After Song Yongfeng, the "outsider," left, the atmosphere between the two was no longer as serious as before.
Although the last time they met was just a brief encounter when the original owner hurried out of the high walls without even a greeting, Cheng Ye inexplicably felt a sense of familiarity with Luo Xiaoxue.
If I had to describe it, it's like a female version of Brother B?
She doesn't act coy at all, speaking, doing things, and interacting with people feel so generous.
After a few polite exchanges, Cheng Ye immediately changed the subject.
"Sister Luo, when did Brother B leave?"
"He left shortly after finishing the call with you. The people in the Inner City are different from our Buffer Zone; they act like the Infected Bodies are always chasing them."
"I don't know much about the hydroelectric power station, Brother B he..."
"Don't worry about him. He's taken that route to the hydroelectric power station with your dad at least a hundred times; he could walk it blindfolded, as for the Infected Bodies..."
Luo Xiaoxue said as she pulled out a small palm-sized booklet from her bag.
"The hydroelectric power station is the most important asset of Happiness City, garrisoned by two five-hundred-member security teams. You don't need to worry at all about safety. Let's put it this way... Even if an infection wave breaks through our Buffer Zone defense, they would struggle to get near the hydroelectric power station. He just needs to stay there for a while and can't come back."
"But as for you, the recent downpours are so frequent that the appearance rate of Hydrophilic Infected Bodies is bound to increase significantly. This booklet is something I compiled, containing ways to deal with common Hydrophilic Infected Bodies, it may not be as comprehensive as what Brother B compiled himself, but you can cross-reference it with Inspector teachings for mutual verification and study."
"Thank you, Sister Luo, you've troubled yourself so much!"
Cheng Ye hurriedly took the booklet, thanking her continuously.
When it comes to combat ability, Liu Bi is naturally stronger, but in terms of compiling data, Luo Xiaoxue is evidently being modest.
Previously, during a break after training, he had heard Liu Bi mention it briefly.
Eight years ago, the Inspection Station didn't hold as much power; back then, the Buffer Zone was co-managed by the Inspection Station and the Public Security Bureau.
The former was responsible for sentinel duty, while the latter handled Infected Bodies and safeguarded regional security.
At that time, Luo Xiaoxue was an instructor at the Public Security Bureau, usually responsible for teaching and training newcomers. Whenever an infection wave appeared, she would immediately rush to the front line to face combat Infected Bodies.
Later, after several reforms in the Buffer Zone, the Public Security Bureau was disbanded by the upper echelons of Happiness City, with all powers and personnel incorporated into the Inspection Station.
Luo Xiaoxue happened to be pregnant, so she decidedly chose to leave and became a "full-time housewife."
Many years have passed in a flash.
Cheng Ye opened the booklet and after glancing through it couldn't help but exclaim, "Sister Luo hasn't lost her charm from back then! If I finish reading this, I can count as your student, right?"
"You little guy... Quite the cheeky one!"
Luo Xiaoxue paused for a moment, then couldn't help but roll her eyes at Cheng Ye, her smile growing stronger.
Recently, Liu Bi has been mentioning him a lot, and she had already formed a basic impression of Cheng Ye.
Smart, diligent, hardworking, with excellent talent, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him a young version of Cheng Long.
However, until their encounter today, she realized that the real Cheng Ye and the one Liu Bi spoke about were practically two different people!
For instance, the sentence he just said, an honest person like Cheng Long wouldn't be able to say it even if he thought for a lifetime.
"That's not cheekiness, just speaking the truth."
Cheng Ye blinked, "But... are there really so many Hydrophilic Infected Bodies wandering around in our Stone Province?"
He flipped through the booklet roughly, noting that there were at least more than sixty different infection sources recorded.
Moreover, each infection source has a different capability, appearing simultaneously would be far more challenging than simple addition.
"A lot!"
Luo Xiaoxue nodded emphatically, "The Stone Province we are in is rich in water systems, naturally drawing all types of Hydrophilic Infected Bodies, and now that the rainstorm line has moved south, no one can tell whether they will migrate with the rain line. Besides, what I've compiled for you isn't even all, just those that have appeared around Happiness City in the past ten years."
"Memorizing these should be enough to keep you calm during a typical Infected Body ambush. As for those individual bodies that retain certain intelligence after infection... I heard from Liu Bi that you just dealt with a Death Language Tentacle infected person the day before yesterday?"
"Yes, he should have drowned and was possessed by the Death Language Tentacles, forcing his way to Happiness City with sheer will."
"Mm, these types of Infected Bodies are the ones that require the most caution! Ordinary Infected Bodies will only lurk in darkness for an ambush. As long as you're careful and aware of their special abilities, with the support of the Inspection Station, it's hard to get caught.
But intelligent Infected Bodies are different, they can disguise themselves, deceive your judgment, and some can even fool detectors. You have to lay out a meticulous verbal trap before spotting any flaws."
"Let me tell you about a few typical cases, all personally encountered by Brother B and me."
Afraid Cheng Ye might take it lightly, Luo Xiaoxue explained in great detail, with content far exceeding the training he received as an Intern Inspector.
Especially since these experiences are not like the superficial techniques taught in intern training but are combat insights only someone with firsthand experiences with Infected Bodies could summarize.
Concerning life and death matters, Cheng Ye listened attentively, inserting questions from time to time.
The two might have been communicating for the first time, yet their conversation flowed remarkably smoothly.
Ding dong.
Even until the bank staff exited after closing at 8:30, they were still sitting by the door, chatting animatedly.
"Let's go, with Brother B not at home today, there's a spare bed, we can continue our chat at home!"
One speaks, the other listens.
One asks, the other replies.
The questions are tricky, the answers are apt.
Luo Xiaoxue patted the bench armrest, her gaze on Cheng Ye shifting from that of an exceptional junior to an unpolished gem!
Having been an instructor for nearly six years, she'd seen many geniuses, yet not one could compare to Cheng Ye.
That ability to infer from one instance, that knack for rapid understanding, she'd only read about in books describing humanity of the old era.
Rumor has it that during that time, humans no longer worried about survival, nor pursued martial power, their mental activities were highly developed, with learning and acclimatization speeds several times those of current Wastelanders.
"Ah, this doesn't seem appropriate, right?"
Cheng Ye scratched his head, "Since I still have a day off, I only report the day after. How about tomorrow we..."
"What tomorrow, let's do it now, tonight!"
No wonder these two get along so well, Liu Bi and Luo Xiaoxue's personalities really suit each other.
Noticing the situation, Cheng Ye couldn't refuse, he had to follow them onto the bus heading for the suburbs.
"Come over whenever you have time, anyway, you're alone now, right?"
"Um..."
Ah, why does this feel increasingly off!
It almost feels like facing a mentor?!
Cheng Ye couldn't help but recall that when he got assigned a mentor after being accepted into graduate school, they said the same, and back then, he naïvely thought he was about to inherit the true teachings, and getting a PhD wasn't out of the question.
But soon, he discovered that the mentor said this to everyone under him, and instead of imparting knowledge, gathered everyone for unpaid labor, leading to them being ridiculed as "black slaves" by many next door.
"What are you thinking about?"
"Ah, I'm considering that I can indeed come more often to seek Teacher Luo's guidance."
"Tsk tsk tsk..."
Luo Xiaoxue clicked her tongue, this skill of speaking nonsense without thinking, Liu Bi didn't learn it, neither did Cheng Long, nor did many inspectors she'd seen, but unexpectedly Cheng Ye managed to pick it up autonomously.
"Initially I thought you becoming an Intern Inspector in two months was using some favor left by Brother Long..."
"I neither need nor can use such favors at present."
"That's true."
...
The bus swayed, and after several stops, only the two remained.
The chemical plant workers' community is really out of the way, even if the area were large, Cheng Ye wouldn't choose to live here.
Otherwise, every day getting to the Central Inspection Station would start with at least half an hour by bus, not to mention commuting to the library or the South Station on the other side of the Buffer Zone, it would be just like returning to the modern era's rush-hour commutes.
Upon entering the community, Liu Bi's home was on the fifth floor of the fourth building.
Before Luo Xiaoxue could take out her keys to open the door, the security door was pushed open from inside, revealing a small head with a ponytail.
"Mom, why did you..."
Before she could finish her sentence, noticing Cheng Ye standing behind Luo Xiaoxue, the little head immediately retracted, leaving only a pair of big, shiny eyes cautiously peeping through the door's crack.
That sly, clever energy couldn't help but make Cheng Ye curl his lips into a smile.
"Yiyi, this is your brother Cheng Ye, Uncle Cheng's son, the one your dad mentions every day."
"Cheng... Brother Cheng Ye?"
The still childish voice didn't quite fit with the Wasteland's main tone but it did slightly relax Cheng Ye's long-tight mood.
Indeed, the hope of the new generation is the main force against fear!
...