"It's not just complicated, it's extremely complicated," Luo Xiaoxue emphasized. "After the last Nightmare Leech incident, 12 inspectors sacrificed their lives over the next six months, with seven lost in just the first two months. Now, with a large influx of people, countless sources of infection are bound to arise. Those senior inspectors are still out on the field and haven't returned. It's too dangerous for you to fill in now."

As she spoke, she took out a packet of red powder from a box, poured it into a cup, and dissolved it with hot water. "It's an ordinary synthetic painkiller that can relieve some pain and speed up the recovery of bruises."

"Thanks."

Cheng Ye took the cup, his fingertips grazing the warm cup wall. Looking up, he said, "Sister Luo, I've gotten a pretty good grasp of the situation at the station recently, and I have some understanding of the factions in the Inner City. I want to ask about my dad."

"He was a Fifth-stage Inspector; there's no reason for him to die so suddenly, right?"

"Can't wait any longer?"

Luo Xiaoxue seemed to have anticipated this, nodding slightly. "There are things I can't say much about, and Liu Bi didn't tell me much either. But there is one thing I'm very sure of: your dad anticipated his death before his operation, informed us in advance, and arranged his affairs accordingly. It wasn't some conspiracy, and it wasn't much related to Ding Yishan or the entire inspection station either."

"What did he go to do?"

"I don't know the specifics, but the current rumors and official narrative are..."

Luo Xiaoxue paused, hesitated for a moment, and then uttered five words, "To assassinate An Xingfu."

"Hmm? The City Lord?"

Cheng Ye's heart sank suddenly, though he maintained a calm facade. "An Inspector assassinating the City Lord—can the inspection station still hold its own?"

"You should know the three major factions of Happiness City by now, right?"

"Yes."

"When your grandfather was around, Happiness City didn't have the Idealist Faction. We only had the Extraordinary, Technology, and Inspection Station factions, all three on equal footing, jointly managing Happiness City."

"Among them, the Extraordinary Faction held military power, responsible for training corps, clearing infected bodies nearby, and repelling covetous nearby settlements and Shelter City. Their external power was the greatest."

"The Technology Faction was responsible for civilian development and studying infection sources. Being tougher to start, they were the weakest of the three factions, with hardly any say."

"The inspection station lay between the two. Your grandfather, as one of the founding Elders, had strong support from many Elders and wielded extremely firm methods, which is why he could lay the foundation initially."

Luo Xiaoxue's expression was somewhat wooden, recalling as she spoke. "Later, the Extraordinary Faction declined from its leading position due to years of warfare and heavy casualties. Meanwhile, the Technology Faction solidified its footing and gradually rose, becoming the new leader of Happiness City, leaving the inspection station to..."

"At that time, an internal conflict erupted. The inspection station split into the Initial Heart and Idealist factions. The Initial Heart Faction, led by your grandfather, faced fierce opposition from the Idealist Faction. They clashed intensely, and unexpectedly, the Idealist Faction managed to sway those Elders who originally supported the Initial Heart Faction. Your grandfather's resistance proved futile, and he decided to leave with loyal followers, never to be heard from again."

"When your dad was in the Inner City, he was only sixteen, just like you are now, forced to step up as an Inspector. Not only did he endure pressure from all sides, but he was also targeted and obstructed by the Idealist Faction within the inspection station."

"With no other option, he joined the Pioneer Corps to dodge the power struggles. But in his two and a half years away, the Buffer Zone, bereft of the Initial Heart Faction's protection, was invaded by various infection sources, and the population plummeted by seventy percent, almost collapsing."

"Eventually, the Idealist Faction admitted its mistake and voluntarily withdrew from the inspection station. Some left Happiness City altogether, while others entered the Inner City to receive instructions from Elders. Now, the Public Works Bureau is under the Idealist Faction's control. After they withdrew, the inspection station regained control by former members of the Initial Heart Faction, allowing your dad to return and officially start his career as an Inspector."

Cheng Long's early life could definitely make a thrilling movie.

Just listening to Luo Xiaoxue's calm narration, Cheng Ye could imagine how suffocating that overwhelming pressure must have been.

What's more, Cheng Long didn't have any Collector in his hands; he achieved everything through hard work, step by step.

"So, Ding Yishan was also a former member of the Initial Heart Faction?"

Luo Xiaoxue sighed and nodded. "Yes, his father followed your grandfather and disappeared without a trace. Those trusted Inspectors he personally trained when he became Station Chief were later taken by your dad on a mission, where they all died outside."

"The inspection station now lacks Elder support, so Station Chief Ding can only rely on Liu Kun. Liu Kun is also a former member of the Initial Heart Faction. The two of them barely manage to uphold the inspection station's situation. They can't let it become a mere tool of the Inner City factions, while also trying to maintain some degree of autonomy."

"What?"

Cheng Ye was taken aback, completely stunned.

It was as if his mind had been tangled into a mess, and the understanding he had of the relationships between the inspection station and Inner City factions was shattered by just those few words.

"What does this have to do with assassinating An Xingfu..."

"This was a unified decision by the three major factions in the Inner City. Each faction had to send people. Ding Yishan originally planned to assign someone casually, but your dad insisted on joining, saying he wanted to seize this opportunity to find a way to become Extraordinary. The final result..."

Luo Xiaoxue's tone dropped as she reached this point and did not continue.

"Three major factions, no, Happiness City's people going to assassinate their City Lord?"

"Yes, which is why I say it's a rumor. After all, An Xingfu hasn't appeared publicly for sixteen years. Only Ding Yishan and those who made this decision know what truly happened, not even Brother B fully understands."

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