The Fish I Catch Can Level Up-Chapter 18: Show Off Your Skills

"Sea worms are short. There's no way they grow to 20 centimeters," he thought.
He checked his
Aquatic Codex
and discovered that this creature was actually a sand worm, scientifically known as
Sipunculus nudus
, a completely different species from a sea worm (Peanut Worms, Sea Worms, or Sea Peanut worms). Sandworms require extremely specific growing conditions, so he was surprised to find them on this beach.
Dried sandworms could fetch prices of 500 to 1000 yuan per
jin
. In the past, some unscrupulous vendors would even sell sea worms as valuable sand worms, scamming many who didn't know the difference. The main reason was that sandworms resemble sea worms, looking like small intestines, but they typically reach lengths of 10 to 20 centimeters. Most are found in western Guangdong, but wild ones are rare now, unlike sea worms, which can still be dug up in large quantities.
To think he’d stumble upon such valuable sand worms here, Chu Mingcheng immediately abandoned the sea worms and started digging for their more lucrative cousins.
But after wasting a good deal of time and energy, he only managed to dig up three decent-sized peanut worms.
Forget it,
he thought
. I'll just stick to the sea worms. At least with those, every time I spot a small burrow and dig, I’m guaranteed a catch.
He kept at it for another hour and a half before his body started to protest. He took a swig of water, pounded a fist against his aching back, and activated
Life Conversion
once.
Instantly, his hot and tired body felt much more comfortable. However, the aching in his lower back wasn't completely gone, only mostly relieved, so he had to use
Life Conversion
one more time to fully recover. With that, he was back to a hundred percent.
His energy restored, so was his motivation.
His bucket was now fully covered at the bottom with sea worms, but he estimated it was just over a
jin
. His
Aquatic Codex
experience had increased to 8 points, and the sea worm's data panel had even leveled up to Level 4.
[Edible
Sipunculus
, also known as Sea Worm, Sand Worm, etc. (Level 4)]
[Current Experience: 11/50]
[Size +4%]
[Deliciousness +4%]
[Bite Chance +4%]
Translator Note:
Zoology here can be slightly tricky. General "sea peanut worms," as well as the more valuable "sand worms," in all respects belong to the phylum Sipuncula, a group of unsegmented marine worms. This classification shared between the two organisms explains why in our protagonist's Aquatic Codex, they are grouped under one long entry and granted experience together, only 8 points for catching both.
I decided to standardize the terms for clarity in translation.
The more valuable species, Sipunculus nudus, is called “sand worms.” The more common variety is called "sea peanut worms", “peanut worms,” or merely "sea worms," reflecting the fact that fishermen and locals in real life use casual terms and synonyms interchangeably.
Based on the experience points, he had caught 111 sea peanut worms in the last hour and a half, but his bucket held far fewer. He’d been grabbing them regardless of size, but after they registered for experience, he’d tossed the smaller ones back into the sea.
Many other countries actually had excellent regulations for this sort of thing—any undersized catch had to be released, with hefty fines for violators, ensuring the sustainability of marine resources. It was a shame that China didn't have similar rules yet, which had led to the near-extinction of many wild species, forcing a heavy reliance on aquaculture.
For now, he couldn't change what others did, so he focused on doing the right thing himself.
Chu Mingcheng continued digging along the waterline, using
Life Conversion
twice more before finally calling it quits at five o'clock. He’d spotted a dealer arriving to buy sea peanut worms, and seeing everyone else lining up to sell, he lost his motivation to dig any further.
[Edible
Sipunculus
, also known as Sea Worm, Sand Worm, etc. (Level 8)]
[Current Experience: 46/90]
[Size +8%]
[Deliciousness +8%]
[Bite Chance +8%]
Even though he'd reached level 8, Chu Mingcheng had only managed to dig up a little over three jin of worms all afternoon. For a beginner, that was a pretty decent haul. On a bad day, even a veteran might only manage that much. On a good day, an expert might dig up ten or so jin.
First, Chu Mingcheng went to the water's edge to rinse his boots and shovel. He set the three sandworms aside in a separate bag. Then, once most of the others had finished their transactions, he walked over to the dealer.
"What's your buying price here?"
The dealer glanced into his bucket and was surprised to see the uniform size of the worms. He didn't say anything, though, looking even more pleased. "Yours are all pretty big. How about 35 yuan per jin?"
Is he trying to rip me off because I'm a new face?
That price might have been fair in the summer when the market rate was around 45 to 50 yuan a jin. But it was October now, and prices had gone up. He’d specifically checked—they were selling for over 60 at the market, which meant the purchase price should be at least 45.
"You know what, I don't have that much. I think I'll just keep them," Chu Mingcheng said, turning to leave. He figured he wasn't going to be digging for these forever, so he might as well sell them himself. The owner of the noodle shop might take them. If not, he could always sell them slowly at the wet market or the pier.
"Hey, hey, hey, we can talk about the price!" the dealer called out. "How about 40 a jin? That's higher than I'm giving anyone else."
"No, no, that's okay. I think I'll just eat them myself," Chu Mingcheng said with a polite wave, refusing the offer. He picked up his bucket and tools and headed back.
He drove straight to the noodle shop. It was a bit later today, and business seemed to be booming—every seat was taken.
Carrying his bucket and a digital scale, Chu Mingcheng walked right into the back kitchen, surprising the husband-and-wife owners.
"Boss," he said, "are you buying sea peanut worms? I dug these myself this afternoon."
The owner handed the noodle-boiling duties to his wife and squatted down, running a hand through the worms in the bucket. He saw that every single one was plump and large. Finding a batch this uniform was tough at the market, where they were usually mixed with smaller ones for nearly the same price.
"How much are you selling them for?"
"I'm just digging for some pocket money while I have the time. If you want them, they're yours for 55 a jin."
Before the owner could reply, his wife spoke up. "Fifty-five is a bit steep. We'll take them all for fifty."
"I'm not selling for fifty," Chu Mingcheng stated firmly. "I'll be digging for the next few days. If you want them, I can bring them here again tomorrow. If not, I'll just head to the market or the pier. They're going for over 60 there. It'll just take a bit more of my time."
His current levels for all marines in his
Aquatic Codex
were too low, and he was eager to raise them. He didn't want to waste time haggling; otherwise, why would he let others take advantage of him?
"Alright," the owner cut in, making the final decision. He knew he was already getting a good deal. He usually bought his supply from fishmongers at the same price as the market, with no discount.
Those vendors had to make a profit too; they wouldn't just give him a lower price. At best, they might let him pick out the better-quality ones. "If you can bring this quality consistently, I'll take them for 55 a jin."
They weighed the catch on both of their scales, and both showed the same weight: 3.26 jin. That came out to 179.3 yuan.
He'd worked all afternoon and hadn't even made 200 yuan. It was less than what he made fishing for crucian carp, and far more exhausting. But Chu Mingcheng wasn't bothered. Leveling up his skill with sea peanut worms was fast. He might be earning less than he did from fishing now, but that could easily change in a few days.
Besides, he already had a plan: dig for sea peanut worms during the day and fish for crucian carp at night. He could do both.
"Boss, could you make me a bowl of 'Three Delicacies' noodles?"
Since he hadn't eaten dinner, he decided to just eat at the shop. He handed over 160 yuan for the worms, and the owner generously added some extra toppings to his noodles.
On the way home after dinner, Zhang Wei's call suddenly came through. He then realized,
no wonder something felt missing—it was this guy!
"Ah Cheng, you gotta come get me! I'm running on empty, not a single drop left!" Zhang Wei wailed dramatically. If you don't come get me, you'll be talking to my grave next year!"
"It's not that serious," Chu Mingcheng laughed. "If things are that desperate, you can always show off some of your other 'skills.' I'm already home, so I'm not coming out."
He hung up before Zhang Wei could protest further. He was in no mood to go pick him up.
Back at his house, he went to the front yard to check on the stray tabby cat. He found it resting in a corner under the eaves. Near the well were the grisly remains of a rat—just two severed feet and a small, round, pink… thing.
Could that be the mouse's family jewels?
He wondered with a grimace.
Looks like the cat already had its dinner. He decided to leave it be.
The tabby no longer ran away when it saw him, but Chu Mingcheng didn't try to approach or touch it. It was still a wildcat, after all. Better to keep building trust slowly.