Arc 8Tuna, Red Tide, and the Boundary

Lu Ao sold his prized catches, faced a suspension of fishing after a Red Tide, and grew closer to Song Zhou. Song Zhou took him to investigate the Boundary Stele, where Lu Ao transformed into his Dragon Form and came under attack at sea.

  • Lu Ao caught a 437-jin Bluefin Tuna and later sold his smaller tuna and Moonfish to Weng Qian, while the giant tuna went to an auction house for eight million R Country currency.
  • Lu Ao recognized that his feelings for Song Zhou had gone beyond friendship, then made plans for his geese and land as fishing continued.
  • Lin Man Zhang spotted a Red Tide near Whitebeard Island and reported it, prompting authorities to ban fishing and warn against eating seafood from the affected waters.
  • Lu Ao joined Song Zhou and their friends at Lin Gongshang’s barbecue, where Song Zhou said he would take Lu Ao on a trip before the group planned its outing to Jasmine Island.
  • Song Zhou and You Li took Lu Ao by magic ship toward Sea Beyond the Mountains and explained that a Kraken might break through the weak point between planes at the Boundary Stele.
  • Lu Ao crossed the icy fog with Song Zhou and You Li, met the people stationed on the island, and went to rest while Song Zhou inspected the Boundary Stele.
  • Lu Ao put on fishskin clothes and transformed into his Dragon Form, then fled into the sea when a man with lizard-like eyes pursued him.
  • A giant squid attacked Lu Ao, and Song Zhou’s bracelet bead surrounded him with a sphere of light as the squid tried to cage him with its tentacles.
Chapters 176–200 Vol. 2 Read

Ch. 176Page 176

Lu Ao and the fishing crew weighed the rare Moonfish he had caught, discovering it weighed 235 jin and could be worth more than 100,000 yuan. After the catch inspired the crew to fish more seriously, Lu Ao rested and watched the vast Giant Kelp Sea.

  • The crew recoiled when they touched the Moonfish and found it warm, and Zhong Honghai explained that it was the sea’s only warm-blooded fish and was also known as the Lottery Fish.
  • The crew members and Lin Qiyan made wishes to the Moonfish before lifting it onto a scale and weighing it at 235 jin.
  • Zhong Honghai and Boss Chen estimated that the Moonfish might sell for over 100,000 yuan if Lu Ao found the right buyer, and Lu Ao was confident he could sell it through his wealthy contacts.
  • Inspired by Lu Ao’s valuable catch, the crew focused on fishing, but they caught only small fish while the Moonfish was stored in the boat’s freezer.
  • Exhausted, Lu Ao rested by the railing and watched the Giant Kelp Sea, whose floating kelp reminded him of enormous Dragons.

Ch. 177Page 177

After catching an enormous Moonfish, Lu Ao worried that his fishing was excessive, but Song Zhou reassured him, and he spent the next three days fishing only a little. As his friendship with Boss Chen grew, the crew spotted what they believed was a school of Tuna and prepared to fish for them.

  • Lu Ao told Song Zhou about catching a Moonfish weighing over two hundred jin and worried about using his advantages to catch so many fish, but Song Zhou reassured him that fishing was natural for a Dragon.
  • Lu Ao learned from Song Zhou that early watermelons were nearly ripe and that Old Chen's wife would soon be discharged from the hospital.
  • For three days, Lu Ao fished only briefly before meals and sent his catch to the kitchen, while the other anglers wondered why he had stopped.
  • Boss Chen grew fond of Lu Ao and drank with him over several days, deciding he wanted to invite him home and introduce him to his son.
  • The captain told Lu Ao that the fish finder had detected a likely school of Tuna, and Zhong Honghai agreed that the fish were Tuna.

Ch. 178Page 178

Lu Ao joined the crew of Zhong Honghai’s boat as they tried to catch tuna, first using live-bait drifting. After hours without a tuna bite, Zhong Honghai switched to using dead fish to lure them, while Lu Ao had no stored fish to contribute.

  • Boss Chen served Lu Ao a large pot of noodles and discussed Lu Ao’s boat, license, and plans to sail.
  • Lu Ao joined the fishing team on deck, caught a small fish for bait, and set it drifting for tuna.
  • The crew fished through the hot morning, but no one caught a tuna.
  • Zhong Honghai ordered the crew to use fish from the hold as dead bait, but Lu Ao had no bait fish stored there.

Ch. 179Chapter 83

Lu Ao and the crew used bait to draw a school of Bluefin Tuna to their boat, then switched to the Kite Fishing Method when the tuna avoided hooked bait. Lu Ao was the first to get his kite positioned and hooked a powerful Bluefin Tuna, whose size became clear as it pulled against his line.

  • Boss Chen stopped the boat while the crew scattered bait and cast hooks toward a school of Bluefin Tuna.
  • The tuna ate bait without hooks, so Zhong Honghai suggested using the Kite Fishing Method to hide the fishing line above the water.
  • Lin Qiyan got Boss Chen to provide Lu Ao with a kite, and Lu Ao successfully adjusted his bait's position first.
  • A fish took Lu Ao's bait, and he recognized its powerful pull as that of a large Bluefin Tuna.
  • Lu Ao braced his rod in his Belly Harness and let out line as the tuna struggled.

Ch. 180Chapter 180

Lu Ao fought to tire out a hooked Bluefin Tuna while other anglers caught and lost fish around him. As his strength faded after more than an hour, Lin Qiyan fed him meat and drinks, but Lu Ao still had not brought the tuna aboard.

  • Lu Ao calmly battled a Bluefin Tuna as Boss Chen stood by, ready to help.
  • Several crew members hooked Bluefin Tuna, but multiple lines snapped and the school grew wary.
  • Zhong Honghai urged everyone to keep baiting and fishing until more anglers began hooking tuna again.
  • Lu Ao refused to hand over his rod, and Lin Qiyan brought food and fed him while he continued fighting the fish.
  • Lu Ao's hands trembled from exhaustion, and the tuna remained unlanded.

Ch. 181Chapter 84

Lu Ao landed an enormous Bluefin Tuna after exhausting himself in a long fight, and Boss Chen began bleeding and aging the fish. The crew weighed it at 437 jin, leaving Zhong Honghai envious that someone outside his crew had made the catch.

  • Lin Qiyan fed Lu Ao until he recovered enough strength to keep hauling in the Bluefin Tuna.
  • Boss Chen and the crew used a gaff and crane to bring the exhausted Bluefin Tuna aboard.
  • Lu Ao collapsed from exhaustion after the tuna was placed on deck, and Boss Chen offered to bleed and age it.
  • Boss Chen cut the tuna beneath its jaw to drain its blood while explaining the aging process.
  • The crew weighed the Bluefin Tuna at 437 jin, and Zhong Honghai envied Lu Ao's catch.

Ch. 182Page 182

Lu Ao rested after catching a valuable Bluefin Tuna while the crew continued fishing. When another angler hooked an even larger fish and called for Lu Ao's help, Lu Ao refused and challenged the men pressuring him to help instead.

  • Lu Ao said he was too exhausted to keep fishing after his Bluefin Tuna was moved into cold storage.
  • After another team member caught a Bluefin Tuna, Zhong Honghai urged everyone to keep fishing before the school left.
  • Encouraged by Lu Ao, Qi Yan tried the Kite Fishing Method and began fishing.
  • When an exhausted angler struggled to reel in a huge Bluefin Tuna, Zhong Honghai took over and then called Lu Ao for help.
  • Qi Yan objected to Lu Ao risking himself, and Lu Ao declined the request after others criticized him for refusing.
  • Lu Ao told the two men pressuring him to help with the fish themselves, angering one of them.

Ch. 183Chapter 85

Lu Ao helped Qi Yan reel in a smaller fish while Zhong Honghai’s crew struggled to tire out a giant Bluefin Tuna. Zhong Honghai had the crew use a crane to lift the tuna, risking that the fishing line would snap.

  • Zhong Honghai asked Lu Ao to help haul in the giant Bluefin Tuna and offered to split the proceeds, but Qi Yan called Lu Ao over to take his own rod instead.
  • Lu Ao took Qi Yan’s rod and steadily tired out the fish, while Qi Yan rested and Boss Chen praised Lu Ao’s fishing skills.
  • Zhong Honghai’s exhausted crew struggled to tire out the giant tuna, and several members said they could no longer keep pulling.
  • Zhong Honghai ordered a team member to bring over the crane, then had the crew secure the fishing line to it.
  • The crew began lifting the tuna with the crane as someone warned that the fishing line might snap.

Ch. 184Chapter 184

Zhong Honghai’s crew nearly hauled in a giant Bluefin Tuna, but the line snapped and the fish escaped. Lu Ao’s group landed their own tuna, while Zhong Honghai apologized after Old Li lost his temper.

  • Zhong Honghai operated the crane himself and pulled the giant Bluefin Tuna toward the boat as his crew readied ropes and gaffs.
  • Zhong Honghai’s crew failed to hook the fish, and the fishing line snapped as the Bluefin Tuna swam away.
  • Lu Ao drew in his exhausted tuna, and Old Zhang and Lin Qiyan helped haul it aboard.
  • Old Li threw his broken rod toward Lu Ao’s group, but Zhong Honghai stopped him and sent him to the cabin.
  • Zhong Honghai apologized to Old Chen and Lu Ao, and Old Chen told him to accept that fishing depended on luck.

Ch. 185Chapter 86

Qi Yan and Lu Ao caught Bluefin Tuna alongside Zhong Honghai's team, and the group decided to return early to sell their fish. On the way back, Lu Ao invited Qi Yan to share his cabin, called Song Zhou, and reported the catch to his Billionaire Auction Group after the boat reached coastal waters.

  • Zhong Honghai apologized to Qi Yan, and Qi Yan accepted before sharing the 107-jin Bluefin Tuna he caught with Lu Ao as a joint catch.
  • Zhong Honghai's team caught three Bluefin Tuna, bringing the day's total to five, and Zhong Honghai decided to return early with Boss Chen to sell them.
  • Lu Ao asked Qi Yan to sleep in his cabin for safety, and Qi Yan explained that people often avoided him because of his sexual orientation.
  • Lu Ao called Song Zhou, told him about the catch and their early return, and chatted with him for more than an hour.
  • The boat reached coastal waters the next morning, and Lu Ao posted the weights of two Bluefin Tuna and one Moonfish in the Billionaire Auction Group.

Ch. 186Page 186

Lu Ao offered the fish he had caught for sale in the group and arranged to sell a smaller Bluefin Tuna and a Moonfish to Weng Qian for five hundred thousand each. He and Lin Qi Yan planned to reach shore for the handover, while Lu Ao sought buyers for his larger Bluefin Tuna.

  • Lu Ao posted pictures of the fish in the group, where members discussed prices and offered to help find buyers for the Bluefin Tuna.
  • Weng Qian offered five hundred thousand for the smaller Bluefin Tuna and five hundred thousand for the Moonfish, and Lu Ao agreed to sell the Moonfish.
  • Lu Ao woke Lin Qi Yan, who agreed to sell their one-hundred-and-seven-jin Bluefin Tuna to Weng Qian for five hundred thousand.
  • Lu Ao and Weng Qian arranged to meet after the boat reached shore, while Lin Qi Yan offered to promote the larger Bluefin Tuna to his fans.
  • Lin Qi Yan worried that Brother Zhong might also struggle to sell his fish, but Lu Ao said their fallen-out relationship meant it was not their concern.

Ch. 187Chapter 87

Zhong Honghai’s crew discussed ways to profit from Lu Ao’s fish, while Zhong Honghai learned that Lu Ao had sold a smaller Bluefin Tuna for five hundred thousand. The chapter ended with Lu Ao warning Weng Qian that the offer may have been too high, and Weng Qian asking what the fish usually cost.

  • Zhong Honghai’s crew complained that their fish were difficult to sell and suggested secretly offering to buy Lu Ao’s fish cheaply for resale.
  • Zhong Honghai stopped his crew from speaking too harshly about Lu Ao and Old Chen as their boat neared shore.
  • Zhong Honghai found Lu Ao eating breakfast with the crew and asked whether he had sold his fish.
  • Lu Ao said only his large Bluefin Tuna remained unsold and revealed that his smaller Bluefin Tuna had sold for five hundred thousand.
  • Zhong Honghai said that price was unusually high and suspected Lu Ao might have been scammed.
  • Lu Ao called Weng Qian and warned him that he had offered too much; Weng Qian asked the usual price.

Ch. 188Chapter 88

Lu Ao arranged through Weng Qian to send his large Bluefin Tuna to R Country for auction, while Lin Qi Yan insisted on lowering his share of its sale price to a fairer amount. After the boat docked, Lu Ao flew the fish to Xiding City, where Weng Qian prepared to handle its sale through Ark Auction House.

  • Weng Qian found an overseas auction channel for Lu Ao's Bluefin Tuna and agreed to manage the sale without taking a service fee.
  • Lin Qi Yan told Lu Ao he knew the fish was not worth five hundred thousand and agreed to value his share at three hundred thousand.
  • After the boat docked, Zhong Honghai and the others took the fish away without greeting Lu Ao or Lin Qi Yan, and Lin Qi Yan packed up as their partnership fell through.
  • Lu Ao hired two helicopters to transport the fish and arrived at Xiding Airport, where Weng Qian met him.
  • Weng Qian told Lu Ao that Ark Auction House in R Country was interested in the fish and that he had arranged its quarantine procedures.

Ch. 189Page 189

Lu Ao realized he had fallen in love with Song Zhou and went with him to his office in Xiding City. There, he met You Li, who offered him homemade ice cream.

  • Lu Ao and Weng Qian inspected the arriving Moonfish and Bluefin Tuna, completed the registration and quarantine arrangements, and Weng Qian left for R Country.
  • After finishing the remaining arrangements, Lu Ao called Song Zhou for a ride back to the village and waited for him in an alley in Xiding City.
  • While waiting among white magnolias, Lu Ao understood that his feelings for Song Zhou had gone beyond friendship.
  • Song Zhou appeared, took Lu Ao to his antique office, and asked him to wait while he approved two documents.
  • You Li brought Lu Ao homemade ice cream, introduced himself, and showed Lu Ao how to write his name.

Ch. 190Chapter 89

Lu Ao sold his giant Bluefin Tuna through Weng Qian for 7.6 million R Country currency after commission and told Song Zhou about the payment. He also discussed his upcoming car delivery and Lin Gongshang’s wedding plans, while Song Zhou took him back to the courtyard to see the grapes.

  • Song Zhou ended You Li’s visit and took Lu Ao back to the courtyard, where Lu Ao inspected the small grapes beneath the trellis.
  • Weng Qian told Lu Ao that the auction company would buy the giant Bluefin Tuna for eight million R Country currency, and Lu Ao agreed to sell it.
  • Lu Ao asked Lin Gongshang to sell his morning catch while he went to town, and he told the group that he had ordered a car.
  • Lu Ao printed and signed the sale documents, and Weng Qian transferred 7.6 million R Country currency to his account that evening.
  • Lu Ao sent Song Zhou a screenshot of the payment, and Song Zhou congratulated him on making something of himself.

Ch. 191Page 191

Lu Ao’s subtle attempt to test Song Zhou’s feelings ended with a dismissive reply, leaving him sleepless. He tended his growing flock of geese, planned improvements for his newly leased mountain, and agreed to join Lin Man Zhang’s group on a trip to sea, arriving at their home for lunch.

  • Lu Ao asked Song Zhou whether he would help manage the household finances, but Song Zhou told him not to be lazy, leaving Lu Ao unsure whether his feelings had been noticed.
  • After a nearly sleepless night, Lu Ao fed his fifty-one geese and found that most weighed over four jin, so he decided they needed more time to grow and a proper shed to manage their waste.
  • Lu Ao surveyed Haining Mountain and planned to fence it off and eventually transplant fruit trees there.
  • Lin Man Zhang invited Lu Ao to go out to Whitebeard Island and pump out a tidal pool, and Lu Ao agreed to join the trip.
  • Lu Ao went to Lin Man Zhang’s home for lunch, where Lin Gongshang and Lin Qi Yan welcomed him.

Ch. 192Chapter 90

Lu Ao joined Lin Man Zhang and the others on a fishing trip to Whitebeard Island, where they discovered a Red Tide and saw dead fish floating in the affected waters. After reporting the outbreak to provincial agencies, the group turned back rather than risk catching contaminated seafood.

  • Lu Ao split the proceeds from the previous fishing trip with Lin Qi Yan and joined Lin Man Zhang and the others on a trip to drain a tidal pool.
  • Lin Man Zhang cast fishing nets on the way to Whitebeard Island, then spotted red streaks in the sea near the island.
  • Lin Man Zhang reported the suspected Red Tide to the Provincial Resources and Environmental Protection Office and the Provincial Monitoring Center.
  • Lu Ao and the others saw dead fish floating in the Red Tide, and Lin Man Zhang decided to turn the boat back to avoid catching potentially toxic seafood.

Ch. 193Page 193

A Red Tide halted fishing, so Lu Ao and the other fishermen waited for the authorities to address it while tending their fields. Lin Gongshang invited Lu Ao and Song Zhou to a barbecue, and the chapter ended with them preparing to go.

  • Lin Man Zhang and Lu Ao pulled in their nets and threw back the contaminated catch, then discussed how long the Red Tide might last and how it could be treated.
  • The authorities issued a warning against eating fish and shrimp from the affected waters, forcing the fishermen to suspend fishing.
  • Lin Gongshang visited Lu Ao in the fields, admired his vegetables, and invited him and Song Zhou to a grilled meat barbecue.
  • Lu Ao summoned a light drizzle over his fields, then picked vegetables to share with villagers, who also shared food with him and fed his geese.
  • Song Zhou came home from work, and Lu Ao told him about the barbecue; they agreed to go later, while fishing remained suspended.

Ch. 194Chapter 91

Lu Ao accepted Song Zhou’s invitation to accompany him on a case, and wondered whether Song Zhou had been making time to see him because he cared for him. They joined Lin Gongshang’s barbecue, where Lu Ao and Song Zhou helped cut through a pile of beef bones.

  • Song Zhou invited Lu Ao to join him on a case that might involve lingering human malice, and Lu Ao agreed to go.
  • Lu Ao asked whether Song Zhou sometimes visited him before handling cases, and Song Zhou said that he did; Lu Ao held back from confessing his feelings.
  • Lu Ao and Song Zhou headed to Lin Gongshang’s barbecue with bamboo shoots after seeing the group’s impatient messages.
  • Lin Gongshang and Lin Qiyan asked Lu Ao and Song Zhou to help saw through beef bones, and the two finished the remaining pile in a little over ten minutes.

Ch. 195Chapter 92

Lin Gongshang invited everyone to help gather wild Abalone for his wedding banquet, and the group planned a trip to Jasmine Island. Song Zhou said Lu Ao would be traveling with him, so they postponed the trip until the following week, leaving Lu Ao embarrassed by his friends’ reaction.

  • Lin Gongshang told everyone he wanted to fish at Jasmine Island and collect wild Abalone for his wedding banquet with Luo Xiaohui.
  • Lin Man Zhang, Lin Guixiao, and Lin Qi Yan offered to join Lin Gongshang on the trip and help search for Abalone and Lobster.
  • Lu Ao indicated he wanted to go too, and Song Zhou said he was taking Lu Ao on a trip but expected they would return in time.
  • After Song Zhou spoke in front of Lu Ao’s friends, Lin Gongshang suggested postponing the outing, and Lu Ao agreed to go next week instead.
  • The group changed the subject and pulled the grilled chicken and beef bones from the fire while Lu Ao exchanged an embarrassed look with Song Zhou.

Ch. 196Page 196

After a meal with Song Zhou, Lu Ao packed for a trip to a cold destination and traveled with him by ship to an island called Sea Beyond the Mountains. There, You Li told them a cunning Giant Sea Demon was threatening the island’s Boundary Stele, though it had not yet appeared.

  • Song Zhou shared roasted beef bones and chicken with Lu Ao and their companions, then reminded Lu Ao to pack thick clothes for their trip.
  • Song Zhou told Lu Ao he did not need to bring food, and the next morning said he had already cared for the geese and fields.
  • Song Zhou took Lu Ao to an unfamiliar seaside, where they waited for You Li to arrive by ship.
  • You Li rowed them to the ship and told Song Zhou that the Giant Sea Demon near Sea Beyond the Mountains had evaded repeated searches.
  • Song Zhou and You Li explained to Lu Ao that the island held a Boundary Stele, a weak point between planes, and that the Kraken might try to break through it.

Ch. 197Chapter 93

Lu Ao, Song Zhou, and You Li crossed the Endless Sea toward Sea Beyond the Mountains, where they encountered spirits shaped like dolphins. The group began fishing, and Lu Ao examined a can of unfamiliar meat for bait.

  • Lu Ao and You Li rowed through the Endless Sea and boarded a magic ship with Song Zhou.
  • You Li explained that the ship would take about five hours to reach Sea Beyond the Mountains, then invited Lu Ao and Song Zhou to fish.
  • Lu Ao admired the peaceful sea as Song Zhou told him about the agency’s colleague stationed at Sea Beyond the Mountains.
  • You Li spotted Anteniwa Dolphins swimming through the sky, and Song Zhou identified them as spirits connecting life and death.
  • Lu Ao waved to the dolphins, and Song Zhou promised to take him to visit where they lived after their mission.
  • The group baited their hooks with canned meat, and Lu Ao discovered that the can’s writing was unfamiliar to him.

Ch. 198Page 198

Lu Ao, Song Zhou, and You Li sailed toward Sea Beyond the Mountains, where they caught Crystal Fish and shared its warming soup as the sea grew colder. Song Zhou explained that the strange conditions came from approaching the boundary marker, where spiritual energy and other aspects of the environment were amplified.

  • Song Zhou explained that the canned meat was spirit insect meat, and Lu Ao admitted he disliked eating insects.
  • You Li revealed that his true form was an eagle and that he had been the first to detect Lu Ao.
  • You Li caught a Crystal Fish, then cooked its soup and jelly for the group; Lu Ao enjoyed the soup and drank several bowls.
  • As the ship neared Sea Beyond the Mountains, Lu Ao grew cold and put on a down jacket, so You Li brought him soup and Song Zhou transferred warmth to him.
  • Lu Ao noticed the sun stayed fixed and seemed to grow colder, and Song Zhou explained that they were nearing the boundary marker, where spiritual energy and environmental conditions were amplified.

Ch. 199Chapter 94

Song Zhou and Lu Ao reached a frozen island where Song Zhou’s people were guarding a Boundary Stele that had begun to crack. While Song Zhou went to inspect it and You Li went to search for the Kraken, Lu Ao struggled with the cold and waited in a stone house for fish-skin clothes.

  • Song Zhou explained that the cold, spiritual energy, and strange marine creatures had been amplified as their boat crossed the icy fog.
  • Lu Ao and the others landed on an island and met Song Zhou’s people, who reported faint cracks in the Boundary Stele and no trace of the Kraken.
  • Song Zhou left to inspect the Boundary Stele and asked You Li to take Lu Ao to rest and find him fish-skin clothes.
  • You Li led Lu Ao to a stone house, where Lu Ao warmed himself by the fireplace as his body grew numb from the cold.
  • You Li went out to look for the giant sea demon, and the man who had offered new fish-skin clothes arrived at the door.

Ch. 200Page 200

Lu Ao transformed into a Dragon while trying on fishskin clothes, escaped into the sea, and fought a giant squid that sought to eat him. As the squid trapped him with its tentacles, the bead on Song Zhou's bracelet glowed and formed a sphere of light around him.

  • Lu Ao put on the fishskin clothes and unexpectedly transformed into his Dragon Form.
  • Lu Ao crashed through a window and fled into the sea after the man revealed his lizard-like eyes and pursued him.
  • A giant squid attacked Lu Ao, and he bit off and swallowed part of one of its tentacles.
  • The squid caught up with Lu Ao and moved to cage him with several tentacles.
  • Song Zhou's bracelet bead glowed and surrounded Lu Ao with a sphere of light.
Arc 8 of 21