Ch 161: Winter Fishing And Air Force
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So-called Winter Fishing is an activity that takes place during the deep winter’s ice-bound period, where holes are made in the solid ice of lakes or rivers to set nets and catch fish.
In the Northern Border Wilderness, Winter Fishing is one of the most important winter activities.
Before Rhode, for the people of Frost Leaf Town, it was the main source of fresh ingredients during the peak of winter.
This activity doesn’t require Rhode’s command.
The people of the Northern Border Wilderness are the most professional.
It’s worth mentioning that Frost Leaf Town’s population didn’t grow naturally; most came from slaves and captives, all young and strong men.
Almost all these people have participated in Winter Fishing and know how to do it.
The process is simple: choose a location, chisel the ice, set the nets, and haul in the fish.
In fact, Frost Leaf Town’s winter fishing activities have always existed, but they were small-scale operations in small bays.
Formal Winter Fishing requires a thick enough ice layer to support dozens of people working on it.
The first place to set the nets is on the wide ice surface of the dam.
The slaves used wooden shovels and brooms made of pine branches to clear the snow off the ice, then used chisels and drills to make holes in the ice.
This step is the most time-consuming and laborious.
The method of setting nets for Winter Fishing is “threading a needle”.
A wooden pole is tied to one end of the fishing net, then the pole is inserted into the water, and the net is pulled along under the ice.
This achieves “under-ice netting,” then the fish school is dragged onto the ice surface from the main net opening.
In this era without automatic equipment, the wooden pole naturally needs to be pulled forward by people.
This work is handled by experienced hands; they use a hooked forked branch to hook the wooden pole and move it forward with a back-and-forth motion.
Therefore, an ice hole needs to be chiseled every certain distance to pull the pole forward.
The poles usually used are six to seven meters long, so a hole must be made every six to seven meters.
For a horseshoe-shaped netting route, from the inlet to the outlet, seven or eight ice holes need to be excavated.
After the wooden pole passes through all the ice holes, it’s pulled out from the outlet and directly inserted into the outlet.
Once the net sinks to the bottom, a pocket net is completely set under the ice.
In groups of five or six, the slaves started from the dam and continued to set nets under the ice upstream along the river bend.
This is a very long process; the slaves were already busy before sunrise.
Rhode didn’t witness the slaves excavating the ice holes; he arrived at the riverbank only when the nets were being set.
“Thank you for your presence, it’s a waste of your time.”
Oto bowed respectfully.
Laurence only delivered the message; Oto was the leader of this agricultural activity.
Rhode’s prestige in town is now self-evident. His personal participation made the workers both excited and nervous, and Oto felt greatly honored.
“It’s fine, I just wanted to witness the Winter Fishing scene.”
Rhode said calmly.
He had always been curious about Winter Fishing; today, he fulfilled his wish.
“Your wisdom makes these things very simple for you.”
Oto complimented him with a smile.
It had a flattering implication, but it was mostly sincere.
Rhode smiled without speaking, watching the slaves work.
The net usually needs to be left underwater for a while; if the fish school is sparse, it may even need to stay overnight.
But the bay by the dam is so large that there are enough fish; the first net would be opened the same day.
Dozens of slaves with hammers ran to the ice around the fishing net and began to pound, driving the fish toward the net.
This process is rather long, but Oto was well-prepared and had prepared an ice fishing hole for Rhode.
Of course, it wasn’t just a fishing spot.
Fishing rods, bait, and other fishing gear were all prepared, and even an animal hide tent was prepared for Rhode.
Rhode only needed to sit down; the slave would put on the bait, and Rhode only needed to swing the fishing rod.
But even so, the experience wasn’t very good.
—Rhode had been sitting by the ice hole for more than half an hour, and there was nothing.
The bait had been changed several times: various wheat grains, dough, crushed internal organs, etc., none of them worked.
The feather float lay quietly on the water’s surface, like it was frozen to death, not even a quiver.
“……Is this the carefully selected fishing spot you chose for me?”
Rhode turned to look at Oto standing to the side.
Oto’s face was full of embarrassment; he quickly flattered, “Sir, please try again for a while; there are definitely fish here!”
“I’ll believe you for now.”
Rhode patiently changed the bait.
This time, he did it himself.
Rhode felt that with fishing, relying entirely on others for service seemed to take away the fun.
More importantly, their luck had all been used up.
With new bait, Rhode cast again.
And this time, the reed stalk with the feather finally reacted.
Rhode saw the fishing line tighten; the other end was unusually heavy; he quickly lifted the rod!
“It must be a big fish!”
Oto shouted happily from the side, but the moment the catch emerged from the water, his expression froze.
It was a large river clam.
Rhode shook his head helplessly.
If Millie were here, she definitely wouldn’t catch this trash.
Today isn’t suitable for fishing.
Rhode then threw the fishing rod to Oto.
“Lord, you…”
Oto was stunned, but saw Rhode wave his hand.
“All of you, step back; I’ll rest for a while.”
After catching a river clam for half a day, Rhode lost interest.
Of course, Rhode also had other things to deal with.
The four Exceptional Gems obtained from the Abyssal Wizard Tower; three were Spirit Gems, and only one was a Physical Strength Gem.
Added to the gems obtained from the pool, Rhode had obtained a total of seven Physical Strength Gems from the Abyssal Wizard Tower, all of which he had absorbed.
Altogether, Rhode’s Natural Lifespan had increased by one hundred years.
Rhode felt like he was becoming immortal.
But in reality, Rhode’s lifespan was nothing in front of Arcane beings.
The basic information provided by Linda stated that the Natural Lifespan of a Mid-Rank Wizard Apprentice could reach two hundred years.
Legend has it that official Wizards can live at least five hundred years; with various potions and Arcane goods, they can live for thousands of years.
Rhode still has a long way to go.
He hasn’t even crossed the threshold of a Mid-Rank Wizard Apprentice.
Rhode’s Exceptional Lord Stat progress currently reached 12%; Rhode had just begun absorbing the three Spirit Gems.
The stinging sensation was simply unpleasant; Rhode put them off until last, gradually absorbing them.
Taking advantage of the time, Rhode took one out to absorb slowly.
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“Lord Oto is ready; the net can be opened at any time.”
Love ran over to report.
Because of Us, Love also changed jobs, becoming Oto’s assistant and occasionally doing some foreman work.
“Wait a little longer.”
Oto said in a low voice.
He glanced at the tent, “Lord is still resting.”
The first net of Winter Fishing must begin under the Lord’s witness.
In the past, this was the Town Mayor’s exclusive right; now, it naturally belongs to Rhode, the Lord.
“Alright.”
Love was a little helpless, “Then I’ll have everyone continue to drive the fish.”
As soon as Love finished speaking, Rhode came out of the tent.
“No need to wait, begin.”
“Yes, Lord.”
Oto immediately responded respectfully and enthusiastically greeted,
“This way, please.”
Oto led the way, bringing Rhode to the ice hole exit.
Seeing Rhode arrive, the nearby slaves immediately bowed.
“Prepare to haul the net.”
With Oto’s command, the slaves quickly picked up their hammers and smashed the ice at the net’s exit.
The deep winter was brutally cold; the ice formed faster than expected.
“Wait a moment.”
Rhode suddenly spoke, his gaze sweeping across the crowd, and asked,
“How many jin of fish will be in this net?”
“That’s hard to say, Lord.”
Oto scratched the back of his head, answering somewhat embarrassedly, “It usually depends on luck; sometimes there might not be a single one;
at most, we’ve hauled in three hundred jin.
It mainly depends on the number of fish inside.”
“Three hundred jin in one net? That’s quite a lot.”
Rhode nodded, pondered for a moment, then the corners of his mouth slightly curled upward.
He raised his voice so that everyone around could hear him.
“Good, if this net has over two hundred jin of fish, I’ll treat everyone to drinks, and the person who chose the location will also receive thirty jin of grain as a reward.”
As soon as Rhode’s voice fell, a cheer erupted.
“Thank you, Lord!”
Everyone couldn’t help but shout with wide grins; the sound was chaotic.
Frost Leaf Town could satisfy their hunger, but alcohol was relatively scarce.
Especially for the slaves, they could only drink a couple of cups during festivals.
Watching everyone’s reaction, Rhode nodded in satisfaction.
Rewards create atmosphere for activities.
Of course, a little fun was still missing.
“But with rewards, there must be punishments.”
Rhode changed his tone, “If there’s not a single fish in this net, I’ll spank his bottom.”
“No problem!”
“Spank away!”
“Lord Oto is going to be unlucky…”
……
There was a burst of teasing; everyone’s gaze fell on Oto.
Rhode came to his senses, looking at Oto, “You chose the spot?”
“Yes, yes, Sir.” Oto replied somewhat embarrassedly.
“Then you’re done for; you’re going to get a beating.”
Rhode joked.
Oto chose such a fishless ice hole; with his luck, this net probably wouldn’t be good.
“No way.”
Oto kept waving his hands, “I saw fish under the ice, at least silver breams.”
“Then good luck.”
Rhode said calmly, “Haul the net.”
“Haul the net!”
Oto shouted, Love personally took the fishing net and slowly pulled it up.
This process cannot be rushed; otherwise, if there are big fish, they might escape.
One meter, two meters, three meters…
The cold lake water flowed out from the net holes, wetting Love’s gloves, but there was no sign of any fish.
“Oto, your bottom is going to bloom!”
Rhode commented calmly, causing another burst of laughter.
Oto’s cheeks flushed slightly, and sweat dripped from his forehead.
He wasn’t afraid of pain, but being spanked in public was humiliating.
Especially with his current status, it was extremely humiliating.
As soon as Rhode finished speaking, a white shadow appeared in the net.
“Got one! Got one!”
“It’s a big Amur catfish!”
Love, who was hauling the net, immediately held his breath and slowly pulled the net upward.
“I’ll grab it!”
Oto proactively bent down; when the fish was about to surface, he quickly reached out to grab it! However, the fish was even bigger than expected; Oto’s hand slipped, and the fish darted away!
“Don’t run!”
Oto exclaimed, leaning forward to hug the Amur catfish! He hugged the fish, but he also lost his balance and fell directly into the ice hole!
I’m dead!
Oto was terrified!
In this weather, if one falls into an ice hole and sinks, they will die! Whether you can swim or not, the cold will teach you a lesson!
Just as Oto felt despair and his face was about to touch the icy water, he suddenly felt a tremendous force from behind, forcefully pulling him up!
Oto looked up and saw that Lord Rhode was the one who pulled him.
“It’s freezing cold; if you want a bath, go home and take one.”
Rhode said calmly.
Love next to him quickly covered his mouth, afraid to laugh out loud.
Oto smiled awkwardly and quickly bowed,
“Thank you for saving me.”
Oto was still holding the Amur catfish.
Rhode shook his hand, looking at Oto,
“You should eat less.”
Less than 1.7 meters tall, he weighed over two hundred jin.
If Rhode hadn’t been strong enough, he wouldn’t have been able to pull him up.
“Yes, yes, I’ll diet tonight!”
Oto quickly echoed.
“Alright, put down the fish.” Rhode waved his hand.
Oto reacted, put down the fish, and said happily, “This fish is so big, Lord, it’s at least a meter long!”
“Good, it’s a lucky omen.”
Rhode also smiled at the big Amur catfish, “At least you don’t have to get a beating.”
Oto quickly echoed with a flattering smile, “You are still merciful; your requirements are quite low.”
“Continue hauling the net.”
With Rhode’s order, Love continued.
Perhaps it was the good luck brought by the Amur catfish; next, silver breams, white fish, and crucian carp came up one after another, more than a dozen in total.
However, there was still a long way to go before reaching two hundred jin.
“There are about twenty meters left, add oil, Love!”
Rhode patted him on the shoulder encouragingly.
“Yes, Lord, since you spoke, there must be more big guys behind.”
Love said easily.
Thanks to Us, he didn’t lack alcohol.
As he spoke, Love saw a shadow in front of the net and slowed his movements.
“Mandarin Fish, a big Mandarin Fish!”
Oto’s eyes lit up; he quickly stepped forward again to take down the Mandarin Fish and presented it with both hands to Rhode.
“Lord, it’s a rare Mandarin Fish!”
Oto shouted happily.
Mandarin Fish is delicious, especially those from cold water in winter; there is no earthy smell, and it is especially suitable for slicing and eating raw.
Even in the river bend, it is very rare and expensive.
“The first net of this year yields such a plump Mandarin Fish; Frost Leaf Town will definitely have a bountiful harvest and prosperity next year!”
Oto became more and more excited,
“Frost Leaf Town will definitely get better and better under your control, as brilliant as summer flowers, as dazzling as autumn wheat fields!”
Rhode looked at Oto in surprise; he didn’t expect this illiterate fellow to suddenly spout such a bunch of vocabulary.
It seems he memorized it beforehand.
But catching such a lively Mandarin Fish was something he couldn’t have predicted.
And Mandarin Fish does represent good luck in Winter Fishing.
“Please taste this first net’s Mandarin Fish!”
“Good.”
Rhode nodded, “Then I’ll try it.”
“Someone!”
With Oto’s command, the slaves behind had already brought up the prepared hot pot.
Oto personally sliced the fish into thin pieces and put them on a plate; the movements were skillful, obviously practiced many times.
Vivian stepped forward and picked up a piece of fish to blanch in the pot.
Under everyone’s gaze, she sprinkled some sauce and fed the first piece of fish to Rhode.
“The taste is indeed tender.”
Rhode praised with satisfaction.
In fact, the first bite of Mandarin Fish is usually eaten raw and sliced; it is even more delicious.
In this winter, there are not many parasites in cold-water fish, so it’s very clean.
According to the previous custom, the Town Mayor would directly eat it raw and sliced.
But now Rhode is in charge.
To be cautious, Rhode prefers this hot pot method.
After all, it’s Rhode’s territory, and Rhode decides how to eat.
Therefore, Oto had prepared a hot pot in advance.
“Such deliciousness should be shared by everyone. So I’ve decided that all the fish from this first net will be for everyone to enjoy today!”
Rhode announced loudly, “And regardless of whether this net has two hundred jin or not, I’ll treat everyone to drinks at the tavern tonight!”
“Thank you, Lord!”
“Long live the Lord!”
The shouts echoed across the lake; the high spirits made the deep winter less cold.
Rhode took Vivian’s chopsticks, picked up a piece, blanched it in the pot, and directly put it into Vivian’s mouth,
“It’s a pity your sister can’t taste it; you taste it for her.”
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“Achoo!”
In the Abyssal Wizard Tower, Avril beside the bookshelf sneezed twice.
“Sister, what’s wrong? Are you sick?”
Millie asked with concern.
“No.”
Avril shook her head slightly, “Maybe some dust.”
The temperature in the Wizard Tower is comfortable, far less cold than outside; it’s unlikely she’s sick.
She quickly recovered and continued to focus on searching for the texts she needed.
“Sister, what are you looking for?” Millie curiously asked.
“Rhode asked me to find out if there are any forging methods for Sea-patterned Grindstone Ore here.”
Avril answered without looking up, her fingers quickly sliding across the bookshelf.
As soon as she finished speaking, Millie pulled out a thick text from the lower bookshelf, carefully holding it up to Avril with both hands,
“This one?”
“Hm?”
Avril came to her senses, picked up the text, and carefully looked at the crooked writing:
《Deep Sea Ore Details》
Avril’s eyes lit up,
“It’s this one!”
Avril came to her senses and frowned slightly.
She softly said to Millie, “Millie, don’t use your abilities casually in the future; it’s harmful to you.”
“It’s okay, wolves are cute.”
Millie reached out and pinched it, “It’s very soft; I like to pinch it…”
Avril was slightly stunned and asked, “You’re not afraid anymore?”
“Mmm.”
Millie nodded, a smile on her face,
“Wolves are good friends.”
