The art of spearfishing isn't as straightforward as it seems. Due to the refraction angle in water, what the eyes perceive might not be the precise location.
Inexperienced individuals often struggle to grasp the essentials initially and end up empty-handed.
Tang Xuhai wanted Fu Shiwu to experience losses firsthand before guiding him through the technique.
Turning to release the fish, Tang Xuhai left Fu Shiwu standing by the water's edge.
Tang Xuhai successively caught two large fish, boosting Fu Shiwu's spirits. Mimicking Tang Xuhai's posture—half-bent with held breath—Fu Shiwu waited quietly for a catch.
Previously, the fish in Mirror Lake had been mostly depleted by nearby residents. After the establishment of the scenic area, most fish were introduced by the resort's residents. Over the years, they flourished.
Moreover, with the opening of the celestial dome, source particles pervaded the air and water. Through natural selection, the fish grew smarter and stronger, surviving the predation of larger fish.
Fu Shiwu didn't aim solely for larger fish. When a half-pound small fish swam by, he mimicked Tang Xuhai's movements and speared it.
Fu Shiwu approached learning anything with earnestness. Hence, Tang Xuhai was oblivious to how Fu Shiwu precisely mimicked his fishing action using his perception.
Tang Xuhai hadn't noticed the angle of the spear when he was fishing earlier, only Fu Shiwu's accurate perception directed the spear, unaffected by the refraction issues.
With a bandage on his right hand, held higher above the water, Fu Shiwu's left hand gripped the lower end of the spear. His precise strike impaled the small fish.
"I got it!" Fu Shiwu happily raised the spear toward Tang Xuhai.
"So fast?!" Tang Xuhai, surprised, waded over and indeed.
Fu Shiwu hadn't just caught an ordinary grass carp; it was a better-quality blackfish.
"How did you manage that?" Tang Xuhai's tone carried disbelief.
Innocently, Fu Shiwu blinked. "I just followed your moves and got it in one go."
"Followed my moves?" Tang Xuhai repeated. "Did you aim underwater or on the surface?"
"I aimed directly at the fish," Fu Shiwu stated.
"Meaning, you didn't aim above or below the water?" Tang Xuhai discerned keenly.
"I aimed using my perception directly at the fish, not my eyes. What's wrong?" Fu Shiwu was puzzled.
With his increasingly frequent use of this ability, Fu Shiwu found it convenient. Hence, he used it almost instinctively to aim earlier.
"No..." Tong Xuhai was speechless, unable to say Fu Shiwu had inadvertently shown off this ability.
With Fu Shiwu mastering spearfishing, he enjoyed the thrill just like Miao Jia and the others.
Seeing Fu Shiwu's increasing catches, Tang Xuhai reluctantly put away his spear.
"His success isn't due to my superior spear skills," Tang Xuhai thought, disheartened.
"Xuhai! Look!" Fu Shiwu's gaze fixed on the lake's center, a dark shadow swiftly moving underwater.
"Is that a fish?" Tang Xuhai uncertainly remarked.
The massive shadow exceeded a meter in size.
"Freshwater fish growing this large, it's my first time seeing one," Fu Shiwu marveled.
"Shouldn't we catch it?" Tang Xuhai suggested.
"What if, like that giant bull, it's another anomaly?" Fu Shiwu cautioned.
This dissuaded Tang Xuhai, yet fate sometimes surprises. It's not that humans climb mountains; sometimes, mountains come to them.
Perhaps the lively scene attracted this colossal fish. It stealthily approached, betrayed by its massive body in shallow water.
Tang Xuhai's expression shifted. An exceptionally large spear surfaced in his hand, sensing the challenge, the fish swished its tail vigorously.
"Whoosh—" Like a giant wave crashing, Tang Xuhai's previously dry chest and head became drenched.
Tang Xuhai wiped the water off, but the colossal black figure continued circling, creating wave after wave.
Was this provocation? Definitely provocation!
Enough is enough!
Tang Xuhai grew furious; how dare a fish parade atop his head!
He turned to Fu Shiwu, questioning, "Are you sure this isn't an anomalous fish?"
Suppressing a laugh, Fu Shiwu replied, "No, it's not. It's probably just a mutated one."
"Hmm," Tang Xuhai sneered, grasping his spear, "Tonight, we feast on this fish!"
Approaching the lake's center, Tang Xuhai noticed the fish didn't retreat, seemingly unafraid due to its size.
Fearing for his friend, Fu Shiwu hurried into the center to assist.
The commotion caught the attention of onlookers at the shore, drawing a growing crowd.
"Firehead! Such a massive firehead fish!"
"This fish must be at least a meter or two long!"
"My, oh my, how many pounds would that be?!"
"At least a hundred pounds, surely?"
Ignoring the chatter, Tang Xuhai aimed to subdue the bold fish.
Fu Shiwu felt peculiar; why did misfortune seem to follow Tang Xuhai? First corn, now fish—one after the other, bullying him.
Fu Shiwu had taken swimming lessons as a child, annually swimming in pools during summers. Effortlessly gliding in water, he reached Tang Xuhai's side.
"Why are you here?" Tang Xuhai puzzled. "Your injured hand is wet!"
"It's fine," Fu Shiwu replied, lips sealed. "My wounds heal fast now. They've almost closed up."
"No, you can't let them get wet," Tang Xuhai fretted.
"I'll help you," Fu Shiwu asserted seriously. "I can't stand seeing you bullied."
Tang Xuhai felt a pang at this statement, a sudden mix of emotions.
Growing up, his mother, preoccupied with work, provided a luxurious life and hefty pocket money but never cared about his social life. She turned a blind eye to his truancy and fights.
A skilled fighter, he attracted bullies, sometimes returning home injured, always tending to his wounds alone.
Even in the military, he bonded with comrades but was always the one bullying.
He'd never had someone say they couldn't ignore him being bullied.
Tang Xuhai twitched his mouth, unsure whether to laugh, be angry, or cry.
"With your physique, I understand," Tang Xuhai conceded.
"Don't underestimate me," Fu Shiwu retorted.
Gripping the spear, he dove into the water.
Fearing for his safety, Tang Xuhai quickly followed suit.
Both had good lung capacity, swiftly reaching the massive fish underwater.
Underwater, they saw a large, round, scaly, and spiky black fish.
Fu Shiwu's knowledge of this fish was limited to it being carnivorous and having delicious meat. Its predatory nature made it formidable underwater opponents for them.
With a sudden sw
ish, the black fish darted towards them like an arrow.
Yet, Fu Shiwu and Tang Xuhai weren't ordinary; while a mutation posed a threat, this one didn't seem to have the upper hand against two seasoned combatants.
Grinning, Tang Xuhai's spear rapidly transformed into a densely spiked structure. The black fish, if it charged, would be gravely injured if not killed.
Suddenly changing direction, the black fish targeted Fu Shiwu. Agilely adjusting his spear's angle, Fu Shiwu aimed for the fish's gills.
Upon impact, the force sliced open the fish's left gill.
In agony, the fish thrashed violently, displaying its fierce nature.
With a mouth full of sharp teeth and half a gill exposed, it looked menacing.
Swimming towards Tang Xuhai, the fish attempted to strike him with its tail, a force capable of injuring internal organs.
However, it faced not an ordinary person but Tang Xuhai, a seasoned combatant now equipped with metallic abilities.
Confronted with this strike, Tang Xuhai stood firm, his metal transformed into a spike, meeting the fish head-on.
The fish's tail was impaled, causing Tang Xuhai to stagger backward.
Seizing the moment, Fu Shiwu plunged his spear into the fish's head.
The fish convulsed reflexively, and Tang Xuhai released his grip, letting the fish sink slowly to the lake bottom.
Releasing his hold, Fu Shiwu avoided being dragged down by the fish's weight.
By now, they had reached deeper waters, both holding their breaths.
A bubble escaped Fu Shiwu's lips; under the midday sun's reflection, his fair complexion looked striking.
Tang Xuhai paddled, his eyes fixed on him without blinking.
Fu Shiwu's glasses seemingly lost their underwater effect, revealing a handsome face with bright, lively eyes. His hair swayed with the water's rhythm, dressed in a green checkered shirt and black pants, his bare feet reflecting the sunlight in the water, creating a dreamlike scene resembling a European painting.
Confused by Tang Xuhai's immobility, Fu Shiwu gestured, recognizing Tang Xuhai's impressive lung capacity and swimming expertise.
Tang Xuhai, nudged by him, coughed up bubbles, scrambling to swim upward.
Seeing Tang Xuhai struggling, Fu Shiwu hurriedly swam to the surface as well.
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