Three dishes were placed on the dining table, immediately drawing everyone’s attention.
Sules personally loved fish, and these were her frequently cooked, signature dishes, so their presentation was naturally impeccable.
The hallmark of braised fish is its vibrant red luster, which Sules had perfectly captured.
The reddish-brown fish body occasionally revealed its snow-white flesh beneath the knife cuts.
Paired with fresh green scallions, the visual saturation was maximized.
And with the red, soul-stirring dried chilies, it made onlookers’ mouths water.
The fish soup in the crucian carp tofu soup was milky white, and the fish meat looked tender and white, complementing the tofu perfectly.
The emerald green scallions served as a perfect garnish, immediately whetting one’s appetite.
Fish usually has a fishy smell, but this soup only smelled of fish, without any trace of fishiness.
As a cold dish, the shredded cold kelp was vibrantly green and fresh, with the “Ma Teng” in the center acting as a perfect accent.
Red and green have always been a classic, enduring combination, immediately catching the eye.
The taste of these three dishes aside, their color and aroma were already maximized.
Sules sat at the head of the table, distributing spoons to the five people.
“Here, sit down, let’s get ready to eat!”
This world was generally very similar to Europe, using knives, forks, and spoons for eating.
Sules mused that among these three, only spoons were best suited for eating her dishes, so she took out a few spoons.
Before anyone could nod, Adolf walked up, ready to grab a spoon directly. Sules’s hand deftly pulled back.
“Hey, don’t touch that, it’s not for you! Your salted fish and bread are in the kitchen; go get them yourself.”
She still remembered how Adolf had confidently declared he wouldn’t eat her cooking.
Now that he regretted it, going back on his word wouldn’t be so easy.
Annabella had been rebuffed by Adolf several times, and she rarely saw this seemingly indifferent person in a predicament.
She immediately egged Sules on.
“Captain, absolutely don’t let him eat! Don’t indulge his bad habits!”
She was clearly trying to settle a personal score.
Ryder saw this scene and joined in the mockery.
“Oh, oh, oh! Didn’t some people say they wouldn’t eat? How come they’re now eagerly approaching? You just watch us eat!”
Adolf showed an unsurprised expression, not getting angry.
He bent down and whispered into Sules’s ear, “My daily quota will double when we reach the territory.”
Sules’s eyes lit up.
Her task for the two fishermen was 150 kilograms of fish per day.
Doubling that meant 300 kilograms.
This amount was considerable for her small, broken ship, enough to show Adolf’s sincerity.
This unexpected pleasant surprise was a joy, and she nodded just as readily.
“Alright, I’ll add you in. Grab a chair and a spoon from the kitchen, then sit down and eat.”
Annabella looked a bit disappointed but said nothing.
Ryder, however, immediately asked, “Why are you letting him eat? What did he tell you, Captain?”
Sules looked up at him.
“You’ll know when we reach the territory.”
Soon, seven people sat around the table, each with a piece of black bread in one hand, a spoon in the other, and a bowl in front of them.
Sules stood up and served some fish soup into everyone’s bowl.
“First, have a small bowl of soup to warm yourselves; it’s good for your body.”
Her statement had no basis, as there was no such saying in this world.
However, no one planned to delve deeper, as they had all been longing for this soup for a long time.
Hearing her, they nodded, picked up their bowls, and began to drink.
The first taste was pure umami.
The fish soup was fresh and rich, perfectly seasoned, and utterly delicious.
The fish meat was soaked in the soup, not dry at all.
The tofu was tender and flavorful, so good it almost made them bite off their tongues.
For a moment, no one looked up to praise; everyone was focused on their bowl of fish soup.
Sules slowly finished her fish soup with a spoon, then began to ladle out braised fish.
Honestly, eating with a spoon was truly uncomfortable for her.
Chopsticks were so convenient; why make things difficult for herself?
After two attempts at scooping out air, Sules decided she absolutely had to make a pair of chopsticks.
Otherwise, eating would be awkward.
Meanwhile, those who had finished their soup began to turn their attention to the braised fish.
This time, everyone hesitated slightly, not for any other reason than the clearly visible Ma Teng on the fish.
“This… this is Ma Teng, right?”
Sam asked with some confusion.
Sules nodded and scooped up another piece of fish.
“Don’t worry, it tastes unique when used in cooking. Anyway, since it’s used as medicine, it’s definitely edible. It won’t poison you.”
Her words were true.
Seeing Sules enjoying her meal, everyone hesitated for a moment, then finally couldn’t resist their curiosity and scooped some into their bowls.
Because the heat was perfectly controlled, the fish Sules made was not dry at all; its flesh was tender and delicious.
The fish meat, flavored by the soup, was savory, slightly sweet, and perfectly tender.
The slight spiciness of the Ma Teng added a unique flavor to the otherwise somewhat bland fish.
Even the composed Adolf couldn’t help but widen his eyes slightly.
“The taste of this Ma Teng in the dish is actually like this? Then adding a little more might not be unbearable for me either.”
Hearing this, Annabella, Ryder, and Sam all nodded, agreeing with him.
Claire and Ryan, however, frowned and said nothing.
Sules, who had been observing their reactions, secretly made a mental note.
Adolf and the other three seemed to prefer strong flavors and enjoyed spice, while Claire and Ryan preferred milder tastes and had a lower tolerance for spice.
After a few bites of fish, Adolf was the first to reach for the kelp.
Kelp was a common food at sea, and everyone had already eaten cold shredded kelp.
However, they had never heard of it prepared like Sules’s, with Ma Teng added.
With that first bite, Adolf’s eyes immediately lit up.
Usually, cold shredded kelp was just kelp with vinegar and salt, refreshing but lacking in flavor.
But now, with the addition of Ma Teng, this was perfectly remedied.
It was like adding the finishing touch, giving the otherwise ordinary shredded kelp a soul.
He couldn’t help but scoop up more, eating it with bread.
Seeing Adolf’s reaction, the others instantly knew this dish was delicious.
Several spoons immediately appeared above the plate, and soon the cold dish was empty.
This meal was truly enjoyed by both hosts and guests.
In the course of one meal, the relationships among the seven people had improved significantly.
Even the most aloof Adolf had a look of contentment on his face, no longer constantly wearing that mocking expression.
Chinese dining culture truly lived up to its reputation.
***
It was only eight o’clock after dinner, far from bedtime.
The seven people sat around the table, chatting idly.
“By the way, Sam, your parents know you’re going out to sea. Aren’t they coming to see you off?”
Annabella asked bluntly.
Sam smiled.
“My father died in a shipwreck years ago, and my mother is sick and couldn’t come to see me off.”
Hearing this, Annabella paused, then immediately apologized.
“Sorry, sorry, I’m just thoughtless and used to blurting things out without thinking first.”
Sam shook his head.
“It’s alright, I know you didn’t mean any harm.”
At this moment, Ryder asked curiously, “Huh? Your mom’s sick, so who’s taking care of her now that you’re going out to sea?”
Hearing this, Sules couldn’t help but frown.
This question sounded like an interrogation.
Was he, an outsider, trying to accuse someone’s son of being unfilial?
Why ask such things for no reason?
Sam replied good-naturedly, “My mom has recovered enough to take care of herself after more than half a year of rest, that’s why I came out. Besides, our family’s food supply is running low, so I have to go out to sea to work.”
Ryder pouted.
“Why not find a job on land? Going out to sea is tiring and far from home. If something happens to your mom, you won’t even receive the news in time.”
Hearing this, everyone’s expressions changed.
Ryan vigorously tugged Ryder’s hand under the table, signaling him to shut up.
At the same time, he bowed apologetically to Sam.
“Sorry, sorry, my brother is spoiled at home and doesn’t know how to talk.”
Sam’s expression was a bit unpleasant, but he shook his head and said nothing.
Sules’s gaze swept over them, then landed back on the Ryan brothers, initiating a new topic to break the slightly tense atmosphere.
“By the way, Ryan, what’s your family situation? I noticed your parents… didn’t bring you many things…”
She said this very tactfully, because, in reality, it was far more than “not comprehensive”; they clearly only brought things for the younger brother, Ryder, and nothing for Ryan.
The box was full of his brother’s clothes and snacks, while the elder brother only had two shirts.
Moreover, at the dock, the parents repeatedly fussed over Ryder, then told Ryan to take good care of Ryder.
The disparity was so great that Sules almost doubted if Ryan was their biological son.
But the two brothers looked too similar, so clearly, that wasn’t the issue.
Ryan evidently understood what Sules meant, and his attitude was calm.
“Because Ryder is younger and can’t take care of himself yet. So, naturally, Mom and Dad worry about him more and prepare everything for him.”
Sules frowned, because it definitely wasn’t “a little” problem; it was more like “a whole lot” of a problem.
These parents were clearly biased to the bone, yet Ryan didn’t seem to notice it at all.
Ryder was the same; after hearing Ryan’s answer, he showed no shame, brazenly stating, “After all, I’m still young, and it’s his duty to take care of me. If it wasn’t for what I did back then…”
“Ryder!”
Suddenly, Ryan, who was usually gentle with his brother, shouted Ryder’s name loudly, his eyes wide with anger, stopping the words about to leave his mouth.
Ryder flinched from the shout, glaring at Ryan somewhat reluctantly, then sneered, “If you don’t want to talk about it, then don’t. Why are you yelling?”
With that, he ignored the surprised expressions of the others and walked directly back to the cabin.
Since they hadn’t reached the territory, they couldn’t officially assign rooms, so they were arranged by age.
Ryan, being the second youngest, naturally stayed in the cabin.
Ryan sighed with some regret, stood up, and bowed apologetically to everyone.
“I’ll go back and check on my brother first. Sorry for the trouble.”
Sules understandingly shook her head.
“It’s alright, go quickly.”
After Ryan also left the table, Adolf scoffed and stood up, looking at Sules meaningfully.
“These crew members you found, they really are ‘destined,’ aren’t they?”
Sules understood.
The “destiny” in his words wasn’t fate, but rather opportunity.
At this moment, the smile had also disappeared from her face.
She calmly looked at Adolf for a moment, then curved her lips.
“Isn’t that just perfect? Anyway, on my ship, I imagine… you all won’t be able to stir up much trouble.”
Originally, she had thought Ryan and Ryder were simply a doting brother and a giant baby due to their upbringing.
However, from their previous conversation, it was clear there was more to the story.
Indeed, with twins, parents generally wouldn’t show too much favoritism.
For it to turn out this way, what exactly did Ryan, the older brother, owe Ryder?
Speaking of which, among the five new crew members on her ship, Adolf was a mystery, as expected.
Annabella’s martial arts talent was not to be underestimated.
There were also secrets between Ryan and Ryder.
It seemed only Sam was truly ordinary.
Sules couldn’t help but marvel at her uncanny luck; she randomly found crew members who turned out to be hidden dragons and crouching tigers.
She only hoped that nothing else would happen to Sam, otherwise she would start to suspect if there was something wrong with herself.
She sighed, then stood up.
“Sailors, wash the dishes. I’m heading back.”
The role of a sailor naturally included handling miscellaneous tasks on the ship, so she wasn’t speaking idly.
Claire gave an OK gesture, indicating she would arrange it.
Sules nodded, then went back to her room to rest, feeling a bit tired.
They would reach the new territory tomorrow, and she needed to think carefully about how to develop it further.
***
The next day, everyone woke up early and sailed at full speed towards the territory.
Just after noon, they arrived.
This entire sea area belonged to the Siren Guild, with an island in the middle that was only 750 square kilometers, roughly the size of Lake Dongting.
This island was used to manage this sea area, and the supplies they had to submit weekly were also submitted here.
Several rooms were built on it, housing the leaders… one of whom was the team leader David, whom Sules had met before.
Sules docked her ship at the island’s small pier, then went up to report.
Only after reporting could the guild confirm that the captain had reached the territory.
David was the least experienced person on the entire island, but fortunately, he had connections, so he held the good position of registrar.
This job involved little work and great benefits, as he could easily receive bribes from crew members.
David was bored, sitting in his chair. In front of him was a huge fish tank with two gladiatorial fish fighting.
Gladiatorial fish were naturally aggressive.
If two of the same sex were in the same area without supervision, they would definitely fight each other.
They fought skillfully and bloodily, serving as excellent entertainment in a way.
In this world without electricity or much entertainment, this was a popular aristocratic pastime.
Of course, only more powerful gladiatorial fish were more entertaining to watch.
The two in front of David had been casually caught from the sea and were utterly uninteresting; they were merely for passing the time.
Seeing Sules enter, the drowsy David immediately perked up, putting on a stern face as he ordered, “Why are you so late? Hurry up and register!”
As soon as Sules saw that the registrar was him, she immediately had a bad feeling.
After all, she had seen clearly what kind of person David was during their brief contact.
Now that David was handling registration here, it was hard to guarantee he wouldn’t try to fleece her.
Although she thought this, Sules still walked over with a smile.
“Lord David, long time no see. You’re still as handsome and dashing as ever.”
David was someone who liked flattery.
Hearing Sules say this, a hint of pleasure clearly showed on his face, but of course, he wouldn’t forget his purpose because of Sules’s compliments.
He straightened his face.
“Ahem, alright, hurry up and register. Which area were you assigned to again?”
Sules took the charcoal pen.
“Reporting, sir, I was assigned to Tian 1 District. Do I sign here?”
She pointed to the square for “Tian 1” on the paper.
David’s eyes darted.
He nodded.
“Yes, it’s here. Tian 1 District, huh… it’s a pretty big place, but I remember trading ships generally don’t go through that area.”
Sules’s pen paused for a moment, then she fluidly signed her name, looking up with a worried expression.
“How can that be? It’s a good thing you told me in advance, Lord David, otherwise we would be in trouble. As you know, Tian 1 District is quite large and needs trading ships the most.”
Trading ships were a type of merchant ship, primarily used for cargo transportation.
They could also be called sea markets.
If captains found it inconvenient to return to the mainland to sell goods, they could sell their cargo on trading ships.
Although the price would be slightly less than on the mainland, this loss could be ignored due to the convenience.
In addition, trading ships, due to their sturdy and durable nature, could also be used to help small ships avoid sea disasters.
Of course, payment was required.
For Sules, trading ships were essential.
First, her ship was relatively low-level and simply couldn’t withstand sea disasters, so it desperately needed the protection of trading ships.
Second, her ship was small and couldn’t handle the large amounts of seafood caught daily.
Without trading ships, she would either have to make a trip to the mainland every few days or sell the excess cargo to the guild at an extremely low price.
Either option would be a fatal blow to Sules.
Despite Sules acting as if she fully believed David’s words, she was already grumbling internally.
Tian 1 District, as the largest sea area in this division, had considerable profits.
It was impossible for trading ships not to pass through here; in fact, according to her reasoning, it was quite likely that trading ships would come every two or three days.
David’s words were clearly a blatant shakedown.
Sules wanted to throw the charcoal pen directly at David’s greedy face, but she was under someone else’s roof and had to bow her head.
While it was true that trading ships wouldn’t normally avoid Tian 1 District, if she offended David now, it could easily become reality.
Even though David’s authority was small, as a manager, slightly altering a trading ship’s route was certainly within his power.
However, she genuinely had little money left. Last time, she directly gave David ten copper shells as a bribe.
If she were to give more this time, it certainly couldn’t be less than ten copper shells.
But back then, Sules wasn’t entirely clear on the world’s prices, which was why she gave ten copper shells so readily.
Now, she had a clear understanding of prices; remember that even yesterday’s lavish dinner only cost a little over ten copper shells!
Giving this insatiable David another ten copper shells for this reason was something Sules was unwilling to do.
She suppressed her anger, and a thought suddenly came to her mind.
Sules feigned distress, “Sigh, if these trading ships don’t come, I really don’t know what I’ll do. Lord David, you don’t know, but I’ve already run out of money just paying the crew these past few days, and I’m even a bit behind. I’m trying to borrow money everywhere to cover it. After all, if the crew is unhappy with me, my future development could very well be hindered.”
As she spoke, her eyes suddenly lit up as she looked at David.
“Oh! That’s right, Lord David! You’re so kind, perhaps you could…”
Sules hadn’t even finished when David, his face darkening, forcefully interrupted her.
“Alright, alright, stop chitchatting with me here. Haven’t you finished registering? Hurry up and leave! I’m busy here; I don’t have time to listen to your complaints.”
With that, he directly stood up, forcefully pushed Sules out, and then heavily closed the door.
Because the door closed too quickly, David missed the fleeting look of joy on her face.
Back in his seat, David patted his chest with lingering fear.
“I didn’t expect that person to be so poor. Good thing I reacted quickly, or I would have been asked for money. Next time I extort someone, I need to pick a richer one, or I might not get any money and even end up losing some.”
He pondered for a moment, then muttered to himself, “It’s better to let the trading ships go to Tian 1 District more often! That person is so poor; what if they starve to death at sea? Lord Moss definitely wouldn’t let me off the hook then.”
Meanwhile, Sules was strolling towards the dock.
Having successfully gotten rid of David, that vampire, she was in a great mood.
Thanks to her various experiences in her previous life, Sules had a very effective way of dealing with people like David.
When facing those who want to profit from you, merely feigning poverty isn’t enough.
You have to make them realize that if they continue, they won’t just fail to profit, but they might even harm their own interests.
Only then will these people obediently leave on their own accord.
Back on the ship, facing the approaching crew, Sules waved her hand.
“Let’s go, we’ve checked in. Full speed ahead to Tian 1 District!”
***
The so-called Tian 1 District was a large area delineated by several huge reefs.
After entering the territory’s boundary, Sules first sailed around the entire boundary.
The purpose of this was actually to let the system record the map of this area.
This was a system function she later discovered: in addition to the system panel itself, the system had specially added a map function for her convenience as an Earthling.
Any territory she had passed through could be recorded on the map.
After touring the entire area, Sules finally had a clear understanding.
This place was indeed quite large.
The system provided the precise size—100,000 square kilometers.
Sules had originally studied science, but her geography was also excellent, so she had a geographical concept of this number: it was roughly the size of the Bohai Sea, perhaps slightly larger.
Frankly, assigning such a large area to her small, broken ship felt a bit like overkill, but since they would be staying here for several months, it wouldn’t be too much of a waste.
After recording the territory, Sules walked out of the cockpit and found Adolf.
“Finally, we need to find a fishing spot to anchor. If you see a good area, just tell me. Also, don’t forget your promise from yesterday.”
Adolf nodded nonchalantly.
Looking at Sules, he suddenly remembered something and asked, “By the way, when are you cooking next?”
Sules raised an eyebrow.
It seemed this guy was quite satisfied with her cooking…
She smiled.
“I’m not sure, but if something good happens, I’ll probably make a celebratory meal. It’s a reward system for me. Of course, I’ll definitely cook for major festivals if there’s an opportunity.”
“Is that so…”
Adolf showed a thoughtful expression and waved his hand at her.
“Go sail the ship; I’ll tell you when we’ve arrived.”
The meaning conveyed in his words clearly indicated that he already had a target.
Sules gave an OK gesture and walked back to the cockpit to start sailing.
After about ten minutes, Adolf called out a timely halt.
“Alright, this is far enough!”
Hearing his words, Sules stopped the ship, walked out of the cockpit, and instructed the two fishermen to start working.
However, just as they were casting their nets, an unfriendly voice boomed through a loudspeaker from not far away, “Hey! You lot, did I say you could cast your nets here?”