Biting the bullet, he looked directly at Pick and said, "Camilo Luke from the West District, a worker at the Purple Vine Factory, asked me to take some things to an outside gathering point, saying it was previously agreed upon."
"Purple Vine Factory..."
A factory specializing in small industrial goods run by Westerners, Pick's face changed, about to say something.
But unexpectedly, Cheng Ye's face turned serious, cutting him off directly, "Take it out and let me see, I've heard there are three pieces, maybe there's something wrong with them."
"Alright, sir, please wait a moment."
Old Zhang opened the rear compartment door of the Big Golden Cup and quickly fetched three black oil-paper packages.
"Open them!"
The oil-paper packages were unwrapped from the edges, revealing brightly colored PCB boards filled entirely with electronic components.
"How bold, these are industrial goods that are strictly forbidden for individual export by the Buffer Zone!"
Cheng Ye showed a hint of "anger": "Does Camilo Luke have a death wish, daring to smuggle such things out."
"Alright, you can go. Today, I must investigate thoroughly to see which bold person dares to so arrogantly violate the Buffer Zone's rules!"
"Yes, yes, sir."
Seeing Cheng Ye wave his hand, Old Zhang's eyes lit up, thinking to himself that he truly was meant to survive.
Although it seemed like he got mixed up in some Eastern and Western factions' conflict, he decided that next time, even if the sky falls, he will enter and exit through the South Station, even if it violates agreements.
That damned North Station, those motherless Westerners, to hell with them.
The Big Golden Cup roared to life, leaving behind three packages of oil paper, tires skidding on wet marks in a hasty escape.
Visibly, it wasn't just Pick whose face looked bad; all the Westerners who saw this scene from afar looked like they'd swallowed dead flies.
Is that it?
Cheng Ye curled his lips at the oil-paper packages, indeed the antics of children, quite naive.
"Three items, enough evidence, right?"
"You... impressive." Taking the badge Cheng Ye handed over, the young man, with a sour face, walked into the room and quickly tapped on the keyboard to complete the admission procedures.
Outside the reporting room, the young people looked at each other, expressions mixed with surprise and shock, and yet, like the young man, felt the power was useless and endured the frustration.
The expected dog-eat-dog scenario didn't occur; Cheng Ye lightly asserted himself, with the Eastern driver shifting the blame, pinning it back on the Westerners.
"Jamie, I say... you won't really let him get the job that easily, will you?"
A voice came through the earpiece, and Jamie, who was about to hand the badge back to Cheng Ye, had his face darken several shades.
"Your uncle was beaten into the infirmary by Liu Bi, and he's still in emergency care."
"Shut up!"
Jamie cursed under his breath, but his fingers inexplicably loosened, and the badge "clattered" to the ground.
Water on the road was rushing by.
By the time he chased after it, the badge had spun in the water, carried to the edge of a drainage channel, lodged among a heap of trash.
"Well done, humiliate him like that, make him pick it out of the trash pile!"
Laughter came through the earpiece, and the group of young people surrounding them, not knowing why, thought Jamie was using this way to humiliate Cheng Ye, and all gently clapped their hands.
This left Jamie initially at a loss, but after being encouraged by the looks from these people, he suddenly found the courage to act evilly:
"Inspector Cheng, wasn't it you who didn't catch it yourself, or do you want me to help?"
"Oh, really?"
Cheng Ye scratched his head, smiling honestly, "No need, I'll pick it up myself."
With that, he bent down and approached the drainage channel; amidst the jeers, he bent to pick up the badge from the pile of trash, wiping it casually on his trousers.
"Hahaha, coward."
"With this guts, he still dares to come to our North Station?"
"An inspector rummaging through the trash, truly an eye-opener!"
"..."
The sarcastic remarks rose and fell. Although they did not cause Cheng Ye any trouble, the mental affront gave them enjoyment.
Even Jamie showed a bit of a disdainful smile, as if leading a victory against the Easterners.
"Hello, reporting complete."
Cheng Ye walked back, rubbing the identification badge clean with his clothes, "Am I now officially an inspector at the North Station?"
Not knowing why Cheng Ye asked this, Jamie froze for a moment, then acknowledged with a hum through his nose.
But in the next second, he was left astounded.
Just seeing Cheng Ye, who had been smiling, suddenly flicked his wrist, sending the badge spiraling back into the drainage channel along the original path.
"Go, retrieve it for me!"
...