Wasteland Border Inspector

Chapter 146 Yu Erlan's Gift, A New Commission!

"The exam is over. If you haven't finished, stop writing immediately, otherwise it will be considered a violation."

After handing in his paper, Cheng Ye didn't leave. Instead, he waited for Li Matai for a while before leaving at 6:05.

The two had just left not long ago.

The wall clock pointed to 6:30. Harlem stood up, glanced at the time, and his voice echoed throughout the venue through the microphone.

At this point, there were only about twenty people left in the room, mostly first- and second-term prosecutors.

Of them, only seven were from the East, and the rest were all from the West.

This proportion caused Harlin's expression to darken slightly, but he was helpless.

After all, most of the prosecutors from the East are from academic backgrounds and have a solid foundation of knowledge, which gives them an advantage in dealing with these kinds of written tests.

Westerners, on the other hand, place more emphasis on fieldwork and practical experience. They usually study inspection procedures, wilderness survival, and factionalism. However, their shortcomings are exposed when faced with the exam paper.

“Harlin, let them continue answering.” Ding Yishan suddenly pushed up his reading glasses, stood up and stretched his shoulders a couple of times. His voice was gentle but carried an undeniable strength. “We still need to have the patience we need. The checkpoint is testing your abilities, not deliberately making things difficult for you. Relax and answer.”

The words fell.

The remaining prosecutors in the room immediately felt relieved, their anxiety lessened considerably, and even their hands holding pens became steadyer.

Harlin was taken aback. Ding Yishan had specifically instructed him to strictly uphold the rules that morning, but now he was taking the initiative to agree.

Then, he nodded thoughtfully, realizing the huge changes in Ding Yishan after his several trips back and forth to the inner city.

Is this a sign that they're not planning to relinquish control and want to take personal control of the pace?

interesting.

Harlin showed no emotion on his face. After sitting down again, he acted as if nothing had happened and began to flip through the answer sheets piled up in front of him.

The test paper contained a wide range of content, and each inspector had a very different understanding of satellite city construction.

Staff categorized the sites by "popular locations" and prioritized submitting them for review.

The top-ranked location was somewhat surprising; the ruins on the western outskirts of Chuan City were chosen by 17 prosecutors.

Happiness City faces the southern suburbs of Sichuan City, while the western suburbs are located at the other end of the city and were once the core industrial area of ​​Sichuan City.

Back then, the park was under the special protection of the superhumans. Despite the passage of time, the main structure of the factory buildings and warehouses is still well preserved, and even the core pipelines of some production lines have not been completely destroyed.

For the prosecutors, this was practically a ready-made satellite city skeleton, and rebuilding it was far less difficult than starting from scratch.

Harlin couldn't help but shake his head.
If it were really that simple, why didn't Happiness City start its development from the western suburbs back then?
Why not try to rebuild Sichuan?

Cities in the old era often had a fatal flaw: their horizontal layout was too large, resulting in extremely low utilization of vertical space.

The area of ​​the western suburban industrial zone alone was ten times larger than the current Xingfu City.

Once it's built, how should the defenses be set up? How should the checkpoints be laid out? How can we prevent the infiltration of infection sources?
More importantly, the core purpose of the satellite city is to settle displaced people, not to have the inspectors replicate a second Happy City.

Choosing this inspector clearly shows a lack of understanding of the underlying meaning, and they will most likely be eliminated in the first round.

Harlin glanced at the list of those who chose the western suburbs, and immediately raised an eyebrow, secretly delighted.

Hey, 12 out of the 17 people are prosecutors from the East. These academic nerds can answer questions quickly, but their brains are like they're covered in glue.

They only cared about the ease of reconstruction and never considered whether the defense was even possible.

Scrolling down further, the second most popular location was Xiasha County, which is close to the industrial zone; all 14 inspectors listed it as their top choice.

Located only 33 kilometers from the industrial zone, this is a larger city-level county than Wenlu County.

Although the surface buildings were severely damaged in the battle against the superhumans, the underground pipe network was well preserved and can be put into use after cleaning.

What's even more enticing is its location advantage. Being close to the industrial zone means that material support can be obtained as quickly as possible. Many inspectors stated in their answers that they "want to connect Xiasha County with the industrial zone," revealing their ambitions.

However, there are still significant problems, or rather, the distribution of power has not been taken into account.

The industrial zone is the domain of tech-savvy people, with the deputy city lord personally overseeing it. How could an inspector possibly be allowed to manage it?
If they really had this intention, wouldn't the industrial zone expand outwards on its own?
Furthermore, it's still a matter of scale. Expanding the business is one thing, but more importantly, it's about how to maintain and protect that business.

If infected individuals sneak in and cause chaos every few days, will the satellite city still exist?

The displaced people inside are filled with anxiety and will likely choose to continue migrating before long.

In this way, Happiness City's plans all fell through.

He flipped to the list of those who had chosen Xiasha County, and his initial joy at the Dong people instantly turned into anger.

Damn it, these idiots!!

Of the 14 prosecutors, 10 were Westerners.

Has he lost his mind in his struggle for power? Is he so eager to take over this lucrative industrial zone?
Harlin's breathing noticeably quickened, while Ding Yishan, sitting next to him, watched with great interest.

In recent years, partly to solidify beliefs and partly to control the overall direction of the checkpoint, he has long since stopped interfering with such grassroots matters.

Each time, only the general framework needs to be set, and the specific details are then handed over to Harlem for supervision and implementation.

Taking on these trivial tasks again now gives him a strange feeling of returning to more than ten years ago, which is both fresh and interesting.

Looking through the statistics, the third most popular choice was Wenlu County, with 9 prosecutors listing it as their first choice.

It is worth noting that the composition of the prosecutors chosen for this location is quite unique.

As station chiefs, Lei Hu and Tang Si were limited by their duties and could not go out to take charge of specific tasks; they could only be responsible for the allocation of supplies in the rear.

However, the remaining four fifth-term prosecutors from the East and the two fifth-term prosecutors from the West all turned their attention here.

The other three were also fourth-term prosecutors; there were no lower-term prosecutors selected.

The fact that so many senior prosecutors have chosen Wenlu County is enough to demonstrate its extraordinary value.

Upon reviewing each person's specific arguments, a striking point of consensus emerges in the analysis.

This is the core hub connecting Happiness City and the industrial zone; only by controlling this area can the surrounding region develop steadily.

Conversely, if no one in the county town is interested in the project, its development scale will inevitably be limited, even if other sites in the surrounding area are selected.

"Wenlu County is of moderate size, but the resources required are probably no less than those of a satellite city. Even with two inspectors working together, they may not be able to fully control the overall situation of the county."

Ding Yishan thought to himself that if it were him, he would most likely start with Wenlu County as well.

Once this vital passage is controlled, the east and west sides of Xingfu City will be completely connected, and the transportation route from the industrial zone to Wenlu County and then to Xingfu City will be unimpeded.

"How about we assign four inspectors to manage different sections of the city?"

The thought had barely crossed his mind when he suppressed it.

With a slight frown, all that flashed through his mind were troubles. Sending two people was already a risk of conflict arising between the Eastern and Western factions, and with four people together, it seemed like a power struggle would be unfolding right there in the ruins.

This is something we must keep in mind in advance. Once the in-depth assessment results are available, we need to convene the core members to discuss it thoroughly.

As you scroll down further, the choices become increasingly diverse.

There were groups of three to five people here and there, and only one or two there at most. There was nothing particularly noteworthy about them.

Suddenly, Ding Yishan's gaze stopped and fell on the three words "Dabo Town".

There were three choices. The first two were prosecutors in their third term. He flipped through them casually until he saw the last name, at which point his eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly.

Why did this kid choose this place?

As the town closest to the water system and even directly bordering a tributary of the Linjiang River among all the candidate locations, the flooding of Dabo Town is an obvious major problem.

When taking the refugees there, the first thing they had to do was contend with the nearby White Water River.

But the current contract system is based on recruitment. When displaced people hear that they have to go on an adventure by the water, how many of them would be willing to go?
Ding Yishan felt it was risky even with those two prosecutors who had been on probation for three years, let alone a trainee prosecutor who had only recently joined the force.
With that thought in mind, he found Cheng Ye's answer sheet from the pile of sealed leather bags, following the markings along the side.

These exam papers need to be sent to the supercomputing center tonight, where the system will analyze their feasibility based on the built-in model and then generate a second round of exam questions.

If the first round of responses is deemed "unqualified" by the supercomputer, it will be directly eliminated.

However, the final decision still rests with him, the station chief. Even if Cheng Ye's answer is not satisfactory, Ding Yishan intends to let him go out and give it a try simply because he is the initiator of the contracted plan, as a way to cultivate talent.

However, in that case, Cheng Ye would no longer have the right to choose the location; the checkpoint would place him in the safest area, greatly reducing his freedom.

Unscrew the cotton thread seal on the back of the kraft paper bag, and the answer sheet inside is heavy, clearly containing a lot of information.

Ding Yishan felt a surge of anticipation for no reason, and the scene by the office window that day flashed through his mind.

Despite the biting cold wind, the young people were full of enthusiasm and energy.

"It's a bit cold outside, but you young people can handle it."

"Alright, let me see just how tough you really are, young man!"

Upon pulling out the answer sheet, Ding Yishan couldn't help but raise his eyebrows at just one glance.

Such a neat and tidy paper.

Other people's answers either had errors that were corrected in the margins or paragraphs were temporarily added in parentheses. Although they did not affect readability, they still looked messy.

Cheng Ye's answer sheet was as clean as if it had been printed, without any trace of deletion or alteration. Even his handwriting exuded a sense of composure, and there was not a trace of youthful impetuosity in the strokes of his pen.

He straightened his posture, adjusted his reading glasses, and began to carefully peruse the book.

Sure enough, the first half was exceptionally well done, explaining the reasons for choosing Big Wave Town in a simple yet profound way, and clearly listing the unique advantages and obvious disadvantages of the place.

But none of this surprised Ding Yishan. Even when Cheng Ye accurately pointed out the potential flood hazards, his expression remained calm.

A young person who can propose the "contractual" theory and dare to point out his oversights to his face clearly cannot be judged by the standards of a "trainee inspector".

Even today, Ding Yishan still hasn't fully grasped the extent of Cheng Ye's knowledge reserves; the information provided by the inner city is utter garbage.

"Knowing the risks of flooding, yet still daring to choose this location, either they're just talking theory or they're used to being blindly confident."

"Either is it."

He quickened his pace, skipping over the lengthy construction measures in the middle.

Those were all important points, but they weren't what he was most concerned about at the moment.

What he desperately wanted to see was Cheng Ye's prevention and control plan for the flooding in Dabo Town.

However, when Ding Yishan turned to this section, he only read a few lines before his expression suddenly became strange.

Where the gaze is focused, lines of text clearly leap into view:

"The problem of flooding in Dabo Town is not simply about dredging the river, but about failing to transform water resources into sustainable economic momentum. Riverbank management is a long-term battle that requires a continuous flow of funds. Relying solely on funding from Xingfu City will not only turn the management into a short-term, crash-and-run project, but will also slow down the development of satellite cities."

"According to the data, the Linjiang River and its tributaries, including the Baishui River, have extremely abundant aquatic resources, specifically as follows."

"Therefore, the first key point in building the Dabo satellite city lies in the exploitation of the Baishui River's resources. We will use fish to nourish the water, and use the water to promote production, forming a virtuous cycle of 'water management → fishing → revenue generation → water management again.'"

Instead of thinking about how to block the water and dredge the river, they're researching how to make money by fishing?

Ding Yishan couldn't help but laugh as he watched. He thought to himself, "He's a young man after all, with a unique kind of adventurous spirit in his ideas."

Since the province of Batu Pahat does not produce crops, all food resources are extremely dependent on external imports.

Therefore, there are very few large settlements; most are small to medium-sized settlements attached to super-sanctuary cities.

Whether it's the surging main river or the Baishui River tributary next to Dabo Town, the fish and shrimp in the water have never been overfished.

why?
There are two very real reasons.

First, the dangers underwater far exceed those on land.

The mutated creatures lurking at the bottom of the river are several times more ferocious than their counterparts on land. The bizarre nature of the waterborne infection source makes it even more difficult to guard against. Even the elites of the Blood Dragon Legion are unwilling to easily venture into the area around Linjiang.

What's more troublesome is that the range of waterborne infection sources is extremely wide. Just when one area of ​​water has been cleaned up today, a new one may be flowing in with the current tomorrow.

Unless all the settlements and shelters along the river unite to carry out daily raids, but is that even possible?

Therefore, no one wants to get involved in messy situations near water, not even the superhumans.

Because once you take over, it means dealing with new risks every day, and if you slack off for even a day, you'll have to take responsibility.

Secondly, the return on investment is too low.

No matter what they do, people in the wasteland have to consider survival.

For Happy City, instead of wasting manpower and resources fishing by the water, it would be better to focus on expanding factories and mining resources, and trading industrial products with other sheltered cities and settlements to obtain more stable nutrient slurry raw materials.

For small and medium-sized settlements, the core purpose of fishing is to fill their stomachs, but the province of Seychelles has no shortage of underground resources.

Although the extraordinary curse stripped the plants of their special characteristics, these characteristics did not disappear into thin air; instead, they were integrated into other substances within the soil.

Why risk your life to make a living in the water when you can easily exchange anything you dig up for enough food?

Therefore, fishermen are not entirely absent from the wasteland, but they are extremely rare in the vicinity of Stone Province and Happiness City.

So much so that today, unless specifically mentioned, nobody thinks of this matter at all.

Thinking of this, Ding Yishan opened the other two third-phase prosecutors' answer sheets and carefully read them.

As expected, although both mentioned flood control, they never mentioned any plans related to fishing, let alone thought of "making money" from the water to support flood control.

Who is right and who is wrong?

Ding Yishan gathered the three answer sheets together, tapped his fingertips lightly on the table for a moment, and had already made up his mind.

It was past 7:30, and eight inspectors in the meeting room had not yet submitted their reports. Harlin was instructed to continue supervision, and under the guise of going to the restroom, Jiang Chuan was summoned.

"Achuan, go to the Blood Dragon Legion and ask Commander Tan about the current situation in Dabo Town today. He is in charge of that area, so have him send over all the information he can gather, the more detailed the better."

"Okay, I'll take care of it right away." Jiang Chuan replied and was about to leave.

"Wait a minute." Ding Yishan called out to him, and said in a deep voice, "For tomorrow's test, you will be with Cheng Ye."

"Huh? I have to go out tomorrow?" Jiang Chuan was a little surprised.

"Hmm." Ding Yishan nodded. "This kid has some unusual ideas. He actually wants to take advantage of the fish products in the Baishui River. You are the best swimmer, so go and keep a close eye on him. Don't let him capsize in a ditch."

Jiang Chuan patted his chest and agreed: "Don't worry, sir. I dare to soak in the Linjiang River for a whole day, let alone a Baishui River?"

But as he spoke, he suddenly remembered something, "However, according to the original plan, weren't all the prosecutors supposed to set off together tomorrow to conduct on-site inspections of the terrain differences at various locations?"

“The situation has changed. The expected rush to select locations didn’t happen. Those idiots who rushed to grab popular spots really should take a group out to see the reality. As for the rest, I plan to have them scout out separately; that will be more efficient.”

When the word "idiot" was mentioned, Ding Yishan's tone became more serious. "Tomorrow we'll spend the day surveying, the day after tomorrow we'll summarize, and the day after that we'll have to start the contracted work. The situation might be better than we think, but it could also be more complicated. We'll have to adapt to the situation as it unfolds."

Jiang Chuan nodded in agreement, naturally understanding the meaning of "good or bad" in Ding Yishan's words.

Fortunately, the higher-ups used some swift and decisive measures to eliminate the large-scale source of infection threat in the surrounding area overnight.

This relieved the checkpoint of almost 80% of the pressure, removing the biggest obstacle to the construction of the satellite city.

The bad thing is the quality of the new migrants. The staff from various departments responsible for resettlement returned looking like wilted eggplants, and all they said was, "A bunch of old men came" and "These are difficult people to deal with."

After all, those who came to Happiness City in the past were volunteers attracted by the welfare benefits, and they were quite obedient.

However, most of the refugees this time were influenced by the traveler and their beliefs were not firm to begin with. If they were further incited by a few rumors, it would be very easy for chaos to break out.

"I understand." Jiang Chuan turned to leave, but Ding Yishan called him back.

"Tell Commander Tan to focus on the types of fishery products in the Baishui River, as well as the recent activity records of underwater mutants," Ding Yishan added. "The supercomputer may not necessarily give this proposal a high score, but I am somewhat optimistic about the fishing plan. However, if the risk factor is too high and it turns into a death trap, then forget it."

Jiang Chuan acknowledged and quickly disappeared at the end of the corridor.

Ding Yishan stood there for a moment, then walked to the window, took out a cigarette from his pocket, and lit it.

He quit smoking after the Great Pioneers era ended, but in the last two days, the pressure has increased so much that his fingertips can't help but reach into his pocket.

He leaned against the windowsill, watching the flickering lights outside while waiting for the last few prosecutors to hand in their papers.

At 8:30 p.m., the last prosecutor finally put down his pen.

All the exam papers were neatly stacked into a small truck by the staff and driven towards the inner city.

Ding Yishan, with a cigarette dangling from his lips, unusually took the helm himself, while Jiang Chuan sat in the passenger seat, watching with amusement.

Since the last meeting, Ding Yishan has entered a state of harmony with nature, and his mentality has become younger and younger. The old-fashioned air about him has completely disappeared, and his eyes and brows are now filled with the vitality of a young man.

Even if you said they were the same age, some people would probably believe it.

"Station Chief Ding!" The guard captain ran over with a shiver running down his spine. Before he could even get close, Qin Haonan, the newly appointed captain of the city gate guards, grabbed him and quickly came to meet him.

With a polite smile on his face, he said neither servilely nor arrogantly, "Station Chief Ding, according to regulations, please open the rear compartment. We need to check the items inside the vehicle."

"Check it."

Ding Yishan pressed the button for the rear compartment of the truck, and the door popped open with a "click".

About ten minutes later, Qin Haonan returned and waved for him to leave without saying a word.

"Is he Researcher Qin's younger brother? Was he promoted this time because of Director Liu's connections?" Jiang Chuan said thoughtfully.

"Yes, we're on the same side." Facing Jiang Chuan, Ding Yishan naturally didn't hide anything. "It's just one link in the power division. After the satellite city construction starts, the power of the buffer zone will be returned to the idealists, allowing them to implement a community system and build it into a central city model. After that, there will be no more buffer zone; there will only be an outer city and an inner city."

After saying that, he stepped on the gas and suddenly laughed, "But I heard that the outer city center hasn't been decided yet, and District B-7 is also on the shortlist. That's interesting."

"Huh? It's thanks to Prosecutor Cheng?" Jiang Chuan was taken aback.

“He has a share, but it’s mostly the elders’ idea.” Ding Yishan exhaled a smoke ring, his tone carrying an ambiguous meaning. “After the satellite cities are established, inspectors below the third level will never be able to enter the central city without special permission. Well, even the third level will have their access to the inner city revoked. That’s the price of this power exchange.”

"But some people are lucky. They catch the eye of the elders, and they can go wherever they want. We can't stop them."

"Uh"

Jiang Chuan paused, and then noticed a hint of sourness in Ding Yishan's tone, which made him smile.

"Of course, if he focuses all his attention on the construction of the satellite city and ignores Area B-7, then he will lose his authority."

"Hmm, don't remind me, I want to see his choice."

"Understood." Jiang Chuan nodded.

Perhaps because the inner city was not the checkpoint's home turf, the two spoke much less after the vehicle entered the inner city area.

The small truck wound its way through the crisscrossing streets and soon came to a stop in front of the research institute, which resembled a giant egg.

The left side of the dome is labeled "Infection Source Research Institute," while the right side is labeled "Happiness Research Institute," both managed by technologists.

The other joint arsenal is located at the other end of the inner city, jointly controlled by the Technologists and the Transcendentalists, forming a unique power balance within the inner city.

"Station Chief Ding, you've arrived." An elderly man with gray hair walked out of the guard booth at the entrance of the research institute.

"Old Zhang, I feel really bad for troubling you to wait for me so late at night." Ding Yishan opened the car door, his tone unusually polite.

"Not at all." The old man waved his hand and smiled as he instructed the guards to check the rear cabin. "I also came from the checkpoint. We can't forget our roots when it comes to something this important."

Jiang Chuan quickly got out of the car and nodded respectfully: "Uncle Zhang, you look a little unwell. It's getting colder recently, so you need to be careful to keep warm."

"Ah Chuan, you're so kind." The old man sniffed, his eyes behind his glasses narrowing into slits, making him look kind and friendly. "Hey, it's an old problem. I caught a bit of a cold this morning."

The old man's name was Zhang Shun, and no one in the entire inner city dared to underestimate him.

In terms of qualifications, he was of the same generation as the first station chief, Cheng Wu, and was a few years older than Ding Yishan. He was fifty-seven years old this year. Although he was a bit hunched over and wore thick reading glasses, he was a level five researcher at the Institute of Infection Sources.

He was three levels higher than Qin Feng, a second-level researcher, and his official position was comparable to that of a fifth-term inspector at a checkpoint.

Back then, Zhang Shun was a key member promoted by Cheng Wu. He served as the director of the research institute within the checkpoint and spent many years working on the front lines, specializing in researching ways to deal with sources and carriers of infection.

Unfortunately, the checkpoint was ultimately too poor and did not have enough funding to support the research.

Ultimately, with Cheng Wu's downfall and departure, Zhang Shun was forced to disband the checkpoint research institute and join the inner city research institute.

More than twenty years have passed in the blink of an eye.

Even now, if Ding Yishan weren't the station chief, he would still have to respectfully call him "Uncle Zhang" according to seniority.

"The exam papers are all here." Ding Yishan patted the back cabin. "Could you please arrange for the supercomputer to run the data tonight, and highlight the resource input assessment for Wenlu County and the surrounding areas?"

"Don't worry, everything has been arranged."

Zhang Shun nodded, and after the guards finished inspecting the car, he led the two towards the giant dome building.

According to regulations, Ding Yishan did not have special authority and could not enter the interior of the Institute of Infection Source; he could only stay in the specially designated reception room outside.

The layout here is somewhat like Starbucks, but much larger. Warm red lights shine on the long solid wood tables, and old-fashioned light music plays in the air, creating a particularly stylish atmosphere.

"Vise, three espresso cups, please. I'd like mine with extra milk."

Zhang Shun smiled at the female barista behind the counter, and soon three cups of coffee, exuding a rich aroma, were served.

These "luxury goods" that were unheard of in the buffer zone were commonplace in this research institute.

Jiang Chuan picked up the cup and took a sip. It was still the familiar bitterness. He really didn't understand how anyone in the old days could be so obsessed with this taste.

Ding Yishan and Zhang Shun chatted casually, mostly about the upcoming satellite city plan.

However, Zhang Shun has been immersed in research for years and has little interest in administrative affairs, so he seemed somewhat distracted during the conversation.

Seeing this, Ding Yishan changed the subject, "Once the satellite city is built, the checkpoint should be able to free up funds to rebuild the research institute. At that time, I plan to appoint Researcher Qin as the director."

“Him?” Zhang Shun shook his head and chuckled. “It’s true that this kid has potential, but he spends money extravagantly. The checkpoint’s meager resources probably can’t support his research needs.”

“We have to give it a try.” Ding Yishan sighed. “The technical means of the checkpoints haven’t improved much over the years. There are only three checkpoints, and the experience of the senior inspectors can still handle it. But once the operation expands and there are more new people, we’ll need the right equipment and technical support.”

“That’s true.” Zhang Shun nodded, his eyes lighting up as he mentioned research. “We disassembled several pieces of equipment that were recently brought back from Xin Huo, but the performance was mediocre. Judging from the model, they seem to be obsolete. The research institute is currently doing reverse engineering; maybe we can make a breakthrough.”

He began to detail the pros and cons of those devices, explaining everything from materials to parameters in great detail.

Jiang Chuan was completely confused. He forced himself to listen for a while, but then felt dizzy and his eyelids grew heavier and heavier.

Fortunately, at that moment, the door to the reception room was pushed open from the outside.

The results are in?

Jiang Chuan subconsciously turned his head and saw a woman walking in through the door.

With her elegant appearance and calm demeanor, she possessed a classical charm reminiscent of old magazines, making her unforgettable.

But to his even greater surprise, Zhang Shun, a level-five researcher, immediately stood up, his tone respectful: "Director Yu, what brings you here?"

Director?
Jiang Chuan and Ding Yishan were both taken aback and quickly stood up as well.

Yu Erlan?
The mysterious deputy director of the research institute is actually younger than Jiang Chuan, only 31 years old this year. He has never appeared in public and never participates in any meetings. Even Ding Yishan, the station chief, has never seen him in person before.

The last time I heard this name was when Liu Kun mentioned it, saying that his strength was about to catch up.

This is an extraordinary individual even more powerful than Liu Kun!
Ding Yishan felt a chill run down his spine and observed the woman discreetly. She was dressed in a simple white lab coat, her long hair loosely tied up, and she possessed an elegant and gentle demeanor. She did not display the sharp edge commonly seen in extraordinary individuals; instead, she resembled a scholar dedicated to her studies.

"Teacher Zhang, please have a seat." Yu Erlan's voice was clear and gentle like a spring. She smiled at Zhang Shun first, "I heard you weren't feeling well today, so I gave you leave. Why did you still come?"

As she spoke, she waved to Weiss behind the counter.

Without a word, a steaming cappuccino was quickly served.

"I'm old, I can't stay idle." Zhang Shun chuckled and sat down again.

Yu Erlan's gaze then fell on Ding Yishan, her expression one of polite scrutiny: "Station Chief Ding, is your late-night visit about the satellite city site selection?"

"Yes." Ding Yishan nodded frankly, "This is of great importance, and I want to get the evaluation results as soon as possible."

"Yes, Director Hou told me about the checkpoint situation." Yu Erlan didn't ask any more questions about the satellite city. She paused slightly, "Teacher Zhang, you said last time that you wanted to send the batch of old equipment that the research institute was discarding to the checkpoint. Why didn't you submit a formal application? Station Chief Ding is here today. If the checkpoint needs it, let's transfer it there as an emergency measure."

Before Ding Yishan could speak, Zhang Shun's eyes lit up: "Really? That's great!"

“Of course it’s true.” Yu Erlan smiled gently. “The checkpoint is about to expand outwards and contribute to Happiness City. As the saying goes, if you want to do a good job, you must first have the right tools. We can’t let everyone work empty-handed.”

Ding Yishan was slightly surprised; the mysterious deputy director's attitude was much more approachable than he had imagined.

Of course, he didn't think it was his big face that qualified him, nor did he think the checkpoint had any real power right now.

Yu Erlan's decisiveness must mean she has something in mind.

"Director Yu, this is truly a great help." He then followed up, "I wonder what we can do for the research institute?"

"No need to help the research institute. I've recently taken charge of talent selection, and I need Station Chief Ding's help with a small matter."

"Just say it."

“There have been many migrants from outside, and among them are bound to be some outstanding talents. We have already prepared the recruitment test papers, but it is not appropriate to distribute them now.” She paused and explained, “I would like to ask the inspectors to help organize the assessment after the satellite city is settled. We will give a reward for each promising talent recruited for the research institute. What do you think?”

“That’s easy! Don’t worry, leave it to us!” Ding Yishan immediately took on the responsibility.

Of course, he had a different plan in mind.

I just mentioned to Zhang Shun that we need to rebuild the research institute at the checkpoint. If they were to handle the recruitment process, they could quietly retain a few suitable talents and build up a solid team.

"Then thank you very much, Station Chief Ding." Yu Erlan nodded slightly, holding her cappuccino, and turned to walk into the research institute. Her white figure quickly disappeared behind the door.

Only after she had completely disappeared did Zhang Shun say, "Station Chief Ding, this is fantastic news! Those devices may look old, but the core components are all good. They can be used like new without any problems."

"Since Director Yu has spoken, how about I arrange for someone to find those devices right now and bring them back together?"

"Okay!"

Ding Yishan was immediately excited.

Even the trash from the research institute becomes a treasure at the checkpoint.

Eleven o'clock at night.

Batch after batch of equipment labeled as obsolete were unloaded and loaded onto trucks.

Ding Yishan watched quietly as the 9.6-meter-long container was about to be filled, his smile stretching to his ears.

I never expected to have such an unexpected gain today.

While we were busy loading the truck, the supercomputer's preliminary results arrived first.

When he opened it, he found that the Harmony of Heaven and Man realm not only brought him increased strength, but it also seemed to have changed his luck, making everything he did go smoothly.

"Station Chief, how many Prosecutors are there?" Jiang Chuan leaned closer, his eyes full of curiosity.

"Take a look for yourself." Ding Yishan handed it over, and Jiang Chuan quickly flipped through it.

It's normal that Cheng Ye's name isn't among the top twenty on the first page.

But when I turned to the second page, I immediately found Cheng Ye's name in the middle, ranked 37th.

This ranking isn't considered top-tier.

But a trainee prosecutor, whose name is sandwiched among a group of second- and third-term prosecutors, is already conspicuous enough!
(End of this chapter)