"Raise the net!"
As soon as the lead fisherman spoke, the people on the other fishing boats echoed him and simultaneously pulled their nets into their respective boats.
This was the fourth day since Xiang Wan arrived in Shuiyao Town. The weather was sunny, and early in the morning he joined the crowd at the riverbank to watch the fishermen cast their nets to catch fish.
The town is built around a lake, and most of its residents make a living by fishing. When Xiang Wan first arrived here, she had seen the entire town from the mountain, which immediately piqued her interest.
The river flowing into the town is called the Xishui River. It enters from a mountain pass to the west, merging into a large lake with a small island in the center in front of Shuiyao Town. After passing under two bridges, it flows into a pond in the center of the town and exits from the other side. From a distance, Shuiyao Town, the large lake, and the pond in the center of the town vaguely form a Tai Chi Bagua (Eight Trigrams) formation. However, this Bagua formation appears somewhat distorted, with more water than water, giving it a sense of engulfing the land.
The town's residents, besides fishing, also hunt in the surrounding mountains. Most of the women stay at home sewing and embroidery, and their lives are quite peaceful.
Winter is approaching, and the residents of Shuiyao Town, led by the town mayor, are conducting their last large-scale fishing operation. After winter sets in, they will haul in their nets to give the fish in the water a chance to breathe and prepare for the coming year.
Nothing particularly unusual seemed to be happening in the town, so Xiang Wan decided to stay and cultivate while observing the situation.
This enormous lake is called Blackwater Lake because every winter, the area around the small island in the center of the lake slowly turns black, gradually spreading to the entire lake. The black color recedes in the spring. Generations of people in Shuiyao Town have lived here and are used to this.
Some say it's the river god warning them not to kill all the fish. Others say it's the spirits of those who died unjustly in the lake, seeking a replacement in winter. Therefore, at this time of year, no one dares to go into the water.
Some people, not believing in such superstitions, go fishing in winter. They either catch nothing, their fishing nets are inexplicably torn with many large holes, or their fishing boats are bitten through by unknown monsters. Only by hiding on an island in the middle of the lake can they save their lives.
Over the years, apart from a simpleton who couldn't swim drowning, no one else has died. Gradually, people have become accustomed to this conventional fishing method.
The residents of Shuiyao Town are not xenophobic, as merchants come here in droves, bringing convenience to their lives. They are happy to sell their dried fish to them without leaving their homes. However, they become very wary and tight-lipped when someone inquires about the origins of Shuiyao Town or the history of Blackwater Lake.
Xiang Wan naturally didn't need to learn these things from them, but even the system didn't know the specifics. After all, it was a secret passed down by word of mouth among the residents of Shuiyao Town, and the system, apart from searching for existing information, didn't have the ability to dig into other people's minds.
Fishing is the most important event in Shuiyao Town. Before going into the water, the town mayor leads the residents in burning incense and offering sacrifices, and slaughtering a chicken, a duck and a sheep before allowing the fishermen to go into the water.
The enormous fishing net covered nearly two hundred square meters, its holes varying in size from the inside out, ranging from as thin as a fist. A dozen or so fishing boats formed a semi-circle, casting the net into the deepest part of the water. Led by their leader, Uncle Du, they rowed towards the shore. When they were about ten feet from the bank, the boats closed in, forming a circle. The fishermen then pulled in the net together, using the force to bring the boats closer to the center.
Fisherman A-Zuo was very excited, as this was his first time participating in such a large-scale fishing operation with veteran fishermen. The annual fishing trip required advance organization of the crew. Veteran fishermen made up the majority, while new fishermen were selected by lottery. He had applied several years ago but was only chosen this year. With this experience, no one would object to him casting nets alone on the lake in the future.
Led by the head fisherman, A-Zuo, shirtless, joined the others in pulling the net ropes onto the boat with all his might.
As the sun rose higher, he began to sweat profusely, but he did not slacken his efforts. Just as the fishing boats were slowly approaching, the leader of the fishermen, Uncle Du, spoke up.
"Stop! Everyone, stop for a moment."
The fishermen stopped pulling and tied the net ropes they had dragged onto the boat to the keel at the bow, securing them with a knot to prevent them from coming loose.
Uncle Du's boat was not far from A Zuo's, separated only by a fishing boat. He was staring intently at the lake, his brows furrowed deeply.
"Uncle Du, what happened?" someone asked.
Uncle Du waved his hand, signaling everyone to be quiet.
Those on the shore who witnessed this scene stopped talking and all stared at the lake.
Under the sunlight, the lake surface shimmered, and the boats could be seen moving towards the center at an extremely slow speed, as if being pulled by something.
"Is anyone rowing?"
When Uncle Du asked this question, A-Zuo and the other fishermen looked at each other and shook their heads, saying that everyone was standing on the boat pulling the fishing nets and no one was paddling.
"Uncle Du, what exactly happened?" A-Zuo couldn't help but ask.
He also noticed the fishing boat's movements. If there were large fish in the net, it was normal for them to struggle and drag the boat towards the center, wasn't it? However, as a fisherman participating in fishing for the first time, and with no one else speaking up, he didn't want to be the one to step forward. What if he guessed wrong? Wouldn't he make a fool of himself?
Uncle Du's brow remained furrowed. He glanced at the sky, then at the crowd watching on the shore, and shook his head, saying, "Perhaps I'm overthinking it. Everyone, give it your all! Let's make this last catch of the year for good luck!"
"Alright!"
After shouting this, everyone used all their strength to pull the net rope.
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