Wasteland Border Inspector

Chapter 3: The Flame of the Heart, the Genetic Gap!

"This nutritional syrup actually has no nutritional value; it's just a way to fool your stomach. If you drink it every day, you'll eventually develop health problems."

After taking the five coins, Uncle Dong shook his head, took out a small stool, and sat down opposite Cheng Ye.

"Your dad left you a lot of wealth, and besides, you're a prosecutor now. Why are you working so hard against yourself? The big meat canteen next door is so much better, isn't it?"

"Big Meat Canteen?"

Cheng Ye shuddered, and some unpleasant memories flashed through his mind.

When he first transmigrated, he was indeed fooled by the name and went in, but when he saw the menu, he rushed out without hesitation.

"Big Meat" is the affectionate nickname given to "Xiao Qiang" by the residents of Xingfu City.

A plate full of big chunks of meat sandwiched in rock sugar; I heard it's crunchy and incredibly juicy when you bite into it!
However, Cheng Ye decided that until his life was in danger, he should eat as little of this stuff as possible, or avoid it altogether.

If you want to supplement your protein intake, the nutritional paste extracts plant protein, which has a slightly lower absorption efficiency, but it's not without alternatives.

"I don't like it, this is better."

"That's true. After all, you grew up in the inner city, where even the worst meat is synthetic."

Uncle Dong raised an eyebrow, his wrinkled eyes widening slightly, and watched Cheng Ye chew on the candy with a crunching sound, feeling somewhat sentimental.

“When you first came out, you were suicidal, but I didn’t expect you to adapt so quickly. In just two months, you’ve already shown some of your father’s mannerisms.”

"It's all the environment that forces people to become like this. There's nothing we can do. My dad also forced himself to do that back then."

Cheng Ye shrugged, feigning nonchalance.

Since arriving in this world and becoming familiar with his surroundings, he has never forgotten to maintain his facade, never showing weakness even when facing familiar people.

After all, in this cannibalistic wasteland, no one knows whether the person next to them will attack them in the next second.

The two of them chatted one after another.

As the sun gradually set and the last rays of the setting sun were swallowed by the horizon, the defense communication device suddenly trembled.

[Liu Bi: See you at the usual place, there's a surprise.]

"Big B is calling me, Uncle Dong, I'm leaving now."

"Walk slowly."

He pulled out the pendant, tied it around his neck, and quickly left, crossing two blocks to reach the main road, where he boarded the only bus in the buffer zone.

This line connects the east and west ends, spanning the entire buffer zone.

Because it is an electric tram, the bus also runs for free during the flood season, and the passenger volume is quite large.

Board at the Electronics Factory Staff Quarters stop and get off at the Training Ground stop.

Cheng Ye took a step forward and landed firmly on his feet.

The air was thick with the smell of gunpowder, and the lights were already on in the distant training field that resembled a vegetable greenhouse.

Not far from the bus stop, a bearded man wearing a tactical vest and standing like an iron tower waved.

Cheng Ye couldn't help but smile.

If he had to say who he could trust in Happiness City, it would only be "Brother B" Liu Bi standing right in front of him.

As Cheng Long's comrade-in-arms who shared life and death, during their last field mission, Cheng Long risked his life to send Liu Bi out and entrusted his only son to this rough man.

"I haven't even told you what the surprise is for today, and you're already smiling so happily?"

The two met, and Liu Bi asked, somewhat puzzled.

Did someone tell you in advance?

"what?"

"I don't know, I don't know what you're laughing at."

Liu Bi smacked his lips twice, then pulled out a small half-bag of blackened jerky from his pocket and waved it in front of Cheng Ye. "This is synthetic meat that came from the inner city. I know you don't like big pieces of meat, so I made it especially for you."

"Don't be polite with me. I don't want to go back and tell Lao Cheng that his son starved to death."

"Thanks, Brother B." Cheng Ye didn't stand on ceremony. He would have plenty of opportunities to repay this favor if he returned alive after his field mission. If he was unlucky enough to die out there, the debt would be settled, and Cheng Long would be considered to have paid it on his behalf.

He deftly took the jerky, pulled out a strip, put it in his mouth, and chewed it slowly, tasting a faint hint of beef flavor on his tongue.

Although synthetic meat has the word "meat" in its name, it is actually plant-based protein, just mixed with some beef powder for flavoring.

The wealthy people in the inner city would never eat this, but in the buffer zone, it's considered a top-notch delicacy.

"In addition, from today until the start of your field mission, you will receive one hundred free bullets every day."

"how?"

"Don't be surprised, it was Old Ding who approved it. Harlin and his gang have been getting more and more arrogant lately. They've started openly accepting bribes from survivors to release people. Old Ding is furious. He's probably going to get serious on the next field mission, and a lot of people might die."

When the struggle between the Eastern and Western factions was mentioned, Liu Bi's expression became somewhat solemn.

Aside from uniting on the issue of protecting prosecutors' interests, the two factions are basically fighting each other the rest of the time.

This is a situation that the senior management of Happiness City is happy to see. After all, the checkpoint still has some power, and if there is only one voice, it will inevitably be troublesome to manage.

It's good that it's like this now. The Easterners, led by Ding Yishan, and the Westerners, led by Harlin, are locked in a fierce battle. Even a casual remark from a high-ranking official is treated as an imperial edict from the old era by the two of them.

"Raising the level of fieldwork? Won't I be doomed?" Cheng Ye's face turned pale.

Even standard field missions are dangerous enough; if they are upgraded and involve factional infighting, the consequences are even more dire.
"Don't worry, I'll protect you. I'll make sure you die after everyone else."

This promise sounded heartwarming, but it further diminished Cheng Ye's already limited sense of security.

So much so that once they entered the training field, they quickly entered a state of highly focused learning.

Draw your gun, fire, shoot.

One hundred bullets were quickly used up. Compared to the previous period, Cheng Ye's performance in shooting a 25-meter target with a pistol has improved to 10 shots per minute, with bullet holes spread in diameter of about 15 centimeters, which is equivalent to 6-8 rings.

This score would be considered excellent even in modern times; it would qualify someone as a skilled amateur test-taker.

But in the wasteland, all he got in return was Liu Bi's "Not bad".

"You're very smart, and your learning ability is actually much stronger than others. You can quickly imitate my posture and achieve 50% or 60% of my level. But shooting doesn't require too much intelligence. On the contrary, it's easier to succeed if you're a little less intelligent. For example, when it comes to the action of reducing recoil, you always subconsciously anticipate it in advance, thinking you can calculate the trajectory parabola."

“But a fool like me,” Liu Bi suddenly drew his pistol and fired ten bullets in quick succession, “will only put all my strength into the butt of the gun the moment I pull the trigger all the way down, and pound the recoil into the ground like I’m tamping the earth.”

Cheng Ye stared at the bullet holes on the target, his pupils slightly contracted. The ten bullets were scattered within a range of no more than five centimeters, which was basically a perfect score of ten rings. In modern times, this would definitely be an Olympic-level score.

But I clearly imitated his posture and shooting technique, so why is there such a big difference?
"Do you know why Lao Ding never assigns the big, meritorious jobs to those smart guys like Harlin?"

Liu Bi suddenly lowered his voice, "Two months ago in the old city, three young lads were all ripped open by a tentacle monster that could spray acid. That thing didn't follow the experience they had summarized to develop any offensive methods."

Then he ripped open his tactical vest, revealing a hideous claw mark on his chest: "And this scar, I took it for your father. We all calculated that the infected wouldn't hear the gunshots, but that bastard just had sharp ears. Tell me, are the rules in this wasteland made for people who can write formulas?"

"how should I do?"

"Forget about technique, don't use your brain, and use your muscles to remember the impact of the recoil. That's a million times more useful than using your brain to remember the parabola."

Easier said than done.

Cheng Ye nodded blankly, unsure whether he would be able to learn Liu Bi's methods in the future.

But he understood one thing: before completing the field mission and surviving to eliminate his fear of the wasteland, he absolutely could not abandon his rationality and become a mindless brute.

Because all he can rely on is his brain.

"Shooting is over. Next, we'll train for close combat."

A series of crackling sounds rang out as Cheng Ye attacked and Liu Bi defended.

Fueled by anger, Cheng Ye punched and kicked wildly, but unfortunately, he couldn't even break through the defenses.

If it weren't for the fear of hurting his own dignity, Cheng Ye suspected that Liu Bi could easily withstand all the attacks with just one hand.

This damn brute, this damn wasteland!

Soon, Cheng Ye was panting heavily and completely exhausted, at which point Liu Bi shouted for him to stop.

"You've improved. I can feel your anger now. That's right, let anger control your body in battle, instead of useless reason!"

"Only by treating me as an enemy, tearing me apart, and killing me can you advance!"

The theory that everything can be a brute's act.

Cheng Ye did not refute it. In fact, he had long been aware of the genetic differences. The development of genes by modern people and wasteland people had gone to two completely different extremes.

The former is good at using their brain and dealing with people.

The latter excels in combat and interacts amicably with the infected.

For example, he could get the hang of getting information out of survivors in the quarantine zone in just two months, while Liu Bi had been doing it for more than ten years and was still not proficient.

The original owner's combat genes were pitifully weak, making him a complete academic failure compared to Liu Bi. To make up for the genetic gap, all he could do was work hard!

"Training is over for today. Get some rest tonight. I'll ask for leave for your early shift tomorrow."

Being able to take leave at will is also one of the characteristics of a secure job.

Liu Bi's home was in the fertilizer plant's staff quarters, which was further east. The two parted ways at the bus stop and boarded buses going in opposite directions.

The street scene outside the window began to rush past, but Cheng Ye felt that the nameless fire in his chest was still burning, and it was burning brighter and brighter!
The feeling of powerlessness, where two hands can't beat one, made him constantly fantasize about what would happen if infected people had the same fighting power as Liu Bi.
Just surrender?

No, I want to live, I want to go home, I can't die nameless in the wasteland like this!

Become stronger.

I want to become stronger!

I must become stronger!

Countless voices cried out in Cheng Ye's heart, causing him to involuntarily tighten his grip on the pendant hanging around his neck.

The collector will be activated after tonight.

You useless piece of trash! Since you brought me to this wasteland, you should at least do something useful!
We should be able to sign the contract today, so readers who haven't invested yet should hurry up!

A brand new wasteland story, I hope you'll approve of it.

During the initial period of the new book, it will be published as two chapters per day, one at 8:00 AM and one at 6:00 PM, totaling approximately 6,000 words.

New books are hard to come by, so please don't wait for me to finish reading them! Your support, votes, and collections really mean a lot to me.

I'm kowtowing!

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(End of this chapter)