Gourmet Hunter - Chapter 108 (Patreon)

Chapter 108: Mafando

The annual Hunter Examination is just around the corner, drawing applicants from all over the world in droves.

Mafando Port is one of the embarkation points, and by mid-December, many applicants have already arrived in Mafando, resulting in fully booked lodgings.

Luo and Sanbica arrived early, and due to the full occupancy of hotels, they could only find a homestay to rent. They were quite fortunate to find one amidst the limited options.

The owner of the homestay, an old grandmother who made her living by knitting nets, seemed to think highly of Luo and Sanbica's youth, easily welcoming them to stay without demanding much in the way of payment.

Mafando is famed for its "sea fishing". Apart from a port that only allows two sea vessels to enter, the nearby coastal areas are filled with reefs, making it difficult for ships to cross and dock.

With few suitable locations along the coast to construct ports, Mafando has only ever had one. This usually would severely limit the development of fisheries, but Mafando’s fisheries are thriving.

Unlike other coastal cities like La Xiang City that do not rely on the sea, Mafando, despite its geographical disadvantages, is renowned for its seafood, thanks to a technique called "jìng chuán".

Close to the shore, the sea is littered with numerous reefs, which are the main obstacles to docking. However, these reefs are not impenetrable; there are countless routes through, as there are many gaps between the reefs.

The skill of jìng chuán involves navigating smaller boats through the treacherous reef-filled waters in a drifting manner, a skill commonly mastered by local fishermen.

This skill tests one’s familiarity and mastery of the undercurrents, requiring timely route adjustments to find a correct path through the reefs.

When Luo first witnessed jìng chuán, he was immediately captivated. Before boarding a ship, he left Sanbica behind and borrowed a small boat from a local fisherman, plunging headfirst into it.

The local fishermen were surprised that a foreign traveler wanted to try jìng chuán and readily lent Luo a boat.

After all, compared to jìng chuán, foreign travelers preferred fishing for "drifting shells" in the reef area, so there weren’t many outsiders interested in jìng chuán.

Luo thought jìng chuán would be as simple as drifting, but after trying it himself, he realized the two were incomparable. Compared to jìng chuán, drifting was far easier.

He repeatedly failed, capsizing his boat numerous times in the reef area, becoming a distinct sight.

Before long, his valiant efforts became well known among the local fishermen, and he gradually became more familiar with them.

Under the enthusiastic guidance of the fishermen, he slowly picked up the technique, managing a few barely successful attempts without always capsizing so disastrously.

Compared to Luo's unique presence, the common sight in the Mafando reef area was of hundreds of people standing on the reefs with long poles and nets.

The undercurrents in the reef area are peculiar and without a specific pattern. They flow from the open sea, pass through the reef area towards the shore, and then circle back out before reaching the land.

Therefore, the fishing boats of Mafando fishermen are always moored at the entrance to the reef area.

This unique undercurrent brings a unique marine product to the reef area - the drifting shell, sought after not just for the shell but for the pearls within.

Drifting shells, named for their constant drifting throughout their lives, are carried by the currents into the Mafando reef area and then back out. During this process, fishermen stand on the reefs, capturing the drifting shells with nets.

However, catching drifting shells is no easy task; one misstep could mean being overwhelmed by the undercurrents and swept into the water, a potentially disastrous outcome.

Luo, with his aura for protection, was unbothered by collisions with the reefs. Ordinary people, however, could drown or even be killed by hitting the reefs. It’s worth mentioning that the small boats used in Mafando seem to be made of a very special, highly durable material.

Thus, catching drifting shells requires not only quick reflexes but also considerable strength.

Although drifting shells are valuable, local fishermen do not venture into the reef area to catch them.

The reef is mostly occupied by outsiders, drawn by the value of the drifting shells.

Among hundreds of people, a chubby teenager about thirteen or fourteen years old stood out because he had gathered twenty or thirty drifting shells at his feet.

The people around him cast envious and jealous glances, with some not even interested in catching drifting shells, focusing instead on the chubby boy.

He seemed to catch a significant number of drifting shells every time, no matter where he was, mastering a skill that could ensure a lifetime of ease.

An adult drifting shell

’s value ranges from 50,000 to 300,000 Jie Ni, primarily determined by its condition. The high value isn't due to the deliciousness of the shell meat but rather the gambling associated with the shells - "shell gambling".

Drifting shells produce pearls of various colors, with at least one pearl in every shell. Those who buy drifting shells do so to participate in shell gambling.

To date, someone has found as many as eleven high-grade rare pearls, becoming a millionaire overnight.

Even if only two or three pearls, or even just one, are found, if the pearl is of a rare color, it can be worth millions.

For the chubby boy, catching drifting shells was as sure as anything, with daily earnings of millions being no problem at all.

The people around him were envious of the chubby boy but also discontented.

Because the chubby boy wasn't there for the pearls or the money but to eat the meat of the drifting shells.

One day, after capsizing several times as usual, Luo decided to stop and prepare to return to shore to rest.

When the chubby boy saw Luo preparing to go ashore, his eyes lit up. He scooped up dozens of drifting shells and ran over the reefs to the beach, following Luo closely.

The people on the reef, seeing the chubby boy taking a bunch of drifting shells to find Luo, showed their jealousy again, this time towards Luo.

They knew the chubby boy caught the drifting shells to eat their meat. For some reason, he always gave the shells to Luo to handle, and the pearls inside were almost always given to Luo, as if, in his eyes, shell meat was far more valuable than the pearls.

"Luo, I'm going to trouble you again today," the chubby boy said with a simple smile.

Luo glanced at the chubby boy and said helplessly, "Buhara do you really need to catch so many shells every day? Couldn't you just sell the pearls for a lot of money?"

Buhara replied earnestly, "It's not the same."

"How is it not the same?" Luo asked as they walked.

"Catching them myself tastes better than buying," Buhara chuckled.

Luo rolled his eyes and said, "So, the meat you cut yourself tastes better, too?"

"No, no, only the meat you cut tastes the best!" Buhara said, lifting his net, very serious.

Luo made a pained expression and sighed, "Seriously, don't you ever get tired of eating this all the time?"

"Not at all!"

Buhara replied without hesitation.

Luo was left speechless.

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