Realizing that Downs's mental state might not be entirely normal.

This obviously biased obsession theory was immediately cast aside by Cheng Ye.

As the saying goes, don't look at what someone says, but what they do.

Transcendents to Happiness City are essentially military trump cards.

As long as the existence of these trump cards doesn't cause the sanctuary city to stagnate or even regress, they remain positive support.

Downs only focused on the so-called shackles, but selectively ignored these most basic realities.

However, thinking about it carefully, it was understandable. Attributing all dissatisfaction to external constraints was much easier than admitting one's own powerlessness to change the status quo.

Having worked in the same position for thirty-one years, witnessing the ups and downs of the inspection station, spending most of his life without achieving any notable accomplishments, having his ideals worn down and his fighting spirit exhausted, it was indeed easy to get stuck in a dead end and go to extremes.

"I'll just treat it as listening to a disappointed old man's complaints. If I really want to accomplish great things, I still need to cultivate my own people."

Putting aside his wandering thoughts, Cheng Ye continued tapping on the defense communicator, browsing through the remaining equipment and medical sections of the contribution system.

The equipment section was indeed as he had expected, no longer a rental system, but a genuine purchase system.

Once an exchange was confirmed, items would be directly transferred to personal ownership without need for return.

Scrolling down, the interface loaded much faster than the vehicle category. Rows of weapon and equipment icons were neatly arranged, from self-defense weapons to firearms and ammunition, and even the high-explosive grenades that Uncle Dong had left behind were available here. The variety was quite comprehensive.

However, after just a few glances, Cheng Ye discovered that compared to the cost-effectiveness of renting vehicles, the purchase prices of these equipment items really couldn't be considered a good deal.

For example, a Buffalo combat pistol required 5 contribution points.

At the 10-to-1 ratio, that would be 50 contribution points, twice as expensive as the material purchase and sales office.

Another example was the Thunder-1 he had bought, which cost 35 contribution points here.

Although there were no restrictions on authorization levels for purchasing, when converted to points, it was roughly triple the price.

"Interesting. Is it that the higher-ups don't give the inspection station equipment discounts, or is the procurement cost for equipment actually this high?"

Cheng Ye raised an eyebrow and continued scrolling down, discovering that the heavier the weapons, the more obvious the markup.

Switching to the medical section, various treatment drugs had expensive starting prices.

A broad-spectrum antibiotic cost 10 points, a small box of rapid healing gel was priced at 50 points, and those special medications labeled with life-support and emergency care had numbers that could make people gasp.

Just looking at the names, Cheng Ye found it difficult to distinguish the actual effects of these drugs. He could only wait for Liu Bi to return and slowly inquire.

But one thing was certain: the 559 points he had earned today were definitely a genuine fortune.

If used wisely, they could probably achieve the effect of nearly ten thousand points at the material purchase and sales office.

"Looking at it this way, my luck really is good. I even stumbled upon transcendent mineral materials."

Cheng Ye put away the defense communicator.

After the inspection station reopened, considering the large flow of people, a temporary material purchase and sales office had been set up at the entrance, specifically responsible for collecting various materials.

Yesterday alone, the materials registered through his hands were worth at least 500 contribution points. According to the 30% commission ratio, that was another 150 points or so in income.

However, this kind of windfall was difficult to sustain. It was the result of seven days' worth of accumulated demand exploding all at once.

He had already eaten the most concentrated first wave. The subsequent income would inevitably decline.

Furthermore, the inspection station was about to welcome the peak period of infected entities, and the danger in Quarantine Zone A was rapidly increasing.

Switching to Zone B now was also a good thing, as the probability of encountering ferocious infected entities would drop significantly.

After all, scavengers had limited mobility and wouldn't venture into overly dangerous places. They basically operated around the safe zones, making the probability of encountering powerful infection sources virtually negligible.

"Inspector Cheng."

Just as Cheng Ye was thinking, Miao Yang finished washing his hands and walked over.

Wang Kang had already finished his hand-to-hand combat training and was practicing his shooting accuracy alone.

"I think it's best to pause the training for now. His recovery capacity should be at its limit."

"Physical or mental?"

"Both, but more mental fatigue," Miao Yang looked toward Wang Kang, who was still gritting his teeth and persisting at the shooting range. "Today he had duty and high-intensity training. The string he's been wound tight is about to snap. If we continue with this high pressure, it could easily backfire and be counterproductive."

"Alright then, let him rest for two days."

Cheng Ye nodded in agreement.

Compared to the special training Liu Bi had arranged for him back then, the training intensity he was giving Wang Kang now might not even be half.

But people couldn't be compared directly. The pressure he could withstand didn't mean Wang Kang could bear it too.

"Want to spar?"

"No more training. I'm tired from duty today. I need a good rest."

Cheng Ye smiled and waved his hand.

Only during that period when he had just gained strength had he been enthusiastic about this kind of sparring practice, always wanting to test how much harder his fists had become and how much faster his speed was.

But once that novelty wore off, after truly witnessing life and death several times and developing a killer instinct, he found it difficult to muster interest in fighting again.

"Looks like you've completely entered the stage of concealing power within the body."

Miao Yang chuckled twice. "At this stage, killing intent will be subconsciously suppressed, and the whole person will appear calmer, as if they've become a different person."

Cheng Ye tugged at the corner of his mouth but didn't deny it.

"But there's one thing I need to remind you," Miao Yang's tone became more serious. "The suppressed killing intent hasn't disappeared. It's accumulating underneath, like a dormant volcano. It looks calm and peaceful on the surface, but once something thoroughly triggers an eruption, that force will only be fiercer than before, and easier to lose control of."

"So, occasionally finding someone to spar and fight with, releasing these emotions with restraint, can actually provide a buffer, preventing injury to yourself when it truly erupts."

Cheng Ye was silent for a moment, then nodded.

"Alright, after we get through this busy period, I'll come to you for guidance."

"Then it's settled. Otherwise, in a while longer, I'm afraid I really won't be your match."

"Hey, look what you're saying."

The two men looked at each other and smiled.

Suddenly, a thunderclap sounded outside the training ground, the dull rumbling shaking people's eardrums.

That familiar sense of oppression instantly struck, much like that afternoon when the starfish substitute erupted.

Plip.

Plip.

Bean-sized raindrops immediately followed, falling down. First a few sparse drops, then instantly turning into a dense curtain of rain, fiercely beating against the iron roof of the training ground, creating a crackling sound.

It was raining again.

A moderate rain that continued all night left the buffer zone once again submerged in familiar flooding.

The next morning.

Cheng Ye put on his raincoat and went downstairs. Fortunately, today the tube building wasn't flooded. The accumulated water only reached his ankles.

Wearing rain boots, he could walk out with one deep step and one shallow step.

People on the street hurried along, everyone with heads down, wearing colorful raincoats like a group of silently moving colored blocks.

However, when walking toward the outer areas of the city, Cheng Ye saw quite a few unfamiliar faces under the eaves along the roadside.

Why call them unfamiliar faces?

Because these people's faces didn't carry that deathly pallor that came after experiencing infection tides, nor did they have the numbness typical of long-time buffer zone residents.

Everyone's faces showed a kind of raw vitality, curiosity about the new world, and hidden anticipation of starting a new life.

Especially under the disaster relief tents by the roadside, after queuing up to receive free nutritional paste, one could actually hear bursts of laughter and cheerful voices, which was particularly noticeable on this gray rainy day.

After the inspection station reopened, the addition of these newcomers was like injecting a trickle of fresh water into stagnant pond.

What they brought was not only population, but also a long-missed sense of "vitality."

Cheng Ye tugged at the collar of his raincoat, blocking the rain mist blowing toward him, his steps unconsciously becoming lighter.

Everything seemed to be getting better. The buffer zone would soon welcome another round of new development.

Perhaps in not many days, this place would become familiar to him again.

At the bus stop.

Master Tian's bus only ran to the North Station, but surprisingly, Cheng Ye encountered an acquaintance again.

Master Zhang!

"Oh my, Inspector Cheng, how did you come here?"

Master Zhang saw him through the rain curtain and didn't even bother to put on his raincoat, running down from the driver's seat with genuine joy on his face.

"I'm on duty at the South Station this week. Do you run this route?"

"Yes!" Master Zhang nodded vigorously, his eyes shining with excitement. "I was transferred here at the beginning of the year. Every day I take the morning shift from the city to the South Station, and the evening shift back from the South Station to the city!"

"What a coincidence." Cheng Ye stepped onto the bus. The cabin was empty, not a soul in sight.

"Haven't there been any migrants these past two days?" he asked casually.

"There are, there are. About three to five hundred people a day."

Master Zhang followed him onto the bus and pulled the door closed, shutting out the wind and rain outside. "But with such heavy rain, no one dares to travel. The wilderness is most dangerous during rainy days and winter."

After speaking, he sat in the driver's seat and rubbed his hands on his thighs.

As if somewhat embarrassed, yet with solemnity, he said, "Inspector Cheng, I really need to thank you properly."

"You moved to B-7 district?"

"Moved, moved!" Master Zhang nodded repeatedly, his tone full of gratitude. "When Big Dragon heard I was introduced by you, he arranged housing for my whole family that very day. It's so much better than where I lived before in C-11 district. Over there you could always hear fighting and smashing at night. Now in B-7 district, the streets are so clean you can't see a single thug. Even sleeping is peaceful!"

"That's good. Order will be restored step by step."

Cheng Ye nodded lightly. "Let's go. I'll charter the bus."

"Right away."

Master Zhang responded, lightly pressed the gas pedal, and the bus slowly pulled away from the platform. The wheels crushed through the accumulated water, splashing up two arcs of spray.

During this week in the hospital, having made several trips back and forth, Cheng Ye had gradually become somewhat familiar with the terrain here.

Compared to the route to the North Station, this road was obviously more down-to-earth. Once they passed the library stop, the rest of the journey was basically through large areas of low-rise shantytowns. Roofs made of plastic sheeting and iron sheets gleamed with an oily luster in the rain. Although they looked chaotic, the foot traffic was much denser than around the North Station.

Occasionally, people without raincoats could be seen shuttling between the shacks, squatting in groups of three or five under eaves, chatting.

The new round of construction in the buffer zone was also mostly concentrated in the southern suburbs.

Along the way, several large building structures with foundations already laid could be seen. Steel frame skeletons loomed in the rain and mist like slumbering steel beasts.

However, due to this rainfall, construction sites had temporarily stopped work, making them look somewhat deserted.

At the same time, the newcomers' first stop was basically in the southern suburbs.

Colorful tents were pitched on high ground, and at a glance there were at least hundreds or thousands of them, with a heavy concentration of human presence.

Soon, the bus stopped at the last station on the southern line.

Cheng Ye pulled out ten coins and dropped them into the fare box, exited through the front door, and looked up to survey the South Station ahead.

In terms of overall scale, the South and North stations were basically identical, both equally massive and orderly.

However, in specific construction details, there were some subtle differences.

For instance, the North Station had clearly divided left, center, and right channels at the entrance, with the left for staff access, center for vehicles, and right for residents.

The South Station, however, was more like the large gateway of an ancient city, with only one wide entrance at the front.

Seeing Cheng Ye striding over, the guards on duty at the entrance immediately brightened up and quickly stepped forward to meet him.

Their shoulders tensed slightly under their raincoats, showing obvious respect. "Inspector Cheng, you've arrived!"

"Yes," Cheng Ye nodded. "I'm here to report for duty today. I'm not sure which direction I should go."

"Please wait a moment. I'll call a staff member to come out and take you to process your registration."

Compared to the lack of attention when going to the North Station, as soon as he arrived at the South Station entrance, the experience level immediately maxed out.

Cheng Ye calmly turned his head to scan around, discovering that every guard who made eye contact with him would subconsciously show a smile, their eyes carrying flattery and awe.

Was it Liu Bi's influence?

Or Cheng Long?

Or perhaps it was the change in his status, being pushed to the forefront by Ding Yishan?

Maybe all three.

Before he could think deeply, in less than half a minute, two staff members wearing blue uniforms quickly rushed out from the gateway.

"Inspector Cheng, sorry to keep you waiting! Please follow us. The station chief specifically instructed that as soon as you arrive, we should take you directly to the office."

"Thank you."

Cheng Ye nodded slightly and followed the two into the South Station.

Passing through the wide gateway, the internal layout suddenly opened up.

The South Station had reduced the scale of Zones E and F, forcibly creating a spacious main thoroughfare in the middle of the two areas.

Whether it was residents going out, vehicles, or people returning to the city, all passed through this thoroughfare.

On the left and right sides of the thoroughfare, there were isolation doors.

The staff swiped open a door and stepped inside. It wasn't much different from Zone E at the North Station.

Buildings of varying heights were distributed throughout, with the most prominent being the five-story station chief building.

Leading Cheng Ye to the bottom of the building, the staff stopped. "Inspector Cheng, the station chief is waiting for you in the fifth-floor office. We'll go help you process the duty procedures first. You want to be on duty in Zone B, right?"

"Yes, thank you for the trouble."

Cheng Ye replied, pulling out his inspector badge from his pocket and handing it over.

Then he took off his raincoat, shook off the water droplets, and hung it on the dedicated storage rack at the building entrance.

Reaching the fifth floor, the office door at the end of the corridor was ajar. Cheng Ye raised his hand and knocked.

"Come in."

A slightly hoarse, resonant male voice came from inside, carrying the composure of someone long in a position of authority.

Cheng Ye pushed open the door and entered. The first thing that caught his eye was furnishings so simple they were almost austere.

Completely opposite to Downs, that old man who enjoyed comfort.

The outer office area only had a wide solid wood desk. Apart from a defense communicator and several stacks of documents, there was nothing else, not even a decorative plant.

Against the wall stood a row of iron cabinets reaching the ceiling, at least forty cabinet doors lined up. Each door had a label written in black marker, the handwriting vigorous and revealing strict discipline.

Inside the office area, a frosted glass partition separated out a reception area with a set of dark gray fabric sofas. On the coffee table sat an ordinary ceramic tea set, with steam rising from the pot as if the water had just been boiled.

The entire office exuded a sense of practical efficiency without any pretense.

"Cheng Ye, first time meeting."

Lei Hu had a typical square face with several shallow scars at the corner of his left eye. When he smiled, his wrinkles were deep.

He stood up, surprisingly even taller than Liu Bi by half a head, at least two meters and five centimeters, with an upright bearing that radiated toughness even when just standing casually.

"Station Chief Lei, please take care of me."

"Don't be so formal, sit down." Lei Hu pointed to the sofa in the reception area and walked over first, picking up the hot water kettle to pour water into the teacups. "I heard you just transferred from the North Station? That old guy Downs didn't cause you any trouble, did he?"

The question was direct and carried an inexplicable familiarity. Cheng Ye paused slightly when taking his seat, then smiled lightly. "Station Chief Lei is joking. Station Chief Downs is quite nice."

"Quite nice?" Lei Hu snorted with laughter, pushing a cup of hot tea in front of him. "The South Station doesn't have so many twists and turns. I'm the kind of person who only recognizes ability. If you're capable, you get rewards."

"As a probationer, I'm quite satisfied with your abilities. So, you can make a request now or ask a question. From now on, I'll set targets for you, and every time you complete one, you can come directly to me to negotiate terms."

Again?

Cheng Ye's eyebrow twitched almost imperceptibly. He pretended to ponder while actually opening his panel to take a look.

[Lei Hu, 47%, searchable range: intelligence, items]

"This high?"

Getting this value on first meeting was quite surprising.

Glancing at the charge value in the upper right corner, which had recovered to 52%, Cheng Ye paused and decided to search for intelligence once.

According to Luo Xiaoxue's introduction, Lei Hu and Cheng Long had an okay relationship, cooperating at work but without any private friendship.

And often it was these people who seemed to have decent relationships who were the most ruthless when making moves.

An almost imperceptible stream of light flashed at the edge of his vision. This was Cheng Ye's first attempt at searching for intelligence.

After the last update, the collector had added a targeted search function.

He repeatedly chanted "related to me" in his mind, and lines of blurred text rapidly flashed across the panel.

Unlike skills, intelligence had no success rate. As long as charge value was invested, results could be obtained.

Suddenly, the surrounding light dimmed sharply.

Cheng Ye suddenly discovered that his perspective had actually separated from his body, as if wearing VR goggles, breaking into fragments of another time and space.

Before him was still this office, but sitting on the sofa weren't him and Lei Hu, but Lei Hu and a strange man.

When facing that man, where was any of Lei Hu's previous toughness?

His eyebrows and eyes were filled with almost humble respect, that posture exactly like how the guards at the entrance had looked at him.

What kind of person could make a duty station chief so awed?

Just as Cheng Ye was puzzled, he heard the strange man speak. "The higher-ups are watching closely recently. I've already locked onto the target. This time I need to disguise my identity to enter and exit secretly, without letting anyone notice."

"Don't worry, Director Liu. I'll arrange it personally and guarantee everything goes smoothly."

Director Liu?

Cheng Ye's heart shook violently, then he was startled. Was this the transcendent who had come from the inspection station, Liu Kun?

He tried to adjust his view. With a thought, he could see Liu Kun's appearance.

Chubby, with a somewhat plump face, he actually resembled Uncle Dong somewhat, only appearing younger and sharper between the brows.

"The goods will enter through Gate D. I'll arrange people for the handoff."

"You'll enter through Gate B. There are two probationers there, and regardless of who it is, neither has seen you."

"Two probationers?" Liu Kun was stunned. "Having two probationers guard the inspection station at a time like this?"

"It's Cheng Ye, Cheng Long's son, and the other is Wang Kang, Wang Cheng's son. Both are Station Chief Ding's arrangements."

"I see."

Liu Kun nodded. "Then it's settled. The day after tomorrow, or the day after that, I'll set out!"

As his words fell.

The scene completely shattered at this moment, and the dimmed light returned to normal.

Cheng Ye snapped back to awareness, finding himself still sitting on the sofa in the reception area. Lei Hu's voice by his ear seemed to have just faded away.

Looking up, Lei Hu still maintained his previous posture without any change, as if the scene he had just witnessed had no effect on real time at all.

"Well, have you thought it through?"

[NEXT CHAPTER]