Wasteland Border Inspector

Chapter 195 The Ruler, the Thornbird Disaster!

The SUV continued forward, and sure enough, one after another, descendants of Western prosecutors stood by the roadside.

Some stood under the makeshift tin shacks, peering out, while others stood beside the workers, offering guidance.

In contrast to the Eastern prosecutors who placed their children in the inner city to receive a full academy education, the Western prosecutors had a completely different approach to raising their children.

It's one thing to put children in checkpoints for training, but now to send them to the dangerous wilderness—aren't they afraid of some accident that could lead to the extinction of their lineage?

Cheng Ye did not stop the car, but whenever he slowed down, the Western rich kids on the side of the road would instantly stand at attention, their posture respectful to the point of being almost restrained.

Wang Kang was amazed by this scene, but he didn't say anything out of curiosity.

As he gained a better understanding of the situation at the checkpoint, he was no longer a clueless trainee inspector and gradually became more experienced.

And this is precisely the advantage that Dongren (Eastern Chinese) has in training its people.

With a complete education system as a foundation, one can build a more comprehensive understanding of complex social issues more quickly and broadly.

It's difficult to determine which of the two training philosophies is superior at the moment.

Soon, the car arrived at the intersection near Wenlu County.

Sure enough, Raul had received the message and was waiting by the roadside under the rows of tin-roofed houses that stretched for more than ten meters.

Seeing the car stop, he immediately went up to it: "Prosecutor Cheng!"

Compared to other spoiled rich kids, Raul's attitude, while equally respectful, was more natural and less reserved.

"Good, this road is entrusted to your supervision. The checkpoint made the right choice in choosing you."

Cheng Ye forced a smile.

This isn't him lying through his teeth; Raul truly did fulfill his responsibilities.

The people brought in are assigned to supervise the area every kilometer, so if a problem arises, it's easy to hold someone accountable; just contact the person in charge of the corresponding section.

As a result, these spoiled rich kids dared not slack off and had to fix things properly once they got their hands on them.

"Inspector Cheng, you flatter me." Raul smiled and patted the radio at his waist. "Jamie told me you want to repair the rural road from Wenlu County to Dabo Town?"

"Correct."

"Repairs are no problem; I can help with manpower allocation, but supplies..."

Raul pondered for a moment and said, "In addition, the area around Dabo Town is undeveloped. According to the infrastructure regulations, at least 300 meters of blank space must be cleared on both sides of the road, and 150 meters on each side, in order to ensure the safety of the workers and obtain the infrastructure construction approval."

"That's right, just follow the rules."

Cheng Ye nodded. "I need to build a three-lane road leading to Dabo Town. Could you please make a construction plan, list the specific building material requirements, and help me reserve some manpower in advance? We might start construction in a few days."

"no problem!"

Raul readily agreed.

This kind of thing can be left to the Public Works Department engineers. It's a sure thing to make a profit by doing Cheng Ye, this rising star prosecutor.

As for whether Cheng Ye can stand out in the next contract assessment and win the contract rights of Dabo Town, the other rich kids may still be hoping that Rococo and Garcia will win, but his father is the fifth-term inspector of the checkpoint and the deputy stationmaster of the North Station. How could he not know the intricacies of the situation?

This prosecutor, whom he couldn't understand from the very beginning, is now becoming increasingly terrifying in his methods!

"Wait a minute."

Raul quickly returned to the tin shack and pulled out a few folders from the pile of documents.

“Because Wenlu County used to be a transportation hub with convenient access in all directions, the Public Works Department has long planned a road network connecting to several surrounding towns. Which of these routes do you think is more suitable?”

"Has the surrounding road network been planned?"

Cheng Ye was taken aback for a moment, then met Raul's meaningful smile and immediately understood.

This guy is really something else.

It's probably not that Wenlu County had already planned the road network, but rather that he intentionally used this as an excuse to curry favor with the inspectors in the surrounding towns.

Well, having a descendant of a prosecutor who is adept at interpersonal relationships to make the connection will save a lot of trouble.

Cheng Ye took the folder; inside were three planned road networks:

The first route involves renovating and repairing the old rural roads left over from the past, with a total length of seven kilometers.

According to his proposed three-lane standard, there are 40 infrastructure points per kilometer, which adds up to 280 points, equivalent to nearly 30,000 contribution points.

The second route is a newly opened route, which connects the Wenlu County Logistics Park directly to Dabo Town. The total length is 9.7 kilometers, but we will calculate it as 10 kilometers.

To consolidate its status as a transportation hub, Wenlu County will subsidize part of the cost, requiring only 25 infrastructure points per kilometer, totaling 250 points. This is actually nearly 3,000 points cheaper than the first route. Clearly, Wenlu County does not want surrounding towns to bypass it and build alternative routes, thus diminishing its status.

The third route is a long loop connecting the provincial highway, which leads directly to the industrial zone and Xingfu City, but the route is 16.5 kilometers long, with 40 points per kilometer, totaling 660 points, equivalent to more than 60,000 contribution points.

Even if you put all of Wang Kang's wealth into it, it wouldn't be enough, not to mention that the longer the route, the higher the subsequent maintenance and patrol security costs will be.

After considering all three options, Cheng Ye realized that both their potential and shortcomings were quite clear, leaving him in a dilemma.

Repairing the old road is undoubtedly the most convenient option. The modern road network takes into account both economic and geographical conditions. After being repaired, it can be connected to the county road and quickly merge into the provincial highway artery.

More importantly, this route avoids the Wenlu County Logistics Park, reducing the risk of being cut off. If an outbreak occurs in Wenlu County and the road is blocked, the supplies in Dabo Town can't just rot in their hands.

However, the logistics park line is not without its merits.

In addition to the initial construction subsidies, Wenlu County will share some of the maintenance and security work, which will save you a lot of trouble.

If the road network connecting the towns can be built according to the plan, a transfer point can be set up in Wenlu County in the future, and goods can be easily distributed to various places, which will be much more efficient.

As for the third road that directly connects to the provincial highway, it is definitely the best solution if you have the money.

But the reality is that even a hero can be brought down by a penny. With over 600 infrastructure points, how could he possibly afford to repair them?

As Cheng Ye was pondering this, the road construction workers suddenly burst into a cry of alarm and dropped their tools, rushing towards the tin shack.

Raul peeked out, his expression changed drastically, and he quickly shouted, "Inspector Cheng, bring the car in quickly!"

"what?"

Before Cheng Ye could react, his face immediately darkened the moment he leaned out of the car window.

The car started, the steering wheel swerved sharply, and it crashed into the tin shack, huddling together with the workers.

"Brother Cheng, what's wrong?"

The roof of the off-road vehicle is not a modern sunroof, but rather made of armored steel with considerable strength.

Wang Kang turned his head away, somewhat confused, and suddenly his face turned pale.

high in the air.

A dense flock of black birds swept across the sky, like a moving dark cloud hovering above the tin shack.

A rough count revealed at least three to five hundred of them, their flapping wings creating a deafening roar that vibrated in the ears when approached.

"How can there be so many bird-like mutant beasts?"

Cheng Ye pushed open the car door and stood on the side of the tin shack, looking up at the sky.

This was the first time he had ever seen such a spectacular gathering of mutated beasts, it was like a locust plague, and even the sunlight on the rooftops was completely blocked.

Looking into the distance, several flocks of birds of similar size were circling around the county road.

All the workers along the way took refuge in tin shacks, and various tools were scattered on the ground.

A fire was lit not far away, and thick smoke billowed into the sky, but it only made the flock of birds move aside and did not disperse them at all.

"It's been like this for a week now."

Raul walked over, shaking his head with a wry smile. "These damned things are so annoying. Before, nobody came to this area of ​​Wenlu County, and they had long since taken it as their territory, building nests and breeding there. But when we came to build the road, we were seen as invaders of their homeland, harassing them every few days. At first, we didn't use gentle methods to drive them away, which really angered them. Now they're sticking to their guns!"

After he finished speaking, he pointed to the piles of fires stacked by the roadside.

Although it is not currently ablaze, the ashes on the ground indicate that it has been lit many times in recent days.

"This smoke is no use. It might make them hide temporarily, but they'll definitely come back in two or three hours. It's so annoying."

"Is it the same in Wenlu County?" Cheng Ye pressed.

"It's not just about asking about the road in Lu County."

Raul said helplessly, "The situation in Big Wave Town, where you're going, is probably even worse. These birds are migratory. When the rain line lingers towards Happiness City, they temporarily leave. When the rain line recedes and autumn and winter arrive, they migrate back to nest and breed. Now is the time for them to return!"

"No wonder!" Cheng Ye exclaimed in realization.

Last time I went to Dabo Town with Jiang Chuan to investigate, we didn't see any other mutated beasts besides that ant wolf.

At the time, I thought this place was too remote for even mutated beasts to bother coming here, but it turns out that these bird-like mutated beasts had already designated it as their territory.

"So there's no way to deal with these things?" Wang Kang also got out of the car and peered outside.

The flock of birds formed a dense, dark mass, making it impossible to discern their specific species, but the overwhelming sense of oppression sent chills down one's spine.

"We can only wait for them to leave on their own. If we fire back, it will only invite a more frenzied retaliation." Raul quickly shook his head.

"Fight back?"

"Yes, most of these birds are thornbirds, which are extremely aggressive."

"A thornbird," Wang Kang pondered. "Is it the kind of bird that spits out poisonous thorns?"

There are many kinds of thornbirds, not just one kind.

Mu Shuang got out of the car and took over the conversation in a clear voice, "There are more than ten kinds of thornbirds around our Happiness City. Most of them feed on metal and black stones. Among them, the three most common ones are the Ironclaw Dive Thornbird. It is not very big, but its wing muscles are particularly developed. It is good at folding its wings from high altitude and swooping down to attack."

"What Prosecutor Wang just mentioned is the poison spitting bird, which is a different kind. It has a bulging sac on its neck that stores venom. They don't get close to people; they hide in high places or bushes, and when they get the chance, they spray short, poisonous spitting venom. If the venom gets on the skin, it will cause redness, swelling, and ulceration. If it splashes into the eyes or wounds, it is very troublesome to treat."

"Finally, there's the Spiny Spinner, which has a row of sharp spikes running down its spine. Normally, it looks like an ordinary crest, but when attacked or hunting, it can shoot the spikes out like a crossbow bolt. The range can reach 40 to 50 meters, and the accuracy is not bad. The power of an adult Spiny Spinner is about the same as a .22 bullet, while that of a juvenile is about the same as a slingshot."

“Yes, these are the three most common types.” Raul nodded quickly, pointing to the sky above. “Right now, the sky is almost entirely filled with Spiked Jetbirds, which is why we have to hide. If you’re hit without protective gear, you’ll be seriously injured at best, and die on the spot at worst.”

"Is it that serious?" Wang Kang frowned. If Dabo Town was in the same state, the trouble would be immense.

Cheng Ye stood aside, quietly pondering.

This was the first time he had ever seen a living thornbird.

However, I had seen it many times before in the prosecutor's handbook and in the trainee assessment of the "Memorizing the Torch" program.

The city of Firewood is lush with vegetation and has plenty of food, so even if there are thornbirds, they are mostly of a gentle temperament.

But in Shi Province, the extraordinary curse underground has absorbed the characteristics of plants. Wild vines and grasses may look thriving, but they cannot become food for any creature.

Most of the mutated creatures that have survived here to this day feed on metal and stones, while a few live off fish or other mutated creatures in the water.

Having consumed too many metal stones and undergone repeated mutations catalyzed by the S3 virus, these thornbirds have long since deviated from the old-fashioned understanding of birds, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call them alien creatures.

"Generally speaking, there is a leader in a flock of thornbirds. If the leader can be taken down, the rest will scatter and only gather again to harass the flock once a new leader emerges."

Cheng Ye pondered, his gaze sweeping across the flock of birds overhead, then pointed to one on the left with his finger. "That one that's noticeably larger is a Clawed Dive Bird, and it looks like the leader."

"what?"

Everyone looked in the direction he pointed.

The dense flock of birds made those with poor eyesight dizzy, while a few sharp-eyed ones immediately gasped.

The one Cheng Ye pointed to was indeed different from the surrounding thornbirds, its movements carrying a subtle sense of dominance.

“It really is,” Raul said, pulling out binoculars from under the counter and handing them to someone else. “But these guys are very cunning. We’ve tried a few times, but we can’t hit them at all.”

Wang Kang took it and stared at it for a while, then couldn't help but click his tongue in amazement, "It's flying, it's mixed in with the flock of birds and it's moving, it's at least a hundred meters away, it's too difficult to hit!"

"That's right, so we can only wait for it to get tired and back off on its own."

Cheng Ye didn't reply, but just stared at the iron-clawed swooping bird.

This large creature was circling at the edge of the flock, occasionally letting out a sharp cry, and the thornbirds below would immediately adjust their formation accordingly.

After staring at it for a while to confirm his target, he took out his defense phone and glanced at it. Because he had a car, it was only 10:40, and there was still a long time before the 12 o'clock assessment time.

How long do these thornbirds typically stay?

"Well, it usually takes about half an hour, sometimes it only takes ten minutes or so to disperse."

"That is not bad."

Cheng Ye agreed verbally, but in his heart he was making plans.

Waiting for half an hour under a tin shed is fine now, but if you encounter a flock of birds harassing you while you are building in Dabo Town, you can't wait every time, can you?
Moreover, he hadn't prepared any supplies to build a tin shack, and if he were attacked before the living quarters were completed, it would be troublesome.

Thinking this, he subconsciously reached for his waist, only to remember that he had left all his belongings behind when he left home.

Including the Bison Fighting Pistol for self-defense.

"Do you have a gun?" he asked Raul.

"Huh, Inspector Cheng wants to practice his skills?" Raul paused for a moment, then pointed to the worker next to him.

The workers quickly ran to one side of the tin shack, brought over two guard rifles commonly seen in Happiness City, and two specially modified hunting rifles.

The guard rifle can fire in full-auto mode and has considerable power, but in order to prevent large-scale firefights, Happiness City specially adjusted the barrel machining precision and increased the rifling error, which led to a decrease in the stability of the bullet leaving the barrel.

This makes it difficult for it to achieve precision suppression within an effective range of 100-200 meters, and it can only play a role in fire coverage and deterrence at close range of tens of meters.

The two small-caliber hunting rifles were different. When Cheng Ye took them, his arm dipped almost imperceptibly.

This thing is made of some special metal, and it's much heavier than it looks. The gun feels heavy in my palm, like holding a fine iron rod.

Upon closer inspection, the barrel is nearly half a foot longer than that of a regular guard rifle, with fine spiral patterns milled on the outer wall, which reduces excess weight and allows for rapid heat dissipation during continuous firing.

Turning the gun reveals a dark luster on the inside, and the rifling, treated with a special cold forging process, is as exquisite as a work of art.

Cheng Ye tried to pull the bolt; the metallic scraping sound was so faint it was almost inaudible, yet it carried a tight, damped feel.

The internal locking mechanism of the receiver has been replaced with a double-lug design, which locks the barrel and bolt together as a single unit when locked. Combined with the cylindrical muzzle brake, this means the shooter has more stable control of the weapon, ensuring accuracy even during continuous fire. "A good gun!"

Whether something is good or not, you'll know as soon as you handle it.

Cheng Ye was somewhat excited by the sight of the hunt. He took aim in the air several times and found it incredibly easy to use, even more so than the Ranger and Thunderbolt 1 he had bought!

"These are two guns that my father modified himself, as a coming-of-age gift to me."

Raul smiled and introduced with a hint of pride, "The muzzle brake is made of military-grade chromium-nickel steel, with 50g of sintered iron particles added to absorb impact. The barrel is made of cold-forged high-carbon steel, with 300g of flow stabilizer wire added to greatly reduce ballistic deviation. And this lug is made of solidified alloy."

They're truly outrageously wealthy.

Listening to Raul's detailed and detailed introduction of the extraordinary minerals, Cheng Ye couldn't help but feel envious.

His Whirlwind Dagger only had 5g of Fire-Treasured Iron added, but this gun actually had six different kinds of extraordinary minerals added to it, totaling 400g, which is eighty times that of the Whirlwind Dagger!
Even though these extraordinary minerals are not that rare and their unit price is far lower than that of Fire-Treasured Iron, the total cost of this gun still reached an astonishing three thousand contribution points.

This was simply Davidson's coming-of-age ceremony for his son.

Seeing Cheng Ye holding the gun, he stood there stunned for a moment, a look of longing and complexity flashing in his eyes.

Raul's eyes darted around, and he suddenly laughed, "Prosecutor Cheng, this gun is good, but it's a waste to keep it with me. Over the years, I've only had it serviced occasionally, and it's been fired a handful of times."

He paused, looked at Cheng Ye and Wang Kang, and finally swept his gaze over Mu Shuang, "Whoever it is, as long as they can shoot down that spiked bird leader, this gun will be theirs, how about that?"

deliver?
Cheng Ye was taken aback. Raul was being so generous?
However, upon further reflection, he realized that this guy was indeed shrewd; no wonder he could win over so many spoiled rich kids.

Hunting rifles only have simple iron sights and are not equipped with high-precision scopes. Even sharpshooters don't have much confidence in hitting the leader of a flock of birds moving in the air from a low position with high accuracy.

He turned to look at Mu Shuang, who shrugged: "I can give it a try, but I'm not exactly an expert with guns."

"Okay, come and try."

Cheng Ye handed over the gun and stood aside to observe.

He wasn't very confident in simply moving and shooting, but perhaps combining it with the effects of the Hundred Warriors technique could improve his accuracy?

But let's see how good Mu Shuang's marksmanship is first.

Mu Shuang took a deep breath, aimed his gun for three or four seconds, and then pulled the trigger.

"boom!"

The bullet was fired, but it didn't even touch the leader of the spiked birds; it only hit an ordinary spiked bird next to it.

With a whoosh, the thornbird plummeted down and crashed to the ground.

The leader immediately felt provoked and let out a sharp, piercing screech.

"Oh no, come back quickly!" As soon as Raul finished speaking, Mu Shuang had already slipped back into the tin hut.

The next second, a series of loud crashing sounds came from the tin roof, like hailstones falling in dense clusters.

The ground in front of the house was covered with bone spikes, each about seven or eight centimeters long, with a white-gray metallic sheen.

It's not hard to imagine what would happen to an ordinary person if they were stabbed in a vital spot.

"This is troublesome." Cheng Ye looked outside. "When these mutated beasts swarm together, their threat is absolutely comparable to a large-scale infection wave, and may even exceed it!"

He suddenly wondered if these bone spurs could pierce through his silver light defense.

However, there are too many people around right now, making it difficult to test. We can only try it later when there are fewer people.

If it were only the power of a .22 bullet, he would be somewhat confident, after all, modern mobile phone manufacturers dare to use such bullets to test the hardness of their phones.

Wang Kang huddled inside the house, staring at the dense pile of bone spurs on the ground, and exclaimed in astonishment, "Brother Cheng, if we encountered this situation in Dabo Town, we wouldn't even be able to hide!"

Cheng Ye shook his head slightly. After the round of shooting, the flock of birds was already restless, and two other flocks of birds from the surrounding area also gathered around. Now there were three leaders circling above the tin roof.

Anyone who dared to go out at that moment would surely be riddled with bullets.

"Shall we try again?" Cheng Ye asked softly.

"One more shot." Mu Shuang nodded, and after calming down, he slipped out of the tin shack and fired another shot.

The shot grazed the edge, but still failed to hit the leader who was circling and flying.

Another round of bone spurs fell.

Cheng Ye subconsciously looked up at the roof. Fortunately, the tin roof was covered with two layers of thick vines, which cushioned the impact and prevented any bone spikes from penetrating.

"No, this has to be done by Jiang Chuan; he's a master of hidden weapons."

Mu Shuang shook his head and handed the hunting rifle back.

Everyone has their own expertise; if Jiang Chuan were here, he would surely be able to shoot down the leader.

"Where's Xiao Kang?" Cheng Ye turned to look at Wang Kang again.

"I'd better not. I haven't even mastered a pistol, let alone this stuff," Wang Kang quickly shook his head.

"Okay, I'll give it a try."

Cheng Ye took a deep breath, unloaded Eagle Force and Snake Force, and activated Mobile Shooting and Hundred Martial Arts at the same time.

A tingling, electric-like sensation surged through him, and the hunting rifle in his hand seemed to become one with his arm. The instinct to hit exactly where he pointed instantly surged forth, and his slightly rapid breathing immediately calmed down.

Stepping out of the tin shack, Cheng Ye raised his gun and aimed. The tactile sensation of the lock became instantly clear, and he pulled the trigger without hesitation.

"boom!"

Did you hit it?!

A thornbird circled and fell, but Cheng Ye didn't have time to look closely and immediately slipped back into the house.

When the rain of bone spikes stopped, he peeked out and looked at the thorny birds on the ground, a smile immediately spreading across his face.

With its enormous size and hooked talons, it was nearly a third larger than a common thornbird, and it was indeed the leader.

The workers also craned their necks, their exclamations mingling together.

Mu Shuang also looked over, a look of disbelief flashing in her eyes at first, but then, remembering what Jiang Chuan had said, it quickly turned into a look of understanding.

Sure enough, he really is different!
Including Wang Kang, because Cheng Ye brought so many surprises, the people around him gradually got used to it and felt that this was normal.

This is the kind of performance a genius prosecutor, the kind that the Cheng family should deliver!
"Hey, that actually hit!" Raul also poked his head out, but his eyes were fixed on the flock of birds overhead.

Without their leader, the flock of birds that had initially surrounded them immediately fell into chaos. The thornbirds collided with each other, with some merging into the left flank and others diving into the right.

"I will try again!"

Cheng Ye was overjoyed.

No wonder some people are obsessed with wilderness hunting; it's such a wonderful feeling.

Completely different from aiming at a can, the sense of accomplishment and satisfaction that surges up when you hit your prey is indescribable, as if your arm has suddenly stretched out and punched the thornbird leader down.

Moreover, the shot he just fired gave him a deeper understanding of the "auto-aiming" enhancement provided by Bai Wusheng.

For example, when aiming at the new leader of the left flank, the feeling of locking onto the target is very weak in the first two seconds, but the intuition suddenly strengthens in the fourth second.

Without a second thought, he pulled the trigger, and another leader fell to the ground.

Cheng Ye retreated back to the tin hut in an instant, but this time there were no bone spikes attacking, only complete chaos among the flock of birds.

Hundreds of thornbirds, leaderless, flocked to the right flank, but their leader there was no way to control so many of their kind; their cawing commands were drowned out by the flapping of their wings.

"Hey, Prosecutor Cheng's accuracy is almost on par with my father's. I have to admire him!"

Raul stood with his hands on his hips, gazing at the dispersing flock of birds, overwhelmed with emotion.

When the flock first gathered, Evan Davidson shot down the leader and drove the flock away in this way. He never expected to see this scene again, but it was done by a trainee inspector.

Cheng Ye waved his hand, then chased after the departing flock of birds and fired another shot.

pity.

"It's empty." He clicked his tongue.

Although Bai Wusheng's active effect allows him to become one with his gun, ensuring that he can hit exactly where he points, once the flock of birds is in disarray, even the flight path of the leader cannot be seen, so it is impossible to lock on.

He fired three shots in quick succession, shooting down three more thornbirds, and the flock of birds that had gathered earlier finally dispersed completely.

Workers along the way emerged from their tin shacks as if waking from a dream, all looking in this direction. Seeing Cheng Ye holding a gun, and without knowing who started it, a round of applause broke out.

"Prosecutor Cheng, thank you for helping us disperse the birds!"

Raul stepped out of the tin shack, glanced around, and then laughed, "You kept your word, this gun is yours!"

"Don't you feel bad?"

“I have no way to exchange it for money, so I can only keep it as an ornament. Giving it to you would be a good thing,” Raul said sincerely. “If my father knew, he might be happy.”

"Thanks."

Cheng Ye grinned, not expecting that just as he was about to take on the contract, good things would come one after another.

Moreover, they are all related to money. Prosecutor Cheng, who has been poor for four months, not to mention Wang Kang's substantial wealth, just this gun alone is worth more than all of his current assets!
"Don't worry, I won't sell it; I'll keep it for myself."

“That’s good.” Raul nodded. “This gun is called ‘Cyril,’ which means ‘master’ or ‘ruler’ in old Spanish. My father wanted me to control my own destiny, and now that it’s in your hands, it’s quite a strange coincidence.”

"ruler?"

Cheng Ye reached for the stock of the gun and, sure enough, saw a line of letters carved on it with a knife.

Cyril.

"Yes, I like this name."

Cheng Ye nodded, weighed the gun in his hand, and Raul had already had the workers bring ten boxes of special hunting bullets.

It's a pity this gun can't be used in the contract assessment, otherwise it would be perfect for dealing with flocks of birds!

Touching the Spiny Bird on the ground to open the Pokédex, Cheng Ye didn't have time to look at it closely; it was already eleven o'clock!

As we got back on the road, the tin-roofed house gradually fell into view in the rearview mirror.

Raul and a few workers were still standing there waving. His sincere smile made Cheng Ye feel a little dazed, and he couldn't overlap it with the memory of the North Checkpoint more than a month ago.

But that's reality; respect is earned through strength and status.

It was the result of his hard work and repeated risky charges during this period.

If he cowers and hides
"Do you control your own destiny?"

Seeing Wang Kang curiously touching the hunting rifle and occasionally sticking his head out to aim, Cheng Ye shook his head slightly.

He didn't want to be a ruler, but he truly wanted to be the master of his own destiny.

Without relying on luck, but only on hard work, we can gain a foothold step by step and climb up little by little!

The car drove onto the bumpy country road. Perhaps because it hadn't rained, the road surface was several times easier to drive on than the muddy road it had been on last time.

After a jolt, the faint outlines of the buildings in the distant town of Dabo became visible, along with the median strip blocking the way.

Wu Rui led a large team to guard the front of the isolation zone. Behind the isolation zone stood eight staff members, and some things were piled on the ground, presumably supplies for the assessment.

"You'll have to get off here and walk to Dabo Town."

Mu Shuang reminded from the back seat, "Also, we have to keep this gun; its strength is a bit too much."

"Hey."

Cheng Ye shook his head speechlessly. Wasn't this part of the prosecutor's personal combat strength?
But when he turned around and saw Wang Kang's awkward smile, he couldn't help but laugh along.

"It's fine, absolute fairness is good too. Otherwise, Rokuk might also have such good stuff. Starting from the same point, we won't be at a disadvantage."

The ruler was placed in the passenger seat, and the two got out of the car.

Wu Rui, who looked like a bear, came up to us and said in a deep voice, "Inspector Cheng, we are responsible for the outer area cleanup, but you will have to be more careful around Dabo Town and the Baishui River area."

“I know, Mu Shuang has already told me.” Cheng Ye nodded.

“If you encounter uncontrollable danger, you can contact us through this, and we will come to your rescue as soon as possible.” Wu Rui handed over a black brick-like radio with only a red SOS button on it. “But please do not cross the cordon or try to leave the Dabo Town area, otherwise you may be treated as an infected person.”

"Aren't you in charge of the covert operations?"

“No, it’s someone else from the checkpoint.” Wu Rui shook his head. “But if you really run into something you can’t handle, ignore them and contact me directly.”

After giving instructions to the security personnel, the staff behind the table stepped forward: "Inspector Cheng, Inspector Wang, according to regulations, a body search is required to ensure that you are not carrying any prohibited items."

"Fine, go ahead and search us. You really think we're criminals?" Wang Kang scoffed, but his hands readily opened.

After the body search was completed, the staff handed over a list.

The standard supplies were indeed similar to what Cheng Ye had prepared himself, all for emergency situations, packed in four large backpacks.

Other mission items are packed in a 32-inch suitcase. Inside are sealed boxes labeled with numbers, which can only be opened when the corresponding mission is drawn.

As for the inspector's standard armor and helmet, they are somewhat similar to the Fire Lotus armor, but the paint job is cement gray, making them look rather unremarkable.

"In addition, you can choose two primary weapons, one secondary weapon, and one melee weapon, which we will deliver before 2 o'clock."

Cheng Ye took the list. There wasn't much heavy firepower on it; the most powerful weapon was the Thunderbolt 1.

Without hesitation, he chose the Thunderbolt 1 + Ranger combination, with the standard Bison Fighter Pistol as his pistol.

"Xiao Kang, just pick a hunting rifle and a Ranger rifle."

"Okay!" Wang Kang nodded, finalizing the equipment.

The two can share firearms, so there's no need for them to choose the same ones.

As for melee weapons, when Cheng Ye flipped to the list of cold weapons, his finger suddenly paused, stopping at two words.

Red Blade!

　P.S.: 8.2k stable updates delivered. It's mid-month, I'm a bit tired, I'll rest for a couple of days before resuming daily updates of 10,000 words. The big plot is ready for the next chapter!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)