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

Chapter 208: The Routine

"What on earth is this?!" My first reaction was to vehemently deny it. I could make up a story about one thing, but I simply couldn't make up a story about all these strange occurrences at once!

Am I supposed to say that last night I first used my Nine Yang Divine Skill to fight the mine thief Harris on Bright Peak, then used the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth to save Gotz from jumping off the tower to commit suicide at the foot of the Six Harmonies Pagoda, and finally used the Tai Chi Divine Skill to knock Gray away from the fire, and only after completing these tasks did I suffer serious injuries?

Ask Zhang Wuji if he could do the entire three-in-one trip from Bright Peak to Shaolin Temple to Wudang Mountain in one night.

But before I could finish speaking, Boss Dart interrupted me and said to Lin on my behalf, "Lin, Marcus is so badly injured, you should let him rest. Have the clothes on the rooftop dried yet?"

Lin thought for a moment, then shook her head and said, "Not yet. Those clothes were just washed this morning, they won't dry that quickly."

"Then go wash it again," Boss Dart ordered decisively.

"Hey! Why!" Lin complained to her father.

But Mr. Dart didn't seem to care at all: "Just do it when I tell you to." His tone was completely unquestionable.

As expected of Mr. Dart! He got me out of that predicament in no time! He's so considerate of me!

"Oh..." Lin reluctantly walked away from me and went up the stairs again.

But as soon as Lin left, I heard Boss Dart muttering resentfully, "Why are you talking so close... You're never this affectionate when you talk to me..."

"..."

I misjudged you, boss. You're clearly just an old father throwing a tantrum because his daughter is neglecting him, aren't you?

“Father-in-law… oh no, Mr. Dart, could you please explain to me what Harris actually said?”

Under the murderous glare of Boss Dart, I was forced to change my tune and began to inquire about Harris's so-called "measures".

"Harris? Harris has never been here. Thomas told us."

Boss Dart's eyes remained ambiguous, but this time he spoke slowly.

"This morning, Sebala and Dick were having breakfast drinks here, along with Mana and Anna, when Thomas burst in, breathless, saying that Harris was leaving town for a while."

"Everyone was puzzled as to why Harris would say that. At that moment, he took out a document stamped with the administrative seal and posted it on the wall of the tavern."

I looked in the direction of Mr. Dart's gesture and sure enough, there was an official document hanging on the wall, reinforced with a thumbtack.

I strained to get a closer look, and it read: "Sheriff Harris of Mineral Town is suspected of abusing the authority of the Deep Space Fleet to illegally mine minerals without a license, causing a negative impact. He has been summoned by diplomatic note from the Deep Space Fleet and will be transferred to the Deep Space Fleet Military Court for trial in accordance with federal law. He is hereby dismissed from his post as Sheriff of Mineral Town, effective immediately. His replacement as sheriff will be subject to administrative appointment."

Furthermore, there is a federal signature at the bottom, indicating that this is an order with full administrative power.

Harris is not solving the problem...

This is basically self-destruction!

Using such sensational news to cover up my problem is a useful method, but it's not right!

Indeed, compared to Harris's abduction, my getting injured while hiking up the mountain late at night was a perfectly normal and trivial matter. If it weren't for my connection with Harris, no one would have even bothered to mention it.

"Who told me that I discovered Harris's involvement?"

I read it over three times, and there wasn't a single word about Marcus's tearful act of slashing the sheriff. The administrative documents were even less likely to mention my act of heroism.

“It’s Thomas,” Mr. Dart said calmly.

Is the little train coming?

"...Don't you think there's a lot of fabrication involved?" I asked helplessly, covering my face.

Mr. Dart poured me a glass of water and said helplessly, "Marcus, you need to understand that the truth of this world is divided into the real truth and the truth that everyone wants to hear. Thomas's story, though bizarre, is certainly captivating. And regarding Harris's dismissal, everyone will especially want to hear your legendary tales..."

Mr. Dart reached out and tapped the bar counter, then said in a serious, low voice, "Do you know... how boring the people in this town are...?"

...So this is just a story that everyone uses for amusement, and nobody really investigates whether it's true or not?

This small town...

It's really so boring...

"Forget it, I don't know how to explain what happened yesterday. It's just a pity for Harris, who has to take such a big blame."

“It’s not exactly a case of being framed.” Boss Dart shook his head. “Although the Federal Government has always cooperated with the Deep Space Fleet in terms of interstellar imports in a semi-open manner, the two sides have always been in a state of struggle over the right to develop interstellar space. Under such circumstances, Harris had a connection with the Deep Space Fleet. Even if he didn’t have any personal motives, he must have had some personal feelings. It’s normal for him to be dismissed and arrested.”

I asked in surprise, "Isn't this deep space fleet a Federation military force?"

This is the first time I've ever heard of a fleet that exists independently of a planet and can even fight against it.

"The Deep Space Fleet is a product of that rebellion decades ago. All the fleet personnel swore allegiance to the fleet and broke away from the Federation's control. No one expected that they would actually survive the chaos of interstellar travel and grow to such a large scale."

I asked thoughtfully, "It's impossible for the entire fleet to be on the spaceship... What about their families left on the ground?"

"You thought of that too? The family members were convicted of treason and executed," said Boss Dart with a displeased expression.

No wonder the triumphant returnees are stirring up territorial disputes in interstellar space. Their real aim isn't just the territory itself, but rather to have a legitimate pretext to start a war…

I was reminded of some kind of arrogant, face-slapping trope where a retired soldier returns home to find his family business seized, his wife remarried, and his daughter fighting with a dog for food. Enraged, he summons 100,000 comrades to his home for a free meal, bankrupting his enemies.

The Federation probably didn't expect its villainous character to be portrayed so typically.

"Don't worry too much. The Federation had just been established at that time, and they took such drastic measures to deal with the ongoing Northern War. There are indeed many different opinions on who was right and who was wrong in this incident, but who can say for sure about historical events where the parties involved are still alive? I'm afraid we won't have a final conclusion until all the people involved are buried."

Mr. Dart's sighing tone made me feel that he was very familiar with the intricacies of politics. Just as I was about to ask more questions, a commotion arose at the door.

Before I could even look up, I felt my arm being pressed down heavily, and someone was speaking loudly in my ear with great gratitude.

"Marcus! My benefactor! I've finally found you!"

What kind of trick is this? Is it like the old-fashioned Chinese medicine doctor in the city, where saving an old man on the roadside makes him a party secretary, catching a fat man by the bridge makes him a billionaire, and retrieving a beautiful woman from the river makes her a big star, with everyone shouting that they are my great benefactor and want to give me all their assets?

Chapter 209 Using Daughter as Debt Payment

"Marcus! What's wrong, Marcus?!"

What else could I do? I was being choked and couldn't breathe by you guys, and the smell of alcohol made my vision blurry. Are you sure I'm your benefactor?

Is it the kind of gratitude that Uncle Ping Si raised Hu Fei with his one arm, or the kind of gratitude that Zhu Wu Lianhuanzhuang pushed people off a cliff?

When I finally managed to turn around, I saw that it was Old Sebala and Dick, those two drunkards, who had grabbed my shoulders and neck from both sides, struggling to pull me to their side.

"Let go...I'm going to die..."

Seeing these two guys, my heart sank. It seems my plan to get rich by doing favors for others has failed. Jack Ma and I combined are worth the richest man in China, but these two combined are only worth a barrel of liquor.

It's completely useless!

And why weren't girls like Karen and Poppy coming to my door to express their gratitude?

Even the boss, Dart, couldn't stand it anymore: "Tell me your problems one by one, Marcus is about to die."

The two bastards then noticed that something was wrong with my expression, that my eyes were rolling back as if I were seeing heaven, and they quickly let go of me.

That was close... Even the Deep Ones couldn't kill me, but I almost died at the hands of these two idiots...

"Say what you have to say now!" I said impatiently. "Then get out of here. Don't you know I'm a patient?"

Sebala's bald head gleamed, and his face, flushed from drinking, he laughed heartily, "Don't worry about such a small matter!"

The old bastard immediately absolved himself of any involvement in the intentional murder, attributing it all to my overactive imagination.

"Dick and I just went to the hospital to look for you! Ellie told us you left, so I guessed you must be with Dart, and we rushed back to thank you!"

"Thank me for what?" I was a little confused.

"You saved Gray!" Old Sebala's expression instantly brightened, and he shouted, "I only beat him up yesterday, I never thought he would try to commit suicide! Thanks to you for saving him, otherwise I would have had to bury my son!"

Oh, that's what happened.

It seems he really believed what Thomas the Tank Engine said, thinking that Gray had committed suicide by burning himself after being beaten by him, and that I was the savior who saved his grandson.

That's good; I'm not going to argue. I can't exactly confess to him that Gray didn't actually burn himself, but was tricked into saving the world and that's why he was seriously injured, can I?

I can't say it, I can't say it.

"You're clearly a bald man sending off a black-haired person, aren't you?" I couldn't help but complain.

Sebala glared at him, about to explode in anger, but then seemed to remember that the person in front of him was his benefactor, so he could only awkwardly touch his bald head and say, "Anyway, thank you! Old Sebala always repays kindness!"

Are you a fake Lannister? Or do you really have dwarven blood?

"How will you repay me? Tell me?" I asked curiously.

Sebala stroked his long beard, revealing a very mature and composed smile, as if he were wearing invisible black-rimmed glasses, every wrinkle sparkling with the wisdom of an elder: "Your ranch doesn't have electricity, right? I'll go and install a generator for you, what do you think?"

"That's great! You also know electrical engineering?!" I exclaimed with delight.

Sebala smiled reservedly: "I know a little, I know a little."

"The sooner the better! I've had enough of the ranch being dark all night!" A relieved smile appeared on my face. It seemed that I had turned misfortune into blessing and could even upgrade the ranch!

"By the way, Sebala. Did you go to the hospital just now?" I suddenly changed the subject, bringing up something completely unrelated.

Sebala's self-praise was interrupted, and he said with some doubt, "Yes, just now."

"...Grey is still lying in the hospital, haven't you gone in to see him?" I said quietly.

"Oh no! I forgot!" Sebala's composure vanished instantly. She jumped off the bar stool, ran out of the tavern, and disappeared from our sight.

If Gray was truly so fragile that he couldn't bring himself to self-immolate, given Sebala's habit of passing by his own home three times without entering, he would inevitably self-immolate again sooner or later.

"Hehehe, this old senile man, he can't remember anything but drinking, can he?" Boss Dick laughed gleefully from the side.

My boss and I exchanged a glance and said in unison, "You're not much different from him, are you?"

Mr. Dick's sharp tongue came to an abrupt halt. After thinking for a moment and realizing that what we said was true, he said embarrassedly, "I was just standing up for Gray... Oh, Marcus, it's my turn! I'm here to express my gratitude too!"

"Thanks? I don't remember helping you with anything."

This time it's my turn to be confused. According to Thomas, I only saved Gray and Gots.

Could it be that Gotz is Dick's son?

This story is too convoluted and bizarre!

“You’ve certainly been a great help, Marcus!” Boss Dick rubbed his hands together excitedly, like a restless fly.

“You caught Harris guilty of his crimes and drove him out of Mineral Town. You are my great benefactor!”

Mr. Dick came over and put his arm around my shoulder affectionately, whispering, "That bastard has been harassing my daughter all these years. I knew he wasn't a good person and that he had no good intentions in Mineral Town!"

"Your daughter?" I suddenly remembered that this drunkard in front of me really did have a daughter, who used to be a waitress at the tavern and had a relationship with Harris that ended without a trace.

“Anzo has been away from town for so many years and hasn’t come back. It must be because that bastard Harris is in town that she doesn’t dare to come back! Now that you’ve driven him away, I can finally bring my daughter back!”