Wasteland Border Inspector

Chapter 262 Development Conflicts, Sales Team!
When I left the chemical plant residential area, it was already late at night, and the evening breeze carried a slight chill on my face.

Cheng Ye stopped and turned to look at the window on the fifth floor.

Liu Yi was still clinging to the windowsill, her little face pressed tightly against the glass, her big eyes sparkling as she waved to him longingly, looking extremely reluctant to part.

He mouthed "reassuring" to the window and made a "carry seeds" gesture until he saw the little girl nod vigorously and a small smile appear on her lips. Only then did he turn around and get on the bus with peace of mind.

But the moment he closed the car door, Cheng Ye couldn't help but smile.

To prevent Liu Yi from coming into contact with plants again and misusing his supernatural abilities to deplete his life force, Luo Xiaoxue deliberately staged a play with him, performing a "banquet for all."

Just now, inside the house, Liu Yi watched as the colorful cabbages she had planted were pulled out one by one and thrown into the pot. She immediately burst into tears. In the end, it was only after he promised to go to Guangdong Province and bring back many "fun and special" seeds that the little girl stopped sobbing.

However, as he was laughing, Cheng Ye suddenly realized something.

Liu Yi's plant-based abilities were probably already hidden within her body.

Previously, Tan Ming's power suppressed the vitality of the entire Shi Province, and this hidden superpower was also firmly locked up, which is why it has not been able to awaken.

Now that life in Shi Province has been fully unleashed, supernatural abilities have also awakened.

Now that the plants at home have been cleaned up, as long as we pay more attention to prevent Liu Yi from coming into contact with the flowers, plants and vegetables outside, we can temporarily avoid the uncontrolled growth of her supernatural abilities and reduce the unnecessary loss of her life force.

Once we find out the treasures used by Luo Xiaoxue's ancestors, or once the life force rune advances further, we can find a way to restrict her.

"The special ability that Yi Yi has awakened is quite valuable. Right now, it only induces color changes, but what if one day it can induce other abilities?"

As Cheng Ye pondered, he suddenly realized that perhaps besides Liu Yi, there must be other people in Happiness City whose plant-based abilities were awakening.

That's something worth keeping an eye on in advance. If we can gather a large army of superhumans, farming will be much easier in the future.

After driving back to the parking lot, Cheng Ye didn't rush to charge the collector. Instead, he strolled leisurely back towards the electronics factory residential area.

He had walked this road hundreds or even thousands of times, and even after being away for more than a month, the familiar scenery still made him feel relaxed.

It seems that many new people have moved into the electronics factory residential area. Previously, one-fifth of the rooms in each building were always dark, but now every household is lit up with warm light.

Even the children who used to run and play wildly in the yard didn't fuss and crowd around him like before when he came back; they had clearly gotten used to the arrival of their new neighbor.

Old Sun was sitting on the stone steps at the entrance of the apartment building, looking down at the defense information device.

Hearing footsteps, he looked up sharply, and upon recognizing Cheng Ye, he immediately stood up, a smile plastered on his face as he greeted him: "Prosecutor Cheng, you're back! Have you finished with the matters outside?"

"That concludes the first phase. I'll have to go out again in a couple of days."

Cheng Ye nodded slightly, his gaze inadvertently sweeping over Lao Sun's clothes. Previously, the yellow stripes embroidered on Lao Sun's shoulders represented ordinary purchasing agents, but now they had been changed to blue. He couldn't help but ask curiously, "You changed your stripes, did you get promoted?"

"That's not a promotion."

Old Sun shook his head with a wry smile, took two steps forward, lowered his voice, and said with a hint of helplessness, "Inspector Cheng, to be honest with you, those of us in charge of procurement are basically unemployed now. The material procurement for the satellite city that we agreed on before probably can't be moved forward."

"Huh? What's going on?" Cheng Ye's brows furrowed instantly.

Previously, I purchased bicycle frames through Lao Sun's channels. Apart from a slight mishap in the delivery time, the price was indeed affordable, and the quality was perfect.

He originally planned to have Lao Sun continue to be in charge of material procurement and help control quality after the satellite city construction was launched. How did things suddenly change?
"Because the inspectors in each satellite city have their own supply channels," Old Sun sighed and explained. "Everyone is extremely strict about delivery deadlines and material quality. In the days you were away, the satellite cities have clashed several times over resources. The Industrial Bureau had no choice but to revoke the authority of all purchasing staff. Now all the transfers are handled by Station Chief Lei."

"Lei Hu?" Cheng Ye asked in surprise.

Why did the stationmaster of the South Station end up stationed at the Industrial Administration Bureau, responsible for sourcing goods to various satellite cities?
Who will take care of the daily affairs of the South Station?
"Yes, now all the authority to transfer goods is in Station Master Lei's hands. I don't even have the permission to check the inventory anymore."

As Old Sun spoke, a hint of resentment lingered in his eyes, and his words carried a hidden meaning.

Cheng Ye sensed the hidden meaning in his words, so he didn't ask any more questions. He simply shook his head and gestured for Lao Sun to follow: "Come on, let's talk in my room."

Can unified allocation eliminate conflicts between satellite cities?

That's obviously impossible. Even when Liu Bi was in the industrial zone, he could secretly send him perfect products while giving Rokuk defective ones.

After Lei Hu takes over the distribution of goods, can he guarantee that the materials sent to each satellite city are of the same standard?

This inevitably involves favoritism; high-quality materials will certainly be prioritized for the areas he values.

While the current approach may seem like a one-size-fits-all solution that resolves the surface conflict, it is actually accumulating bigger problems.

If it arouses public outrage and the prosecutors unite to protest, the checkpoint will ultimately have to clean up the mess itself.

The two went up to the fifth floor one after the other. Just as they reached their front door, the two doors next to them suddenly opened with a "click".

Zhu Xiang and Wu Zhihong each poked their heads out, and after seeing Cheng Ye, their eyes quickly swept over Lao Sun before they greeted him with smiles: "Sir, you're finally back!"

Where is Huang Sheng?

“The Public Works Department has been rushing to meet the deadlines lately, and he’s been on the construction site every day, so busy he hasn’t had a moment to rest. He hasn’t been back to the community for several days,” Zhu Xiang quickly replied.

"Alright, after Old Sun leaves, you two come in for a bit. There's something I need to arrange," Cheng Ye instructed.

"Yes!" The two immediately smiled excitedly, clearly having waited quite a while for him.

Cheng Ye took out his key and opened the door.

As the lights came on, the expected scene of the room covered in a layer of dust did not appear.

The room was as tidy as it was before he left, with several boxes of things piled on the floor. These were materials and books that the elders had sent him when he was hospitalized at Regenerative Medicine.

His gaze shifted to the side and he saw a list on the wall by the door, marked with dates every two days, each followed by Mu Shuang's signature.

It's obvious that Mu Shuang and her team come to clean the room every two days, which is why it's kept so clean.

"Sit down." Cheng Ye gestured for Lao Sun to sit on the sofa, then walked to the work desk and touched the kettle.

It was indeed full; clearly, Mu Shuang had added water while cleaning.

He casually picked up a cup from the windowsill, poured one for Old Sun, and one for himself. After taking a couple of sips, he said, "You've been waiting for me downstairs for more than just a day or two, haven't you?"

"Uh..." Old Sun paused for a moment, then chuckled awkwardly, "Inspector Cheng, let's not beat around the bush. Right now, almost all the purchasing agents in the Industrial Bureau are practically half-unemployed, just sitting around doing nothing. Everyone was hoping for fair competition in the satellite city's procurement, and I was confident I could get the best prices and materials for Dabo Town, but now Station Chief Lei has completely cut off our authority."

"You want me to stand up for you?" Cheng Ye interrupted him directly, his tone somewhat questioning. "Station Chief Lei is a fifth-term prosecutor, and I'm just a trainee prosecutor. Do you think it would be effective for me to talk to him?"

Old Sun fell silent, his face darkening slightly.

He didn't actually expect Cheng Ye to be able to find a breakthrough on his own. It's just that all the purchasing agents are trying to find ways to communicate with the inspectors they know. If enough inspectors can join in the protest, they might be able to get the Industrial Development Bureau to withdraw its order and restore the previous competitive model.

But as soon as Cheng Ye said those words, his expectations cooled considerably.

But soon, a glimmer of hope appeared in his eyes.

"Station Chief Lei, is there a difference in quality between the goods allocated to the satellite cities?" "Of course there is, I can guarantee it!" Old Sun nodded immediately, his tone certain. "Now all materials are divided into three grades: excellent, ordinary, and defective. And because of the recent rush to meet deadlines, the probability of defective products is getting higher and higher, and it's not going to come down in the short term. The larger satellite cities are taking all the excellent products, while the remaining smaller satellite cities can only split the ordinary and defective products equally. If they're unlucky, they might get half of the defective products."

As expected, the inevitable contradictions that arise during development have indeed emerged.

Cheng Ye rubbed his temples, feeling that dealing with the source of infection was much simpler than the intricacies of power struggles.

He wasn't worried that Lei Hu would send defective products to Da Bo Town. Lei Hu definitely knew about the matter of containing the immortal artifacts, and he wouldn't be foolish enough to offend him, a rising star.

But what about those small satellite cities?

For example, the satellite city under Li Matai's jurisdiction may become a victim of this "unfair distribution".

What was originally a conflict between the satellite city and the Industry Department has now turned into a conflict within the checkpoint itself.

I don't know what Lao Ding is thinking. I have to take this opportunity to find out what he's thinking when I go to the checkpoint to report on my work tomorrow.

"Alright, Lao Sun, don't worry about the Industrial Administration anymore."

Cheng Ye picked up his water glass and drank it all in one gulp. He said calmly, "Since it's a rule set by the higher-ups, even if the prosecutors protest in unison, it's impossible to go back to the previous state of disorderly competition. It's fine to build satellite cities, but there has to be a priority. Larger satellite cities should get the best materials first to ensure a solid foundation. As for defective products, since they can leave the factory, it means they can be used. It's just a bit more troublesome."

Upon hearing this, Old Sun's expression froze, and the light in his eyes dimmed little by little, filled with disappointment.

After more than 20 years of hard work in Xingfu City, hundreds of purchasing agents finally got a chance to make their mark when the satellite city was built. But then an order came from above, and everyone was "forced to retire." All their ambitions vanished, and they could only stay in the buffer zone and make ends meet on a basic salary.

To outsiders, being able to get paid without working might seem like something to brag about.

Old Sun used to think so too, but after experiencing the "highlight" of the procurement war and then falling back to the bottom, this "leisure" became torture, making it impossible for him to return to his previous state of mind.

"But don't be discouraged, I do have a task for you." Cheng Ye changed the subject.

Old Sun suddenly looked up, his eyes regaining their light, and forced a smile: "Prosecutor Cheng, please speak freely!"

“Next spring, I plan to recruit a group of salespeople in Dabo Town to promote all kinds of products produced there.” Cheng Ye looked at him. “I wonder if you would be interested in coming here part-time? You don’t have to quit your job at the Industrial Bureau, and you can manage both.”

"Goods from Dabo Town?" Old Sun was taken aback, then leaned forward instinctively and quickly asked, "Do you mean... competing with the industrial zone for business, or opening up a separate market?"

"That's a long story!"

Cheng Ye couldn't help but smile. He hadn't expected that the Industrial Development Bureau's reform would actually help him solve the problem of his sales team.

Who could be more professional than these veteran purchasing agents?
These people are all veterans who have been working in Happiness City for many years. They are familiar with the internal rules, understand the actual value of various commodities, and their sales techniques are more effective than those of ten people.

Now that they've all been "forced into retirement," it's a good opportunity to recruit them to work under the command of Dabo Town, saving a lot of effort in training new people.

He simply opened up and told Lao Sun about his plans for Dabo Town in detail.

From small details like shop layout and equipment procurement, to larger issues like the industrial positioning of the satellite city, the connection of supplies with Xingfu City, and even potential supply chain problems, everything was discussed.

These procedures, which only purchasing staff would understand, sounded somewhat out of place coming from the mouth of Cheng Ye, an inspector, but that only added to the credibility of his words.

Firstly, it's to let Lao Sun familiarize himself with the business in advance, since he will be the one to lead the sales team later. Secondly, it's also to prepare for tomorrow's report at the checkpoint. If Ding Yishan asks about the specific plans for Dabo Town, he can save himself the trouble of organizing his thoughts on the spot and speak more logically.

The two became increasingly engrossed in their conversation, discussing everything from material procurement to market demand, and from industrial development to profit distribution. If it weren't for Lao Sun's family members gently knocking on the door to remind him that it was late and he should go home, neither of them would have even noticed that the clock had struck midnight.

Old Sun's mood was like a rollercoaster ride.

He entered full of hope that he could win the purchasing rights, but when he heard that the Industrial Administration's rules could not be changed, he was instantly filled with disappointment. However, as Cheng Ye laid out the details of the plan one by one, his eyes gradually brightened up again. In the end, he was completely ignited by the prospects of Dabo Town, and his face was full of barely suppressed excitement.

Even if Cheng Ye's grand plans haven't materialized yet, they sound much more reliable than those ideas that come out on a whim. Every step of the plan is traceable and not just wishful thinking.

For purchasing agents, the worst thing is "having nothing to sell." Cheng Ye's plan clearly outlines a future product list, from fishery products to agricultural products and then to industrial products, which gives him peace of mind.

Of course, what truly put Old Sun at ease was a bombshell announcement from Cheng Ye.

Planting is now permitted within a 200-kilometer radius of Xingfu City.

This news is destined to be kept secret for long; it will be officially announced in two or three weeks at most.

But before that, being able to know the inside story in advance is itself proof of power and status.

"Prosecutor Cheng, don't worry! As long as we get things going in Dabo Town, I guarantee I can bring all the other purchasing agents over to work for you!" Old Sun patted his chest and assured him, "We may not be good at much else, but we're absolutely reliable at finding channels, negotiating prices, and promoting products!"

For someone like Lao Sun, working is no longer just about earning more money or getting a bit of power; it's more about realizing his self-worth.

Talking about "self-worth" in the wasteland is probably nonsense, especially for refugees who have just arrived in the city and haven't even solved their basic needs for food and clothing; it's simply a fantasy.

But for elderly people like Lao Sun in Xingfu City, whose children and grandchildren are all settled, they will definitely want to do something more meaningful in their remaining days. This is human nature and also an inevitable result of Maslow's hierarchy of needs.

Once physiological, safety, and love and belonging needs are met, people will naturally need more respect needs (affirmation of intrinsic value) and self-actualization (ideals and aspirations).

Cheng Ye offered different "bait" to cater to the needs of different people, and judging from the results, he clearly achieved his expectations.

After seeing Old Sun off, he picked up the kettle on the table, tilted his head back, and gulped down the rest of the water in one go, feeling a wave of relief wash over him.

Happiness City, a super-protected city, certainly has no shortage of talented people!
Cheng Ye couldn't help but sigh, these old people who have survived in the wasteland until now must all have some real skills.

Just like Lao Sun's understanding of the market, control of sales channels, and design of product matrix, these detailed intricacies are eye-opening even for him.

These things cannot be grasped by the foresight of a "time traveler," nor can they be acquired through a complete education system. Only by truly immersing oneself in the grassroots and working hard for many years can one understand the intricacies of these things.

I had just put down the kettle when the knocking started again.

When he opened the door, Zhu Xiang and Wu Zhihong walked in. To his surprise, Huang Sheng was also called back.

Seeing that the kettle was empty, Wu Zhihong got up to refill it without being told, while Zhu Xiang and Huang Sheng skillfully moved small stools from the corner and sat down in the living room.

The room is much more spacious now than when we last talked. A small living room area has been specially partitioned off, with a simple sofa and coffee table. Finally, we have a decent space to discuss things, instead of having to squeeze into the bedroom to talk.

After the door closed, Cheng Ye's gaze swept over the undisguised hope on the three faces, a smile playing on his lips. He cut to the chase, saying, "Starting tomorrow, you'll begin handing over your duties. Staying in the buffer zone is too slow for development. I'll take you to Dabo Town, where you can really show your skills and make a name for yourselves!"

His gaze fell on the three of them one by one, and he clearly assigned them tasks:
"Huang Sheng, I'm entrusting you with full management of the construction team in Dabo Town. You will be in charge of the progress of all infrastructure projects, worker allocation, and material usage. You must ensure the quality and efficiency of the projects."

"Zhu Xiang, Dabo Town needs to establish its own medical system as soon as possible. From clinic site selection and equipment procurement to the recruitment and daily allocation of medical staff, you are in charge of all these things. The goal is to get basic medical care in place as soon as possible and cover every resident."

"Wu Zhihong, for a place to develop, public security must keep up. Dabo Town also needs to establish its own security department to maintain daily order, handle resident disputes, and prevent external risks. You will take the lead in this matter, quickly set up the team, and formulate patrol and duty systems!"

The words fell.

The room fell silent for a moment, and the three of them, barely able to contain their overwhelming joy, stood up at the same time.

"We will do as you command, sir. We are willing to go to Dabo Town!"

(End of this chapter)