Gourmet Hunter - Chapter 113 (Patreon)

Chapter 113: Hints

Those who have roamed the seas year-round are accustomed to solitude.

The days of sailing pass in monotony, and before you know it, five days have flown by.

The journey has been smooth sailing, with calm winds and tranquil seas.

Luo recalls the ship Gon boarded once encountered a storm, and the captain of that ship regarded the storm as a kind of test, making him wonder if the Goddess might deliberately seek out a storm.

However, the past few days have been peaceful, a needless worry in hindsight.

Spending his free time fishing, Luo would share his catch with the crew and Buhara, the glutton, turning it into a bonding experience. This vacation-like existence allowed Luo to relax completely.

Upon reflection, since arriving in the world of Hunters, he hadn't taken a moment to relax, always focused on getting stronger quickly to navigate this dangerous world, dedicating himself to rigorous training.

"Getting a bit lazy, huh..."

Laid-back, Luo lies on the deck, watching the seagulls play among the clouds, exuding a lazy aura.

Buhara, like a shadow, is always by Luo's side, doing whatever Luo does, though his larger size takes up more space.

Had Luo not already become familiar with the crew, they might have complained about the two taking up too much space with "obstructing the way" as their reason.

"Luo, not fishing anymore?"

After lying down for a short while, Buhara starts to crave fish again.

Luo lazily replies, "Aren't you full yet?"

Buhara pats his stomach, saying, "Not full."

Luo rolls his eyes, thinking if it weren't for his daily catches, the ship's regular rations might not suffice to fill Buhara's belly.

"Fish for yourself."

Luo refuses to indulge him further, now that he's become so dependent.

"Ah?" Buhara is somewhat despairing; it's not that he doesn't want to fish, but that he can't.

On deck, the crew performs their duties, while most examinees stay off the deck, finding their own corners to enjoy the sea breeze or view the ocean. Few are as carefree as Luo and Buhara, lying wherever they please.

Despite their different activities, the examinees occasionally glance at Luo.

They all witnessed Luo's capabilities when they boarded the ship.

Not understanding the complexity of competitive sailing, they nonetheless recognize Luo's exceptional skill, especially when compared to the overwhelming number of other competitors.

Besides the examinees, another person has been observing Luo—the old captain.

Among three hundred people on board, the captain only takes note of Luo, feeling he has a strong chance of passing the Hunter Exam.

With just over half a day left to reach their destination, the captain decides to approach Luo, intending to offer some advice.

Under the watchful eyes of the crew, the captain, bottle in hand, walks over to Luo.

Before he even gets close, the smell of alcohol wafts over.

Luo glances up to see the grey-haired captain approaching.

The captain, with a stern face, sits beside Luo, owning the ship and feeling no need for courtesy.

After taking a big gulp from the bottle, he turns to Luo, lying on the deck, and says gravely, "Kid, you're quite something."

Luo and Buhara quietly watch the captain before turning back to gaze at the sky, causing an awkward silence. The captain feels embarrassed as the crew, stealing glances, almost laugh out loud.

"Cough, cough."

Clearing his throat to cover his embarrassment, the captain continues, "You're Luo, right? Your sailing skills are impressive. How long have you been practicing?"

Sitting up, Luo finally acknowledges the captain and says uncertainly, "About ten days, I think?"

The captain's eyes widen in shock, the bottle paused at his lips.

Luo, not noticing the captain's reaction, turns to Buhara and asks, "How long did we spend in the reef area?"

"Nine days," Buhara responds earnestly.

"Oh, then it's been nine days," Luo nods.

"Cough, cough..."

The captain hastily sets down the bottle, nearly choking on his drink.

"You seem to cough a lot; could it be chronic bronchitis?" Luo asks, concerned. He remembers the captain's voice announcing to the examinees, coughing even then.

The captain's face darkens, and he quickly changes the subject, "You've only been sailing for nine days?"

Luo finds the question odd but nods.

"Just nine days to reach that level..."

The captain's eyelid twitches, and he instinctively reaches for the bottle again, trying to calm his unsettled heart.

Although Luo hasn't seen much of the captain since boarding, he knows the old man is the captain of the Goddess.

Curious, he asks, "Captain, is that sculpture at the bow

your dream lover?"

"Cough, cough."

The captain almost spits out his drink again, followed by another fit of coughing.

"Luo, I think the captain might really have chronic bronchitis," Buhara comments.

Luo gives him a look and asks, "Do you even know what chronic bronchitis is?"

Buhara honestly replies, "No."

"Right, my question was unnecessary," Luo says, thinking if it were related to eating, Buhara would surely know.

The captain, having recovered from his cough, glares at the two jesters before him, irritated, "Can we have a serious conversation now?"

Luo innocently responds, "You've been coughing non-stop."

The captain's face darkens further as he grudgingly compliments Luo's sailing skills.

"Fairly decent," Luo modestly replies.

"Want to know the exact location of the first test?" the captain cuts to the chase.

Luo's expression shifts slightly, a faint smile forming, "I'm more curious about whether that sculpture is really your dream lover."

"Once you reach Inner Fang Bay, look for a guy named Amarto," the captain, unable to continue the conversation, leaves abruptly after tossing this advice to Luo.

Luo, watching the captain's retreating back, calls out his thanks for the hint about visiting Amarto in Inner Fang Bay.

The examinees on deck, having overheard Luo's words, turn their attention towards him.

The captain, feeling the eyes of the examinees on him, stiffens and returns to his cabin with a strained expression.

Luo watches the captain go back inside, then lies down again, contemplating under the blue sky.

"The more, the better..."

A day later, the Goddess arrives at Inner Fang Bay, a fan-shaped bay lined with wooden houses along the water.

As he disembarks, the captain gives Luo his heartfelt blessing, "Kid, I hope not to see you here next year."

Luo turns back with a broad smile, "That's hard to say."

All the examinees quickly set off in search of Amarto.

At the doorstep of Amarto's residence, a man in his late twenties with thick eyebrows and a square nose stands at the doorway, musing, "Seems like there are quite a few examinees this year. This could be fun, hehe."

He adds somewhat narcissistically, "Just wonder how long it'll take them to find this place."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a commotion erupts behind him.

Turning towards the noise, he sees a large group rushing towards his location.

"That house is Amarto's residence!"

Hearing the voices within the crowd, the man is left utterly astonished.

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