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

Flammability: 0%

Comfort level: 0.50

As it's called a stool, it naturally won't have a backrest, armrests, footrest, lumbar support, ergonomic design, a pure Canadian maple wood body, massage function, automatic heating...

It's just an ordinary stool, square and orderly, maintaining the same architectural style as the dining table, standing there stiffly and awkwardly.

It seems that nothing will change even after ten thousand years.

I suddenly realized that the architectural style of this colonial system might have been its original purpose in being created.

Perhaps there really were many colonists who carried this system to countless dangerous, violent, wild, and marginal planets, trying to carve out a stable place to live.

Countless of them may be wiped out by attacks, diseases, dangerous creatures, or planetary disasters, their whereabouts unknown.

However, the buildings constructed by these colonial systems have stood firm on that land through the ages, relying on their solid foundation, waiting for future generations to continue using them and carrying on the legacy.

"Thinking about it this way, the design style of the colonial system's rudimentary cannons suddenly seems much more sophisticated!"

I'm much happier now.

Sitting on a stone bench, with my hands resting on the edge of the stone dining table, I gaze into the distance where the sun is setting.

As the setting sun cast its fading shadow, the scattered light became even more magnificent, dyeing half the sky crimson.

The majestic Maders Mountains stretch out like a mother embracing this pasture, and the gentle breeze feels like a soft breath, unwilling to disturb the mother and child in her arms.

I've already been to the beach today, but I should actually go for a walk in the mountains to get to know the area around this town better.

I haven't decided on my plans for tomorrow yet, because the amount of farm work is limited, and there aren't many places I can work on weekdays.

The winery and the blacksmith's shop are options; although the two alcoholics have strange personalities, they don't seem to have any ill intentions.

Perhaps I could go up the mountain to gather some wild produce and have Zack help me sell it to earn my first pot of gold. This kind of accumulation seems more suitable for a newly established ranch.

By the way, the chicken farm will be providing me with a batch of seedlings. Should I go and pick them up soon?

No, I can't afford seeds or chicken feed right now...

I'll just stick to sowing some pasture grass tomorrow, storing some green fodder, and then think about raising livestock.

I stood up from my seat and lay down comfortably in the hibernation pod.

Such days are truly something to look forward to.

Chapter 17: Pitiful, weak, helpless, but able to eat.

As the first rays of sunlight illuminated every corner of the ranch, I awoke from a daze once more.

The man's demonic voice was still echoing in my mind: "This bamboo rat seems to be sick, it has depression, and it may be incurable. Let's eat it."

Whose bamboo rats get depression?!

If you want to eat it, at least come up with a better reason!

No, it's your own bamboo rat, why are you making up some ridiculous excuse if you want to eat it!

"If this kind of brainwashing continues, one day I will become an incomprehensible idiot."

I sat up a little dejectedly from the hibernation pod, threw back the covers, and prepared to step out the door in the faint morning light.

But suddenly, as if struck by a flash of inspiration, I immediately withdrew my hand from the door and opened a crack to secretly observe the situation.

I might be cursed with a 100% chance of being killed around the corner. Let me check if anyone is lying in ambush outside!

Let me see!

Good, no!

After confirming it was safe, I opened the door, ready to assemble a storage cabinet myself in the room as soon as possible.

It's better to do this work sooner rather than later. I don't like putting farm tools by the bed. It makes it look like a forest of swords and spears, and it always feels like "Liu Bei's wedding" or "I like to kill people in my dreams".

"........."

What are the stories behind these two passages? When did I learn about them?

Completely bewildered, I had just reached the gate of the ranch and was leisurely checking the work list when suddenly, a huge force slammed into my stomach, instantly throwing me away!

I was lying on the ground, seeing stars, and almost threw up everything I ate yesterday. I couldn't recover and just sat there.

"I knew I was cursed..."

Not far in front of me, the culprit of this traffic accident was also lying on the ground, unable to move.

A small brown pony with a shiny coat, about half a person's height, had a pair of big, blinking eyes with a slightly bewildered look in them, as if a collision would knock its soul out of its body.

Its hooves were still somewhat tender, and its mane was not very thick, but it was neatly trimmed, clearly indicating that it was an animal kept by someone.

Xiao Ma was hit just as hard as I was. He struggled several times to get up, but failed, and staggered like a drunkard.

"Where did this pony come from?"

I saw a young, rather cute pony lying there in front of me, and I was about to go and help it up.

After struggling twice and failing, the little horse's expression instantly changed from bewildered to pitiful.

(┳Д┳)！

"........."

What's wrong with this horse? Isn't its expression a bit too lifelike?

I walked over, picked up the pony, and straightened it.

But the pony seemed to have been damaged somewhere; its four legs were wobbling and it couldn't stand straight. Its knees would bend after taking just a few steps.

Then she turned to me and gave me a sad look.

(≧口≦)！

"........."

That expression is definitely not something I'm seeing things, right?! That's a horse, isn't it?!

Seeing that it really couldn't walk normally, I had no choice but to go over and hold its rope, guiding the pony step by step through the pasture for rehabilitation training.

Finally, after most of the day's effort, the little horse mustered up its courage again and started trotting with me.

The sound of its hooves was not loud, and because it had no horseshoes, it did not sound very heavy. This led to me noticing a horse galloping towards me when I went out in the morning, which resulted in the tragedy that morning.

I patted the pony's head, loosened its reins, and gestured for it to wander around ahead on its own.

The pony ran two steps forward happily, then turned back and gave me a joyful look.

(≧0≦)

"........."

Okay, whatever makes you happy.

You have more experience than I do, I shouldn't doubt you.

I returned to the stone-cutting table, about to choose suitable storage furniture, when I saw an old man already standing at the gate of the ranch, nodding slightly to me.

The old man was not tall, and like Sebala, he had lost all his hair, but his white eyebrows and beard were long. He had a kind and gentle smile on his face as he spoke to me.

"Hello, young man! I'm Muqi from Yodell Ranch. It seems this pony and you get along very well. Hahahaha."

The old man was not tall, but his laughter was very loud, which puzzled me.

"You're the owner of the ranch next door, right? I heard Thomas the Tank Engine... no, the mayor said I knew you!"

Since we had just met, I wanted to show my respect for the elderly, so I quickly invited him to sit down.

If I'm not mistaken, this old man named Muqi is the owner of the ranch next door that mainly deals in cattle and sheep. I didn't hear from the mayor about him sponsoring me, and I thought he was a difficult person to get along with, but now it seems that his attitude is quite amiable, not at all like the aloof and cold person he's supposed to be.

Muqi laughed heartily and nodded.

"It's me! I heard a new neighbor moved in, so I came over to check it out. But this little guy ran ahead of me! Are you getting along well?"

"Is this pony yours? Aside from bumping into it a little, it seems to be doing quite well. The little guy is very cute!"

Looking at the foal still frolicking in the pasture, I could clearly feel that it was full of energy and must have been well cared for at home.

That's wonderful.

Muqi sighed instead and explained.

"It's great to see that you get along with it."

“This child is actually very introverted and doesn’t interact with other horses during his time at the ranch. As a result, he is ostracized by the herd and is often bullied.”

"I had no choice but to put him in a separate stable. But this made him even more introverted..."

I do know that.

Horses, as social animals, possess a certain degree of sociality. Herds will manually remove foals with physical disabilities, abnormal appearances, or unstable mental states to purify their bloodlines and prevent inferior genes from affecting the population's development.

While this behavior is perfectly normal for all living things, it is a bit too cruel for a small pony like this.

But then again, how does this meme-like pony make him seem introverted?

Do the horses not understand emojis?

"To be honest, that's true."

I nodded.

"Xiao Ma likes to run around, so I take it out for a walk. It's a pity it's getting old and can only play alone in the field, which is quite pitiful."

After finishing his grumbling, Old Muqi, still with that smiling expression, nodded at me and then shouted loudly to the field.

"Phew! Time to go home!"

The little horse, which was almost rolling in the mud, heard the call, its ears, which stood up like a rabbit's, twitched twice, and then it slowly walked towards us.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, old man Muqi invited me to visit his ranch, then took the reins of his pony and headed out of the ranch.

Before I had taken two steps, old man Muqi's white eyebrows suddenly twitched, and he said to me apologetically.

"Sorry, Marcus, this horse doesn't seem to want to leave."

When I looked, sure enough, the pony's hooves seemed to be nailed to the spot, standing upright and motionless.

Upon closer inspection, the little horse's expression had already...