Chapter 813: Chapter 552: The Secret of the Shoaling Crucian Carp Fry (Part 2)

His ability to perceive and judge the fish’s condition far surpasses any angler I’ve ever encountered. After just a few casts, he can accurately assess the situation faster than I can.

Sitting next to him in a PK match, I’m always a step behind! The three-fish gap in the first half is because of this. When we really get down to it, I’m not at a disadvantage!

As for the second half, it was a chain reaction caused by the temporary setback in the first half. To catch up and overtake, I had to take risks and bet on floating fish situations. Unfortunately, I lost the gamble, resulting in such a big score difference!"

After hearing his apprentice’s explanation filled with grievances, Deng Gang paused for a few seconds, then said: "I’ve always told you to practice your basics more when there’s nothing else going on. Now you know there’s always someone better out there, right?

There are two more matches in the semifinals, and you still have a chance. Stay sharp and show your technical state! If you can’t even make it to the semifinals this time, just wait until we get home and see how I train you!"

Hearing his master’s blatant threat, Huang Zheng instinctively swallowed and responded repeatedly: "Master, rest assured. I’ve thoroughly grasped the fish condition in Pond No.1. I’ve competed against them in the remaining two matches before; the odds of winning are high! I’ll definitely perform well!"

"Alright then, I’m waiting for the news of you making it to the finals! Don’t get cocky when you’re not competing with the team. Let me catch you stirring things up, and you know my temper! That’s it, hanging up now!"

"Mm-hmm, I got it! Goodbye, Master!"

After hanging up the call, Huang Zheng wiped off the cold sweat on his face with his sleeve.

Deng Gang, in his usual dealings with apprentices and company employees, has a temper that is quite gentle. The team treatment and company salary standards are not set low.

But when it comes to serious matters, he becomes every disciple’s nightmare, with all sorts of devilish plans and punishment mechanisms. Thinking about his past experiences makes Huang Zheng shiver.

Having hung up the call, Huang Zheng glanced at the watch on his wrist. Not even bothering to drink water, he went back to the rest area to prepare the bait for the next match. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Half an hour passed quickly.

Upon hearing the referee’s call, the four anglers returned from their respective rest areas to the front of the camera.

According to the first draw, Zhang Yang drew number four, and in the second match, Zhang Yang faced number two, Zhu Wenbin.

Being an amateur angler, this match compared to the other matches became somewhat dull and boring.

After the oxygen machine stirred the water for half an hour, not a single small carp showed up on Zhang Yang and Zhu Wenbin’s side after the match began. After a brief trial, Zhang Yang switched back to creating nests at the bottom, targeting the interfaces near the bottom and along the way.

The upper and lower halves of the match hardly created any waves. The two kept it even with one fish each, but Zhang Yang, thanks to his quick reaction with tactical adjustments and perfect basic skill details, managed to secure another victory with a five-fish lead.

Compared to Zhang Yang and Zhu Wenbin’s PK, the battle between Huang Zheng and Wang Chao was much more intense.

Wang Chao and Huang Zheng, one being the main force of the Hua Clan competition team and the other a rising star of the Tianyuan competition team, this battle was truly a battle of honor.

After being the main character of the live-studio for so many matches, Zhang Yang was gloriously overshadowed this time by Wang Chao and Huang Zheng’s fateful battle.

You have to give it to Huang Zheng; he’s quite a beast. After getting scolded by Deng Gang over the phone, he went back on stage fiercely.

How to describe his change? It’s like Zhang Jike in the table tennis circle, seemingly drowsy and out of state one minute, but instantly boosted in combat power after being ’activated’ by a call.

Huang Zheng and Wang Chao, with nearly identical PK operations, but Huang Zheng relied on a more stable twin-tail technique to catch bites, edging Wang Chao out with a two-fish difference.

So, the 1v1 PK of the four people, after two matches, had become clear.

Zhang Yang won both matches and has already advanced to the finals.

Huang Zheng and Wang Chao each had one win and one loss.

As for the other dark horse, Zhu Wenbin, with two losses, no longer had any chance to advance.

The result of the third match was basically determined before it even started.

As long as Zhu Wenbin doesn’t upset Huang Zheng, then it’s Huang Zheng and Zhang Yang who advance to the finals.

At this point, you might wonder, what if Zhang Yang intentionally loses to Wang Chao? With all three having two wins and one loss, why would Huang Zheng advance?

This touches on a detail in the competition’s rules—the winner of two is given priority for advancement, considering the win-loss relationship between the anglers!

Zhang Yang has already secured two wins and is undefeated, while others with the same score have to consider net fishes left and their win-loss relationships.

With Huang Zheng and Wang Chao having the same record, since Huang Zheng beat Wang Chao in their PK, Huang Zheng would advance and Wang Chao would be eliminated.

With such competition rules, the last PK between Zhang Yang and Wang Chao had no real impact on the final spots. The match that would decide advancement fell to Huang Zheng and the underdog Zhu Wenbin.

The deflated Wang Chao, having lost a crucial match, and the pressure-free Zhang Yang turned the final match into almost a friendly practice. They sparred a few rounds leisurely, and then settled into a mutual agreement fishing session.

Both on and offstage, and through the live cameras, all eyes were on the critical match between Huang Zheng and Zhu Wenbin.

Despite Deng Gang’s morale boost, Huang Zheng maintained his stellar competitive state. Zhu Wenbin resisted fiercely and performed perfectly, but in the end, Huang Zheng still led by three more fish.

Thus, the semifinals to finals match series concluded in this somewhat unexpected, strange atmosphere, with Huang Zheng making a comeback to reach the final bound for the championship battle.

Additionally, it’s worth mentioning the issue of small carp schooling in Pond No.1. Zhang Yang found the answer during the third match’s recreational session.

Zhang Yang deliberately spared some face for Wang Chao by slowing down everything in the last five minutes, even leaving two baits untouched for a while.

As a result, this almost foolish bottom-feeding technique unexpectedly got Zhang Yang a big catch.

In the target fish competition pond, Zhang Yang reeled in a big-headed, cow-tailed, over two and a half pounds native big catfish.

This answered the question mark hovering in Zhang Yang’s mind.

Why do small fish prefer to school together instead of distributing freely like in a regular Competition Pond?

Most likely, it’s this big catfish playing tricks.

Big catfish are earnest benthic predators. The older, larger wild fish in the native pond are too cumbersome for the catfish, making them less fearful of the big-headed fellow.

But the small carp fry in the native pond are a different story. The big catfish can gulp them one by one as easily as eating dumplings.

The small fish’s tendency to gather in schools and move in the middle and upper layers could be their defense against this underwater big catfish.

Of course, this is just Zhang Yang’s personal conjecture. Whether it’s truly the case has no definite conclusion.

Nevertheless, this explanation seems reliable with at least some rationality. As for why there are catfish in the target fish pond, that’s not Zhang Yang’s concern. Only heaven knows whether it’s an intentional act by the Competition Pond management or some accidental cause.

...

The semifinals match series concluded under such a slightly surprising, eerie ambiance.

According to the competition’s arrangement, there are no matches in the morning. The championship and runner-up battle will begin at two in the afternoon.

In the championship battle, the rules have changed somewhat.

Three-out-of-five format, 3.6-meter target fish count competition.

Zhang Yang and Huang Zheng are both geared up. Huang Zheng’s stellar state in the last two PKs suggests that the afternoon match will indeed be another intense battle.