On the turbulent sea, the Asahi was like a small boat, struggling to navigate the raging waves before the storm.
As the wind picked up, the waves seemed to grow larger and larger, constantly crashing against the deck.
The trawl net was still in the sea, which slowed down the speed of the Rising Sun, but fortunately the wind and waves were favorable, so the difference wasn't too great.
Both of them had a strong sense of crisis.
Ah-chan was completely focused on steering the ship, with fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead.
Feng Ye stopped tying up the remaining orchid crabs and returned to the driver's seat to keep an eye on them.
He regretted it somewhat; he had acted impulsively today, failing to consider possible weather changes, and shouldn't have risked going out to sea.
"Damn it, why does the weather change so suddenly? Couldn't it have waited until we'd finished hauling this net before it changed?"
Ah-chan said bitterly.
"Who knows what God is thinking? We can only pray that He doesn't go too far."
Feng Ye gave a wry smile.
He looked out the window; thick, dark clouds rolled across the sky like ink, and the occasional flashes of lightning resembled the wrath of a god, inspiring awe.
Upon hearing this, Ah-Can managed a weak smile and prayed, "Goddess Mazu, please bless us so we can return safely..."
Feng Ye nodded, silently praying for the blessings of the Goddess Mazu.
Perhaps the prayers worked, or perhaps God hadn't had enough fun yet, or maybe...
In short, the prelude to this storm was quite long.
The Rising Sun cruise ship made its way back safely for more than half an hour, with the weather remaining in a state of thunder and lightning.
The wind did not pick up any further, and the rain did not fall.
Several nautical miles away from that area, the waves became less turbulent, and there were no more waves that could reach the deck.
The two of them finally breathed a sigh of relief, and their hearts gradually calmed down.
"That was terrifying! I thought I was going to die at sea and become food for the fish."
Looking at the sky, still filled with lightning and thunder, and covered by dark clouds, Ah-Can was still shaken.
Feng Ye smiled and said, "If God wants to take our lives, it won't be that easy."
Although he felt a lingering fear, he still maintained a stubbornness and confidence.
Moreover, given his driving skills and experience, it was indeed impossible for him to give up so easily.
He patted Ah-Can on the shoulder: "Making a living at sea, big storms are common. This little thing is nothing. You'll get used to it after you see it many times."
"Brother Ye, bragging isn't illegal, but it's best to do it less. It's like you've seen it all. We've only had the boat for two or three months at most, and we've only encountered a few big storms."
"Alright, stop joking around. Slow down, get the net up and head back, that's the important thing."
Feng Ye said this aloud, but in his heart he thought, "I have indeed seen a lot, at least dozens or hundreds of times."
Upon hearing this, Ah-chan adjusted the throttle accordingly, and the boat's speed gradually decreased.
Feng Ye quickly left the wheelhouse and went to the stern to retrieve the net.
With the roar of the hauling machine, the heavy trawl net gradually surfaced, revealing the catch.
Feng Ye's gaze was instantly drawn to a large fish in the net.
"Emperor Star Spot!"
He exclaimed in surprise, hardly believing his eyes.
He hadn't held out much hope for a catch from this net, but to his utter surprise, he caught an Emperor Star Spotted Creature, and such a large one at that.
Emperor Star Spot
Emperor Starfish, scientifically known as *Scoidea scabratus*, is also called Smooth Gill Bass, Leopard Starfish, Yellowtail Bass, or Leopard Sashimi.
It has a relatively long body, reaching over one meter in length, and is oval-shaped, laterally compressed, with a round or concave tail fin.
Its body color varies greatly, often appearing brown or red, while most of its fins are yellow.
Its most distinctive feature is the irregular black markings or numerous small blue dots scattered on its sides, and its lower jaw protruding more than its upper jaw.
They mainly inhabit coral-rich lagoons, sea-facing reef areas, waterways, and outer reef slopes.
They are ferocious by nature and mainly feed on fish, mostly large coral reef fish, and occasionally prey on crustaceans.
It is mainly produced in the Indian Ocean, and is also produced in the waters of Taiwan.
Emperor grouper is a high-quality food that is low in fat and high in protein.
Its flesh is tender, white, and incredibly sweet, and is rich in nutrients, making it very popular with diners.
"What is it?"
Hearing Feng Ye's scream, Ah Can curiously turned his head to look at the stern of the boat.
But he saw nothing.
The hauler was still working hard, and the trawl nets were still floating in the sea and hadn't been pulled up yet.
"I caught a giant emperor starfish that's about 70 or 80 centimeters long. Haha, you must have stepped in dog poop today, your luck is simply unbeatable."
Feng Ye laughed uncontrollably.
Upon hearing this, Ah-Can's eyes lit up immediately: "Really? Such a big Emperor Star Spotted Barrel is a real treasure!"
"Really, you'll see once I hang the net bag up."
"Are you going to hang me up? I'll take a look first."
Ah-chan released the rudder and ran out of the wheelhouse in a few quick steps, arriving at the stern deck.
Peeking into the net bag in the sea, I indeed saw the huge Emperor Starfish struggling in the trawl net.
Its yellow tail and black stripes were particularly eye-catching.
"Damn, it really is an Emperor Star Spot! We're going to be rich again!"
Ah-chan shouted excitedly, then asked with some doubt, "Isn't this thing in Taiwan? How did it end up here?"
"It must have been affected by the typhoon and stumbled here by chance."
That was all Feng Ye could guess.
"This one must weigh at least 60 or 70 pounds, right? Looks like my luck has turned around, I actually dragged down an Emperor Star Spotted Fish, haha..."
"There should be something similar."
Feng Ye grinned and nodded, then immediately reminded him, "Alright, don't just get excited, hurry up and get the helm under control."
"We're rich! We're rich!"
Ah-chan returned to the wheelhouse, dancing with joy, and took the helm again.
He was filled with joy, as if he could already see piles of banknotes flying before his eyes.
"Damn, this trip was definitely worth the risk! One net full of pomfret, and one emperor grouper. The bigger the waves, the more expensive the fish. We made a killing..."
Feng Ye continued working, hoisting the net bag up.
Besides this emperor grouper, we also caught quite a few fish, shrimp, and crabs, which are worth some money.
But with the Emperor Star Pearl as a precedent, those other fish, shrimp, and crabs are utterly insignificant.
With a smile on his face, Feng Ye threw the still struggling Emperor Star Spot into the live water tank.
"Hopefully it can hold out until it reaches the shore."
Then he began to sort the fish, shrimp, and crabs that had been pulled up with him.
Although it is far less valuable than Emperor Star, every little bit counts, and it is hard-earned money, so how can one not want it?
Ah-Can also increased the boat's speed again, speeding towards the village's dock.
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