Chapter 45: Finally... It's Hooked!

"..."

There are times when a person is truly speechless.

When the ability [Listen to the Voices of All Things] allowed Jiang Fan to hear the voice of the arapaima, he watched as the giant fish swam right toward his fishing hook.

Just at that moment, a loudspeaker suddenly blared, startling the arapaima so badly that it spun around and rapidly swam down to the bottom of the water.

"..."

The last time Jiang Fan had been this speechless was the very last time!

Why did the broadcast have to sound off at no other time than when the fish was approaching him? It was like coincidence knocking on the door—coincidence brought to a whole new level!

Loudspeaker: "In order to catch the arapaima as soon as possible, the organizers have decided to let all contestants unleash their full potential. No matter what tools or baits are used, as long as you pull the arapaima up, it counts as a success!"

"I repeat, in order to catch the arapaima as soon as possible, the organizers..."

Clearly, seeing several people dragged into the water one by one—even Deng Zhiqiang, the legendary competitive fishing master, among them—the organizers were worried no one would catch the arapaima, which was why they temporarily lifted the restrictions on bait.

"Are the bait restrictions really lifted?"

"Not just the bait, they've lifted all the other restrictions too, as long as we can reel that arapaima in!"

"That makes things easy! I'm bringing out my grappling hook right now! Not biting, huh? I'll carve open its back!"

Loudspeaker: "Hey, hey! Kid at fishing station 98, the organizers lifted the restrictions, but only for the arapaima! Pulling out a grappling hook to snag fish is already affecting the reservoir's ecosystem!"

"Damn! Someone's actually using new energy sources? Kid at station 28, do you know that's illegal?! Put it away right now or I'm calling the cops!"

"..."

Once the restrictions were lifted, these contestants became more outrageous than the last.

The viewers in the live streaming room were left completely dumbfounded.

: Someone is actually using grappling hooks and electric fishing in a competition?! Hahaha, I'm dying!
: These snagging and electro-fishing jerks are so detestable!
: But honestly, if we don't use those two methods, the only other option is to drain the reservoir, right?
: Yeah, that giant monster has way too much strength; nobody can possibly pull it in!
: By the way, why is the camera moving away from contestant 201?!
: Exactly! Why aren't you filming handsome Xia? Are you asking to be cursed out?

Soon, the camera in the livestream was aimed squarely at Jiang Fan, showing him busy doing something or other.

Before long, he pulled out three packs of Wild Battle Blue Crucian Carp Crooked-Mouth Dragon King God-of-War Edition bait along with Dragon King earthworms.

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for obtaining three packs of Wild Battle Blue Crucian Carp Crooked-Mouth Dragon King God-of-War Edition bait, emotional value -60!]
[Ding! Congratulations to the host for obtaining one tael of Dragon King earthworms, emotional value -50!]

After getting the bait, Jiang Fan kneaded the three packs of Wild Battle Blue Crucian Carp together and tossed the entire lot into the water to chum the swim!

Next, he hooked the Dragon King earthworm bait onto a ribbed steel bar fishing hook and cast the line!

: So he was getting his bait ready!
: Considering the strength he used yesterday to haul up a three-hundred-and-thirty-pound grass carp, do you think he can pull up this arapaima?
: Probably not. This arapaima is over a hundred pounds heavier than yesterday's grass carp, and the strength of the two is completely in different leagues.
: Look! The camera switched! Someone else has hooked that arapaima again!

It was Teacher Liu Gang!

At this moment, Liu Gang had also hooked the arapaima. Having learned from Deng Zhiqiang's lesson, he didn't rush to pull out the landing net; instead, he gripped the fishing rod for dear life, intending to tire the arapaima out completely before hauling it ashore!

Only, the arapaima's strength was obviously far greater than his.

Even with a death grip on the rod, he couldn't steady his footing at all, getting yanked this way and that. A few minutes later, the arapaima broke free from the hook!

"Sigh! It unhooked! What a pity!"
"If it hadn't unhooked, Teacher Liu Gang definitely could have pulled it up!"

The anglers at the neighboring fishing stations sighed in regret.

Liu Gang panted heavily, "Huff, huff! Stop blowing smoke for me... If it hadn't unhooked, I would've been dragged into the water long ago! This fish has got some serious muscle!"

He Qi had a cigarette dangling from his lips and a smile on his face.

"Hehe, Teacher Liu Gang, Teacher Deng Zhiqiang, it seems you two are getting old."
"You've both forgotten... that's not how fish are caught!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Gang and Deng Zhiqiang snapped their heads toward He Qi.

Liu Gang wore an expression of shock, "Could it be that you're going to use *that* move?"
Deng Zhiqiang, "Heh, is it the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Casts?!"
"Geez, Emperor He, it's just a reservoir game; using the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Casts is going a bit overboard!"

He Qi waved his hand, looking utterly carefree and detached.
"I'm just eliminating a pest for the public!"

With that, He Qi hooked a live shrimp, cast his line, and began to wait...

However, things didn't go quite the way he imagined. One minute, two minutes, five minutes, ten minutes... until half an hour passed, and that arapaima simply refused to bite his hook?!

"What the hell!"
"This makes no sense!"
"The fish bites both of yours, so why won't it bite mine?"
"Am I suddenly no longer a legendary competitive fishing master?"
"Fish, oh fish, come bite the hook already, hurry up! Damn it!"

Liu Gang, "..."
Deng Zhiqiang, "..."

On the other side, someone else had hooked the arapaima!

"Emperor He, stop arguing! The arapaima went to the opposite side!" Deng Zhiqiang suddenly said, staring fixedly at someone across the pond.

When everyone looked over, they discovered that person had tied their fishing line to an excavator...

"That guy is using an excavator to catch an arapaima?!"
"Wait, is he the organizer's son? They even let an excavator drive in here!"
"What the fuck!"

When the livestream camera focused on that contestant, the viewers exploded!

: Someone is actually using an excavator to catch an arapaima?
: Can you even reel it in like that?
: You think you're filming a short drama?! How would that work! The moment the arapaima exerts force, it can easily snap the line and escape!

Many netizens still had experience. Although an excavator had weight, an arapaima wasn't a dead object.

Sure enough, the arapaima suddenly thrashed its tail a few times, bit through the line, and bolted.

Arapaima: Heh, I'm dying! Trying to catch me with an excavator! Look at what kind of fish I am first?!
Arapaima (￣▽￣)σ: Huh, how did I swim right back to this kid's fishing station? By the way, this kid's bait smells way too good?!

The arapaima swam back to Jiang Fan's fishing station, opened its massive mouth, and began devouring the Wild Battle Blue Crucian Carp Crooked-Mouth Dragon King God-of-War Edition bait... and as it ate, it reached the Dragon King earthworm bait.

Without a moment of hesitation, it opened its jaws wide and swallowed the earthworm whole!

"Zhi-la!!"

Finally... it was hooked!!!

Jiang Fan was overjoyed, executing a fierce rod-raise that forced the creature up to the water's surface!

Arapaima (￣▽￣)σ: Hahaha, I'm dying! You idiot fisherman actually think you can catch me?
: You couldn't drag me into the water just now, let's see if I give you a chance this time! I'm gonna drown you!!

Suddenly, the arapaima gave a violent flip, attempting to snap the fishing line.

Yet, things turned a bit awkward... Not only did the line refuse to break, but its mouth was yanked hard by the hook, and a mist of blood sprayed into the air!

Arapaima (๑ŐдŐ)b: Why is this fishing line so damn tough?!

Furious, the arapaima thrashed wildly on the surface, kicking up sheets of spray, but no matter how hard it exerted itself, it couldn't budge Jiang Fan an inch.

The other contestants were dumbfounded watching this.

They knew Jiang Fan was strong, but they had no idea he was *this* strong—he was actually suppressing a four-hundred-pound arapaima!

Arapaima (メ｀[]´)/: Damn it! Why won't it snap! What the hell kind of fishing line is this?!
: I'm so pissed! I'm beyond pissed! Idiot fisherman! If I don't drown you today, I swear I won't quit!

Jiang Fan firmly held the rod, cursing back, "Stupid fish, how dare you curse at me? I'll give you a clubbing once I reel you up!"

: Look! That drop-dead gorgeous hunk hooked the arapaima, and he's completely suppressing it!
: Holy shit! What the absolute fuck! Who is that guy?
: His competition name is Jiang Fan, and his Douyin name is Handsome Xia!
: Talk about a born ox-and-horse physique, that strength is absurd!
: If he punched me, I'd probably need to take a couple of Ibuprofen just to recover!
: One pill isn't enough, you'd need at least three!

...

Arapaima: Why can't I break free? Why?! Idiot fisherman! You've brought this death upon yourself! You've truly brought this death upon yourself!!