Wasteland Border Inspector

This one is an Energy Reaction Instrument, still the standard "big brick" model from Happiness City—stupidly big, black and chunky, very distinctive.

There’s a yellow label stuck in the upper left corner with the character "能" written on it.

This thing is issued to Inspectors when they head into the Wilderness, used to test an enemy’s strength from long range. It’s a bit like the Energy Detector in the four-piece set, but this one’s portable. Its max test range can reach a hundred meters, with accuracy dropping as the distance increases.

[Current Energy Rating: 96]

"Nice, it was 87 yesterday, and it’s gone up another 9 points today. That’s a solid pace!"

Cheng Ye was overjoyed.

This energy rating isn’t based on detecting the Shrinking Earth Giant Louse and the Flame inside him; it’s a pure assessment of his normal combat strength—basically the bonus from his Ze Ye Physique plus the foundation he’s built up through training.

Back when he first entered the Inner City, this value was 67; now it had risen by 29 points.

It looked like just a 40% increase, but in reality his combat power had tripled, enough to show that the higher the energy rating goes, the harder it is to improve and the harsher the conditions.

Putting down the Energy Reaction Instrument, Cheng Ye picked up the second device.

This one was a Breath Exposure Detector, specifically issued for Extraordinarys to use in the field to monitor the intensity of their own aura.

The Elder had thoughtfully prepared this device, clearly already aware of the Flame on him.

Only, as he picked up the detector and pressed it against his body—

after the numbers on the screen flickered for a while, the final result that came out did make him frown...

[Current Breath Intensity: 0]

"Still nothing?"

He’d already been equipped with the Heart-Protecting Fire for three days, yet the instrument still showed a breath intensity of 0.

Cheng Ye tried to establish a link with the Flame; a fiery red mark flashed between his brows, and the numbers on the detector immediately began to jump, finally freezing at "13".

According to the standard marked on the device, 10 was the safety threshold—below this number, you wouldn’t attract the attention of infection sources.

Once you exceed 10, every 1 point increase doubles your attractiveness to infection sources and Infected Bodies.

Even though 13 was only 3 points above the safety line, it still hid a fatal threat: if he stayed in one place for more than two days, it would definitely draw in any nearby Extraordinary Mother Source that might exist.

People had tried using this method to fish for and contain targets before, but no one could predict what kind of methods the attracted Extraordinary Mother Source might have, or whether it would be one or several.

And with his current strength, if he were really targeted by an Extraordinary Mother Source, it’d be virtually certain death.

Yet as Cheng Ye cancelled the Coexistence State, something unexpected happened again.

In barely half a minute, the exposure index dropped back to 0.

The special aura fluctuation flowing off his body was partly drawn back into the golden light on the Flame’s forehead, and partly suppressed by the two runes on the back of his hand, unable to leak out in the slightest.

"Just what did Tan Ming do? He enlightened the Flame and even left two runes behind, and they actually let an Extraordinary like me move freely in the Wilderness without being detected?"

Cheng Ye couldn’t help clicking his tongue. This sort of method was downright unbelievable, yet it had really happened to him.

He wasn’t sure yet whether this suppression effect was limited to Stone Province or would still work outside the province.

But judging from how at ease the Elder was about sending him to Guang Province, this aura-concealing ability would, in all likelihood, work in Guang Province as well.

Of course, there was another possibility.

The Flame was just too weak!

A single trip on field duty was far from enough time for the Flame to grow strong enough to break through the aura seal of the mark.

Putting down the Breath Exposure Detector, Cheng Ye didn’t test the third device.

Because this device was an Infection Source Intensity Detector, also meant for use in the Wilderness.

When encountering an unknown infection source, you could use it to test the intensity and thereby judge whether it could be contained.

Strictly speaking, this device should have been issued to every Inspector early on, but like the Obsidian Battle Armor, it was an import, and the cost was insanely high.

The one in his hand alone was a full fifty thousand Contribution Points, and only Fourth-stage Inspectors would be equipped with one.

Giving him one now meant that, in the Elder’s eyes, he was already being treated as a genuine High-level Inspector.

He opened the door; sure enough, there were two medical staff standing outside, pushing a small meal cart.

"Inspector Cheng, the meal you ordered yesterday is ready. Would you like to eat now?"

"Thanks."

Cheng Ye stepped aside, and the medical staff quickly laid out eight small dishes, two bundles of fried dough sticks, and a large bucket of soy milk.

These dishes were extremely luxurious in the Buffer Zone. Although they would gradually become more common once farmland could be cultivated, for now they were absolutely a rare enjoyment, pure indulgence.

Cheng Ye wolfed everything down. These five days of high-intensity binge eating had actually completely restored the taste he’d lost before.

After putting away two bundles—a full three jin—of fried dough sticks, he grabbed the half-person-tall soy milk bucket and chugged. The icy smooth taste slid down his throat, and his whole body felt refreshed.

So good!

Right now his body was like a bottomless pit, letting him indulge his appetite recklessly without worrying about any burden.

Gulp, gulp.

After drinking more than half the bucket, Cheng Ye reluctantly put it down, sat and rested for a bit, then changed his clothes.

The last hundred kilometers was nothing, just a small case.

He even started with a light jog as a warm-up, and only when his body was burning hot did he really open up his stride and sprint.

His condition felt better than it ever had. Even though there was still stabbing pain, it felt more like a reward.

Cheng Ye breathed to his heart’s content, feeling everything.

He even had a strange illusion: this wasn’t punishment at all, but the Shrinking Earth Giant Louse turning into an iron hammer, tirelessly pounding his body to help him break through and grow stronger.