"Brother Dog, don't think this turtle is dead just because it's frozen like this! Let me tell you, this is called hibernation! Take it back and soak it in warm water for a while, and it'll be jumping around again!"

He pointed at the frozen turtle, spitting as he spoke: "Big Head Bro said that this one alone can sell for at least five yuan!"

Five yuan?

Zhang Cheng silently rolled his eyes. If this were wild and of good quality, it would cost at least twenty yuan if delivered to a place like the Guoyun Grand Hotel.

However, what he was more curious about was: "How did you find this turtle in the dead of winter?"

Meeting Zhang Cheng's questioning gaze, Zhang Da Nao chuckled and said, "Er Gouzi, you didn't hang out with us often before, so you don't know the ins and outs of this. These turtles are actually available all year round, but in winter, when it's cold, they all burrow into the mud at the bottom of the stream to sleep, so they're not easy to see."

"However, we've been catching fish and turtles in this stream since we were kids. After catching so many, we figured out the patterns. We know where they like to burrow and hibernate."

“Yes, yes, yes! Big Head Bro is right!” Zhang Jianhao chimed in, patting his chest with an “I’m an expert” look on his face. “Brother Gou, let me brag to you, when it comes to catching turtles, nobody in the surrounding area is better than me! It’s just that it’s snowed heavily now and the mud has covered everything, otherwise, I could spot the turtles hiding under the mud with just a glance!”

"Bang Bang Bang!"

As if to prove his point, he picked up the hammer again and began smashing it against a piece of ice that looked slightly unusual.

"Brother Dog, come and look here!" he shouted as he smashed things.

Zhang Cheng curiously leaned closer.

Zhang Jianhao pointed to the stream bottom that was faintly visible under the ice: "Brother Gou, look at this patch of mud, isn't it a bit bulging? And the color is a bit different from the ones around here? It looks like it's been turned over? Let me tell you, there's a good chance there's one hiding down there!"

Fearing that Zhang Cheng wouldn't believe him, Zhang Jianhao wielded the hammer with great force, smashing the ice surface fiercely.

"Brother Dog, you wait! Once I break through this ice, dig out the mud underneath, and pull it out for you to see, you'll know I wasn't bragging!"

"Bang! Bang! Bang!!!"

The ice was frozen solid, like a rock.

Zhang Jianhao mustered all his strength and smashed the hammer dozens of times until his arm went numb. Only then did he hand the hammer to Zhang Da Nao, who was eager to try it out.

The two took turns smashing the ice, making clanging noises for more than half an hour, until they finally smashed a hole the size of a washbasin into the ice.