Silence.
A brief moment of silence—then the entire riverbank exploded like a kicked hornet’s nest.
“Holy crap! It’s real! It’s actually Master Yu alive!”
“Those flip-flops, that military coat wrapped around those shorts, and that vibe of ‘I don’t care about the world anymore’… it’s definitely the real Master Yu!”
“Don’t leave, Master! I’m your biggest fan! You were squatting right here just now—there must be treasure under this spot, right?”
“Brothers, charge! Capture the wild Master Yu! This place is definitely a feng shui dragon vein—our whole future depends on this one cast!”
Dozens of burly men surged forward.
The scene was even more terrifying than a zombie siege from a movie.
Yu Xian’s scalp went numb, chills running down his spine.
“You’ve got the wrong person! I’m not Yu Xian! I’m Wang Dafu, just a guy who delivers goods on a tricycle!”
He shouted at the top of his lungs while swiftly scrambling onto the rusty tricycle.
At this point, he didn’t care about his fishing rod or stool anymore—those cheap things didn’t matter. Survival did.
He stomped hard on the pedals.
Creak—clatter!
The fifty-yuan second-hand tricycle suddenly unleashed performance comparable to a sports car at a critical moment.
The chain spun like it was sparking fire, and the wheels bounced violently over the rocky riverbank—breaking out of the encirclement just before it closed.
“Master! Don’t run! I’ll pay 200,000 for the rock you just sat on!”
“Master! Bless my fishing rod! I’ve been single for 30 years—not asking for money, just let me catch a mermaid!”
The anglers behind him were absurdly athletic. Several fast runners grabbed onto the back of the tricycle.
Yu Xian kicked one hand away without looking back.
“Bless your head! Believe in science! There’s no such thing as mysticism! All of you, scram!”
“You’re right, Master! Believe in science! You’re just using gravity acceleration to help us find miracles underwater!”
The voices behind him only grew louder, shouting in total madness.
Yu Xian felt his heart racing wildly.
In all his years—both lives combined—he had never seen such bizarre logic in humans.
These people had completely lost it, interpreting every one of his actions as divine signs.
Cold wind rushed into his collar as he rode his tricycle wildly across the dirt roads of Jiangcheng’s outskirts.
His Lei Feng hat was long gone. His mask hung loosely from one ear. His face looked like it had given up on life.
After half an hour of frantic pedaling, once the roars of the anglers were completely gone, he finally relaxed.
He turned into a narrow alley with no streetlights and collapsed onto the seat, gasping like a broken bellows.
“What a sin… what a damn sin…”
He tilted his head back at the dark sky, voice hoarse.
In both lives combined, all he ever wanted was two words: peace.
He just wanted to be a lazy fish—take naps under the sun, fish quietly, and bring home a couple of carp to make soup for his wife and kid.
But reality kept steering him in the exact opposite direction.
To fish in peace, he dismantled a giant corporation like Xingmang Entertainment.
To get proper gear, he casually released a song called “The Lonely Brave,” and now it was playing everywhere.
To avoid big shots in the capital, he returned to Jiangcheng.
To avoid local businessmen bringing gifts, he hid in this godforsaken swamp ditch.
And the result?
His fame didn’t shrink—it exploded like a rolling snowball across every circle.
Now even the fishing community had started worshipping him like a living god.
At this point, forget fishing—he’d probably get mobbed just buying vegetables.
Just as he was questioning life, his phone in his pocket vibrated violently.
He pulled it out—Wang Dafu.
Grinding his teeth, he answered immediately.
“Speak fast! I’m in a bad mood and looking for someone to take it out on!”
On the other end, Wang Dafu sounded like he was trembling—but from excitement.
“Dad! Huge news! Earth-shattering good news!”
“Don’t tell me someone’s sending me shares again or some rich lady wants an arranged marriage—if you say that, I’m coming back to make you understand pain,” Yu Xian snapped.
“No! Not those mortals! It’s official! The government has stepped in!”
Wang Dafu shouted louder than him.
“Just now, the Jiangcheng municipal government, provincial public security department, and cultural bureau jointly issued an official red-headed document!”
“The document clearly states: in recognition of Comrade Yu Xian’s outstanding contributions in assisting police against transnational crime, promoting positive social values, and boosting local cultural industries—he is hereby awarded the title of ‘Honorary Citizen of Jiangcheng’!”
“And that’s not all—you are now officially the city’s ‘Anti-Crime Image Ambassador’!”
Yu Xian’s hand trembled.
The phone almost slipped.
Once that title was attached to him, the words “low profile” were gone for life.
“This is your good news? This is a death sentence,” Yu Xian said coldly.
“It’s not over yet! The best part is still coming!”
Wang Dafu was so excited he was stomping his feet.
“To honor you, the city has approved special privileges. You know Longhu Reservoir, right? The top-tier reservoir in Jiangcheng—only accessible to provincial leaders, guarded by armed police, with water clean enough to drink!”
“The government has ordered: Longhu Reservoir will be open to you for life, free of charge!”
“And they’ve prepared a private yacht for you, plus a 24/7 security team. From now on, when you fish, not even a noisy frog will appear within 500 meters!”
Yu Xian froze.
The phone nearly dropped.
Longhu Reservoir.
That was the sacred land of anglers in Jiangcheng—practically a forbidden paradise.
Fish there were so large some were longer than a person. Countless anglers dreamed of casting a single line there.
A private yacht. Security clearing the area.
Meaning…
He would never again need to hide in stinky ditches fighting rogue fishing crowds.
He could finally achieve the ultimate peaceful fishing life—no disturbance, just water and fish.
Thinking back to being chased like a dog just moments ago, something in Yu Xian shifted subtly.
He once wanted to stay low-key, stay ordinary—but the world kept pushing him upward.
The harder he tried to hide, the stronger the push became.
And now even the government had started endorsing him.
So what was the point of hiding anymore?
“I didn’t even try to show off… and now heaven itself is forcing me to,” he muttered with a self-deprecating laugh.
The exhaustion in his eyes slowly faded, replaced by a calm acceptance.
After all this chaotic butterfly effect circling around, he had somehow achieved his dream anyway—fishing freedom.
“Dafu,” he said into the phone.
“Yes! I’m here, Dad!”
“Bring the Rolls-Royce to pick me up. I’ve sent you the location.”
He stood up, brushed the mud off his pants slowly, and added casually:
“Also bring that titanium alloy lure rod Old Qin gave me.”
“Got it! On my way!”
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