After walking around the private yacht, the assistant spotted Xuelian standing at the stern, holding a large net and trying to catch the flying fish that soared through the air. He watched for a while, and only after confirming she was trying to net the fish did he approach.

Upon reaching her, the assistant grabbed an even larger net from nearby and began to help Xuelian, catching the flying fish that leaped from the sea. His net was particularly large, and in no time at all, he had caught more than a dozen of them. He immediately walked over to Xuelian with his catch.

As he walked, he gloated inwardly. Watching Xuelian's technique with the net, it's just awful. She's been at it for ages and hasn't caught a single one… But me? I used a big net and caught over a dozen in less than three minutes… If I give all these flying fish to her… she'll be eternally grateful to me… Thinking this, the assistant broke into a private smile and continued toward her. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

Meanwhile, Xuelian, having spent a long time trying to use her net, watched as all the flying fish escaped. She said cheerfully, "Those horrid sharks, chasing flying fish through the sea… Thank goodness these fish have wings. They managed to escape another disaster… And here I am with my big net. I'll wait for the fish to pass, and when the sharks charge after them, I'll snatch the leaping sharks right out of the air and save the flying fish…"

However, before Xuelian could finish, the assistant arrived, holding a large net heavy with more than a dozen flying fish. He dumped the entire catch at her feet, smiled, and said, "Xuelian, I was secretly watching you from over there for almost an hour… I noticed you've been netting for a long time without catching a single fish… so I grabbed a big net to help you out. Look, I caught more than a dozen! Look at them, aren't they beautiful? If you like them, take them all… I'll make flying fish soup for you tonight…"

But when Xuelian, the self-appointed protector of the flying fish, saw that the assistant had not only caught a dozen of them but killed them all, she exploded in anger.

She stared at the assistant, then suddenly leaped into the air, landing a spinning kick squarely in his stomach. "Damn you! I'll kick you to death!" she bellowed. "Ever since I was a little girl, I've loved these beautiful flying fish! I've always dreamed of protecting them from sharks out at sea! I was just about to save them, letting them escape so I could trap the sharks… But you! You came charging over with your giant net, caught over a dozen of them, killed them, and threw them at my feet!"

As she spoke, she spun again, swinging a powerful fist at the assistant. He had just been kicked to the ground when the punch connected. Sprawled on the deck in agony, he looked up at Xuelian and stammered, "I was just trying to be nice and help you, and you hit me for it…"

His words only made her angrier. Xuelian stalked around the yacht until she found an iron anchor. Hoisting it high, she aimed it at the assistant. "I don't punish the diligent or the lazy—only the willfully blind. And you, assistant, are completely blind! Couldn't you see I was protecting the flying fish? But you came here and slaughtered the very innocents I was trying to save!"

With that, she lifted the iron anchor higher and brought it smashing down toward him.

When the assistant saw the heavy anchor hurtling toward him, he squeezed his eyes shut. I tried to be clever and it backfired spectacularly. A complete and utter failure.

But just as the anchor was about to hit him, Zhao Rong rushed over and pulled him to safety. "Assistant, you're alright. Now stop causing trouble on this ship, and don't provoke the three ladies. If you've got nothing to do, go steer the boat."

Seeing that Zhao Rong had saved him, the assistant burst into tears. "Brother Zhao Rong, a woman's heart is the most venomous thing there is… You're the only one who's good to me. You don't have to tell me twice; I'll go steer the boat right now. It's too dangerous for me to wander around this deck anymore…"

With that, the assistant went to the helm.

Zhao Rong stood nearby and called out a warning, "Watch where you're going so you don't hit any reefs. Also, that fatso is next to you. Listen to his directions, or we'll go off course and get lost in the middle of the ocean."

The assistant nodded eagerly. "As long as it gets me away from those three, I'll do anything you say." He took his place at the helm.

As he did, he immediately noticed the fatso tied up beside him. The fatso, after observing him for some time, had realized the assistant was a lecherous man.

He leaned in and whispered, "Assistant, do you like mermaids?"

The word "mermaid" made the assistant pause. He thought for a moment, then shook his head. "I used to… but then I remembered that even though a mermaid is a woman, her lower half is a fish. I'm not into that anymore."

Hearing this, the fatso began to coax him. "Assistant, you're such a frog in a well. A mermaid's lower half may be a fish, but her lips are very sexy… you know what I mean."

The mention of sexy lips piqued the assistant's interest. He looked at the fatso. "You really know where to find mermaids in these waters?"

"As long as you follow my directions," the fatso said mysteriously, "you'll find them."

The assistant thought for a moment. "But even if we find one, she'll be in the sea. She can't get on the boat to… you know… serve me."

The fatso gave him a lewd grin. "That's the easy part. You get in the water and have your fun with the mermaid, and I'll take over steering for a while. Simple as that. It's very easy."

The assistant swallowed hard, his excitement palpable. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go find some mermaids!"

And so, under the fatso's guidance, the assistant steered the private yacht off its intended course, heading toward the waters where mermaids were said to live. As he steered, he fantasized about what was to come, but a sliver of doubt remained.

"Fatso," he asked nervously, "do you think Zhao Rong will notice we've gone off course?"

The fatso shook his head confidently. "Don't worry. As long as you follow my directions, we'll only deviate a little. It won't affect our trip to Deadly Island in any real way, and Zhao Rong will never find out."

Reassured, the assistant put his trust in the fatso, steering the boat under his command toward the mermaid territory.