Chapter 5

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"Zhe'er, how can you say such things?" Gong Sun Hui, who had not expected the always obedient Wang Shouzhe to speak so shockingly, asked.

"Wife of the Fifth Brother, I think Shouzhe's words make sense," Wang Dinghai, who was somewhat convinced by Wang Shouzhe today, immediately chimed in, "We should all be prepared for how long Longyan can support the family."

Gong Sun Hui's expression changed a few times before she finally said, "This is a family secret. A few days ago, when I reported to Longyan, she told me that if she doesn't take action, she can still hold the family together for twenty years. If she does take action... it's hard to say."

Twenty years? Wang Shouzhe pondered. It was much longer than he had imagined, and thus, there might still be a chance to turn things around.

"Shouzhe, you are the family's only hope," Gong Sun Hui said with a serious expression. "The Wang family should continue to be low-key and gather all our strength to help you break through to the Lingtai realm within twenty years. We must avoid any trouble at all costs!"

"Yes, yes, Uncle Six will try to catch more spirit fish to raise funds for you," Wang Dinghai also agreed. "As long as you can reach the Lingtai realm, the Wang family will truly have a chance of survival."

"Reach the Lingtai realm? And then what?" Wang Shouzhe sneered. "Let's not even talk about whether I can make it. Even if I have a chance, will the Liu and Zhao families just sit by and watch? Will they give me twenty years? Moreover, even if I manage to break through, I'll just be another Longyan!"

Wang Shouzhe, being a穿越者 (穿越者 means someone who has been transported to another world or time, often used in Chinese web novels), naturally had a broader perspective than the other Wang family members.

His words sent a chill down Gong Sun Hui and Wang Dinghai's spines. They had always lived under Longyan's protection, assuming the Liu and Zhao families wouldn't dare to confront them.

But if the Wang family's only hope, Wang Shouzhe, had a real chance of reaching the Lingtai realm, would the Liu and Zhao families just stand by?

"Alright, I deliberately hinted that the Ancestor's time is running out. I believe that with Liusengye's cunning, he won't choose to attack us now. Therefore, I will continue to spread the word, giving the Liu and Zhao families a countdown of about five years," Wang Shouzhe said with a snort. "Whoever dares to provoke us within five years, we will fight to the death, and if necessary, we can... uh~ invite Longyan to show her strength."

In Wang Shouzhe's view, Longyan was a trump card. The greatest value of a trump card was not in its use but in its deterrent power.

"Brilliant," Wang Dinghai slapped his thigh. "The Patriarch's strategy is excellent. We are now a dying beast, and they fear our desperate retaliation. This way, they won't dare to bully us and will even try to befriend us. No wonder Liusengye, that old fox, offered thirty gold pieces as compensation."

"Not only that, but with our family's 'deadline' now clear, the Liu and Zhao families, who were previously united against us, will surely have other thoughts while waiting," Wang Shouzhe said with a smile. "Greed and dissatisfaction are basic human nature. The situation will become very interesting. If we can secretly stir things up a bit... hehe."

After hearing Wang Shouzhe's analysis, Gong Sun Hui and Wang Dinghai both drew a sharp breath and looked at each other, feeling a bit scared. However, they also felt a glimmer of hope, a glimmer of hope for the family to turn things around!

"Mother, Uncle Six, this is a matter of life and death for the Wang family," Wang Shouzhe said solemnly, bowing. "First, I hope you can keep this secret. Second, I hope you can trust and support me unconditionally."

This was Wang Shouzhe's true purpose. His body was too young, and even with the identity of the clan leader, he would inevitably face criticism. He needed to win over key figures with his shocking ideas and gain allies.

Gong Sun Hui was his biological mother, and she would rely on him in the future. Uncle Six, Wang Dinghai, was straightforward and easy to win over.

Gong Sun Hui and Wang Dinghai both took a deep breath and solemnly swore.

As they spoke, the medium-sized fishing boat, under the control of the crew, left the deep-water dock and entered the turbulent center of the An River.

The breadth of the An River far exceeded Wang Shouzhe's imagination. The misty waves stretched endlessly, and the Dingpu ferry gradually became smaller and less visible.

As they ventured deeper into the An River, the wind and waves grew stronger, and the boat's rocking became more intense. Even Wang Shouzhe, with his peak Qi Cultivation level six physical condition, felt a bit nauseous.

Gong Sun Hui, who was also accustomed to a life of luxury, began to look pale and uncomfortable.

"Ha ha, Fifth Sister, Shouzhe, fishing boats are not as stable as ferries. When the boat rocks, don't resist the tilt with your body. Instead, go with the flow like a weathervane," Wang Dinghai patiently taught them how to handle the rocking.

Wang Shouzhe and Gong Sun Hui, both Xuan warriors, quickly adapted to the rocking with their Xuan energy and physical condition. Especially Wang Shouzhe, who, following Wang Dinghai's example, planted his feet firmly on the deck and moved his body rhythmically with the waves, gradually becoming more relaxed and comfortable.

"Shouzhe indeed has great talent. Uncle Six will show you how we usually fish," Wang Dinghai said enthusiastically, eager to demonstrate his skills. Few in the family liked to come to the fishing boat to watch him fish.

"I believe Uncle Six's skills are excellent, but let's have a regular fisherman try first," Wang Shouzhe suggested.

Wang Dinghai was taken aback but then laughed. "Shouzhe, you're here to evaluate the fishing skills. Alright, the fishermen on this flagship are all experts. Wang Dogdan, show the Patriarch how it's done."

"Yes, Uncle Hai." A young man in his twenties nimbly climbed down from the mast, agile like a monkey. He picked up a fishing net, adjusted it, and with a twist of his waist, threw it over the side of the boat. The net opened beautifully in the air.

Splash!

The weighted net hit the water like an overturned bowl, sinking to the bottom in a few breaths.

"Good!"

The surrounding fishermen praised him.

This was... casting a net, and the technique was excellent.

Wang Shouzhe immediately recognized it. Before he was transported, he was a regular office worker who occasionally fished with friends. Therefore, when he browsed video apps like Douyin, the algorithm often recommended fishing videos, including some from net casting experts.

Although Wang Shouzhe himself didn't practice, he could judge whether a cast was good or bad. He had to admit that this young man, Dogdan, was quite skilled.

After the net sank to the bottom, Wang Dogdan began to carefully pull the rope, gathering the net along the riverbed and then slowly lifting it. Finally, he pulled the entire net onto the boat in one swift motion.

Success!

The net caught a large fish with white-spotted dorsal fins. Wang Dogdan freed the fish from the net, held it up, and proudly reported, "Brother Hai, it's a Nine-Star Bass, about five pounds."

"You're doing well, put it in the live water tank," Wang Dinghai patted his shoulder in praise and explained to Wang Shouzhe, "Although the Nine-Star Bass is not a spirit fish, it has a smooth and tender texture, making it a high-quality fish. Even if we sell it to a fish vendor, it would fetch a large copper. But our family has a fish shop in Changning City, so we sell it ourselves to make more money."

Wang Shouzhe nodded in approval. In the Great Gan Kingdom, currency was calculated in coins, large coppers, and gold pieces. Typically, one pound of rice cost five to ten coins, and one hundred coins could be exchanged for one large copper. Therefore, this fish, worth one large copper, was quite valuable.

Wang Dogdan placed the catch in the live water tank in the center of the boat. This tank was connected to the outside water, maintaining the freshness of the catch.

However, according to Wang Dinghai, only higher-value catches received this treatment. The live water tank was divided into several sections to store different types of catches.

Inspired by Wang Dogdan's performance, the other fishermen also showed off their skills. Each had a seasoned technique, casting large and round nets, though the catches were not always guaranteed.

Most of the nets pulled up were empty, with occasional surprises.

After more than an hour, various catches gradually increased. They had three Nine-Star Bass and a more expensive Leopardscale Bass, which, though only about two pounds, Wang Dinghai said was worth at least one large copper and sixty coins. The best catches were reserved for the Patriarch.

Wang Shouzhe smiled on the surface but was constantly calculating in his mind. The thirty-mile fishing ground was the Wang family's fishing range, and the family placed great importance on this asset, which should be a significant source of income.

As time passed, Wang Shouzhe grew impatient and said directly, "Uncle Six, we've seen enough of the performances. The fishermen's net casting skills are excellent. Can we get to the main event and demonstrate real fishing operations?"

Wang Dinghai's radiant expression froze, and he asked, puzzled, "Shouzhe, aren't we already demonstrating real fishing? Or do you want to see the capture of spirit fish? Smaller spirit fish are caught by luck, while larger, more ferocious spirit fish require fishing arrows."

This is professional fishing?

Wang Shouzhe's face darkened. In his previous life, out of curiosity, he had joined a colleague's relative's professional fishing boat to experience professional fishing. They had caught over 40,000 pounds in one haul, which was considered a poor catch...

As for net casting, on Earth, it was purely a recreational tool, slightly better than fishing. If anyone tried to make a living by net casting, the whole family would starve.

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