Wasteland Border Inspector

Chapter 260: Standardized Systems, The Sprinting Tianyuan Community!

Following the concealed wiring of the charging station, Cheng Ye soon found the corresponding electricity meter less than thirty meters away.After studying it carefully for a moment, he confirmed that it was just a standard meter recording electricity usage. It had neither been tampered with nor fitted with any surveillance devices. Only then did he completely relax.

The power of the Collector was such that the deeper he used it and the more intelligence he gathered, the more he realized its heaven-defying capabilities.

As long as sufficient energy was provided, it could not only convert it into Transcendent Power and an inexhaustible supply of treasures, but it could also unearth the deepest secrets hidden in people's hearts. It could even search for the Resources that only those who had reached the Transcendent Control State could condense.

And this was far from its limit; there was still immense room for future improvement.

As long as he maintained steady development, Cheng Ye believed that his potential would inevitably surpass the Transcendents of this era, catch up to the Elders of Happiness City, and perhaps one day stand at the very pinnacle of this world.

Of course, conversely, it was blatantly obvious that if the Collector were exposed, it would inevitably trigger an unimaginable uproar, leading to unthinkable consequences.

'The more critical the moment, the more cautious I must be.'

'My rapid growth in Strength, as well as the various anomalies displayed during the Containment of the Immortal Object, are only temporarily masked by my current identity. Those latent guesses and suspicions have never truly disappeared. Before accumulating enough Strength and mastering enough Power to protect myself, I must remain vigilant at all times. I cannot afford the slightest negligence!'

Cheng Ye quietly warned himself, then slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.

His gaze fell on the silver-white charging station. After a few moments of hesitation, he restrained the urge to immediately press the Collector against it to charge.

Time was abundant right now, and the Collector no longer required an extremely high Cooperation Level to search for low-level skills. He could easily start by searching for skills related to charging station modifications to optimize and upgrade the equipment.

From a long-term perspective, however, the safest plan was still to repair the Hydroelectric Station in Dabo Town.

That would be his true home turf. Every record of energy usage, including the Output and input of the power lines, would be under his complete control, eliminating any worry of exposure.

"Da Long," Cheng Ye called out, turning his head.

"From now on, the Pedestrian Street must have three Militiaman squads on rotating guard duty every day. Without my explicit permission, no one is allowed to wander in casually. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir!" Da Long replied in a deep voice.

After arranging the security for the Pedestrian Street, Cheng Ye stepped forward and walked through all the shops in the block.

Currently, these shops were nothing more than empty shells; the basic infrastructure, such as water and electricity pipelines, had not yet been installed.

However, the progress on the Tianyuan Medical building was relatively fast. The electrical circuits had been connected first, the floors and walls had been leveled, and a layer of cement had been applied.

"Let's do this: first unload the equipment from the truck and store it on the first floor of the building. The other areas aren't ready for use yet."

Cheng Ye walked around the building and nodded as he gave his instructions.

Although the main structure of the building was finished, the interior renovations would take at least another month.

The community's current construction crew was only good at rough work. They were ill-equipped for this kind of detailed finishing work, so professional craftsmen would have to be transferred from the Public Works Department to guide them.

Fortunately, most wastelanders were willing to learn and practice, possessing a good aptitude for this kind of repetitive craftsmanship.

Once the renovation project for the Pedestrian Street was entirely completed, he would have cultivated a near-omnipotent construction crew under his command. This team would prove incredibly useful for the subsequent construction work in Dabo Town and other locations.

Returning to District B6, Wang Kang, worried about the equipment on the truck, had already arrived early to keep watch.

Vehicles could not drive directly from B6 to B7, but taking a detour through District B9 would lead right to the Pedestrian Street.

Cheng Ye turned the steering wheel to turn around. As he took a large detour through B9, he specifically looked toward the Yongxing Community.

The architectural styles and site layout that entered his vision suddenly filled his heart with a sense of familiarity.

According to what the District Elder had said before, this used to be a logistics warehouse from the old era.

But logistics warehouses rarely had such a neat layout; it looked more like a building materials market.

This kind of market had a distinct characteristic: the front section housed storefronts for selling products, while the rear served as a storage area for various boards and materials.

Now, the Yongxing Community occupied the exact footprint of that entire market. The front area had been transformed into workshops and trading stalls, while the rear warehouses had been converted into living quarters for the Residents.

He looked further toward the surroundings; the styles and arrangements of those residential buildings also matched his Cognition of the supporting facilities for building materials markets from the old era.

This sight of civilization, passed down for a century, retaining traces of the old times while being endowed with completely new functions, gave him a wonderfully paradoxical feeling of emotion.

'If Yongxing is ultimately willing to follow us to Dabo Town, this empty market would be a highly promising location.'

Cheng Ye pondered to himself.

Whether this massive area was torn down and rebuilt, converted into a material transit station, or developed into a new Shopping Mall, they were all extremely suitable choices that could provide numerous ideas for future development.

"Brother Cheng, look over there!" Wang Kang suddenly spoke up. Through the scattered stalls ahead, he could faintly see figures moving inside the Yongxing Community's warehouse, with quite a few people gathered. "It looks like a lot of people are gathering inside. It seems like a meeting."

"Is that so?"

Cheng Ye glanced in the direction he pointed, then turned his head and asked with a smile, "Xiao Kang, you didn't ask today why I didn't tell Hou Genbao the specific plans for Dabo Town, and instead just sent him back with a few words to think it over carefully?"

"Isn't this a test set by you, Brother Cheng?"

Wang Kang turned his head and shared his own judgment with a smile. "If they dare to take the risk and follow us decisively without knowing all the details, then even if they face danger in Dabo Town, they most likely won't back down in fear. But if they only agree to move after learning every detail and carefully considering everything, then they are no different from those in the Tianyuan Community who just seek stability. They might not be able to withstand the various challenges during the satellite town's construction."

"Not bad. You really have some skills now, kid."

Cheng Ye sighed inwardly. He hadn't expected Wang Kang's growth speed to far exceed his imagination.

It seemed an adventurous environment was truly the best way to train someone. The ten-plus days in Dabo Town were far more meaningful than staying in the buffer zone for several months.

After the solar equipment was unloaded, his Recharge Value was still far from enough to extract several Traits. He could only shelve it for now and handle it tomorrow.

Starting tomorrow, a series of complicated tasks would pile up, waiting for Cheng Ye to handle.

Among these, there were four crucial tasks:

First, reporting for duty at the Inspection Station.

He needed to compile the entire process of the Immortal Object's Containment into a detailed report, refine the relevant information regarding the Demonic Eye Sponge, and submit it all to Happiness City while also uploading it to the Kindling Alliance. This was one of the core responsibilities of an Inspector and brooked no delay.

Second, visiting the Residents rescued from Dabo Town.

Now that more than ten days had passed, the recovery of those Residents who had only suffered Mental Pollution from the Immortal Object should be much better than his own. It wouldn't be long before they could return to Dabo Town and continue participating in the satellite town's construction.

But before that, the promised rewards had to be distributed. Calculated at one hundred Happiness Coins per person, this was an expenditure of a full one hundred thousand Happiness Coins, which was no small expense.

Third, applying for the satellite town's budget.

To secure the funds previously promised by the Elder, he still needed to personally make a trip to the Public Works Department to handle the procedures so the money could land in their account. The various material applications submitted alongside it would also take some time to be approved, so he had to start preparing in advance to avoid delaying the subsequent construction progress.

Fourth, preparing for Field Duty.

This was necessary for the Collector's Rank requirements, as well as the need to enhance his Strength, gather supplies, and recruit talent.

Once Dabo Town's construction entered a stable phase, taking advantage of the time before winter arrived, he naturally had to go to the Wilderness and Light Rainbow to gain experience. This would broaden his horizons and allow him to discover more resources and opportunities.

Beyond that, there was personnel coordination in all aspects: absorbing the Yongxing Community, conscripting the second batch of Drifters, and establishing various functional departments and rules in Dabo Town...

Just running through these matters in his mind was enough to cause a splitting headache.

'Aside from Luo Kuke and Wang Kang, it's time to rope other Inspectors into my team.'

Cheng Ye mused to himself.

Right now, he could single-handedly lead the affairs of Dabo Town. But once he officially took office as the Station Master of Leaping Wilderness Station, not having other Inspectors under him to share the duty workload would absolutely be a massive problem.

He couldn't possibly be expected, as the Station Master, to stand guard at the Inspection Station's checkpoint every single day, personally screening the Drifters, could he?

'What a hassle. It would be best if I could unearth a batch of talent during this Field Duty. Old Ding might not agree if I try to poach directly from the Inspection Station... But when I see him tomorrow, I can test the waters. If he can spare a batch of personnel for me, that would be ideal.'

Thinking this, Cheng Ye suddenly found it a bit amusing.

Back in the day, Cheng Wu poached a group of highly experienced Inspectors from the Inspection Station, severely damaging its foundation.

Cheng Long then rashly led the core backbone of the Easterners out, ultimately dying in vain and throwing the station's East-West balance into disarray.

And now, as he was about to take up his post at Leaping Wilderness Station, he was once again eyeing the personnel of the Happiness City Inspection Station.

When Ding Yishan saw this familiar modus operandi, he would undoubtedly feel a special kind of "familiarity."

"Xiao Kang, I'm going to visit Sister Luo later. Do you want to come along?"

"No thanks, Brother Cheng. I plan to head home and rest for a bit first, then go look for Hall Master Miao." Wang Kang shook his head, a hint of anticipation in his eyes. "I feel like... after getting infected last time, my Martial Body seems like it's about to break through."

"Alright then, keep at it! Tomorrow morning I have to go to the Inspection Station to report for duty, and in the afternoon I have to handle the budget issues. You can take a good day's rest and recharge your energy."

Cheng Ye encouraged him.

The two parted ways at the intersection of the Pedestrian Street. Cheng Ye first went to the small commissary, picked up a dozen cans of fruit and vegetables, and only then walked toward the parking lot at the back of the community.

He had originally planned to hoard these supplies and lie low until winter, but he never expected that plans couldn't keep up with changes.

Now that planting had been permitted around Happiness City, these once-rare items would likely reappear in the Residents' lives before long.

However, Happiness City most likely didn't have enough seeds stockpiled. This upcoming trade with the Kindling Shelter City would probably be another astronomical order.

'Research on mutated plants should also be put on the agenda; there's still a lot of room to maneuver with extracting Traits...'

'The Immortal Object Rongdong beneath Dabo Town is also a good location. Planting some scarce vegetation there would be both confidential and relatively safe. It's a pity that building underwater must be incredibly difficult, and without the Immortal Object, I don't even know what the environment inside is like anymore.'

'But if I can search for Resources, rebuilding the ecology of the underground Rongdong shouldn't be hard...'

Cheng Ye's thoughts continuously churned, only to realize that there were still so many pending tasks.

And the root cause of all these changes was merely Tan Ming unlocking Happiness City's planting permissions.

It truly was a case of pulling one hair and moving the whole body!

As he thought, he had already arrived at the parking lot. Mu Shuang, as promised, had returned his off-road vehicle, and the car's body was even covered with a plastic tarp to shield it from the wind and rain.

Seeing him approach, the two Militiamen on duty immediately stepped forward and swiftly pulled off the plastic tarp.

The off-road vehicle underneath was wiped exceptionally clean, with even the mud stains in the tire treads completely cleared away.

"Sir, no matter if it's windy, raining, or sunny, we wash the car every three days to ensure it stays in perfect condition," one of the Militiamen reported respectfully.

"We also applied for apprenticeship status at the Machinery Department and go every day to learn how to maintain and repair vehicles," the other Militiaman hurriedly added.

"Oh? What are your names?" Cheng Ye asked, a flash of surprise crossing his eyes, nodding with a smile.

The two exchanged a look, unable to conceal the excitement on their faces, and answered in unison:

"I'm Leng Xiaoqi!"

"I'm Leng Xiaoba!"

"You two are brothers?" Cheng Ye was somewhat surprised.

"Yes! We have eight brothers in total!" Leng Xiaoqi quickly explained. "The District Elder arranged for all eight of us to go to the Machinery Department to learn technical skills. My older brothers are still over there right now and haven't come back yet."

"All eight brothers are learning mechanics together?"

Cheng Ye was genuinely stunned.

He opened the car door, put down his belongings, and casually asked a few test questions regarding vehicle maintenance.

To his pleasant surprise, Leng Xiaoqi and Leng Xiaoba really had absorbed quite a bit of knowledge. Although their technical skills couldn't be called exquisite, they should already be able to handle basic tasks like changing tires and replacing fundamental parts independently.

To think that such talents were hidden within the community—it was truly a pleasant surprise!

Cheng Ye was overjoyed. When he left the community earlier, he had only casually mentioned to the District Elder that they needed to cultivate some personnel in mechanics. He never expected the District Elder to actually arrange for people to "infiltrate" the Machinery Department to learn.

If all eight of the Leng Family Brothers could master their studies, opening a repair shop around the community in the future would be More Than Enough!

"Very good, very good!"

Cheng Ye repeated the praise twice. These simple words made Leng Xiaoqi and Leng Xiaoba flush red with excitement, their bodies trembling slightly.

"Study hard. There will definitely come a day when we will need your skills."

"Rest assured, sir. As long as you give the order, we are willing to go through fire and water," the two promised in unison, their eyes full of determination.

"Having this dedication is enough. I am very gratified."

Cheng Ye smiled and patted them both on the shoulders, then got into the car, started the engine, and drove out of the Shopping Mall.

Through the rearview mirror, he looked back from afar. The construction site in the night was still brightly lit, the rumbling sound of machinery unceasing day and night.

Workers repairing the underground pipelines were also working through the night. Countless light sources flickered in the darkness, outlining their busy figures.

None of the newly joined Residents in the community were idle; all were at their respective posts doing whatever tasks they were capable of.

The entire District B7, along with the neighboring B6 and B8, was filled with a bustling atmosphere, exuding a thriving and vigorous Vitality.

However, precisely because the community was developing so rapidly, many of the management systems he had originally envisioned and planned to roll out in a year or two now had to be brought forward significantly.

'I must release a contribution ranking system as soon as possible and quantify everyone's efforts.'

Cheng Ye gripped the steering wheel, pondering to himself. 'If we continue managing things in this muddled way, once the community's population grows even larger, unavoidable disputes will inevitably erupt.'

The current community management model mostly relied on the verbal assignments of the three District Elders. Who was in charge of important tasks, and who could receive extra subsidies, was often settled with just a word.

But as the population increased, this kind of One-man rule style of management would inevitably lead to unfairness.

For example, he later planned to recruit five hundred people to work in the factories. The compensation at the factory would certainly be much richer than the current odd jobs. When the time came, who would be qualified to be selected?

This had to be tied to contribution; those who had made actual contributions to the community and were sufficiently loyal to him had to be given priority.

Another example was the eight Leng brothers he had just met. Did they have contributions?

Of course they did, but the cost of learning mechanical skills was very high, and the community had to support them before they finished their studies.

But under the broader framework of the entire community, how should their contribution value be defined? How much was considered reasonable? All these problems required a clear set of rules to standardize them.

And the contribution degree system was exactly the core needed to quantify these efforts.

Establishing the rules in advance, clarifying the promotion paths and the standards for rewards and punishments, would not only give everyone clear goals to strive for but also make the community's management more orderly and fair, laying a solid foundation for future development.

'Good, good, good. So this is the true difficulty of taking the Idealist Faction route, huh? How interesting!'

The more Cheng Ye thought about it, the more ideas regarding systemic regulations popped into his head unceasingly.

Reaching this point, he finally understood why the other Inspectors were so resistant to dealing with buffer zone Residents and unwilling to take a grassroots route deep among the common people.

The difficulty of managing a community and coordinating personnel was simply far too immense!

This was completely different from Pioneering. In Pioneering, you just had to focus on pushing toward a single objective. Even if some accidents occurred along the way, as long as the final result met the standard, it was acceptable.

But community development essentially had no end point. It was equivalent to operating a massive Gathering Place within a shelter city. If one lacked real capability and management skills, the problems accumulated later on would only multiply.

More crucially, could the input and the returns match up?

For a slacker like Li Matai, he didn't need to lead a large group of community Residents at all. He could just go back to his place to rest after work, go wherever he wanted, and live a free and unrestrained life.

For a dutiful and honest Inspector like Dong Xing, his daily duties already consumed the vast majority of his Vigor, and adding the fact that he was exceptionally unlucky every time he left the city, he naturally had no energy to go manage a community.

Even for those highly experienced Inspectors in the Inspection Station, their focus was entirely outside Happiness City.

They had to execute Field Duty missions and manage the Gathering Places they supported outside; they certainly wouldn't cast their eyes on the buffer zone. After all, doing anything here was equivalent to exposing oneself under everyone's watchful eyes.

Thinking about it this way, someone who could reach this stage like him was truly one of a kind in the entire Inspection Station!