Ocean Fishing Master

ng Xiaolong could understand – he had yet to find his next job and was now essentially unemployed.
Although the café job didn’t pay much, it was still a job.
Being jobless and without a source of income in a strange city made him feel insecure.
Resigning so impulsively was a mistake.

Yang Xiaolong hung a squid bait on his hook and cast it out.
He then inserted the fishing rod into the crack of a rock.
He was enjoying himself, barefoot and with his pants legs rolled up, as he flipped over the rocks to find little crabs.

A little girl approached and nervously asked him, “Uncle, what are you doing?”

Yang Xiaolong smiled and replied, “I’m catching crabs.”

“Oh, can you give me one if you catch any?” the little girl asked.

“Sure thing, just call me brother,” Yang Xiaolong replied.

“In that case, I don’t want one,” the little girl said.

“… “

Just as Yang Xiaolong was coaxing the little girl to call him “brother”, suddenly he felt a sharp pain in his foot.
It was so painful that he gasped for breath.
He looked down and saw a yellow octopus covered with blue rings crawling towards the rocks.

“Oh… a blue-ringed octopus?”
Yang Xiaolong’s mind went blank.
Oh no, he had never eaten pork, but he had definitely seen pigs run.
He had seen this creature in “Man and Nature” before, one of the most poisonous creatures.

Translators Note: “never eaten pork, but have definitely seen pigs run”.
It’s an expression that implies that even though someone may lack experience in a certain area, they are still knowledgeable enough to recognize a common or basic situation.
In this case, the protagonist Yang Xiaolong is acknowledging that he may not be an expert in marine life, but he still knows what a blue-ringed octopus is and how dangerous it can be.

“Bang!”

“Ah! Uncle, what’s wrong with you? Quick, someone call for help!”

“Yang Xiaolong!”

“Quick, call an ambulance.”

…

Yang Xiaolong felt his consciousness slipping away and his head pounding as if someone was stirring his brain with chopsticks.
He could hear the sound of the ambulance siren, “Woooooooooo”, after that, he felt his body being lifted up into the air.

…

“It’s a miracle! The young man actually survived.”

“Yes, he’s really lucky.”

“That Blue-ringed octopus is too dangerous.”

Yang Xiaolong heard people discussing him while still in a daze, recognizing the voices of his manager and colleagues.
He was about to say something when suddenly everything became bright in front of his eyes.

“What is this?”

Looking around, he found himself covered in seawater and sand, with some seaweed and small fish swimming by.
Yang Xiaolong was confused.
What was going on? Was he underwater?

Upon closer inspection, Yang Xiaolong realized that there were several tentacles under him, with familiar blue rings on them.

“Blue-ringed octopus!”

Yang Xiaolong shuddered involuntarily, and his vision shook as if he were using a camera.

“Could it be…”

A bold idea suddenly popped into Yang Xiaolong’s mind.
…

“I’m so thirsty, do you have any water?”

“Oh, you’re awake, wait a moment!”

A young nurse hurriedly went out to call the doctor and made a phone call.
Soon, the manager of the hospital also arrived.

Yang Xiaolong underwent a comprehensive examination and was found to be alright, but needed to be observed for two more days.
If everything was okay, he could be discharged.

The manager hastily left after reminding Yang Xiaolong to stay in the hospital and rest well.

After everyone had left, Yang Xiaolong closed his eyes and his consciousness returned to the sea floor.
As expected, it wasn’t a dream just now – he could really attach his consciousness to the blue-ringed octopus.

“This time, I’ve made progress.”

… … … … … … … … … … … … …

Note: The Blue-ringed octopus is one of the most venomous marine animals in the world, and its venom is highly toxic to humans.
The Blue-ringed octopus is found in tide pools and coral reefs in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, and it gets its name from the bright blue rings that appear on its skin when it is threatened or provoked.

The venom of the Blue-ringed octopus contains a potent neurotoxin that can cause paralysis and respiratory failure in humans, and there is no anti-venom available.
Therefore, it is important to avoid handling or disturbing these creatures in their natural habitat, and seek medical attention immediately if you are bitten or stung by one.