Wasteland Border Inspector

Chapter 293: Tit for Tat, A Betting Contract!

"Oh?" Jiang Chuan paused for a moment. Although he didn't quite understand, he honestly replied, "I will relay this truthfully to Station Master Ding."The vehicle drove away from the Central Inspection Station. Its destination was not Revival Medical in the Inner City, nor the Happiness Medical Center where Cheng Ye had previously stayed, but rather the noticeably smaller Ping'an Medical Clinic.

Affected by the medical system reforms, the entire clinic was quite deserted, with only a sparse flow of people.

From this point alone, it was evident that even though the Heavy Machinery Faction had managed to stuff Qin Zhaoye into the Integrity Supervision Department, he remained a marginalized figure with no real weight. Relying on such meager influence to compete with other factions for the garrison quota in the buffer zone was completely out of the question.

The car passed through the security booth at the entrance and parked in a designated space.

Qin Zhaoye's ward was on the top floor, the fourth floor. Ping'an Medical Clinic had no elevators, so they had to take the stairs.

Jiang Chuan led the way at the very front, with Cheng Ye and Li Matai following closely behind.

As soon as they reached the corner of the third floor, they saw two young men in grayish-white uniforms standing guard.

Cheng Ye could tell at a glance that the two clearly knew Jiang Chuan. The looks they gave him were far from unfamiliar, and their gazes only paused on Li Matai for a brief moment.

"This is Inspector Li Matai, a Third-stage Inspector from the Inspection Station," Jiang Chuan introduced loudly.

The two young men exchanged a glance and silently stepped aside to clear the way.

Following the stairs up to the fourth floor, they found the corridor quite bustling. Over twenty people stood there, all wearing the same grayish-white uniform, seemingly all members of the Legion.

Everyone's gazes swept over in unison, but they didn't linger on Jiang Chuan or Li Matai's faces. Instead, every single pair of eyes landed squarely on Cheng Ye.

The younger men's expressions were mostly like the guards on the third floor, devoid of any obvious emotion, perhaps even carrying a hint of confusion.

However, the eyes of several men in their thirties held a barely concealed complexity.

Some disguised it perfectly, using a trace of deliberate anger to mask their true feelings.

Others laid it completely bare, a distinct flash of curiosity glinting in their eyes.

'It seems the Heavy Machinery Faction is full of smart people who are well aware of the current situation,' Cheng Ye chuckled inwardly.

Jiang Chuan took a step forward and spoke respectfully to an older middle-aged man in the crowd, "Commander Wang, this is Cheng Ye, Inspector Cheng, and this is Li Matai, Inspector Li."

After saying this, he turned his head to introduce the man to the two of them. "This is Commander Wang Rui, the twenty-eighth ranking Grand Commander within the Legion."

Grand Commander?

Cheng Ye was slightly surprised. The rank division within the Legion was extremely straightforward and crude: starting from an ordinary private, the ranks went up to elite soldier, squad leader, squadron leader, battalion commander, commander, and finally, grand commander.

A grand commander was already the highest-ranking officer facing grassroots soldiers. They commanded thousands of men, anywhere from one thousand to five thousand, and anything above that would be the high-level core of the Legion.

'Did the Heavy Machinery Faction send someone with this much weight right out of the gate for negotiations?'

Cheng Ye looked up. Wang Rui was a full head shorter than the young men beside him, and nearly half a torso shorter than Cheng Ye himself, yet he didn't look hunched in the slightest.

His broad shoulders and narrow waist were accentuated by the grayish-white uniform, making him look solid and upright, exuding a steady sense of power.

He appeared to be in his early forties. Two deep wrinkles creased his forehead, not making him look old, but adding a somber authority. He had a classic square face with a sharp, distinct jawline covered in a layer of dark stubble, radiating an unpolished ferocity.

But when Cheng Ye's gaze fell upon his hands, he instantly understood.

Though his palms bore the calluses of someone who handled guns year-round, they were smoother and fairer than those of the young men beside him who constantly fought on the battlefield. Clearly, he was not a commander who charged on the front lines, but a core figure who sat in the rear and handled coordination.

Connecting this with the Heavy Machinery Faction's path, Cheng Ye immediately reached out a hand, a polite smile on his face. "Grand Commander Wang, I've heard so much about you!"

"Inspector Cheng, you're being too formal. I should be the one saying I've heard so much about you!" Wang Rui kept a straight face, but his hand shot out without delay, his grip steady and strong.

"I heard that a conflict broke out between Inspector Liu and Department Head Qin. Coincidentally, I consider both of them friends. I came here today firstly to visit Department Head Qin, and secondly to clear the air. Let's turn swords into plowshares and not let this minor incident damage the harmony between our two sides," Cheng Ye said in a mild tone, neither haughty nor humble.

"Inspector Cheng is very considerate. That's how it should be. Please, come in!" Wang Rui turned and gave a look. The young men guarding the ward door immediately pushed it open, clearing the way.

Cheng Ye was the first to step into the ward. The scene inside surprised him slightly.

The room was also crowded with people, all of them tall, burly men. Among them was an acquaintance—Shen Chongshan, the division chief of the Anti-Corruption Supervision Department, whom Qin Zhaoye had introduced to him last time.

Everyone's gaze invariably shifted to the door, their expressions varied, ultimately fixing on Cheng Ye's face.

Cheng Ye's eyes, however, fell upon the hospital bed. Qin Zhaoye's legs were encased in thick plaster casts, evidently broken by Liu Bi. His left arm was also immobilized in a splint, leaving only his right hand free to move, presumably spared on purpose so he could manage his daily needs.

Surrounded by a crowd in his hospital bed, Qin Zhaoye's expression was somewhat gloomy. Even when he met Cheng Ye's gaze, he lacked his previous untamed arrogance.

'Was he beaten into submission by Brother B?'

'Isn't he a Source-Binder? Could it be that he couldn't withstand Liu Bi's Heaven-Man Martial Domain either?'

Cheng Ye chuckled inwardly and stepped forward with Li Matai. The door clicked shut behind them, and the two instantly became the center of attention.

A few gazes carried hostility, seemingly treating him as a difficult opponent.

Others continuously sized him up, highly curious about what methods this young Inspector had up his sleeve.

Li Matai's eyes darted around, and he immediately started hollering at the top of his lungs, "Oh my, Department Head Qin, you're injured so badly!

Let me see. This Inspector Liu is too outrageous, hitting people without holding back at all!"

A dead silence filled the room. No one chimed in.

Anyone else might have felt embarrassed, but who was Li Matai?

He had long mastered the art of being thick-skinned. Unfazed, he put down the gifts in his hands and continued loudly, "Regarding Inspector Liu's punishment, the Inspection Station will definitely penalize him to the maximum extent of the rules to absolutely ensure this kind of incident doesn't happen again! The Station Master sent us both here today to give Department Head Qin a guarantee—this kind of behavior will absolutely not be tolerated!"

With things said to this point, Qin Zhaoye could only force an ugly smile and ask in a deep voice, "And this is?"

"I am Matthew Li, a Third-stage Inspector from the Inspection Station. You can just call me Li Matai."

Li Matai picked up a stack of magazines and handed them over. "The station specially picked these out for you. There's science literature on post-injury recovery and some reading material to relieve your boredom. If you need anything else, just send someone to the Inspection Station to let us know, and we'll guarantee it gets delivered to you."

As the saying goes, you don't smack a smiling face. Li Matai's posture was extremely low. Even if Qin Zhaoye was furious inside, it wasn't easy to lash out, so he could only smile and nod in acceptance.

But everyone knew the real main character hadn't spoken yet. Their eyes all shifted toward Cheng Ye.

"Department Head Qin, we meet again." Cheng Ye stepped forward and gave a slight nod.

"Inspector Cheng, I've made a fool of myself in front of you." Qin Zhaoye's expression shifted a few times, but his attitude was exactly the same as their second meeting, wearing a polite smile.

"I came in a hurry and haven't had the chance to ask yet, but what exactly caused the conflict between you and Inspector Liu?" Cheng Ye cut straight to the chase.

"Oh, it wasn't really a conflict." Qin Zhaoye hurriedly waved his hand. "I just wanted to ask Inspector Liu for some combat advice. I didn't expect him to be so heavy-handed, which led to this misunderstanding."

"Qin Zhaoye, that's not what you said just now!" Shen Chongshan, sitting by the bed, frowned. His tone was laced with dissatisfaction, clearly disagreeing with this story.

"We are all here to bear witness. If the Inspection Station really dares to act unreasonably, does our Integrity Supervision Department have anything to fear from them?"

"Department Head Shen, you see, I just woke up, and my head is still a bit foggy. I've forgotten what I just said." Qin Zhaoye took a deep breath, his words carrying a heavy hint. "If you still remember what I said, why don't you repeat it to Inspector Cheng?"

"Fine, since you can't remember clearly, I'll say it for you."

Shen Chongshan stood up and walked to the windowsill, his gaze fixed directly on Cheng Ye. "Inspector Cheng, according to the Anti-Corruption Supervision Department's investigation, Inspector Liu Bi has several large sums of money with unclear sources and purposes. Therefore, we invited former Public Security Bureau instructor Luo Xiaoxue into the department to assist in verifying the origin of these funds."

"We have a complete video recording of the entire process. We absolutely did not use any coercive measures and consistently guaranteed Instructor Luo's personal freedom and safety. However, Inspector Liu Bi used this as an excuse, claiming we used violence when inviting her, which led to the conflict with Department Head Qin and sparked this brawl. Regarding this matter, tell me, who is in the right and who is in the wrong?"

"Oh?" Cheng Ye's eyes narrowed, catching the key piece of information. "So, have you clarified the purpose of these large funds?"

"Instructor Luo has provided a reasonable explanation. Both the source and purpose of the funds are perfectly clean," Shen Chongshan replied calmly.

"Then that means Inspector Liu currently has no integrity issues whatsoever?"

Shen Chongshan's expression shifted slightly. He clearly hadn't expected Cheng Ye to seize on the core issue directly, bypassing the conflict narrative he had pre-established.

The core power of the Integrity Supervision Department lay in investigating and dealing with the integrity issues of Inspectors. Once proven, the punishment would be magnified exponentially. But if it was just an ordinary conflict between department personnel, it would merely result in compensation and an apology. At most, the Inspection Station would punish Liu Bi and submit a written explanation to the higher-ups.

After all, in the wasteland, it wasn't exactly news for subordinates to come to blows over a disagreement. There was no need to sentence anyone to 'death' over it.

Not to mention, the excuse Liu Bi gave wasn't completely baseless; at the very least, it was a justifiable cause for conflict that could be brought to the table.

"I came here today to offer Department Head Qin a stance and a guarantee." Cheng Ye turned to look at Qin Zhaoye, his tone flat but carrying weight. "I wonder what Department Head Shen is here to fight for on Department Head Qin's behalf?"

At these words, Shen Chongshan's face looked calm, but his fingers, hidden behind his back, subtly made a gesture.

Seeing this, a tall and sturdy man nearby immediately stepped forward and barked loudly, "Inspector Cheng, don't be too arrogant! Is this your attitude toward resolving a problem? Are you here on behalf of the Inspection Station to make amends, or to threaten our Integrity Supervision Department?"

"Aside from Liu Bi, you also have quite a few unexplained issues yourself! We'll have to invite you back to the Anti-Corruption Supervision Department with us shortly to explain things thoroughly, lest there be parasites constantly sucking the blood out of Happiness City!"

"And you are?" Cheng Ye shifted his gaze to the man, his expression unchanging.

"Section Chief Wei Yue of the Anti-Corruption Supervision Section." The man stood tall with his chest out, his tone carrying immense oppressive force.

"Section Chief Wei, a good name," Cheng Ye nodded in praise, taking a slight step forward. "I have no problem following you back to the Anti-Corruption Supervision Department to explain myself, but you calling me arrogant leaves me a bit confused. How am I being arrogant?"

"If you think Liu Bi did something wrong, you should have both his legs and an arm broken too! That is the attitude of making amends! Not just tossing out a flimsy guarantee. Who knows if you'll just drag out the punishment and eventually reduce major issues to minor ones, and minor ones to nothing at all?"

Wei Yue didn't yield an inch. He directly escalated an intra-rule contradiction into a head-on collision between two departments, exuding the crude recklessness of 'settling underworld scores in underworld ways'.

However, these brutes who had spent too much time in the Legion clearly hadn't grasped the twists and turns of the political arena. They only knew how to apply pressure in the most direct way.

"Does Section Chief Wei mean that as long as we break Inspector Liu's arms and legs, this matter will be completely settled, and nothing else will be pursued?" Cheng Ye asked, following the man's logic.

"As long as Liu Bi ends up in a hospital bed like Department Head Qin, we'll pretend none of this ever happened."

Wei Yue rejoiced inwardly, thinking Cheng Ye wasn't as difficult to deal with as rumors suggested, jumping into the trap so quickly.

If Liu Bi really ended up with the same fate, they would undoubtedly seize a massive advantage in the subsequent power struggle.

He secretly glanced at Shen Chongshan, but to his surprise, Shen Chongshan gave no indication of approval; instead, his frown deepened.

Sure enough, Cheng Ye smoothly changed his tune. "By your logic, if someone breaks Section Chief Wei's arms and legs, all they have to do is break their own limbs and check into a hospital, and we can pretend nothing happened?"

"Huh?" Wei Yue froze for a moment, unable to keep up with his train of thought.

Cheng Ye didn't stop, pushing forward. "I see quite a few Department Heads and Section Chiefs present. Does this mean from now on, whoever throws a punch only needs to endure broken limbs and hospitalization to wipe the slate clean? Then we don't need any rules at all—just making the instigator pay an equal price is enough?"

As his voice faded, everyone present—aside from Qin Zhaoye and Li Matai—felt their hearts skip a beat.

These words lacked any explicit threat, yet they sent an indescribable chill down everyone's spines.

If they really followed Wei Yue's logic, couldn't the Inspection Station simply arrange for a few insignificant grunts to cripple the Section Chiefs and Department Heads of the Integrity Supervision Department, as long as they paid the same price themselves?

This seemingly young Inspector Cheng had none of the sharp impulsiveness of youth. Instead, he resembled a seasoned veteran who had wallowed in the political arena for years. Not only did he dodge the trap, but he also threw the problem right back in their faces, performing a beautiful set of verbal 'Tai Chi'.

Shen Chongshan's heart sank, and he had no choice but to change his hand gesture again. Another person immediately stepped forward. "Cheng Ye, this matter can be as big or as small as we make it. If you indirectly..."

"Hold on, who are you?" Cheng Ye cut him off directly, his voice dropping a few degrees.

"I am the Battalion Commander of the Supervision Action Team..."

"You're a Battalion Commander, so how should you address me?" Cheng Ye's eyes hardened. "Who gave you the right to address me by my full name?"

"You..." The Battalion Commander was dumbstruck. His face turned blue, then pale, completely forgetting the words he had been about to say.

Seeing this, Shen Chongshan retracted his right hand and had no choice but to take over the conversation himself. "Inspector Cheng, there's an old saying: a wise man submits to circumstances. I hope you understand that the Integrity Supervision Department and the Inspection Station are not enemies. We aren't now, and we won't be in the future. Choosing to stand against us will only bring you harm, no benefits."

"Department Head Shen must be joking. How could we possibly be enemies?"

Cheng Ye's tone softened. "The buffer zone does indeed require the oversight of the Integrity Supervision Department to ensure long-term, stable development. Accidents like what happened to Department Head Qin are something both you and I wish to avoid as much as possible. It would be best if there isn't a second case in the future."

He threw his hands up and continued, "By the way, Inspector Liu is a veteran who has made significant contributions to Happiness City. The Inspection Station prefers that he uses concrete actions and further contributions to make up for the damages caused by this conflict, rather than being locked up in the Anti-Corruption Supervision Department with his limbs broken as an apology. I assume Department Head Shen can understand this point, right?"

"Of course I understand. We just need to follow the rules and regulations." Shen Chongshan nodded, then waved his large hand.

At least two-thirds of the people in the room immediately stood up and followed him out the door.

Seeing this, the remaining people hesitated for a moment before deciding not to stay either, filing out of the ward one after another.

Li Matai stood up to see the guests out, and the originally bustling ward instantly became empty.

Cheng Ye pulled over an empty iron stool and sat by the bed. He waited until the footsteps in the corridor completely faded away before looking at Qin Zhaoye. With a half-smile, he asked, "Department Head Qin, how is the strength of a Source-Binder?"

Qin Zhaoye's expression remained unchanged, but he gave a cold snort. "I was just caught off guard by a surprise attack. I didn't even have time to unleash my abilities. If we did it again, I wouldn't necessarily lose."

"From the sound of it, you want to wait until your injuries heal and spar with Inspector Liu again?" Cheng Ye raised an eyebrow, pressing him.

Qin Zhaoye instantly shut his mouth, his eyes darting evasively. It was obvious he fully understood just how formidable Liu Bi was.

"Look, although the Inspection Station will punish Inspector Liu according to the rules, but..."

Before Cheng Ye could finish his sentence, the ward door was suddenly pushed open.

Li Matai stood in the doorway, and Wang Rui walked in closely behind him, picking up the conversation. "Inspector Cheng, Department Head Qin still needs to rest his body. I think... today's visit should end here?"

"Hmm?" Cheng Ye glanced back, only to see that Qin Zhaoye had already closed his eyes.

"Commander Wang is right."

Cheng Ye immediately understood the situation. "Then Department Head Qin, get some good rest. I'll come visit you again when I'm free in a while."

What did it mean to be a cog in the machine, unable to control one's own destiny?

Qin Zhaoye's current situation was perhaps the perfect example. When it came to factional tug-of-wars and the division of interests, the power he held was completely on a different level from someone like Shen Chongshan, a Department Head with real authority in the Integrity Supervision Department.

Even now, he didn't even have the qualifications to participate; he was nothing more than a ladder for making connections.

Stepping out of the ward, Wang Rui signaled for Cheng Ye to follow. The two moved to an empty, vacant ward next door.

The hospital bed inside had long been cleared away, leaving only a simple coffee table and two chairs.

Catching a glimpse of the two chairs from the doorway, Li Matai tactfully refrained from entering, staying outside.

After the two took their seats, Wang Rui naturally grabbed the kettle from under the table and poured them each a cup of hot water.

"Inspector Cheng, should we cut straight to the chase, or chat a little longer?" Wang Rui spoke first, his tone mild.

"Let's cut to the chase," Cheng Ye nodded. "When conversing with smart people, I prefer to keep complicated matters simple."

"Alright then." Wang Rui had prepared his draft well in advance and spoke directly. "Our demands are very clear. Dabo Town will fund the construction of a standard military camp for our troops to garrison. Additionally, a standalone research institute must be built separately; we will provide the equipment procurement list, and Dabo Town must bear the full cost. Every month, an allocation of fifty thousand Contribution Points in dedicated project funds is required for daily training expenses. Furthermore, a machinery factory must be built, capable of independently producing some experimental weapons..."

He rattled off the demands one by one. Before his voice faded, Cheng Ye shook his head with a smile and interrupted him. "Commander Wang, you're blabbering on about all this, but why can't I understand a single word you're saying?"

"Hmm?" Wang Rui paused. His initially smiling eyes instantly grew solemn. "What does Inspector Cheng mean by that?"

"You didn't think this was a multiple-choice question, did you?"

Cheng Ye unhurriedly picked up his water cup. "Industrial Zone, Buffer Zone—you guys have already been eliminated from the game. Out of the twenty-four satellite towns, if anyone can meet the conditions you just listed, I'll happily help you contact them."

"We can provide..." Wang Rui's heart sank, and he hurriedly tried to explain.

"No, no, no. I don't have a big appetite, so I can't stomach the empty promises others try to feed me."

Cheng Ye took a sip of hot water and continued, "If the Legion wants to garrison in Dabo Town, it's not impossible. Five hundred thousand in construction funding, not a penny less, must be wired to Dabo Town's account immediately. We can handle building the barracks for the garrison, but the daily training expenses will be split fifty-fifty between the Legion and Dabo Town. In addition to that, the research funding will be jointly borne by the Legion and Dabo Town, with the ratio determined by both parties' contributions. However, all research results will belong to Dabo Town, and future troop replenishments must also obey Dabo Town's unified arrangements..."

"Hold on, Inspector Cheng. You want us to pay money to garrison in your Dabo Town?"

Wang Rui interrupted him with a look of sheer disbelief, shaking his head repeatedly. "That's impossible, we..."

"It's not paying money; it's a betting contract... Commander Wang, have you heard this term before?"

Cheng Ye raised his right hand, making a '1' gesture. "Dabo Town can form a betting contract with the Legion. Trust me, what I can provide the Legion is far more than you can imagine!"