After eating three chocolate bars in a row, with something in his stomach, Li Haochen felt much better. He wanted to eat more, but he really couldn't stand the cloying sweetness.
With food providing energy, Li Haochen's condition improved slightly, and his strength was partially restored. He could now open a can of Red Bull smoothly. After downing one, he picked up the small knife and walked out.
He needed to process the sailfish, otherwise, the meat quality would be affected, and the price would significantly decrease.
Having a lot of experience handling large fish, Li Haochen, though still lacking strength, found the military knife to be very sharp, making the bleeding, gill removal, and evisceration processes relatively smooth.
After processing the sailfish and rinsing it with several buckets of seawater, the large amount of fresh blood quickly attracted several large sharks circling nearby. This scared Li Haochen so much that he quickly set sail to escape the area.
After five or six minutes, he finally managed to shake them off and rinsed the deck with a few more buckets of seawater to clean any residual blood.
However, another problem arose. The sailfish was too large, over four meters long, and undoubtedly weighed over 700 pounds. It was so enormous that not only did it not fit into his 11-meter small boat, but it wouldn't even fit into the ice storage of his Xingchen.
"What should I do? It will take at least ten hours to get back. At this rate, even if the temperature isn't high now, it will spoil."
After thinking for a long time, he found no better solution. He could only try to cover it with ice blocks to see how effective it would be.
There was another option: to dismember it. Cutting the sailfish into several pieces and storing them in the ice storage would maximize the preservation of meat quality. However, the price would be much lower, and he would be questioned about whether he actually caught it.
Furthermore, he lacked suitable knives. Could he manage with the ten-centimeter small knife he had? It was best to forget about it; by the time he finished dismembering it, the meat would likely be unusable.
"I'll leave it to fate."
Li Haochen ran into the cabin and rummaged through everything. He used pillowcases, cushion covers, and even the small curtains on both sides of the cockpit to wrap ice blocks and stuff them into the fish's belly.
If ice blocks were stuffed directly into the fish's belly, the surrounding fish meat would be unusable.
After processing the belly, Li Haochen also took apart the bedsheet inside and used it to wrap the fish's body as much as possible. Fortunately, Li Haochen had not stopped making ice blocks, and there were still plenty. He took them out and placed them on the sides and top, doing the best he could.
By the time he finished, the sun was setting. Looking at the huge figure before him, he felt a surge of emotion. He had been fighting since midnight, persisting for over ten hours. Although the result was unexpected, he was also very excited. This single catch could have achieved good results in the Hawaii competition.
The effect of the Red Bull began to kick in, giving him a sense of adrenaline rush. Li Haochen knew this effect wouldn't last long, so he had to use this brief period to prepare the necessary logistics for the return trip.
He checked his supplies: only three self-heating meal boxes were left, plenty of chocolate, and only a few bottles of Red Bull. However, there was a lot of instant coffee, and two large bottles of Tiger Head Brand invigorating gift packs. He thought it should be enough.
Despite being very tired, he had no time to rest; he had to set off immediately, or he wouldn't make it in time.
Li Haochen prepared two self-heating meal boxes and brewed a pot of coffee before raising the anchor and setting sail.
With two super large catches, the waterline was quite low, and even at maximum speed, the boat wasn't very fast.
Fortunately, they had refueled with two more barrels of 80-liter diesel fuel before departure, otherwise, whether he could get back was another question.
Ten minutes later, the food was ready. Li Haochen ate while steering the boat. He was very hungry and wolfed down the food, swallowing it before his taste buds could even register the flavors.
After finishing two meals, the feeling of fullness dispelled some of his fatigue. He took a sip of the bitter hot black coffee, and his mind woke up completely.
In the silent, dark night, only Li Haochen's boat was sailing in this sea area, feeling very solitary.
The temperature had dropped significantly at night. A slight cold breeze blew into the densely built cabin. Li Haochen, wearing thin clothing, shivered and searched for the source of the wind. It turned out that the sailfish's sharp, sword-like jaw had pierced a large hole in the steel-plated cabin. The broken sword-like jaw was still hanging there, and the entire section of steel plate was severely dented. If the steel plate weren't thick enough, the cabin would likely have been ruined, and perhaps even the cockpit.
Looking at the sword-like jaw, it seemed rather sinister. However, Li Haochen dared not remove it, as it was evidence. While the statement "great strength produces miracles" might have been plausible for that big fatty, it was impossible for this sailfish. Seven or eight hundred pounds, could it be a miracle of great strength? Who was he trying to fool?
Li Haochen's body was already overloaded after more than ten hours of struggle. Even though he had rested briefly and eaten, it wasn't as if a meal could restore him; he was just pushing himself.
You see, after sailing for more than three hours, Li Haochen was nodding off like a pecking chicken. His eyelids were so heavy that even toothpicks wouldn't be able to keep them open. If this continued, a major accident was inevitable.
At this point, he had to summon the super invigorating gift pack. The method of applying invigorating wind oil was immediately effective. No matter how sleepy you were, it could make you energetic for a short period.
Of course, this was only temporary. After the sharp and stimulating sensation passed, he would return to his previous state. However, in order to make progress, he had to endure for as long as possible.
Li Haochen smeared some under his eyes, around his nostrils, at his temples, behind his ears, on his neck, and even on his head. The refreshing sensation could keep him alert even if he hadn't slept for three days and three nights.
However, this effect would likely only last for about ten minutes.
As expected, fifteen minutes later, Li Haochen was back to nodding off like a pecking chicken. This forced him to use the invigorating method again. This time, the effect was slightly weaker, and it started to wear off after only eleven or twelve minutes.
During this time, Li Haochen also drank a can of Red Bull, which, combined with the invigorating wind oil, allowed him to endure for another two hours, bumping and grinding along. It was now a little past one in the morning.
Looking at the satellite map, he was still nearly 150 nautical miles from the dock. At a maximum speed of 30 knots, it would take over five hours, and that was under ideal conditions.
With two super large catches, the maximum speed was only about 70% of its potential. Calculating this way, the return trip would take at least 7 hours. By then, it would be nearly nine o'clock when he reached the dock, leaving him only an hour before the 10 o'clock deadline. Moreover, sailing at sea was full of uncertainties, so Li Haochen couldn't afford to think about resting.
Li Haochen reduced the speed to five knots, used a heavy object to fix the direction, and quickly went to relieve himself. Upon returning, he splashed his face with icy cold water, his spirits slightly lifted, and then he quickly ran back to the helm, pushed the gear lever all the way forward, and sped back at maximum speed.