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

"Hmph, please don't slander my noble profession!"

The jay huffed and puffed, saying that she had always thought she had established a mysterious and powerful image by fetching water and starting a fire, but she hadn't realized that I had never really taken her seriously. After all this was brought up, her childish temper flared up, and she suddenly started throwing a tantrum.

Despite her awkwardness, she never loosened her grip on the short bow.

"One more thing, the tribal elders are mostly women. They will all become tribal elders in the future!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I don't know much about your social structure. Will you be taking over as the tribal elder in the future?" I asked humbly.

Jay perked up immediately at this point, his little face beaming with joy: "It doesn't necessarily mean succession. If the tribe expands big enough, I might lead the branching tribes to settle elsewhere and become the leader of a completely new tribe."

"Is this how you originally expanded? Do you usually have contact with other tribes?"

"Of course, we belong to a gentle tribe. Apart from being long-time enemies with savage tribes, we often welcome outsiders. The tribe also has special guides for outsiders who are responsible for receiving them and leading them through the tribal area and desert."

After the introduction, I gained a general understanding of the people in the area where the jays lived.

The first type is a mild tribe like theirs, which lives a nomadic life, maintains a relatively centralized social structure, and has a complete division of labor. A large amount of labor in the tribe is used for production, and the resources produced ensure the continued growth of the population, which gradually leads to a considerable size.

Therefore, a characteristic of gentle tribes is their caution towards risk factors; any behavior that could easily lead to population loss is carefully considered. Thus, large-scale hunting, war and plunder, and mass migration are all things they try to avoid.

However, they also have a means of expansion: cultural transmission. If they discover an unfamiliar primitive tribe, they will send fire keepers like jays, shamans, and skilled workers to conduct peaceful trade and impart survival knowledge and skills.

Once this tribe adapts to the farming, herding, and gathering practices of the gentler tribes, they become even more eager to learn their survival skills and often end up joining them. At the very least, they will gain a new ally like myself, who can become a source of help in times of crisis.

So the jays from the gentle tribe would immediately teach me knowledge and form an alliance with me; it turns out that this was a diplomatic custom of their tribe.

It's fortunate that they were the ones who contacted me; if it had been a barbaric tribe...

"Savage tribes are dangerous! They're a cancer!" Jay declared emphatically, then began to describe the situation of the savage tribes.

The second type is the barbaric tribe, which usually has a powerful tribal leader. For these dictators, both gentle tribes and outsiders are their prey, with the aim of obtaining the wealth from their victims.

As tribes, barbaric tribes often initially disguise themselves as gentle tribes and interact with others in a civilized manner. However, once they have become easy prey, they will bare their fangs and devour their targets through war, plunder, and slaughter.

Once these barbaric tribes reveal their true nature, they are like ravenous wolves that have seen blood; they can no longer control their desire to conquer and will begin to wage war wantonly in order to plunder more people. In their view, all economic, technological, and food resources are unnecessary to develop; they can all be obtained through plunder. Therefore, their tribal structure consists mostly of warriors and captured slaves.

Therefore, for gentle tribes, these barbaric tribes were indeed a great threat, forcing them to maintain a standing army to defend against invasions and to be constantly vigilant. Of course, this also promoted the establishment of alliances among gentle tribes, as everyone knew that only by banding together could they have a chance to survive.

The third type consists of outsiders with special origins. Some are criminals exiled from the civilized world, some are awakened individuals frozen in ancient shelters, some are residents who wandered to the wasteland after the destruction of civilized cities, and many are astronauts who came to Earth from space for various reasons.

The characteristics of outsiders are that they possess relatively complete technological products and technical capabilities. Although their numbers are small, they have more advanced automated weapons than the tribes. Their disadvantages are equally obvious: unfamiliarity with the wilderness environment and a shortage of manpower.

The fates of these outsiders, apart from a lucky few who returned to the civilized world, were all one of two possibilities.

One reason is that due to insufficient numbers, they become targets of barbarian tribes or other outsiders, ultimately lacking the strength to protect their possessions and becoming prey for others. Their territory, population, and technology all vanish.

Another scenario is that they safely survived the initial difficult period, but as the older inhabitants leave, the new inhabitants often lack systematic modern education. Within one or two generations, as equipment ages and becomes obsolete, and technology is lost, civilization regresses, and they end up only remembering one or two key technologies, becoming a new tribe wandering in the wilderness.

However, the new technologies brought by outsiders also effectively filled the technological gap in the wild world where Jay lived, propelling that place to develop slowly and with difficulty.

These three forces constitute the ever-changing gales in the wilderness, like the ebb and flow of the wilderness's breath, forming the continuous cycle of the birth and death of civilizations there.

Chapter 82 The Girl from the Wasteland

"I never imagined life was so difficult where you are..."

I felt a little heavy-hearted after hearing this.

Although everything in the jay's story is natural, as if the world was meant to be this way, what I see in it is a vast tapestry of joys and sorrows, depicting the lives of countless creatures on a strange planet.

For the gentle tribes where the jays live, such a world is no stranger to them. However, these native people have faced misfortunes such as disease, wild animal attacks, hostile wars, and natural disasters throughout history.

According to Jay's recollection, her Brown Pool tribe originally lived by a lake containing brown water. Many people died from severe parasites, metal poisoning, gastroenteritis, and malaria caused by drinking the water, so they moved away from the settlement and developed a survival technique called a simple well that incorporates the principle of a water purifier.

They also understood that every step the tribe took was paved with the sacrifices of countless people, so the tribal elders named the tribe Brownpool in memory of the tribespeople who died there.

"Nature has always been cruel. That's why I strive to learn from the tribal elders, hoping to become as wise as them. With enough wisdom, one can understand the essence of nature and lead the people to build a city!"

"Build a city? Are you serious about that dream?"

“Of course! The tribal elders said that our tribe originated from a city, and once we have accumulated enough resources, we will definitely be able to rebuild the city.” Jay thought earnestly, “Then we will have fixed land, and we will be able to pass on this knowledge. More people will join us, and we will no longer be threatened by those barbaric tribes.”

Building a city? That's a very complex task, much more difficult than reviving Mineral Town Ranch.

I recalled my own arrival in Mineral Town, feeling utterly alone and destitute. I thought of this tribal girl, a nomadic tribe living on the plains, herding her people without a fixed abode. How much effort would she have to put in to achieve this goal? And would she even succeed?

I want to help her out.

"So, what are you still lacking before you can build the city?" This question touched on her plans, and it was unclear whether this tribal girl had a complete understanding of her dream.

The jay thought for a moment, then started counting on its fingers: "Our population is not enough. Although two groups of people have been separated, they are still not enough to defend a territory independently. We still rely on the power of the tribal alliance and migrate with them as a whole."

"Moreover, food production is insufficient, and we need new food crops or sources. In just one or two years, all the edible things on a piece of land will be eaten up, and no more food can be gathered, so we have to migrate elsewhere."

“Every year, many people die from disease, and the more people there are, the faster it spreads. If we can’t find enough drugs and have the necessary medical technology, we won’t be able to bring everyone together.”

"Then the elder said that our building technology and defensive facilities are not yet sufficient, and we are unable to build a solid city wall to protect ourselves."

"Sigh..." Jay sighed, overwhelmed by the various difficulties that welled up in his heart, and put down his fingers. "There are still so many problems. It's definitely not enough."

As a somewhat primitive tribe, their technology tree still has many gaps. Nomadic life is indeed the most suitable system for them. There is still a long way to go before they can upgrade to a town.

I could only offer my condolences, saying, "Now that we're allies, I'll provide you with the assistance I can. But I think you should take it one step at a time."

"Oh? Marcus, you know this stuff too?" Jay looked at me expectantly, hoping I would continue.

I cleared my throat and began to explain my point of view: "I think that before you settle in towns, you should first upgrade from a nomadic lifestyle to an agricultural one. The key is to grow some high-yield crops and abandon the production methods that rely on the weather and are mainly based on gathering firewood, fishing, and hunting. This is the fundamental way to solve the problem of food shortage that you mentioned, and it can also solve the problem of population size at the same time. At that time, you will only complain that there are too few people in the fields."

“That makes sense… So do you have any ideas?” Jay’s face became noticeably tense. My plan touched on the core issue right from the start, which immediately made her anxious. She hoped I could come up with an effective solution.

Do you know how to grow crops now?

"Yes, we grow many kinds of fruit..."

"That's not enough. The yields of these crops are too low to serve as food. Do you hunt?"

"Yes, the warriors in the tribe regularly hunt wild boars and moose, but hunting is often dangerous, so the tribal elders don't allow too many people to participate. They only keep it within the limits of ensuring a supply of meat and fur."

"That's a very sensible order, knowing where your strengths lie. Come back to town with me later; the general store sells crop seeds. We'll pick some for you to take back and see which crop suits you best. After all, I'm not entirely sure about your climate... What's with that expression?"

As I was analyzing the situation, I saw the jay look embarrassed, loosen its grip on the short bow it had been holding so tightly, and try to return it to me.

"Are you really going to help us? Here, take this bow back. We can't take advantage of you so much."

I firmly placed the shortbow back into her hand again, feigning displeasure, and said, "We're allies, isn't that what you said? Is it wrong to give an ally a small gift?"

Seeing no pretense on my face, the jay finally accepted the shortbow with relief. This little girl, though educated in the tribe, was still too naive; her thoughts were written all over her face. No wonder the tribal elders taught her to feign mystery—it certainly worked for a while.

However, for me, this was a visitor event announced by the colonist system, so I certainly had no reason to deceive her. Honestly raising the visitor's favorability would actually yield more system rewards.

"And I've been wanting to tell you this, the sheriff this morning wasn't a bad guy. He only came to see me because fires aren't allowed in town. You just broke his window, so you should come with me to apologize to him." I quickly explained the situation to prevent the misunderstanding from escalating. Luckily, only a pane of glass broke.

I don’t believe Harris has the courage to hold a little girl accountable. Even if he did, Dart would hear the news and rush over to teach him a lesson, right?

"Is that so? Why can't you light a fire in your territory? How are you going to cook something?" The jay looked puzzled, as if its worldview had been shaken.

I explained, "Although this ranch belongs to me, it is a property of the town, and I must abide by the town's regulations and cannot engage in such dangerous behavior."

Seeing that Jay was still a bit unconvinced, I continued, "This is a rule that you will have to establish when you build your towns in the future, and you can't disobey it."

Upon hearing that it was related to the establishment of a town, the jays lowered their resistance and entered their studious mode again, ready to absorb the relevant knowledge.

Chapter 83 The Awareness of the Tribal Successor

Taking this opportunity, I also gave her a thorough explanation of the town's rules. These were some of the same old rules that Sheriff Harris had told me on my first day in Mineral Town, such as no fires allowed within town limits, no throwing wood or stones into the river, no littering in public areas, and no unauthorized entry into residences.

These regulations are ridiculously primitive compared to the original laws of the dazzling city. The dazzling city had detailed rules about who could be out and about between specific times. Urban poor like me can only hide from the glittering neon lights and admire the city's night sky in the latter half of the night.

But to the jays, these rules sounded very complicated and mysterious.

"Why can't we throw stones into the river?" the jay asked, like a curious child.

"Because throwing these things will block the river channel, and if there is a flood, they will drift off the river channel and overflow into the town. That would destroy the residential area."

"So, what are the proper ways to dispose of trash?"

"Household waste is concentrated in one area. Zach is responsible for transporting hazardous waste and contacting merchant ships from recycling companies to take this waste away. What you need to know is that garbage, like urine and feces, will cause bacteria to multiply if it is dumped anywhere, and many people will get infected and sick."

"Then why don't you burn all this garbage?" Jay asked, demonstrating his ability to think outside the box.

I patiently explained, "Burning garbage is limited to household waste such as fruit peels and paper scraps. Hazardous waste like plastics cannot be put into the fire because the smoke contains harmful substances. I suggest you separate these items and burn them downwind of residential areas, so that even if it is harmful, the impact will not be too great."

"Oh! I see! Is there anything else I should be careful about?"

"Another thing is that it would be best to establish a medical facility. Right now, when your tribesmen get sick, the shaman comes to treat them, right? This would pose a great risk during the spread of infectious diseases. Establishing a separate isolation area to take care of patients in a unified manner would not only prevent risks but also train a group of medical apprentices."

At this point, it becomes a bit unclear what their beliefs are. In a theistic era, witch doctors and healers were inseparable, and doctors often also worked as shamans. For them, mysticism was more important than medicine and was not something that ordinary people were allowed to come into contact with, right?

However, judging from the growth of the jays, the fire keeper relies on the inheritance of knowledge rather than divine selection, so this tribe should still have a considerable degree of materialism.

"Does your tribe believe in gods?" I asked.

Unexpectedly, the little jay showed a disdainful expression and said, "We worship our ancestors, but we don't believe in any gods. The tribal elders told me that when the city was destroyed, none of the gods we prayed to came to our rescue. Instead, an ancestor led us to the wilderness to survive and taught us how to live."

“If one is to become a god, then this ancestor should be a god. But he died in war. If he was a god, how could he have died? We believe that we can rely on our own strength rather than on God’s mercy.”

The girl uttered a string of words that would put many to shame, and I began to understand the situation. A race's primal memories profoundly influence its innate nature. For example, stories from past lives: Nuwa repaired the collapsed sky herself; Yu the Great, suffering from the devastation of floods, actively dug and dredged channels; Hou Yi, seeing nine suns scorching the earth, shot down eight; even the daughter of Emperor Yan, after drowning, dreamed of transforming into the Jingwei bird to fill the sea.

Such a racial character would surely lead them to understand their social practices and confront the various issues of tribal development. It is precisely because of this that they would be able to raise a tribal successor with such firm ideals.

"You're right. I'm increasingly convinced that helping you is the right thing to do, and I completely agree with that!"

The jay lowered her head somewhat shyly. It seemed that she was still happy to receive praise, but there was not a trace of blush on her face, which was painted black.

Thinking that the girl in front of him was only 12 years old, he couldn't help but feel a little sad. He took the initiative to say, "Let me take you down the mountain. Wash your face first, then take a bath, and I'll prepare something delicious for you!"

The jay said unhappily, "Do you think I smell bad?"

In every sense, the jay's fur coat certainly didn't smell fresh. After all, even treated down jackets have a ducky smell, so this rough-tanned fur probably wouldn't be much better. However, jays are generally quite clean, and neither their hair nor their bodies emitted any unpleasant odors.

"Haha, you've misunderstood. I just noticed your face was a bit dirty. Since you're here, of course I want to treat you well. That's not too much to ask, is it?"

The jay suddenly remembered its black face and said unhappily, "This isn't dirt! This is insect repellent used in the tribe. Without it, we would have been bitten by bugs long ago!"

Looks like I've made a fool of myself again.

Living outdoors without mosquito nets or coils, the exposed skin is always at risk of insect bites. Even ordinary mosquitoes can transmit dengue fever, let alone venomous insects like spiders, scorpions, and centipedes, whose bites can be fatal. Therefore, using insect repellent is an important means of protection.

Just as I was feeling awkward, the jay came to my rescue: "I know you mean well, Marcus, but I can't just think about my own well-being while I'm here. I hope to learn more skills and bring back things that are useful to the tribe, so that I can help those who are still suffering..."

"Leave it to me! I'll make sure you have everything you need!" This girl's awareness was far higher than most people's. She clearly had the opportunity to live a life with plenty of food and clothing, but she still worked hard to improve the lives of her people.

From the bottom of my heart, I said sincerely, "Once you become the tribal elder, you will surely lead the most powerful tribe and build the most magnificent city!"