Chapter 102: Dexter’s Furious Side

The people on the shore grew increasingly worried as Liu Heming remained underwater for far too long. They could only see splashes roiling the lake’s surface, their view too blurry to make out events.

George and others had caught enough glimpses of the fish to know its terrifying power underwater. Seeing Liu Heming stay beneath for so long filled them with dread.

Just as they considered diving in themselves, the lake surface suddenly split open. The Giant Black Fish burst out at an angle, lifting Liu Heming bodily as it surged upward.

It truly flew—soaring over two meters above the water before crashing, fish and man alike, onto the shore near where the Little Bears stood. Their sudden arrival startled the cubs badly. The other spectators’ jaws dropped or eyes widened in shock.

While everyone froze, Liu Heming, though dazed from the fall, gave the fish no chance to recover. Finally on solid ground and breathing freely, he was determined to vent his fury.

Land was his domain. He attacked relentlessly: punches rained down, kicks followed hard, knees jammed in—every blow he could imagine landed repeatedly, sometimes in wild combination attacks.

The Giant Black Fish struggled desperately too. Despite breathing air, survival demanded return to water. Twisting toward the lake, it used its head and tail fin to try and knock Liu Heming down. Punches to its body felt like nothing, but the blows near its head began to hurt.

Liu Heming charged with primal energy, but rage alone couldn’t last. His arms and legs grew leaden. Finally, he swung his right foot and slammed a kick into the fish’s head with every shred of his remaining strength.

The full-force kick shot through his foot—pain and numbness struck, sending him sprawling backward as the massive fish’s head jerked upwards, lifted into the air by the blow. When it landed, only the tail fin gave an occasional weak twitch.

If the spectators were first stunned by the fish bursting from the water, they were now utterly shocked by the raw violence Liu Heming displayed.

Everyone knew Liu Heming wasn’t overly muscular, but he possessed some strength. However, none guessed how titanic his unleashed fury proved. This Giant Black Fish stretched two meters—far longer than the one-meter estimate George formed from their fleeting underwater sighting—with a head and body thicker than Alex’s waist.

Yet Liu Heming had beaten this monster senseless. That final kick particularly resonated; a sharp “crack” echoed, the fish’s head snapping upwards so fast and high. Speculating the sheer force required felt impossible.

Robin, a man who understood such matters best, experienced the deepest shock. He roughly gauged Liu Heming’s kick strength—a level even he would struggle to match.

“Bad fish!” A small voice piped up. “You hit Dad! Not obedient!” Before anyone reacted, Alex ran to the huge fish and delivered a solid kick.

She vastly overestimated herself. The massive fish barely moved, but the recoil knocked little Alex onto her bottom. Wet clothes instantly gained layers of muddy grass.

The Bear Kids snapped to attention then, rushing the oversized fish to unleash a “thwap-thwap-thwap” assault with their claws.

They had handled the Snakehead the previous day effectively. Against this titan, however, their strikes felt like mere tickling. A slight flick of the big fish’s tail sent both stumbling backwards, tumbling into furry balls.

Robin rushed to scoop Alex away. Though less violent now, the monstrous fish was far from dead; its tail possessed enough force to seriously hurt the small child.

“Everyone careful,” Liu Heming groaned, utterly drained. “Is this freaking thing almost turned into a spirit?” He felt truly spent: muscles ached mercilessly, limbs lacked strength. His right foot burned intensely, visibly swollen—and why wouldn’t it? He wore no shoe, reminding him harshly that force shared both ways.

“Dexter,” George hurried over, helping him sit up, “you okay? No wonder we caught nothing today! With a giant predator like this stalking the waters, every fish hides miles away.”

“Doesn’t matter how powerful it was,” Liu Heming managed a weary grin. “We’re eating it. It’s too huge for just us few. Call everyone from Xiangshui Town. Lunch is settled today.”

“Dexter,” Lewis interjected cautiously, “this fish… really edible? Actually tastes okay?”

“Relax. It will taste fantastic. You disliked Snakeheads before only because you cooked them wrong. Give me a bit to recover; today’s lunch introduces real flavor.” Liu Heming nodded confidently. He’d never seen a Snakehead this big—easily near a hundred pounds. This place was perfect for them to grow monstrous. Back in his homeland? Reaching half this size would be practically supernatural.

George and the others heaved the Giant Black Fish further onto the grass, preventing any escape attempt back into water. Eagerly, under Liu Heming’s tired gaze, they began jostling each other to take pictures beside the fallen beast. Standing it upright proved impossible, so everyone sprawled dramatically beside it on the lawn.

Amused by the sight, Alex abandoned her damp concerns and scrambled from Robin’s arms, demanding her own photo. Her tiny form against the massive fish created an immense contrast—its barbels looked thicker than her smallest finger.

“You okay?” A quiet voice asked. Sasha stood beside Liu Heming after joining the scene, passing him a towel.

“Just tired,” Liu Heming accepted the towel with a weak smile. “Spent all my strength. Worn out. I’ll recover soon.”

“You and Alex should take a picture too,” he suggested. “Such a huge Snakehead is rare. Oceans might hold big fish, but rivers like this? This is special. Take one with her. Helps her not feel scared later, remembering falling in the water.”

“Hmm,” Sasha murmured softly, agreeing with a nod. She felt somehow… misplaced handing him the towel—as if drawn by seeing him lying alone like discarded debris. She couldn’t quite define the impulse.