Chapter 208: The Sentient Sea Turtle

At this moment the sun is right overhead, its heat can even fry fish to death.

The fishing boat gets underway, the sea breeze brushes the face, and it feels a little more comfortable.

But Wu An still dares not let the sea breeze hit him; even if the sun can't reach, the wind will make a person turn black and old.

He doesn't want to walk together with Gu Anran in the future and be called "an old bull eating tender grass," or "people say he's definitely a rich Thief," and the like.

He still needs to be careful.

Even if it's unbearably hot, he still covers himself tightly.

After moving away from the island.

A Qing walks over, a smile on his face, and says, "Brother, how about you let me try again?"

Mai Hangyu looks a bit flustered: "A Qing, maybe we should stop."

The sudden thing before left him with a mental scar.

Wu An thinks for a moment and says, "Really want to drive the boat?"

A Qing scratches his head and says, "Since we'll be going out to sea often, we'll need someone who can replace you."

"I'll take it slowly."

"Brother, don't go, just watch from the side."

Wu An smiles and nods, yields his spot, and re‑explains a few controls to him; A Qing already knows them but still listens attentively.

As he takes the helm, his whole body visibly tenses; after a while his hands tremble—not from fatigue, but from a chain reaction caused by his lingering emotions.

Wu An talks to him, diverting his attention.

The fishing boat slowly shifts.

A Qing gradually gets the hang of it and begins to speed up.

"Hmm, just like that," Wu An pats his shoulder. The sea is vast; as long as you avoid reef‑prone areas and don't try fancy maneuvers, it's actually easier than driving a car.

Wu An brings over an empty crate, sits down, leans against the canvas, watches the deep blue sky and the white clouds, feeling a sudden clarity as if his meridians have been unblocked.

No wonder everyone longs for the sea.

He now watches the sea so leisurely; before he was always hustling for a living.

He didn't have the time, nor the mood.

For a while his mind empties, nothing disturbs him, and he feels extremely comfortable.

After an unknown amount of time, Mai Hangyu's shout reaches his ears: "Brother… brother, Orca Pod, Orca Pod!"

Wu An startles awake.

He realizes he actually fell asleep.

Mai Hangyu stands at the side of the boat, pauses briefly, gets up, walks out of the canvas, presses his hat down, and looks in the direction Mai Hangyu's finger points.

Sure enough, it's an Orca Pod.

The sea breeze brushes the face, and faintly the Orca Pod's calls can be heard.

Wu An waves his hand: "Orcas, good noon, have you eaten?"

At that moment the Orca Pod bursts up from the sea in unison, as if responding, making Wu An laugh heartily.

Mai Hangyu pulls out a Cigarette, lights it, and shakes his head: "What a pity, it's too far; otherwise we could collect another toll."

Wu An puffs half a Cigarette, about to leave, when he suddenly sees streaks of black shadows.

Mai Hangyu also sees: "Brother, a fish school!"

"Could it be the Orca Pod delivering a toll for us?"

"It's coming, it's coming."

He shouts excitedly, Wu An turns and runs to fetch the Cast Net, with Mai Hangyu close behind.

The two toss the Cast Net forward, one after the other.

Not sure if they startled the fish school, but as soon as they start hauling the net, the fish vanish; Mai Hangyu's side pulls the fastest, and he says disappointedly, "Empty."

Wu An's face lights up: "I've got a catch in this net."

"Come help me pull together."

His added 2 Luck Value points instantly drop to zero.

And pulling it is very strenuous!

It's a big haul!

If this truly is a toll sent by the Orca, what could it be?

Orcas are apex predators in the ocean, eating basically anything, even sharks are on their menu.

Tuna?

Wu An pulls up quickly.

Soon the Cast Net surfaces, Mai Hangyu leans over the boat's side to look down and shouts, "Brother, it's a Sea Turtle!"

Wu An hauls the Cast Net onto the Deck, looks closely, and is instantly disappointed: the net contains only one Sea Turtle, huge in size, no wonder he can't pull it alone.

He doesn't even know what species it is.

He guesses the Orca Pod was being mischievous, chasing the turtles for fun, scaring the Sea Turtle so much that it fled in panic toward the fishing boat.

What a coincidence.

They netted it.

Mai Hangyu says, "Brother, this thing doesn't seem sellable."

Wu An nods.

Right.

Sitting on the turtle until the floor wears through.

It must be released, and we can't bring it ashore; otherwise it's easy to ask for a turtle but hard to send it away, and we also have to beat gongs and drums—the whole ceremony to send the sea turtle back to the sea.

They hurriedly opened the cast net; the sea turtle moved slowly, and from the way it waved its limbs, it seemed unharmed, but one person couldn't even lift it.

He called Mai Hangyu.

Mai Hangyu wasn't too keen, saying, "Brother, this sea turtle looks a bit disgusting, its shell is covered in barnacles."

Wu An sighed, "It's not that it grew barnacles; the barnacles are parasitic on the sea turtle."

"Alright."

"Lend a hand quickly; if the sea turtle dies on our boat, the three of us could go hand in hand to operate a sewing machine."

Mai Hangyu hurried over to help, and the two of them strained to throw the sea turtle back into the sea.

Gazing into the distance, the orca pod was nowhere to be seen.

Wu An wondered what was going on, helplessly washed his hands, and had just started toward the cabin when he heard Mai Hangyu shout again, "Brother, come quick—the sea turtle is still following us."

"Huh?"

Wu An walked over and leaned over the rail to look down.

Sure enough, the sea turtle kept pace with the fishing boat, as if sensing his gaze, it lifted its head and met his eyes.

In those eyes, a look seemed to appear that only humans have.

"Indeed."

The sea turtle is spiritual.

Mai Hangyu scratched his head and asked, "Brother, what does this mean? Is the sea turtle clinging to us?"

Wu An locked eyes with it a few times, tentatively reached out, and the sea turtle actually extended a flipper; without hesitation, he grabbed the flipper.

He tugged, but it didn't budge, and fearing he might hurt the turtle, he quickly called Mai Hangyu to help pull it aboard.

Before Mai Hangyu could ask, Wu An said, "The sea turtle might be asking us for help."

"These barnacles are a burden for it, and could even kill it."

"Let's help it remove the barnacles."

"Go get scissors, a shovel, and a boat knife."

The sea turtle lay still on the deck, as quiet as a patient awaiting surgery.

The entire shell was covered in rust‑like patches from the barnacles, looking gruesome; though Wu An didn't have trypophobia, he now felt a bit uneasy.

This sea turtle is very spiritual; even seeing Wu An wield a knife and press hard on its back, it remained still, only slightly wiggling its flippers, as if enjoying it.

Mai Hangyu, afraid the turtle would move, pressed down firmly on it.

Watching chunks of barnacles fall off the shell was oddly satisfying.

Seeing Wu An had already dealt with two‑thirds of the barnacles, he got an itch to try and said, "Brother, let me have a go."

Wu An handed him the knife.

But before Mai Hangyu could cut, the sea turtle suddenly thrashed its flippers.

Mai Hangyu couldn't bring himself to cut, frozen in place: "Brother… it seems it doesn't want me to do it; maybe you should do it instead."

Wu An took the knife back.

The sea turtle stopped moving.

"Huh?"

"Really strange."

"Holy shit, this sea turtle is way too spiritual!" Mai Hangyu gaped, unable to hold back his complaint: "What, you look down on me, a mere deckhand?"