Wasteland Border Inspector

Chapter 124 Sitting and Discussing the Way: The Pieces and the Player!

Rain during the rainy season always comes suddenly.

Before Cheng Ye reached the end of the doorway, cold raindrops began to fall behind him. At first, there were only a few scattered drops, but in the blink of an eye, they connected into a line.

The scavengers waiting to go out all shrank back, but not one of them moved.

Everyone stared at the misty wilderness outside the checkpoint, their eyes filled with an almost obsessive expectation, as if something that could save their lives was hidden outside.

"Even though the traveler has left, the effects continue, and they seem to be getting worse."

Cheng Ye stopped and observed for a moment, his brows furrowing slightly.

Compared to yesterday, these people are behaving even more strangely today, and it seems like there's a fire burning in everyone's eyes.

The blazing flames represent a yearning for "change".

After being amplified by the traveler's abilities, it grew wildly like weeds, gradually spiraling out of control.

Fortunately, the number of people did not increase significantly compared to yesterday, which was a slight relief.

After observing for a while, Cheng Ye took out his badge and was about to swipe it to open the isolation door, but the door slid open from the inside first.

Unexpectedly, it was Lei Hu who came out, surrounded by more than ten guards.

"Good morning, Prosecutor Cheng."

Lei Hu seemed to be in a very good mood. The moment he saw him, he broke into a big smile, exuding friendliness.

"Good morning, Station Chief Lei!"

"I wasn't late today, haha."

Lei Hu laughed twice. "Just kidding. Station Chief Ding is waiting for you in my office. I was going to have the guards wait for you at the door before taking you up, but this is perfect. You can just go straight there."

"Yes."

Cheng Ye stepped aside to make way, his gaze sweeping over the increasingly heavy rain outside. "Station Chief Lei, there are quite a few scavengers outside. Walker... well, you should be careful not to get caught up in it."

"rest assured!"

Lei Hu laughed even more heartily, patted the pistol at his waist, and said, "I've been a prosecutor for over ten years, so I still have some self-control. I'm not going to be so easily tripped up."

He paused, then pursed his lips, a hint of seriousness in his eyes. "There is definitely an impact, but it hasn't gotten out of control yet. The situation outside is complicated, and these scavengers are, after all, long-time residents of Happiness City. We should help them if we can, at least to increase their chances of survival."

"Station Chief Lei, you've worked hard."

Cheng Ye nodded and said nothing more.

But a slight thought stirred within him, and his gaze swept over the long line of scavengers.

Lei Hu is considerate of scavengers?
Normally, it might be possible, but in this situation, unless…

From beginning to end, my gaze suddenly settled on a short, stout figure who had just walked through the rain and was panting heavily.

As expected, it arrived!
Cheng Ye's pupils contracted almost imperceptibly for a moment, then he looked away as if nothing had happened, hurriedly walked through the isolation door, and never glanced in that direction again.

The extraordinary beings in this world are too bizarre; whether they are the Mother Source or the Wish Guardian Extraordinary, their abilities far exceed our imagination.

Who knows if those extraordinary individuals who enter the symbiotic ecosystem will have even more abnormal perceptions?
hum.

The isolation door slowly closed behind us, shutting out the rain and the crowd.

Just now.

Liu Kun, who was standing in the crowd with his head down, frowned slightly and glanced thoughtfully at the direction of the isolation door.

From an angle unseen by everyone, a creature resembling an eagle stood silently on his shoulder.

Its fiery red feathers resemble a burning flame, seemingly existing in another dimension, impossible to observe with the naked eye, yet exuding a mimicry that can influence reality.

The instant Cheng Ye cast that glance, Flame Eagle abruptly turned its head and stared back with equal sharpness.

If Cheng Ye's gaze lingered even for half a second longer, the eyes of the man and the eagle would inevitably meet.

but.

Cheng Ye was ultimately too cautious; he only glanced at it before immediately looking away without pausing for a moment.

The Flamehawk stared for a moment, but failed to detect any further anomalies. Its fiery red feathers stirred slightly, as if it were getting impatient and was about to flap its wings and take flight.

However, at that moment, a loud shout came from the front of the line:

"Attention everyone! Line up!"

A guard stepped forward, pushing through the crowd, and announced through a megaphone, "Station Chief Lei understands everyone's hard work and knows the dangers of going out, so he specially applied for a batch of supplies for those going out. Everyone here will receive one!"

"Those who want to receive it, line up neatly! No cutting in line, no making noise!"

"Or get out of here!"

The guard was quite blunt, but the crowd erupted in cheers instantly.

The oppressive atmosphere caused by the rain and waiting was dispelled by elation. Everyone's face flushed with excitement, and many even stood on tiptoe to look ahead, uttering muffled words of gratitude.

Affected by the sound, the thoughtful look in Liu Kun's eyes vanished instantly.

The next second, he immediately put on a smile that was no different from the other scavengers around him, and even waved his arms more vigorously than others, cheering along with the crowd, perfectly blending into the fervent emotions.

Seeing this, the fiery eagle's restless feathers gradually calmed down, and it buried its head back under its wings.

"Hey bro, the wound on your arm seemed to be glowing just now?"

As Liu Kun was waving and cheering with the crowd, a hoarse voice suddenly came from behind him.

The middle-aged man standing behind him craned his neck, his eyes filled with curiosity. Just now, when Liu Kun raised his arm and his sleeve slipped down, he vaguely caught a glimpse of an unhealed wound on the back of the other man's arm.

It's not strange to have a wound, but what's strange is the edge of the wound.

It seemed to have an eerie dark green hue, as if it were alive, flickering on and off.

"Ok?"

Liu Kun paused, feigning confusion as he pulled up his sleeve, revealing his entire arm. "Are there any wounds?"

"Am I wrong?"

The middle-aged man paused for a moment, then leaned closer to examine the skin more closely. The rough skin was covered with old scars, but there were indeed no wounds.

Feeling a little embarrassed, he quickly put on an apologetic smile: "I'm sorry, brother, the rain was probably too heavy and it made my eyes blurry. I'm really sorry."

"It's alright, we're all on the same side, it's understandable to be careful."

Liu Kun smiled, his tone completely normal, and turned back to look ahead, as if the little incident had never happened.

But from an angle unseen by ordinary people, the flame eagle on his shoulder had changed its appearance.

The fiery red feathers that were once burning had somehow faded to an eerie dark green, like ghostly flames soaked in venom, exuding a chilling aura.

As Liu Kun lowered his arm, the dark green color flowed along the feathers, like a snake that had come to life, quietly crawling back to the back of his arm.

In an instant, the flame eagle's feathers reignited with red flames, and the leaping flames completely obscured the dark green color from before.

But deep within the firelight, if you look closely, you can always find a lingering darkness.

It's like ink dripping into a flame; it should have burned away, but it stubbornly remains there, swaying gently with the flickering flame, exuding an indescribable eeriness.

We entered the checkpoint.

After clocking in as usual, Cheng Ye planned to borrow an umbrella from the duty room.

It wasn't raining when I left this morning, and I was in such a hurry that I completely forgot to bring a raincoat.

However, the duty room only had spare raincoats that didn't fit properly; there weren't as many umbrellas as he had imagined.

Cheng Ye was stunned for a moment before he realized that in the vast Happiness City, it seemed that only the residents of the inner city were entitled to use umbrellas and did not have to rush around the city in raincoats.

After he arrived in the outer city, he indeed did not see anyone using an umbrella.

"Fine."

Cheng Ye nodded, not saying much, and simply pulled up his collar and jogged towards the station building in the rain.

The cold raindrops hit my face, mixing with the damp, chilly air and seeping into my bones, like countless tiny needles pricking me.

I reckon the perceived temperature is probably already close to zero.

If the next migrants arrive and the weather is still like this, the freezing temperatures alone could cause a lot of trouble.

"Prosecutor Cheng, the station chief is waiting for you in his office on the fifth floor."

The guards at the station building saw him running in the rain and quickly came to greet him.

The way people address each other at the checkpoints is quite particular. For example, if someone is called Lei Hu, the guards will add a surname and call him Station Chief Lei.

When they arrive in Harlin, they won't say "deputy stationmaster," but will directly say "stationmaster."

Only Ding Yishan is addressed by the title "Chief Station Master" by everyone, in order to highlight his status.

"Could you please find me a raincoat? I forgot to bring one today."

Cheng Ye nodded and casually gave instructions as he climbed the steps.

"Okay, I'll bring it to you right away," the guard replied.

When they reached the corner between the fourth and fifth floors, Cheng Ye subconsciously stopped.

I took a few deep breaths of the damp, cold air until my body was completely relaxed and my mind was calm before I started walking uphill with steady steps.

If it were more than half a month ago, when Liu Bi had just left, he would inevitably feel uneasy.

But things are different now. His increased strength has subtly changed his mindset.

Everything went so smoothly, without the slightest bit of trepidation at stepping into the power vortex of the checkpoint.

After all, what Ding Yishan wanted to get from this stationmaster was far more than what he wanted to get from him.

boom.

Just as Cheng Ye's hand touched the door, the door was pulled open from the inside.

He subconsciously thought it was Jiang Chuan, but unexpectedly it was Ding Yishan who opened the door himself, revealing a familiar and warm smile.

That expression was almost exactly the same as when my predecessor had just left the inner city and had been asking me how I was doing.

"Come in quickly. It's raining so hard outside. Why didn't you put on a raincoat? In this situation, if you get sick, there won't be time for you to rest."

Seeing the water droplets clinging to Cheng Ye's hair, Ding Yishan quickly instructed, "Achuan, quickly get a clean towel."

Jiang Chuan, who was standing in the inner room, then stepped out, holding a clean white towel in his hand.

To Cheng Ye's surprise, Ding Yishan didn't let Jiang Chuan hand him the towel. Instead, he treated himself like an elder, took the towel, and wiped Cheng Ye's head with it.

Ok?
So you're going to imitate Cao Cao by meeting Xu You barefoot, right?

Cheng Ye felt a little strange, but his face showed a timely expression of being flattered and moved.

After Ding Yishan wiped himself a couple of times, he quickly took the towel and said politely, "Station Chief Ding, I'll do it myself. I wouldn't dare trouble you."

"Hey kid, why are you being so polite with me?"

Ding Yishan smiled and didn't insist. He withdrew his hand and turned to walk towards the reception area where he had talked with Lei Hu earlier. "Sit down. I asked you to come over because I wanted to talk to you about the plans Jiang Chuan gave me last night. Hmm, they're very good. Even I, the stationmaster, was somewhat moved after reading them."

It was surprisingly straightforward.

Cheng Ye paused for a moment, hung the towel on the cabinet by the entrance, and sat down on the single sofa opposite Ding Yishan.

It was the same spot as last time, but the people I was talking to had changed, and the atmosphere was completely different.

Jiang Chuan stood guard at the entrance of the outer hall, about four or five meters away, like a door god.

Cheng Ye subconsciously opened the panel and glanced at the two's level of cooperation.

Jiang Chuan's stats remained at 55%, just like Miao Yang's; once he got used to it, it stayed around that range.

As expected, Dante Yishan's cooperation rate was 0%.

After Chu Xuan and Harlin, this is the third person he has met whose cooperation level is completely zero.

"Is it pure distrust, or do they have no intention of exchanging any substantial information with me at all?" Cheng Ye pondered.

A lot can actually be gleaned from the level of cooperation alone.

For example, the current 0% is almost tantamount to an open statement. In the following conversation, as long as he asks questions, Ding Yishan will most likely not answer a single one.

This also means that the conversation is currently one-way, with only him answering questions, and Ding Yishan must have come with a lot of questions.

"Cheng Ye," Ding Yishan picked up the kettle, poured a cup of hot tea, and placed it in front of him, speaking casually as if chatting with someone, "How long have you been at the checkpoint?"

"It's been more than three months."

“More than three months.” Ding Yishan nodded and put down the teapot. “Not a long time, but your ability is not weak. I looked at your previous information about the inner city, and it didn’t say that you knew about these things.”

"The information doesn't say I have the ability to kill advanced fusion beings."

Cheng Ye smiled slightly. Since he couldn't explain it, he would answer with something even more bizarre. "Since you've entered the checkpoint, you should have the ability to learn on your own. You should take the initiative to learn what you need to know."

"Well said, self-learning ability is very important!"

Ding Yishan nodded emphatically, and as expected, he did not dwell on the "documents". "Many of our veteran inspectors at the checkpoint do not understand this principle. They always think about getting by by forming factions and cliques. If they all had your awareness, my job as the station chief would be much easier!"

"Forming cliques and factions," she just blurted it out so fluently?

Cheng Ye remained calm, glanced at the still 0% cooperation level, and hesitated without responding.

Ding Yishan didn't seem to expect a response from him, and changed the subject: "Regarding the ideas you put forward, I had Achuan reorganize them. Would you like to see the revised version?"

“Okay.” Cheng Ye picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said humbly, “What I said last night was a bit scattered, and I don’t know if there will be any omissions in the summary.”

Ding Yishan gave an approving smile and took out a stack of bound papers from the drawer under the coffee table.

It was obviously well prepared.

"Several Opinions on the Prosecutor's Responsibility for the Construction of the Outer City?"

Cheng Ye's gaze fell on the cover.

He raised an eyebrow slightly, repeated the title, and looked puzzled. "Station Chief Ding, I didn't say last night that our prosecutors were going out to do contracted work?"

"Oh, this"

Ding Yishan picked up his teacup, his tone as calm as if he were talking about a trivial matter, "Achuan probably misheard and added it himself. Don't worry about the title, just look at the content. A lot of it may have been expanded based on your ideas last night."

Expand?

Cheng Ye looked towards the outer hall, and Jiang Chuan gave an awkward but polite smile, saying, "Prosecutor Cheng, you spoke too quickly last night, and I couldn't keep up with the writing. I added some of my own thoughts as I thought about it, so there may be errors or omissions, or some unreasonable parts. Please feel free to point out any problems."

Jiang Chuan stammered a bit when he said the second half of the sentence.

Cheng Ye chuckled inwardly, knowing that this must be Ding Yishan's own "masterpiece".

But since they're unwilling to spell it out...
So, does he just want to hear some agreeable words of support, or does he genuinely want to hear some constructive opinions?

Picking up the proposal, Cheng Ye focused his mind and read it line by line.

This plan is about 60-70% similar to the framework he casually mentioned last night, but some major changes have been made to the specific implementation.

For example, he changed his proposed distribution of team resource packs to resource vouchers that require contributions to redeem.

For example, he changed his idea of ​​focusing on regional development, like the "Spark" model, where each region specializes in one area and several regions work together to produce, to a model where each region is fully equipped.

Of course, the main point is still about the prosecutor taking charge of everything.

Cheng Ye didn't mention the implementation method of the lump-sum contract at all last night, but the plan contained complete details of the lump-sum contract.

Pages seven through thirteen are filled with detailed rules, covering everything from the division of areas to the scope of responsibilities, and even how to coordinate with other agencies.

"Station Chief Ding, I'm afraid this won't work." Cheng Ye pretended to frown and think, but his eyes were actually fixed on the panel.

Assuming there is no change in cooperation, he would casually make up a minor issue to brush it off.

If there are any changes.
"Oh?" Ding Yishan paused, holding his teacup. "What's wrong with it? Tell me, I'm listening."

The words fell.

To Cheng Ye's surprise, the cooperation level on the panel actually changed!
It jumped slightly from 0% to 5%, then in the blink of an eye it dropped back to 2%.

Good grief, so you really came here to hear my "criticism"?

Cheng Ye was somewhat taken aback, but he immediately suppressed his thoughts and said in a calm tone, "If we let our prosecutors go out and take on specific tasks, then it becomes a contract responsibility system, and the core will be completely changed."

“Contractual responsibility?” Ding Yishan frowned, repeating the term thoughtfully.

"My understanding of 'contracting' should be based on residents as the main body."

Cheng Ye leaned forward slightly, his tone resolute, “Let them choose a place to settle down and build their new home there. Throughout the process, Happiness City will only provide necessary material assistance, and will establish a strict reward and punishment system and a system of accountability to ensure that the construction proceeds in an orderly manner. This way, residents will have a sense of belonging and will be motivated to work.”

“But if we change it to a contract responsibility system, it becomes like we prosecutors hire these residents to help expand the outer city. One is doing your own work, the other is getting paid to do it for someone else. The enthusiasm and sense of responsibility are worlds apart, they are completely different things.”

Cheng Ye cleared his throat and casually pointed to one of the details, "Look here, the inspector puts out the material requirements, and Happiness City matches the requirements. If there are no restrictions, some people will inevitably be extravagant and wasteful in order to speed up the process, and report more and take more. But if there are restrictions, it will be too restrictive, and it will be difficult to allocate materials in case of an emergency, which will only make things worse."

"And this, requiring inspectors to randomly select assigned areas, seems fair, but is actually unreasonable. Because not everyone in our team of inspectors is the same. If someone is good at construction planning, then he should be assigned a stable location, instead of being randomly assigned to an outer area to take risks and slow down the construction progress."

"Or rather, everyone has a different understanding of a region. What may be a bad region in the eyes of others may be suitable for his perspective, and he may know how to develop it."

"There's also a problem with using the speed of development in a district as the core performance indicator. When migrants first arrive, what they lack most is a sense of security and basic guarantees. If we keep pushing for expansion, how can the inspectors guarantee that these people will be willing to listen?"

There is no such thing as a perfect plan in the world.

No matter how detailed or reasonable it is, if you want to find fault, you can always find omissions.

After pointing out several obvious problems in one breath, Cheng Ye stopped, picked up his teacup, and took a sip of water.

A quick glance at the panel in the upper right corner revealed that the cooperation rate had quietly climbed to 12%, just enough to cross the threshold for intelligence gathering.

Ding Yishan was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed, "From what you're saying, you're not against prosecutors taking on specific duties, but against this current contractual system?"

"Station Chief Ding, why do you think the two methods cannot be used in parallel?"

Cheng Ye put down his teacup, his tone as calm as if he were discussing an ordinary matter.

"parallel?"

Ding Yishan's eyebrows twitched noticeably, and his expression changed slightly.

Although he quickly concealed it, Cheng Ye still caught that fleeting look of astonishment.

As reflected on the panel, the cooperation rate increased almost instantly, soaring to 27%.

Good guy.

Did this strike a chord with Ding Yishan?
"You mean, lump-sum contracts and contracting can be implemented simultaneously?"

“Yes, the contracting system has some merit, and the two systems are not actually in conflict.” Cheng Ye nodded slightly, slowly revealing part of what he had been thinking about last night. “According to this plan, the safe zone can only accommodate a maximum of about 200,000 people, and the remaining outer areas all pose considerable risks.”

“In the core safe area, there should be little resistance to implementing the resident responsibility system, as people have a sense of belonging and are naturally willing to contribute. However, in the dangerous outer areas, no one will be willing to go.”

"At times like these, our prosecutors are willing to step forward and lead their teams to take over these dangerous areas. That is a demonstration of responsibility, a way to minimize the losses to Xingfu City, and a practical way to help Xingfu City develop. It is a selfless act of dedication that unites the people!"

Cheng Ye raised his voice slightly, revealing a bewildered and naive expression.

"This kind of behavior should be supported by a large number of policies, plus unlimited reward clauses. The inspectors should feel that it is worthwhile, visible and rewardable to go to those dangerous places! Only then will people be willing to stand up and become a high wall in front of the residents, contributing to the future of our happy city!"

He paused, picked up the plan, flipped through a couple of pages, and became even more puzzled:
"But Jiang Chuan's plan, between the lines, always gives off an air of... 'We prosecutors are in a hurry to go out and take people to contract construction projects,' as if we're afraid of missing out. Strange, the prosecutors are clearly making selfless contributions, yet they're bound by a bunch of rules and regulations, and even punished if they don't do a good job? Isn't this just a thankless task?"

hiss.

Cheng Ye hesitated for a long time before saying the last sentence.

Ding Yishan's face remained completely expressionless; he even nodded slightly, as if to say, "You're right."

However, the cooperation rate on the panel cannot be faked at all. It surged by an exaggerated 21% in an instant, almost breaking through the 50 mark!

"It's interesting."

Cheng Ye was filled with excitement, having finally found another way to improve cooperation.

Aside from coercion and interrogation, forcing the other party to agree with and accept one's point of view can actually be considered cooperation?!
After a moment's hesitation, Ding Yishan suddenly turned to look at the outer hall and called out, "Jiang Chuan, come here and tell me what you're thinking?"

"Uh..." Jiang Chuan, standing at the door, clearly hadn't expected to be called out. He jolted awake, walked over, and stammered, "Stationmaster, I...I was thinking, thinking..."

I thought for a long time, but couldn't come up with a single word.

Just as Jiang Chuan was about to crash, Ding Yishan raised his hand and shouted, "Alright, did you hear what Prosecutor Cheng just said?"

"Listen, I heard it!"

What do you think we should do?

"I?"

Jiang Chuan paused again, but this time he didn't answer. Instead, he immediately turned to look at Cheng Ye, his eyes full of pleading.

Ok?
Is Ding Yishan trying to avoid puncturing the unspoken understanding between the two?

Cheng Ye raised an eyebrow, his mind flashing with ideas.

If Ding Yishan directly asked him, it would be an implicit acceptance that he had been involved in this power distribution, becoming a pawn and no longer confined to the limitations of his status as a trainee prosecutor.

But now that Jiang Chuan is asking him this question, it either means that what he's proposing isn't substantial enough, or...
Wait a minute, could it be that Ding Yishan never intended to carry out this plan at all, but was instead making a bold test of him?

No way.

The plan is so detailed that it even explains how power will be allocated.

Dozens of trucks arrived, and tons of supplies began to be allocated, showing a do-or-die attitude and a determination to succeed.

We can't just take our pants off and then tell you we were just going to feint something, can we?
Cheng Ye was suddenly dumbfounded. If he had been testing him, he would have revealed too much just now.

That ambition was almost overflowing!

But then, an even stranger thought popped into Cheng Ye's mind, prompting him to bring up the control panel and simply click to check the information on the Red Mountain caravan to think about it.

Upon entering the intelligence space, the flow of time suddenly slowed down, providing ample time for reflection.

As their conversation progressed step by step, a bold idea suddenly flashed through Cheng Ye's mind.

Could it be that Ding Yishan was completely unaware of the drawbacks of the prosecutor taking the initiative to handle everything in this plan?
After he brought it up, I suddenly lost my previous confidence?

The thought had barely surfaced when even Cheng Ye himself found it absurd, but considering the surge in cooperation and Jiang Chuan's genuine gaze, it became clear that...

Cheng Ye's eyelids twitched, and his heart trembled violently.

Good heavens, if what he guessed is true, then this is going to be hilarious.

By using Jiang Chuan's words to inquire about the details, but without revealing the unspoken understanding between the two, Ding Yishan's attitude couldn't be clearer.

It's clear they've changed their perception of him; they're no longer treating him as a pawn.

Yes, it's fine to ask for a solution. After all, both the plan submitted yesterday and the speech just now demonstrated some ability to resolve this matter.

The problem is, what if he were to reveal the specific feasible operational plan, or even the detailed rules for the allocation of power?
In an instant, thoughts raced through Cheng Ye's mind.

If Ding Yishan is willing to adopt this suggestion, he will directly become the player who sets the rules for this game.

Putting everything else aside, the power they wield alone will be comparable to that of a station chief.

The only problem is that if others find out about this, his situation will become extremely difficult.

They might even face a more direct and fatal disaster by prematurely revealing their ambitions and abilities.

There are ways to back down, though; you can simply pretend to be stupid and fool them.

But things have already come to this point. If we back down now, and Ding Yishan chooses to get to the bottom of things, even if it means abandoning the tacit understanding between the two of them...

The returns and risks are completely disproportionate, which is really not worth it!

"If someone knows my abilities and tries to kill me, then they are definitely my enemy, and I will have to deal with them sooner or later."

"Even in the worst-case scenario, with the starfish around, anyone who dares to show their face can be killed on the spot!"

With a firm resolve, Cheng Ye let out a long sigh of relief.

The intelligence space was subsequently shattered.

　P.S.: We went out for barbecue last night, and I don't know who came up with the idea of ​​Red Bull and beer, but it kept me awake all night. I only felt sleepy this morning and slept soundly until the afternoon.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)