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

Mr. Dart looked up, saw it was me, and didn't bother with further formalities, continuing with his work. From this perspective, Mr. Dart and Lynn are quite similar in their diligence.

That's just how she looks...

"You seem to be thinking about something very rude."

Dart's serious expression became even more pronounced.

"Please don't misunderstand. By the way, what is the origin of this Navigator's Alliance?"

"It's a business alliance of ship owners that monopolizes the transportation business of the distant island chain."

"But their fees have never been standardized. These small boat owners have always been self-reliant, making money by risking their lives in the chaotic open seas, so their slogans are unique."

"What slogan?" I asked, a little curious.

“Give every product the price it deserves.”

I asked curiously, "What do you mean? Can they charge whatever they want? Who would do business with them?"

Mr. Dart shook his head, indicating otherwise.

"They will set special prices for the goods according to their own objectives."

"For example, if a shipment of goods is very important to a certain place or certain people, they will charge an extremely high price."

"But if the goods are just something you carry around and sell casually, they'll offer a very low profit margin."

"Another situation is that they are transporting things that they consider to be worthless, and they will even transport them for free."

"But they never pick and choose their cargo; they take any order they get. No matter how dangerous the route or how boring the order, it doesn't affect their enthusiasm for work."

"It was their fearless and tireless spirit that allowed them to monopolize this low-profit shipping route, which gradually brought about a recovery in the business of this generation."

I exclaimed in surprise, "So, they're a group of good people?"

"I said through gritted teeth," said Mr. Dart.

“When agriculture was thriving in the town, the cost of transporting these kinds of goods was very cheap.”

“But since the ranch declined, the cost of shipping goods here has been increasing. The shipping cost for these two boxes of goods will almost double.”

Then I think I understand.

Actually, these people are not doing charity work.

They were actually trying to cultivate land in a commercial desert.

If a place is self-sufficient in assets and has a complete industrial chain, it will use extremely low prices to transport goods and occupy a portion of the market.

When an industry declines, they gain a monopoly and begin to charge premiums.

The Navigators' Alliance is like a farmer who tirelessly waters and cultivates the soil in a desert. They have no regrets about the sweat and effort they put in before, but once the land is formed, it is time for them to freely claim their rewards.

But how did they overcome the profit-seeking and exclusivity of businessmen?

How can we persuade ship owners to willingly take huge risks in the early stages and travel on routes with no profit?

How did you get them to put aside their prejudices and work together, without minding that others would reap the rewards?

"Actually, you can ask Zack about this." After listening to my description, Boss Dart also frowned, unable to come up with an answer, but gave this suggestion.

"Zack? He was once a member of the Navigators' Alliance?"

"Yes, he was a sailor in the Sailors' Union before the shipwreck. His companions traveled this route day after day in hopes of rescuing him."

All this talk won't solve anything, so we might as well just ask Zack in person.

At that moment, the sound of chopping vegetables came from the kitchen, followed by the sounds of boiling water and food being put into the pot.

"Boss, is someone in your kitchen?"

"Lin is cooking inside."

"Lin can cook?" I always thought that with a father as good at cooking as Mr. Dart, Lin had no need to learn to cook.

The kitchen curtain was lifted, and Lin, with beads of sweat on her forehead, walked out.

"I think I hear someone doubting me?"

Lin was holding a dish in her hand and said to me unhappily.

"Haha, you misheard me. I meant Lin, you're so pretty, your cooking must be delicious."

I quickly tried to smooth things over, as it would be a bit awkward if I were caught suspecting someone behind my back.

"Hmph, beauty has nothing to do with me." Lin was still not happy, and then pushed the dish in front of me with a defiant look on her face.

"Try it and give me your opinion on whether it's delicious or not!"

Before me was a delicate dish of matsutake mushroom rice, served on a beautiful ceramic tray.

The tender matsutake mushrooms were cut into long slices, lightly sautéed in olive oil, and then stir-fried with lettuce and sauce. Finally, the prepared brown rice was added, and the mixture was stir-fried quickly over high heat for a while. It was then packed tightly into a bowl, arranged on a plate, and garnished with a small piece of parsley before being served.

The dish looks exquisite and beautiful, and it is also slightly warm, which brings out the aroma of matsutake mushrooms to the fullest.

"I picked these pine mushrooms on the mountain this morning; it took me a long walk up the mountain."

Lin said with a hint of pride, then secretly pushed the plate a little closer to me, gesturing for me to try it quickly.

In the end, we upheld the spirit of sharing, with Mr. Dart and I each taking a soup ladle and starting to try the dish.

With one bite, I felt the aroma of matsutake mushrooms explode in my mouth, and my taste buds were refreshed by the delicate fragrance.

The brown rice itself has a slightly grainy texture, which complements the tender texture of the matsutake mushrooms perfectly, making each bite both soft and firm, with a satisfying chewiness.

What's even more interesting is that Lin also added granulated matsutake mushrooms to the rice, adding a lot of surprises to this dish. Combined with the crisp texture of the lettuce, it brought this rather oily food to a whole new level.

"Mmm, delicious!"

After taking a big gulp of water, I exclaimed sincerely, "I really didn't expect Lin to be so talented at cooking! Whoever marries her will be so lucky!"

"This matsutake mushroom rice is delicious, but it's missing something."

After eating it, Boss Dart ate it with great satisfaction for a long time, but then his expression suddenly tightened and he said.

"What's missing?"

Lin, somewhat puzzled, started counting on her fingers: "Matsutake mushrooms, porcini mushrooms, cordyceps flowers, lettuce, vegetarian meat floss, ketchup, umami sauce, brown rice... Dad, I put in everything you taught me to."

“No.” Dart shook his head again.

"Marcus, make one for Lynn to try."

Mr. Dart gave a mysterious smile and lifted the kitchen curtain, gesturing for me to come in.

Lin and I were both completely confused, but we decided to do as instructed.

Five minutes later.

"Wow! Marcus, what kind of dish did you make? It's so delicious!"

In front of Lin was a standard simple meal. Since it was made with spinach this time, the whole meal looked green, sticky, and strange on the tray.

With a hint of hesitation on her face, Lin was encouraged by Boss Dart to try a bite of the suspicious dish. Then, she was so engrossed in this unreasonable system product that she devoured it all in no time.

After watching his daughter finish the last bite, Mr. Dart leisurely said, “You’ve added too many things to suit your own taste. From the ingredients to the sauce, and this savory flavor, you haven’t considered the general public’s palate. Marcus’s dish, on the other hand, while it may not have any other highlights, can be enjoyed by the elderly, children, men, women, coastal or inland residents. That’s the secret of adapting cuisine to local conditions.”

"If the food only pleases yourself and can't even please the person you love, what kind of chef are you!"

Watching Mr. Dart speak so eloquently, I couldn't help but feel admiration.

But Mr. Dart, wasn't it you who was so discouraged by your first taste of simple food that you questioned your existence?

Why do you look like you've seen it all along?

Could it be that you're a master chef too?

Chapter 32 Battle Orders

"Waaah, Dart, why won't Gray listen to me?"

Old Sebala, drinking wine, pulled at Boss Dart, tears streaming down his face, and poured out his grievances.

Mr. Dart disdainfully pulled up his sleeve and reprimanded him.

"If you beat him every day, how can he listen to you?"

Sebala took another swig of his drink and said drunkenly, "But seeing how good-for-nothing he is makes me angry. These few blows won't even hurt him..."

"That's not OK!"

"That's what Mr. Dart said firmly."

When old Sebala saw that Boss Dart was unwilling to talk to him, he turned to me, who was focused on eating, and asked me a question.

“Marcus, what should I do? I only have two years left to live, and I’m really worried about this child’s future.”

I was harmlessly eating the food Lin had made, ostensibly as a sample, but I also took the opportunity to try all the salads, apple pies, and cookies in the restaurant. Luckily, the owner of Dart didn't discover my wicked intentions and put all the food on my tab.

"Huh? Why are you asking me?"

“You’re all young people, you should have a lot in common, right? Marcus, please help me…”

"Was he like this before?"

“Not at all,” Sebala said worriedly. “He was very obedient when he was little, but he was a bit introverted and didn’t get along well with other kids his age.”

"That might be due to his personality. Kids all go through a rebellious phase; it'll pass," I reassured him.

"But Gray is usually very obedient. It was only when he started learning forging that he became more and more disobedient, and he always forged some strange things."

Strange?

What comes to mind is a burly man known in the invention world as the "mudslide" of Hebei, the "Edison of Hebei," and the "Fan Shaohuang of Baoding," who stands out from the crowd with his inventions such as the deadly kitchen knife comb, the friendship death device, the nut slingshot, the steel tie, the football barbecue table, the earthquake noodle-eating device, and the fully automatic upside-down hair washing machine.

"Believe me, Sebala, what Gray built is by no means strange."

It's just a pure iron hoe; how can it compare to a kitchen knife or a folding fan? The significance of that is unclear.

"I don't know why you're laughing so shamelessly. I don't care what Gray builds, but why is he unwilling to learn what I'm teaching?"

“You don’t understand,” I said in a tone of someone who’s been there. “Young people often subconsciously resist a pre-arranged path. They have their own ideas and hope to plan their future according to their own wishes, until they get hurt and startled before they turn back.”

“Isn’t this just taking a detour?” Sebala exclaimed.

"That's right, but what kind of youth is it if there are no detours? You decadent adults would never understand this!"