During the whole daytime, the accumulated water on the main roads of the central area was finally temporarily drained.

The Big Golden Cup car drove unimpeded along the way, and when it reached the Gate of Happiness, two teams of sixteen guards came up to greet them from afar.

"Thank you, Inspector Cheng, for your support of the Cross Legion. Next, please hand over the injured to us for arrangement."

The leading captain stepped forward, first saluting Cheng Ye with a standard modern military salute, and then heavily pounding his right fist against his chest to express sincere gratitude.

Dai Zun, on the stretcher, wanted to emulate the gesture but was held back by Cheng Ye: "Don't push yourself, remember what Captain Wu said, you owe me a life."

"Of course, just one call, I'll be there."

A smile forced its way onto Dai Zun's pale face, and before his words were fully out, the guards lifted the stretcher, quickly disappearing behind the heavy city gate.

In the night, countless glances were cast from the shadows, interweaving greed and heat.

A few landed on Cheng Ye, causing him some discomfort of being watched, prompting him to glare back, making those gazes retract suddenly.

Even the driver of the Big Golden Cup couldn't help but swallow, staring longingly at the rapidly closing fast passage beneath the alloy gate.

That was the Inner City!

Many people struggle in the Buffer Zone their whole lives, rotting in the tides of infection, never even touching the doorframe of this Gate of Happiness.

Yet this endpoint is merely a starting point some can step onto casually.

"Let's go, if it's convenient, could you take me to the chemical factory's employee community?"

"Convenient, of course, it's convenient!"

The driver nodded heavily, reluctantly tearing his gaze away.

The Big Golden Cup made a U-turn in front of the Gate of Happiness, gradually leaving "Happiness" behind.

...

Night, ten o'clock.

The tires rolled over the watery road surface, slowly stopping next to the vine-covered iron gate of the chemical factory's employee community.

As Cheng Ye's fingers latched onto the door handle, the corner of his eye caught sight of two figures under the streetlight a hundred meters away.

Instinctively squinting to take a closer look, the one on the left was actually Luo Xiaoxue, and on the right was...

Zhou Changhai?

Cheng Ye was suddenly stunned, almost thinking he was mistaken.

How could the Fifth-stage Inspector of the Eastern People Faction be at the chemical factory's community to see Luo Xiaoxue at such a late hour?

But as the two approached, the dim street light gradually outlined the man's facial features.

A distinctive horse face, a vicious scar on his jaw, it really was Zhou Changhai!

What was he here for?

The metal car door clanged against the side of the car, and Cheng Ye stepped out, standing roughly five steps in front of the two.

"Sister Luo, Inspector Zhou."

"Ah, Inspector Cheng is off duty?" Before Luo Xiaoxue could speak, Zhou Changhai brightened at the eyes and approached enthusiastically as if he had expected it, "Speak of the devil, I was just talking about you with Instructor Luo, and here you are."

Instructor Luo?

Cheng Ye's lips twitched, suppressing the curiosity in his heart, "Inspector Zhou, what brings you here so late?"

"Oh, it's not a big deal, just a small incident at the station today, you know, Station Chief He sacrificed himself."

There was a slight touch of sorrow in Zhou Changhai's tone, "As a Fifth-stage Inspector, I have to visit the families as a representative of the station and explain the situation to prevent them from worrying."

"I see, Inspector Zhou, you've worked hard."

Cheng Ye nodded lightly, "Brother B is not at home for fieldwork, and I was thinking of coming to talk to Sister Luo about the station's matters so she wouldn't worry, but you got here first."

"Oh, no need for formalities with me." Zhou Changhai burst out laughing, suddenly stepping forward half a step, patting Cheng Ye's shoulder, his scar twisting with his smile, "In the old days, your father and I shared life-and-death terms in the exploration team. If you don't mind, just call me Uncle Zhou."

Uncle Zhou?

Cheng Ye was not familiar with the earlier happenings at the station. The corner of his eye caught Luo Xiaoxue discreetly curling her lips.

Obviously, the relationship between Zhou Changhai and Cheng Long, this "life-and-death friendship," was as exaggerated as the rainfall in Happiness City these days.

The old guy was shameless indeed.

Wait, why is this guy trying to get close to me?

There's no good intentions!

"Uncle Zhou is right." Cheng Ye's face lit up with a perfectly timed smile, "I was just thinking that during work you should address by title, but I forgot I'm off duty now, during rest time, unlike Uncle Zhou, who's still concerned about visiting families at night, truly a model of the station."

This speech sounded like a compliment but subtly drew a line between "work occasions" and "private relations."

After this flattering sentence, the concealed needle grasp in the soft words made Zhou Changhai's smile stiffen for half a second.

But after all, as a Fifth-stage Inspector, he's long become adept.

Zhou Changhai maintained his smile nonchalantly, turning to Luo Xiaoxue, "Instructor Luo, now that Cheng Ye is back, I won't disturb any further. Don't worry, the hydropower station is unlike the station, it's quite safe."

"Thank you, Inspector Zhou, for your concern."

Luo Xiaoxue nodded courteously, and the two of them saw Zhou Changhai off to the end of the street, watching him get into the Big Golden Cup parked in the shadows, the car lights piercing the night as it drove towards the city.

"Why did he come?"

Cheng Ye paused, "He Fei just died, and he's eager to pull people up for a position already?"

Within the station's system.

Going from an intern to stage one is a hurdle.

Three stations, nine evaluation forms, and an assignment that scores above a B level. No major accidents can occur during this process. It generally takes an ordinary inspector about two years to complete this step.

Moving from the first to the fourth phase is another hurdle.

Three stations, each requiring rotations for three hundred times, which totals at least nine hundred days. During this period, no major accidents can occur, otherwise, the count resets.

Additionally, one must accumulate enough contributions and wait for a vacancy to become available.

For example, if a fourth-stage inspector position opens up and five people qualify simultaneously, the person with the highest contribution is selected to advance first.

As for moving from the fourth to the fifth stage, this is beyond the reach of an ordinary inspector.

According to the regulations, two generations must have worked in the inspection station, which is the so-called "endorsement".

Without this background, even an excess contribution value is useless. Liu Bi, being unqualified for this condition, is stuck at the fourth stage and has no chance to compete for the fifth stage.

A fifth-stage inspector is also a prerequisite to becoming a station chief on duty.

"Hey, you guessed it?"

Luo Xiaoxue shook her head speechlessly, "It wasn't just him; all four fifth-phase Eastern inspectors came to the inspection station today. It was as if they coordinated, arriving at different times."

"All four of them came?"

Cheng Ye was slightly surprised, not expecting that on the day He Fei died tragically, the four would immediately start competing for positions.

"Are they all saying similar things?"

"Yeah, basically wanting Liu Bi to cast a vote for them."

"Did they offer any conditions?"

"Hmm? You seem to know quite a bit?" Luo Xiaoxue scanned him nervously, and with a strange tone said, "Today at the North Inspection Station, you were quite spectacular. Every fifth-stage inspector that came brought you up."

"Of course, everyone here knows my relationship with Brother B."

Cheng Ye's smile froze.

Damn, just like Matthew Lee said, nothing is new at this inspection station.

Also, Raul's confidentiality is so poor, wasn't it agreed that no one would know?

Yet before he even returned from his shift, these matters were already reaching Luo Xiaoxue's ears.

"Did they tell you any details?"

"Not really, just mentioned you disciplined a bunch of second-generation kids at the West Inspection Station, then discovered an unknown infected body in several words in the isolation chamber, demonstrating your professional ability and raising the Eastern People's reputation."

Luo Xiaoxue showed a playful expression, "Alright, you sure know how to stir things up, even Sister Luo underestimated you."

"Uh..."

Cheng Ye hesitated for a moment, laughed awkwardly, not daring to mention he saved a soldier from the Cross Legion before clocking out.

The day had been quite eventful.

"If Station Chief He hadn't been attacked by an unknown infected body, it wouldn't have been a big deal."

"The infected one was locked in a cage. You wouldn't believe it, Sister Luo, when I got there, it had a pointy head. Despite being muscular, it looked like it overdosed on animal steroids—couldn't be normal."

"As for those second-gens, I only scared them a bit, and they were already intimidated."

Cheng Ye spun a yarn, and the two chatted below the building.

Perhaps He Fei's death abruptly made Luo Xiaoxue realize, there was no absolutely safe place in the Buffer Zone.

Be it North Station, or South Station.

Ultimately, survival depends on strength and tactics, plus a bit of elusive luck.

Thus, she accepted Cheng Ye's stubborn decision to choose the North Station.

People are just peculiar like that; some obsessions suddenly become clear in the face of life and death.

Cheng Ye couldn't find words to describe this psychological shift; it's just that from the moment they arrived in the Wasteland, everyone should be ready to meet death.

The only difference is whether one goes out with glory, or hides in the corner waiting for it.

"Sister Luo, I was on duty all day today, and I think I have to take a rest and go to the learning session tomorrow, so I'll head back tonight."

"Go ahead, do you think that 'Instructor Luo' from Zhou Changhai was for nothing?" Luo Xiaoxue smoothed her hair, a helpless smile on her lips, "I also have to attend the learning session tomorrow and even go up and teach as an instructor."

"Great, I'll definitely support you."

Neither talked about the inspection station's situation, nor discussed the dangers within.

The two shared laughs and joked with each other.

Cheng Ye stood there, watching Luo Xiaoxue walk into the employee community until her figure disappeared through the apartment door, then turned to step into the dense night.

From the chemical plant community to the electronics plant community, it's more than a dozen kilometers.

Yet, while jogging back, Cheng Ye felt a scorching heat all over, and the long-suppressed flame in his heart finally roared to life.

Acquiring skills only narrows the gap with the old folks, still far from being a genius.

But talent is different; it's what directly bridges the foundational gap, allowing him to break free from ordinary constraints.

"Iron Body!"

The words rolled sizzlingly across his tongue, and Cheng Ye could almost taste the blistering heat.

Excited?

Of course, excited!

But no one is more aware than him that this is merely just the beginning.

...

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