Chapter 97: Betting on the Egg

Old Zhang waved his hand and said, “If you win the gamble with giant grouper eggs, you could buy a Mercedes and drive it home right away—it’s faster money than a round at the casino!”
“This place has the most developed grouper industry around. Here, you don’t need alcohol; just raise a cup of the local ‘Dad’s tea’ and you’ll hear countless stories about groupers.”
“There are tales of sudden wealth that inspire envy, and reflections on those who rose to build mansions, feasted with guests, only to see it all collapse…”
Lighting up a cigarette, Old Zhang continued in a quiet tone, “Here, a person riding a motorbike isn’t necessarily poor, and someone driving a luxury car isn’t necessarily rich, because it’s just a step from heaven to hell. On the road of egg betting, anyone could become the subject of another’s admiration or regret in stories shared over meals.”
Zhuang Chen was taken aback by the philosophical tone and pressed further. Old Zhang went on, “Ah, I remember 2012 was the most profitable period for giant grouper fry. The newly hatched fry, about two centimeters long, could fetch up to nineteen yuan each.”
“With grouper eggs costing seventy thousand per kilogram, if you won the gamble, a pond with over two hundred thousand fry could bring in three point eight million. Tell me, is that exciting or not?”
“Many people came to try their luck. I saw someone win a bet with over a hundred thousand fry, even received a twenty-thousand deposit from a downstream fry merchant. That boss took the money and treated his friends to a night out, but within days, the fry developed black body disease, and he had no choice but to refund the deposit double. What do you think…”
“There was a man from Guizhou who had never worked with aquatic products, yet he came to Longpo Town, rented a dilapidated fry facility near Longwan Port, and stocked up twelve thousand grouper fry. Lady Luck smiled on him—he made over one point seven million in just three months, with more than ten thousand fry left unsold.”
“Thinking it was easy money, he immediately invested four million to build a new facility. Now he spends his days feeding mosquitoes over there!”
Zhuang Chen nodded, understanding that savvy traders with established distribution channels were operating behind the scenes. Familiar with the terminal market and equipped with sales networks, they’d spot trends and quietly accumulate stock at low prices before dumping it when prices peaked.
In 2009, someone made a fortune with the East Star Grouper, buying at sixty per jin until prices rose to one hundred and twenty, eventually selling at a peak of one hundred and twenty-eight. Not only did prices soar, but the fish also gained weight, yielding handsome profits.
Old Zhang stood up to check the pot and continued, “In recent years, who knows how many outsiders have come here chasing gold. In 2009, a ten-square-meter concrete pond rented for one thousand yuan annually.”
“In 2012, the price soared to four thousand each. New ponds sprang up everywhere—over two hundred fry facilities, most of which now lie abandoned, ignored by all.”

The time was right. He turned off the heat and lifted the lid, releasing a fragrant aroma. He placed the dish on the table. Zhuang Chen picked up his chopsticks—his first taste of wild grouper, and anticipation filled him.
Words couldn’t capture the experience; only one word sufficed:
Fresh!
Seeing his guest satisfied, Old Zhang smiled, pulled up a stool, and chatted, “Even going out to sea every day, you rarely see wild grouper. Ninety-nine percent on the market are farmed, and the taste is worlds apart!”
“These creatures are precious—harder to care for than ancestors. Traditional fish ponds need disinfecting a month in advance; for grouper, it’s two months. You scatter white lime in the pond, then sun it for at least a week.”
“When adding water, organic fertilizer must be included to ensure plankton density, essentially turning the pond into an underwater world. It seems simple, but you must do it yourself; without an expert nearby, you’re lost.”
“Choosing fry is even harder—not too big, not too small; three centimeters is ideal. When picking, you wish you could stare at each one individually. The most terrifying is the nervous necrosis virus, commonly called black body—once it breaks out, there’s no cure, and it wipes out everything.”
“I’ve seen too many who lost everything overnight because it rained, polluted the water, and tens of thousands vanished, just like that…”
Zhuang Chen shook his head—fortune favors the bold, but at what cost? Nowadays, wild mouse grouper is only found in five-star hotels, commanding two or three thousand per jin, and even with money, you might not get a taste.
Even farmed grouper, if it's large, goes for at least five or six hundred per jin—it’s a showpiece dish everywhere, a symbol of status.
This trip was worthwhile: his first dive, his first taste of wild grouper, and he returned fully satisfied.
Upon reaching the city, he heard about a seven-star hotel, Atlantis. Allegedly, there are only three such hotels in the world, spanning eight hundred and six acres, with a total investment of thirty billion.
Arriving at the hotel entrance, the first sight was a sculpture of seven winged horses. If you’ve seen Saint Seiya, you’d guess it’s Poseidon, the sea god.
The hotel lobby was predominantly white, with vast transparent glass walls, offering beautiful views of Sanya everywhere you looked.
At the front desk, there were 1,314 full ocean-view rooms and underwater presidential suites. He chose the Poseidon Undersea Suite—one night for 118,000, more flamboyant than the state guesthouse.

He decided to stay for two days. A private butler greeted him, helped Zhuang Chen put on a waterproof wristband. On his three acres of land, he could simply swipe the wristband for any purchase, settling the bill upon checkout—no need for cash, credit card, or phone.
With time to spare, he decided to explore what made this so-called seven-star hotel extraordinary.
“You’re now looking at a custom glass art installation by LASVIT, the top Czech crystal studio, created exclusively for the hotel. It combines vibrant static glass corals with dynamic, airborne glass fish,”
Butler Zhao accompanied him, smiling as he explained, “If you have time tonight, please come again. When all the lights are on, the legendary charm of Atlantis truly comes alive.”
Strolling through, Zhuang Chen observed that the ambient lighting and art perfectly matched the theme. Whether it was the large goldfish relief behind the reception, the mosaic of Poseidon in the lounge, or the ancient city murals in the corridors, all seemed to narrate the myth of Atlantis.
“Nowadays, most families revolve around their children. Here at Atlantis, our best feature is the children’s entertainment zone. There’s also the mysterious aquarium, the Lost Chambers, a water world you can’t finish exploring in a day, and Dolphin Bay, where you can get close to marine life.”
“Last year, Chairman Guo of the Fuxing Group brought his whole family here for vacation. The children enjoyed the water park and dolphin interactions; the elders relaxed with slow river drifting, and he and his wife were completely liberated, enjoying rare leisure time…”
A private elevator whisked him to the undersea suite, with a massage tub, lounge, bar, and a private chef. The room's features included a massage tub, bar, lounge, and a personal chef.
The walls were lined with calfskin, the bathroom’s artificial waterfall sparkled with semi-precious stones, eighteenth-century handmade silk pillows adorned with mother-of-pearl hand-painted murals…
Gold-plated faucets, gold-leaf soap, private elevator, and the suite covered a full thousand square meters. Drawing the curtains, he saw the deep blue ocean outside, with a devil ray gliding past…
He had to admit, it was indeed more ostentatious than the state guesthouse. He took out his phone, recorded a short video, and sent it to Hu Hai. Without comparison, there’s no pain—he hoped they'd keep striving!