Wasteland Border Inspector

Chapter 253: Tinder Researcher, Dual-System Talent!

Buzz.A low buzzing suddenly exploded in the room, sounding like millions of flying insects flapping their wings at once. It carried an unnatural energy fluctuation that made one's eardrums tremble.

The figure that was hunched on the sofa a second ago suddenly teleported to the wall without warning. His body collided with the cold surface with a dull thud, yet he did not show the slightest reaction.

Those black eyes, with pupils shrunk to the size of pinpricks, locked dead onto them, exuding a chilling aura that did not belong to a living creature.

Immediately after, an even more terrifying scene unfolded.

Cyan-black blood vessels spread across the whites of his eyes like spiderwebs. One after another, black spiders the size of fingernails actually crawled out from the edges of his eye sockets. Their furry, pitch-black legs clung to his pale sclera, dragging thin gray threads from their abdomens as they scurried rapidly down his cheeks.

Some burrowed into his blackened ear canals, while others stopped on his cracked lips. A few even crawled along his protruding cheekbones toward his sunken eye sockets, as if trying to squeeze back into his skull.

In just three to five seconds, tens of thousands of black spiders surged endlessly from his collar, cuffs, and trouser legs, completely covering his body like a black tide.

The figure's body also began to twitch and twist unnaturally. His bones let out crisp cracking sounds before suddenly collapsing inward.

It was not a normal fall; rather, it was as if all of his skeletal support had been extracted. He turned into a puddle of fleshy mush wrapped in clothing, and countless spiders crawled out of this mass, continuing to spread in all directions.

The originally pristine room was instantly covered by a thick spider carpet, forming an endless expanse of pitch black.

The spiders piled on top of and climbed over one another, emitting dense rustling sounds, like countless tiny footsteps moving across the floor, walls, and ceiling simultaneously.

Spiderwebs in the corners of the room grew wildly at a visible rate. The legs of the tables and chairs were instantly wrapped in sticky silk. Even through the Happiness Alloy, one could faintly smell a bizarre odor mixed with a putrid smell and spider acid.

'Fuck!'

The sight before him was simply the ultimate nightmare for trypophobia sufferers.

Just looking at that squirming black ocean and hearing the pervasive crawling sounds was enough to make one's scalp tingle, the hairs on the back of the neck stand on end, and the stomach churn.

However, having seen densely packed Crab-men and been disgusted by the tentacles of the Demon Eye Sponge, Cheng Ye had already built up a tolerance.

Cheng Ye had already developed a certain level of composure. On the surface, his face remained calm, but in his heart, stormy waves were churning.

"C35, is he the Infection Source that destroyed C35 Satellite City?"

"That is correct," Yu Erlan said, her gaze falling on the thousands of spiders in the room, her tone carrying an imperceptible chill. "The Walker wasn't the only one who hitched a ride on the Void Mist. C35 also slipped into Happiness City following you, and it was attached to the batch of supplies Li Changfeng gave you."

"What!" Cheng Ye's heart jolted with shock.

He never expected that the Infection Source he was most worried about had actually been just a step away from him.

Furthermore, Da Long and the militiamen who were guarding the supplies had even slept leaning against them for a night. Didn't that mean they had come face-to-face with this deadly Infection Source?

"Is its main body these spiders?" he asked, forcefully suppressing his shock.

"No, it only has one main body, codenamed Ghost Shadow Spider."

Yu Erlan gently shook her head, her eyes darkening completely. "These small spiders you are seeing now each correspond to a human life. They were all formed from the ordinary people who died in C35 Satellite City. It deliberately released these spiders not just to provoke you, but to provoke our entire Research Institute."

"Provoke me?" Cheng Ye was slightly stunned.

Unlike the Indeterminate Fox, which trembled at the mere sight of Yu Erlan, this C35 was indeed frighteningly arrogant. No wonder even Tinder Shelter City failed to capture it.

'But how did Happiness City discover it?'

Many doubts swirled in his mind, but Yu Erlan did not give C35 the chance to continue its provocation. Her fingertips lightly pressed a button on her wrist device.

Zzz—Sharp, high-frequency vibrational sound waves instantly echoed throughout the room.

At the same time, the lighting structure on the ceiling suddenly lit up, bursting forth with an intense light.

The black spiders covering the space reacted as if they had met their natural predator. Illuminating them with the light instantly caused them to dissolve into wisps of black shadows and dissipate.

Like a receding tide, the spiders retreated even faster than they had appeared. In the blink of an eye, they vanished without a trace, leaving only a single black spider near the display screen.

Its size was not huge, only about as big as a human fist, but a vivid human face was attached to its back, glaring viciously at the two of them.

"Yu Yong, you are a researcher after all. To think you are still playing these low-grade tricks even now."

Yu Erlan sneered, her tone full of disdain.

As soon as she finished speaking, the fist-sized black spider trembled, and its form reverted back to the hunched figure from before.

He was not tall, roughly 1.7 meters. If one ignored the bizarre state of his eyes and his blackened complexion, he looked just like a down-and-out Scavenger.

"Yu Erlan, if you want what's in my hands, you have to exchange it for something of equal value! Otherwise, don't even think about getting anything!" Yu Yong's voice was hoarse and dry, carrying a vicious edge.

"Is that so?" Yu Erlan raised an eyebrow noncommittally. Taking a slight step back, she cleared the space and said:

"Inspector Cheng, interrogating Infected Bodies is your specialty. The reason I brought you here today is to let you try your hand at extracting the information we need from a Transcendent Mother Source."

Cheng Ye's eyelids twitched as he recalled their previous conversation. "He is a researcher from Tinder Shelter City?"

"That is correct," Yu Erlan nodded. "His state is actually somewhat similar to yours. Both of you are rare subjects who have retained Independent Thought Ability after entering into symbiosis with a Mother Source. However, the difference is that the Mother Source in your body evolved due to external catalysts and is innately a Benign Infection Source. He, on the other hand, endured the full impact of a Malignant Transcendent Mother Source to become what he is today."

As she spoke, she picked up her Defense Terminal and tapped it twice.

In the next second, the Defense Terminal at Cheng Ye's waist vibrated. He pulled out the device and saw a brief intelligence report regarding C35 on the screen:

[Infected Body: Yu Yong (Transcendent Mother Source)]

[Codename]: C35 (Origin: Tinder Shelter City)

[Current Status]: Tinder Red Wanted List Member. [Background]: Tinder Fourth-Level Researcher. Main research focus: Source Guidance Technology, Source Track Technology. [Symbiotic Infection Source]: Ghost Shadow Spider. [Infection Method]: Biological Shadow Parasitic Infection. Once the shadow is occupied, the host will gradually lose their independent consciousness and be reduced to a puppet under its control, acting according to predetermined commands. Maximum control limit: 250,000 individuals. [Containment Method]: Eliminate all Ghost Shadow Spider Clones (Infected Bodies) hidden outside the main body.

[Annihilation Conditions]: Simultaneously erase all Clones as well as the main body. "Is that it?"

Cheng Ye pointed at the background section on the screen, his brows furrowed tightly.

This intelligence report was far too brief. It only noted his identity as a Fourth-Level Researcher and his research directions. Crucial information such as Yu Yong's life experiences, relatives, place of residence, and personality traits were completely missing!

Yet these were precisely the core breakthroughs needed for an interrogation. Without this information, would they have to rely solely on torture?

But the Yu Yong before him existed in symbiosis with an Inverse State Transcendent Mother Source. Would ordinary punishment even affect him?

"Tinder Shelter City's Information Control over its researchers is extremely strict, especially at the Fourth-Level Researcher rank. We have no way to obtain more detailed records and can only dig up this general information."

Yu Erlan explained, "Furthermore, he is a defector from Tinder. Once they send someone to complete the transaction, we must hand him over. So in principle, we don't have full Interrogation Authority. However, Tinder doesn't restrict us from conducting some inquiries now, treating it as a reward for capturing him."

'So that's how it is.'

Cheng Ye understood instantly. This was equivalent to assisting in a capture case. The caught criminal could not be transferred immediately, so extracting some information during the temporary detention period was perfectly reasonable.

"So our current goal is to acquire the information he holds regarding Source Track Technology and Source Guidance Technology?" Cheng Ye asked thoughtfully, though a nearly imperceptible glint flashed in his eyes.

Opportunities to come into close contact with a Transcendent Mother Source with the Research Institute's assistance were incredibly rare.

Every single one of these entities could pose a "city destruction" level threat.

And Yu Yong was clearly the most malignant of the malignant. As long as his abilities were fully deployed, he could easily destroy a shelter city. C35 Satellite City was the perfect example.

However, conversely, the more area-of-effect focused an Infection Source was, the weaker its single-target pollution capabilities became.

Since the Research Institute had already grasped the intelligence on the Ghost Shadow Spider, perhaps it could allow him to get closer and give him a chance to acquire a few... traits?

"Stop dreaming! No one in this world is qualified to judge me!"

Yu Yong suddenly laughed sinisterly, his tone full of vulgarity and provocation. "You want the technology? You have to pay the price! Yu Erlan, as long as you spend one night with me, I will tell you about a B-rank Source Track Technology. How about it? It's a very cost-effective deal, isn't it?"

"This is the current situation." Yu Erlan acted as if she hadn't heard his filthy remarks, her expression remaining calm. "We've tried all the methods we could during this time. He himself is actually a spineless coward, but the Malignant Infection Source, the Ghost Shadow Spider, has been restricting him, preventing him from revealing any crucial information to us."

The moment the word "coward" was spoken, Yu Yong's expression changed drastically. He immediately lunged forward, ready to roar a retort.

But before he could act out, Cheng Ye curiously interrupted him, "Can we go in then? To talk to him face-to-face?"

"Theoretically, yes."

Yu Erlan nodded. "The terrifying aspect of Infection Sources lies in the unknown. But for those with known traits, even if the Ghost Shadow Spider has reached the Inverse State, the risk remains controllable. Its infection method is through shadow parasitism. As long as you wear special equipment to eliminate your shadow, face-to-face contact won't lead to infection. It's just..."

"Then let me go in and chat with him."

Cheng Ye interrupted her again. A smile finally flashed across his face, which had been full of constant surprise ever since entering the Transcendent Mother Source Containment Room.

'Perfect. Finally, a scenario right up my alley.'

Thinking carefully about it, how long had it been since Inspector Cheng had gotten his hands on an "Infected Body" during an interrogation?

The last time could be traced all the way back to Mu Shuang, where he pried out the "Hundred Martial Arts Master" trait, which had been an immense help.

Facing a symbiote bonded with an Inverse State Mother Source right now, who knows if he could dig out even more valuable traits and intel?

Just thinking about it made his heart race uncontrollably.

"Alright then. I will have someone fetch the protective equipment. Do you need me to accompany you inside?"

"No need."

Cheng Ye shook his head, half-crouching down to lock eyes with Yu Yong inside the containment room. "I have my own methods. Let me try first."

Despite his words, his mind was already actively scheming.

If he could extract valuable information from Yu Yong this time, wouldn't he be qualified to participate in future interrogations whenever the Research Institute captured a Transcendent Mother Source?

He could even use the opportunity to participate in researching those Mother Sources contained downstairs!

This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Collecting Mother Source traits in the outside world was as difficult as ascending to the heavens. After all, no one could predict whether an encountered Mother Source would be known or unknown.

But for Mother Sources locked inside the Research Institute, if nothing else, the safety aspect was completely guaranteed.

'The Three Transcendent States—Normal State, Inverse State, Control State... and the methods of utilizing resources. This world is truly becoming more and more interesting!' Cheng Ye mused inwardly.

Their gazes clashed in silence. Yu Yong's eyes revealed an indescribable viciousness.

Cheng Ye secretly compared him to Garcia, and the conclusion he reached was rather amusing.

Yu Yong's viciousness carried a childish simplicity, like a toddler threatening someone with a handgun—it was all bark and no bite.

On the other hand, a scoundrel like Garcia was more like someone wrapped in a hedgehog's armor, clinging to you. If you weren't careful, you'd get pricked, and to deal with him, you'd have to pull out all those spikes first.

Suddenly, Cheng Ye broke the silence. "Yu Yong, you are very afraid of me."

"Heh." Yu Yong froze for a moment before bursting into a sneer. "Would you be afraid of a bug?"

Cheng Ye shook his head, his expression now completely serious. "But you are indeed afraid of me."

"Fine then, tell me, what am I so afraid of?" Yu Yong eyed him as if looking at an idiot, his tone dripping with mockery. "Just because you are one of Happiness City's so-called Inspectors? Let me tell you, it's already the year 35 of the New Era. Have you been dealing with Scavengers so much that your brain has turned to mush?"

"You are afraid I will uncover your secret," Cheng Ye said, his lips curling up slightly, his face displaying unhurried calm.

Catching sight of his confident demeanor, Yu Yong's expression instantly darkened. "Then go ahead and try coming in. But speaking of factions, both you and I are Source-Binders without Belief. We are not like them. If you can save me and get me out of here, I can help you find that formidable power, granting you immortality as well!"

"Belief..." Cheng Ye grinned. He suddenly raised his hands, exposing the backs of them.

"Come on, open your eyes wide and look. What is on my hands?"

"Hmm?"

Yu Yong subconsciously shifted his gaze over. His already gloomy complexion violently changed.

He stumbled back a few steps in utter disbelief, his face filled with sheer horror as if he had seen a ghost!

"This... You're not just a Source-Binder, you've actually taken on another's Belief. You... You're insane!"

"Are you that surprised?" Cheng Ye slowly lowered his hands, his expression as calm as ever.

"Haha! Surprised? You pathetic bug, you don't have long to live anyway. How ridiculous!"

Yu Yong steadied his footing and stared at him with the cold indifference reserved for the dead. His tone was laced with sarcasm. "A Source-Binder uses their body to seal an Infection Source, gaining power through symbiosis. This path is indeed perilous, but as long as you have an endless supply of resources to sustain it, you can eventually reach the other shore and become the strongest. But to take on another person's Belief, abandoning a Source-Binder's greatest advantage... that is nothing but a dead end!"

"No! You can't even be considered a true Source-Binder. You are just a laughable puppet, a mere tool cultivated by Happiness City!"

"A tool of Belief... Hahahahaha! You wretch! You are ten times, a hundred times more pitiful than I am! At least I once possessed true power, while you will spend your entire life as a lowly tool until the day you die! Your life will be sacrificed to the schemers of this shelter city, becoming their stepping stone to reach the other shore!"

He grew increasingly agitated as he spoke, incoherently screaming at the top of his lungs, "You probably don't even know, do you?! Those Elders behind you, they are Source-Binders too! They are the real lunatics, a hundred times crazier than us! You..."

Yu Erlan stood to the side, showing absolutely no intention of stopping him.

Noticing Cheng Ye's inquiring gaze, she finally spoke up to explain, "Earlier, when I was explaining the Three Transcendent States to you, I forgot to mention the role that Belief plays in this process."

"Belief is your Real World Coordinate. Without this coordinate, during the symbiotic process with an Infection Source or a Transcendent Creature, you will fall into irreversible Self-Dissolution. You will be completely assimilated, turning into a monster devoid of self-awareness."

"But you don't need to worry. Tan Ming has already imprinted a coordinate onto you. It will help you permanently remember who you are and what you must do."

"What about Wish-Guarding Transcendents?" Cheng Ye nodded slightly.

"Wish-Guarding Transcendents have gone to the other extreme. They imprint their coordinates elsewhere. As long as the coordinate remains intact, they can never truly be killed. But correspondingly, their consciousness becomes muddled, leaving them to rely solely on instinct to fulfill their lingering missions... I think you should understand what that entails."

"A Carrier?" Cheng Ye realized instantly.

"It seems 'he' really has told you many things." Yu Erlan didn't point it out explicitly, instead changing the subject. "Wish-Guarding Transcendents are also divided into the strong and the weak. An expert like Tan Ming has practically achieved longevity equal to Shi Province. Unless this continent crumbles to dust and his coordinate is completely annihilated, he is virtually immortal. He is merely slumbering in another form, constantly holding the potential for a creature to awaken his Thought Body."

"But for a Wish-Guarding Transcendent like the Walker, the coordinate is still quite shallow. Humans can see his Carrier simply by using a Transcendent Object, and can even cause his Carrier to disintegrate, which would completely obliterate him. It's just that Transcendent Objects on today's wasteland have been mostly exhausted, allowing him to run rampant and wreak havoc so arrogantly."

As she spoke, urgent footsteps echoed from the stairs below.

More than ten researchers hurried over, collectively carrying an exceptionally heavy-looking Alloy Box.

Yu Erlan's gaze landed on the Alloy Box before turning back to Cheng Ye, her tone turning solemn. "Inspector Cheng, up to this day, Happiness City has indeed tried numerous methods to forge a breakthrough, yet we have still failed to find an effective avenue against Infection Sources."

"When Station Master Cheng Wu first established the Inspection Station's Research Institute back in the day, he once said something: If we want to unearth the true secrets of Infection Sources, relying purely on research is far from enough. Someone must step forward who is not only skilled at venturing out for containment but also proficient at returning to the city for research. Only by possessing both can we solidify this model of inspection and research, forming a positive feedback loop of gains and bringing hope to humanity for the next era."

She looked at him steadily, a sliver of expectation in her eyes. "I believe that you are currently the one person in the Inspection Station with the highest potential to become such an existence."