Farming Games are All About Grinding

After another hour of digging, Han Qiwu was starting to feel a bit worn out. He hopped on the cable car to return to the first level of the mine and then exited the cavern.

Outside the mine, the rain had stopped. The night sky was speckled with shimmering stars.

Returning by moonlight, carrying a pickaxe.

Not a bad feeling at all.

When he got home, Han Qiwu went to the storage box to sort out his belongings, then sprawled comfortably in a lounge chair, enjoying the spring night's gentle breeze.

So relaxing.

"It'd be so perfect if there was a hot meal waiting for me when I got home."

As if craving comfort during exhaustion were human nature, Han Qiwu was no exception.

Thanks to his extraordinary eyesight, even while lying on the chair, he could spot plenty of fish species in Hospital River that he had caught before—both freshwater and saltwater varieties. The fish were relatively common, though; no rare or magical types so far.

But this didn't bother him—he was satisfied.

Why worry about anything else when just sitting at home could bring fish up to you? Who needs a bike?

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The Little Prince, with Little Shui on his back, burst through the door, excitedly dragging in a massive aquatic plant fishing net.

[Hunting Companion: The Little Prince has returned from foraging, satiation level increased by 85]

[Forage Results: Wood ×45, Osmanthus Wood ×3, Osmanthus Saplings ×2]

[The Little Prince is highly elated after finishing his forage]

[Fishing Companion: Little Shui has returned from fishing, satiation level increased by 99]

[Forage Results: A fish-filled aquatic plant net]

[Little Shui is overexcited after his fishing expedition!]

"Back already?" Han Qiwu greeted with a laugh.

Hearing Han Qiwu's words, the Little Prince puffed up his chest in pride.

Those muddy bear paws of his made two sizeable prints on his chest, and together with his smug expression, the sight was utterly hilarious.

Meanwhile, Little Shui, still clinging onto the Little Prince's back, lit up at the sight of Han Qiwu. He quickly jumped down and bolted towards his small nest, eager to wash his dirty little paws before playing with his owner.

After just two steps, Little Shui froze.

Where's my nest???

Did I go the wrong way?

In disbelief, Little Shui turned to glance at the house's entrance.

Yep, this is definitely the right door.

Han Qiwu couldn't hold back his laughter anymore. He ran over, picked up Little Shui, and said, "Little Shui, you have a new home now! See this river? You can sleep wherever you like! Except for those baby fish, all the other fish—feel free to eat as many as you want! Unlimited buffet!"

"Squeak, squeak, squeak!!!!!!"

Little Shui perked up instantly. With a sudden wriggle, he escaped from Han Qiwu's grasp and leapt five or six meters mid-air before landing in the water, causing a huge splash.

What? There's a river at home now! My owner is far too good to me!

Little Shui's heart swelled with joy, and his tiny head was filled to the brim with gratitude.

The moment he entered the water, Little Shui couldn't contain his excitement. He performed several high-difficulty aquatic ballet moves in quick succession, scaring a swarm of Swordshot Fish fry swimming nearby into a frenzy.

Are they kidding? This guy's a veteran fry, the big boss—we cannot afford to offend her.

Watching the Swordshot Fish fry's frantic reaction, a newly arrived Golden Chef Shark darted over indignantly, swishing his large tail as if to assert dominance.

"Hey! This is my turf."

Little Shui stared at the tiny bubble-blowing shark in front of her and instinctively swiped at it with her paw.

Halfway through, she remembered Han Qiwu's instructions and froze mid-scratch.

"Whoosh."

Cold sweat dotted the Golden Chef Shark's head.

What's with this enormous paw? And why is it so fast? No wonder the Swordshot Fish bolted.

A void bloomed in his mind: this is someone who's visibly unmessable.

Little Shui's paw shifted its action from clawing to patting, gently capturing the Golden Chef Shark within her grasp.

"Boss lady, you win. I was wrong," the shark admitted without hesitation.

Little Shui tilted her head thoughtfully, her gaze fixed on the bubbles the little shark was creating, as if searching for aquatic plants hidden inside.

Rumor had it this was a pretty reliable method.

Hmm, nothing there—guess she could let him off the hook.

"Splash."

Little Shui released the Golden Chef Shark and grabbed a nearby Sunfish to snack on gleefully.

Teaching a lesson to set an example.

"Alright, stop teasing him. Come out now," Han Qiwu chuckled, reaching out to scoop Little Shui out of the water. "By the way, did you see that red fish below?"

"Squeak!"

Little Shui turned her head excitedly toward the direction he'd pointed, squeaking in delight.

Could this fish taste amazing?

The little rascal immediately dashed back into the river.

"Come back! That one's off-limits!" Han Qiwu hadn't anticipated Little Shui's boundless enthusiasm. She managed to slip out of his grasp again before he could stop her.

Sound travels slower than movement, and in mere seconds, Little Shui was already diving toward the riverbed.

The Dragonblood Carp lounging there seemed as though it had a sixth sense; it instantly felt Little Shui's presence in the water and darted toward the surface like a lunatic.

Speaking of the Dragonblood Carp—this was one of the more sentient species. Upon reaching the surface, it leapt straight into Han Qiwu's arms.

Han Qiwu hastily extended his left hand to catch it while using his right hand to block the charging Little Shui.

"This fish is off-limits—it can improve the water's quality here," Han Qiwu patiently explained.

"Squeak?" Little Shui tilted her head, puzzled.

Han Qiwu felt a wave of exhaustion. "To put it simply, it'll make all the other fish here taste better."

"Squeak!" Little Shui brightened up this time, reaching out to gently stroke the Dragonblood Carp, trying her best to appear friendly.

Han Qiwu: "....."

Why is this household full of foodies?

After returning the Dragonblood Carp to the river, Han Qiwu carried Little Shui over to join the freshly cleaned Little Prince.

He'd been so caught up with Little Shui that he hadn't yet checked out what treasures they'd hauled in along with the aquatic plant net.

Standing beside the net, Han Qiwu craned his neck for a closer look.

The craftsmanship of the aquatic plant net was remarkable—the horizontal and vertical weaving was tidy, and the strands of water plant rope had been twisted together from various vibrantly colored aquatic plants, giving it a refined touch. Though there were small damaged holes here and there.

He couldn't fathom where Little Shui and the Little Prince had found such a net.

Maybe it had been left behind by an old fisherman?

Just as he bent down to lift the net to inspect what was inside, a notification popped up in his field of view.

[Your Hunting Companion: The Little Prince and Fishing Companion: Little Shui have learned a cooperative skill: Weaving Aquatic Plant Net]

"Cooperative skill?" Han Qiwu examined the net's properties in surprise.

[Aquatic Plant Net]

[Created by: Little Shui and The Little Prince]

[Purpose: Fishing]

[Special Effect - Everlasting Life: Fish caught in this net can survive for more than three hours on land]

[Note: Little Shui studied hard to ensure the fish stay fresh]

Han Qiwu: "...."

No wonder there were so many kinds of aquatic plants—they did it all just to eat fresher fish.

The power of foodies truly knows no bounds!

When Han Qiwu lifted the aquatic plant net, he found over ten fish, each still slightly muddy. Judging by their gills, they all seemed fresh and lively.

"These look like catfish?" Han Qiwu grabbed a nearby hose to rinse off the mud and took a closer look.

The catfish, now mostly cleaned, had flat heads and broad mouths, long whiskers dangling in pairs off their upper and lower jaws, and plump bodies.

[Wetland Catfish]

[Stamina +150]

[HP +120]

[Special Effect - Fire Resistance: Eating these offers a chance to enhance resistance to fire-based attacks]

[Note: Catfish stewed with eggplant—a delicacy even the rich can't resist]