The Sea Queen of 1985

Chapter 153: Chapter 153: The Turtle’s Plea for Help

The sound was nearly identical to the one the Turtle made when it dropped onto the deck in the middle of the night.

From a distance, the crewmen could make out its shape—it looked like a turtle.

Han Xiaorui hurried over and poked inside with a bamboo pole.

At the poke, a turtle’s head emerged.

It was the Turtle—the very same one they had hauled up in the middle of the night.

Chen Yishui squeezed in as well, looking exasperated. ”Are we just fated to keep catching this Turtle? Huh? Judging by its size, it looks just like the one from last night. It couldn’t be the same one, could it?”

Han Xiaorui pointed to the turtle’s exposed head, which had a barnacle stuck to it. ”It *is* the one from yesterday!”

Just then, Sister Yun chimed in, ”Stop trying to figure out if it’s the same turtle! Don’t you see all these big hairtail fish?”

Han Xiaorui and Chen Yishui had been so focused on the Turtle that they’d ignored the rest of the catch.

Han Xiaorui looked down and saw the hairtail fish on the deck. They were as wide as her palm.

’Wow, now this is a premium catch!’

”Yes, let’s hurry and sort the hairtail! Be careful not to damage them!” Chen Yishui urged, prioritizing the fish.

Luckily, the large Turtle had been at the very bottom of the net this time. It landed on the deck first, so none of the hairtail were crushed.

Instead, the hairtail were piled on top of the Turtle.

While everyone was busy sorting the hairtail, Han Xiaorui crouched down beside the Turtle.

”Xiao Dai, don’t move just yet. We’ll release you after we’ve finished sorting the hairtail!”

The Turtle seemed to understand her, looking up at Han Xiaorui with a pitiful expression.

Han Xiaorui noticed the barnacle on the Turtle’s forehead was about to poke into its eye. She reached out and plucked it right off.

The Turtle blinked rapidly.

Han Xiaorui could have sworn she saw surprise in the Turtle’s eyes. ’How strange.’

’Catching this Turtle twice... it must be fate.’

Han Xiaorui sent a little of her Water Ability to Xiao Dai, and its head swayed.

The hairtail were easy to sort. This whole net was full of large ones of a similar grade.

With seven or eight people working, it took less than half an hour to sort them all.

All the hairtail on the deck were packed away, leaving only the Turtle.

Han Xiaorui took a closer look and discovered that the Turtle’s body was covered in barnacles.

There was the one on its head that had nearly been poking it in the eye, but there were also some on its back and belly.

But those weren’t the most critical ones.

When Han Xiaorui discovered the Turtle’s rear was almost completely blocked by barnacles, it all clicked.

”Sister Shui, look! Xiao Dai’s rear is blocked by barnacles. If it gets any worse, it won’t be able to... you know. Do you think it swam into our net twice to ask for help?”

Chen Yishui leaned in for a closer look and nodded. ”I think so. And she’s a female. It’s not easy for them to grow this big. Xiao Rui, move aside. I’ll get all these barnacles off Xiao Dai.”

Han Xiaorui waved her off with a smile. ”It’s okay, I’ll do it.”

Han Xiaorui pretended to be straining, but her movements were deft and nimble. In a flash, she had pried off all the barnacles, including the ones on the rest of its body.

Xiao Dai shook its head contentedly, its eyes even closing in pleasure from time to time.

Han Xiaorui shook her head and chuckled. ’They say with age comes wisdom.’

This Turtle was probably around thirty years old. Any turtle that lives to this age has to be smart.

”No wonder people say sea turtles are intelligent. Look at it, it knew how to ask for help. And it’s not scared at all while we’re helping it.”

Chen Yishui examined it closely. ”I’d estimate this one is over thirty, even older than you. Any sea turtle that survives to adulthood in the ocean is bound to be intelligent. Its age gives it plenty of experience.”

Once it was completely clean, Han Xiaorui patted Xiao Dai’s head. ”There, all better now. Don’t go swimming into any more fishing nets.”

”You’re very valuable, and not everyone is as law-abiding as we are. If some bad people catch you to sell or kill you, you won’t be able to live freely in the ocean anymore.”

Xiao Dai nuzzled Han Xiaorui’s palm again, then crawled to the edge of the boat. It turned its head, waiting for someone to lift it over.

”It’s practically human!” Chen Yishui laughed. ”It’s like it can understand every word Xiao Rui says.”

”Yeah, I’ve never seen a Turtle that’s so perceptive,” the others quickly agreed, all filled with curiosity.

Han Xiaorui, Chen Yishui, and two other crewmen worked together to lift Xiao Dai and toss it into the sea.

After sinking into the water, Xiao Dai quickly resurfaced and began to swim around the fishing boat.

Han Xiaorui waved it away. ”Don’t be naughty now. Go on.”

Xiao Dai sank beneath the waves and met up with the little sea snake. They swam around together on the seabed, not far from the boat.

Han Xiaorui sensed this, and her eyes lit up with joy.

’Xiao Dai is so smart. Maybe it can bring me some good fish!’

The surprise came sooner than expected.

Everyone finished breakfast at 8:30.

After letting their food settle, they started hauling in the net at nine.

Wu Mengyue watched the net being hauled up, her eyes wide with astonishment. ”Oh my god, this is the fullest net this boat has ever had!”

”They’re kind of dark. What kind of fish are they?” Han Xiaorui squinted against the sun, unable to make out the species, though she could see constant wriggling inside the net.

Wu Mengyue called out a warning, ”Everyone stand back! Keep your distance! We don’t know what’s in there. Better to be safe.”

Everyone agreed that made sense and backed away.

Han Xiaorui smiled. ”Right. Safety first.”

When the net was opened, a mass of dark, glistening things tumbled out. They looked like black snakes and began to writhe chaotically on the deck.

”Are these eels?” Han Xiaorui had read quite a few books on marine life, and they looked similar to the eels she’d seen in them.

Wu Mengyue’s face lit up with delight as she yelled, ”They’re eels! And they’re huge! Everyone, let’s get sorting!”

Eels fetched a good price, and since the ones in this net were particularly large, they would sell for a lot of money.

While everyone was sorting the eels, Han Xiaorui stood by the gunwale, gazing out at the sea.

Xiao Dai had surfaced and was playing with the little sea snake.

Han Xiaorui smiled and sent them a little more of her Water Ability.

Sea creatures, living in the water, had a natural affinity for the Water Ability.

After receiving the superpower, Xiao Dai splashed about even more joyfully in the water.

After that, it was as if Xiao Dai had found its calling, following along with the fishing boat as it worked.

Xiao Dai seemed to understand Han Xiaorui’s intentions, herding marine life toward the net.

At noon, they hauled in another net, and its contents brought another round of delighted surprise.

It was filled entirely with lobsters—and not just any lobsters, but the famous Brocade Lobster.

Brocade Lobsters are not only vibrantly colored and beautiful, but they are also the largest species of lobster, capable of growing up to five kilograms.

The Brocade Lobsters in this net were all huge. The smallest was over a pound, while some were bigger and longer than a person’s arm, weighing five or six pounds.

Wu Mengyue was so excited that she, the captain, jumped in to help, tying and grading the lobsters alongside everyone else.

”My God! The last haul was all eels, and this one is all Brocade Lobsters! We’ve struck it rich! Come on, people, pick up the pace, don’t dawdle!”

Everyone’s eyes gleamed as they looked at the Brocade Lobsters. These weren’t lobsters—they were money.