Chapter Nine: I Am Not a Fish

At this moment, the bluefin tuna before Fang Yuan appeared to be about one meter long, weighing around forty kilograms. Fang Yuan quickly estimated its market value in his mind; it was likely worth at least forty thousand yuan. After all, there’s always a difference between wholesale and retail prices. While tens of thousands might not seem like much, for Fang Yuan, who currently didn’t have a penny to his name, this was a godsend—a timely rescue in the midst of desperation. This money could solve his immediate crisis.

But as always, reality is crueler than imagination. Such a large fish—he didn’t even have a fishing net, let alone any handy tools at his disposal. Even setting aside the question of whether he could catch the bluefin tuna, just transporting it back would be an impossible task.

“Forget it. It seems luck isn’t on my side after all.” Fang Yuan sighed inwardly. The feeling was akin to watching a duck, already in his grasp, fly away right in front of his eyes, powerless to do anything but watch.

Thinking of ducks, Fang Yuan couldn't help but recall roast duck. Come to think of it, he hadn’t eaten since he woke up—not even a sip of water. Well, not quite; he had forced down a few gulps, but only when he was truly unwilling, and thankfully, not too much.

“A person must always hold high expectations for themselves. If you haven’t even tried, how can you conclude something is impossible?” The bug’s voice sounded in his mind at that moment. Yet, this only reminded Fang Yuan of being dragged around like a bag of garbage by the great shark earlier, dashing through the water at breakneck speed—his heart filled with anger.

“Are you trying to tell me I’m not skinny enough, so you want me to rub off some of this body fat?” Fang Yuan grumbled internally, though he wasn’t truly angry.

It was just that everything had happened so suddenly, and he hadn’t been prepared. Naturally, he felt some anxiety and fear.

“I told you, your body will surprise you in unexpected ways. What just happened was merely a small gift from me. So, was it exciting? Did you enjoy the thrill?” The bug sounded delighted, reliving the exhilaration of speed—it was the first time it had experienced such a rush, and it resolved to try it again soon.

“It certainly was... exhilarating,” Fang Yuan said through gritted teeth. He dared not imagine what would happen to him if this sort of thing occurred a few more times—would he end up skin and bones?

The impact of the seawater on his body still hadn’t faded; his skin was numb. When he pinched his arm hard, he couldn’t feel any pain at all.

To this, the bug chose silent acquiescence. After all, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

“So you’re saying we actually have a chance to catch this fish and bring it back?” In the end, Fang Yuan couldn’t bear to let such a golden opportunity slip by.

“Did you forget how you got here just now?” the bug replied.

With that prompt, the grisly image of his earlier ordeal flashed unbidden through Fang Yuan’s mind.

“Are you sure this bluefin tuna can find its way back on our ‘sea route’?” Fang Yuan was now completely uncertain of his whereabouts.

“Of course. Did you think it was just coincidence that you ended up here?” the bug replied. This wasn’t chance—it was inevitable. The bug had no intention of letting all its efforts go to waste, only to end up with a starving companion.

Strangely enough, the bluefin tuna seemed bewitched, utterly motionless. Fang Yuan remembered that the shark had behaved the same way when he saw it earlier.

Their eyes were not friendly, almost as if they were looking at a fool.

“Could you put something over their eyes next time? The way they look at me makes me feel ridiculous.” But deep down, Fang Yuan was still proud and aloof.

“I’ll consider it,” the bug said after a moment’s thought.

“Fine.” Fang Yuan forced himself to keep his irritation in check.

The way the bluefin looked at him was embarrassing. Even though he knew it looked at everyone that way, Fang Yuan couldn’t help but imagine a whole host of the fish’s possible thoughts, especially considering what he was about to do to it.

He crept closer to the bluefin tuna. Only when he was quite near did he realize just how massive the fish was—though nothing compared to the shark from before. Still, every part of this bluefin tuna was worth money, something the shark simply couldn’t claim.

Catching tuna was legal, but sharks were another matter.

“Don’t worry. Right now, it can’t move. Just grab its tail with all your strength. It’ll take you out of this part of the sea,” the bug urged, impatient with Fang Yuan’s sluggishness.

Fang Yuan also wanted to leave quickly; he’d been underwater far too long. Biologically speaking, if he stayed here longer than he spent on land, his body might undergo some irreversible change.

As soon as Fang Yuan gripped the bluefin’s tail, the fish immediately began to accelerate eagerly.

All Fang Yuan could do was silently close his eyes... If there was a next time, he’d be sure to come prepared with armor.

Before he knew it, his speed began to slow—it seemed he was close to the shore. Considering he hadn’t eaten, hauling such a massive fish would be exhausting.

At the shoreline, the bluefin became motionless again. Without another word, Fang Yuan hoisted the fish onto his shoulder and set off.

To his surprise, it was nowhere near as heavy as he’d expected; when he lifted the fish, it felt as light as a bag of cotton.

After only a few steps, Fang Yuan realized he was back at the very spot where he’d entered the water—without the slightest deviation.

“If I hadn’t wanted to return here, could you have taken me to another coastal city?” He didn’t actually mind this place, but he’d spotted, not far from the shore, the very police officer who’d shouted at him from the helicopter earlier. The man was standing there with binoculars, peering in his direction.

Although Fang Yuan had come to accept the strangeness of his body, heaven knows what kind of commotion it would cause if others saw what he was capable of.