Chapter 49: Chapter 44: Power Struggle, The Pursuit of Genius Begins! During the whole daytime, the accumulated water on the main roads of the central area was finally temporarily drained.
The Big Golden Cup car drove unimpeded along the way, and when it reached the Gate of Happiness, two teams of sixteen guards came up to greet them from afar.
"Thank you, Inspector Cheng, for your support of the Cross Legion. Next, please hand over the injured to us for arrangement."
The leading captain stepped forward, first saluting Cheng Ye with a standard modern military salute, and then heavily pounding his right fist against his chest to express sincere gratitude.
Dai Zun, on the stretcher, wanted to emulate the gesture but was held back by Cheng Ye: "Don’t push yourself, remember what Captain Wu said, you owe me a life."
"Of course, just one call, I’ll be there."
A smile forced its way onto Dai Zun’s pale face, and before his words were fully out, the guards lifted the stretcher, quickly disappearing behind the heavy city gate.
In the night, countless glances were cast from the shadows, interweaving greed and heat.
A few landed on Cheng Ye, causing him some discomfort of being watched, prompting him to glare back, making those gazes retract suddenly.
Even the driver of the Big Golden Cup couldn’t help but swallow, staring longingly at the rapidly closing fast passage beneath the alloy gate.
That was the Inner City!
Many people struggle in the Buffer Zone their whole lives, rotting in the tides of infection, never even touching the doorframe of this Gate of Happiness.
Yet this endpoint is merely a starting point some can step onto casually.
"Let’s go, if it’s convenient, could you take me to the chemical factory’s employee community?"
"Convenient, of course, it’s convenient!"
The driver nodded heavily, reluctantly tearing his gaze away.
The Big Golden Cup made a U-turn in front of the Gate of Happiness, gradually leaving "Happiness" behind.
...
Night, ten o’clock.
The tires rolled over the watery road surface, slowly stopping next to the vine-covered iron gate of the chemical factory’s employee community.
As Cheng Ye’s fingers latched onto the door handle, the corner of his eye caught sight of two figures under the streetlight a hundred meters away.
Instinctively squinting to take a closer look, the one on the left was actually Luo Xiaoxue, and on the right was...
Zhou Changhai?
Cheng Ye was suddenly stunned, almost thinking he was mistaken.
How could the Fifth-stage Inspector of the Eastern People Faction be at the chemical factory’s community to see Luo Xiaoxue at such a late hour?
But as the two approached, the dim street light gradually outlined the man’s facial features.
A distinctive horse face, a vicious scar on his jaw, it really was Zhou Changhai!
What was he here for?
The metal car door clanged against the side of the car, and Cheng Ye stepped out, standing roughly five steps in front of the two.
"Sister Luo, Inspector Zhou."
"Ah, Inspector Cheng is off duty?" Before Luo Xiaoxue could speak, Zhou Changhai brightened at the eyes and approached enthusiastically as if he had expected it, "Speak of the devil, I was just talking about you with Instructor Luo, and here you are."
Instructor Luo?
Cheng Ye’s lips twitched, suppressing the curiosity in his heart, "Inspector Zhou, what brings you here so late?"
"Oh, it’s not a big deal, just a small incident at the station today, you know, Station Chief He sacrificed himself."
There was a slight touch of sorrow in Zhou Changhai’s tone, "As a Fifth-stage Inspector, I have to visit the families as a representative of the station and explain the situation to prevent them from worrying."
"I see, Inspector Zhou, you’ve worked hard."
Cheng Ye nodded lightly, "Brother B is not at home for fieldwork, and I was thinking of coming to talk to Sister Luo about the station’s matters so she wouldn’t worry, but you got here first."
"Oh, no need for formalities with me." Zhou Changhai burst out laughing, suddenly stepping forward half a step, patting Cheng Ye’s shoulder, his scar twisting with his smile, "In the old days, your father and I shared life-and-death terms in the exploration team. If you don’t mind, just call me Uncle Zhou."
Uncle Zhou?
Cheng Ye was not familiar with the earlier happenings at the station. The corner of his eye caught Luo Xiaoxue discreetly curling her lips.
Obviously, the relationship between Zhou Changhai and Cheng Long, this "life-and-death friendship," was as exaggerated as the rainfall in Happiness City these days.
The old guy was shameless indeed.
Wait, why is this guy trying to get close to me?
There’s no good intentions!
"Uncle Zhou is right." Cheng Ye’s face lit up with a perfectly timed smile, "I was just thinking that during work you should address by title, but I forgot I’m off duty now, during rest time, unlike Uncle Zhou, who’s still concerned about visiting families at night, truly a model of the station."
This speech sounded like a compliment but subtly drew a line between "work occasions" and "private relations."
After this flattering sentence, the concealed needle grasp in the soft words made Zhou Changhai’s smile stiffen for half a second.
But after all, as a Fifth-stage Inspector, he’s long become adept.
Zhou Changhai maintained his smile nonchalantly, turning to Luo Xiaoxue, "Instructor Luo, now that Cheng Ye is back, I won’t disturb any further. Don’t worry, the hydropower station is unlike the station, it’s quite safe."
"Thank you, Inspector Zhou, for your concern."