Chapter 167: Swordfish

Although it was a bit ridiculous, the two puppies and one cat, once on board, were content to look around curiously without any urge to leap into the sea.

With a cat and dogs to cuddle on the boat, Yun Jiao couldn’t have been more cheerful.

She took out some dried fish again.

This time, she used a dried oyster for bait.

The two dogs and one cat gathered around. Yun Jiao cut it open with a small knife and fed them some.

After hooking a whole dried oyster onto the fishhook, she gave it a casual toss.

The bait flew out quite far. Yun Jiao sat down and was just about to take a small steamed bun from her pouch to eat when she felt a powerful tug on her fishing rod.

The force was so strong it nearly sent her flying.

Yun Jiao: "!!!"

’Seriously? It took the bait this fast? What kind of stupid fish is this!’

Yun Jiao struggled to control the fishing rod as the force dragged their boat a short distance.

"Holy shit!"

Yun Linhai and Yun Linhe reacted quickly, grabbing the boat’s railing to steady themselves. Caught completely off guard, Shen Kuan and Shen Xiuyuan were thrown onto the wooden deck, rolling over several times until they were dizzy and disoriented.

Shen Yunxiu almost rolled right off the boat, but Yun Linhai, with his quick reflexes, managed to grab him just in time.

"Jiaojiao, what’s going on?"

The fishing rod in Yun Jiao’s hands was already bent into an exaggerated arc. Line spooled endlessly from the reel, creating a WHIZZZZing sound as it cut through the air.

Yun Jiao, a small, uneaten steamed bun still in her mouth, had already stood up. Holding the rod tight, she began to battle the fish on the line.

’In terms of pure strength, I’m sure I could pull the fish up. The problem is whether the rod or the line can handle the strain without snapping.’

"Mmmph... big fish."

She hadn’t had time to eat the bun in her mouth and couldn’t bear to waste it by spitting it out, so her words came out muffled and unclear.

Their boat continued to be pulled across the surface of the sea. Once Yun Linhe and Yun Linhai were steady on their feet, they came over to help Yun Jiao.

But there wasn’t much they could do, other than help steady the rod and her.

They were afraid she would be pulled into the sea and dragged through the water.

Shen Kuan and Shen Xiuyuan were at a complete loss. ’What should we do?’

In the end, all they could do was hold onto the two dogs, which were still tumbling around, unable to find their footing.

The cat, however, was perfectly steady on its feet, its gleaming green eyes fixed on something straight ahead.

It was staring in the direction of the great fish Yun Jiao had hooked.

Witnessing such a scene for the first time, the two Shen brothers held their breath in suspense.

’Just how big is this fish? It’s dragging our large boat and everyone on it!’

At this point, Yun Jiao didn’t dare risk a contest of brute strength with the fish, fearing the rod would snap.

She could only control the reel to play the fish, hoping it would tire out quickly.

After a half-hour-long battle of endurance, the fish finally began to lose its strength.

Everyone on the boat breathed a sigh of relief.

"Jiaojiao, do you still have any strength left?"

"Yes!"

’I have to. I’m determined to see just what kind of fish has taken us on such a long ride.’

With everyone watching, the fish, struggling weakly, was slowly dragged closer.

As the fish’s true form gradually came into view, everyone on the boat stared with wide eyes.

Yun Linhai: "It’s a swordfish!"

Yun Linhe: "Don’t get too close! This damn fish is dangerous."

Although it looked exhausted and weak now, with a sudden burst of struggling, its long, sharp bill could pierce right through their boat, let alone a person.

"Dad, bring me the wooden club."

This fish wasn’t just dangerous; it was huge.

It was over a meter long.

Its dorsal fin resembled a shark’s, and its body was dark blue on top and silvery-white on the bottom.

Even after being played for half an hour, it still looked fierce.

As it got closer to the boat, it still had the energy to struggle, and even looked ready to counterattack.

"Be careful."

Yun Linhai and Yun Linhe were actually terrified. The fish was incredibly destructive; if it leaped up with force and speared someone, the consequences would be dire.

If it speared the boat, their wooden vessel would have to be taken in for repairs.

In fact, swordfish were what fishermen feared encountering the most.

It was a pity to lose one, but they didn’t dare bring it onto the boat easily.

Even if you caught the creature in a net, it could struggle and tear a huge hole right through it.

Even if you got it on the boat, as long as it wasn’t dead, it was a constant danger.

It was called a swordfish for a reason—its bill was like a sharp sword. If you were impaled, and unlucky enough to have your internal organs pierced, you could actually die.

For a moment, they were at a stalemate with the swordfish still in the water.

’How are we supposed to get it on board?’

Yun Jiao took the wooden club her dad handed her.

Yun Linhai: "Use the wooden club to..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Yun Jiao handed him the fishing rod, club in hand, and dove headfirst into the sea.

"Yun Jiao!!!"

Her father and uncle let out sharp cries of alarm.

Yun Jiao: "I’m fine."

She didn’t look back, her small body swimming nimbly toward the swordfish.

The swordfish saw her and began to struggle, twisting its body.

Merfolk are apex predators in the ocean. The swordfish’s counterattack was violent, and the hearts of everyone on the boat leaped into their throats.

Yun Jiao’s body was supple; she dodged the swordfish’s attack from an impossible angle and rapidly closed in.

She grabbed the swordfish’s fin. At such close range, its bill posed less of a threat to her.

Without hesitation, Yun Jiao raised the wooden club in her hand and gave its head several hard THWACKS.

The swordfish went from struggling violently to gradually falling still.

The sea surface calmed. Seeing Yun Jiao swimming back safe and sound while dragging the swordfish, everyone breathed another sigh of relief.

Although Yun Linhai was a little angry that she had put herself in danger again, the priority was to get both her and the fish back on the boat.

The way Shen Kuan and Shen Xiuyuan looked at their little cousin was one of utter disbelief.

’Was this really their little cousin? She’s only three! And she just jumped into the sea to fight such a ferocious fish.’

’No, wait—she was the one who *caught* the fish in the first place.’

’This is just too insane!’

"Hurry and get back up here."

They pulled her up first, then everyone worked together to haul the swordfish onto the deck.

Yun Linhe said, "I’ll bleed it."

While Yun Linhe was bleeding the fish, Shen Kuan, Shen Xiuyuan, the two puppies, and the cat all circled the massive catch.

They had never seen such a huge fish before!

Shen Xiuyuan exclaimed over and over, "What a huge fish! This is way too big! Holy shit... it’s huge."

Shen Kuan wasn’t as loud, but his eyes were shining brightly as he rubbed his hands together and touched the fish.

’Good heavens, is this a dream? A fish this big actually exists!’

Cat Boss circled the great fish several times, then looked at Yun Jiao with a completely different expression.

’To think this human cub could capture such a massive piece of prey!’

"Yun Jiao, you..."

Yun Linhai was about to scold her, but then he met her innocent eyes, her innocent face, and her small, pursed lips that held a hint of defiance and displeasure.

The words caught in Yun Linhai’s throat.

"Dad, I was wrong."

She was quick to admit her mistake, but her expression said otherwise.

’Yun Linhai knew. She would do it again.’