Wasteland Border Inspector

Chapter 117 Abundant Harvest of Goods, Li Changfeng's Friend's Fee!

Two consecutive searches, both successful!
The extra 50% success rate after achieving 100% compatibility is indeed effective when searching for items!

During the second item search, the collector, just like with the previous search skill, provided a detailed probability description.

Under normal circumstances, searching for an item consumes 50% of energy and has a base success rate of only 25%.

After being promoted to a Joint Collector, the success rate can be increased by adding energy.

For every 1% increase in charge value, the success rate increases by 1%.

In other words, by putting in 100% charge, you can force the probability to reach 75%.

However, Cheng Ye did not invest any extra energy at this moment. With the bonus of full cooperation, he had already reached the 75% success rate line.

This means that in the future, if you want to ensure a successful search, you only need to invest an additional 25% of the energy after reaching full cooperation, and you will be 100% successful!
"A 75% chance of succeeding twice in a row, I'm really lucky tonight."

"Of course, it could also be due to the prosecutor scenario; this scenario has never failed before!"

Cheng Ye let out a long breath, feeling as if every pore from head to toe was breathing freely, and every inch of his body was exuding a sense of relaxed pleasure.

So cool!

That was so awesome!
Life is indeed full of wonderful opportunities.

If it weren't for the decision to steal electricity tonight, if it weren't for dragging Da Long and Engineer Liu to eat that beef hot pot...

Given his status in Happy City, even if he knew that there was a fog cave in the rest hall that connected to the Flame of Life, he would absolutely not be qualified to step through the fog cave and come to the strongest human sanctuary in the wasteland.

Although B4 is only one of the secondary zones of the City of Fire and Protection, the items he found are enough to influence his future development trajectory.

Especially when going out on missions, having a flying device significantly increases the safety level!
"In addition, the items found were indeed inside the pendant, just like the starfish from before!"

Cheng Ye took a few more deep breaths to calm himself down, then reached up to touch his neck, pretending to pull the pendant out of his collar and glance at it.

When I found the starfish last time, it was automatically saved into the pendant's storage space, but it didn't indicate how much more could be stored.

The answer was now available.

In the center of the glass core, four fan-shaped areas are neatly arranged, with the starfish occupying a quarter of them, still enveloped in the azure energy water.

The flying wing assault unit was shrunk to a tiny model, still taking up a quarter of the space.

The black and silver wings were still trembling, with rings of purple light emanating from below, exactly the same shape as what was seen from the outside.

In contrast, the so-called "four-piece prosecutor's kit" has also been miniaturized.

Because the model was too small to see the details clearly, Cheng Ye glanced at it and immediately looked away, intending to go back and examine it more closely.

"It seems that each search yields a quarter of the space, regardless of the actual size. I just don't know if further upgrades will increase this space size."

Cheng Ye stared at the fan-shaped partitions inside the pendant and silently memorized the rule.

This is good news.

"I just don't know if the data stored inside is stored only once, or if it can be accessed repeatedly."

As Cheng Ye was planning, he used his mind to take the pendant away the moment he put it back around his neck.

If it could be accessed repeatedly, that would be an amazing tool!

The flying wing assault unit can be summoned at any time. If it can't win a battle or encounters danger, it can take off and escape without anyone noticing.

If you can't put it back after taking it out, you need to be extra careful.

There's no problem using it in the wilderness, but no one in Happiness City has ever seen it used. Given his current status, he can't explain its origin for the time being.

"What are you daydreaming about?" Li Changfeng's voice rang in my ears. In just a few minutes, he had changed his clothes and smoothed his hair with water, though a few strands still stubbornly stuck up at the back of his head.

"Oh, I'm thinking about the practical value of these things."

Cheng Ye came to his senses; these words were not made up.

Once the energy was depleted, all the distracting thoughts in my mind disappeared.

He was just thinking about whether those inspection devices could be used in the inspection mode of Happiness City.

Prosecutor Li Changfeng didn't even get a proper questioning before his cooperation level skyrocketed.

If this were used on other people, would it have a similar effect?

Unfortunately, given the current economic situation of the Xingfucheng checkpoint, they probably can't afford to purchase even one of these track-mounted devices.

Don't you see, the Central Checkpoint is in such a dilapidated state, yet it's still stubbornly holding on?

Moreover, even if the checkpoint has the capacity to procure, it will definitely prioritize purchasing source track equipment that can be used in field operations, rather than facilities that reduce the workload of inspectors in their daily work.

"It has real combat value. As long as an infected person comes here and goes through the complete process, at least 95% of the infected people will be stimulated to enter the outbreak period. The remaining half of the stubborn ones can be screened out by observing them in the isolation area for a period of time."

Li Changfeng patted the back of the chair, then chuckled dryly as he explained, "These devices are actually for sale, but no sheltered city is willing to buy them, you know what I mean."

"Is the price too high?"

“It’s unnecessary.” Li Changfeng was straightforward, not uttering a single lie. “The core mission of the checkpoint is to reduce the probability of infected individuals mixing in. The probability of the Fire is about 0.0018%, which, to be honest, is not even as good as some small sanctuary cities.”

"Some people say that our large size lowered the data, but would we be able to do better if we really reduced our size?"

"not necessarily!"

0.0018%.

Cheng Ye quickly calculated in his mind that for every 100,000 people checked, two infected individuals would be mixed in.

The probability isn't high, but it's definitely not low either.

The probability of someone getting mixed in with Happiness City is much lower than this figure, remaining stable at around 0.0011% year-round, meaning that at most one person will slip through out of every 100,000 people entering and leaving.

This year is an exception, of course, because of unusual celestial phenomena, prices are expected to double.

However, in the three months since he transmigrated, only one mother source has managed to infiltrate Happiness City. The rest of the time, everything has been peaceful, and no infected entity has managed to sneak in and cause chaos.

"Whether you rely on people or machines, the result is the same."

Li Changfeng poured a cup of hot tea from the thermos behind him and handed it over. "Small shelter cities have few people, and most of the people who go out every day are familiar faces. Moreover, residents don't go to places that are too far or too dangerous. Sometimes you can tell whether a person is infected just by looking at them."

"There must be an infected person mixed in. It's either a super latent infected person or an unknown type of infected person. We might not be able to detect it here."

Cheng Ye took the hot tea and pondered for a while.

Suddenly, it dawned on me: "So these devices are actually designed to fit your scale, not because they can detect all infected individuals?"

"Yes."

Li Changfeng snapped his fingers, his voice carrying a hint of magnanimity, “The development of each shelter city’s checkpoint is tailored to local conditions and has its own set of models. The number of residents entering and leaving B4 area every day is at least 20,000 to 30,000. Without the assistance of machines and equipment, we simply cannot complete such a massive testing task.”

"Hmm, it's like the model in your Happiness City, where they distribute defense devices and various daily necessities to all residents for free. Can we learn from that?"

"You definitely can't learn that! Take me, for example, as an inspector. Apart from the basic equipment we receive when we first start, we have to earn points to buy everything else. The higher-ups don't care about your personal circumstances; they only look at the final evaluation results."

"Basic equipment?" Cheng Ye's eyes flickered slightly. "What kind of equipment will be distributed?"

“They used to be very stingy. They would only issue a custom badge, and you had to pay out of your own pocket to buy the Xinghuotong card.”

Li Changfeng smiled, with a hint of a seasoned veteran's teasing, "It seems like there are more perks now, we should be able to catch up with your Happiness City. In addition to badges and the Torch Pass, they also give out free information receiving glasses, plus a portable body monitor that can measure physical condition and energy fluctuations."

Is this the four-piece set?

Cheng Ye was secretly delighted, but his face remained calm. He even deliberately frowned, as if he was seriously considering something. "Those glasses are very useful, but can they still be used outside the range of the Fire of Life?"

“Of course.” Li Changfeng nodded. “The glasses are an information receiving tool. After connecting to the Firelink System, you can retrieve the offline information stored inside. As long as the Firelink System has data stored in it, you can still access it even if you are deep in the wilderness.”

"Oh, so the Firefly Connector and our Defense Connector should be similar things, right?"

"Yes, the functions are similar," Li Changfeng explained. "They are all identity markers, which can store points, record permissions, and store some important information offline. The higher your permissions, the more functions you can unlock."

"understood."

Cheng Ye nodded and didn't ask any further questions.

If Xinhuotong and Fangwutong are similar products, then they can definitely be used offline outside of signal range.

But permissions are a bit of a hassle.

I don't know if the badge found is Li Changfeng's. If it's just a blank badge without any information entered, I'd probably have to crack the Xinhuotong system to get access.

As for the difficulty of cracking it, it's definitely beyond his current capabilities.

However, Cheng Ye was not in a hurry. As long as he had the resources, things would be easier, and he would find a solution sooner or later.

"Shall we take a break or go check out the isolation wards in the back?" Li Changfeng tilted his head back and took a sip of tea.

"Go and see."

Cheng Ye finished his cup of hot tea in one gulp, and then followed Li Changfeng to the quarantine area at the back.

nothing special.

The quarantine area is a four-story building with a corridor design. Each floor is surrounded by glass curtain walls, allowing a clear view of the quarantine wards inside.

It's not much different from the style of Xingfu City, except that it has robotic arms moving around in the passageway, making food delivery and disinfection fully automated.

“These isolation chambers are centrally controlled, and inspectors only need to look at the data on the screen.”

Li Changfeng pointed to the monitoring screen on the wall, which displayed the real-time status of each isolation chamber: heart rate, body temperature, and energy fluctuation values.
What is your maximum daily capacity?

“Fifty thousand,” Li Changfeng answered readily. “When the black disaster broke out in the Orange-Red District last year, this building was packed with six thousand people, and it still managed to operate smoothly.”

fifty thousand
Cheng Ye gasped.

Li Changfeng is right; the Torch City model is indeed designed with scale in mind.

If the north and south checkpoints of Happiness City together handle 3,000 people each day, the inspectors will be busy all day. If they really reach that number, they will probably have to bring in everyone who can move to work as temporary workers.

If that were actually done, the probability of infiltration could increase by tens or hundreds of times.

After all, human error is inevitable, and without a machine to screen the first time, it simply cannot withstand the strain.

Towards the end of the tour, led by Li Changfeng, the two went up the spiral staircase in the quarantine area to the rooftop.

This spot faces the city center and offers an amazing view. A row of faded metal chairs is placed along the edge, suggesting that many checkpoint staff members come here to get some fresh air and relieve boredom.

The two sat down side by side.

Cheng Ye took out his defense communication device and glanced at the time. Before he knew it, it was already two o'clock in the morning.

Looks like tonight is going to be a sleepless night.

However, to be fair, the night breeze blowing through the city sheltered by the flames of civilization, and gazing at the brightly lit street scene in the distance.

Cheng Ye could only describe his current mood in two words.

Comfortable!

Although he wasn't a sentimental person, after three months of struggling in Happy City, he had come to enjoy the thrill of the wasteland.

But being able to "return" to a peaceful and modern world once again greatly satisfied that little bit of longing in my heart.

"Here."

Li Changfeng took out a crumpled pack of cigarettes from his pocket and handed one to Cheng Ye. This time, Cheng Ye did not refuse and twirled it between his fingers.

Seeing his expression, Li Changfeng lit a cigarette himself, the flame flickering in the night.

“My parents are both grassroots workers. One of them carries corpses at the incinerator, and the other works as a caregiver at the community hospital. He can barely be considered a doctor.”

He gazed at the lights of Xin Gui Mountain in the distance, and his voice suddenly softened. "They have been raising me since I was born, selling everything they own. They spent all the contribution points they had accumulated in their lifetime on prosecutor adaptation training. That's how I barely passed the prosecutor exam and was assigned to the most remote E13 district."

Cheng Ye didn't speak, but listened quietly.

“From the age of 21 until now, it took me ten years to be transferred to Zone B4. Every day I was either at the checkpoint staring at the screen or on patrol. Not to mention other provinces, I have only been out of the city a handful of times.”

He chuckled self-deprecatingly and flicked away his cigarette ash. "Sometimes I envy you guys. You get to run in the wilderness, see different kinds of sheltered cities, and have new stories every day."

"And at other times?"

“I’m quite fortunate,” Li Changfeng answered frankly. “For example, when I received the news that Happiness City had been invaded by the Mother Source, I felt that being able to stand on this rooftop and smoke was already a great blessing.”

There is no conflict of interest or position between the two, so there is no need for them to lie.

Cheng Ye chuckled. The people of Happiness City envied the stability of Firewood, while the people of Firewood envied the freedom of Happiness City. But if they were to switch places, they might not necessarily live better than they do now.

"And what about your parents now?"

“They’re all dead.” Li Changfeng pursed his lips. “The day after I became a prosecutor, my father collapsed from exhaustion. It was a terminal illness caused by overwork, and he didn’t last a month. In the end, I personally carried him into the incinerator, the very furnace he had guarded for half his life, which was burning exceptionally brightly.”

“My mother’s passing was even more tragic. She was a community caregiver who always liked to meddle in other people’s business. Whenever someone had a headache or fever, she would rush over to check on them. As a result, she was scratched on the arm by an infected person. When she came back, she was still smiling and saying that she was fine. The next day, she started to have a fever. I watched helplessly as her eyes turned red and she became agitated.”

“There was no cure at the time, and the rules did not allow anyone to be left alive. In the end, I took the gun and shot her in the head to save her from suffering and turning into a monster.”

"Condolences."

Cheng Ye paused, and finally managed to squeeze out two words: "It's nothing, it happened many years ago."

Li Changfeng waved his hand, "People live for something to look forward to. My parents had no other hope in their lives but to let their son wear this uniform and have a stable future at the checkpoint, instead of having to suffer like they did at the bottom of society."

"However, I don't have any grand ambitions. I just hope that one day I can climb to the checkpoint in Area A, get my field pass there, and then leave the City of Fire and Protection in a carefree manner to pursue the freedom I want."

"Freedom?" Cheng Ye raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, I want to see the sun that isn't enclosed."

Li Changfeng's eyes suddenly lit up, as if they held a star. "I've heard that the stars in the wilderness are ten times brighter than those in the sheltered city, and you can even see traces left by the giant object when it approached Blue Star decades ago. Maybe it holds the key to completely eliminating the source of the infection!"

As he spoke, he raised his head and gestured with his chin, “Well, unlike us sitting here, we can only see a few scattered twinkling stars, not even as bright as the orbit of Mount Xingui.”

The words fell.

The rooftop fell silent for a moment.

After Li Changfeng finished smoking a whole cigarette and stubbed it out in the trash can next to him, he said, "Let's go. Before we go back, I'll treat you to some of the local delicacies of Xinhuo City. This place isn't like your Happiness City, where you can only drink nutritional syrup every day."

"That would be disrespectful."

Cheng Ye wasn't hungry, and having just had a good meal, he didn't crave anything.

But he was indeed curious about the food conditions at Xinhuo.

Back at the checkpoint, they mounted the winged assault unit and took off.

Even though it was the core area, there were no businesses open at night, but Li Changfeng led him to the staff canteen in area B4 with ease.

It's a bit like a university cafeteria, with four windows still open late at night.

"Auntie, give us four stir-fried dishes, two large bowls of rice, and a pitcher of chilled juice."

"okay!"

The aunt wearing an apron behind the window agreed, and then came the sound of the gas stove being turned on.

So extravagant?
Cheng Ye was stunned for a moment, but then he saw Li Changfeng's pained expression, which made him think that this meal must have been expensive.

However, as soon as he spoke, Cheng Ye realized that he had been tricked by this guy.

"This one meal cost me a day and a half's wages."

"Tsk tsk, don't be ungrateful."

"Haha, after all, the land in our new province is arable, unlike your Shi province, where crops simply can't grow. But it was cheaper a few years ago, and now that the scale of Xinhuo is getting bigger and bigger, everything has to be done with points. We usually just make do with what we have, and only come here for a good meal when we're craving something delicious."

Do you charge for electricity here?

"Of course you have to pay! What are you thinking?" Li Changfeng chuckled. "It's not like your Happiness City where residents get free electricity. Even my personal electricity bill as an inspector has to be charged at the residential rate, and it's not cheap at all. One kilowatt-hour can buy a bowl of rice."

"Oh, I haven't seen you using electric vehicles. Is it because of energy shortages?"

"No, it's because the factory needs energy, so they prioritize using it there. Besides, there are quite a few oil fields in the new province, and the amount extracted is enough for the vehicles. There's no need for a battery-powered car."

Just then, the first stir-fried dish was served.

Stir-fried tomatoes and eggs.

The red and white blocks are sprinkled with bright green scallions, and the steam carrying a sweet and sour aroma wafts over.

Cheng Ye wasn't hungry, but his Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily, making Li Changfeng laugh.
"Eat up, don't be shy. Next time I come to your Happiness City, just provide me with meals."

"That's easy, there's definitely enough nutrient solution."

Cheng Ye picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of scrambled egg, and put it in his mouth.

The tender aroma of the egg mixed with the slight sourness of the tomato exploded on his tongue, making him squint his eyes in pleasure.

It had been so long, so long that he had almost forgotten this pure satisfaction of the taste buds.

But tonight, both the beef hot pot and the food in front of him brought him back to his most primal joy.

"How about it?"

Cheng Ye didn't say anything, but picked up another piece of rice with his chopsticks and swallowed it along with the soup.

Fragrant!
"Eat slowly, there are still three dishes to go." Li Changfeng smiled and poured him a glass of juice, the amber liquid with ice cubes floating in it. "This is concentrated fruit juice, it's delicious."

Cheng Ye picked up the cup and took a big gulp. The cool sweetness slid down his throat, giving him a shiver.

It's nice to be able to sit in warm light with a new friend, eat a hot meal, and chat about trivial things.

Cheng Ye suddenly realized that the most precious thing about this journey to the source of the torch, the thing he would never forget for the next ten years or so, might not be the flying wing and the four-piece set he had collected.

But right now.

It is the present moment.

Whether it's freedom or stability, in the end it all comes down to these ordinary, everyday things.

Finished eating.

Cheng Ye devoured almost all four dishes, even mixing the last bit of broth with rice and shoveling it into his mouth.

Li Changfeng barely touched his chopsticks, just sat there watching with a smile, occasionally adding some juice, his eyes showing a knowing "I knew it" expression.

After letting out a long, satisfying burp, Cheng Ye leaned back in his chair, rubbing his stomach, too content to move.

After a while, he pondered:
"I want to buy a few bags of flour, a few bags of rice, and some plant seeds, but I only have Happiness Coins on hand, and I don't know..."

"Ten bags of flour, ten bags of rice, each weighing 100 kilograms, plus two bundles of various seeds, is that enough?"

Li Changfeng smiled and said, "Consider this a gift from me as a friend's token. You can pay me back double later."

"Friendship fee?"

Cheng Ye paused for a moment, then picked up the glass on the table. There was still a little bit of juice left in it. "Then I'll remember that. You have to come to Happiness City from now on. Well, it might not be able to fulfill your fantasies now, but maybe it will in the future."

Li Changfeng's eyes lit up, and he immediately raised his juice glass: "It's a deal!"

"A word is settled!"

"Prosecutor Cheng is back."

Bai Wei was still standing at the entrance to the fog cave when he saw Cheng Ye descending from the sky on a flying wing assault unit, and a smile appeared on his face.

How do you feel?

"good."

Cheng Ye grinned, "I bought some rice and flour with Prosecutor Li, I don't know."

"Just bring it over; that's your right."

Bai Wei waved his hand dismissively, "You have to be on duty tomorrow, so you can go back and rest first. I'll keep an eye on your things and make sure nothing is missing."

He paused, then added, "Also, if you owe Prosecutor Li a favor, Happiness City can help you pay it off."

"no need."

Cheng Ye shook his head. "I've gotten enough tonight, enough for me to digest for many days."

Bai Wei didn't insist further, but instead gave a thumbs up.

His complex gaze held approval, affirmation, and a hint of understanding.

Cheng Ye turned and walked towards the passage, but when he was almost at the entrance of the rest hall, he turned back and waved towards the entrance of the fog cave.

Although he knew Li Changfeng was blind, he still wanted to say goodbye.

Although I didn't get another number on the defense communication app this time, it was so worth it to make a new friend on the Fire of the Sea, thousands of miles away!

"Sir, you are back."

Da Long was still guarding the door. When he saw Cheng Ye coming over, he quickly led two young men to greet him.

Master Zhang was also standing to the side, dozing off against the wall.

"Hmm, why aren't you guys going back to sleep yet?"

“How can we sleep if you don’t come out?” Da Long scratched his head and pointed to the back of the bus. “Besides, they’re not letting the bus go out now, so we have to guard the salted fish on the bus. It wouldn’t be good if someone stole them.”

"Have a heart."

Cheng Ye smiled and said, "I'll need your help later. I bought some rice and flour, and I need to get them out of there."

"Don't worry, we've got your back!"

Da Long patted his chest and guaranteed it, and the two young men nodded in agreement.

After arranging for Da Long and the others to wait at the door, Cheng Ye returned to the bus and put the pendant back in to charge.

[Current Energy Replenishment Efficiency: Normal (Level 3 Energy)]

[4 hours remaining until full charge]

The numbers on the panel jumped around, from 0% to 100%, even at a 100kW efficiency, it would take a full four hours!
Cheng Ye rubbed his temples; he knew he wouldn't be able to go back to his place to sleep tonight.

It's already 3 a.m., and I have to start my shift at 7 a.m. There are only four hours in between, just enough time to fully charge the pendant.

And then there's the time it takes to get to the South Checkpoint; he'll need to find an excuse to dawdle for a while.

Otherwise, if Liu Kun comes along, you won't be able to get away without any energy points.

How do you say that?

Technology, I want it.

I want something extraordinary too!

The hardship will only last a few days. Once you have the strength, you'll have plenty of time to rest.

As I opened the bus door, the car was filled with the fishy smell of salted fish, creating a strange contrast with the lingering aroma of food in my mouth.

Cheng Ye walked to the middle of the carriage, grabbed an empty snakeskin bag, spread it out, and lay down.

Despite being wide awake, my mind is filled with turbulent thoughts.

But for some reason, a strange sense of peace suddenly washed over me, and my mind was completely free of any distracting thoughts.

He closed his eyes slightly, and his consciousness, like a dandelion seed blown by the wind, drifted lightly into a deep sleep.

Perhaps it's anticipation.

Perhaps it's because they have a clearer goal.

Besides strengthening his own abilities, Cheng Ye also harbored some additional ambitions.

The lights of the city sheltered by the flames were like a seed that fell into his heart. It turned out that it was really possible to rebuild a decent modern city on this wasteland.

The vibrant atmosphere of the old era and the tranquility of the modern world that he once cherished can be perfectly replicated on this land.

Moreover, with the collector at its disposal, it might even be able to do better than the City of Fire!
...

Ding.

It seemed like I had just lain down when the alarm went off.

Cheng Ye sat up, grabbed the defense communication device next to him, and turned on the screen. The time showed 6:50 a.m.

The carriage was already brightly lit, with a thin layer of frost on the glass windows. If you rubbed a patch off with your fingertip, you could see the clear morning light outside.

The thick fog that shrouded the Public Works Department last night has completely dissipated, and visibility has returned to within a kilometer.

Cheng Ye pushed open the car door and got out. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he saw Da Long, Master Zhang, and several young men all asleep, leaning against the flour sacks piled outside the carriage.

Twenty bags of rice and flour were piled together like a small mountain, each bag weighing one hundred kilograms, totaling two tons.

Next to it stood ten barrels of cooking oil, each weighing 20 kilograms, with the words "Special Supply for Xin Huo" printed on the barrels.

In addition, there were two large burlap sacks containing various seasonings.

There were even five large cardboard boxes. When Cheng Ye opened them, he found they were all filled with sealed canned goods.

The beef, vegetables, and fruits were all neatly arranged.

Looking at the pile of things, Cheng Ye couldn't help but glance in the direction of the rest hall again. Li Changfeng had thought things through thoroughly; if he was going to send something, he would send it all at once.

It wasn't just sending him some rice and flour; it was clearly preparing all the necessary supplies for him to live on the go during the winter.

He stood there stunned for a moment, then a heavy sense of peace welled up inside him.

Salted fish, rice, flour, cooking oil, and seasonings.
Once the checkpoints are completely closed in winter, these inspectors will no longer be needed on duty.

Even if it really comes to the point where we need to take people out to hide for a while, we will never have to worry about food again.

　P.S.: I've been merging chapters lately because the recommended spots after a book is published depend on the average number of subscriptions, not because I'm being lazy by updating only one chapter at a time. I've already updated 31 words this month. I'll take a break and then do a big burst of updates next month!
　　P.S. 2: I'm begging for monthly votes at the end of the month! The upcoming push is too fierce, and I urgently need your support to help Prosecutor Cheng maintain his position in the top ten and get more exposure!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)