Chapter 17: Unlocking the Map Feature and Reaching the Waterfall Curtain Cave Lake

The cave entrance lay nestled between towering mountains. At first, it was narrow, barely wide enough for one person to pass through. After walking several dozen steps, the space suddenly opened up.

After three or four minutes, Jiang Fan emerged from the cave mouth.

Before him stretched a vast clearing.

Yet, ahead stood imposing mountains and dense, impenetrable woods.

Clearly, stepping out of the cave was only the beginning; the real challenge lay ahead.

This place truly lived up to its fearsome reputation—so treacherous that even seasoned adventurers had met their end here. At a glance, progress seemed nearly impossible.

But who was Jiang Fan? A bona fide fishing enthusiast!

There was no place a fisher wouldn’t dare venture.

Jiang Fan didn’t bother to scout the path; instead, he pulled out his phone.

He tried opening the file He Qiang had sent him, only to find there was no signal.

Fortunately, Jiang Fan had come prepared and had already taken screenshots of the map He Qiang provided.

Quickly, he located a narrow path on the map and set off along it.

The mountains rose sharply on either side, the woods lush and thick. Without He Qiang’s map, finding the way would have been nearly impossible.

After several minutes, Jiang Fan had walked three or four hundred meters, but the route on He Qiang’s map ended there.

He pressed forward another few dozen meters.

Ahead, the mountain blocked the way entirely—there was no way forward.

“Is this the end?” Jiang Fan muttered to himself. It was obvious that He Qiang had only explored the initial stretch before turning back, unaware that the path ahead was barred by a mountain.

From now on, he’d have to rely on his own exploration.

But here, it was like a dead-end—no path forward unless he could move the mountain itself.

That kind of feat belonged only in myths.

And even in those tales, not everyone was like the Foolish Old Man who moved mountains, able to move the heavens and call on immortals for help.

The Jade Emperor wouldn’t send a deity just because he was a crazy fishing fanatic, right?

But having come this far, turning back was not an option.

Thinking it over, Jiang Fan opened the system panel and checked the store for tools.

Besides a compass and satellite phone for emergencies, there was nothing else.

What he really needed was a complete map.

If only the system had a function to scan the terrain and generate a route.

Just as he thought this, the system suddenly chimed with a notification.

[Ding ding ding!!! Zhou Hong has caught a 23-pound wild grass carp! System triggers 50x cash multiplier!]

…

[Ding! Congratulations, host! You have gained 200 emotional points!]

Right after announcing Zhou Hong’s big catch, the system sent another message.

[Ding! Congratulations, host! You have reached 6,000 emotional achievement points and earned the title “Master Angler,” unlocking the map function!]

“!!”

Had he unknowingly reached 6,000 achievement points?

Zhou Hong, Huang Mao, and Ma Dongdong really pulled through!

Not only did he earn the “Master Angler” title, but he also unlocked the map feature!

Just moments ago, he wished for such a function—and now it appeared the very next second. It was an astonishing coincidence, a stroke of luck that could be called a miracle.

[Host: Jiang Fan]

[Title: Master Angler]

[Emotional Points: 5,170 (5,170/6,100)]

[Cash Value: ¥298,600]

[Fishing Gear: Standard hand rod, Qing Iron lure rod]

[Apprentice Fishers: Three! (3/3, all bound)]

[Map (Consumes emotional points to lock a position and generate a route)]

(+)

Jiang Fan clicked on the [Map] section and read the description, then nodded. “So I can consume emotional points to lock a location and generate a map route?”

What was he waiting for? If he didn’t hurry, the big fish might just go home and sleep!

“System, lock the Water Curtain Cave map!”

[Ding! System is scanning the “Water Curtain Cave” map, 10%, 20%, 30%... 90%, 100%!]

[Ding! Scan complete. Locking the “Water Curtain Cave” map requires 1,000 emotional points. Host, do you wish to lock it?]

“1,000 points? That much?!”

Well, never mind. A thousand points it is. Better than wandering blindly around here.

“Yes.”

[Ding! “Water Curtain Cave” map successfully locked and generated. Emotional points -1,000!]

He had just spent a thousand emotional points. If he didn’t catch a big fish today, it would be a huge loss.

Jiang Fan reopened the system panel and accessed the “Water Curtain Cave” map.

The entire terrain and routes of the cave spread before his eyes. The layout was exactly as Zhou Hong had described—a chaotic labyrinth.

However, with the system’s map display, every path was crystal clear.

The map even marked Jiang Fan’s current location and the position of the Water Curtain Cave.

It was like a maze game in a kindergarten book: he was at the start, the Water Curtain Cave was the finish, and reaching the end meant success.

With location markers and directional arrows, this maze was even easier than those the children played.

As dusk approached, Jiang Fan rose immediately and set off.

Following the map’s guidance, he needed to backtrack about 100 meters, then squeeze through a mountain cave on the left, and finally follow a small stream upstream.

Before long, Jiang Fan emerged from the cave and found the stream.

The water was crystal clear, the riverbed dotted with smooth pebbles, and the brook babbled gently.

This small stream linked to a large lake within the Water Curtain Cave—the lake was the source of the stream.

Normally, one just needed to follow the stream upstream.

After walking for ten minutes, the path ended abruptly, and Jiang Fan had no choice but to wade into the water and continue upstream.

Soon, he reached a pitch-black cave entrance. He paused outside, hesitating.

It wasn’t fear, but a thought crossed his mind: maybe he should cast a few lines?

Yet, thinking of the three to four hundred-pound monster waiting ahead, he abandoned the idea and entered the cave.

The interior was dim and murky, visibility limited to just a few meters ahead.

Gradually, the stream widened, and the water deepened enough to submerge Jiang Fan entirely.

He had to hold his backpack above his head and swim forward.

But a fisher’s heart was tied to the water. Unable to resist, Jiang Fan climbed onto a large rock and cast his line several times.

After ten minutes, he caught only a two-pound tilapia.

He then jumped back into the water and continued swimming forward.

This swim lasted another ten minutes.

Luckily, Jiang Fan was an excellent swimmer. If anyone else faced a dark cave like this, they’d have turned back after a minute or two, choosing to go home and rest.

Of course, the cave was not always pitch black.

Because the terrain was broken up, some sections were blocked, others exposed to sunlight, so the surroundings weren’t entirely dark.

According to He Qiang, the giant creature was in the lake inside the Water Curtain Cave. Jiang Fan just wanted to swim out quickly and get to the lake to fish.

After another five minutes, sunlight brightened considerably, streaming through an opening about seven or eight meters ahead.

Jiang Fan looked at the map; according to its guidance, he had reached one of the Water Curtain Cave’s entrances.

Beyond this opening lay the lake He Qiang had mentioned.

Overjoyed, Jiang Fan wasted no time and swam toward it like a kayaker.

His vigorous splashing scared off a school of small fish near the cave entrance, who leapt frantically toward the surface.

Then, the lake within the Water Curtain Cave appeared before him...