Wasteland Border Inspector

Chapter 250: Source Rail Conundrum, the Legend of the Research Institute!

"You want the Culture Fluid?"Shi Xu was initially taken aback upon hearing this, but he quickly recovered, smiling and shaking his head as he explained. "Inspector Cheng, there's something you don't know. This Culture Fluid is, simply put, the 'saliva' secreted by the Transcendent Mother Source. It possesses extreme infectivity."

"These delivery pipelines you see now are all specially forged from Happiness Alloy, specifically designed to prevent leaks. If a leakage accident were to occur, the entire Inner City could face a Catastrophic Disaster. Therefore, I'm afraid this Culture Fluid cannot be given to you casually."

"What if I just take a close look at it within the Research Institute? I won't take it away; I just want to observe it purely," Cheng Ye immediately added.

"Hmm..." Shi Xu pondered slightly, thinking for a moment before saying, "How about this? I will first help you submit an application report to the higher-ups. If it passes the review, I will take you to observe the Culture Fluid up close. What do you think?"

"Sure, then I'll have to trouble you, Director Shi." Cheng Ye nodded in agreement at once, smoothly changing his form of address to the "Director Shi" that Lü Jian had used earlier, pulling their relationship from that of Inspector and Researcher into the same Faction.

Shi Xu picked up his Defense Terminal, quickly edited, and submitted the application report.

Once this was handled, the two continued their tour through the interior of the Research Institute.

As they approached the staircase on the right, Cheng Ye's gaze was drawn to a row of photos hanging on the wall. It turned out to be a photo wall of past and present Researchers of the Research Institute.

The photos of the deceased Researchers had been processed into black and white, and the information columns below them featured words of mourning.

Cheng Ye's gaze slowly swept across the photo wall. He discovered that the Researchers who could make it onto this wall were at least Third-Level Researchers. Furthermore, the higher the position of the photo, the higher the corresponding rank and status.

There were only six people on the wall who were Fourth-Level and Fifth-Level Researchers on the same level as Shi Xu. Further up were the photos of the three Vice Directors, and at the very top was the position of the Director.

Seeing him stop with a look full of curiosity, Shi Xu took the initiative to step forward and explain. "The Rank Structure of our Research Institute actually has similarities to the Inspection Station, but the difference is that the Research Institute adopts an A+B Dual-Path Management Structure."

"Under the A-Path Structure, Director Long Haoran personally leads the team to preside over the Core Research Projects, while Vice Director Xu Rui is responsible for Resource Coordination and the synchronization of research progress. Currently, about one-third of the Researchers in the institute belong to the A-Path Structure."

"Are they not in Happiness City?" Cheng Ye's gaze locked onto the name at the very top of the photo wall.

Long Haoran.

The data showed that the Infection Source Research Institute was established in New Era Year 8. Since its inception, Long Haoran had held the position of Director, and his status had remained firmly secure over the years.

According to the information detailed below, he had just celebrated his fifty-first birthday in June of this year. For a profession with a lengthy career path like a Researcher, this was the prime age where both experience and Vigor were at their peak.

However, from New Era Year 8 to the present, Long Haoran had been the Director for over twenty-seven years. By that calculation, he had only been twenty-four years old when he first assumed the position.

To be able to take charge of the entire Infection Source Research Institute at such a young age, this level of capability and qualification was truly astounding!

"You guessed correctly."

Shi Xu nodded in response. "For every member shelter city under the Kindling Alliance, the Research Institute Directors uniformly reside in the A-1 Kindling Rail Mountain Zone of Kindling Shelter City. Our Happiness City is no exception. Director Long went there in New Era Year 20, and over all these years, he has only returned once."

"The reason why a portion of the research forces from each shelter city is transferred to Kindling Shelter City for Integrated Research is, on one hand, to pool the core wisdom of human civilization to jointly break through Technological Bottlenecks. On the other hand, it is also for mutual supervision, to prevent any party from secretly researching viruses harmful to humanity and repeating the mistakes of the past."

Shi Xu was not surprised that Cheng Ye could immediately notice Long Haoran's absence from Happiness City.

After all, with Director Long Haoran's firmly established status, if he were stationed in Happiness City long-term, it would make no sense for him to be so obscure or almost unheard of.

This unseen dedication and persistence behind the scenes was the glory of the entire Research Institute.

When his introduction reached this point, he even unconsciously straightened his chest, a look of unmistakable pride gracing his face.

"Currently, the Core Research Projects of our Happiness City's Research Institute are presided over by Director Yu Erlan. Vice Director Wang Chen is responsible for Resource Coordination, simultaneously keeping the research progress of each Branch synchronized. However, Vice Director Wang Chen has also rarely stayed in Happiness City these past few years. Most of the time, he runs around outside with several Fourth-Stage Inspectors from the Inspection Station, specifically looking for several key research materials for the institute and integrating technological forces with surrounding shelter cities."

Yu Erlan...

Cheng Ye silently repeated this name in his heart, his mind involuntarily recalling the intellectual and capable woman he had seen when he came ashore from the White Water River that day.

In his memory, she had also been astoundingly young. When she took the Containment Box from his hands back then, she had merely said a simple, "Thanks for the hard work."

At that time, Cheng Ye had assumed that this Director Yu was merely a Vice Director of the Research Institute with limited power.

But now, after hearing Shi Xu's introduction, he suddenly realized the truth. Of the four directors in the Research Institute—one primary and three vice—three were stationed outside long-term. Only Yu Erlan remained behind to take charge of the overall situation in Happiness City. This was practically a literal 'covering the sky with one hand.' The power she held was likely far greater than he had imagined.

However, it seemed this Director Yu wasn't a Transcendent either?

Recalling the feeling of their meeting at that time, Cheng Ye was certain he hadn't sensed even a sliver of transcendent fluctuation from either Yu Erlan or Vice City Lord Yuan Gang. The two of them felt so ordinary that they didn't even match the aura exuded by Liu Kun.

Ascending the stairs step by step, they began their tour from the Fourth Floor Above Ground of the Big Egg.

Cheng Ye first noticed that the walls of the corridors on each floor were marked with lines of different colors.

Looking up, the second and third floors were green, while the fourth floor was yellow.

"The green markings correspond to essentially harmless Infection Sources, which is also our main research direction right now."

Shi Xu's tone was full of helplessness. He spread his hands and continued, "It's just a pity that the technologies deciphered from these Low-Risk Infection Sources are too basic to be transformed into practical finished products. Furthermore, other shelter cities are also simultaneously researching this field. We've invested a tremendous amount of Vigor into delving into it without gaining much practical benefit, but if we give up now, our peers will quickly widen the gap, leaving us at a disadvantage."

He paused, speaking from the heart. "The research industry is just like this. Outsiders think taking the first step is the hardest, and that once you have a beginning, continuous iterative upgrades will naturally follow. But in reality, the first step is merely a starting point. Whether you can maintain a stable rhythm of research and development over the long term is the key that determines success or failure."

"Just like the microchips independently developed by our Happiness City. When they were first released, they firmly occupied the T0 Echelon of the wasteland. Yet, after so many years, we still haven't successfully iterated a second-generation product. The technology has remained stuck in place."

"Is it because you haven't been able to parse out any more valuable information from the corresponding Infection Source up to now?" Cheng Ye pondered with a frown.

"Exactly." Shi Xu didn't seem surprised that a "rough and unrefined" Inspector could understand this.

He sighed softly and began to explain in detail. "In truth, the technological development of every shelter city is built upon the foundation of researching corresponding Infection Sources. The Infection Source that helped us decipher the chip technology back then was called 'Crystal Algae'. It contains two key structures within it: one is a Special Vesicle capable of adsorbing Metal Ions, and the other is a Photosensitive Protein that can perceive electromagnetic signals."

"Our technological principle involves synthesizing Organic Acids to dissolve Metal Oxides—like copper, gold, and silver—in the surrounding environment. This allows the Crystal Algae to absorb the decomposed Metal Ions into its vesicles. After that, we induce a Circuit Template Sequence into it, prompting it to precisely release the ions onto a Silicon-Based Surface, forming Conductive Lines through Ion Deposition. However, the problem is also glaringly obvious. The Line Width of the circuits naturally constructed by Crystal Algae fluctuates wildly. The Process Precision can only reach 1,000 to 2,000 Nanometers, which falls far short of meeting higher technological demands."

"Even more troublesome is that during the Metal Ion Deposition process, Breaks, Protrusions, and Cross-Linking can occur. This leads to highly irregular Conductive Pathways, ultimately resulting in low Current Transmission Efficiency and severe Signal Loss. Naturally, the chip's computing and response speeds are greatly compromised."

"Our initial idea was to optimize the Crystal Algae through artificial cultivation, narrowing the individual differences in Reproduction Rate and Metabolic State among different Algae Cells, so that all cells could synchronously and precisely complete the circuit construction. But we never expected the difficulty of this step to far exceed our estimations, making it nearly impossible to realize. Moreover, Crystal Algae is extremely sensitive to light, temperature, and humidity. Even the slightest fluctuation in the environment will severely affect its Ion Deposition precision."

"Of course, the most core conundrum remains that the Crystal Algae's Genetic Stability is simply too high. It almost never undergoes mutations beneficial for technological optimization. We tried Artificial Gene Editing, but it proved consistently difficult to break through its original Biological Structural Limitations. Short of another S5 or S6 Level Virus Outbreak to induce a subversive change in the Crystal Algae's activity... but if it truly 'came alive' to that extent, controlling it to construct precise circuits would only become even more difficult."

Shi Xu's explanation deliberately avoided obscure jargon and was clearly structured. Even a layman like Cheng Ye could immediately grasp the critical bottlenecks involved.

The principle behind using Crystal Algae to construct chip circuits essentially relied on exploiting its own physiological activities.

First, it would use secreted Organic Acids to dissolve Metal Oxides. After absorbing the decomposed Metal Ions, it would precisely release and deposit them onto a silicon substrate surface to form basic Conductive Pathways. Following that, it would secrete Silicon-Containing Polysaccharide Substances to form a Natural Insulating Layer over the circuit surface, ultimately building a simple circuit structure.

Modern Lithography Machines, on the other hand, were based on optical principles. They used a Laser of a specific wavelength as a scalpel, projecting a miniaturized chip design onto a silicon wafer coated with Photoresist via a complex Optical System. After exposure, the wafer would undergo Etching to form the circuit patterns.

Simply put, the Crystal Algae was essentially a natural Biological Lithography Machine.

Happiness City's initial vision must have been to improve the quality of the Crystal Algae through continuous cultivation, reducing the uncontrollability of its physiological activities. Then, supplemented by artificial gene editing, they wanted it to "etch" more precise circuit structures.

However, reality left much to be desired. Attempts to elevate its quality ended in failure, and gene editing proved harder than ascending to the heavens.

This technological route seemed easy to begin with, but subsequent breakthroughs became increasingly arduous. It was no wonder Happiness City was gradually being left in the dust in the chip sector by shelter cities pursuing other research directions.

As they spoke, Shi Xu swiped his card to complete identity verification and casually pushed open the door to a Research Room on the second floor. Standing at the doorway, he clapped his hands lightly.

"Everyone, stop what you're doing! Inspector Cheng Ye is here to inspect our work!"

'Damn, does it have to be this grand?'

Cheng Ye muttered inwardly, stepping into the room briskly with a slight headache, intending to quickly explain himself.

But as his gaze swept across the interior of the Research Room, he found that although over ten people were seated inside, only one was wearing the formal Researcher uniform. The rest were all young people wearing Intern Uniforms.

There were quite a few instruments in the Research Room. Four massive Transparent Culture Chambers reached straight to the ceiling, connected to the central Silver Cylinder via pipelines. The chambers were filled with a colorless, transparent liquid, and floating inside were actually Green Jewel Bugs.

Only, compared to the Green Jewel Bugs seen in the wild, the specimens in the culture chambers were noticeably a size larger, and their physiques appeared far healthier and more vigorous.

"Welcome, Inspector Cheng!"

The sole Researcher stood up and led the applause, prompting the dozen or so interns behind him to clap in unison.

The originally somewhat dull Research Room instantly became lively. The arrival of Cheng Ye, an "outsider," unexpectedly shattered the silent atmosphere within.

"Inspector Cheng, this is our first meeting. Please offer your guidance!"

The blonde-haired, blue-eyed Western Researcher stepped forward, introducing himself with a respectful demeanor. "I am Jenkins, a Level-1 Researcher at the Research Institute. I am currently mainly responsible for parsing the Energy Conversion Equation within the Green Jewel Bug's body."

"Energy Conversion Equation?" Cheng Ye raised an eyebrow, revealing a hint of curiosity.

"Yes."

Jenkins nodded and explained, "Although the Green Jewel Bug is merely an ordinary Infection Source, it possesses an extremely rare ability. Not only can it continuously devour energy to complete its own evolution, but it can also stimulate and amplify energy in the short term. If we can successfully decipher this ability, it will play a crucial role in propelling Happiness City's Weapon Development work forward."

"Weapon Development..." Cheng Ye was momentarily stunned, and then he subconsciously shook his head.

In his view, the Green Jewel Bug's most prominent advantage was clearly its adaptability.

After all, it could even absorb Tan Ming's power and transform into Tan Ming's Envoy. This alone was enough to prove the strength of its genes.

Moreover, looking at the four Traits extracted from the Green Jewel Bug, none of them seemed particularly related to weapons either.

Could researching weapon technology from it have been inspired by the phenomenon of ordinary people turning into The Hulk after being infected by the Green Jewel Bug?

"Hmm?" Noticing his gesture, Shi Xu, who was standing behind Cheng Ye, couldn't help but ask with a smile, "Does Inspector Cheng have a different opinion on the research direction of the Green Jewel Bug?"

"I wouldn't call it an opinion."

Cheng Ye deliberated for a moment before speaking slowly. "It's just that while on duty at the Inspection Station, I've encountered quite a few Infected Bodies, which allowed me to accumulate some observation experience. I just have a few immature ideas, that's all."

In his heart, he had actually vaguely guessed something.

From Shi Xu's current attitude to the Research Institute specifically granting him the clearance of a Second-Level Researcher, there were clearly special considerations at play behind the scenes.

Not to mention, back by the White Water River, he had taken off the Cotton-padded Suit clinging to his body right in front of everyone. Shi Xu had been there at the time and had seen it plain as day.

Over ten days had passed. The Cotton-padded Suit had highly likely already been analyzed by the Research Institute; otherwise, Shi Xu wouldn't have gone out of his way to ask for his opinion.

Of course, for an Inspector to understand matters in the research field—all they had to do was pull his relevant data to notice the anomaly.

But now that his identity and status were well-established, as long as his words and actions weren't too outlandish, voicing these thoughts within the scope of his authority shouldn't cause any problems.

"I think perhaps we could start our research from the Green Jewel Bug's adaptability, or rather, its evolutionary capacity..."

Cheng Ye weighed his words carefully, offering his suggestion while trying his best not to sound like an amateur dictating terms.

"Uh..." A bitter smile appeared on Jenkins' face as he explained helplessly, "There's something Inspector Cheng doesn't know. The Green Jewel Bug is an inert Infection Source; our Active Induction has almost zero effect on it. Currently, all we can do is observe its feeding process and then monitor its biological reactions through instruments to deduce the rules of its energy fluctuations."

"As for the adaptability and evolutionary capacity you mentioned, with the technological level of our current equipment, it's absolutely impossible to capture the corresponding reaction signals, let alone monitor them accurately."

"Instruments."

Cheng Ye softly repeated the word, suddenly gaining a faint understanding in his heart as to why Happiness City's scientific research forces had constantly struggled to make breakthrough progress.

Although the Source Rail Knowledge he had looted from Sang Hezheng earlier only recorded obsolete technologies, it had still given him a fundamental understanding of the research methods in this field.

Currently, mainstream Source Rail Technology research was primarily divided into two methods:

The first was Observation Simulation.

Its core logic was a progressive exploration consisting of "Passive Capture + Precise Matching + Principle Analysis".

Technicians utilized various precision equipment to conduct omni-dimensional monitoring of an Infection Source in its natural state, capturing its biological reactions and energy fluctuation signals during processes like parasitism, replication and proliferation, and responding to environmental changes.

Once the monitored data achieved Precise Matching with known biological ability databases, they would attempt to decipher the underlying principles behind the reactions—such as Gene Expression Regulation Mechanisms, Energy Conversion Pathways, and Biomolecular Interaction Rules.

This process was akin to deciphering a complex codebook. Once the analysis was complete, the Infection Source's natural abilities could be converted into practical technological products through methods like Bionic Engineering and artificial gene editing.

The second method was Active Induction.

If Observation Simulation was the decoding of an Infection Source's existing abilities, then Active Induction was the excavation and molding of its potential capabilities.

The Research Institute's previous study of "Crystal Algae" had followed the Active Induction route, though unfortunately, they ultimately failed to break through the Technological Bottlenecks.

Now, the Green Jewel Bug could neither be actively induced nor yield precise data through observation simulation. This was equivalent to hitting a dead end in research, where even initiating basic exploration became a dilemma.

'I wonder if that Life Dance Rune inside the Cotton-padded Suit, the one capable of inducing Merman Transformation, could stimulate evolution in the Crystal Algae...'

A thought suddenly sprang up in Cheng Ye's mind, and he instantly fell into deep contemplation.

Seeing Cheng Ye lost in thought and silent, everyone in the Research Room tactfully refrained from disturbing him.

It wasn't until half a minute later that Cheng Ye snapped back to reality. He quickly waved his hand in apology. "Sorry about that. I suddenly thought of something just now and interrupted everyone's work. Once I sort out my train of thought, I'll come back to discuss and exchange ideas with you all further."

Jenkins was taken aback at first but soon recovered, hastily escorting Cheng Ye and Shi Xu to the door of the Research Room. He said politely, "Take care, Inspector Cheng. You are welcome to come and guide our research work anytime."

"What is it, Inspector Cheng? Did you discover something?" Shi Xu asked curiously.

"Hmm..." Cheng Ye lightly shook his head first, then nodded, speaking slowly. "I've realized that we currently lack an 'intermediary' to intuitively study the capability changes of an Infection Source. If the Infection Source is non-lethal and possesses the trait of being expellable, perhaps we could use Biological Active Infection to monitor the changes in the infected organism, thereby deciphering the Mother Source of the Infection Source's abilities. But for an Infection Source like the Green Jewel Bug, which causes instant death once it erupts within a human body, attempting to parse its abilities is naturally doubly difficult."

"This 'intermediary' is the true key to breaking through the research bottleneck. Moreover, its form of existence might not be an instrument in our conventional understanding."

As his words fell.

Shi Xu's expression changed visibly, and he looked over with a face full of astonishment.

However, before he had the chance to ask for details, the Defense Terminal at his waist suddenly vibrated.

He raised his hand to check it and quickly looked up at Cheng Ye. "Inspector Cheng, your application to observe the Culture Fluid up close has passed the review."

"Alright, let's go then."

Cheng Ye immediately set off. To reach the underground space where the Culture Fluid was stored, they had to take a dedicated Vertical Elevator.

Standing inside the exclusive Vertical Elevator, Shi Xu swiped his card for verification and pressed the button for the Second Basement.

The elevator started slowly, beginning its vertical descent. Shi Xu opened his mouth a few times, seemingly wanting to press Cheng Ye about his specific thoughts on the "intermediary," but swallowed his words back down each time. Ultimately, he just watched the changing floor numbers in silence.

It wasn't until the Elevator Car bypassed the first basement level that he finally couldn't hold back anymore, probing softly, "Inspector Cheng, could it be that you can remember the specific form of the 'intermediary'?"

"I can't. I take one look and forget it the moment I turn my head," Cheng Ye replied candidly.

"Oh." A look of sudden realization first flashed across Shi Xu's face, quickly followed by obvious, difficult-to-conceal disappointment.

Taking the initiative, he explained, "This is exactly my research direction. Unfortunately, after so many years, there still hasn't been any progress. The value of Immortal Objects also lies in these intermediaries you mentioned. It's just... we have no way to analyze them. We can only hand the Immortal Objects over to Kindling Shelter City in exchange for ready-made, finished technologies."

Ding—A crisp notification chime rang out. They had arrived at the Second Basement.

Unexpectedly, the lighting here was so bright it was almost dazzling. It completely lacked the dimness one would expect from an underground space; instead, it was barely distinguishable from the illumination of the above-ground areas.

The elevator doors slowly slid open. Shi Xu was just about to step out when his gaze suddenly froze.

Standing right at the elevator entrance was a tall woman with a cold, detached aura.

"Captain Yu." Shi Xu hastily collected himself and greeted her respectfully.

"Mm. You may go back and handle your work first. I will take over showing Inspector Cheng around the underground section," Yu Erlan said. Her voice matched her temperament—cold and aloof, yet carrying an unquestionable authority.

"Yes!" Shi Xu was secretly startled, but he didn't dare ask any questions. He immediately stepped back into the elevator and pressed the button for the first basement floor.

In the gap before the elevator doors closed, Cheng Ye kept his head slightly lowered, but his gaze remained fixed on Yu Erlan.

Hers was not a beautiful face in the conventional sense, nor were her features flawlessly exquisite, yet she possessed a tranquil aura that made it impossible to look away.

Her eyebrows were like distant mountains painted in faint ink, curving naturally and smoothly. Unlike the sharp lines of drawn-on brows, a barely noticeable hint of heroism was hidden within their peaks.

Though her eyes were standard almond-shaped, the outer corners slanted slightly upward, carrying a touch of innate charm. Yet, neutralized by that cold temperament, they only made her appear dignified and distant, allowing no one to harbor the slightest thought of disrespect.

The bridge of her high nose formed a clean line, and the tip was petite and round, perfectly balancing the sharpness between her brows and eyes.

Her lips were full and delicate, with a natural cherry-pink hue. When she wasn't smiling, her lip line tightened, radiating a sense of alienated aloofness.

Even though she was wearing a uniform that was identical to those of the ordinary Researchers, paired with her elegant purple hair that gave off a soft sheen, she still unconsciously made Cheng Ye space out a little.

But he wasn't attracted by her appearance. Rather, it was because the Earth-Shrinking Giant Louse inside his body had suddenly become agitated and restless. The emotions it transmitted into his mind actually carried an obvious... fear?

"Am I pretty to look at?" A cold voice suddenly rang in his ears, interrupting Cheng Ye's thoughts.

Cheng Ye instantly snapped back to attention and subconsciously nodded. Then, realizing what he was doing, he hurriedly replied politely, "Captain Yu's aura is extraordinary; your reputation is indeed well-deserved. I have long admired your name!"

"Heh."

Yu Erlan pursed her lips, revealing an extremely faint smile. She then shook her head gently and turned to walk forward.

Cheng Ye immediately focused his mind and followed, while his gaze rapidly swept across the environment of the Second Basement, carefully observing the structural layout of the Big Egg's underground sector.

The spatial structure of this Second Basement was actually quite similar to the exclusive area of the Regenerative Medical.

The high ceiling of nearly fifty meters, paired with the vast and boundless floor area, made it seem as if the entire underground space beneath the Inner City's research district had been completely hollowed out to forcibly carve out this independent, complete exclusive area.

Several uniquely styled buildings were scattered about, clearly layered in their varying heights. The metal plaques hanging in front of each building clearly indicated their corresponding functional zones, making everything clear at a glance.

Right in the center of the space stood that iconic Silver Cylinder from above ground. Astonishingly, its diameter here underground had expanded by more than five meters, reaching a staggering size of fifteen meters.

The green energy surging within the cylinder had become even denser; at first glance, it looked like a massive green pillar.

Through densely packed transparent pipelines at its top and middle, it extended out like veins to every building, supplying Culture Fluid to the entire underground space.

The base beneath the pillar was not a simple load-bearing structure, but rather a three-story, beige, cube-shaped building.

Stepping closer to take a look, the seven gleaming gold characters above the lintel spelling out "Transcendent Mother Source Containment Room" shone brilliantly, making it exceptionally eye-catching.

Hiss.

Cheng Ye drew a sharp breath of cold air, stormy waves churning in his heart.

Just how many Transcendent Mother Sources had Happiness City contained that they actually needed to construct a dedicated three-story building to store them?

If he could acquire all the Transcendent Mother Sources in this building, how many Traits could he unlock?

And how many rare skills, items, and intelligence could those Traits be exchanged for?

Even...

A sharp glint flashed in Cheng Ye's eyes. He secretly made up his mind—he absolutely had to come to this Research Institute more often in the future.

But just as his thoughts were racing, Yu Erlan suddenly halted her steps and looked over with a half-smile.

"Inspector Cheng, you might not know this. Although you are the twelfth Inspector to enter the Research Institute, even Station Master Ding can only tour the above-ground section. When he needs to use the supercomputer down here, he still has to have other Researchers relay the data for him."

She paused, a hint of playfulness in her tone. "Yet the place you are standing right now... all told, you are only the third Inspector qualified to step foot here."

"Thank you for your trust, Director Yu!"

Cheng Ye's spirit braced, and he immediately put on a flattered expression. Inwardly, however, a faint sense of foreboding arose; he felt as though there was a hidden meaning in her words.

Sure enough, he heard Yu Erlan continue:

"The first Inspector qualified to come here was your grandfather, Cheng Wu. Back when the Infection Source Research Institute was founded, he was even responsible for the ribbon-cutting ceremony. At that time, I hadn't yet joined the institute; I was still a little girl and didn't get to see his elderly self's grace with my own eyes. However..."

She motioned for Cheng Ye to look toward the entrance of the Containment Room. Cheng Ye followed her gaze and quickly locked his eyes onto a vertical relief sculpture crafted from alloy.

The sculpture depicted a familiar-looking middle-aged man who bore a sixty-percent resemblance to him. However, the form of expression was very abstract. He was being pinned to the ground by a large group of Guards, his face full of an unyielding expression as if he were roaring something.

Beside the sculpture, two lines of text were engraved:

"Researching Transcendent Mother Sources is a dead end!"

"I, Cheng Wu, swear to overturn this cesspool of filth!"

"Uh..." Cheng Ye's mouth twitched slightly, his eyes flickering.

Could it be that Cheng Wu was a conservative who had vehemently opposed Happiness City's exploration into Source Rail Technology back then?

"Don't misunderstand. Station Master Cheng Wu was exceptionally open-minded. He was one of the main advocates for researching Infection Sources back in the day, not the kind of old stubborn fool you're imagining."

Yu Erlan pointed to the date marked in the lower right corner of the sculpture. It read: February 3, New Era Year 11.

"Three days later, on February 6... you should have heard the rumors. Station Master Cheng Wu officially defected and left Happiness City, taking other High-Tier Inspectors with him. And this was left behind from when he attempted to break into the Research Institute and snatch all of its Transcendent Mother Sources before his defection."

"Of course, he ultimately didn't succeed."

'Cheng Wu... wanted to snatch all the Transcendent Mother Sources before he defected?'

Cheng Ye blanked for a moment. He wasn't entirely clear on this detail. He hadn't expected Cheng Wu to be such a ruthless man.

He instinctively asked, "Then who was the second Inspector qualified to come here?"

"Oh, Inspector Cheng... do you really not know?" Yu Erlan pointed to a blank, neatly cleared space next to the sculpture, her smile carrying profound meaning. "Your grandfather failed, but your father did not."

"Huh?" Cheng Ye froze completely in place.

Wait, that didn't make sense. It was understandable that Cheng Wu had entered the Research Institute, but Cheng Long... wasn't he just a Fifth-Stage Inspector?

If even Ding Yishan wasn't qualified to step into the underground section, on what grounds could Cheng Long come down here?

As his thoughts spun rapidly, Cheng Ye's expression suddenly darkened as a possibility surfaced in his mind.

"With the help of certain individuals, Inspector Cheng Long successfully infiltrated this place and stole three Transcendent Mother Sources. Fortunately, the City Lord tracked him down in time, preventing him from causing an apocalyptic disaster." Yu Erlan's tone remained flat, yet it carried an invisible pressure.

"Now, Inspector Cheng Ye, you are the third Inspector to enter the Transcendent Mother Source Containment Room. You wouldn't be thinking of joining your grandfather and your father in leaving behind a piece of 'legend' here in the future, would you?"