Chapter 16: Happiness coins, contribution points, and threats of natural disasters!

Happiness coins are a necessity for ordinary residents who want to settle down in the City of Sanctuary.

Its anchor is the inexhaustible energy of the hydropower station, the minerals that can be mined for decades around Xingfu City, the powerful industrial strength of the inner city, and the military force that is enough to directly defeat a small-scale infection wave!

With this combination of "resources + industry + military force", Xingfu City does not even need to expand arable land. It can easily exchange large quantities of agricultural and sideline products from several surrounding refuge cities, large settlements, small gathering places, etc. to meet the daily needs of millions of people.

Even though the top management of Happiness City often makes idealistic decisions on the spur of the moment, such as exempting all electricity charges during the rainy season when water is plentiful, or reducing the price of nutrient paste by one Happiness Coin during the harvest season, the market can still maintain stable operation.

Because residents will spontaneously save money to cope with the price increases caused by resource shortages in winter and spring.

Coupled with the timely regulation by the authorities, Happiness Coin has also made it possible for people to retain some purchasing power even when they leave Sichuan City and go to other cities or sanctuary cities.

However, the contribution points that are one level higher than the Happiness Coin have completely different underlying logic and anchors.

Contribution points can be exchanged for strategic-level resources and controlled items.

For example, the improved version of the firearms, which have been tuned to military grade, not only uses rare alloys to improve durability, but also has special ballistic optimization, and its lethality far exceeds that of market currency.

For example, high-tech electronic products, military-grade communicators, thermal detectors, and special equipment for dealing with infected bodies, each of which is a life-saving artifact for walking in the wasteland.

Of course, there are also the cold weapons that Cheng Ye is borrowing money to buy.

For modern people, the technology of making cold weapons is no longer difficult; the difficulty lies in the materials used.

For example, 'Damascus steel', '52100 steel', '15N20 steel', etc. often appear in knife forging competitions.

However, in the wasteland, these steels are no longer considered top-level forging materials. What is truly valuable and requires contribution points to purchase is the "extraordinary ore" that Cheng Ye only learned about today.

Its original form may be just an ordinary piece of iron ore. After being contaminated by the power of a supernatural being or an infected body, it has a chance of developing incredible properties.

The price of ore varies greatly depending on the degree of pollution.

Take Liu Bi's dagger as an example. It only contains less than 20g of ordinary extraordinary ore, which is enough to maintain its sharpness while having excellent hardness and toughness, which is absolutely beyond the reach of modern materials.

"Well, of course I know that."

Knowing that the staff must have seen his trainee status, they kindly reminded him out of fear that he would be punished for not knowing the rules.

Cheng Ye didn't find it strange and nodded slightly.

Contribution points are so precious that it is impossible to determine their anchor, so it is natural that they are not allowed to be traded freely.

Moreover, in Xingfu City, the channels for individuals to obtain contribution points are extremely limited.

Only certain positions have fixed access paths. For example, Inspectors, for detecting infected individuals that have sneaked into the city, receive a certain contribution reward. For example, the Public Works Department, for exceeding expectations in land reclamation efficiency, also receives a certain contribution reward. Engineers, for ensuring the smooth operation of urban facilities, receive a certain contribution reward periodically each cycle.

In addition, contribution points are only distributed to those who have made real contributions to Happy City.

For example, if a sentinel out on the trail accidentally discovers a hidden group of infected individuals, he or she can earn contribution points after reporting and verifying the findings.

For example, if a scavenger finds something valuable in the ruins of a city and submits it, he can get a certain amount of contribution points depending on how valuable it is.

This is a set of strong stimulus policies, but if contribution points can be traded at will, the value measurement and behavior-oriented significance they carry will be greatly reduced.

Therefore, Happiness City has a clear rule that contribution points can be loaned out, but each person has a maximum amount within a cycle.

Ordinary residents only have a maximum of 10 points every six months.

For trainee prosecutors like Cheng Ye, the quota will be increased tenfold to 100 points.

Of course, this set of rules is not without loopholes. For example, if Cheng Ye wants to buy a pistol worth 20 points, he can buy it through Liu Bi and then "transfer" it to himself, bypassing the personal lending restrictions.

The staff member's reminder just now was exactly this point. Xingfu City also has a monitoring mechanism in operation. They may turn a blind eye to minor violations of the rules, but if someone reports it, the additional fines will be enough to make the violators go bankrupt instantly.

"Okay, I've signed it."

Cheng Ye nodded and handed the application form with his name filled in into the window.

The staff quickly tapped the keyboard, and after a few seconds, Cheng Ye's defense communication vibrated.

【Happiness Bank Buffer Zone Branch】

[June 26, 35th year of the New Era, 18:47]

[Song Yongfeng from the Public Works Department transfers 100 contribution points to you]

Current Balance: 143 Points

"Why is it 143?"

Cheng Ye clicked on the payment record below and took a look.

[07:00, June 26, 35th Year of the New Era, normal salary transferred to '24' contribution points]

【Balance: 43 points】

[Note: The infection source phase has been verified, rating: early second phase]

"So the rewards for the Deathrattle Tentacles were all settled..."

At 7 o'clock, Cheng Ye happened to be talking to Ding Yishan and did not notice the transfer message.

The 5 points previously promised to Garcia were not transferred in time because the latter was beaten by Liu Bi and had to go to the emergency room.

"143 points minus the 20 points for the pistol is definitely enough to buy materials. Even if the extraordinary ore is expensive, I can add a little to meet the current needs."

If you have food in your hands, you will not be afraid.

Cheng Ye doesn't have much demand for hot weapons, so he can just buy a Buffalo pistol like Brother B's for self-defense.

Wait until you are about to go out on a mission, and then decide whether it is necessary to change to a more powerful submachine gun, rifle, etc.

But cold weapons are different. A good weapon requires the user to practice for a long time.

For example, Liu Bi's short sword, although the original forging material was ordinary, he patched it up and used it for more than ten years and was reluctant to replace it.

"Xiao Cheng, Sister Luo, since the points have been transferred, I will go back to the Public Works Department first."

After taking the transfer slip and putting it into his backpack, Song Yongfeng turned around and smiled at the two of them with wrinkles in his eyes.

"Luckily, this wave of heavy rain was intermittent, giving our buffer zone drainage system a break. Otherwise, if it rained for another day, the suburbs would be fine, but the city would definitely be paralyzed by waterlogging."

"Old Song, your Public Works Department didn't predict how many days the rain will last?"

As the three of them walked out, Luo Xiaoxue couldn't help but ask worriedly, "My husband went to the hydropower station to provide support. If the heavy rain continues, I'm afraid he'll have to stay there for a while..."

"According to the forecast given to us by the Inner City Meteorological Bureau, it will last for at least the next half month."

"So long?"

"Well, since the beginning of this year, the news coming from the various cities of refuge has not been optimistic. The weather stability is becoming chaotic, and we don't know what strange things will happen next."

Speaking of this, Song Yongfeng put away his smile and couldn't help showing a hint of worry.

The threat posed by meteorological disturbances is definitely no less than that posed by a wave of infections.

It's just heavy rain right now, and the buffer zone can still be alleviated by clearing the drains, but what if it turns into a heavy snow?

Not even mentioning the blizzard, if the following autumn is affected and food production is reduced, and the news spreads to Happy City, it will become a disaster affecting everyone.

In addition, the activity patterns of infected bodies are closely related to astronomical phenomena, such as hydrophilic infected bodies that move along the rainstorm line.

If the celestial phenomena continue to be so chaotic, it is difficult to say whether a large-scale wave of infection will break out around Xingfu City around winter.

"Uncle Song, take care."

I kept watching Song Yongfeng get on the bus and go away.

The two of them then withdrew their gazes and walked side by side to the bench at the bank entrance and sat down.

...