Closer to Revealing My True Self
Chapter 282 - 209: Tool Man_1

Chapter 282: Chapter 209: Tool Man_1

Even if we want to catch starfish to verify our findings, we need to wait for the next dive and try it in the ocean water.

The ones that have already been brought ashore, who knows what other stimuli they might have suffered? There are too many confounding factors, so it’s better to focus on those starfish still in the wild. It also avoids drawing the attention of others.

"What’s your opinion on this starfish outbreak?" Feng Yi asked.

Professor Li sighed deeply, her concern for both country and citizens all the more evident.

"Once it has erupted, it’s very hard to stop. Fishing can only alleviate it to some extent, but it doesn’t solve the fundamental problem. Moreover, the severity of this incident has exceeded everyone’s expectations."

"Isn’t there a safer, more efficient way to solve the problem?" Feng Yi was curious.

Professor Li shook her head, "Starfish outbreaks aren’t too rare; they’ve occurred multiple times before the period of climate anomalies, and during those 20 years of climate anomalies, it goes without saying. Since then, until now, they have occurred every few or several years. Starfish outbreaks are just one of the many problems plaguing the oceans. Although various measures have been taken, such as releasing cultivated juvenile fish, establishing marine reserves, and controlling aquaculture scales, there are still many problems we can’t solve.

"The sea, the climate, their forces are too great. With the current human technology, we can only make gradual progress.

"The reasons for the starfish outbreak, everyone has roughly the same view—it’s still those reasons: when there are fewer natural enemies during the larval stage, their numbers increase. This time, a slight climate fluctuation could also be towards their benefit."

After a brief pause, Professor Li continued, "My opinion is that we should try to minimize the losses of this episode and then focus our time and resources more on solving their reproduction and larval issues. The most likely problem is this stage. From the overfishing decades ago to those 20 years of climate anomalies, whether on land or in the seas, too many creatures have vanished. Some populations decline; others rise. The disappearance of one and the growth of another makes it very difficult to return to harmony and balance. Have you heard of the Seafloor Forest Project?"

Feng Yi was taken aback, "Yes, I know it."

He had been mingling in chat groups with UBPA and several experts for so long, some information was indeed known to him.

The Seafloor Forest Project was initiated after the period of climate anomalies—a major plan regarding marine ecology, spanning from the north to the south, covering a wide range and involving many participants. A lot of money had been thrown into it. Simply put, it is an artificial endeavor to restore and rebuild the damaged marine ecological environment.

In this plan, hotel and resort owners at various coastal tourist spots were particularly interested, and Feng Yi had heard discussions about it.

But...

"The starfish outbreak doesn’t have a significant impact on the Seafloor Forest Project, does it?" Feng Yi asked.

Professor Li looked distressed: "Ecological problems, once one link goes wrong, might undo the hard work of a big team over decades in just a few days or weeks. Right now, the most affected seem to be the aquaculture operations, but how it will develop further is still uncertain. Data is urgently being collected, and the staff at observation stations have been working overtime for many days."

"You don’t need to worry too much; as for the climate aspect, it should be alright, it’s just a minor fluctuation, still within a controllable range," Feng Yi comforted. He really hadn’t felt any dramatic climate changes.

But Professor Li didn’t think she was being too pessimistic, "Who can be sure with these things, a minor fluctuation... what exactly constitutes ’minor’? Look at how suddenly and how powerfully the waterspouts appeared in the south! Who would have predicted that such powerful tornadoes could occur off the coast in early March, tossing fish into the air!"

Feng Yi: "..."

There’s no way for me to respond to that.

He remained silent.

When they returned to the dormitory area, everyone’s mood was not very high, probably because the data received today was not satisfactory.

Feng Yi didn’t want to appear too eager either. He deliberately slowed down his quick pace back for dinner to match that of the others.

After eating at the cafeteria, some went back to rest while others gathered in small groups to discuss matters.

Feng Yi didn’t stay in the dormitory but went out to the night market with Jia.

The day’s exertions were too much, and the food eaten at the cafeteria couldn’t satisfy his hunger.

Jia was responsible for cover.

When going out to forage at night, Feng Yi simply wore a hat, put on thick-framed glasses, and donned nondescript casual clothes. He didn’t wear the reflective clothing from the dormitory, which was too conspicuous at night.

While foraging, Feng Yi listened to Jia’s activities of the day.

While Feng Yi accompanied the expert group, Jia couldn’t follow, but he didn’t stay holed up in the dormitory either.

Jia rented a yacht, as he had both license and money. When Feng Yi was out on missions, Jia would take the yacht out to sea for fun, even meeting a few small fishing groups, planning to go fishing together the next day.

"What about those people?" Feng Yi asked.

"Most of them are quite forthright, and they talk freely about everything. But when it comes to fishing..." Jia hesitated.

"What about them??"

"They’re poor at it but overly enthusiastic."

"Got it. So, are you still going fishing tomorrow?"

"Yes! Bing made some bait before I came, so I want to try it out," Jia said.

"Good luck then!"

Jia didn’t go out just for play; in one day, he had almost mapped out the distribution of the various functional areas along the coast near Mo city.

He had a grasp of which area had more tourists, which was less strictly managed, and in which direction the aquaculture farms were situated.

These details might not be immediately useful, but he had already made it a habit to gather such information whenever he arrived in a new place.