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“Yes, but it needs to be further upgraded. Natural elements like this need the space to evolve automatically.”

Qiao Mai pouted. “Got it!”

She kept watch over the fire and enjoyed her grilled fish and white wine. Unbeknownst to her, she had finished an entire bottle. She looked around at the sky and her surroundings.

“Greeny, continue your work. I’ll take a nap. If there’s any trouble, wake me up, alright?”

“Sure!”

As her words fell, she started snoring softly. Greeny fetched a blanket from the space and covered her.

She woke up at some point, feeling uncomfortable.

When she looked around, she was startled.

What was going on? Several people were gathered around her, their eyes wide with disbelief.

Were they watching her like a monkey in a cage? What was going on?

“Young man, are you awake?”

“Why am I here? Who are you?”

“We are fishermen heading out to sea. This is a deep-sea area, and we found you on our way. You’re quite lucky; otherwise, who knows when you’ll encounter another ship.”

“Uh, so you’re here because of me?”

“Well, we can’t just leave someone stranded here, can we?”

Qiao Mai sighed internally. These people were treating her as a castaway. She tried to communicate with Greeny mentally.

“Why didn’t you wake me?”

“I did call you, but you were sleeping so soundly you didn’t notice.”

Alright, it was her fault for indulging in alcohol. She would have to be more careful in the future.

She got up, rolled up the blanket, and politely greeted them.

“Thank you very much.”

“We’ll be at sea for two more days. Will you join us?” “Sure, I can’t fish, but I can watch and help you.”

“Haha, let’s go. Get on board.”

The fishermen boarded their ship, and Qiao Mai followed.

The ship was not particularly large, about 15 meters long and 5-6 meters wide. In the ancient fishing industry, it was considered substantial.

They had ventured into deep-sea areas at the risk of their lives to make more money. On the way, they encountered Qiao Mai.

She watched these shirtless men casting hopeful nets into the sea, slowly pulling them in.

Experienced fishermen could tell by the boat’s speed whether there were any fish in the net.

When the boat was hard to row, it meant the net was full.

The boat stopped, and the fishermen started hauling in the nets. Qiao Mai sat at the back of the boat and observed.

Sometimes, when they pulled the nets, she would step forward to lend a hand.

The fishermen were quite surprised. Despite her tiny and slender appearance, she was surprisingly strong. Her assistance clearly made their work much easier.

“Captain, how much fish can you catch in one trip?”

“It varies, sometimes several thousand catties. Other times, a thousand catties is considered good.”

“Is it easy to sell all these fish and shrimp?”

“We’re managing. We sell the seafood we catch to merchants at a low price. We dry anything unsold. We can’t just throw it away.”

“How much silver can you get for the fish and shrimp on this boat?”

“Not much. A few hundred taels, split among everyone.”

“Is this ship yours?”

“Yes, we all chipped in to buy it.”

“Good job.’

As they chatted, a fisherman shouted, “Captain, come quick! Looks like we’ve caught a big one!”

The captain and Qiao Mai rushed over, and everyone worked together to haul the net. Slowly, the big catch emerged. “Look, it’s a massive fish. Oh my, is it a shark?”

“No, it should be a deep-sea fish.”

While the fishermen didn’t recognize it, Qiao Mai did. This was top-grade tuna, weighing several hundred catties.

All the crew members rushed over to help.

This fish was larger than an adult human, weighing over five hundred catties.

Since fish this size had few buyers, the crew was worried about what to do with it.

“The weather here is so hot. This fish won’t keep for long. What should we do?”

“Should we put it back?”

Watching them prepare to release the fish into the sea, Qiao Mai realized the tuna would likely die if returned. So, she spoke up.

“I’ll buy this fish.”

“Huh? Can you finish it on your own?”

“Don’t worry. When we get to the shore, I’ll hire a carriage to take it away. I won’t eat it all; my family will enjoy it too.” “How much are you willing to pay for it?”

“Is one hundred taels enough?”

The crew members were stunned, and Qiao Mai thought they found the price too low.

“How about two hundred taels? Will that be acceptable?”

The captain patted her on the shoulder. “One hundred taels will do. Two hundred taels is too much; we wouldn’t dare accept it.”

“Two hundred taels it is. From now on, if you catch this fish, don’t sell it too cheaply. This is called tuna. Its flesh is firm and tender, excellent for frying, cooking, and even sashimi. It’s incredibly delicious.”

“Really?”

“Yes, you’re lucky to have caught this fish.”

Hearing this, the fishermen smiled. “Since you like it so much, we’ll sell it to you for two hundred taels.”

“Also, I’d like some of the prawns you caught, but only the top-quality ones. Could you select two hundred catties of prawns, about the size of a palm each? I’ll pay you a tael for each catty.”

“You have money to burn. We only sell to merchants for fifty coins per catty.”

“You mix them all together. I want only the top-quality ones. I also want those mackerels, yellow croakers, and Spanish mackerels. I want the best quality. I’ll pay you a tael per catty for each.”

The crew members stopped working and watched her in awe. It was as if she were a big fish herself.

The captain, who seemed more experienced, carefully observed Qiao Mai from head to toe. She reached into her money pouch and pulled out a gold ingot, which she handed to the captain.

“This is a deposit. After we return, you can wait for me on the shore, and I’ll give you the rest.”

The captain grinned as he looked at the gold ingot. “I almost thought you were playing with us.”

“How could I? You saved my life.”

“Alright, we won’t continue today. Let’s return to shore now. It’s better not to keep the fish too long. They’ll spoil.”

“Good!”

The captain waved to the crew, and they all positioned themselves, rowing with determination, and quickly returned to shore.

What felt like a long journey on the way out now seemed swift. In less than a day, they had already reached the shore.

To be honest, Qiao Mai had no idea where she was.

The boat docked at a less crowded spot. The captain asked everyone to help Qiao Mai select the best catch.

The small harbor was bustling. Qiao Mai moved Dong Zao and the carriage out of the space to an area without people.

“Hey, my friend, can you help me transport a few loads? Haha, when I get home, I can enjoy some tuna.”

Just thinking about it made her gulp. She promptly drove the carriage to the shore, hauled the swordfish away to a deserted spot, and stowed it in her space. Then, she returned to get the prawns, mackerels, yellow croakers, and other fish.

Although she could have bought these from her platform, she wanted to express her gratitude to the kind-hearted fishermen.

Besides, seeing the fish caught from the sea had its unique meaning.

She made five trips and paid the captain a thousand taels of silver. The fishermen on the boat were thrilled. They looked at her with silly smiles.

Sitting on the carriage, she waved at them.

“I need to get these fish home quickly, or they won’t be fresh anymore. You’re all good people, and good people will have good karma. If I have the chance, I’ll return to buy fish from you again.”

“Young man, you’re a good person too. We’ve benefitted from your kindness.”

“Don’t mention it!”