Wasteland Border Inspector

Chapter 157 A New Beginning, The Power of Belief!
After putting his things away, Cheng Ye went upstairs to take another look. Sure enough, he didn't need to worry about the renovation. Huang Sheng and the construction team were in full charge and working hard.

He had no choice but to grab a clean change of clothes and stroll towards the public bathhouse in the buffer zone.

It's a typical northern-style public bathhouse, divided into a shower area and a soaking area. A bath only costs 2 Happiness Coins, making it extremely cost-effective.

Perhaps because it was a holiday today, as soon as I pushed open the door, I heard a lot of noise inside. The heat mixed with laughter hit me, and there were quite a few people.

Cheng Ye chose a shower stall in a corner. As soon as he took off his coat, several men around him who were drying themselves immediately looked over, their eyes filled with amazement.

"Hey buddy, you're doing great!" A shirtless middle-aged man came over, reaching out to touch him but then shyly pulled back. "This physique is clearly the result of real kung fu training, not just dead muscle."

"He's a little thin. If he were a bit more muscular, he would definitely be a real man like an eagle!" Another man wearing glasses nodded in agreement, his tone full of admiration.

"You came alone? Want a back scrub? I'm good at it, I guarantee I'll scrub you clean!" Some people even struck up conversations with him, being incredibly enthusiastic.

"."

Sure enough, excessive exercise only attracts the same sex.

Cheng Ye didn't hesitate and replied with a smile, "Sure, thanks a lot, brother!"

He grew up in an orphanage, where he often rubbed each other's backs with his peers and had long been accustomed to this lively atmosphere.

Pour hot water over your body and the fatigue will instantly disappear.

The uncle who was rubbing my back was very skilled. While rubbing, I chatted with him, and the topic naturally turned to the recent changes in the buffer zone.

"I heard that the construction of the outer city will start tomorrow, and several satellite cities will be built!" The uncle's hands didn't stop, and his tone was full of anticipation. "I plan to apply to go to the satellite city to find work when the situation is more stable, and make a good fortune in the fall to buy some winter supplies for my family."

"It's not that easy. I heard from a friend in the Department of Civil Affairs that if you want to leave now, you have to change your household registration first, and the satellite city is just starting out, so it's very dangerous." Someone next to me poured cold water on the idea, but their tone wasn't pessimistic. "But if it can really be built, life will definitely get better in the future."

"That's right! Little Sun broadcasts it every day, saying that Happiness City is going to return to its former glory. I don't think it's impossible!"

"Hehe, it's really inconvenient for my family of six to be crammed into a 30-square-meter apartment. My son is getting married, so I'm going out to work hard now so I can buy him a wedding house later."

"."

Cheng Ye leaned against the edge of the pool, soaking in the bath, listening to everyone's conversation, and he felt a sense of emotion.

This is the power of public opinion.

Thanks to Xiaotaiyang's tireless daily promotion, and the positive news about satellite city construction and resettlement during the migration wave, no one sighed like before; instead, they all exuded a sense of hope for the future.

Occasionally, a few people would shake their heads regretfully, saying that the soil in Shijiazhuang Province was unsuitable for farming.

After taking a shower, Cheng Ye handed his dirty clothes to the bathhouse staff. They offer a laundry service where clothes are washed and delivered to his address. It only costs 3 Happiness Coins, which is cheap and hassle-free.

All in all, a nice long shower only cost 5 Happiness Coins. Happiness City really does an excellent job when it comes to basic living facilities.

After changing into clean clothes, Cheng Ye didn't linger and headed towards Tianyuan Community.

It was around four o'clock in the afternoon, and the sky was gradually darkening. The wind carried a chill after the snow, and it looked like it might snow again that night.

Even before reaching the edge of Sector B-7, one could hear lively sounds coming from inside.

The sounds of gongs and drums mingled with the cheers of the crowd, creating a vibrant and energetic atmosphere that could be felt even two streets away.

Cheng Ye quickened his pace, turned the corner, and was instantly stunned by the scene before him.

Thousands of people lined both sides of the street, holding colorful paper and small flags. Some even found red cloth and red rope from somewhere and tied them to the roadside utility poles. Red ribbons were tied above the entrance to B7, making it as lively as a modern wedding.

Police officers in uniform were maintaining order on the perimeter of the crowd, but since it was a holiday and everyone was free, they curiously squeezed in, blocking the intersection completely.

Cheng Ye followed the crowd inside, and just as he squeezed to the front of the cordon, he was stopped by a young guard.

"Sir, I'm sorry, the inside is already full. It would be dangerous for you to push forward. You should look around from the outside!"

Just as he was about to take out his badge, a joyful shout came from the side: "Sir! You've arrived!"

People from the community recognized him at a glance.

The crowd parted to make way, and Cheng Ye walked leisurely into section B-7 amidst the curious gazes of the crowd.

When he left the electronics factory residential area, there weren't this many people on the road. But after taking a shower for an hour, so many people gathered around. The attraction of this demolition compensation gift was greater than he had imagined.

However, it was precisely because of this that Cheng Ye felt more confident looking at the crowd of people in front of him.

If this pedestrian street could be developed into one of the centers of the buffer zone, it would be an absolute goldmine.

After walking a few steps, I saw Wang Kang wearing a brand new brown coat, banging a gong with a group of people, his face beaming with joy.

Seeing Cheng Ye approaching, he immediately dropped the gong and ran over: "Brother Cheng, you're finally here! The fish have arrived, and I had them buried in snow. Isn't this lively? It's even more festive than our annual anniversary celebrations in the inner city!"

"It is indeed very festive."

Cheng Ye smiled and nodded, his gaze sweeping over his surroundings.

The formerly chaotic pedestrian street has been completely cleared of all the shacks, revealing a smooth cement surface.

The sudden emptiness felt a little strange.

Near Tianyuan Shopping Mall, a simple wooden platform was erected, with a red banner with yellow characters that read "Tianyuan Pedestrian Street Demolition Blessing". The banner rustled loudly when the wind blew by.

Old Song and the other two district elders changed back into their red robes embroidered with auspicious cloud patterns and sat on chairs in the center of the platform.

Compared to the seriousness of the last community meeting, the three elderly people looked noticeably more nervous today, yet they couldn't hide the joy in their eyes.

After all, demolishing the pedestrian street symbolizes bidding farewell to the old and welcoming the new, and it represents a fresh start.

Tianyuan Community has been established for almost ten years and has finally ushered in the next stage of development!
"Brother Da Long said you don't like to be in the public eye, so we didn't arrange for you to give a speech on stage."

Wang Kang scratched his head, his tone clearly tinged with regret.

Cheng Ye was taken aback for a moment, then couldn't help but tease, "What? You want the two of us to go up and sing a song?"

“That’s right!” Wang Kang’s eyes lit up, and his voice rose a few decibels. “When we attended ceremonies in the inner city before, although there were many people, they were all very quiet. It was never this lively! Now that so many people are gathered around, if the two of us go up and sing a song, we’ll definitely get a lot of applause! Isn’t this our biggest dream?”

"Dream." A thought stirred in Cheng Ye's heart, and memories flooded back.

It seems that when the original owner first learned to sing with Wang Kang, the two secretly made a pact that they would definitely sing on stage in front of a huge audience in the future.

Unfortunately, the inner city had many rules and regulations for ceremonies, and everyone was very reserved, never experiencing the feeling of being "surrounded by cheers".

Unlike now, the audience was packed with people, including community residents, homeless people who came to join in the fun, and residents from nearby neighborhoods, each with a bright smile on their face.

If she were to actually go up and sing a song, even if it was just so-so, it would definitely draw a huge cheer.

Cheng Ye thought for a moment, then suddenly laughed: "Okay, let's go up and sing then. After we get promoted, we might have fewer and fewer opportunities like this."

"Really?!" Wang Kang's eyes widened in disbelief.

“Of course it’s true.” Cheng Ye nodded, then added, “But I have to wear a mask so that so many people don’t remember it, to avoid trouble later.”

“Then I’ll wear it too!” Wang Kang immediately chimed in, grinning broadly. “I’m a trainee inspector now, I can’t let the checkpoint down!”

Whether you sing well or not, or what songs you sing, doesn't really matter.

As the two walked toward the side of the stage, Cheng Ye felt a surge of excitement for no apparent reason.

Ultimately, he was just a young man in his early twenties, still harboring a playful side.

However, the oppressive environment of the wasteland and the constant life-or-death crises forced him to become calm and mature.

Now that we're finally able to relax, let's consider this a "milestone" for all the hard work we've put in over the past few months.

After all, once he goes to Dabo Town and starts taking on contracted work, Inspector Cheng will have to become more and more composed and will no longer be suitable to show off his personality in front of crowds like he is now.

When they found Da Long, the community was stunned when they heard that the two wanted to go on stage to sing.

Immediately afterwards, cheers erupted, and the crowd on the periphery heard the commotion and began to squeeze in, thinking there was some excitement to be had.

Da Long quickly had someone bring him two simple masks.

One was a black eagle mask, and the other was a brown bear head mask, which were handed to Cheng Ye and Wang Kang.

Cheng Ye took the eagle mask and put it on, covering most of his face except for his clearly defined jawline.

Wang Kang then put the bear head mask on his head and put his eyes through the small holes in the mask, looking silly yet cute.

The little flame popped out from Cheng Ye's shoulder, looked at him, tilted its head, and wondered why the big friend looked more and more like the companion it saw in its dreams. Excited, it chirped and fluttered around, jumping from Cheng Ye's shoulder to the top of the mask, and then sliding down the edge of the mask to the other shoulder, like a naughty little ball of fluff.

"Brother Cheng, I'll accompany you on the instrument later, you can sing first?"

Wang Kang retrieved his wooden guitar. When leaving the inner city, he could leave everything else behind, but this was something he absolutely had to keep with him; he treasured it dearly.

"Let's switch. You go first, and I'll accompany you."

Cheng Ye took the guitar from his hand, slung it over his shoulder, and gently plucked the strings with his fingertips. At first, his movements were a little clumsy, and the metal strings made a slightly rough sound.

As the memories in his mind further merged, his fingers became more and more nimble, his fingertips dancing on the strings, and a melodious prelude slowly flowed out.

"Okay!"

Wang Kang's eyes lit up, and he became so excited that his neck turned red. He quickly took the microphone that Cheng Ye handed him and tested the sound at his lips.

Before long, the three district elders on the stage began to speak.

Holding the microphone, Old Song's voice was a little hoarse but exceptionally strong as he spoke of the past of the pedestrian street and looked forward to the future after the new houses were built.

The audience listened attentively, and bursts of applause rang out from time to time.

After the speech, several young people from the community stepped forward and carefully lifted the stools of the three elderly people and carried them to the side of the stage so that they could sit and rest.

Da Long strode onto the stage, took the microphone, and spoke in a loud voice like banging a gong, "Friends who have come to witness the ceremony, Elder Qu has painted a bright future for us. Now, let's get some excitement going!"

"Please welcome Mr. Eagle and Mr. Bear to sing us a song to celebrate the auspicious completion of the demolition of Tianyuan Pedestrian Street!"

"Mr. Eagle! Mr. Bear!"

"Sing! Sing!"

The community staff arranged by Da Long started shouting first, quickly energizing the entire audience.

The crowd joined in the cheering, shouts and applause mingling together, creating a thunderous roar that truly resembled a big star taking the stage.

Wang Kang gripped the microphone tighter, his palms sweating with nervousness, and subconsciously turned to look at Cheng Ye.

Cheng Ye nodded slightly to him, then plucked a light, cheerful tune with his fingertips.

Wang Kang took a deep breath, and the panic in his heart instantly dissipated. Yes, this was their childhood dream, and now it had finally come true. What was there to be afraid of?

"This is the first step in realizing our dream. There will be many more dreams to come."

"Okay!" Wang Kang took the microphone. "Hello everyone, I'm Da Xiong. Next, I'll sing you a song, 'Happiness Comes In'!" As soon as he said this, a cheer erupted from the audience. "Happiness Comes In" is the city song of Happiness City, and it's the opening song for every major ceremony. Almost everyone can hum a few lines.

The atmosphere below grew increasingly lively. Da Long knelt on one knee in front of Cheng Ye and brought the microphone close to the guitar.

thump.
The familiar prelude started playing again, but Wang Kang was so excited that he couldn't help but start singing as soon as he heard the first note, half a beat faster than the rhythm.

But it's not a big problem; who would care at this point?

"The morning light kisses our faces awake." A high-pitched voice came from the microphone, slightly off-key, but exceptionally sincere.

Cheng Ye reacted extremely quickly, his fingertips turning lightly to adjust the rhythm to match his tune, without any sense of incongruity.

"The child chases the wind and flies his kite!"

The old man smiled and said, "Spring has come again."

"Happiness, quietly walks in!"

"Every inch of this city is filled with wonder; our home will always be warm in our hearts!"

"."

Wang Kang's voice wasn't particularly pleasant, and he even sang off-key in some parts, but he sang with exceptional passion.

The audience gradually got caught up in the music and started humming along. At first, it was just the community residents around the stage, then the crowd in section B7, and finally even the onlookers couldn't help but open their mouths and hum along to the melody.

"The wind is gentle, and the clouds are white!"

"Happy City, Springtime Always!"

"Every heart is filled with anticipation, and happiness will keep coming in!"

The singing spread like a tide, carrying the chill of the snow, yet exuding a burning warmth.

The emotions of new life were passed down through the melody, and even a few migrants who had just arrived in the city couldn't help but stop and stare, a complex yet expectant emotion flashing in their eyes.

Happiness truly exists here.

Even if it's just a moment, a fragment, even if there are dangers and hardships in the future, the liveliness and the songs at this moment are real and tangible.

Sitting on one side of the stage, Mr. Song listened to the songs that rose and fell, and his eyes suddenly welled up with tears. He couldn't help but raise his hand to wipe the corner of his eyes.

He had witnessed the cruelty of the wasteland in his life and never imagined that he would see these scenes before he died.

What is happiness?
For Tianyuan Community, it means the hope of demolishing the old shacks and building new houses!

For him, a veteran, it meant seeing the community develop and seeing smiling faces.

And at this moment, all of these are there.

Cheng Ye's fingers never stopped moving as his gaze swept across the flushed faces below the stage. There were smiles from the elderly, laughter from children, cheers from young people, and a glimmer of light in the eyes of many more.

He suddenly realized that his decision to stand here at this moment was absolutely right.

It's not just about fulfilling the dreams of the predecessor and Wang Kang, but also about remembering this down-to-earth atmosphere.

Just like Jiang Chuan said, you have to make sure you have enough humanity in yourself in order to resist the erosion of loneliness in the wilderness.

He seems to have completely taken root.

The scent of the wasteland began to flow in his blood, and even his thoughts were no longer filled with modern memories.

When the song ended, Wang Kang, holding the microphone, was breathless and his chest heaving. His legs gave way and he almost collapsed to the ground.

In fact, the subsequent shouts were actually yelled out at the top of their lungs, but they were shouted with great gusto.

"Mr. Cheng Xiongying, it's your turn!"

He handed the microphone to Cheng Ye and reached out to take the guitar, but Cheng Ye remained seated on the stool without moving. He simply raised his chin, indicating that he should bring the microphone to his mouth.

"Singing and playing the guitar?"

Wang Kang was stunned for a moment, then couldn't help but curl the corners of his mouth into a smile. Sure enough, Brother Cheng was still the same flamboyant Brother Cheng.

She clearly wanted to perform even more than him, but she usually suppressed it.

In an instant, the last trace of awkwardness between the two vanished completely, replaced by a deeper familiarity and a greater sense of intimacy than before.

"Hello everyone, I'm Eagle, and I'll be performing a song for you all, 'Old Boy'."

Cheng Ye plucked the strings and chuckled.

An unfamiliar melody flowed from the speakers, lacking the cheerfulness of happiness that usually accompanies us, but carrying a delicate gentleness that suddenly silenced the surrounding noise.

Da Long remained slightly hunched over, holding the microphone steadily next to the guitar, while Wang Kang held up another microphone, subconsciously holding his breath, afraid of disturbing the melody.

Cheng Ye pursed his lips, lowered his eyelids slightly, and slowly said, "That's the person I've been thinking of and loving deeply day and night."

"How should I express myself? Will she accept me?"

"Perhaps I will never say those words to her. I am destined to wander the world. How can I have any attachments?"

The gentle melody seemed to be a soft expression of emotion, or a whisper of unspoken longing.

Sitting on the edge of a residential building rooftop not far away, Mu Shuang raised an eyebrow and looked at the man beside her. "Oh ho, this Prosecutor Cheng is quite the romantic. I didn't realize."

"Hmm, really?" Jiang Chuan touched his nose, somewhat surprised.

But then he thought of Cheng Ye urging him to get married, and couldn't help but laugh. "Maybe he's a bit sentimental. Prosecutor Cheng is indeed a very emotional person. People like that are naturally charismatic."

But before he could finish speaking, the melody on stage suddenly changed, and Cheng Ye's voice rose in unison, carrying an irrepressible power:

"If dreams always seem unattainable, should we give up?"

"Flowers bloom and fade, another season has come; where are you, spring?"

"Youth is like a rushing river, once gone, it never returns, leaving only a numb me, devoid of the passion of yesteryear!"

Wow.

Sincere emotions can suddenly ignite the entire audience at a certain moment.

The three district elders who were originally sitting on one side of the stage had stood up at some point, and the people watching the excitement below had lost their smiles, replaced by a complex trembling.

When the song returned to its main theme, Cheng Ye's voice became a little hoarse, but even more passionate.

Life is like a ruthless sculptor, changing our appearance.

"Must I wither before I even bloom? I had a dream!"

At that moment, the audience fell completely silent, and the sound carried far, far away.

It reached the edge of Zone B7, and into the crowd that was still squeezing in.

"Did you record it? Did you record it?" On the outskirts of the crowd, several people in gray uniforms were holding up equipment. One of them lowered his voice, his tone full of urgency.

They were staff members from the radio station. They had only come to join in the fun at the demolition ceremony, hoping to film some footage of the community celebrations to add a touch of liveliness to their evening news broadcasts, and also to use it as compelling material to promote the development of Happy City each quarter.

I never expected to capture such a moving song!

"Recorded! Recorded!" The young staff member next to him quickly raised the device, and the recording interface on the screen was running steadily.

The audience was completely silent, with no extraneous noise, making the recording exceptionally clear.

Every lyric sung by Cheng Ye and every vibration of the guitar strings was recorded in its entirety.

They were all quite excited; the lyrics were so good that they could definitely be used as the closing theme every night.

Dreams—isn't that exactly what Happiness City lacks most right now?
Before we knew it, the song had come to an end.

Cheng Ye stopped plucking the strings, took off the microphone, looked around the audience, said nothing more, simply raised his chin slightly, and suddenly began to sing a cappella:
"If there is a tomorrow, I wish you well, my dear!"

Wow.

The simple closing line, without any accompaniment, is like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples in everyone's heart.

There was a brief silence in the audience, as if everyone was still immersed in the lingering charm of the song.

The next second, thunderous applause suddenly erupted, wave after wave, mixed with cheers and whistles.

Of course, there were also those who excitedly shouted, "Mr. Eagle! One more song!"

Click.

The young staff member from the radio station could no longer contain himself and quickly pressed the shutter button.
In the video, a man wearing an eagle mask is holding a guitar, standing tall and bowing slightly in thanks, with cheering crowds and fluttering red banners behind him.

Although the image is somewhat blurry due to shaky hands and distance, it possesses an indescribable infectiousness.

When he tried to adjust the angle and take a clearer photo, he saw the figure on the stage turn around and walk quickly off the stage with the young man wearing a bear head mask, leaving only the empty wooden stage and the still-echoing applause.

"What a pity, I didn't get a clearer picture." The young staff member looked at the photo on the camera, clicked his tongue with some regret, and kept zooming in on the screen, trying to see the outline under the mask.

"It's no pity." The team leader leaned closer, his gaze falling on the blurry photo, a smile involuntarily creeping onto his lips. "Sometimes, these fleeting moments are the most precious. If you manage to capture one, it will become a classic!"

"Believe it or not, this song will definitely be a hit tomorrow. It will not only spread throughout the buffer zone, but people in the outlying refugee camps will also be humming it."

“That’s for sure.” The young staff member immediately laughed. “With this complete recording and this photo, everyone will definitely remember the evening’s broadcast! The boss might even give us a bonus!”

The team leader didn't respond. Instead, he took out his notebook and pen from his pocket and quickly wrote down a line: "An unexpected bonus from the demolition of Block B-7, conveying dreams and hope. It can be used as core promotional material and should be promoted intensively."

In this wasteland era where "belief" is essential, a song that can awaken people's hearts is far more powerful than a hundred empty slogans.

Cheng Ye, who had already reached the outer edge of the crowd, was unaware that his singing was about to resonate throughout the buffer zone.

He took off the eagle mask, felt the lingering coolness on his face, and took a deep breath.

But the burning sensation in my chest from singing hadn't dissipated; it was still scalding.

"Brother Cheng, our dream has come true!" Wang Kang caught up with him. "So this is what it feels like! It's wonderful, I'll never forget it!"

"Forgot again? This is just the beginning, the beginning of the next dream."

“Yes! It’s the beginning of the next dream!” Wang Kang immediately realized and nodded vigorously.

The two looked at each other and smiled.

"So, Brother Cheng, what exactly is our next dream?"

"Hmm," Cheng Ye paused, his gaze unconsciously drifting towards the direction of Dabo Town. "No rush, I'll tell you when we get home!"

　P.S.: She's fully settled in! Prosecutor Cheng has taken a new step forward in her career!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)