Sea Fishing

The next morning, Chen Miemie woke up once again just before noon.

Before going to bed the previous night, Chen Miemie had sorted out his thoughts.

Hailing was certain to collapse. Once it did, [Wavefoam Harbor] would be submerged as well. That was the inevitable result. As for when it would happen, however, there was no way to say. It might be a few days from now, or it might be several years.

Since the city authorities had their own plans and hadn’t come to ask for his help, there was no need for him to meddle. At most, he could offer the witches some advice and look into the whereabouts of Bo Yunjian’s father. As for everything else, he would enjoy the beauty of the present and respect other people’s destinies.

Chen Miemie took stock of the oddities in the house and discovered that one was missing.

“Where’s Jade Rabbit?”

Qinghua was the household’s general manager and knew the whereabouts of every member.

“Jade Rabbit likes A-Lin’s kitchen on the first floor. It has a whole shelf of its own there, and it likes repeatedly counting how many fruits and vegetables it possesses. It went downstairs. Shall I call it back?”

Chen Miemie thought for a moment.

Jade Rabbit was a ship, after all, not an oddity that belonged on land. It usually liked to spend the night in the waters around the inn.

“No need. Let it be. Call it when we’re about to leave.”

Before long, Dentist came upstairs after receiving the message.

Chen Miemie had given her the day off yesterday. Including No Tomorrow, she had now rested for two whole days, and she looked quite energetic today.

“Chen Miemie, today’s destination is Poison Sting Island.”

The name immediately put Chen Miemie on guard.

“Is the island covered in poisonous spines? Are you planning to take me to a deserted island and kidnap me while no one’s around?”

“There are no poisonous spines! Besides, do you really think I could kidnap you?” Dentist was speechless.

“Why are you getting so worked up? I was only joking. Then why is it called that?” Chen Miemie felt that Dentist’s sense of humor left much to be desired.

“It’s a relatively obscure island. It’s somewhat dangerous for ordinary tourists, but the scenery is especially beautiful. It’s just right for you.

“The island was originally called Poison Sting Ray Island, because a group of poison sting rays lived in the surrounding waters. Over time, the name was gradually shortened to Poison Sting Island.”

Chen Miemie naturally followed up with another question. “What’s a poison sting ray?”

“A venomous stingray. Its tail barb can inject a paralyzing toxin that renders its prey completely immobile within three seconds, while leaving its consciousness perfectly clear. The prey can only watch helplessly as it’s slowly devoured, unable to struggle or call for help.

“It takes seven days for the toxin to regenerate. So after using its tail barb, the ray buries itself in the sand on Poison Sting Island and waits out its weakened state.”

Chen Miemie complained, “You said there weren’t any poisonous spines, but there are poison sting rays in the sand! What if I get stabbed?”

“Chen Miemie, were you even listening? Poison sting rays go out to sea when they’re venomous. They only return to the island after they’ve run out of toxin.”

Chen Miemie looked at Dentist as though she were an idiot.

“I heard you perfectly clearly. When the poison sting rays return to the island, they’re only out of venom—they still have their barbs, don’t they? They can still stab people! I’m not afraid of poison. I’m afraid of getting stabbed.”

“Trust me. When they return to hide, they’re terrified of being found. It’ll be incredibly difficult for you to get stabbed.”

As an excellent tour guide, Dentist divided the itinerary into three very specific activities: deep-sea fishing, collecting seashells on the beach, and exploring Poison Sting Island.

A little over an hour later.

Dentist and Chen Miemie sat aboard the Jade Rabbit, each holding a fishing rod as they began to fish.

“Chen Miemie, do you know how to fish? Do you need me to teach you?”

Chen Miemie glanced disdainfully at the fishing rod Dentist had provided.

“I know a thing or two. Take away that cheap piece of junk. I have my own.”

With a flick of his hand, Chen Miemie produced a fishing rod with a light porcelain pole and spider-silk line. A small piece of chicken had even been attached to the porcelain hook as bait.

Dentist was intimidated by Chen Miemie’s fully equipped appearance. Assuming he was an experienced angler, she repeatedly cried, “My apologies for my presumption.”

The two of them rocked gently on the sea as they began fishing.

Ten minutes passed. Then twenty. Then half an hour.

Dentist caught one fish after another, landing seven or eight in a row.

There wasn’t the slightest movement on Chen Miemie’s side.

Only then did Dentist realize that Chen Miemie simply didn’t know how to fish.

“Chen Miemie, you haven’t caught a single fish! Hahaha! Hahahaha!”

Chen Miemie remained perfectly calm.

“A contestant of your level could never understand my realm.

“To fish in water is to indulge in idle amusement, yet still hold the power of life and death in one’s hands. To play chess is a refined pastime, yet it stirs the heart of war.

“What I’m fishing for isn’t fish, but a trace of delight beyond gain and loss in this universe.”

This time, Dentist didn’t fall for it. “That won’t help. You’re still skunked.”

Chen Miemie didn’t feel like arguing with her.

He immediately contacted the suppliers of his fishing equipment.

“Bobo, what’s going on? The fish aren’t taking the bait. Is your stuff any good?”

Bobo hurriedly defended herself. “The bait was clearly eaten. You just failed to pull up the rod when they bit.”

Chen Miemie looked a little downcast. “But the surface of the sea is already swaying, and the rod only moves a tiny amount when a fish bites. It’s hard to tell whether I’ve caught anything.”

Red offered a suggestion. “Why don’t we use a longer line to catch a bigger fish? We could hang an entire roast chicken on it and lower the line all the way to the seafloor. Though it’ll take a great deal of strength to haul it back up.”

Chen Miemie only heard the first half of what she said and completely missed the second half. He immediately perked up.

“Let’s do it. Red, let out the line—make it as long as possible. Bobo, release the scent bomb at maximum power. Qinghua, reinforce the rod. Don’t let it snap. Everyone to your positions. Hurry, hurry, hurry!”

Dentist watched Chen Miemie muttering to himself beside her and assumed that his failure had driven him to despair. She secretly gloated.

Just then…

A vast shadow appeared directly beneath the boat, covering an area five or six times the size of the Jade Rabbit.

The hull began to rock. It seemed that some enormous creature was rising from the ocean depths. The powerful upwelling lifted the small boat more than ten centimeters into the air.

“What’s happening?” Dentist tossed aside her fishing rod and immediately entered combat readiness.

Chen Miemie, meanwhile, sprang to his feet, facing the situation as if confronting a formidable enemy.

“Get ready. A big fish is coming!”

As Chen Miemie yanked the rod upward, the vague outline of an enormous creature could be seen along the direction of his fishing line.

It hadn’t bitten Chen Miemie’s bait. It had a “fishing rod” of its own, and its “line” had become entangled with Chen Miemie’s, twisting into a dead knot.

Chen Miemie hadn’t caught the giant fish. The two sides had hooked each other, creating a situation much like a tug-of-war.

It was daytime, and Chen Miemie was only at ordinary [Mystery] 5 strength. Besides, physical power was not his forte.

Before long, he began losing the contest of strength and was dragged toward the side of the boat.

At this rate, if he didn’t let go of the rod, the giant fish might pull him into the water.

Dentist immediately understood what was happening. “Don’t panic, Chen Miemie! I’ll help you!”

Dentist took a huge stride to Chen Miemie’s side and grabbed the fishing rod with both hands. Every muscle in her body bulged, her veins standing out prominently.

She was two meters tall, and her terrifying explosive strength was on full display at that moment.

In terms of strength alone, she could have taken on at least five Chen Miemies.

“Up you come!” Dentist roared.

Chen Miemie was dumbfounded. The Dentist, who was usually meek and submissive in front of him, was unbelievably fierce once she actually got physical. Feeling her strength up close and seeing arms thicker than a man’s thighs, he was struck by the sheer power and beauty of it.

With the Dentist’s sudden burst of strength, the fishing rod bent into an exaggerated arc. The black shadow beneath the water was hauled upward, and part of its body broke the surface.

It was a gigantic anglerfish.

A luminous “fishing rod” extended from the top of its head, evolved from its dorsal fin. It was presumably used to lure prey closer. A glowing lure at the tip could sway slightly, mimicking the movements of a small insect. The “rod” hovered beside its mouth, which was lined with needle-sharp teeth. Once prey took the bait, it would be swallowed in a single bite.

The Dentist cried out, “[the Deep-Sea Angler]!”

Chen Miemie exclaimed, “What an ugly thing!”

The gigantic anglerfish shouted, “What incredible strength!”

Upon hearing one another, the three of them simultaneously eased off for the moment.

After two seconds of awkward silence, Chen Miemie asked, “Are you a monster?”

The Dentist answered before it could: “It is. Its name is [the Deep-Sea Angler]. According to the records, it’s rated Danger Level Five.”

The gigantic anglerfish recognized the boat and began shouting, “Jade Rabbit, how could you side with humans and bully a fish?”

The Jade Rabbit statue at the bow of the boat suddenly came to life. “So it’s you, anglerfish. It’s rare to run into you in waters this shallow. Stop struggling. Today, you’ve managed to hook a very big ‘fish.’”