Gourmet Hunter - Chapter 335 (Patreon)

Chapter 335: Fish Market

A day later, Luo arrived at the coastal town of Grey Harbor. Ging had given him three days, but Luo arrived two days early.

Like most coastal towns, Grey Harbor relied heavily on fishing as its primary economic source. It was also renowned for its bustling "Fish Market."

Every Sunday, fishing boats returned to the harbor, unloading a week's worth of catch at the nearby market.

Regular seafood was sold at fixed prices, while rare seafood was auctioned starting from zero, making Grey Harbor's "Fish Market" famous, as it only opened once a week.

The rare seafood, often considered precious, seemed to be a special favor from the sea god to the fishermen of Grey Harbor, as they always managed to catch something unique each week.

Due to the "Fish Market," Sundays saw a sudden influx of outsiders, all eager to purchase rare seafood.

Among these outsiders, more than half were representatives from renowned restaurants or hotels, while some were wealthy food enthusiasts sending their staff to try their luck.

Although the bidding was fair, the locals still viewed the outsiders as competitors for their food.

When Luo arrived at Grey Harbor that day, it coincided with the opening of the "Fish Market," so he decided to join the excitement.

The fish market was laid out like a large job fair, with neatly arranged, simple booths.

Unlike regular markets, the fish market covered a large area, with wide paths between the booths, seemingly designed to accommodate many people.

If it opened only once a week, it might seem wasteful to use such a large space only four times a month. However, the fish market justified its size, generating substantial revenue with each opening.

Walking into the fish market, the place was bustling with voices, mostly conversations between customers and vendors, along with some shouting. Thanks to the wide paths, even with the crowd, it never felt cramped.

Luo wore a worn-out straw hat, a short-sleeved shirt, shorts, and flip-flops, with a black cat with silver eyes perched on his shoulder, creating an odd appearance.

As he wandered through, he saw over a hundred types of seafood in a short time, making him wonder how many varieties were in the entire fish market.

"Shall we buy some fish for you to eat?" Luo asked as he walked.

The black cat raised its head and scoffed, "Just these pathetic things?"

"Pathetic things? Can you afford them?" Luo sneered.

The black cat's face stiffened, and it fell silent.

Although the fish market had a wide variety of seafood, it wasn't what Luo wanted. After wandering for a while, he headed straight to the central auction venue, where the main event was.

One of the fish market's famous features was its vast area, and the auction venue was equally spacious. Despite its size, it was always packed when the fish market opened.

Most people came to the fish market in Grey Harbor specifically for the rare, high-grade ingredients, hoping to find something they'd never seen before.

"So many people."

Luo squeezed into the venue, seeing the seats already filled and the rest standing, filling the entire space.

To enter the venue, one had to pay a thousand Jenny to get a numbered card, which could be refunded after the auction.

Luo's card number was 42666. He just had to raise the card to bid.

Since each rare seafood item was different, the fish market auction didn't provide a catalog like regular auctions. No one knew what the day's treasures were until they were presented.

With about twenty minutes left before the auction started, Luo began squeezing forward to get closer to the front. The black cat, seeing Luo's struggle, slipped back into its tattoo.

The auction stage had a large LCD screen and a sound system to ensure everyone in the venue could hear. Despite this, many people, like Luo, wanted to get to the front.

As Luo pushed through the crowd, he accidentally knocked over a little girl.

Luo was about to apologize when the girl quickly got up and angrily said, "Can't you see?"

Glaring at Luo, she pushed her way towards the auction stage before he could respond.

Luo adjusted his hat and smiled helplessly as he watched her disappear into the crowd.

The little girl seemed only about ten years old, with her numbered card tucked behind her, making it look like she was up for auction herself.

"Is this kid here for the excitement too?"

Luo shook his head, unaware that he himself was still a minor.

After much effort, Luo finally made it to the front, offending many people along the way. But seeing how young he was, they let it slide.

The auction stage was a large platform, over a meter high, with just a lectern on it, no auction hammer, only a microphone.

Above the stage was a screen, with speakers on either side. A middle-aged man with a mustache in a suit walked out from backstage, leisurely approached the lectern, and said, "Welcome, everyone."

After the customary opening remark, he got straight to the point.

"Today's auction features some very special seafood. As you know, the fish market not only sells to the highest bidder but also to the most skilled."

"Without further ado, let's present the first special auction item, the Sea Spine Fish!"

As the mustached man finished speaking, staff pushed out ten carts, each piled with ice, and on the ice were spherical creatures covered in four-foot-long spikes - the Sea Spine Fish.

"This week's luck was excellent, coinciding with the 'Sea Tide,' allowing us to catch ten Sea Spine Fish!"

"Yes, the Sea Spine Fish, one of the deep-sea delicacies. However, they are highly toxic. To eat them, you must remove the poison sacs, a task requiring great skill and precision. If the poison sacs are not removed successfully, the fish will become highly toxic in an instant."

"There are ten Sea Spine Fish here. According to the rule of skill over price, anyone who can successfully remove the poison sacs will receive half of the ten Sea Spine Fish. Otherwise, if you fail, you must buy the fish at the failure price."

The mustached man smiled politely as he surveyed the crowd, saying, "Please consider carefully before deciding to try."

"I'll do it!"

A clear, young girl's voice rang out from the crowd. Following the sound, a ten-year-old girl with pink hair squeezed out, jumping over the railing and walking up the stage like a little cat.

The audience was silent, not only because her actions were unexpected but also because the number card on her back made her look like an auction item.

"Does she understand the rules?"

Luo looked at the girl on stage in surprise.

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