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

I shook my head: "A promise is a promise. I've already entrusted him with this task, so it wouldn't be right to change it. Besides, you and Baldy are both very busy, so I think he's the best choice."

"This……"

The traitorous commander was too embarrassed to continue, lest he directly contradict me and force me to retract my order. He dared not attempt that now.

So he walked to the edge of the cave and was about to lean down when he felt a gust of wind rush towards him, followed by a flash of silvery-white light that passed less than an inch from his nose!

He could almost feel the cold halberd blade touching his skin, and he quickly used his waist to forcefully turn his leaning body back!

"Are you crazy?! I'm Eaton!"

The traitorous commander broke out in a cold sweat and started cursing at the cave entrance, but a long time passed before a faint voice came from inside: "Are you Eaton? What are you doing? Lord Seven has ordered that no one is allowed to enter the cave!"

"you!"

Eaton was momentarily speechless. There was nothing wrong with what he said, but if he had been stabbed to death just now, wouldn't he have deserved it? And with me standing behind him, he couldn't contradict my orders.

He took a deep breath and finally suppressed his anger: "I was ordered by my superiors to come and take the food for everyone. If you won't let me up, then you should push my things out of the cave yourself!"

Although the words were spoken in a harsh tone, they were still reasonable. So, after a while of noisy sounds coming from inside the cave, things began to be pushed out of the cave.

First came two pieces of smoked cured meat, possibly from animals like antelopes, wild horses, or bison from the wilderness. The meat was marbled with fat and lean, and had a wood-smoking aroma that made one's mouth water.

Next came a large bag of bran bread, which was not made entirely from refined flour. Instead, it was a mixture of bran, germ, aleurone layer, and a small amount of endosperm that were removed during the milling process. As a result, it had a hard texture, but a slightly sour and salty taste, and it was the most popular staple food here.

"anything else?"

After the two items were placed inside, there was suddenly no sound from inside the cave. Eaton immediately shouted towards the cave entrance.

The fat man inside the cave said timidly, "...It's gone."

I took two steps forward, coughed lightly twice, and asked softly, "Oh? Really, it's all gone?"

The fat man in the cave was startled, suddenly remembering my instructions, and quickly corrected himself, "No...no...and you misheard me, sir! I said there were lots of things in the cave, all kinds of delicious food and drinks. You must have misheard me as saying there was nothing left..."

...The word counts are so different, how hard must one's ears be to mishear!

"Enough with the nonsense, just hand it over! Since you're in charge of the supplies, you'd better remember what I said!"

After I finished speaking, I walked to the side and stopped talking, letting him understand the unspoken meaning of my words.

As expected, after a long silence, he finally continued sending out supplies.

First came a large block of aged cheese. This hard, unripened cheese is produced by applying strong pressure and removing some of the moisture during manufacturing, making it easier to store and transport. It also emits a fresh milky aroma and a slightly sour taste, making it very popular among the residents of Shisong Village.

Next came a barrel of beer, which was pushed out of the hole with great difficulty. Because the outer ring was too large, it almost got stuck, and it took the combined effort of both sides to successfully push it out of the hole.

Upon seeing the beer barrels, the morale of the people present immediately improved significantly. Even the soldiers who were transporting food were unmoved when they saw the food, but when they saw the beer, they visibly paused for a moment and their Adam's apple bobbed.

After this batch of goods was delivered, there was no further movement inside the cave.

"That's all? This isn't enough for all of us to eat! Don't go too far!"

Upon seeing this, the traitorous commander immediately resorted to his old trick, feigning extreme anger and shouting into the cave. He wanted to trick the man into revealing the cave so he could then exert pressure on him.

Unexpectedly, the fat man was much more cunning this time. Hiding inside, he arrogantly shouted, "There's plenty more stuff, but I'm not giving it to you! Come down here and face your death if you dare!"

The traitorous commander was furious and almost wanted to go down and fight it out, but the cave entrance was so narrow that getting close to it would mean certain death. Besides, they weren't enemies, so there was no need to fight to the death.

He glanced at me subconsciously, but I shrugged: "He's in charge of the food; you should talk to him."

Eaton's face darkened, and he nodded helplessly. He suppressed his anger and tried to reason with the fat man, but he couldn't get him to say a word of agreement. After giving him an extra small bag of bread, the fat man kept repeating the same few phrases: "There's plenty more," "I won't give you any," and "You'll dare to do it again next time." He wouldn't even give him a single crumb.

Seeing that it was getting darker and darker, and that a rebellion was about to break out if they didn't serve food, the traitorous commander had no choice but to wave goodbye and leave with the supplies. Before leaving, he ordered his men to dump a large bag of soil into the cave before he strode away.

After they left, I went to the cave entrance and asked, "Fatty, how much stuff is left in the cave?"

A pitiful, lewd voice immediately rang out from inside: "Sir... there's only a third left, I can't keep this a secret any longer..."

This guy's act of feigning poverty and acting tough makes him a good candidate for a military supervisor (eunuch). If he didn't embezzle, he could also be a financial official. It seems he has potential that can be tapped.

"Keep it up! I believe your potential is like a hot spring, it just needs to be tapped and squeezed out. There's definitely more to come. You have to keep performing until tomorrow morning! Remember, if you mess this up, I'll borrow your head!"

"No, sir! I have absolutely no potential left!"

The fat man's wails went on and on.

Chapter 369 A Military Rule

As for why I concealed the food crisis and tried to create a safe environment where they had no worries about food and clothing... it was a very helpless thing.

Military strategy dictates that a desperate army is bound to win. However, this phrase has two interpretations.

The first interpretation refers to an army that fights for justice out of indignation at being bullied, and is destined to win. Conversely, it can be extended to mean a nation or people filled with grief and indignation after suffering aggression and cruelty, who can rise up in resistance and thus inevitably achieve victory.

On the surface, it seems to fit the description of the team I lead, but in essence, they are clearly not the same. Others are driven by a sense of national righteousness, a shared hatred of the enemy, and a vow to fight to the death, which inspires their fighting spirit. But the troops I lead are mostly traitors and slaves; let alone fighting, they might not even be able to take care of themselves if left to fend for themselves.

If morale is further suppressed and the team is placed in an environment of food shortages and surrounded by powerful enemies, not only will they be unable to maintain their fighting capacity, but they will also easily extinguish the flame of their will to survive and head straight for their deaths.

Therefore, I must adopt the second interpretation.

Chapter 67 of the *Tao Te Ching* says: “Because of compassion one can be courageous; because of frugality one can be generous; because one does not dare to be the first in the world one can become a great vessel. Now, if one abandons compassion and yet is courageous; if one abandons frugality and yet is generous; if one abandons being last and yet is first, one will surely perish! For compassion, when used in battle, leads to victory; when used in defense, it leads to security.”

In other words, those who win the hearts of their soldiers through compassion will prevail. Currently, their allegiance to me is due to both the pressure from the loader's leader and Lord Shaflin's powerful appearance; it is a matter of intimidation. To truly subdue them, I must employ both kindness and severity.

...Wait, that seems a bit too much of a role-playing exercise. Seriously, why would I capture these worthless creatures? Keep them as pets?

Forget it, I'm raising animals and people alike. If I catch them all to work for me, I can at least generate some income. Staying in this wasteland means I have nothing. If I don't find something to do, I'll go crazy sooner or later.

When can we go back to the ranch?

Therefore, I had to take some practical action to boost morale, and these foods and drinks were, in the eyes of these poor souls who were almost at their wits' end, a remedy to temporarily save them from their misery.

"Everyone line up. Each person gets a piece of black bread, cheese, two slices of bacon, and a sip of beer. No pushing or shoving allowed. Anyone who disobeys will be dragged out and whipped!"

The traitorous commander skillfully directed his men, perhaps drawing on his experience of distributing meals in the town's garrison canteen, forcing the slaves to line up and begin preparing to distribute the food.

However, among so many slaves, thanks to the fat warden's ingenious manipulation of deliberately mixing in some oddballs, many strange characters had already infiltrated the ranks. Some would disobey orders and deliberately push forward, causing the group to fall into chaos. Even whipping was useless—the pain had long since become numb in the face of excruciating hunger.

The bald man's proud persuasion, though he talked himself hoarse, was of no use here.

I came out from the secret warehouse and saw the chaos here. After thinking for a moment, I ordered, "This method won't work. Listen to me, stop distributing food as soon as anyone pushes or shoves, and pull the three people in front of and behind the point of chaos to the back of the line and re-queue."

The traitorous commander's eyes lit up, and he immediately issued a new order.

This time, the team immediately underwent a change.

At first, the slaves in the front row still pushed and shoved, but they were immediately pulled out by the town's guards acting as an enforcement team and dragged to the back of the line.

Soon, these people saw several slaves who had obediently lined up and successfully received their beer and bread, munching away with great relish. The aroma wafted towards them, tempting their own stomachs.

The three of them exchanged a glance, their expressions a mixture of hostility and anger. They huddled together like sandwich fillings, each afraid that someone might push them forward and grab them.

And so, they moved further and further forward from the back of the line...

It wasn't that the food was served quickly—the male cafeteria workers, acting as temporary soldiers, were slow and wasted a lot of time measuring the portions, afraid that they wouldn't get any food in the end.

The main reason was that people in front of them kept making mistakes and were ordered to move to the back of the line, which caused their positions to move forward involuntarily, getting closer and closer to where they were supposed to eat!

The three of them exchanged another glance, then moved a little closer together, distancing themselves from those in front and behind them. This time, it was to avoid being pushed or jostled and to prevent themselves from getting caught in the shoving. They were determined to eat their dinner in peace and quiet...

"How about it? It's very effective, isn't it?"

As the situation spread from person to person, I watched the increasingly orderly queue and smiled smugly. Eaton and the bald man quickly stepped forward, showering me with compliments about how wise the master was and how mighty the boss was.

"I didn't come here to flatter you! What have you learned? Tell me!"

Why do these two act like sycophants? Can't they learn to read people properly instead of just observing their expressions?

The traitorous commander quickly interjected, "Sir, I understand! To command subordinates, orders must be obeyed without question, and punishment is merely a means, not an end. When necessary, rewards can also be a form of punishment. Only through clear distinctions between rewards and punishments can an ideal team be built!"

This statement has a touch of military strategist flair; indeed, he loves what he does, and Eaton's words always revolve around his field, instantly elevating his military command skills. Previously, he was probably just an official responsible for training troops, with no experience in recruiting or logistics.

The bald man shook his head vigorously, objecting, "I think what you said is inappropriate. What Boss Seven meant was that people are inherently driven by a desire for advantage and a desire to avoid harm. If the advantages aren't maximized, foolish actions that harm others without benefiting oneself will occur. But if the advantages are maximized, even foolish actions that harm oneself but benefit others will lead to more careful consideration. If people use human nature properly, they will be invincible!"

...Does the Guanyin Heart Sutra I taught you contain any theories of the School of Diplomacy? It even seems to incorporate some modern psychological theories. Does being bald not only increase critical hit rate but also boost intelligence?

With a stern face, I glanced at the two of them noncommittally, nodded slightly, and then went to check on the slaves' meal.

The bald man and the traitor leader exchanged a glance, snorted at each other defiantly, and then followed in my footsteps.

"Will we be full?"

I mimicked the classic scenes from television, speaking warmly to the slaves huddled in the corner eating. These bastards, however, swallowed the last bite of bread with blank expressions and nodded vigorously, as if I were there to snatch food from their hands.

"Be careful not to choke," I reminded him with a smile. Watching the poor man roll his eyes back as he choked, he finally managed to swallow a sip of Shisongzhuang dark beer.

Perhaps because he hadn't drunk much beer and wasn't very tolerant of alcohol, his dirty face turned red after one sip, and his eyes were filled with a blissful buzz, as if all the troubles of the world had been released with the alcohol and temporarily forgotten.

“Eaton, write down a military rule for me,” I instructed.

The traitor leader quickly caught up and asked, "Yes, sir, what are the rules?"

"From now on, alcohol must be banned in the military except for those returning from victorious battles... Oh right, and tobacco too... Never mind, put everything addictive on a blacklist and forbid them from touching it!"

Chapter 370 Speech of Justice

The alcohol content of the wine stored at Shishongzhuang is not high, and the taste is slightly bitter due to aging, but this does not prevent the people present from indulging in the wonderful taste of alcohol.

The well water in the village has been contaminated by rotting corpses and is no longer suitable for drinking, so I will make them drink as much as they want today—it's only one cup per person, and any more than that won't be enough.

What I found particularly interesting was the order in which these people ate. No matter how thirsty they were, the first thing they did was swallow the bread and cheese, then take a sip of beer to moisten their throats, and then continue eating, as if their purpose in eating was not to fill their stomachs, but to happily drink water.

Whether it was the slaves who had finished queuing and were eating in twos and threes, or the town guards who had finished serving their food and were sitting down to enjoy their share, they all followed a similar process, exactly the same.

I asked the bald man next to me who had the same habit, and he replied, "This way of eating is an old habit that everyone has in the Riegomis shrub desert. Eating first and then drinking water not only increases the feeling of fullness, but also locks in precious moisture with food to prevent thirst and dry throat..."

It seems that although the people in this place are relatively barbaric and backward, those who have survived to this day are all relatively law-abiding people who are used to collective life and are quite adapted to this kind of disciplined rule. After all, half of the people are domesticated slaves and the other half are guards, so they are relatively able to maintain their status.

But the food was still too little; the meager rations were barely enough to fill their stomachs, far from enough to satisfy their hunger. Watching his soldiers sip their beer like sheep drinking water, not even letting the foam on the wooden cups go to waste, the traitorous commander's face turned grim. He gripped his dagger tightly and strained to stand up.

Seeing this, I knew he couldn't bear to see everyone starving and was planning to go ask the fat guard for food... If he couldn't get it, he might resort to violence.

But would I let him rush over there and ruin the plan?

of course not.

I walked over to him, put one hand on his shoulder, and with a little force, pressed him back down as he was about to stand up, making him sit on the ground with a thud.

"grown ups?"

He looked at me with a puzzled expression, his tone full of resentment, but I ignored his opinion and asked in a low voice, "Where do you want to go? To rob them of their food and drink and let them die a full-bodied ghost?"

As I spoke, my face was filled with solemnity.