Chapter 17

Time had passed in the blink of an eye, over three hours had gone by.

Xu Jianxing, now in a new spot, had fished up over fifty pounds of various small fish in just three hours. Not only had he caught a lot of small fish, but the warm energy inside his body had also increased significantly. With the increased energy, he believed that by three or four in the afternoon, his physical condition would reach a new level.

During this time, Xu Jianxing also conducted a small experiment, trying to store a live fish in his storage space. To his surprise, it worked, and when he retrieved the fish after about ten minutes, it was still lively and jumping. This naturally delighted Xu Jianxing.

Looking at the time, it was almost lunchtime, and Xu Jianxing was indeed a bit hungry. He decided to go out for a meal and then come back to fish. After all, with the receipt from the staff, he didn't have to worry about being charged again.

Of course, there were also places selling boxed meals and snacks nearby. If Xu Jianxing didn't have other plans, he wouldn't have thought of going out to eat. His plan was to go outside the park to buy a large fish tank and store it in his storage space.

This way, even if he caught a big fish, as long as he hid it properly, he could secretly store it in the tank to avoid drawing attention from the people around him.

Having made up his mind, Xu Jianxing first looked around and then walked toward a distant angler. When he reached the middle-aged man, he smiled and asked, "Hello, sir, could you tell me where I can find a fish vendor around here?"

After all, with over sixty pounds of fish, he couldn't carry them while looking for someone to ask. Storing them in the space would be too draining on his mental energy, and it would take a long time to recover.

The middle-aged man looked up and smiled, "Hello, young man. Usually, the fish vendors gather at the management office. However, if you've caught a lot of fish, I can give you a phone number. You can call him, and he'll come over."

"Uh!" Xu Jianxing was slightly taken aback and then said a bit awkwardly, "Sorry, sir, I did catch a lot of fish, about sixty pounds, and I forgot to bring my phone."

Although his phone was actually broken, he couldn't bring himself to admit he didn't have one, as it would be embarrassing. He had already decided to go out and buy a new phone as soon as possible. Otherwise, it would be inconvenient to contact his parents, and if too much time passed, it might cause them to worry.

"Ah!"

The middle-aged man exclaimed in surprise, "What, you caught over sixty pounds of fish?"

"Yes, it's quite a lot. I guess I had good luck today," Xu Jianxing said with a wry smile.

"You didn't just have a bit of luck; you caught an extraordinary amount. It's rare for someone to catch so many fish at once. It seems you're quite skilled at fishing."

"Thanks, thanks."

After a brief chat, the middle-aged man said, "Alright, young man, I won't waste your time. It looks like you're about to leave. Remember to give me some pointers when you have the chance. I'll call the vendor for you now."

Soon after the call, a young man in his thirties arrived on an electric tricycle. As he approached, Xu Jianxing could smell the fishy odor.

The young man looked at the middle-aged man and asked, "Brother Li, is this the skilled friend who wants to sell fish?"

As he spoke, he couldn't help but size up Xu Jianxing, having already heard about his achievement over the phone.

"Yes, it's him. Xiao Wang, let me tell you, he's a real expert. Don't try to lowball him, or I won't introduce you to any more business."

"Don't worry, Brother Li, you know me. I just want to make a profit, and I won't cheat your friend."

The young man smiled, knowing that while the profit from each person's fish wasn't huge, he could earn a few hundred yuan a day if he handled a lot of fish. If he got to know a few experts, he could make even more. These fish vendors valued experts highly, and some were even related to park staff, as everyone could see the potential profit. It wasn't easy for ordinary people to earn this kind of money.

"Alright." The middle-aged man nodded in satisfaction, "Go ahead and check the fish, and give him a good price."

"Sure thing." The young man responded.

They then went to Xu Jianxing's spot. Even though the young man already knew how many fish there were, he was still surprised when he saw the large net full of fish. "This guy is a real expert. I need to curry favor with him."

After a moment, the young man rummaged through the net, did some quick calculations, and said to Xu Jianxing, "Friend, I'll give you 200 yuan. How does that sound?"

"Fine." Xu Jianxing smiled. Although he wasn't very familiar with fish prices, he knew that fish in coastal areas were relatively cheap. For example, a black fish might cost 15 yuan per pound inland but only 10 yuan here. Grass carp were even cheaper, so 200 yuan was a decent deal.

"You're a good sport." The young man gave a thumbs-up and then rummaged through his pockets, handing Xu Jianxing two hundred-yuan bills, a few tickets, and a business card. "Friend, here's 200 yuan and a few park tickets. If you come back, just ask for tickets, and I'll get them for you. If you want to sell fish, just call me."

"Sure, I'll definitely call you if I want to sell fish. Don't worry about that." Xu Jianxing smiled, then added, "By the way, I hope you can keep this a secret. I don't want to draw any attention."

"Heh, no problem, I'll keep it quiet." The young man chuckled and then took out a pack of cigarettes, tossing one to the middle-aged man. "Brother Li, you keep it quiet too."

At this point, Xu Jianxing understood that there was competition among the fish vendors. In the young man's eyes, he was a small cash cow, but only if he could consistently catch so many fish. Otherwise, dreaming of free tickets would be just that, a dream.

After chatting with the two men for a while and exchanging names, Xu Jianxing left the park with his fishing gear.

After leaving the park, Xu Jianxing's first task was to buy a phone and a number at a nearby mobile hall. His second task was to call home and inform them of his new number. His third task was to have a meal, and his fourth task was to buy a large fish tank at a nearby pet market. The tank was 2.8 meters long, 2 meters wide, and 80 centimeters high. He then stored it in his storage space in an uninhabited area.

After spending nearly 4000 yuan, Xu Jianxing couldn't help but sigh, realizing how quickly money could be spent.

After finishing these tasks, Xu Jianxing put on a large pair of sunglasses and returned to Donghu Park.

It was around two in the afternoon, and because it was a scorching summer day, most people were napping, so there were relatively few people around.

Xu Jianxing deliberately found a spot where no one could see him and started fishing intensely. He couldn't wait to feel the pleasure of his body "upgrading" and the desire for that powerful strength.

Almost every two minutes, Xu Jianxing was reeling in fish. This went on for about an hour.

When he caught a grass carp weighing over ten pounds, his body made a series of popping sounds, and an indescribable pleasure surged through him. At that moment, he felt an overwhelming sense of power throughout his body.

"Comfortable..."

Xu Jianxing couldn't help but let out a sigh of comfort, his eyes half-closed, savoring the feeling.

Although the process lasted only about 30 seconds, Xu Jianxing remained immersed in it for a long time, unable to pull himself out.

It took about five minutes.

Xu Jianxing finally stretched, and his body made another series of light sounds. He sighed, "Awesome, really awesome! If only it could always be like this. No wonder so many people want to become strong. Not only do they gain powerful strength, but they also experience such a wonderful feeling, as if they could step on the world."

After a while,

Xu Jianxing finally came to his senses. He felt his energy and vitality had returned to their peak, and the fatigue from fishing had completely disappeared.

Feeling the explosive power in his body, Xu Jianxing thought for a moment and stored some of the fish in his storage ring. After all, it hadn't been long, and selling so much fish now would be too exaggerated.

He then continued fishing. After about two more hours, Xu Jianxing reeled in his fishing rod. The net was now full of fish, weighing at least sixty pounds, and there were also over ten pounds of fish in the bucket.

In the storage space, he had already stored over thirty pounds of fish.

In total, he had caught over 170 pounds of fish in one day, not including the black fish that sold for 4000 yuan. The harvest was significant.

By now, Xu Jianxing didn't feel much fatigue, all thanks to the "upgrade" he had just experienced in the afternoon.

After tidying up, Xu Jianxing called the young fish vendor, Wang Xiao.

The call was soon answered, and Wang Xiao's voice came through, "Who is this?"

"It's Xu, the one who sold you fish this morning. I'm near the West Bridge. Can you come and pick up the fish?" Xu Jianxing smiled.

"Sure, sure, I'll be right there. Brother, wait a moment. How was your afternoon catch?"

"Pretty good, about the same as this morning."

"Wow, that's amazing. Brother, what's your secret? Is it the bait?"

"Ha ha!" Xu Jianxing laughed but didn't answer.

Wang Xiao understood and changed the topic, chatting idly. Soon, he arrived at Xu Jianxing's location, looked at the fish, and immediately paid 200 yuan.

After the transaction, Xu Jianxing chatted a bit more, picked up his bucket, and left the park, heading home...