Wasteland Border Inspector

Chapter 270: Checkpoint Restructuring, The Almighty King!

Thud!Ding Yishan's simple inquiry felt like a heavy drumstick, violently striking the hearts of the two men.

Hai Province was already the easiest place to harbor filth and criminals. In the Transcendent Era, the immortals used their mighty power to forcibly create countless scattered islands. These islands, isolated from one another, became a natural sanctuary for such evil organizations.

Many shelter cities had planted covert agents within these organizations to relay information and monitor their movements.

Happiness City was no exception.

Yet, even after activating these covert agents who had been deeply embedded for years, they still could not find a single trace of the Starship.

This only pointed to two possibilities. Either Starship's level of concealment was beyond imagination, and they operated flawlessly, or there was a far more powerful faction secretly supporting them and covering their tracks.

Regardless of which possibility it was, going out to investigate the true background of this organization would take at least one or two years, or even three to five years, to grasp their core information, and that was assuming everything went smoothly without any accidents.

But what kind of critical juncture was Happiness City currently at?

Having just entered the great pioneering era, the construction of satellite cities was in full swing. They were also preparing to integrate Yueye Shelter City, planning to expand Happiness City's control range to the surrounding two hundred kilometers in one fell swoop.

The storm had already arrived.

At this time, if one could rise with the tide, they could seize the opportunity and achieve instant ascent, just like Cheng Ye.

But at the same time, for Duty Station Chiefs like Lei Hu and Tang Si, who were already standing at the peak, as long as Ding Yishan and Halin remained in their positions, their paths of promotion were essentially blocked.

For them, this storm was not an opportunity, but a disaster they wanted to avoid at all costs.

"Station Chief, Starship operates too bizarrely. Even if we send out the Fourth-Stage Inspectors from the station, who can be confident in tracking their movements?"

Lei Hu's expression remained unchanged as he spoke bluntly, "This isn't about negotiating an external trade. We need to actually infiltrate those organizations to gather intel. When it comes to familiarity with Hai Province, if I claim to be second, who in the station would dare claim to be first?"

Tang Si, sitting beside him, also kept a straight face, as if he hadn't heard the previous insinuation about avoiding the storm. Following up on the topic, he said, "Station Chief, I haven't shown my face outside for many years. As long as I disguise myself well, those people in Hai Province would never expect me to personally investigate. As the saying goes, it takes ten years to sharpen a sword. Can't I, Tang Si, even manage to go out and gather some intelligence?"

'Good heavens.'

Witnessing this brief exchange of words, Cheng Ye secretly clicked his tongue in amazement.

No matter what Lei Hu and Tang Si were truly thinking, their words were airtight. No one could find a single flaw in their reasoning.

Sure enough, Ding Yishan's expression finally changed. A faint smile curled on his lips. "Station Chief Lei is a top general of our Inspection Station. You were solely responsible for the pioneering of Hai Province back in the day, so naturally, I trust your abilities. But investigating Starship will take too much time, and Happiness City needs you to hold the fort here."

He then looked at Tang Si. "Station Chief Tang is also a founding elder. Our Inspection Station hasn't reached the point where we need to trouble an elder to take action personally. Starship is nothing but a rat in the gutter. This is also a test for the new generation of our Inspection Station. After all, eventually, us old folks will have to pass the baton to them."

After hearing these words, Tang Si's eyes flickered. His lips moved slightly, but ultimately, he silently sat back down on the sofa, intertwining his fingers and resting his hands on his lap without another word.

Lei Hu nodded slightly and suddenly shifted his gaze to Cheng Ye.

Their eyes met, both displaying a sense of profound calmness.

Cheng Ye stared unblinkingly and suggested, "Station Chief, why don't I make the trip on behalf of Station Chief Lei and Station Chief Tang? I can go to Hai Province, assess the situation, and find out exactly what Starship's background is."

However, before Ding Yishan could reply, Halin shook his head first. "You cannot go."

"Why?"

"The Elders have issued an order. If you are to travel to any area with a chaos level of three or above, you must be escorted and protected by a legion," Halin explained unhurriedly. "An entire brigade of the Blood Dragon Legion consists of fully five hundred men. I'm afraid before you even set foot in Hai Province, Starship would have already received the news."

'Chaos level three?'

In the surrounding regions, Hai Province was the only level three chaos zone. The rest were all level one or two.

Cheng Ye wasn't surprised by this arrangement. Holding two of Tan Ming's Beliefs, the value he could create by staying in Happiness City was far more important than personally going to Hai Province to track down Starship.

"To uncover the truth about the Starship organization, we cannot rely on fighting alone. We must form a powerful team of Inspectors."

Ding Yishan picked up the conversation, his tone solemn. "This is the only way to prove that the Inspection Station still possesses combat power."

He looked away and announced loudly, "Two major defection incidents have already occurred this year. First, Inspector Cheng Long led several Fourth-Stage Inspectors to flee, and now Zhou Changhai has taken a group of Inspectors to follow suit. Currently, we don't have enough evidence to prove that there is no direct connection between these two events. Therefore, Happiness City has decided that within the next three months, a new department unit will be gradually established in the Buffer Zone: the Integrity Supervision Department."

"When that time comes, all guard forces of the Inspection Station must be transferred to the Integrity Supervision Department. All personnel will be required to undergo comprehensive inspections and monitoring to absolutely eliminate any risk of defection."

'What?'

'The Public Security Bureau is being resurrected?'

Cheng Ye felt greatly surprised, but he noticed that the expressions of the other three—especially Halin—also noticeably changed. Their brows furrowed involuntarily.

'Hmm? Didn't the four of them go into the meeting together?'

'Could it be that someone was asked to step out and wait during the meeting, and only the core Station Chief level had the authority to participate in the final decision-making?'

Cheng Ye pondered to himself. As a direct high-ranking official of the Inspection Station, Liu Kun had officially entered the ranks of Happiness City's leadership eleven years ago, the year after he became a Transcendent in the year 24 of the New Era.

Under his forceful promotion, just two years later in the year 27 of the New Era, the Public Security Bureau that once restricted the Inspection Station's power was completely abolished, leaving only a guard department responsible for maintaining order in the Buffer Zone.

And the management rights of this guard department were nominally under Liu Kun's name, which in reality meant it was still controlled by the Inspection Station.

'Year 27 of the New Era... exactly eight years ago!'

Yet Zhou Changhai had chosen to join the Starship organization right when the Inspection Station had just achieved complete dominance and firmly secured its position of power. This was highly similar to today's situation, where he chose to flee right when the Inspection Station was about to rise again.

'What exactly is his goal in doing this?'

'Is it merely to stir up the next wave of chaos in Happiness City? Or is he pursuing stronger Transcendent Power, which is why he willingly attached himself to this extremist organization?'

"This is the decision of the Elders. You and I have no right to object, and we must fully assist in the establishment of the Integrity Supervision Department."

Ding Yishan lightly tapped his finger on the desk, his gaze falling on Tang Si. "Station Chief Tang, I am leaving the communication and coordination with the head of the Integrity Supervision Department to you. Do you have any issues with this?"

Tang Si pondered for a brief moment, then nodded slightly. "I am grateful for your trust, Station Chief. I will certainly handle it properly."

"Excellent!" Ding Yishan then turned to Lei Hu. "Station Chief Lei, the meeting has confirmed that the Integrity Supervision Department will be rapidly established within three months. Before that, we must complete a comprehensive self-inspection. Starting tomorrow, I want you to recall all Inspectors currently on field duty one by one. They will undergo scrutiny to ensure they have no ties to Starship and are free from any other egregious violations of rules and discipline. Understood?"

"Yes, Station Chief! I will begin preparing the relevant matters tonight," Lei Hu replied in a deep voice.

After both men accepted their orders, Ding Yishan gave a subtle signal, and they stood up, preparing to leave.

When they reached the door, both men simultaneously cast a glance at Cheng Ye.

Lei Hu's gaze carried a hint of calm expectation. He gave a slight nod, then gently shook his head and turned to leave.

Tang Si's expression was complex and hard to read. He also nodded before hurriedly turning and exiting the room.

Jiang Chuan stepped forward and closed the door. Only the Station Chief, the Deputy Station Chief, and Cheng Ye were left in the room.

The two superiors didn't dwell on the matter of Starship anymore, nor did they discuss the soon-to-be-established Integrity Supervision Department any further.

Ding Yishan looked over with a gentle gaze and nodded slightly. "Inspector Cheng, both Station Chief Halin and I are present. If you are ready, please begin your oral debriefing."

"Understood." Cheng Ye nodded and stood up. He first gave a detailed oral account of the entire process of the containment of the Immortal Object in Dabo Town.

For any scenes witnessed by multiple people, he recounted the events truthfully without any alterations, only keeping the details of his solo actions vague.

This included making the cotton clothing, staying inside the Demonic Eye Sponge to fight, and his encounter with Tan Ming.

Ding Yishan nodded frequently, and Halin listened quietly, an expression of appreciation—like that of a mentor looking at an outstanding student—unconsciously showing on his face.

Jiang Chuan sat on the sofa in the reception area, his pen moving furiously as he recorded Cheng Ye's every word on paper, compiling it into official documentation.

It wasn't until the section concerning the containment of the Immortal Object was finished that Cheng Ye paused slightly, waiting for the two to ask questions.

Strangely, neither Ding Yishan nor Halin showed any intention of pressing for further details about the containment. It was as if everything he said required no verification and was automatically accepted as the truth.

A moment later, Jiang Chuan raised his hand to signal that the recording was complete.

Only then did Ding Yishan speak up in affirmation. "Very good. What an Inspector needs most is to seek opportunities for breakthroughs while maintaining absolute calmness. Whether it is an Immortal Object, an Infection Source, or the Starship that is currently causing us trouble, they all have flaws that can be discovered and exploited."

He turned his head to look at Halin. "Station Chief Halin, are you satisfied with the performance of Trainee Inspector Cheng Ye?"

"Satisfied." Halin nodded without hesitation. "Among all the Trainee Inspectors I have mentored, Cheng Ye has shown the fastest growth in strength. He also perfectly matches the expectations I had for an almighty Inspector when I created the training materials many years ago."

"If that's the case, then you should ask the first question to see if he is qualified for his upcoming position."

"Alright!" Halin replied, shifting his body slightly.

Cheng Ye subconsciously glanced at their Cooperation Level. He hadn't expected Ding Yishan and Halin's Cooperation Levels to be surprisingly identical—both were hovering just over thirty percent.

Compared to the big fat zero from before, there had certainly been significant progress.

But at the same time, this indirectly reflected another fact: the trouble the Inspection Station was facing this time was truly extraordinary.

"Cheng Ye, while Zhou Changhai being infiltrated by Starship and defecting was an accident, it is also a major failure of the Inspection Station. Fortunately, your appearance prevented the situation from deteriorating further and helped us avert a catastrophic disaster. This contribution not only quelled the anger of the Elders but also stopped the upper echelons from insisting on immediately dismantling the Inspection Station."

"But now, with your grandfather, your father, Xiao Shuntian, Zhou Changhai... Over the years since the Inspection Station was established, more than a hundred and fifty Inspectors have defected and fled Happiness City. Added together, that's more than our current active personnel. Therefore... splitting up the station has become an unavoidable trend."

Halin sat casually, his tone mild. "Now, the first question I want to ask you is... how do you think we should restructure the Inspection Station to limit the power in our hands and ensure that defections never happen again?"

'Restructuring the Inspection Station?'

'Limiting our own power?'

Cheng Ye felt a chill run through him. They were completely disregarding his status as a trainee. Instead, they were preparing to drag him straight into the decision-making tier to participate in the core restructuring.

Moreover, this question wasn't shying away from sensitive topics, nor did it feel abrupt.

After all, when it came to which family was the best at defecting from the Inspection Station, if the Cheng family claimed second place, no one in the entire station would dare claim first.

Halin's words seemed to be about power restriction, but in reality, it sounded more like he was asking: 'How can we prevent Inspector Cheng from fleeing?'

'Hey, I've never defected, why are you asking me for advice?'

Cheng Ye pondered deeply, feeling troubled for a moment. Splitting up the Inspection Station was a minor issue; splitting the power was the real core problem.

Currently, Inspectors operated almost without constraint, bound and monitored only by the internal rules of the Inspection Station.

Once the internal monitoring functions failed, it was equivalent to entering a completely unregulated state of total freedom.

Take those Fourth-Stage Inspectors deployed for field duty, for example. Constraining them relied entirely on their own self-discipline. Who could guarantee that they wouldn't use Happiness City's name to act wildly and recklessly?

And the core reason Zhou Changhai was able to defect and remain undiscovered for years lay in his status as a Fifth-Stage Inspector. Very few people could monitor him, and the rules capable of restricting him were pitifully few.

Thinking about it this way, when he went to Yueye Shelter City in the future, if he wanted to defect, it would be a matter of minutes. Who could restrict him, the Station Chief of Yueye?

"Is it a difficult question to answer?" Halin wasn't surprised by his hesitation. "The Integrity Supervision Department is the intention of the higher-ups, aiming to limit our power from a foundational level. But this has happened once before, and the ultimate outcome was that the two departments opposed each other, gradually turning into mortal enemies without achieving any real supervisory effect."

"No, the supervision itself isn't difficult. I believe most Inspectors hold affection for Happiness City and are loyal enough to the Inspection Station."

Cheng Ye shook his head, his gaze clear. "The real problem doesn't lie in the supervision, but rather, after the power is divided, who should it be handed over to?"

This was the core crux of the issue. If someone lost power, someone else was bound to gain it.

If the Inspectors relinquished their completely autonomous authority and handed it to others—for example, pairing every Inspector on field duty with an 'imperial envoy' for supervision—it would pose a major problem. Fourth-Stage Inspectors were the cream of the crop; how many people out there were stronger and more qualified to monitor them?

It was a very realistic issue: the more formidable the Inspector, the greater their potential risk of defection. However, restricting their power was proportionately just as difficult.

A smile curved Halin's lips. He raised an eyebrow, his tone laced with expectation. "This is exactly the question we need Inspector Cheng to answer. By this time next year, you will be the Station Chief of Yueye Shelter City. If we can clarify the restructuring plan right now, your Yueye can serve as the very first pilot Inspection Station."

Rashly initiating reforms on the current system would inevitably trigger resistance from all the Inspectors.

But if they started with a brand-new Inspection Station as a pilot and gradually introduced the new rules, the acceptance rate would undoubtedly be much higher.

Cheng Ye's heart sank slightly. He pulled over a chair, sat down, and began to think quietly.

Ding Yishan and Halin didn't rush him. The former lowered his head to continue reading the documents, while the latter stared blankly, seemingly pondering other matters.

This was entirely unlike a regular debriefing. It felt far more like a crucial step in the changing of the guard at the Inspection Station.

The age gap between Ding Yishan and Halin was exactly a full twelve-year cycle, and Halin was another twelve years older than him. The problem was being cascaded down layer by layer...

Ding Yishan was testing Halin, and Halin was now testing him. What they were truly asking about was the future direction of the Inspection Station!

More than ten minutes passed, and the atmosphere in the office was no longer as heavy as before.

During this time, Jiang Chuan stood up and poured strong tea for the three of them. He also prepared three blue pouches of nutrient paste each for Ding Yishan and Halin.

However, just as the two men tore open the seals and prepared to drink, Cheng Ye raised his head. The contemplation in his eyes had already dissipated. "I believe the root cause of Inspector defections isn't that they hold too much power, but rather... the boundaries of their power are unclear."

'Huh?'

Jiang Chuan, who was holding the serving tray, froze for a moment. Although he didn't fully understand, he immediately hurried back to the reception area and picked up his pen to take notes.

Ding Yishan took a sip of the nutrient paste and turned his gaze toward Halin.

Halin immediately understood the cue and probed further, "Do you mean you feel that there's a lack of clear correlation in the work among Inspectors, and the division of authority and responsibility is vague?"

"Yes," Cheng Ye nodded. "Although I haven't done any field duty yet, the work I've encountered so far shows a clear divergence in directions. Duty Inspectors require more systematic cultivation and learning, as well as targeted research training. Only then can we guarantee the normal operation of the Inspection Station and ensure our technology autonomously iterates, instead of relying solely on the Research Institute's support."

"On the other hand, Field Duty Inspectors require stronger combat abilities, survival skills, and negotiation capabilities. They bring actual profits back to Happiness City. Blindly restricting them is no different from killing a thousand enemies only to lose eight hundred of our own; the losses would outweigh the gains."

"Furthermore, when I went to the Research Institute to see Director Yu, she brought up something Station Chief Cheng Wu said in the past. To uncover the true secrets of the Infection Sources, pure research is far from enough. Someone must step forward who is skilled at going out for containment and proficient at conducting research upon returning. Only when both are combined can we solidify this model of inspection and research, forming a positive cycle of benefits that will bring hope to humans in the next era."

"From this, the Inspector system has clearly branched into three core directions: City Defense and Duty, External Trade, and Containment and Research. Beyond that, the Inspection Station internally requires specialized management personnel. We need to carve out an overarching control direction to manage and coordinate all affairs."

Cheng Ye spoke sentence after sentence, his logic unrolling with crystal clarity.

Ding Yishan had stopped drinking his nutrient paste at some point. He raised his previously lowered gaze, staring straight at Cheng Ye with obvious intense focus.

Halin also put away his previous absentmindedness, nodding thoughtfully. His solemn expression carried a deep sense of serious consideration.

However, Cheng Ye had no mind to pay attention to their reactions. He continued to lay out the core ideas he had just brainstormed. "A so-called 'almighty Inspector' is supposed to be adept at City Defense, capable of handling External Trade, and responsible for Containment and Research. But a person's time and vigor are finite. Even if they work twenty-four hours non-stop, it's absolutely impossible to advance in all four aspects simultaneously. They would inevitably have to make sacrifices. Therefore, being 'almighty' is fundamentally a false proposition. It simply cannot be truly achieved."

"And our current problem is exactly that we haven't clearly categorized our Inspectors, which has led to different types of Inspectors holding power that does not belong to their duties. For instance, Duty Inspectors responsible for City Defense have absolutely no need to participate in External Trade, yet they possess the authority to freely transport resources outside. Or take the External Trade Inspectors, who should focus on foreign affairs but hold the power to investigate internal personnel, formulate rules, and even cross boundaries to participate in City Defense, exercising management duties that never belonged to them."

"As for the management personnel, their power is terrifyingly vast, allowing them to dabble in every aspect. But do they truly possess the ability to do everything well? I'm afraid not."

Saying this, Cheng Ye gently shook his head.

Zhou Changhai, a Fifth-Stage Inspector, might have been skilled at field duty or proficient in station duty. It wouldn't even be surprising if he transitioned into management and won people over. But no matter what, he had nothing to do with Containment and Research, and fundamentally lacked any qualification to step into that field.

Yet the reality was that by relying on his Fifth-Stage rank, he could freely enter and exit the Research Institute, casually inquiring about core information. This was precisely the loophole caused by vague boundaries of power.

To solve the problem at its root, rather than dividing power and handing it to outsiders for supervision, it would be better to first clarify the internal power structure of the Inspection Station.

Giving the Inspectors in each direction their own clearly defined territory of responsibility, ensuring they do not overstep each other's boundaries, would instead form a system of mutual internal monitoring.

Moreover, once the authority was clear, the situation where a higher rank meant harder supervision would no longer occur.

Even High-Tier Inspectors would only be able to exercise power within their own scope of duty. The moment they crossed the line, they would be restricted by those in other directions.

Of course, this was indeed a weakening of power for the High-Tier Inspectors, but what was being trimmed away was the redundant authority outside their duties, not their necessary core permissions.

As long as the reasoning was explained clearly, and they could start the pilot program in Yueye Shelter City, the difficulty of implementing this would certainly not be too great.

"Divided into four directions...

"...

Ding Yishan finally took over the conversation. "Then, Inspector Cheng, which direction do you think you excel in?"

"Me?" Cheng Ye paused, an inexplicable smile curling the corners of his mouth. "I'm afraid I excel in all four."

A glint of interest flashed in Ding Yishan's eyes. He raised an eyebrow. "Oh? But didn't you just say that being 'almighty' was a false proposition?"

"That is why we need to establish a separate, special position outside of these four Inspector directions."

Cheng Ye shook his head, his tone calm but carrying a trace of absolute certainty. "This position can hold immense power, possessing all kinds of authority—even far more than what exists currently. But the prerequisite is that the person must be worthy of these qualifications. He must gain the universal recognition of the Inspection Station's duty personnel, deliver sufficiently dazzling results in External Trade, obtain direct approval from the Research Institute to freely enter and exit their scientific facilities, and above all, comprehensively manage the entire Inspection Station, ensuring all affairs advance systematically."

"Within the shelter city, he can guarantee that not a single Infection Source can infiltrate the urban districts."

"In the Wilderness, he can negotiate deals with any shelter city and bring back massive quantities of supplies."

"In the Research Institute, his research results can help the shelter city iterate its technology, bringing a qualitative change to the lives of all residents."

"And within the Inspection Station, he would be a supreme existence, standing above all Station Chiefs. Without needing to navigate the bureaucracy of any department, he could directly enter the upper echelons of Happiness City to participate in any meeting, holding absolute authority to speak."

The promotion ceiling within the Inspection Station was too obvious.

One Station Chief, one Deputy Station Chief, and two Duty Station Chiefs—the positions were extremely scarce.

It was exactly the lack of sufficient room for development that made Lei Hu and Tang Si want to flee and hide when the storm arrived. It was also why the Fourth-Stage Inspectors turned their sights toward cultivating external Gathering Places, seeking another way out.

But now, what he was proposing was a brand-new goal, a position that would shatter the current upper limits.

The power of this position could be overwhelming, even surpassing that of the Station Chiefs.

Without any need for roundabout tactics, one could rely on this position and these achievements to directly wield sufficient influence in Happiness City.

"That sounds quite interesting, but no one has ever dared to pitch this goal to me."

Ding Yishan was thoroughly intrigued, his eyes flickering with expectation and surprise. "So, you want to be this Almighty Inspector?"

"No, the title 'Almighty' is too grating on the ears. Unless one day I truly have the concrete strength to become the undisputed apex among all Inspectors across the entire wasteland, gaining the unanimous recognition of Inspectors from all shelter cities, only then would I be worthy of the word 'Almighty.' Otherwise, if this title reaches the ears of outsiders, it would feel more like excessive flattery that kills. It would subconsciously incite resentment among the Inspectors of other shelter cities, creating enemies for nothing."

Cheng Ye shook his head. His eyes lit up as he smiled and gave his final answer: "I call it... the Border Inspector!"