Wasteland Border Inspector

Chapter 47 The Departure of Power: The Border Inspector!

Although no one knew each other's identities, those who could live in tenement buildings in the buffer zone were either rich or powerful.

When the other residents on the fifth floor saw that Cheng Ye had bought so many materials, they also panicked when they looked out.

"Hey sir, where did you buy this?"

Someone came over and asked, and Cheng Ye pointed to the direction of the pedestrian street outside the window, "Flea market, hurry up and grab it, or you won't get a single thing left."

"Rob?"

"Otherwise what? Infected people have already infiltrated; do you expect this metal door to stop them?"

Cheng Ye kicked the cracked hinge on the ground, and the old woman who had asked the question instantly turned pale, while several middle-aged men who had gathered around were also quite frightened.

Within five minutes, a series of hurried footsteps echoed in the hallway.

People were rushing from house to house with bags to grab the goods, and soon footsteps could be heard downstairs.

Cheng Ye peeked outside and, wow, the entire electronics factory complex was in an uproar.

Although many people had reinforced their doors and windows beforehand, how could they resist rushing to buy the goods when they saw this scene?

"In a sense, Station Chief He Fei's actions could be considered as boosting consumption?"

What a hellish joke.

Cheng Ye was slightly taken aback, but quickly figured out the reason.

After going out in the morning, he learned that although the inspectors could screen out 99% of the infected threats, there were always some who slipped through the net in the buffer zone.

It's rare for people to be infected; rather, an infectious agent is brought in, causing an internal infection.

It is especially frequent in spring and winter, and an outbreak usually occurs every one or two weeks.

Summer and autumn are unpredictable, with varying degrees of severity. Sometimes these conditions can occur several times a year, while other times they can be stable for the entire year.

But the reason why this caused such a huge sensation and a nationwide rush to buy it was due to the sacrifice of the station manager.

The last time a station chief on duty sacrificed his life was 13 years ago.

The constant influx of infected individuals caused riots that lasted for more than three months, resulting in a total death toll of over 10,000.

If we also include those who fled during the chaos, the population of the buffer zone has decreased by almost 40%, severely damaging its vitality.

Now that He Fei has sacrificed his life, it's inevitable that some people will bring up the past and connect the two events.

Moreover, since the beginning of the year, the infected individuals have been exhibiting unusual behavior frequently, and natural disasters have also occurred often. With all these signs intertwined, it is impossible for anyone not to feel fear.

After everyone left, Cheng Ye went to patrol the corridor and returned to his room to begin muttering to himself.

"Reinforce the door, reinforce the door, reinforce it."

The collector continues to let its ideas flow freely, searching for materials on the ground to determine the direction of action.

A blue light flashed during the scan.

A panel pops up automatically, displaying joyful text.

[Distressed Dwelling (lv.0)]

[Description]: A dilapidated dwelling with only basic living functions and zero protection.
[Direction of Action]:
1. Basic reinforcement (reinforcing door and window frames, filling wall cracks to provide basic protection)
Estimated action points required: 1 (Sufficient materials and tools have been obtained, so the point requirement is decreasing).
2. Advanced reinforcement (perfectly utilizes all materials, reconstructs the door frame with an alloy support structure, and adds staggered grilles at the window positions to greatly enhance protection and withstand attacks from ordinary infected).

Estimated action points required: 2 (Sufficient materials and tools have been obtained, and the skill assessment has been passed, so the point consumption will decrease).
3. Perfect reinforcement (structural modification, implantation of an isolation alloy frame, and installation of a pressure-sensitive sealed hatch to give it basic shelter attributes and make it able to withstand attacks from common infected).

Expected Action Points Consumption: Locked (Prerequisites: Materials; Construction Machinery)

[Collectors, please choose your action direction!]

"I passed the skills assessment, which means my engineering knowledge is sufficient."

Cheng Ye was overjoyed.

Although civil engineering has become a low-level profession in modern times, its role in waste disposal is still very significant.

For example, even the most difficult perfect modification can meet the requirements now; all that's needed is to provide materials and engineering machinery.

"However, modifying the framework is still too extreme. The foundation of the tenement building is right here. With this capability, I could build one myself, and I estimate that it would require a massive amount of action points."

Without much hesitation, Cheng Ye decided on the second course of action.

It's only one action point away, yet it can make the most of the materials and directly demonstrates its ability to withstand attacks from ordinary infected.

Too much value!

A thought.

The magical time-stopping space reappeared, and the moment Cheng Ye lost control of his body, his perspective suddenly shifted upwards.

From a magical third-person perspective, it's as if the camera is on a hundred times faster; the dilapidated door frame is quickly cleared away, and the cracks and hollow gaps in the walls are filled with a special adhesive.

Next, expansion bolts were inserted at intervals around the brick wall to serve as support points for fixing the alloy pipes.

Four high-strength alloy pipes are installed along the four sides of the opening, and a special adhesive is injected into each joint.

Light it with a lighter, and a puff of smoke will rise. Use the corner brackets to fuse the alloy tubes into a seamless door frame.

The rusty door frame, which was originally on the verge of collapse, was given a new lease on life through reconstruction, and the heavy security door that required two people to lift was installed by Cheng Ye in the blink of an eye.

After dealing with the entrance, I quickly moved to the window. The steel bars of varying lengths interlocked at a 45-degree angle, weaving a diamond-shaped grid, somewhat similar to a modern security window.

The end of each steel bar is embedded in the wall and connected to the main building structure with expansion bolts.

[Operation complete!]

The mysterious feeling faded away.

Cheng Ye felt a flash of light before his eyes, and all the materials on the ground disappeared, replaced by a heavy security door standing in front of him.

"This is amazing!"

As he pulled the key that came with the door from his pocket, Cheng Ye's hand inexplicably trembled slightly.

Until the key is inserted into the lock and turned gently, a crisp "click" sound of mechanical engagement is heard.

Only then did I dare to confirm that all of this was real!

That dilapidated tin door is truly a thing of the past; what awaits him now is a security door that greatly enhances his sense of security!

Slowly pushing it open, the sheer weight of the door panel inexplicably puts one at ease.

As I closed the door, an unprecedented sense of security enveloped my entire body, and my tense nerves finally relaxed.

"This is what it means to be alive!"

Overwhelmed with excitement, Cheng Ye couldn't help but swear before suppressing his joy. The more terrified he was last night, the more exhilarating he felt now.

The deadbolt knob clicked shut.

The special switch window on the security door is just big enough to fit a gun muzzle, allowing you to shoot out without opening the door.

Cheng Ye stared at the small window, already planning in his mind that once the rewards for the Rotten Vine mission were distributed, he would definitely get a shotgun.

If anyone dares to stand here and scratch at the door, I'll send them to meet God without saying a word.

As for whether there might be a mistake, sorry, you can talk to the checkpoint about it.

"Now I can finally get a good night's sleep."

Cheng Ye sat down on the bed and let out a long sigh, as if he wanted to expel all the anxiety that had accumulated over the past few days with this sigh.

"You're lucky; the person you rescued last night wasn't infected after all."

Inside the converted movie theater, as soon as Cheng Ye sat down, Li Matai leaned over with winks and plopped down next to him.

That old scoundrel.

Why are you so outgoing?
Cheng Ye glanced around and, sure enough, many prosecutors were giving him strange looks.

One is from the East, and the other from the West. In this environment, they don't seem like they could possibly get together.

“Ignore them,” Li Matai turned and glared at the group, then turned back to Cheng Ye and smiled, “These people are always thinking about lining up and climbing the ranks, instead of making honest contributions.”

“We’re the same kind of people, diligent and conscientious, the backbone of the checkpoint!”

(°°)！

Cheng Ye was taken aback, then chuckled at Li Matai's shamelessness. "That pillar of strength, do you know what happened last night?"

"Hmm, I heard there was a problem with how Station Chief He Fei's body was handled. We don't know the capabilities of this unknown infection source, which led to some spread. It shouldn't be a big problem, though; someone from the Extraordinary has intervened."

"extraordinary."

Cheng Ye pondered these two words repeatedly, a burning desire flashing in his eyes.

It is no longer the survival need to fill one's stomach, but a rampant thirst for higher powers that springs from the very marrow of one's bones.

His strength underwent a dramatic transformation simply because of his genetic atavism.

What about extraordinary?
What kind of world would that be?
"It seems you're also someone who pushes the limits of individual power."

Li Matai saw Cheng Ye's longing and shook his head with a smile, "With your background, ability, and methods, if nothing unexpected happens, the checkpoint will definitely have another fifth-term prosecutor in the future. If you're even luckier, I might even see Station Chief Cheng take over and unify the east and west before I die."

"Are you trying to curry favor in advance?"

"No, our checkpoint's contribution system determines that people like you have the greatest advantage."

Li Matai paused, his eyes fixed on him. "I know you grew up in the inner city, where identity verification isn't required. But after these two months outside, you should understand the significance of this badge, right?"

"Well"

Cheng Ye thought for a moment, but didn't reply.

So far, he doesn't seem to have encountered a situation where the prosecutor's badge doesn't work. Even when he goes to the super-material shop to forge weapons, the other party is willing to reduce his contribution points by 50 as soon as they hear the words "prosecutor".

Noticing his hesitation, Li Matai was surprised. "Huh? This job level system doesn't restrict trainees to knowing it. Didn't Liu Bi tell you that?"

"No."

Cheng Ye shook his head slightly. It wasn't that Liu Bi deliberately didn't want to say anything, but given his previous performance, he wasn't even confident about his first field mission. Wouldn't knowing these things just add to his troubles?
To his surprise, Li Matai was unusually eager to share today. Before he could even ask, he sat down next to him and began to talk non-stop:
"Internship, Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 5!"

“Every time you are promoted, your badge level will also change. It’s not just your title that changes; the privileges you receive will also change.”

"A first-level inspector can freely enter and exit any facility under the jurisdiction of Happiness City, such as the Crusader you encountered last night, the factory they guarded, you can enter whenever you want, no one will stop you, including the hydroelectric power station."

"Second-phase inspector, take your badge to the surrounding sheltered cities and settlements. As long as they have trade relations with Happiness City, they must unconditionally meet your requests. Of course, don't make any nonsensical requests. Keep that in mind. You don't need to worry about the reward afterwards; it will all be paid by the station's public funds."

“A Phase 3 Inspector, that’s something else entirely,” Li Matai suddenly lowered his voice. “A Phase 3 Inspector is the real game-changer. Infection waves come once or twice every winter, but as long as you have a Phase 3 badge, you can go straight into the inner city and don’t have to suffer in the buffer zone!”

"Ok?"

Cheng Ye suddenly looked up. Wasn't it said that becoming a prosecutor meant being completely cut off from the inner city?

"Don't be so surprised, it's like we're guilty."

"Publicly stating that prosecutors cannot enter the inner city is just a way to reassure people. We need to make ordinary people feel that we are on the same side as them, that we can weather the storm together when the infection wave comes, so as to reduce our workload."

Li Matai smiled knowingly, “Don’t think this system is crude, and don’t think it’s easy to hide in the inner city. People who can make it to Phase Three either have tricks up their sleeves or brains. They can thrive anywhere in the wasteland.”

“There are fewer than forty inspectors in our station across all three terms. If we lose a batch every winter, how can we keep this up? Are we going to rely on selecting new people every year to fill in and guard the gate?”

"This is the most important part of the buffer zone. New people are brought in every year. How can the higher-ups guarantee the loyalty of these new people? How can they guarantee that the inspectors will be willing to risk their lives to stop the infected?"

The truth is this.

It took Cheng Ye a long time to come back to his senses, and some long-standing contradictions in his heart were finally resolved.

However, at the same time, new problems have emerged.

"If it's for safety reasons, then why do higher-ups require prosecutors to go on dangerous fieldwork?"

“Cheng Ye, I have to correct you, fieldwork is not a requirement from higher-ups.”

Li Matai tapped the table. "These are the first and second generation inspectors of our checkpoint. It took two generations of hard work to win this power from the higher-ups in Happiness City."

"It is because of this power that we prosecutors can carry the banner of Happiness City and let our authority go beyond this small buffer zone and radiate to the outside world."

Do you think it's dangerous to go out?

"wrong!"

"You'll understand once you step out of the buffer zone and into the outside world."

"Whether it's gangsters entrenched in the ruins or dangerous scavengers who prey on the living, they all have to follow our lead. Because with just a word from you or me, we can cut off their lifeline. Without bullets, tools, and energy, it's only a matter of time before these people live or die."

"When you get to those settlements, big and small, you'll find that the lords there will treat you like a god from the moment they meet you, and they'll practically kneel down and lick your boots. Why? Because they need you to put a green checkmark on their checklist and include their settlement in the trade."

"Even in a small sanctuary city, the city lord will have to make time to entertain you and do everything he can to satisfy you and get more transaction quotas."

He paused, his tone tinged with sarcasm:

"But what if we just stay stuck in this buffer zone? To put it nicely, we're called the inspectors of Happiness City; to put it bluntly, we're just gatekeepers. If the higher-ups even frown, we'll have to run ourselves ragged to keep up with them."

"Only by stepping out of here can you, me, and us truly become border inspectors of the wasteland, and only then will we be qualified to decide where the border of human civilization should be drawn!"

　P.S.: Thank you all for your monthly tickets and continued reading support. I have no way to repay you, so I can only add an extra chapter. (During the new book period, there is a limit of two chapters, but no word limit. This chapter is 4+ words, which is equivalent to two chapters of a new book next door. I guess I'm taking advantage of a loophole, hehe.)
　　PS2: My worldview will gradually expand; I won't just stay cooped up at the gate forever.
　　PS3: Still asking for votes and to keep reading!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)