But it's not that easy to quiet the mind.

Unknowingly, Liu Bi has already been gone for more than half a month.

The Buffer Zone was hit by an infection outbreak, a large number of people migrated away, faction conflicts became increasingly intense, ideological clashes more frequent, life-and-death battles with the Fusion Body, tests and maneuvers when dealing with various people...

Events flashed across his mind like movie clips, and he couldn't help but start to review them.

Every detail was chewed over repeatedly, examining where things were not done thoroughly enough, whether choices could be made differently, who was worth befriending, and who needed to be constantly guarded against...

The more he thought, the more alert he became. Cheng Ye simply sat up, stood by the window, and looked at the bright moon.

People of today will not see the ancient moon, but today's moon once shone on the ancients.

He didn't understand this saying back then, but now it feels tailored for him.

Taking a deep breath of the cool night breeze, the agitation in Cheng Ye's heart gradually subsided.

The moon is still there, and so is the road.

Tomorrow will be a new beginning.

...

The moon sets and the sun rises.

As the sky lightened with the first glow of dawn, Cheng Ye rarely slept deeply, waking up more than ten minutes before the alarm went off.

Fetch water, freshen up.

Everything felt so natural. Day after day living in Happiness City, he had completely adapted to its rhythm.

After tidying up, Cheng Ye disassembled two long guns, carefully wrapped the parts in canvas, stuffed them into his backpack, and carried them downstairs.

As expected, the fourth-floor door was open, and Wang Kang was already dressed neatly.

In brand new long-sleeve shirts and pants, carrying the canvas bag Cheng Ye had chosen from a street stall, with a Wild Bull Fighting Handgun at his waist, he stood in the hallway in the morning light, a bit of nervousness on his face, yet even more uncontrollable excitement, full of spirit.

"You're in good shape, keep it up."

"Don't worry, Brother Cheng!"

The two went downstairs together. Cheng Ye went to the big meat cafeteria to buy some fried meat. He didn't dare to look closely at what was inside, but Wang Kang enjoyed it, eating one after another with a crunch.

He even occasionally praised the big meat shop at the community gate, saying its quality was much better than others.

At the street corner, it came time to part ways.

One headed for South Station, the other for North Station.

Cheng Ye took a couple of steps, instinctively turning his head to look at Wang Kang's back. The young man walked with large and quick strides, as if eager to prove himself.

It wasn't until he almost turned the street corner that he finally disappeared from sight.

He withdrew his gaze, turned around, and walked towards North Station.

Unaware that, at the same moment he turned, Wang Kang at the street corner suddenly stopped and turned his head too.

Silently watching Cheng Ye's back, the determination in his eyes grew stronger.

"Inspector Cheng, heading out on duty?"

Master Tian was standing by the bus. Today, he wasn't polishing the bus, which was rare.

Cheng Ye glanced around and noticed the bus was already packed with people.

Compared to the throngs of recent days, there were noticeably fewer migrants today, perhaps only two to three thousand throughout the day.

However, these people were much more organized, with many carrying long guns on their backs.

Although these were privately circulated Guard Rifles, which were average in power, they undoubtedly had an advantage over small handguns.

"The checkpoint restarts today; there might be quite a few people."

Master Tian caught the implied meaning and immediately laughed, "The people from outside can't afford to take the bus. Those who ride my bus have long settled in the Buffer Zone and follow the rules well."

"Better safe than sorry."

Cheng Ye got on the bus and sat in the front seat that Master Tian had specially reserved for him.

Within two minutes, the bus was fully packed, and it wobbled its way towards the checkpoint.

"Hey buddy, with that gear, do you work at the checkpoint?"

Cheng Ye stood out in the bus, starkly different from the migrants around him who carried luggage and wore apprehensive expressions.

Someone couldn't resist striking up a conversation. In the past, they would never have dared to speak so casually, but now, with plans to leave this land, many once unspoken rules no longer applied.

"Yes, the checkpoint restarts today, so I have to start my duty too."

"Well... good luck to you."

These four words were spoken without the usual envy, instead carrying a sincere and earnest tone.

Cheng Ye turned to look and saw that when many people met his gaze, they nodded slightly, offering silent blessings.

They were evidently long-time residents of Happiness City who understood what the checkpoint resuming after the infection outbreak meant.

"Are you coming back?"

"We're not coming back," said the middle-aged man beside Cheng Ye, shaking his head slightly. With his wife and two young adult sons by his side, he continued, "We've endured here for so many years, and now that we see them grown up, it's time to find a livelihood elsewhere."

"Do you have a destination?"

"1,400 kilometers away, at Mountain Province's Blue Dragon Super Shelter City."

The middle-aged man pursed his chapped lips, a hint of yearning in his eyes, "The broadcast said they allocate land to everyone there. You can farm within the protective circle, and only half of the harvest goes to taxes. Plus... their industrial infrastructure supposedly rivals that of Happiness City."

"Is that so?" Cheng Ye nodded slightly, then looked across at a young man with an old canvas bag.

Caught by his gaze, the young man forced a smile, "I'm not going to the Shelter City; I'm planning to visit the settlements. Where to specifically, I'll decide after leaving the city."

Cheng Ye didn't ask further, just nodded to the two, "Well then, I wish you both good luck as well."

The scenery outside the window gradually blurred in his eyes, yet inexplicably, thoughts began to form in his mind.

The world outside may not be as fearsome as imagined.

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