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

The hot spring activity and the walk down the mountain made me feel hot all over. After wiping the sweat from my forehead, I said lazily, "It's too hot and I don't have much of an appetite. Boss, aren't you planning to install an air conditioner?"

Customers like me who make excessive demands are never liked by shop owners. Therefore, the serious-looking middle-aged man ignored and skipped my requests, and went straight to the topic he had prepared.

"Your class seems to have been very successful. Old Muqi even came to praise you, saying that Mei asked a lot of questions she had never encountered before when she got home. It's clear that it's thanks to your teaching."

I waved my hand modestly: "That's all thanks to the textbook. I learned and taught that book at the same time. If we had taken classes at a normal pace, we would have been able to finish university."

Besides, my brain has just been filled with extremely shocking historical truths, and I'm still processing them. Although the process of exploring mysteries is painful, the process of obtaining the truth is always incredibly exciting.

“Indeed, I’ve also read Carter’s heirloom. The knowledge in it is very comprehensive. Even though only half a volume remains, it can still be called a treasure written by mankind.”

I understand. It's actually very difficult for ordinary people to accept when their values ​​are overturned and their common sense is broken. And when you encounter a contrarian, they can go hundreds of floors above that.

However, in historical research, discovering new clues and proposing new hypotheses is a very rewarding experience. Not to mention the joy of finally overturning the original framework and proposing a completely new theoretical system after a long period of exploration.

After hearing the pirated myth of the water element, my doubts about historical issues did not diminish; instead, I felt an urge to explore the deep sea and dense forest.

"Boss, are you familiar with that primeval forest in the center of the continent?"

If you want to hear gossip, ask the boss; that's common knowledge in Mineral Town.

Upon hearing this term, Boss Dart blurted out, "You mean the Abyss Forest?"

I immediately slapped the table and praised, "You're an expert! Boss, you know these historical terms like the back of your hand!"

My flattery backfired. Boss Dart glared at me and retorted, "Have you forgotten what kind of place I worked before I opened this tavern?"

Where to stay? In the library?

But his reminder suddenly reminded me that the boss had mentioned before that he lived in a ruined eastern city when he was young, and that's where he met Lin's mother.

Could it be that……

"The eastern city is located on the edge of the deep sea and dense forest."

Mr. Dart, with his hands on the table, said to me in a helpless tone, "Back then, the eastern city was surrounded by skyscrapers of steel and concrete on one side and majestic mountains and endless forests on the other. There were countless stories circulating about the area. Do you think I didn't know them?"

"My apologies!" I clasped my hands in a respectful gesture.

"That vast forest once stretched across the east and west sides of the continent, but after thousands of years of logging and clearing by humans, it has shrunk to one-tenth of its original size. The most severely damaged area is the desert and Gobi region of the western city. I have never been inside the Abyss Forest, but I have heard that the city's original design was intended to curb the expansion of the forest."

Mr. Dart was absentmindedly wiping the cups, but what he said made me listen intently.

“In the early days of the federal government, this forest may have started to spread rapidly and wildly due to the influence of the warm climate, even threatening the transportation and trade of goods between the east and west coasts and hindering the industrialization process on both sides.”

"To this end, the first Federal Council proposed a plan to develop a modern city on the east side of the Abyss Forest, setting up the most comprehensive production links, using local natural resources, and curbing the spread of forest land through human activities, achieving two goals at once."

Goodness, I've seen the "front shop, back factory" model before, and I've heard of coal and steel complexes like the Ruhr region, but this is the first time I've heard of a pioneering bridgehead city like this.

A similar example might be Komsomolsk-on-Amur, a city built by the Soviet Union in Siberia.

In conclusion, the Federation invested enormous funds and manpower, and devoted tremendous effort, finally leveling the soft soil and rugged mountains to build a massive city that was previously unimaginable...

It was once home to towering skyscrapers, massive machinery manufacturing enterprises, processing plants, chemical plants, building material factories, and a renowned aircraft manufacturing consortium. Major railway arteries also converged and intertwined at this hub, ensuring the flow of freight goods between the north and south, east and west.

Boss Dart said with a complicated expression, "On the surface, it's a grand project from the early days of the Federation, a magnificent city that looks like a garden in the clouds. But I don't like it there because I can smell the blood on the ground beneath my feet."

He tapped the table lightly with his fingers. "I've reviewed the court files. In the early stages of construction, 130,000 innocent people lost their lives, 80,000 were sentenced, and more than 2,000 natives who originally lived peacefully on this land were subjected to exile-like land relocations..."

Mr. Dart put down his cup and looked at me with a serious expression.

"Rebels like Gotz's father are like dust on a map; a mere flick of a finger and they plunge into the abyss of fate..."

Boss Dart investigated the veteran miners!

The thought flashed through my mind instantly!

Among the old miners, Doranko, due to the influence of his Deep One bloodline, always kept to himself and later even dared not have much contact with his own son.

The fact that the boss can casually recount his experiences raises the question: could it be that his arrival in Mineral Town wasn't accidental?

or……

No, it's 90% likely...

Based on the connections and personality the boss has shown, he wouldn't do something on a whim like this. He must have investigated everything before coming here!

"Boss, how's the eastern city doing now?"

I hinted indirectly.

Boss Dart saw through my probing at a glance, but showed no anger. Instead, he said meaningfully, "Have you ever heard the old saying, 'What begins with the sword will inevitably end in blood'?"

…………

If humans are the cells that make up a city, then the city, as a complex living organism, must abide by its inherent life cycle.

The glory and legends of this eastern metropolis did not last long. In just a few decades, it experienced the historical trajectory that a famous historical city would take thousands of years to complete, falling from prosperity to ruin and decline.

"The collapse came too suddenly, yet seemed all too inevitable. Rapid expansion turned the eastern cities into battlegrounds for various parties. One day, a crisis originating from the credit asset sector suddenly erupted, sounding the alarm for a life-threatening situation."

“Investors lost everything and withdrew, factory owners sold off equipment and transferred assets, federal parasites borrowed money everywhere to cover losses, and the rampant growth of various industries gradually declined, leaving only ordinary people in the city facing the greatest crisis in history.”

"Class conflicts, gangs, violent struggles, and street confrontations became the norm in this lawless paradise, and barbaric acts spread like vines growing outside the city. In the decadent corners of the city, horrifying, bizarre, and terrifying stories began to circulate."

"The original Eastern City of Hope has slowly become what people call the 'Abandoned City.' Its chaotic state is just like the era when violence was rampant in the early days of the city's establishment. The names of some notorious thieves who had long been forgotten in the corners of the city are gradually being mentioned again, rising to become idols in the hearts of newborns..."

Mr. Dart said that he had lived in this chaotic city for thirty years, and had become accustomed to the dark and gloomy sky, before finally realizing that he should find his own blue sky and dreams.

"Wait a minute, boss... I came here to ask you about ancient history, how did it turn into a lively lesson in modern history?"

I scratched my head and suddenly realized that the topic had gone off-topic quite a bit, with a difference of over a thousand years.

It's like asking me about Qin Er Shi (the second emperor of Qin), and you talking to me about "The First Half of My Life"?

Mr. Dart frowned and said, "I'm not a historian, how could I possibly tell you what you want to know! At most, I'll just recount the ins and outs of things as a witness and participant for casual conversation after dinner."

I chuckled to myself, then quickly lowered my head to eat, realizing that all my social skills training had been for nothing.

Rapidly expanding economic industries can easily lead to an imbalance and collapse of the "three pillars" of economy, institutions, and culture. Judging from the fact that the federal government has not yet been able to rectify its bureaucracy, the eastern cities are at best just larger versions of Gotham City. Without the foundation of Wayne Enterprises or the Court of Owls to maintain their stability, they will eventually fall apart.

But I still feel like something's not right...

"Boss, I have another question. This city has been in decline for a long time and has a huge population. Doesn't the Federation plan to step in to maintain order, or at least slow down the decay?"

Upon hearing my question, Boss Dart turned his gaze away from the television and said helplessly, "During the height of the resistance, the council was most worried about the emergence of rebellion in the Eastern Capital, which was the main base of the military industry. As a result, it allowed various forces to intervene and had long been considering abandoning this concentrated city and dispersing the major industries."

"The credit crisis is merely a pretext for trust groups to bleed money out of the system. Whether for political, economic, or national security reasons, no one will, and will not, step forward to bail them out..."

Weak branches and strong trunks—such ruthless methods!

As expected of the Federation, which is subservient to foreign powers but strikes hard at home, this series of decisive and ruthless moves will surely leave the Eastern City, which considers itself a hero in suppressing the rebellion, completely bewildered.

"But in terms of transportation, the eastern city's geographical location is unique and cannot be easily replaced," said Mr. Dart. "Therefore, while the railway network was kept running, the Federation built two phases of elevated highway projects, determined to link the eastern mountains with the western central area. This completely replaced the eastern city's functions and allowed it to rot away contentedly."

I took a bite of food and nodded absentmindedly.

But the word "highway" kept flashing in my mind like an emergency light. The television broadcasting the news in the pub, and the empty, deserted night, reminded me of a similar night.

It seems that one day, here we'll find a haggard Professor Baqir, a serious Boss Dart, and a boisterous, drunken old Sebala...

Wait a moment……

Could this highway that Boss Dart mentioned be the location of the ghost story Sebala told?!

…………

I looked up abruptly, staring at Boss Dart with a surprised expression.

The boss looked at me meaningfully, then, as if in response to the question in my eyes, slowly nodded twice...

...It matches up!

The clues I obtained today suddenly connected in my mind, and a clear timeline gradually took shape.

Boss Dart speaks in a cryptic and ambiguous way. Even if there are established theories, he won't tell you clearly. You have to discover the key points and understand the meaning on your own.

Having read Voynich's historical manuscripts, the boss, who claimed to know nothing about the deep sea and dense forest, had actually filled in the gaps in my understanding by using the preceding and following stories, subtly revealing his intended meaning.

Long ago, the Abyss Forest appeared and occupied the most fertile land in the center of the continent, suppressing human development.

Two thousand years ago, the Nameless Lord descended upon the Abyss Sea, creating countless gods, driving away the evil spirits in the dense forests of the Abyss Sea, and leading mankind to explore the land.

Over a thousand years ago, the Nameless Lord perished in flames, and countless evils quietly revived on the lands pioneered by humankind, threatening the world and heralding the arrival of the Dark Ages. At this time, the last gods retreated overseas.

At the same time, the Church of the Holy Spirit rose from the north, and the Holy See's spiritual children used a completely different power to deal with what they called "twisted things," destroying the remnants of the age of gods and bringing light to the continent once again.

Two hundred years ago, the phenomenon of the Spirit Phenomenon ended, the Church completely declined, and the Trust Group Federation took the opportunity to rise up and form a federation. Later, they realized the threat of the Abyss Forest and launched the "Eastern City Project". At this time, the evil no longer ran rampant, and the power of industry seemed to have overwhelmed the mystery that had been lingering over the land for thousands of years.

Decades ago, the resistance swept across the continent, and General Morden advanced toward the Federation headquarters with successive victories. They realized that the greatest threat was not in the Abyss Forest, but in this Qianqing Palace... oops, oops, oops, but within the territory ruled by the Federation!

The parliament's message was clear: if everyone is not careful, the outcome could very well be that of an old, crooked tree.

Thus, the Eastern Capital naturally declined.

Starting twenty years ago, the East-West Elevated Highway, developed in two phases, was completed one after another. Relying on manpower, a highway was built across the outer layer of the Yuanhai Forest. All the abnormal problems that had arisen around the Yuanhai Forest seemed to have subsided.

But not long ago, while Mr. Rod was hitchhiking on this highway, he encountered an inexplicable spacetime vortex phenomenon, which seemed to have taken him to a parallel world, where he encountered an indescribable entity...

Judging from all the events, the incidents involving the Abyss Forest have not ended. On the contrary, after a brief respite, they will once again stir up trouble behind the scenes, brewing to unleash a massive wave...

Now back in the far north, the Holy Spirit Church, entrenched in the holy city of Illling, seems to only be responsible for sending out a small number of priests to monitor and control the sealed Twisted Point. There are no longer any battle priests who spread the gospel with long nails and iron books in one hand and flail and meteor hammer in the other to save the world.

This world's Miskatonic University clearly lacks a general like Mr. Rhodes. So who will safeguard peace? What power will the Federation rely on to combat these inexplicable anomalies?

I stared at the bronze ring on my hand, which was now gleaming and had changed its design. Looking at the system information box displaying the name "King's Soul First Flame Ring," I couldn't help but feel a pang of annoyance...

Do I really have to be the one to spread this fire?

Chapter 574 I call you brother, you call me dad

The beginning often determines a lot.

If the story begins in a swaying train carriage, and I wake up to find a man with a scar on his face, holding a Desert Eagle, saying to me, "You're awake? You're the best among this batch of new recruits."

Then I must cling tightly to the leg of the muscular gorilla in my head and the poker-faced guy with reflective glasses, to make sure I can be resurrected if I accidentally die, and incidentally, make it to the finale.

If the game starts in a shattered underground city base, and a very attractive older woman runs out and says that the octahedral apostles are attacking outside, she hands me a positron cannon and tells me that the responsibility of saving the world is now in my hands.

Then I must become a bit more withdrawn, at least to unlock the AT-field's technology tree first, and then escape to space with my harem of emotionless, tsundere, and bespectacled girls to find hope, while also staying far away from the gray-haired gay guy.

If the opening scene is a building hundreds of meters tall collapsing, a skinning monster drooling outside watching me, and a group of flea-men jumping around practicing Newton's famous quote, trying to stand on the shoulders of giants to cut off the back of the neck.

Then I must learn from Shi Yuzhu and master the core technology of Giant Interactive. First, I will use Brain Gold and Golden Partner to brainwash these brainless creatures, and then trick them into "Conquer Online" to become part of the gaming experience for paying players.

The problem now is that just when I thought the story was halfway through and I had a complete understanding of the game, some worldviews that I had never heard of before were suddenly introduced.