Chapter 34: 34 Bait Fishing
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Although an additional person had joined, the hunting process seemed to be no different from before.
Boggy was still the one taking the lead, only now there was one more spectator watching from behind.
Mai Mai stood next to Ma Lu with her backpack on, and it was so large that she looked like a penguin, waddling as she walked.
"By the way, what is your psychic power?" Ma Lu asked.
"Electric Field."
"Electric plant?"
"Hmm, it's 'field'," Mai Mai wrote the character for 'field' on Ma Lu's palm with her finger, but sadly, Ma Lu still couldn't understand.
"But previously, Captain Li preferred to call me 'Basking in the Action', and you can call me that too, Deputy Captain."
"Basking in the Action, why such a nickname?"
"Because I basically need to rest for three or four days after using my psychic power each time, so I'm just there basking in the action most of the time," said Mai Mai.
"I see," Ma Lu glanced at Boggy, who was fighting a Banded Sand Snake not far away, and lowered his voice.
"I'm not one for gossip, but is there some kind of story between you and the captain? He seems... how should I put it, a bit strict with you?"
Mai Mai blinked, "Maybe it's because I once betrayed him."
"Ah?" Ma Lu wasn't expecting such a sensational piece of gossip and said excitedly, "Tell me more."
However, the situation was a bit different from what he had imagined, and a look of reminiscence showed on Mai Mai's face.
"Not long after that... incident happened, Harpist's situation got really bad. Boggy tried hard to maintain what his father had left behind, but back then he was still in school, and there wasn't much he could do. He just hoped the remaining people would give him some time."
"But I still announced my departure at that time, setting a bad precedent. Afterward, many of the old members left, and I guess that hurt him a bit," Mai Mai said with a wry smile.
"But my leaving the group wasn't because I didn't trust him."
"I know. You just wanted to fulfill your childhood dream of opening a perfume shop."
"Fulfilling my dream was one reason, but there were other reasons too. The situation back then was very chaotic with all sorts of speculation. I was also a bit impulsive and made my final decision. By the time I regretted it, it was already too late.
"Honestly, I didn't expect Boggy to agree to let me join his new hunting group, but that kid has always been like that, placing the group's interests first. Even if he resented me in his heart, he would still bring me to meet you."
"I don't really think he hates you."
"What?"
Mai Mai felt a stir in her heart, but Ma Lu didn't continue, as Boggy had already finished the fight and was walking towards them with a Banded Sand Snake in tow.
A notification popped up on the Traveler's Bracelet.
Ma Lu opened it and saw three blessing options.
[Intermediate Healing: Provides a special healing treatment to a designated teammate]
[Iron Lifting Expert: Increases the entire team's stamina by 10%]
[That's Too Dangerous: There is a 15% chance that when a team member with Earth-Series Psychic Power uses their ability, a quicksand pit is created nearby]
All of them blue.
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He had originally wanted to choose [Iron Lifting Expert], but then he saw [Intermediate Healing] flickering a few times, emitting a purple glow, and it was then replaced by a new blessing.
[Water Conducts Electricity: Team members with Water-Series Psychic Powers have a 33% chance of their abilities being accompanied by electricity.]
[Water Conducts Electricity] had an effect similar to the White Blessings [This Water is Electrified], but the activation probability had been increased from 3% to 33%.
You could only say that purple was indeed purple, and the fact that he had netted this Purple Blessing without paying after it was triggered by hitting a jackpot had greatly excited Ma Lu. With a grand gesture, he said, "Continue."
Afterward, the three of them successively obtained some 1-star and 2-star ingredients, but they didn't manage to get a second Purple Blessing.
Actually, compared with other Hunting Groups, their harvest was already quite good.
Hunting was like that, requiring both ability and luck, and bad luck could mean returning empty-handed, which wouldn't be strange even for the top Hunting Groups that couldn't guarantee striking it rich every time.
By comparison, Ma Lu had a scanning function, which at least ensured a minimum threshold, but ever since they hunted the Giant Claw Lord, Ma Lu had become somewhat disdainful of these low-star ingredients.
Moreover, he had invested heavily in upgrading the Collection Bag before coming here, specifically to take back a greater bounty of good stuff.
Seeing Ma Lu looking around, Boggy thought for a moment and then took a package off the motorcycle.
As soon as it was opened, a foul stench assaulted their noses, causing Ma Lu to step back twice, covering his nose and asking,
"What, what is this?!"
"The Giant Claw Lord's organs," replied Boggy, "I brought it back last time and stored it in a big barrel."
Mai Mai showed a look of realization, "Oh, are you planning to attract prey by using bait?"
"Yeah," Boggy nodded, "Organs are the best material for bait fishing, especially those of a big creature like the Giant Claw Lord. Although we can't eat it, it has a fatal attraction to many prey animals."
Mai Mai continued, "However, if the organs are fresh, the scent they emit is limited and may only attract nearby prey, but if they ferment and decay, the smell spreads far and wide."
Ma Lu understood—this was essentially creating a feeding ground.
"But with bait fishing, what it attracts is beyond our control. Prey could easily swarm the area, gathering more and more until even our retreat could be blocked. Compared with regular hunting, the risk is much higher. We are now in a Level 2 Hunting Area," Mai Mai reminded them, "Are you sure about this?"
Her words were directed at Boggy, yet she noticed that Boggy was looking at Ma Lu.
"Let's do it."
Ma Lu only pondered for a moment before making the decision.
Bait fishing might be dangerous for others, but for the Twin Sunflower Hunting Group, blessed with Meat Pigeon, it could not be more suitable.
The more prey that appeared, the greater the enhancements they could obtain. As long as they didn't attract an overwhelmingly powerful creature at the start, things would get progressively easier.
Boggy found a small dune, threw the rotten organs underneath, and stood guard with a Mechanical Spear in hand to prevent any prey from swallowing the bait.
As for Ma Lu and Mai Mai, they lay on top of the dune, a spot that was not easily attacked, with an open view allowing them to observe the surroundings so they could warn Boggy to flee if the situation didn't look right.
Seeing that the team captain and vice-captain had made up their minds, Mai Mai, still in her trial period as a newcomer, naturally wouldn't object, but worry was still evident in her eyes.
Bait fishing... three people was too few.
So far, Ma Lu hadn't made a move except for catching Young Flame Lizards, and her situation was special in that she could only strike once, which meant only Boggy was truly hunting.
Mai Mai was very concerned whether that small body of Boggy's could withstand the intense combat that was to come.
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