Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 173
Robin and the others stared at the boat curiously, while Bastos's face turned pale, the color draining as if all the blood had been sucked out of him. He recalled what had happened yesterday. The memory came crashing back like a hangover he couldn't shake, making his head ache even more.
As for Karlos and Brandon, they were alert. Karlos grabbed his backpack, making sure he had a weapon in case something went wrong. His fingers rested on the zipper, ready to open it at any moment.
Fortunately, the boat appeared to be an ordinary fishing bangka. It had nets and boxes stacked on board, common items for a fishing vessel.
"So this is the beach!? Man, I've seen this place whenever we pass by this route. I didn't expect it to be abundant in abalones!" The captain of the bangka stepped out, followed by three men whose gazes curiously scanned the area.
"Hey, Bastos! That's really you! Haha, man, I thought you were lying." The captain laughed as he approached Bastos in a friendly manner. "We decided to check the route you told us about after finishing our quota. We didn't want to miss such a chance."
The captain placed his arm around Bastos's shoulder, causing him to stiffen.
"So where are the reefs you're talking about? Are they underwater now?" His grin widened.
"I, um, ahh..." Bastos couldn't speak. His throat went dry.
"Why are you quiet? I remember how much you bragged about it yesterday." The captain's tone sharpened. "So where is it?"
Bastos glanced at his friends and saw their cold stares. Their eyes were filled with disappointment and anger, the trust they once had in him was now shattered. He also looked at Karlos and Brandon. Brandon was clenching his fists, clearly ready to hit him.
Cold sweat formed on Bastos's forehead. He realized he had made a huge mistake, one that had cost them their entire livelihood. He had messed up, and there was no way to undo it.
"Hey, I'm talking to you. Where are the reefs?" The captain tightened his grip on Bastos's shoulder as he continued to remain silent.
"T- There!" Bastos pointed. "The island isn't that big anyway. You can just walk around and find them. There's no need for me to explain further."
"You're right." The captain laughed. "I'm just messing with you."
"Come on, guys. Let's check it out."
The captain gave the order and briefly glanced at Karlos. He recalled seeing this man dock his small bangka at the bay harbor months ago. He nodded slightly before walking past him. He had heard rumors that Karlos was not just an ordinary fisherman, that he had ties to the Araneto family.
"..." Bastos lowered his head, too afraid to face their reactions. Guilt weighed heavily on him.
"Let's go," Karlos said to Brandon. He started the engine of his bangka and left the island in a foul mood.
"It looks like we need to find another spot," Karlos said as he navigated the boat.
"That Bastos... I should have punched him," Brandon gritted his teeth.
"He's Jerry's younger brother. Just let it go. It's not worth causing more trouble."
"But still..." Brandon took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.
"What will we do now?" he asked. Karlos was the captain of the bangka, and his boss. As an employee, he followed Karlos's lead.
"I'm thinking of buying a mid-sized bangka so we can fish farther out. I'm preparing for the salmon season, it might open better opportunities." He had been considering it for a while, and now seemed like the right time to upgrade.
"You're going to buy a boat?"
"Yeah. I want a brand-new bangka. Do you want to come with me to the shipyard? We can check the quality of the boats."
"Of course! Haha, I thought you weren't going to invite me."
"We're partners."
"I'm glad to hear that." Brandon grinned, happy that Karlos still valued him.
The two went to the fish port to sell their catch.
Meanwhile, Robin and the others rode in silence, the only sound coming from the roaring engine. Escudero had been clenching his fists the entire ride, his anger still burning. He stared at Bastos, who kept his head down.
They reached the fish port and sold their catch for 29,000 pesos, more than they earned the day before. However, they felt no joy. It might be the last time they would earn that much.
"Bastos, are you going back to the beach with us?" Robin asked coldly.
"I..." Bastos tried to speak, but no words came out. He clenched the 1,450 pesos in his hand.
"I'm sorry—"
Before he could finish, Escudero punched him in the face.
"You have the nerve to apologize after what you did? How dare you? You ruined everything."
Bastos stumbled to the ground, his vision spinning.
People at the fish port noticed the commotion and gathered around, eager to watch a fight. In a tiring job like fishing, a fistfight was considered entertainment.
But Bastos didn't fight back. He just lay on the ground.
Escudero spat on the ground and walked away.
"Bastos, you're fired. Don't show up tomorrow. I won't even let you step on my boat," Robin said before leaving.
...
...
...
The next day, Karlos's assumption proved correct. When he arrived at the island, several boats were already there.
Fortunately, no one had touched their traps, and Karlos still managed to catch plenty of lobsters. He also noticed Robin's boat, but Bastos was nowhere to be seen. Only Escudero and Robin were there.
When the sun rose, smaller boats landed on the beach while larger ones anchored offshore.
"... It's over," Brandon muttered as he saw how crowded the reefs had become. Their once-exclusive spot was now packed with fishermen.
"Hey, these abalones are ours! Why are you taking them!?" Escudero shouted, guarding their bucket.
From the looks of it, news about the abundant island had already spread. Fishermen were everywhere, scrambling to harvest abalones.
Karlos and Brandon couldn't even reach their usual quota, the reefs were simply too crowded.
[Thank you guys for reading this novel.]