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

Burnett was lost in thought when he reached for the burlap sack on the camel's back.

But tragedy struck at that moment.

The dromedary camel, which was walking around looking around, suddenly lost its footing while crossing a sand dune. Whether it was due to old age and weakness or a lack of concentration, it tumbled down the dune along with the camel!

Fortunately, Burnett wasn't wearing a seatbelt, so he was thrown off the moment the camel fell and rolled to the other side—otherwise, if the camel's massive body had crushed him, his life would have been in grave danger.

When Burnett regained consciousness amidst the dizziness and disorientation, he found himself lying at the foot of a sand dune. Touching his head, he discovered that the bandage on his head had burst open once again!

"Ouch...it hurts...damn it, why am I so unlucky!!"

Burnett pounded the sand on the dunes in a helpless rage. He realized that ever since he met Zoffy, the owner of the tavern, last night, his luck had been terrible. He had suffered injuries and financial losses, and now, just as he was about to get home, he had been involved in such a serious car accident!

After venting his frustrations, he looked up and found that the camel was nowhere to be seen, and the sand dunes were deserted. The old camel must have fallen to the other side of the dune…

"Burnette! You were here after all!"

A startled cry suddenly came from behind him, and a hunched figure slowly emerged from the distant sandy bay.

"You are... Old Hachi, the village chief?" Burnett stared at him for a long time in the darkness before finally recognizing him from his familiar gait. Old Hachi, the village chief of Shisong Village and the oldest among them, what was he doing here alone?

"Burnet, why did you take so long? You should have been back yesterday!" Old Village Chief Hachi gripped his sleeve tightly with his left hand. "We've been taking turns waiting for you here, afraid something might have happened to you!"

Burnett felt a surge of emotion, but outwardly he said nonchalantly, "What could possibly happen to an old fox like me?! I just stumbled upon a strange tavern on the road and rested for a while."

Then Burnett laughed and scolded, "Village chief, Pierre made you, at your age, come out to wait for me, and you went back to sleep? What a little rascal!"

Old Village Chief Hachi, his beard bristling and eyes wide, roared, "You damned bastard! You called my son a little rascal, so you mean I'm an old bastard?!"

Burnett found it amusing. Old Hatch had a son late in life, and he doted on his son, Peter, to the point of almost fearing him. If his son told him to go east, he wouldn't dare go west. Tonight, the young man must have been unable to stay up all night, so he called his old father to take over.

"Village chief, I'm not trying to be mean... but Peter is already married with children. You can't spoil him like this anymore. Young men have to grow up eventually. If he doesn't experience some hardship now, he'll suffer later!"

Old Hachi, still clutching his sleeve with his left hand, walked ahead, muttering in agreement, vaguely changing the subject, "Stop talking, hurry up and come with me, the village made a fortune and is having a wild party, if you go back late there won't be anything to eat!"

"A wild party? We haven't had anything like that in ages!" Burnett sighed. This kind of event used to only be held once a year during the village's bumper tobacco and wheat harvest; it was unthinkable on ordinary days. It must have been almost five years since the last one.

"Thanks to Peter, he learned from you and went east to trade, making a fortune and bringing back plenty of food. We'll never have to worry about going hungry again..."

"East?"

Burnett asked doubtfully, "What kind of business can we do in the east? Isn't it just the sea at Sabre Bay..."

At this point, Burnett choked up.

Did he not know about this trade route? Of course he did, but he dared not take it!

Shisong Village is relatively rich in produce thanks to its planting techniques, but it is backed by the Andenawara faction. They absolutely cannot have any contact with their nemesis, the God-Slaying Vajra Pirates, to the east!

Normally, we can turn a blind eye to merchant caravans from pirate groups coming to trade, but this act of actively sending out a caravan is clearly playing with fire and courting death!

Otherwise, why would he rather travel an extra half-month, risking his life to trade with the barbaric tribes to the south, than dare to travel eastward to trade...?

Chapter 305 Don't Come Back

"Village chief! How could you let him get away with this!"

Burnett roared angrily at the old village chief. He knew the chief spoiled his child without limits and that trouble was bound to follow, but he never expected that this brat he had watched grow up would choose the most reckless path!

Old Village Chief Hachi stammered, "Peter...Peter...he was doing it for the good of the village, he meant well..."

"But we can't let him do whatever he wants!" Burnett was furious and almost couldn't control his emotions. But when he saw the old village chief's wrinkled and mottled face, and the hand that had been gripping his sleeve tightly since they met, his heart softened.

When he first wandered to the wasteland, he probably wouldn't have survived to this day if it weren't for the village chief's shelter and guidance. Therefore, his feelings for Pierre were actually closer to those for his good-for-nothing younger brother—a feeling of disappointment and frustration at his brother's lack of ambition.

The cedar tribe war mask I brought back was originally intended as a gift for Pierre, but unfortunately, that unscrupulous shopkeeper snatched it away...

"Hey, village chief. I shouldn't have yelled at you, but this matter... never mind, I'll just bring a gift to the loader's territory tomorrow and explain. It shouldn't be a big deal."

Burnett made up his mind, and a smile returned to his face. "Village chief, I've never seen this road before?"

Old Hachi, the village chief, walked ahead. Although his body was hunched, his steps were brisk. He said confidently, "This is the shortcut. It's the fastest way. I used to take this route often when I was young!"

"Really?" Burnett asked curiously. "Then why didn't you tell me sooner! I've been going around the dunes for over ten years to get back... No, the goods I brought back and the old camel are still over there on the other side of the dunes. I have to find them first!"

Burnett slapped his receding hairline and suddenly said something, then prepared to turn back to find his things first.

But to everyone's surprise, the old village chief held his left hand firmly, saying, "No need, no need! We've struck it rich this time, those little things don't matter! Let's hurry back to the carnival party, or the stuff will be gone! I even brought out some craft beer, don't you want to try some?"

"Craft beer?!"

Burnett's eyes lit up instantly. The old village chief's brewing skills were the best in the area. His craft beer was mellow and fragrant. It was slightly bitter at first, but as it went on, it slowly revealed a very strong aroma, leaving people with an unforgettable aftertaste.

Unfortunately, as he got older, he brewed beer less and less, and Burnett thought his skill was about to be lost. As for Peter, that kid learned a little bit and became very proud of himself. His beer was like horse piss, bitter and strong. If you didn't dilute it with water, it probably wouldn't taste as good as horse piss!

"Let's hurry back! I'm fine after my fall, and my old friend should be alright too. He might even walk back to the village by himself tomorrow! I'll come back for the goods tomorrow!"

The allure of the beer made Burnett anxious, fearing that the nearly extinct Old Village Chief's craft beer would be gone, so he quickened his pace and followed the Old Village Chief forward.

Strangely, no matter how fast he tried to catch up, the old village chief always seemed to be a little ahead of him, showing no signs of aging.

“Village Chief Hatch, your health… is quite good…” Burnett said breathlessly, slowing down involuntarily to praise him.

But the old village chief seemed to be getting more and more anxious, and said with difficulty, "Haha...it's because you're too weak, that's why you can't find a wife..."

Burnett's face darkened. "I prioritize my career! After getting married and having children, how could I still go out and do business so freely?"

But the old village chief stopped teasing him about his feelings and just kept hurrying on his way.

Burnett walked aimlessly, only to find the scenery around him becoming increasingly unfamiliar. There was no sign of Ten Pine Village in the distance of the sandbar; instead, there were many cacti and thickets of thorns, making it seem as if no one had ever walked there.

"Village chief, are you senile and have led us astray?" Burnett was tired from walking and annoyed by what he saw. He tried to break free from the village chief's hand, but found that the village chief's left hand was firmly gripping him, as if it were made of iron.

“That’s right… this is the right way to go…” The old village chief’s voice drifted over, seemingly oblivious to Burnett’s doubts.

Burnett looked up and found himself in a valley overgrown with thorns and cacti, with no path ahead. He quickly shook off the old village chief's hand.

"There's definitely something wrong! Let go!"

But then he noticed that, apart from the left hand that was gripping his sleeve, the old village chief Haqi's right sleeve was completely empty!

"Village chief! What's wrong with you!"

In his haste, Burnett reached out and pulled up the village chief's sleeve, only to find that his once nimble and powerful right hand was now nothing but pale bone and bits of flesh...

The old village chief stopped, turned around, and stared blankly at him, muttering to himself, "They...they asked me if I knew anything about Pierre's collusion with the pirates...I said I didn't...and they chopped off one of my fingers...They asked me five times...I really didn't know...my little Pierre...he absolutely cannot be harmed..."

"Who! Who did this?!" The usually timid Burnett roared furiously, his voice echoing through the valley.

However, the old village chief's description was still mechanical and hoarse.

“I’m not in any pain… I’m fine… I told Pierre with my eyes… to tell him not to do anything rash… they’ll leave after taking their anger out on me… I have experience with this… but my poor little Pierre… why did he have to go and get a weapon…”

Two lines of bloody tears flowed from the empty eyes of the old village chief, falling to the ground in a dim and turbid manner.

"Why... why was little Peter's tongue cut off... why was my grandson's head kicked and blew out like a ball... why did they say Shisongzhuang was a traitor... Peter struggled to defend himself, and they burned him to death..."

“Emil died, scalded to death by the boiling soup… Before he died, he wanted to drink a few more sips to dissipate more of the heat… so that his son would have a chance to live… but his stomach was cooked, turned translucent, and he died with his eyes open… Theodore ran the fastest… the first to go out for help, but was caught by camels… his limbs were broken as he climbed up… Kohl shouted, we are innocent… but we died too… all of us died…”

The old village chief's voice grew softer and softer, and his figure became increasingly unsteady.

"Don't blame Peter...it's not his fault...I knew this day would come...please don't blame him..."

Burnett trembled all over, wanting to go forward and hug the old man, but found himself falling onto a blurry figure.

He roared, “No! Someone can save us! They can’t do this to us! I’m going to find the Andenavara faction’s councilors! I’m going to find the leader of the Godslayer pirates…”

Burnett frantically yanked at his hair, his face contorted as he roared, "...That's right, Shafulin! Old man, tell them that Lord Shafulin promised to protect us!"

But the old village chief's voice was already barely audible.

"Run! ... I've always considered you my son... The last man of Shisong Manor, I brought you to this thorny land... to escape the danger... Go now, don't come back... Live on..."

With a sharp, strange bird's cry, the old village chief's blurry figure vanished like morning dew, shattered like a broken dream, and disappeared without a trace.

Burnett turned around, his face ashen.

The sandy ground behind him was now empty, with only his footprints remaining...

Chapter 306 A Gunshot

"...The story is over?"

I filled Burnett's glass with clear tequila and pushed it toward him.

Burnett downed the liquor in one gulp. The spirits he drank seemed less like a beverage and more like fuel to replenish his energy. In his dying eyes, a raging fire seemed to rise.

He nodded, then buried his head in his arms, asking in a hoarse voice, "A story? I've always felt this was a dream I had yesterday, but I don't know where it started... Or perhaps I'm currently in the darkest nightmare..."

I patted him on the shoulder. “You may not know this, but my old friend has a classic theory: after experiencing the worst day of your life, even the most rational person will go crazy.”

I glanced around at the privateers approaching with ill intent and said calmly, "In a way, the fact that you can still maintain your rationality already puts you ahead of the vast majority of people."

I saw the privateer leader from the Loader's Headquarters, with one hand on Burnett's shoulder, embracing him like an old friend, his tone warm and urgent: "Brother, your absurd stories certainly fascinate me. But I can't let you tell a whole book of One Thousand and One Nights. Come with me, you don't want to cause trouble for your kind boss, do you?"

I saw that Burnett's face was flushed, his hands were clenched into fists, his knuckles were white and blue, and he was radiating a despairing aura, yet he was trembling and unable to break free from the privateer's tight embrace.

In that instant, I understood that he didn't not want to struggle, but rather he was afraid to struggle.

But he did it not for himself, but for me.

Seeing that Burnett was struggling and unwilling to get up, his two henchmen grabbed his arms from the left and right, and with a push of their feet, they were about to drag him out of the door.

In that instant, I saw clearly the look in Burnett's eyes.

Those were empty, decadent, nihilistic, and dull eyes... but beneath the pupils, which resembled a pile of ashes, sparks were spreading, as if a single breath would ignite a raging fire beneath the ashes!

"Chief, you haven't paid yet."

I smiled and tapped the cup with my finger, making a crisp clinking sound.

The privateer leader, who was about to leave the tavern, was taken aback by my words. He hadn't expected me to say something like that at this moment. Normally, people would avoid a situation where they were being lenient with someone, but this person actually went out of their way to get involved.

"Boss, what do you mean? You want to stick your neck out?"

The leader's voice was very low, as if he were talking to himself, but Burnett heard it all.

Burnett yelled, "This has nothing to do with the boss! Come at me! You bunch of devils! Butchers!"

I shrugged helplessly and explained, "My lords, this unfortunate fellow has absolutely nothing to do with me. Since he wants to come with you, I have even less reason to stop him. But..."

The leader's expression became even more puzzled, as if he were wondering what the person in front of him wanted to say.

I quickly changed the subject: "...But our shop has a few rules, and we hope you can support us. First, we operate on a small scale with low profit margins and do not offer credit. You've all had some drinks, so you should at least pay before you leave."