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

Burnett's expression suddenly changed after hearing this, and he fell silent.

I pointed to the barrel and the glasses and said, “This market is like this barrel of wine. Everyone wants a taste, but we currently hold the initiative. Everyone who comes to drink has to be mindful of our mood. I suspect that the Loader’s Leader and Saber Bay are also secretly trying to get into this market, but their current war has prevented them from doing so, so they can only follow our lead.”

I poked his shoulder with my finger and continued, “Our existence is like a wine glass next to a barrel of wine. And you are the one who holds the wine glass. The one with the wine glass can drink elegantly and enjoy it to the fullest; the one without the wine glass can only awkwardly catch the wine with his hands and lick it with his tongue, and can never get enough.”

"What you should do is use the power in your hands as a big stick to direct the market, regulate it on a large scale and allow it freedom on a small scale, so that these people can feel the benefits of abiding by the law and not deliberately hype up commodities or drive up prices."

Burnett listened thoughtfully, then asked with a hint of doubt, "Then... what if someone crosses the line... how can I get rid of them from the market? As long as that person has money, I still can't stop others from trading with them..."

A glint of ruthlessness flashed in my eyes, and I brought my hand down in a palm strike: "Kill them! The sharp pillar at the door is still standing perfectly fine, isn't it?"

"Wouldn't this... be too damaging to their reputation?" Burnett whispered.

"No. We'll auction off the goods that person brought at a low price, and the money will be divided equally among the merchants. I guarantee no one will object."

The bourgeoisie's character is quite evident: their profit-seeking mentality is innate, and their weakness is deeply ingrained. They will not and dare not confront market makers directly; as long as there is profit to be made, they will go to great lengths to get involved.

For example, a certain byte...

Trump: I haven't even done anything yet, why are you kneeling down?

I brought over a plate of dried dates, savoring their melt-in-your-mouth sweetness, and thought to myself that the more people there are, the more precious this delicacy becomes.

“I’ve told you about the macro-level methods, now I’ll briefly discuss the micro-level methods as well,” I said slowly.

Burnett immediately perked up his ears and leaned closer, practically ready to take notes. "Please speak, boss!"

"First, we need to establish market rules and start setting entry thresholds and a tiered system. We'll open up the tavern as a management body, register all merchant information, and divide them into twenty levels based on their financial strength—but if they deposit a security deposit here, they can quickly upgrade their level. In short, we encourage them to invest and save money here!"

"Secondly, there should be clear distinctions in treatment based on tiers. For example, market development should be divided into retail and mobile zones, with those who spend more money having higher privileges and being able to purchase better commercial land. Giving large clients better locations will provide consumers with a better shopping experience, thereby stimulating the appreciation of land value and creating a clustering effect. In the future, locations alone will be priceless!"

"Finally, we'll establish a third zone: the consumption zone! We'll move all the restaurants, consumer technology shops, medical services, entertainment and leisure shops, and daily necessities shops to the consumption zone, and levy a consumption tax on the buyers. This area was originally barren, but I don't believe they can stay here without eating or drinking! As long as they eat and spend here, they'll contribute revenue to the free trade zone, flowing into the treasury of a stable economy. In the end, whatever they earn here, they'll have to spend it all for me!"

I finished explaining everything in one breath, took another sip of tequila, and patiently asked Burnett, "Did you understand?"

Burnett stared at me in disbelief, then involuntarily began to clap, too astonished to utter a single word.

In fact, you can find these things in any shopping mall. Even more upscale malls will score and evaluate merchants' marketing data, regularly removing substandard or low-quality shops to ensure their malls maintain a high-end brand image.

This is a two-way selection process between producers and consumers, which is extremely suitable for market players like us who hold a regional monopoly.

This free trade zone aims to ensure that anyone with capital and labor can produce, operate, and seek opportunities here. Ultimately, the resulting business groups must be firmly bound to this area through a hierarchical system.

"By the way, addictive substances, the sex industry, human trafficking, and gambling are all strictly prohibited. These things are far more destructive than beneficial. Anyone can make a fortune doing these things, and if you're caught doing it, you'll be arrested! Understand?"

Chapter 446 The Ghost of Yangcheng Lake

After explaining the future plans, I confidently handed over this core foundation to Burnett.

It's not that he's particularly honest and reliable, but rather that he's timid. If you were to ask him to do anything involving favoritism, corruption, or usurpation, he would first consider whether his head is tough enough.

Over the course of several months, Burnett not only did not desert his post, but also devoted himself to devising strategies, even to the point of going bald, which speaks volumes.

What I'm about to do is far more important than this market—the free trade zone is just a facade, used to build reputation and expand influence. The armed forces I have are the real fighting power I urgently need to cultivate!

As the saying goes, "political power grows out of the barrel of a gun," and what I'm doing requires strong military support to operate with impunity in this perilous wilderness. Even if I'm a capable fighter, I don't want to be a miserable figure constantly putting out fires on all sides. In such a situation, even Alexander the Great with his divine might would be exhausted to death...

I must have the military might of a king!

The unit I placed in Silent Valley was the one I had high hopes for. They had top-notch training commanders, a well-hidden camp, abundant resources and food, ample weapons and equipment, and even a dedicated political commissar in charge of ideology. After three months, they should have taken shape, right?

Furthermore, if the free trade zone, which I didn't have high hopes for, has developed so successfully and is now a rising star, then the troops I've invested so much resources in training can't be any worse, right?

My feelings are a bit like someone who has spent a lot of money to buy a blind box, filled with anticipation of opening it.

As soon as I stepped out of the tavern, I saw a group of tanned soldiers coming from the opposite direction, carrying fishing nets and buckets on their backs. The nets were full of freshly caught octopuses, salmon, and large scallops, and they ran towards me excitedly.

"My lord, you're finally back!"

Leading the way in the distance, the tanned, round-faced man was none other than the Six-Wheel Face, whom Oh had appointed and bestowed upon him. He led his men at breakneck speed, scaring away the merchants and travelers on both sides of the road.

I looked at him with some surprise: "You knew I was back too? Did you have a good catch at sea?"

Six-faced chuckled and said, "I came ashore to hand over my shift to Lion, but I didn't see him and came straight to the tavern. Then I heard that you had returned, sir."

After saying that, he raised the seafood in his hand and asked solicitously, "Sir, this is the seafood we just caught. Would you like to try some?"

I stepped aside to avoid getting the fishy smell on myself and waved my hand politely, saying, "No rush, no rush. These things look very fresh. Let's save them for dinner tonight."

After saying that, I noticed the iron buckets his men were carrying and asked curiously, "What's in those buckets? Are they also seafood that's been caught?"

Six-wheeled face took the iron bucket from a team member, lifted the wooden board covering it, and said mysteriously, "In this bucket are some good things that the team members caught while diving. For example, here is a rare ribbonfish that usually only appears in the deep sea. It even changes color when it encounters enemies underwater. You can't find it at all in the past!"

Oh, the deep-sea color-changing ribbonfish! I've heard so much about you.

"What about the one in the other bucket?" I asked.

Six-wheeled mask's subordinate immediately brought over another bucket and said to me with a look of reverence, "Sir, these are the octopuses I caught!"

"Pyramid schemes? I'm familiar with this stuff. They're mainly divided into two factions, North and South. The North faction is used to using coercive means to restrict personal freedom, while the South faction is more cunning and uses money to lure people and control their minds. But their profit model is to develop downlines..." As soon as I heard the name, my mind went blank, and I started talking non-stop.

"Look, this thing is delicious boiled in water and dipped in sauce!" He took out a shelled mollusk from the bucket, which looked like a squid that had crawled into a shell. "What did you just say? I don't think I understood? Are there different kinds of this in the north and south?"

"...It's nothing, I was just saying it offhand, don't worry if you don't understand."

"Sir, you are truly learned and knowledgeable!"

Six-wheeled face gave a thumbs-up in praise and then took the last iron bucket.

"This is dangerous because the net can easily be torn during fishing, so we put it in a separate container."

I leaned over for a look, patted Six-Wheel Face on the shoulder, and said approvingly, "Very good, this bucket of Yangcheng Lake Ghost is a great boost to our morale!"

"The ghost of Yangcheng Lake?"

"Stop cooking, take this bucket and let's go back to Silent Valley together!"

…………

And so, in order to coordinate our forces as well, I took Zero Lion and Six-Wheel Face's squad and headed straight for Silent Valley. I heard that Four-Legged Chickens were also transporting supplies in Silent Valley, so I could finish organizing my troops there.

Accompanying us on our journey were a group of lively horses. Especially the little emoji horse I reunited with, which followed behind me with a (●'?'●) expression the whole time.

As the bare mountains in the distance began to take shape, I cheered on the two teams behind me: "Everyone, give it your all! We're almost at Silent Valley! You guys have my Strongest Training Program, and you've been training for two and a half months, practically balding trainees, so how come your stamina is still so poor?!"

Zero Lion turned around and said, "You guys fight with all your might! Don't embarrass our team! Aren't you usually full of energy?"

Sean Quinn, who was following behind him, quickly whispered, "Captain... Captain... today's distance was too long, and we haven't eaten... everyone is really exhausted... and your legs... aren't they trembling too?"

Zero Lion's face darkened, and he replied in a low voice, "Don't be so blunt... I have my pride too..."

These guys must have been cutting corners during training. They were somewhat effective in terms of weight training, but they were a complete mess in cross-country running. They were panting and falling behind frequently after only a dozen kilometers, and they couldn't even keep up with the speed of the meme-worthy little horse.

Another possibility is that with the six-wheeled team falling behind, the other two teams have relaxed and no longer consider the competition I set as a threat.

But the six-wheeled squad has several members who are much more civilized than them!

"Do any of you guys have any special training?" I asked.

Six-wheeled noodles followed behind me, carrying seafood of all sizes. When he saw me looking at him, the simple-minded leader smiled sheepishly: "We usually fish and dive at the beach. I didn't expect it would also be good for our physical fitness."

Swimming in the waves at the beach is more than just exercise; even a martial arts master like the Condor Hero could grasp the palm strike of the Yangtze River's Three-Layered Waves and cultivate profound internal strength...

Overall, none of these people met my physical fitness requirements, which is not a good sign.

With some apprehension, I led my weary group into the Valley of Silence, crossed the familiar mountain range, and once again set foot on the camp marked with the reverse lightning symbol.

Before me lay a dense forest and a quiet atmosphere, with almost no sound of people speaking. But upon closer inspection, I discovered that in the woods, under the eaves, by the pond, in the wheat fields, and on the rooftops, there were bald men sitting cross-legged, muttering incantations, as if I had mistakenly entered the Silent Valley branch of the Shaolin Temple on Mount Song.

What's going on? Did they hire the wrong extras for a war scene?

"Damn it! What are you doing!"

I roared, and the sound quickly spread. The bald men scattered throughout the camp suddenly opened their eyes, as if startled awake, and began to dart out from the side of the woodland huts, following the sound to form a dazzling sight.

Good heavens, have I stirred up a hornet's nest?

Chapter 447 A brief statement

In front of the rows of barracks and on the spacious training ground, hundreds of bald heads gathered in silence, looking as if the Shaolin Temple were holding a grand meeting.

From my perspective, these people have rosy complexions, are full of energy, and their exposed muscles appear well-developed and powerful. If you add the characteristic of having prominent temples, they would definitely look like third-rate masters or chivalrous guards from martial arts novels.

The only odd thing was that these people all looked listless, with blank expressions, and kept muttering to themselves, looking like they were just about to become monks with six ordination scars.

"Baldy, tell me the truth! Did you transmit the Baldy virus to them?"

I grabbed the bald man by the collar and glared at him fiercely.

Where are the elite troops and generals I requested? Where is the mighty army? Why is there only Wu Ke-qun standing there dumbfounded, besides Wu Ke-qun?

"Sir...you've misunderstood me...I didn't do anything...and I don't have the Bald Head Virus..."

The bald man quickly distanced himself from the situation, struggling to defend himself.

I retorted without hesitation, "Who else here is bald besides you?! Besides, I've been gone for three months, and your hair still hasn't grown back! If you haven't caught the baldness virus, who else could?!"

The bald man quickly waved his hand in mid-air and said, "No, sir. I shaved my own head as a spiritual warning... Their hair has nothing to do with me. If you don't believe me, ask Eton!"

I turned my gaze to Eton, and saw the traitorous leader nod slightly, whispering, "It's like this, sir. These soldiers, who are of slave origin, all have varying degrees of skin diseases and lice/fleas. To reduce the possibility of infection, I ordered them all to shave their heads and bathe daily to prevent cross-infection..."

Since Eaton has said so, I have no reason to doubt him. This guy is quite prudent; he certainly won't do anything unnecessary unless absolutely necessary.

But I still asked, "That doesn't make sense... They can't possibly lose all their hair after just one shave, right? That would be a godsend for the beauty industry! And what about your instructors? Why are they all bald?"

Eaton coughed awkwardly. "I'm puzzled by this too... Ever since we started training them using your method, these soldiers' hair has been falling out constantly, and it just won't grow back after being shaved. At first, I thought it was because the training intensity was too high, causing hormonal imbalances, but their mental state seems to be affected as well..."

"..." I looked at these bald men with a subtle expression.

What the hell?! Hair loss after training?! Is Saitama's training method for real?! Does it really have side effects like hair loss and emotional detachment?! This is so weird! Are their worldviews even the same?!

"...Bald guy, it seems I misunderstood you. These soldiers already have the hairstyles of strong men. I wonder how strong they are in combat?"

I put the bald man down, pretended nothing had happened, and asked casually.

The bald man breathed a sigh of relief, his face showing a look of relief after surviving a close call. He quickly said, "Sir, you're finally back! These slaves have developed a certain level of military skill, and their discipline and coordination have improved rapidly, but..."

Eaton glanced at the bald man, stepped forward expressionlessly, and said, "Let me talk about this. At first, these soldiers were physically weak, and many tried to shirk their duties. But under the captains' encouragement and long-term spiritual guidance, within a month and a half, many gradually adapted to the arduous training from morning to night and showed obvious mental consistency."

It takes about 49 days to form a habit, so they should have gotten used to this kind of training.

"Their interactions decreased, they often fell into meditation, their desires waned, and they were no longer anxious or bewildered. The most energetic time of the day was when Alexander told them about the 'Superman theory' and his philosophical thoughts."

...Isn't this a fusion of the essence of both northern and southern pyramid schemes? It involves both physical control and mental brainwashing. Every day is filled with training and manual labor, leaving people exhausted, and then at night the bald man begins the mental indoctrination...