NOVEL WEB Chapter 037 – Hawksbill Turtle
After changing her clothes, the noise outside grew louder as the coast guard and the Qinzhou warship arrived.
"Please keep this matter confidential until the official announcement is made. The military will take over here, and this area will be sealed off. You can leave now, and we will inform you of the results later. Thank you very much for your help, Miss Zhao," Qiao Jinnian said as he approached her.
"As citizens of China, this is what we should do. To be honest, I'm quite good at diving. If you need any help, feel free to contact me. If everything is settled here, we'll continue our journey to the South Pacific," Zhao Zhao replied politely.
In the end, the three of them solemnly saluted her.
If it weren't for the earlier incident, Zhao Zhao might have stayed to watch the excitement from afar. Now she only wanted to return and fish peacefully. After the Qinzhou warship sent a speedboat to pick up Qiao Jinnian and his team, the Yaoguang turned and headed towards the South Pacific.
The crew was thrilled to see China's most advanced missile destroyer up close. The awe of seeing a 200-meter warship in person was entirely different from watching it on TV. Even now, when it was no longer visible, Da Linzi was still excitedly pacing in the cockpit.
Seeing that the crew had no interest in working, Zhao Zhao gathered them for a disciplinary meeting, conveyed the military's intentions, and reiterated the ship's rules.
Heading south, they anchored that night in a lively underwater area, set up fish-attracting lights, and hauled in two nets, yielding a decent catch.
Nighttime work was challenging, so they arranged for rest after midnight. Surprisingly, the least enthusiastic worker was the shipowner, who locked himself in his cabin early and went to Yaoguang's domain for a meal. The crew made their own dinner, which was just passable. It seemed they needed a proper chef for the 35-member crew's meals.
Zhao Zhao patrolled her private fruit garden and found the strawberries ripe.
The strawberries on the edge of the spiritual field were as big as eggs, fresh and tender, with an excellent taste. She couldn't stop eating them. After eating enough, she patted her stomach and decided that she would have to practice tonight. In that short time, she had eaten two tomatoes, two peaches, and a bowl of strawberries. The bowl was not small...
When Yaoguang came out of the cave, he saw Zhao Zhao diligently practicing with the Ice Soul Sword.
After she finished her practice, the big parrot threw a book hooked on its claw at her feet. Zhao Zhao picked it up and saw the cover: The Tianga Vajra Scripture.
"Master Yaoguang, is this the best one?" she asked expectantly, fawning over him.
"Of course! You can trust my taste. At the very least, it will strengthen your body and prolong your life. If your brother has some talent and trains well, he can be invincible in the mortal world."
"That's too far off. As long as he doesn't get beaten black and blue in every fight, it's good enough. Let's start by building a solid foundation." She opened the book and fell silent at the sight of the ancient Chinese characters... Great! Da Linzi definitely couldn't understand this, so she would have to translate it.
First, body training required auxiliary herbal baths to improve physical constitution, which was the main cultivation method for those without spiritual roots. Zhao Zhao glanced at the prescription; it was very complex, with 108 kinds of herbs listed. Fortunately, except for the unfamiliar Puo Luo Grass, the rest could be found in both the space and the real world.
"Yaoguang, what is this grass? I haven't heard of it. We can't fail at the last step, right?"
Yaoguang stretched out its large wing and pointed to the mountain of the cave, "That purple-flowered plant all over the mountain is it."
"That large patch... Isn't that just a weed?"
"We don't have useless weeds here. The soil here is so valuable that if you dig a bit and take it outside, it's a treasure," the big parrot said proudly.
"I know it's spiritual soil. Da Linzi should find it easier to train his body than ordinary people. I've fed him quite a few fruits and spiritual spring water." Zhao Zhao dragged her meditation mat under a tree, flipping through the book while chatting with Yaoguang.
"Eating a lot of spiritual fruits makes it easier to absorb the herbal bath. However, with his eating habits, he will soon meet the entry standards without needing the bath. It's optional for him. He's already spoiled; I saw him secretly throw half an apple into the sea last night because he couldn't stand the taste of the fruit on the ship."
"He had to be sneaky. If Uncle Haiming saw that, he'd scold him. Fruits are so precious at sea..."
The next day was a bright and sunny day.
The clear blue sky and boundless sea were breathtaking, making one feel expansive and inspired to sing a song.
Zhao Zhao lay in her old spot on the deck chair at the bow, guiding the fishing boat. Others might find drifting on the vast ocean monotonous and boring, but she felt the opposite. As someone with a water spiritual root, she felt very comfortable and content here.
While watching from the bow for half an hour, she discovered a large school of fish below. They were nearly a meter long, slender, with a bluish-black body and round spots on the sides. These were Spanish mackerel, also known as saba fish in some northern regions. At first, she thought the dark mass was a blue whale, but upon closer inspection, it was a school of Spanish mackerel. Even cheap fish were still food; they could be used to make smoked fish.
"Brother Quan, turn southwest to the eight o'clock direction, use the largest trawl net."
Quan immediately adjusted the boat's course and headed towards the fish school, and the crew sprang into action.
A vibrant day began.
After feeding Gun Gun, Zhao Zhao found herself idle again. She took out her phone and saw many fans leaving comments urging her to start a live stream.
【Didn't you promise to show us the open sea? Sister Zhao, where are you?】
【Has the streamer already gone abroad?】
【Is she in a no-signal zone?】
The signal was fine; the Yaoguang was fully equipped with satellite broadband. Zhao Zhao decided to start the live stream.
【What a coincidence! The heartless streamer heard my call】
【Good morning, everyone! Show us the ocean!】
"Good morning, everyone. As per our viewers' request, I'm showing you the ocean outside our doorstep. This is the South Pacific, and yes, we have reached the high seas."
【Ah! It's all water!】
【So beautiful! The weather looks great there. Catch more fish; the more fish you catch in the high seas, the more you earn.】
【Where's Siren? Is it still following you?】
【Yeah, don't lose Siren in the Pacific. It's from our East China Sea.】
【Siren was born in the East China Sea and will return there. Little Bear, protect it well.】
【Stop it! Siren is a sea demon and won't die.】
Zhao Zhao was speechless at her silly fans. "Siren is just below us. Don't worry, it won't get lost. It's very clever. I suspect if we throw it here, it could find its way back to Jinshi Island. We're about to pull up the net. I'll take everyone to the deck to see what we've caught. Follow me."
【I just realized this boat is quite long...】
【With such a big boat, how many fish do you need to catch to break even?】
【I just realized the streamer is quite wealthy. The down payment alone for such a big boat must be in the millions.】
【You just realized? Didn't you notice when she was fishing with a yacht?】
【I'm jealous. Can't stand hearing this.】
【I want to quit my job and go fishing. Everyone, let's crowdfund a boat. When I catch a polar bear, I'll give each of you one.】
【Can't eat it. Just a leg will do.】
Zhao Zhao glanced at the barrage and once again doubted the audience of her live stream.
When she got to the deck, the net was soon pulled up. In no time, a huge teardrop-shaped net emerged from the water, and the deck erupted in cheers.
Everyone's face was filled with genuine joy. Uncle Haiming tried to control his smile, "Alright! We've seen the big world, now let's get to work! Be quick about it!"
When the net of fish was dumped onto the deck, not only the viewers were shocked, but Zhao Zhao also saw so many fish for the first time.
A mountain of fish stood on the deck, a visual impact at its max.
"Damn, I haven't seen this many fish in one net for years!" Xiong Haiming's eyes were a bit wet. His right leg had been injured years ago, making it difficult for him to find work. He had no high hopes when he signed up, given the many young and strong candidates on the island. But to his surprise, he was chosen. After the initial joy came new worries about job security.
At this moment, the bountiful harvest gave him real hope and confidence for the future.
Beside him, Xiong Jie was sorting fish while talking, "Uncle Long, you haven't seen this for years. I've never seen it. Following my dad in the coastal waters, there's hardly any of one kind in a net. Where can you see fish schools like this?"
There was no time to sigh or celebrate on the deck; they had to work quickly, but the joy on their faces was unmistakable.
The live stream was still buzzing with comments... They had nothing to do and were very idle.
【What am I seeing? A mountain of fish!】
【Are all the fish in the Pacific here?】
【What a huge haul! Streamer's luck is amazing, rubbing it off on us!】
【I've learned something new! First time seeing such a big fish mountain】
【What kind of fish is this? It looks like all the same kind.】
【I admit, the streamer has some fishing skills.】
【These are Spanish mackerel. Though cheap, the quantity makes her rich!】
【How many tons is this?】
【That guy almost cried. It's not easy for them with the current fishing industry.】
【Who has it easy? I'm squeezing on the subway, getting scolded by clients.】
【I get why some people like watching sea and fishing live streams. It's quite thrilling.】
【The joy on everyone's face on the deck is so genuine and lively.】
【I could watch this all day. Streamer, don't turn off the stream for a day.】
【How many tons is this net, streamer? You should be working, but come and explain to us.】
"I really don't know how many tons this pile is, so I can't explain. Ask me something I know. Gun Gun? Yes, where did Gun Gun go? Let's go find him."
Zhao Zhao carried the tripod to the stern, navigating around the fish mountain that filled the deck.
Haiming asked if they should cast another net, but she refused. Emptying the net in one go was not advisable.
【Streamer is a person of principles】
【Quiet children are often up to no good】
【I see a big octopus in the fish pile, and shrimp】
【So much delicious food】
【Freshly caught seafood, come on, have some raw marinated, drooling on my phone】
【Can I buy a passenger ticket and go fishing with you? Just need plenty of seafood.】
"Uncle An, have you seen my dog? Is it over by you?"
Liu Guang'an turned and pointed to a corner, "Isn't it over there? Hey, it's playing with a little sea turtle."
When Zhao Zhao went over, she found Gun Gun enthusiastically pawing at a little overturned sea turtle, not letting it flip over, just pawing it back and forth.
Zhao Zhao quickly intervened, knowing that sea turtles are protected animals. "Gun Gun, don't bully the little sea turtle. How would you like it if you were flipped over and someone kept pawing you?" She tapped its head with her finger, pointed to the overturned sea turtle, then to the corner of the deck, "Go to the corner and reflect on your actions!"
Gun Gun, familiar with this routine, obediently trotted to the corner and squatted down. Zhao Zhao crouched and flipped the little sea turtle over, and saw...
【Goodness, a Hawksbill turtle!】
【This is serious! Very serious!】
【Damn, Gun Gun is determined to get the streamer in trouble】
【Gun Gun is so familiar with being punished, it's heart-wrenching and hilarious】
【I knew a quiet child was definitely up to no good】
This was a Hawksbill turtle with beautiful patterns, a Class II endangered protected animal in China. In ancient times, Hawksbill shells were believed to ward off evil spirits, making them prized collectibles among the wealthy, with good specimens selling for millions. Because they are so valuable, Hawksbill turtles are particularly sensitive among protected animals.
"Everyone needs to be my witness. This Hawksbill turtle was caught along with the Spanish mackerel school. Our curious dog poked at it a few times, but it's still lively. I'm about to release it back! Is it... stupid?"
The little Hawksbill turtle abandoned its rescuer, who had saved it from the dog's paws, and crawled toward Gun Gun, who was standing in the corner. It then lay down next to Gun Gun, motionless. The dog curiously turned to look at it and tried to lift its chubby paw... Zhao Zhao immediately coughed.
The chubby paw was quickly put down.
【Has this Hawksbill turtle developed Stockholm syndrome?】
【Haha, Gun Gun's awkward chubby paw】
【What's going on? Did the two of them become friends?】
【I disagree, you two have no future together】
【This is an open-sea Hawksbill turtle. Streamer, I'll testify for you. Take it back to the East China Sea for release】
Hey, isn't this viewer trying to trap me?
At that moment, Liu Guang'an suddenly spoke up from the side, "Huh? Zhao Zhao, there's another one here!"