Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad

[Pujimaki]

Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 150


"The meal's ready, let's eat," Karlos announced, and the three looked at him. Maya understood what Karlos said, while the twins were simply waiting for movement from the kitchen as their cue.

Karlos brought the dishes to the table while Maya carried the children to their respective baby chairs. The chairs were highly elevated and had straps to make sure they wouldn't fall.

In between bites, the parents had to feed their respective children.

"Arabella, stop drooling. Here, let me wipe your mouth," Maya said to her clearly hungry daughter, gently dabbing her lips with a small towel.

This was their usual dinner routine. If the food was hot, the parents had to blow on it first to cool it down for the twins.

With the tv signal getting worse because of the weather, the family decided to watch a movie after dinner since the television channels were full of static and interruptions. Around this time, Karlos received a text message from Brandon saying, "Okay, it seems like I can wake up late tomorrow."

They agreed that there wouldn't be any work tomorrow.

"You want to watch this again? But you already watched it like 20 times." The twins were pointing at the cartoon movie titled Toys Story.

As their mother, Maya had also watched the movie countless times with them. She might have memorized every line at this point.

"Do you even understand what the toys are saying?"

Arabella nodded, while Iñigo frowned and shook his head, clearly more honest about his confusion.

It seemed like someone was lying. Toys Story was in English, and the kids surely didn't understand it. They could barely form full sentences themselves.

Iñigo looked at Arabella with mild disgust. He believed his sister was lying. How could she understand the toys?

Arabella pointed at her Barbie doll and said, "Toys want to pway with kwids."

"Well, how about this movie? You guys still haven't watched this one. It seems interesting." Maya pointed at a romance movie, trying to convince her children.

The twins curiously looked at the cover picture of the videotape, which showed a couple smiling at each other.

The children shook their heads. They saw these kinds of moments from their parents every day. What they wanted to watch were cartoons, the colorful ones.

"What about you, babe?" Maya asked her husband.

Karlos was sitting on the sofa, relaxing. He was sipping hot chocolate that Maya had made for him. The earlier cup had been taken by Iñigo. Maya wanted him to at least taste the hot chocolate once as a small gesture of appreciation.

"Me? I want to watch action movies like Rambo or Terminator."

"... Never mind, I shouldn't have asked you." She already knew their tastes rarely aligned when it came to movies.

In the end, to keep peace in the family, the children won. However, the movie they picked was not Toys Story but Bug's Life. Maya wanted something different, and they hadn't watched Bug's Life yet.

Their living room had a complete VHS setup, television, and sound system for a better viewing experience, a small luxury Karlos had proudly invested in.

Even though the movie was meant for children, Karlos and Maya admitted it wasn't bad. They even laughed at the jokes, unlike the twins, who didn't understand English. The children simply enjoyed the colorful visuals and lively characters.

Because of the movie, the twins concluded that grasshoppers were bad while ants were good. However, they didn't like ants in real life because ants bit them, so it was slightly confusing.

.........
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...

The next day, the rain was still present, but it wasn't as strong anymore. The family stayed inside the house the whole time. They had everything they needed, food, electricity, water, and entertainment to pass the time.

The rain outside couldn't bother them.

By afternoon, the rain had completely stopped. Karlos texted Brandon that tomorrow's work might resume, but they still needed to assess the weather. Brandon replied and agreed.

.........
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...

The next day, very early in the morning, before the sun had risen, many men began preparing for work.

Fishermen first looked at the sky and grinned when they saw the stars, indicating that there were no clouds.

Then they went to the shore to observe the waves. As expected, the waves were normal.

Karlos and Brandon headed to their boat, greeting other fishermen along the way.

They started the boat and journeyed toward the small island. They confirmed that the waves were not dangerous and that they were free to work. Brandon was happy, and so was Karlos.

However, when they reached the island, they realized that their traps had been washed away by the waves. The floaters were no longer in their usual positions.

Most of the time, traps only drifted a few meters from their original spots, but it was different after a storm or strong waves.

"Looks like we have to search around."

They both turned on their flashlights to look for anything floating on the water, especially styrofoam with paint, the floaters of their traps.

One by one, they found every trap, which was fortunate.

"This one is stuck." Brandon tried to pull the trap, but it seemed to have gotten caught on reefs or rocks.

"I'll dive later to see if I can pull it out. This spot isn't that deep," Brandon said confidently. He trusted his diving skills.

"For now, let's focus on harvesting abalones. Some buyers even texted me to buy abalone from us," Karlos recalled.

A few minutes later, the sun rose. As the surroundings became clearer, they guided the boat closer to the island, waiting for the sea snakes to leave.

With that, the two began harvesting as many abalones as possible. As they frequented the island, they realized it was unique, the island attracting abalones for some reason. They had agreed not to share this information with others, wanting to take advantage of the island's abundance.

Once they were done, the two left the island and returned to the spot where the last trap was stuck in the reef. The water was now brighter under the rising sun.

Brandon took off his t-shirt to swim more easily. He confirmed that the water wasn't too deep, and he could see the reefs clearly, which supported his assumption that the trap was stuck there.

He slipped into the water, leaving Karlos waiting in the boat.

Karlos waited for a few minutes.

He then stared at the surface where Brandon had dived in.

However, instead of seeing Brandon in the water, what Karlos saw was a dorsal fin slicing through the water.

It was a shark.

And judging by its massive size, it was a great white shark.

[Thank you guys for reading this novel.]

 

[Pujimaki]

Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 151


A great white shark can reach 6 meters in length, making it one of the largest predators in the world, a terrifying apex predator that dominates the ocean food chain.

Karlos's boat was only 5 meters long... As he looked at the water, he could see the silhouette of the apex predator lurking beneath the surface. Its massive body swam under the water, its shadow almost engulfing his boat in size.

Karlos felt chills run down his spine... He swallowed hard. His throat suddenly felt dry.

"Brandon--! Brandon!"

He shouted at the water. However, no sound could penetrate it. He clenched the steering handle tightly.

He thought of running away and leaving Brandon. However, he was not that kind of guy. He had to stay until Brandon resurfaced... if he could resurface before the shark attacked him.

Cold sweat covered his body as the dorsal fin lingered around his boat, circling slowly as if studying its prey. He was scared shitless.

'Brandon, please, show up.' Karlos silently prayed.

He thought of diving into the water to warn Brandon, but that would be suicidal.

"Leave! Get away from my boat! Shaaa!! Graaa!! Roar!!" Karlos made desperate noises in hopes of scaring the shark. He grabbed a paddle and slapped the water with it, creating loud smacking sounds.

'Please don't topple my boat, just leave peacefully.' He didn't care about the trap anymore.

With a huge shark like the great white, it could capsize his boat with just a few attacks.

Despite his fear, Karlos continued slapping the water with the paddle to scare the great white shark.

Suddenly, something resurfaced in the water, and it was colored red...

Brandon's shorts were red. Brandon gasped for air after freeing the trap from the reef.

"Brandon! Swim to the boat fast! There's a shark!" Karlos was so relieved to see that Brandon was alright. However, it was time to leave the island! There was no room for hesitation.

Brandon was only a few meters away from the boat when he heard Karlos's yell.

"A fucking what?"

"A great white shark!" Karlos started the boat quickly.

"!!!" Brandon's face turned pale instantly.

Just like Karlos, Brandon moved immediately and swam hard toward the boat. The two met midway, and Brandon pulled himself over the outrigger and climbed in.

"Let's leave this place."

"Alright!"

The two agreed. No one even talked about hauling the last trap. They could retrieve it tomorrow, if they were still alive.

Karlos looked behind them and could still see the dorsal fin following. He felt chills again and decided to speed up, pushing the engine to its limit.

"There's a shark?"

"Yeah, you didn't see it in the water? It's huge, a great white shark."

"No, I haven't seen anything at all." Brandon was just as scared as Karlos. "Besides, I have never seen a great white shark before. It's extremely rare to find one in our country."

Their waters were far too warm in Adobo country, and the seal population was low. Seals were one of the favorite foods of great white sharks, which meant great whites rarely visited their waters.

"Yeah, that's what I thought too. But look behind us, a great white shark is following." Karlos said while steering the boat, keeping his eyes ahead, afraid they might go off course if he didn't focus on navigating.

Brandon looked behind them and saw nothing... except for another boat on the horizon, slowly approaching. Brandon felt relieved when he saw a boat instead of a dorsal fin, thinking it was just another fisherman.

He narrowed his gaze and saw the boat approaching them quickly. Something felt strange about it. It was moving too fast, as if it were chasing them.

"Karlos! Drive faster! There's a boat approaching us!" His relief vanished instantly.

"Huh?"

Karlos turned his head. Indeed, a boat in the distance was heading toward them at full speed. As for the great white shark, it might have already disappeared.

Karlos listened to Brandon and pushed the boat to full speed.

However, the other boat was faster. As it got closer, Brandon confirmed his suspicion.

"Pirates!"

The boat had no fishing equipment. It was too light, which made it faster. On top of that, the engine they used was probably 30 horsepower, more than twice as powerful as Karlos's small bangka.

It was obvious that the boat was meant for pursuing other boats to steal from. A different kind of predator.

"Shit!"

Even Karlos didn't expect that they would encounter pirates at sea. These people were very rare, and their sphere of influence didn't usually reach Timog-Kanluran province. Their area was considered relatively safe.

Karlos gritted his teeth. The engine heated up as it ran at full power. However, the other boat slowly got closer. Both boats were the same size but had different engines. It didn't help that their bangka was heavier because of the lobsters and abalones they had onboard.

Brandon had no choice but to throw away a container of abalones to lighten the load.

The other boat had four people, holding clubs and knives. They were only a few meters away.

Both Karlos and Brandon were losing hope. Once the other boat caught up, it might be their end.

Suddenly, in the corner of his right eye, Karlos saw a dorsal fin cutting through the water.

Instinctively, he turned left to avoid the great white shark.

"What are you doing!?" Brandon yelled. Turning left reduced the distance between them and the pirates, bringing them closer.

"The shark showed up on the right!"

"Shark?" Brandon was stupefied and looked at the water... Again, he saw nothing. He frowned and was about to say something, but the pursuing boat failed to maneuver in time. It continued going straight, giving Karlos and Brandon another chance to escape.

"Go, go!"

Karlos sped up again while the other boat took a few seconds to change direction and follow them.

However, because Karlos had changed their course, they were now heading farther from land... They were moving toward the open sea, where the other boat could easily follow once it caught up.

Brandon could even hear the pirates' laughter and whistles. He clenched his fists and began looking for a weapon to defend himself. Even Karlos was losing hope. They might have to make a final stand to protect their lives.

But just as the pirates got closer, a loud horn echoed across the sea. The pirates' faces turned pale as they recognized the sound.

It was the coast guard.

No one expected that Karlos's bangka was heading straight toward the spot where a coast guard vessel was anchored.

"This is the coast guard! Drop your weapons!" a voice boomed through a megaphone.

 

[Pujimaki]

Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 152


The vessel moved closer to the pirates. If the pirates' boat was fast, then the coast guard's vessel was even faster. The pirates tried to escape, but a gunshot reverberated, a sharp bang that made their nerves freeze. The bullet hit the water near the pirates' boat, sealing their fate and sending up a spray of water that made them flinch. It was a clear warning that the next shot would not miss.

"Drop your weapons!" The command boomed from the megaphone.

The pirates were stunned when they saw the bullets pierce the water at such speed. One wrong move and it would be them instead.

Just for a reminder, these pirates had killed people. Yet when guns were pointed at them, they cowered in fear.

In the end, the pirates surrendered, raising their hands stiffly, their faces pale and drained of color.

The coast guards successfully captured the pirates and their boat. They tied them up and made sure they had no hidden weapons, patting them down thoroughly. They also seized the boat as evidence of their crimes. One of the coast guards took over driving it.

As for Karlos and Brandon, they remained where they were. Their boat bobbed on the water as they tried to calm their nerves, taking deep breaths to steady themselves.

Karlos occasionally looked around, trying to see if the great white shark was still nearby. Fortunately, it seemed to be gone. The water finally looked calm.

Then, the coast guard's vessel approached Karlos and Brandon. The two understood the situation they were in. Running away would be a mistake and would only make them look suspicious. Upon closer inspection, the coast guard vessel was large,.almost the size of the commercial trawler that Antonio owned.

The coast guards looked at the two men, some still holding their guns just in case Karlos and Brandon were dangerous. Their eyes assessed their every move.

"Stand down, I know this guy. Karlos, long time no see!"

Someone ordered the coast guards to lower their weapons.

"Marcos!?" Karlos was surprised.

Marcos Araneto. He was Larry's older brother and a Rear Admiral in the Coast Guard.

"Help them get onto our boat. I want to talk to them," Marcos ordered his men.

"Yes, sir!" The men moved immediately.

A foldable ladder was lowered, and the two climbed aboard. Karlos and Brandon were still shaken by what had happened.

First the shark, then the pirates, and now the coast guards. It felt like a chain of unbelievable events.

"Thanks for saving us." Karlos bowed his head slightly.

Marcos smiled and patted Karlos on the shoulder in reassurance.

"You also saved my family. We are even now." His men were listening, so Marcos didn't elaborate further, but his eyes held gratitude.

"Let's go inside. We need to hear your story before we interrogate the pirates. Don't worry, your boat will be fine." He spoke calmly, guiding them toward the cabin.

"Alright." Karlos nodded and followed him inside.

Karlos and Brandon explained everything that had happened. They didn't hide anything, not even the part about the great white shark. Marcos was surprised. He didn't expect a great white shark to migrate to Timog-Kanluran province at the peak of summer. These sharks preferred colder waters.

After hearing their account, Marcos let them go, trusting their story.

"If we have free time, my brother and I will visit you." He had a high opinion of Karlos after he saved Larry. Now, Marcos was even more pleased because Karlos had inadvertently helped them catch pirates. Piracy had been rising again in their region, and Marcos believed the Patong family was connected to it. He hated that family to the core.

"Thank you. Also, please don't tell Maya about what happened here. Is this going to be in the news?" Karlos asked, not wanting his wife to worry.

"This will remain confidential. We are still on a mission, and we can't disclose it to the media," Marcos assured him.

"That would be great." Karlos felt relieved.

Once Karlos and Brandon returned to their bangka, they stayed silent for a while. When the coast guard vessel was finally gone, Brandon spoke first.

"Holy shit. Did we just survive that?" He let out a shaky laugh.

"Yeah, I guess so." Karlos sighed in relief.

The pirates who had tried to attack them would rot in jail. They were responsible for killing a dozen fishermen and stealing their boats. It was fortunate that Karlos and Brandon had survived the ordeal without any injuries.

"Brandon, let's keep what happened today a secret. No one should know. Marcos and the coast guards are on a mission."

"I won't say a word," Brandon promised seriously.

Karlos nodded. He didn't want his wife to know that he had almost been attacked by pirates. If Maya found out, she would panic and might forbid him from going fishing again.

"... Let's take a rest tomorrow. Good thing it's Saturday. We can take a long break." Karlos finally managed a smile.

"That would be great. I'm thinking of taking my parents to the clinic to get eyeglass prescriptions." Brandon wanted to do something meaningful with his earnings.

Now that the danger had passed, the two felt more at ease. They chatted normally as they traveled to the fish port, as if nothing extraordinary had happened.

"About the shark you mentioned, are you sure it was a great white?" Brandon asked curiously, still puzzled by the incident.

"Yeah, it was huge. Its silhouette under the water almost covered the entire bangka." The image was still vivid in Karlos's mind.

"Hm..." Brandon nodded but said nothing more. The entire time, he had never seen a great white shark. Even when he dived underwater, everything had been calm. He hadn't seen anything large, not even a shadow.

Brandon had a conjecture. Unlike Karlos, who didn't know much about the doctrine of the Ocean Church, Brandon was more familiar with the religion.

The two reached the fish port and sold their catch for 47,000 pesos, a decent reward after all the chaos.

After that, they returned to the beach, where teenagers were swimming in the water or gambling their money on betting games.

For obvious reasons, Karlos and Brandon walked quickly. They wanted to get home as soon as possible. They suddenly missed their families.

"Babe, you're back." Maya smiled gently at her husband.

"Hm," Karlos nodded and entered the house, his heart feeling heavy and light at the same time.

"Papa!"

The twins greeted him with hugs, latching onto his legs. Karlos felt his eyes sting slightly...

He was scared.

Afraid that he might never see his family again. He knelt down and faced his two children, staring into their crimson eyes and memorizing their innocent expressions. He took a deep breath, holding back his tears. He kissed their foreheads and hugged them tightly.

"Papa missed you." His voice was slightly hoarse.

The twins giggled and hugged him back, completely unaware of how close they had been to losing him.


[Author's Note: Since it's the second day of the month, I want to promote my Patreon.

Currently, Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad has 67 chapters on Patreon.]

 

[Pujimaki]

Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 153


Then, Karlos turned to Maya and smiled with trembling lips.

"... Are you okay?" Maya felt like Karlos was getting emotional as she noticed the way his eyes lingered on her face for too long.

"I'm just happy to see you." His voice trembled slightly.

"But we always see each other." She blinked, tilting her head.

"I know." He shrugged and hugged Maya tightly, wrapping his arms around her and feeling her warmth. He was afraid that he might never see his wife again.

"I love you, Maya." His words came out almost like a confession, carrying a deeper meaning.

"I love you too." She answered immediately, hugging him back.

They shared a light, comforting kiss before Karlos went to the bedroom to take a bath and change his clothes. Karlos looked at the mirror and saw his reflection... He was pale.

He realized how dangerous the sea could be.

The great white shark, a predator hiding in the depths.

The pirates, ruthless men committing crimes.

There had been no one to call for help.

Karlos splashed cold water over his face.

When he went outside, he saw his twins playing while Maya prepared lunch.

"Let's eat," she announced with a warm smile, which made the twins stop playing.

While eating, Karlos thought of something. He looked at his family.

"How about we visit the town plaza tomorrow and have some fun? I heard there's a new restaurant with a small playground. Let's take the kids there and let them enjoy it. After that, we can take pictures together. Or maybe we can take pictures first before going to the restaurant," Karlos said to Maya.

"You don't have a job tomorrow?" She was surprised because Karlos had only sailed three times this week because of the rain, yet he was asking for another day off, which was unusual for someone like him.

"We want to take a rest tomorrow. Brandon said he will take his parents to the clinic to get eyeglass prescriptions." He answered casually but avoided her gaze.

"I see." Maya nodded, but she felt that something was strange. Still, she didn't push her husband to speak... She could wait. She loved her husband so much that she knew when he was acting normal or not. Karlos was not good at lying anyway.

"Then let's do that." Maya also wanted to explore the town more now, especially since they had their own tricycle. They didn't have to hire transportation anymore.

The family spent the day together, with the twins being active and happy as always. The kids were easy to satisfy. Just give them toys and food, and they would be happy. Simple things brought them joy. Furthermore, since they were twins, they could play together. They never felt lonely, always having one another. Of course, they still asked their father to carry them, shouting, "Papa, up, up!"

.........
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...

The next day, Karlos kept his promise, and the family went to the town plaza to see the brand-new restaurant... Only to realize that it was actually a fast food restaurant, Jollybee.

"This is the shop we were talking about last time. It was just under renovation when we first saw it," Maya recalled.

The family had already taken family pictures at a photography shop, nothing fancy, just the four of them smiling at the camera. The photos were quickly developed, and Maya looked at them carefully. They looked happy together. Her husband looked handsome, while the twins looked absolutely adorable. She was glad they had more pictures together.

Anyway, Arabella and Iñigo were starstruck by Jollybee! There was a Jollybee mascot waving his hands at the customers, enthusiastically greeting each family. Sometimes he even danced.

The twins were thrilled to see the mascot they had only seen on television now standing right in front of them.

They were seeing a celebrity today! At least, that was what the twins believed.

"Jowwybee!" Arabella squealed, and even Iñigo was eager to get close to the mascot.

Maya and Karlos carried the twins toward the mascot. Jollybee greeted them warmly and even shook their hands, making the twins giggle with delight.

Of course, the main purpose of going to the restaurant was to eat. Just like other fast food restaurants, Jollybee served greasy meals like fried chicken and burgers, but they were undeniably delicious.

Arabella was having the best time of her life. She once thought swimming in a pool while eating food was already a luxury, but eating fried chicken while Jollybee danced in the background was on another level.

Iñigo looked around and noticed a small playground in the corner of the restaurant. There were swings, slides, and see-saws. It immediately caught his interest, and he pointed eagerly, asking his father to take them to the playground.

Naturally, Karlos brought the twins to the playground and watched over them, making sure they were safe while having fun. As for Maya, she stayed at their table and enjoyed a sundae ice cream, savoring the quiet moment while her husband handled the children.

There were other children in the playground, and the twins quickly made friends with them.

"Your kids?" a father asked Karlos, making casual conversation.

"Yeah, they are my twins," Karlos replied happily.

"They look alike. The boy they are playing with is actually my son. He kept crying and throwing tantrums because he wanted to play at Jollybee." The man chuckled helplessly.

"..." Karlos was speechless. His twins might start behaving the same way now that there was a Jollybee in their town... And he was right. From now on, whenever the kids threw tantrums, one of the easiest ways to pacify them would be taking them to Jollybee.

That day, the twins truly enjoyed their time at Jollybee. They had delicious food and a place to play, everything a child could ask for. Even Arabella and Iñigo were reluctant to leave.

They only agreed to go home because their parents promised to take them to Jollybee again next week.

Of course, the parents didn't forget to buy kiddie meals for them. The kiddie meal was a combo meal that included toys, one of the marketing strategies used to attract children to the restaurant.

The theme that month was Fokemon and Hello Kitty-Kitty Cat, which Iñigo and Arabella received. So even though they had to leave Jollybee, they still had toys with them, which made the departure a little easier to accept.

[Thank you guys for your support.]

 

[Pujimaki]

Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 154


When they returned home, the twins immediately played with their new toys and entertained themselves. With some free time, Maya took the chance to take a nap, while Karlos was responsible for watching the kids.

While watching them and thinking about life, Karlos' determination slowly became firm. He didn't want to experience what happened yesterday again. If possible, he wanted to avoid it. And if he couldn't, then he would do his best to defend himself.

Karlos understood his position in life. He was the father of two children and the husband of his wife, the pillar of a small but loving family. He had a family to support. He had to work hard to provide for their needs.

The best way to avoid pirates was by stopping being a fisherman altogether, a simple solution on paper. But Karlos couldn't afford that. Not when he was finally seeing success through fishing. He knew himself well. He couldn't start a business because he didn't have experience, and he didn't have a knack for it. Working as a laborer or employee was another option, but that path felt like a dead end. Karlos had worked as a waiter, a construction worker, and many other jobs before. They consumed time but never brought prosperity. He couldn't see any real success in them.

But fishing was different. For the first time in his life, Karlos felt like the sea was giving him blessings every time he sailed. It was as if he had a superpower. On top of that, Karlos truly enjoyed his job. He loved the sea.

So this time, Karlos felt that the best decision was to contact Larry and ask for a favor.

He opened his phone and called him. Not even a few seconds later, Larry answered the call, his voice sounding casual.

"Hey Karlos, are you doing well?"

"I'm fine... Did Marcos say anything about me?"

Karlos stepped outside for a moment but kept the door open so he could still look at the kids playing in the living room, making sure they were alright.

"Huh? No, I don't think so. Did you guys meet?"

Based on Larry's reaction, Marcos had kept his promise and didn't tell anyone about what had happened, keeping the dangerous incident confidential.

Karlos paused for a moment... Since he had already made the call, he decided to pursue his intention.

"Larry, what can I do to get a gun?"

"..." Larry didn't speak for a moment, clearly surprised by the request.

"Karlos, just tell me the name of the target and I'll take care of him or her. Is this about the maid Claire?" Larry had contacts who could solve those kinds of problems.

"What? No, no, I'm not talking about that. Actually..." Left with no choice, Karlos explained what had happened yesterday.

"Just keep it a secret between us. I don't want my family to worry."

"I understand." After listening to the story, Larry finally realized why Karlos was looking for a gun. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine. The coast guard showed up and saved us... Am I even allowed to tell you this?"

"Nah, it's fine. My brother can understand. It's not your fault. Anyway, what kind of gun do you want? I have pistols, AK-47s, grenades, and more."

"Just a pistol."

"Are you sure you can handle a gun? I can take you to a firing range."

"Thanks, Larry. Let's set up a schedule." Karlos felt slightly relieved.

"Alright."

Yesterday, the pirates didn't have guns, so Karlos and Brandon were not shot. But what about next time? Karlos wanted a safety measure. He wasn't even sure if he was doing the right thing, but this was the best he could do for now to protect himself and his family.

When he returned to the house, Arabella called him because she wanted to drink water.

"Watah! Watah!" she said, raising her little hands.

.........
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...

The next day, Sunday.

The family went to the small Ocean Church in their neighborhood, and Brandon was also present. After working with Karlos, Brandon started attending the church every Sunday to praise the Ocean Goddess.

The family sat down. After the worship songs, the priest began his sermon. This time, he talked about the guardians of the Ocean Goddess.

"Our Divine Goddess has four guardians who protect the ocean. First is the Grand Turtle, a huge turtle that carries an island on its back. Second is the Kraken, a gigantic octopus that sinks bad ships that destroy the ecosystem. Third is the Sea Dragon, which can control the waves and the sea. Fourth is the elusive Shark. This guardian is invisible to the naked eye, the most mysterious one."

Right when the priest said that, Brandon instinctively glanced at Karlos, who didn't think much of the sermon. Brandon's pupils trembled as a thought formed in his mind.

The guardians were mythical creatures that had never appeared in the modern world. The last time a guardian supposedly appeared was 5,000 years ago. There were no cameras to prove their existence, only written testaments and stories passed down through generations.

Karlos yawned as he struggled to focus on the sermon while the priest was preaching. Even Maya was quite tired but happy... The couple had spent quite some time "cuddling" last night, so they were sleep-deprived.

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...

June, 2000.

It had been more than a month since Karlos and Brandon encountered the pirates. Despite the incident, the two continued fishing, as neither of them wanted to lose their livelihood. They needed the income.

They especially wanted to keep working because they were finally seeing improvements in their lives. Danger had always been part of a fisherman's life, and that alone was not enough to scare Karlos and Brandon.

When the two stepped into the fish port, buyers were already flocking to them, eager to buy their lobsters and abalones.

Karlos counted the money when a young guy approached him and greeted him.

"Uncle!" the teenager called loudly.

"Huh?" Karlos stopped counting and looked at the teenager.

"Uncle? I'm just three years younger than you." Karlos had turned 22 last month, and the family had only held a simple celebration. Karlos invited his friends, and even Larry showed up... That was also the moment when Larry secretly gave a pistol and a box of bullets to Karlos.

"Well, you already have a wife and children, so you're technically an uncle." The teenager shrugged.

"..." Karlos didn't know how to respond.

[Thank you guys for supporting this novel.]

 

[Pujimaki]

Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 155


The younger man in front of Karlos was Robin, Antonio's second son, the guy who inherited the mid-size bangka.

Antonio's commercial trawler boat was now sailing farther into the sea, spending days offshore before returning to the beach and earning a substantial amount per trip.

Antonio had asked his friends, the fishermen, to take care of Robin if they saw him in the sea or at the fish port. Karlos kept his promise and helped Robin by introducing him to trusted buyers who wouldn't scam him.

The fish port had all kinds of people, some of whom could not be trusted and would take advantage of the weak. There was even a time when a buyer used a faulty weighing scale to scam a poor fisherman. Another time, buyers cheated people by paying with fake money.

Of course, some fishermen also scammed buyers by putting stones in the fish's mouths and stomachs to add unnecessary weight and cheat the scale. Again, the fish port had many kinds of people.

"Kid, I'm not an uncle." Karlos shook his head.

"See, you just called me kid." Robin shrugged. Next to Robin was Bastos, Jerry's younger brother. Robin had decided to partner with Bastos and another friend to fish.

Bastos had a profit share, but Karlos didn't know the exact arrangement. Karlos was a bit surprised when he heard about it because there had been certain rumors about Bastos lately.

Being a boat owner meant you needed people you could trust, and it seemed that Robin trusted Bastos. Well, Robin and Bastos were friends, and Karlos sometimes saw them playing on the beach a year ago.

Now, these kids had stopped gambling and soliciting fishermen. They had decided to start a real career, which made Karlos feel proud. For a reminder, Karlos was only a few years older than them, yet his mindset felt much older.

He had matured early because he experienced the hardships of life sooner. He completely shed his immaturity when he got married and had children, as responsibility helped him to grow up.

"You guys doing alright?" Brandon approached them in a friendly tone and asked Robin about their fishing situation.

"Yeah, we are getting used to it. Fishing is not that simple at all. Waking up early is the hardest part." Robin scratched his head.

Brandon and Karlos chuckled. Indeed, waking up early was the hardest part. Especially on cold mornings when the body just wanted to stay in bed.

"You guys are not young anymore. You should focus on your future," Karlos said before bidding farewell.

As the two left, Bastos turned to Robin.

"Why didn't you tell him that catching fish isn't easy? We barely made any money today." Bastos frowned, clearly dissatisfied.

"... I'm shy," Robin answered. Even though Karlos was only slightly older than them, he had a presence that made him feel respectable. Karlos reminded Robin of his father, and since Robin respected his father, he naturally respected Karlos as well.

Bastos shook his head, clearly annoyed.

"You heard the story that Karlos and Brandon know a spot where you can find lobsters and abalones."

Many fishermen were curious about that, but Karlos and Brandon kept quiet about it, never revealing the location.

"But that's their spot. We can't just invade their territory."

"We are not invading their territory. No one owns the sea. We can fish wherever we want." Bastos grinned. He needed money to visit the red-light district.

Actually, when Robin first invited Bastos to fish with him, Bastos had no intention of doing so. But he couldn't visit the red-light district without money, so he had no choice but to work with him. Soliciting and gambling were not enough to satisfy his greed and lust.

He earned 700 pesos on average, which was already a decent amount, but Bastos wanted more, especially after breaking his back hauling nets. He realized that fishing was not easy. To make money, he had to work hard, something he wasn't used to.

"But it doesn't feel right," Robin answered, still hesitant.

"Nah, there's nothing wrong with it... How about this? I have a plan. You just have to trust me. You also want to make money, right?"

"... Alright." Robin agreed reluctantly.

Money. It was always about money. People would do everything for money. The saying 'money makes the world go round' existed for a reason. It motivated people, sometimes to the extreme.

.........
......
...

The next day, Karlos and Brandon woke up while the sky was still dark. They went to the beach and found other fishermen busy with their respective boats, preparing nets and checking engines.

One by one, the boats sailed into the sea to catch fish, their small lights drifting across the water. Karlos and Brandon also started their job by heading toward the island.

However, midway through their route, Karlos noticed something strange.

"Is someone following us?" Karlos asked.

"Really!?" Brandon was surprised and turned around. Indeed, they saw a light about a hundred meters behind them. Despite the distance, the darkness made the small light stand out clearly.

"You might be right. This boat has been following us for a while."

Boats traveling in the same direction were nothing unusual. But they usually separated halfway since each boat had its own fishing spots. This time, however, the boat behind them didn't change direction. It kept a steady distance. With the lights on, Karlos and Brandon finally noticed it.

"... What now?" Brandon asked.

"We know the reason why they are doing it." It seemed the lobster and abalone fishing spot was too tempting.

"This is the second time this has happened." Brandon sighed, remembering the previous incident.

Last month, someone had also tried to follow them, but Karlos and Brandon noticed their intentions before anything could happen.

"Should we approach them?"

"If we approach them and ask why they are following us, they will probably lie about it just like last time."

"Fortunately, we have a long line this time."

Karlos lightly patted his bag... The pistol inside gave him some courage.

Last time, they approached the boat that was following them and asked why they were trailing behind, but the fishermen denied the accusation.

Karlos and Brandon didn't pursue the matter further and thought they might have been mistaken, but the boat never stopped following them. That day, Karlos and Brandon decided to return to the beach and end their trip without catching anything. The boat that followed them had no choice but to resume fishing after realizing that Karlos and Brandon didn't fall for their trick.

[Thank you guys for your support. I appreciate it a lot.]

 

[Pujimaki]

Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 156


After that incident, the two made a plan to protect their livelihood. If another boat tried to follow them, they would fish using a long line instead. They would not approach the island at all until they made sure no one was following them. They would rather waste time than expose their secret spot.

"The lobsters can last for days in the traps, so it's not that bad. But the long line, Karlos, we don't have bait. Do we just set the long line and hope the fish will get hooked?" Brandon frowned, clearly skeptical about the idea.

"Do we even have a choice? Let's do longline fishing and wait until they leave. If they don't leave, then we'll just continue doing longline fishing." Karlos answered, clearly frustrated.

Karlos glanced at the boat. It was quite far but still visible to the eye, and it continued following them. Its silhouette was obvious, but they couldn't discern whose boat it was, the darkness hiding its identity.

"Alright, I'll unroll them. This spot is deep and good for longline fishing. We can fish here." Brandon exhaled, accepting the plan. There was no better option anyway.

Brandon threw the hooks into the water one by one while the boat continued moving forward. Once they were done setting the line, the two decided to take a rest and eat their meals, letting the long line sit idle so that more fish could hopefully get hooked.

"You brought something nice today?" Brandon asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"My wife cooked mutton last night, and I just reheated it using the microwave," Karlos smirked.

"That's cool."

The two shared the meal while using biscuit crackers as a staple, dipping them into the mutton sauce. After half an hour, they finished eating and drank hot water from the thermos to fight off the cold.

"The boat is still following us," Brandon said while looking at the distant boat.

"Let them be. We won't confront them. Once the sun rises, we'll see who they are."

Boats could often be recognized by their paint and patterns, and Karlos knew most of the boats around the beachside and Bay Harbor. For now, the two had no choice but to play along with the situation.

After a short rest, they looked for the bobbing floater. Honestly, they didn't have high hopes of catching fish since they didn't have bait. They were simply wasting time so that the other boat would get tired and leave.

But unexpectedly, Brandon felt that the line was quite heavy.

"Huh?" He looked confused as he began pulling it up. There was a force resisting him.

Soon, the first hook surfaced and a grouper flipped wildly in the air. Its stomach was bloated and reflected the beam of the flashlight.

"A grouper, and it's alive." Brandon sounded surprised.

"There's a container with water. I'll put it there." With the flashlight on, Karlos carefully punctured the fish's stomach to release the trapped air. This way, the grouper wouldn't die quickly and could remain alive longer, which increased its value.

"This is an Orange Spotted Grouper, a nice catch." With the help of the flashlight, Karlos identified its species.

Just as Karlos finished handling the first fish, Brandon pulled up the second one.

"Another grouper... Too bad it's already dead."

Brandon wasn't that disappointed. He hadn't even expected the long line to catch any fish, let alone two.

A grouper was still expensive even when dead. However, many buyers preferred live ones because their freshness was obvious. A live fish fetched a higher price.

They placed it in another container meant for the lobsters.

"... Another grouper, and it's alive." If Brandon had been surprised earlier, now he was simply confused. They had caught their fifth grouper one after another.

'... Did we find another fishing spot?' Brandon wondered to himself. His heart started beating faster with excitement.

He decided to remember this location in case they had to rely on longline fishing again. This area seemed to be abundant with grouper.

Grouper was a very expensive fish because of its delicious flavor. It was a prized catch that fishermen loved to sell.

They were so happy that they almost forgot their original reason for doing longline fishing. By the time the 70th hook was hauled in, they had caught 25 groupers along with 32 other types of fish.

"The sun's here."

The first rays of sunlight made them remember their situation. They immediately turned around to check if the boat was still following them.

"They left."

Brandon narrowed his eyes and saw the tiny silhouette of the boat far away in the distance. He clicked his tongue.

"They escaped before we could recognize their boat. Bunch of bastards," Brandon muttered.

"So what's our plan? Most of the groupers are still alive. If we visit the island, these groupers probably won't survive that long. Should we sell them first?" Brandon asked while thinking about how to preserve their value.

Karlos checked his phone. It was 5 a.m. After thinking about it, he decided that it would be better to return to the fish port first and sell the groupers and other fish.

"It's still early. We can sell them first. Then we'll harvest abalones before hauling the lobster traps. The tide is still high at this hour, so it's difficult to harvest abalones anyway."

"Alright, you're the boss."

They weren't that far from the fish port anyway. A round trip would only take about an hour and a half at most.

The boat turned around as they headed toward the fish port to sell the fish first before returning to the island later.

Karlos went full speed and reached the fish port after forty minutes. They quickly found buyers and sold the fish without haggling over the price. In total, they earned 23,000 pesos.

"Where are the abalones and lobsters?" a buyer asked. He had been waiting for Karlos's boat to arrive so he could buy their usual catch, only to see fish in the containers.

"We'll return later."

"Alright, sell them to me," the buyer said eagerly.

"If you're still here."

Karlos and Brandon immediately left after confirming the sales and counting the money. Their boat roared as it traveled at top speed.

After forty-five minutes, they stopped in front of the island. The sun was already rising, and the tide was just waist-deep. The two chipped the abalones off the rocks one by one. They moved quickly because they didn't want to waste time. Once the high tide arrived, they would have no choice but to stop.

[Thank you guys for your support.]

 

[Pujimaki]

Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 157


Fortunately, the amount of harvest was not affected, and they caught the usual amount. Despite being tired, they didn't rest. Once they hauled the abalones into the boat, the two checked each trap to catch lobsters, moving purely on habit and experience. They actually found the floaters easily now that the sun was up.

They caught 22 lobsters before leaving for the day. They were two hours late today, but they also earned more, making the delay feel worthwhile.

Today, they earned 69,000 pesos. Nice... Funny, because Maya and Karlos did that position last night, ahem, anyway.

"I'm back," Karlos announced softly.

Karlos opened the gate and found the twins playing in front of the house, running around.

"Papa!" The twins greeted their father with warm hugs and wide smiles. They threw themselves at his legs without hesitation.

"Let me put my belongings away first." Karlos chuckled, carefully carrying the containers to the shed.

"Uncwe!" The twins also greeted Brandon, their childish voices mispronouncing the word.

"Hey, kids." Brandon smiled at them.

Although his crossed eyes were a bit confusing for the kids, they didn't know where Brandon was looking, but they giggled anyway.

Brandon bid farewell after putting their equipment away. He had already received his money today, which was slightly bigger than usual, putting him in a good mood. He was still confused about why their long line had caught fish even though they didn't use bait. The thought kept bothering him. He decided to ask his father later.

"Papa, Jowwybee!" Arabella went straight to the point, not bothering with pleasantries. She hugged Karlos's leg and showed her toothy grin, her sparkling eyes full of expectation, hoping he would agree.

"We already went there last Sunday." Karlos patted her head, trying to reason with her.

Just as he expected, the twins had become addicted to going to Jollybee. The mascot, playground, and restaurant had left a deep impression on them. Even Iñigo was copying his sister's pitiful expression, trying to convince Karlos by mimicking her act.

From their experience, Karlos was the easiest parent to persuade. His resolve always softened whenever they begged him, especially when they looked pitiful. Unlike their mother, who was stricter and made sure they wouldn't grow up spoiled. Tears might work for Maya, but she knew when to pamper or not.

"Kids, let's go inside. I baked leche flan." Maya opened the door and saw her husband and twins.

"Yay!" They immediately forgot about Jollybee and ran inside with their small feet making pitter-patter sounds. Maya giggled before turning to her husband.

"Even the kids think they can fool you. You should have said no on the spot," she said in a teasing tone.

Karlos went inside and gave her a quick kiss.

"Hm, change your clothes. I prepared some in the room, use them. Let me get your bag. I'll wash your lunchbox. I realized that you reheated the mutton last night, no wonder I couldn't find it this morning." She reached for his backpack, intending to help him.

"I'll handle it." Karlos smiled and instinctively touched the bag. He walked to the room with his backpack, moving a little faster than usual.

"..."

Maya stared at the room for a few seconds, her smile slowly fading. For some reason, Karlos always protected his backpack from her, as if he were hiding something. It was a behavior she couldn't ignore.

At first, she didn't think much about it, but Karlos kept guarding his bag, which made her curious and uneasy.

'... Karlos, you're not hiding something bad from me, right? Did another woman try to seduce you?' Her thoughts started spiraling.

She admitted that she was getting paranoid. She even imagined that Karlos was hiding underwear that his mistress had given him... As for why she thought of that specific scenario, Maya had recently watched a telenovela about a hidden affair.

She was worried... If Karlos truly cheated on her, she would kill him and then kill herself. The thought was terrifying, yet sincere. She loved him so much that the idea of living in a world without him felt unbearable. So she would kill him, then kill herself next.

As for the twins... they still had their uncle Joseph, who would take care of them once they were gone.

Maya knew she was being paranoid, but she couldn't stop thinking about it.

"He's not visiting the red-light district, right? But he's late today..."

She questioned herself again.

Her spiraling thoughts ended when her twins called her to serve them leche flan. Their innocent voices snapped her back to reality.

"Alright, I'll feed you." She led the children to the table and forced a smile. At the same time, Karlos came out and gently kissed Maya from behind, wrapping his arms around her.

"I prepared lunch for you. The kids and I already ate earlier," she said carefully.

"Looks like the kids still want to eat more though." He looked at the twins, who were happily eating leche flan, a type of dessert. In some countries, it was called flan or caramel pudding.

"Hm." Maya smiled, but it looked slightly strained.

"Babe, are you okay?" Karlos sensed that something was wrong and cupped her face.

"I-I'm okay. Just eat your lunch." Maya stuttered while avoiding his gaze.

"Are you sure? Do you need rest? I'll take care of the kids and you can sleep." He was worried.

"... Actually, I want to talk to you about something. Let's talk after you're done eating." She bit her lip and spoke seriously, gathering her courage.

"I'll eat fast." Karlos suddenly felt nervous. His wife seemed to have something important to say.

'... She's not pregnant, right? I mean, we did it unprotected last month and that's been troubling me for a while. I pulled out quite late because she leg-locked me...' Karlos thought.

After finishing his meal, Maya talked to the twins and told them to yell or knock on the door if they needed something.

"Mama and Papa are just going to talk in the room," she said.

The twins had no problem with that and nodded. They had just finished eating leche flan and wanted to take a nap. Maya placed them on the sofa and let them rest.

"... Babe, is there something wrong?" Once they were in the room, Karlos asked nervously. Having another child would be a blessing, but Karlos knew how difficult it was to take care of a baby.

 

[Pujimaki]

Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 158


Maya sat down on the bed and stared at her husband, her nervousness making Karlos nervous as well.

"What's in the bag?" she asked uneasily while fiddling with her fingers.

"Eh?"

Karlos didn't expect that. But as he stared at Maya, he realized that his wife had found out.

"How did you know?"

"... Karlos, please, just show it to me." Maya bit her lip, close to tearing up.

"You won't get mad, right?"

"Hm." Maya forced a nod... She wouldn't get mad, she would do something worse.

Karlos took a deep breath and prepared himself. It seemed that Maya was aware of the gun. He didn't have a choice but to take his backpack from the top of the cabinet and open it in front of her with slow movements.

"This." Karlos showed the gun to her and revealed the truth.

"... Huh?" Maya was slightly confused by the unexpected outcome. She had been expecting female underwear, but Karlos showed her something entirely different.

"W-What is this!? Why do you have a gun?" She was shocked and scared. Panic filled her voice, and she didn't dare touch it. "Put it down!"

Karlos returned the gun to the backpack. The safety was on.

"This is what you're hiding from me?" Maya realized that she might have been wrong. Her husband hadn't cheated.

'Of course he didn't cheat! Why would anyone even think of that!? My husband is the most loyal man in the world. He would never replace me. How could he cheat when he just folded me like a lawn chair last night...'

Maya sighed in relief. She had already imagined the worst-case scenario, but Karlos was only hiding a gun...

'Nope, this is even more alarming. Why does he have a gun?' Now she had something new to worry about.

"Karlos, tell me honestly. Where did you get this gun? Where did it come from? You're not doing something illegal, right?" She became nervous as she realized that her husband might be involved in something dangerous.

"I got it from Larry. You know that pirates have been attacking boats lately, so I asked for a gun in case we encounter pirates," Karlos explained, though he didn't mention that they had already encountered one. He didn't want Maya to worry.

"Is it really that serious?"

"Just to be safe. We can't predict the future. It's better if we have a weapon to defend ourselves."

"Hm." Maya had no choice but to nod and accept it. She also remembered that her father used to bring a shotgun on his boat whenever he sailed. Back then, piracy had been even more notorious.

She looked at the bag and then at Karlos. Worry filled her chest. She was no longer concerned about cheating, but now she feared that pirates might target Karlos. The thought of asking him to stop fishing entered her mind, but she knew that Karlos would probably disagree.

She stepped closer and hugged her husband tightly.

"I guess that's the reason why you've been acting strange this whole month. You're hiding this gun from me. It's alright, I won't judge you. Just make sure the kids won't find it. It's too dangerous." She felt guilty for mistakenly judging Karlos.

"That's why I put the bag on top of the cabinet. The safety is on, so it won't fire," Karlos assured her as he hugged her back.

"But seriously, I thought you were going to say something shocking. I was scared because you looked so serious." Karlos chuckled while gently holding Maya's face.

"Hm, I thought you were hiding something from me. It was just a gun."

Firearms were not a simple matter, but Maya still felt that it was better than Karlos having a mistress.

"Babe, don't visit the red-light district. I know it's close to the fish port, but you must not," she muttered.

"Where did that topic come from?"

"I'm just reminding you."

"I've never visited that place at all."

Karlos didn't even know their town had a red-light district until recently.

"Good." Maya felt satisfied with that answer.

"I'm sorry," she added.

"Why are you apologizing?"

"I love you." Maya didn't explain further. She might have to stop watching telenovelas since they were affecting her mind.

"I love you too."

The two shared a kiss before staring into each other's eyes, then they giggled like fools.

"I actually thought you were going to tell me that you're pregnant."

"Why did you think that? Is it about what happened last month?"

"Yeah."

"I'm not pregnant," Maya confidently said. She knew because she was on her period today. That might also explain why she had been moody and paranoid.

With that, their small misunderstanding ended within the same day. They returned to being sweet with each other.

.........
......
...

"Now that I think about it, we never really explored this island," Karlos said to Brandon while the two were harvesting abalones.

"It's too small to explore anyway. We can just walk for a few minutes and reach the other side."

The small island was only about the size of a basketball court. There was nothing much to see. Most of the trees were coconut trees.

"Now I'm curious to explore it. How about we check it out after this?" Karlos grinned.

"Why not? We've got nothing to do anyway. We can spend a few minutes here and eat." Brandon agreed.

The two continued harvesting abalones. At this point, they had stopped questioning why abalones kept gathering around this reef.

Once the tide rose and reached their chests, it was a sign that they had to stop working. They first carried their harvest to the beach before exploring the island.

Karlos's curiosity was quickly satisfied when they reached the other side of the island after only a minute of walking.

"... It has nothing except small grasses and coconut trees," he muttered. He saw a couple of seagulls, but they quickly flew away when Karlos and Brandon approached.

The two decided to return to the other side where their boat was docked.

However, when they reached the middle of the island, Karlos suddenly paused.

"What is it? Did you find something?" Brandon asked.

"... Isn't that ginseng?" Karlos pointed at the small plant.

"You can recognize ginseng?" Brandon looked surprised.

"That's right."

Back on Earth, one of Karlos's hobbies had been scrolling through short-form videos. Sometimes he watched videos about ginseng and other expensive plants and trees such as agarwood and truffles.

Karlos approached the plant and Brandon followed him. They both knew that ginseng was an expensive medicinal root. Especially in Thera, ginseng had unique properties that could strengthen the body. Mages and Knights in the ancient era had used ginseng to become stronger.

[Author's Note:]

You can read more on my Patreon with:

88 advance chapters of Behind The Spotlight

70 advance chapters of Reincarnated as a Fisherman and Dad

Patreon link: https://www.patreon.com/Puji_makii

 

[Pujimaki]

Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 159


Brandon gulped hard as he stared at the plant. Karlos kneeled down and meticulously checked the plant.

"No doubt about it. It's ginseng." Karlos spoke with certainty, his eyes on the leaves and the red berries as he studied every detail.

"Really?" Brandon leaned closer to take a look.

"From the looks of it, it's at least 300 years old." Karlos brushed away a bit of soil, revealing more of the root beneath.

"..."

Now Brandon was speechless, his mind completely blank.

'Is this the difference between an intellectual and someone who isn't? Karlos attended college and gained so much knowledge.' Brandon thought with a mix of awe and jealousy.

Karlos was actually not sure, but for some reason, the ginseng had a unique aura that he couldn't explain. Something ancient and heavy seemed to linger around it. He gently touched the leaves.

"... Let's look further. I feel like there is more ginseng on this island."

"A-Alright." Brandon nodded quickly, feeling both nervous and excited.

After searching the whole island, they found three ginseng plants. Two were smaller, while the biggest one was the 300-year-old ginseng they first saw.

"Do you know how to harvest ginseng? I heard that the roots should be meticulously harvested. If the roots are damaged, the effects will lessen," Brandon asked, remembering what he had heard from older people.

"I know how to."

Karlos had watched a few videos before and remembered the general process.

"..."

At this point, Brandon believed him without question. In the first place, Karlos had recognized the ginseng, which already proved his knowledge.

The two looked at each other and made a decision. What happened last time made them realize that their fishing spot and the island would be discovered sooner or later. It was inevitable. Many fishermen had already tried to follow them. Karlos and Brandon knew that the island wouldn't remain theirs forever. The secret couldn't last forever.

Before that happened, they had to harvest the ginseng as soon as possible, before someone else stumbled upon them.

"Let's use our flat screwdriver to loosen the soil. Follow my instructions." Karlos took charge.

"O-Okay," Brandon replied immediately, ready to help however he could.

The two returned to their bangka and grabbed their tools. Karlos also texted a neighbor to inform Maya that he would be home late. He said that they had caught more fish but didn't elaborate.

"Let's loosen the soil around the ginseng. Follow my lead." Karlos gently pushed the screwdriver into the ground and began digging slowly. He wasn't entirely sure if he was doing it correctly, but he continued anyway.

The two worked together. Brandon brushed away the soil while Karlos carefully dug around the plant. Surprisingly, he didn't damage the root at all. Even the thin, hair-like roots remained intact.

They dug up all three ginseng plants and only finished around 3 p.m. They had spent five hours carefully harvesting the ginseng.

They returned to their bangka and left the island. However, just as they were about to leave the perimeter, another bangka appeared in the distance and started approaching them.

Karlos and Brandon immediately became alert, thinking it might be a pirate boat. Karlos even grabbed his backpack, just in case.

Fortunately, it wasn't a pirate boat. They even recognized the bangka because its paint pattern was familiar.

"That's Antonio's bangka... No, that should be Robin's bangka now." Brandon corrected himself, remembering the change of ownership.

"Hey, Karlos! Brandon! You guys are fishing here?" Bastos shouted as he greeted them, grinning widely as if he had just found treasure.

Karlos and Brandon shared the same thought and didn't bother answering Bastos.

"We're caught," Brandon sighed weakly.

The fishing spot they had been hiding for months had finally been discovered by other fishermen. This meant competition would increase and more boats would likely show up.

"But we're also lucky." Karlos grinned and patted a small container beside him.

Brandon smirked as well.

"Yeah, I think this isn't that bad. At least we discovered the ginseng before anyone else did. Karlos, you're really a lucky guy. You just thought about exploring the island, and now we have three ginseng plants." Brandon smiled.

He had always known that their fishing spot would eventually be discovered. The sea belonged to everyone. It was only a matter of time before others found the island.

And now that another bangka had arrived, Brandon had no choice but to accept it.

"I know someone who can help us determine the price of the ginseng," Karlos said. He could call Larry or Roman regarding the matter.

"First, before you make any decision, I want to make something clear. I'll only take 5%," Brandon said firmly.

"Are you sure?" Karlos looked surprised.

"You're the one who discovered the ginseng, and you're also the one who dug it up. I just helped you. We already agreed that I'll get a 5% profit share whenever we make money. That's already enough for me."

"..."

Karlos was speechless as he looked at Brandon's eyes. His crossed eyes made it difficult to tell where Brandon was actually looking.

Still, Karlos could see that Brandon was sincere.

"Alright, since you've made that decision, I'll give the smaller ginseng to you," Karlos said.

"Hey, you don't have to do that."

"I insist." Karlos waved his hand dismissively. In fact, he had already planned to leave the two smaller ginseng plants for each of them while selling the biggest one.

"... Thank you, Karlos."

Brandon felt grateful to have a friend like Karlos. The reason he didn't fight for a bigger share was because of Karlos's unique talent. After working with him for months, Brandon was completely convinced that Karlos was blessed by the sea.

He didn't want to sacrifice their friendship for money. He also didn't want to offend someone who could summon the elusive shark.

Besides, a 5% profit share wasn't bad at all. At the end of the day, it was true that Karlos discovered the ginseng and did most of the work. The credit belonged to him.

He was already grateful that Karlos gave him the smaller ginseng. It could be used as medicine in case Brandon or his parents got sick, although Brandon didn't know the proper recipe.

"Aye, Karlos! Why aren't you guys answering us!?"

Robin's boat got closer and Bastos raised his voice while waving energetically.

Karlos and Brandon stopped talking about the ginseng and looked at Bastos, Robin, and another teenager named Escudero.

Robin averted his gaze while holding the steering handle. He believed that Karlos and Brandon were angry with them. Even Escudero looked down awkwardly, not daring to speak.

"Haha, so this is the place where you guys fish!" Unlike his two friends, Bastos was in a great mood.

At last, after a week of searching the sea, they had found Karlos and Brandon's fishing spot. They had tried to follow them last time, but that plan failed. However, it still gave Bastos a general direction of where they might be fishing.

All he had to do was follow that direction and hope for the best.

And luck was finally on his side.

 

[Pujimaki]

Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 160


Bastos's gaze lingered on the small island. He knew that the abalones were probably caught in that place, and his lips couldn't help but curl into a greedy smile.

Karlos and Brandon could see through Bastos's intentions. The young man's stare refused to leave the island, making his thoughts obvious. At this point, there was no reason to hide it. They were already happy that they had acquired the best treasure from the island before others could discover it.

"Yeah," Karlos said before leaving. He didn't want any discussion or unnecessary arguments. He had no reason to stay any longer or explain himself.

Robin slightly bit his lip as the two older men left. He felt ashamed. However, Bastos had convinced him to search for their fishing spot because they wanted to earn money. Robin was beginning to realize that earning money through fishing was not easy.

He knew that his relationship with Karlos and Brandon would never recover after this. The trust was already broken. Well, they weren't that close anyway. Their circles of friends were also different.

.........
......
...

Karlos and Brandon sold their catch for 39,000 pesos. Some of the lobsters had died because it took them longer to reach the fish port this time, which made their price cheaper.

The two didn't dwell on it. Their minds were already occupied by something far more valuable.

When they reached the beachside, Maya and Reina were waiting for them. The twins were in their strollers, watching the bigger kids play on the beach. They also wanted to play with them, but they were still babies and too small to join.

Maya and Reina had decided to walk along the beach and relax. They chatted about gossip and many other topics while pushing the strollers.

"You're back. Why are you so late today?" Maya smiled and gently asked Karlos.

"Let's talk about it later." Karlos grinned and kissed her forehead. He then reached for his twins and gently pinched their chubby cheeks, earning delighted squeals.

Karlos also greeted Reina and thanked her for taking care of the twins, which Reina simply shrugged off. She was just looking for someone to talk to.

When they reached their home, Karlos invited Brandon inside. The two men had serious expressions.

"Babe, do we have any boxes that we don't use anymore?" Karlos asked Maya.

"Yeah, I'll get some for you." Maya was confused but went to the unoccupied room to search for boxes, wondering what was happening.

Karlos and Brandon carefully spread the three plants on the table. The twins curiously looked at the plants. Arabella even thought they were edible, especially the red berries, which looked attractive.

"Pa!" she called, her eyes shining.

"Nope, these red berries are bitter. You won't like them. They are medicine." Karlos immediately understood his daughter and gently patted her head.

"We will sell the biggest one while the remaining two will be divided between us," Karlos said to Brandon decisively.

"Alright, but I'll only keep 5% of the sales," Brandon insisted. He was already happy that one of the ginseng plants would be his. That alone was valuable enough.

Karlos shrugged. He had no reason to refuse his request.

When Maya arrived with boxes, she was confused by the plants on the table.

"What are these?"

"They are ginseng," Karlos answered.

"A what?"

"Ginseng."

"..."

Maya didn't know what to say as the word slowly sank in.

"I'll choose the smallest one." Brandon pointed at the smallest ginseng root among the three.

Karlos nodded and carefully placed it in the box that Maya had brought.

Brandon excused himself and left the house while tightly holding the box.

"Babe, what is happening here? Where did you get these ginseng?" Maya finally asked.

"We found them on the island."

Karlos explained everything that had happened earlier, and Maya gradually understood why Karlos had come home late today.

"Also, here's the receipt and the money."

Maya counted the money before putting it into the secret compartment in the cabinet.

"There's lunch for you. Give me a minute and I'll reheat it." Maya was still surprised that Karlos and Brandon had found ginseng, but she prioritized her husband first.

"Thanks, babe."

Karlos placed the two remaining ginseng roots into separate boxes, making sure their roots wouldn't tangle with each other.

That night, Karlos contacted Roman first since he worked in many businesses and had more connections.

"You found what!?" Roman stood up from his office chair. He was in his office in Evitac City, the lights still on despite the late hour and papers scattered across the desk. This city was the birthplace of his grandparents and parents, so the Alejandro family naturally had businesses there.

"I found ginseng. I think it's at least 300 years old," Karlos repeated calmly.

"..."

Roman didn't know what to say as his mind raced.

'A 300-year-old ginseng!? How potent could it be!? People would go crazy over that root!'

Ginseng was not particularly difficult to find since this medicinal root could be farmed sustainably. Roman could easily buy ginseng, even those that were 10 to 50 years old.

But a 300-year-old ginseng was different. It was extremely rare. Even if someone had money, finding such an ancient ginseng was almost impossible.

On top of that, the older the ginseng, the stronger its potency in curing diseases. Its medicinal value was extremely high.

'Grandma can use it!'

Without hesitation, Roman thought of his grandmother. Doña Lourdes was not in good health, and the ginseng might help her. They could use it to concoct medicine that might improve her condition.

"I'll contact an expert to evaluate the ginseng. I'll visit you tomorrow," Roman immediately said.

"That's great to hear." Karlos was surprised, but he understood that the ginseng in his possession was a valuable treasure. It wasn't surprising that Roman was interested.

"You're living on the beachside, right?"

"Yeah."

"Good. I still remember the address."

"Ah, can you please not use a sports car? It attracts attention, and I don't know how to explain it to the neighbors." Karlos recalled what happened the last time a sports car parked in front of their kubo. Rumors quickly spread that Karlos had a wealthy relative.

"I'll keep that in mind." Roman chuckled lightly.

[Author's Note: Let's hope the war in the Middle East stops. My father is currently working in Saudi Arabia and his job site is affected by the situation.]

 

[Pujimaki]

Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 161


"So where will you take this old man?" An elderly man holding a cane was escorted by a group of bodyguards into a black van.

"Master Fu, don't say it like that. We just want you to appraise a ginseng and determine its quality." Roman smiled lightly at the old man, his tone respectful. "Of course, we will also pay you for your time."

"The travel won't take that long, right? My back hurts when I sit for too long." The old man touched his lower back.

"Of course, Master Fu. I even prepared the most comfortable seat for you." Roman gestured confidently toward the interior of the van.

They stepped into the van, and the door slid shut after they entered.

"You said the ginseng is at least 300 years old?" The old man raised his brows.

"That can be considered a heirloom treasure. Who's crazy enough to sell it? That can save a life." The old man was slightly confused, unable to understand the owner's decision.

"I assume they don't need it." Roman didn't explain much.

"You assume?" The old man narrowed his eyes.

If not for Roman's status, old man Fu would believe he was lying. The old man had mastered the ancient method of alchemy and created miraculous medicines through rare ingredients. His skills were honed through decades of study and discipline. If there was someone who could make medicine using the ginseng, that would be old man Fu.

"Well then, take me to see this 300-year-old ginseng of yours." Despite his calm tone, old man Fu was curious.

"Yes, Master."

Roman personally handled this matter because he treated his grandmother with utmost importance and respect. Her condition weighed heavily on his mind. He loved his grandmother dearly and wished to ease her situation.

For this reason, he even visited Master Fu, who rarely interacted with secular people. Master Fu and his disciples spent most of their lives in the mountains, cut off from the modern world to devote themselves to medicine cultivation. If not for Roman being the son of an influential family, Master Fu might not have listened to his request.

Fortunately, their mountain was located in Timog-Kanluran Province, so Roman could visit him within a day, although the journey was still exhausting. Roman had only gotten a short amount of sleep during this entire time.

There was also another reason why Master Fu agreed to appraise the ginseng. He rarely had the chance to even touch, let alone concoct medicine from, a 300-year-old ginseng. Such opportunities were almost mythical even for someone with his experience.

In his entire 73 years of life, he had only touched an ancient ginseng five times. Each encounter remained vivid in his memory, with the oldest ginseng being 400 years old.

'The last mage died 1000 years ago, and that marked the complete turning point of the era.' The old man looked out the window, his expression turning thoughtful.

'Since then, there have been no people who could use mana to create miracles. However, some of the miracles they left behind still work, such as the recipes for alchemical medicines. Something different from science.' Master Fu recalled.

Magic had disappeared thousands of years ago, and mages and people who could use mana slowly vanished until none remained. They faded into legend. Some people were born with unique quirks, but they were not truly superhumans in the strict sense.

Just as Roman promised, the trip didn't take long. They soon reached Una Town, a coastal town.

"So it's Una Town." Master Fu looked around with surprise and nostalgia. A few decades ago, this place had only small villages. Things improved when Bay Harbor was built, bringing trade and development to the town. He had visited this place when he was still under the tutelage of his master, long before the roads were paved.

The van stopped in front of a brand-new house that had only been built a few months ago.

"This way, Master." Roman stepped aside to guide him.

Karlos and his family were already waiting for their arrival. Brandon was also present, but he kept himself in the background, standing quietly behind them. He felt intimidated by rich people and believed their social statuses belonged to completely different worlds.

As for Maya, she had prepared food and desserts just in case their guests stayed longer. She was also tense, her posture stiff as she nervously awaited the unexpected visitors.

Karlos nodded at Roman. He was nervous as well, though he had become somewhat used to interacting with wealthy people.

Perhaps only Arabella and Iñigo were behaving naturally. Arabella greeted the strangers while waving her hands, her eyes bright with curiosity. As for Iñigo, he didn't recognize most of these people, so he simply stared at them and quietly observed.

"What a nice house," Master Fu muttered.

"Thank you, sir." Karlos smiled slightly, pleased to hear that.

Karlos then nodded at Roman. He had kept his promise of not using a sports car. However, the bodyguards surrounding old man Fu were still attracting attention.

Some neighbors had even gathered in front of the house, curiously staring at the bodyguards as if they were watching a movie.

"Let's go inside. My wife prepared something to eat."

Karlos invited them in.

"You shouldn't have done that. We're only here for a short visit." Old man Fu chuckled as he stepped inside. He nodded while looking around the house. It was clean. He didn't recognize some of the appliances, but he assumed the technology of the modern world had improved.

"Let's not make this too long. I would like to inspect the ginseng." His fingers trembled slightly with excitement at the thought of seeing it.

"It's here." Karlos had already prepared the box on the table. He only showed one box because he had no intention of selling the smaller ginseng.

He had already spoken with Brandon, and they agreed to keep the two other ginseng a secret.

"Oh."

Old man Fu approached the box. He nodded as he observed that the wooden box was clean and free of dust. However, he still needed to inspect the inside. If the interior of the box were dirty, it could degrade the ginseng.

Without hesitation, he opened the box to check its cleanliness.

"Huh?"

But the cleanliness was not the first thing he noticed. Something else instantly caught his attention.

"T-This!"

His eyes nearly bulged out.

[Thank you guys for reading this novel.]

 

[Pujimaki]

Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 162


Old Man Fu possessed a unique talent that made him one of the world's finest alchemists, a gift that appeared when he was still very young. When his master discovered his talent, he made sure that Old Man Fu would learn the art of alchemy. His master guided him personally and never allowed his potential to go to waste.

Old Man Fu was sensitive to mana, an energy that was nearing extinction and barely detectable in modern times. It was said that Thera had 100 times the amount of mana thousands of years ago, when magic still flourished.

He couldn't control mana, but he could sense it, like feeling heat without touching fire. Using this talent, he could determine the potency of ingredients and concoct medicine accordingly.

"Holy Goddess of Growth!" His voice cracked, unable to hide his shock.

The Goddess of Growth was the protector of plants, trees, and flowers. She was worshipped by farmers and gardeners, especially those whose lives depended on their harvests. Old Man Fu also worshipped her, as his profession was closely tied to plants.

"This is an ancient ginseng! More than 1,000 years old."

His hands trembled as he held it, as if he were holding a sacred relic.

"Its mana is so immense that every part of it can be used as medicine!" His voice was filled with disbelief.

The most important part of a ginseng plant was its root, but the ginseng in Old Man Fu's hand was so ancient that it had absorbed the mana of the earth for countless years. It was as if its leaves, stem, and even berries were faintly pulsing in his hands.

Old Man Fu began to tremble, his face covered in sweat.

"Master Fu, what did you say? This ginseng is more than 1,000 years old!?" Roman was shocked.

"I'm not joking!" Old Man Fu snapped back as he clutched the ginseng closer.

"This is the first time I've seen a ginseng with such immense and dense mana." Old Man Fu's face flushed red.

"You're Karlos, right?" Old Man Fu turned to him.

"Yes, Master." Karlos didn't know who the old man was, but since Roman respected him and several bodyguards followed him, Karlos assumed he was an important figure.

"Where did you find this ginseng?" Old Man Fu's gaze sharpened.

"Brandon and I found it floating in the sea." Karlos and Brandon nodded. They had already prepared a story. For now, they wanted to keep it a secret that they had found the ginseng on a small island.

"The sea?"

Old Man Fu glanced at the ginseng again. He leaned closer and smelled it.

"No wonder it smells salty. I thought it was just because we are close to the sea."

Old Man Fu wasn't surprised that ginseng could be found floating in the sea.

Ancient ginseng could absorb the essence of the earth, but it needed to be at least 200 years old to adapt to different environments.

'The mages in the era of magic used magical arrays and created gardens in many places, such as underground, underwater, and even in harsh environments.' Old Man Fu nodded, recalling ancient records.

In the high mountain range of Dal Bhat Country, there was a garden at the peak of the tallest mountain, a place considered sacred. Ordinary people couldn't traverse it because of the intense blizzards year-round. Even airplanes and helicopters couldn't get close to the garden.

However, some people had the determination and reasons to reach it. Some sought miraculous plants to save their loved ones, while others wanted to profit from them to change their lives. Some succeeded in reaching the garden, but they were only allowed to take one type of plant. The garden had a magical array that punished greed.

Within that garden, there were magical plants that were more than 3,000 years old. The highest mountain was protected by Dal Bhat Country, but people still tried to reach it illegally, risking their lives. Most of them didn't survive the climb.

'If my assumption is right, this ginseng came from an underwater garden, or the magical array lost its power, allowing the ginseng to surface.'

He recalled that an ancient ginseng had been found floating in the sea in this region three years ago.

'Too bad. We tried to find where the plant came from, but we couldn't locate it.'

"You guys are lucky," Old Man Fu said as he looked at the two of them.

"Roman, this ginseng is an ancient one. I can definitely cure your grandmother, but I will need other ingredients to concoct the medicine. Some of them are rare and expensive, with this ginseng being the most important part." Old Man Fu turned to Roman.

Roman was overjoyed to hear that. Money was not an issue.

"Thank you, Master." He bowed deeply to the old man, showing his gratitude.

"Well then, I suppose you invited me here to appraise this ginseng, right?" Even while speaking, Old Man Fu continued to examine the ginseng, unable to stop admiring it.

"Indeed."

"This year, an ancient ginseng that was over 2,000 years old was auctioned in Kimchi Country. The price reached $3 million, causing quite a sensation. As for this one..." The old man stared at the ginseng in his hands, carefully evaluating it.

Karlos, Brandon, and Maya waited for his answer. They were shocked that a ginseng could be sold for such a high price.

"$1 million. That is the appropriate value I can give."

"..."

Karlos and the others were speechless. One million dollars, when converted to pesos, was about 50 million pesos!

"Karlos, I'll pay you 60 million pesos. Is that alright with you?" Roman immediately made an offer.

"I..." Karlos swallowed hard, his throat suddenly dry.

"If you're not satisfied, I also have a plot of land that I'm planning to turn into a shrimp farm. It's located in the southeast of Una Town, near the mangrove river. It already has most of the equipment, and its valuation is around 3 million pesos," Roman added sincerely.

"Deal." Karlos had no reason to refuse. He could clearly see Roman's sincerity.

[Thank you for reading this novel.]