Wasteland Border Inspector-Chapter 357 - 144: Yu Erlan’s Gift, A New Assignment! (Part 4)
Jiang Chuan acknowledged and quickly disappeared at the end of the corridor.
Ding Yishan stood there in a daze for a moment, then walked to the window and took out a cigarette from his pocket, lighting it.
Ever since the Great Expansion Era ended, he had quit the habit of smoking, but in the last couple of days, the pressure had increased sharply, and he couldn’t help but reach into his pocket.
He leaned against the window sill, watching the flickering lights outside while waiting for the last few inspectors to finish their papers. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎
At eight-thirty in the evening, the last inspector finally put down his pen.
All the test papers were neatly packed into a small truck by the staff and driven towards the Inner City.
Ding Yishan, with a cigarette in his mouth, uncharacteristically took the wheel himself, while Jiang Chuan sat in the passenger seat, looking cheerful.
Since the last meeting, Ding Yishan had stepped into the Unity of Heaven and Man Realm, and his mindset had become increasingly youthful, the aura of an old man had completely dissipated from him, and instead, his eyebrows showed the vigor of a young man.
Even if someone said the two were of the same age, someone might just believe it.
"Station Chief Ding!" The City Gate Guard Captain ran over nervously, and before he got close, the newly appointed City Gate Guard Captain Qin Haonan stopped him and quickly came forward.
Wearing a polite smile on his face, he spoke neither humbly nor arrogantly: "Station Chief Ding, as per the rules, please open the rear compartment. We need to inspect the items inside the vehicle."
"Go ahead."
Ding Yishan pressed the button for the truck’s rear compartment, and the compartment door clicked open.
About ten minutes later, Qin Haonan returned and wordlessly waved them through.
"He’s Researcher Qin’s younger brother, right? He got promoted through Director Liu’s connections this time?" Jiang Chuan pondered aloud.
"Yes, one of our own." Ding Yishan naturally wouldn’t hide from Jiang Chuan, "It’s just a part of the power distribution. After the Satellite City starts construction, the Buffer Zone’s power needs to be returned to the Idealist Faction, allowing them to implement the community system and build it into a central city model. In the future, there’ll be no more mention of a Buffer Zone, only the Outer City and the Inner City."
Having said that, he stepped on the gas pedal and suddenly laughed, "But I heard the Outer City center hasn’t been decided yet, and Zone B-7 is also on the shortlist. It’s quite interesting."
"Huh? Is it Chief Cheng’s doing?" Jiang Chuan was slightly taken aback.
"He’s part of it, but more of it’s the Elders’ intention." Ding Yishan blew a smoke ring, his tone carrying an indefinable meaning, "After the Satellite City expands, inspectors below the Third-Phase without special permission will never dream of entering the central city in this lifetime, hmm... even those in the Third-Phase will have their access to the Inner City revoked. This is the price for power exchange."
"But some people are lucky, becoming favored by the Elders, and they can go wherever they want, unstoppable by us."
"Uh..."
Jiang Chuan paused, unexpectedly detecting a slight tinge of acidity in Ding Yishan’s tone, and couldn’t help but smile.
"Of course, if he focuses entirely on Satellite City construction and ignores Zone B-7, then his permission will be gone."
"Hmm, don’t remind me. I want to see his choice."
"Understood." Jiang Chuan nodded.
Perhaps because the Inner City was ultimately not the stronghold of the inspection station, their conversation noticeably lessened once the vehicle entered the Inner City area.
The small truck made twists and turns through the crisscrossing streets, quickly stopping in front of a dome-shaped research institute.
A sign to the left of the dome read "Infection Source Research Institute," while the right read "Happiness Research Institute," both under the control of the Technology Faction.
The other United Arsenal was at the other end of the Inner City, jointly controlled by the Technology Faction and the Extraordinary Faction, forming a unique balance of power in the Inner City.
"Station Chief Ding, you’re here." From the security booth at the entrance of the research institute, an elder with graying hair stepped out.
"Old Zhang, I’m really sorry to trouble you waiting for me so late at night." Ding Yishan opened the car door, his tone unusually courteous.
"No worries." The elder waved his hand and smiled as he instructed the security to inspect the rear compartment, "I also came from the inspection station; we can’t forget our roots on such major events."
Jiang Chuan quickly got off the car, nodding respectfully: "Uncle Zhang, you don’t look too well; it’s getting colder, please take care to keep warm."
"Chuan, you’re so considerate." The elder sniffled, and his eyes squinted behind his glasses, appearing gentle and kind, "Ah, old problems, just caught a slight cold this morning."
The elder’s name was Zhang Shun, and throughout the Inner City, there was no one who dared to underestimate him.
In terms of seniority, he was a peer of the first Station Chief Cheng Wu, a few years older than Ding Yishan, now fifty-seven years old. His figure was somewhat stooped, and he wore thick reading glasses on his nose, but he was a Level 5 Researcher at the Infection Source Research Institute.
Three levels higher than Qin Feng’s Level 2 Researcher, his position was comparable to the Fifth-phase Inspector at the inspection station.
Back then, Zhang Shun was personally promoted by Cheng Wu as a backbone, serving as the head of the research institute within the inspection station, focusing on researching ways to counter the infection sources and infected bodies for years.
Unfortunately, the inspection station was ultimately too poor, lacking sufficient funding to support research.
Eventually, with Cheng Wu’s downfall and departure, Zhang Shun was compelled to dissolve the inspection station’s research institute and join the Inner City Research Institute.
And so, over twenty years passed.
Even now, if not for his station chief position, Ding Yishan would have to respectfully call him "Uncle Zhang" based on seniority.
"The test papers are all here." Ding Yishan patted the rear compartment, "Could you please arrange for the supercomputer to run the data tonight, focusing on the resource investment assessment for Wenlu County and its surroundings?"
"Rest assured, it’s all arranged."
Zhang Shun nodded, and once the security finished checking the vehicle, he led the two of them towards the dome-shaped building.
According to regulations, without special permissions, Ding Yishan could not enter the Infection Source Research Institute and could only wait in the specially designated reception area outside.
