The anticipation in these migrants' eyes made him look forward to the upcoming fieldwork with a few new expectations.

The vehicle reached the checkpoint, and everyone queued to get off from the back door, walking along the right passage towards the verification area.

Cheng Ye waited a moment longer in his seat, and once most people had moved ahead, he descended from the front door and headed directly towards the staff passage on the left.

No one in the queue found it strange, as they had already learned on the bus that he was from the checkpoint.

But the next second, the eight guards stationed at the entrance saw Cheng Ye and immediately stood up straighter, jogging over with respectful smiles on their faces, "Inspector Cheng, you're here!"

This display of nodding and bowing made the middle-aged family and the young person who had just reached the right passageway stop in their tracks, with the fatigue on their faces suddenly replaced by astonishment.

Earlier, they only thought Cheng Ye was so young, appeared unassuming, just an ordinary lower-level worker, but...Inspector?

Everyone instinctively froze in place, their eyes following Cheng Ye's back as he disappeared into the passage.

It wasn't until the next group came, pushing the queue forward, that they each felt their own waves within.

Having been in the Buffer Zone for so long, they seldom encountered an Inspector, yet the last moment before leaving unexpectedly added an indescribable taste to their impression of Happiness City.

Entering the departure passage, the regular entrance on the left remained shut, while a separate channel had been opened on the right, with a wooden sign above painted in red with two large characters:

Relinquish Citizenship!

According to the process, each person must first hand over their Defense Communication, then throw their resident documents into the nearby iron trash can to complete the final formalities.

Beep.

The staff took the Defense Communication, scanned it on the device, then fished out five bags of Nutrient Paste and an additional four blisters of tablets from the box behind them.

One blister of red anti-inflammatory, one of blue fever-reduction, one of purple anti-diarrheal, and one of green life-saving pills.

"This is the last gift from Happiness City, hoping you all continue to walk on the path of pursuing Happiness after leaving here!"

"Thank you!"

Whether traveling alone or migrating with family, everyone received their gifts without a single reduction, regardless of being family.

Continuing forward, the staff along the path nodded and smiled, with no inspections or urgings.

Unlike when they joined, undergoing layer upon layer of stringent checks, the air upon leaving carried a unique atmosphere, like seeing off a traveler, carrying hints of melancholy mixed with blessings.

Until taking a step past the boundary line, their shoes touching the soft land outside the city, they suddenly turned back.

The giant wall stretching across the earth remained silent, and scenes from years ago when they first arrived exploded in their mind!

The shock of seeing electric street lamps for the first time, the thrill of receiving free Nutrient Paste for the first time, the sense of security upon first finding shelter, the joy of establishing a family and birthing children for the first time...

Emotions smoothed over by time were now like awakened seeds, sprouting from deep within their hearts, making their noses tingle.

"Hope, there's a day to return..."

The middle-aged man who had staunchly vowed not to look back couldn't help but sigh heavily at the giant wall.

His wife beside him quietly wiped the corners of her eyes, while their two sons curiously surveyed the wilderness outside the city, eyes filled with anticipation for the road ahead, not nostalgia.

Some people have left.

But their roots remain here!

...

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.