Wasteland Border Inspector - Chapter 971

Chapter 971: Chapter 309: Raul’s Gift, Forging a New Path

As expected, his request to take Yu Yong away was directly rejected by the institute.

Allowing a high-risk anti-state source infected body to roam outside is almost equivalent to malicious poisoning.

If it went unnoticed by other shelter cities, it would be fine, but if Rainbow Light Shelter City found out, it would be tantamount to declaring war, with unimaginable consequences.

However, the institute made some concessions and continued to uphold the agreement previously made with Yu Yong.

After Cheng Ye left, Yu Yong could remain in Dapo Town, and the institute would arrange for someone to take over. When his integration level broke the limit, they would assist in suppression.

Cheng Ye went to the warehouse to find Yu Yong and handed over the notification from the institute.

Despite there being plenty of room for interpretation, which could be misunderstood as deliberately crafting the notification.

But Yu Yong clearly understood the danger he posed. After reading it quietly, he nodded and said, “You can go. Staying here to read and study is fine for me.”

“I’m sorry, this external mission was scheduled long ago. I hope you understand.”

“Hmm,” Yu Yong replied casually, his expression calm.

But just as Cheng Ye was about to step out the door, Yu Yong suddenly spoke: “What if, after six months, I’m still alive?”

“Alive?” Cheng Ye paused and turned sharply, “Can you suppress the source?”

“It’s just a slight possibility, a tiny sliver of hope…” Yu Yong’s voice was soft, yet carried a trace of stubbornness.

Could it be that Yu Yong had a chance to extend his life?

Cheng Ye was shocked but made no promises, “This matter, you have to talk to Happiness City, to the elders. My opinion doesn’t hold any weight. But if you can survive, live until the truth comes to light, Dapo Town won’t force you to leave before then.”

“Okay!” Yu Yong nodded gently, then lowered his gaze, refocusing on the book in his hands, as if the conversation had never occurred.

The last of the troubles was settled, Cheng Ye closed the warehouse door and turned to leave.

Yet that night, he found himself unable to sleep.

By one in the morning, he was wide awake, and so he got up and walked to the rooftop of the trading station.

On the rooftop was a recliner, Raul’s special corner. At night, he loved to cuddle up here and listen to segments of wuxia novels for amusement.

Cheng Ye leaned back in the recliner, lifting his eyes to the dark night sky, where sparse stars twinkled on the black canvas, their faint glow flickering in the night.

The autumn night breeze, infused with the moisture from the White Water River, blew in, carrying a refreshing coolness that eased some of his inner agitation.

The sound of waves beating against the shore from the White Water River was a thudding, rhythmic backdrop.

In the distance, a row of streetlights lit up along the main road leading to Wenlu County, casting dim halos that stretched into the dark depths like a dragon meandering out of sight.

A flood of thoughts surged in his mind, past episodes and future aspirations interwoven and gradually flowing in his head.

Once, the wilderness was a lingering nightmare to him, and external missions were tantamount to death threats.

Every night of grueling training, when lying in bed, he would motivate himself with the thought, “Sweat more now, and you’ll have a higher chance of surviving out in the field.”

But now, as the day of the external mission truly approached, everything had already changed drastically.

He was no longer a common person easily manipulated, but a Source Binder, an extraordinarily powerful being.

His status had leapt from an insignificant intern inspector to a core inspector at the checkpoint, and even the future Station Chief of Yue Ye.

All these changes had happened in just half a year.

Reflecting on those challenging times, Cheng Ye found himself in a trance. The emotions that once kept him tossing and turning seemed to have been gently wiped away by time.

He couldn’t recall the frustration of not being able to break Liu Bi’s defense, nor the helplessness of contemplating each day how to speed up training progress when it stagnated.

The saying proved true indeed, when you look back from a higher place, those hurdles you thought insurmountable were merely minor frosts.

As he pondered, the autumn night’s coolness wrapped around him softly, the quiet of the rooftop nurturing strands of tiredness.

Cheng Ye tilted his head and abruptly fell into a deep sleep on the recliner.

Until the abrupt ringing of the defense communication device, the sky was already dawning with a faint streak of light.

“Good thing I’m strong enough now, or sleeping out here all night on the rooftop would surely give me a cold.”

Cheng Ye stretched and got up, moving his somewhat stiff limbs, feeling particularly invigorated.

Having spent the night outside, his hair and body inevitably gathered some moisture and dust, feeling somewhat sticky and uncomfortable.

He went downstairs for a quick wash and changed clothes. By the time he came out, Yin Ruofeng and the others had timely arrived at the trading station entrance.

Raul, Wang Kang, Mu Shuang, Hou Genbao, Huang Sheng, Lin Xu, Zhu Xiang… anyone who knew he was going on an external mission had gotten up early, gathering at the entrance to see him off.

Luo Xiaoxue was also there with a sleepy Liu Yi in her arms, her face adorned with a gentle smile.

“Sister Luo, you should take Yiyi back to sleep. The morning wind is chilly, and it’d be bad if she catches a cold.” Cheng Ye stepped forward and said.

“You should ask her.” Luo Xiaoxue lightly shook her arm, helpless yet amused, “She insisted yesterday that she had to see you before you left, insisting on coming to see you off.”

With that, Liu Yi suddenly woke up, saw Cheng Ye in a daze, and immediately stretched out her little arms, calling out in a soft, kiddie tone, “Brother Cheng Ye, hug!”