Chapter 26 Tigerfish
After cleaning the crocodile's internal organs yesterday, apart from the heart, kidneys, and liver being removed, the rest were mostly discarded.
Arriving at the place where the organs were discarded, only some bloodstains remained; the bloody pancreas and intestines were nowhere to be found.
Although somewhat disappointed, at least a night had passed.
The two families walked downstream along the river for several dozen meters. Qin Ziwen said to Deng Guang, "Wait for me a moment, I'll go back and get my fishing rod."
Deng Guang looked at the black bag Qin Ziwen was carrying and asked in surprise, "You didn't bring a fishing rod?"
"No, this is a fish trap." Qin Ziwen shook the bag.
Deng Guang's eyes widened, nervously looking around, and whispered, "You actually have such a treasure!"
Qin Ziwen smiled, "I just remembered."
Deng Guang quickly reminded him, "You'd better hide it well; if someone spots you, it'll be troublesome."
Then he sighed, "Brother Qin, you really trust me. Don't worry, I, Old Deng, will definitely not leak the news."
Then he instructed his wife and daughter not to tell them that Qin Ziwen had a fish trap.
Xiao Xuemei crossed her arms and glared at him, annoyed. "When have I ever given up on my word?"
Deng Wen nodded like a chick pecking at rice. She was, after all, a high school student of the new era, bombarded with online information.
She might not understand everything else, but she knew one thing: if the fish trap was with Qin Ziwen, and the two families had a good relationship, she might have a chance to get some fish. But if it was with someone else, she could only watch enviously.
"Brother Deng, do you know how to set fish traps?"
Deng Guang patted his chest. "Of course I do! Back in my rural hometown, things weren't so strict, and lots of people set fish traps. Now the policies are stricter, and they're not allowed in my hometown. I haven't seen these things in ages."
Deng Guang pointed out, "Fishing traps are different from fishing. Unlike fishing where you catch fish immediately, you have to wait a while before you get a catch."
As soon as he finished speaking, the four people around him looked at him strangely.
Deng Guang blushed. "I can't catch any fish because I'm unlucky."
Xiao Xuemei sneered, "Heh, at least you didn't say there weren't enough fish."
Deng Wen chuckled.
This undeveloped, primeval forest river might have few other things, but it certainly wouldn't be lacking in fish.
Deng Guang smugly hummed, "Fishing might not be my greatest strength, but I'm an absolute professional at setting traps. Location is crucial. If it's a stream, you have to put it near aquatic plants or piles of rocks; if it's a river, you have to put it in a calm, grassy bend, with the opening facing the current.
Put some snails or frog meat inside, and discarded pig offal is also great. I guarantee a full catch the next day."
Qin Ziwen gave a thumbs up, "Brother Deng is brilliant!"
Deng Wen giggled and quickly chimed in, "Brother Qin is awesome!"
But after these words, Deng Guang and his wife both looked at Deng Wen with puzzled expressions.
Deng Wen was embarrassed and angry: "That's the joke! You old folks just don't understand!"
Xiao Xuemei sneered, "Yes, yes, Mom doesn't understand."
Deng Guang sighed, shook his head, and said nothing.
Deng Wen pouted, her eyes darting around, then her gaze fell on Qin Ziwu's back.
The group walked to the southeast corner of the residential area, which was closer to the east gate.
"Xiao Wu, go home and get my fishing rod. It's on the living room table."
"Okay!" Qin Ziwu jogged towards the east gate.
Compared to the bustling south gate, the east gate was much quieter.
Since traversing the residential area, Qin Ziwu had explored the north, south, and even west sides, but he had visited the east gate, the furthest from his home, the least.
Occasionally, he could see neighbors carrying bags, heading deeper into the forest.
A moment later, Qin Ziwu ran back with his fishing rod.
"Come on, I still have some earthworms I dug up last time in my box."
Deng Guang waved his hand, and the two observed downstream for a long time before finally finding a small backwater.
This type of terrain easily attracts fish.
The backwater was rich in aquatic plants, and the surrounding terrain was gentle, so they not only had to be careful of crocodiles but also of snakes that might be lurking inside.
The two of them stood four or five meters away from the water's edge and adjusted their fishing lines to be longer.
The other three squatted nearby, helping to observe the surrounding environment.
A cool breeze blew, and the large tree behind them blocked out the sunlight.
Qin Ziwen said, "Fishing is still relatively stable now, but there will definitely be more and more homemade fishing rods later, and maybe even some talented people will make fishing nets. Then the advantage of fishing won't be as great."
Deng Guang was silent for a moment, unwilling to think about things further ahead: "Whatever, let's fish as long as we can. As long as I'm here, I can make sure that the mother and daughter don't go hungry."
Qin Ziwen pulled the fishing rod. "Hooked!"
Splash—
the water splashed.
A small, silvery-white fish was hooked.
The water broke open, and a larger figure bit the small fish in one bite. "Whoosh!"
The tip of the fishing rod bent into an arc.
"Holy crap, what's that?!"
Looking at the huge, nearly meter-long black shadow beneath the water, Qin Ziwen gripped the rod tightly.
Deng Guang shouted, "Let go! Or the rod will break!"
Before he finished speaking, *snap!*
The fishing line snapped, and the rod shot high into the air.
Qin Ziwen fell on his backside.
Luckily, there were no rocks behind him.
Clutching the rod, Qin Ziwen stared at the empty broken line, heartbroken. He suddenly understood the feeling of a seasoned angler losing a big fish. "Did you see that? That was definitely a meter-long fish!"
Deng Guang was also disappointed. "I saw it. That thing was fierce; it even ate other fish."
Before he finished speaking, Deng Guang's grip on the rod tightened. He quickly lifted the rod.
"Whoosh!"
The water broke open, and a large fish surfaced, shaking wildly.
It looked remarkably similar to the large fish from before.
Deng Guang froze, instinctively tightening his grip on the rod.
Qin Ziwen said, "Let go quickly, or the fishing rod will break."
Deng Guang's eyes shifted, but he finally gripped the rod tightly, gritting his teeth as he said, "My line is thick, I want to try."
If such a big fish got away, he'd wake up in the middle of the night and slap himself!
And such a big fish was food!
A tremendous force came from the water, and Deng Guang stumbled, almost falling into the river.
Qin Ziwen quickly grabbed his lower back and pulled him back.
Deng Guang had been fishing for many years, often watching videos of various fishing masters online, and had learned a lot about how to catch big fish. "You can't use brute force, you have to play it."
First, he sharply pulled the rod tip to make the hook lock tighter, then he laid the rod flat, letting the reel spin rapidly.
Splash—
the big fish tried to escape.
Deng Guang held on tightly to the rod, letting it make its first sprint.
After the initial surge of power subsided, he lifted the fishing rod, raising the tip to use its elasticity to counteract the impact.
In the river, the large fish darted left and right intermittently.
Deng Guang's mind raced; facing such a coveted catch, he felt his intelligence was approaching Einstein's. He
released the line when the fish darted, and slowly reeled it in when it stopped.
Sweat beaded on his forehead from the tension.
Fighting such a large fish was incredibly exhausting; after a while, Deng Guang felt his back, legs, and arms aching.
Qin Ziwen volunteered, "Let me help you."
Deng Guang hesitated for a moment, then handed him the fishing rod.
"Okay, just do it like before, don't pull too hard, just wear it down."
Although the rod was given to Qin Ziwen, Deng Guang kept his eyes fixed on the water, ready to take over at any moment.
Half an hour passed.
Under the surface, the fish's movements became increasingly subdued.
"You can reel it in now," Deng Guang said.
Qin Ziwen reeled in the line, and as it did, a large, bronze-colored fish, belly up, was pulled back by the line.
Deng Guang wanted to take the rod, but remembering how much Qin Ziwen had helped him reel it in, and how excited Qin Ziwen seemed,
he hesitated.
Qin Ziwen noticed Deng Guang's gaze and said with a smile, "Don't worry, Brother Deng, the fish is yours. I've never caught a fish this big before."
As he spoke, the line was already almost to the bank. Seemingly sensing something was wrong, the large fish on the hook suddenly surged with strength, flicked its tail, and tried to struggle back into the river.
"Bang!"
Qin Ziwen raised his stick and struck the fish hard.
The fish lost all its strength.
After the fish was pulled ashore, everyone realized that this fish was not only large, nearly a meter long, but also had a mouthful of sharp teeth.
(Image: African Tiger Fish)
(End of Chapter)