Wasteland Border Inspector

Chapter 287: Convincing Liu Bi, The Hydroelectric Station Opens!

In the end, the ultimate strategy was always sincerity.Whether facing Li Matai, Rocook, Wang Kang, Elder Ou, or Da Long, Cheng Ye never intended to easily reveal his identity and strength.

Sometimes he felt it was unnecessary, and other times he worried that exposing himself too early would attract unwanted trouble.

But facing Liu Bi, his heart held nothing but unreserved sincerity.

It was just like when the timeline rewinded to over half a year ago when he first transmigrated. Liu Bi clearly possessed such formidable strength, yet he always took care of him in the clumsiest of ways, guiding his training and accompanying his growth.

After three months, he similarly did not hide any of his flaws; he laid everything out exactly as it was.

As for whether Liu Bi could accept these changes, Cheng Ye actually did not feel any panic.

Just as expected.

Liu Bi raised a hand, and Niu Fu immediately understood, handing over all the clothes that had just been taken off.

Waiting until a slightly disheveled Cheng Ye put them on, Liu Bi suddenly smiled. "The reserves of elastic alloy are not small. Although forging it into clothes is not very comfortable to wear, adding a layer over your pants would prevent you from looking so battered."

"I did have that thought," Cheng Ye chuckled in response. "It is just that there has been some trouble in the Buffer Zone lately. I cannot go back for the time being, and I have been so busy these days that my feet barely touch the ground. So, this matter was put on hold."

The atmosphere suddenly eased. Liu Bi rubbed a fading purple bruise on his arm and could not help but shake his head. "That ability you used just now was from an Infection Source, right? Is it a Benign Infection Source?"

"Yes, it was during the last Immortal Object mission. I only used it because there was truly no other choice."

"What impact does it have on you?" Liu Bi asked straightforwardly, not beating around the bush.

"I actually gained some opportunities without any negative effects. It will not reduce my lifespan, nor do I have to bear any fatal cost... Well, if you really have to count something, I have to sprint for fifty kilometers after every use. Does that count?" Cheng Ye added with a smile.

"Sprint for fifty kilometers? At what speed?" Liu Bi frowned, instantly grasping the crucial point.

"Just the maximum speed my body can handle. At most, I will be a little tired after finishing."

Cheng Ye gently shook his head.

He was not just saying this casually. His previous fainting spell happened because the burden of running two thousand kilometers had pushed him to his absolute limit. Now, completing a high-intensity fifty-kilometer run from peak condition would, at worst, leave him feeling weak for half a day.

More importantly, every time he paid this so-called cost, his physical fitness would rise to another level.

He had even planned it out already. Once the winter brought some downtime, he would activate the symbiosis every other day, using the opportunity of paying the cost to steadily enhance his baseline stats.

"Then I will have to supervise you every time you pay the cost," Liu Bi said, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.

"Sure, I can even finish running it today. I have some free time right now anyway."

"No, not today," Niu Fu hastily interjected from the side. "Cheng Ye, your Sister Luo is waiting anxiously at home, and Yiyi has been making a fuss demanding Brother B to hurry back."

"Ah? Brother B, after you finished your mission, you did not go home first but came straight to Dabo Town?" Cheng Ye was stunned, his heart filled with astonishment.

He had never expected that Liu Bi's first stop after his mission would not be returning to the Buffer Zone to see his family, but coming to Dabo Town to check on his situation.

Feeling the heavy weight of this deep friendship, Cheng Ye's throat choked up slightly, and for a moment, he did not know what to say.

"The Buffer Zone has been extremely peaceful these days. Nothing major is happening."

Liu Bi sighed, his previously straight and tense posture suddenly relaxing completely. "Although I could not call home directly, your Sister Luo would have someone pass me a message every few days, so I am clear on the situation there. But as for your place..."

As he spoke, he subconsciously tried to raise his hand to pat Cheng Ye on the shoulder, just like how they used to part ways at the public bus station after martial arts practice every day.

But halfway up, he realized that the current Cheng Ye had grown tall and stalwart. He had to lift his arm slightly higher to barely reach Cheng Ye's shoulder.

"It has only been three months, but somehow Brother B feels like three years have passed..."

He voiced his emotion, eventually raising his arm to give Cheng Ye a firm pat on the shoulder. His tone was full of praise, "You make everyone look at you with far more newfound respect than your father did. Well done!"

Between men, there was often no need for overly sentimental sympathy; what was needed was acknowledgment and respect.

Liu Bi did not emotionally exclaim that Cheng Ye had suffered these past three months. Instead, this straightforward acknowledgment signified the end of a struggle—he had completely accepted the reality that Infected Bodies existed in Dabo Town.

The two exchanged glances. Just as Cheng Ye was about to speak, a notification panel popped up without warning.

[Fully open target detected near the Collector]

Hmm?

Cheng Ye paused. In the brief moment he lowered his head, his gaze swiftly swept over the top right corner of the panel.

Sure enough, Liu Bi's Cooperation Level toward him was non-existent. There were only two words: Fully Open.

Additionally, Niu Fu's Cooperation Level was frighteningly high. They had only just met, yet it already stood at 87%.

It was just a pity that the Collector's Recharge Value was down to only 15%.

During this period, he had devoted his entire heart to the construction of Dabo Town. The only time he had charged the Collector was when he took a quick trip to East Peace Town, using an overnight stay to extract Li Matai's remaining two cedar tree skills.

Later, to avoid the power struggles erupting within the Buffer Zone and prevent being dragged in for no reason, he simply stayed behind closed doors. He fortified Dabo Town tightly, making it impossible for anyone looking for trouble to take a single step inside.

If Davidson had not suddenly offered to dismantle a crane for his use, he absolutely would not have stepped outside these past two days. He had intended to stay holed up until the Hydroelectric Station was completely repaired and the external environment settled down.

Thinking of this, Cheng Ye's heart suddenly jumped. He looked up and asked, "Brother B, did you come over this time because the equipment I previously ordered has been produced?"

Liu Bi was taken aback, not expecting his train of thought to leap so quickly. He then chuckled helplessly, "That is crucial equipment worth nearly a hundred thousand points. Your Brother B has worked hard for most of his life and hasn't even saved up half that amount. Where did a kid like you get the money to custom-order that?"

It actually arrived?!

A surge of wild ecstasy rose from the bottom of his heart, making Cheng Ye feel a momentary bout of dizziness.

"To build a satellite city, the funds were naturally requested from the city... Come, come, let's head back and talk in detail!"

Five days ago, a temporary Hydroelectric Station evaluation team formed by the Inner City's Public Works Department arrived at Dabo Town and completed a comprehensive structural assessment.

Although those potential hidden dangers could not be entirely eradicated, the assessment report astonishingly estimated a service life of up to fifteen years. This meant that as long as normal operations and maintenance were kept up, there would be no structural issues for fifteen years.

With this assessment report in hand, requesting the industrial zone to produce the repair materials went smoothly without a hitch.

It was only the delivery timeframe that was problematic; even relying on Davidson's connections, the industrial zone only promised delivery within half a month.

He had originally thought he would have to wait a few more days. He never expected that today, only the sixth day, the equipment would arrive nearly ten days ahead of schedule.

With the equipment on-site, the most critical link in Dabo Town's development plan could finally be officially launched!

"Are you in that much of a rush?"

"Dabo Town's development is banking on this Hydroelectric Station! Haven't I already set up the factory?"

Boarding the wooden boat, Cheng Ye continually explained.

Besides the Collector desperately needing electrical energy to recharge, Dabo Town's subsequent construction could not proceed without a stable power supply.

Now, once night fell, the town could only rely on the solar energy he had conveniently preserved while containing the Immortal Object for minimal lighting.

Power tools like chainsaws and electric drills were completely unusable. Construction progress could only be pushed forward bit by bit through manual labor, and the slow pace was enough to induce anxiety.

Moreover, the residents were eagerly awaiting for the electricity to be connected as soon as possible.

Nutrient paste needed heating, and everyday hot drinking water relied on the power supply. The weather was growing colder by the day. The residents from the Yongxing Community had relatively decent physical constitutions, but in the Drifter group, people were catching colds one after another.

Not to mention that Dabo Town would continue to expand later on. When that time came, there would only be more infrastructure laid out, making electricity the most absolute of necessities.

"Energy..." Liu Bi looked thoughtful. "Is this the reason you chose Dabo Town?"

"Yes." Cheng Ye nodded, calculating the numbers with clear logic. "The Hydroelectric Station here can steadily supply thousands of kilowatt-hours of electricity every day, which is essentially obtained for free. Based on the Buffer Zone's price of 15 Contribution Points per hundred kilowatt-hours, the station can bring in roughly 1,100 points of daily revenue. That amounts to 33,000 points a month. Even factoring in usage losses, the repair funds poured into this project will completely pay for themselves within five months at most."

Although electricity for satellite cities could receive subsidies and could not simply be calculated at 15 points, spending money and making an investment were entirely different concepts. The passive income from the Hydroelectric Station would only continue to grow.

Faced with the sheer impact of these direct figures, translated into daily revenue, Liu Bi was left somewhat dumbfounded.

Even Niu Fu, who was rowing the boat, felt his hands tremble for a second. However, his rowing speed actually picked up, evidently startled by this massive return.

After returning to the Storage Area.

More than half of the cargo had already been unloaded. At a glance, Cheng Ye spotted two pieces of core equipment with their outer packaging stripped away:

A hydraulic hoist, and an axial-flow turbine generator unit!

Given Happiness City's industrial capabilities, the former was relatively easy to manufacture. However, the latter demanded extremely high standards, whether in the complexity of its internal structure or the overall manufacturing process.

For the core runner and propeller blades, the blade profile deviation had to be strictly controlled within millimeters. The slightest discrepancy would severely reduce hydraulic efficiency. Over long-term operation, the additional energy consumption and equipment wear would result in astronomical losses.

When it came to machining, the blades featured complex curved structures. Not only did they require comprehensive milling using five-axis CNC machines, but they also needed 3D scanning post-production to verify surface precision. If even a single spot failed to meet the standards, the entire piece would have to be reworked from scratch.

It could be said that being able to construct this marvel was enough to prove that Happiness City's industry had definitively reached modern-era standards.

As long as one had the corresponding blueprints and fully understood the manufacturing process, replicating any artificial product in the future would simply be a matter of time.

Moreover, it was not just about production; during the assembly phase, the coaxiality error when connecting the runner and the main shaft had to be controlled to the micrometer level. Otherwise, the unit would vibrate excessively, and within half a year, it would require a complete overhaul.

Right now, caressing the alloy blades that looked like fine works of art, Cheng Ye held back for a moment before finally bursting into boisterous laughter.

Propeller blades inherently needed high resistance to cavitation, wear and tear, and required immense structural strength, typically utilizing stainless steel materials. But leveraging Davidson's connections, this batch of blades was directly cast from Isolation Alloy.

As a superalloy capable of resisting attacks from Infected Bodies, even if the Hydroelectric Station were breached and destroyed by Infected Bodies one day, there was a high probability these blades would remain completely intact without a scratch.

Most importantly, just this axial-flow turbine generator unit alone was originally estimated to cost as much as 150,000 Contribution Points.

Now, under the guise of constructing a satellite city, even if he was essentially paving the way for his own private territory, he still enjoyed a fifty percent discount from the industrial zone. The industrial zone even had to subsidize part of the costs.

This unit alone only cost 75,000 points. Adding the hydraulic hoist and the complementary wiring, the grand total only came to 97,000 points.

Factoring in the previously invested expenses for repair materials, fully restoring the entire Hydroelectric Station ended up costing a mere 130,000 Contribution Points, far lower than the initial budget.

'Thank you, Happiness City!'

Cheng Ye silently said in his heart. At this moment, he truly felt that happiness was lingering right beside him.

With such a powerful colossus backing him up, what he needed to do was actually very simple.

As long as he found ways to continuously help this behemoth grow stronger, he would reap returns multiplied several times, or even dozens of times over.

"How do we install these two sets of equipment? Do you want me to find a few engineers for you?" Liu Bi approached, seeing the heartfelt smile on Cheng Ye's face, and offered proactively.

"No need for the trouble, the engineers were arranged long ago." As Cheng Ye spoke, he fished out his Defense Terminal and directly called Lin Bao.

"Uncle Lin, the core equipment for my Hydroelectric Station has arrived. Right, arrange for your people to come over. It would be best if we can start work today."

Uncle Lin?

Liu Bi paused for a moment. Immediately after, a hearty and familiar laugh rang out from the other end of the line, "No problem! I will have them head out right now. Everyone is just sitting idle anyway. They will be there in an hour."

"Many thanks, Uncle Lin."

After hanging up the phone, Liu Bi finally snapped out of his daze and hastily asked, "Were you just on the phone with Lin Bao?"

"Yeah, he is one of the supervisors in Wenlu County, mainly in charge of manpower allocation. The projects over there happen to be suspended these past few days, so transferring a few engineers over to help out is not a problem at all," Cheng Ye explained.

"How do you know him?" Liu Bi's brow furrowed as he pressed further. "That guy is not someone who gives you peace of mind. He schemes way too much. Whenever Brother Long ran into him back in the day, they would always end up bickering for a bit..."

"Rest assured, Brother B. It is just simple professional communication. It does not involve any exchange of interests."

Cheng Ye could not help but shake his head. Although Liu Bi had clearly just been away in the industrial zone these past three months, it felt as though he had retreated to some deep mountains for isolated cultivation.

Taking advantage of the brief window before the engineers arrived, he simply took Liu Bi and Niu Fu on a tour around the remaining areas of Dabo Town.

Half a month was simply too short. Although Dabo Town's overall layout had been established, the only areas where construction progress was truly advancing were the industrial zone and the flood defense wall. The remaining zones consisted of simple, temporary structures, just barely satisfying basic functional requirements.

"Currently, all the buildings I am erecting employ a prefabricated modular design. This way, whether we need to temporarily alter the layout or tear them down for reconstruction, it is only a matter of giving the word. However, if we pour concrete, it would be equivalent to locking down a portion of Dabo Town's economy."

Pointing at the already leveled foundations in the central district, Cheng Ye stated clearly.

The Department System units managing all aspects of Dabo Town were centrally located here to facilitate communication and exchange.

But moving forward, they would definitely be decentralized and rebuilt across different zones to meet varying needs.

Constructing buildings with concrete might buy temporary stability, but it would sacrifice long-term developmental potential.

Cheng Ye had thought this through exceptionally clearly. Given his current rate of development, there was absolutely no need to throw massive amounts of resources into such fixed infrastructural works.

This place was not the Buffer Zone's Pedestrian Street. Once the Pedestrian Street was built, issues of demolition and rebuilding rarely needed to be considered. Dabo Town, on the other hand, was in a phase of rapid development, harboring too many variables.

Opting for prefabricated modular housing was much more flexible. Even if they had to be torn down, the materials would not go to waste. They could be dismantled in half a day and reassembled in a new location the very next, boasting incredibly high efficiency.

More crucially, Shi Xu had mentioned previously that Torch would later trade a B+-Grade Technology for the Immortal Object, and this technology was perfectly suited for satellite city construction.

Although it was still unclear what exact technology it would be, Dabo Town could absolutely slow down the pace of full-scale construction for now. It wouldn't be too late to focus their efforts and push forward after obtaining the technology next spring.

"I have been allocating materials in the industrial zone for a long time, and indeed, Dabo Town is the only one continuously placing orders for prefabricated panels. For other places, they are practically given away at a heavy discount. Otherwise, the shoddy products produced by the Hundred Ghost Gang wouldn't even..."

Liu Bi said, suddenly coughing twice, "Are the panels I selected for you problem-free?"

"No problems at all. The quality is excellent, and it saved me a lot of trouble."

Cheng Ye smiled, smoothly taking over the topic of conversation.

Just as tools were manufactured by Li Matai's East Peace Town, the Hundred Ghost Gang was also involved in the production of prefabricated panels.

Most of these panels were pressed from recycled materials scavenged from the Chuan City Ruins. Naturally, their quality could not match the premium products specially pressed from shredded scrap in the industrial zone.

This was exactly why other satellite cities had abandoned prefabricated housing. However, the fewer people bought them, the lower the Hundred Ghost Gang's profit margins sank, leading to increasingly deteriorating panel quality. Davidson often complained to him, saying the panels shipped to Wenlu County were not even half the quality of Dabo Town's.

Walking past the Department System central hub, they arrived at the residential area, where the layout was much simpler.

Cheng Ye explained the town's membership system in a few sentences. Although Liu Bi only half-understood, he did not casually ask questions about things outside his expertise. Moreover, compared to when Cheng Ye initially explained it to Wang Kang, the two zones were now built, and the visual disparity was obvious at a glance.

Although the hygiene in the Large Shared Sleeping Area was passable, it inevitably appeared somewhat chaotic.

Beside the strategically placed trash cans, there were lingering traces of dirty water that had not been cleaned up in time.

But upon entering the family housing sector, the scene was completely different. The ground was swept entirely clean, and pushing open the doors revealed spotless interiors.

The beds were neatly made, and the supplies stacked on the floor were properly sorted and arranged.

Stepping outside the rooms, not a single piece of trash could be spotted in the pathways between homes, and the walkways were flat and tidy.

Even the designated trash cans were absurdly clean, and some flowers and plants had been transplanted nearby, radiating a thick, vibrant atmosphere of life.

"All of this is..." Liu Bi pointed at the minor modifications within the sector, even noticing wooden toys meant for children left near the doorways.

"The base frameworks of the houses are identical. These extra arrangements are all spontaneous modifications made by the residents," Cheng Ye explained with a smile.

The Large Shared Sleeping Area was ultimately a collective residence, while the family homes were intimate spaces belonging to individual families.

Even if it was merely rented, that sense of belonging was irreplaceable. Especially after a long, exhausting day of labor, having a family return to an independent room to chat and laugh over nutrient paste—that kind of warmth was far more soothing to the soul than any verbal comfort.

"Good, well done, extremely well done!" Liu Bi stopped in his tracks, saying "good" three times in a row, his tone brimming with approval.

Stuck in the industrial zone managing deliveries, he seemed isolated from the world. Yet, through the opportunity of resource allocation, he indirectly observed the differing developmental philosophies of the various satellite cities.

Administrators like Cheng Ye, who considered everything from the perspective of the residents, were exceedingly rare.

"Your grandfather and your father, they both valued mass foundation more than the other. Especially Brother Long—back when he led teams in Pioneering, it only took a single word from him, and tens of thousands of people were willing to lay down their lives for him. I originally thought I would need to guide you through some major events before you understood this principle. Now, it seems I was overthinking."

Liu Bi said with deep emotion, but Cheng Ye did not chime in.

Because Liu Bi did not yet know that Dabo Town was no longer just a satellite city belonging purely to Happiness City. It was now his, Inspector Cheng's, personal fiefdom.

Since this was his own territory, he naturally had to manage it diligently from the very beginning. He absolutely could not treat it with the mindset of merely completing a task.

Of the two remaining three-story buildings, the one on the right was the Dabo Medical Station.

However, although called a medical station, it also served as a temporary school. The first floor was designed for wards and treatment areas, while the second and third floors had all been converted into classrooms.

The Buffer Zone's medical staff had already been gradually redistributed following the restructuring. Despite Zhu Xiang's exhaustive efforts, he only managed to recruit three male nurses to Dabo Town.

The only doctor currently in town was specifically brought over as a favor Cheng Ye had asked of Wei Zhou.

Currently, thirty individuals selected from among the residents were undergoing basic medical training.

Expecting these people to perform complex surgeries in the future was clearly unrealistic. But as long as they could treat common injuries and were willing to keep learning and improving, it would be more than enough to sustain Dabo Town's foundational medical needs.

The same went for the other building, the Material Collection and Sales Station. Its first floor imitated the Buffer Zone's supply depots, making it convenient for residents to exchange daily necessities.

The second floor served as Dabo Town's current office area. A row of rooms was packed with people, comprising both the engineering team brought by Lin Xu and the several engineers sent over for support from Wenlu County.

Furthermore, for Dabo Town to develop properly, a system for revenue and expenditure accounts needed to be established right from the start.

Cheng Ye did not have specialized personnel for this on hand, so he had no choice but to temporarily ask Da Long to transfer three people from the Tianyuan Community.

He did not expect the accounts to be impeccably kept; he only needed to ensure the books were clear and free of fraud or tampering.

Reaching the third floor, this was the combined office and living quarters for himself, Wang Kang, and Rocook.

A total of five rooms were set aside here, each identical in size.

Pushing open the door to the middle room, the furnishings inside were so crude they exceeded Liu Bi's expectations.

At first glance, the most conspicuous object was a solid wood desk, piled high with engineering blueprints and various documents. The floor was also littered with many opened books.

Further inside was a simple reception area, where a square wooden table was surrounded by a few wooden stools.

Past the reception area was a small resting partition. Liu Bi stared at the floor mattress inside the partition, blanked for a moment, and could not help but ask, "Do you normally sleep on the floor?"

"Ah, everything is kept simple in the early stages..." Cheng Ye scratched his head.

"No way. Old Niu, make a note of this. Tomorrow, go buy a bed and send it over. Pick a good one."

"Yes!" Niu Fu had also been shocked by the spartan arrangement, sighing with feeling, "Inspector Cheng has truly inherited the upright and uncorrupted demeanor of old man Cheng Wu!"

"Hehe..." Cheng Ye forced an awkward laugh. He secretly hoped Niu Fu would still say that next year.

He was not someone who could endure a life of hardship for long.

Once Dabo Town developed, he definitely had to get himself a massive office far more lavish than Ding Yishan's.

All material conditions would have to be maxed out, letting outsiders immediately feel Dabo Town's power and affluence the moment they stepped through the door.

After the few of them sat around the square table, Cheng Ye picked up the water kettle and cups from the floor. As he poured water, he decisively recounted all the major events that had transpired over the past three months.

Three months did not sound long at first, but the sheer density of the successive events equaled the volume of several normal years.

From the full-blown outbreak of the Starfish Epidemic to the Buffer Zone's gradual decline, then the descent of the Void Mist covering Sha Province, and the subsequent roaming of Walkers triggered after the Void Mist linked with the Kindling Shelter City...

"Wait, this C35 that wandered over wouldn't happen to be that Yu Yong, would it?" Liu Bi had initially been listening with furrowed brows, but upon hearing that over a hundred thousand people in a shelter city had perished under a Mother Source outbreak, and that this very Mother Source had migrated to Happiness City, he immediately realized the severity of the problem.

"Yes, he is that C35."

"An Infection Source capable of destroying a satellite city... and he is... that weak?" Liu Bi asked in astonishment.

It was a good thing Yu Yong was not here. Otherwise, hearing those words would undoubtedly deliver another heavy blow to his pride.

"Hold on, the twists and turns that happened afterward were far more bizarre than Yu Yong!" Cheng Ye said, feeling himself that these experiences were somewhat absurd.

Yet, this was the norm in the wasteland. No one could say for sure which would come first: tomorrow, or an accident.

Just like the dominant force of the wasteland, the Kindling Shelter City, even they could not preemptively predict the invasions of all Infection Sources.

When discussing the satellite city construction plan, Cheng Ye didn't hide anything. He directly stated that he was the one who proposed the plan and that it had already gained Ding Yishan's approval.

He had never mentioned this matter to anyone else. What surprised him, however, was that Liu Bi did not show the slightest bit of shock after hearing it.

"Station Master Ding's temperament is actually somewhat similar to Station Master Cheng Wu's." Liu Bi spoke slowly, his tone shifting back and forth. "He doesn't care who comes up with an idea; as long as it works, he will accept it. It is just that over these past few years..."

Having said this much, he trailed off. Yet Cheng Ye could vaguely comprehend the unspoken meaning behind his words.

It was nothing more than the fact that the Inspection Station's situation had been dreadful in recent years. Riddled with accumulated flaws, any reform measures found it difficult to move even an inch. Even if Ding Yishan was willing to listen to advice, it was ultimately too hard to push forward, making speaking up a futile effort.

But these were all old matters of the past. Dredging up these old topics repeatedly would not make anyone feel pleasant.

"Later on, when the Inspector Contract System was launched, I also signed up, and eventually settled on Dabo Town."

Cheng Ye shifted the conversation, skipping over the various advantages of Dabo Town and bypassing the tedious initial surveying, plunging straight into the scenario of his first assessment.

From the inexplicably erupting Infection Source to the wide-spreading Mental Pollution, and then the unexpected discovery of the Immortal Object's traces during the survey. Cheng Ye tried to narrate in a plain tone, adding little embellishment.

However, Liu Bi's expression grew increasingly solemn, and Niu Fu, standing to the side, could not help but gape in awe.

As Inspectors, they might not grasp the essence of an Immortal Object, nor fully understand the true horror of Mental Pollution. But the final 'Annihilation' grade designation of the mission alone was enough to illustrate how perilous the situation had been at the time. A single misstep would have resulted in eternal damnation.

Everything that followed fell logically into place—meeting the Elder, recovering from injuries, and initiating the construction of Dabo Town...

Having finished recounting all this, Cheng Ye let out a long sigh of relief. Right at that moment, the Defense Terminal rang out—the engineers from Wenlu County had arrived.

Leaving a dumbfounded Liu Bi and Niu Fu sitting there, he hastily got up to greet the engineers to repair the Hydroelectric Station.

In his bustling silhouette, not a trace of youthful naivety remained.

The young man who had once been solely focused on how to survive had now transformed, remarkably becoming a person of prestige and status within Happiness City.

After a long while, Liu Bi finally licked his dry lips and slowly recovered from his shock. Turning his head, he asked, "Old Niu, back in the day when Brother Long was at his age, was he this incredible?"

"No." Niu Fu shook his head honestly. "A Trainee Inspector single-handedly managing the Containment of an Immortal Object, and one containing the power of hundreds of thousands of people to boot... Even if there was some clever maneuvering involved, looking across all of Happiness City, I am afraid only old man Cheng Wu's experiences from back then could compare to this."

"That is still different. Station Master Cheng Wu genuinely used a mortal body to scheme and eliminate a Transcendent from the Old Era. There were no shortcuts taken throughout the entire process..."

Pausing there, he shifted his tone and corrected himself, "But you are right, too. Cheng Ye's experiences are simply impossible to replicate and can equally be considered legendary. To think that what Brother Long failed to inherit was actually achieved by a grandson Station Master Cheng Wu had never even met. It truly is... unbelievable."

It truly could only be described as unbelievable.

Liu Bi mused inwardly. Even if it had been himself facing the crisis of the Immortal Object, he might not have made it out alive.

"So you are saying that Rocook was convinced by Inspector Cheng's methods, and is now dead set on following him?"

"He is quite smart, actually. He knows his legs are ruined, and staying at the Inspection Station would only result in him being ostracized."

Liu Bi's expression fluctuated uncertainly, suddenly pondering, "However, he didn't warn me about the matter regarding Yu Yong. Could it be that he wants to use my hands to warn Cheng Ye?"

"Then Brother B, are you planning to..." Niu Fu probed cautiously.

Researching Infected Bodies was something outsiders might dabble in, but Inspectors absolutely could not touch it. It was an uncrossable red line.

But as Cheng Ye had just mentioned, the Elder had not objected, and Ding Yishan had agreed to the restructuring. This indicated that Happiness City's upper echelon tacitly permitted this matter.

However, the risks involved could not be weighed so simply. If a blunder truly occurred, it would be glaringly obvious whose head the responsibility would fall on.

Happiness City had the ability to forcibly suppress any fallout after a problem erupted, but as the person in charge of this project, Cheng Ye would absolutely suffer a catastrophic downfall.

Liu Bi's finger lightly tapped against the leg of the stool beside him. His gaze darkened as he sank into deep thought for a long time.

A moment later, he abruptly stood up and declared in a low voice, "Let's go. Return to the city. I am going to see Station Master Ding!"

"Ah?" Niu Fu was momentarily stunned and hastily followed up, "Then are we not going to chat a bit more with Inspector Cheng? Shouldn't we discuss the matter of researching Infected Bodies with him some more?"

"Old Niu, he is already an Infected Body." Liu Bi's voice betrayed an unconcealable heaviness, his footsteps not pausing. "He has already reached a point of no return."

"You saw it with your own eyes too. He can still control that power right now, but what about the future? What if he loses control one day?"

"The path of researching Infected Bodies... someone ultimately has to push it forward. Since Station Master Cheng Wu also said back in the day that this was a necessary step in the Inspection Station's development."

Liu Bi's expression softened a bit, speaking as if muttering to himself, yet also sighing to Niu Fu. "Perhaps there truly needs to be someone like Cheng Ye, who burns his bridges and throws himself into it, to genuinely figure out the true nature of Infected Bodies. Otherwise, by always standing on the opposing side without firsthand contact, we will never understand what is truly going through the minds of these Infected Bodies, nor how to effectively block them outside the Inspection Station."

"Brother B, you don't also want to become an Infected Body, do you?" Seeing Liu Bi's flickering gaze, his heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly changed his tune, "That absolutely won't do! Setting aside the consequences and the cost, we don't even have the money to buy an A-Grade Benign Infection Source. Plus, Sister Luo and Yiyi can't do without you."

"What nonsense are you thinking?" Having his fleeting thought punctured by Niu Fu, a hint of embarrassment flashed across Liu Bi's face. He immediately straightened his expression and said seriously, "I am going to see Station Master Ding because I want to tell him that we cannot let Cheng Ye carry this burden alone. Since the Inspection Station agreed to let him conduct research and push for restructuring, they should state a clear stance."

"If any problems genuinely occur, the Station must shoulder the consequences together. We absolutely cannot let him take the fall all by himself!"