Goblin Dependency

There’s naturally no need to worry.

To be honest, the fact that the other party even put a lure on the hook shows a fair amount of attention.

After all, Xia Nan once saw a little guy catch fish with an empty hook.

And so it was indeed...

Even before Alton’s greeting had been fully said, the fishing float, barely just touching the water and not yet stable on the surface, suddenly dipped with the rod bending taut.

"Hehe, got a bite!"

Xia Nan thought Alton might not even need half an hour to meet the catch requirement for that one gold coin.

Meanwhile, Sasha had also chosen her fishing spot.

Don’t be fooled into thinking the spotted cat person doesn’t like going into the water.

In fact, Sasha is the hidden master angler aboard the Sword of Vengeance ship.

The spotted cat race might dislike the feeling of wet fur, but... they love eating fish.

According to other crew members, Sasha would often fish from the deck during voyages to satisfy cravings—a rather efficient endeavor.

Lately, thanks to Xia Nan and Alton’s presence onboard, bringing in ample sea fish—mostly the latter’s doing—the frequency of fishing reduced.

At this moment, with a graceful and relaxed posture, the lean spotted cat person sat on the water iron wood platform by the shore.

His jewel-like cat eyes narrowed slightly, and a long tail lazily swayed behind him.

Even if luck wasn’t as good as Alton’s, and the fish weren’t biting instantly, his confident and practiced demeanor showed no cause for concern.

Unexpected yet reasonable, among the three, it was Xia Nan who might fail the task.

Recalling the recent poor fishing yield, he exhaled quietly, calming his emotions.

His eyes roved over the scene.

Being adventurers long active at sea, even if not keen on fishing, they had picked up related skills over time. Combined with the abundant local fishing resources, cheers of landing fish echoed from the shore.

Xia Nan was not affected by the others, nor did he act hastily, showing significant patience and restraint.

Knowing his luck with fish had been lacking recently, he aimed to excel in other controllable aspects to bridge the gap with the others.

Though complex in theory, it boiled down to three points.

First, selecting a fishing spot.

This fishing ground, located on "Thousand Pile Island," was segmented by hundreds of water iron wood stakes, disrupting the natural flow of seawater. Currents clashed around the stakes, generating eddies. Moss on the stakes attracted plankton, and shellfish nestled in gaps at the base, providing a haven for countless small fish to feed and rest.

If he wanted to catch fish more efficiently, it was best to choose a spot near the water iron wood stakes.

Second, observing fish activity.

The nearby waters were rich in fishing resources, teeming with fish of various species. Bright sunlight and clear shallow waters allowed clear visibility of the swimming sea fish.

Though seemingly chaotic, each stake had a differing concentration and type of fish.

Some places had schools of small fish, while others saw more predatory large fish.

How to choose?

This came down to the participant’s strategy.

A one gold coin’s worth of fish.

Could mean two rare fish worth five silver coins each or one hundred ordinary fish worth one copper coin each.

Xia Nan ultimately chose to mix it up, trying to catch evenly.

He aimed to use low-value ordinary fish as a foundation while also striving for the high-value ones.

Thus, he opted for a relatively basic small insect bait.

The final point was baiting the spot.

Strictly speaking, this fishing ground didn’t necessarily require "baiting."

The water iron wood stakes, driven into the seabed, each served as a natural baiting spot, with schools of fish centered around them.

Yet Xia Nan didn’t settle; he spent a few minutes buying professional baiting materials from the tackle store where Alton rented his rod.

The shop owner mentioned it was made of shell powder, fish bones mixed with grains, and oils, boasting great effectiveness.

Thinking of this, he felt a hint of regret.

Both the Tide Rod and "Flower Spot Whale" had been returned before his departure from Suo Yu Bay.

Otherwise, they would’ve been useful right now.

With these thoughts, he moved his steps, leaving the entry area to search for a suitable fishing spot deeper in the ground.

However, before finding his ideal spot, peculiar disturbances in the sea ahead caught his attention.

To be honest, compared to the entrance area, this place seemed rather remote and deserted, with hardly any adventurers in sight.

The reason was naturally due to the few scattered water iron wood stakes on the sea surface.

As inherent baiting spots, fewer stakes meant fewer fish gathering.

Of course, Xia Nan wouldn’t choose to fish here.

But in the next second, intrigued by the strange disturbance, he changed his mind.

The once still waters appeared affected by some unseen force, creating layers of ripples, and the clear water slowly turned murky, as if the seabed silt was stirred.

Fish from all directions were quietly converging upon this area.

The familiar scene made Xia Nan’s expression suddenly become peculiar.

Focusing his attention towards the heart of the turbulent waters.

Sure enough, what he saw was an incredibly familiar stone spear floating in the water.

[Tide Rod]!?

Why is it here?

As surprised as he felt, his eyes instinctively scanned the nearby shore.

Sure enough, in the most remote and isolated corner, a middle-aged man holding a bone white fishing rod, dressed in a brown-green hooded cloak, appeared in Xia Nan’s view.

"Ellison?"

Ellison Morton, once in possession of the [Dream Weaving Corridor] key, the son of Lailo Morton whom Xia Nan pursued, and also Lorin’s brother.

He remembered their first encounter, with Ellison fishing from a cliff on Cliff Island just like now.

Through him, Xia Nan connected with the collector Aurie and exchanged for the [Proof of Diligence].

Xia Nan initially thought he wouldn’t attend this Moon Tide Banquet.

After all, though related by blood, he and Lorin weren’t particularly close.

One viewed their father Lailo Morton’s death as reality, channeling effort into revenge;

The other held onto hope, believing Lailo merely faked his death while sifting for clues on the sea.

Divergent ideologies drove them further apart.

This Moon Tide Banquet was hosted by "Algae Scale" Dodd, who was Lorin’s revenge target.

But for Ellison, perhaps he also harbored hatred toward the powerful and brutal pirate, yet his energies were more dedicated to tracking his father’s whereabouts.

Based on his past rather dispirited behavior, he clearly wouldn’t partake in such activities.

Previously, during their voyage, Xia Nan and Lorin discussed Ellison’s potential appearance on Stodd Island.

She had replied with a negative.

And now, this despondent middle-aged man was indeed here, on "Thousand Pile Island" Stodd, where the Moon Tide Banquet was held.

Why?

Perhaps puzzled at heart.

Yet keen perception hinted at an answer to emerge in the next moment.

Not concealing his identity, he walked straight up.

In fact, the other party likely knew he would attend the Moon Tide Banquet as a temporary member of the Vengeance Blade ship group.

Hearing approaching footsteps, Ellison turned his head, noticing Xia Nan approaching with a fishing rod.

Ellison was initially startled but showed no significant surprise.

He nodded slightly, greeting naturally:

"Take a seat."

"No rush, the spot isn’t baited yet. Wait a couple of minutes before casting."