About six to seven hundred meters from Fishing Boat No. 44, a fishing boat over 20 meters long was unusually busy, with frogmen in diving suits holding underwater scooters surfacing from time to time.
When diving, they also attached a bag of fish, with the target naturally being Fishing Boat No. 44 a few hundred meters away.
At the bottom of Fishing Boat No. 44, a frogman was baiting a fish hook. It was no wonder Li Dazhi and the others were so confident; they were using such dirty means to control the championship outcome.
On the large fishing boat, a middle-aged foreign man swirled the expensive red wine in his high glass, a joyful smile on his face, "This money is so easy to earn, hahaha!"
This person was Jesse, the leader arranged by George and his associates to be in charge of this cheating incident. What made him happy was not the 1 million US dollars for this task, but the threefold return from No. 44.
"Hmph, 1 million dollars to dispatch our team? Since there's an opportunity, why miss it? After this job, I can enjoy life, hahaha!"
Jesse did not tell the other members of the team what this mission was about. He secretly had his wife, who was far away in America, sell their house to raise funds, and even took out a significant loan to heavily bet on this competition. As for his other teammates? Who would make money for him after they became rich?
"Boss, the fish on the boat have all been transported."
"Oh, that fast? Then you guys rest for a while. Everyone will get an extra 2000 after this mission is completed."
"Yay, long live the boss!"
Their expressions made Jesse very satisfied. After dismissing them to rest, Jesse fell into deep thought again. Although the fish transported had outperformed all the participating contestants, he still felt a trace of unease in his heart. This was a matter of his life and fortune, so he had to be cautious.
After thinking for a while, he took out a satellite encrypted phone and dialed, "President George, the mission is complete. Should we continue to send some fish over? That would be much more stable."
George on the other end of the phone was a bit impatient. Could a minor figure dictate his actions? However, he still had to show some respect, after all, they were here to help him, and they would be needed again next year.
"Oh, Jesse, finished so quickly? Good, good. How about this, I'll arrange to send some more over. Once this batch is done, it will be fine."
While Jesse and his team were busy cheating, Li Haochen on the other side was suffering terribly.
After more than an hour, the fierce creature below showed no signs of fatigue, but instead became more ferocious.
The intense struggle caused Li Haochen's arms to go soft, not to mention his back pressed against the side of the cabin. Li Haochen could feel a stinging sensation from his back, likely chafed raw.
But he had no way to tend to it unless he gave up on the fish. Clearly, Li Haochen did not want to give up, otherwise, he would not have persevered for over an hour.
Besides the stakes, a significant part of the reason was that he wanted to challenge himself. Li Haochen believed that the fish below definitely exceeded 700 pounds. Such a powerful existence was rare to encounter even globally. Even if it was a shark, it wouldn't matter; this experience was something that could not be sought.
At this moment, Li Haochen's veins were bulging, and large beads of sweat were constantly dripping down. The wound on his back was also stained with sweat. The high concentration of saltwater directly stimulated the nerve fiber endings, causing the pain to travel through afferent nerves to the central nervous system, which was truly excruciating.
While he was gritting his teeth and persisting, a hint of fish-belly white appeared on the distant horizon.
It turned out that nearly three hours had passed.
Not long after, a trace of warmth fell on Li Haochen's body, slightly dispelling the chill brought by the early morning air.
The bright sun rose, casting a shimmering reflection on the sea. The beauty of the sunrise could not stir any thought in Li Haochen to admire it.
At this moment, a colossal figure broke through the air. From a distance, it looked as if it was about to pierce the sun. Then, it made a beautiful diagonal entry into the water and continued to move at high speed underwater.
Li Haochen could hardly imagine; it was this creature. No wonder it was so fierce. Considering its explosive power and speed, it was not something a marlin or a shark possessed.
Due to the great distance, Li Haochen could not accurately determine the species, but he was certain that it was a giant sailfish.
There are many types of sailfish, including the Istiophorus genus, the Makaira genus, and the Tetrapturus genus. But regardless of the family or genus, they all have that iconic sword-like bill and their monstrous swimming speed, with an average speed of over a hundred kilometers per hour being considered monstrous.
This creature is naturally ferocious and huge. Every year, anglers and fishermen are attacked by it, resulting in skin abrasions and profuse bleeding in minor cases, and disability or severe injuries in more serious ones. There are even instances where they have been pierced by its bill and lost their lives.
Sailfish have no sense of chivalry. Even when peacefully on a boat, they might leap out to attack. With speeds of over a hundred kilometers per hour, combined with their extremely penetrating sword-like jaws, it's no joke. Humans are like tofu in front of them.
According to records, a fully laden oil tanker once sailing in the Atlantic was attacked by a sailfish. The thick steel plate was pierced through, leaving a large hole. Although the quality of steel plates at that time was not as strong, it was still steel, which shows how dangerous this creature is.
The incredibly ferocious sailfish strike fear into people's hearts. Many anglers or fishermen who encounter one will usually cut the line to ensure their safety, as risking their lives for a fish is not worth it.
If you try to fight it, especially a large one that exceeds your capabilities, you often pay with blood.
News reports have been numerous. The most unforgettable one was about a foreign fisherman who was pierced through by a sailfish. The long sword-like bill went straight through his abdomen. Fortunately, that sailfish was not very large, and it entered from the side. If it had entered from the center, he would have gone to meet his God long ago.
Based on the strength of this fish, it must be over 4 meters long, which is quite terrifying. One careless mistake could be fatal.
After seeing that figure, Li Haochen began to have second thoughts about retreating, but he was still unwilling to give up, especially after struggling with it for three to four hours. To retreat now would seem cowardly and might even leave a mental scar, causing him to be defeated before the fight if he encountered such a large fish again.
For a moment, Li Haochen was in a dilemma.
Looking at the taut fishing line, which emitted a faint cold glint under the sunlight, Li Haochen seemed to have found his answer, which was...
"Do it!"
Li Haochen glared at the super-super sailfish in the distance, gritted his teeth, and shouted a single word, then engaged in a new round of competition with it.
This contest was destined to be a long one...