Wasteland Border Inspector

Chapter 182 Intense Assessment, Movements of All Parties!
The official message from the checkpoint was sent at 4:07 PM.

That's so creepy!
However, we can also glean a lot of information from this time. In order to launch the second batch of contracted projects, many people were indeed doing the work behind the scenes, just to ensure that the entire process was carried out smoothly, rather than causing setbacks and delays in the construction of satellite cities and the collection of displaced people.

Unlocking the defense communication device reveals four messages:

[Notice on Launching the Second Batch of Satellite City Construction Projects]

[Notification from the checkpoint regarding the allocation and eligibility confirmation of the second batch of contracted areas]

[Detailed Implementation Rules for the Assessment of the Second Batch of Satellite City Construction]

[Notice on Further Refining the Rules for the Construction and Management of Satellite Cities]

"Wow, it's really that formal!"

Cheng Ye chuckled to himself, realizing he had indeed come to the wasteland to become a civil servant.

He didn't rush to read the contents. He got up, pulled back the curtains, and opened half a window to let in some fresh air before sitting down on the sofa to read through the information one by one.

First, open the first notification.

[All relevant units and departments]

[To date, the construction of the first batch of satellite cities has fully entered a stable construction phase. The construction of various infrastructure projects is progressing well, the supply channels for materials are unimpeded, and the work on people's livelihood and industrial development has achieved the expected goals, laying a solid foundation for the coordinated development of the Xingfu City area.]

To further expand the development space of the sheltered city and improve the overall functional layout, the various departments of Happiness City have jointly decided to officially launch the construction of the second batch of satellite cities, effective immediately!

All departments are requested to fully recognize the importance of this work, continue the excellent work style from the first phase of construction, strengthen their sense of responsibility, make scientific plans and arrangements, strictly implement construction standards, and ensure the efficient progress of all tasks.

[This is a formal notice from the Happiness City Joint Committee]

[August 3, 1946]

"Yes, this should be issued to all departments involved in the satellite city construction."

Although it was short, Cheng Ye read it over and over again several times.

Their attention lingered for a long time on "people's livelihood security", "industrial development" and "overall functional layout".

As a member of the system, extracting the key points from official documents is an essential skill.

The key to standing out in the second batch of construction probably lies in these three words.

Continuing on, the second notification is almost identical to the one Li Matai received initially, except that it uses the word "second batch".

After clicking in, the notification information was almost identical.

[After comprehensive evaluation, the inspectors who participated in the preliminary assessment (see attachment for details) have all met the prescribed standards, and their submitted construction implementation plans have been verified through multi-dimensional verification by the supercomputing system and meet the implementation requirements. They have now officially obtained the qualification to implement the second batch of contracted areas.]

The detailed division plan for the second batch of contracted areas and the list of responsible personnel are hereby announced (see attachment). Those who receive this notice must arrive at the central checkpoint promptly at 1:00 PM today to participate in the special assessment.

This assessment will focus on core areas such as regional collaborative management and emergency response mechanisms. It is crucial for subsequent work, so please take it very seriously, prepare in advance, and ensure your timely attendance.

[This is a notice from the checkpoint.]

[August 3, 1946]

The assessment was scheduled for 1 p.m. sharp, and Cheng Ye immediately downloaded the attachment and began browsing the list of participants.

In terms of quantity, the second batch of satellite cities remains the same as the first batch, totaling 12 locations.

They were all towns, with Dabo Town blending in unremarkablely, but its ranking was somewhat outstanding, placing it fifth.

In addition, he also noticed two other towns that had attracted attention during the initial performance evaluation.

Changshui Town and Yunshui Town are two county-level towns with a permanent population of over 100,000.

In the first batch, only Yunshui Town qualified, but in the second batch, Changshui Town was still not selected.

Is it that no one is willing to choose, or are there some unresolved legacy issues?

Cheng Ye pondered that Changshui Town was located upstream of the Baishui River, and although it was five kilometers away from the river, it could still be considered to be near the river.

If someone chooses it, the pressure on Dabo Town will be much less, as many sources of infection can be intercepted upstream and "secondarily filtered" by the time they reach Dabo Town.

But now that Changshui Town is absent, it means that Dabo Town has become the source, and Yunshui Town downstream can benefit from this, diverting some of the danger.

"Looks like once we're out of the wilderness, we'll need to find some time to go to Changshui Town and check things out."

After reviewing the area divisions, Cheng Ye flipped to the personnel list.

The competition system still has a minimum of four participants, with six people competing for each of the popular Xipo Town and Tantou Town, while five people compete for Dabo Town.

Cheng Ye raised an eyebrow. The one leading the way wasn't him, but rather the two third-term prosecutors who had previously chosen Dabo Town.

One in the east, one in the west.

Yang Ming was from the East, and Luo Kuke was from the West.

His name is third down the list, and the fourth person is also an acquaintance, Yang Xingwen, who previously traded him for salted fish with yakiniku beef.

When Cheng Ye saw Wang Kang's name listed fifth, he couldn't help but laugh.

That's really kind of you.

Old Ding may not say it, but he clearly gives out special privileges.

Although he wasn't given any special privileges that allowed him and Wang Kang to take over Dabo Town.

But that's precisely why it aligns with Cheng Ye's ideas.

Other satellite cities are all competing, and if he wants to make exceptions, he can pre-select one satellite city location for two trainees.

Putting aside whether other prosecutors have any objections, if something unexpected happens, we'll lose all initiative.

This is for the best. Compete according to the rules, and if you win the spot, no one will have anything to say.

As for whether they can win with Wang Kang on their side?

Cheng Ye shook his head slightly. Even Ding Yishan had confidence in him, so how could he not be confident?
As long as the assessment doesn't focus on the individual abilities of the prosecutor, bringing Wang Kang along on collaborative projects is perfectly fine.

In addition, if there are 22 groups, how should 5 people like those in Big Wave Town compete?

Cheng Ye continued reading and quickly understood the rules for the second batch.

Unlike the first batch, where teams were drawn into pairs to compete, each person on the list now has one vote and can choose their partner.

The candidates are not limited to those within the group; they can also be prosecutors who were eliminated in the first round, such as Gu Xinjing and Garcia, who were eliminated by Li Matai and Song Hai.

However, there is a limitation to the rules: if you do not select members from your group but instead choose those who will be eliminated, you can only randomly select questions during the assessment and competition, and you will not be able to choose your own questions.

This both compensates for the weaknesses of the team members and, to some extent, limits the advantages of "strong alliances".

"Not bad." Cheng Ye breathed a sigh of relief. "With the partner selection process, we don't have to worry about not getting Wang Kang."

However, it's clear that this rule wasn't a special favor Ding Yishan gave him; it's more likely a pre-arranged plan for the second batch of contracted work.

Firstly, the first batch of key locations has been finalized, and the basic framework for checks and balances of power has been established. With this framework in place, the satellite cities below will automatically take their positions.

For example, if Dabo Town wants to seek support from Wenlu County, which is contracted by Lin Bao and his two companions, it will naturally go to Lin Bao for help, rather than Zhou Changhai and Evan Davidson.

Secondly, the second batch of sites no longer focuses on location advantages, but rather on local characteristics, allowing familiar partners to improve their cooperation and develop these characteristics more quickly, thus accelerating the construction speed.

More importantly, it gives those who are eliminated in the first round a chance.

These people may not necessarily lack ability; perhaps they were just unlucky, like Gu Xinjing, and drew the wrong Western prosecutor.

Only by having a vote to select a suitable pair can the full potential of the unsuccessful candidates be fully realized, which is considered fair.

"Let the higher-ups figure out these complicated details and the arrangements for each individual."

Cheng Ye stopped thinking about it, exited the second message, and opened the third and fourth messages.

These two points are just rambling accounts and offer no real insight.

He glanced at the long list of penalty clauses and skipped over them. The reason was simple: the rules were too flexible and none of them were clearly listed.

This is similar to the rule that "profiteering is strictly prohibited in the construction of satellite cities."

What are the methods for defining "embezzlement"?
If you buy a thousand bags of nutritional syrup, and the inspector drinks fifty bags, does that count?
After receiving the allocation of basic building materials, does it count as the inspector requesting to repair his own office first and then add some less necessary comfort features?

Even after the hydroelectric power station in Dabo Town is repaired, would it count as him using it to charge his own phone?
Since none of these points are explicitly stated, the rules become flexible clauses, and their restrictive effect is minimal.

For example, the rule that a large number of deaths or injuries will result in disqualification, and in severe cases, the prosecutor's qualification may even be revoked, requiring them to start all over again from the probationary period.

The term "large-scale" usually refers to tens of thousands of people, but the first batch of satellite cities could only accommodate a maximum of 50,000 people within six months.

Since one-fifth of the people have died, it must be due to maternal invasion or the infiltration of an extremely virulent source of infection. In such a situation, it's uncertain whether the prosecutor can survive, let alone care about punishment.

Moreover, the core of the prosecutor's responsibility is not only construction, but also defense; both are indispensable.

If he were to start construction in Dabo Town, the first thing he would build would definitely not be residential houses, but a checkpoint.

To repel external threats, one must first secure internal stability. Only when the internal situation is stable can one have the confidence to gradually expand outwards.

We need to inform Wang Kang immediately.

Cheng Ye was just about to get up when he opened the door and saw Wang Kang running up in a panic.

Of course, it wasn't just panic, but also an irrepressible excitement and exhilaration, mixed with a bit of bewilderment and confusion.

Cheng Ye rarely saw such complex emotions on a person's face, but thinking about Wang Kang's experiences these past few days, perhaps if he didn't die in a few years and became a senior inspector at the checkpoint, his experiences could be written into a legendary book for future generations to read.

After all, no trainee prosecutor ever goes to the South Expressway Station as soon as they take office.

No inspector has ever encountered a widespread smog disaster during their first week on duty. Even more absurdly, he's now even tasked with leading thousands of people in building satellite cities.

"Brother Cheng." Wang Kang rushed over, and Cheng Ye looked down and couldn't help but chuckle.

This silly kid even wore the wrong shoes; he was wearing a sneaker on his left foot and a work boot on his right.

"Don't be impatient, come in with me first."

Cheng Ye gestured with his head, and the two entered the room.

He casually picked up the broom and dustpan from behind the door and handed them over, saying, "Sweep and mop the floor first, calm down."

Wang Kang's lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he nodded and gripped the broom to sweep earnestly.

At times like these, staying calm is more important than anything else.

While Wang Kang was sweeping the floor, Cheng Ye was about to go wash up when his communication device suddenly rang.

The words "Yang Xingwen" appeared on the screen.

The two had exchanged phone numbers before and would occasionally call each other to maintain their relationship, but they only exchanged polite words and did not have any in-depth communication.

Is he calling now because he wants to team up with him?

Cheng Ye walked to a corner on the fifth floor and answered the phone. Yang Xingwen's cheerful laughter immediately came through the receiver: "Prosecutor Cheng, good morning! Have you seen the new announcement?"

"I just finished watching it," Cheng Ye said calmly.

"What a coincidence! We've both chosen the same partner, what a coincidence!" Yang Xingwen chuckled twice, then changed the subject, "I wonder if you've chosen your partner yet?"

"I'm planning to team up with Wang Kang, why?" Cheng Ye didn't beat around the bush and got straight to the point.

To his surprise, Yang Xingwen spoke candidly, as if he had expected this: "I know you have a good relationship with Prosecutor Wang, so choosing him is normal. But then again, going out on assignment is no joke; it involves facing deadly dangers head-on. Prosecutor Wang has only been on duty for a week; I'm afraid his experience is lacking."

He paused, then lowered his tone: "Prosecutor Cheng, give me a chance, okay? Let's team up. You tell me where to go, and I'll do it. I'll be your soldier. You tell me what to do, and I'll do it. How about it?"

Oh?
A junior prosecutor, facing a probationary prosecutor, said that he was just one of the probationary prosecutor's underlings.

They really gave me a lot of face; it showed their sincerity.

However, Cheng Ye shook his head slightly and decided to be frank: "No, Prosecutor Yang. Wang Kang and I already agreed, and... who knows, we might not even pass the assessment and be eliminated directly?"

"Hey, Prosecutor Cheng, you're joking." Yang Xingwen's laughter carried an indescribable meaning. "Alright, I won't bother you any longer."

"okay."

The call ended abruptly without any further entanglement.

Cheng Ye stared at the black screen of the defense communication device for two seconds. He was completely unfamiliar with Yang Xingwen.

He hadn't considered having any close contact with such people, or rather, he didn't want to get too close to the group of academics that the Easterners were currently scrambling to side with.

Besides, Yang Xingwen might just be casting a wide net to find a partner, so there's no need to take it to heart.

However, before Cheng Ye could put his defense communication device back on his waist, another unfamiliar number popped up.

As I answered, a slightly shrill tenor voice came through the receiver:
"Hello, Prosecutor Cheng Ye, I'm Zhao Jia. Do you remember me?"

“Prosecutor Zhao, how could I forget?” Cheng Ye chuckled. “We were born six years apart, and we even went to the same school.”

He repeated what he had said at the hospital.

Zhao Jia on the other end chuckled. "Hey, I saw that we're both on the roster. Want to team up?"

"You signed up for Donggang Town to form a team?"

"It's alright, it doesn't matter. There are no restrictions on inspectors from different satellite cities forming teams with each other."

Zhao Jia explained, "I just asked the station, and the inspectors on the list can choose one of the two locations after forming a team. For example, you can choose to compete in Donggang Town, or I can go to Dabo Town."

"Is that so?" Cheng Ye frowned. With this change in rules, the original structure would likely be completely disrupted.

Take Xipo Town for example. Originally, there were six people competing. If no one had a partner in their group and everyone chose outsiders, it would end up being a free-for-all of 12 people, with 10 being eliminated. It was practically a battlefield.

But if someone feels they have no chance of winning, they can easily team up with the prosecutors from the back towns and run away.

With each person leaving, Xipo Town loses two competitors.

In this case, the towns in the back row might actually be more sought after than those in the front row.

"Sorry, I already have a partner," Cheng Ye said bluntly.

"Is that Prosecutor Wang Kang?"

"Yes, we agreed on this a long time ago. I'm sorry."

"It's nothing, it's nothing." Zhao Jia said nonchalantly, "It's already a big favor that Prosecutor Cheng answered my call. I wish you good luck with your assessment!"

In Donggang Town, some people have already recruited fourth-term inspectors as teammates for the assessment.

For first-term prosecutors like them, this was a devastating blow.

There was no other way but to seek help from prosecutors from other towns to form a team and escape the competition from Donggang.

The reason for approaching Cheng Ye was that he felt Cheng Ye wouldn't reject him outright just because of his status as a prosecutor.

Now that Cheng Ye wants to team up with Wang Kang, he has nothing to say.

After hanging up the phone, Cheng Ye thought for a moment and then simply switched to field duty mode.

It's obvious that more people will be looking for him next.

Who told him to be a trainee prosecutor? And with the Cheng family's connections here?
In addition, he has performed exceptionally well throughout, and his abilities are in no way inferior to those of a normal first or second-term prosecutor.

Those people in Phase Three, the Phase One prosecutors weren't qualified to ask if they wanted to form teams, but he, as a trainee prosecutor without the right to refuse, wanted to ask everyone and bring it up.

Rather than dealing with rejections one by one, it's better to have some peace and quiet.

After washing up and returning to his room, Wang Kang was still diligently mopping the floor, as if he had completely forgotten about the chores he was assigned to do outside.

Cheng Ye secretly nodded in approval at this performance.

He did want to help Wang Kang, but he never offered mindless assistance. Instead, he tried his best to help Wang Kang grow quickly and create a more suitable environment for him to develop.

If Wang Kang himself doesn't want to move up or improve, there's nothing he can do.

This is just right; it's a mutual journey for both of them.

Wang Kang is willing to put in the effort, and no matter what the outcome, he deserves this opportunity.

Only after Wang Kang finished mopping the floor and washing the mop did Cheng Ye point to his shoes.

Wang Kang blushed instantly, quickly went back up to the fourth floor to change his shoes, and then changed into clean clothes before coming back up.

Do you know why I asked you to sweep and mop the floor?

"I know." Wang Kang nodded immediately. "I was too impatient, Brother Cheng. I really didn't expect the checkpoint to let me participate in the assessment. I've never even been to the initial assessment before."

"Don't worry, this is something I negotiated with Station Chief Ding."

Cheng Ye didn't hide anything and briefly explained the plan he had reported to Ding Yishan.

“I want to take sole control of the administration of Dabo Town. I can’t find anyone else to cooperate with, so I came to you.”

"Hey, that's perfect, that's exactly what I was worried about!"

Wang Kang immediately became excited, "I...I don't know anything about this. How am I supposed to manage so many people outside? Wouldn't that be embarrassing for a prosecutor?"

"What if I asked you to supervise your subordinates in carrying out construction?"

"No problem. I can't speak for other things, but I'm confident in our ability to get things done!"

Wang Kang smiled smugly, "I've learned it all in the last few days. Don't worry, Brother Cheng, I can't help with other things, but I'll take care of leading ordinary people in construction!"

"Knowing where your strengths lie is very good."

Cheng Ye nodded. "I will have people from the community assist you then. Don't be afraid. There is a first step in everything. Those first-term prosecutors may not be as good as you."

After a brief reassurance, Cheng Ye didn't treat Wang Kang like a child and immediately began assigning tasks.

His requirements for Wang Kang were both simple and difficult.

First, he can replace him in guarding the Dabo checkpoint, ensuring the basic security of Dabo Town.

Secondly, he was able to urge the people below to implement and complete the construction plan after it was issued.

Third, it can promptly report details, errors, and omissions that he might overlook.

These three points determine that Wang Kang's power in Dabo Town is second only to his, but his workload is less than one-fifth.

But doing even this one-fifth well is not an easy task.

Speaking of guarding the checkpoints, the danger level in Dabo Town may not be lower than that of the North-South Expressway Station. We need to be more careful and handle emergencies properly.

"Brother Cheng, don't worry!" Wang Kang clenched his fist, his eyes gleaming. "As long as you trust me, I will never let you down!"

"Of course I trust you, otherwise I wouldn't have chosen you as my partner, right?"

Cheng Ye smiled, glanced at the time, and said, "Let's go. Before we take the assessment, I should let you know what I've been busy with lately."

(End of this chapter)