Happiness Coins were essential for ordinary residents to settle and thrive in the sanctuary city.

Their value was anchored in the inexhaustible energy from the hydroelectric power station, the minerals around Happiness City that could be mined for decades, the formidable industrial strength of the inner city, and a military force capable of crushing small-scale infected tides head-on.

With this trifecta of resources, industry, and military might, Happiness City didn’t even need to expand farmland. It could easily trade with surrounding sanctuary cities, large settlements, and small outposts for ample agricultural products to meet the daily needs of over a million people.

Even when the city’s leadership made impulsive, idealistic decisions, like waiving electricity fees during the rain-soaked summer or lowering the price of nutrient paste by one Happiness Coin during harvest season, the market remained stable.

Residents naturally saved money to prepare for price spikes during the resource-scarce winter and spring.

Coupled with timely official regulations, Happiness Coins retained some purchasing power even outside Chuan City, in other cities and sanctuaries.

However, contribution points, a tier above Happiness Coins, operated on an entirely different logic and foundation.

Contribution points could be exchanged for strategic resources and restricted items.

For example, upgraded firearms, fine-tuned to military standards, used rare alloys for enhanced durability and optimized ballistics, far surpassing common market weapons in lethality.

Or high-tech electronics, like military-grade communicators, thermal detectors, and specialized gear for combating infected entities, each a lifesaving tool in the wasteland.

And, of course, the melee weapons Cheng Ye was now borrowing points to buy.

For a modern person, crafting melee weapons wasn’t the challenge; the difficulty lay in the materials.

Take, for instance, steels like Damascus, 52100, or 15N20, often featured in forging competitions.

In the wasteland, these were no longer top-tier materials. The truly valuable ones, requiring contribution points to purchase, were what Cheng Ye had just learned about today: transcendent minerals.

These might start as ordinary iron ore but, when contaminated by the power of transcendents or infected entities, could develop extraordinary properties.

The price varied wildly depending on the degree of contamination.

Take Liu Bi’s short knife as an example: with just under 20 grams of common transcendent mineral, it maintained exceptional sharpness while boasting unmatched hardness and toughness, far beyond modern materials.

“Of course, I understand.”

Knowing the clerk was kindly warning him, likely due to his trainee status, to avoid penalties for breaking rules, Cheng Ye wasn’t surprised and nodded lightly.

Contribution points were so valuable and lacked a fixed anchor, so it was only natural they couldn’t be freely traded.

In Happiness City, the channels for earning contribution points were extremely limited.

Only specific official positions had steady access, like inspectors who detected infected entities sneaking into the city, earning a certain number of points; Works Department staff who exceeded reclamation expectations, also receiving points; or engineers ensuring city infrastructure ran smoothly, awarded points per cycle.

Beyond that, contribution points were only given to those who made tangible contributions to Happiness City.

For instance, sentries who discovered hidden infected groups while on external duty could earn points upon verification.

Or scavengers who found valuable items in city ruins, earning points based on the items’ worth.

This was a highly incentivizing policy, but if contribution points could be freely traded, their value as a measure and behavioral guide would be severely diminished.

Thus, Happiness City explicitly ruled that contribution points could be lent, but each person had a maximum quota per cycle.

Ordinary residents could borrow up to 10 points every six months.

Trainee inspectors like Cheng Ye had a tenfold increase, up to 100 points.

Of course, the system wasn’t without loopholes. For example, if Cheng Ye wanted a pistol worth 20 points, Liu Bi could buy it and “gift” it to him, bypassing borrowing restrictions.

The clerk’s earlier reminder addressed exactly this: Happiness City had a monitoring system. Minor rule-bending might be overlooked, but if someone reported a violation, the fines, ranging from double to ten times the amount, could bankrupt the offender instantly.

“Alright, I’ve signed.”

Cheng Ye nodded, handing the signed application form through the window.

The clerk rapidly typed on the keyboard, and a few seconds later, Cheng Ye’s defense comm buzzed.

Happiness Bank Buffer Zone Branch

New Era Year 35, June 26, 18:47

“Song Yongfeng” from the Works Department has transferred “100” contribution points to you

Current balance: 143 points

“Why 143?”

Cheng Ye tapped to view the transaction history.

New Era Year 35, June 26, 07:00, regular salary deposit of “24” contribution points

Balance: 43 points

Note: Infection source verification completed, rated: Stage Two Initial

“So it’s the reward for the Deathwhisper Tentacle settled together.”

At 7 a.m., Cheng Ye had been on the phone with Ding Yishan, missing the transfer notification.

The 5 points promised to Garcia hadn’t been transferred either, as Garcia was rushed to the infirmary after Liu Bi’s beating.

“With 143 points, minus the 20 for the pistol, there’s enough for materials. Even if transcendent minerals are expensive, using less will suffice for my current needs.”

With resources in hand, Cheng Ye felt at ease.

For firearms, he had no grand demands; a Bison pistol like Big B’s would do for self-defense.

When external duties came, he’d consider upgrading to a more powerful submachine gun or rifle if needed.

But melee weapons were different; a good one required extensive user familiarization.

Take Liu Bi’s short knife: though made from ordinary materials initially, he’d patched and used it for over a decade, reluctant to replace it.

“Little Cheng, Sister Luo, since the points are transferred, I’ll head back to the Works Department.”

Tucking the transfer receipt into his backpack, Song Yongfeng turned with a smile that crinkled the corners of his eyes.

“Good thing this rain has been intermittent, giving our buffer zone’s drainage system a breather. Otherwise, another day of downpour, and while the suburbs might hold, the main district would be paralyzed by flooding.”

“Old Song, hasn’t the Works Department predicted how many more days this will last?”

As they walked out, Luo Xiaoxue couldn’t help asking with concern. “My husband’s off supporting the hydroelectric station. If the rain keeps up, he might be stuck there for a while.”

“According to the inner city’s meteorological bureau, it’ll last at least half a month.”

“That long?”

“Yeah, since the start of this year, reports from sanctuary cities haven’t been optimistic. Weather stability is breaking down, and who knows what strange events are coming.”

Song Yongfeng’s smile faded, a trace of worry creeping in.

The threat of erratic weather was no less severe than an assault by an infected tide.

Right now, it was just heavy rain, and the buffer zone could manage by clearing drains. But what about a blizzard?

Even without a blizzard, if the upcoming autumn saw reduced crop yields, the ripple effect in Happiness City would be a disaster affecting everyone.

Moreover, infected entities’ activity patterns were tied to weather, like the water-loving infected following the rain front.

If the weather remained this chaotic, it was hard to say whether a large-scale infected tide might hit Happiness City’s outskirts by winter.

“Take care, Uncle Song.”

They watched Song Yongfeng board a bus and disappear into the distance.

Only then did the two turn back, sitting side by side on a bench outside the bank.