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

After watching for a while, I sighed and went outside to call the wild horses, preparing for another long journey.

Chapter 298 Tequila

If someone climbs the nearby hill and looks towards the tavern, they will see a field of grey-blue agave, growing quietly and neatly yet imposingly, densely packed, stretching all the way to the long coastline.

And I was like a busy old farmer, constantly shuttling between the fields and collecting all sorts of materials nearby to reinforce the land and build a magnificent agave farm.

At this moment, a tall wind turbine stands at the entrance of the tavern, rotating continuously on the open ground, adorning this lifeless land.

I led the Mustang professional team back and forth between the tavern and Silent Valley over the past few days, dismantling countless pieces of steel from the massive radar base, transporting and piling them up in the open space in front of the tavern, a large portion of which became the giant windmill in front of me.

These wild horses weren't professional load-bearing animals, so I carried more steel by myself than any of them combined.

The wind turbine's blades rotated continuously, converting wind energy into electrical energy, which was transmitted to the house via an underground power line and connected to the few electrical appliances.

I also hand-built this cable.

After I set up the cable blueprints, the colonists began construction. A piece of steel rapidly changed shape in my hands, like clay, completely at my mercy; square steel blocks went in, and strip-shaped cables came out—it was utterly absurd.

Fortunately, I discovered that the broken forging table containing the Eternal Furnace had a pre-set power port. The moment I connected the cable, a beautiful magenta light radiated from the center, instantly bringing the entire old machine to life. An astonishing temperature was generated in the smelting furnace at the very center of the forging table.

I tried putting the steel bar into it, and it instantly turned into a pot of boiling molten steel. After the molten steel solidified, all the impurities mixed in had burned off, turning into a pure steel ingot.

When I placed the steel ingot on the far left forging platform, the magic of the Eternal Furnace seemed to be transmitted to this area. Under the cover of a strange force field, steel could be forged and smelted very easily, achieving cold forging operation!

Cold forging is a forming process performed below the recrystallization temperature of a material; it is forging carried out below the recovery temperature. In production, forging without heating the blank is commonly referred to as cold forging.

Most cold forging materials are aluminum and some alloys, copper and some alloys, low carbon steel, medium carbon steel, and low alloy structural steel, which have low deformation resistance and good plasticity at room temperature. Only the Colonizer System can make steel by hand at room temperature and forge it into shape!

Unfortunately, most of the functions of the forging table are currently missing, so I can only forge some low-tech cold weapons and make everyday utensils like pots and pans.

However, cold forgings offer superior surface quality and dimensional accuracy, allowing them to replace some machining processes while simultaneously strengthening the metal and increasing the overall strength of the parts. The steel armor and weapons I've forged possess strength and toughness that are almost unbelievable…

After trying to craft a few, I temporarily sealed the weapons I had made in the house to prevent them from being coveted by people with ulterior motives.

I learned a lesson from the case of Shisongzhuang.

In this chaotic territory, what is more terrifying than being powerless to resist is having no force capable of protecting one's property.

Property gives others the idea to take action, and force gives others the excuse to take action.

Therefore, I must maintain a stable and rapid pace of development while minimizing or even eliminating overt military force. Using someone else's name to project an image of power and feigning weakness to exploit weakness are tried-and-tested methods on this land.

On the surface, I am the vanguard sent here by "that person," so I must maintain a certain level of mystery, accumulate enough trump cards, and let the enemy know what a damn surprise is!

Therefore, during these past few days I maintained a rhythm of studying military force late at night and production during the day, and put the brewing of tequila on the table.

I piled up huge fruits at the entrance, each resembling a pineapple. I know that tequila is made from the fruit of this plant called agave, and the part used for brewing is the "heart" of the agave. Over the past few days, I've mainly studied the tequila brewing process.

Brewing tequila involves a very complex process, which I learned about by chance while studying in Shining City.

First, cut the agave hearts in half or quarters according to their size, then put them in a pot and pressure cook them until tender, so as to convert the starch into sugar as much as possible.

The boiled agave is then crushed, pressed to extract a dark, viscous, sweet juice, and mixed with water before being stored in a cellar to ferment. It's best to use yeast to speed up the fermentation process.

Mr. Dart also told me that bourbon whiskey has a similar fermentation method.

However, in the wilderness, I could only make further technological modifications based on the limitations of local materials.

The formal operation began soon afterward.

I first dug a large pit in the ground, filled the bottom of the pit with stones, and lit a campfire built by the system on top of it.

Once the stones are heated, the embers of the firewood are swept away, and agave bulbs are placed into the pit. While it appears to be the fruit of the agave plant, botanically speaking, it is the bulbous part of the plant and is unsuitable for brewing without special treatment.

At this stage, I also sprinkled soil and agave leaves on it, buried it inside and baked it overnight, using a constant temperature and slow fire to thoroughly roast it, giving it a smoky aroma.

The next morning, I took out the roasted agave berries and, after they cooled, used an ancient method—smashing them with stones, crushing them by hand, and juicing them.

I squeezed all seven fruits and finally filled a whole bucket with grass juice. After storing the juice in a steel drum, the natural fermentation process began (after all, I couldn't find any yeast).

After full fermentation, this tequila prototype had an alcohol content of about 8%, which wasn't exactly a proper spirit. To increase the alcohol content, I then distilled it in a traditional still.

Instead of using a pot still to distill the tequila, I switched to a steel still, which made it easier to source the ingredients and also facilitated the double distillation process.

After numerous trials, I finally achieved a stable alcohol content of 36%-55% for the finished product. Furthermore, the method of smoking the fruit gives the tequila a subtle smoky flavor and a pure, rustic character.

Since there are no oak barrels, the tequila produced can only be stored in steel tanks.

The hot and arid weather in the wilderness also made preservation difficult for me. The alcohol evaporation rate of tequila stored in this area can be as high as 10% per year, so I make small batches of high-proof tequila and then dilute it with water to reduce the alcohol content when needed.

Now my tavern truly lives up to its name!

Chapter 299 Four in the Morning

As darkness fell, the wild horse, now fully recovered, strolled around the gate, waiting to be fed. Meanwhile, Cheetah No. 2, also severely injured but slightly healed, followed behind the horse, seemingly still clinging to its old habits, wanting to take another bite of its former prey's rump.

However, after following it for quite some time, the cheetah made no further move. I found it amusing; under the restrictions of the colonist system, this cheetah was unable to attack or hunt colony creatures. Even with a piece of meat right in front of it, it could only watch helplessly.

The cheetah must have been quite confused.

The only thing we can do is let it adjust its mindset. Once it gets used to this situation, it should be able to give up and start hunting properly.

Looking back at the wild horse, one can only admire its composure. Wagging its tail, it limped around the arena, completely ignoring the cheetah behind it.

Perhaps being tied to a low tree and facing a cheetah face-to-face for the past few days has made it psychologically immune?

It must be said that the colonist system's medical capabilities were surprisingly effective. Even without using any medication and relying solely on manual hemostasis, neither of the two injured animals suffered any serious long-term effects and gradually recovered over time.

I sat by the sea for a while in the evening sunlight, watching the moon rise and the sun set. The sunset was picturesque and breathtaking. Whenever I admire the sunset alone, the fairy-tale-like sunset always makes me forget the day's troubles and fatigue, transporting me to another world.

Gradually, the sky darkened, turning from a bright azure to a pale orange. On the other side of the sea, the few remaining flames of dusk began to die out.

The sky in my eyes began to appear as a clear, dark blue, gradually evolving until it finally sank into a unique darkness filled with twinkling stars.

Cheetah II limped closer to me, nuzzled its head against my leg, growled softly, and sat down beside me. The sheer power of nature often evokes a sense of awe and wonder. I stroked the big cat's head, watching the last rays of the setting sun fade into the distance, before slowly standing up and walking back inside.

When you're hungry, you need to face many things in a more realistic way.

…………

Inside the renovated house, a torch is now lit to provide illumination, casting a dim, yellowish light into every corner of the hall.

I poured myself a glass of homemade tequila, diluted it with half water, and placed a spoonful of honey and a small dish of ground rock salt on the side, ready to adjust the flavor at any time.

The traditional way to drink tequila is to first sprinkle salt on the back of your hand between your thumb and forefinger, hold a small glass of pure tequila between your thumb and forefinger, and then hold a slice of lemon between your ring and middle fingers. Quickly lick the salt off your hand, then drink the tequila in one gulp, and finally bite into the lemon slice. The whole process is done in one smooth motion, and both the flavor and the drinking technique are truly exceptional.

I prefer a sweeter taste, so I substituted honey for lemon. First, I poured the honey into the tequila. The thick honey solidified and settled at the bottom of the glass, slowly releasing its sweetness. Then, I licked a pinch of fine salt and took a sip of the tequila. The flavor was incredibly rich, and combined with the fiery heat of tequila, the aftertaste was unforgettable.

I closed my eyes and seemed to see a bright red sun rising over the desolate Mexican plains, dotted with cacti, its rays illuminating the plains in a brilliant glow…

"No wonder Sebala and his friends love to drink. Only those with many inner stories can truly appreciate the wonder of alcohol."

I don't particularly enjoy drinking alcohol; I'm just curious about the tequila I made myself, much like a chef tasting their new dish. Of course, the tequila's stimulating and unique flavor also plays a part, allowing me to use it to refresh myself and relax.

Then, I brought out a plate of freshly grilled salmon. The surface of the fish, smoked over the campfire, was coated with a golden sheen of honey, and its aroma wafted out effortlessly.

With tequila as a side dish, I enjoyed my dinner and then ate a few dates afterwards.

Even in such dire straits, I managed to improve my standard of living to the point where I had enough to eat and sleep, a balanced diet of meat and vegetables, and even started keeping pets within a week.

Since leaving Shining City, I seem to have been stuck in a vicious cycle of "exploration and struggle - minor success - starting over." I've mastered these starting techniques long ago.

Even if some unexpected event throws me into a new predicament, I will be able to make a comeback...

Forget it, let's not talk about such discouraging things for now. I can't handle this kind of torment every day.

My thoughts drifted further and further away, to Burnett who had left. I wondered where he had gone on his journey, whether he had brought back news of me to Shisong Village, and whether new travelers would pass through the wilderness and discover this tavern that had sprung up from the ground.

I walked into the bedroom. In the dimly lit room, I touched a cold piece of metal.

This is a brand-new piece of armor—specifically, Gothic plate armor.

Because I immediately felt the unevenness of the armor surface upon handling it. A key characteristic of Gothic plate armor is its grooved and pleated design, where raised edges are formed on the surface. This technique strengthens the armor without adding weight, while also enhancing its aesthetics.

The protruding arc surfaces formed by these folds can effectively resist the slashing of sword-like weapons (arc surfaces are often the most robust structures), while these raised grooves can also absorb some of the impact from striking weapons.

Item Name: Steel Plate Armor (Common)

Item Description: The shoulder guards are made of sturdy heavy plate armor, with thick layers of material stacked from the neck to the feet. The emergence of this armor directly contributed to the death of the battlefield at the end of the Middle Ages - the heavily armored knight.

Durability: 290/290

Material: Steel

Physical mass: 38 kg

Armor - Weapon: 95.3%

Armor - Blunt Weapons: 47.6%

Armor - Thermal Energy: 63.5%

Thermal insulation - cold: 4.5 degrees Celsius

Preparation time: 15 seconds

Movement speed: -0.8”

Beside this menacing suit of armor were a complete set of armored boots, gauntlets, shoulder pads, inner chainmail, steel helmet, and a terrifying weapon specifically designed to pierce armor—a long-handled battle axe.

I instantly felt like the real Batman, walking through my own hidden Batcave, surveying my armory, and experiencing an unparalleled sense of peace.

There are still many items to be crafted, even though the forging table is yet to be built. Therefore, in this long night, I will continue to devote myself to the cause of weapon making and study the equipment of the cold weapon era that the colonist system has given me.

If someone is lucky enough to cross the wilderness in the middle of the night and approach this tavern, he will hear the clanging and tinkling sounds echoing across the wasteland at four in the morning.

That's me forging iron.

Chapter 300 Making Trouble at Dawn

Early in the morning, I stepped out of the tavern as the first light of dawn broke. The sound of the wind turbine blades whirring filled my ears, and a cool morning breeze swept past me, giving me a jolt of energy.

I went to the beach to wash my face, and as I was gazing at the magnificent sunrise, I heard the noisy footsteps of cheetahs and wild horses.

Are these two groups of animals fighting again?

Although they are now both members of the ranch, the hatred from before has not faded away. The two groups of animals maintain a frequency of small fights every day and big fights every three days, adhering to the principle of fighting with spirit and style, and constantly causing trouble near the ranch.

Last time, after they trampled my agave seedlings, I was so angry that I punished them by not feeding them for a day. After that, they became more self-disciplined and started fighting in places far away from the pasture.

This suits me perfectly; only when these animals hide obediently can we launch a surprise attack. I even built a small tin shed on the roof of the tavern, specifically for the cheetahs to look out into the distance and conceal themselves.