Wasteland Border Inspector

Chapter 265 Eye of Faith, Search Lv4!

Is the solution to the employment problem right in front of us?

Li Matai subconsciously followed the gaze and saw nothing but a vast wilderness bathed in the afterglow of the setting sun.

He paused for a moment, and several scenes that had been weighing on his mind suddenly popped into his head.

When he went to the industrial park a week ago to pick up equipment, especially materials related to the manufacture of small machinery, he did see quite a few strange things in the factory area:

For example, the farm tools being mass-produced are no longer the common shovels and hoes, but instead are all special tools for land reclamation, such as pointed picks, long-handled root digging shovels, and toothed rakes. These iron molds left over from the pioneering era are being rapidly cast into finished tools.

This is unusual, because even if a satellite city is to be developed, there is no need to stockpile such a large quantity of materials. The pouring production line could have prioritized the materials urgently needed for internal construction.

What surprised him even more was that, in addition to these farm implements, a batch of special vehicles were being assembled, including small four-wheeled tractors, self-propelled tillers, and narrow-wheel track agricultural transport vehicles.
This situation might be incomprehensible to those who didn't experience the Great Pioneer of the previous era, but as a third-term prosecutor who survived the Great Pioneer era, he was all too familiar with it.

After returning, Li Matai pondered for two days and inquired about information everywhere. Unfortunately, he was later entangled in the trivial matters of setting up the production line, and these doubts could only be temporarily suppressed.

Seeing Cheng Ye staring blankly at the wilderness, looking completely lost, his heart skipped a beat, and some bold guesses hidden in his heart almost burst out.

Before he could speak, Cheng Ye came to his senses and asked softly:

"Old Li, do you think it would be worthwhile if this wilderness outside could be cleared out and crops could be grown?"

Li Matai paused for a few seconds, then his expression suddenly became extremely serious: "Yes! Of course! Absolutely!"

"Believe me, no matter what, humanity's roots are always tied to the land beneath our feet. No place can survive without the land. Even Happiness City survives on the ore transformed from the petrification curse. If this land were truly devoid of anything, no human or living being could possibly stand here."

"What if pioneering comes at a great cost? Perhaps half of the people in the warehouse will die?" Cheng Ye pressed.

The words fell.

Li Matai remained silent for a moment, then his eyes grew even more resolute. "The sins were committed in this era, but the merits will last for generations. Hundreds of millions of people died during the Great Pioneers, almost causing a severe generational gap in humanity. Yet, only a little over a decade has passed. How many people can still remember the immense sacrifices made during the Great Pioneers? When people mention pioneering again, they only yearn to start pioneering once more, and only think about ending this damned wasteland era as soon as possible!"

"As long as the area around Happiness City can be developed." He took two deep breaths, goosebumps rising on his arms. "When I was retrieving equipment in the industrial zone, I saw many production lines in operation, and many agricultural implements. Yes, they were producing tractors and plows, I thought..."

"It's true. The area within 200 kilometers of Happiness City has recovered and is no longer affected by the petrification curse." Cheng Ye nodded emphatically. "It will probably be officially announced in less than half a month."

hum.

Upon receiving a definite answer, Li Matai's face flushed red, and his legs went weak, causing him to collapse to the ground.

He gazed intently at the wilderness, but what he saw in his eyes was not the setting sun, but a rising sun.

"Life! Life!"

He murmured those two words repeatedly, his eyes sometimes filled with confusion, sometimes with disbelief.

Compared to the reactions of Qu Lao, Da Long, and Huang Sheng upon learning the news, the reactions of Lao Sun, the purchasing agent, and Li Matai, the third-phase inspector, were significantly more intense.

He sat there for more than ten minutes before slowly coming back to his senses, his tone filled with wistful reminiscence. "Back in the days of the Great Expansion, there were actually two voices in Happiness City. One advocated staying in the place and continuing to develop, while the other proposed relocating. Whether it was to set up camp on the edge of Sha Province or Guang Province, or even to go far away to Hai Province, wherever they went, they had to get away from this barren land where even crops couldn't grow."

“If I weren’t the prosecutor in Happy City, and if I didn’t have to shoulder these responsibilities, I would definitely go with them. But I can’t leave; everything I have is tied to Happy City.”

At this point, his voice softened a bit, "But I promised them that one day when I stepped down as prosecutor, I would go to Hai Province to find them, and lead everyone to regroup and live a vibrant life on new land."

"But... so many years have passed, and I have never dared to think about stepping down again, nor have I mentioned the agreement made in Hai Province, just as I have never dared to hope that one day we can reclaim the land around Happiness City and that this land can be revitalized."

Upon hearing this, Cheng Ye pondered for a moment and then replied, "Then it's still not too late to go find them now. Happiness City can accommodate anyone who wants to pursue happiness."

"No, it's too late!" Li Matai smiled sadly, his face twitching slightly. "In the third year after they landed in Hai Province, it was hit by three super typhoons in a row. Yes, after leaving Happiness City and the petrified cursed Shi Province, there was indeed land to cultivate elsewhere, but didn't the new land also have new curses? New natural and man-made disasters?"

“Everyone is dead, all gone.” His voice trembled. “Later, I asked dozens of caravans to help me find out information, but I never found a single survivor. During the Great Expansion, more than seven hundred people were willing to risk their lives for me, but in the end, they only live on in my memory.”

After saying that, he suddenly looked up at me, his eyes filled with painful questioning: "Cheng Ye, tell me, if I had insisted that they all stay back then, would they be alive today, waiting for the day when Happiness City can be cultivated?!"

It turns out that during the great development period, Happiness City also had such a debate about "leaving or staying".

Cheng Ye's gaze was calm as the two locked eyes.

He could tell that Li Matai wasn't lamenting the deaths of those people, but rather questioning his own cowardly past.

On the road to pursuing his ideals, he chose to retreat, binding himself with "responsibility" and not daring to take that step.

Now, this responsibility has become a curse, forcing him to pay the price for his hesitation back then.

"No, they will never live to see that day."

After Cheng Ye finished speaking, he slowly stood up. "Those who flee seek a path in the distance, while those who persevere build a path beneath their feet. Waiting will never bring the opportunity to rise with the wind. Those who stayed did not wait until today, but silently worked hard and persevered until the sun rose. Who could have predicted that the darkness would pass? And who dared to be certain that they could hold out until dawn?"

A simple "stay" or "wait" is enough to erase the struggles and perseverance of hundreds of thousands of people in Happiness City over more than a decade.

That's an understatement.

Are we suggesting that everyone in Happiness City is waiting for Prosecutor Cheng to arrive, to take in... cough cough, and persuade Tan Ming?
Before this, it was the efforts of everyone in Xingfu City that made it the dominant force in Shijiazhuang Province, both in terms of the iteration of nutrient syrup and the operation of industrial import and export.

If we had really left Shijiazhuang back then, who could have predicted what things would be like now?
"Escape, or stand firm."

Li Matai repeatedly pondered these two words, his unfocused gaze gradually regaining its focus.

Over the years, he has heard countless times the words "stay at your post and make selfless contributions," but no one has ever told him that perseverance can truly lead to the dawn.

Everyone seems to be living aimlessly, repeating the same routine day after day within their own self-defined circles.

"What is the purpose of pioneering?" he suddenly asked, as if he had completely forgotten what he had just said about sins committed in the present but merits lasting for generations.

"The goal is to enable us to live a better life. Don't overthink anything else; it's just unnecessary worry."

Cheng Ye stood with his arms crossed, a confident smile on his face. “We need jobs, and this untouched land can help us get through the most difficult early stages; we need resources, and this land can grow countless things we urgently need. Dawn has arrived, but as the saying goes, those who persevere build the road beneath their feet, and how high we can ultimately stand depends on our own hands.”

If faith were insignificant on this land, humanity would not have been able to survive so many chaotic times and still thrive in the wasteland.

As soon as he finished speaking, Cheng Ye paused abruptly, feeling a strange sense of relief spreading from within, as if his whole body had been cleansed, and his mood suddenly brightened.

It's... belief!
He sensed the two runes on his hand trembling slightly, as if celebrating for him or marveling that he had finally taken this step.

The face of conviction condensed by the elders was materialized once again, but not in reality; it materialized in the mind, materialized by the power of the two runes!

The previously indistinct face began to churn slightly, and suddenly, a pair of bright and spirited eyes opened.

These eyes seem to see through the dust of the past, reflect the perseverance of the present, and foresee the dawn of the future!
With a guiding belief, one is no longer aimless and eventually has the potential to solidify and take shape.

What he saw was not the peaceful coexistence of everyone huddled in the sheltered city, nor the desperate situation where it was impossible to move an inch in the wilderness, nor the desolation overgrown with weeds, nor the purgatory ravaged by the source of infection.

What he saw was a world where everyone, like Tan Ming, was striving for greatness; it was a completely new era!
All of this is not achieved by escaping and seeking a way out in the distance.

By persevering, we can build a road beneath our feet!
Night, seven o'clock.

The streetlights in Dongping Town were already casting a soft glow, and workers were emerging from the warehouse one after another.

Everyone stared curiously at the two men under the streetlights: Inspector Li Matai, who was still smiling but looked visibly lost, and Inspector Cheng beside him, who kept nodding and immediately pointed out production problems.

what happened?
Nobody knew, but the workday bell had already rung, and everyone stretched, chatting and laughing as they walked toward their residential area.

When the crowd thinned out, Li Matai came to his senses and said thoughtfully, "Cheng Ye, this chance for survival is related to you, isn't it?"

"Of course it's related to me, otherwise why do you think I would have been trapped in Dabo Town for more than ten days?"

Cheng Ye did not deny it, and said frankly, "However, like the pioneering work, this news will be kept under wraps for a while. You'll find out soon enough."

Li Matai was stunned for a moment, then smiled wistfully: "Then I can be considered to have held on until the arrival of you, this 'outlier,' so it can't be considered running away."

"Did you ever imagine that this day would come?"

“I’ve thought about it, but it’s also like I haven’t.” Li Matai shook his head gently. “Those ethereal dreams are, in the end, just the fantasies of the disillusioned.”

"No, people will naturally have these fantasies as long as they hold beautiful expectations for the future."

Cheng Ye nodded, "At least you didn't feel that staying was an endless night of suffering, but instead kept looking forward to the dawn."

"Yes, I have been looking forward to a new era, and after so many years, this day has finally come!"

After a moment of contemplation, Li Matai finally nodded in agreement.

There is compatibility between people, depending on their way of handling things, their perspective, their angle of thinking, and many other inexplicable traits.

If the two people's ideas could be materialized at this moment, an invisible connecting line would surely be seen quietly taking shape between them.

If the previous collaborations were driven more by self-interest and unfounded expectations, then from this moment on, the two can be said to have truly aligned their philosophies.

However, it's not entirely impossible to measure.

Cheng Ye subconsciously opened the panel and glanced at it. Sure enough, Li Matai's cooperation level had quietly increased to 100%.

And then another notification appeared that we had seen before.

[Li Matai, 100%, completely open]

[Searchable Scope: Intelligence, Items, Skills Lv1~Lv4]

Fully open!
It turns out that this level of cooperation and mutual trust can be achieved!

Surprised, Cheng Ye was also somewhat taken aback. He had thought that the first people to completely trust him would be people like Wang Kang and Da Long, who were extremely dependent on him. He never expected it would be Li Matai, the prosecutor in charge of the third phase of the case.

Unfortunately, on the bare stats panel, Li Matai's highest skill level is only Lv4. Considering his unremarkable strength, a quick search would likely reveal only ordinary talents and skills.

"Since the extraordinary seed can be condensed for my use, it can definitely be used by others in the future, so there's no need to rush in terms of strength."

Cheng Ye pondered for a moment, completely unconcerned about Li Matai's martial prowess.

Even powerful elders and extraordinary individuals rely on the Sanctuary City for survival; ordinary people are precisely the core of this protective system.

However, after fulfilling the requirement of searching for Lv4 skills for the first time, Cheng Ye changed his mind and decided to give it a try.

The charging value is not enough yet. Only three hours have passed, and we need to wait another hour to fully charge to 480 kWh, which is enough to meet the search requirements for a Lv4 skill.

the other side.

After sighing, Li Matai looked at the two large warehouses with regret and said, "It's a pity that all my equipment and machinery, as well as the industrial system that I worked so hard to build, have wasted so much money and are now completely useless."

Since the decision to reclaim the land has already been made, having workers engage in this regressive manual production here would be a lose-lose situation.

It's better to prepare in advance before the official instructions are issued.

Even if it's just about letting residents rest and recuperate, it can still give them the upper hand when instructions are given.

“It’s no pity.” Cheng Ye raised the corners of his mouth and suggested, “I haven’t started industrial construction over there yet. How about I have a truck transport all your equipment and production lines to Dabo Town, and I’ll exchange them for a batch of brand-new pioneering supplies for you later?”

Seeing Cheng Ye's "malicious" smile, Li Matai's heart skipped a beat, and a smile also appeared on his lips:
"After all that you've said, you're not planning to take these two production lines from me cheaply, are you?"

"How could that be?" Cheng Ye couldn't help but laugh. "I'm just worried that if you keep running this defective brand, it wouldn't be surprising if someone came knocking on your door and chopped you up one day. This morning I visited other satellite cities, and the people there were all incredibly resentful. Luckily, Lei Hu took the blame for you."

“The defective products you’re producing here are all being distributed among the lower-level inspectors. It’s a way to help Dongping Town get started. If you suddenly quit, no one else will say anything, but Lei Hu will definitely be the first to come and get you.”

These words were so vivid that Li Matai immediately pictured the prosecutors cursing and swearing.

And when Lei Hu rushed over to question him, he instinctively shrank back, glancing at the southern district under Song Hai's jurisdiction: "He knows those tools were made by me."

"Are you planning to kill me to cover your tracks?"

“No.” Li Matai hesitated. “I’m about to start reclaiming land here. Shouldn’t I tell Song Hai? If he finds out later that we knew beforehand but kept it from him, it’s fine if he resents me, but what if he resents you?”

“No need.” Cheng Ye shook his head and said calmly, “He’s different from you; he can’t possibly abandon construction to pioneer new land.”

Not only Song Hai, but all the satellite cities he looked at this morning are not qualified for pioneering now.

The reason is simple: the premise of land reclamation is to meet the basic needs of the residents; the framework of clothing, food, housing, and transportation must be established first.

Dongping Town was among the first batch of satellite towns, and Li Matai used prefabricated houses, which now allow residents to rest and recuperate at any time.

However, large-scale construction has already begun in other satellite cities, and materials have arrived. Construction must be completed before the end of autumn; otherwise, if it drags on into winter, the long three months will be unbearable.

In addition, there is another crucial issue.

"The details of the pioneering work have not yet been finalized. How to reward, how to ensure safety, and how to coordinate with the legions all need to be discussed in detail."

“My suggestion is that you don’t rush into action. As the saying goes, ‘It takes a thousand days to train an army for one day.’ Now, we should instill the concept of land reclamation in the residents and teach them how to handle emergencies. This is much more efficient than rushing out to cut grass and creating chaos when danger arises.”

Li Matai nodded repeatedly, and added at the end, "I'll listen to you."

As they talked, the two of them walked to the temporary checkpoint in front of the town's big iron gate, sat down in a small bungalow, and began to discuss the various details of the land reclamation.

As an inspector who personally experienced the great expansion of the last era, Li Matai's experience is quite valuable.

Cheng Ye nodded from time to time, memorizing the important information and gradually forming a systematic line of thought.

Li Matai didn't hold back any of the practical details that Forbes wouldn't discuss with him; he spoke frankly and without reservation.

They stopped talking until their throats were dry and their brains had reached their limit.

After pouring himself two glasses of water and drinking them down in one gulp, Li Matai glanced at the time and quickly turned on the radio.

It was exactly 8 p.m., the time for the evening news broadcast in Happiness City.

This is Happy City Evening Channel, and I'm your host for today: Jess.

Today is September 1st, 35th year of the new century, marking the start of a new month. As usual, let's begin with a quick news report from surrounding provinces and cities.

[First, there's our neighbor, Hai Province. According to the 39th red weather warning issued by the Xin Huo Alliance this year, Super Typhoon 'Black Crow' is expected to make landfall in Hai Province on September 5th. Data estimates indicate that the wind speed will reach 70 meters per second, equivalent to a force 18 gale. The affected sheltered areas include: Meigu Sheltered Area, Mulan Sheltered Area, and Longyou Sheltered Area. Landfall is expected to trigger heavy rainfall, storm surges, tsunamis, and other secondary disasters. All sheltered areas in Hai Province have activated Level I emergency response, evacuating residents from coastal lowlands and suspending maritime operations and intercity transportation.]

[The surrounding Quang Province will also be significantly affected by Typhoon Black Crow. It is expected that from September 4th, the Cangwu Shelter City and Yunxi Shelter City in southern Quang Province will experience gusts of 8-10 on the Beaufort scale, and the wind force will gradually increase to 12-14 on the Beaufort scale. The heavy rain belt will cover most areas in central and southern Quang Province, with the cumulative rainfall expected to reach 200-350 mm. Some low-lying sections of the road may be flooded. Temporary shelters in the relevant shelter cities have been opened.]

[Next, we'll focus on Shayibak Province. Recently, persistent and severe sandstorms have occurred in the desert areas of northern Shayibak Province, with visibility dropping to less than 50 meters. The sandstorms have affected several settlements, including Mobei Shelter City and Liusha Shelter City. The sandstorms have led to the suspension of some outdoor operations, and the air quality index has remained extremely high. The number of people seeking medical treatment for respiratory diseases has increased significantly. The local government has activated its sandstorm defense emergency plan.]

[Regarding Hebrew Province, the fog that previously affected Basil Province has returned, though this time covering a slightly smaller area, approximately one-third of the province's total area. The affected shelter city is...]

【.】

Finally, regarding the situation in Hualien and Liangshan provinces, both provinces have recently experienced an abnormal reversal of their circadian rhythms. As of now, sunrise time across Hualien province continues to be delayed, with the initial sunrise time (around 5:15 AM) now pushed back to after 6:20 AM, and the rate of delay is accelerating.
In Liang Province, the sunset time is continuously delayed, and the initial sunset time (around 19:10) has now been postponed to after 20:15, with the day length increasing accordingly.

The abnormal rhythm rates in both provinces have escalated from 10 minutes per day to over 60 minutes per day. In Hualien Province, the delayed sunrise has shortened the effective activity time, and ambient brightness at noon is below normal levels. As of now, the Xinhuo Alliance meteorological department has not yet determined the cause of the anomaly. Xingfucheng has assembled a special expert team to conduct on-site investigations in both provinces. The team is expected to arrive in Hualien Province within 15 days and in Liangshan Province within 27 days. Further updates on the investigation progress and celestial changes will be provided in real time.

[End of surrounding area report; next up: satellite city construction progress update]

[1. Wenlu County will continue to expand in a week, with an additional 2.5 people involved, bringing the total capacity to 11.2.]

[2. The town of Tantou will continue to expand in three days, with an additional 4500 people to be accommodated, bringing the total capacity to 1.2.]

3. The lockdown order in Dabo Town has been lifted, and the threat level has been adjusted to: Green and safe. The cleaning team is currently conducting an overall environmental inspection. Further details will be disclosed after the responsible inspector reports on his duties.

【4】

[Satellite city construction has also been completed; next week will see changes in commodity prices.]

[1. This adjustment aims to reduce the cost of settling down for residents: targeted price reductions will be implemented for housing-related supporting materials, including a 12% reduction in the unit price of reinforced building materials, a 15% reduction in the price of economical door and window kits, and an 8% reduction in the price of basic decoration material packages suitable for newly delivered housing, effectively alleviating the resettlement pressure on new residents.]

[2. Prices of basic necessities have been reduced across the board, covering 12 categories of essential goods, with reductions ranging from 10% to 20%. Based on last week's voting results, this week's special offer is: a durable towel set (10 towels), with a 20% discount. Residents who wish to purchase are encouraged to find a purchasing point to place their order as soon as possible, as quantities are limited.]

3. Due to seasonal factors, the price of nutrient pulp will rise slightly, estimated to reach 3 yuan. The material supply department explained that this adjustment is a periodic seasonal adjustment, and the current reserves of nutrient pulp raw materials in Xingfu City are sufficient to meet the needs of one million people for two years.

4. Strengthened price regulation of emergency supplies.

【.】

That concludes this evening's news broadcast. Thank you for listening, and we'll see you again tomorrow at the same time.

Compared to Xiao Taiyang's unconventional style, the evening news broadcast has always been a serious news program, with almost no fluff and every sentence containing a wealth of useful information.

Cheng Ye rubbed his temples, quietly receiving this information, analyzing the overall situation in the wasteland while predicting the future policy direction of Happiness City.

It's quite clear that the higher-ups are paving the way for future land reclamation.

First, lower the prices of essential consumer goods to stimulate residents' desire to buy, then slightly raise the price of nutritional syrup to subtly create a sense of uncertainty and urgency.

This alternating pace of tension and relaxation builds up the groundwork repeatedly. When the pioneering jobs are officially launched, the large demand for labor will inevitably be accompanied by generous rewards. As long as someone wants to live a better life, they will not be afraid of danger and will pick up tools to leave the satellite city.

With enough people, even if it means throwing money at the problem, we'll carve out a new world out of the wilderness surrounding Happiness City.

Of course, in the end, doing this will most likely result in a profit.

Because transporting these daily necessities to other sheltered cities in exchange for nutrient slurry raw materials may not be as good as the output of cultivating land in Happiness City itself.

Moreover, this is not a one-off deal. Once the land is developed, the subsequent planting costs will decrease, while the benefits will be long-term.

In addition, satellite cities are expanding rapidly, with Wenlu County alone accommodating more than 100,000 migrants.

It's likely that during the ten-odd days he was hospitalized, Wenlu County, which was under the jurisdiction of the three fifth-stage prosecutors, must have undergone tremendous changes.

As a neighbor, Dabao Town, regardless of how much benefit it can share, will at least not be like Dongping Town now, stuck near Xiasha County, surviving by diverting industries from the industrial zone.

However, Li Matai's attention was clearly not on policy changes, but rather on changes in the surrounding area.

He suddenly froze, his tone tinged with disorientation, as if he had fallen back into that painful memory of Haihe Province.

However, before Cheng Ye could offer any words of comfort, he shook his head violently, quickly calmed himself down, and suppressed his surging emotions.

Just then, the pendant's charging indicator sounded again, and the charging value finally surpassed the 60% mark, just enough to meet the requirements.

Cheng Ye's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately opened the search panel and pressed the search button without hesitation.

Based on the current job level, even with full cooperation in searching for Lv4 skills and gaining a 50% hidden bonus, there is still a 25% failure rate. However, with the fully open permissions, there is a chance of success even when searching for extraordinary Lv7 skills, let alone ordinary Lv4 skills.

As long as you take action, you're guaranteed 100% success!

With a flash of light on the panel, all of Li Matai's skills and talents were instantly materialized by the collector.

Several not-too-dense runes flashed by quickly, and were soon deciphered into clear and readable text.

However, Cheng Ye glanced at it and couldn't help but be stunned, a strange light flashing in his eyes.

At Lv4, the skill format changed again!
Just like when we started to clearly distinguish between "talents" and "skills" and label their specific grades at Lv2.

This time, not only have there been changes, but a completely new skill category has also been added!
(End of this chapter)