These twisted ropes are slightly thinner than the main rope, much like fishing requires a main line and a leader. Of course, all of this is done under the premise that it can handle fish weighing up to ten kilograms.

Thinner fishing line makes it easier to tie the hook, since my hook and line are like the most pitiful, crudely made goods compared to those exquisite industrial products.

I divided the line into short ropes about thirty centimeters long, and then used the fisherman's usual figure-eight wrapping method to tie the hooks one by one.

Next, tie the leader lines to the main line at 20-centimeter intervals. The tying method is also very simple. First, tie a knot at the end of the leader line, then wrap it around the main line clockwise seven or eight times, and finally pass the knot at the end through the loop of the leader line and pull it tight.

As I tied them, I neatly hung each of the finished hooks on a bare tree branch that I had prepared beforehand.

I counted and made a total of fifty fishhooks. Then I used the python's internal organs as bait.

Because my hooks are somewhat different from those used in traditional longline fishing, the way I attach the bait is also a bit more particular in order to increase the catch rate.

My method is to thread a lure completely through both hook points and then attach it to the bottom of the V-shape of the vertical hook. This way, no matter which direction the fish takes the bait from, the hook will pierce its mouth immediately and hold it firmly in place.

I slung my basket over my shoulder, carried a bare branch with good bait, and held a two-meter-long bamboo stick with one end sharpened. I went to the lakeside and placed it there.

According to standard longline fishing, you should also attach a float along the main line, but I feel that making a float would waste a lot of time, so I'm too lazy to do it.

I've also figured out a replacement for the float. I'll use the bamboo strips I prepared to make the spring device, cut a small opening at the end to clamp the main line, and insert them every few meters along the lake shore like cannon emplacements to prop the main line out.

These bamboo strips, each about two meters long, were stretched out, which perfectly aligned with the principles of longline fishing. Everything went smoothly; I finished setting it up in about fifteen minutes.

I tied the main rope to a willow tree, and then I didn't have to worry about it anymore. The harvest would be clear by sunset.

Next, I gathered some wild vegetables. These vegetables tasted good and were a good source of dietary fiber for someone like me who eats meat regularly. In particular, these plants also have medicinal value, which is very beneficial to my health.

I went to the turtle egg spot and took two more nests. You can't take too many of these. Too many will spoil and we won't be able to eat them all. It's better to let them hatch and go into this natural breeding ground than to keep them with me.

During this time, I've been keeping an eye on a reddish-brown ore, which is iron oxide ore. If I can find this stone, I might be able to smelt some raw iron.

But things didn't go as planned; I searched for a long time but couldn't find any trace of this mineral.

Just when I was feeling a bit disheartened, I discovered some sparkling minerals that shimmered with a yellow metallic luster.

These ores were found near a weathered rock shelf by the water. After a close inspection, I think they are chalcopyrite.

I noticed quite a few of these shimmering, golden-yellow particles in the water; they glittered when I touched them. Copper ore could be refined into copper using the oxidation-reduction process in ancient times, but I wonder if copper could be extracted from these chalcopyrites using the same method.

This discovery was quite good, and I didn't care whether I could actually extract copper. I started collecting ores with a high copper content. My method for judging the content was simple: I picked the stone with the shiniest crystals.

Although there is no iron ore available at the moment, having copper ore is better than having none. In ancient times, bronze tools were used first, and then iron tools were developed.

If I can get the tin content right, I can lower the melting point of copper from over 1000 degrees Celsius to around 800 degrees Celsius. This would allow me to use the lost-wax casting method to create any object I want.

If the proportions of bronze are appropriate, it can also be used to make knives. For example, the Sword of Goujian, King of Yue, is a bronze sword that still shines with a cold gleam after thousands of years.

As for tin, it can be reduced by using a manger furnace, a clay crucible, and calamine left over from copper smelting, which is then sealed with charcoal.

Thinking about this makes me incredibly excited; this is truly a groundbreaking feat. If we successfully smelt copper, I will advance from the Stone Age to the Bronze Age!

I quickly collected quite a few of these mineral crystals. If I wasn't worried that my basket wouldn't be able to bear the weight of these stones, I would have liked to fill it all up and carry it back.

With bronze weapons, I can stand a little taller when facing wild beasts. After all, bronze is much stronger than wood.

My idea was wonderful, but when I actually smelted the copper, the result was both laughable and frustrating. I don't know if that's lucky or unlucky.

At that moment, I slapped my forehead. I had been so focused on collecting ore that I had almost forgotten about the longline fishing line I had set up by the lake.

I left this place with reluctance, carrying a large basket of ore, wild vegetables, and turtle eggs back to where I had originally set up my longline fishing line.

The sun had already set, and I estimated it would be dark in about two hours. Once I collected the fish, it would be just the right time to go back, start a fire, and cook dinner.

As soon as I arrived at the longline fishing spot, I noticed something unusual about the rope. The main rope that had been stuck at the end of the bamboo was nowhere to be seen, and the entire rope was taut and being pulled straight towards the depths of the water.

I was overjoyed at the sight, knowing immediately that things were looking promising. I quickly put everything aside and went to the willow tree to use a stick to reel in the line.

Do not rush to untie the rope tied to the tree when the fishing line is taut by the fish, as this is an extra safety measure to prevent the line from slipping and being pulled out.

Another thing to note is that this kind of hemp line is very rough, and you can easily reel it in by hand. If the fish in the lake are large, they will struggle and swim forward desperately because of the pain, and our hands may not be able to hold the thin line, and we may even get cut by the line.

So I opted for a more cautious approach, using a stick to reel in the line. No matter how much the fish struggled, the line was only acting on the stick, so my hand wouldn't get hurt at all.

In the wild, protecting yourself from harm as much as possible is the key to long-term survival; being cautious and timid is definitely a good idea.

These fishing hooks did not disappoint me. As I pulled the fishing line little by little towards the shore, the violent pulling force made me feel great. This was definitely in line with everyone's rhythm.

Soon the fish were too exhausted to struggle, a sea of ​​white flesh that made me almost forget to breathe. I collected all the fish; apart from a few that escaped due to broken hooks, I caught one of each.

There were thirty-five fish of various sizes and species. The smallest weighed only a few ounces, while the largest carp weighed over ten pounds. A preliminary estimate puts them at over twenty or thirty pounds each.