Wasteland Border Inspector

Chapter 21: Limitations of the Era, A Vortex of Struggle!

After leaving the library, Cheng Ye opened the panel and glanced at the energy level.

44%
Based on a full value of 200 degrees, a difference of 6% is equivalent to 12 degrees.

"Just this last little bit of simplicity. I'll charge it when I get home tonight, and I'll have enough for one search tomorrow."

The power consumption of residents in the buffer zone is still too strictly restricted.

Cheng Ye had considered sneaking into the factory, or looking for charging stations on buses and transport vehicles, where there would definitely be high-power charging ports.

But after thinking it over, I still felt it was a bit too risky.

Given his current status and power, he simply cannot afford the consequences of being discovered.

If someone reports his abnormality to the inner city, and he is mistaken for some kind of special infected person, he could face annihilation in an instant.

"Stay calm, don't be reckless!"

Cheng Ye silently reminded himself, quickly banishing any inappropriate thoughts from his mind.

Look up at the sky.

A light drizzle fell, and dark clouds hung low overhead as before, suggesting that another downpour was likely on its way.

As a result, martial law was indeed imposed in the main urban area immediately, causing buses returning to the city to become empty again.

By the time Cheng Ye returned to the electronics factory's staff quarters after verifying his identity, it was nearly 9:30 p.m.

Uncle Dong's shop closed early, but the kitchen of Big Meat Canteen was still lit up, probably preparing ingredients for the next day.

"I need to get used to living alone as soon as possible."

Cheng Ye shook his head.

Two months passed quickly. I was busy practicing martial arts and passing the inspector's assessment, so I didn't feel that the time was too long.

But now that Liu Bi has left, there's not even anyone left to talk to.

As if sensing his thoughts, Cheng Ye had just reached the fifth floor and hadn't even had a chance to open the door when the defense communication device slung across his waist rang.

Upon taking it out, Cheng Ye sighed; it was indeed Luo Xiaoxue.

His "father," whom he had never met, was truly lucky to have made such a loyal and devoted friend in the wasteland.

Even he wouldn't dare guarantee that he could still take such good care of his friend's descendants after his death.

"Hey, Sister Luo, I just got home."

After closing the security door, Cheng Ye answered the phone.

"You're going to take up your post at the fast checkpoint tomorrow, why are you coming home so late today? Aren't you getting some rest?"

"I went to the library to read some books. Mainly because I haven't fought infected people head-on yet, so I thought I'd prepare more in advance so I can deal with them more easily when the time comes."

There was a two-second silence on the other end of the microphone.

"Cheng Ye, don't be so tense, relax a bit," Luo Xiaoxue said, trying to speak slowly and comfortingly.
"When I first went to the front line, I was in a similar state to you now. I always thought of infected people as a monstrous flood, and I was afraid that I would lose my life if I was not careful. Later, after I had more real contact with them, I realized that a lot of my fears were just me scaring myself."

"Infected beings are, after all, just mortal beings. Those so-called special abilities only pose a real deadly threat when they form a large-scale surge. As long as you follow what I told you yesterday, you'll be able to hold out until your Brother B comes back."

It must be said that neither Liu Bi nor Luo Xiaoxue has any talent for scheming and intrigue.

Although both men were aware that this personnel reshuffle had dragged Cheng Ye into the vortex of the struggle between the eastern and western factions, they still clung to a sliver of hope, fantasizing that they could hold out until the storm passed.

Am I overthinking things?
A hint of confusion flashed in Cheng Ye's eyes, but it quickly disappeared in the next second, and his gaze became firm again.

He only had one life, and he wasn't given a second chance to try and fail.

Until you possess the power to ignore any conspiracies or schemes, it's always wise to prepare for the worst.

"I know that, so don't worry, Sister Luo. Going to the library to read is a good way to relax. After all, I trained too hard with Brother B a few days ago, and I haven't recovered from all the aches and pains."

"You're absolutely right, you're like a completely different person."

On the other end of the microphone, Luo Xiaoxue also laughed.

"Then you should rest well. Your brother B has made all the arrangements before you left. No one will give you trouble at the South Station tomorrow. Everyone there is from the Eastern faction, and they all owe your father a favor."

"South Station?"

Cheng Ye's smile vanished abruptly. "Sister Luo, barring any unforeseen circumstances, I plan to go to the North Station first."

"what?"

The sound of a kettle falling to the ground was immediately heard through the microphone, followed by Luo Xiaoxue's roar: "Are you crazy? The North Station is full of people from the Western faction. You, a newbie, don't want to die fast enough, do you?"

“Garcia is still lying in the clinic. The Western faction hates Liu Bi to death. You were trained by Liu Bi. If you go there, won't you be targeted to death by them?”

Luo Xiaoxue's tone was unusually agitated.

If she hadn't met Cheng Ye and didn't know his style and way of thinking, she would have just thought that the child had lost his mind for a moment and could be persuaded to change his mind.

But precisely because she knew that Cheng Ye had his own way of thinking and his own decisions, she couldn't understand why he would risk going to the North Station!
Moreover, she couldn't imagine how crazy Liu Bi would go if he came back and heard that Cheng Ye had stubbornly run to the North Station from the beginning and something had happened.

After all, it takes a long time for veteran prosecutors from the East to be rotated to the North Station for duty.

You're a newbie who's never been to a fast-track post before, and you're still a trainee inspector. Going to the enemy's headquarters is practically suicide, isn't it?

"Furthermore, it's easier to mess with the King of Hell than with his underlings. Even if the stationmaster of the North Station doesn't make things difficult for you, won't the guards and staff on duty below make things difficult for you at every turn?"

"Listen to me, if something happens to you at the North Station, your Brother B will smash up the entire checkpoint!"

Luo Xiaoxue became increasingly agitated, her voice trembling, as if she would rush out of the defense communication device if Cheng Ye didn't agree now.

"Sister Luo, please don't get agitated. Don't scare Yi Yi. Listen to me."

Cheng Ye originally didn't want to explain so much, but considering how good Liu Bi's family had been to him, he knew that if he didn't explain his choice clearly, Luo Xiaoxue would probably worry herself sick every night.

"I know everything you're talking about, don't worry. Didn't you say it yesterday? I'm as shrewd as people from the old days."

"Then why are you so stubborn now?"

"It's not stubbornness, it's human nature. Sister Luo, let me ask you a question: what kind of relationship do you think prosecutors have with their staff and security guards?"

Luo Xiaoxue was silent for a few seconds, then said in a deep voice: "There are only two paths to becoming a prosecutor: either inherit your father's position or fill a vacancy by being promoted from the station chief. People who have no hope of climbing the ranks may be friendly to you, but those who are qualified to take the position will definitely want to tear you apart because you have no offspring."

"wrong!"

Click.

A thunderclap boomed outside the window.

The rain intensified, and large raindrops pounded against the glass, making a thumping sound like war drums.

"wrong?"

"Sister Luo, the checkpoint is far more dangerous than you think."

Cheng Ye got up and opened the window, letting the sound of rain beat down to drown out the noise. "As long as the higher-ups don't change the hereditary system, anyone who dares to show their face and covet a position at this checkpoint will offend all the inspectors from both the east and west factions and become everyone's enemy."

"Put yourself in his shoes. If Brother B wanted to pass the prosecutor position to Yi Yi in the future, but there were people in the station eyeing that position, would you just stand by and do nothing?"

"In some aspects, the East and West factions are locked in a fierce battle, but in other aspects, it is in the interests of all prosecutors. Even if they hate me to the bone and wish I were dead the next second, they would not dare to do anything that crosses the red line before I die."

Luo Xiaoxue fell into a long silence, and only the sound of rain could be heard from both microphones.

This was an angle she had never imagined.

Now that Cheng Ye has brought it up for careful consideration, it seems that this is indeed the case.
This was actually a limitation of the times, which made Luo Xiaoxue somewhat confused about the relationship between the prosecutor and the guards below.

If this were in ancient times, it would be easy to understand: the head of the checkpoint would be the emperor, and the inspectors below him would be the vassal kings.

If a prince dies and there is no successor, the emperor can grant his fiefdom to a meritorious minister or general.

But if the vassal king is still alive, some people are eager to seize the fiefdom by killing him.

Can the emperor endure it?

Could other vassal kings tolerate this?

Even if we take a step back and assume everyone wants this prince dead, they would not tolerate their ministers having such thoughts.

why?
Because who can guarantee that their descendants will definitely be able to hold the position of prosecutor!
If no one speaks up for me today, I will be shackled tomorrow; it is all my own fault.

It was precisely because Cheng Ye understood this that he wasn't worried at all about being harassed by his subordinates when he went to the North Station.

And even if someone makes a foolish mistake like Garcia, he has plenty of ways to deal with it.

"Then why don't you go to the South Station? It'll be the same thing."

Luo Xiaoxue held back for a long time, but in the end she was still somewhat unconvinced.

Even if the people below don't make things difficult for you, will the prosecutors and station chiefs from the west side let you off the hook?
"This brings up another issue, Sister Luo, can you trust me?"

Cheng Ye sighed.

Some things can't be said directly. For example, the person who most wants him to die right now is Ding Yishan, while Harlin may not necessarily want him to die at the North Station.

After all, with Cheng Ye, the "3" point, dead, the Eastern faction can immediately replace him with a strong person, at least a "6" or "7" point, to fill the gap in combat power that the Eastern faction had previously lacked.

With the Western faction having just lost a key figure, the balance of power between the two factions will return to a delicate equilibrium.

Therefore, going directly to the North Station now is a relatively safe option, even if you are not familiar with the express lane.

If you really listened to Liu Bi and Luo Xiaoxue's advice and went to the South Station knowing nothing, it would be perfectly normal for a trainee inspector to have an accident.

"I can trust you, but I... and your brother B don't want to see this."

"Cheng Ye, and me too!" Liu Yi's voice also came through the microphone. Although she didn't know what the two were talking about, she definitely couldn't be left out.

"Haha, why isn't Yi Yi going to sleep yet?"

"There's thunder! I'm so scared! Dad's not home, I'm worried about him!"

"Don't worry, next time your dad goes out, how about Brother Cheng Ye goes along to protect him?"

"No, no, Dad said you're too weak, and that I'll protect you when I grow up."

hiss.

So heartbreaking.

"Sister Luo, you should take Yi Yi to sleep right away. I promise, there won't be any problems."

After Yi Yi's teasing, the atmosphere was no longer as serious as before.

"And even if I am really harassed, I can just go to the South Station tomorrow, and they won't dare to say anything."

"Then you promise?"

Seemingly realizing she couldn't persuade her otherwise, Luo Xiaoxue sighed and had no choice but to give in.

It wasn't that she couldn't think of a way to refute Cheng Ye, but rather that Cheng Ye's performance last night and his current maturity gave her a fleeting feeling of meeting Cheng Long for the first time many years ago.

"I promise I'll live to see Brother B come back!"

P.S.: The world-building of this book has officially begun. What follows is the first major plot, let's establish a firm foothold.

P.S. 2: The traffic has finally arrived! Dear new readers, please vote, add to your favorites, and follow along!
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(End of this chapter)