Chapter 236: Another Big Haul (II)
"Sister Ruochen, do you really want to fish here?" Tong Zhaodi asked while looking at the water that was ink black. She stared at the water that was getting more and more intense as they crossed the rocky reefs and turned to look at Han Ruochen with a frown on her face. "The depth gauge line is not even hitting the bottom here. I think we should turn back while we still have time." Tong Zhaodi was worried that if they steered any further, then there was a good chance that they might get lost, and if they drowned in these currents, then the chances of surviving would be close to none.
"Don’t worry, even if we cannot see the bottom, we will be fine. The motorboat was specially designed to steer in these waters; we will be perfectly fine." Han Ruochen stated while her eyes were locked on the sea-scanning system. The glittering green screen in front of her was flickering with a new type of date. It was no longer showing jagged outlines of rocks or the slow pulse of oysters. It was showing a migratory thermal stream!
[System alert: High Velocity Biomass Detected.
Species: Bluefin King Tuna
Quantity: 4
Estimated weight: 200 kg per unit.]
When Han Ruochen saw the details on the screen, her eyes could not help but light up. In the nineties era, catching a bluefin tuna was like winning a lottery. A single high-quality fish could actually fund a series of houses in the city. But catching them was rather difficult; they were fast, powerful and lived in the crushing depths of the open ocean.
"Lower the heavy-duty net and use the steel cages to release the bait. Make sure you use the large fish; don’t use the small ones or else they will escape the net." Han Ruochen commanded as she brought the ship to a stop next to a large rock that was protruding out of the water.
This time around, Han Ruochen did not use the standard bait. Instead, she asked Tong Zhaodi to use a concentrated squid that she had prepared earlier. These squids were left to ferment for an entire night so that she could use them for catching fish. The scent of these squids should be enough to attract the bluefin tuna.
Soon, the net was lowered into the sea, and the bait was tied to the net. And surely it descended into the dark waters.
[Target captured.
Escape velocity: forty.]
As soon as the notification appeared in front of her, the boat suddenly jerked and was pulled down toward the water. The heavy-duty net screamed, and the boat started to sink lower and lower in the water. The friction alone was enough to snap the net into pieces.
"What did we catch? How come it is dragging us down the water?" Tong Zhaodi screamed as she grabbed the gaff.
"Don’t worry," Han Ruochen hissed. She braced her legs, and her muscles started to bulge at the seams of the skirt that she was wearing. She caught the lever of the net and snarled, using the strength that she had received from her golden finger, "There is no way this thing is going to take us down." She was determined to deal with these bluefin tuna, even if it meant going against the vibrations that were shaking the entire boat along with her.
For fifteen minutes, it was nothing but a war of wills. The tuna dived for the abyss under the water, and Han Ruochen hauled it back toward the surface of the water. Every time the fish turned, Han Ruochen’s sea scanner told her about its predicted move, allowing her to adjust the tension just before it made a move, causing the net to snap. Finally, the water beside the boat exploded in grey-white foam.
And soon, four active and thrashing Bluefin king tuna appeared on the surface of the water. The skin of the Bluefin King Tuan was shimmering like polished cobalt, and silver glimmered under the sunlight. It was nearly eight feet long, a muscular torpedo of pure value and nothing less.
But that was not all; as soon as Han Ruochen pulled the Bluefin King Tuna out of the surface of the water, the screen started to flicker once again and then.
[New Prey: Submerged Drift Kelp. High Concentration of Golden Threadfin Bream.]
"Zhaodi, quickly bring the small mesh net. Quickly."
Beneath a floating island of kelp, a school of Golden Threadfin Bream had sought shelter. Han Ruochen narrowed her eyes and immediately walked over to the edge of the boat. She looked down and stared at the golden threadfin bream that looked like thousands of glittering coins. These weren’t as rare as the Bluefin King Tuna, but their sheer volume was staggering.
Han Ruochen immediately arranged for the net to be placed in the water and, using the sea scanner to pinpoint the exact centre of the school, she lowered it down. When they hauled the net in, it was so heavy that the machine started to release smoke.
The deck was soon buried in a sea of pink and gold fish. Each fish was in perfect condition and could be called ’Grade A’, destined to be sold for the highest price, as they could be used to make the most expensive cuts of sushi at the city’s stalls.
Han Ruochen looked at the golden threadfin breams, and her eyes flashed with glee. And to add icing on the cake, there were four giant spider crabs in the kelp.
Tong Zhaodi was looking at the haul that they had collected, and her eyes could not help but pop out of their sockets. She looked at the sea of scales in front of her and said, "Sister Ruochen.... This...how...how did we catch such a good haul? This —can we even sell this haul?"
Han Ruochen wiped the sweat off her forehead and stared at the haul with a gleam in her eyes. She smiled and said, "Don’t worry, as long as we hunt, there will always be someone who will buy it."
