Wang Kang is gone.

Cheng Ye could tell that the little brother left behind by his predecessor wasn't comforted by what he said; instead, he seemed even more frightened.

It was probably for two reasons.

First, he himself was just an Intern Inspector, yet he was taking it upon himself to say he'd take care of the other, which might have sounded unreliable to Wang Kang.

Secondly, when he took off his short-sleeve shirt, his whole body covered with bruises and scabs was revealed, Wang Kang's face turned white with shock, as if he was about to burst into tears at any moment.

Yes, it was just that dramatic.

Wang Kang's father was named Wang Cheng, and according to Luo Xiaoxue's introduction, he was one of Cheng Long's die-hard fans.

Back during the mission, Cheng Long had no intention of taking Wang Cheng along, but Wang Cheng insisted on following.

Moreover, those who followed Cheng Long seemed to share a strange commonality—they held little regard for their descendants, neither raising them nor assuming their responsibilities.

Wang Kang was not much different from his predecessor, seeing Wang Cheng only once every few years since birth.

And every time they met, Wang Cheng would frantically indoctrinate him with the idea that the outside world was extremely dangerous, venturing out meant certain death, and only staying obediently in the Inner City could he survive.

Over time, hearing it frequently, Wang Kang's courage was worn thinner and thinner, and he became instinctively terrified of the outside world.

Coincidentally, when his predecessor and Wang Kang got together, they loved to scare each other.

You'd say how ferocious the Infecteds outside the city were, and I'd say how life-threatening working at the inspection station was, perpetuating the narrative of "it's too dangerous outside."

This back-and-forth led to his predecessor's embarrassing history before leaving the Outer City, where he was almost scared into wetting himself.

"I can't exactly tell him I can crush everything for five minutes with my Extraordinary powers, can I?"

"Moreover, right now, my sheer stats are already enough to crush ordinary First-Phase and Second-Phase Prosecutors."

Cheng Ye took off his clothes and simply walked into the ward's bathroom, enjoying a comfortable shower to scrub off all the dirt that hadn't been washed clean.

No wonder Wang Kang was scared. In the tenement building's washing room, he only crudely cleaned the black blood seeping out after activating his Wild Grass Physique.

There were still places on his back he couldn't scrub, forming thick scabs stuck to his skin, looking like hideous cracks, indeed frightening.

After the shower, Cheng Ye looked down to see the drain almost entirely clogged with scraped-off scabs and clots of dirt.

He let the water run for a while longer to ensure the drainage was clear and left no trace, then shut it off, grabbed a towel to dry his wet hair, and left the bathroom.

"Ah, refreshing!"

"If there's ever a chance to renovate the tenement building, I definitely have to get a shower installed!"

The difference in experience between bucket baths and a proper shower was worlds apart.

Especially since the water in the medical facility was constantly warm, the heated flow enveloping his body, making his mind appear at ease.

Nightfall deepened outside; the lights on the medical facility's top floor cast a gentle glow on the floor through the glass.

Perhaps the peace of these modern times has made people forget how wearing those precarious days really were.

Cheng Ye leaned against the bedhead, listening to the faint evening breeze from afar. For the first time, he thought that these moments of peace on the Wasteland were truly comfortable.

Especially when he turned on the bedside lamp, pulled out a book to read while leaning against the bedhead, and picked up fresh, sweet fruit from the side table to occasionally pop into his mouth.

"I can somewhat understand the Idealist Faction's ideas now; only by truly enjoying and knowing how precious it is do people begin to protect and cherish it."

"Ordinary residents, having lost their perception of these benefits in Happiness City, migrated to other Shelter Cities once the infection wave ended."

"If Inspectors must suffer all the time, constantly fighting Infecteds in the most hazardous places, then why not, like these people, leave this Shelter City for larger Shelter Cities?"

Thoughts coursed through Cheng Ye's mind; one had to admit, he was quite taken by the Idealist Faction.

Unless this Shelter City was at the brink of collapse, he probably wouldn't leave for a singular goal like Cheng Wu and Cheng Long.

As for any unexpected events during this, let fate decide.

The night became darker.

Cheng Ye reached over to switch off the bedside lamp, his breathing gradually steadying.

But strangely, the Wild Grass totem on his chest faintly surfaced, flickering with his breaths.

The black and red patches seemed to emit faint totems in their flickers.

It continued for over two hours before finally fading away.

...

Beep.

At 6:55 AM, as soon as the Defense Communication alarm vibrated, Cheng Ye's eyes were open.

In the past, he'd always feel groggy upon waking, but now his mind was exceptionally clear.

"This feeling..."

Propping himself up, Cheng Ye sat up and rotated his neck, bones making slight popping sounds without any sense of stiffness.

Looking down at his upper body, the bruises that had begun fading yesterday were now a pale red.

Clenching his fist, he could distinctly feel that his strength seemed to have grown even more since yesterday.

The power of the Wild Grass Physique clearly exceeded his initial expectations.

It wasn't merely about enhanced recovery; beyond the brute ascension of physical figures, even his sleep efficiency had been elevated.

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