"It's great that we had such a big haul on the first day, truly awesome."
"Yeah, we're really lucky."
Thinking about the day's catch, everyone couldn't help but laugh. Especially the taggers, Chen Yaohong, Wang Yan, and Liu Xiying, who spent nearly two hours labeling. The least successful, Li Haochen, had over two hundred. If it weren't for that annoying Korean ginseng disrupting them for a while, they would have definitely doubled that.
After dinner, the "Zhanzhanhao" continued towards its originally set target. Today's success was just an unexpected bonus.
In his cabin, Li Haochen was applying liniment to his arms and legs. The stuff was pungent and cool, with an overpowering smell, but it worked well for relieving fatigue. However, he knew he had to choose the one produced by the Huang family among the many brands.
"Fighting those few big ones was really tiring. And that was with the help of a powerful electric reel; otherwise, two would have worn me out."
After applying the liniment and soaking his feet, he lay down on the bed to sleep. He was quite tired, and within seconds, Li Haochen was fast asleep. In his dream, Li Haochen was trapped in a sea of fire, carrying someone on his shoulders, constantly running towards the exit. Suddenly, the ceiling collapsed above them…
"Ah…"
Li Haochen cried out and sat up abruptly, gasping for breath. "Phew~ It was just a dream. You scared me to death!"
Recalling the dream, Li Haochen still felt lingering fear. It felt so real that a fine sheen of sweat had broken out on his forehead.
Wiping away the sweat, he walked into the bathroom and splashed cold water on his face. His mind cleared, and the negative emotions from the nightmare dissipated.
Stepping out of the cabin, it was almost six o'clock, and the sky was still dark. After a bit of stretching, he started his fitness routine. Half an hour of aerobic exercises followed by dozens of push-ups. If only he had a yoga mat, Li Haochen would have liked to practice the eight-level abdominal bridge. That move was one of the most direct ways to improve core strength and stability.
Li Haochen sat on a long bench on the deck, wiping sweat with a towel, and watched the slowly rising fiery red on the distant sea.
Suddenly, an endless golden waterway unfolded before his eyes, with sparkling waves all around, a breathtaking sight.
"Haochen? Enjoying some leisure time?"
"Good morning, Xiying. It's not leisure time. I just woke up and came out for some fresh air and to take a look, hehe!"
The two fell silent, concentrating on anticipating that stunning leap.
Half an hour later, Li Haochen was the first to stand up and stretch his muscles. "It's truly beautiful, but unfortunately…"
"...? It's this beautiful, and you still have regrets?"
Li Haochen smiled without answering and turned to walk into the dining hall for breakfast.
The "Zhanzhanhao" stopped two hours later, and Li Haochen and the others, equipped with their gear, disembarked from the cabin.
"Huh… why does it feel like the temperature has changed slightly?" As he approached, Li Haochen sensed a subtle change detected by his skin. The temperature seemed to form a boundary not far from the fishing spot. Although the change was small, he could indeed perceive it.
To verify, Li Haochen walked back and forth again. "It really is. How magical?"
Just as Li Haochen was wondering, Wang Yan walked down and said with a smile, "Do you feel a slight change in temperature?"
Li Haochen nodded, unable to deny it.
"I discovered this spot by chance many years ago when I was out at sea. It's a rather peculiar place, much like where warm and cold currents meet. But the range is only a few dozen meters, and the resources here are incredibly rich. If it weren't for the competition, I wouldn't have shared it, hehe!"
"You're generous, Brother Wang!"
"Alright, I won't disturb you any longer. I need to get some good rest."
As soon as Li Haochen sat down, the meticulous Liu Xiying had already brought him his special mussel bait. She also placed a large pot of cooled boiled water and chocolate beside his chair. Everyone else's preparations were also perfectly arranged. This gesture naturally earned everyone's praise and admiration.
Chen Yaohong was also full of energy. Judging by the expressions of the two, it seemed there was something going on between them.
"I hope this magical area brings us good luck. Let's get started!"
After baiting the hook and letting it drop, the water was so deep that the seawater color visible to the naked eye was dark green. The reel spun at a steady pace, letting out line. When the sinker touched the bottom, he checked the display, which showed 215 meters of line out. He reeled in a few meters and waited for results.
"Ring ring ring…"
With the "divine bait" in hand, Li Haochen was undoubtedly the first to hook a fish. The rod tip bent into a large curve, and the bell at the end was already ringing merrily.
Observing the line and the curve of the rod tip, Li Haochen had a rough estimate that the fish's weight wasn't exceptionally large. He decided to let the "Qian Long" (submerged dragon) handle it freely.
Half an hour later, a big-eyed fish weighing just over a hundred pounds was pulled out. At the same time, Zhao Lei on the other side had also landed a bluefin tuna weighing over a hundred pounds. Li Haochen started to wonder again, "Do you think this bluefin is deliberately trying to one-up me?"
"Hahaha… Haochen, you just don't have that luck, admit it!"
"I refuse to believe that…"
Needless to say, this place was indeed as Wang Yan had said; the resources were truly abundant. In just these two short hours, almost everyone had caught three big fish. The hooking rate was quite astonishing.
And Li Haochen remained the same; the bluefin tuna didn't favor him.
After unhooking another red grouper weighing several dozen pounds, Li Haochen baited his hook, let it drop, and then walked over to the long bench to rest. Even if he hooked a fish, he didn't need to bother much. A fish over a hundred pounds didn't require him to act personally.
"Humming…"
Just as he took a sip of water, the rod tip bent into a large arc, and the bell vigorously rang. The vibration caused by the taut fishing line even shook off the water droplets clinging to it, demonstrating the immense power of the strike.
"Big catch!"
Li Haochen's face lit up with joy. He immediately sprang up, swiftly putting on his gaff, harness, and other gear. He slightly loosened the drag and quickly transferred the fishing rod to rest against his harness.
"Ah…"
As soon as he braced it, a fierce pull came. The immense force transmitted through the fishing rod to Li Haochen's body. Despite being prepared, it felt useless; he was still forced to bend his entire body down.
"Haochen, what's wrong!"
The others had heard the commotion and rushed over, asking with concern.
"N-nothing… I was just caught off guard. This fellow is quite fierce."
As he spoke, Li Haochen pushed off forcefully. Once he stood up, he immediately leaned back to exert counter-pressure.
After several rounds of struggle, Li Haochen was actually at a disadvantage, with over four hundred meters of fishing line already pulled out.
"How is it so powerful? It feels like only three to four hundred pounds, but its strength is even greater than that oarfish."
"What does it feel like?" Zhang Yuan asked from the side.
"The strength isn't sharp; it's immense and then sudden, like dragging a tank."
"In that case, it's likely a giant grouper. You need patience to deal with it; you can't go head-to-head. Feel carefully, and go with its force, you must find its momentum. This is my experience from catching large groupers. You can use it as a reference, hehe!"
Although the struggle was arduous, Li Haochen listened very attentively to Zhang Yuan's words, his mind constantly processing his valuable experience.
During the next half hour, Li Haochen fought while carefully observing, gradually mastering the momentum of the large fish.
Suddenly, a smile appeared on Li Haochen's face, and he was full of confidence. "I… understand!"