"Is this the true strength of Happiness City?"
Cheng Ye looked at the scrolling text on his defense communicator, utterly shocked!
Although he had raised his expectations of Happiness City several times over these past days, only now did he truly understand the foundation that allowed Happiness City to dominate Shi Province and become a super sanctuary city.
The Stand-In Starfish, capable of easily destroying medium-sized sanctuary cities, had already spread completely, yet the higher-ups only classified it as A-level rather than the more serious S-level.
What did they rely on?
It turned out to be not just the transcendent powerhouses in the inner city, but also the defensive network that had been deployed in advance.
Roadblocks divided the city into districts, locking down infection pathways like a chessboard grid, eliminating the possibility of concentrated attacks on any single area.
The Happiness Defense Line was the iron mesh barrier at the outermost edge of the buffer zone. The 150 armored vehicles could be deployed with 200-meter intervals between each, not to mention the minefield buried outside the city.
This was designed to prevent mutant beasts, infected entities, and other forces from taking advantage of internal infection outbreaks to launch opportunistic attacks or muddy the waters.
Meanwhile, the Medical Ark, Energy Fortress, and Skynet Barrier, these three major modules combined, completely blocked all potential accidents that the infection tide might trigger.As for the Hedgehog Air Defense, it was better left unmentioned. Just hearing the name made Cheng Ye's scalp tingle.
Sky, perimeter, interior.
All three had been deployed. It felt less like preparing to deal with infected entities and more like preparing for an internal coup.
Moreover, this was only B-level defense mode. What about A-level? S-level?
He suddenly understood that Happiness City's ability to allow the three inner city factions and the east-west inspection stations to constantly fight among themselves represented the power to shelter several generations for reproduction and survival.
"Inspector Cheng?"
Noticing Cheng Ye standing there in a daze, his expression changing constantly, sometimes grave, sometimes delighted, sometimes shocked.
Miao Yang's heart skipped a beat, also realizing something was wrong, considering the changes in the buffer zone over the past two days.
Could it be...
"Director Miao, give me your identity badge."
"Alright."
Miao Yang hurriedly took out his badge, and Cheng Ye took it and swiped it on his defense communicator.
Ding.
Miao Yang's defense communicator immediately showed a notification.
Opening it, this veteran who had crawled through infection tides for over a decade turned pale instantly.
"Inspector Cheng, I... I'm afraid I have to go. My wife and child are still at home."
Miao Yang's voice trembled, his hand gripping the defense communicator showing bulging veins.
"Go, go, go, let's go together."
Without another word, Cheng Ye grabbed the backpack from the floor and both rushed toward the door.
Leaving the venue, he glanced at his defense communicator. The time on screen had just passed six o'clock.
According to Happiness City's predicted outbreak time, the infection tide would descend in the storm at 11:41!
The first wave of information was only being released to those near inspectors and in key positions. Clearly, Happiness City was releasing information in stages.
Cheng Ye knew in his heart that as time approached the outbreak point minute by minute, the second and third waves of warnings would explode like thunder, layer by layer, dragging the entire city into the true center of the storm.
"Inspector Cheng, my bus is here..."
Before he could finish speaking, Cheng Ye pushed him through the rear door, "Go quickly, don't dawdle!"
In the face of such catastrophic disaster, knowing the news even ten minutes early could mean the difference between life and death.
Being able to know five hours in advance would infinitely increase the probability of surviving safely.
The bus slowly drove away in the fierce wind.
Through the blurry bus window, Cheng Ye could still clearly see the surging emotions in Miao Yang's eyes.
Eighty percent gratitude, twenty percent relief.
Perhaps at this moment, he was immensely grateful for that afternoon four days ago when he had anxiously asked, "Can I make it?"
"Master Tian, I'm at the training ground station, come at full speed."
"What bullshit Works Department regulations, if there's any problem, tell them to come find me!"
"Hurry up, there's no time to waste!"
More than ten kilometers away.
Master Tian, who was still waiting for five passengers, suddenly changed expression and walked straight to the rear door to tell the two passengers who had just boarded, "Sir, the bus is ending service early, please take the next one."
"Ending service?"
The two people got off through the rear door with confused faces, their feet not yet steady.
The bus behind them shot out like an unleashed beast, tires spinning wildly on the ground, making an extremely piercing screech.
What the hell?
Buses could be driven like this?
Facts proved there were no slow vehicles, only drivers who didn't dare step on the gas.
A route that usually took over 20 minutes was completed in less than 4 minutes, stopping in front of Cheng Ye with a sharp braking sound.
"Take me back to the main city area, then go home."
"Also, give me your identity badge."
In the buffer zone, every resident with formal employment had a corresponding identity badge.
Taking Master Tian's badge and swiping it, the defense communicator sounded another notification.
"Holy shit!"
Master Tian glanced at it and was so shocked he nearly bit his tongue, "It's going to break out tonight?"
"Let's go quickly, there are still five hours, enough time for you to go back and prepare."
Actually, Cheng Ye didn't need to urge him much. After Master Tian's moment of shock, he immediately stepped on the gas, and the vehicle shot forward.
"Inspector Cheng, thank you!!!"
Unlike before, this thank you contained much more.
"Don't thank me, just stay alive and repay the favor."
Hearing the complexity in Master Tian's tone, Cheng Ye responded without looking up, then quickly called Luo Xiaoxue.
After being busy for over ten seconds, the other side finally answered.
"Luo jie?"
"Cheng Ye, I received the notification. Home is very safe, you take care of yourself."
"Mm, call me anytime if there's anything."
"Okay!"
Before the infection tide outbreak, there might have been thousands of words to remind each other.
But at this moment, with great chaos approaching, anyone would lose other superfluous thoughts.
Only one thought remained: survive, survive to see the sun rise the next day!
Reaching the main city area, the bus began to slow down.
Checkpoints were being set up at intersections. Cheng Ye saw the so-called Steel Tooth Barriers.
They were somewhat similar to the retractable fences at compound entrances, but much more robust. Each outer fence had a diameter exceeding forty centimeters, with the base being fixed through special methods, deeply embedded two meters underground.
The movable posts in the middle hadn't been driven down yet, leaving just enough space for a bus to enter.
"Documents?"
Armed guards approached and stopped the bus.
Master Tian said nothing, turned to look at Cheng Ye, then handed over a badge.
After verification, the guard let them through without a word, simultaneously entering the license plate number into the system through the terminal, directly syncing it to other checkpoint guards' defense communicators.
What was privilege?
It wasn't respect or unspoken rules.
It was the ability to ignore any rules even in such extremely critical moments. That was what deserved to be called privilege!
Ding.
The defense communicator rang again.
This time it wasn't a message from the broadcast station, but a public message from the inspection station.
[Happiness City Inspection Station - Ding Yishan]
[Fellow inspectors, this is now a moment of life and death for Happiness City and the buffer zone. As station chief, I know everyone is fearful, but please believe we still have sufficient strength to resist this infection tide.]
[Now, I will issue the following orders to everyone in my capacity as general station chief:]
[1. All inspectors return home immediately. Do not go out without receiving instructions from the inspection station. Please ensure your absolute safety before considering helping others (inspectors in central outbreak areas A1-A17, B1-B17, C1-C12 are strictly forbidden from going out for any reason)]
[2. Immediately check supplies, prioritize ensuring 72-hour survival needs. If inadequately prepared, please report to the inspection station immediately. The inspection station will activate emergency allocation plans, prioritizing supply of protective equipment and basic provisions]
[3. All communication devices on 24-hour standby. The inspection station's internal communication system will open dedicated channels, providing real-time updates on infection tide dynamics and response strategies.]
[4. Inspector-exclusive medical warehouses have been established at the following locations. If infection symptoms or emergency medical needs arise, please proceed there immediately]
[5. Unauthorized departure from the zone is forbidden. Before the alert is lifted, any behavior of leaving the buffer zone will be considered desertion, and Happiness City will issue an unlimited A-level kill order.]
At the end of the message, two files were attached.
The first was a more detailed infection entity report. Cheng Ye opened it and glanced, immediately feeling his scalp tingle.
The value of Brother B's statement was still increasing.
The attack methods and development patterns of infected entities truly would not evolve according to human expectations.
As sample data further increased, Stand-In Starfish infected entities had now developed two new attack methods.
Spitting bodily fluids and extending tentacles.
The former had a spitting range of about six meters with moderate corrosiveness.
The latter was similar to Doctor Octopus, growing tentacles on the back for movement and attack.
"If infected entities can mutate, what about fusion entities?"
Cheng Ye's heart sank heavily, once again glimpsing the great terror hidden beneath this wasteland.
No wonder Happiness City's higher-ups had developed independent transcendent factions. Faced with these monsters, humanity's nearly stagnant technology of recent decades was stretched thin.
Unless a new industrial revolution could burst forth to drive technological leaps, the transcendent faction's influence would only grow stronger!
Opening the second file, it was the latest simulation results from Happiness Supercomputer based on current conditions.
It clearly listed areas and buildings in the buffer zone where infected entities might have major outbreaks.
Cheng Ye quickly located the B-7 area where the electronics factory residential complex was situated, finding that the nearest outbreak point was 450 meters in a straight line from the complex, precisely the five-story Tianyuan Shopping Center where Chu Yunfeng had previously worked.
Its internal area was about ten thousand square meters, packed with nearly four thousand people.
It wasn't hard to imagine how many infected entities would rush out after the outbreak, with person-to-person transmission.
Closing the defense communicator.
Cheng Ye looked worriedly out the window at the panicked faces lining up to receive Stand-In Starfish epidemic powder.
The distribution of epidemic powder in the buffer zone was bumpy and not smooth.
Due to the "mortality rate" being too high, at least two thousand people had been carried out over these past days.
While many were indeed infected entities with infection times exceeding 48 hours, where infection sources were deeply parasitic, and the epidemic powder killed both the infection source and the host in its AOE effect.
But the serious side effects still couldn't be ignored. Anyone with low immunity or already ill would have a near-death experience after taking it.
However, as the outbreak time approached, more and more people sensed the approaching storm, and with the mentality of "having it is better than not having it," long queues formed at every distribution point.
But this invisibly increased the probability of contact infection. Every meter of the winding queue was laying a breeding ground for Stand-In Starfish spread.
"Inspector Cheng."
Noticing Cheng Ye staring blankly at the roadside distribution stand, Master Tian called softly.
"Mm?"
"Do you remember the infection tide from 13 years ago?"
"13 years ago?"
Cheng Ye paused, then shook his head.
The original body was only 19 now, having been just a 6-year-old child 13 years ago.
There were scattered fragments in his memory: everyone in the inner city huddled in their rooms, with someone regularly placing supplies in non-contact areas, waiting a full six hours before retrieving them.
Until over two months later when Happiness City announced the lifting of martial law, life quickly returned to normal. As for what actually happened during that period, he knew nothing.
"Is there any connection between now and 13 years ago?"
"If there's a connection, there is one. Thirteen years ago was also a contact-based infection source, named 'Nightmare Parasite.'"
Mentioning this name, Master Tian's hands gripping the steering wheel turned white at the knuckles from strain, "As long as you slept for more than 3 hours, the infection source would activate. If you didn't wake up then, you'd be trapped in endless nightmares, eventually becoming a walking corpse. But if you could tough it out for 28 days, sleeping no more than 3 hours daily, the infection source would deactivate itself."
"Doesn't that sound easy to deal with?"
Cheng Ye frowned. Weather phenomena couldn't be controlled by humans, but sleep could be completely self-controlled.
And 3 hours daily was enough for humans to recover some energy. Persisting for 28 days shouldn't be difficult.
"Yes, it was easy to deal with."
Master Tian forced a stiff smile, "But this easy-to-deal-with infection source killed 170,000 people in the buffer zone that year, with another 80,000 escaping in the chaos, eventually evolving into a Plague-level infection tide that completely wiped out a nearby small sanctuary city."
"Hm?"
Cheng Ye was stunned, instinctively somewhat disbelieving, but would Master Tian deceive him about such matters?
"On the first day everyone knew about the Nightmare Parasite outbreak method, everyone was very optimistic, thinking they could easily get through it."
"But sleep deprivation-induced emotional fluctuations accumulate. Usually kind neighbors might suddenly grab guns to vent their anger over small conflicts after ten consecutive days of poor sleep. Guards on duty would also lose emotional control, treating residents with increasingly harsh attitudes, escalating various conflicts."
"The closer to the 28-day deadline, the harder it became. More troublesome was that everyone had different infection batches. Some got through 28 days, but others were just infected, then encountered secondary infection, having to restart the 28-day countdown."
Master Tian sighed, "Inspector Cheng, you should be able to guess what happened next, right?"
Actually, before Master Tian finished speaking, Cheng Ye was already shocked into stunned silence.
When he heard about secondary infection and repeating 28 days, goosebumps instantly rose on his arms.
No wonder they named this infection source 'Nightmare Parasite.'
As long as everyone couldn't maintain the same progress, this nightmare would continue endlessly.
One 28-day round would begin, one would end, and a new one would start.
Sleeping only 3 hours daily, even someone made of iron couldn't last half a year.
"What was the result?"
"The result was a free-for-all battle. People who survived 28 days shot at newly infected people, those nearing 28 days desperately fled to buy time. The buffer zone became a complete battlefield, with everyone hiding behind building cover and shooting at each other."
"Because they could only sleep three hours daily, infected people couldn't withstand the firepower of recovered people. After struggling for three days, they were already exhausted, ultimately having to accept the forced isolation plan proposed by the inner city, entering isolation chambers one by one until everyone confirmed they'd completed 28 days. Only then did this disaster end."
Master Tian smiled self-mockingly, "I know you want to ask why everyone didn't accept forced isolation from the start. Actually, in this vast wasteland, not everyone is willing to shine for the collective. There are always parasites sucking blood from the collective body. I was one of those forced into isolation chambers back then, so I know those people's thoughts too clearly."
"Some people didn't want the Nightmare Parasite to end. They wanted this disaster to continue indefinitely. I remember there was something that cost only 5 Happiness Coins but was nearly fought over, what was it called... right, Powerful Sleep Elixir. Just drinking this stuff would put you into deep sleep within minutes, quickly restoring energy."
"The Nightmare Parasite was clearly about to end, but every few days, new batches of infected would mysteriously appear, driving new infection outbreaks. Don't you find that strange?"
"Until the final free-for-all broke out and everyone stopped caring, preferring to die rather than rely on sleep elixirs to struggle through each day, only then did the Nightmare Parasite suddenly disappear, and the resisters agreed to enter isolation chambers."
"Inspector Cheng, I'm telling you this to make you understand: don't think you can fight against the tide with individual strength. This isn't the fault of you inspectors, but an inevitability of sanctuary city development. Even if you really had the ability to end this disaster early, without solving the parasite problem at its root, the next internal infection tide would only come faster."
"Mm, it's like a sieve, screening out those parasites for Happiness City every few years."
"Once they're all screened out, our buffer zone, our Happiness City can welcome a new round of development!"
"And you don't need to worry too much about this disaster. This is something all of us need to get through together. Standing with you, there will definitely be many people!"
"Including me!"