After Reincarnating as the Dragon King, I Made a Fortune with Seafood – CH84

Chapter 84

Once a tuna was hauled up, it had to be bled and rested while it was still alive.

If it was not bled, after the fish died, the meat would become fishy and bitter, completely impossible to eat.

During the resting process, the fish meat would undergo a slight autolysis. Only after the resting period passed would the flesh become soft and juicy, fresh, tender, springy, and develop that special savory fragrance.

To bleed and rest it, a large cut had to be made at the fish’s neck.

Normally, the whole fish would be placed in ice water to bleed. After the resting process was complete, it would then be moved into cold storage.

After going through this process, by the time they returned to port, the tuna would be fermented to just the right point and ready to eat.

Captain Chen had spent nearly half his life drifting at sea, so he was already extremely familiar with this entire procedure. Holding a large knife, he neatly cut two openings beneath the fish’s jaw.

Fresh red blood flowed out in streams.

Captain Chen could not help praising, “This fish is truly beautiful. I reckon it’s around three or four hundred jin.”

Lu Ao said casually, somewhat tired, “Weigh it.”

“That works too.” Captain Chen turned to the side and shouted, “Hey, who’s going to bring the floor scale over?”

“Ali already went.”

Soon, the floor scale was carried over.

The tuna was even bigger than the moonfish. If they placed it directly on the scale, the scale would not be large enough. They had to put a basket on the scale first, then place the tuna on top of the basket.

This tuna was simply too large. It was very difficult to lift it by human strength alone.

The crew went to fetch ropes, tied up the fish’s tail, then slowly lifted it with the crane and placed it on the basket.

The scale quickly showed a reading.

Captain Chen shaded his eyes from the bright sunlight with one hand and squinted at it for a while before saying, “Four hundred thirty-seven jin.”

Zhong Honghai sucked in a breath through his teeth. “Good grief. In my entire fishing career, this bluefin tuna counts as a big one.”

As he spoke, Zhong Honghai could not resist patting the thick belly of the bluefin tuna. A trace of envy appeared in his eyes.

He had formed this fishing team and gone out to sea for the sake of earning money.

Now, after finally catching a bluefin tuna, the person who would earn the most from it was not someone from his team. The feeling in his heart was hard to describe.

This was a bluefin tuna!

A bluefin tuna this large would fetch several million no matter where it was sold.

Even after tax, there would still be one or two million left.

Zhong Honghai finally understood why people in the circle were saying Lu Ao had good luck. If this was not good luck, could he have made such a catch?

Zhong Honghai was not the only one secretly envious.

Everyone gathered around the huge bluefin tuna, looking at it from every angle, envy nearly spilling from their eyes.

After staring for a long while, they reluctantly returned to their own spots to fish, each one hoping from the bottom of their heart that they might also have Lu Ao’s luck.

Lu Ao sat on the deck, letting the brilliant sunlight fall over his face and body without moving at all.

Captain Chen directed people to send the bluefin tuna into the cold storage. When he turned back and saw Lu Ao like that, he asked, “Not fishing anymore?”

“No.” Lu Ao sounded lazy. “No strength.”

He truly had no strength left, and he truly did not want to keep fishing.

This school of bluefin tuna only had a few dozen to a hundred fish. Being able to catch one was already luck. He could not be too greedy.

Captain Chen knew his personality. He chuckled and did not try to persuade him further.

Lin Qiyan was still taking photos and recording videos.

Lu Ao lightly nudged his shoe and asked, “Do you want to keep fishing? If you hook one, I’ll help you pull it.”

Lin Qiyan hesitated. “Maybe not. I’m not very good at this.”

“If you’re not good, then learn. This is such a good chance.”

As they were speaking, another cheer burst out from the crowd. Another team member had already dragged the bluefin tuna he had hooked close to the boat.

Crewman Old Zhang hurried over with an iron hook to haul the fish up.

Lin Qiyan quickly stepped forward to take photos. The fish was round and plump, like a cannonball.

The crowd began discussing it.

“This one isn’t bad either. At least seventy or eighty jin.”

“Putting everything else aside, that’s more than a hundred thousand in the bag.”

“Sigh, when will I ever catch a bluefin tuna that big?”

Hearing the crowd, Zhong Honghai shouted, “Stop talking nonsense and keep fishing! Seize the chance! Once the fish are full, they’ll run!”

Everyone’s hearts tightened. No one dared keep chatting, and they hurriedly resumed fishing.

The man who had caught the bluefin tuna rested briefly, reorganized his rod, and continued fishing.

One fish like that was worth over a hundred thousand. Forget whether he had the strength or not, even if he exhausted himself today, he still had to keep fishing. If he missed this opportunity, who knew when he would get another chance to make this kind of money?

Lin Qiyan looked back and met Lu Ao’s gaze.

Lu Ao gave him a brief nod.

There was encouragement in that gesture.

Lin Qiyan thought for a moment, then finally gritted his teeth. “Then I’ll try.”

It would not cost him anything to try. The bait and rods here were all ready. He only had to learn from the others and cast the hook into the sea.

Lin Qiyan’s movements were not as nimble as Lu Ao’s. On the contrary, because he had long done desk work, he was a little clumsy. But his intelligence was not inferior to anyone present.

After observing for a while, he understood what this kite fishing method was about.

He used the trick he had learned and tried hard to get the kite up.

The fish chunk hovered in the water, swaying gently. Nothing about it revealed that it was dragging a long line behind it.

After setting it up, he sat patiently in place and waited for a fish to come eat.

Just as he started fishing, someone nearby hooked another large bluefin tuna.

That person’s strength was far inferior to Lu Ao’s. After pulling for just over five minutes, he was already crying and shouting hoarsely, “I can’t do it! Someone come help me pull for a bit!”

A companion nearby wanted to go help. After glancing at the man’s bulging veins, he paused, truly unsure how to take over.

“I’m coming!” Zhong Honghai hurried over and gripped the rod with both hands. “Hold on a little longer! Let out line, let out line!”

The man hurriedly turned the reel. As he turned it, his hand kept twitching.

His swollen hand was accidentally cut by the fishing line, and bright red blood dripped down in large drops onto the deck.

This fish was simply too big. It was probably even larger than the one Lu Ao had hauled up.

Even Zhong Honghai only held on for a short while before feeling that his strength was not enough.

He had no choice but to turn his head and shout at Lu Ao, “Lu Ao, come help!”

Lu Ao was just about to agree.

Lin Qiyan immediately protected him like a mother hen. “No! It’s too dangerous. He just pulled up a huge fish and hasn’t recovered yet!”

The man knew this too, but he still refused to give up. “Just pull for a little while, take over for us for a moment! I’m begging you, come help! Aside from you, there’s no one on the boat who can hold this big fish!”

“You make it sound so easy!” Lin Qiyan snapped. “This fish is so big. Can he help you pull for a moment, or can he help you pull for an hour? If it really gets hauled up, does the fish count as yours or his?”

Lu Ao had wanted to refuse in the first place, only Lin Qiyan had spoken faster than him.

Hearing this, Lu Ao said, “Sorry.”

The others knew the reasoning too, but hearing him say it still made some of them uncomfortable.

Someone muttered, “Is it necessary? It’s just helping out a little.”

The person beside him rolled his eyes at Lu Ao. “Exactly. Out at sea, who doesn’t help each other? Turning hostile over such a tiny thing. Aren’t we all on the same fishing team?”

Money stirred people’s hearts.

This fish alone was worth tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands or more. Anyone who saw it would be tempted.

Aside from the man asking Lu Ao to help pull the fish, the others more or less had their own little thoughts too.

Lu Ao had good technique and great strength. If he was willing to help, perhaps tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands would be in hand.

Lin Qiyan was about to say more when Lu Ao stopped him. He stared straight at the two men, pointed, and lifted his chin slightly. “If this little favor is nothing, you two go help.”

“Fuck!” One of them flew into a rage from embarrassment. “I’m busy, aren’t I? If I could get away, why would anyone need you to help? People praise you a little, and you really think you’re somebody?”

Seeing that they had started arguing, Captain Chen stepped forward and said, “Stop arguing! Helping is a favor, not helping isn’t wrong either. If you’re capable, go help yourselves.”

Lin Qiyan shot back, “You’ve only known him for a few days. Do you even know how to write the ‘Ao’ in Lu Ao? And you’ve got the nerve to ask for help!”

Lu Ao gently patted his shoulder, signaling him not to speak.

Zhong Honghai did not say anything. He continued helping to pull that bluefin tuna.

The bluefin tuna they had hooked was simply too large. If they could pull it up, several million would definitely be in their hands.

And as the person helping, he would receive a share.

Zhong Honghai called to his own people, “Old Ao, come help!”

Many people on the fishing team had worked with Zhong Honghai for a long time. Seeing the situation, they did not waste words and immediately pulled away to help.

Not many people came out to fish for bluefin tuna now. National law stipulated that each person could bring five ashore each year.

None of their quotas had been used, so the large bluefin in hand would count as one.

Several middle-aged men took turns pulling the huge bluefin tuna. None of them could last more than ten minutes before having to let someone else take over.

After several rounds of pulling, everyone was grimacing, tears and snot streaming down their faces.

One person’s hands were shaking so badly they almost no longer seemed like his own.

The more they pulled, the colder their hearts became.

This bluefin tuna was simply too large. Even after more than forty minutes, it still showed no sign of exhaustion.

If they could not pull it up within half an hour, this huge tuna might escape.

Zhong Honghai, an experienced angler, was also frightened by the effort. He had no choice but to turn around and ask Lu Ao again, “Lu Ao, help us out. Once it’s pulled up, we’ll give you a cut according to the share.”

The owner of the fish looked unconvinced and was about to say something, but Zhong Honghai glared him back. He could only stop speaking.

As for how the money would be split, they could discuss it after they got back ashore.

Lu Ao stood up, just about to refuse again.

Lin Qiyan shouted, “Lu Ao, hurry over and help me! I’ve got a fish, and I can’t hold it!”

His voice was quick and urgent, drawing everyone’s attention.

Aside from the person currently pulling the huge bluefin tuna, who truly could not spare any focus, almost everyone looked at him.

Everyone had thought he was making an excuse, but when they looked over, the rod in his hands really was bent. It looked like there was indeed a large fish below.

Lin Qiyan’s strength was small, and the fish had nearly dragged the rod from his hands.

He used all his strength to press his stomach against the rod, barely stabilizing it.

Even so, the veins in his arms had bulged, and both hands were trembling like he had Parkinson’s. It looked as though he would fail in the very next second.

Seeing him like this, Lu Ao did not say another word. He immediately took the fishing rod. “I’ll do it!”

Lin Qiyan let out a breath of relief and wiped the sweat and tears from his face. “I’ll leave it to you.”

Seeing this scene, Zhong Honghai could not say anything. He could only turn back and continue pulling the fish in silence.

After Reincarnating as the Dragon King, I Made a Fortune with Seafood [Farming]