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

Sinclair shook his head again: "No, to ransom the mayor, we gave another batch of supplies to the later savages. But soon another group of savages arrived and made new demands..."

Is this a war or is the mess hall open for lunch? Why are all these tribesmen flocking here?!

I covered my face and asked, "They also demanded supplies, but you couldn't afford them, so a fight broke out?"

This time I should be right!

But Sinclair continued to shake his head, his face extremely grim: "No... they asked the town for another mayor. Because they accidentally killed the mayor..."

Mayor! You died a terrible death, Mayor!

A thousand alpacas galloped through my mind. So, in the eyes of the tribe, the town mayor serves as a general equivalent? Should I bring a town mayor with me to trade this time?

Hmm... I think Thomas the Tank Engine would be perfect for it!

My condolences...

I don't know what to say, I can only express the limited empathy I have.

Sinclair also showed a sorrowful expression: "Then the lads in town took guns and started fighting the tribe. At first, both sides had their chances, but as we ran out of ammunition, we were at a disadvantage and could only shrink our defensive positions. They looted most of the town before the conflict ended."

As the man spoke, he kept glancing at his men patrolling outside, seemingly ready to launch a counterattack at any moment.

Unlike the previous dovish mayor, this acting hawkish mayor is a staunch advocate of war and currently enjoys greater popularity. However, it turns out that being a "procrastinator" only leads to losing people; being a "procrastinator" is truly unacceptable.

"Mayor Sinclair, do tribes usually raid this place? Why were you so unprepared?"

As soon as I finished asking, Senbo, whom Gray had brought with him, blushed and was about to say something, but Gray covered his mouth and kicked him away. I vaguely heard something like, "Clans are poor... Can things done by tribes be considered robbery..."

Sinclair frowned and said, "We're puzzled too. The tribes on the Blue Hermit Crab Plains have always stayed on their migration routes and never approach the Miam Desert to plunder. But from what I've heard, this time the tribes are practically attacking and plundering from all sides, seemingly gathering supplies and preparing for some kind of operation..."

I glanced at Gray, and we both understood what was going on.

Not only were they looting supplies, but the tribe was also conscripting people on a massive scale, claiming it was to defend the sacred mountain of Corilo. Why would a lone Brownpool tribe provoke a coalition of thirteen tribes into such a state of total mobilization and preparedness?

What's even stranger is why they keep showing up here, robbing and plundering, showing absolutely no sense of honor or chivalry.

"Do you need us to stay and help you guard the area for a while? Just give us some food as payment."

I offered to help defend, but Sinclair refused.

"No need. We are now in high spirits and burning with vengeance. If the tribe dares to come again, I will make them pay for their crimes in blood!" he said through gritted teeth, slamming his hand on the table and glaring angrily into the distance, deliberately ignoring my words.

I pondered for a moment, then offered another suggestion, "Alright, we have a few tribes in our group, so we can easily fill in occasionally! Do you want to attack now or wait until we've had a good meal?"

Sinclair nearly jumped out of his chair, slamming his fist on the table in a fit of rage, and shouted, "Yoshikage Kira! What are you trying to do?!"

"I came here to replenish my supplies!" I said matter-of-factly.

"...Take what you want and get out of here! I never want to see you again!"

Just as Lu Xun said, the Chinese temperament is always inclined towards compromise and moderation. For example, if you say, "I want to read this book for free, and I also want to leave a bad review," the author will definitely not allow it. But if you say, "I want to report this book," then they will compromise and agree to let you read it for free.

This really is what Lu Xun said.

Chapter 498 Invincible Iron Fist

On a long and tiring journey, fish alone cannot meet the daily energy needs. Fish is low in calories and fat, and has a poor conversion rate, so I need to find some supplementary food here to feed the legion and maintain sufficient combat strength.

Sinclair, accompanied by two armed townspeople, led me to a warehouse. Looking at the warehouse full of supplies, I suddenly understood why they had been targeted by the tribe.

"The remaining supplies at the trading post are all here. See if you need anything... Once the Aim Human Federation's troops arrive, we'll probably withdraw from here, and the town of Delvas will become history..."

As I walked through the piles of goods, I heard these words and couldn't help but peek out from between the shelves in surprise: "You're actually going to abandon this place and relocate? What about all the hard work you've put in all this time?"

I couldn't understand their thinking. Even in a remote town like Mineral Town, I worked diligently to run the ranch and protect the town, and I never thought of running away.

But in Sinclair's eyes, there was the same confusion as mine, as if he were also wondering why I would say such a thing.

He said, "This attack on the town is just the beginning. The tribes that have started to go berserk will definitely come back. For the safety of the residents, isn't relocating back to other towns in the Federation the most reasonable option?"

I suddenly realized that the world I was in was different now, or rather, the situation here was no different, only the contradictions were more acute and prominent.

If we look at it over a sufficiently long period of time, the rise and fall of civilizations in the universe is like the ebb and flow of the tides.

Especially in this world on the edge of civilization, the greatest enemy is the decline of civilization.

Accumulated scientific and technological achievements, knowledge reserves, material innovations, and improved varieties of plants and animals are both a region's wealth and something most easily discarded. Whenever war breaks out, these artisans and scientists with advanced technologies are the focus of contention.

It is not uncommon for wars to break out over a single technology.

When continental civilizations on a planet perish due to the laws of history, there will always be a segment of people who cherish the glory of the past, remaining at the ruins of cities, dedicating generation after generation to excavating the technologies of that time, and attempting to inherit the remnants of those technologies.

Others might venture into the wilderness, trying to forget the pain inflicted by war and famine, seeking solace in the fields and the primitive life of working at sunrise and resting at sunset.

Different choices will undoubtedly lead to different results.

It takes ten or even twenty years of education and training to cultivate a resident capable of passing on the knowledge system and creating wealth. These residents are the wealth that the Aim Human Federation values—a federation formed by the bureaucratic system of an ancient desert civilization, which has well inherited the administrative and educational systems and still maintains considerable cohesion.

Those who left the desert often headed south into the Lake Blue Hermit Crab Grassland, joining the local primitive tribes. The common people and workers of these cities mostly forgot their names and began to multiply and thrive. The population of the grassland also began to grow like wild grass, spreading across this vast land.

When war breaks out, tragedy strikes. As the saying goes, when the flames of light are not ignited, pearls and rubble appear together. The savages of the tribe can easily wield their knives and kill, but what is destroyed is the product of ten or twenty years of education. No one is willing to bear such a price.

"The old mayor's idea wasn't wrong, and my presence is merely what the town needs at this stage. As for everyone's true thoughts... what's the point..."

Sinclair sighed, took a Serrano prosciutto from the shelf, and said to me before leaving, "There will be tacos later, have your men come over and eat with us."

…………

Darkness fell quickly, and the surviving residents of Delvas gathered in the center of the fortifications, sitting in small groups around the campfire, silently gazing at the only light in the darkness.

In the two days following the attack, they seemed to huddle together in the darkness, enduring the endless night and facing the torment of another day.

At that moment, I emerged from the warehouse carrying a large bag, looking like a handsome guy from Skull Island who had just passed by, having found Sinclair's location.

“What’s wrong with your power system?” I asked.

Sinclair wiped the sweat from his brow and pointed to a square machine by the roadside, saying, "The fuel generator broke down due to a short circuit in the cable, and the electrician was torn to pieces and died in the first wave of attacks."

Item Name: Chemical Fuel Generator (Damaged)

Item Description: An old-fashioned generator that runs on chemical dyes and requires manual refueling. Despite the unbearable pollution and noise it causes, it remains a popular piece of industrial equipment in many places.

Durability: 122/300

Cover effectiveness: 75%

Terrain requirements: Medium

Aesthetics: -20

Power output: 1000W

Grid power/energy storage: 1000W/0Wd

Fuel: 17/30

Maintenance rate: 13%

Judging from its durability, it doesn't seem completely broken; it's just a mechanical failure caused by lack of maintenance. Since it can display information on the system's dashboard, it's a system-approved device and should be operable…

"Move aside, let me try."

I walked over to the fuel generator and tried to activate the colonist system's command module.

"System command: Prioritize maintenance of chemical fuel generator (damaged)."

Then, I raised my arm, drawing a mysterious arc, as if preparing to place a piece at the center of the board, dominating all directions...

But the next step was to ignore the routine checks on the fuel supply system, gas distribution system, and ignition system, and instead, my hands transformed into countless fist shadows that landed on the generator, creating a loud clanging sound.

With boxing gloves in hand, he seemed to be using the generator as a punching bag to vent his anger. In the dark of night, the fight was even more intense, with sparks flying everywhere, as if he were cutting metal!

"Stop! Don't damage the generator, it just needs repairs!"

Sinclair shouted, but this time he didn't rashly stop them. Perhaps because the last time I did that, even he and his patients got beaten up.

But in my eyes, the maintenance percentage on the generator's attribute panel slowly climbed to 38%...61%...98%...

Finally, the long-damaged generator suddenly started whirring and sputtering, and after emitting thick black smoke, it started working again!

Even more amazingly, after a flurry of punches, the generator's rusted casing became shiny, the spark plug gap returned to normal, and the cylinder head bolts were tightened again, making it look brand new!

The entire audience was stunned by my actions. Sinclair rubbed his eyes, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing!

"Is there anything else that needs fixing?" I asked.

Sinclair stammered, "Inside...the radio station is broken too..."

As soon as I entered the house, there was a series of loud punches and kicks. Three minutes later, the malfunctioning radio in the house started emitting crackling white noise!

"Is there anything else?" I asked again.

Before Sinclair could speak, a man wrapped in bandages came out of the ward where the wounded were being treated and excitedly shouted to the other patients in the room, "Look! I'm absolutely not lying! After Dr. Kira Yoshikage beat me up like that, my pain stopped, and I was able to walk again in half a day!"

Then he stumbled over, grabbed my leg, and cried, "Doctor! Hit me again!"

Upon hearing this, the townspeople nearby erupted in a frenzy, crowding around to voice their demands!

"Doctor, please hurry up and treat my herniated disc!"

"Doctor! Doctor! Can my kidney stones be treated with a blow therapy?"

"Doctor, hit me! My tooth has been hurting for days!"

"Great! My hemorrhoids are cured!"

...Go to the hospital for hemorrhoids, understand?! You're a big, clumsy doctor at the hospital!

Chapter 499 In Whose Name

Most of these patients were healthy and had no illnesses; the colonists had no way to treat their chronic ailments except through surgery.

Their real problem lies in the mental illness prevalent in many of them. This sudden attack, where everyone was dressed in mourning, undoubtedly shattered the sense of security of the residents of Delvas, and the mayor's death also signified the complete failure of their previous methods.

In the face of drastic changes in the external environment, it is easy to feel a sense of disorientation, let alone in such a bloody manner...

In response to the prevalent mental illness status displayed on their attribute panels, the system unexpectedly displayed a notification.

"System notification: The target's post-traumatic stress disorder is continuously worsening and is prone to triggering a mental breakdown. Anxiety disorder is a permanent condition, but it can be treated to mitigate its severity and keep it under control at a level that does not affect normal functioning."

"There are rumors that doctors in the Shining World have cured diseases such as anxiety. If the colonists possess medical equipment from the Shining World, they could try to cure anxiety with the help of an exceptionally talented doctor."

I was stunned for a moment after reading this conversation. I didn't expect the system to know about world-renowned classic medical cases?