Wasteland Border Inspector

Chapter 165 Codename 'Farmer', Shackles of Belief!

The roller shutter door of the convenience store opened.

Master Tian followed behind, his eyes darting left and right, but he never expected that Cheng Ye had another shopfront.

However, after a moment's thought, he immediately remembered that the shop used to be run by a middle-aged man in his fifties, who seemed to be a retired veteran.

What, the shop was sold?
"It was left behind by an old friend; he went out to pursue his dreams."

After thinking for a moment, Cheng Ye simply took out the letter that Uncle Dong had left behind from the backpack on the ground.

There was nothing in the letter that was shameful.

Even after all this time, no one has come to hold anyone accountable for killing the old man in the property management office, nor has anyone inquired about Uncle Dong's whereabouts.

It seems they've included this guy in the list of casualties of the infection wave, which saves them a lot of trouble.

Master Tian took the letter, held the corner of the paper between his fingertips, and read it word by word.

His tense expression gradually relaxed, and his eyes became more lively.

He moved his mouth several times, but in the end it only turned into a long sigh. He carefully folded the letter, put it back in the envelope, and gently placed it on the counter.

Don't rush to express your feelings.

Cheng Ye took out four 10-yuan "happiness coins" and flicked them in front of Master Tian, ​​saying, "Go to the street corner and buy me twenty bags of beer."

Master Tian caught the coin, but shook his head: "My cold isn't better yet, it's not appropriate to drink alcohol."

"It's alright, we'll just buy it." Cheng Ye couldn't help but laugh. "Maybe more guests will be coming later."

Master Tian paused for a moment, then turned around and opened the door to buy wine without saying anything more.

As soon as he left, Cheng Ye went to the basement and took out five dried salted fish, several cans of vegetables and meat, and even the induction cooker left by Uncle Dong.

As for cookware, he simply called Da Long and said he needed to use some kitchen utensils temporarily.

Before he could finish processing the salted fish, people from the community came running over carrying two clean iron pots, two kitchen knives, a solid wood cutting board, and a bag of plates, as well as pieces of blackfish that had been processed the day before.

Thanks to the snow outside for refrigeration, it still feels icy to the touch, it's very fresh.

"So fast?

Cheng Ye took the iron pot, rinsed it briefly with water, placed the cutting board on the counter, and skillfully sliced ​​the fish into uniform pieces with a swift and precise motion.

When Master Tian returned with two cases of beer, the shop was already filled with a delicious aroma.

He heated the pan with cold oil, poured in the salted fish pieces with a "rip" sound, and golden oil splattered up. He casually sprinkled on chili powder and seasonings, stir-fried for a few seconds, and a salty and spicy aroma instantly filled the air.

"Quick, hand me a bag of beer."

Cheng Ye didn't even look up. He reached out and took the beer from Master Tian, ​​tore open the packaging, and slowly poured it into the pot.

Gurgling.

When beer meets hot oil, the bubbles swirl and intensify the aroma. Standing beside him, Chef Tian couldn't help but swallow, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down.

"Does it smell good?"

Master Tian didn't reply, but sighed softly: "Prosecutor Cheng, I'm really not someone who likes to enjoy life."

As he spoke, the panel in the upper right corner of Cheng Ye's field of vision had already opened.

Master Tian's cooperation rate jumped from 28% to 39%.

Old Tian, ​​you're not being honest.

He didn't point it out, but put the pot aside and set up another pot to heat the oil.

This time, we're making sauerkraut fish. Fresh fish pieces are stir-fried in a pan until slightly yellow, then the sauerkraut can is torn open and poured in. Water is added and brought to a boil. The sour and fragrant flavor quickly overpowers the salty and spicy flavor of the salted fish. The two aromas intertwine in the small shop, whetting people's appetites.

Just as Cheng Ye turned down the heat of the sauerkraut fish soup, his defense communication device suddenly rang.

"Look, there are indeed guests."

He answered the phone with a smile: "Finished with the assessment?"

"It's not over, it's gone too far! Something's gone wrong!" Li Matai's voice came through the phone, urgent and loud, with a mix of excitement and unease. "Where are you? I'll come over and tell you right now!"

Cheng Ye was stunned for a moment, then gave the address of the convenience store. As soon as he finished speaking, the phone on the other end clicked off.

Li Ma went too far?!

Cheng Ye was momentarily stunned, but then saw Master Tian stand up somewhat awkwardly. "Prosecutor Cheng, if there's anything else, I'll have to leave now?"

"It's alright, he's a partner in the caravan, he's the one who funded it."

Cheng Ye quickly waved his hand, gesturing for him to sit down and talk.

Master Tian pulled up a small stool and, before Cheng Ye could speak, he went straight to the point, saying, "Prosecutor Cheng, I agree with a lot of what you said. This is a necessary step for the development of Happiness City. Just like when we talked before, the purpose of the satellite cities is also to screen out pests and restore order to this place."

"But there's one thing I still want to say. If there ever comes a day when we need to weed out the Tian family, no problem. But by then, the satellite city should be safe enough, maybe like the current buffer zone. It's just a matter of moving to a different location, which is acceptable. But if I want to leave now, I need... well, I don't want to take any risks."

He's definitely a smart person.

Although Cheng Ye had guessed that Master Tian would realize this, he didn't expect him to guess it so quickly.

While the future layout of Happiness City will evolve as he predicted, the external dangers will gradually disappear as satellite cities are built.

Even if he is expelled, with his abilities, he will surely be able to secure a place in the satellite city.

Going out to take risks now, while the potential rewards are great, the risks are equally enormous.

With his ability to work in harmony with nature, Mr. Tian is able to stay in Happiness City and drive a bus, indicating that he has long been aware of the risks.

but.

Master Tian's weakness was so obvious, and it had been exposed to him in a very direct way.

"Can you accept Tian Lei taking risks outside? Or rather, can you control her?"

The words fell.

Master Tian was startled, his eyes dimmed instantly, and his hands clenched unconsciously at his sides.

"Can you accept that if a similar starfish disaster were to occur again, you would only be able to escape death by luck?" Cheng Ye continued to press without pausing, his tone carrying an unavoidable sense of reality.

Master Tian froze again. His lips moved, but he couldn't utter a single word. The color drained from his face.

"If your family members were to suffer an accident because of these unknown dangers, Mr. Tian, ​​could you accept it?"

"You don't want to take risks, but the dangers of this world don't stand still. They move and come looking for you. They won't let you off the hook just because you're hiding in some corner."

Cheng Ye tore open a bag of beer, tilted his head back, and took a large gulp. The icy liquid slid down his throat, but it couldn't suppress the heaviness in his heart: "When the Void Fog opened, I went to the City of Fire's Sanctuary through the Fog Cave. To be honest, it's completely different now. If you went there, you probably wouldn't recognize it. They've built one massive sanctuary after another, divided into many areas like A, B, C, and D. They've even used the abilities of the infected to build towering protective mountains."

"But do you know what I saw there? When I went there, a sizable shelter city next door, much larger than our buffer zone, was destroyed by an infected source without any resistance. Not a single person in the entire city was able to escape."

"Guess how the current migration wave broke out? That's right, a monster also ran from the Fog Cave from the Fire to Happiness City. All this chaos is caused by it, and we can't do anything about it. We can only let it swagger away."

A world where resources are not scarce, civilization seems to be recovering, but deadly dangers can strike at any moment is far more terrifying than a world ravaged by visible zombies and mutated beasts, and where resources are scarce.

Because you never know if the happiness and peace of this moment will turn into hell on earth in the next second.

Having worked so hard and now possessing extraordinary abilities, Cheng Ye finally felt a sense of security.

Where does Master Tian get his sense of security from?

It stems from ignorance!
It stems from a lack of power!
"Prosecutor Cheng is referring to... Shouyuan Chaofan?"

"you know?"

“In the entire wasteland, only monsters of this level could have such a terrifying influence.” Master Tian shook his head, staring blankly out the window, as if lost in distant memories. “Do you know why I left the assassin’s ranks?”

"Ok?"

"Because my beliefs were completely distorted by a wish-keeping superhuman."

Master Tian's voice was as light as a breeze, yet it carried the weight of a heavy past. "My father was one of the first generation of extraordinary beings. He was incredibly powerful, a womanizer, and a heartbreaker. The offspring of extraordinary beings have a certain probability of inheriting special genetic talents. Unfortunately, I didn't initially obtain this power, so back in the days of Shining Flame, I could only make a living by driving a cart."

"Later, I was attacked by an infected creature in an accident. I awakened my genetic talent in the face of life and death, and with this ability, I gradually embarked on a path of no return."

Master Tian's eyes became complicated, as if he had returned to that chaotic era.

"In the era of great expansion, heroes rose up and forces of all sizes fought each other constantly. At first, I just wanted to survive. I used my genetic talent to participate in some power struggles and worked as a mercenary to earn some resources for survival. But as my strength grew, I became dissatisfied with this kind of life. By chance, I became an assassin and made money by assassinating the leaders of those forces."

"That was an era of extreme disorder and chaos to the core."

Master Tian paused, his tone tinged with complexity, "Back then, not only ordinary people would be wanted, but even prosecutors like you would become prey on the bounty list."

Was the Great Pioneer Era really this wild?

Jiang Chuan tells us about the overall situation, while Master Tian recounts the struggles at the lower levels.

Cheng Ye didn't interrupt, but listened silently, waiting for Master Tian to continue.

“Through repeated killings, I gradually made many enemies. Many people regarded me as a thorn in their side and wanted to get rid of me.”

"They wanted to extract my genes to study the origin of my genetic talent. It's worth mentioning that by then, superhumans had completely disappeared. The most powerful ones were those of us who had awakened our genetic talent; ordinary people called us 'superhumans'."

“I kill others, and others want to kill me, so I kill them in return. The killing day after day made me more and more tired of this life. I began to yearn to retire and live a peaceful life as an ordinary person. But just then, I was wanted by four assassin groups at the same time, and hundreds of high-level assassins were hunting me down, including more than a dozen people with superpowers, all of whom were quite strong.”

"Although I am relatively good at protecting myself, I couldn't withstand the overwhelming numbers of the other side. In the end, I was forced into a desperate situation and almost died in the wilderness."

At this point, Master Tian's eyes softened. "My current wife saved me. She was also an assassin back then, but only a third-rate one. She spent her days running guilds with assassin groups, trying to earn contribution points, and never succeeded in a single solo mission." "She didn't dare take my head to claim the reward because she knew that with her abilities, she couldn't possibly protect the reward; it would only bring her death. But she didn't want to live that precarious life anymore, so in the end, she chose to save me, letting me spend the rest of my life redeeming myself."

Master Tian smiled wryly, “During that time of recuperation, I unexpectedly found what I had always wanted and entered the realm of harmony between man and nature.”

"It's laughable, really, that the belief that I, an assassin, hold so dear is... freedom!"

"Freedom?" Cheng Ye was taken aback. He had thought that Master Tian's beliefs would be associated with 'order' and 'stability'.

"Yes, my belief was initially used to fight the inner demons brought about by power. After my special genetic talent awakened, I was once addicted to that power to control life and death. I wanted to solve everything by killing. It was the belief in freedom that made me realize that there are things in this world that are more important than killing, such as living peacefully and protecting the people I want to protect. It was like a shackle that sealed off my desire for power and my instinct to solve problems with violence, making me completely turn back into an ordinary person."

"So, you think that by recruiting you, I'm restricting your freedom? You're afraid that I'll let you regain your power and go back to the old days of living by killing?"

Cheng Ye seemed to be deep in thought.

If that's the case, then there's basically no hope for this.

After all, belief is the foundation that sustains a person's life; without belief, a person collapses.

"No, Prosecutor Cheng, you've misunderstood."

Master Tian hurriedly shook his head and pressed his hand to his chest. "The 'belief' I just mentioned is not something I formed myself. It was that extraordinary person who guarded my wishes back then who used his abilities to distort my perception and forcibly put 'shackles' on me. In other words, I have never truly formed my own belief. That power of freedom just happens to allow me to live the peaceful life I want, so I choose to let it exist and even deliberately protect it."

At this point, his voice carried a hint of fear: "I dare not break it, because I'm afraid that without this shackle, the mad beast within me, suppressed for decades, will emerge again and devour me, and anyone I care about."

"Do they not have their own beliefs?"

Cheng Ye was completely stunned; this was entirely beyond his expectations.

He originally thought that Master Tian had chosen to retire because he had solidified his beliefs through his own will.

Unexpectedly, Shouyuan's extraordinary abilities were used to forcibly seal his power, and he traveled all the way to Happiness City to live as an ordinary person.

No wonder Master Tian said he felt like he was wearing shackles when the two first met.

I'm also afraid of people like him.

afraid of what?
What I fear is the reckless approach of trying to solve all problems by force.

Fear of the "beast personality" locked away by the belief in freedom.

Cheng Ye was momentarily stunned, but a figure flashed in through the doorway.

"Mmm? It smells so good!"

Even from a distance, Li Matai could smell the aroma of salted fish and pickled fish soup wafting through the air, and a smile couldn't help but appear on his face.

But soon, when his gaze swept over Master Tian sitting next to Cheng Ye, his smile suddenly froze, and his brows furrowed sharply.

The overhead light cast a dim yellow glow, and Cheng Ye's shadow was clearly projected onto the wall behind him, swaying gently with his movements.

Master Tian sat there, the light falling on him, but there wasn't even a shadow of him.

It was as if his entire being had "merged" with the light.

"Prosecutor Li?"

When Cheng Ye saw Li Matai walk in with a sullen face, he quickly got up to greet him.

Li Matai waved his hand, his gaze fixed on Master Tian, ​​his tone grave: "A visible mutant with supernatural abilities?"

Master Tian raised his head and calmly nodded: "Yes."

"How strange, how really strange!" Li Matai's expression changed instantly. His previous seriousness disappeared, replaced by a curious smile. "The last time I saw a dominant mutant was seven years ago when I was on a mission in the Eastern Wilderness. I never expected to encounter one like this in the buffer zone of Happiness City."

"Prosecutor Cheng, aren't you going to introduce him?"

"Oh, this is Mr. Tian, ​​a bus driver for the Public Works Department."

Cheng Ye briefly introduced Master Tian's identity, and then pointed to Li Matai, "This is Inspector Li Matai, my friend, and also the investor who is preparing the caravan."

Even more surprisingly, Li Matai actually took the initiative to extend his hand and shake hands with Master Tian.

The three of them sat down around the table again. The sauerkraut and fish soup in the pot was still bubbling away, and the aroma was even stronger.

Li Matai didn't rush to pick up his chopsticks, but couldn't help asking, "Supernatural beings with dominant mutations generally have very short lifespans, at most not living past fifty-five. How old are you this year?"

Master Tian opened his mouth, his expression complicated, "I'll be 46 this September."

46. ​​Counting backwards from this time, the birth year is 2059.

The S4 virus appeared in the autumn of 2063, making Master Tian one of the last people in that extraordinary era.

"You do look a bit older than I thought you were over fifty."

Li Matai seemed to have no emotional intelligence when dealing with ordinary people below him, and said bluntly, "I advise you to stop using your superpower. Every time you use a dominant mutation ability, the more damage it does to your body. The more you use it, the faster you will die."

"I know." Master Tian's voice was very soft, with a hint of bitterness that was barely perceptible.

Cheng Ye, sitting to the side and listening to their conversation, couldn't help but interject, "What happened? Is there any explanation?"

“It’s not a secret.” Li Matai picked up a bag of beer, tore open the packaging, took a sip, and then slowly explained, “Although the previous generation of superhumans are all gone, most of their descendants have lived into the new era. The genes of superhumans will undergo special mutations, and these mutations have a certain probability of being passed on to their offspring, forming special abilities, which are divided into dominant and recessive types.”

"Hidden superpowers are passive. For example, I once met someone whose fists were as hard as steel and could block bullets, but he couldn't control them actively and could only keep his fists hard forever."

“Those with overt superpowers can actively turn their abilities on or off, like this Master Tian.”

Li Matai pointed at Master Tian, ​​"I didn't see his shadow. I suppose his ability is related to stealth, which is a pretty good auxiliary combat ability."

His gaze swept over Master Tian's posture again, and he added, "The way you sit here ensures you can keep an eye on both the shop and the entrance. When I revealed your identity earlier, you subconsciously looked at my hands. Usually, those who react like that are either retired reconnaissance soldiers or mercenaries who have lived on the edge. Hmm, quite a few assassins have done that before. I even led a team to wipe out an assassin organization called the 'Strong Kill Society' back in the day, you know?"

“I know,” Master Tian said in a deep voice. “It’s an assassin organization active in Hai Province. There are 198 people in the organization, and the leader is called Su Daqiang.”

"Not bad, which area are you from?"

"Shan Hai Lou".

"Oh?" Li Matai was taken aback, a look of surprise on his face. "It's an organization from more than 20 years ago. No wonder I said you look like you're in your fifties. This organization is full of the feel of the past."

The two exchanged barbs, leaving Cheng Ye completely bewildered.

Ok?
Old Li, the slacker at the checkpoint, sounds like he's something special.

"By the way, Tian."

"Tian Wuying."

"Is this Master Tian Wuying the caravan leader you found for us?" Li Matai asked Cheng Ye.

"No, Master Tian has encountered some unexpected circumstances and may not be able to agree."

Cheng Ye shook his head.

As soon as he finished speaking, Master Tian visibly paused, a look of bewilderment flashing in his eyes, as if he hadn't expected him to say that, or as if he was regretting something.

"What unexpected situation has occurred? Is his ability about to backfire? Or has he reached his limit?"

Seeing that Cheng Ye didn't understand, Li Matai explained again, "The downside of manifest abilities is that each use will disrupt the stability of the human gene chain. Many people with manifest abilities eventually die because of the collapse of the gene chain and the development of tumors throughout the body. The fragile human body simply cannot withstand such torment."

"Is there any solution?"

"Yes, either you can lock down your abilities and stop using them, then you can live a little longer, and you might not be much different from a normal person."

Li Matai took a breath and said frankly, "Either we can be like the superhumans of S3 before, with our ancestral genes turning into superhuman abilities, completely reshaping the foundation of our lives!"

Ok.

Saying it means not saying it.

Is S3's extraordinary achievement something he wants to achieve?
Putting aside the need for extraordinary items, the moment one becomes extraordinary, they would probably be wiped out by the S4 virus.

"Abilities always come at a price; otherwise, people with overt superpowers wouldn't be so rare these days."

As he spoke, Li Matai picked up his chopsticks, ready to taste the flavor in the pot.

But when she looked up, she saw that Cheng Ye had a serious expression on his face and did not intend to change the subject.

He had no choice but to put down his chopsticks, his expression becoming slightly more serious. "There are other methods, but they only treat the symptoms, not the root cause. For example, the resuscitation technology in the inner city continuously removes tumor tissue to prolong life."

"If there really is a way to survive, just like a normal person, then honestly, there should be a lot of superhumans above us right now!"

What Li Matai said was realistic, but it was also the truth.

If this special ability has no limitations, it will naturally stand out from the ranks of ordinary people.

But the reality is that, in all this time, Master Tian is the first person with superpowers he has ever met.

No, Dai Zun should be included too.

His iron body must be what's known as a hidden ability.

"What would be the consequences if the belief he developed under the influence of the Wish Keeper's Extraordinary influence were to be broken?"

"Huh?" Li Matai was suddenly stunned. "What, the Wish-Keeping Extraordinary?"

Both men turned their gazes to Master Tian, ​​who pursed his lips and remained silent for a moment.

He slowly uttered a sentence through clenched teeth:

"In the year 14 of the new era, when I was 25 years old, I encountered the codename 'Farmer'!"

(End of this chapter)