The attention of everyone present was focused on boat number 44. No one paid any mind to Li Haochen, who was returning, except for Liu Qinghe.
Li Haochen's appearance finally allowed him to breathe a sigh of relief.
It was worth mentioning that Wang Run Kang and Zhao Liang, the two impostors who had come out with him, whether due to extreme luck or something else, had achieved not a bad result, scoring a little over 30,000.
Their nostrils were practically pointed to the sky, and the same applied to Wu Junjie, who had brought them along. He was currently reporting the good news to his family.
Boat number 44 had too many catches. The group leader responsible for the count had to request reinforcements from the overall supervisor.
Soon, two more teams of staff went over to assist. Upon boarding the boat, their expressions were identical to those of the previous team, to an indescribable degree of exaggeration.
Fortunately, several of the team leaders were experienced and had seen it all. They quickly regained their composure and systematically directed their subordinates in the counting work.
At the same time, all the benefactors of this charity fishing competition arrived on the stage at Fisherman's Wharf, a grand procession of the leading figures of Hong Kong and Macau's top families.
In previous years, only a representative would attend. It was unexpected that all the influential figures would attend in person this year, which caused the entire audience and tourists at Fisherman's Wharf to erupt in excitement.
On the stage, the dignitaries were seated according to their influence and status. The front row was naturally reserved for the Four Great Families, the Huo family, and the chief executives of the two islands.
Although the Huo family's assets did not match those of the Four Great Families, their status in Hong Kong was unique. This did not sit well with the Four Great Families, especially the Li family, the foremost among them, who had been trying to oust the Huo family from Hong Kong.
However, the Huo family was quite low-key. As the seating arrangement on the stage indicated, they only occupied the last seat. Unlike the knife-wielding Old Li, who was very cunning.
"It's rare for us to sit together. How long has it been since we last sat together?"
"It has been a long time. Blink and it's been over a decade. I wonder if there will be a next time!"
"As long as you can calm down and not wander around the world, it'll be fine. Look at Old Huo, he's the most carefree. I truly envy him..."
"Old Huo has a solid foundation, and his descendants are all provided for. We can't envy him. We're already nearing ninety, and we still have to work hard for our grandchildren. Alas!"
The presence of Li Ban Cheng and the other three had already greatly surprised Huo Ying. Their current conversation further furrowed his brow. This was a veiled remark, indicating they had something in mind. Otherwise, for just a charity competition, why would they personally attend?
While Huo Ying's mind was swirling with various connections, the entire square, with tens of thousands of people, erupted in screams. The scene was incredibly shocking.
The reason was none other than the completion of the count for boat number 44.
Looking at the leaderboard displayed on the large screen, the amount was terrifying, and the numbers were equally so: 444,440. The appearance of this line of numbers caused everyone in the audience to gasp and feel a chill. The score of 444,440 for boat number 44 felt eerie.
"Hahaha, hahaha, I, I won, I actually won! It was a mistake that paid off, 99 times..."
Amidst the crowd, the man who had originally bet on boat number 45 but mistakenly pressed 44 was now shouting like a madman. It was understandable; winning such a large prize would naturally make one excited. Although he had only bet 5,000 yuan, 99 times that amount was enough to make him ecstatic.
The happiest person was Li Da Zhi, seated in the back rows of the stage. With nearly 9 billion yuan in bets, their family could secure at least 4 billion yuan from this competition. He was a great contributor and could at least pocket a few hundred million yuan in pocket money. This made him feel like calling people immediately to plan a party for the evening.
However, he quickly extinguished the thought. His grandfather, Li Ban Cheng, was still present, so he couldn't act recklessly, or he might not get any pocket money at all.
"Beep~"
Just then, a deep and long foghorn blast startled everyone. Another boat was returning?
Li Da Zhi had a bad premonition. He checked the time and quickly urged the announcer, "The time is up, proceed to the next step."
"Da Zhi!" Li Ban Cheng narrowed his eyes and glared at Li Da Zhi, showing some displeasure. "Everyone, I apologize. My upbringing of him is not strict enough. I will bring him to you to apologize later."
"Old Li, don't be too strict with the young ones. Times have changed, you need to keep up with the times, hehe!"
"There are still 30 seconds left. The competition is not over, and this boat is valid."
Huo Ying looked at his timer and calmly said this before falling silent. He then looked at Li Haochen, who had just docked his boat, and had a special feeling. He murmured to himself, "I hope you can bring me a surprise!"
Li Haochen's last-minute return caused the previously lively scene to fall silent. Many people noticed that his fishing boat's waterline was also very low. This discovery filled the entire competition with suspense.
Unexpectedly, there was a last-minute change. The spectators who had not bet on boat number 44 were overjoyed. They loved this kind of situation.
Boat number 44, however, had a grim expression. He had also looked at Li Haochen's fishing boat; its waterline was indeed quite low, which also gave him a hint of worry.
With many influential figures on the stage, they couldn't be kept waiting too long. Therefore, all the counting staff rushed over to help.
At this moment, Li Haochen walked out, leaning on the side of the boat with a yawn. His entire state was not good; his face was unshaven, his hair was messy, his eyes were darker than a panda's, and he walked with a floaty gait, as if he would fall over with a gust of wind.
As the staff had just boarded, Li Haochen grabbed the cover of the giant marlin and his demeanor completely changed. With all his might, he pulled the cover upwards, and the entire cloth billowed in the wind. Coupled with his current appearance, it was very moving.
But!
When the marlin revealed its true form, the entire audience fell silent, including the distinguished guests on the stage.
"This must be cheating!"
At this moment, Li Da Zhi spoke out at an inopportune time. He couldn't help but say it, even if it meant risking his grandfather Li Ban Cheng's scolding. If he were to be overturned, he would have to pay 10 billion yuan!
Li Da Zhi's sudden outburst displeased the dignitaries present, but it indeed voiced their thoughts. The fish was simply too large; without any tools, no human could have managed it.
The audience in the square also began to question, and the trend grew. Some troublemakers even took the lead in shouting, "Kick out this mainland cheater..."
"Kick him out..."
Huo Ying stood up, his eagle eyes scanning the crowd. He picked up the microphone and shouted with full authority, "Silence! Anyone who causes trouble will not be spared my displeasure."
As soon as his words fell, the entire crowd became silent!