Wasteland Border Inspector

Chapter 216 Return to the Big Wave, Miracle Indicator!
creak-

creak-

The truck moved slowly forward, each meter it advanced as if it were fighting against an invisible resistance, and the truck body occasionally emitted a dull metallic scraping sound.

Inside the camp, dozens of monitoring devices were all pointed in the direction the truck was coming from, and everyone was staring intently at the data flashing on the screens.

Thanks to Cheng Ye's presence as a "calibrator," the truck was able to bring a monitoring sphere for detection into the realm of the immortals.

This is the only way to monitor the intensity of internal contamination without triggering an outbreak.

The detector mounted on the front of the vehicle can transmit real-time data to the rear of the vehicle, which has not yet fully entered the area, via a wired connection.

Even so, it still alarmed the realm of immortal artifacts. A faint energy fluctuation, like a radar scan, frequently swept across the truck body, carrying a subtle sense of intimidation.

"Got it! We finally have the data!"

Shi Xu suddenly shouted, his voice filled with barely concealed excitement.

But when he saw the numbers on the screen, the smile on his face froze instantly, a chill ran through him, and even the people around him felt their legs go weak.

The screen displayed rows of chilling data that sent shivers down one's spine:
[Current infection source activity intensity: 2.77]

[Current number of active odors from the source of infection: 16]

[Current maximum activity intensity of the source of infection: No significant data available]

[Current level of mental pollution: 16.715]

[Current scope of mental pollution: No significant data available]

【current.】

Ignoring the data on the source of infection, the contamination count actually exceeded level 15, reaching a rare level 16!
What is this concept?
Taking the influence of the traveler's domain as an example, pollution counts can only reach this level within a 500-meter radius around him.

Once it exceeds 500 meters, the value will drop precipitously.

At this moment, the truck was at least several kilometers away from the karst cave below the Baishui River.

Is the pollution level this terrifying over such a long distance?

"Don't panic, everyone!" Shi Xu took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the shock in his heart, and said in a deep voice, "This is because the immortal object sensed that we were probing it, and actively strengthened the intensity of its domain influence. It's not that its passive pollution is level 16."

However, while the logic was sound, no one present could relax.

If a magical object capable of actively releasing level 16 pollution were to be filled with human lives, how many would it take?

It's likely that there are at least 200,000 displaced people currently stranded on the outskirts of Happiness City who haven't been resettled yet, enough to deplete its energy.

More importantly, how intense would the near-field pollution be for such an active celestial being?
Level 17?
Or is it a level 18 that is already on the verge of extinction?
Just as everyone was filled with worry, Cheng Ye's intermittent voice suddenly came through the communicator, sounding visibly strained: "Team Leader Shi, I... I'm already having that 'whim' feeling, I'm afraid... I can't go any further."

Shi Xu's expression changed drastically. He immediately grabbed the communicator and said urgently, "Prosecutor Cheng! That's enough! We don't need to go any further! Just throw the detector out, put it behind the car!"

"Okay." Cheng Ye's voice remained steady, showing no trace of fear as he stepped back into the realm of immortal artifacts.

The truck slowly came to a stop, and Cheng Ye gently stepped on the brake and reached out to press the red button on the dashboard.

laugh--

A hissing sound was heard, and the detector fixed to the outside of the truck chassis detached and fell to the ground with a thud.

It is a metal sphere the size of a graphite disk, with a thin data cable attached to the back, used to transmit data within the town of Dabo.

This is the pinnacle of wasteland exploration achieved by Happy City and even by current human technology. It can accurately sense and calculate the intensity of mental pollution, let alone level 16 pollution, even the level 16 level of infection.

In addition, it can detect the density of infection sources within a large area, which is equivalent to an enlarged version of an infection source detector.

However, like ordinary infection source detectors, it still has significant shortcomings in accuracy, unable to accurately locate the specific location of a single infection source, and can only provide a general area range and intensity calculation.

Furthermore, taking the substitute starfish fusion as an example, even the weakest primary fusion has an infection activity intensity of 3.

The current value of 2.77 indicates that there are currently no merged entities around Dabo Town.

But when they recalled Cheng Ye's description of "a dense mass of crab-men standing on the riverbank," no one present breathed a sigh of relief.

The ants kill the elephant.

These crab-men have clearly been corrupted by the spirit of the immortals, but they are only in the first stage.

However, once the second phase of the outbreak begins, when they can clearly "see" the large number of humans active in the town, a fierce battle will inevitably break out.

Although the truck was loaded with weapons, the problem was that if there were casualties, the residents would inevitably panic and might enter the second stage, falling into cognitive distortion and madness.

If this leads to a pollution wave, it will be a catastrophic disaster, and no one but Cheng Ye will survive.

"Alright, Prosecutor Cheng has successfully entered. Now all we need to do is trust him."

Shi Xu stood up, his gaze sweeping over the panicked crowd, trying to calm them down. "The celestial artifact hasn't appeared around Happiness City for seven years. Now is the perfect opportunity for us to collect data and make simulations and inferences. We can't waste it."

Without further hesitation, he quickly issued the order: "Group One, immediately retrieve the geological reaction data of the lower reaches of the Baishui River and begin matching it with the infection spread model!"

"Group Two, focus on collecting energy intensity fluctuations of the celestial artifact, transmit the data to the supercomputer, and calculate its activity frequency!"

"Group Three, immediately deploy personnel upstream of the Baishui River to monitor changes in energy response within the water body in real time!"

"Group Four is responsible for tracing the source of pollution downstream of the Baishui River and checking for any missed infected individuals."

As orders were issued, hundreds of people in the camp immediately sprang into action.

Unused instruments were quickly moved and redeployed to other monitoring points.

Due to the influence of the divine object, the underwater environment cannot be easily altered, otherwise it may trigger a pollution wave, or even cause the source of infection in the cave to go directly from the awakened state to the outbreak state.

On land, however, the Happiness Legion, which had been temporarily deployed, had been fully mobilized to cooperate with the Blood Dragon Legion in conducting cyclical patrols to clear potential threats near Dabo Town and ensure that no unauthorized personnel or infected individuals could enter the town.

Over the wilderness.

Old Qian glanced at Liu Kun, who was still frozen in place beside him, and said lazily, "Let's go, it's time for us two old folks to go back. And it's settled then, the expenses for this recovery have to be on your side."

"Hmph, such a weak second state, he got off easy." Old Zeng snorted coldly, his figure suddenly becoming slightly blurred.

The next second, as the light distorted, the person completely disappeared.

"Hmm, it was just a projection?"

Old Qian paused for a moment, then clicked his tongue. "It seems I really need to make time to visit the research institute."

He pondered for a moment, then his body gradually faded away, along with Liu Kun beside him, disappearing into thin air.

The task of containing the divine object takes at least three to five days, and at most up to half a month.

The two elders didn't really care whether Cheng Ye could complete the task.

After all, the value of this celestial artifact has been clearly established; the remaining question is "how much to pay," not "whether it can be done."

Inside the station chief's office at the central checkpoint.

"Sir, we just received news that Prosecutor Cheng has re-entered Dabo Town." Jiang Chuan knocked lightly on the door, and after receiving a response, he pushed the door open and entered, bowing respectfully as he reported.

Ding Yishan, behind his desk, remained expressionless, his fingertips still slowly sliding across the documents, his gaze focused on the official business at hand. He only gave a faint "hmm," as if responding to a trivial matter.

A brief silence fell over the office, broken only by the soft rustling of papers turning.

After a moment, Ding Yishan raised his head, his tone still calm: "Can we still get through to Director Liu on the phone?"

"I've tried calling several times, but I still can't get through."

"What about the police station? Have they sent any news?"

"The Police Department just sent a notice that Deputy Commissioner Zhang Zhihui will temporarily act as the head of the Police Department's daily operations. It says that Commissioner Liu has received orders to carry out a secret mission, but the specific details have not been disclosed."

"I understand, you can leave now." Ding Yishan waved his hand and turned his gaze back to the documents.

Jiang Chuan acknowledged and withdrew, gently closing the office door behind him.

The moment the door closed, Ding Yishan's previously steady breathing suddenly became heavy. He abruptly stood up from his chair, strode to the French windows, and gripped the window frame tightly with both hands.

The composure and indifference that had been on his face just moments before had vanished, leaving only an undisguised rage surging in his eyes, and even the air around him seemed to grow colder.

Images flashed uncontrollably through his mind, but eventually he calmed down.

After leaving the checkpoint, perhaps influenced by his beliefs, or perhaps because no one dared to play these roundabout games with him, Liu Kun became increasingly "straightforward" in his actions and increasingly naive in his understanding of human relationships, even to the point of being stubborn.

Does he think he can simply refuse to do something he doesn't want to do?
Can one uphold the so-called "rules" by simply improving one's skills?
Looking out the window at the refugees still being inspected and the inspectors on duty, Ding Yishan's eyes couldn't help but flash a trace of reminiscence, which was quickly replaced by complex emotions.

After a long while, he took a deep breath, slowly loosened his clenched fist, and forcibly suppressed the surging emotions in his heart.

He simply rubbed his temples, muttering to himself in a voice as soft as a breeze, "Station Chief Cheng, the judgment you made back then hasn't been wrong even today."

The heavy truck wheels rolled over the already broken ground of Dabo Town, leaving two clear tracks on the uneven road.

Some concrete blocks that were barely passable before were crushed by the wheels, causing gravel to fly up and roll down.

After driving less than a hundred meters, Cheng Ye had no choice but to step on the brake and pull the handbrake.

We can't go any further. If we continue, we'll not only block the only main road in Dabo Town, but we'll also make the already complicated terrain even more chaotic. If we encounter danger, even our escape route could be blocked.

He pushed open the car door, jumped out nimbly, and waved to the two people at the entrance of the granary in the distance.

Rokuk and Wang Kang then realized what was happening and hurriedly ran towards the truck.

Especially Rocco, who always maintained the composure of a third-term prosecutor, now showed a rare hint of dishevelment, his steps even becoming somewhat unsteady.

This reaction made Cheng Ye even more emotional.

In the power arena of the Happiness City checkpoint, Rococo was a seasoned master of intrigue and backstabbing. But once they reached the wilderness, everyone's identities seemed to be reset, and they were all back on the same starting line.

Whether they are prosecutors, refugees, lords of certain settlements, or important figures in certain sanctuaries, their identities become meaningless in the face of unknown sources of infection and the ever-present threat of annihilation.

Only power can speak.

"Prosecutor Cheng, you're back!"

As he approached, Rokuk slowed his pace, a slightly strange smile appearing on his face.

Although the smile seemed somewhat forced, the genuine excitement in her eyes was impossible to hide.

Wang Kang was much more straightforward. He still didn't fully understand what had happened last night, but none of that mattered. As long as he could stand by Cheng Ye's side, his anxious heart immediately settled down, and all his unease vanished.

"Brother Cheng, you left suddenly last night. Will today's assessment still be able to proceed as normal?" Wang Kang leaned forward, looking at the truck with some curiosity.

"Ok?"

Cheng Ye paused for a moment, then couldn't help but laugh, turning to look at Rokuk, "Of course it can be done, and it must be done, don't you think, Prosecutor Rokuk?"

Rokuk paused, a look of realization flashing across his face before he immediately nodded. "The competition isn't over yet. Have the test questions been distributed?"

"It's been sent out. We'll be drawing questions at 10 o'clock later." Cheng Ye continued, revealing some information in the process. "The source of the pollution outbreak last night has also been identified. It's in a karst cave underwater in the Baishui River. It's possible that this assessment task is related to this."

"Understood," Rokuk replied readily.

Knowing that Cheng Ye didn't intend to involve Wang Kang and wanted him to use a benign source of infection to avoid further contamination, he had no objections.

The fewer people who know about the divine artifact, the less likely it is to trigger another outbreak of pollution.

Moreover, since it involves exploring caves underwater, Wang Kang's abilities are somewhat insufficient.

It's better for him to stay on the ground, so he can maintain order during the assessment.

Moreover, even benign sources of infection cannot completely block contamination; low-rated sources of infection are unlikely to be able to block the contamination from the divine objects.

Those with strong ratings come with increasingly severe costs, and nobody wants to use them unless absolutely necessary.

"So what's in this truck?" Rocco's gaze fell on the truck bed, and he already had a guess in his mind.

"These are all useful and good things; you'll see in a bit." Cheng Ye smiled, not explaining directly, but instead asking, "Are the residents inside alright? Has anything gone wrong?"

“Everything’s fine!” Wang Kang immediately replied, his tone smug. “I told them to go back and rest first, and that the assessment would be postponed. Everyone was very happy, and no one threw a tantrum.”

"That powerful?" Cheng Ye was stunned for a moment, and subconsciously glanced at Rokuk.

To his surprise, Rococo looked embarrassed, clearly indicating that something had happened in Big Wave Town that he was unaware of while he was away.

However, he didn't have time to ask questions right now. Cheng Ye immediately put away his smile and his tone became serious: "Then tell everyone to get up and get ready to start the assessment! Today is only the first official day, and there's still a lot of work to be done."

Although they were supposed to urge the residents to get up, Cheng Ye didn't reappear in front of everyone until exactly 8:00 AM, as Wang Kang had announced.

When the refugees saw him return, but without the able-bodied men who had gone out on patrol the night before, they couldn't help but feel puzzled.

But this doubt didn't need any explanation. As soon as they walked to the main road and looked out, they saw the two-box truck parked at the intersection. The people in the red and blue zones exchanged a few words and immediately found a convincing reason for themselves.

Those who were taken away must have received a reward, and what's on this truck is naturally the welfare for those of them who stayed behind.

This is a good thing, a fantastic thing.

"Ahem, everyone, please be quiet!"

Cheng Ye stood in front of the truck, pulled the stereo out of the cargo box, and connected it to the power supply port below.

He raised the microphone and announced loudly, "Due to the attack on Dabo Town yesterday, the exact source of the infection has not yet been determined, so the assessment content has been temporarily adjusted!"

"The adjusted core objective is now 'survival rate.' From now on, I hope everyone will take care of their hands, feet, mouths, and minds. The task of investigating and containing sources of infection will be handled by us inspectors. Do you all understand?"

There was a brief moment of surprise in the audience, followed by enthusiastic applause.

If Rokuk had said this, some people might have questioned it, but when it was Cheng Ye, everyone felt at ease.

"Of course, another core aspect of the assessment is still infrastructure command, and that will not change."

Cheng Ye changed the subject and continued, "In addition, Happiness City has confirmed the source of infection for the crabs that appeared yesterday. Its full name is 'Ghost Water Cave Crab,' and the main symptoms of infection are..."

He paused deliberately and emphasized, "It is important to note that this source of infection can be transmitted through freshwater. Please do not come into direct contact with the water of the Baishui River recently, and do not drink untreated raw water."

Upon hearing "freshwater transmission," a murmur of surprise rippled through the audience; no one had expected the transmission route to be so insidious.

But when they saw the truck full of supplies behind Cheng Ye and remembered his clear and unreserved intelligence briefing, the panic quickly subsided.

In today's wasteland, being parasitized by infected sources is nothing new.

Some people even actively use the ability of low-risk infection sources to assist in migration and work, and can even save their lives in critical moments.

To put it bluntly, as long as it's not an unknown source of infection and there are clear ways to deal with it, it's no different from catching a cold or fever.

Who doesn't get a headache or fever at the end of the year?
"Regarding infection testing, everyone should first collect their urine samples for preliminary testing using the salt we have prepared. Inspector Wang will explain the specific procedures in detail."

Cheng Ye continued to give instructions, his tone calm, "If an infection is detected, don't panic. The infection from the water crab is not fatal, and the removal method is very simple. Just follow my instructions."

"Alright, everyone, please disperse and return to your respective areas. Inspector Wang, please organize everyone for testing. Inspector Garcia will take a little longer to return. Please keep an eye on the temporary coordination in the red zone as well."

"Don't worry, Inspector Cheng!" Wang Kang immediately stepped forward and called out to the crowd, "Everyone, follow me. Let's get the salt for testing first. Group by family, one at a time, don't push!"

Among the more than 900 people, there are families, young adults living alone, and couples. Getting everyone to cooperate is indeed not easy.

However, once you gain the most crucial trust, managing them becomes very easy.

After the group left with Wang Kang, Cheng Ye paused, then gestured to Luo Kuke with his chin, indicating that he should follow him to the rear door of the truck.

Click.

With a soft click as the latch popped open, Cheng Ye gently pulled, and the electric power-assisted device slowly opened the heavy tailgate.

Contrary to expectations of being filled with supplies, the interior was very well-organized, resembling more of a temporary operations room.

The entire piece is made of a gray alloy with a cold sheen. Upon closer inspection, it turns out to be made entirely of "Happiness Alloy," the highest grade alloy in Happiness City.

A huge video wall is embedded in the left side of the enclosure, and it is currently displaying an image:

The central screen displays a holographic map of Dabo Town, clearly marking every alley and every temporary defensive fence.

Meanwhile, the residents who had just left were already displayed as small moving white dots on the screen, with a green dot representing Wang Kang at the very front.

The secondary screens on both sides display the radar's operating status and infection source analysis records, with the data constantly updating.

On the right is an integrated chemical workbench, with various infection source analysis instruments neatly arranged. As long as a sample is put in, it can automatically run and analyze. Even if the infection source is unknown, it can detect the basic characteristics of the infection source. It is no exaggeration to call it a small checkpoint.

Rocco's gaze swept quickly across the two folded jet skis at the entrance, finally settling on the two half-person-high metal boxes at the innermost part of the container.

When he saw the markings on the box, his surprise instantly turned into disbelief.

He was completely stunned, muttering in disbelief, "This is annihilation-level? How is this possible?"

The two metal boxes had no text on them, only a black "Giant Wall of Happiness" mark.

Others might not understand the meaning, but how could Rocco, a third-term prosecutor, not understand it?

Yellow marks correspond to disaster level, red to destruction level, and black marks are only used to deal with annihilation level threats!

Regardless of what's inside, it's top-tier equipment used to deal with a level-one infection source.

"This is the protective gear we'll be using when we go into the water; it's configured according to the standards for scuttlefishing."

Cheng Ye squinted and smiled, making no attempt to hide the shock on Rokuk's face. "What, is it strange?"

"How strange! Of course it's strange!"

Rokuk nodded repeatedly, his tone still full of disbelief, "A set of level-destroying protective equipment costs at least a million contribution points, and can only be imported from the Fire Source."

"Things are inanimate, people are alive." Cheng Ye's smile faded, and his tone became serious. "Giving us Annihilation-level equipment, you should understand what that means, right?"

"Hmm," Rokuk nodded slightly, his excitement undiminished. "It seems the source of pollution in the White Water River cave is more valuable than I thought?"

“It’s not just about high value.” Cheng Ye’s words hit Rokuk like a bombshell. “This time it’s a mission to wipe out a level at the checkpoint. If we can complete it, we’ll each get a level-killing quota.”

Wow!
Rokuk trembled. His eyes, which had been filled with surprise just moments before, were instantly filled with burning desire, and even his breathing became rapid.

An annihilation level indicator!

He had always thought that reaching the level of a third-term prosecutor was the limit of his life.

Without a family background or strong personal abilities, and only skilled in scheming and maneuvering, the only way to advance further is through an extraordinary miracle.

But if he had a quota for eliminating a level, he would be so upright that he wouldn't be able to bend over when competing for the fourth-term prosecutor position next time!

No, this is a miracle!
Sensing Rokuk's rapid breathing, Cheng Ye finally couldn't help but laugh.

Money can be a powerful motivator, and this applies to both the poor and the powerful prosecutors.

He turned and jumped onto the truck, sat down in front of the central control console, and clumsily operated and typed commands on the touchscreen, following the steps Bai Wei had previously instructed him to take.

The inspectors' armor, issued to the checkpoints, is embedded with positioning chips that can transmit signals in real time.

Previously, we didn't dare to activate the detection outside the town for fear of disturbing the realm of immortals, but now that we're inside the town, the signal won't be interfered with at all.

"A detection radar that can record human presence. This thing is indeed beyond the comprehension of technology from the old era." Cheng Ye looked at the interface loading on the screen and sighed softly.

The holographic map of Big Wave Town is fully unfolded.

Within seconds, a huge blue dot of light lit up in the Baishuihe area.

The location wasn't far, just about 600-700 meters upstream from the dock's outlet, and it remained fixed without shifting at all.

Cheng Ye stared at the light spot for a moment, memorizing the coordinates, but when he turned around, he found Rokuk still standing at the carriage door, lost in thought, seemingly pondering something.

It wasn't until his gaze swept over that Rokuk suddenly jolted back to his senses.

"Inspector Cheng!" Rokuk jumped into the carriage, his tone several times more serious than before. "To deal with a target of the caliber of a Celestial Artifact, we must stick together as one and absolutely cannot act separately again. From now on, whatever orders you have, just give them to me, and I'll do whatever you say!"

"Huh? An order?"

Cheng Ye was slightly taken aback, then burst into laughter.

Rocco's self-awareness was far greater than he had anticipated. Perhaps this keen sense of situation-reading is an essential ability for high-ranking prosecutors to establish themselves in the power arena?

However, for Rokuk, a single elimination level indicator is the foundation for "going from the third stage to the fourth stage," a promotion opportunity he may never encounter in his life, and a miracle.

Naturally, this also allows a trainee prosecutor to climb the ranks to senior prosecutor without any pressure.

If this mission succeeds, the two will be equal in status at the checkpoint in the future, and given the incredible potential he has shown, Rokuk has clearly realized that he needs to curry favor with him in advance.

When their eyes met again, Cheng Ye nodded slightly and pointed to two black metal boxes inside the carriage:
"Let's get our gear on and go. It seems our Inspector Garcia isn't too unlucky after all!"

(End of this chapter)