The entire ocean is my fishing ground.

Chapter 81 Deadly Red Tide

Lin Jianguo squatted under the eaves, puffing on his pipe one cigarette after another.

"Xiao Chen, about this..."

"This time, things are different from before."

Lin Chen did not answer immediately. He walked to the center of the courtyard and looked at the white hair that had appeared at his father's temples, as well as his hands, which were covered with calluses and trembling with worry.

"Dad, do you believe me?"

Lin Jianguo suddenly looked up and saw his son's calm eyes, which held no panic, only a reassuring strength.

He banged his pipe hard on the sole of his shoe and stood up.

"I'll go cook."

……

Half an hour later, a worn-out motorcycle sped out of the Lin family's courtyard, ridden by Sun Heizi.

He had only been in Lin Chen's room for ten minutes when he came out, looking completely dejected.

"Brother Chen, do you really mean it that way?"

"Go ahead, go to the teahouse with the most people in town, and talk to them where there are lots of people."

Lin Chen handed him five hundred yuan.

"Cry harder, cry louder, and say that I, Lin Chen, am completely finished this time. The cooperative is about to fall apart, and you've even lost your wife's dowry."

Sun Heizi clutched the money, his expression more like he was about to cry, but he still nodded heavily, twisted the accelerator, and sped off.

The news quickly reached the provincial capital by evening.

Shao Kun was sitting in a private room at a private club, listening to his subordinates' report.

"...Sun Heizi was beating his chest and stamping his feet in the teahouse, crying and snotting his eyes, saying that Lin Chen had really hit a brick wall this time. The move of buying out the fishing rights was like cutting off the fuel supply at the root, and the fishermen in the cooperative were in a panic. Some of them were already clamoring to withdraw their shares."

"Hahaha."

Shao Kun could no longer hold back and burst into a hearty laugh.

He suddenly stood up, opened an expensive bottle of champagne himself, and with a bang, the wine splashed everywhere.

"Okay. Sure."

He poured himself a full glass, drank it all in one gulp, and his face flushed red with excitement.

"A peasant is just a peasant. I thought he had some extraordinary abilities, but it turns out he's nothing special."

You sabotaged our logistics, you stole our high-end market, so what? I'll just take down your headquarters and see what you can do against me then.

A nouveau riche who made his fortune by relying on small-scale fishermen is nothing once those fishermen are gone.

"Pass the word down."

Shao Kun slammed his wine glass down on the table, his eyes gleaming with greed.

"Increase investment. Buy me the best fish fry and the most expensive feed, fill that fish farm to the brim. I not only want a monopoly, but I also want to raise the biggest and fattest fish."

He wanted to show everyone who the true master of this sea was. He wanted to build his own popular seafood empire on the ruins of Lin Chen's place.

Seeing the boss's manic behavior, the secretary cautiously offered a reminder.

"Mr. Shao, with this kind of investment, our cash flow..."

"What's there to be afraid of?"

Shao Kun waved his hand, interrupting him.

"Once the first batch of fish is caught, we'll recoup all our investment. At that point, Lin Chen's Dragon Spine Ocean Shipping will be a joke."

He could almost see countless boats laden with fish docking at the port, tons of seafood being shipped to all parts of the province, while Lin Chen could only slink out of the industry in disgrace.

Night completely enveloped Huangni Village.

Unlike the desolation during the day, the Lin family's backyard warehouse was brightly lit yet very quiet at this moment.

Lin Jianguo, Zhou Dazhuang, and several core captains of the cooperative were all gathered here.

Before them lay a huge nautical chart, weighed down by several stones, spread out on the ground.

Lin Chen pointed his finger to a distant spot on the nautical chart.

The place didn't even have a name, only latitude and longitude coordinates, and was surrounded by skull markers representing undercurrents and unknown risks.

"Where is this?"

Lin Jianguo frowned. He was an old fisherman who had spent his whole life at sea, but he had never been to such a far and dangerous place.

"A safe place."

Lin Chen withdrew his hand.

"From now on, everyone, split up and act."

"Dazhuang, you take men and work through the night to modify the Pioneer and Poseidon, reinforce the hulls, and check all deep-sea anti-wind and wave equipment."

"Uncle Wang, go and contact all the trustworthy ice factories. No matter how much it costs, buy all their ice stock, the more the better."

"Uncle Li, take inventory of all our refrigerated containers and dormancy solution to ensure everything is in perfect working order."

As orders were issued one by one, although everyone was confused, no one raised any objections because of their trust in Lin Chen, and they immediately accepted the orders and left.

Soon, only Lin Chen and his son Lin Jianguo remained in the warehouse.

Lin Jianguo walked to his son's side, looked at the lonely coordinates on the nautical chart, and finally couldn't help but ask.

"Xiao Chen, tell Dad the truth, what are we going there for? Shao Kunfeng is in the near sea, it's not impossible for us to go fishing in the open sea, but why this godforsaken place? This is not a fishing ground at all."

Lin Chen turned around, looked at his father's worried face, and remained silent for a moment.

He pointed to the ceiling above his head, and then to the ground beneath his feet.

"Dad, things are about to change."

He spoke those four words very softly.

Lin Jianguo felt a tightness in his chest upon hearing this.

Lin Chen gazed at the dark sea in the distance.

"Soon, not only Huangni Village, but the entire province, all the near-shore fishing grounds will become a dead zone. Not a single fish or shrimp will be left."

"At that time, seafood markets throughout the province will be cut off from supplies, and prices will rise to an unimaginable level."

"And we,"

Lin Chen paused.

"We'll stay in the only safe area beforehand, and return with a boatload of fish. Then, who's in charge?"

Lin Jianguo stared blankly at his son, unable to utter a single word.

This is not fishing.

This is gambling with fate.

No, it's more terrifying than gambling with your life.

It seems that his own son has already foreseen the final outcome.

……

Forty-seven hours later.

The Huangni Village Wharf was bustling with activity, and colorful flags were waving in the breeze.

The fish farm that Shao Kun bought out at a huge cost was officially listed as Shao's Fisheries today, and a grand press conference was held.

He stood confidently on the makeshift stage, dressed in a sharp, custom-made suit, with a dozen media outlets' cameras and microphones behind him.

"Distinguished guests, friends from the media."

Shao Kun held the microphone, his voice loud and clear.

"From today onwards, this sea area will usher in a brand new era. An era belonging to Shao's Fisheries. We will provide high-quality and affordable seafood products to the people of the entire province."

Below the stage, his trusted confidants erupted in thunderous applause and cheers.

The merchants who were bound to him by their interests also smiled and applauded enthusiastically.

He looked at the Huangni Village fishermen who dared not speak out against their anger, a contemptuous smile on his face.

That's exactly the effect he wanted—to ruthlessly humiliate Lin Chen in front of everyone.

At this moment, dozens of nautical miles away.

The two steel behemoths, the Pioneer and the Poseidon, had long since shut down all unnecessary electronic devices, sailing on the vast ocean solely with their compasses and the system map in Lin Chen's mind.

Lin Chen stood on the bridge of the Poseidon, watching the countdown on the system panel keep jumping.

[Countdown to Red Tide Arriving Near Coast: 00:05:00]

He raised his head and looked up at the distant sea.

There, where the sky meets the sea, the color is no longer blue.

A strange, dark red color is spreading silently yet irresistibly toward the coastline, carried by the ocean currents.

On the dock, Shao Kun's speech continued, his voice loud and clear.

"I hereby announce the official launch of Shaw Fisheries."

As soon as he finished speaking, dozens of brand-new trawlers on the sea behind him sounded their horns simultaneously, the sound shaking the sky.

However, no one noticed that the seawater closest to the shore had begun to become murky.

Several fish that were jumping on the surface of the water suddenly floated up, belly up, as if they were drunk.

The dark red ribbon of water, a symbol of death, was already close at hand.