"Set sail and compete?"
Wang Yan reacted, clenched his fists, his eyes gleaming, and then laughed excitedly, "I understand, Brother Li. I didn't expect Wang Yan could also contribute to the country, hahaha!"
With that, Wang Yan rushed forward. Soon, the engine of the Zhanzhanhao roared to life. He held the helm with one hand and a telescope with the other, observing the direction of the fishing line.
The Zhanzhanhao's power was immense, far beyond what the fish could resist. Even a whale weighing tens of tons couldn't shake it. Li Haochén had been watching the fishing line, which had gone out over a thousand meters and remained taut. If they didn't cooperate well, there would only be one outcome: the line would snap, and the fish would escape.
As the boat moved, Li Haochén's pressure lessened. He quickly reeled in the fishing line. However, the fish was not to be trifled with. Just as he reeled in about ten meters, it made a fierce dash, not only reclaiming the line but also pulling out several more meters.
Li Haochén opened his mouth, and Chen Yaohóng beside him understood. He handed the walkie-talkie to him, "Captain Wang, don't have any reservations. At worst, the line will break. Go all out."
"Understood."
The Zhanzhanhao accelerated and was steered by Wang Yan with such agility that it felt like an extension of his limbs. The boat wasn't directly confronting the giant creature but employing a gentle approach, much like Tai Chi, yielding to its strength.
Li Haochén felt the pressure significantly decrease. Seizing the rare opportunity, he quickly cranked the handle. A few seconds later, the ferocious beast made a powerful lunge. Fortunately, Li Haochén struggled to hold the handle, preventing it from pulling out more line.
Even with the Zhanzhanhao's assistance, Li Haochén dared not relax even a bit, gritting his teeth and persevering. Fortunately, this time he had Chen Yaohóng as a dedicated assistant, who periodically handed him water and food. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to last this long.
Time flew by. Unknowingly, the struggle with this unknown ferocious beast had lasted nearly eight hours, from noon until night. Li Haochén had even urinated twice on the spot, but no one laughed.
In these eight hours, Li Haochén had only managed to reel in one-third of the fishing line, thanks in part to Wang Yan's expert navigation. However, nighttime posed a challenge, as the line's condition was unclear, forcing Wang Yan to rely on his instincts.
The tug-of-war remained fierce, and Li Haochén was exhausted. Although his hands were gloved, he knew they were already covered in blisters from the friction.
Chen Yaohóng had lost count of how many times he had brought water or handed over chocolate. Li Haochén's superhuman willpower had deeply impressed them all.
In the early hours of the morning, no one had gone to sleep. They all stayed nearby to keep Li Haochén company. His biceps, which had cramped multiple times, felt like numb zombies, only moving the handle by instinct and muscle memory.
Fortunately, the creature's strength began to wane at this point. Li Haochén rejoiced, knowing victory was in sight. His brain constantly sent commands to reel in quickly, but his body seemed to have a suppressor; his hands still moved slowly, reeling in the line.
Half an hour later, the giant creature was finally defeated. The moment it surfaced, Li Haochén expended his last ounce of willpower and slowly collapsed.
"Haochén, Haochén..."
The next day, he woke up around noon, his body aching all over. Looking at his dry clothes, he couldn't help but blush, "What a loss, being seen by these old men."
"Gulp～～"
Having not eaten anything since noon the previous day, Li Haochén was starving. After washing up, he pushed open the door and headed to the dining hall.
"Director Liu, everyone is here?"
"Haochén, you're awake. Come sit quickly. Old Yang, serve the food." Liu Qinghé breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Li Haochén walk over.
"Haochén, are you alright?"
"Yes, you fainted so suddenly last night, it scared us to death. Thankfully, you were just sleeping."
"My dear brothers, I am fine now. Last night, I was probably just exhausted from the immense physical exertion. Thank you!" Li Haochén knew nothing about what happened after he fainted, but he could imagine how worried they must have been. He was truly touched by their concern.
"It's good that you're alright. Eat quickly. You haven't had anything to eat since yesterday afternoon."
Today's meal was light and easily digestible. After such a strenuous exertion, appetites are usually not great, and he assumed this was intentionally arranged. During the meal, they couldn't help but tease Li Haochén to lighten the mood. "Haochén, I didn't expect you to have such significant assets, hahaha!"
"Indeed, if I were a woman, last night I would have... hehehehe!"
Li Haochén, still eating, realized what they were talking about and blushed deeply, only able to bury his head in his food.
"Oh... Haochén, why is your face so red? Could it be you're still a pure young lad?"
"I think so too. Such creatures are rare these days, hahaha!" Situ Haoliang added with a laugh.
Li Haochén was so embarrassed he almost fled. Fortunately, everyone knew when to stop and didn't press the issue further, content with a good laugh.
"Haochén, why aren't you asking what you caught? If it were me, that would be the first thing I'd ask. You're quite composed."
"Brother Li, I'd forgotten about it until you mentioned it. Why do you all seem more excited than me? What is it?"
"You can go take a look in the ice storage later. I guarantee you'll be greatly surprised, hehe!"
The mention of the strange creature Li Haochén had caught last night brought back envious and amazed expressions to everyone's faces. The most delighted was Liu Qinghé, as that fish would undoubtedly secure the top spot on the length rankings.
Li Haochén, now eager to see his catch, quickly finished his meal and headed towards the ice storage. The others followed suit.
"Ribbon... Ribbonfish!"
As the ice storage door opened, Li Haochén was stunned. It wasn't the size or length of the giant creature that shocked him, but its name – the devil's emissary, the 'earthquake fish'.
The earthquake fish, scientifically known as the ribbonfish, has red fins and a silver body, a fearsome and ferocious appearance, and a predatory nature, consuming anything it can catch, including its own kind. Moreover, its flesh is extremely unpalatable, being gelatinous with a bitter taste, and is considered inedible. Apart from its ornamental value, it has virtually no other use.
Each of its appearances has coincided with earthquakes in or near the region, earning it its name. Thus, fishermen consider it an ominous creature. m..oΓg
"Sigh, why do I only catch these strange and peculiar things? It's a giant, no doubt, but it can't be eaten, isn't worth much money, and is even considered unlucky. I'm speechless."
"You shouldn't hold onto such superstitious beliefs. The appearance of the earthquake fish coinciding with earthquakes is purely coincidental. Scientists have explained it; it's all fabricated. It's likely just some people wanting to give this fish a mysterious backstory."
At this moment, Captain Wang Yan hurried down, "I just received a satellite call from the Maritime Safety Administration. A 5.3 magnitude earthquake occurred 20 nautical miles off the coast of Guangning's Huian City in the Nan'an country, and they've advised us to stay away from that area..."
Upon hearing this, everyone shivered.
"Perhaps... perhaps we should... throw it away?"