Apocalyptic Hoarding Diary

Chapter 200 Preparations

Xu Xiaoyan silently swallowed the question that was on the tip of her tongue. Well, she figured it out. This guy was probably just a "king of talk," rich in theory but with zero practical skills.

She stopped relying on Wang Xiao and asked the waitress directly, "We are beginners and know nothing about ice fishing. Based on your experience, do you recommend buying or renting? We just want to try it out and see if we can make a profit."

The waitress maintained a professional smile, clearly used to "newbies," and patiently explained, "Actually, any of these will do, depending on your budget and expectations. The regular fishing rod is the cheapest; if you just want to try your luck in shallow water near the shore, this will suffice. The all-purpose rod has a wide range of applications; if you're unsure which water depth you'll be fishing at, or if you want to try catching different types of fish, this is the best value. As for the ice fishing rod, as I just mentioned, it's specifically designed for this kind of ice-covered environment. It's short, has a sensitive action, and transmits signals directly, which is very helpful in catching the slight, tentative bites of fish under the ice, increasing your catch rate. Of course, it's also the most expensive."

After hearing this clear explanation, Xu Xiaoyan immediately came to a conclusion. Since she was already here and prepared to stay for at least three days, she couldn't be too casual about the tools. High sensitivity meant a higher success rate, and even if it was just a slight improvement, it was worth the investment in the face of potential "big fish".

She spoke decisively, pointing to the row of professional ice fishing rods, "Then get me an ice fishing rod. As for bait," she looked at the two bait boxes, "live earthworms and mixed feed, give me 1 point each." She planned to try both to see which one would be more to the liking of the fish here.

At this moment, Wang Xiao seemed to snap out of his dilemma, somewhat embarrassed, and tugged at Xu Xiaoyan's thick sleeve, muttering softly with a hint of resentment and grievance, "Xiaoyan...you, you didn't even ask for my opinion...I at least..."

Without turning her head, Xu Xiaoyan took out her phone from her pocket to pay the points, and said in a calm but unquestionable tone, "Your expression and eyes have already betrayed you, Wang Xiao. Thank you for your 'kindness,' but I think it's better to rely on yourself than to ask others for help, don't you think?" There was a hint of teasing in her words.

As soon as she finished speaking, she heard Xie Yingtang chuckle softly, almost inaudibly, from the side. He had clearly seen through Wang Xiao's embarrassment but had kept quiet about it.

Wang Xiao was taken aback by Xu Xiaoyan's words, and then heard Xie Yingtang's laughter. He immediately felt embarrassed and tried to retort, but when he opened his mouth, he found himself at a loss for words—he really didn't understand and had indeed been confused just now.

He could only glare angrily at Xie Yingtang, who was trying not to laugh, then turned to the counter, and with a mix of resentment and a desire to save face, raised his voice and said to the waiter, "Give me an ice fishing rod too! Just like Xiaoyan's! Professional! I want the best!" as if the quality of the equipment could make up for any lack of skill.

The waiter nodded and noted it down, then looked at Xie Yingtang, who had been silently observing and hadn't readily expressed his opinion. "And this gentleman, what would you like?"

Xie Yingtang did not answer immediately. He took a few steps closer, his gaze slowly moving between the various fishing rods. His fingers unconsciously touched his chin, and finally, his gaze fell on the row of all-purpose rods in the middle.

"I want this," he said, pointing to a sturdy-looking, medium-length all-purpose rod, adding, "For bait, I'll choose a one-point mixed feed."

After paying the deposit, Wang Xiao packed away his expensive ice fishing rod, a small box of earthworms, and a small bag of feed. He kept muttering to himself, as if trying to encourage himself or save face. "It's just ice fishing... how hard can it be... it's just digging a hole, putting in some bait, and waiting... I used to... um..." His voice trailed off, clearly indicating his lack of confidence.

Xu Xiaoyan ignored his stubbornness and nagging. She picked up her ice fishing rod and two portions of bait, turned around, and pushed open the door to leave.

"Whoosh—!" The moment the iron door of the container opened a crack, the biting cold wind instantly dissipated the meager warmth inside and interrupted Wang Xiao's mutterings. Xu Xiaoyan couldn't help but shiver, quickly pulling her scarf and hat brim tighter. She looked at the tiny, scattered figures on the ice in the distance, like black beetles, and then at the brand-new fishing rod in her hand, silently calculating in her mind: the fishing rod is worth 15 points, the bait is worth 2 points, and opening the ice cave later will cost at least 3 more points... She needs to catch at least twenty pounds of fish to barely break even.

Xie Yingtang followed her out. When they passed Wang Xiao, who was still adjusting his equipment at the door with a somewhat conflicted expression, he gently patted his broad shoulder and said, "Come on, 'Fishing Master,' we haven't dug the ice cave yet, and we haven't seen any fish. Let me see your true skills."

Wang Xiao opened his mouth, wanting to say something grand, but facing Xie Yingtang's calm gaze and the howling cold wind outside, he ultimately said nothing. He simply unconsciously gripped the brand-new, expensive ice fishing rod in his arms even tighter.

Outside the container door, Wang Xiao shrank back. The bravado he had generated inside while shopping in a fit of pique was instantly dispelled by reality, leaving only apprehension about the unknown and a sense of helplessness regarding the expensive "fire poker" in his hand.

He stared at the incomprehensible adjustment rings and delicate reel on the fishing rod, his heart pounding – how exactly do you use this thing?

Xu Xiaoyan looked at the other two, her voice muffled through her mask, "Shall we go open the ice cave next?"

Xie Yingtang nodded and pointed to the container on the far right that was labeled "Ice Hole Service/Heating Supplies". "Go over there to register for opening an ice hole first, and rent a brazier while you're at it. In this weather, without a continuous heat source, you can't stay on the ice for long. If your hands and feet get frozen, forget about fishing, it will be difficult to even protect yourself."

The three of them walked through the snow toward the third container. This place was busier than the fishing tackle shop. There was a short queue of about four or five people at the door, all bundled up and talking in hushed tones or waiting in silence. The queue moved slowly, which indicated that the business inside was more complicated.

After waiting for a while, it was finally their turn. The container was even more cluttered than the fishing tackle shop, with many coal bags, drill bits of various sizes, iron hooks, and ropes piled on the floor, and some tools hanging on the wall.

A middle-aged man in uniform sat behind a large table with a notebook and an old-fashioned calculator in front of him. "How many ice holes do you need? What specifications are required? The standard hole diameter is 20 centimeters, and the depth depends on the ice thickness. Generally, it reaches the water layer. Do you need to rent a brazier and coal? The deposit for the brazier is 3 points, and the daily rental fee is 0.5 points. Ten bags of smokeless coal cost 1 point, and each bag weighs 100 jin."