Wasteland Border Inspector

Chapter 271 Core Authority, Vast Territory Granted!
Border inspector?

Ding Yishan kept repeating the name to himself, sometimes nodding slightly, sometimes shaking his head, his eyes deep and unsettling, as if he were pondering something.

Harlin was much more direct, immediately asking, "What if this border inspector defectes to Happiness City?"

"Station Chief Harlin, don't you think that's like asking what to do if an elder defectes to Happiness City?"

Cheng Ye remained calm and composed, saying, "Forgive my bluntness, but anyone who has reached this level is undoubtedly among the most capable in the wasteland. At that point, who can restrain him? And who has the right to do so?"

"Indeed, you are right."

Ding Yishan gave a rare and explicit endorsement: "If Happiness City can truly produce a border inspector, then his significance will no longer be limited to being an inspector of Happiness City, but rather a border inspector of human civilization, and a border inspector of the entire wasteland. Wherever he goes, his abilities can pave the way for humanity to reclaim the wasteland and rebuild civilization."

As soon as he finished speaking, Harlin stubbornly shook his head: "But unfortunately, no one can do it. Even someone as strong as Station Chief Cheng Wu only proposed the concept of integrating containment and research. Just perfecting these two aspects is already a dream that several generations have tried to achieve, let alone integrating duty and field operations."

"No, they are not actually contradictory."

Cheng Ye simply got up, walked to his desk, and pointed to the central checkpoint outside the window, where the lights were already on. "If an inspector can go out to collect cases and return to the city to conduct research, then he will definitely be good at duty inspections, because his familiarity with the source of infection far exceeds that of any inspector who has been trained."

"As for field transactions, can cooperation be achieved solely through verbal skills and negotiation techniques? Obviously not. While experience in navigating the wilderness and negotiation skills are important, the most crucial element is having valuable trade goods. Only in this way can negotiations in Happiness City proceed more smoothly and bring back more resources for development."

"And coincidentally, the inspector, who has traveled all over the wasteland and is skilled in research, knows best what is most scarce in the wasteland. If he can conduct targeted research to develop such products, why would he have to worry about not having partners or not being able to sell his goods?"

It must be said that Cheng Wu, as the creator of the entire wasteland checkpoint model, truly had a long-term vision.

To this day, every word he left behind and every vision for the future he made is being validated by reality.

Containment and research are absolutely inseparable and must be carried out simultaneously.

Even if the path is incredibly difficult, we must be determined to cultivate prosecutors who possess both of these abilities.

Unfortunately, he was forced to leave Happiness City too early, and now no one knows his whereabouts.

Perhaps, on the other side of the planet, he lives in anonymity, quietly preparing for the arrival of the next era, waiting to rebuild his glory and stand up to tell everyone that they were all wrong.

Or perhaps he has already died in some remote place, or on a deserted island, leaving only a group of people to reminisce about what he left behind.

The ideas he left behind were not inherited by later generations, but were instead shelved and became "the ramblings of a fool" remembered by only a few.

Harlin was surprised by the two rebuttals and said softly, "Even when Station Chief Cheng Wu was still alive, he didn't really expect anyone to be able to do this. He just placed his hopes on the wisdom of future generations. It's no different in essence from our high-sounding discussions here today."

"Therefore, I will keep my word."

Cheng Ye nodded slowly, his gaze sweeping over the two of them from above, his tone unwavering, "I will become that border inspector."

If he wanted to limit Inspector Cheng's power, or Station Chief Cheng's power, then he should just throw the problem back at him.

I have the potential and motivation to acquire this ability, so who can limit me? Who dares to limit me?

A certain extraordinary being?
Can I, like him, step out of the city of Sanctuary and set off freely into the wilderness?
Can one carry the belief of Tan Ming, the great-uncle of Shi Province, and find a way to succeed?
Want to deal with the checkpoint?

What right does the so-called Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) have to investigate him?
Could the contributions of these people compare to his achievements in sheltering the immortals and averting disasters for Happiness City?

"Prosecutor Cheng, is this your report to me and Station Chief Harlin, or your declaration of office upon taking office at Yueye Checkpoint?"

Ding Yishan leaned back, resting his elbows on the leather armrests of the seat, his fingers interlaced in front of him.

A flash of reminiscence crossed his face, his eyes filled with disbelief:

“When I was a child, I often secretly went to your grandfather’s office to see him, even more often than I did to see my father. Your grandfather wasn’t exactly kind; he would often scold me and tell me to get out of his way and not bother him with his work.”

"But even though he said that, he would still take ten minutes every afternoon during lunch to chat with me while we ate. Of course, I was different from you. At that time, I was just the descendant of an ordinary prosecutor. Although I couldn't be as useless as you in the inner city, I wasn't outstanding either. So he talked to me about the future and ideals."

“There’s one sentence I remember very clearly: ‘The better the checkpoints develop, the further they are from the progress of the times, which means that humanity is going astray; conversely, if the checkpoints are on the verge of crisis, it means that the opportunity of a new era is coming.’”

“I didn’t understand what he meant at the time, but over the years, it has become a fact. Every time the checkpoint was developing smoothly, there would be defections, invasions of the mother source, or various unexpected changes. But when the checkpoint fell into a state of being ignored and the inspectors were forced to leave the sanctuary to lead the pioneering efforts, that period was precisely the beginning of a new era, and the checkpoint would also usher in a new development cycle.”

Ding Yishan stared intently, completely ignoring Harlin's slightly astonished expression beside him, and asked in a deep voice:

"So, you think that a new era is about to begin?"

"Of course, there is no doubt about that."

Cheng Ye nodded immediately, "If this doesn't count as a sign of the next era, then what does?"

The prosecutors have all gone out to build satellite cities, and Happiness City is already expanding its territory two hundred kilometers outward.

At this juncture, the mess left over from the previous era will naturally come to the surface.

Once these troubles are completely resolved, Happiness City will naturally enter the next era and fully expand its development.

"Very well, then I'll accept this as your declaration of duty."

Ding Yishan nodded in satisfaction, leaned forward slightly, and reached under his large desk to retrieve a piece of stiff cardstock.

This piece of paper was clearly prepared in advance. It not only bore the station chief's exclusive seal, but also the signatures of the deputy station chief, Harlin, and the two duty station chiefs, as well as a bunch of fifth and fourth phase seals. Even Zhou Changhai's seal was prominently listed. The paperwork was frighteningly complete.

Before Cheng Ye could see what was recorded, Ding Yishan gently pushed the card forward and said:
"Alright, of the four areas you mentioned, management skills are actually the least important. If one day you can hone the other three skills to the extreme level you described, what's wrong with me being your deputy?"

"You don't need to worry about Xingzhou and Zhou Changhai's defection, or the matter with the Anti-Corruption Bureau. They're just minor troubles that don't really matter. How can we move towards the next era of Happiness City if we don't resolve these underlying conflicts once and for all? Go do whatever you need to do from now on. Whether you go back to Dabo Town to lead the subsequent construction or go out on fieldwork to broaden your horizons, the checkpoints won't impose any restrictions on you. If you need anything, just apply to Mu Shuang directly."

At this point, he paused, his eyes becoming exceptionally solemn: "There's only one thing I hope you'll remember: if one day you also choose to defect to Happiness City, then I hope you will depart with honor as a border inspector, not as an ordinary inspector merely bearing the name of the Cheng family, fleeing in panic like a stray dog ​​like Zhou Changhai!"

Having said all he could, Ding Yishan turned his chair around, turned his gaze to the brightly lit checkpoint outside the window, and said no more.

The cardboard covered in signatures lay quietly on the table, like a silent promise, or a heavy expectation.

Clearly, he had no intention of saying anything more, nor did he want Cheng Ye to know more about the checkpoint's next operational plan.

Whether it's Starship or the Independent Commission Against Corruption, he doesn't need to get involved.

The checkpoint has been established for thirty-three years and has gone through seven generations of station chiefs. It is no wonder that it has been able to stand firm to this day, and it will not collapse just because of the defection of a fifth-term inspector.

Looking at it over a longer timeframe, this is just a minor setback, a necessary internal reshuffle.

Cheng Ye picked up the cardstock, and Jiang Chuan quickly stepped forward to open the door for him.

Before leaving, he glanced back at Harlin, the strict trainee instructor, the "head" of the Western inspectors, and a key figure in pushing for the checkpoints to stand on equal footing with the East. Harlin still had that slightly dazed expression, clearly not yet recovered from the conversation.

"A new era is about to begin."

Cheng Ye strode out the door, leaving everything behind him in his mind.

The moment the door closed, the sound of a teacup shattering on the floor came from inside, and the faint sounds of an argument were also shut out.

But when he reached the first floor, he could no longer hear a sound behind him.

The East-West divide spearheaded by Harlin is finally coming to an end. From the moment Ding Yishan asked, "Has the new era arrived?" it meant that he had decided to terminate all existing models of internal strife.

"Station Master Harlem, good luck!"

Cheng Ye walked out of the stationmaster's building, glanced at the two figures reflected in the window, and silently recited in his heart.

As an inspector trained by Cheng Wu, Ding Yishan's methods and abilities were clearly never fully revealed.

Harlin is the next generation after Cheng Wu left, and is Ding Yishan's descendant.

Now Ding Yishan can point his finger at Harlin and scold him like a grandson, but in the future, will Harlin still have the opportunity to reprimand Prosecutor Cheng with the seniority of the previous generation?
Obviously, that's no longer possible.

Central checkpoint exit.

Mu Shuang was already waiting in her disinfected SUV. When she saw Cheng Ye holding a piece of paper, she blinked and asked curiously, "Prosecutor Cheng, what is this?"

"Oh, I haven't had a chance to see it yet."

Using the light from behind him, Cheng Ye lifted the cardstock and looked up, surprised.

It was a rare sight at the checkpoint: a document with three headings.

[Request for Opinions Regarding the Early Promotion of Probationary Prosecutor Cheng Ye]

[Request for Comments Regarding Granting Trainee Prosecutor Cheng Ye the Authority of a 'Core Prosecutor']

[Request for Opinions on Granting Trainee Prosecutor Cheng Ye the Title of Independent Satellite Town 'Dabo Town']

"What is it?" Mu Shuang leaned closer, curiously examining the document as she looked up.

The next second, the smile on her face froze instantly, replaced by utter astonishment, and she stood there completely stunned.

And that vanished smile happened to transfer to Cheng Ye's face.

More than ten seconds later, even though Cheng Ye had gotten into the car and was sitting in the passenger seat, Mu Shuang still hadn't come to her senses.

It wasn't until Cheng Ye knocked on the car door that she suddenly realized what was happening and looked over, her eyes meeting a young yet composed face:

"Let's go. I've already taken what's in the city, but it's still far from what I want!"

Three days later. September 5th.

A cargo truck slowly drove up in front of the Taipei Dome Research Institute.

But this time, Cheng Ye was greeted not by Shi Xu as usual, but by a team of fully armed guards.

"Prosecutor Cheng, please get out of the car for a body search and to wear the equipment we specially made for prosecutors."

The guards' attitude changed drastically compared to before, and they became noticeably wary.

Cheng Ye nodded and got out of the car, and eight guards immediately surrounded him.

There were armed guards nearby who had actually disengaged their safety to prevent him from going berserk and using his supernatural abilities!
Various detection instruments scanned him in a loop, and even special liquids were sprayed on his skin and clothes, leaving no stone unturned.

The entire process lasted a full five minutes, and the guard's tense expression only eased slightly after all the steps were confirmed to be correct.

"Sorry, because..." The guard captain was about to explain when Cheng Ye interrupted him.

“I understand.” Cheng Ye nodded slightly. “Prosecutor Zhou Changhai’s behavior has seriously damaged the image of prosecutors. Everyone should be more vigilant, which is also a responsibility to all researchers.”

Seeing this, the guard captain said no more and picked up a black box from the side.

When the box was opened, the "special equipment" inside turned out to be a pair of black hinged shackles and bracelets.

Not a criminal, but worse than a criminal.

In just three days after the defection, the prosecutor's reputation plummeted.

As a result, even though Cheng Ye now has the authority to enter the research institute, he is still subject to such restrictions.

"excuse me!"

The captain picked up the shackles and bracelets and tied them to Cheng Ye's legs and hands in turn.

Only after the equipment emitted a "beep" confirmation sound did the group of guards quickly retreat to both sides of the road, like the receding tide.

The chain was unusually heavy, probably weighing no less than 100 kilograms.

Even more strangely, after putting it on, Cheng Ye could not sense the giant lice in the spirit space at all, and only had a faint feeling for the flame.

It's actually a means to restrict superhumans?

Cheng Ye was surprised, but he didn't dwell on it and got back into the car, driving towards the entrance of the Taipei Arena.

When the car stopped in front of the coffee shop, Shi Xu rushed over in a panic. He was stunned when he saw the shackles and bracelets on Cheng Ye's body.

After four or five seconds, he finally reacted and hurriedly said, "Prosecutor Cheng, this..."

“I understand, and you understand too, don’t you?” Cheng Ye said calmly.

"."

Shi Xu paused, then finally sighed, shook his head, and said no more.

He waved to himself, and staff immediately came forward to help unload the optical equipment from the vehicle.

Taking advantage of the break, Cheng Ye walked to the side and asked curiously, "I want to know, how exactly did Zhou Changhai take away a Level 5 researcher? Logically speaking, you should report to your superiors before leaving the city, right?"

"It's a long story."

Shi Xu's face was gloomy. Leaning against the pillar, he said softly, "Zhou Changhai's father and researcher Zhang Shun were sworn brothers. Back then... never mind, there's no point in recalling those events now."

He paused, then continued, "Taking advantage of this friendship, Zhou Changhai said he wanted Researcher Zhang Shun to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony in Wenlu County to help him make a good impression. Researcher Zhang Shun agreed, and Director Yu personally approved his application to leave the city. He even thought that Researcher Zhang Shun could take a few days off to rest properly."

Cheng Ye was taken aback. "It's that simple?"

"Sigh, it's precisely because it's so simple that it's possible to succeed."

Shi Xu sighed again and looked at Cheng Ye with sincere eyes, "If Prosecutor Cheng finds runes elsewhere and asks me to help, I will agree without hesitation, even if it is possible that you want to defect and take me away with you."

"Heh, heh." Cheng Ye chuckled dryly, pretending not to understand.

He dared not accept that. The Cheng family's "glorious history" was there for all to see; even if he was just joking, people might take it seriously.

"What about the investigation into the starship? Does the research institute have any leads?" Cheng Ye pressed.

“This is not our responsibility.” Shi Xu shook his head. “The Happiness Legion has a dedicated investigation department that is analyzing the situation, but it is very complicated. Starship seems to have mastered a strange technology that appears to allow it to travel through fog tunnels. All traces and signs of it completely disappeared in Wenlu County and only reappeared more than 700 kilometers away. After that, it headed straight for Hai Province.”

"Fog Cave."

Cheng Ye muttered those two words to himself.

This thing is practically a teleportation portal. If Starship really gets its hands on it, who can stop them?

“Prosecutor Cheng, whether as a friend or as a researcher, I advise you not to get involved in these matters.” Shi Xu looked worried. “The most important thing now is to clear your name. The troubles left by your father and grandfather are only temporarily put aside because of their outstanding achievements, which is why you were not implicated. However, their influence has not completely disappeared. As long as you do something out of line, it will be easy for people to drag you into this mess.”

"I understand, don't worry." Cheng Ye nodded in agreement.

After all the equipment had been moved, led by Shi Xu, he dragged the heavy chains into the research institute.

Seemingly to save face for him, the entire research institute was deserted on the way to the containment chamber on the second basement level.

Yu Erlan slipped out from the side just as she reached the door of the containment room.

She no longer wore the researcher's uniform from that day, but instead changed into a neatly tailored black shirt and fitted jeans, the cuffs casually tucked into black Doc Martens. Combined with her long purple hair, she looked even more aloof, mysterious, and unapproachable.

Yu Erlan looked Cheng Ye up and down, her brows furrowing slightly, but she didn't say anything more.

The two arrived at the third floor one after the other. The data from the lighting equipment had been extracted and was being installed into Yu Yong's containment chamber by the staff.

As expected, a series of sarcastic voices immediately followed:
"Hahaha, kid, it's only been a few days, how come you're doing even worse than me?"

"Let me see, a containment chain made of Happiness Alloy! Wow, you're getting pretty good treatment. Even I, a Flame Researcher and a Source Binder of the Anti-Mother Source, am not qualified to wear this. You have much more face than me, it's really enviable!"

"See? I told you so, didn't I? If you keep following Happiness City, you're doomed sooner or later. Why not join my camp and turn Happiness City upside down together? Wouldn't that be more exciting?"

"You don't speak or look at me, I know you're angry. But what can I do? At most, you can come in, pin me against the wall, and beat me up, making me suffer for a couple of days. But who will know your suffering?"

Yu Yong leaned against the wall of the containment chamber, laughing maniacally while sticking out his tongue to show off the bizarre, liver-colored tissue.

It was crawling with spiders, so densely packed that it made my scalp tingle.

He seemed to have gone completely insane; his humanity was fading, while the madness brought on by the infection was growing stronger.

"This is an irreversible process. Every time the main body is damaged, it will deepen the fusion process."

Yu Erlan watched Yu Yong's madness with a blank expression, her tone indifferent, "Now his fusion rate has exceeded 120%. Strictly speaking, he is no longer a Bound Source, but a pure infected body."

"The degree of fusion can exceed 100%?" Cheng Ye asked, somewhat puzzled.

“Yes,” Yu Erlan explained, “Your fusion rate is 99%, which means that the infection source has only eroded your body, but has not completely taken over your mind, so you are a Bound Source. Once the fusion rate exceeds 100%, you will transform into an infected being, and once it exceeds 120%, you will no longer belong to the human category.”

"So that's what it meant."

Cheng Ye nodded in realization, his gaze shifting to the manic Yu Yong in the containment room. "So, does that mean he doesn't have many more chances to be tortured by me?"

“That doesn’t matter. Even if the fusion level reaches the maximum of 200%, it doesn’t matter.” Yu Erlan’s tone was calm. “We just need to hand him over to Xin Huo intact. Whether he is a human or an infected is none of our business.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Yu Yong's madness worsened, and the words he uttered were incoherent and could not even form complete sentences.

Only a few keywords can be vaguely discerned: "items," "serious consequences," "everyone buried alive," "fusion with the mother source," "giant," "the next era," and "glorious age."
Huh? This sounds a lot like Starship's promotional slogan.
Cheng Ye rubbed his chin, quietly opened the panel and glanced at the cooperation level, which was still a cold 0%.

If we can break through this restriction, should we take the opportunity to gather intelligence and see if this defector researcher has any secret connection with Starship?
Just as she was pondering this, Yu Erlan's wristwatch suddenly beeped: "Director Yu, the light source parameters have been imported. Do you wish to activate it?"

"No need, let me go in first," Cheng Ye said.

"it is good!"

Yu Erlan nodded, and without her doing anything, the chains on Cheng Ye's wrists and ankles automatically broke and floated to the side.

Soon, the sound of researchers' footsteps could be heard downstairs, and several people ran up carrying the previous cotton-padded clothes and armor.

After Cheng Ye put on his armor, a researcher handed him a red button: "Inspector Cheng, this is the button to activate the light source."

"Thank you."

Cheng Ye took the button, and amidst everyone's astonished gazes, a cruel smile slowly crept onto his face.

Before the containment chamber door was fully open, he bent over and rushed in, shouting in a familiar tone as if he were coming home:

"Researcher Yu, I'm here again!"

(End of this chapter)