Gourmet Hunter - Chapter 112 (Patreon)

Chapter 112: Facing Difficulties Head-On

There are many ways to board a ship, but the captain of the Goddess only ever pays attention to one method: competitive sailing.

Crossing dangerous waters relying on one's swimming ability is certainly brave but is also considered reckless.

Convincing others with one's wealth to obtain favorable conditions for oneself isn't exactly cheating; it's more about making good use of one's advantages.

Aside from a few individuals who find alternative paths, there are quite a few who choose competitive sailing.

In the eyes of the old captain, it's the competitive sailing in the reef zone that deserves his attention.

The undercurrents in the reef zone are peculiar, forming a large, constantly rotating spiral. Crossing the edge of this circular current can carry a ship into the shallows and out of the reef zone.

Within this current, the undercurrents are chaotic, filled with numerous reefs.

The residents of Mafando do not seek to understand the source of these currents; instead, they adapt to nature, finding ways to navigate through.

Observing the reef zone, the old captain sees about three hundred people entering the current. Wherever he looks, boats capsize, and their robust occupants are carried to the reefs, waiting for the current to return their wooden boats.

It was this vivid scenario that made Luo stand out, catching the captain's immediate attention.

Is it the stark difference between a speck of rice and the brilliance of the moon?

"The measures are adequate, but something's lacking. Is it because of that fat one?" Holding his telescope, the captain focuses solely on Luo, ignoring the other competitors.

Unaware he has become the subject of observation, Luo concentrates on paddling, navigating through the reefs as if flowing with the waves.

It was only after starting the competitive sailing that he realized the inherent difficulty, as over three hundred boats were within the reef zone, requiring more cautious route selection to avoid interference from other vessels.

This was unlike his usual training. The overturned boats, when hitting the reefs, behaved like elastic tennis balls, ignoring the undercurrents and coming from any possible direction.

Made of special materials, these boats wouldn't easily break upon hitting the reefs but could cause trouble for others. This was a mixed blessing.

Even the most seasoned fishermen of the reef zone dared not claim they could pass through unscathed.

Thus, the most correct way to board was to pay a fee, transferring from two large ships in the harbor onto the Goddess, with the downside being the race against time.

"There are many ways to board, but my favorite is using competitive sailing to cross the reef zone," the captain muttered with a cold chuckle. "Because it's the dumbest method, but I just love those who face difficulties head-on."

This situation differed from the usual to-and-fro of the fishermen. With so many entering the reef zone together, it appeared chaotic and was more perilous.

All those in the reef zone were deemed fools by the old captain, but it was these fools he favored.

Luo didn't know he was considered one of the many fools by the captain. As he faced forward, breaking through the waves, a smile formed on his lips.

The occasional flying wooden boat didn't trouble Luo.

Those who initially set sail were mostly carried to the reefs, patiently waiting for their next chance, and they all noticed Luo's presence.

"How did that guy do it?"

"He seems to be able to control the wooden boat freely."

Many competitors watched Luo with amazement.

Some of those on the reefs still had the opportunity to try again, as they had held onto their paddles when capsizing. Those who let go of their paddles lost their chance completely.

Before long, nearly all the competitors entering the reef zone were wiped out, silently observing Luo as he navigated through the reefs.

They saw many boats flying chaotically, a truly peculiar sight. Several unlucky individuals occupied smaller reef areas and were actually hit by flying boats and knocked into the sea.

At that moment, the overturned three hundred-plus boats became an obstacle more troublesome than the undercurrents and reefs themselves.

The advantage of being first... was demonstrated here.

If Luo could be faster than anyone else, then he wouldn't have to face these more troublesome obstacles.

However, while Buhala clung to the side of the boat, afraid to make any rash moves, Luo always wore a smile.

He could easily clear all obstacles using his Nen abilities, but he chose not to.

This was a rare experience, and using Nen abilities would make it uninteresting.

He observed all the wooden boats, saw countless possible routes, and after considering the chaotically flying boats, he picked the most correct path, narrowly avoiding boats and reefs to approach the outer sea area.

On the Goddess, the old captain put down his telescope and suddenly laughed out loud, causing the crew to be taken aback.

"The captain actually laughed?"

"How long has it been since we've seen the captain laugh like this?"

"It must

have been a year, right? I remember the last big laugh was when we made a huge profit from 'the tide.'"

"I remember that, too. We almost capsized, but it turned out fine, and it was a rare big haul."

"That kid isn't bad at all."

The old captain ignored the whispers of those young rabbits, deeply looked at Luo about to break out of the reef zone, took out a bottle of liquor from his pocket, and started to gulp it down.

After downing most of the bottle, he turned and walked to the captain's quarters, shouting to the crew on the deck, "I'm going to take a nap, call me at twelve."

Hearing the captain's words, the crew responded in unison, each taking their positions at the edge of the deck, ready to assist the arriving competitors.

There were only three hundred spots available. Even those who arrived via the two large ships had to compete for a spot, always adhering to the first-come-first-served rule.

In the reef zone, under the incredulous gaze of a group of competitors, Luo, carrying Buhala, successfully broke out of the reef zone. Only then did Buhala's tense expression relax.

Approaching the Goddess, they, along with their boat, were brought onto the deck.

Once on the deck, Luo didn't pay attention to the other competitors. He wasn't idle, borrowing a fishing rod and bait from the crew and finding a spot to fish.

Buhala, seeing the fishing rod in Luo's hands, also tried to borrow one from the crew but was refused.

He came to Luo's side and muttered, "Luo, why are they willing to lend you a fishing rod but not me?"

Luo, looking at the float on the sea, smiled and said, "Maybe because I'm more handsome."

Buhala pondered for a moment, then suddenly realized, "So that's how it is."

"..."

Exactly three hundred people successfully boarded the ship.

Aside from Luo and Buhala, all other competitors who chose competitive sailing were wiped out.

The two large ships parked at the harbor took in over a thousand competitors, then docked several hundred meters beside the Goddess. The more astute competitors directly jumped into the sea and swam over, later being pulled onto the ship by the Goddess's crew.

Once the number of early arrivals reached three hundred, the Goddess raised its anchor and set sail into the ocean, leaving the remaining competitors disqualified.

The competitors who came to Mafando were roughly estimated to be over three thousand. Before the official Hunter Exam had even started, ninety percent were eliminated.

With more people on the Goddess, Luo didn't have a suitable place to practice his Nen. He spent his days fishing at the stern to pass the time.

According to the original story, the ship should encounter a storm, which was also part of the test, but several days passed with calm seas.

The ship continued its slow journey towards one of the six continents, the Peter Continent.

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