The Dong Sheng and Feng Shou also spotted the ship, but they didn't approach it; instead, they deliberately kept a distance.
At the same time, they also broadcast a message to the Donglai ship via radio.
"Ah Ye, are you steering the boat?"
"Brother, it's me. What's wrong?"
"Ignore that boat. It's better to avoid trouble. Go around it."
"Go around? Why should we go around?"
Feng Ye frowned. "They're calling for help. We can't just stand by and watch them die, can we? Everyone has their difficulties when they're trying to make a living at sea. We should help them if we can."
"Ah Ye, you don't know, things have been quite turbulent at sea lately. I heard that a group of pirates have come and are specifically targeting fishing boats."
They contacted fishing boats by posing as fish-collecting vessels, and once they got close, they robbed the fishing boats, killed the people and threw them into the sea, and took the boats away. They were very ruthless.
Who knows if this ship might be a pirate trap, waiting to ambush and rob the crew once they get close?
Feng Xuan's voice carried a hint of anxiety, "We're out here seeking wealth; there's no need to be so kind as to put ourselves in danger."
"pirate?"
Feng Ye was startled and quite surprised.
He had always known that the sea was not safe, and he had encountered it several times before.
After all, fishing is not only risky, but the money can be easy to earn or difficult to earn.
However, no matter what, it's not as lucrative as robbery.
For most people who go out to sea, their entire fortune is on board.
Especially for large ships like theirs, which are often out at sea for ten days to half a month or more, the cash accumulated on board is quite considerable.
If a robbery is successful, isn't it more lucrative than fishing?
Moreover, the ship itself is quite valuable, and even if its origin is unclear, it can still fetch a good price.
In this world, there will always be people who harbor the idea of getting something for nothing, thus taking shortcuts and choosing to take risks.
However, he had no idea that pirates had appeared in the sea area where they had been staying for half a year.
So, to confirm, he turned to Ah-Can and asked, "Do you know about this?"
Ah-Can nodded: "I heard about it. It was the captain of the ship that collected our cargo when we went out to sea last time who told us it."
Feng Ye fell silent, pondering what to do.
What if, as my elder brother said, this is a trap set by pirates, and the safety of myself and the crew will be threatened?
Although it seems unlikely, they have three ships and a numerical advantage.
Anyone who isn't a fool wouldn't easily provoke them.
But it's always better to be safe than sorry.
But to simply bypass that ship and leave would violate the principle of mutual assistance at sea, and one's conscience wouldn't allow it.
Before a decision could be made, Ah-Can continued, "After hearing what Brother Xuan said, this ship might really have a problem. The radio and engine broke down at the same time. Isn't that too much of a coincidence?"
"It is indeed too much of a coincidence, but there are many coincidences in the world, and we cannot conclude that it is a trap based on this alone."
Feng Ye thought for a moment, made a decision, and said, "Let's get a little closer, keep a safe distance, and see what happens. If it's really a call for help, then we'll take action; if it's a trap, we can evacuate in time and avoid danger."
"Okay, let's do it this way."
Ah-chan nodded again and continued to slowly approach the target.
Feng Ye also informed his elder brother on the Dong Sheng ship of his decision via radio.
Feng Xuan replied, "Be careful, stay vigilant, and be prepared to deal with any emergencies."
Xiao Zhaojun added, "Yes, A-Ye, be very careful. If anything seems amiss, turn around and evacuate immediately. Don't let yourself get caught in a ditch... ugh..."
He stopped abruptly, refusing to continue, and then spat several times.
At sea, saying "capsize" is considered very unlucky.
"Understood, I'll take note. And with you guys behind me, there shouldn't be any safety issues."
As the distance gradually closed, Feng Ye was able to see the situation on the fishing boat more clearly.
The men on deck were overjoyed and waved their flags and other objects even more vigorously, shouting loudly.
But because of the distance, it was still impossible to hear what was being shouted.
"Brother Ye, look at them, it seems like they're really in trouble."
"Yes, but don't be careless. So, once you're about 100 meters away from them, don't get any closer. Just circle around them and check the situation."
"OK."
Ah-chan steered the boat closer, and after being about 100 meters away from the fishing boat, he turned and began to slowly circle around it.
"I'm going downstairs."
Feng Ye said something and then turned to go down to the deck.
"Brother Ye, wait a minute."
"Is there anything else?"
"Just to be safe, it's best to bring your gun."
Ah-chan reminded, "Although we may not necessarily need it, it's better to be prepared."
"Yes, you're right."
Feng Ye thought for a moment, nodded, and agreed that it made sense.
Regardless of whether they were pirates or not, their first priority was to ensure their own safety.
Having a gun at hand at least gives you the ability to fight back in case of an emergency, and it can also intimidate the enemy in critical moments.
He returned to his sleeping pod, retrieved the Thompson submachine gun from under the bed, checked the ammunition, and after confirming that everything was in order, he slung the gun over his shoulder before going down to the deck.
The boatmen gathered at the bow of the boat and spoke loudly to each other across the water.
As soon as he came down, Luo Zhiping said, "Ah Ye, they said that the radio suddenly broke down while they were working, so they had no choice but to turn back. Unexpectedly, when they got to this area, they accidentally ran into a maze, and the ship lost power and could only drift with the current."
Ye Chenliang asked, "Ah Ye, what is a bewitching array? Is there something unclean here?"
"A maze? Just hearing that name makes me uneasy. Is it similar to being trapped in a ghost wall?"
"Yeah, what if we run into them too...?"
Others also spoke up, their faces showing unease.
That stems from a natural fear of the unknown and danger.
Feng Ye's lips twitched: "Don't scare yourself. It's broad daylight, there's no such thing as a ghost wall. A maze is just another way of saying a fishing net maze, which is very common on the shore. It's the kind where you use bamboo poles to fix the fishing net in the sea."
"Maze" is a colloquial term; it's actually just a fixed net.
There are two methods for using fixed nets:
One type is a fixed net, which is based on wooden stakes, bamboo poles, etc., and is deeply embedded in the bottom of rivers, lakes and seas. The net is laid horizontally and is retrieved when the time is right. It is mostly used by people living on the shore as a side job for fishing.
Another type is the mobile fixed net, which relies on fishing boats to set up the nets. Today it is in this fishing ground, tomorrow it is in that fishing ground, and the net has no fixed location.
Fishermen live on their boats and mostly use mobile fixed nets.
Fish and shrimp have a sad habit: once they encounter a net, they keep moving closer to it and can't get out once they're inside.
Therefore, this type of fishing net array is also known as the "extinction net" or the "sweeping away poverty net".
Because the mesh of the fishing nets used is generally very small, they sink deeper and deeper into the water after entering the water, forming a straight line, like a broom sweeping through the sea area as the fishing boat moves, not even letting go of small fish and shrimp that are only two or three centimeters long.
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