Chapter 183: High-Spirited, Practical Examination Begins!

Central Station.As the currently liveliest place in the entire buffer zone, nearly five thousand people passed through inspections and entered daily.

Cheng Ye stood at the entrance and exit watching for a while.

Sure enough, most who passed inspection were middle-aged people in their thirties and forties, in family units, mostly families of three or four. Unfortunately, they were all forcibly influenced by the Walker to come. If they had migrated here on their own, there was a high likelihood they would reveal a bunch of golden legends.

One prominent characteristic was that the children in these families were basically all under 8 years old. Due to long-term malnutrition, most looked similar to modern four or five-year-old children, precisely at the stage where they couldn't work and needed dedicated care.

At the inspection station entrance, giant posters were posted, listing preferential settlement policies one by one:

Children under 8 years old could use their resident certificates to receive one bag of nutritional paste daily for free. Families with two children could directly apply for shantytown resettlement housing. Employment favored new residents with dedicated work tasks. There were also medical stations with free diagnosis and treatment, distribution of common medicines and deworming medicine...

Cheng Ye's gaze swept across the poster, seeing the four characters "Xinghuo Alliance" in the upper right corner, with the familiar Mount Everest pattern beside it, and two lines of small text printed below:

[Xinghuo Alliance Recuperation Agreement, those who meet conditions can enjoy preferential conditions in any sanctuary city within the alliance]

[If there are violators, Xinghuo Alliance will impose severe punishment]

"An agreement between super sanctuary cities..."

Cheng Ye's heart paused slightly.

Although the painful lessons of the transcendent era had caused humanity to lose the foundation for great unity and also lose the prerequisite for opening the path of centralized authority.

Various forces split up, only believing in their own ideals, but on certain matters, everyone could still form alliances.

Like settling the new generation.

After all, population didn't randomly refresh. The core of the recuperation period was restoring total population, accumulating strength for the next pioneering era.

If even the new generation wasn't cared about, the "recuperation period" would just be empty talk.

And these people being received by the buffer zone was also good for the upcoming satellite city construction.

At least families in satellite cities, even if they had children, should have basic survival capabilities.

The wasteland wasn't like modern times. Generally by age 10, children had survival skills. The difference was only in physical condition, experience, and thinking logic.

Once twelve-thirty arrived, the two timed their entry through the internal passage into the office area.

Wang Kang was coming to the station affairs building for the first time. His eyes were full of curiosity, looking left and touching right.

The courtyard already had quite a few inspectors, gathering in threes and fives exchanging intelligence about satellite cities, quite like the lively atmosphere before each exam when students had already arrived at the examination venue but weren't allowed to enter yet. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ ????????????????????·????????????????·????????????

Seeing Cheng Ye bringing Wang Kang in, everyone's gazes instantly turned over. Immediately after, greetings rose and fell one after another:

"Inspector Cheng, you're here."

"Inspector Cheng, you and Inspector Wang have truly pioneered something at our inspection station."

"Impressive. I saw the examination content you submitted. A hero emerges young indeed."

"With Inspector Cheng as such a rising star among us Eastern people, the old station chief would definitely be gratified if he knew."

"Inspector Wang, meeting for the first time, I am..."

A group of people surrounded the two completely. Wang Kang immediately became somewhat confused.

Fortunately, Cheng Ye helped with introductions from the side. He quickly calmed down, responding one by one, not appearing awkward.

While socializing, Cheng Ye observed imperceptibly.

Everyone's attitude seemed even more cordial than before in the hospital room, especially those factional fanatics. Even third-term inspectors like Gu Xinjing came over to greet them.

As for the fourth-term inspectors, although they didn't actively approach, their gazes also revealed several parts goodwill.

Could it be...

After a round of greetings was finished and those people he only had vague impressions of dispersed, Yang Xingwen finally walked over, opening with congratulations.

"Congratulations, Inspector Cheng. Dapo Town is truly a treasure location."

Yang Xingwen said with a smile, "When residences are built there in the future, I absolutely must buy one. You have to give me a discounted price."

"Inspector Yang, what are you saying?" Cheng Ye pretended not to understand.

"Hehe, you don't know about this yet." Yang Xingwen lowered his voice, "This morning quite a few people came to me, wanting me to select them into Dapo Town. Among them were two fourth-term and three third-term inspectors. But guess what? Those two fourth-term applications were all rejected by the station for 'insufficient experience.'"

He paused, then added, "Also, all applications wanting to exchange into Dapo Town were all refused."

"I really didn't know about this." Cheng Ye's heart shook, but his expression remained normal.

Good heavens, Old Ding was blocking all roads to protect his promotion?

Fourth-term inspectors weren't allowed into Dapo Town, and those from other towns on the list couldn't exchange over either.

Plus Wang Kang, who hadn't participated in the initial examination, suddenly appearing on the contracted list.

This was basically openly telling everyone at the inspection station that the Dapo Town position was reserved for these two trainee inspectors.

"Inspector Yang Ming has already given up. He jumped to Hexi Town..."

"I also gave up, planning to go to Wanzi Town."

Yang Xingwen spoke frankly, without much extra emotion in his tone, "Inspector Cheng, your only opponent now is Rocook. That guy is a real troublemaker, the same type as Garcia. Nine out of ten times he'll compete with you fiercely. You need to be careful of him."

"Thanks." Cheng Ye nodded, "I'll reserve a house for you at Dapo Town in the future."

"Hahaha, then I've really profited!" Yang Xingwen laughed heartily, "Seriously, maybe if your inspection station develops in the future, I might even have a chance to rotate there. When that time comes, don't mind that my abilities aren't good enough."

Cheng Ye smiled and agreed, but his heart was clear as a mirror.

Ding Yishan paved the road so smoothly, openly protecting him but actually putting him on the fire.

However, wanting to carry the banner, it should be like this to begin with.

The difficult path of a king required precisely brave advancement, opening mountains when encountering mountains, crossing rivers when encountering rivers.

Following Yang Xingwen's indication, Cheng Ye slightly turned his gaze.

In the Western group not far away, four inspectors were gathered together talking in low voices, Garcia among them.

Standing beside him was a blond man with a high nose bridge and sharp eyes. His gaze had never left this direction.

The instant their eyes met, both understood the emotion in the other's eyes.

In Cheng Ye's eyes, this Inspector Rocook indeed had some similarities with Garcia, revealing a trace of pathologically stubborn eyes. At a glance, you knew he was the type of mad dog that once latched onto you, would continuously tear and bite.

In Rocook's eyes, Cheng Ye's gaze held only indifference, as if looking at an insignificant object, even carrying a bit of the coldness used when viewing a dead person.

Interesting.

Rocook simply strode over, immediately attracting the gazes of over fifty inspectors present.

"Cheng Ye, hello."

He extended his hand, face wearing a perfunctory smile, "I didn't expect we both chose Dapo Town. What fate."

"Inspector Luo, hello."

Cheng Ye extended his hand neither humbly nor arrogantly. The two clasped hands.

Hmm?

The moment their hands touched, Cheng Ye felt a deliberate force from the other's hand. Looking up, he encountered the mockery in the depths of Rocook's eyes.

Coming to Happiness City for so long, he'd met people skilled at calculation and clever people, but had never encountered this type who wanted to clash head-on right from the start.

What?

Finally a brainless villain jumped out?

Cheng Ye couldn't help the corner of his mouth twitching. The force in his hand suddenly increased greatly. Only hearing a light "crack," the sound of bones rubbing connected into a piece.

Rocook's face, which had been wearing a faint smile the previous second, suddenly darkened. The force in his hand also instantly surged.

The surrounding air seemed to freeze. Everyone's gazes focused on the two clasped hands.

Both hands visibly reddened, veins faintly protruding.

About five seconds later, the two seemed to have a tacit understanding, simultaneously releasing their hands.

But what left everyone stunned was that the back of Cheng Ye's hand only flushed red the instant it released. With a slight shake, the blood color quickly faded, soon returning to a normal pale white.

But Rocook's right hand was frighteningly red. On the back of his hand, several deep finger marks could even be clearly seen, as if clamped by iron pliers.

A third-term inspector's show of force toward a trainee inspector actually failed?

Shock flashed in quite a few people's eyes around them. Even several fourth-term inspectors who had been standing in the distance, whose gazes originally held several parts appreciation, also slightly changed flavor, adding some unfathomable surprise.

From leaving the inner city until now, Cheng Ye had practiced martial arts for at most four months. But Rocook was an old inspector who had been on duty at the inspection station for over ten years. How could he lose to a newcomer in strength?

"Inspector Cheng, your strength is quite good." Rocook's face darkened slightly, his tone squeezing out from between his teeth, carrying several parts stiffness.

"You flatter me."

Cheng Ye shook his head, chin slightly raised, eyes adding a trace of coldness, "What I'm best at isn't strength, but death matches. Does Inspector Rocook want to try with me?"

Death match?

The faces of several Western inspectors who had gathered over immediately changed.

Especially Garcia, an emotion difficult to hide swept across his face, clearly recalling the humiliation of being strung up and beaten by Liu Bi back then.

"Death match?" Rocook retreated half a step, as if hearing some joke, "Inspector Cheng, I'll give you a word: young man, don't be too arrogant."

"Then I'll also give you a word: old thing, don't try to rely on your age to bully others."

Cheng Ye pressed forward half a step. Their noses almost touched, sparks crackling in their eyes.

Eastern and Western people hadn't gotten along these past few years anyway. Scenes like the current one weren't fresh either. Eastern and Western inspectors often jumped onto the arena, beating the other side as enemies.

But this was the first time a third-term inspector was pressed to this extent by a trainee.

Immediately, the surrounding Eastern inspectors watching the excitement instantly withdrew their smiles. One by one, they silently moved their feet, either standing beside Cheng Ye or lining up behind him, wordlessly arranging their formation.

Seeing this, the Western people quickly stopped chatting and quickly walked behind Rocook. The two camps were clearly separated, the air filled with the smell of gunpowder, as if it would explode with a spark.

Cheng Ye shook his neck, joints making slight crisp sounds, just about to press forward another step.

Someone walked out from inside the station affairs building, voice slightly heavy as he called out:

"Prepare for examination!"

It was Harlin.

Harlin, wearing a gray-brown trench coat, strode out from inside the building. His falcon-like gaze swept across the entire venue, first fixing on Rocook for several seconds, then moving to Cheng Ye's face and pausing.

Noticing Rocook's right hand that was still shockingly red with increasingly clear finger marks, Harlin's face darkened. Without saying a word, he turned and entered the station affairs building again.

However, this shout was like a basin of cold water extinguishing the tense atmosphere in the venue.

Everyone seemed to suddenly forget the confrontation just now, turning one after another to walk into the station affairs building, steps hurried, as if nothing had happened.

In just seconds, only two groups remained in the courtyard.

Rocook's four-person small group, and on Cheng Ye's side, besides Wang Kang, Yang Xingwen and Gu Xinjing also remained.

Wang Kang, young and hot-blooded, unwilling to show weakness, stepped forward half a step but was quietly pulled back by Yang Xingwen extending his hand.

Gu Xinjing stepped forward, face wearing a gentle smile, "Inspector Cheng, the examination is about to start. Don't delay proper business."

"That's right, let's go." Cheng Ye nodded, taking the lead walking toward the station affairs building.

A low-profile style of conduct was a strategy when facing outside refugees and facing other departmental staff, for the purpose of completing objectives more smoothly.

But facing a group of "colleagues" from the inspection station, being low-profile was meaningless.

Wanting to carry the banner for the young Eastern generation, if he couldn't even handle this kind of scene, what authority was there to discuss?

Watching the four people each pat the statue at the entrance, Wang Kang even curiously kicked it twice.

Rocook watched from behind, face so gloomy water could drip out. He suddenly waved his hand, leading his people inside as well.

Garcia couldn't help but quicken his pace, saying in a low voice, "His strength has simply advanced by leaps and bounds. It seems Cheng Long's martial arts talent was all inherited by him. It's my problem. I didn't investigate clearly before."

"It's fine. No matter how strong, it's just brute force."

Rocook's face was gloomy, but he didn't blame Garcia at all for inadequate investigation, "Wang Kang is for you later. I'll deal with him. No problem, right?"

"No problem!" Garcia agreed immediately, then worried again, "The station chief is all protecting his promotion. If we lose, we'll definitely be stepping stones..."

"Hmm? Having come this far, you still think you're not a stepping stone?"

Rocook sneered, suddenly stopping his steps, looking at the stunned Garcia, "You don't think Station Chief Harlin had me select you as partner to win against Cheng Ye, do you?"

"Hmm?" Garcia was stunned, his face instantly becoming ugly.

"Being an ordinary person, having a muddled brain doesn't matter. Being an inspector, if you're still this muddled, you're not far from death."

Rocook gestured with his eyes for the other two in the small circle to go ahead first, then said to Garcia, "No matter what grievances you had with him before, this examination you must be clear-headed. This isn't an occasion for you to take revenge. How well you perform, the entire upper level is watching. All records will be sent to the inner city, handed to the Deputy City Lord and various departmental directors for review. Think carefully about the consequences."

"As long as you perform well and prove your value, those small moves you made before will naturally be written off. The station chief will definitely compensate us. But if you're cowardly, then at the inspection station going forward, there will be no place for you."

"I..."

Garcia stood in place, face alternating between cloudy and clear. After a long time, he finally exhaled a long breath, "What if we win?"

"Now that's more like it. You need to have this drive." Rocook extended his hand and patted his shoulder, "If we win, on the year-end third-term inspector promotion list, I guarantee your name will be there."

As the words fell.

The dejection on Garcia's face instantly dispersed, his eyes gaining several parts vigor.

The two said nothing more. As they walked up the stairs, Garcia's eyes flashed with a trace of venomous hatred again.

Only this time, the object of venom was no longer Cheng Ye, but fell on Rocook's back walking in front of him.

Like a venomous snake, ready to devour people.

Entering the conference hall.

Cheng Ye didn't sit in the same row as last time with Lee Matteo, but brought Wang Kang to integrate into the Eastern group's area.

The conference hall divided seats by rank. Fourth-term inspectors in the first row, third-term occupied the second and third rows, behind were positions for first and second period.

With the humility of a group of first and second-term inspectors, Cheng Ye took the central seat in the fourth row without hesitation. Wang Kang also benefited by sitting beside him, face both curious and uneasy.

Ding Yishan still wore those reading glasses, sitting in the conference hall center flipping through materials.

The first batch of 12 satellite cities consumed 25 inspectors. Among them, aside from Wenlu County being a 3-person system, the remaining 11 positions were all 2-person partnerships.

But Cheng Ye counted the people present, actually 64 people. It seemed besides those who participated in the examination initially and Wang Kang this trainee, there should also be those who rushed back these past days and those who initially didn't obtain quotas.

Now it was truly lively, a massive 64-person brawl, forming 32 teams.

Even if each group only selected 100 people, it was the mobilization of over three thousand people. The scene would definitely be substantial.

Only the second batch of 12 satellite cities at most only needed 24 people. Ultimately, those who could obtain contracted qualifications were less than half. The rest were all running alongside.

One o'clock in the afternoon.

After the bell finished ringing, Ding Yishan nodded slightly. Harlin immediately stood up and picked up the microphone:

"Happiness City Inspection Station New Era Year 35 Seventh Inspector General Assembly officially convenes!"

"This meeting is the second batch satellite city construction practical examination, aimed at selecting inspectors with capability, responsibility, and construction ability."

"First, announce the list of inspectors who obtained practical examination qualifications!"

"Xipo Town:..."

"Wali Town:..."

What was read was the original list initially announced, without mentioning personnel exchanges.

"Twelve satellite city positions, 53 people obtained direct examination qualifications. Another 13 people on the alternate list."

Harlin raised his eyes and swept across the entire venue, "Now, please everyone select partners, fill in names on paper and hand to staff for statistics."

As the words fell, staff immediately distributed information papers.

Due to prior agreements, intended partners mostly sat together. Filling them out wasn't troublesome.

Information was in duplicate, requiring basic information to be filled.

Cheng Ye quickly filled out his own portion, then took Wang Kang's form to complete the information, handing both in together.

Statistics only took a few minutes. Harlin spoke again, announcing the final competition roster for each satellite city.

Previously popular Xipo Town and Tantou Town suddenly became cold.

Positions originally with 6 groups of 12 people competing now became 2 groups of 4 people dueling, and all were luxurious configurations of fourth-term + third-term.

But Hexi Town that Yang Ming chose and Wanzi Town that Yang Xingwen chose became white-hot competition, becoming killing fields with 8-person chaos.

Among other towns, aside from Dapo Town, there were 3 other positions with 2 groups of 4 people competing. The remainder were all 6-person contests.

Not more, not less, exactly forming 32 groups, 64 people.

"Rocook, Garcia..."

Cheng Ye pondered inwardly.

Garcia needn't be mentioned. This mad dog would definitely chase and bite him relentlessly.

But Rocook?

The two had no prior interaction. To say he was standing up for Garcia, Cheng Ye wouldn't believe it in ten thousand ways.

Then what was it for?

Wanting him to relax vigilance so he could play tricks of appearing to suppress but actually promoting in the examination?

Or deliberately lowering posture first, leaving room regardless of winning or losing?

With Lee Matteo's precedent, Cheng Ye didn't dare look down on these third-term inspectors at the inspection station.

Even if martial ability was slightly inferior, over ten years of wasteland experience was there. Professional knowledge might not match his, but regarding the twists and turns in interpersonal relationships, they absolutely couldn't have straightforward brains.

"Brother Cheng?" Wang Kang's voice pulled back his thoughts.

Cheng Ye returned to his senses, seeing that staff had already placed a document before him.

On the cover was printed a line of large characters:

[Detailed Explanation of Standards for Second Batch Satellite City Practical Examination]

"Here it is!"

The examination standards he'd been longing for day and night finally in hand, Cheng Ye immediately withdrew all other thoughts and opened the document.

But his gaze had just fallen on the first page when his eyebrows couldn't help but rise.

[Each examination group may recruit refugees: 500 people]

[This examination adopts on-site, practical examination methods, will unfold at corresponding contracted locations]

[Examination cycle: Three days (72 hours)]

[Examination core indicators: Complete basic camp construction within 72 hours, must include the following elements—

1. Temporary housing (ensure 500 people can shelter from rain and cold)

2. Safety alert (establish at least 3 sentry positions and patrol routes)

3. Basic supplies (set up water points, food distribution areas)

4. Personnel registration (complete information entry and grouping for all refugees)]

[Scoring standards: Practicality (30%), Efficiency (30%), Cohesion (20%), Innovation (20%)]

[This examination will adopt covert monitoring throughout, do not use any methods to cheat]

[Special note: This examination will provide initial points, initial points can be exchanged for personnel, supplies, etc.]

[Special note: All conflicts within the region are handled by examination groups themselves, inspection station does not intervene. If large-scale casualties occur, it is immediately deemed examination failure]