HLM -Chapter 1301 Fishing Alone in the Mist

Wendy suggested that Wang Bo plant a maze in Sunset Town. Naturally, a maze grown there wouldn’t count as a natural labyrinth, but even an artificial woodland maze would be great fun for tourists.

Wang Bo accepted the suggestion. He felt that the Heart of the Jungle shouldn’t only promote the growth of trees—it ought to encourage mushrooms, black truffles, wild berries, and other organisms to grow in symbiosis with them as well.

That was also why he chose to plant locust trees. Locusts have a powerful trait: they are nutrient-rich plants, and their roots and decaying wood are ideal for the reproduction and growth of all kinds of fungi.

Since they were going to build a tree maze, proper design was required. Various trees and vegetation would have to be planted according to detailed plans.

Wendy helped him get in touch with a French landscape design company. Based on the actual terrain, they produced a design blueprint. Once completed, the forest would become winding and convoluted—easy to get into, but not so easy to get out.

By late September, New Zealand was shrouded in spring rain.

Spring rain is as precious as oil. This rainfall lasted an entire week, allowing New Zealand’s land—parched for years—to drink its fill at last. The flow at several of Sunset Town’s spirit spring outlets noticeably increased.

With the continuous rain, the weather became especially humid. Water vapor washed through the air, and Sunset Town’s already fresh atmosphere was further cleansed. Taking a deep breath now felt as though it could rinse out one’s trachea and lungs—exceptionally comfortable.

Braving the drizzle, Wang Bo took his fishing rod and headed to Lake Hāwea on the weekend.

On the way, he ran into Rex. The old drifter was wearing a simple raincoat and strolling slowly through the rain. He didn’t seem to avoid getting wet at all, occasionally tilting his head back to let the rain wash over him.

Wang Bo stopped the car and asked, “Hey, old buddy, you weren’t kicked out by your son and daughter-in-law, were you?”

Rex walked over and leaned against the car window. “What did you say? I didn’t catch that just now.”

Wang Bo repeated himself. The old drifter burst out laughing. “Haha, how could that be? My son hasn’t come yet. He’s still wrapping things up at work in Sydney. For now, I’m living on my own.”

“Still not done with the handover? Then aren’t you still lonely?”

Rex shook his head. “No, not lonely. My daughter-in-law came first with the kids. We’ve got four lively little colts at home. We get along very well—they’re all good kids.”

“Then what are you doing out here?” Wang Bo asked.

Rex gazed happily at the hazy rain and mist. “Oh, I’m reminiscing. I like walking in the rain—the sound of raindrops pattering on my clothes, the cool, damp vapor on my skin. It always brings back beautiful memories.”

Since that was the case, Wang Bo didn’t disturb him further. Rex noticed the fishing rod in the car and asked in return, “Going fishing?”

“Yes. In this kind of weather, there are very few people on the lake. The atmosphere will be especially quiet. That’s what I want to experience right now.”

The little baby was too noisy. He usually did most of the childcare himself, so he wanted to take advantage of the weekend to spend some time alone and calm his restless mind.

After hearing this, Rex chuckled sheepishly. “Actually, I want some peace and quiet too. Like you, I lack experience dealing with children. Those four little colts are truly terrifying.”

Wang Bo laughed and invited him into the car. The two of them headed together for Lake Hāwea.

A yacht was moored by the lakeside, but Wang Bo wanted to experience the lonely desolation of fishing alone amid cold river snow. So instead of the yacht, he and Rex took a Māori flat-bottomed wooden boat and rowed it out onto the lake.

Watching Wang Bo’s skilled strokes, Rex said, “Nice technique, boss. If I hadn’t seen how you run the town, I’d think you were an old fisherman.”

Wang Bo shrugged. “My parents were fishermen. I grew up by the sea. Running the town is my job—dealing with water is my real skill.”

After days of drizzle, the lake surface was saturated with moisture. Thick fog drifted above the water, creating a scene like an immortal realm, with mist swirling and clouds lingering.

The most wonderful moment came as they rowed across the lake: several black cranes burst through the clouds and mist.

The great birds were elegant and carefree, circling above the small boat twice before flapping their wings and departing, leaving behind only a few graceful traces flickering in the fog.

“So beautiful,” Rex said, drawing a cross over his chest and murmuring, “God is always with me. My heart is devout. God is always with me.”

The scene just now truly was beautiful, but Wang Bo didn’t feel overwhelmed. Back when he lived in the castle, there had been seas of clouds there too. Standing deep within them, watching black cranes fly toward him—that kind of impact was even greater.

The two of them each took a fishing rod, cast their lines, and then sat leisurely in the small boat, waiting for the fish to bite.

Rex clenched a pipe between his teeth, took a puff, and exhaled a cloud of smoke. “Boss, want a taste? This is tobacco I got from González. I worked for people there planting tobacco fields—this is part of my pay.”

González was an obscure little town—at least Wang Bo had never heard of it—but according to Rex, it produced top-grade tobacco. Much of it was dried and shipped to Wang Bo’s homeland, China, for sale.

Wang Bo didn’t smoke, but he felt that in this environment, taking a puff might be nice.

Rex pulled a sheet of paper from his pocket and quickly rolled him a hand-rolled cigarette, gesturing for him to light it right away.

There was too much moisture in the air; if it wasn’t lit quickly, the cigarette would soon get damp.

Even with it already between his lips, lighting it wasn’t easy. They tried four or five times before Wang Bo finally got it lit by taking a hard drag.

But he inhaled too forcefully, and a mouthful of smoke went straight down his throat, making him cough repeatedly.

Rex burst out laughing. “Boss, you’re too impatient. Watch me—take it slow. Don’t draw it into your lungs. Just moisten your throat and spit it out. Then take another puff—this time swallow it…”

Wang Bo couldn’t really taste the fragrance of the tobacco. He only felt a burning sensation.

Still, it was a brand-new experience. Smoking a cigarette he’d never touched before amid the mist on the lake—each time he exhaled, a different feeling surfaced in his heart.

Soon, Wang Bo’s fishing line began to twitch. With the cigarette in his mouth, he quickly turned the reel. There were no big fish in Lake Hāwea, so he easily reeled it in.

“A Dooz lungfish?” Wang Bo looked at the palm-length fish in his hand, surprised. Lungfish had actually entered the lake—and gone quite far in. Clearly, the population was reproducing and expanding well.

Although lungfish were edible and tasty, he had no such intention. After unhooking it, he tossed it back into the water.

The fish quickly dove down, obviously frightened. But after a while, it floated back to the surface, poking its head up and opening and closing its mouth to breathe air.

Before long, several more lungfish surfaced the same way, clustering together to breathe the air at the surface.