Chapter 669: Chapter 227: The Power of an Era, Even If the World Ends Tomorrow!_3 "That’s right." Luokuke nodded, "High-level Inspectors have reached a standstill, with only three station leaders, two deputy station leaders. Fifth-stage Inspectors are eagerly watching from behind, so the Fourth-stage Inspectors naturally need more motivation to work hard. Fieldwork can give them a higher status and allow them to earn enough wealth. More importantly... many Inspectors support their own settlements outside, and living there is much more comfortable than being cooped up in a checkpoint."
"Hmm?" Cheng Ye was stunned for a moment, suddenly his thoughts became clear, "They... are they acting as lords outside?"
"You could say lord, but more accurately, it’s a behind-the-scenes lord, do you understand that?"
"I understand..."
Cheng Ye took a deep breath, suddenly feeling that this world is indeed a recurring cycle.
The internal power channels are blocked, so the High-level Inspectors turn their focus outward, which makes logical sense.
Wait a minute.
This line of thinking is quite similar to Rainbow Light Shelter City’s method of integrating affiliate forces, isn’t it?
Cheng Ye paused in his steps and pursued this thought, "Could it be that there are extra demands on High-level Inspectors from the higher-ups?"
After all, Inspectors can openly support settlements with Happiness City’s name and resources; the higher-ups can’t be unaware, and the checkpoints wouldn’t really turn a blind eye.
The only possibility is that behind this power, High-level Inspectors must bear corresponding obligations.
Just like how Rainbow Light has requirements for its affiliated cities, could it be that High-level Inspectors are tasked with expanding Happiness City’s territories and bringing back resources and population?
"I can’t say, that’s a real secret."
Luokuke chuckled, shaking his head, but his tone quietly relaxed, "In fact, every winter when High-level Inspectors return to the city, they bring back a lot of people, materials, technology... and some strange things, and those are not all things they traded. Hmm... this winter should see more than previous years, and once you witness it, you’ll understand what power and obligation truly represent."
"Does that mean that what we’re doing with the Satellite Cities is actually a variant of fieldwork obligations?" Cheng Ye blurted out his thoughts instinctively.
Hearing this, Luokuke was first stunned, then looked at him with a touch of deep appreciation, "Inspector Cheng, your status as an apprentice is truly intimidating."
An apprentice, already possessing the potential to match the initial High-level Inspectors in terms of containment power.
His sharp perception of power and obligation can even compare to the current High-level Inspectors.
It’s hard to imagine that Cheng Ye emerged from the relatively naïve environment of the Inner City.
Luokuke was silent for a while before slowly nodding, "Actually, this path has been taken quietly for a long time, but no Inspector has yet confirmed its viability, so it can only be tested in secret. Whether it succeeds or not, it will not affect Happiness City’s foundation."
He coughed, his tone a bit uncertain, "I didn’t expect it to suddenly be brought to the surface now, and I have no idea how it will eventually develop."
Seeing Luokuke’s reaction, Cheng Ye slowly realized the key.
No wonder Ding Yishan agreed to his district plan so readily and could even convince the higher-ups in Happiness City to implement a ’Inspector Responsibility System’.
It turns out all this had already been laid out; the High-level Inspectors have long been secretly nurturing forces, and now it’s just a matter of shifting from secret support to overt control. Though the difficulty multiplies, it presents a perfect opportunity.
Once this path is successfully paved, the hybrid model of field operations can quickly be scaled, becoming the formal path for Happiness City’s external expansion.
Looking at the long term, the ’requirements’ for Inspectors can also be completely clarified:
In Cheng Wu’s generation, inspection and containment abilities were most valued; Inspectors had very low power, working more from dedication.
Under the Idealist Faction from the second to fourth generation, leading pioneering efforts became more important, giving Inspectors high power and status.
During the Initial Heart Faction’s time in the fifth and sixth generations, a shift to valuing field capabilities occurred, where power fluctuated with personal ability, maintaining relatively high status.
Now, although the seventh-generation station leader hasn’t assumed office, the demands on Inspectors continue changing.
With the launch of Satellite City development, Inspectors are needed to possess ’comprehensive qualities’, able to conduct inspections and containment, lead pioneering efforts, manage field transactions, and internal management.
And once this model is successful, the power Inspectors can wield will far exceed that of the pioneering era.
The status will also reach unprecedented heights!
"If you have the ability, go to Guang Province!" Luokuke once again sincerely suggested, his tone carrying a hint of hope, "There are many geniuses like you there; you might find more common topics."
"Geniuses?" Cheng Ye raised an eyebrow, intrigued, "What kind of geniuses?"
"Oh, there are so many."
At the mention of these people, Luokuke immediately became excited, his tone rising, as if he had placed himself among them, "Rainbow Light Shelter City has a young genius researcher, only in their early twenties. They cracked an energy technology challenge that had stalled for many years. The current Rainbow Light energy system uses his improved energy system, reducing costs by nearly 30%."
He grew even more enthusiastic, "It’s not just the researchers. The checkpoint also has several geniuses. Although their hard power is not as strong as yours, they all have special powers aiding their work..."
So many?
Cheng Ye was secretly surprised. He had initially thought that there might not more than three or five people whom Luokuke, a High-level Inspector, would call geniuses.
He didn’t expect Luokuke to list more than twenty names at once, even able to give a general idea of their specialties.
Then again, he thought it reasonable, as Rainbow Light controls all of Guang Province and is aggressively attracting talent from surrounding provinces, carefully screening the population migrating from Sea Province.
By contrast, Happiness City seems more like it’s blindly scratching lottery tickets, relying on luck to encounter geniuses.
In terms of talent cultivation and attraction, the two are not even on the same level, so it’s natural for Rainbow Light to have so many geniuses.
If only he could visit Rainbow Light and meet each of these geniuses...
Seeing the uncontrollable smile on Cheng Ye’s face, Luokuke was slightly taken aback, then inwardly sighed.
This is vastly different from Garcia’s reaction, with not a trace of wariness or resentment, only that eagerness to exchange ideas upon meeting peers.
Perhaps only a true genius reacts with such pure and eager anticipation to hear about others of their level...
After another round of patrol, it was already past one in the morning.
Facing the deadly peril ahead, the two spoke without the usual reservations, chatting about everything from the development of Shelter City to the wilderness sightings, and past missions to future speculation, lifting their spirits and easing any inner tension and fear.
Luokuke might have known that if mere scouting presented such a formidable challenge, tomorrow’s containment mission would be a life-or-death battle.
It’s highly likely they would end up among the records of sacrifices in the Demon Eye Sponge’s Cotton Room.
As the conversation grew livelier, he suddenly stood up, facing the night breeze over the river, and started speaking loudly as if reciting poetry:
"This world, ah, is just that cruel; living each day well is all we can hope for!"
"Even if the world ends tomorrow, even if the colossus pays another visit, so what?"
"Adversities can never stop humanity from envisioning hope, nor prevent us from having lofty discussions here!"
"We are the Inspectors of Happiness City; our end is pioneering, containment, fighting until the very end with sources of infection and remnants of the old era."
With that, he fell silent, humming an unfamiliar, bold tune:
"To seek life and wealth, I must strive with all my strength, hiding the scabbard on my back while immersing myself in poetry and books!"
"I desire neither emeralds nor golden mansions. My name shall endure for ages, even if success means heaps of lost lives!"
"The earth understands my ambitions; a good man aims far beyond!"
"Life is but a fleeting dream, a moment of waking."
"With nothing but courage and a passionate heart."
"If I don’t return garbed in glory, then why return at all!"
...