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

Her gaze kept shifting between the stone and me, finally settling on me listlessly as she muttered, "I must be dreaming... it can't be real... Elder, this is just a yak in human skin..."

Chapter 88 Radish and Beef Brisket Rice

And so, the jay, being a child at heart, immediately turned its curiosity about the mysterious beast into a barrage of questions for me.

"Marcus, how did you develop such strength? What do you usually eat?"

"Marcus, how long have you been practicing your bow and arrow? Can you achieve this level of accuracy with other bows?"

"Marcus, could you teach me?"

"Marcus, why are you ignoring me?"

I suddenly felt like my head was about to explode; how did things get so complicated?

"Jay, I was born with this ability. It's not that I'm unwilling to teach you, it's that I really don't know how to teach you..."

I walked ahead on the downhill path, trying to explain: "In terms of strength, I have a maximum weight of about 200 kilograms. If people in your tribe can exercise scientifically and eat a reasonable diet for a long time, they can also reach this standard. However, the supply of nutrition must be very scientific and precise. There is actually no need to train such people."

"My shooting ability can basically reach this standard with any projectile I can use, but the range will be affected. You can think of it as the same effect as throwing a stone and throwing a javelin."

"Hey, are you even listening?"

When I turned around, I found the tribal girl there with her head down again, reverting to her previous mysterious demeanor. Was she plotting something again?

The jay was really distracted. When I called to it, it suddenly raised its head, gave an awkward smile, and then cautiously said, "Marcus, are you really not going to consider coming back to the tribe with me?"

I was completely baffled. Why was she still thinking about taking me back to the tribe's wilderness to survive?

"You need to think this through. If I go with you, I won't be able to collect technology and resources for the tribe anymore."

Sure enough, as soon as the topic of tribal development came up, the jay immediately regained its maturity and composure. After a moment of contemplation, it decisively said, "Then it's better for you to stay here..."

…………

"Boss Dart! I'm here to freeload a meal!"

After a winding, circuitous journey with the jay, we finally descended the mountain in the middle of the day and arrived at Boss Dart's tavern, ready to freeload... Wait, I clearly deposited my food money here! I must have gotten so used to freeloading; it just feels like eating for free is the best...

The stern-faced owner of Dart heard my voice and, standing behind the bar, began to lecture me.

“Marcus, you’re so careless. Not only did you light such a huge fire, but you also came up with such a flimsy excuse. If I hadn’t been at Jeff’s grocery store buying supplies and happened to see what was happening to help you out, you’d be in big trouble…”

Mr. Dart rambled on about his dissatisfaction with me, wiping a wine glass with a white cloth in his hand, trying to appear earnest.

But when I sat down with a smile and gestured for Jay to come in, Mr. Dart's hand trembled, and the cup almost fell to the ground.

"This...this is what you called...guests? You really do have guests!"

Mr. Dart's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets!

Anyone sitting at home would feel a sense of temporal displacement and be unable to remain calm if a savage wearing a faded and dull animal skin coat, a felt hat decorated with feathers on his head, and carrying many odds and ends on his body, making a rustling sound as he walked.

"Boss, this is a jay from the Brown Pool tribe. It came to visit my ranch these past few days, but since it had no food, it came to bother you again."

I introduced him with familiar enthusiasm, saying that since visitors to the colonial system would likely continue to come in droves, I believed that Boss Dart was the most trustworthy person in the town.

Not only was he reliable, meticulous in his work, and treated me like a son or nephew, but he also believed in the principle that everyone has secrets, so he was neither cold and distant nor prying too much.

This kind of person is perfect to share the secrets of ranch visitors with me!

I introduced him to Jay, saying, "Jay, this is Dart, the owner of the restaurant, hotel, and inn in town. He's an excellent cook, so say hello!"

Jay looked around the house curiously. When I introduced him, he grinned at Mr. Dart and said, "Hello, Mr. Dart! I'm Jay. Do you cook here? Why don't I see a cooking fire?"

I saw that Boss Dart was also startled by Jay's blackened face, but he quickly regained his composure thanks to his strong willpower; all I could see was a slight twitch in his facial muscles.

From this performance, I was secretly pleased. Mr. Dart was indeed the best person to help me entertain visitors. His calm and composed demeanor would not easily put psychological pressure on the visitors. If it were Thomas the Tank Engine, which was always making people jump, not only would the guests be under immense psychological pressure, but my blood pressure would also immediately spike.

“Boss, Jay is from a tribe and doesn’t know much about the town. She wants to take some things back that can help the tribe. Do you have any suggestions?” I asked, looking at the boss’s bewildered expression.

To my surprise, Boss Dart had no doubts about this identity. He immediately asked us about the tribe and we discussed the matter together.

"Based on your description, I think you are still focusing your main efforts on grocery stores and hospitals."

The boss first put water on the stove to boil, preparing to cook for us, while loudly expressing his views.

"Undoubtedly, for this tribe, agricultural technology is currently more important than life skills, and medical technology is more important than metallurgical technology. Therefore, collecting more information in these areas and bringing it back will have an immediate effect."

This idea is indeed consistent with our previous plan. Unexpectedly, the conclusion we discussed for so long was revealed by Boss Dart casually. What did this boss do before coming to Mineral Town?

"Dinner's ready!"

The owner of Dart quickly served up a set meal that was both delicious and visually appealing, with a good mix of meat and vegetables.

I had a radish and beef brisket set meal for lunch today.

Early in the morning, Boss Dart prepared diced white radishes and cleaned beef brisket. He heated the pot in advance, then added oil to the hot pot, along with garlic and star anise to sauté until fragrant, before adding the beef brisket and stir-frying.

Next, put the stir-fried beef brisket into a stew pot, add white radish, water and rock sugar and stew. After the soup boils, turn to medium-low heat and simmer.

And so, a pot of fragrant and tender radish and beef brisket simmers slowly in the stew pot. When it's time to eat, a spoonful is scooped up and poured over steaming white rice, and an enticing aroma instantly fills the air, stimulating everyone's taste buds.

Even I, a regular at the tavern, found it incredibly tempting, let alone Jay, who eats roasted and boiled food every day and has never experienced the delicious combination of spices and oils.

The set meal served by the owner of Dart not only included brightly colored radish and beef brisket rice, but also came with green lettuce and a boiled egg on the plate, ensuring it was nutritious.

"Eat up, while it's hot," Mr. Dart said with a smile as he handed the radish and beef brisket set meal to Jay, encouraging her.

The jay was already drooling. It clumsily scooped up a mouthful of white rice soaked in beef broth and put it in its mouth.

"too delicious!"

With one bite, the jay's tears flowed down its cheeks.

Chapter 89 Temporary Guardian

"Boss, this isn't fair..."

I desperately rummaged through the white rice on my plate, looking at the set meal that was only covered with a thin layer of sauce. It looked like scraps from the bottom of a stewed beef and radish pot, with only a few bits of meat mixed in.

Meanwhile, Jay, who sat next to me, had her plate piled high with radish and beef brisket, even higher than her rice. She kept asking for more rice and vegetables, and in a short time, she had already received three large spoonfuls of radish and beef brisket.

Mr. Dart glanced at me, then brought out a stew pot from the kitchen and showed me its empty bottom.

"I'm sorry, Marcus, the beef and radish stew I prepared is all gone. Otherwise, I would have sprinkled some salt on your rice so you could mix it in?"

Looking at the empty pot, Jay and I both showed expressions of deep regret and disappointment...

Wait for you! Jay, what are you regretting!

You ate all of these things, one bite at a time!

"I'm not full yet, I want to eat more."

The jay probably misunderstood what I meant by looking at her; it patted its belly to indicate that it could still eat.

Your weak, pitiful, helpless, yet voracious appearance reminds you so much of that meme-worthy pony...

"Boss, I'd rather eat my simple food than rice with salt... I'd like to use your kitchen."

Feeling utterly hopeless, I made myself a simple meal and ate it before heading to the next destination.

Before leaving, I discussed with Mr. Dart the possibility of the jays herding cattle and sheep and raising chickens. It all started when the jay looked at the slippery hard-boiled egg on the plate and asked in surprise, "What kind of bird's egg is this? Why is it so big?"

We then learned that the area where the Brown Pool tribe lived did not have any places to raise poultry; only a few wild cattle were raised there.

These wild yaks were used as powerful land vessels, serving as transportation during tribal migrations, and also producing small amounts of yak milk and yak hides at other times.

Of course, the disadvantages are also obvious: they have a huge appetite, and a single wild yak puts a great burden on the grassland, making it impossible to achieve a large-scale breeding model within a tribe.

Wild sheep are only found in antelopes, which are wary and timid, unable to get close to humans, let alone be domesticated. Their thin bodies also make them unsuitable for raising as meat animals.

Boss Dart seemed to have done some research on this, saying, "The region Jay mentioned is clearly the edge of the desert, right? The closest one to us is in the western region, which is half a continent away. How did you find her here?"

But his good habits prevented him from pressing the matter, and he continued, "In that case, the cattle and sheep on Muqi's ranch would be useless. He raises dairy cows and sheep, which require abundant water and grass to provide sufficient nutrition, something the desert region simply cannot provide. Moreover, these breeds lack resistance; wind, sun, and infectious diseases would easily bring them down..."

Then they talked about Lady Lilia's ranch.

"The chickens at Lilya's place were picked out by Rod and me back then. They're characterized by rapid growth, long lifespans, and high egg production due to their large appetites. However, they need a specific feed with added nutrients and a measured amount of antibiotics to protect the flock and ensure their healthy growth. Jay and the others can't formulate a feed that meets these requirements..."

The jay had been looking forward to eating such delicious eggs and fragrant stewed beef every day, but after hearing Mr. Dart's analysis, which confirmed that she couldn't keep any of these animals, she immediately looked downcast and stared longingly at the boss.

Mr. Dart, being a father with a daughter, softened a bit at the jay's gaze and comforted her, saying, "How about this, I'll contact them and see if there are any suitable animals for them to keep, preferably disease-resistant and omnivorous. But they definitely won't be able to be delivered in a short time."

I pondered that the jay's short stay of a day and a half was indeed not enough time for Boss Dart to contact the delivery and for Zach to hand over the transportation.

But the idea is good. With Mr. Dart contacting me about this, if Jay comes again next time, I can prepare to give it to her in advance.

"Thank you, boss! I'll trouble you to keep an eye on these poultry and cattle for me. I can take them back next time the jays come."

The owner of Dart collected the plates expressionlessly and added, "You're welcome. The money will be deducted from your account."

"Okay!"

…………

After we left the tavern, having eaten and drunk our fill, Jay said to me with gratitude, "Thank you so much, Marcus! You went to so much trouble for me! This town is full of good people!"

I said with a bitter face, "Now do you believe me? The people in this town are actually very nice. The policeman and the fat mayor this morning were both good people, they just had different jobs. It's just that Boss Dart is always ruthless towards me. It's so hard to take advantage of him."

"Haha, I think Mr. Dart is just joking with you."

Jay walked happily through the town and asked me where to go next. I thought for a moment and then took her to the police station to file a report with Sheriff Harris.

When Sheriff Harris saw her, he was shocked to see that a complete stranger had come to town and even tried to attack the police station!

But when he discovered that the stranger was a 12-year-old girl, his expression changed from wary to concerned. He abandoned his plan to continue questioning us and instead told me to take good care of the guest.

“Marcus, since this little girl is your guest, I’ll register you as her temporary guardian. You’ll have to take on the responsibility of guardianship, take her around town more often, and clear up any misunderstandings. If she does anything dangerous again, then I’ll have to arrest you!” Harris spoke to me righteously, radiating an aura of justice.

I could only force a smile and say, "I understand, Sheriff Harris. I'll stay with her the whole time and keep an eye on her every move. But why did you arrest me when she made a mistake? That's not fair!"

"The law is fair. What's wrong with punishing you, the temporary guardian, when a minor breaks the law?"

"...No...no problem."

"Then you can leave. You don't need to pay for the broken glass. Just be more careful next time."

Sheriff Harris, however, showed kindness to the best of his ability while enforcing the law, and did not impose strict control on the jay simply because of its suspicious behavior. In his eyes, a 12-year-old girl was indeed not very destructive, and breaking the glass was just a childish prank, nothing surprising.

After finishing my business, I half-jokingly, half-seriously asked Sheriff Harris about the traces of giant beast activity at Lake Mads Mountain.

This stubborn sheriff, who had come with Gotz late at night last time, left a deep impression on me. I believe he also knows some inside information, but for personal reasons, I don't want to get involved; I just cautiously reminded him of the matter.