Chapter 866 - 282: Absolute Opposition, Oathkeeper Cheng Long!

Chapter 866: Chapter 282: Absolute Opposition, Oathkeeper Cheng Long!

To be fair, Liu Bi’s question wasn’t sharp.

On the Wasteland, trust is the foundation of cooperation, and the premise of trust is the absolute unity of ideas.

If faced with the source of infection, one hesitates due to its value, and faced with the Infected Body, one softens because of personal relationships, who would dare to trust their back to their colleagues besides them?

Cheng Ye thought for a moment, not knowing why Li Changfeng’s face popped into his mind.

Li Changfeng’s mother was infected; he shot her himself. If it were Liu Bi infected, a familiar person, what would he think?

Would he shoot to kill without hesitation?

Or would he stay to research, trying to remove the parasite?

The answer is clear; he hasn’t received the kind of extreme education of the First-Generation Inspector, unable to act this way, sacrificing family for righteousness.

Yet, conversely, it was precisely the resoluteness of the First-Generation Inspectors that set up the inspection stations and earned residents’ trust.

If later inspectors squander this trust willy-nilly, hesitating due to research value one day and softening due to personal ties the next, the foundation of the inspection station model will inevitably collapse.

However, the theory Cheng Wu left clearly pointed out that the future of the inspection stations must be a dual system where research and containment proceed in parallel.

A dilemma lies before Cheng Ye: if he wants to break old rules and drive reform, making inspectors the core force of exploring infection sources, the hard-won trust foundation will likely tremble.

Cheng Wu did not dare to take this crucial step back then to reinforce this foundation.

Now, thirty years have passed; is the current environment truly mature enough to support this reform?

"So, what I mentioned that night about reforming the inspectors with different functional directions, was not just to limit power from expanding without order, but indirectly to protect the trust foundation?"

"Station duty, field trading, containment research, these three functions cannot be mixed, must be completely independent. Otherwise, the people will lose trust in the inspection stations and never believe that duty inspectors can steadfastly keep infection sources and bodies out!"

Suddenly enlightened, the fog in Cheng Ye’s mind dispersed, clearing away days of confusion.

Many previously unexplainable matters had answers now.

Why force Luokuke to accept Yu Yong’s existence?

Luokuke’s core direction is station duty; his mission is to hold the line, not letting any infected bodies or sources step over.

Having him witness the infected bodies moving around would undoubtedly shake his belief, adhered to for years; fundamentally, it is asking too much.

And Wang Kang could calmly accept Yu Yong, partly because he wasn’t subjected to that kind of extreme opposing education of the first inspection stations, but also because his functional direction was never fixed on station duty.

Under his subtle influence, Wang Kang had already inclined towards the border all-purpose inspector direction, with inherently less hostility towards infection-related affairs.

"So, the real challenge of establishing a new generation of inspection stations doesn’t lie in recruitment," Cheng Ye pondered, "The real difficulty is accurately judging each inspector’s adaptive direction and maintaining the baseline, ensuring they don’t get lost or cross boundaries in their positions!"

"Besides this, the duties and specifics of each position need urgent refinement. Like my restrictions on Yu Yong were indeed too lenient. Even though I can guarantee no trouble from him, I have to consider others’ feelings and, more importantly, set clear rules in advance for future inspectors committed to containment research to avoid repeating past mistakes."

Realizing this, Cheng Ye halted his diverging thoughts and returned to the present.

Then Liu Bi, what direction of inspector is he?

On duty, he is average; after all these years, he’s still at a normal level, equivalent to Luokuke.

Fieldwork is also average, with nothing noteworthy accomplished, and his straightforward nature makes him unfit to feign cordiality with other Shelter City individuals for resource negotiations.

As for the research direction, it’s not worth mentioning; his brute force solution approach is the opposite of the research work requiring concentrated study.

Then... is Brother B really suited for managing the inspection station, controlling overall direction, coordinating various affairs?

It’s hard to say. Liu Bi boasts most about his achievements in leading construction during the great expansion period.

And indeed, Ding Yishan placed him in charge of coordinating material distribution within the industrial satellite cities.

Before any disorderly competition arose, he managed the distribution well and orderly.

Later Lei Hu replaced him, not due to lack of capability, but insufficient seniority to suppress those inspectors vying for resources.

If putting him in Lei Hu’s position, might he perform better than Lei Hu?

If he steps into a managerial position, could he gradually accept the presence of inspectors specializing in containment research of infection sources within the stations?

"If you’re truly indecisive, Brother B will answer this question for you, answer for Brother Long," Liu Bi’s voice resurfaced, interrupting Cheng Ye’s swirling thoughts.

Cheng Ye instinctively looked up but didn’t see any disappointment on Liu Bi’s face. Instead, he caught a glimpse of reassurance in his eyes.

Being able to ponder this question earnestly without impulsively giving an answer.

It signifies Cheng Ye truly understanding the responsibility on his shoulders; it isn’t merely the Cheng Family’s responsibility, but one an inspector should bear.

How could he blame a newcomer who joined the station only half a year ago, blame Brother Long’s child?

Yet before Liu Bi spoke further, Cheng Ye cut him off, deeply saying, "Brother B, before answering this question, I want to know my father’s real reason for deserting the inspection station and the cause of your split back then."

"Your father?"

Liu Bi was suddenly taken aback, the reassurance on his face gradually faded, replaced by an unspeakable complexity like a mix of regret, reminiscence, and a deep heaviness no one else could comprehend.

He turned to Niu Fu, giving a signal, and Niu Fu understood, nodding immediately, without saying another word, turned and left the pier swiftly.

Until Niu Fu’s frame completely disappeared at the horizon, Liu Bi slowly opened his mouth, voice as deep as squeezed from his chest cavity: "About Brother Long, I’ve never mentioned to anyone. Before I said I’d tell you after your first fieldwork was done, now it seems there’s no need to prove your mindset through fieldwork anymore."

"Wanderer..." He just uttered these two words before Cheng Ye spoke in response.

"Guardian Extraordinary, I know, a bunch of lunatics."

Liu Bi sighed, gazing vacantly, "Since you know and have seen his capabilities, then you can barely imagine... Many years ago, when all of us were kept in the dark, your father was already secretly trying to embark on the Guardian Extraordinary path!"

"What?" Cheng Ye’s heart sank, "So, he failed?"

"No." Liu Bi immediately shook his head, tone exceptionally firm, carrying a near stubborn trust.

"Brother Long might face death, but he certainly wouldn’t fail. Without absolute certainty, he wouldn’t have led others to adventure together. Before departure, he entrusted me to take care of you and privately said to me..."

Liu Bi paused, seemingly exerting effort recalling those words, then recited them, word by word:

"He said, Happiness City doesn’t lack a Cheng Long, but the Wasteland lacks pioneers."

"Only by crossing this threshold can one gain the qualification to seek answers, not merely himself, An Xingfu, your grandfather, all humans pursuing the end of the Wasteland Era, everyone is on this road, waiting for him to begin!"

...