Farmed soft-shelled turtles currently sold for about 30 yuan per jin, peaking at 50 yuan for the "old turtles" raised in rice paddies. But wild ones went for at least five or six times that price.

A two-jin turtle could sell for around 200 yuan, while one over three jin could easily fetch 350 yuan or more. The bigger, the more expensive. Of course, the final price depended on finding a willing buyer.

The prices were certainly high, but that was just how things were in Lecheng. Wild, high-quality goods always came with inflated prices, much more expensive than elsewhere. This was mainly because they were almost never available on the market, and the Wenshi area had plenty of wealthy foodies willing to pay a premium.

Chu Mingcheng had no intention of selling at the market. Instead, he posted a message in the group chat, asking if the three rich buyers were interested. Wild soft-shelled turtle was a hot commodity in a place like Wenshi, where natural resources were relatively scarce.

He had five turtles in total. He decided to keep one for himself, and the other four were immediately snatched up by the three buyers. They agreed to meet at the Yanmen Island pier at five in the afternoon.

Of course, he was keeping one to take home. The high-minded explanation was that he was honoring his parents. The real reason was that he was craving it himself. His parents each claimed one of the snakeheads as well. While wild snakehead was a good catch, it didn't hold the same allure for them as the turtles.

After a simple lunch out, Chu Mingcheng returned to the abandoned pond to get back to work clearing out the apple snails. He called his parents to let them know he'd be home for dinner and told them not to buy any groceries—he was bringing the food.

By three o'clock, he had cleared most of the visible apple snails and their eggs from the pond area, tossing them all into a fire to be destroyed.

[Apple Snail (Eggs) (Invasive Species)]

[Ecological Damage Index: 3 Stars]

[Apple Snails Eliminated: 267]

[Tracking: 1/day]

[Life Conversion: 2 uses (67/100)]

He now had two uses of Life Conversion, but after the fight with the two big fish yesterday, he had a new appreciation for the importance of this ability. He decided to save them up for a critical moment. Especially when fighting huge fish, a shot of Life Conversion when his stamina was failing could make all the difference. As long as the hook held, he could probably land a great white shark with it.

He still had over an hour before the meeting. Chu Mingcheng took the remaining two jin of pork liver, tossed it into the pond as groundbait, and decided to fish a little longer. Maybe he'd catch another turtle. The three foodies in the group chat had said they would buy as many as he could get.

But his luck seemed to have turned in the afternoon. He caught several snakeheads in a row, but no turtles. He checked the time. It was already 4:30. He needed to be at the pier by five, so he decided to pack it in.

Just as he lifted his rod, he felt an immense weight. It was heavy.

A snag? he thought with a sigh. Of all the times to get snagged, it had to be the last cast.

But the next moment, the tip of the rod began to twitch, as if something were pulling on it.

Chu Mingcheng's eyes lit up. He recognized that feeling. It was the same sensation he'd had when he caught the turtles that morning, only this was much, much heavier. Did that mean there was a huge turtle on the line? He had hooked an old one!

He wasn't surprised that a giant old turtle was in this pond; he had already caught so many others. If it wouldn't wreck the pond's ecosystem, he would have brought in a few pumps tomorrow to drain the whole thing.

Chu Mingcheng heaved back on the rod. A massive soft-shelled turtle broke the surface, hanging in the air in a comical spread-eagled pose. His expression, however, was serious. He carefully maneuvered the rod, shifting the turtle's position while trying to keep the rod as stable as possible.

Unlike snakeheads, turtles didn't thrash violently. This one could only paddle its short limbs, its head stretched out straight by the weight of its own body. When he'd caught the smaller turtles, their heads could still retract and extend—the kind of motion that would have to be censored if he posted it online. This giant was so heavy that its neck couldn't support its head.

He successfully swung the old turtle onto the bank. A grin spread across his face as he ran over and grabbed it just as it was trying to flip itself over and escape. It was incredibly heavy, at least ten jin. He'd struck gold today!

Just to be safe, he checked his data panel. He now had six experience points for the Chinese Soft-shelled Turtle.

His fish box was nearly full with over a dozen snakeheads and five turtles. There was no room for this new monster. In the end, he had to put the fish box on the back seat and place the old turtle in the trunk. He could always wash the car after he sold it.

Before leaving, he took a picture of the turtle in the trunk. With the car's interior for scale, the turtle's immense size was immediately apparent. He saved the photo carefully. This was a trophy, prime bragging material for his fishing buddies.

He drove to his parents' house in town first, picking out a three-jin snakehead and a three-jin turtle to take inside.

"Mom, look what I brought you!"

An Xiuwen was a housewife and was usually at home. His dad, Old Chu, hadn't retired yet and was still at work. She was watching TV when she heard her son's voice and came out. When she saw the snakehead and the turtle, she was surprised. "Did you catch these yourself?"

"I did. Dad can make his pickled vegetable fish soup when he gets home, and he can cook the turtle however he wants. I've got a lot more in the car to sell, so I'll be back later."

"Wait, Ah-Cheng. That wild turtle is too expensive. You should sell it. Just leave the snakehead for dinner."

"I've got several more in the car. Let's keep this one for ourselves. Mom, soft-shelled turtle is great for your health, and the skirt of the shell is full of collagen, which is amazing for your skin! I brought this home especially for you. Are you sure you want to sell it?"

"Alright, alright. Go sell your fish and come back for dinner!" Knowing her son, An Xiuwen felt her heart warm. She took the fish and sent him on his way.

Chu Mingcheng left his parents' house and drove straight to the Yanmen Island pier. On the way, he sent a message telling the buyers to wait for him on the road above the pier. Snakeheads were hard to sell at the pier itself, so he wouldn't bother going down.

When he arrived on the road above the pier, the three buyers from the group chat were already waiting by the roadside. They immediately surrounded him as he got out of the car. It was one man and two women. The man's name was Chen Qing. Of the women, the heavier-set one was Zhao Xia, and the slimmer one was Wang Hong.

Chu Mingcheng greeted them all, then pulled the fish box out and opened his trunk. They had been expecting four wild turtles, but the sight of the giant old turtle was a delightful surprise for all three of them.

Chen Qing exclaimed, "Brother, you're incredible! How did you manage to get an old turtle this big?"

"Just lucky," Chu Mingcheng replied. "I was about to leave when I lifted my rod and found this thing hanging on the end."

Zhao Xia wasn't concerned with how he'd caught it; she was determined to have it. "Let me have this old turtle," she said immediately. "I'll owe you one for this."

The three of them all knew each other and were in business. When Zhao Xia said that, the other two instantly understood her reason. She needed it for a business meeting. Having a meal to discuss business was standard practice. But showing up with a rare delicacy? That demonstrated real sincerity, and it would dramatically increase the chances of closing the deal.

Therefore, Chen Qing and Wang Hong didn't compete with Zhao Xia for the giant turtle. Instead, they divided the other four between themselves.