From a little-known Wastelander who could only talk to Liu Bi, he's now developed to the point where his contact list has nearly ten people.

Unknowingly, people in this Buffer Zone started to know about "Inspector Cheng," realizing there was such a special Eastern People Inspector.

"Truly impressive. If there's a chance, I should become a stationmaster too and enjoy the spotlight."

Cheng Ye slung his backpack over his shoulder, humming a tuneless melody as he pushed the door open and stepped out.

When he reached the entrance of the community, he habitually glanced at Uncle Dong's shop, the rolling shutter was still tightly shut.

It seemed that Uncle Dong had indeed left. It's just unclear if he managed to leave before the "Stand-In Starfish" expanded its spread.

If he left at precisely this critical moment, then that would be incredibly lucky!

On the way to the bus stop, tables had been set up along the roadside, and no one was in line yet.

Cheng Ye walked over and looked, instantly overjoyed.

According to Liu Bi, Happiness City would develop a cure by this morning at the latest.

As expected, there was no mistake, the sign in front of the table was emblazoned with three large words:

Antidote Powder!

The staff was unpacking boxes of Antidote Powder, taking out palm-sized plastic bags containing dark brown powder, which shimmered finely in the morning light.

"Sir, this is the latest product from the Inner City Research Institute. After taking it, it can enhance personal immunity, even effectively resisting parasites in the event of an outbreak. Currently, the institute is promoting it, so during the promotion period, each resident can receive one packet free daily. After a week, it will cost, starting at 50 coins per packet..."

The staff clearly didn't understand the true significance of the Antidote Powder, just reciting the promotion script according to instructions.

Could it be that this Antidote Powder can't completely eradicate the Stand-In Starfish?

Cheng Ye was suddenly shocked. If the effect had been verified, it could completely mandate nationwide execution.

But adopting such a roundabout method...

Thinking this, he handed over his identity badge. After the other party scanned it on Defense Communication, their expression immediately changed slightly, and they switched to a different tone.

"Honorable Inspector, according to the higher-ups' instructions, you can receive ten packets. The specific usage method and effects will be sent to your Defense Communication. If you run out, you can come to pick up more anytime. We've set up 48 distribution points in the Buffer Zone."

"Alright, thank you."

Cheng Ye spread open his backpack and packed the ten packets of powder. After taking just a couple of steps, his Defense Communication received an encrypted message from the Inner City Broadcast Central Station.

In order to prevent information leakage, it was encrypted using the method in the Inspector's manual.

Just translating the beginning, Cheng Ye's face darkened, and he quickly walked to the street corner to begin translating the entire message.

[Happiness City Broadcast Central Station, A-level Survival Alert]

[Dear Inspector, receiving this message signifies that Happiness City has reached a critical moment of life and death. Any decision you make, any action you take, could potentially save the Shelter City from catastrophe. We need you to bravely stand up and face the impending horrifying threat (A-level warning) alongside the residents.]

[Current disaster: Stand-In Starfish]

[Level: Disaster-]

[The following three data points were generated through simulations performed by the 'Happiness Supercomputer']

[Outbreak scale: 37.157% (number of Infected Bodies)]

[Outbreak level: 97.1% (Second-Phase), 2.8% (Third-Phase)]

[Outbreak center points: A-3, A-7, B-11, B-13, B-14, C-1~C-20]

[Second-Phase Infected Body Strength: Influenced by parasitic hosts, physicality increased by 14%, strength increased by 21%, speed reduced by 27%, defense increased by 119%]

[Response strategies for Infected Bodies:

1. Attack the weak center point at the head of the starfish tumor; extensive testing shows that an attack of over 41.7 Joules can break its defense, and an attack of over 65 Joules guarantees death.

2. Directly attack the Infected Body; the Second-Phase Infected Body can withstand up to 3 fatal injuries. If greater than this number, it will die; less, movement will slow.

3. If directly attacking the Infected Body, the tumor will retain infectious activity for 3-5 minutes. Use tools to place it in a containment box, and do not touch it directly with skin.

4. Third-Phase Fusion Body strength: C-level, no tumor weakness.

Maximum withstand kinetic energy: 317 Joules, attacks above this standard can break its defense.

Maximum withstand fatal injuries: 7 spots. If greater than this number, it will die; less, no noticeable effect.

Fusion Body can recover carnivorous damage; each fatal injury requires 7.12 kg of meat.]

[Starfish Antidote Powder efficacy: Based on parasitic time, take up to 3 packets within 7 days; exceeding will cause severe impacts on liver and kidney functions, mild cases result in necrosis, severe cases in death.

>72 hours, ineffective]

[Recovery price per tumor: 1 Contribution Point (quantity >10, recovery price increases by 10%, quantity >100, recovery price increases by 20%)]

[Combat merits per tumor: 1 merit (10 merits = 1F; 70 merits = 1E; 350 merits = 1C; 700 merits = 1B; 1000 merits = 1A; >1000 earns Happiness Third Class Merit, >5000 earns Happiness Second Class Merit, >10000 earns Happiness First Class Merit, greater contribution to this disaster will earn Happiness Special Merit)]

...

"Is this the efficiency of Happiness City?"

Having translated the entire message, Cheng Ye was stunned, a faint and indescribable shock flashed in his eyes.

How many days has it been since the appearance of the Stand-In Starfish?

Just three days!

Yet Happiness City Institute not only rushed out the corresponding Antidote Powder but also laid out the methods to deal with these Infected Bodies clearly.

Cheng Ye's gaze swept back and forth. The data deduced by the central supercomputer already indicated how terrifying the Stand-In Starfish's threat was.

37.157% of the population infected. The Buffer Zone currently has a resident population of 540,000, indicating 200,000 infections.

Even if Antidote Powder could save 60% of the infected, 80,000 people would still transform into Infected Bodies.

This is not simply falling ill; they transform into zombie-like creatures.

The thought of 80,000 zombies rampaging and crashing through the Buffer Zone sent chills down Cheng Ye's spine.

Moreover, the infection efficiency increases exponentially, even if each infected only infects one person, the scale will grow by another 80,000, this new 80,000 continues to infect...

"But even so, it's only A-level, not the highest S-level; the disaster level is only Disaster-. Does it mean the upper echelons of Happiness City are confident in overcoming this disaster?"

Cheng Ye didn't succumb to blind panic over the data.

Because if there were real panic, the upper echelons of Happiness City should have long since fled by plane.

Yet here, the city continued to operate in an orderly manner, the Buffer Zone continued distributing Antidote Powder.

Everything seemed to be moving in a good direction, not as despairing as the data suggested.

"Contribution Points... Combat Merits..."

His gaze lingered on the rewards at the bottom, and a faint understanding slowly sprouted in Cheng Ye's heart.

From a modern person's perspective, every word of information was steeped in despair.

But from a Wastelander perspective, where martial spirit prevails, killing a zombie can earn them a Contribution Point.

This message was only sent to the Inspectors.

But what if, before the disaster breaks out, it were announced to all ordinary residents and all guards?

...

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