Rain in the rainy season always comes without warning.

Cheng Ye hadn't even reached the end of the entrance tunnel when cold raindrops began falling behind him. At first just scattered drops, in the blink of an eye they connected into streams.

The scavengers waiting to go out all shrank their necks, yet not one person moved their feet.

Everyone gazed at the misty wasteland outside the checkpoint, their eyes hiding an almost obsessive anticipation, as if something life-saving was hidden out there.

"Even though the Walker has already left, the influence continues, and it seems to be getting worse."

Cheng Ye paused to observe, his brow slightly furrowed.

Compared to yesterday, these people's behavior today was increasingly abnormal. Everyone's eyes seemed to burn with a flame.

The flame blazed fiercely, a desire for "change."

After being amplified by the Walker's ability, it grew like wild grass, gradually reaching the point of losing control.

Fortunately, the numbers hadn't increased dramatically compared to yesterday, which was somewhat relieving.

After observing for a while, Cheng Ye took out his badge, preparing to swipe open the isolation door. But the door slid open from inside before he could.

Unexpectedly, it was Lei Hu who emerged, surrounded by more than ten guards.

"Inspector Cheng, good morning."

Lei Hu seemed to be in excellent spirits. The moment he saw him, his face broke into a smile, radiating maximum affinity.

"Station Chief Lei, morning!"

"You're not late today, haha."

Lei Hu laughed heartily, "Just joking. Station Chief Ding is waiting for you in my office. I was going to have a guard wait at the entrance to bring you up when you arrived, but this works out perfectly, you can go directly."

"Yes."

Cheng Ye stepped aside to clear the path, his gaze sweeping over the increasingly heavy rain outside, "Station Chief Lei, there are quite a few scavengers outside. The Walker... well, you'd better be careful not to be affected."

"Don't worry!"

Lei Hu laughed even more heartily, patting the gun at his waist, "I've been a checkpoint inspector for over ten years after all. I still have this much resolve, I'm not so easily knocked down."

After speaking, he paused, pursing his lips while his eyes showed a hint of gravity, "The influence is definitely there, but it hasn't reached the point of losing control. The situation outside is complex, and these scavengers are ultimately old residents of Happiness City. We help when we can, at least give them better odds of survival."

"Station Chief Lei works hard."

Cheng Ye nodded and said no more but his heart stirred slightly, his gaze sweeping toward the long queue of scavengers.

Lei Hu being considerate of scavengers?

Under normal circumstances, there might be some possibility, but in the current situation, unless...

From beginning to end, his gaze suddenly fixed on a short, fat figure who had just come through the rain curtain, gasping for breath.

As expected, he had come!

Cheng Ye's pupils contracted almost imperceptibly for an instant, then he withdrew his gaze as if nothing had happened, walking hurriedly through the isolation door without sparing another glance in that direction.

The transcendent creatures of this world were too bizarre. Whether mother source or Wish-Guarding Transcendents, their abilities far exceeded imagination.

Those transcendent beings who had entered symbiotic states, who knew if they might have even more abnormal perceptual abilities?

Buzz.

The isolation door slowly closed behind him, cutting off both rain curtain and crowd.

Just then, Liu Kun, who had been keeping his head down in the crowd, frowned slightly and looked up thoughtfully toward the isolation door.

At an angle invisible to everyone else, a creature resembling an eagle perched quietly on his shoulder.

Its entire body was covered in fire-red feathers, like a burning flame. Though it clearly existed in another dimension and was completely unobservable to the naked eye, it emanated a sense of reality that could affect the physical world.

The moment Cheng Ye's glance had fallen their way, the flame eagle had suddenly turned its head, staring back just as sharply.

If Cheng Ye's gaze had lingered even half an instant longer, the stares of man and eagle would have met directly but Cheng Ye was ultimately too cautious. He had only glanced once before immediately looking away, without the slightest pause.

The flame eagle stared for a moment, unable to capture any subsequent abnormalities. Its fire-red feathers stirred restlessly, seeming somewhat impatient, about to spread its wings and take flight.

However, just then, a loud shout came from the front of the queue:

"Everyone pay attention! Form proper lines!"

A guard pushed through the crowd and stood out, holding a megaphone, "Station Chief Lei sympathizes with everyone's hardships and knows going outside is dangerous. He specially applied for a batch of outdoor assistance supplies, everyone present gets a share!"

"Those who want them, get your lines straight! No cutting in line, no shouting!"

"Otherwise get out of here!"

The guard spoke rudely, but the crowd instantly erupted in cheers.

The oppressive atmosphere from the rain and waiting was swept away by wild joy. Everyone's face flushed red with excitement. Many even stood on tiptoe to look forward, making garbled sounds of gratitude.

Influenced by this commotion, the contemplation in Liu Kun's eyes instantly faded.

The next second, he immediately put on a smile indistinguishable from the surrounding scavengers, even waving his arms more vigorously than others, shouting along with the crowd, perfectly blending into the fervent emotions.

Seeing this, the flame eagle's restless feathers gradually calmed, and it buried its head back under its wings.

"Hey, old brother, did your arm wound seem to be glowing just now?"

Just as Liu Kun was waving and cheering with the crowd, a hoarse voice suddenly came from behind him.

The middle-aged man standing behind him craned his neck, curiosity in his eyes. When Liu Kun had raised his arm and his sleeve slipped down, he had vaguely glimpsed an unhealed wound on the back of the man's arm.

Having a wound wasn't strange, but what was strange was the wound's edges.

They seemed to gleam with a bizarre dark green color, as if alive, flickering on and off.

"Hm?"

Liu Kun's movements paused. He feigned confusion while pulling up his sleeve, exposing his entire arm, "Is there a wound?"

"Did I see wrong?"

The middle-aged man was startled and leaned closer to examine carefully. The rough skin was covered with old scars, but indeed there was no wound.

He immediately felt embarrassed and quickly put on an apologetic smile, "Sorry, old brother, maybe the rain was too heavy and dazzled my eyes. Really sorry about that."

"It's fine, we're all family here. Being careful is understandable."

Liu Kun smiled, his tone revealing no abnormality whatsoever. He turned back to face forward as if the small incident had never happened but at an angle ordinary people couldn't see, the flame eagle on his shoulder had already changed appearance.

The originally burning fire-red feathers had somehow faded to a bizarre dark green, like ghostly fire soaked in poison, emanating a chilling coldness.

As Liu Kun lowered his arm, that dark green color flowed along the feathers like a living snake, silently crawling back to the rear side of his arm.

In an instant, the flame eagle's feathers blazed red again, the dancing firelight completely covering the previous dark green.

Only in the depths of the firelight, if one looked carefully, could one always find a trace of lingering darkness.

Like ink dropped into flame, though it should have been burned away, it stubbornly condensed there, swaying gently with the flame's movement, emanating an indescribable eeriness.

Inside the checkpoint, Cheng Ye clocked in as usual, then planned to borrow an umbrella from the duty room.

When he left this morning it wasn't raining, and in his haste, he had completely forgotten about bringing a raincoat.

However, the duty room only had ill-fitting backup raincoats and no umbrellas as he had imagined.

Cheng Ye was stunned for a moment before realizing that in the vast Happiness City, it seemed only inner city residents were worthy of using umbrellas, not having to hurry through the city wearing raincoats.

Since coming to the outer city, he indeed hadn't seen a single person carrying an umbrella.

"Alright then."

Cheng Ye nodded, not wanting to say more. He simply pulled up his collar and jogged toward the station building in the rain.

Cold raindrops hit his face, mixed with damp, cold air that drilled into his bones like countless fine needles.

He estimated the wind chill was already approaching sub-zero temperatures.

If the migrants arrived while the weather remained like this, the cold alone could cause plenty of trouble.

"Inspector Cheng, the General Station Chief is waiting for you in the fifth-floor office."

The guard at the station building entrance hurried over when he saw him running through the rain.

The checkpoint's forms of address were quite particular. For Lei Hu, guards would add his surname, calling him Station Chief Lei.

For Harlin, they wouldn't say Deputy Station Chief, but would directly say Station Chief.

Only for Ding Yishan would everyone unanimously use the three words "General Station Chief" to signify his status.

"Please help me find a raincoat, I forgot to bring one today."

Cheng Ye nodded while climbing the stairs, giving the casual instruction.

"Right away, I'll bring one to you," the guard replied.

At the corner between the fourth and fifth floors, Cheng Ye unconsciously stopped.

He took several deep breaths of the cold, humid air until his body completely relaxed and his mood returned to calm, then walked upstairs with steady steps.

Half a month ago, right after Liu Bi left, he would inevitably have felt anxious.

But now was different. The growth in his strength had quietly changed his mindset long ago.

Everything felt so natural, without the slightest trepidation about rashly stepping into the checkpoint's power vortex.

After all, compared to what Ding Yishan wanted to get from him, what he wanted to dig out from this station chief would only be more.

Bang.

The moment Cheng Ye's hand touched the door panel, it was pulled open from inside.

He instinctively thought it was Jiang Chuan, but unexpectedly it was Ding Yishan himself opening the door, revealing a familiar warm smile.

That expression was almost identical to the memory of his predecessor's first day leaving the inner city, when Ding Yishan had pulled him aside with concern.

"Come in quickly. The rain is so heavy outside, and you didn't even wear a raincoat. In the current situation, if you get sick, there won't be time for you to rest."

Seeing the water droplets on Cheng Ye's hair, Ding Yishan quickly instructed, "Achuan, quickly bring out a clean towel."

Only then did Jiang Chuan emerge from the inner room, holding a clean white towel.

To Cheng Ye's surprise, Ding Yishan didn't have Jiang Chuan hand him the towel, but truly acted like an elder, taking it and reaching up to dry his hair.

Hm?

Learning from Cao Cao receiving Xu You barefoot?

Cheng Ye felt somewhat strange inside but showed appropriate surprise and gratitude on his face.

After Ding Yishan wiped twice, he quickly took the towel, saying politely, "Station Chief Ding, let me do it myself. How could I trouble you?"

"You boy, why be formal with me?"

Ding Yishan laughed and didn't insist. He naturally withdrew his hand and turned toward the reception area where he had previously talked with Lei Hu, "Sit down. I called you here to chat about those plans Jiang Chuan gave me last night. Mm, very good. Even I, as station chief, was quite moved after reading them."

Unexpectedly direct.

Cheng Ye's heart paused. He hung the towel on the cabinet by the entrance and sat in the single armchair opposite Ding Yishan.

It was the same position as last time, but the conversation partner had changed, and the atmosphere was completely different.

Jiang Chuan stood like a door guard at the outer hall entrance, four or five meters away.

Cheng Ye instinctively opened his panel and glanced at their cooperation levels.

Jiang Chuan was still at 55%, the same as Miao Yang, maintaining around this level after becoming familiar but Ding Yishan, as expected, had a cooperation level of... 0%.

After Chu Xuan and Harlin, this was the third person he'd encountered with zero cooperation.

"Is it pure distrust, or does he simply have no intention of any substantive information exchange with me?"

Cheng Ye pondered.

Actually, quite a lot could be read from cooperation levels alone.

For instance, this current 0% almost explicitly stated that in the upcoming conversation, any questions he actively asked would likely receive no answers from Ding Yishan.

It also meant this conversation was currently one-way, he only had the role of answering, while Ding Yishan apparently came with a belly full of questions.

"Cheng Ye," Ding Yishan picked up the teapot and poured a cup of hot tea, placing it before him. His tone was as casual as family chat, "How long have you been at the inspection station?"

"Over three months now."

"Over three months..." Ding Yishan nodded and set down the teapot, "Not long, but quite capable. I looked at your previous inner city files, they don't mention that you understood these things."

"The files... also don't mention that I had the ability to take down high-level fusion bodies."

Cheng Ye smiled slightly. Since he couldn't explain, he'd answer with something even more extraordinary, "Since joining the checkpoint, one should have self-learning ability. What should be understood must be proactively learned."

"Well said, self-learning ability is very important!"

Ding Yishan nodded emphatically, as expected not dwelling on the "files," "How many veteran inspectors we have at the checkpoint just don't understand this principle. They always want to coast by through internal factional alignment and clique formation. If they all had your awareness, I, as station chief, would have it much easier!"

Factional alignment and clique formation, just stated so bluntly?

Cheng Ye remained impassive, glancing at the still 0% cooperation level and pondering without responding.

Ding Yishan seemed to not expect a response either, changing topics, "Regarding those ideas you proposed, I had Achuan reorganize them. Would you like to see the reorganized results?"

"Sure." Cheng Ye picked up his tea cup and took a sip, his tone modest, "What I said last night was scattered, I don't know if the reorganization might have omissions."

Ding Yishan showed a smile of approval and pulled out a stack of bound papers from the drawer under the coffee table.

Clearly prepared in advance.

"Opinion Paper on Inspectors Contracting Outer City Construction?"

Cheng Ye's gaze fell on the cover.

He raised an eyebrow and repeated the title, showing confusion on his face, "Station Chief Ding, I didn't say last night that we inspectors should go out and contract work."

"Oh, that..."

Ding Yishan picked up his own tea cup, his tone as bland as discussing a trivial matter, "Achuan might have misheard and added it himself. Don't mind the title, just look at the content. There might be quite a bit that's expanded based on your thoughts from last night."

Expanded?

Cheng Ye looked toward the outer hall. Jiang Chuan showed an embarrassed but polite smile, saying, "Inspector Cheng, you spoke too quickly last night. I couldn't keep up with writing, so I added some of my own thoughts afterward. There might be errors or... unreasonable parts. Just speak up directly if there are problems."

Jiang Chuan spoke somewhat haltingly in the latter half.

Cheng Ye inwardly found it amusing, knowing this should be Ding Yishan's own "masterpiece."

But since he was unwilling to be direct...

Was he really hoping to hear some agreeable approval, or did he genuinely plan to listen to constructive opinions?

Picking up the plan document, Cheng Ye focused intently and read line by line.

This plan was roughly sixty to seventy percent similar to the framework he'd casually mentioned last night, only with some sweeping changes in specific implementation.

For instance, changing his suggested distribution of team resource packages to resource vouchers requiring contribution exchanges.

Also changing his envisioned area-focused construction, that Xinghou system where each area specialized in one direction with multiple areas coordinating production, to requiring each area to be fully self-sufficient.

Of course, the key point was still inspector contracting.

Cheng Ye hadn't mentioned contracting implementation methods at all last night, yet the plan document had complete contracting details.

From page seven to thirteen, six full pages of detailed rules covering everything from district division to responsibility scope, even coordination with other departmental units clearly spelled out.

"Station Chief Ding, this won't work." Cheng Ye pretended to frown thoughtfully while his gaze remained locked on the panel.

If the cooperation level showed no change, he'd casually mention some small problem to get by.

If there was change...

"Oh?" Ding Yishan's hand holding the tea cup paused, "What won't work? Tell me, I'm listening."

As his words fell, to Cheng Ye's surprise, the cooperation level on the panel actually moved!

It jumped slightly from 0% to 5%, then immediately dropped back to 2%.

Well, well, he really did come to hear my "criticism"?

Cheng Ye was somewhat astonished, then immediately suppressed these thoughts, speaking steadily, "If we have inspectors go out and contract, that becomes a contractor responsibility system, completely changing the core nature."

"Contractor responsibility?" Ding Yishan frowned, thoughtfully repeating the term.

"My understanding of 'contracting' should be resident-centered."

Cheng Ye leaned slightly forward, his tone carrying confidence, "Let them choose a place to settle and treat that area as their new home to build. Throughout the process, Happiness City only provides necessary material assistance while establishing strict reward-punishment and individual responsibility systems to ensure orderly construction progress. This way residents have a sense of belonging and motivation to work."

"But if we change to a contractor responsibility system, it becomes us inspectors hiring this batch of residents to help expand the outer city. One is doing your own household work, the other is taking wages to work for others. The enthusiasm and sense of responsibility are worlds apart, completely different things."

Cheng Ye cleared his throat and casually pointed to one of the detailed rules, "Look here, inspectors submit material requirements, and Happiness City matches the needs. Without restrictions, inevitably some will waste extravagantly to meet progress goals, over-reporting and over-requesting. But if we add layers of restrictive rules, it becomes binding hand and foot. When emergency situations arise and materials need adjusting, it becomes difficult and actually delays things."

"And this requirement for inspectors to randomly draw contracting areas, it seems fair but is actually unreasonable. Our inspector team isn't uniform either. If someone excels at construction planning, they should be given a stable area rather than randomly assigned to outer zones to bear risks and slow construction progress."

"Or each person understands areas differently. What others might see as a relatively poor area might suit their vision perfectly, knowing how to develop it."

"And this core assessment indicator based on district construction speed also has problems. Migrants just arrived and lack security and basic guarantees most. If we blindly rush expansion, how can inspectors ensure these people will willingly cooperate?"

No plan in the world could be perfect.

No matter how detailed or reasonable, if one wanted to find flaws, loopholes could always be found.

After Cheng Ye pointed out several obvious problems in one breath, he stopped and picked up his tea cup for a drink.

His peripheral vision swept across the panel in the upper right corner, cooperation level had quietly climbed to 12%, just crossing the threshold for searching intelligence.

Ding Yishan was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled, "From what you're saying, you're not opposed to inspector contracting, but opposed to this contractor-style contracting?"

"Station Chief Ding, why do you think the two methods can't run parallel?"

Cheng Ye set down his tea cup, his tone as calm as discussing an ordinary matter.

"Parallel?"

Ding Yishan's brow visibly jumped, his expression slightly changing.

Though he quickly concealed it, Cheng Ye still caught that flash of shock.

Reflected on the panel, cooperation level almost instantly surged, directly jumping to 27%.

Well, well.

Had this hit Ding Yishan's sweet spot?

"You mean contracting and contractor systems can advance simultaneously?"

"Yes, contractor systems also have their merits. The two systems don't actually conflict." Cheng Ye nodded gently, gradually revealing part of what he'd pondered last night, "According to this plan's layout, safe areas can accommodate at most around 200,000 people. The remaining outer areas all have considerable risks..."

"For the safe core areas, implementing resident contracting shouldn't face much resistance. Everyone has a sense of belonging and naturally wants to contribute. But for the dangerous outer areas, certainly no one would voluntarily go."

"At times like this, if we inspectors are willing to step forward proactively and lead teams to contract these dangerous areas, that's a demonstration of responsibility, minimizing Happiness City's losses while contributing to its development through personal action. It's a sacrificial act that unites people's hearts!"

Cheng Ye slightly raised his volume, showing appropriate youthful incomprehension.

"This kind of behavior should clearly have massive support systems plus unlimited reward clauses to make inspectors feel that actively going to dangerous places is worthwhile and will be seen and rewarded! Only then will people be willing to step forward and become the high wall protecting residents, adding bricks and mortar to Happiness City's future!"

He paused, picking up the plan document and flipping two pages, growing more confused:

"But this plan Jiang Chuan wrote gives the impression throughout that... we inspectors are rushing eagerly to go out and lead contractor construction, as if afraid of not getting the chance. Strange, inspectors are clearly making sacrificial contributions, yet still have to be bound by layers of restrictive indicators, facing punishment for poor performance? Isn't this thankless work?"

Hiss.

Cheng Ye had pondered this final statement for a long time before speaking.

Ding Yishan's face indeed showed no ripples, even nodding slightly in a "you're right" attitude of agreement but the cooperation level on the panel couldn't lie, instantly surging an exaggerated 21%, nearly breaking through the 50 barrier!

"This is getting interesting."

Cheng Ye's heart burned with excitement, finally grasping another path to increasing cooperation levels.

Besides intimidation and interrogation, making the other party feel recognition and accept one's viewpoints could apparently also count as cooperation!

After pondering briefly, Ding Yishan suddenly turned toward the outer hall, calling out, "Jiang Chuan, come over and explain your thinking."

"Uh..." Jiang Chuan at the entrance clearly hadn't expected to be called upon, jumping with a start and walking over stammering, "Station Chief, I... I was thinking, thinking..."

After thinking for a long time, he couldn't get out a single sentence.

Seeing Jiang Chuan about to enter crash mode, Ding Yishan timely raised his hand, "Enough. Did you hear what Inspector Cheng just said?"

"I heard, I heard!"

"What do you think should be done?"

"Me?"

Jiang Chuan was stunned again, but this time didn't answer. Instead, he immediately turned to look at Cheng Ye, his eyes full of plea for help.

Hm?

Was Ding Yishan unwilling to break this tacit understanding between the two?

Cheng Ye raised an eyebrow, thoughts sparking like lightning in his mind.

If Ding Yishan asked him directly, that would acknowledge letting him participate in this power distribution, becoming a chess piece no longer confined to trainee inspector status but now asking through Jiang Chuan's voice meant either what he'd proposed wasn't weighty enough, or...

Wait, could it be that Ding Yishan never intended to execute this plan but was making a bold test?

No way.

The plan document was so detailed, detailed enough to specify power distribution.

Dozens of trucks had been brought over, tons of supplies were being allocated, it looked like burning bridges with determination to succeed.

Surely it couldn't be that after we've taken off our pants, you tell me it's actually a feint?

Cheng Ye was suddenly dumbfounded. If this was a test, he'd exposed far too much just now.

That ambition was practically overflowing!

But then, an even stranger thought crashed into Cheng Ye's mind, making him unable to resist calling up the panel and directly clicking on intelligence about checking the Red Mountain Caravan for contemplation.

Entering the intelligence space, time flow suddenly slowed, giving him sufficient thinking time.

From the two men's conversation developing step by step to now, a bold idea suddenly flashed through Cheng Ye's mind.

Could it be... that Ding Yishan hadn't realized the drawbacks of inspectors proactively contracting in this plan document at all?

After he pointed them out, had Ding Yishan suddenly lost his previous confidence?

This notion seemed absurd even to Cheng Ye himself, but considering the surging cooperation level and Jiang Chuan's seemingly genuine expression...

Cheng Ye's eyelid twitched, his heart shaking wildly.

Well, well, if it really was as he guessed, this would be quite the spectacle.

Seeking details through Jiang Chuan's voice while not making explicit their current mutual understanding, Ding Yishan's attitude was already crystal clear.

He had obviously changed how he positioned Cheng Ye, no longer treating him as a chess piece.

Yes, seeking solutions was fine, after all, whether yesterday's submitted plan or today's remarks had more or less demonstrated some ability to resolve this matter but the problem was, if he laid out specific feasible operational plans, even power distribution details, wouldn't that make him...

In an instant, thoughts flowed through Cheng Ye's mind.

Advance, if Ding Yishan was willing to adopt his suggestions, he would directly become the chess player setting the rules of this game.

Never mind anything else, the power in his hands alone would be comparable to an executive station chief.

The only trouble was that if others learned of this, his situation would become extremely difficult.

He might even face direct mortal danger from prematurely exposing his ambition and abilities.

Retreat, there were ways to play dumb and muddle through but having reached this point, retreating now, if Ding Yishan chose to get to the bottom of things or even abandon their mutual understanding...

The benefits and risks would be completely disproportionate, truly not worth it!

"If knowing my abilities makes someone want to eliminate me, they're definitely my enemy, and I'll have to deal with them sooner or later anyway."

"Even in the worst-case scenario, with Stand-In Starfish available, whoever dares show their face can be directly suppressed!"

With this thought settled, Cheng Ye let out a long breath.

The intelligence space shattered with a thunderous crash.

[NEXT CHAPTER]