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

Looking at the giant fish's comical beady eyes, I cautiously asked Mr. Dart a question.

"Boss...does this place produce a lot of sea monsters?"

Boss Dart glanced at me and said unhappily, "What sea king? This grouper kingfish is truly rare!"

The television camera cut to a few close-ups and then switched back to Gu Le Gu at the One Piece... Fishing King competition, continuing to ask, "I'm sure everyone has noticed Mr. Gu Le Gu's amazing performance in this competition. Do you have any suggestions for fishing enthusiasts?"

While ostensibly asking for advice, the camera was actually already focused on the legendary fishing rod in his hand. A rod capable of going head-to-head with an eight-meter-long fish without suffering a loss must be incredibly strong, and everyone, including his competitors, was eagerly awaiting his revelation.

Gu Legu smiled憨态可掬 (a kind of endearing, simple-minded smile), raised the fishing rod in his hand, and said, "It was really close! I wanted to give up several times, but luckily..."

Upon hearing this, the host next to him practically shoved the microphone in his face. The fishing rod that shone so brightly in this competition would undoubtedly become a hit if the story were broadcast, and this kind of commercial exposure is a significant competitive advantage for television stations!

"...Luckily, it was my relentless training and incredible perseverance that allowed me to win this match! Hahaha!"

The camera suddenly shook violently. If it weren't for the importance of his job, the cameraman probably would have thrown the camera he was holding!

This Gu Legu is truly a warrior who dares to face the bleakness of life. He endured the disdainful looks of the surrounding audience, contestants, and reporters, and boasted for five minutes before ending the interview.

If I'm not mistaken, those are the materials I sold to him.

In this match, Gu Legu used an unidentified piece of wood from a bow as a fishing rod and the bowstring as a fishing line, concealing it well in the early stages of the match, even breaking several ordinary fishing rods along the way. He only brought it out after his opponents thought he was running out of steam and lowered their guard, making it the decisive weapon that sealed his victory.

Who would believe that none of this was part of his plan?

What I found a chaotic and tedious fishing competition was thoroughly enjoyed by Boss Dart, who even commented with lingering interest: "This year's fishing competition is really intense. If I hadn't met Lin's mother back then, I almost would have become a sailor!"

"On the azure sea, battling the wind and waves, excavating ancient treasures, and following in the footsteps of the Fish King—this is the romance of a man!"

Chapter 112 Let's go find the Grand Line!

"I never knew you, boss, had such a passionate dream!"

I casually picked at the rice in my bowl and mumbled a reply.

"Marcus," said Mr. Dart, displeased. "You have no idea what the ocean means to us."

"I know," I said, putting on a fierce expression and reciting a famous quote with great emotion, "Want my treasure? You can have it all! Go find it, Grand Line! I've left everything in the world there!!"

"...What are you saying?"

Mr. Dart was taken aback by my sudden joke, and his expression was, "I don't quite understand, but it seems really impressive."

"I'm talking about sailors! Sailors!"

Mr. Dart emphasized that he wanted to educate me, an outsider, on some basic common sense.

"On this vast sea, seafarers are living history."

His gaze suddenly deepened. "In an era when the entire continent was shrouded in ignorance, the sages of mankind had already embarked on the path of exploring the mysteries of the sea. They bravely set foot on countless islands in the sea, riding rafts, paddling canoes, and even using buoys, and discovered countless secrets!"

"The subsequent blockade by the continental empires only temporarily halted the sailors' journey. More indomitable sailors took root on the islands, living in these floating worlds and forging countless maritime routes!"

"They are the heartbeat of the ocean, its nervous system, and its ancient memory! Every sailor must possess a strong physique, a firm will, a sharp mind, and the instinct to see through all the fog!"

After a long, passionate speech, Boss Dart finally regained his usual serious and stern expression and picked up a dirty white cloth to wipe the wine glasses.

I'm terrified he'll suddenly say, "I'm going to be the Pirate King!" and then put on his straw hat and go sailing.

Regarding the history he described, I also read the relevant chapters in Father Carter's copy of the Voynich Historical Manuscript. It not only proposed that the unification of primitive continental empires interrupted the process of navigation, but also examined the impact of subsequent maritime conquests on the world.

In this intense clash, terrestrial and marine cultures influenced each other, ultimately resulting in a dynamic of mutual rise and fall, and a period of competitive prosperity. Once a continental empire rose to power, the maritime alliance would retreat to the island chains, demonstrating its strength through powerful trade. Conversely, if the maritime alliance became strong, the continental empire would transform into a vast market for raw materials and labor, promoting social progress.

Of course, the constant shifting of these two powers was also fraught with war and conquest. But for this planet, it was like an investor putting their eggs in two baskets—investing in Durex on one hand and Pampers on the other…

I haven't seen the rest of the history yet. I'll go to the church another day and borrow it from that unscrupulous priest.

"Boss, you said sailors need strength, courage, wisdom, intuition... but I feel like Zack has nothing but brute force." I couldn't help but complain when I thought of Zack.

“Zack, you’ve all witnessed his strength, haven’t you?” Boss Dart said slowly. “That’s a closely guarded secret among sailors. Real sailors are trained from childhood to become kings of the sea! Their daily training involves surviving at sea for three days and three nights, bare-handed and naked, without ever landing on land once.”

"So amazing!" This skill level is already at the level of Zhang Shun from Water Margin. He must be able to stay submerged for seven days and seven nights on a stretch of water that is forty or fifty miles wide.

“Of course! Zack isn’t just an ordinary sailor like you think. I heard he was once the captain of a ship, responsible for navigating the most turbulent seas and exploring the most remote routes…”

I don't know how much of this rumor is true, but judging from Zack's friend Gu Legu, he must be quite a figure.

Their conversation mentioned that Gu Legu was a young man who joined Captain Zack's crew relatively late, and a wealthy young master who had only recently become a fisherman. If even such a rookie has become a renowned fishing master, then Zack, as a senior, must be quite capable, right?

What I didn't expect was that Zack was actually the captain of that ship? Judging from his appearance, he was at most a boatswain who bullied people with his size, and it would be hard for him to even be a second mate; but judging from his simple and honest personality, he seemed like a little expert at washing decks.

Perhaps sensing my suspicion, Boss Dart explained, "When Zack first arrived, he was like a wounded bear; nobody in town dared to approach him. That shipwreck destroyed his pride, bringing down a man of iron. I really don't know what happened..."

"Aren't there any rumors about that shipwreck?"

I'm a little curious about what happened to Zack. The waters outside Mineral Town are actually mostly reefs, but once the correct routes were established, merchant ships can now pass through daily to transport goods.

Moreover, there are no towering waves or deep-sea whirlpools in this area, so it is hard to imagine that a supposedly most professional captain would capsize here and be the only one left with a psychological trauma of fear of the sea.

"Who knows? Rumors are the least reliable things to believe. Some say it was a shipwreck after hitting a reef, others say it was a tsunami. Later on, all sorts of other nonsense came out: encountering a ghost ship, accidentally stumbling into a mermaid graveyard, witnessing the souls of shipwrecked victims..."

"The various legendary stories attributed to this man only made the mystery bigger and bigger. It is easy for these rumors to come out of one person's mouth, but when the rumors reach the same person's ears again, they are completely different. Even the original author does not know that it is his own work and is enjoying the story with great relish."

Judging from what Boss Dart is saying, besides the drunkards in Mineral Town, there's also a gossipmongers? They spend their days spreading rumors and gossip?

"Boss, does Zack never say anything either?"

"Of course, no one wants to talk about such misfortune, which is why I advised you that respecting everyone's secrets is a virtue on this island. But..."

"But?" Sure enough, the boss Dart, who keeps saying not to pry into other people's private affairs, is actually the most gossipy one...

“Do you remember? I said that Zack would drink all night at my bar on stormy nights. In his drunken ramblings, he would say some incoherent sentences that could barely be pieced together into a nonsensical and incoherent sentence.”

“Those words were not obvious, but they always appeared abruptly in the gaps of his irritable shouting, like a piece of broken glass standing up in the sand and gravel, hidden and sharp, just to pierce the brain of the unsuspecting.”

"But language is something that can be understood according to the listener's choice, and I can only make my own judgment based on my knowledge, experience, and personal feelings. The sentence I heard was very short..."

He said the sea had gone mad.

Chapter 113 Strange Knowledge Increased

The boss's deep voice seemed to whisper in my ear, accompanied by the sound of ocean waves.

I felt as if I were on a calm sea, with a huge moon in the distance floating on the still water, yet it reflected no image at all.

A battered ship, like a warrior who has survived a bloody battle, is singing a rough and heroic war song, its bloodshot eyes staring warily as it ventures into these waters.

On the other side of the sea, a ship laden with skeletons sailed back-to-back with another ship. Their hollow, decaying mouths were wide open, yet they made no sound, as silent as an unclean shadow in this world.

But all this went unnoticed by the ship. The fearless warrior continued steadfastly toward his destination, until the emaciated siren, her face covered in jagged scales, inadvertently took on the role of a dolphin, leaping out of the water to guide them. But emanating from between their jagged teeth was a mournful melody, the tolling of death bells.

This threat did not deter the seafaring warriors, for they never desired the safety of settling on land. No one who had not resolved to die on this ocean could possibly board this humble ship destined for eternal glory.

But then a look of surprise suddenly appeared on someone's face, gradually turning pale, exaggerated, and distorted, as if they were wearing a mocking and crude clown mask. That expression quickly became a trend, spreading uncontrollably throughout the ship.

The captain seemed to have appeared as an invisible benefactor, scattering cheap masks among the crowd. Everyone's expression was so uniform that it made their hair stand on end, just waiting for a tattered yellow veil to cover this clumsy creation.

That terrifying panic, which should have blended in with the monsters, instead stirred up another wave.

The skeletal undead on the stern of the ship began to stir, leaping fully armed from the upside-down vessel. Just as they were about to emerge from the water, they all turned into rotting bone dust, as if the air of reality were as harmful as sulfuric acid to them.

The gaunt siren leading the ship at the bow erupted in the most terrifying screams, their high-pitched cries gradually mingling with hoarse, mocking howls. The siren, having already exhaled all the air from their lungs, still mustered their remaining strength, using their blood as a means of vocalization, and resolutely faced their deaths.

That feeling was as if death was the only way to escape.

The next moment, that scene of despair ended as the siren sank into the deep sea, and the whole world fell silent once again, with only the giant moon floating on the water coldly witnessing what had just happened.

Just then, a laugh came from the sea.

That kind of laughter was sarcastic, cruel, cunning, and resolute, unlike any creature on land. Perhaps only a dead whale in the deep sea that has never seen the sun would utter such a vicious laugh at something on the surface.

But then, an even louder laugh rang out...

The voice was foolish, blind, absurd, and insane; each individual syllable was nauseating, but together they formed a mad melody of a fool conducting and a madman playing music, permeating the world and tormenting the nerves of every listener.

Amidst the distorted, mask-like expressions filling the entire ship, only one person stood at the bow, his gaze resolute as he confronted the heavens and earth, striving to suppress all impure beings.

The laughter showed no signs of abating; instead, it grew increasingly intense, causing even the floating moon and the dim starry sky to tremble slightly with its strange sound, laughing uproariously.

Finally, the person at the bow heard it. The voice did not belong to any living being or any inanimate object. These concrete beings could never transcend their current limitations to achieve such purity.

That foolish, blind, absurd, and mad laughter is none other than the vast ocean beneath the ship, which bears all things and governs the cycle of the sun and moon.

The ocean has gone mad.

…………

not good!

My strange knowledge has increased!

How could my boss's words make me hallucinate?!

Not only did they connect all the strange tales that Mr. Dart had told them, but they also gave Zack an amazing role!

Impossible... Thinking about it calmly, a simpleton like him could only defeat his enemies with a rocket headbutt, right?

Moreover...

This level of mental pollution is no match for me at all!

Compared to the bizarre and disturbing things I experience in my dreams every night, it's far from enough!

"Boss, your ghost stories are getting better and better! You could write a novel out of just two sentences," I praised sincerely.

Mr. Dart expressionlessly took away the empty plate in front of me: "Who told you to keep interrupting? I forgot what I was going to say. I was going to tell you that your body is too weak and you should go and exercise."

Mr. Dart went into the kitchen, his voice still coming out continuously.

"I initially thought that since you could easily lift the Dick family's large wine barrels, you must have superhuman physical abilities. But just now, the examination revealed that your muscles and bones show no signs of exercise, and are even weaker than the average person, like..."

Like a shut-in guy who writes 20,000 words a day, right?

"Boss, no need to describe it, I understand."

"...I really don't know how you did it. But I still suggest you learn some sailor training techniques from Zack, at least it will improve your flexibility."

Speaking of exercise, a thought suddenly struck me, and I remembered another person with superhuman strength...

"Boss, how about I learn from Gray? I feel like learning from Zack would just make me stupid..."

"Don't be too ambitious. Gray is not someone you can learn from... Fine, I've advised you but you won't listen, so just pretend I didn't say anything. Just don't come crying to me next time you get injured."

I understand what the boss means. As a farmer, if you don't even have a strong physique, you can't do this job well.