Hundred Sects Grand Tournament?’
’The equivalent of the zoo’s annual conference?’
’Display my divine might? Defeat the disciples of other sects?’
’Claim the top prize?!’
He had long known that the system liked to use terminology from the Cultivation Realm to interpret and evaluate real-world events.
But for it to classify the zoo industry’s annual conference as the "Hundred Sects Grand Tournament," and even tell him to "display his divine might," "defeat the disciples of other sects," and "claim the top prize"...
The corner of Yang Qi’s mouth twitched uncontrollably, and he could almost feel a vein popping on his forehead.
’Has the system’s level of absurdity leveled up?’
Yang Qi had long since known that in the system’s logic, the various major zoos were equivalent to different "Beast Taming Sects."
But for the annual zoo conference, where everyone displays animals, exchanges techniques, and shares experiences, to be equivalent to a "Sect Grand Tournament"?
Er...
’It... sort of makes sense, I guess?’
Although Yang Qi found it bizarre, his expression remained unchanged. He then adopted a perfectly solemn and slightly flattered look and said to Huang Zhongmu.
"Thank you for your trust and for this opportunity, Director. I will do my absolute best and not disappoint the zoo’s expectations!"
Huang Zhongmu nodded in satisfaction and waved a hand dismissively. "Don’t mention it," he said with a smile. "You earned this yourself. Your accomplishments, and that paper you published, have already earned you some renown within the industry."
"This year, besides the usual networking, there’s also a ’Young Technical Backbone Forum’ and an ’Animal Behavior and Welfare Symposium.’ It’s a perfect opportunity for you to get up and speak, to learn from and exchange ideas with your peers."
"It’s also an excellent opportunity for you to showcase your work and gain experience."
"Understood. I will prepare my presentation materials thoroughly," Yang Qi immediately replied.
’So there’s a segment for special reports. That makes more sense.’
’So what the system calls "displaying divine might" probably just means I have to perform well in the academic and technical exchange sessions and bring glory to my "sect," right?’
"Good. Prepare well. The main office will send out a notice with the specific conference schedule and accommodation arrangements. You should also arrange your work for the next few days in advance."
Huang Zhongmu advised, then added with a smile, "Oh, by the way, I heard the zoo in Liangcheng recently acquired a few white rhinos and okapis and are doing a great job with them. You should take a good look while you’re there and learn from their advanced methods."
"Understood. Thank you for the tip, Director."
"All right, you can go. Prepare well."
"Goodbye, Director."
Yang Qi got up and left the director’s office.
The autumn sun was bright as he walked back toward the enclosures, but his mood was strange.
’Annual zoo conference... Hundred Sects Grand Tournament...’
Yang Qi couldn’t help but chuckle and shake his head.
’Fine,’ he thought. ’Since the system is so excited, I suppose this "True Disciple" of the "Beast Taming Sect" will have to go and check out the "Hundred Sects Grand Tournament."’
’Let’s see what brilliant moves the "disciples" from other "sects" have!’
...
「That evening, in the Hillside Dormitory.」
Under the bright light of a desk lamp, Yang Qi sat at his desk, his laptop open.
He was preparing his presentation for next week’s "Hundred Sects Grand Tournament."
If he was going to go, he couldn’t bring shame upon his "sect."
Huang Zhongmu had specifically named him to participate in the "Young Technical Backbone Forum" and the "Animal Behavior and Welfare Symposium," so the quality of his presentation was of the utmost importance.
Yang Qi decided against using abstruse theoretical models filled with data, choosing instead to focus on his most core and unique experience.
Animal communication and behavioral understanding.
He settled on a working title: *Beyond the Surface: A New Approach to Animal Behavioral Intervention Based on In-Depth Interpretation of Non-Verbal Signals*.
Yang Qi began to build the framework for his paper, combining modern animal behaviorism and psychology with the deeper perspective on animal emotions and intentions that he had gained from his "beast taming" insights.
"...Animals cannot communicate directly using human language. While their vocalizations, body movements, and scent markings contain a wealth of information, humans can often only interpret a mere fraction of it, and sometimes even misinterpret it completely."