Chapter 13 The Very Water in the Pond Smelled of Money

After completing the necessary procedures, Chu Lin left the Nana Ornamental Fish Protection Center Hospital.
Returning to the shrimp farm, he immediately entered the game.
Now he had to bring those Neptune Grouper from Atlantis out of the game first.
He also took one out to observe its condition by placing it in a breeding pool.
Although the Neptune Grouper produced in Atlantis was noted for its exceptional adaptability, he still had to be very cautious about the possibility of a lung burst.
Within the game map, thanks to Atlantis’s special effects, the fish were unaffected.
But outside, deep-sea fish faced the extreme risk of lung burst after surfacing, caused by pressure changes.
If this happened, it would be necessary to use a syringe to puncture the fish’s lungs and release the pressure, much like emergency treatment in humans.
Online sources claimed this was quite simple.
Yet, he knew such advice could only be trusted partially.
Should such a situation arise, he’d need to buy some ordinary fish to practice first, at least ensuring that puncturing the lungs wouldn’t kill them.
After all, a single misstep with the Neptune Grouper could mean losing over forty thousand.
No matter how expensive a live fish was, if it ended up merely steamed or fried, it was worth little.
Chu Lin observed the fish for some time and, seeing no signs of lung burst, was finally at ease.
Indeed, the game system had specially noted the fish’s adaptability; if even lung burst couldn’t be avoided, the system would be useless.
Afterward, he confidently transported all the Neptune Grouper out of the game, placing them together in a breeding pool.
By afternoon, a vehicle from the Nana Ornamental Fish Protection Center Hospital arrived.
The veterinarian Liu Na had arranged was truly experienced—not only was he quick in examining the fish, but his skill in administering vaccines was remarkable.
Yet what set him apart was his thorough examination of one Neptune Grouper, his eyes gleaming as he touched and inspected it, making Chu Lin wonder if Dr. Li had some peculiar habits.
Just then, Dr. Li hurriedly delivered good news.
“Mr. Chu, this fish is about to lay eggs. It shouldn’t receive a vaccine. You should isolate it and find a few robust males for fertilization when it spawns.”
“What?” Chu Lin was briefly stunned.
This Neptune Grouper was about to lay eggs?
He immediately recalled his methods with the egg-bearing shrimp from Atlantis.
Could the fish require similar treatment?
No, it certainly would.
To doubt that was to disrespect the fish.

Perhaps, cultivating animals refreshed from the Atlantis map in the real world was the true essence of the game system.
“Dr. Li, then I must ask you to help pick out a few male fish. After all, you’re experienced—Director Liu said you’re the hospital’s best veterinarian.” Chu Lin quickly felt ashamed for misjudging Dr. Li, offering a sincere compliment.
“Director Liu overestimates me.” Dr. Li tried to be modest, but his delighted expression betrayed him.
Having handed the spawning Neptune Grouper to Chu Lin, he diligently selected five more male fish while vaccinating the others.
Soon, Dr. Li completed the quarantine for all the ornamental fish; the quarantine certificates could be collected at the hospital window the next day.
As thanks for the soon-to-spawn Neptune Grouper, Chu Lin added Dr. Li on WeChat and sent a ten-thousand-yuan red envelope.
He sensed Dr. Li might prove useful in the future.
Dr. Li hadn’t expected such a windfall.
Veterinarians had no restrictions on accepting red envelopes, though opportunities were rare.
He happily accepted and warmly said, “Mr. Chu, when I return, I’ll prepare your quarantine certificates. Let me know when you arrive tomorrow and I’ll bring them out.”
“Thank you, Dr. Li,” Chu Lin replied with a smile.
So, having money made relationships much simpler—even with a veterinarian, why would someone enthusiastically go the extra mile unless motivated by that ten-thousand-yuan red envelope?
Chu Lin walked to a breeding pool, where the crystal-clear water revealed six Neptune Grouper swimming freely.
One queen and five kings—truly enviable.
As a man, he too wished to be one king with five queens.
Compared to the spawning Neptune Grouper, the ten thousand given to Dr. Li was trivial.
He remembered that a single Neptune Grouper could lay between twenty thousand and three hundred thousand eggs.
Yet, in the depths of the ocean, when fish eggs hatched, sharks would devour thousands at a time, and other big fish often feasted as well, so few survived.
But here, there were no sharks to eat thousands at once, plus he had the blessing stone from Atlantis.
Even if only the minimum twenty thousand eggs were laid and ten thousand fertilized and hatched, by the time the Neptune Grouper matured in a year, they could be sold.
His breeding pool wouldn’t be able to hold so many Neptune Grouper, and all would be top-grade ornamental specimens.
Chu Lin seemed to see a pool brimming with money—tens of thousands of forty-thousand-yuan fish.
Even the water seemed to carry the scent of money.
But upon reflection, if the numbers were too high, the price would surely drop, perhaps even removing them from the elite ornamental fish category.
Still, even if a forty-thousand-yuan fish dropped in price with tens of thousands more, selling for five thousand each would be no problem.

Thus, he still saw a poolful of money.
In time, he would be remembered as the man who reduced the price of Neptune Grouper in the entire ornamental fish world.
He soon turned his gaze to another breeding pool containing a hundred Neptune Grouper.
Regardless of future price drops, these fish were currently worth forty thousand each.
For the ornamental fish community, a hundred more Neptune Grouper wouldn’t cause a price crash.
Much more, however, would make prices unstable.
The next day, Chu Lin returned to the Nana Ornamental Fish Protection Center Hospital and contacted Dr. Li.
Dr. Li greeted him with a beaming smile, handed over the quarantine certificates for the Neptune Grouper, and expressed his willingness to serve Mr. Chu in the future.
He meant that any business at the hospital should come to him.
Curious after receiving the ten-thousand-yuan red envelope, Dr. Li had checked the price of Chu Lin’s fish—over forty thousand for each one.
Thinking of the poolful of fish, he imagined numbers of forty thousand multiplying over Chu Lin’s head.
Building a relationship with such a person could only be advantageous.
Chu Lin, holding the certificates and prepared documents, went to the Fisheries Bureau to apply for breeding permits and register the Neptune Grouper.
Thanks to Wang Yu’s prior notice, the registration was quick and without questions.
He didn’t waste Wang Yu’s favor and took the opportunity to record various ornamental fish breeding activities.
This proved his breeding pool also housed other ornamental fish—useful for future needs.
He would buy several types of ornamental fish fry for cover.
After all, he had told Deputy Director Wang he would try to develop an ornamental fish business; he couldn’t just make empty promises.
If someone inspected and found only highly expensive fish, what then?
Failing to keep those fish alive wouldn’t be a problem.
After leaving the Fisheries Bureau, he spent the rest of the day busying himself and by evening, his breeding pools contained some common ornamental fish fry.
With these tasks complete, his next concern was selling the Neptune Grouper.
The fish were worth over four million, but only if he could actually sell them.