Wasteland Border Inspector

Chapter 215: Money Dictates the Outcome, Wang Kang Shows His Might!

5:20 AM.A faint glimmer of light breached the horizon, wrapping the dark night like a thin veil.

Blue Zone Camp.

Unit Three.

Li Jie rolled over on his hard wooden bed. Just as he tried to shift into a more comfortable position, his foot accidentally kicked the arm of the person next to him, earning him a merciless punch in return.

That jolted him awake. He sat up abruptly, his mind clearing almost instantly. "Fuck, that was a good sleep. What time is it?"

He hurriedly turned to look at the window on the left side of the unit room. The darkness outside had faded considerably, and the hazy dawn light was slowly seeping in.

What made him panic even more was the terrifying silence around him. Even the usual chorus of breathing had vanished, as if everyone had disappeared without a trace.

"Oh my god..."

Li Jie scrambled to his feet, glancing at the area where his squad members usually slept. Sure enough, it was empty.

It seemed it wasn't an Infection Source invasion or an impending threat. He had simply overslept.

Just as a breath of relief escaped him, an even greater panic gripped his heart.

Everyone else must have gone out on duty, leaving him as the only one still sleeping!

If Inspector Cheng looked into this later, wouldn't he skin him alive and make an example out of him?

At the thought of this, Li Jie could no longer sit still. He threw on his jacket haphazardly, not even bothering to button it, and hurriedly pushed the door open to run outside.

However, as soon as he stepped out of the unit room, he didn't see Cheng Ye resting against the wall as expected. Instead, he saw Wang Kang sitting in the open space between the three unit rooms, leaning against the hastily erected defense barrier with a calm expression.

"Inspector... Inspector Wang?" Li Jie's voice was dry, and he subconsciously clutched the hem of his shirt. "I... I overslept. I'm so sorry, I'll go make up for my shift right now..."

"It's fine."

Wang Kang looked up, a faint smile seeming to tug at the corners of his mouth beneath his mask. His tone was peaceful. "Everyone was exhausted yesterday. It's understandable. Sleeping in a bit is normal. Have you slept enough now?"

"Enough! I've had enough!" Li Jie nodded hastily, but inwardly, he couldn't help cursing his own father.

Why did he have to give him this name? "Li Jie" sounded exactly like the word for "understand." When Inspector Wang just said "understandable," he almost thought it was a sarcastic interrogation, scaring him so much his heart skipped a beat.

"Good. I happen to have a task for you." Wang Kang straightened up, his tone remaining steady.

"Please give the order! I guarantee it will be done!" Li Jie immediately stood at attention, looking ready for action.

"If any residents wake up later, tell them not to come out and move around for now. Today's assessment doesn't start until eight o'clock. Anyone who comes out before then will be considered in violation of the rules."

"Oh? Is it that strict?"

Li Jie scratched his head. Although he was a bit confused—since no one mentioned a delayed assessment time last night—he agreed immediately. "Understood, Inspector Wang. Don't worry, I'll keep a close eye on things!"

He could sense that something was slightly off about Wang Kang's mood, but he didn't dare ask too many questions, forcing his doubts down.

The two stood in the courtyard for over ten minutes. As the sky grew brighter, residents began trickling out of the unit rooms, rubbing their eyes.

Li Jie hurried over to explain. Upon hearing that "the assessment begins at eight, so you can go back to sleep now," everyone was pleasantly surprised. They quickly turned around and headed back to their rooms. Having spent all their energy yesterday building the unit rooms and defense barriers, the adults were already suffering from sore backs and aching muscles.

Getting some extra sleep now was perfect for recovering their strength, ensuring they wouldn't be too exhausted to run if danger struck.

Time ticked by. Li Jie explained the situation to batch after batch of residents until his mouth was completely dry. Watching others return to their warm beds, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy.

But every time he saw Wang Kang still sitting in the same spot, motionless, his resolve returned. He had slacked off last night, so working a little harder now would surely make up for it.

However, as the clock slowly ticked toward six-thirty and the sky fully lightened, Li Jie's doubts grew heavier:

Why hadn't Inspector Cheng and the able-bodied youths who went out on patrol last night returned yet?

According to the designated patrol route, circling Dabo Town should take half an hour at most. It had been an hour and a half now. Even if they encountered a minor situation, they should be back by now, right?

Just as his imagination started running wild, Wang Kang seemed to see right through him and spoke up unprompted. "No need to worry. Inspector Cheng took Huang Liang and the others out to collect the results of the first day's assessment. Our Blue Zone had a solid lead yesterday, so there won't be any issues."

"Oh! Oh, right! I knew it!" Li Jie quickly scratched his head and smiled, suppressing all his worries and doubts. He secretly rejoiced, relieved that they had just gone to get the results and hadn't run into trouble.

However, this peace didn't last long. Before it even struck seven, a cacophony of voices drifted over from the Red Zone, shattering the tranquility of the early morning.

Wang Kang's calm expression suddenly shifted, his fingers instinctively tightening around the weapon at his waist.

But a second later, a composed face flashed through his mind, accompanied by countless chaotic thoughts.

'If Brother Cheng were here, would he panic?'

'No, he definitely wouldn't.'

As the thought settled, the panic in his heart instantly receded. He stood up steadily and waved at Li Jie. "Watch the camp and keep a close eye on the unit rooms. Don't let anyone come out. The assessment is the priority. I'm going to the Red Zone to see what's happening!"

"Don't worry, Inspector Wang! With me here, no one will take a single step out of their units!" Li Jie patted his chest, his eyes full of earnest dedication.

Wang Kang said no more, turning and striding briskly down the alley beside the supermarket. But as soon as he looked up toward the Red Zone, his expression completely darkened.

People.

So many people!

It wasn't just one or two disgruntled individuals as he had expected. Instead, it was a dense crowd of nearly a hundred people, all clustered in front of the granary. They were loudly surrounding one person—Luo Kuke!

Wang Kang suppressed the urge to rush forward, choosing instead to stand at a distance and listen for a moment.

The crowd's denunciations rose and fell, exploding like rolling thunder, allowing him to quickly piece together the cause of the uproar.

"Inspector Luo! My son went out on patrol last night and still hasn't returned! Even if he's dead, you have to at least let me see his corpse!" a middle-aged man cried, his eyes red and his voice thick with grief and indignation.

"That's right, Inspector Luo! All the missing people are from our Xiaoxiangfeng Gathering Place! You claim they returned to Happiness City, but how is that possible? Their luggage and supplies are all still here. Where else could they have gone?"

"And what about the Infection Sources and Infected Bodies from last night?! You still haven't given us an explanation! We were willing to follow you and participate in the assessment, but we aren't idiots! If staying here means waiting to die, tell me, should we keep waiting?"

"Wait my ass! The Blue Zone next door hasn't lost a single person, while our Red Zone had five die and dozens go missing! Whoever wants to stay in this hellhole can stay, but not me!" someone roared passionately, instantly igniting the anger of everyone around.

Someone else shouted at the top of their lungs, "Inspector Luo, why don't we just surrender?! The old saying goes, 'One step ahead, always ahead.' The Blue Zone has such a massive advantage now that we can't possibly catch up! You can go back to Happiness City and continue being an Inspector, and we'll follow Inspector Cheng to develop Dabo Town. Isn't that a great plan? Tell me, does that make sense or what!"

"Yeah! We came here to build, not to risk our lives fighting Infection Sources! If Happiness City wants to clear out Infection Sources, they should send an army!

Making us ordinary folks come here to die is bullshit!"

Voices overlapped as the crowd relentlessly hurled complaints, one after another.

He lacked the competence to govern his people, yet foolishly took on the responsibility of managing them anyway.

The waves of shouting grew higher and higher. Standing in the center of the crowd, Luo Kuke was ashen-faced. He explained things over and over again, but his voice was completely drowned out by the noisy condemnations, rendering his efforts utterly useless.

Moreover, he had to cover his mouth and cough every now and then. The rusty, iron-like pallor on his face deepened, and even his breathing grew ragged.

Fortunately, he stood sideways in the shadows, wearing a pre-prepared wig that covered his abnormal bald head, so no one had noticed anything wrong with him yet.

But Wang Kang could see clearly that if this chaos continued, the powder keg that was the Red Zone would inevitably ignite.

'What do I do? What do I do?'

'If Brother Cheng were here, what would he do?'

'I'm just a Trainee Inspector... I don't have the ability to persuade this many people. They don't even know me. My dad was just an ordinary Fourth-stage Inspector, and my grandpa...'

Wang Kang's heart trembled. His legs felt as heavy as lead, entirely refusing to lift.

He had never faced a scene like this before. Because just as Cheng Ye had said, even if the people in their community bickered with him, they still held a deep-seated respect for him.

But the Drifters before him were different. They had grievances to vent, survival needs to meet, and a right to know they were fighting for. They wouldn't back down easily just because of the title "Inspector." They only cared about benefits, only cared about...

Suddenly, Wang Kang's whole body shuddered as scenes involuntarily flashed through his mind.

It was yesterday—no, the day before yesterday.

When the other groups in the contract management assessment were already making their moves, Cheng Ye remained unruffled, telling him:

"Remember well: whether it's the wasteland or the Old Era, money is the true measure of a hero!"

'Money...'

'Money!'

'It was money that controlled the community, making someone like Ruthless Long—a man who had ruined a thousand lives—obediently comply.'

'Then could money... control this group of Drifters and make them obediently cooperate with the assessment?'

Figuring this out, the hesitation on Wang Kang's face vanished instantly, and his previously trembling spine snapped straight.

'That's right! Even though I'm only a Trainee Inspector... I have money! The money my old man left me!'

'They're just Drifters. Whatever they want, I can afford to give it to them. I'm rich!'

He chanted inwardly, his pace abruptly quickening until he unknowingly arrived right in front of the Red Zone's granary.

Many people noticed him, but upon seeing that he wasn't Cheng Ye, they turned back to continue condemning Luo Kuke. They even deliberately raised their voices, their attitudes growing increasingly volatile, as if trying to 'put on a show' for this Inspector Wang.

Luo Kuke also caught sight of Wang Kang approaching from the corner of his eye, but he didn't feel the slightest sense of relief.

'Not every Trainee Inspector is like Cheng Ye, bearing the title of a trainee while doing the fucking work of a Third-stage Inspector!'

'Nor is everyone like Cheng Ye, enveloped in an invisible halo of family prestige from birth.'

'And definitely not everyone is like Cheng Ye—someone who can be called a genius, someone with that terrifying level of charisma.'

'Can Wang Kang handle this?'

'The answer is obviously...'

"What the hell are you all yelling about? Do you want to let people sleep this early in the morning or not?!"

He lifted his visor and stepped into the crowd. His armor-clad hand directly seized the able-bodied youth who had been shouting the loudest.

The young man instinctively tried to struggle, but upon meeting the suppressed fury in Wang Kang's eyes, his body involuntarily went limp.

"Inspector... Inspector Wang?" The youth's voice trembled, but his eyes darted around rapidly, trying to find a way out. "I..."

"I was just trying to persuade Inspector Luo to surrender! Inspector Wang, I've wanted to join your and Inspector Cheng's team from the very beginning. Just now I was..."

"I know!" Wang Kang released his grip, his tone softening slightly. By now, the area had gone completely silent. They dared to loudly denounce Luo Kuke.

That was because, given his performance from yesterday to today, this Third-stage Inspector was absolutely pathetic.

From his handling of the Thorn Bird attack to the chaotic construction planning, and finally his sheer absence during the water collection and the subsequent Infection Source outbreak...

He was nowhere to be seen the entire time.

Cheng Ye, on the other hand, had led from the front lines the entire time. Under the stark contrast, everyone felt that the titles of 'Third-stage' and 'Trainee' had been completely reversed. Some even secretly speculated that Luo Kuke only got his position through nepotism and wasn't a legitimate Happiness City Inspector at all.

Cheng Ye was different. As the grandson of the founding Station Master Cheng Wu, his actions and capabilities perfectly aligned with their image of what a 'Happiness City Inspector' should be.

With this perception established, even though Wang Kang was also just a Trainee Inspector, the crowd didn't dare act rashly.

No one could gauge Inspector Wang's background, much less confirm if he possessed the same hard power as Cheng Ye. They subconsciously equated him to Cheng Ye and didn't dare casually provoke him.

"The missing people were all taken away by the assessment supervision team!"

Wang Kang took a step forward, his voice booming to ensure everyone could hear him clearly. "You don't need to ask for the specific reasons. The assessment must continue. If anyone breaks the rules and gets taken away, don't blame us Inspectors for being ruthless. Those are the supervision team's disciplines, and there are no exceptions."

"What? Taken away?"

"Why would my son be taken away? He didn't break any rules!"

"Impossible. People from our Xiaoxiangfeng Gathering Place have always behaved themselves..."

As soon as the murmurs began, Wang Kang abruptly raised his volume, his thunderous shout overpowering them. "I said no yelling! Still being loud?! Did I ever say that being taken away is a punishment?!"

The crowd instantly quieted down, everyone's gaze locking onto him.

"The reason there were no specific topics for the first day's assessment was to observe the quality of the residents on both sides!"

Wang Kang slowed his speech, yet his tone carried an unquestionable confidence. "I can tell you explicitly: the people who were taken away will not only receive double their pay, but they'll also get extra rewards!"

'Extra rewards?'

The quiet crowd erupted in an uproar again, though no one dared to loudly voice their doubts. Especially the few who had been causing the biggest scene earlier—a burning fervor flashed in their eyes, and their breathing hitched.

"You all know that the base pay for this assessment is one hundred Happiness Coins," Wang Kang continued, intentionally pausing for effect. "Now I can tell you: everyone taken away by the supervision team will receive two hundred Happiness Coins!"

'What? Two hundred?'

A loud clamor broke out.

This time, the crowd was thoroughly riled up. Even the onlookers who had been watching from inside the granary ran out, craning their necks to listen.

Two hundred Happiness Coins! If a whole family got taken away, they'd make eight hundred on the spot!

'Then what's there to hesitate about? Hurry up and take me away already!'

'Getting high pay while leaving this dangerous Dabo Town behind? It was killing two birds with one stone!'

"Starting to yell again? Did I say I was finished?"

Wang Kang furrowed his brow, his gaze sweeping over the few restless youths in the front row.

Intimidated by the icy glare in his eyes, those men immediately froze. Putting on obsequious smiles, they retreated a couple of steps, not daring to make another peep.

Once the area was quiet again, Wang Kang enunciated every word clearly, "Those taken away get their pay doubled."

His gaze swept across the expectant faces of the crowd before throwing down an even heavier chip:

"But for those willing to stay and continue participating in the assessment, the pay will be... tripled!"

Before anyone could react to his words, he fired off like a machine gun, "And not just the base pay. Starting today, after each day of assessment, anyone who hasn't been taken away will receive an extra 50 Happiness Coins as a hazard bonus. This is your reward for facing the risks head-on, and an encouragement for your cooperation."

"When the entire assessment is over, we'll also select outstanding individuals for special rewards. The grand prize is an independent unit room, plus 1,000 Happiness Coins. Even the lowest attendance bonus is 20 Happiness Coins, which everyone will receive as long as they stick it out to the end. But if you make a racket and disrupt order like you just did, then I'm sorry, but you won't get a single dime!"

"There's also a group bonus! The better the Red Zone performs as a whole, the more money each person gets!"

As he spoke, he took another step forward, his voice rising sharply. "Happiness City has plenty of money, and I, Wang Kang, can afford to pay out as well. But what about you? Ask yourselves: why did you come to Happiness City? Why did you come to Dabo Town?!"

Ba-thump.

These words were like a heavy tolling bell, striking fiercely against everyone's heart.

The eyes that had just been dazed and confused instantly lit up. All their dissatisfaction and anxiety were washed away by a single word: 'Money.'

Luo Kuke remained silent, utterly stunned. He watched as Wang Kang raised a hand and pointed toward the granary, and the crowd—who had just been screaming for an explanation—began walking back of their own accord.

The previous demands to 'see the corpses' and their 'right to know' vanished completely without a trace.

All the arguing, explanations, and need for order seemed to become utterly insignificant in the face of tangible benefits.

"Today's assessment is delayed. The exact time hasn't been set yet. It could be at eight, or it might be at noon like yesterday."

Wang Kang watched the crowd retreat toward the granary, his tone holding a hint of reprimand. "You don't appreciate the rest time you're given and insist on causing a scene. Aren't you just making things hard for yourselves and your wallets?"

'Money.'

'Money!'

The crowd repeatedly murmured this one word. With eyes that looked as if they were possessed, they filed back into the deepest corners of the granary, finding spots to lie down and catch up on sleep.

Even the few who had spearheaded the disturbance earlier, and those who still wanted to say something, were firmly held down by the people next to them.

If anyone dared to stir up trouble now, they would be cutting off everyone's path to riches. No one was going to stand for that!

In the blink of an eye, the previously chaotic space in front of the granary was left with only Wang Kang and Luo Kuke. As the early morning breeze blew past, it felt surprisingly peaceful.

"Inspector... Wang!" Luo Kuke spoke up, his voice raspy, sounding like grinding rusty iron.

Let alone Garcia, even he had been utterly unwilling to address this young kid before him as an Inspector until now.

But now, having witnessed this.

He suddenly felt that he was somewhat outdated, just like those old fogeys at the Inspection Station from the Great Pioneering Era.

They usually acted incredibly wise, but the moment things got critical, their brains would short-circuit and they'd act like fools.

'I'm such a fucking idiot!' Luo Kuke cursed himself fiercely in his heart.

But immediately after, he let out a long sigh. His gaze drifted into the distance, his thoughts unknown.

A moment later.

He collected himself and spoke softly, "Today, I'll have to trouble you to take charge of the assessment. I'm going into the water to find exactly where that pollutant is and... contain it."

To his surprise, Wang Kang immediately shook his head, his tone carrying an unquestionable note of command. "No. You stay right here."

"Then..." Luo Kuke hesitated, his eyes sweeping toward the road leading out of town, filled with bitterness.

He actually wanted to say that the person who left, nine times out of ten, wouldn't be coming back.

What would likely follow was Happiness City sending wave after wave of people in to attempt a rescue.

That is, if... the pollutant truly was what he suspected and held immense value.

But he couldn't bring himself to say it. Because just the memory of the look in that person's eyes before he left last night made Luo Kuke feel that discussing him behind his back was a downright insult.

"You're a Third-stage. You're only a Third-stage. You don't have the ability to handle it."

Wang Kang's tone was incredibly serious, as if he had completely forgotten that he was still a Trainee Inspector and ignored the gap in their ranks.

"Brother Cheng will come back. He... he wouldn't abandon me, and he won't abandon everyone here."

"Is... is that right?" Luo Kuke mumbled, involuntarily raising a hand to wipe the hot sweat from his brow.

But when he looked up again, he saw that Wang Kang's expression had completely frozen, motionless.

'Wait...'

In that split second, Luo Kuke felt a bone-deep chill. He instinctively assumed that Wang Kang might have said the wrong thing and had just been struck by an area-of-effect Mental Pollution.

But he paused. Facing the sunlight, he looked closer at that frozen face, into those eyes.

The gaze within them wasn't frozen at all. Instead, it was vibrant. There were even... traces of tears slowly welling up.

'Could it be...'

Luo Kuke snapped his head around, looking in the direction of the rising sun.

On the sole main road leading into Dabo Town, a massive two-container truck had suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

The truck looked as if it had been squeezed out from the void, the rear of the vehicle still trailing faint traces of spatial distortion, not having fully materialized yet.

But through the cab window, one could clearly see a young man leaning his head out and waving, wearing that familiar, reassuring smile.

With the sun rising behind him... at this very moment, even its brilliant light seemed to dim in comparison!