Wasteland Border Inspector

Chapter 142 Anchoring the Foundation, Launching Major Infrastructure Project!

A line of defense for happiness.

Although the isolation net, which stretches for tens of kilometers, is not made of isolation alloy, it is a high-strength, corrosion-resistant alloy that gleams with a stern, cold light in the rain.

The moment the rain intensified, many migrants who were close to the defense line launched an attack.

This is to be expected.

Do you want to use moral initiatives to restrain ordinary people struggling in the wasteland?

It’s simply a fantasy!

These ordinary people, influenced by the traveler, never lost the desire for change within them; on the contrary, it surged even more fiercely because of their stagnant steps.

They not only wanted to change their own fate, but also fantasized about making this super sanctuary city bow down to them.

But reality gave them the cruelest response.

Countless people clung to the isolation netting like zombies, their fingernails digging into the mesh as they tried to climb, their bodies squeezing against the netting and groaning.

The guards behind the defensive bunkers did not immediately stop anyone, but once someone managed to climb over the barrier, they were stopped.
Da...da da da.

The ear-piercing gunfire suddenly rang out, and the refugees who had just landed and hadn't even had a chance to stretch their legs were instantly riddled with bullets by the dense firepower.

Hundreds of blood-red flowers exploded in the rain, then were washed away by the torrential downpour, spreading out patches of dark red in the mud.

The crowd in front of the quarantine net was immediately frightened and retreated. Panic spread like a virus, and chaotic trampling began to occur underfoot. Cries, curses and shouts mingled with the sound of rain.

Just then, a deafening blare from loudspeakers sounded simultaneously every 500 meters along the safety perimeter of the barrier, piercing through the rain and striking the crowd.
[Notice, notice!]

[An outbreak of infection has been detected, and the behavior identified so far includes attempts to breach defenses and create chaos.]

Please immediately proceed to the safe area surrounded by white lights. We will protect the safety of the survivors.

If you do not arrive at the designated area within the specified time, you will be considered as having been infected.

After the horn sounded five times, a dense hum of machinery suddenly came from the depths of the wilderness.

Boom!
dong dong dong.
The sounds of countless lights turning on blended together.

In the pitch-black wilderness, rows of spotlights emerged from beneath the mud.

I don't know when it was installed; it may have been an emergency lighting facility for a long time.

The spotlights are divided into three colors: red, green, and white, drawing clear light trails in the rainy night.

The refugees looked down in terror and found that the area near the isolation fence had been enclosed by red spotlights forming squares, with green spotlights inside the squares forming winding guide lines, like fluorescent snakes.

At the same time, countless points of light suddenly lit up the dark, rainy night sky.

A large helicopter, hidden in the darkness, slowly ascended into the air. The white spotlight on its belly pierced the rain like a sharp sword, illuminating patches of bright light on the ground.

After a brief hesitation, the chaotic crowd quickly found their direction.

From an aerial perspective, one can see the flow of people being guided by an invisible hand, evacuating to the areas marked by white squares on both sides.

Only the central area was completely enveloped by red spotlights, like an insurmountable line of death, signifying absolute danger.

"Lord Yuan, according to Deputy Director Yu, the threat in Area A has been eliminated."

"very good."

Inside the massive "space command" helicopter, Yuan Gang stood with his hands clasped at the edge of the cabin, looking down at the earth below, and nodded slightly upon hearing this.

“Send a Swordfish to pick her up.”

"It's already on its way," the commander responded immediately.

Yuan Gang remained silent, his gaze piercing through the rain as he stared intently at the movements below.

Yu Erlan's efficiency does not mean that all threats have been eliminated. Such a massive migration of refugees, coupled with the appearance of the fog cave, could not possibly have attracted only C35 as the source of the virus.

Happiness City lacks the capacity and resources to search for and eliminate those lurking "eyes" one by one, so it can only resort to this extreme method to thoroughly screen them all at once.

"Code name 'Water Monkey' has been located, and President Aubrey Dean is in pursuit!"

"The codename 'Fear-Eating Snail' has been located, and Commander Chang Shichu is in pursuit!"

"Codename 'Nightmare Vine' has been successfully captured and the infection link has been severed. Please proceed with the cleanup in Sector D immediately."

Battle reports kept coming through the headphones.

Yuan Gang sometimes nodded, and sometimes frowned slightly.

As expected, this migration wave will attract a maximum of three mother animals, as there is natural competition among the mother animals.

Things shouldn't happen more than three times; once that number is exceeded, they will fight each other for territory.

However, the number of reported mother sources has now exceeded four, indicating that there are clearly more lurking deep inside, yet to be revealed.

buzzing.

A Swordfish helicopter approached from the side, and the cabin door opened.

Wearing light purple armor, Yu Erlan turned around and nodded to the driver, then slightly bent her body and leaped forward.

Despite being more than ten meters apart, they accurately jumped onto the space command center using the swordfish.

Swordfish was slightly tilted by her momentum, and the moment she landed in the air command cockpit, she seemed to be lifted up by an imperceptible energy, and stood firmly.

"Lord Yuan, C35 has been captured." She picked up the miniature cage hanging from her waist.

Yuan Gang glanced at the black spider inside the cage, its back to a human face, and a hint of warmth finally flickered in his indifferent eyes:
“Very good, the reward for the Red Notice should be enough to cover our alliance expenses for the year.”

"more than."

Yu Erlan held the cage close to her eyes and waved it around. "He still has the ability to think. Maybe he can help us open the door to open source technology."

"Not going to say anything now? Keep cursing." She raised an eyebrow at the spider in the cage.

The human face on the spider's back just stared venomously, its jaw clenched and it remained silent.

Seeing this, Yu Erlan shook her head slightly, hung the cage back on the side of her armor, and turned to sit down in her chair.

Shortly after, two more figures leaped into the cabin one after the other.

Pang Yuan, the Grand Commander of the Blood Dragon Legion.

Chang Shichu, the Grand Commander of the Happiness Legion.

The two reported immediately after landing:
"Lord Yuan, the dire snails have been captured."

Chang Shichu held a crystal ball in his hand, inside which lay a creature resembling a giant African snail, its shell covered with countless miniature human faces, frozen in fear and death.

"Lord Yuan, the Nightmare Vine has been captured."

Pang Yuan also held a crystal ball in his hand, inside which was a cluster of pitch-black vines. It looked unremarkable, but the aura it emitted was several times stronger than that of the Fear-Eating Snail, only slightly weaker than that of the C35 at Yu Erlan's waist.

"very good."

Yuan Gang nodded slightly, and the staff behind him immediately relayed the order: "The threats in areas C and D have been completely eliminated. Please begin the cleanup work immediately!"

The two put away the crystal ball, sat down next to Yu Erlan, and closed their eyes to rest.

More than ten minutes later, another figure broke through the rain and jumped into the cabin, and the three of them opened their eyes.

"Lord Yuan, the capture of the 'Water Monkey' has failed, and it has escaped."

Aubrey Dean looked solemn, and although he said he had failed, he was holding two crystal balls in his hands.

On the left is a bright red ant, and on the right is a caterpillar that resembles the source of the Hulk infection.

"It controls two parent sources, suggesting it has entered the third stage."

what?
Except for Yuan Gang, whose expression remained unchanged, the expressions of Yu Erlan, Pang Yuan, and Chang Shichu all changed drastically.

The mother and mother are mutually exclusive. Being able to control two at the same time and even break through to the third stage means that the threat level of the "water monkey" has far exceeded expectations.

"It's not control, it's more like the influence of the traveler."

Yuan Gang pondered for a moment and then concluded, "However, since it is possible that we have entered the third stage, I entrust this task to you to send me the latest location of the water monkey."

As he spoke, he slightly shifted his body out of the cabin, seemingly intending to personally pursue the enemy based on the location data.

However, before he could finish speaking, a gentle yet irresistible force lifted him back into the cabin.

Dark night sky.

An elderly man came riding the wind and stood quietly outside the cabin.

His face was kind, but his eyes seemed to hold an entire galaxy, so deep that they captivated people.

He wasn't particularly tall, but he exuded a mountain-like majesty. Standing there, he was like a phantom, both real and illusory, clearly visible yet carrying an air of unreality.

C35, locked in its cage, seemed to have discovered a new continent and suddenly screamed wildly, "Hahaha, you really are playing with fire! Not only are you using the Mother Source to purify humanity, but you are also trying to create an even greater disaster!"

"Director Zhang guessed right! Happiness City's so-called industrial development is just a pretext to deceive other sheltered cities. You really do have bigger schemes! But now that you've come this far, there's no turning back! Hahahaha!"

His roar attracted the attention of the old man outside the cabin.

"Elder Zeng." Yuan Gang's breath hitched, and he hurriedly tried to use his ability to block C35's sound, but the old man waved his hand slightly to stop him.

Old Zeng stepped into the cabin and said in a calm voice, "Xiao Yuan, let him speak."

"What did you see?"

He raised his hand and waved it lightly, and the cage hanging on Yu Erlan's waist floated up and hovered in the center of the cabin.

"Old man! You! There are at least two extraordinary beings sealed inside your body! You've turned yourself into a vessel for the Source, hahaha!"

The old man smiled but said nothing.

Yu Yong grew increasingly agitated, shouting incoherently yet unable to conceal his schadenfreude, "I knew it! I knew it!"

"You signed the Torchwood Covenant Agreement, which clearly states in black and white that you are no longer allowed to research individual extraordinary abilities! But now, you have breached the agreement! The end of Happiness City is fast approaching!"

"Is it?"

Old Zeng shook his head slightly, looked at Yu Erlan, and said with a faint smile, "Little Yu, it seems that this time the red notice is not of high quality. Remember to tell him the real reason why Xin Huo was willing to sign the alliance agreement with us."

"Yes!"

Yu Erlan quickly got up and shut down the C35.

He was about to explain when he changed his mind and said, "Elder, there's no need to trouble you with chasing the water monkeys, I'll go."

"You can't." Old Zeng's gaze swept over everyone, his voice calm but carrying an undeniable authority. "You, Xiao Pang, Aubrey, and Yuan Gang, none of you four can use your abilities this year."

After saying that, his gaze fell on Yu Erlan: "Especially you, you have just entered the third stage, your foundation is not yet stable, but you are already on the verge of losing control."

"Yes!"

Yu Erlan bowed her head in response, a hint of seriousness flashing across her face inside the helmet.

"Alright, you've done enough. It's time for us old folks to stretch our muscles."

Old Zeng's voice grew increasingly ethereal, as if it flowed with the wind and rain. "This world is ultimately a world of ordinary people. Continuing to rely on this power will only make it easier for order to spiral out of control. In the end, we will return to the previous era and continue the endless cycle."

Before he finished speaking, his figure gradually became transparent, as if blending into the rain, but his voice still echoed in the cabin:
"Go back and apply to lock yourselves down. Without my order, none of the four of you are allowed to use your abilities again. Experience the lives of ordinary people, feel their joys and sorrows. When you have reintegrated into the community and rediscovered your beliefs, come back to me to have the lock lifted."

boom.

A blinding flash of lightning ripped through the night sky, illuminating it as bright as day.

The dark clouds that had enveloped Happiness City dissipated somewhat in an instant, and even the dense raindrops seemed to be frozen in mid-air by an invisible force, remaining suspended for several seconds before crashing down again.

"Yes, Elder!"

Although everyone, including Yuan Gang, already knew that the elders had left, they all stood up, their faces solemn, their backs straight, and responded in a deep voice to the empty cabin door.

Within three minutes, a crystal ball suddenly appeared in the center of the cabin, hovering in front of everyone.

Inside the sphere was a bizarre creature covered in black fur, its body twisted and its exact shape indistinct, yet a ferocious aura emanated from it. Yuan Gang stared at the crystal ball for a moment, then reached out and steadily held it in his palm, speaking in a deep voice into the communicator:
"The 'Water Monkey' has been captured, and the infection link has been severed. Please proceed with the cleanup in Area B immediately."

"understand!"

A crisp reply came from the other end of the communicator, and the cabin fell silent once again.

As a supporter of the technology faction, Zeng Lao's methods seem to be even more terrifying than in previous years, almost reaching the level of the superhumans of the previous era.

In this wasteland torn apart and reshaped by extraordinary power, the most difficult form of cultivation may be to willingly relinquish that power and return to ordinariness.

"Alright, the mission has been successfully completed. As the elders said, it's time to rest."

Yuan Gang emphasized the pronunciation of the word "rest".

"The development that follows is no longer our forte. Someone in Happiness City will take over and manage it, and they will do a much better job than we have. Well, we've done all we can. Thank you all for your hard work!"

"Yes!"

Even Chang Shichu, who hadn't been called upon by the elders, stood up and responded in unison.

The sky was just beginning to lighten.

The light on a rainy day is noticeably dimmer than usual.

At six o'clock sharp, when the alarm clock rang on time, Cheng Ye did not get up immediately. Instead, he squinted and lay down for a while before slowly opening the Defense Communicator.

I feel a little excited, but also a little nervous.

But the screen that lit up was empty, with no new messages, which made him breathe a sigh of relief.

No news, but that's the best news right now!

As expected, the torrential rain did not bring a devastating disaster to Happiness City.

Within a controllable range, this super-sanctuary city once again completed a swift and decisive annihilation and baptism.

This result far exceeded Cheng Ye's expectations, and it made him realize once again that it was no accident that this land, which had experienced four periods of chaos, could rebuild civilization again.

That resilience that grew from the wasteland was indeed as unshakeable as a rock.

He rolled out of bed, walked to the window, and gently lifted a corner of the curtain with his fingertips.

"The air is so fresh!"

In the past few days, it seems that the air has never been so clean.

The air was icy cold with a crisp chill, and a faint scent of violets lingered around my nose, mixed with the sweet, earthy smell of rain-soaked soil, making it exceptionally refreshing.

Cheng Ye reached out and caught the raindrops falling from the window.

A cool sensation came from my fingertips, and I could vaguely see tiny ice crystals melting in my palm.

It's sleet, and we've arrived!

As far as the eye can see, dozens of engineering vehicles have already started moving on the main road of the buffer zone.

They lined up quietly in the cold rain, slowly making their way toward the Happiness Line. Their headlights cast long streaks of light on the wet road. There were no honking, no noise, everything was orderly.

There was no need for overwhelming announcements, nor for a devastating battle.

The extraordinary individuals hidden within Happiness City only needed to make a quiet move to firmly establish a new foundation for development.

This feeling is kind of exhilarating, and it's kind of captivating to have this sense of security, protected by an invisible force.

Cheng Ye stretched and leaned quietly against the window, his gaze following the shadows of the construction vehicles until the last one disappeared at the end of the road before he moved back to the bedside.

However, just as he turned to go wash up, the security phone on the bed suddenly vibrated slightly.

Upon turning it over, a string of unnumbered, unknown numbers was flashing on the screen.

"Brother B?"

Cheng Ye was overjoyed and almost immediately pressed the call button.

He missed the phone call Liu Bi made a week ago when the fog rolled in.

I thought Liu Bi would attack again, but I never expected to wait until now.

"Cheng Ye?"

As expected, it was Brother B's voice on the other end of the phone; it was so deep and reassuring.

"Brother B."

Cheng Ye opened his mouth, but his throat seemed to be blocked by something, and he couldn't speak immediately.

Or rather, he has a lot to say, but he can't say a single word on a frequency that might be monitored.

"what happened?"

Unusually, Liu, who is usually oblivious, keenly noticed the hesitation in his tone and his voice became more concerned.

"It's nothing," Cheng Ye composed himself and smiled to cover it up, "I'm just a little sentimental. It's been almost a month since you left."

"Well done."

Liu Bi's voice deepened, as if he were carefully considering something, but was then replaced by an irrepressible cheerfulness, "Don't worry, I'll be back by the end of next month at the latest, and things here will be finished soon."

"The end of next month?"

Cheng Ye frowned. "Is there anything else at the hydroelectric power station that you need to keep an eye on?"

"It's not a hydroelectric power station, it's an industrial zone."

Liu Bi paused, seemingly checking his surroundings for anyone, "Station Chief Ding has assigned me to guard this area and be responsible for responding."

He suddenly changed the subject midway through his sentence, "By the way, there's something the checkpoint should notify us about soon. The higher-ups plan to send inspectors out in batches to lead groups of migrants from outside and settle them in designated areas, so that we can get through the most difficult period first."

"It's a long story, Jiang Chuan kept telling me about it, but I didn't quite understand," he said, the rustling of papers turning in the background barely audible. "But it's not a big problem, I'll have him send you a detailed manual, you'll definitely be able to understand it. Well, even if you don't understand it, it's fine, I've already arranged everything for you."

Poor Brother B was clearly unaware that Cheng Ye on the other end of the phone was the mastermind behind the whole plan.

At this moment, at the top of the lighthouse of the hydroelectric power station.

Liu Bi was holding a microphone in one hand and taking out a piece of paper covered with writing from his pocket with the other.

“I heard from Jiang Chuan that you have already mastered the basics of martial arts. Now you seem to be planning to learn the Four Forces. Don’t rush. You are more quick-witted than me, so you may learn my set slowly. But the set left by Brother Long is the most suitable for you. I have already asked Jiang Chuan to get the video left by Brother Long for me. I will give it to you by tomorrow at the latest.”

"Jiang Chuan speaks highly of you, which should represent the attitude of some station chiefs. There are some things I can't say over the microphone, but Cheng Ye, all these things you're carrying are what Brother Long left behind. Don't think you can repay them alone. You have me, and you have Sister Luo. We will accompany you to repay the checkpoint."

"I inquired about the field operations, and the station has suspended all tasks, which is a good thing."

Liu Bi's tone became lighter, "Take this time to rest well. First, wait for me to come back and accompany you on field missions. Second, learn from other prosecutors how to take responsibility. If you want to go far in this field in the future, you will need this experience."

"Oh, by the way, I've heard Wang Kang is quite good. I've also prepared a plan for him. Could you give it to him for me and tell him to carry it out properly? After all, his father asked me for a favor before he passed away."

Liu Bi became unusually talkative, but his words revealed an unconcealed sense of relief, as if a weight had been lifted from his heart.

Cheng Ye didn't interrupt, just listened quietly, the receiver pressed to his ear, feeling the almost overflowing concern.

When Liu Bi finally stopped talking and asked him if he had any questions, Cheng Ye said softly:
"Brother B, you didn't say earlier that the station assigned you to the industrial zone. What exactly are you going to do?"

"Oh, didn't we just say that the inspector was going out to lead the construction team? Someone has to coordinate the necessary supplies. Station Chief Ding asked me to stay here temporarily to respond to their needs, especially the urgent ones."

So he was working as a "debt collector"?
Cheng Ye was taken aback for a moment, then realized that the arrangement was indeed appropriate.

After all, even if Liu Bi were to return, he wouldn't be able to lead teams like other prosecutors.

He's been doing this for over ten years, but his inspection work is always clumsy and he's clearly not cut out to lead a team.

It's good that he stayed at the hydroelectric power station; this kind of work, which involves begging for supplies, is best done by someone with his straightforward personality.

If you replace the person with someone who is slow and indecisive, not only will things be delayed, but they will also suffer internal injuries from pent-up frustration.

"That's fine. I have to go to the South Station for another day of duty today, and I can only 'rest' tomorrow."

"Okay, be careful. I won't say anything else. You can make your own decision."

Two grown men wouldn't give as many repeated instructions as Luo Xiaoxue did when she was around.

Liu Bi confidently continued talking about the changes in the hydropower station and industrial zone, especially the scale of the upcoming infrastructure construction, and even shared his vision of the future of Happiness City.

Cheng Ye's expression immediately turned strange. He could tell that many of the parts were things he had told Jiang Chuan before, and he didn't expect Liu Bi to repeat them again.

In closing, Liu Bi mentioned two key issues that he is currently very concerned about.

First, why did the temperature continue to drop after the fog descended?

"Based on current information, the formation of fog holes requires energy, and fog can absorb heat and convert it. The sharp drop in temperature in the entire Shi Province is due to the continued absorption of air by the fog."

Liu Bi paused, then added, "However, the fog won't last much longer. The frequency of fog holes has decreased significantly recently. Based on the experience of Saskatchewan, it should be coming to an end."

Second, the suspected mother bird that escaped from the hydroelectric power station.

Although no explicit notice was issued, all security measures had already been lifted by that morning.

Based on this, it should have been cleaned up last night?
Cheng Ye hesitated for a moment, and before the call ended, he didn't mention that he also wanted to go out and try leading a team.

Although it is now certain that Ding Yishan's attitude changed after hearing his words, and that he has even transformed from an initial pawn into a player who can participate in setting the rules in the entire contracting plan.

But this is ultimately different from personally going out to lead a team to take on a contract.

Leading a team requires solid skills, experience in handling emergencies, the ability to manage people's hearts, and the survival wisdom to establish a foothold in the wilderness.

And these are precisely the things that he, a trainee prosecutor who had never been on field duty, lacked most.

Even with his modern knowledge and advanced understanding of the times, Cheng Ye dared not claim that he could outperform those third- or fourth-term prosecutors.

Because all his ideas are still just theoretical and have never truly taken root.

But when it comes to actually going out and doing business, he's not entirely without confidence.

This confidence comes not only from the knowledge he has, but also from the fact that he has just as many people at his disposal as other prosecutors.

The Tianyuan community has many old members of the pioneering army. As long as he and Old Song ask, it shouldn't be difficult to spare some manpower to help stabilize the situation.

The key to future development is simply choosing the right terrain, preparing sufficient materials, and allocating the schedule reasonably.

At most, they might add some reassurance, guide public opinion, and use some necessary tricks and tactics.

These are precisely his strengths.

Of course, leading the team to contract the construction of the migrants is ultimately related to the overall situation of the checkpoint and even the city of Happiness.

If one is worried about him as a trainee prosecutor and wants to protect him, that is perfectly reasonable.

We'll have to wait for further instructions. It's not too late to tell Liu Bi when we have specific information.

After putting down the defense communication device, Cheng Ye carried a basin of water to the washroom to wash up.

The cold water splashed on his face made him clearer-headed. Regardless of whether he could get out in the end, the most important thing was to do the thing right now.

However, when they returned, the defense communication device was lit up again.

Upon picking it up and looking at it, he couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief as his lips, which had been pursed, cracked open.

[Happiness City Checkpoint]

[Preliminary Screening Notice Regarding Outer City Construction Contracting Proposals: All inspectors who have received this notice are requested to attend the first round of construction assessment at 9:00 AM today in the conference room on the third floor of the Central Inspection Station. The results of this assessment will serve as an important reference for the qualification of dispatched team leaders.]

If you are unable to attend the meeting due to special circumstances, please inform the checkpoint before the meeting.

Upon receiving this notification, the current duty cycle of the on-duty inspector will immediately end, and the checkpoint will automatically assign another inspector to replace them.

[The basic details of the contracting scheme have been included with this message. Please use your badge to unlock access and download the attachment.]

[Note: The results of this round of evaluation do not represent the final results. The contents of the attachments are strictly prohibited from being disclosed in any form. Violators will be held accountable.]

　P.S.: 7k points delivered. It rained all day due to the typhoon, and I unexpectedly caught a cold; my head hurts a bit. Wishing all my readers a happy weekend!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)