Until she ran into An, she was young and frivolous, even taunting An before the competition, mocking him as an outsider coming to the White Tower Federation to freeload off their education.
Then, during the competition, she became a stepping stone for An Wuqing, and after that, her determination was shattered, leaving her despondent and growing ever more distant from the lineup of White Tower Federation's geniuses.
Afterwards, she joined the Hunter Association, distancing herself from the competitive atmosphere of the White Tower Hunter Academy.
Only then did she step out of her haughty young lady attitude.
And now, seeing Chen Qi, Melanie's fighting spirit reignited in her heart.
"Little White," the fisherman Chen Qi, had touched on her area of expertise!
Melanie spoke with a serious expression and brimming confidence,
"Lamp Keeper, the night is dull, so while we keep watch, let's have a fishing challenge, whoever catches the more valuable fish wins. Betting fifty writhing shadows, what do you say?"
Chen Qi silently looked at Melanie.
Why on earth did Melanie suddenly issue a challenge to him?
Moreover, fifty writhing shadows were no small amount.
Chen Qi didn't understand, this was her pride as a fisherman and her dignity as a captain!
Melanie wanted to show off to her crew members in front of her crew.
Chen Qi thought for a moment,
"Alright, since I'm bored keeping watch anyway, but I've used up all my writhing shadows, I'll have to compensate with money."
"No problem!"
Melanie sat down next to Chen Qi and pulled out a bucket,
"Lamp Keeper, many people say that fishing on a moving ship is all about luck, but in reality, there's skill involved too."
"What kind of skill?"
Chen Qi looked at Melanie without a word.
Melanie's lips curled up,
"It's prayer, and sucking up good luck!"
With that said, Melanie closed her eyes, crossed her legs, and made a praying gesture!
Begin the prayer!
"Oh, God of Fortune with the twenty-sided dice, please grant me good luck!"
"Apostle of the twenty-sided dice, Six-faced Angel, please allow me to absorb his lucky power! Bestow upon me the supreme fisherman's blessed soul of luck!"
"Oh Sea Goddess of Witch Sea, let me drain his luck away!"
"Shell Witch, I am willing to offer you twenty years of my crew's love fortune, please shower me with lucky coins!"
Melanie prayed with devotion.
"..."
Was this person really an elite Hunter of the White Tower Federation? Chen Qi's stereotype of White Tower Hunters being diligent, knowledgeable, and serious was completely shattered by Melanie.
After a series of prayer rituals, Melanie forcefully cast her fishing rod and said confidently,
"The competition officially starts!"
Chen Qi was utterly speechless and continued fishing quietly.
As long as he was there, Melanie's fishing haul shouldn't be small.
The next second, a burst of golden light flashed once more from the surface of the sea!
What, a second golden light! Chen Qi was taken aback.
Even with his Deep Sea Affinity, encountering a Golden Apple Fish was very rare.
In such a short time, a second golden light had appeared.
Was this Sea of Calamity some kind of wishing well?
Chen Qi was startled, could he, with Deep Sea Affinity and Fishing Skill Card, actually lose to Melanie in fishing?
"My, my, my prayer..."
Melanie was incredibly shocked and hurriedly stood up, reeling in with all her might.
"It feels so heavy! Something big is coming!"
Excitement painted Melanie's face, her eyes completely covered in dazzling golden light.
Was her luck tonight actually better than Chen Qi's?
Whoosh!
"Up!"
Melanie laughed heartily as she pulled up the fish.
And when she started reeling, a giant burst of golden light dazzled everyone.
Melanie had pulled up a glittering golden treasure chest.
On top of the glittering golden chest, were inlaid gems of various colors.
"Wow!"
Melanie was awestruck by the golden light,
"Lamp Keeper, I won this match."
"Melanie, that is..."
Chen Qi looked at the treasure chest and sighed.
"Why that look? Don't tell me you're jealous of my luck..."
Melanie hoisted the hefty treasure chest onto the boat, her lips curling up slightly, ready to taunt heartily.
However, the next second, the immense treasure chest suddenly opened, and numerous slippery tentacles stretched out, entwining Melanie's upper body and dragging her into the chest—
"Wah, wah, save, save me! Wuuu—"
At this moment, all that remained of Melanie outside the chest was her twitching buttocks and legs, struggling frantically.
The White Tower Hunters looked on at this scene, speechless.
Luckily, there was only one outsider, Chen Qi, present!
"..."
The Treasure Box Monster, a mimicry creature of the high seas and one of the hunters' nightmares.
In fact, in the Shell Witch's rifts, Treasure Box Monsters were not uncommon, but evidently, Melanie's competitive desire had clouded her judgement.
Chen Qi was utterly speechless.
The professional team he had put together seemed somewhat unreliable.
Buried in the Treasure Box Monster, tormented by slimy tentacles, Melanie struggled frantically:
"Hurry, hurry save, save me, or... I'll have to self-destruct... wuuu..."
Alor adjusted his glasses and said,
"We can't choose our own captain."
"Hurry... save your captain!!"
Melanie thrashed wildly, her buttocks twitching even more fiercely.
"..."
Darn, I really feel like kicking that wriggling butt... Chen Qi shook his head, and with the other White Tower Hunters, they knocked out the Treasure Box Monster and rescued the White Tower Hunter captain, Melanie.
In the end, a sticky Melanie was saved and settled down somewhat.
However, the Treasure Box Monster was considered a very rare material, its internal tentacles were very suitable for making flesh implants, and its 'treasure chest shell' was quite suitable for crafting Mimic Clothing.
Melanie was indeed lucky, but compared to Chen Qi, she was still a tad bit lacking.
And so, Chen Qi used his Lighting Skill to light a simple oil lamp, and sitting on the boat with Melanie, they fished quietly, enjoying the serene transition from dusk to night.
Everything around them was immersed in silence, save for the occasional call of the Shadow Demon in the distance forming a melodious nocturne.
As time passed, the stars in the night sky seemed to shine brighter, with the bashful moon climbing to the zenith, while peals of laughter from the White Tower Hunters and the Water Elf occasionally punctuated the air.
Melanie and Chen Qi's fish bucket was crammed with bucket after bucket of fish.
Unbeknownst to them, daylight once again ignited in the sky, casting the first rays of dawn.
The fog on the sea gradually lifted, mingling with the morning light to create a dreamlike vista.
Chen Qi finally snapped out of his fishing tranquility, astonished to find he had fished from night till morning.
He had even witnessed the dawn of Witch Sea at four in the morning... Chen Qi glanced at the drowsy Melanie and said,
"I'll go cook, rest a while, and leave the rest to you."
"Cook? You can cook too?"
A groggy Melanie rubbed her eyes.
After speaking, Chen Qi picked up the bucket full of materials and headed toward the cabin of his ghostly vessel.
With the Lamp Keeper's blessings and the approaching island housing the deep blue flames, he was even more excited after a whole night.
In the kitchen, Chen Qi sorted out useful Extraordinary Materials, while food items went into the kitchen.
The types of fish he attracted with his Deep Sea Affinity were mostly dangerous ones that required fighting to reap rewards.
There were exceptions, however, such as the Shadow Fish, which were mutation fish that appeared post-laughing moon; similar to Ghost Fire Fish, they were covered with a special layer of Shadow Oil. When approached, the shadows would writhe and transform into gargantuan Shadow Hands, attacking nearby creatures!
This special Shadow Oil could be used to strengthen Shadow Phase attacks and aid the learning of Shadow Image Skills, and that night, Chen Qi obtained a whole bucketful.
This was his next biggest catch after the Golden Apple.
After sorting the materials, Chen Qi took out the Golden Apple and started to prepare it.
It was time to use his Chef Skill.
First, he made apple slices and then got ready the ingredients for the pie crust.
Selecting flour, butter, and fine sugar in the right proportions, he mixed them and kneaded, pounded until the dough became soft and elastic. He then rolled the dough into thin sheets, gently laid them over the pie pan, trimming the edges neatly and beautifully.
Next, Chen Qi neatly arranged the sliced Golden Apple onto the crust, each slice perfectly overlapped.
He then took out his secret syrup mixed with honey and lightly drizzled it over the apple slices, combined with the Soul Seasoning from his skills!
"Secret technique. Soul Juice!"
As the Soul Seasoning was sprinkled, the entire apple pie radiated dazzling golden light once more.
[You have completed cooking the Super Legendary Food 'Golden Legend Apple Pie'!]
Perfect! Chen Qi couldn't help feeling, his skills were still sharp.
This wasn't just any apple pie, but one infused with Soul Seasoning, an apple pie with Extraordinary Energy!
At that moment, the freshly woken crew, seeing the dazzling golden light from the kitchen window of Chen Qi's vessel, instantly became fully alert.