Chapter 607: Running with the Dolphins

After forming an arrowhead, the dolphin pod quickly sprang into action.

They were fast.

Wu An shouted, "Keep up!"

The fishing boat followed behind; the dolphin pod occasionally approached the boat, performing jumps on both sides.

A few bolder dolphins even ran to the front of the boat, weaving back and forth there.

Wu An watched, breaking into a sweat.

The dolphin pod chattered.

What they were playing with was just a racing heart.

To be honest, constantly being with the dolphin pod makes it really hard to find peace and quiet.

It's too noisy.

According to Wu An's experience, these dolphins aren't communicating; they're probably just swearing.

Mocking those with poor performance, despising those who like to show off, basically claiming, "I'm the coolest."

Being the parent of this bunch of brats isn't easy either, even being a lap older.

Like Hu Zi, running around every few days, yet he hasn't caused the whale pod much worry.

Wu An checked the time; it was already eleven-thirty, and he said, "We don't all need to stay on deck watching."

"Brother Xiao Zhu, go make the meal."

"A Qing, you stay here and keep watch with me."

"If you get tired, go get someone to relieve you."

Although the fishing boat was moving at full speed, bringing a decent breeze, the heat released by the big sun overhead scorched the wind until it was blazing.

Blowing on the body felt no coolness at all; instead, a heat wave hit the face, making even breathing feel hot and uncomfortable.

Everyone nodded.

Mei Wu went to the helm, while Fu Yongning and Fan Dali returned to the restroom, soon emerging each holding a half-cut watermelon.

Wu An and A Qing sat in the cool shade, each with a spoon, digging into the watermelon.

The watermelon was cool and refreshing, having been chilled in advance.

It quenched thirst and relieved heat, even more invigorating than iced beer.

"Brother, when we get back, turn in the spy fish, and then take me along to collect the reward."

"Why?"

"Because you're my brother."

"Hehe."

"Brother, I've never gone on stage to receive an award from childhood to now."

"Oh."

"Brother..."

Wu An kicked him, "Damn, if you were a neighbor's girl acting cute, it'd be fine."

"Fine, fine, I'll bring you then, and just say you discovered the spy fish."

"Thanks, brother."

"Get lost, don't bother me."

"Oh."

"Brother, do you think the spy fish was placed by foreigners or by our own people?"

"Who knows."

"If the dolphins could lead us to find it, that'd be great—we could catch both the person and the fish, maybe even make the news; my mom would surely be thrilled."

"Those who drop these spy fish are ruthless villains; catching fish is our old trade, but catching people? Better not."

"Why?"

"Some of our country's special police, even after earning great merit, use aliases in the news and hide their photos—do you know why?"

"Because they want to stay low-key?"

"Low-key my ass; it's because they fear retaliation."

"Oh."

Wu An glanced at the system.

The dolphin pod's trajectory happened to match the direction of Ma Weiqun's fishing boat's light point.

Wu An's heart jumped.

"No way?"

He shook his head, not thinking further, muttering, "How could there be such a coincidence?"

After eating the watermelon, people were already half-full.

But it's no problem—after a quick piss, there's room again; Fan Xiao Zhu's cooking is delicious, each meal easily two bowls of rice.

Just after finishing the meal, the dolphin pod stopped.

Wu An thought they'd found a new spy fish, but it turned out the dolphin pod was just having a meal.

They found a fish school and feasted heartily.

A Qing exclaimed, "Damn, these dolphins have been leading us around for so long—turns out they weren't looking for spy fish, just food."

Wu An checked the system and saw the dolphins' movement trajectory had indeed shifted, veering to the left of the light point, likely drawn here by the fish school.

Lao Fu Tou shouted in surprise, "A An, it's white pomfret!"

"Probably the dolphin pod drove them up to the surface."

Pomfret are normally middle‑lower layer fish, rarely coming to the sea surface, but it's not absolute; for example, now, being surrounded and blocked by a dolphin pod, part of the white pomfret in the fish school have risen to the upper layer.

Now the sea surface is like a boiling pot.

Lao Fu Tou shouted excitedly, "A An, shall we trawl one net?"

"The upper layer already has this many pomfret; the lower layer must have even more."

"One net might haul several tons!"

Wu An thought: "The dolphin pod is feeding now; if we trawl, we'll not only sweep up the white pomfret in one net but also easily hurt the dolphins."

Lao Fu Tou understood his meaning, a bit disappointed, saying: "If we don't trawl, we can only watch helplessly."

Wu An smiled: "Then we don't have to stare blankly."

"I had A Wu Ge buy plenty of cast nets and keep them on board for emergencies."

"This will come in handy."

Lao Fu Tou laughed: "You still have foresight."

Wu An nodded; the trawler with Luck Boost has a fish‑gathering and controlling effect, this trawl targets only bottom‑layer fish, and when middle‑upper layer fish schools are occasionally encountered, we need another plan.

This cast net can then be put to use.

A Qing hurried to fetch the cast net.

Lao Fu Tou took out the walkie‑talkie, called Fu Yongning and Fan Dali out, and seeing the sea surface so densely packed with white pomfret, they were stunned.

Then came wild joy.

A Qing brought the cast net, and everyone got one to start working.

Lao Fu Tou drove the boat slowly closer; the dolphin pod had not been yielding, but amid a loud whistle they gave the fishing boat a gap.

Other dolphins also swam around the fishing boat.

Wu An saw the dolphins cooperating, and being no slouch, he maxed out the fishing boat's Luck Value and hard‑controlled these white pomfret here.

The dolphins suddenly realized these white pomfret had turned stupid, letting them feast heartily.

The fishing boat quickly reached the edge of the fish school; everyone spread out and threw the cast nets one after another, all throws were good.

As for throwing the cast net, everyone spread it wide and accurately covered the fish‑filled area.

Nothing else.

Only practice makes perfect.

Lao Fu Tou shouted: "Almost done, the sea‑surface fish school is dense, we can haul the nets in."

Hearing that, naturally nobody slacked off.

Wu An strained pulling the rope, feeling quite heavy, but since the cast net wasn't out of the water yet, he could still tug it with skill and strength.

When it was about to surface, he couldn't pull any further.

A crane had to be used.

There was only one crane, so nets had to be pulled one by one; while queuing, A Qing grew anxious—cast nets aren't trawls, their closures aren't tight, and pomfret kept slipping out.

The crane lifted the cast net, yet pomfret kept falling back into the sea.

There was nothing to be done.

When most of the catch had been hauled, it was still smoothly brought onto the deck.

Lao Fu Tou also came to help tidy the net; the two of them shook it together, and soon pomfret covered the deck—this net alone brought in at least a couple hundred catties.

Lao Fu Tou glanced at the catch, pleased, saying: "Not bad, hurry and throw a second net."

Wu An immediately grabbed the net and walked to the boat's side.

He took stance.

He twisted his waist.

He flung it.

The cast net landed smoothly in the sea in a perfectly round shape.

Wu An watched the time, began pulling the rope to haul in the second net; although the cast net is small and simple to operate, with so many people working together the final yield might not necessarily be much less than that of the cast net.