"Sir, we've arrived at the North Inspection Station. Please take all your belongings with you, and we hope to see you again next time."
The driver stopped the car at the platform, 400 meters from the inspection station, and looked at Cheng Ye.
"My Defense Communication identification number is 41504, surname Tian. If you need a ride in the future, feel free to call me anytime."
"Are you going to pick me up with a bus?"
Cheng Ye chuckled a bit.
So far, this was the third person wanting to invest in him after Uncle Dong and Gwen.
And the strange thing was, the last two people decided to invest after just one brief meeting and barely a conversation.
"Not necessarily. Besides the bus, I also do deliveries for the Public Works Bureau. I have a small truck."
Having said that, Master Tian pointed to the inspection station outside the window again, "If you can get the charging paperwork from the Public Works Bureau, driving the small truck out of the inspection station won't be an issue either."
Cheng Ye nodded and entered the identification number into his Defense Communication system, "Just a heads up, you might never receive a call from me."
"No, I have a good sense for people. People like you, the more stable the environment, the less likely you'll be trapped."
"Thanks for your auspicious words."
Grabbing his backpack, Cheng Ye got off the bus from the back door and squinted toward the distance.
The Buffer Zone of Happiness City is surrounded by an outer perimeter, enclosed by iron nets, forming a huge arc to block outsiders and irrational infected beings.
The three-meter high web is lined with sharp barbs, maintained and replaced at intervals, and a watchtower is set up every 500 meters. Regarding safety, it far exceeds the buffer zones of other Shelter Cities.
As long as you can't fly or dig underground, whether infected or human, you must pass through three inspection stations to enter the Buffer Zone:
The Central Main Inspection Station, and the North-South Inspection Stations.
However, unlike the main inspection station, which was built at the founding of Happiness City and can only be expanded on the initial framework,
the North and South stations were officially completed only twelve years ago. The Inner City's construction team drove the foundation twenty meters underground with heavy machinery, enough to ensure this giant can withstand any impact!
Overall, it resembles an ancient city fortress, with square walls eight meters high and nearly a kilometer long, akin to a gray beast stretching out, forming a closed internal space of nearly 1,200 acres.
Before the city gates, eight passages resembling modern highway toll gates are arrayed like the gaping throats of beasts.
Each passage entrance is equipped with automatic retractable steel spike barriers and self-sensing gun turrets. Once the embedded metal detection coils on the ground detect someone trying to break through, it will immediately unleash all its firepower, riddling the intruder.
After entering the entrance, the Inner City is divided into six zones.
Entrants are diverted into four separate zones for inspection, depending on their type:
Zone A: Mainly for vehicles
Zone B: Mainly for scavengers and ordinary residents with valid papers
Zone C: Visitors from other Shelter Cities
Zone D: Special personnel, such as patrolling sentries, Inspectors on field assignments, and the Inner City's security team
The other two zones, Zone E is the office area, and Zone F is the combat readiness area.
The former is where Cheng Ye will handle his "employment" procedures, and the latter is the resting area for the inspection station's patrol guards.
"Here, this is worthy of being called an inspection station!"
Cheng Ye couldn't help but secretly sigh in his heart.
The Central Main Inspection Station is set up simply for vagrants and survivors passing through, which reduces their feelings of vigilance and fear.
But the North and South stations are the facade of Happiness City, with personnel from surrounding Shelter Cities passing through here.
If they were shabby and cold, people might look down on it, embarrassing the upper echelons of Happiness City.
Furthermore, since Happiness City is an industrial shelter city, it needs to showcase its strength in such places to attract more cooperation.
"Hey, over there, what are you standing and looking at? Get to the gates and line up if you're leaving the city!"
Cheng Ye's back-and-forth gaze caught the attention of a few guards on duty under the inspection station's city wall.
The North and South stations correspond to the Eastern and Western factions.
The Eastern People usually pass through the South Station since they generally won't meet any intentional difficulties if they follow the rules.
If they mistakenly end up at the North Station, they might just be grudgingly let out of the city, but entering would definitely involve thorough scrutiny and more than a bit of extortion.
Thus, Cheng Ye's Eastern face made him stand out quite a bit here.
As for the passage mentioned by the guards,
there are three gates under the city wall. The small gates on the left and right are for people, while the large central gate is for vehicles.
It's not yet eight o'clock to open the gates, and over ten people are waiting by the small right gate under the city wall, lining up to head to the Wilderness ruins.
"Talking to you, pretending not to hear, eh?"
Seeing Cheng Ye remaining motionless, two guards came over, cursing under their breath.
However, the next second, upon seeing the badge in Cheng Ye's hand, their expressions changed dramatically.
In just the blink of an eye, the previous impatience, disgust, and disdain disappeared entirely, leaving only fawning and respect on their faces.
"Inspector... Inspector Sir."
The tall guard who spoke earlier broke out in a cold sweat, his voice slightly trembling, "You're here for?"
"Station Chief Ding's order, I am transferred from the Central Main Inspection Station to work here at the North-South stations. Today's my first day."
"Station Chief's order?"
The guard was taken aback for a moment and instinctively said, "On duty, aren't you supposed to go...to the South Station?"
"I wanted to come to the North Station first. Is there a problem with that?"
"No, no problem!"
There's an unspoken understanding among the guards:
No matter how fiercely the Eastern and Western factions fight within the station, and no matter how intense the overt and covert struggles among Inspectors become, it has nothing to do with them, the lowly guards.
Whether it's Ding Yishan or Harlem who runs the station today, neither would give them a chance to become Inspectors.
Since the upward path has long been blocked, intervening in factional conflicts would be the dumbest choice.
Even though Cheng Ye has an Eastern appearance, we Western guards must treat him like our own and serve him well.
Otherwise, a single report could cost us the positions we worked so hard to get, even if it doesn't cost us our lives.
Taking Cheng Ye's badge, the guard swiped it on the Defense Communication device, becoming more respectful in the process.
"Inspector Cheng, please enter. The place for onboarding is at the fourth window in Zone E. I've already notified them."
"Alright, it doesn't matter if I wait here for a while, does it?"
"Hmm?"
"I'm waiting for some people; otherwise, it'll be too troublesome to go back and forth without being prepared."
Cheng Ye squinted and smiled. The guard was initially stunned, then quickly realized what he meant, involuntarily shrinking his neck.
He's seen many arrogant people, but it's his first time encountering someone as brazen as Cheng Ye.
"Do you have something to say?"
"No." The guard quickly shook his head, "Sir, we're just tools at the Inspection Station. Whether it's you or other Inspectors using us, we dare not have any other thoughts."
"Is that so?"
Cheng Ye stepped forward and casually placed his left hand on the other's shoulder, "Then you can tell me what's the situation at the North Station now."
"Uh, well..."
"You just said you're a tool for me to use. Why can't I use you now?"
"No... I wouldn't dare."
The tall guard was startled, and a cold sweat immediately broke out down his back. He wished he could slap himself.
Why were you so idle? The man was just standing there, and you had to open your mouth.
Now good, this guy is obviously not someone to mess with.
If you don't say anything, it's like directly offending him.
If you do say something, what if this guy goes in and stirs things up? Won't you end up taking the blame?
Damn it!
After cursing the manufacturer of the guard beside him in his mind, the tall guard had no choice but to speak with a bitter face, "Sir, what aspect would you like to hear about?"
"Why don't you go through it according to the hierarchy of personal power at North Station for me?"
"Personal power hierarchy?"
Fortunately, it wasn't directly inquiring about a specific Inspector's personal information. The tall guard breathed a slight sigh of relief and quickly said:
"At our North Station, the one with the highest authority is definitely Station Chief Ben Towns. Then next is Deputy Station Chief Evan Davidson. However, the Deputy Station Chief is often out on field assignments and is rarely seen."
"Apart from the two station chiefs, Inspectors like yourself have the most power. The rules at the Inspection Station are that Zones A, B, C, and D are randomly assigned, changing every week."
"Duty times are from 8 AM to 4 PM, and 4 PM to midnight, so there are 8 Inspectors rotating weekly here."
"Continue."
"Below them are the children of the Inspectors, who handle documentation and verify information of entrants at the station."
"Do they have official positions?"
Cheng Ye squinted and asked, "As far as I know, Inspector's offspring shouldn't enter the Inspection Station until they've inherited the position, right?"
"In principle, it is as you said, but..."
The tall guard hesitated, "To prevent certain Inspectors from having their children unfamiliar with the job after inheriting the position, the Station Chief has allowed them to intern at the station for free, taking on part of the work to get training in advance."
"What a 'free internship.'"
Cheng Ye couldn't help but sigh. Such tactics are brilliant!
The salary at the Inspection Station, what is it? Could one really rely on a few Happiness Coins for a living?
Staying at the station, just slightly taking some perks would gain one several times more in rewards than the salary.
Even someone as honest as Liu Bi, who never takes any perks, can easily earn over a thousand Happiness Coins a month.
Now, the so-called 'unpaid' really only fools idiots.
No, even an idiot should understand the significance of holding some power at the Inspection Station.
"And further down?"
"Further down are people like us, ordinary folks. There are observers, guards, staff, and errand runners, meal deliverers—basically helping the Inspectors with their tasks. As long as it's within the station and not outside, you'll be at your service with no complaints!"
...