Wasteland Border Inspector

Chapter 120 The Warrior's Might, Outer City Plan!

Central checkpoint.

The station manager's office building.

Before the SUV had even come to a complete stop, Ding Yishan had already jumped out of the car, his whole body reeking of an overwhelming smell of smoke.

Jiang Chuan followed closely behind, carrying a file bag. The two hurried up the stairs and rushed to the third floor.

Unlocking the office door, Ding Yishan went straight to the refrigerator in the corner, opened the door and took out four bags of nutrient solution.

Unlike ordinary models on the market, the nutrient solution inside the refrigerator is all in blue bags.

Its nutritional value is ten times that of ordinary nutritional syrup, and it also contains many anti-fatigue ingredients. Drinking one packet can help you stay active for half a day of high-intensity work.

I've already downed four bags in no time.

After finishing the drink, he clutched his lower abdomen and let out a long sigh of relief, collapsing heavily into his large office chair as if his bones had been removed.

"It's too noisy."

Rubbing his throbbing temples, Ding Yishan's voice was full of weariness.

After the unusual celestial phenomena, the troubles I've encountered this year are more than the total of the past five years combined.

Especially in the last month.

He Fei died, his substitute starfish invaded, and the Void Mist descended. Now, a Wish-Keeping Extraordinary has appeared.

The checkpoints are constantly bombarded by various incidents. They don't even have time to organize and archive the previous incidents before the next crisis hits them, leaving them no time to catch their breath.

What's even more outrageous is that a trainee prosecutor was able to be the first to discover Shouyuan's extraordinary abilities.

Ding Yishan couldn't help but sigh.

Since its establishment, the checkpoint has never had such a record, and it is highly unlikely that it will ever have one in the future.

The Cheng family once again brought a "surprise" to the checkpoint.

Fortunately, the station manager mentioned in a meeting a few days ago that he would focus on training new people, otherwise he would be in a real predicament now.

And for this "traveler".

The checkpoint was in complete chaos during the day. Senior prosecutors held an emergency meeting, discussing everything from capability analysis to potential threats, and the noise was enough to give anyone a headache.

The inspectors from the third and second phases who were not on duty ran themselves ragged, leading their teams to conduct a thorough search of the buffer zone, leaving no corner unchecked.

In the afternoon, as the intelligence was further transmitted and verified, the senior management of Xingfu City held another meeting.

From the estimated number of people to be relocated, to the plan for the allocation of supplies, to the expansion of defensive fortifications and the relocation support plan.
The votes took nearly four hours, more than twice as long as the reconstruction meeting after the last Starfish Stand outbreak.

Moreover, this is only a preliminary meeting; at least three to five more special meetings will be needed to finalize the details.

As for whether or not to give up on absorbing this wave of migration, no one mentioned it at the entire meeting.

This is like a windfall!

Many sheltered cities are fighting tooth and nail to attract population and resources, but Happy City just happened to stumble upon this opportunity after the wave of infections.

Let alone 500,000, even if it were 1 million, we'd grit our teeth and swallow it down!

However, while it's easy for top management to make decisions, it takes a lot of hard work for those at the bottom to implement them.

Jiang Chuan opened the bulging file bag and placed stacks of resolutions covered in signatures on the table, unable to help but gasp in astonishment:

"Sir, we need to prepare for at least 700,000 people. How can this buffer zone accommodate them? We can't expect them to sleep on the streets, can we?"

"Even if you can't eat, you have to eat; even if you're stuffed, you have to eat!"

Ding Yishan spoke, his voice hoarse, "Autumn is coming soon. If we take these people, Happiness City can double in size. Where else can we find such an opportunity if we miss this one?"

"Can"

Jiang Chuan paused, then said, "Even at full capacity, the checkpoint can only handle a maximum of 10,000 people entering the country each day. And this situation won't last long. With staff fatigue and streamlined procedures, the probability of infected individuals sneaking in will only increase. If even a few manage to slip through, the consequences will be dire."

"Therefore, the checkpoints cannot be operated at full capacity."

Ding Yishan interrupted, and after a moment of contemplation, pulled out a file from the pile of documents. "Don't look at those anymore, take a look at this first."

The documents on the table, each stamped with a red seal, recorded proposals that had been screened, voted on, and deemed worthy of further evaluation by the conference.

As for those unrealistic proposals, they were rejected outright, not even qualifying to appear on paper.

Jiang Chuan took it and his gaze fell on the title.

[Outer City Expansion Plan (Draft)]

He quickly scanned a few lines of content, then raised an eyebrow. The draft plan outlined a new area outside the buffer zone, gradually expanding it into an outer city to gather the arriving migrants.

The approach adopted was to "first register information, then designate temporary residences, and then divert people in batches" to gradually separate and stabilize the population, and finally allow them to enter the buffer zone in batches through checkpoints.

"Is this... planning to create another buffer zone outside the existing buffer zone?"

"It's just a draft, just take a look."

The anti-fatigue components in the nutrient solution began to take effect, and Ding Yishan's voice softened a bit, "It's definitely impossible to let everyone in all at once. The supercomputer simulation has shown that the buffer zone's current carrying capacity is 64.7 people. Adding even one more could cause a major problem. And it's not the kind of minor trouble where the supply of materials is difficult to maintain; it's a major problem that could trigger an explosion in the entire buffer zone!"

"But there's no time for us to slowly repair it now. The migration team is already on its way. The first batch of 40,000 people will arrive as early as the day after tomorrow. Starting with this group, there will only be more and more people."

"Many people suggested first demarcating the area with barbed wire, building makeshift shelters to keep people in place, while simultaneously allocating resources, installing power lines, and providing work relief to allow migrants to collect and build as they go. Once the outer city's framework is in place, people can be diverted to the buffer zone in proportion."

Jiang Chuan tightened his grip on the document: "But there are no fortifications in the outer city. What if fog holes appear? And with so many people, there are bound to be many infected as well."

"The Blood Dragon Legion will retreat across the board, and all retired soldiers and guards will be conscripted to the front lines. In addition, half of the Crusader Legion will also be deployed to build a defensive perimeter around the front."

While pondering, Ding Yishan said, "There are definitely risks, but it's better than having hundreds of thousands of people stuck outside. If things really get chaotic, not only the buffer zone, but the inner city will also suffer."

"Furthermore, this plan may seem risky, but it's actually a last resort. What we need to discuss now is how to build it, how to retain people, and how to minimize risks. These are the most crucial aspects."

Ding Yishan fired off a barrage of questions, his gaze fixed on Jiang Chuan's face.

Jiang Chuan was completely stunned. His mind went blank for a moment before he finally showed the familiar blank expression.

It's like when you're pressing buttons on your phone and it suddenly crashes.

Ok.

Ding Yishan sighed inwardly. Asking Jiang Chuan about this was too much of a stretch. Even if he were to think about it, he would feel like his brain was about to explode and he was at a loss for where to start.

"You can go and rest now. I need to continue working on these proposals. There's a big meeting tomorrow morning."

"Okay, my lord!"

Jiang Chuan suddenly snapped out of his daze, turned around blankly, and walked out the door.

Despite being at the half-step extraordinary level, his steps were somewhat unsteady.

However, just as Ding Yishan lowered his head to look through the proposal, there was another knock on the door.

"Enter."

The door was pushed open, and Jiang Chuan walked in again.

"what happened?"

"Sir, should we inform Prosecutor Cheng of this information?"

"Notify him?" Ding Yishan frowned habitually. "He's just an intern, how would he know?"

The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he suddenly stopped.

Under Jiang Chuan's gaze, Ding Yishan's brows gradually relaxed, revealing a thoughtful expression.

Moreover, the expression was initially faint, but it intensified within a few seconds.

"Okay, let him know."

"Then I."

"Come here, sit here, and tell him for me." Ding Yishan stood up and made room for him in his large office chair.

"what?"

"It's nothing. I just suddenly became curious whether our Prosecutor Cheng would have any constructive suggestions if he knew about these things."

Ding Yishan deliberately emphasized the pronunciation of the four words "Inspector Cheng," and a subtle, unfathomable look flashed in his eyes.

"Come on, aren't you close to him? You won't even dare to ask him a question for me?"

"I"

Jiang Chuan was still somewhat bewildered. "Sir, are you serious, or..."

"Then there is still a holiday?"

Ding Yishan gestured for him to enter, then turned around and pulled over a recliner. He leaned comfortably against the window, gazing at the lights of the checkpoint outside. "Since you're already sitting in the stationmaster's seat, just act like you're the stationmaster and ask me anything."

Hey, that's interesting!

After his thoughts were cleared, Ding Yishan shook his head.

The fact that this kid was able to discover Shouyuan's extraordinary abilities shows that he is a bold and meticulous person.

He already said at the conference that he wanted to cultivate young people, so it's normal for him to test them now.

Of course, Ding Yishan would never admit it, but deep down he had developed some unfounded expectations of the Cheng family.

He wanted to see what kind of trouble this Inspector Cheng could cause during his probationary period.

What can one say about the mess left by these hundreds of thousands of migrants?

"That's right, it's five hundred thousand!"

As soon as Jiang Chuan finished speaking, he immediately added, "500,000 is just a predicted number; the exact figure will depend on the traveler's route."

"According to the latest feedback information analysis, the number of people affected by the torch is far more than 600. The current number has exceeded 10,000. Moreover, the ability of the 'walker' is far more than just inducing motivation. It is more like strengthening people's expectations of 'change'."

"Expectations for change?"

Cheng Ye repeated himself, pondering, "Could it amplify the potential benefits of change while weakening the assessment of risks?"

Yes, you guessed right.

Jiang Chuan was somewhat surprised and subconsciously turned to look at Ding Yishan.

The latter leaned back in his recliner expressionlessly, nodding slightly to signal him to continue. "Affected by this, and compounded by the survival pressure brought by the fog, the migrants will believe that Happiness City is the only way out. This belief will be infinitely strengthened, and even if they know that there may be dangers ahead, they will rush over regardless. Therefore, the actual number is likely to be more than 500,000."

"More than 500,000?"

Although Cheng Ye lowered his voice, a clear sense of shock could still be heard in it.

He couldn't help but be surprised.

This is no longer a question of whether the checkpoint is busy or not; it involves the stability of the entire Happiness City system.

Even if the checkpoints operate at full capacity, they cannot handle such a massive influx of people.

And don't forget, the fog hasn't left, and unpredictable chaos could occur at any time.

With so many people staying outside the buffer zone, if they were to cause a riot, would we have to use force to suppress them?
Once the first shot is fired, the reputation of Happiness City will be completely destroyed, and no new personnel or caravans will be able to arrive.

"Can't we just kill the pilgrim?"

After Cheng Ye finished speaking, he changed his mind and said, "Now that we have tracked down his whereabouts, can we find a way to guide him to other areas? Even just slowing down the migration would be helpful."

Population inflow is actually a good thing.

But 500,000, or even more, is far beyond the carrying capacity of Happiness City.

However, if the traveler's route can be guided, and the number of people migrating each day can be controlled to five or six thousand, or at most ten thousand, then Happiness City can have a buffer period.

"this."

Jiang Chuan hesitated for a moment, then quickly looked at Ding Yishan.

The latter looked thoughtful, made a silencing gesture, and immediately said, "Continue to use the same excuse as this morning to tell him about Shouyuan's extraordinary characteristics."

"Yes."

Jiang Chuan nodded slightly and quickly took out a folded piece of paper from his pocket, on which a few lines of text were written.

The microphone was silent for more than ten seconds.

Just when Cheng Ye thought that the fog had rolled in again and was interfering with the signal.

Jiang Chuan's voice came again, as if reciting a poem, his tone suddenly becoming fluent:
"Prosecutor Cheng, since no trainee prosecutor has ever encountered this type of incident in the history of the checkpoint, there are currently no corresponding rules for handling it."

"However, considering that you were the first person to discover the extraordinary Guardian of Wishes, and that you bought valuable time for Happiness City to respond, the checkpoint has decided to temporarily upgrade some of your information access privileges, and you are tentatively designated as a Phase III Inspector. I will send a batch of materials to your Defense Communicator later, please check it."

"In addition, this batch of information involves highly confidential information. Please ensure that only you view it and that it is absolutely not disclosed to any unrelated personnel."

"Okay, please."

Cheng Ye breathed a sigh of relief, his heart finally settling down a little.

This feeling of being swept up by the unknown is terrible. At least if we can get some inside information, we won't be running around like headless flies.

"Regarding killing the Walker, we cannot do it at the moment, or rather, no Sanctuary in the Wasteland can do it, because the characteristic of the Wish Keeper is that they are born according to their wishes, and their bodies will not perish as long as their wishes are fulfilled."

"Ok?"

Cheng Ye couldn't help but widen his eyes. Didn't that mean that Shouyuan Chaofan was immortal?
“Yes.” Jiang Chuan seemed to have guessed his thoughts and continued, “To put it simply, he is immortal. Even if we can kill him, he will re-form somewhere after a while. But after being resurrected, he will take our Happiness City as his target for revenge, which will bring a huge wave of infection. In the past, two super sanctuary cities have been destroyed because of this.”

“As for guiding travelers to other places, that is even more difficult.”

Jiang Chuan's voice continued, "The behavior of Shouyuan Chaofan is completely unpredictable. Once it detects human interference, it will immediately enter a state of indiscriminate berserk rage. At that point, it won't just be a matter of migration tides, but even more trouble."

Good guy!
Can't kill, can't touch, can't control, buffs are stacked up, can't be selected, right?!
This thing may not pose a significant direct threat, but it is far more troublesome than the Mother Source!

This is indeed the genuine version of the answer.

Cheng Ye even had a thought: if he encountered some deadly situation in the future, could he take the initiative to transform into a Wish-Keeping Extraordinary?

"To cope with the migration wave, Happiness City has already started a round of meetings and discussions, and has put forward many constructive opinions and some drafts. Prosecutor Cheng, now that your authority has been upgraded, you are able to know about these things. Would you like me to read them to you? The checkpoint is also collecting opinions from prosecutors and revising the drafts to address any unreasonable parts so that they can be implemented as soon as possible."

"There's already a draft?"

Cheng Ye paused slightly, then suddenly raised an eyebrow and sat down on the edge of the bed.

A bit awesome.

Happiness City reacted very quickly; it only took a few hours from morning to night to get to this point.

However, considering Jiang Chuan's suddenly fluent speech and his current tentative question.

Cheng Ye understood and couldn't help but smile and nod slightly, "Then I'll trouble you. I happen to be free right now."

"Okay, I'll read you a few drafts that are likely to be implemented."

For Jiang Chuan, the ability to recite without having to think was undoubtedly a great pleasure.

His speech became increasingly fluent, even acquiring a slight intonation.

"Using work relief to build the outer city?"

Cheng Ye pondered quietly, his fingertips tapping lightly on the bed sheet, extracting keywords from the draft.

This idea is not bad; it solves the resettlement problem of migrants and can stabilize people's hearts through labor. However, the key issue lies in...
"Can Happiness City provide the resources needed to build the outer city?"

After saying that, Cheng Ye added, "I'm not referring to temporary supplies like tents or nutrient solution, but to building materials, such as cement, steel bars, and various other basic building materials."

Ok?
Jiang Chuan was taken aback. He thought Cheng Ye would first ask how the safety of the migrants was guaranteed, or whether the diversion mechanism was reasonable. He didn't expect that his first question would go straight to the most practical bottleneck of supplies.

Ding Yishan, who was leaning back in his recliner with his eyes half-closed, straightened up slightly upon hearing this, a hint of interest flashing in his eyes.

He nodded slightly, extended one finger, and then clenched it into a fist.

Having followed Ding Yishan for so many years, Jiang Chuan immediately understood and cleared his throat, replying, "That's possible. All the building materials produced in Xingfu City this summer haven't been sold externally; they're all stockpiled in warehouses, which can fully meet the construction needs of the first phase of the outer city. The industrial zone will then fully switch production, and given enough time, the material shortage can definitely be filled."

hiss.

This is not a small-scale project involving a few thousand people in Tianyuan Community, but a large-scale construction project involving at least half a million people!

Does Happiness City really have such a substantial financial foundation?
Cheng Ye's eyelids twitched. Since it could meet the construction needs, this draft was very practical.

If Happiness City wants to develop in the future, it certainly cannot be confined to a small buffer zone.

Even a city protected by a torch needs to be divided into different levels of zones to mitigate risks.

The current size of Happiness City is not large enough to support such a complex layout, but building an outer city as a transition is entirely feasible.

However, Cheng Ye's brows furrowed slightly again.

The difficulty of work-for-relief programs has never been the "work" and "relief" themselves, but rather how to ensure fairness.

With hundreds of thousands of people working on the project simultaneously, how do we measure each person's contribution?

What if some places are built quickly while others are built slowly, and everyone wants to squeeze into the best locations?
Or to put it more practically, the terrain outside the buffer zone varies in elevation, with safe areas close to the defense line and dangerous areas far from it.

Everyone wants to crowd into safe places, so who would want to build in dangerous areas?
“Prosecutor Cheng, if you have any suggestions, please let me know. I will write them down and submit them to the station chief for review.”

As Jiang Chuan spoke, a sudden inspiration struck him: "The station attaches great importance to the training of the younger generation of prosecutors. If you can make a contribution in this matter, you will definitely be able to reduce many of the requirements for promotion in the future."

Ok?
Ding Yishan glanced at Jiang Chuan in surprise, then suddenly shook his head and chuckled.

Sitting in that office chair, you really think you're the station manager, huh?
But this is for the best. It's more natural for him to say these things to Cheng Ye than for me to say them myself.

"let me see"

Realizing that this might be another test for those seeking advancement, Cheng Ye cleared his mind and his brain raced.

Just like the last time I spoke with Towns, there was no further information to support this, and it was just empty talk.

The most crucial aspect of theoretical strategizing is demonstrating a broad perspective.

As long as we grasp the overall situation, the details can be carefully considered and perfected by pooling everyone's efforts.

The microphone suddenly went silent.

After a full four or five minutes, Cheng Ye finally spoke after a moment's thought, "Jiang Chuan."

“Prosecutor Cheng, just tell me what to do. I have a pen in my hand, and I will write it down.”

"it is good."

Cheng Ye began, “The draft plan for building the outer city can be implemented, but two issues need to be determined first: First, should we build an outer city structure similar to a buffer zone, or a distribution structure similar to the torch relay? Second, what is the material distribution system during the construction process? Should it be based on labor or on progress?”

These two consecutive questions were beyond Jiang Chuan's knowledge.

He instinctively turned to look at Ding Yishan, only to find Ding Yishan also deep in thought.

After more than ten seconds, I gestured for him to press the mute button, and then asked him about the advantages and disadvantages of the two structures and the distribution system.

"clear."

Jiang Chuan quickly relayed the question, and this time Cheng Ye's answer was both swift and clear.

“A buffer zone-like outer city structure will result in a division between core and peripheral areas, which will lead to serious allocation conflicts. If the first batch of migrants are assigned to the safe and convenient core area, those who arrive later will have to go to the remote peripheral areas, and fairness will be out of the question. It is easy to immediately ignite the conflict between the areas, and then it will be impossible to suppress it.”

"A distribution structure similar to the 'Spark' system can avoid this problem. Each area is a relatively independent core area without a clear hierarchy. Differences in terrain and safety distances encountered during construction can also be balanced through resource allocation. For example, reducing the resource allocation for areas close to the defense line and increasing the extra rewards for areas far from the defense line can both guide manpower to the perimeter and promote the balanced construction of the entire outer city, avoiding a situation where one side is saturated and the other side is desolate."

"As for the distribution system..."

Cheng Ye slowed down his speech a bit, “The advantage of distribution according to work is that it is intuitive. It is clear at a glance how much or how little work is done, which can stimulate individual enthusiasm to the greatest extent. But the disadvantages are also obvious: the construction of the outer city is not a solo effort. Building a wall requires the cooperation of those who mix mud, transport bricks, and erect scaffolding. If everyone focuses on their own work, it is easy to become a scattered mess where everyone does their own thing, and the overall efficiency will actually decrease.”

"Allocation based on schedule, on the other hand, is more suitable for teamwork. For example, a construction team can be assigned an area and required to complete a section of the defensive wall within three days. Once completed, materials can be distributed according to the number of people, and there are bonuses for exceeding the target. This can force everyone to stick together, but it can also cause problems. If there are lazy people in the team and there is not enough monitoring and punishment system, it is easy to create a situation where one person's laziness affects the whole team, slowing down the overall progress."

"And this is precisely the point that is difficult to measure. If we delegate oversight authority, they may only want the strong and healthy, leaving women, children, the elderly, and the infirm aside, creating new injustices. If we take back oversight authority, the workload would be too great to handle when dealing with hundreds of thousands of people."

Jiang Chuan's pen tip moved swiftly across the paper.

Cheng Ye's words were very simple, and he could understand them, but he struggled to think about them in depth.

There seems to be no perfect choice; every option has its own unsolvable troubles and problems.

"Is there a compromise?"

After finishing recording, Jiang Chuan couldn't help but ask questions before Ding Yishan could even give him a hint.

"Have!"

This question was far too simple for him, the proponent of this new idea, and it didn't sound out of place at all when he said it.

Cheng Ye changed the subject abruptly, saying, "Establish a regional responsibility system, clearly define regional tasks and assign them to individuals, with all profits and losses borne by the responsible party. At the same time, set clear goals and establish tiered rewards and punishments to make them directly responsible for the results!"

　P.S.: There will be another update tonight~
　　
　
(End of this chapter)