Chapter 258: The Lucky Catch
Kim Haru started to worry whether letting the husky tear things up had been a mistake. What if they got addicted to it? When winter was over and there was no more ice to shred, would they turn to dismantling his house instead?
Meanwhile, Go Okrim had carved an even larger hole than Kim Haru's. He was eagerly tossing a bucket into the water.
But after several attempts, the bucket refused to sink, leaving him visibly frustrated.
Kim Haru couldn't hold back and spoke up: "Fill the bucket with water first, then put it down."
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Go Okrim suddenly understood.
It seemed his excitement had caused his IQ to drop.
With water now in the bucket, its buoyancy was reduced, and it began to sink into the pond.
Once the line in Go Okrim's hand went taut, he couldn't hold his patience for long. He immediately started reeling it in.
Kim Haru, watching his actions with some anticipation, felt he could already guess the result based on Go Okrim's speed.
Sure enough, as expected, Go Okrim lifted the bucket and dumped its contents onto the ice. It was nothing but water—no lively creatures in sight.
Disappointment filled Go Okrim's face. "I don't believe this."
Once again, he threw the bucket back down, but this time not as deep. Determined, Go Okrim focused entirely on ensuring he reeled it up even faster next time.
Kim Haru occasionally glanced at his own fishing float. Seeing no activity, he looked back at Go Okrim.
This time, Go Okrim let the bucket sit for a little longer before giving a sudden, strong pull!
—Still nothing.
"Hey, again!" Go Okrim was now completely engrossed in his battle with the hole.
Kim Haru found it amusing to watch. Seeing how much fun Go Okrim was having, he decided not to interfere and focused on his own fishing rod.
Slowly, the grass float made a barely noticeable twitch.
Kim Haru immediately perked up, staring unblinkingly at it. Then, the float twitched again.
Got it!
Kim Haru quickly gestured for Go Okrim to quiet down.
The float, which had been testing the waters, began to sink. Then, it moved more vigorously until it was suddenly yanked downward with force!
Without hesitation, Kim Haru pulled up the rod with all his might! He even stood up, using his entire body's strength.
Whatever had taken the bait was shockingly powerful. Kim Haru couldn't lift it in one go and almost got pulled into the water himself.
"Gojo!" Kim Haru gripped the rod tightly and called for help.
Before Go Okrim could reach him, an extra bamboo rod appeared out of nowhere.
The bamboo rod wrapped around Kim Haru's fishing rod and began pulling back.
It was Unmelted Frost Bamboo Tree who had come to help.
Kim Haru quickly gave instructions: "Don't let it stay in the water too long. The hook doesn't have a barb, so it'll escape."
Unmelted Frost Bamboo Tree's strength was leagues beyond Kim Haru's. Before the latter's words had even finished, the fishing rod was abruptly yanked out of the water.
A dark shadow flew past Kim Haru's eyes and landed on the ice with a loud slap, wriggling and struggling.
It was indeed a fish!
Go Okrim curiously leaned in for a closer look.
"Hyung, what kind of fish is this?"
The fish on the ground struggled with all its might. It was round and cylindrical, like a rolling pin. If it weren't for the slightly pointed fish mouth on its head and the shape of its tail resembling a fin, Kim Haru might not have dared to believe this thing was a fish.
He didn't recognize what kind of fish it was.
At some point, the Ginseng Spirit that had wandered over and was now circling the fish. Its root-like tendrils agilely dodged the swings of the fish's tail, not getting hit once.
Hearing Go Okrim's question, the Ginseng Spirit clicked its tongue twice and said, "You two are really lucky. The spot you picked can truly be considered a treasure trove. Even the fish in the pond are rare Sunbreak Fish."
"What are Sunbreak Fish?" Go Okrim and Kim Haru both looked confused.
"I haven't fully reached enlightenment yet, so my inherited memory is incomplete. But I do know a little. The skin of this fish can heal wounds better than any bandage. And the flesh is brimming with spiritual energy, exceptionally tender, and incredibly delicious."
Kim Haru glanced at the Ginseng Spirit and, as expected, saw a droplet of what looked suspiciously like saliva trickling down.
"For you, I bet the 'delicious' part is what matters most."
The Ginseng Spirit wasn't embarrassed at all about being called out, laughing cheekily while staring intently at Kim Haru. "Human, how about we eat it tonight?"
Go Okrim also swallowed hard. "Hyung, I'd like to try it too."
Kim Haru: "..."
Honestly, he wanted to try it too.
"Is there anything special we need to do when preparing this fish?" Kim Haru asked the Ginseng Spirit.
Go Okrim and the Ginseng Spirit exchanged glances, then cheered in unison.
"There's nothing complicated about it. You can cook it however you like—boil it, steam it, braise it, or even eat it raw," the Ginseng Spirit said, thumping its chest confidently. "Just peel the fish skin first. It's thick enough that it's easy to remove."
Kim Haru nodded, tossed the fish into a basin, and pushed it toward the Ginseng Spirit. "Keep an eye on it. If it escapes, there'll be nothing for us to eat."
The Ginseng Spirit eagerly nodded, extending part of its roots to weave a net over the basin, firmly securing the fish from every angle.
Kim Haru returned to his fishing spot by the ice hole and squatted down again.
If this fish was so delicious, one definitely wouldn't be enough.
Seeing Kim Haru catch such a good fish in one go, Go Okrim felt increasingly dissatisfied with his own repeated failures to catch even one fish.