There can't be a Harvest Moon in the RimWorld.

"Select work command: Make barbecue".

After grilling a fragrant piece of salmon and sprinkling it lightly with salt, I began my delightful lunch. The slightly charred exterior of the fish was brimming with beautiful oil, and every bite was bursting with the delicious flavor of fat. Paired with a pinch of salt, it allowed me to enjoy the richness of the fish while minimizing any fishy taste, thus showcasing the best qualities of the ingredient.

But eating fish alone can be a bit greasy, so I usually roast a freshly cut agave berry over the fire to make up for the lack of flavor in my meal. After a little roasting, the agave berry becomes soft and sweet, and one bite is incredibly satisfying, with a texture like a delicate cheese bread, giving me immense satisfaction.

For dessert after meals, dates are usually served instead. There are still many dates on the tree, but I only shake down the overripe ones to feed the horses, leaving the less ripe ones to continue growing on the tree and absorbing the essence of the sun and moon.

The process of drying dates went smoothly, and I've already stocked up on over ten kilograms of dried dates, which I can use to stave off hunger whenever I need it. Because of the abundant sunshine and large temperature difference between day and night in the desert region, two-thirds of the dates are sugar, but the sugar is mostly fructose, just like glucose, which is easily digested by the body, so there's no need to worry about weight gain.

Furthermore, it has a soft and glutinous texture, thick flesh, and a sweet, honey-like flavor, unlike dried red dates which are relatively coarse in fiber. If you brought these back to Mineral Town, they could definitely become the mainstay of the ranch's business!

such a pity……

I thought to myself, this is something so wonderful, I can only enjoy it all by myself.

I popped a date into my mouth and slowly savored its sweetness, feeling drowsiness gradually creeping over me.

"I can't sleep yet..."

I shook my head, trying to shake off the sleepiness in my mind. There was still a huge pile of fish that hadn't been smoked yet, and I couldn't just fall asleep like this. In this kind of hot weather, if the fish wasn't processed in time, it would rot at an alarming rate, and when I woke up and wanted to get to work, all I'd have was a lump of rotten meat.

Dates replenish my sugar and carbohydrates, while fish provides my protein. With these two main food sources, I can maintain adequate nutrition. And when the agave is harvested, I'll have a boost of fiber and micronutrients, helping me stay healthy and keep going here.

The twelve salmon were quickly transformed into two large rows of smoked salmon hanging on the storage room wall, once again filling my somewhat empty warehouse.

I plan to reserve the remaining space for the agave harvest tomorrow. Once the outer skin is removed, the harvested agave fruit resembles a giant pineapple, with the edible part inside. That large agave field should yield about thirty agave berries, which will densely fill the other half of this warehouse.

This feeling of having a full granary is truly wonderful. Do humans have an innate hamster-like nature?

No, it won't be a hamster. Because I have much bigger dreams...

I want to try brewing tequila!

Chapter 284 Ancient Memories

I've been sleeping very lightly these past few days in the wilderness.

The high daytime temperatures in the wilderness affect the activity of most large creatures, causing them to forage at night. Therefore, for safety reasons, sleeping at night is very dangerous, and it would be better to sleep during the day instead.

However, I cannot easily adjust my long-term routine. Forcibly changing it would not only harm my health but also affect my work efficiency during the day, which would be counterproductive.

My final compromise was to limit sleep time to around four hours at night, scheduled for the latter half of the night until dawn when the animals are less active. The remaining sleep would be made up during the hottest part of the day.

The advantage of doing this is that my safety is guaranteed; I don't have to worry about being bitten to death by some strange animal because I'm sleeping too soundly—the person who invented fine food and eventually made it fine food is a cautionary tale for me.

However, the downside is that the two sleep sessions are relatively short, resulting in a short period of deep sleep. The sounds of the wind, the ocean waves, and the neighing of horses all enter my ears indiscriminately, severely affecting my sleep quality. I am easily awakened by the slightest noise.

But today, another voice came to my dream.

At first, I heard a sound like the rustling of a date palm leaf peeling off a tree trunk, a screeching sound of fibers tearing. I rolled over and covered my ears with the horsehide blanket to block out the noise.

After a while, I felt the noisy commotion gradually disappear, replaced by the slow, grinding sound of sandpaper. An image flashed through my mind of a poorly crafted carpenter, listlessly sanding a piece of wood that he himself was dissatisfied with, wondering if it could even be sold.

Although these sounds were unpleasant to the ear, their slow rhythm didn't bother me much; it simply kept my nerves at a minimum level of alertness.

As my consciousness slowly sank, and I was about to reach out and touch the surface of the Sea of ​​Dreams, another undeniable sound appeared.

That's the sound of a fingernail lightly gliding across the surface of silk. Even the smoothest silk surface has tiny bumps that constantly come into contact with the fingernail, turning into noise that can't be shielded from consciousness.

This stage during sleep is known as sleep paralysis. While the mind is clear, the body may not be able to move freely. However, the mind is highly active, able to create a vivid and complex dream world effortlessly through association, memory, and auditory hallucinations.

From that soft, undulating friction sound, I imagined a hardworking silk worker weaving a beautiful fabric as thin as a cicada's wing with precise equipment. As the work neared completion, the person, whose face was obscured, gently stroked the silk, imagining who would wear it and how much reward they would receive in return...

The payment clattered into the pocket, like an invisible shackle binding the person's freedom, all labor reduced to a cold, hard value. And all of this began with trade, which appeared at some unknown time.

A wooden boat laden with cargo drifted on the sea, which resembled a bathhouse, shouting rousing work chants as it headed towards the distant port. The cargo included bulk goods intended for profiteering from price differences, as well as gold and jewels stained with fresh blood.

The people on board sometimes cheered as they surged into the harbor, and sometimes roared as they charged at enemy ships. Afterward, these sea routes pioneered by countless people became conduits teeming with wealth, connecting more and more places.

Those pioneers who vanished at sea sometime ago have become ghosts adrift in the raging waves. Often, on bright moonlit nights and overcast days with howling winds, one can still see their figures desperately trying to reach the shore.

Such ghosts do not only exist on the ocean. They haunt every dense forest in the interior, every river bend in the grassland, and every cave in the mountains.

While humanity's capabilities are insufficient to change the world, most people can only dedicate their lives to alleviating their suffering. Natural disasters, man-made calamities, diseases, and wars accompany these thinking reeds endlessly. The ghosts also stand in place, their empty eyes gazing at the world, trying to see a distant place where hope still exists.

But what about when humanity has not yet awakened to consciousness? What about when these ghosts do not exist?

People back then didn't know what hope was, nor did they know who they were. We were just ordinary members of countless animals, without huge bodies or sharp claws and teeth. The wind, rain, sun, and thunder of the outside world would make us tremble involuntarily.

This world is an endless mystery to us; every time we understand something, more things emerge that remain unsolved. Our rudimentary minds cannot yet describe the sudden surge of joy followed by a moment of utter speechlessness. Yet, everyone experiences this exploration of the unknown, and those who have more of this experience are often more likely to survive the ever-present threat of danger.

Without language or writing, all we can do is etch these shallow discoveries and experiences into our souls and genes. Crimson blood serves as ink, and pale bones as the pen tip, leaving more in our memories.

At that time, we were probably just a weak and helpless newborn among countless creatures. In the dark forest, huge feline beasts roamed among the trees, ready to snatch away the infants or leave behind a dead body.

The desperate tribespeople ran and gathered, trying to escape the dark forest. But the road was too long, and more and more of them closed their eyes, hoping to see tomorrow. The dark forest had its own unique laws: every sound revealed their location, inviting annihilation.

Therefore, when the trail of a giant feline is discovered, the tribesmen exploring ahead will rub together anything they can find, such as wood, stones, or fur, to make a distinctive and piercing sound, desperately warning their tribesmen not to come any closer.

This piercing sound represents the racial memory deep within our souls, that dark and hopeless era of survival. Even after thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of years, and even though new races have long since evolved to be fearless, the fear of darkness and the piercing sound remains etched in our souls, never to be erased.

As my thoughts drifted more and more, almost merging into that thick, impenetrable darkness, a sudden flash of inspiration appeared in my mind.

Not long ago, memories and my hidden anxieties were quietly triggered by this thought. I lay in bed, and a finger on my body twitched, followed by a sudden, overwhelming feeling of weightlessness that jolted me awake.

Heavy breathing chased away the lingering sleepiness, and I immediately touched the wooden axe beside me, feeling the unique texture of the wood and the distinctive ghost-face pattern on it.

I know something has come in!

Chapter 285 Burglary

"Who is it!"

I leaped up suddenly, pulled out the axe with one hand, and threw the horsehide blanket toward the door with the other to attract the enemy's attention.

The blanket, crumpled into a ball, flew out like a cannonball, crashing heavily onto the storage room door, causing the smoked salmon hanging on the wall to shake violently.

But at that moment, I sensed an unusual smell coming from the air.

The stench of wild animals swept past me like a foul wind. It was a cheetah with yellow fur and black spots!

I already knew that a cheetah walks about five kilometers a day, at most ten kilometers. Therefore, although it is a good runner, it does not travel very far.

So even if I scared them away, these cheetahs are unlikely to migrate long distances to other areas; they are more likely to linger near their home.

But I never expected that these leopards would choose five days later, when my vigilance was at its lowest, to find such a perfect opportunity to break into my home!

What happened to the horses I kept in front of my house?

Why did they all go out to play at such a crucial time?!

The cheetah swiftly swept past me, snatched the horsehide in its mouth, but immediately realized it had been tricked. It quickly dropped what it was holding, pressed down with its front paws, tensed its hind legs, arched its back high, and quietly straightened and stretched its tail. Its eyes gleamed as it stared at me, letting out a low growl from its throat!

Now, the only thing separating me from this leopard is an open door. The wind keeps blowing in from outside, bringing in lots of swirling dust that obstructs my view of the surroundings.

But I didn't dare blink for a moment, keeping my eyes fixed on the enemy in front of me, and silently gripping the wooden axe in my hand!

This axe handle is half a meter long and has a thick, heavy axe head. It can be used to block attacks or to swing and chop enemies. It is much safer than the melee weapons of the arm armor. Unless absolutely necessary, this weapon is the safest option.

Unfortunately, the room was too cramped, leaving me no room to maneuver or use my speed to create a safe distance from the cheetah.

Faced with a master of hunting and ambush like a cheetah, no one wants to engage it in close combat!

The cheetah grinned, revealing its sharp teeth, and its voice gradually became high-pitched, like a large cat preparing to catch a mouse, its eyes filled with murderous intent.

I know that, to animals, humans are also animals that can be hunted; they do not have the privilege of being the most intelligent of all beings.

Therefore, when dealing with animals, one must use their methods. For example, a gorilla thumping its chest or a lion roaring to the sky are ways of displaying their power, which can intimidate weaker enemies and destroy their courage.

I yelled earlier, scaring the cheetah away. It probably didn't know what kind of stranger I was and didn't dare attack rashly. If I turned and ran now, or revealed any weakness, it would mean I was the weaker party and could be preyed upon. In that situation, the cheetah would definitely pounce without hesitation!

I also stared at the cheetah in front of me, my muscles tense, trying my best to imitate the cheetah's aura. I placed the axe in front of me, assuming a position that allowed me to attack or defend at will.

Actually, I've faced those monsters, the Deep Ones, head-on, and been able to fight them to a standstill. I shouldn't have been worried. But for some reason, from the time I woke up until this standoff, the Colonizer System hasn't given me any notifications.

I dealt with these enemies using the Colonizer System's defensive counter-attack mode, which essentially elevated me to the rank of Combat Master, allowing me to utilize various incredible fighting skills to complete the battles. In reality, I'm just an ordinary person with some combat experience; you could call me a master of empty talk, or a keyboard warrior, with my theoretical knowledge far exceeding my practical skills.

At least, they can't shout things like "I'm going to take on ten of them."

So what happened this time?

Does this mean I've been caught cheating and the Colonizer system has been taken offline?

Impossible! I, Marcus, never cheat!

I forced myself to calm down, trying to multitask in this dangerous environment. I maintained a constant state of tension throughout my body, from breathing and heartbeat to limb movements and eye focus, ensuring that no flaws were detected.

Meanwhile, my brain raced, trying to figure out the key to breaking the deadlock. Ideally, I'd defeat the cheetah; for ordinary targets, I'd have to scare them away; at the very least, I'd have to escape the cheetah's attack to avoid a disastrous outcome today.

But here's the problem.

Without activating the system, I can only freely use my bow and arrows, and drawing the bow and nocking an arrow is clearly impractical at this moment. If I show even the slightest inclination to put down my axe, this leopard will definitely pounce on me and bite my throat!

No! We have to try! We can't just sit here and wait to die!

I hardened my heart and imitated the murderous aura of the leopard. I recalled the state of the battle in the wilderness that day, and a unique aura emanated from my body, as if a slightly warm current was emanating from me and enveloping my body.

I don't know if it was just my imagination, but at the same time I had this feeling, another mysterious feeling told me that the momentum on the field had changed from being evenly matched to me having the advantage.

The cheetah was propelled by an invisible current and actually took a step back. Its eyes flickered and its eyeballs involuntarily turned towards the doorway.

Seeing this, I certainly wouldn't miss the opportunity. I immediately took a step forward while maintaining my stance and stretched out the axe in my hand!

The cheetah, its momentum waning and seeing me press my advantage, arched its body even more sharply, its front legs drawing an arc as it retreated a subtle distance, seemingly both withdrawing and adjusting its posture, maintaining its standoff with me without making a sound.

Something is wrong!

I should analyze this leopard using its purpose!

If this leopard was here to hunt, it should have been bothering the wild horse at the gate. That poor horse was tied to a tree; the leopard could easily have taken a bite out of it. There was no need for it to bother me.

So if it's not here to hunt, what is it here for?

My eyes lit up, and suddenly a bold idea came to me!

I took a step forward, fully armed, my aura unwavering, pressing close to the enemy before me. Killing intent is a subtle thing; it can be conveyed through a glance, a gesture, or an unusual tone of voice. My current state, I suppose, stems from the aura of a superior hunter I learned from the cheetah that day.

I took three steps forward, and the cheetah took three steps back.

Suddenly, I raised my right hand, as if to throw the axe!

The cheetah was startled and leaped to its left, about half a person's height, using the wall as leverage to pounce on me!

Then, with lightning speed, as if I had practiced it countless times, I flung out an unidentified object straight at the cheetah's face...