The massive ship came with dedicated living quarters, featuring separate dormitories for men and women.

Many of the male deckhands were initially unaware of the excellent perks provided by the Jinshan Bay Seafood Catching Company. Seeing a dedicated chef whip up meals using freshly caught seafood left them thoroughly thrilled. The sheer freshness of the food was beyond words. Of course, Liu Huamei mostly cooked the fish that had been damaged during the catch. While their appearance was less than perfect, their flavor remained wholly unaffected. The crew happily devoured the fresh seafood feast, thoroughly satisfied.

After the meal, the crew dispersed to rest. Since the ship ran on night shifts, there were always people sleeping during the day.

About an hour later, the nets were hauled up again. Over half of this catch consisted of swallowtail groupers. These fierce fish liked to prowl around rocky reefs during the day. They were highly alert and exceptionally territorial. They were also a fascinating hermaphroditic species that naturally changed sex as they grew. They closely resembled the leopard coral grouper, but were distinguished by their crescent- or swallow-shaped tail fins. Their flesh was smooth as silk, rich in collagen, and perfectly elastic, while their skin was just as delicately thin as a leopard coral grouper’s. With such exquisite flavor and striking appearance, they naturally fetched a premium price.

The net also yielded a large haul of emperor red snappers. In Hong Kong, they were known by a variety of names, such as “red three-stripe” or simply red snapper. Because their feeding motion resembled a chicken pecking at the ground, they were colloquially known as “kowtow fish.” As juveniles, their bodies were white, marked by three distinct broad bands ranging from reddish-brown to deep purple or red. As they matured, these stripes faded to resemble the Chinese character *chuan* ()—hence their formal Chinese name. The meat was light, delicate, and slightly gelatinous. Though its flavor was relatively mild, it was still incredibly delicious.

Seeing the catch, Captain Xu rubbed his hands together in excitement. “Boss, the fish we’ve caught in these first three hauls are absolutely top-tier! They’ll fetch a fantastic price.”

Han Xiaorui smiled. “Do you believe me now? If we stick to my planned route, I estimate we’ll be heading back in less than half a month.”

Captain Xu nodded repeatedly. “Exactly! We can trawl on our way out and keep catching all the way back!”

Han Xiaorui nodded in strong agreement. “Yes, rational route planning is key. Just do as I say! Since our haul rate is fairly quick, it puts a lot of strain on the crew. You have to make sure everyone is eating and resting well.”

Captain Xu agreed at once. “Rest assured, I’ll make sure they’re taken care of!”

Han Xiaorui picked up the radio to check in with the other vessel. The captain of the second ship was now entirely convinced as well. Initially, being an experienced mariner himself, he had half-expected her to call it quits once she realized how hard it was to find good catch zones. He hadn’t expected the boss to truly be as legendary as the rumors claimed. As long as they followed her directions, their nets would practically burst with fish. At this rate, they would be setting sail for home in half a month at most.

Although both captains felt that their absolute authority at sea had been somewhat challenged, the sheer volume of high-quality seafood had won them over entirely. After all, what was the point of deep-sea fishing? Wasn’t it to haul in as much seafood as possible and make a fortune? As long as that goal was met, it didn’t matter if their pride was a little bruised. Besides, she was the boss—and one who clearly knew her stuff. Anyone hailed as Mazu’s goddaughter and the Dragon King’s flesh and blood was clearly no ordinary person.

Today, they had finally seen it with their own eyes!

Han Xiaorui had strictly banned gambling on her ships. However, during their downtime, the crew was permitted to smoke in designated areas. Drifting out on the open ocean was grueling work. The men were exhausted, yet they couldn’t always fall asleep. Thus, smoking became one of the few ways they could unwind and stay alert.

In addition, Han Xiaorui had compiled various reading materials on marine life and seafloor topography, which she encouraged the crew to study. To motivate them, she held assessments every two months and handed out cash bonuses to those who scored well.

“Boss, is there really any use in us learning all this?” a young man asked with a smile. He was from Jinshan Bay and was fairly familiar with Han Xiaorui.

Han Xiaorui chuckled. “They say a soldier who doesn’t want to be a general isn’t a good soldier. Well, on our ships, we have a similar saying: a deckhand who doesn’t want to be a captain isn’t a good deckhand!

“Do you want to be an ordinary deckhand for the rest of your life? Even if you don’t know the exact numbers, I can tell you that a captain’s base salary is several times higher than a regular deckhand’s, and their commissions and bonuses are leagues above.”

Cao Yun scratched his head. “But don’t our two big ships already have captains?”

Han Xiaorui rolled her eyes. “I currently have two 500-ton ships. If profits are good, expanding to ten or twenty ships isn’t out of the question!

“When I buy more large fishing vessels in the future, I can’t just put everything on hold while you guys cram for your licenses, right? Shouldn’t you be studying and building up your experience in advance?

“That way, when a ship is ready, you can take the helm immediately! After all, people can wait for ships, but ships won’t wait for people. Doesn’t that make sense?”

Cao Yun’s eyes lit up. “President Han, are you serious?”

Han Xiaorui pointed at the fish hold. “Actions speak louder than words! Just look at the catch. If you realize there’s room to grow in this company, you’d better not miss the opportunity!

“Especially you young men! Even if you aren’t ready to pilot a massive sea-going vessel like this one, you should at least be able to handle a mid-sized trawler, right? Out of our twenty-plus coastal fishing boats, many of the captains are getting older. They’re going to retire eventually!

“If you grow alongside the company, you’ll naturally understand our operations. I will personally take note of your loyalty and contributions. Once you have the capability, I’ll definitely promote you!”

Cao Yun and the other young deckhands buzzed with excitement. They were all strapping, reliable lads hand-picked from the smaller fishing boats. Hearing Han Xiaorui’s words of encouragement, their spirits soared.

“President Han, we’ll definitely study hard!” Cao Yun nodded firmly. After all, what young man didn’t dream of becoming a captain?

Han Xiaorui smiled. “The company will cover the training and exam fees; all you have to do is put in the effort! The Jinshan Bay Seafood Catching Company is willing to cultivate your talents, and we hope you’ll grow alongside us.”

Those unwilling to put in the effort would max out as ordinary deckhands. While they might earn a slightly higher salary than deckhands elsewhere, the job required little technical skill, making them easily replaceable.

Of course, academics weren’t for everyone. Some people simply weren’t cut out for studying and would get dizzy just looking at a textbook. But there were also those who, once determined, would work diligently and make rapid progress. Even for those who progressed slowly, as long as they didn’t get discouraged and channeled the spirit of the tortoise from “The Tortoise and the Hare,” they would succeed. Even if they were slow learners, making an early start and maintaining steady perseverance would eventually get them to the finish line just the same.

Five straight days of sailing soon washed away the initial novelty of being on a large vessel. The first-time deep-sea crew members were already beginning to feel homesick.

Though Han Xiaorui genuinely enjoyed the thrill of deep-sea navigation, even she couldn’t help but think of her family during the dead of night as she gazed at the starry sky through her cabin window.

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