Wasteland Border Inspector

Chapter 196: Personnel Coordination and Tough Measures

"Can I choose any of the weapons on this list?""Yes!" The staff member nodded, clearly understanding which one he was referring to, and immediately explained, "Everyone's list is different. The ones you see now are exclusively available for you to choose."

"Then I want this Red Blade." Cheng Ye tapped his finger on the list.

This blade left behind by Cheng Long was forged with over one kilogram of the Supernatural Ore known as Firelong Iron. Although he did not know its specific effects, he figured it must far surpass the standard issue weapons on the list.

Wang Kang quickly found a unique weapon on his own list as well.

The Purple Blade!

Its design was almost identical to the Red Blade, with only slight differences in color and name.

'Could it be that Cheng Long's small group from back then had Song Qing forge these in a batch?'

"This might be a Relic left behind by your father," Cheng Ye said softly.

Wang Kang froze for a moment, his gaze suddenly fixating. "Then I will choose this... Purple Blade."

After the weapons were selected, the staff member verified the choices and began to read out the Assessment rules:

"The standard Assessment period is a total of seventy-two hours, with additional time granted in case of special circumstances. During this period, you need to lead the Residents to complete the following Assessment Tasks, which will serve as your evaluation metrics..."

"In addition, the first round of tasks will begin tomorrow at ten in the morning. After that, there will be one round at ten in the morning and another at three in the afternoon every day, concluding with the final round at ten in the morning on the third day, making a total of five rounds. The priority for task selection will be decided by rolling dice. You need to roll twice to determine the first and last zone selection."

Saying this, the staff member took out three dice.

At Cheng Ye's signal, Wang Kang stepped forward and rolled. The first roll was an eleven, and the second was a sixteen.

"Inspector Luo Kuke has already rolled. His first was a fourteen and his last was a twelve. You have secured the right to the final zone selection."

After confirming the order, the staff member pulled two items from under the table.

Cheng Ye glanced at them, slightly surprised inwardly, but his face remained impassive.

'What a coincidence.'

It was the Torchbearer Comm!

He had previously been worrying that personal equipment was not allowed during the Assessment, leaving him with no way to look things up if he encountered unfamiliar objects. He never expected the Inspection Station to issue these to the participating Inspectors.

However, upon taking it in hand, he realized the weight and material were different from his previous one.

The material was thicker, the battery seemed larger, but the screen's response speed was slightly slower.

'Is this an export version?'

There were only three Programs on the screen. The first two were exclusively for this Assessment: [Satellite City Construction Assessment] and [Assessment Task]. The third was the [Information Query] he was already familiar with.

While the staff member was explaining how to use it, Cheng Ye quietly tapped into the Information Query and tried searching for "Walker". The interface showed no reaction, and no related phrases popped up.

He then entered a few rare Infection Sources, which worked without issue, immediately bringing up the relevant information.

'It seems it has already undergone Censorship in advance...'

Cheng Ye understood the situation clearly.

After using it for a while, he had already discovered that the Torchbearer Comm far surpassed Happiness City's Defense Terminal in Hardware, Programs, Endurance, and Intelligence. Yet, Happiness City still continued to use the latter, which was actually a form of Competition.

Back in the day, Happiness City had reaped the benefits of Chip technology, accumulating a rich foundation. To this day, how could they possibly abandon their own research and development to switch to the products of other Sanctuary Cities?

It was just that the gap was visible to the naked eye. Without any "unexpected situations," it would be almost impossible to catch up again.

"Please open the Assessment Program," the staff member instructed.

Cheng Ye pressed his finger against the icon. The page transitioned, and the main interface displayed the Dabo Town Topographic Map, with Two Large Red and Blue Circles dividing the town in half.

The red circle was labeled "Luo," and the blue circle was labeled "Cheng."

'Assigned to the west? Is my luck this good?'

Cheng Ye narrowed his eyes slightly.

The east was immediately adjacent to the White Water River. If anything were to come ashore from the river, the eastern side would bear the brunt of it.

The west, on the other hand, was close to the Wilderness. According to the circled area, it extended a full kilometer out from the town.

The risks on both sides were different, but the east was clearly more dangerous.

"The blue circle is the movement area for the Residents under your command. With the exception of the Patrol Team, please restrict them from leaving, and especially ensure they do not enter the opponent's area."

The staff member added, "Of course, this excludes unexpected situations. We have a Verification Procedure. Please rest assured, the safety of the Residents and yourself will always take priority over the Assessment Tasks."

"Understood," Cheng Ye nodded.

"Once a task begins, you can enter this module to query the details. After completion, there will be submission guidelines."

The staff member then pointed to the Information Query function. "If you encounter an unknown Infection Source or mutated creature, you can use the Photo Retrieval. The database comes from the Kindling Alliance and can provide complete information."

After demonstrating how to use the Torchbearer Comm, the staff member pulled an instrument resembling an old-fashioned handheld game console from under the table. It had a screen on top and a joystick at the bottom. "This is the Infection Source Intensity Detector. Once turned on, it can detect residual traces of Infection Sources nearby, helping you avoid risks."

"Huh?"

Cheng Ye was taken aback. 'Such a thing exists? Why haven't I heard of it at the Inspection Station?'

'With this device, wouldn't evaluating an Infected Entity be much easier?'

Seeing his confusion, the staff member chuckled. "This device has rather limited functions. You will understand once you try it."

Cheng Ye held down the power button on the side. Three seconds later, the screen lit up. A symbol resembling a Wi-Fi icon radiated outward, and densely packed Yellow and Red Signal Points emerged.

"Why are there so many?" He frowned. The closest Signal Point was right beneath his feet.

"A Signal Point indicates that an Infection Source once passed through here, leaving behind its Essence. Alternatively, if someone recently came into contact with an Infection Source, they will carry that Essence on them and spread it to the surrounding area," the staff member explained.

Cheng Ye nudged the joystick to focus on the Signal Point beneath his feet. A number popped up:

[0.27]

"The larger the number, the shorter the time since the Infection Source passed by. Generally speaking, a red Signal Point greater than one means there has been Infection Source activity within the last week, requiring vigilance."

"Oh, so if this is used in the Buffer Zone..." Cheng Ye instantly realized.

"It would display a massive patch of red, connecting to every part of the Buffer Zone." The staff member smiled. "This instrument is only somewhat useful in the sparsely populated Wilderness. Once a crowd gathers in a location for too long, it essentially becomes useless."

'Alright.'

'That really is quite limited.'

Inspectors could detect Infection Sources every day, bringing that Essence into the Sanctuary City.

Furthermore, those Scavengers sometimes also came into contact with Infection Sources. They just hadn't been infected or had already purged the infection. Relying solely on such a simple signal detection wouldn't even qualify as supplementary testing at the Inspection Station.

Additionally, the maximum detection range was only two hundred meters.

Cheng Ye glanced at his surroundings. Most of the yellow Signal Points were between 0.2 and 0.5, and the few red points were only around 1.1 to 1.3.

This only proved that an Infection Source had passed through within the last week. For instance, the red point with an intensity of 1.2 on the Township Road looked completely empty to the naked eye, yet the signal still lingered.

"Just treat it as a reference. As long as it can help you even a little, it will have been worth its value."

"Alright." Cheng Ye stuffed the detector into his Backpack.

With the Assessment tools handed over, the next step was to confirm the handover of the standard items for an Inspector's work.

One hundred Containment Boxes of various specifications had already been sent over with the supplies. Five sets of Containment Tools designed to handle various types of Infected Entities had also been prepared, so there was no need to worry about lacking replacements in case of contamination.

It was exactly as Mu Shuang had said: the Inspection Station had already prepared everything. The Inspector just needed to show up.

"Is that everything?" After verifying the list, Cheng Ye signed his name.

"That's everything." The staff member nodded. "Please, the two of you may cross the Isolation Zone and officially enter the Assessment area.

"Head back. Help me park the car and put that gun away properly," Cheng Ye said, hoisting his Backpack and turning to Mu Shuang.

With an assortment of large and small bags, along with a massive Suitcase, it really did look a bit like he was graduating and leaving campus.

"Inspector Cheng, please pay attention to your safety. Call us immediately if you encounter any danger," Wu Rui urged, still feeling uneasy.

Cheng Ye nodded and stepped through the Isolation Zone alongside Wang Kang.

The red and blue circles were divided by the Government Building in the center of the town. After walking forward a short distance, before they even fully entered the town, they had already stepped into the red circle's territory.

Figures with varying expressions stood along the desolate roadside, mostly organizing the supplies they had brought with them. Piled in the middle of the road were Luo Kuke's Assessment materials, taking up the entire street and extending for dozens of meters.

However, since it wasn't yet twelve o'clock, they couldn't be unpacked, and a layer of blue waterproof tarp still covered them.

Seeing the two approaching with their Suitcase, Garcia showed no reaction, solely focused on rummaging through the contents of his Backpack.

Luo Kuke, on the other hand, put on that familiar, bothersome smile and walked over to greet them. "Inspector Cheng, for the next three days, even though we are competitors, let's not forget to look out for each other."

"Naturally. Safety first, Assessment second, right?"

Cheng Ye forced a smile as well, his gaze impassively sweeping over Luo Kuke's supplies and recruited Residents.

'Good heavens.'

Not only were the Resident selections closely mimicking his own choices—focusing primarily on families with very few Able-bodied Youths or childless couples.

Even his choice of supplies was a total copycat move, having purchased a pile of residential units. He had clearly caught wind of the plan Cheng Ye had pitched to his Residents.

However, these things couldn't be kept secret anyway, so being eavesdropped on was completely normal.

"Inspector Luo's learning efficiency is truly worthy of a Third-stage Inspector," Cheng Ye remarked sarcastically.

Yet, Luo Kuke acted as if he hadn't caught the sarcasm, remaining all smiles. "After all, we are building a satellite city. Choosing the same items means that no matter who wins, they can be left for the victor to utilize, avoiding any waste of resources."

"Then I'll thank Inspector Luo in advance. These are worth tens of thousands of Contribution Points." Cheng Ye flashed a toothy grin, purposefully raising his voice so that Garcia, who was crouching nearby, could hear as well.

But Garcia seemed to have been thoroughly trained by Luo Kuke beforehand. Hearing this, he showed zero reaction, not even batting an eyelid.

Instead, it was Luo Kuke who cracked his neck, his smile unwavering. "Inspector Cheng's words make sense. I truly wish I could be of help to you, but alas, I must also thank you."

'What a headache.'

It seemed that trying to use verbal jabs to drive a wedge between Garcia and Luo Kuke with just a few words was impossible.

Cheng Ye wasn't surprised. He tilted his neck and strode forward.

As the backbone of the Inspection Station, it was only normal that these Third-stage Inspectors were not easy to deal with.

Even Li Matai emitted a palpable, deep-seated sharpness.

Meanwhile, Song Hai, Gu Xinjing, and Luo Kuke right before his eyes—those who were in their prime and filled with an aggressive drive—would undoubtedly be outstanding figures capable of taking charge of an entire operation if placed in the modern era.

After taking a few steps, Luo Kuke continued to follow behind him, clearly intending to escort him to the boundary.

Just as he reached the boundary line, Cheng Ye could see the people he had chosen the previous day standing by the roadside. Seeing him approach, every one of them dropped what they were doing, standing up and waving excitedly.

Compared to the lifeless and dreary atmosphere on Luo Kuke's side, the morale of the two groups was simply worlds apart.

"Dabo Town was completely abandoned before Inspector Cheng was even born. Over twenty years have passed without a thousand people gathering here, and the two surrounding rivers have turned into breeding grounds for Infection Sources."

Luo Kuke stopped at the boundary, his tone carrying the condescension of a seasoned veteran. "Based on my experience, there will definitely be quite a few Infection Sources coming over tonight. There might even be Fusion Entities. Inspector Cheng, make sure you don't sleep through it and end up deciding the outcome of the Assessment on the very first night."

Although his words were well-intentioned, the deliberate airing of his Third-stage Inspector superiority made Wang Kang involuntarily curl his lip.

Even the most careless person wouldn't just sleep soundly through their first night, right?

Cheng Ye gave a slight nod. "If they are Infection Sources coming from the water, Inspector Luo, remember to take photos and look up their information first. Many aquatic Infection Sources do not have high combat power, but the trouble they cause after being killed can persist for a long time. Especially the type of Infection Source that can instantly contaminate a massive area. Inspector Luo, don't let anyone destroy Dabo Town. If the Station Master or the higher-ups investigate, it might be hard to justify."

Through all their previous exchanges, Luo Kuke hadn't reacted much, but this sentence actually made him laugh out of anger.

When it came to putting on airs, Cheng Ye was actually doing a pretty decent job. Did he really consider himself the core of the Inspection Station?

He snorted, shaking his head side to side, before finally giving a dismissive shake. "Then, I wish you good luck."

"Mm, good luck to you as well."

The two stood at the boundary and reached out to shake hands.

Wang Kang subconsciously thought the two were going to engage in another test of strength, but they only shook lightly and nodded to each other, showing absolutely none of the previous tension.

It wasn't until Luo Kuke walked far away that Wang Kang lowered his voice, "Brother Cheng, he's copying us at every turn. Can he really win?"

Cheng Ye gazed thoughtfully at Luo Kuke's retreating figure, not answering immediately.

Actually, he had found it strange early on. There was absolutely no need for Luo Kuke to test his strength against him in front of so many Inspectors just to stand up for Garcia.

If he won, it would just be a Third-stage Inspector bullying a Trainee, which would actually be embarrassing if word got out.

If he lost, his reputation would be swept the floor, unnecessarily raising the status of Cheng Ye, a newcomer.

With the emotional intelligence Luo Kuke was currently demonstrating, why would he do something so obviously disadvantageous?

Yet he had done exactly that. Looking back, that highly deliberate posture felt similar to how Brother B had insisted Cheng Ye call him "Big Brother B," intentionally elevating his own seniority.

"No, winning might not be his goal. He is a... smart man."

"Huh?" Wang Kang was stunned. "He doesn't want to win?"

"It's not that he doesn't want to win, but the thing he wants to win is different from what we understand."

Cheng Ye retracted his gaze. "But it's fine. No matter what he's planning, our goal remains unchanged. In this Assessment, we must beat him."

"Right!" Wang Kang instantly caught on, sensibly choosing not to press further.

Setting aside the matter of their clash for now, the two adjusted their mindsets and strode across the boundary.

However, since it wasn't yet twelve o'clock, even though the Inspectors had arrived, they couldn't interact with the Residents just yet.

On the rooftop of the Government Building, several Covert Agents dressed in gray stood out clearly. Seeing Cheng Ye looking over, they used hand signals to indicate that he needed to maintain a certain distance.

"We still have twenty minutes. Let's organize the supplies first." Cheng Ye raised his hand and pressed down slightly, and the Residents immediately understood and quieted down.

Just as the supplies in the waterproof bags were mostly sorted, a booming voice rang out from high above through a loudspeaker:

"The Assessment officially begins!"

Whoosh.

The Covert Agents instantly vanished from sight, and the Residents, as if released from a seal, immediately swarmed forward.

A crowd of five hundred was no small formation, but Wang Kang had worked with the community for a while and was long accustomed to it.

Cheng Ye had led three hundred militiamen in training, so he was even less intimidated by this scene.

He immediately raised his hand on the desolate street, signaling for the families, Able-bodied Youths, and childless couples to form three separate lines.

"Bao Dashan, Li Jie, Liu Jianjun!" Cheng Ye shouted with a full voice. "Step forward!"

Three men instantly stepped out from the ranks of the Able-bodied Youths.

Cheng Ye's finger rapidly pointed through the crowd, names tumbling from his lips as he accurately matched each one to a face.

At first, the crowd didn't react much, but as he called out more and more names, a growing number of people began to reveal expressions of sudden realization and sheer astonishment.

In just half a day, even the mining families hadn't managed to get fully acquainted with each other, yet Cheng Ye was unexpectedly able to call out the names of all the Able-bodied Youths.

"Bao Dashan, you are in charge of these sixteen people. Those whose names I called, step forward and stand to my left with him. First, memorize their faces and names. You must all be completely familiar with one another within half an hour."

"Li Jie, you lead these twenty-four people. You served in the Pioneer Corps at Baishi Sanctuary City. Organize three eight-person squads as quickly as possible. Not only do you need to memorize your team members' information, but you also need to develop basic coordination at the fastest speed. By this afternoon, you must be capable of forming Patrol Teams."

"Liu Jianjun, the remaining eighteen are yours. Same grouping format, same requirements. You will serve as the Permanent Camp Defense Force."

The sixty-two Able-bodied Youths moved at his command, splitting into teams in the blink of an eye. Only one person was left standing frozen in place, scratching his head and asking, "Sir, what about me?" "Huang Liang, you follow me. You'll be my personal assistant," Cheng Ye smiled and nodded.

The named Huang Liang was in his early twenties, his entire body rippling with tight, solid muscles. Elder Song had a sharp eye; out of five hundred people, he had only singled him out.

His evaluation was, "With a little polishing of his temperament, his future achievements will be no lower than Da Long's."

This was already an extremely high appraisal. In the wasteland era, human knowledge had not regressed, but not everyone possessed the ability of an ancient general to lead a thousand troops. Someone capable of steadily managing three to five hundred people without incident was already a rare talent. If one could command a thousand people and keep everything perfectly organized, they could live luxuriously no matter where they went.

"Thank you, sir!" Huang Liang's eyes lit up. He quickly stepped behind Cheng Ye, his back straight as a ramrod.

The Able-bodied Youths bonded extremely quickly. Since Bao Dashan, Li Jie, and Liu Jianjun already had their own small cliques, they merely needed to guide their new members to state their names and fields of expertise. In the blink of an eye, they had taken on the proper form of an organized team.

Turning to the family queue, Cheng Ye singled out three more people: Lin Xiaoshan, Sun Dazheng, and Ma Mingyuan. "Out of the seventy-five Families with Children, the three of you will act as representatives."

"Sun Dazheng, you are an experienced carpenter. You will coordinate all construction work. Whether there's a shortage of building materials, difficulties in construction, or if someone discovers an anomaly, you will report directly to me."

"Ma Mingyuan, you have run with merchant caravans and are detail-oriented. You will be in charge of maintaining order. How tasks are distributed, how progress is monitored, and how remuneration is calculated will all be entrusted to you."

"Lin Xiaoshan, you will coordinate between the two. If Sun and Ma encounter a problem they cannot resolve, you will find me immediately."

"Yes, sir!" The three men stepped out of the formation, answering in unison.

These Families with Children, filtered out from the Drifter formations, were inherently obedient and possessed strong cohesion. There was absolutely no need to waste effort on dividing them. All that was needed was someone to accurately relay orders and shoulder the responsibility.

Finally, it was the childless couples' turn. With sixty-nine households totaling one hundred and thirty-eight people, Cheng Ye didn't select a leader this time. Instead, he executed a series of blistering, rapid-fire assignments that left observers dazzled.

He picked out twenty-two pairs of physically strong young couples and completely integrated them into the infrastructure team to work under Sun Dazheng.

He paired forty-seven slender women, who were unsuitable for heavy labor, with the girls from the Families with Children in groups of two or three, assembling a Logistics Team of one hundred and sixteen people.

"Shen Yan, you will take the lead and manage logistics," Cheng Ye appointed Lin Xiaoshan's wife. "Transporting small supplies, categorizing building materials, boiling water, and assisting with minor tasks during construction—these will all be under your management."

Saying that, he pointed to Wang Kang. "Inspector Wang will coordinate all on-site construction guidance, and I will be responsible for resolving unexpected issues. Is everything clear to everyone?"

His gaze swept over the ranks. Everyone first looked toward Wang Kang to confirm, then answered in unison:

"Clear!"

The sound made the dust on the desolate street tremble slightly. Even the Covert Agents up on the rooftop couldn't help but exchange glances and nod in approval.

In terms of Personnel Coordination efficiency alone, there was absolutely nothing amateurish about Cheng Ye, this Trainee Inspector.

Moreover, when compared to Luo Kuke's side—where they were still unpacking supplies, registering information, and getting to know each other—the victor was instantly clear.

Finally, Cheng Ye looked at the forty-seven men among the childless couples, his voice suddenly rising. "The remaining men, you are the Main Pioneer Clearing Force! Get to know each other immediately right now. State your names clearly and explain your skills. Huang Liang, go over and lead them. Memorize everyone's details, and this afternoon, you will follow me to clear the perimeter."

"Yes, sir!" Huang Liang promptly answered and stepped forward. He briskly walked to the front of the group, taking the lead to announce his own name before raising his hand to gesture for everyone to perform their Self-Introductions in sequence.

In just ten short minutes, the team of five hundred had been logically broken down, with everyone assigned to their respective duties.

The Able-bodied Youths were split into three teams.

Li Jie led the patrols, Liu Jianjun commanded the defense, and Bao Dashan headed the team responding to Pioneer needs.

For the family group, Sun Dazheng managed construction, Ma Mingyuan oversaw order and remuneration calculation, Lin Xiaoshan coordinated in the middle, and Shen Yan headed logistics.

The forty-seven men separated out at the end were temporarily managed by Huang Liang, ready to await Cheng Ye's commands at any moment.

Everyone had something to do, and every matter had someone managing it.

It only took twenty minutes from start to finish for the groups to familiarize themselves with each other, and basic coordination and teamwork had already begun to take shape.

As for registering personnel information, Cheng Ye wasn't in a hurry. The daytime was the Golden Time for infrastructure and Pioneering. At night, there would be plenty of time to slowly sort things out.

Furthermore, his ability to accurately call out everyone's name and match them to their faces had taken quite a bit of effort. The purpose was to streamline the grouping immediately and establish his Prestige.

From the looks of it now, the results were very good.

"Alright, listen up, everyone!"

Cheng Ye pulled a Small Loudspeaker from his Backpack, his voice piercing through the desolate street. "Don't unpack the supplies just yet! Now, look at the buildings on both sides of the road. Don't mind how abandoned and dilapidated they are; at the very least, they offer a roof over our heads and can serve as temporary hideouts! I am giving you ten minutes of free time. Everyone must find a place where you can hide and avoid harassment!"

As his voice fell, the crowd scattered with a roar.

These buildings had long been cleared in advance by the army, so there was no hidden danger from Infection Sources. Everyone simply needed to focus on finding a resting spot with peace of mind.

Cheng Ye looked up toward the horizon. Even though there wasn't so much as a shadow of a bird at the moment, the commotion caused by a thousand people gathering was too great. It wouldn't be long before those Thorn Birds would certainly be attracted to the area.

Until the residential units were set up, these dilapidated houses would be their only barrier to hide from aerial attacks!