Wasteland Border Inspector

Chapter 164 A Bountiful Harvest of Parts, Master Tian's Dilemma!
After explaining the rules, Sunny Valentine didn't follow him any further and had someone fetch a marker and hand it to him.
"If you see a car you like, just mark it with a marker, and we'll arrange for a mechanic to disassemble it."

"Okay, please."

Cheng Ye took the pen, and Sunny Valentine tactfully led the guards to a distance, giving the two enough space.

After everyone had gone, Cheng Ye turned to Master Tian and said bluntly, "I plan to form a caravan to run routes between satellite cities."

"You?" Master Tian frowned, his tone tinged with doubt. "As far as I know, inspectors are not allowed to operate caravans without authorization, are they?"

"You even know this?"

Cheng Ye clicked his tongue and explained, "That's the principle, but there are exceptions. For example, the purpose of my caravan is to promote trade in the satellite cities of Happiness City, transporting the products produced in the satellite cities to other places to sell and meet the needs of foreign consumers. That's not considered a violation."

"Where does the caravan's revenue come from?" Master Tian asked thoughtfully.

"Reputation, word-of-mouth, system, channels!"

Facing Master Tian, ​​Cheng Ye had no intention of hiding anything. These kinds of tricks were only for prosecutors, and they also needed to have a good grasp of the situation and a high level of thinking.

He spoke quickly, rattling off his thoughts in rapid succession:
"First, rely on trade in goods to build reputation and brand for the caravan."

"Then we'll use satellite cities to provide after-sales service and improve our reputation."

"Once a sustainable system is established, it will be equivalent to having a fixed sales point with its own appeal in each satellite city, and consumers will come to buy on their own initiative."

"Finally, there's the channel. The core of what I do is attract traffic and draw everyone's attention to my next project. That's where the real profit comes from."

Master Tian had traveled all over the country in his early years and had even worked in the underworld, so he was very quick-witted.

He pondered for a moment and figured out the logic and profit point of this model, but still deliberately asked, "Aren't you afraid that I'll tell others about this?"

"What's the most important thing for a third-rate assassin to survive?" Cheng Ye didn't answer directly, but asked with a smile.

Master Tian was taken aback for a moment, then chuckled: "A third-rate assassin isn't capable of leading your caravan."

"It's actually not that dangerous."

Cheng Ye shook his head, his tone quite frank. "This matter benefits all the prosecutors and all the satellite cities. Moreover, once this model is presented, it will soon be learned and imitated. Perhaps the checkpoints will even have their own logistics systems operating within a couple of days. The reason I didn't give the plan to the checkpoints is because it's unnecessary. It's only a matter of time before satellite cities start exchanging resources. At such close proximity, it's impossible for them to develop independently."

"Then you."

"The difference lies in the ending, in the next step," Cheng Ye said calmly. "Even if my caravan only accounts for one-tenth of the market share in the end, the customer traffic during the final stage can still bring in a lot of revenue."

"Simply put, I want to produce a batch of products, but I don't have the funds for advertising or the channels right now. The caravan is like paving the way in advance and accumulating enough traffic so that the products can be sold later."

What is the core of the modern internet economy?
Ask a hundred people, and ninety-nine of them will answer "traffic".

Traffic leads to exposure, and exposure leads to sales – this is the most basic logic.

The ultimate goal of the Qingping Caravan he was creating was to gather this traffic and turn it into a "pool" that could be monetized.

"Hmm," Master Tian grasped the key point, but still pressed on, "What if your last batch of products doesn't sell?"

"You've hit the nail on the head. That's something other inspectors, and even checkpoints, can't learn."

Cheng Ye twirled the marker in his fingertips, his eyes filled with determination.

"I dare to do this because I have confidence in the subsequent products, so I am willing to ship goods and accumulate traffic for free first. But if others blindly follow my example, only knowing how to accumulate traffic but not knowing how to use it, then they are truly making a free contribution."

He paused, then changed his words, "It can't be said to be free. Everyone is actually contributing to the circulation of goods in the satellite city. It's just that I can make a little money from it in the end."

"I understand!"

Seeing Cheng Ye's confidence, Master Tian nodded slightly, but there was not much hesitation on his face.

A fleeting sense of surprise at Cheng Ye and a bewilderment at not yet fully understanding this model crossed her mind.

However, these factors alone are far from enough to get him to join the caravan.

He had no desire to go out and become a gofer, contributing to Cheng Ye's ultimate money-making plan.

As for making money, enough is enough.

Life is pretty good now. My family has enough to eat and wear, and we have a big house to live in.

If it weren't for his daughter Tian Lei being so unruly and insisting on going to the outer city, he wouldn't have had the mind to make a fuss at all.

With two employees in the family, their standard of living is definitely among the top 10% in the buffer zone.

Seeing Master Tian's reaction, Cheng Ye smiled. Sure enough, these things alone were far from enough to move a master who had achieved oneness with the universe.

People who form such convictions all have their own code of conduct and will not be easily swayed by money.

So, let's talk about the future.

Cheng Ye gestured for Master Tian to follow him to the open-air parking lot outside. As they walked, he said, "The buffer zone has indeed developed quite well over the years, but it has always lacked a spark to ignite it. This wave of migration doesn't count. Once the satellite city is built, the buffer zone will only have its economy and population siphoned away, with waves of people being sifted out. In the end, only those with official positions, their families, and a small number of old residents will remain here."

“From now on, no newcomers will be able to directly enter the buffer zone as soon as they arrive in Happiness City. This place will be gradually upgraded, this ruin will be rebuilt, and eventually it will become like the advanced area of ​​the City of Fire Protection, with stricter rules and higher thresholds.”

Cheng Ye changed the subject, his tone becoming more direct: "And someone like you, Master Tian, ​​will be the first to be screened out."

"Why?" Master Tian's face darkened.

"Because the upgraded buffer zone will not tolerate a master who is in harmony with nature driving a bus inside."

Cheng Ye stopped in his tracks, looking at the now-shaved bald man with a half-smile.

"The core purpose of satellite cities is multi-level coordinated defense. Any factors that may cause instability within the city will be cleared out to the outer satellite cities. The vast Happiness City, whether the inner or outer city, will ultimately be reserved for ordinary people who have real potential and need a stable environment, such as those young people I just met at the Machinery Bureau. They need a quiet environment to study and conduct research, and it would be best if they were naive and protected in this sheltered city, without having to think about the dangers of the wilderness or the pressure of survival."

"Furthermore, what this happy city needs in the future is new people who can make contributions, not old people who rest on their laurels. If the old people who have worked diligently for decades cannot keep up with the pace of development and have lost their irreplaceable value, they will be the first to be sent away as role models."

"Of course, no one can say for sure when that day will come."

Cheng Ye frankly stated that he did not deliberately exaggerate his anxiety, "It may arrive in a year, or it may take five or ten years, or even if the satellite city construction fails, we may never see this day. But I am a person who likes to plan ahead, and I do not think that this day is far away. I only think about making plans as early as possible and leaving myself more options."

At this point, the atmosphere had completely changed.

Once Master Tian's facade of strength is exposed, whether or not the attempt to win him over succeeds, their relationship will never be as simple as it once was.

But this is the inevitable reality that will come with the expansion of satellite cities.

Prosecutors like Li Changfeng need to climb the ranks step by step from the lower levels.

What about ordinary people?
It will only get worse!

Since the threshold for entering the inner city is getting higher and higher, Happiness City will set thresholds for the outer city and the buffer zone, pushing them down level by level.

It set a goal for newcomers to move up, but it also put a shackle on everyone that they could never stop.

Only in this way will people be willing to stay in the outermost satellite city and risk their lives to continue contributing to Happiness City.

This great ship of progress will certainly not carry all the crew members of the old era on its voyage.

A major reshuffle will inevitably require sacrificing the interests of some people.

Those with sharp minds are already thinking about how to "go into business" and accumulate their first pot of gold after the arrival of the new era, so as to live a life they never dared to dream of before.

Those trapped in comfort can only passively await the final judgment, swept into the dust by a great tide, all their accumulation and comfort vanishing overnight.

If Master Wakata were just an ordinary person, he would have no choice but to passively accept the judgment that would come when that moment arrived.

But now that he knows all this, and is a survivor from the City of Fire's Protection, and a being capable of taking a gamble, can he still be so sure that this day will never come?

Or perhaps they believe that Happiness City can build upon the existing example of Xinghuo to forge a more complete new path and take the risk of trying a new system?
Master Tian froze on the spot, his face turning pale and then somber, like clouds being blown about by the wind.

In fact, his daughter Tian Lei had said these things as well, but he simply didn't want to think about them.

Or they might think that even if the time for a change of leadership has come, the Tian family shouldn't be the one to suffer.

Even when Cheng Ye clearly wanted to recruit him at noon, he already had a vague premonition in his heart.

I just never thought I would actually take that step.

I pondered for two or three minutes.

Master Tian continued to shake his head slowly, seemingly lost in thought or weighing something.

"No rush, you think first. I'll walk around a bit and see if there's anything usable outside."

Cheng Ye smiled and turned to walk deeper into the junkyard.

Having visited the Flame of Fire and witnessed the destroyed C35, he never felt there was a truly safe place.

To establish a foothold in this wasteland, one's own strength is not enough; one also needs a powerful external force.

And it doesn't matter whether it's for a better life or to realize certain ideals.

Rather than trying to win people over, he was recruiting like-minded partners.

People like Master Tian still have expectations for a better life and want to continue living a peaceful life.

It's better to just do it all at once.

Success! We'll immediately have another powerful ally who embodies harmony with nature.

Even if it doesn't work out, at least some dignity can be preserved, preventing the relationship from deteriorating due to constant probing.

"Huh, these cars aren't too bad."

After walking a few steps, Cheng Ye suddenly stopped, his gaze falling on a dusty little pickup truck.

The right side of the truck was completely smashed, and the A and B pillars were broken inward, leaving the truck leaning against the ground.

Through the cracked windshield, you can see that the leather seats on the front passenger side and the left side of the rear seat are covered with a thick layer of dust, but there is no obvious damage.

Walking around to the side door and opening it, I touched it with my fingertips and found it was a genuine leather seat filled with foam, and it felt very solid.

"Good stuff!"

Cheng Ye pressed his hand on the seat, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, but when he turned to look at the rest of the car, he couldn't help but shake his head.

This truck uses a second-generation battery. There are obvious signs of disassembly behind the passenger compartment. The interior is empty, with only a few brittle pipes and scattered wiring harnesses, as if someone had roughly removed the core components.

He opened the hood; the motor was still there, but it was covered in a thick layer of dust and had turned gray.

In the past, he wouldn't have been able to tell whether the motor was good or bad, but now, after scanning a few key interfaces and coil positions, he already has a good idea of ​​what's going on.

The junction box cover on top of the motor is long gone, revealing three thick copper pillars inside.

The copper wires that should have been wrapped in insulation are now just half a charred copper core. In the slots of the motor stator core, several strands of enameled wire have burned out, with the exposed copper wires sticking out, some even stuck together, turning into dark yellow copper slag.

"This motor is probably half-destroyed; the stator windings are exposed, and the burn marks are so obvious."

"The rest of the room is probably pretty much broken too. It's just a seat, not worth 100 points at all."

Just as he was about to move over to look at the other cars, Cheng Ye suddenly stopped.

He recalled that after choosing joint mounting, the search function provided by the pre-mounting was still retained.

Why don't you give it a try and see how it goes?

Following his usual practice, he silently recited "search" in his mind, and sure enough, a prompt popped up on the panel:

[Initiate a search to retrieve the current target (small truck)?]

[Please note: This search is only for a single, specific target and cannot be performed across a range.] [Please note: Search energy consumption will vary depending on skill level; current base energy consumption per search: 0.1%]

[Detected that the collector's skill learning progress meets the requirements, energy consumption reduced to: 0.03%]

"Only 0.03% is consumed?"

Cheng Ye was stunned for a moment; this was the first time he had ever seen the collector's function consume so little energy.

Based on a standard of 400 degrees, that's equivalent to 0.12 kilowatt-hours of electricity.

After searching twice, I now only have 3% battery left, but that's enough for hundreds of searches with some remaining.

"Indeed, it seems that the tool-style front-mounting has its advantages."

Cheng Ye nodded slightly, thinking to himself, "With such low energy consumption, it can be used for future inspections of machinery. It's much easier than figuring it out myself."

Without hesitation, he used his mind to click on the panel to confirm the search.

This time, it wasn't his previous half-baked judgment, but rather an integrated search based on his complete basic mechanical principles and intermediate mechanical identification skills.

It's like having a seasoned expert like Sang Hezheng do a comprehensive inspection, but it's faster and the results are more intuitive.

A few seconds later, a light blue virtual panel popped up, clearly listing the truck's inspection results:
[Target: Second-generation small pickup truck (Model: HK-220)]

Overall condition: 74% damaged

Core component testing:
Motor (72% damaged, stator windings exposed and burned, silicon steel sheets partially detached, rotor shaft slightly deformed, cooling water channel ruptured and leaking)
The electronic power steering pump is 18% damaged. The right oil pipe interface is slightly deformed. The outer casing is covered with mud and sand. The internal motor, hydraulic pump and control circuit board are intact. The low-voltage wiring terminals are not loose.

ABS system (65% damaged, right front and rear wheel speed sensor probes broken, connecting harness broken)
High-voltage distribution box (100% damaged, casing deformed by compression, completely melted and burned).
On-board charger (11% damaged, slight oxidation of metal contacts at the input interface, internal electrolytic capacitors, rectifier circuit board and cooling fan are intact)

Brake master cylinder (5% damaged, brake fluid in reservoir expired, pump piston moves smoothly, outlet line interface gasket shows no signs of aging or leakage)

It resembles a test report issued by a professional organization, with the panel displaying data down to the core components inside the vehicle.

"The charger, master cylinder, and power steering pump are all still intact?"

Cheng Ye could hardly believe it.

He quickly turned off the control panel, bent down and leaned over the front of the car to carefully examine the internal core components.

Since no repair skills were found, I could only determine where the problem was, but I couldn't know how to fix it.

Even so, its repair value can be judged based on the degree of damage to the front of the panel.

"The items are all still intact!"

A few minutes later, Cheng Ye straightened up, his hands covered in mud and dust from the front cabin, his eyes filled with disbelief.

Little did he know that the first abandoned car he randomly picked out would hold such a wonderful surprise.

How many contribution points are these accessories actually worth?

When I went to the Industrial Development Bureau to buy a car frame, I forgot to ask Lao Sun about the prices of the specific parts.

Cheng Ye took out his defense communication device and simply made a call to avoid having to make another trip later.

"Prosecutor Cheng?"

"Old Sun, could you please check the brand new prices of a few parts for me? I need to make a comparison of the repair costs."

"Okay, you say."

Cheng Ye quickly listed the markings and model numbers on the sides of these accessories.

Industrial parts produced in Xingfu City can be traced back to their source in the materials system as long as production continues.

Especially for core automotive components, the replacement rate is far slower than that of batteries; parts from a generation of trucks are still in circulation today.

Sure enough, less than ten seconds later, Old Sun's voice came back: "We found Inspector Cheng! The electronic power steering pump is 450 points each, the charger is cheaper at 280 points, and the brake master cylinder is even cheaper at only 140 points."

That adds up to 870 points?
Cheng Ye paused, his hand holding the defense communication device, and his mind suddenly went blank.

Did he find a "golden nugget"?
A nearly broken-down car parked outside, just these three usable parts alone are worth nearly a thousand contribution points.
"Prosecutor Cheng? Are you still listening?" Old Sun called out again when he didn't hear a response.

"Yes, yes!" Cheng Ye quickly added, snapping out of his daze. "By the way, could you please send me a price list of commonly used vehicle parts?"

"No problem, I'll organize it and send it to you." Old Sun readily agreed.

"Thank you."

Cheng Ye thanked him and hung up the phone, his head still feeling a little dizzy.

Compared to working at a checkpoint, the speed at which one can make money by scavenging for scraps at a junkyard is ridiculously fast.

However, on the other hand, resources that cannot be traded are meaningless no matter how high the price is.

The official system of Happiness City never recycles second-hand parts; even if they are repaired, they can only be sold to individual merchant caravans.

However, caravans will definitely try to lower the price, and contribution points cannot be traded privately, so at most you can only exchange them for some happiness coins.

"That's good too, saving money is the same as making money!"

Cheng Ye shook his head, quickly understanding the situation.

The money saved now is real money invested by Li Matai. The more bargains they find, the more operating funds the caravan will have.

Just as I was pondering this, my communication device rang with a "ding-dong," indicating that the price list for spare parts sent by Lao Sun had arrived.

When Cheng Ye opened the spreadsheet, he found it to be exceptionally detailed, listing everything from core components like motors and controllers to smaller parts like wiring harnesses and gaskets, including the model numbers and unit prices of screws of different specifications.

However, this comparison reveals the extent of Happiness City's control over resources.

Components involving core industrial technologies are ridiculously expensive.

Basic consumables for vehicle repair, such as rubber gaskets, copper wire harnesses, standard screws, and even non-core components like interior trim panels and seat rails, are surprisingly cheap, with some even sold by weight.

Especially for tires, as long as you submit old tires produced by Xingfu City, each tire can be replaced three times a year for free, so you don't have to worry about a tire blowout even if you drive on rough roads.

After exceeding the limit, the replacement price is only 50 contribution points, which is almost the cost price.

"Perhaps in the next era of great development, when industrial capacity is sufficient to be excessive and core technologies are no longer scarce, they can truly be released into the hands of ordinary people."

"Before this, the various sanctuary cities were engaged in a silent battle for resources. Once the technology leaked out, it would be like cultivating competitors. Happiness City would definitely not give in."

Cheng Ye put away the defense communication device.

No wonder purchasing energy-concentrating panels from Guanghong is a level 5 difficulty level; given the strict control measures in Xingfu City, Guanghong is likely to be in the same situation.

If the price isn't right, and you still want to take the goods, it's simply unrealistic unless the inspector has some special ability.

After marking the car with a marker, Cheng Ye was still not at ease, so he simply called over Sunny Valentine and directly ordered the people dismantling the car to take the parts out right now.

"Okay, I'll go and call the master over right away."

Repairing a car is troublesome, but dismantling it is easy.

Sunny Valentine didn't dare delay and immediately took out his phone to make the call.

It was an apprentice from the Machinery Department who quickly arrived with two boxes of tools.

The fee for dismantling a car is 5 points, which is equivalent to 35 Happiness Coins. This is already a high-paying job for apprentices.

However, it was still much slower than Cheng Ye's selection process.

By searching, he soon identified 13 scrapped cars of various sizes in the parking lot outside.

Even if some parts are duplicated, it doesn't matter. As long as the damage level is less than 10%, they are good items and can be used as spare parts.

The only downside was that most of the cars in the outer parking lot were badly damaged, and after searching around, I couldn't find any motors with less than 50% damage.

In addition, components involving electronic parts, such as vehicle controllers and battery management systems, are not within the scope of the skills search and cannot be determined at this time.

It can only detect inverters, chargers, distribution boxes, booster pumps, etc.

“Sang Zhe.”

Thinking about the special skills of Master Sang's two sons, it seems I'll have to find another opportunity to search for Sang Zhe.

Once his thoughts settled, Cheng Ye's eyes lit up when he turned to the internal parking garage.

The abandoned cars here are in much better condition than those outside.

Without much effort, they easily selected three hairpin motors with a power of 350kw and a torque of 760Nm.

The damage is only around 15%, so it shouldn't be too difficult to repair.

The motors in the pickup trucks and off-road vehicles all use the same model of permanent magnet synchronous motor, with a power of 200kw at the front and rear and a maximum torque of 680Nm.

There are six units in total, configured with dual front and rear motors. Due to the large number of units in use, the damage rate is generally below 10%, with one unit even having a damage rate of only 3%. After disassembling, cleaning the dust, and straightening the wiring terminals, it can be used almost like new.

Of course, the price of parts in the internal parking lot will be calculated on a per-unit basis.

"Collecting trash still costs money."

Cheng Ye rubbed his temples. The previous budget for parts for each car was 1000 points.

One motor costs 250 points, so just 9 motors would cost 2250 points, not even including subsequent maintenance costs.

If we count 6 vehicle controllers with 350 points each, that's 2100 points.

Including the 13 cars outside, the price is 1300 points.

Even with bulk discounts, these core items still cost 4955 points, averaging 825 points per car.

Including the final renovation and repairs, it is estimated that it will slightly exceed the budget that Li Matai had inquired about before.

"Fortunately, all the items were carefully selected high-quality goods, and after refurbishment, they are indistinguishable from new ones!"

After selecting all the parts, Cheng Ye didn't leave in a hurry. Instead, he personally supervised the three apprentices as they disassembled the parts.

Power steering pumps, chargers, and important motor components must be packed separately in foam boxes. Vehicle parts must be wrapped in protective foam film, and even screws must be bagged according to vehicle model. Finally, they are all piled together in a corner of the parking lot warehouse, covered with a moisture-proof cloth, and labeled.

"I'll have someone come and pick up the goods tomorrow or the day after. Keep a close eye on things and make sure no one takes these parts," Cheng Ye repeatedly instructed.
"Don't worry! I've arranged for two guards to stand watch at the warehouse entrance; it absolutely won't get stolen!"

After all, it was a huge order of 5,000 points, Sunny Valentine assured him confidently.

After working for more than two hours, it was already getting dark, and the streetlights in the junkyard were casting a dim yellow light.

Cheng Ye went out and saw Master Tian squatting on the steps at the entrance of the parking lot, his brows furrowed so deeply they could trap a mosquito.

It was as if he had figured something out, or as if he hadn't completely made up his mind yet.

Seeing Cheng Ye approach, he slowly stood up, a complicated bitter smile on his face.

"Don't look so gloomy. It's not like I'm sending you out to your death. Are you so afraid of making a fortune?"

Cheng Ye couldn't help but laugh.

"Let's go back to my place. I'll draw you a lot more pie in the sky, so you can eat your fill all at once!"

　P.S.: Two chapters and 1.3 words delivered! Wow, everyone's monthly votes are so generous, thank you so much!!!

　　P.S. 2: This book has gained an operations manager. After the storm comes the calm, and starting next month there will be a fan title event and a series of activity-based events!!
　　P.S.: Next month, the prosecutor will also be holding a monthly pass giveaway, with prizes including multi-functional tactical pliers, tactical camping lights, tactical wristbands, and more—over fifty prizes in total! Everyone is welcome to participate!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)