Wasteland Border Inspector

Chapter 156 Buying a house in full, demolition compensation, and a wonderful life of struggle!

Snow stopped.

Cheng Ye, wrapped in a black raincoat big enough to cover three people, stood in the bus looking like a moving "black tent," extremely conspicuous.

A few scavengers returning home were scattered in the car, and uniformed staff members boarded along the way, all of whom would glance at him involuntarily.

There was no malice intended; his eyes were full of curiosity. But being stared at made Cheng Ye feel somewhat uncomfortable.

But he had no choice; if he took off his raincoat, the golden-red Fire Lotus Armor underneath would only be more eye-catching.

In the gradually returning peaceful buffer zone, you'll definitely be the most dazzling person, and you'll probably be surrounded and asked all sorts of questions.

As for Mr. Zhang's bus.
Cheng Ye made a phone call before going out, but the message said the phone was out of service area.

It's likely that Mr. Zhang has been reassigned by the Public Works Department and is now probably driving a large truck in the wilderness to deliver goods.

After all, with the satellite city construction imminent, some supplies definitely need to arrive first.

"I really need to get my own car as soon as possible."

Cheng Ye stood by the back door, watching the snow outside gradually melt, and secretly made plans.

Buying a car definitely doesn't require the contribution points or authority.

However, he has over 500 contribution points under the checkpoint system, which can be used to rent a large golden cup for more than a month.

I don't know if I can buy it out. I wish I could find a way to "borrow" some more money.

Soon, the bus stopped at the bank stop.

Cheng Ye bent down and got out of the car, deliberately choosing a familiar path, sneaking back to the electronics factory residential area like a thief.

While most of the snow outside had melted, a thick layer remained in the courtyard of the residential area, like a white velvet carpet.

Several six- or seven-year-old children were running around wildly in the yard, throwing snowballs at each other. Nearby, four snowmen were piled up crookedly, some missing arms and some missing eyes, exuding a childish clumsiness.

They must have heard footsteps, because all the children turned around.

Seeing the enormous Cheng Ye that almost filled half of the iron gate, like a dark shadow, the children froze, their snowballs falling to the ground with a "thud," their eyes wide with surprise.

Am I that scary?

Cheng Ye muttered something under his breath and deliberately took a big step forward.

"Wow--!"

The children burst into a gasp and ran towards the stairwell, forgetting even to pick up their gloves that had fallen to the ground.

Hahahaha
Cheng Ye stopped in his tracks, hesitated for a moment, and finally smiled silently.

What a peaceful environment! Even the unpleasant smell of sewage in the air feels so comforting.

Although he had only spent a day in the wilderness, upon returning here and standing in the courtyard filled with the warmth of daily life, he felt completely relaxed.

Before he could enjoy it for long, the stairwell door was flung open with a "whoosh," and several adults quickly walked out.

Some people were holding brooms, some were carrying mops, and one middle-aged man was even holding a guard pistol. Everyone had a wary look on their faces and their eyes were fixed on Cheng Ye.

Among them was an acquaintance from the first floor of Unit 3.

The old man who carried him out in the rain before, and the one he saved when his stand-in starfish exploded.

Ah, Cheng Ye suddenly stopped in his tracks, feeling somewhat embarrassed.

"Eh?!"

Upon seeing Cheng Ye, not only was Old Sun stunned, but the adults who had been brought out were also taken aback.

"Mr. Cheng?" Old Sun called out tentatively, his tone full of surprise.

"It's me." Cheng Ye quickly tugged at the collar of his raincoat, revealing most of his face, and smiled somewhat embarrassedly, "I was dressed too strangely, I might have scared the children."

Since Huang Sheng and his two companions spread the word in the neighborhood, everyone in the electronics factory community now knows that the person who saved everyone that night is called "Mr. Cheng".

However, apart from Lao Sun, it was the first time that everyone else had met him in person.

"So this is Mr. Cheng."

Everyone looked on with curiosity.

The young man in front of me looked even younger than the rumors suggested, with a sharply defined face.

Perhaps due to the frequent fusion of skills and the tempering of his body, his skin had a healthy wheat color, and his brows carried a masculine and upright air similar to that of a guard, making people feel particularly safe.

Several children hiding behind the adults timidly peeked out when they heard "Mr. Cheng," their eyes sparkling as they looked at him.

Especially the little girl behind Old Sun, with her round eyes wide open, asked loudly, "Daddy, is this what you meant by being able to go anywhere, flying high and low, sending infected flying far away with a single punch, chasing after and merging with me?"

Before he could finish speaking, Old Sun awkwardly interrupted him, "What are you saying, brat?"

"Mr. Cheng, this child always loves listening to stories, so I made some up for him. Please don't mind them."

"It's alright, kids have vivid imaginations."

Cheng Ye smiled and waved his hand, his gaze sweeping over the adults and children gathered in the yard. Suddenly, he realized, "Why isn't everyone at work today?"

"Mr. Cheng is indeed a very busy man, he even forgot his day off!" Old Sun laughed heartily and explained, "From the day it ended until now, the people in all departments of the buffer zone have been working non-stop for more than half a month. Yesterday, the higher-ups issued a notice that all employees will have a day off today, and things will return to normal tomorrow. From now on, we will follow the rule of working six days on and resting one day off, so that everyone can catch their breath."

"Oh, I was so busy I forgot!" Cheng Ye slapped his forehead.

Oh, it's a day off.

It's no wonder he didn't remember this; the checkpoint's system is indeed different from other departments, employing a weekly shift system.

Thinking about it carefully, the buffer zone is indeed quite busy.

With the ongoing issues of the substitute starfish and the need to accommodate a large influx of refugees, plus the upcoming autumn construction season, it's only reasonable to take a day off before the contract period begins.

As they were talking, Cheng Ye caught a glimpse of other residents peeking out of the stairwells, so he quickly stepped aside and slipped into the building. "I'll go upstairs and pack my things first, so I won't disturb everyone's rest."

As soon as I stepped into the building, the children's chattering questions from outside could still drift in:

"Dad, could Mr. Cheng demonstrate how to fly? How to fly from the fifth floor to the first floor in a flash!"

"I saw something red under his raincoat, could it be that suit of armor?"

"Mr. Cheng is so handsome! I want to be like him and knock all the bad things away!"

"."

Good guy.

Has he become the king of the kids?

Cheng Ye couldn't help but grin, feeling both amused and exasperated.

No wonder celebrities always cover themselves up when they go out; it's what it feels like to be stared at as "someone in a story."

It was as wonderful as it was, but the children's adoring looks just now made him feel a little ashamed.

We went up to the fourth floor.

Cheng Ye walked to Wang Kang's door and knocked. It was quiet inside, and no one answered.

"Out for training?"

Before setting off yesterday, he sent a message to Wang Kang, saying that he was going to the wilderness on business and that he didn't need to worry about safety, but he hasn't received a reply yet.

With that in mind, he took out his defense phone, stood at the door, and dialed Wang Kang's number.

The call connected quickly, and it sounded noisy, with metallic clanging sounds and people shouting slogans.

Wang Kang had no choice but to shout at the top of his lungs, "Brother Cheng, you're back from outside?!"

"Yeah, just arrived at the neighborhood. Where are you? Why is it so noisy?" Cheng Ye frowned and switched the phone to speakerphone.

"I'm helping out with some work in the community!"

Wang Kang's voice was filled with excitement, "The last old shacks have been demolished today, and everyone is transporting the construction waste out. We're going to have a demolition gift ceremony later!"

what?
Cheng Ye was stunned. Had Wang Kang, the prosecutor, been influenced by him to this extent that he had penetrated deep into the community?

He smiled helplessly and could only instruct, "Alright, you go ahead and get busy. I had someone deliver a truckload of fish to the community center. Could you sign for it later and find a shady place to store it so it doesn't get too sunburnt? I'll come find you after I've finished packing and taken a break."

"Okay, I've got it covered!" Wang Kang readily agreed, then hurriedly called out, "Brother Da Long is calling me, Brother Cheng, I'll hang up now, see you later!"

Big Dragon Brother.
Hearing the smug voice on the other end, and then the final "click" of the dial tone.

Cheng Ye was stunned for a few seconds, unsure whether to say that Wang Kang was too carefree, or that this path of being rooted in the community and getting along with the residents was just right for him.

After all, not everyone is like him, with clear goals and ways to improve their abilities.

Wang Kang seems to enjoy working with everyone in a lively and bustling atmosphere, even when he's just helping a group of ordinary people with their work.

However, one thing is certain: if we can really take Wang Kang to Dabo Town to take charge of the project and let him be responsible for supervising the construction and daily coordination, that silly boy might jump for joy.

"He's definitely not cut out to stay quietly at the checkpoint."

Cheng Ye shook his head. Actually, upon closer reflection, this checkpoint did indeed need some "Inspector Dongs".

People like Dong Xing, who are calm, meticulous, and rule-abiding, can stay at the station to handle daily tasks and maintain order, so that others can go out and take on their assigned tasks with peace of mind.

Otherwise, if everyone leaves and you fall behind in your work, it will be a loss.

Back on the fifth floor, Cheng Ye had just stepped onto the last step when he paused again.

Three people in blue uniforms were crowding in front of his security door, writing and drawing in a register.

Upon closer inspection, it became clear that the room where he was registered was not the one with the door open, but rather the room next door, 529. Inside, two men in uniform were shining flashlights into the room.

"What are you doing here?" Cheng Ye strode closer, his massive body and the invisible pressure made the three people at the door subconsciously hold their breath.

But before he could speak, he saw the badge appear in Cheng Ye's hand.

Upon seeing the large character "检" (inspection), the three men immediately became respectful and took a half-step back.

"Sir, we are from the Housing and Urban Development Department, responsible for housing statistics. We are here today to register vacant houses in the buffer zone that have not had their occupancy information updated for more than a year, so that we can match them with housing when new residents are resettled."

"Oh? No one lives in this house?" Cheng Ye peeked inside. The layout of the house was almost exactly the same as his, except that the house was empty, without any furniture, except for a wooden bed that was about to fall apart and was placed alone in the corner.

The ground was covered with a thick layer of dust, large patches of plaster had peeled off the walls, and clumps of dark green mold grew in the corners near the windows, clearly indicating that it hadn't been cleaned for a long time.

"The system has a registered homeowner named Zhang Sheng, but..." The staff member stopped mid-sentence, but the meaning was clear.

In this wasteland, people die all the time.

Nine times out of ten, the owners of houses that are registered but have been vacant for a long time are either dead in the wilderness or disappeared during the wave of infections and will never return.

Leaving it empty is a waste; it's better to compile a list and provide housing for newly arrived migrants.

"Alright, you guys get back to work."

Cheng Ye didn't ask any more questions. He took out his key, opened his security door, and walked in sideways.

The moment the door closed, the familiar musty smell mixed with the scent of dust rushed out.

Because I left in a hurry yesterday, the room was a little messy.

Perhaps because they were wearing heavy armor and raincoats, the room, which was not small in itself, seemed rather cramped.

He turned towards the wardrobe, his arm almost touching the mirror standing in the corner. And looking at the wall, he saw that the moldy area, which had just been scraped off, was now showing faint mold spots again.

Upon closer inspection, the location perfectly matched the moldy corner of the wall in room 529 next door.

It seems the wall is severely damp; treating only one side won't work, both sides need to be addressed together.

"How about we buy the house next door?"

Cheng Ye sat on the bed, took out a bag of nutritional syrup, tore open the packaging, and drank it while pondering.

Actually, he doesn't lack storage space. Uncle Dong's convenience store downstairs is a good place to store some infrequently used supplies.

But things like nutrient solution, emergency medicine, spare parts, and survival supplies that might be needed at any time can't be retrieved by running downstairs every time. They're already taking up a lot of space in the room.

Moreover, after returning from the wilderness, he also wanted to buy some new survival supplies, tools, and accessories, which would only make things more crowded.

If we could buy room 529 next door, we could not only solve the storage problem, but also repair the damp walls, and even knock down a wall to connect the two rooms.

With one side used for living and the other for storage and simple workspace, the space suddenly became much more spacious.

Thinking this, Cheng Ye finished the nutritional drink in a few gulps, crumpled the packaging bag into a ball and threw it into the trash can, then turned around and opened the security door.

In the hallway, staff from the Department of Civil Affairs were still registering people at the entrance of room 529. Cheng Ye walked over, pointed to the vacant room, and asked the staff member who had answered him earlier, "What procedures are required to apply for the purchase of this house? Can I just contact your Department of Civil Affairs?"

It wasn't that he was pretending not to understand; rather, the previous owner moved here through the procedures arranged by the checkpoint.

He moved here immediately after transmigrating, with no memory of "buying a house" or "transferring ownership" in his mind, and a very limited understanding of the housing policies in the buffer zone.

"this."

The staff member paused for a moment, then quickly put down the registration book and patiently explained, "Sir, housing in the buffer zone is quite scarce, especially buildings like the Chaoyang Electronics Factory residential area, which are close to the main urban area and have relatively complete amenities. These vacant houses are usually listed in the Civil Affairs Bureau's system after being tallied, and each department allocates quotas according to demand. They are not sold to the public."

He paused, then added, "If you need to buy this room, you can check with the checkpoint to see if there are any spots left."

"Is that right?"

Cheng Ye nodded, having found his direction. "Wait a moment, I'll make a call and ask now."

Back in his room, Cheng Ye dialed the checkpoint's official number. The phone was answered after two rings, and a respectful voice came from the other end:

"Prosecutor Cheng, good afternoon. How may I help you?"

"I'd like to inquire about housing," Cheng Ye said bluntly. "I'd like to purchase an additional property in the buffer zone, right next to mine, in Unit 1, Building 3, Chaoyang Electronics Factory Community, Room 529. I just asked the Civil Affairs Department, and they said they need to confirm whether there are any available slots at the checkpoint."

"Okay, please wait a moment, I'll check for you."

The clerk paused, and the sound of typing could be faintly heard. A few seconds later, the clerk replied, "Inspector Cheng, the checkpoint has reserved four housing slots in the Chaoyang Electronics Factory residential area. If you need them, I can immediately check the points required to redeem them."

"Okay, you say."

"According to the checkpoint's housing policy, serving inspectors whose first home is less than 20 square meters can enjoy a preferential price when purchasing a second home. Your current home number 530 has an area of ​​18.6 square meters, which meets the preferential conditions. To exchange for home number 529, you need 100 contribution points."

so cheap?

Cheng Ye was taken aback. Despite the fact that this tenement building was old and dilapidated, with peeling paint and mold, it was located in the buffer zone of the main urban area, a quiet place amidst the hustle and bustle, and the community's pipes had just been repaired last year.

Aside from a slight drainage issue, there's really nothing to complain about.

In modern terms, this would definitely be considered a "dilapidated old apartment in a prime location," and the price would be quite high.

“Then please redeem it for me,” Cheng Ye said without hesitation. “I still have enough points in my account to pay.”

"Okay, I see your account balance is 559 contribution points. After deducting 100, you have 459 left. Do you want to redeem the quota for room 529?"

"confirm!"

"No problem! I'll submit your application right now. In ten minutes, you just need to use your defense device to press against your identity badge to complete the identity verification, and then hand the badge to the staff of the Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development for them to scan and register. We will coordinate the subsequent transfer procedures with the Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development. You just need to come to the Central Checkpoint in three days to pick up the property registration certificate."

"Thank you so much, I appreciate your help." Cheng Ye was somewhat surprised by the efficiency and couldn't help but express his gratitude.

"No trouble at all! Serving the prosecutor is our duty!" The clerk on the other end replied politely, sounding a little flattered.

After hanging up the phone, Cheng Ye sat on the edge of the bed, a surge of uncontrollable excitement welling up inside him.

Buying a house is really this easy?
Good heavens, when he graduated in modern times, let alone buying a house, he felt it was a luxury.

After all, without the help of six family members to pay the down payment, he doesn't know how long he'll have to struggle to save up enough for a down payment on his own.

But now that I've been transported to the wasteland, all it takes is a phone call and 100 contribution points to get a house in a prime location. It's like a dream!
cool!

The thought of cleaning up the mold in room 529 next door, knocking down the wall to connect the two rooms, and no longer having to pile up nutrient solution, tools, and parts all over the floor, and even being able to add a small bookshelf, a small wooden table, and a storage cabinet is so appealing.
Cheng Ye immediately felt all his fatigue disappear, it was even more effective than drinking the blue bag of nutritional syrup, or even using the blue medicine.

Ten minutes later, Defense Communication sent a notification.

After you attach the badge, the interface displays a house icon and a simple animation.

The number below the house changed from '1' to '2'.

The area has also increased from 18.6㎡ to 37.7㎡. I didn't expect that 529 would be even bigger than his corner unit.

He walked out of the room with the badge in his hand, while the staff from the Civil Affairs Department were still waiting in the hallway.

The leader took the badge and lightly affixed it to his work terminal. "Okay, Inspector Cheng, this is your room."

In fact, when they saw that Cheng Ye was so young and had such an extraordinary presence, the group began to guess his identity.

Now we have solid evidence; he really is a prosecutor!

Before leaving respectfully, the five staff members specifically asked, "Prosecutor Cheng, would you like us to help you clean room 529? There's a lot of dust and mold in it. We brought cleaning tools and can get it done quickly."

"No need, you guys go about your business. You finally get a day off, and you still have to work overtime."

"You're too kind!" The staff member quickly waved his hand, his tone sincere. "We just run errands, how can we compare to you, risking your life every day to protect the safety of the buffer zone?"

In the past, Cheng Ye might have felt ashamed to accept such a statement from a staff member.

But after returning from the wilderness and witnessing the dangers outside, he simply nodded calmly and accepted the recognition.

Or rather, it's not for his own acceptance, but for the acceptance of the inspectors who are still pioneering in the wilderness and standing guard at the checkpoints.

This is well-deserved praise for those who face danger head-on.

For prosecutors on leave in the buffer zone, this recognition is more like a reminder that they cannot slack off.

"By the way, where's the key to room 529?"

The staff member scratched his head somewhat embarrassedly: "I'm sorry, Inspector Cheng, when we came to take inventory, we found that the door was locked and we couldn't contact the original owner, so we broke the lock cylinder and now we don't have a spare key."

Cheng Ye walked to the door and looked at it. The lock cylinder was indeed deformed by the tool, and the door panel was also a bit loose.

This old wooden door was even worse than his previous one; the hinges were broken.

"Looks like this door needs to be replaced too."

He muttered to himself, and suddenly an idea popped into his head: why not just tear down the door and build a wall instead?

But then he thought about it again and gave up the idea. If he moved to another place in the future, the house could be left to Wang Kang or given to someone in need.

If we just build a wall, we'll have to tear it down when someone moves in later, which is too inconvenient.

In the wasteland, leaving more convenience for those who come after is also a form of self-awareness.

Furthermore, if there is a real danger that can break through the buffer zone defense and get upstairs, there is actually no difference in defensive power between a security door and a thin wall.

"Okay, I understand. I'll change the locks myself from now on."

Cheng Ye nodded to the staff, "You can go ahead and get busy. Thank you all for your hard work."

"It's no trouble at all! Please take care, Prosecutor Cheng!" The group quickly replied, tidied up the register and tools, and hurried downstairs.

Looking out the window, the group went from one unit to another, indicating that there were still quite a few empty apartments in the complex.

Unfortunately, those who could live here were mostly government employees, but they still died outside, leaving behind only empty houses.

The hallway fell completely silent. Cheng Ye turned and walked into room 529, looking at the dust on the floor and the mold on the corners of the walls, wondering how to clean it.

I was originally thinking of calling the community to ask someone to help with the cleaning, but then I remembered that Wang Kang said the community was holding a demolition ceremony today and everyone was busy, so I decided to do it myself.

Anyway, there's nothing else urgent right now.

However, when he went back to his room and found a mop, he had just wet it in the bathroom when he heard familiar voices coming from the hallway.

Looking up, I saw Huang Sheng carrying a large bag of dried meat, chatting and laughing with Zhu Xiang as they returned.

Upon seeing the mop in Cheng Ye's hand and the open door to room 529, they immediately understood what was going on.

"Sir, what are you doing!" Huang Sheng rushed over and snatched the mop from him. "You don't need to do the cleaning! We'll do it!"

Zhu Xiang quickly agreed, immediately bringing out a basin and towel from inside the room to fetch water and prepare to wipe the windows.

When the topic turned to knocking down the wall between the two rooms, Huang Sheng's eyes lit up: "Don't worry about knocking down the wall! I'll call someone over right away!"

He pulled out his mobile phone and dialed a number, his tone unusually crisp, "Hey, Lao Zhang, bring the brothers to the Chaoyang Electronics Factory compound to work for the boss! Do you have enough men? Yes! Don't rest, you'll have plenty of time to rest later, hurry up, don't delay things!"

"You're doing this on your day off."

"What rest? Other departments are busy. It's been raining lately, so the Public Works Department hasn't had a chance to start work."

Huang Sheng grinned and said, "Don't worry, my team is efficient and will make sure it looks beautiful!"

In fact, he, Zhu Xiang, and Wu Zhihong had long planned to help Cheng Ye improve his living environment.

Especially after the last meeting, when they went to Cheng Ye's room, they found that the room was small and cramped, without even a decent piece of furniture, and they thought about finding an opportunity to show off.

Now is the time!
Less than half an hour later, footsteps could be heard in the hallway. More than a dozen men in work clothes came in carrying electric drills and crowbars, with cement bags on their shoulders and buckets of moisture-proof paint in their hands.

"Sir, I'm not only going to knock down the wall for you, but I'm also replacing the floor tiles in both rooms with ceramic tiles and scraping off all the walls to redo the moisture-proofing! Everyone's on holiday today, so we have enough manpower. If we start work again in a couple of days, we really won't have this opportunity!"

"Alright then, thank you for your help."

Cheng Ye was secretly delighted.

He had only planned to do a simple cleaning, but Huang Sheng arranged a complete renovation, replacing the cement floor with tiles and making the walls moisture-proof, which solved his biggest headache, the mold problem. He couldn't have been happier.

As for the cost of materials, Huang Sheng and his two companions didn't stand on ceremony and took 1500 coins from him.

They offered to refund any overpayment or charge any underpayment, and also asked Cheng Ye what furniture he needed, promising to help him buy it, guaranteeing it would be cheaper and more durable than elsewhere.

"Money really doesn't last long. I only have 1300 coins left. I need to figure out how to get some Happiness Coins."

After calculating the remaining money, Cheng Ye couldn't help but mutter to himself.

However, since Happiness Coins are easy to earn, he wasn't worried. He could simply exchange some for contribution points, which wouldn't be a problem.

They helped carry the wooden bed out and moved the ordinary odds and ends from their own room to Huang Sheng's place for storage.

As for the armor and several valuables, they were sent to the convenience store for storage.

After finishing all that, Cheng Ye stood in the courtyard of the residential area, looking up at the afternoon sun.

The warm sunlight shone on me, dispelling the last trace of fatigue.

On one hand, there is a clear goal to strive for in Dabo Town, and on the other hand, there is the ability to enjoy the current stability.

Unlike in modern times, you don't have to worry about mortgages or struggle to make a living; as long as you work hard, you can see the rewards.

These days are truly peaceful and comfortable!
(End of this chapter)