It had been a full fifteen minutes since Yang Lin submerged himself into the sea.
In those fifteen minutes, the moods of the onlookers had gradually shifted.
Most had concluded that Yang Lin must have met with misfortune. After all, staying underwater for over ten minutes without any equipment was something 99% of creatures on Earth couldn't do.
So when Yang Lin surfaced, holding a large lobster, the surrounding tourists were momentarily stunned.
It wasn't until Yang Lin slowly walked out of the water that the crowd swarmed towards him.
They looked at the large lobster in Yang Lin's arms, and then at Yang Lin, who was completely unharmed.
In the next second, the entire venue erupted into enthusiastic applause.
Following the applause came a chorus of praise.
"Director Yang, how did you do that? You were underwater for over ten minutes just now."
"Yeah, your diving skills are incredible."
"I almost thought you weren't going to make it back."
"As expected of Director Yang, at the forefront of evolution. You're probably evolving gills ahead of schedule."
"You can climb trees on land and catch lobsters in the sea. Wild, truly wild!"
Amidst the praise, people couldn't help but cast their gaze towards the large lobster Yang Lin was tightly holding.
Initially, as the crowd's attention wasn't focused on the lobster, they didn't notice anything unusual about it.
But upon closer inspection, the tourists immediately realized that the lobster Yang Lin held was no ordinary creature.
Unlike the typical greenish or dark brown shells of common lobsters, this lobster was huge, nearly a meter long.
Its body was a jade green, its antennae and head a deep blue, its limbs alternating between black and white, adorned with numerous yellow spots.
It boasted a total of seven colors, making it breathtakingly beautiful, like a piece of art.
Even someone completely ignorant of seafood could sense its extraordinary nature from its appearance.
"Director Yang, what species of lobster are you holding? I've never seen one like this before."
"Yeah, it's not a European lobster, Australian lobster, or blue lobster."
"While I don't know the exact species, I know it must be very expensive."
As the crowd chattered excitedly, Yang Lin, still holding the lobster, arrived at the fried noodle stall.
As soon as he got close, the straightforward fried noodle vendor was startled by the lobster in Yang Lin's arms.
"Good heavens, that's a Chinese Spiny Lobster! Such a big one, it must be over ten pounds."
"I've lived by the sea for most of my life, and this is the first time I've seen a Chinese Spiny Lobster with such vibrant colors."
As the noodle vendor identified the lobster, the tourists present immediately pulled out their phones to search for information about the Chinese Spiny Lobster.
The more they searched, the more astonished they became.
Every result was about fishermen in certain regions catching a Chinese Spiny Lobster and selling it for an exorbitant price.
They typically started from over a hundred thousand yuan, with the most expensive one fetching 690,000 yuan.
And the one sold for 690,000 yuan was reportedly also about a meter long.
Realizing this, the way they looked at the lobster in Yang Lin's embrace instantly changed.
At this moment, it wasn't just a lobster anymore; it was equivalent to a fully furnished apartment in a third-tier city, their wages for many years.
"I'm so ignorant. What is this, living gold, 700,000 yuan."
"I never thought I'd have the fortune to witness a 700,000 yuan lobster in my lifetime. This certainly elevates my status."
"When I'm rich, I'll spend my monthly salary to buy just one of its small legs to try, the shortest one."
"We'll have bragging rights for a while."
"Director Yang, can I touch it? I want to know what makes a 700,000 yuan lobster different from an ordinary one."
"Enough talk, I'm signing up for a diving class. If I can catch one, I'll be set."
"My uncle is also a diver. He just made 700,000 yuan last month."
"Are divers really that lucrative?"
"No, he died in an accident at sea. The insurance company paid out 700,000 yuan."
Hearing the chatter, Yang Lin finally realized how much the lobster he was holding was worth.
Back in the sea, he had only wanted to find a large, expensive-looking seafood.
He never expected that a random lobster he picked up would be worth 700,000 yuan.
Immediately, he became conflicted.
After all, his original intention was to use it for fried rice.
As he pondered with a troubled expression, the fried noodle vendor also asked,
"Director Yang, are you still having it fried? Lobster fried rice, I can make that."
Upon hearing the vendor's question, the previously chattering tourists all turned their attention towards Yang Lin.
They were clearly awaiting his decision.
More importantly, they wanted to catch a glimpse of what 700,000 yuan fried rice would look like. Even if they couldn't taste it, just smelling the aroma would be worth a few yuan.
"This..."
Looking at the sincere fried noodle vendor and then at the 700,000 yuan lobster in his arms, Yang Lin finally bit the bullet with determination.
"Fry it!"
As soon as he said "fry," he added,
"But not the whole thing, just a part of it."
The next moment, to everyone's bewildered gaze, he detached a segment of a small leg from beneath the Chinese Spiny Lobster's belly.
Even a small leg was as long as two palms and as thick as an index finger.
More importantly, lobster legs can regenerate. If a lobster loses a leg, it will grow a new one within seven days.
The Chinese Spiny Lobster was no exception.
This was something not only Yang Lin knew but many of the tourists as well.
Therefore, they immediately understood Yang Lin's intention.
"Damn, Director Yang is exploiting a loophole! Lobster legs can regrow."
"Doesn't that mean if you raise one big lobster, you can eat lobster every day?"
"I can't help but wonder, is this kindness or cruelty?"
"The leeks think it's great."
"The corn and rice also think it's great."
Of course, Yang Lin's intentions were different from those of the tourists.
Such a precious Spiny Lobster would be a waste to eat. It would be better to bring it back to the marine aquarium at Xihong Zoo.
With this thought, he looked at the lobster in his hands.
"You seem to be suffering from heatstroke. Don't worry, I'll get you a new home right away."
"The zoo will remember the blood and sacrifices you've made for it."
After comforting the lobster, Yang Lin handed the detached leg to the fried noodle vendor.
"Brother, add extra chili and extra scallions. I like strong flavors!"
"Got it!"
Five minutes later, a bowl of fragrant seafood noodles was prepared.