Chapter 68: Assign and rule, conflict of ideas!

July 11, 35th year of the Xinji era.

Night 8.03.

The wind gradually died down, but the rain became heavier.

Raindrops as big as beans fell from the sky, creating circles of water splashes on the ground.

The huge North Checkpoint is now completely blocked, and all exits are equipped with heavy steel roadblocks.

In the open space of Area F, two 9.6-meter trucks were quietly parked in front of a two-story building.

More than ten staff members were busy but orderly moving storage boxes of various sizes and materials out of the building.

Open the back of the truck.

A gust of cold air hit me in the face. The cabin was divided into densely packed grids, which were special spaces used to store sources of infection.

"Tread carefully, don't bump into anything! The source of infection here isn't that stable!"

Qin Feng stood guard at the door, raising his voice to remind people from time to time, and at the same time directing the staff to load the trucks in order according to the numbers.

No matter how many days this wave of infection lasts, the checkpoints must be closed for a week according to regulations.

In order to prevent the accidental spread of the contained sources of infection, all of them must be loaded onto trucks and taken back to the inner city research institute.

"I'm talking to you. The armor-covered vine in here was specifically requested by Director Liu. If you hit it, you'll pay with your life!"

Seeing that two of the four staff members slipped and the storage box containing green vines was almost out of their hands, Qin Feng's brows suddenly tightened, and he took a step forward to hold the box steadily.

However, when he was stopped, he realized that it was not the staff member who slipped, but the vines in the box were twisting restlessly.

As the box continued to shake during transportation, it tried to break through the box and escape.

"You're already in this containment box and you still want to leave? Do you really think Happy City is a ruined city where you can come and go as you please?"

Qin Feng reached out and pressed the button on the box, and a jet sound instantly erupted from inside.

But after four or five seconds, the struggling vines suddenly froze and completely stopped moving.

"Old Qin, you have a lot of good stuff at this checkpoint."

Seeing this, the two researchers at the door immediately stepped forward and looked at him with curiosity on their faces.

"Our Institute of Infectious Diseases doesn't even have this kind of good stuff, you..."

"They're just gadgets. I have limited equipment here, so I have to figure out some tricks myself."

Qin Feng couldn't help but shake his head.

The research institute does not use such ancient methods. Instead, it uses special sound waves to suppress the activity of the source of infection.

"This time, I'll see if I can apply to be approved and try to work at the checkpoint."

"you?"

Qin Feng shook his head and laughed.

The advantage of this place is that you can access new live sources of infection for research every one or two days, but the disadvantages are also obvious.

Like the inspectors, researchers who choose to work in the buffer zone are also not allowed to enter the inner city on weekdays. They can only apply for permission to return to the city when a wave of infection strikes.

At the same time, he had to apply for funding for research equipment from the inspection station himself. Most of his equipment was sponsored by Director Liu from the inner city, otherwise it would just be an empty shell now.

"Why, do you look down on me? I'm also a level two student after the new year."

"Okay, okay, then come out and help me. This place is very lively every day."

Qin Feng was too lazy to explain the pros and cons to the two of them. He waved his hand and continued to supervise the loading.

About twenty minutes later.

The last source of infection was carried out. After a second inspection, confirming it was correct, the hatches of the two trucks slowly closed.

"Stationmaster Harlin, I've already loaded the car."

Taking out his defense communication card, Qin Feng called the nominal top person in charge of the North Checkpoint.

"Funding, that's not a problem. We have more than enough now."

"Well, don't worry, I will come back after the infection wave passes. I won't leave this place empty."

Haring's paintings are as simple as ever.

Tell him that when he comes back after the infection wave, 30,000 contribution points will be allocated to the North Checkpoint Branch.

But given the current status of the checkpoint in Xingfu City, how easy is it?

Not to mention allocating funds to the research institute, even renovating the internal facilities of the checkpoint is stretched to the limit.

"Okay, let's go!"

Qin Feng dismissed the staff and asked the two researchers to get on the first car.

The interior space is quite spacious, with eight seats, which is even more spacious than the Jinbei.

The soldiers in charge of escorting the soldiers did not get on the vehicles. There were 10 people in each vehicle, hooked to the buckles of the cargo hold, and the whole group was suspended outside the vehicle like the Flying Tigers.

They are armed to the teeth with weapons and equipment, and the four eye-catching words "Happy Army" are on their chests.

I think that unless someone is tired of living, they will quickly get away when seeing this scene from afar.

Two cars drove out of the North Checkpoint, one in front and one behind.

"The last time I came to the buffer zone was 13 years ago, when I came to help clean up the battlefield."

"After so many years, this place has changed a lot."

Lu Jian, who was sitting next to Qin Feng, was curious and looked out the window.

From time to time, large golden cups on duty whizzed past on the roadside and rushed straight into the alley, where fierce gunfire broke out.

For him, whose impression was still stuck on the period of residents' conflict, it was like being in another place.

"It's been 13 years, it's time for some changes"

Qin Feng sighed softly, his eyes filled with emotion. "Back then, in exchange for control of the buffer zone, the Idealists completely gave up some of their power in the inner city and poured all their ideas into this area. Looking back over the years, the results are really not bad."

"Now more and more elderly people in the buffer zone have developed a sense of belonging here, and a lot of strange community rules have emerged, some of which sound incredible."

"Oh, tell me about it?"

"There's not much to say. Whether it will work or not will depend on this wave of infection."

As the truck drove into the city, Qin Feng suddenly felt a little bored.

With only three hours left before the outbreak of the infection, the roadside epidemic prevention stalls had not yet closed and were still distributing anti-epidemic powder to pedestrians.

Someone drank it on the spot and then vomited black blood. After a few seconds, he collapsed on the ground and convulsed, scaring the people around him to retreat.

At this time, staff wearing isolation suits will come forward and put the person directly into the body bag.

Is it scary?

It's really shocking.

But none of the pedestrians queuing up to receive the anti-epidemic powder backed off.

Obviously, by this point, everyone realized what was about to happen in the buffer zone.

It’s just that no one dares to say it out loud. There is no official information to verify their judgment and no one dares to break this window paper.

"Huh?"

When the truck passed the intersection, Qin Feng suddenly stared out the window and paused, unable to help but exclaim in surprise.

"What's wrong?"

"It's okay, I saw someone I know."

Not far away, outside a building with the Tianyuan Mall sign hanging on it, he saw a familiar figure.

This guy, what is he doing here at this hour?

Qin Feng took out the defense pass, clicked it twice, and couldn't help shaking his head.

With over 4,000 people living in this building, it's a powder keg, and the probability of infection used to be almost infinite.

"Remind him?"

After thinking about it, Qin Feng edited a text message, but deleted and revised it several times before sending it.

The original reminder of more than 300 words, including how to deal with the starfish infected body and how to escape from the fusion body, was eventually deleted to four words.

【Go home early! 】

"Who is this person? Is he worthy of your reminder, Researcher Qin?"

Lu Jian leaned over and saw the content of the text message, and immediately felt strange.

Although Qin Feng is only a second-level researcher, all the researchers in the institute know that if his research philosophy were not incompatible with the technology school, he should have been promoted to a third-level researcher based on his professional ability alone.

This is very twisted.

The Institute of Infectious Disease Sources is the core of the scientific and technological faction, but it is filled with researchers with conflicting ideas.

Deal with it. Qin Feng's professional ability is there. Finding fault with him will inevitably cause panic among the people.

If nothing is done about it, he will be like a thorn in the research institute, and all the techies from top to bottom will find him an eyesore.

They simply decided to exile him.

No one was bothered by it, and Qin Feng himself felt comfortable and enjoyed the freedom at the checkpoint.

"An inspector, um, trainee."

"It's worth reminding an apprentice. You might die in there this time."

Lu Jian couldn't help but click his tongue, then slapped his head, "Could it be Cheng Long's son?"

"Um."

"Tsk tsk, then I won't ask. No one in the Cheng family is timid. Cheng Wu is a timid one, but Cheng Long is even braver than Cheng Wu. Our Xingfu City almost had to change its mayor."

"He's different."

Qin Feng hesitated. "Cheng Wu is a staunch believer in originality, but he also tried to force some of the tech-savvy ideas into his own. He wanted to turn the buffer zones into isolated island prisons, but he ultimately lost everyone, and even his most trusted people were unwilling to implement his philosophy."

"Cheng Long, he's obsessed with transcendence, and he dared to set his sights on the city lord. He deserves death. Fortunately, Ding Yishan acted quickly to separate them, otherwise the checkpoint would be under pressure from three factions at once. Even with Chief Liu's support, the police department would have to restructure and implement a separation of powers."

“But this is Cheng Ye.”

"Cheng Ye? That's a good name. Dragon fights in the wild. Does Cheng Long want to pass on his philosophy to his son?"

"No, he's the only beginner I've seen at the checkpoint in the three years I've been on duty."

"Beginner's sect?"

Lu Jian couldn't help but laugh. Who doesn't know what the situation is inside the checkpoint now?

It's a joke that a trainee inspector is a beginner.

"He's still holding onto some illusions, like his grandfather, who on the surface talks about giving people enough human rights, but in reality wants to deprive everyone of their rights and make them puppets according to his will?"

"I don't know, but I never give up and struggle."

Qin Feng smiled as his thoughts flashed back to the past few days of interaction. "Anyway, he's very simple. Compared to dealing with those old hands, I'm at least willing to talk to him. Well, talk more."

"Of course. Researcher Qin is a pioneer of our institute. 'Strong men' always appreciate each other."

Researcher Jeremy Paul, who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke with a sarcastic tone.

However, Qin Feng and Lu Jian were too lazy to pay attention to him, and no one responded to the conversation.

The truck drove forward and arrived at Jubi Station.

As the most densely populated area in the buffer zone, Lu Jian and Paul tensed up almost at the same time.

The infection outbreak is less than three hours away. If there is one safest place in the entire buffer zone, it must be near the giant wall.

The strongest Happy Legion of Happy City is stationed here. Even if a catastrophic infection wave really occurs, as long as there are no extraordinary earthbound spirits mixed in, the infection wave will never be able to break through the giant wall's defense.

But on the other hand, this is also the most dangerous place in the buffer zone.

The dense crowds mean that infected bodies are also gathering together. The dense flow of people will instantly become a breeding ground for the spread of substitute starfish, and the chain reaction is unimaginable.

The truck slowly moved forward among the crowd.

The soldiers hanging on the carriages fired into the air from time to time to force back the oncoming crowd and make way for a narrow passage.

Fortunately.

Until the truck arrived at the gate of Happiness, no one dared to attack the car.

Lu Jian patted his chest with lingering fear:

"Thirteen years ago, nearly fifty thousand people attacked the Great Wall. This time, things are really different."

Paul cursed, "Finally I'm scared. These bastards have eyes like ants and wolves. They just want to get something for nothing and ascend to the sky overnight."

Has it changed?

Still scared?

Qin Feng pursed his lips, looked at the alloy door in front of him that was shining with a cold light, and looked at the "world of feasting and drinking" inside the door, and suddenly felt a little dazed.

The longer I stay outside, the more I feel the wall separating the two places.

Where is the truth?

Beyond the massive wall lies a precarious buffer zone, where infected bodies lurk in every corner and rules crumble in the face of the survival instinct.

Inside the giant walls is a "happy city" built of steel and order. Beneath the flashing neon lights lies factional struggles and ideological disputes. Although there is no swordplay, it is even more deadly.

He suddenly couldn't tell whether the bloody cruelty outside the wall was more real, or the "stability" inside the wall covered with rules was more like a dream.

"Comrade Qin Feng, please get off the bus and undergo inspection and disinfection."

The soldier guarding the gate of Happiness stepped forward and knocked on the car door, interrupting Qin Feng's reverie.

"OK."

The car door opened, and under the dense gaze of gun muzzles, Qin Feng stepped through the door of happiness.

In the fantasy of the residents of the buffer zone, crossing this boundary means entering a new world.

But the opposite is true.

After passing this door, you have to go through the isolation and disinfection workstation built into the wall.

There are sixteen steps in total. If any step fails to meet the standards, you will be asked to return to the buffer zone.

"Alternative Starfish Infection Test Passed"

"4107 types of infection sources passed comprehensive testing"

"The body's vital response has reached the standard."

"Respiratory circulation toxin filtration meets standards."

"The blood analysis data meets the standards."

"Immune system stress awakening success"

“.”

The sound of passing inspection indicators rang out one after another.

A cold mechanical announcement sounded.

Qin Feng didn't care about it. He just raised his head and stared at the fiery red ivy on the ceiling of the disinfection workstation.

The red leaves wrapped around the metal pipes are scanning humans in a special way. The staff at the disinfection station summarize and report the data based on the leaves' reactions.

Given the technology of the old era, this would be like a fantasy.

But in the new era when extraordinary plants have just wreaked havoc, it seems commonplace.

Nowadays, almost every super-sanctuary city uses special extraordinary plants as gatekeepers. Even when faced with new sources of infection that are not recorded in the database, these plants can keep 99% of threats out through special physiological reactions.

Of course, compared to those extraordinary plants that have caused catastrophes, the plant in front of us, which is named "extraordinary", has long lost its ability to allow humans to reach the extraordinary level after symbiosis.

A fiery red leaf fell.

Qin Feng raised his hand to catch it, and two streams of black and red blood rushed out of his nose and fell on the leaves.

A faint golden-red light flickered, and the veins of the leaves were clearly visible, gradually forming two Chinese characters.

Qin, Feng!

"Biological gene certification, passed!"