Wasteland Border Inspector

Chapter 46 Second Evolution: Reinforcing the Dwelling!

The enhancement from the iron body far exceeded expectations.

A look of shock flashed across Cheng Ye's eyes as he carefully sensed the changes in his body.

You simply can't understand this vast difference unless you experience it firsthand.

No wonder the S-3 virus described in books was enough to overturn civilization. Right now, it's just a talent brought about by genetic atavism, which has already left ordinary people far behind.

What about extraordinary abilities?
It's probably already so terrifying that it has completely separated humans from "humans" into two different forms!
"Wait, Dai Zun's iron body doesn't seem to be as strong as mine?"

Losing the sense of pain and gaining enhanced three-dimensional perception of the body—this change is too outrageous.

Cheng Ye simply removed the iron body and re-equipped it to try again.

After verifying and comparing it four or five times, he actually discovered an unexpected change.

"This talent actually has a continuously weakening effect?"

"And it also has a built-in cooldown time?"

The most significant boost comes from equipping the Iron Body immediately upon equipping it, as the liberated nerves cause a 50% increase in body control, resulting in a qualitative leap.

However, this increase can only last for a maximum of one minute, after which the increase will continue to decrease.

The boost will disappear completely in a maximum of five minutes, and you must uninstall the talent to reactivate it.

Furthermore, equipping the item immediately after uninstalling it will not activate the amplification.

According to field testing, it takes five minutes to restore the strongest buff state.

"The pain receptors are released to capture information. Could it be that the freed neurons cannot withstand long-term high-pressure information processing?"

Cheng Ye secretly guessed that although his major was civil engineering, this knowledge had actually been taught in high school biology.

Pain signal transmission depends on specific neurons. When pain perception weakens, the firing frequency of these neurons decreases, which theoretically may indeed reduce the neural resources occupied by the dorsal horn of the spinal cord and the pain center of the thalamus.

Neurons transmit information through the opening and closing of ion channels, a process that consumes a large amount of energy, which is provided by mitochondria.

When the information processing load increases, mitochondria will quickly exceed their energy supply and metabolic capacity under high intensity, which is manifested in the gradual disappearance of the amplification effect.

"Theory is just theory. If I could figure it out with my high school knowledge, then genetic atavism wouldn't be so amazing. I might as well look up some research skills and study it carefully later."

Cheng Ye shook his head, deciding to stop worrying about these neurological principles.

If the control boost is lost, this talent is indeed a double-edged sword.

However, being able to achieve a performance even stronger than Dai Zun's original form is already an enormous and unexpected surprise.

Anyway, he didn't plan to use the equipment to reduce pain input for a long time. He would only use it when he was pushed to the limit during daily training, so that he could endure it and squeeze out all of his body's potential.

As for actual combat, close combat can be decided within half a minute, so why would the amplification disappear after five minutes?

Totally enough!
Gurgle, gurgle.

Just then, a familiar feeling of hunger washed over me like a tide.

Cheng Ye's expression changed, and without thinking, he grabbed the nutrient solution and gulped it down his throat.

Sure enough, whether it's skills or talent, once you reach a certain level, it will adapt to the underlying physical structure.

The body directly generates new muscle mass in order to adapt to the previous basic exertion.

What about the iron body this time?
One bag, five bags, ten bags, twenty bags of nutrient syrup were gone in the blink of an eye, and the packaging was scattered all over the ground.

Based on the experience from last time, after drinking so much nutrient syrup, the feeling of hunger should have been relieved long ago.

But now, the black hole-like hunger in my stomach has not only not subsided, but feels like it's going to hollow out my internal organs.

"Great, great, this feels so right!"

"Give me more, I can take even more!"

The factional conflict had just gotten off to a good start when the threat of infected beings loomed ahead.

The last shred of hope vanished completely from the depths of my heart.

This is a wasteland, where death never gives anyone a chance to breathe.

Today the station chief fell, tomorrow it might be the prosecutor's turn.

Cheng Ye's desire for power had never been so urgent, but what he received in return was a series of empty bags of nutrient solution!

Once the packaging is torn open and the "frenzy mode" is activated, a bag of nutrient solution can be consumed almost every five seconds.

The viscous paste was meant to stave off hunger, but once it entered his mouth, it felt like being sucked into a black hole, leaving no trace of fullness.

Soon, the nutritional supplements that Uncle Dong bought during the day were all consumed.

Cheng Ye was secretly pleased. He quickly grabbed the box, violently tore it open, and continued to drink wildly.

10 bags, 30 bags, 50 bags.
Until the packaging bags piled up into a small mountain on the ground, the nutrient syrup finally didn't disappear as soon as it entered the throat and was swallowed, but instead sank solidly into the stomach.

Having learned from the previous experience, I filled another 10 bags and indeed felt full.

"I drank 28 bags before and after the basic power-up, but this time I drank a full 107 bags of Iron Body."

Cheng Ye's gaze swept over the packaging bags scattered on the ground. He stood up and immediately felt the changes in his body.

"This is... an increase in physical resilience?"

My skin seems to have undergone a wonderful change.

Cheng Ye raised his right hand, his fingertips tracing across his left upper arm. The touch was no longer the softness of ordinary flesh, but rather as resilient as taut old cowhide.

Moreover, with just a slight turn of the neck or bending and straightening of the joints, one can feel the subcutaneous fascia being pulled like a bowstring, making a slight "sizzling" sound, as if every inch of skin has become an elastic armor enveloping the muscles.

"So perverted?"

Cheng Ye's eyelids twitched suddenly. With the experience of basic power exertion, he knew that this kind of enhancement was not something that only appeared when equipment skills were equipped, but a long-term strengthening that was engraved into his body.

This enhancement will not disappear no matter what other skills you equip later.

"The Iron Body reduces pain and greatly enhances body control. If I were still in my previous body, I would probably easily strain my fascia when making large movements."

"But now, after the enhancement..."

Cheng Ye rubbed his arm, and the muscles under his skin bulged up like an inflated tire.

It's hard to say exactly how much stronger he's become, but Cheng Ye could vaguely sense that if it were him before his skills were enhanced, he could probably take on five opponents without any problem.

Of course, it has to be a series of matches, one-on-one.

"The inner city has a method to measure vitality, but unfortunately it is only open to the three major legions and is used to classify soldiers. The inspector is a professional, and the higher-ups never put combat power first in the assessment. I don't have the authority to borrow the equipment at all."

"However, you can go to the training hall when you have some free time. Although Brother B is not here, there are paid sparring partners. You can try it and see how much your skills have improved."

Cheng Ye placed the dagger on the bedside table and lay down fully clothed. That night...

He slept very restlessly.

Just as Uncle Dong predicted, gunshots like popping beans would occasionally ring out at night.

It seems quite a few infected individuals have indeed entered. Fortunately, the prosecutors are not responsible for conducting internal searches.

These kinds of tasks are usually undertaken by the Happiness Legion, the strongest of the three legions.

Even if prosecutors are required to participate in the search and investigation, they are only responsible for the final cleanup work, and the risk level is not high.

[Collector: Cheng Ye]

Current Rank: Level 1 Trainee (3.2/100)

Life Level: 0

[Skills: Basic Power Generation, Beast Instinct, Iron Body (Talent)]

[Not yet unlocked.]

[Evaluation: Your strength has improved rapidly in a short period of time, and you are only one step away from meeting the minimum standard for a Civilization Collector. Focusing on developing the fundamental nature of life will bring you additional benefits.]

"The control panel has changed again!"

Finally, as the morning light streamed in through the window, Cheng Ye rolled over and got out of bed.

While brushing my teeth and washing my face, I habitually opened the control panel and immediately noticed the change.

The iron body provided an information value of up to 2.5, which was more than eight times higher than the previously calculated 0.3.

If this collection efficiency continues, it means that only 40 searches are needed to meet the information requirements for the collector's rank promotion.

"It seems that taking advantage of the strong is indeed the best choice."

After spitting out the foam, Cheng Ye continued to savor the sensation.

Nearly five days have passed since I mastered the basics of generating power.

As muscle memory becomes more and more ingrained, even if this skill is removed, the body will hardly notice any obvious abnormality in exertion.

When performing certain offensive or defensive maneuvers, the force line may still be somewhat uneven.

But he could sense that these disruptions would disappear in two or three days at most.

This means that before finding the next skill, you can free up one of your three precious skill slots.

"It's a pity that beast intuition should also be a talent, but the level is too low (lv.1) to be displayed."

"These innate skills are fundamental; once they are removed, they immediately lose their effectiveness."

Cheng Ye remembered this, returned to his room, packed his bag, and headed out.

Although I don't have to work today, I only need to attend a study session in the afternoon, so I don't have to get up so early.

But the dilapidated door of the tenement building was truly frightening; it would tremble with every gust of wind, keeping him on edge all night.

"Big iron plate, yes, that's what I want! Give me three first!"

"A security door lock salvaged from the ruins? Can it still be used? Okay, install it for me."

"Door reinforcement nails. How come you still have a complete set? Oh, lots of people buy them. Give me two packs."

"Spiked ground? What would I need those for? To block infected attacks by placing them in front of the door? Then give me a set!"

"Anyone want fresh mutated beast droppings? Smear them on your door, and the infected will stay away from you!"

"."

The flea market on the pedestrian street is usually quiet and deserted, only becoming lively in the afternoon and evening.

However, today, it was packed with people from early morning.

Listening to the sounds of bargaining around him, Cheng Ye clicked his tongue in amazement. It seemed he wasn't the only one who was scared last night.

And judging from the frenzy of buying this stuff, it's even more terrifying than yesterday's rush for nutritional supplements.

"In the end, famine won't kill people in the short term, but the threat of infected can be deadly."

Cheng Ye walked around the block.

Before coming, he was worried about what materials to buy, but he didn't expect that the stall owners had already prepared a complete solution.

From residential buildings and tenement buildings to roadside tents and dilapidated houses, the wastelanders have long since devised a complete set of methods to strengthen defenses, providing whatever they need.

Moreover, if you buy a lot, you even get free home delivery.

"I'll arrange for someone to deliver your order to your location right away, and I'll pay you 580 coins."

Upon receiving the "happiness coin" from Cheng Ye, the stall owner beamed with joy and immediately turned to arrange for staff to help.

Before long, two thin young men pushed a cart out and piled all the materials Cheng Ye had bought onto it.

"Sir, please go ahead, we will follow shortly."

"it is good."

In the buffer zone, Cheng Ye was not worried that anyone would dare to embezzle the prosecutor's money.

He immediately returned to the tenement building, grabbed a wrench, and started working on the fragile metal door.

Although it was called dismantling the door, I actually just hit the connection point a couple of times and it broke off by itself.

The rusty hinges broke into several pieces, and the door frame rattled loudly.

"Damn, let alone blocking infected beings, even a normal human being could easily rush in."

Cheng Ye glanced at the rust at the broken section with lingering fear, thinking to himself that he was really lucky. If an infected person had sneaked in right after he transmigrated, he probably wouldn't even know how he died, given this door alone.

Soon, the materials were moved one by one into the hallway.

Just carrying the heavy security door up to the fifth floor left the two young men panting heavily.

"Thank you for your trouble, but this is what you deserve."

They pulled out two 5-yuan "happiness coins" from their pockets and handed them over. The two immediately beamed with joy, their mouths brimming with gratitude, wishing they could pour out all the good things they had to say.

After everyone left, looking at the materials piled up like a small mountain on the ground, Cheng Ye finally felt relieved after a night of worry.

"With these, it shouldn't be easy for the infected to break in again, right?!"

　P.S.: Some readers have said the pacing is slow and they're worried it won't be able to stop later. Please rest assured, everyone knows how fast-paced my last global flow novel was, yet I still managed to finish over six million words. Trust my ability with this one; I guarantee it!
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(End of this chapter)