Night, eleven o'clock.
Happiness City, inner city, central venue.
After nearly twelve hours of high-intensity arguing, the second migration meeting had finally finalized most details of the version 1.0 plan. What remained was continuous fine-tuning and modifications during implementation.
The heavy wooden doors slowly opened, and department heads filed out with barely concealed exhaustion, their steps hurried.
The plan's implementation was just the beginning, with countless complications already waiting in the buffer zone.
Everyone was clear that behind this seemingly smoothly achieved plan lay doubled execution resistance.
But strangely, at this moment no one showed the common defeated expression usually seen after meetings. Instead, everyone wore relieved smiles, like the end of an exhilarating game where, despite being exhausted, they radiated the relaxation of "having had their fill."
It was miraculous, but it was fact.
Past meetings always ended in buck-passing and wrangling, with everyone avoiding responsibility like the plague, fearing blame would fall from heaven but this meeting saw everyone actively reaching out to take responsibility. Since responsibilities had been clearly assigned, it actually reduced the anxiety of being torn between gain and loss.
Just like Yuan Gang's reassuring words before adjournment: as long as everyone tried their best, whatever the final result, it could be accepted.Although no one really believed this idealistic statement, it was at least a reassuring attitude, better than nothing.
People quickly dispersed, leaving only the Transcendent faction, Technology faction, Idealist faction, and the Inspection Station's four major factions.
Yuan Gang thought for a moment, said nothing, stood up and gracefully departed, clearing the space.
In an instant, only Director Liu remained alone in the head seat.
Unfortunately, when people leave, the tea goes cold. The sense of control from being surrounded by everyone earlier had completely vanished.
None of the four major factions moved first. After a moment of silence, Technology faction's Hou Rui suddenly cleared his throat lightly, breaking the deadlock.
"Station Chief Ding."
"Director Hou." Ding Yishan nodded slightly, his face wearing just the right amount of peace.
Hou Rui pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses, his tone sincere, "Regarding those facilities and personnel training resources the inspection station applied for earlier, after the outer city plan concludes, the research institute will organize the available portions according to the list and satisfy demands as much as possible. Please understand, the research institute has had difficult times these past years, with considerable pressure."
"Understandable." Ding Yishan smiled, the wrinkles at his eyes creasing into furrows, "With Director Hou's words, this station chief can rest easy."
Both men smiled warmly, like old friends chatting casually, without any hint of the confrontation that had occurred during benefit allocation but precisely because of this, Hou Rui couldn't help cursing inwardly. That old fox Ding Yishan really wouldn't release the eagle until seeing the rabbit.
His expression remained unchanged as he continued throwing out promises, "Like this, the inspectors are about to go out to execute settlement tasks. They can't do without adequate protective equipment. The research institute will support each inspector with a set of standardized individual armor, how about that?"
"That's wonderful, Director Hou is so thoughtful!"
Ding Yishan was overjoyed, but then regretfully shook his head, "Unfortunately, the inspectors can't use armor. After all, they're dealing with migrating refugees. Wearing iron armor every day would instead seem distant."
"Then..."
Hou Rui paused his fingertip on his knee, "How about giving every inspector unlimited access to weapons and ammunition, with all bills charged to our research institute, no burden on the inspection station?"
"Director Hou is joking." Ding Yishan waved his hand, "Inspectors are going to lead residents in development, not to clear infection tides. What use do they have for so much ammunition?"
"Then changing to..." Hou Rui paused, the words reaching his lips before swallowing them back.
He suddenly sighed, "Station Chief Ding, let's speak frankly. Whatever the inspection station needs, the research institute will provide."
In the version 1.0 outer city expansion plan, the inspection station was undoubtedly the main executing body, with inspectors being the core of the core.
If the Technology faction wanted to get involved and share power and future benefits, they had to be willing to cut flesh but this youngster facing off against an old hand like Ding Yishan found that roundabout methods simply didn't work.
Might as well be more honest.
After all, everyone was a department of Happiness City, sharing glory and loss together.
Past conflicts and overt or covert difficulties wouldn't be mentioned by anyone until the outer city was built and migrants properly settled.
The "disaster" brought by the Walker acted like strong adhesive, regluing all factions together. Everyone was working toward the same goal, creating an illusion of the harmony from the great pioneering era over a decade ago.
Ding Yishan looked at the sincerity in Hou Rui's eyes, was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled, "Director Hou is straightforward, so I'll speak plainly too. We want quite a lot, but I might not be able to give you a specific list right away."
"Hmm?" Hou Rui raised an eyebrow, a contemplative glint flashing behind his lenses.
"It's like this." Ding Yishan slowly explained, "After all, it's inspectors going out to lead teams. I can't just wave my hand and turn all their efforts into assistance for the inspection station's development."
As his words fell, Director Liu sitting in the main seat suddenly looked up, a flash of realization in his eyes.
Is this still the old Ding?
When had he ever put inspectors' personal interests above the inspection station's development?
However, Ding Yishan seemed not to notice this gaze, continuing on his own, "I'm thinking like this: after inspectors go out, whatever needs they have, they'll first report to the inspection station. We'll review whether it's reasonable. If reasonable, we'll then submit the list to you for secondary review to see what you can provide. How about that?"
These words left plenty of room, neither speaking too definitively nor giving both sides space to maneuver.
Hearing words like "secondary review" and "what can be provided," Hou Rui suddenly smiled, goodwill showing in his eyes.
Regardless of what calculations Ding Yishan was making, at least this proposal was considering Happiness City's overall development, paving the way for outer city plan execution rather than simply expanding the inspection station's power.
To refuse this would make him appear petty.
"Alright, Station Chief Ding, let's settle on that." Hou Rui nodded, "You submit lists, I'll review and approve them."
After a pause, he added, "Our research institute will definitely cooperate fully, but please understand that for some items, the research institute might not have sufficient stock either."
"Don't worry, I'll control the scope." Ding Yishan nodded again.
The two men looked at each other and smiled, tacit agreement reached.
Next, the three Technology faction members stood to take their leave, their steps light, clearly satisfied with this result.
As for how the Technology faction would obtain sufficient power and benefits during outer city construction.
This wasn't suitable to discuss now, and discussing it wouldn't yield any concrete results anyway.
They'd have to wait until the outer city was built with a certain scale before everyone could get involved in allocation.
Right now the outer city hadn't even gotten started, being too eager would instead lose the initiative in allocation.
Only three factions remained in the venue.
The Idealist faction members still sat silently. Seeing this, Transcendent faction's Carlo Dickinson turned slightly, his gaze first sweeping over Director Liu in the main seat before finally settling on Ding Yishan.
"Station Chief Ding."
"Director Carlo Dickinson." Ding Yishan nodded in response.
The big bald head who usually always targeted the inspection station and Director Liu now showed no trace of awkwardness, his expression quite composed.
After a pause, Carlo Dickinson spoke directly, "During outer city construction, the legions need to clear the surrounding environment and reduce the risk of infection sources infiltrating as much as possible. But you also know that no matter how hard we try, there are always some deeply hidden special infection sources we can't thoroughly investigate."
"Indeed so." Ding Yishan nodded in agreement, "Our inspection station's inspectors also rely on repeated interrogation, careful observation, plus a series of methods to root out these fish that slip through the net."
"So I'm thinking, if powerful infection sources infiltrate, they'll inevitably cause danger. I plan to draw personnel from the Cross Legion and Blood Dragon Corps to equip each inspector with a fifty-person guard unit. How about that?"
"That's great, Director Carlo Dickinson is so thoughtful."
Ding Yishan's eyes lit up, his tone earnest, "Though our station's inspectors have some experience from traveling north and south, their personal strength is only enough for self-preservation. If they really encounter chaotic situations, they might not be able to maintain control. Having guard units would indeed reduce many troubles. It's just..."
"Station Chief Ding, please speak freely if you have concerns."
"What if a mother source appears..."
"You can rest assured about that." Carlo Dickinson had thought Ding Yishan would raise harsh conditions. Hearing it was this issue, he immediately relaxed, "Though our Happiness City hasn't dared to explore boldly in the transcendent field these years, we've still cultivated quite a few talents."
"Quasi-transcendents..." he looked at Director Liu, paused, "We don't have many transcendents, but we've trained quite a few half-step transcendents. Besides the resources promised at the meeting, I'll additionally deploy two eight-person squads composed entirely of half-step transcendents, responsible for outer city security day and night, ready to respond to inspectors' needs at any time. How do you see that?"
Transcendents were rare as phoenix feathers, but training half-step transcendents wasn't particularly difficult.
Among the three major legions, the Cross Legion and Blood Dragon Corps were both controlled by the Transcendent faction, with regular forces of around fifty thousand, expandable to one hundred thousand during recruitment seasons.
Picking good seedlings from so many people for focused training, assembling several half-step transcendent guard units really wasn't surprising.
"This is naturally best, thank you, thank you so much!"
Ding Yishan stood up and shook hands with Carlo Dickinson, making no additional requests.
He understood that the manpower the Transcendent faction could provide was probably about this much.
"Director Liu."
After shaking hands, Carlo Dickinson turned to Director Liu, his tone sincere, "Regarding some of our past attitudes toward you, I personally apologize here. Please forgive us."
Director Liu stood up with a calm expression. The moment their palms touched, a powerful aura suddenly spread out.
A barely perceptible spark flashed in Director Liu's eyes, and Carlo Dickinson's expression changed noticeably.
This was the aura of someone about to step into the second stage of transcendence?
"No matter." Director Liu's voice was steady, "It's all for Happiness City, I understand. But in the future..."
Before finishing his words, Carlo Dickinson had already pulled out a smile, both men tacitly stopping there.
Some things didn't need to be said explicitly.
Happiness City had many at the first transcendent step, including him and Hou Rui but at the second transcendent step, only core figures within factions had this level of strength.
Could Director Liu, fighting alone, have reached this level today?
If Ding Yishan also became transcendent, the inspection station with two transcendents in charge might really restore its former glory!
Soon, Carlo Dickinson left with complex feelings, leaving only the Idealist faction still seated in place but this time, it wasn't Yu Hong who came over. Instead, Ding Yishan organized the materials on the table and actively walked to sit beside the chairs at the end.
"Director Yu."
"Station Chief Ding." Yu Hong's expression was gentle, his gaze revealing undisguised goodwill.
"I won't say much, but there's one thing I'd like to ask of you."
"Go ahead."
"I don't trust the others. I'd like you to provide some people to protect our inspection station's core personnel."
"Oh, how many do you need?"
"Not many." Ding Yishan held up his hand, making a "5" gesture.
"Is such a small number enough?"
"To protect some promising seedlings." Ding Yishan explained, "This time is an excellent opportunity. I plan to send them out to test the waters."
"Seedlings?" Yu Hong pondered thoughtfully, nodding gently, "That's no problem. I'll arrange personnel. You can coordinate with them when the time comes."
"Good!"
As the words fell, the meeting room fell into brief silence.
Yu Hong seemed to be thinking about exactly which people to arrange for security work. After thinking clearly, he named five people in succession, all of whom Ding Yishan had heard of.
After getting Ding Yishan's nodding approval, he continued, "When are you planning to become transcendent?"
"No rush." Ding Yishan smiled, "I need to leave Harlin some motivation, otherwise the inspection station will have difficulty really moving."
"You're really bold. Don't overturn the cart."
Thinking of the scenes when Ding Yishan came to power years ago, Yu Hong stood up and left a parting remark before gracefully departing with his people.
The meeting room finally had only Ding Yishan and Director Liu remaining.
Their eyes met, both harboring complex emotions.
Two marginal figures had become the core of all Happiness City in a single day. Who could have expected this?
Yet reality was just so. How many days had passed since they last attended a meeting?
The situation had already completely reversed!
"Let's go, Old Ding. Let's talk outside."
Director Liu stuffed materials into his briefcase, sighed, and the two left the meeting room one after the other.
Staff at the door immediately rushed in to clean.
After a day of meetings, the floor was covered with cigarette butts and nutritional paste bags, filthy and chaotic.
Tomorrow they'd probably continue meeting, so the hole in the wall needed to be patched overnight too.
Walking out of the venue, Jiang Chuan hurried forward but suddenly stopped, his pupils contracting, incredible expression flashing across his face.
"Sir, you..."
"Go start the car." Ding Yishan waved his hand. After a full day of struggle, he finally showed some fatigue, his voice carrying barely concealed hoarseness.
"Take mine, I'll drive you out."
Director Liu took over, leading Ding Yishan toward the black pickup parked not far away.
Seeing this, Jiang Chuan had no choice but to start his car and follow the pickup at a moderate distance.
His mind hadn't wrapped around it yet. If his earlier sensing was correct, Ding Yishan had now achieved Unity of Heaven and Man.
But this morning when entering the meeting venue, he clearly hadn't. What could have happened in a single day to allow someone stuck at a bottleneck for years to suddenly break through?
The black pickup drove out of the venue area, heading straight toward the main road leading out of the city.
Both driver and passenger windows were open. The whistling night wind blew past, tousling the hair at both men's temples, but couldn't cool their burning thoughts.
They drove in silence, both men tacitly gazing ahead, each lost in their own thoughts.
Only after the car passed through the Happiness Gate into the desolate buffer zone did Director Liu break the silence, looking straight ahead, "Tell me, what stimulated you today?"
"Nothing, no one stimulated me." Ding Yishan shook his head with a smile, his fingertips lightly tapping on his knee, "I just... figured some things out."
"Decided?"
"Mm."
"Good that you've decided." Director Liu sighed, and the atmosphere in the car fell silent again.
Ding Yishan's gaze shook, his face full of amazement.
Yu Erlan was the research institute's deputy director, the Technology faction's current leading figure, and a transcendent second only to elders.
Aubrey Dean was the Cross Legion's grand commander, even more able to cover the sky with one hand, with frightening power.
Director Liu was already close to reaching this level?
"What, did you think only you were secretly working hard?"
Director Liu saw this surprise, took a deep drag, and casually flicked the cigarette butt into the mud.
Sparks flashed once in the darkness before extinguishing, just like the anger he'd suppressed all these years, disappearing as soon as it showed.
"Don't worry, you and I are always of one heart. Our faith originates from ordinary people, completely different at the root from those guys piled up with resources and almost mentally hypnotized."
"You did nothing wrong today. Going forward, our inspection station will strike with heavy fists, reclaim the power that rightfully belongs to us. Everything we've yielded to them these years, I'll make them spit back out double!"
Speaking passionately, Director Liu rarely showed a few traces of dominance, "Don't rush to become transcendent either. After the outer city business is finished, I'll go to the wilderness depths to find suitable transcendent artifacts for you. When our inspection station's people become transcendent, they must be the top-tier kind. We'll let this entire wasteland know that inspectors from Happiness City Inspection Station are definitely not comparable to any trash!"
"Mm, I understand."
Ding Yishan also quickly finished the cigarette in his hand. Both men lit another and puffed away.
The breakthrough to Unity of Heaven and Man finally shattered the last trace of barrier between them.
As Director Liu spoke, his tone gradually became somewhat incoherent.
Sometimes cursing about the frustration of being suppressed these years, sometimes naming several people, grinding his teeth in hatred.
Seeing his face flush to an eerie degree, Ding Yishan was stunned but didn't dare speak up to remind him.
He vaguely guessed Director Liu had probably had a very difficult time these years, but hadn't expected him to experience so much in secret.
Even the most steadfast faith, repeatedly worn down by years, would inevitably change.
"By the way, the inspectors below also need proper training. Just the two of us isn't enough."
Director Liu flicked cigarette ash, suddenly changing topics, "Do you have any candidates? I've actually taken a liking to a pretty good seedling!"
"Mm, I do have several who are quite good. With training they might become pillars of the station, which is why I asked Yu Hong's people..."
"Good. Since you have it figured out, I won't interfere much."
Director Liu nodded, then added, "Old Ding, about Cheng Long..."
"Cheng Long?"
Ding Yishan's expression darkened as he didn't respond.
"I've handled the troubles from Cheng Long's side. That boy Cheng Ye is good, I'm very satisfied."
"Hmm?"
Ding Yishan was clearly stunned, suddenly reacting.
Today he had told Jiang Chuan he wanted to help Cheng Ye handle the troubles Cheng Long left behind, thinking of asking Director Liu for help. But after this meeting, he had completely forgotten.
But now Director Liu brought it up proactively. Had he also discovered Cheng Ye?
"What, you discovered him too?"
"Mm." Ding Yishan pondered and nodded, "The files are wrong. He's different."
"Those files are just for a glance. These years you've focused on condensing faith and left bottom-level matters entirely to Harlin. Relying only on those files has become somewhat disconnected. Now it's time to gradually take back control."
Director Liu thoughtfully arranged, "I've blocked the transcendent-level old grudges from Cheng Long for him, but I can't interfere with those half-step transcendents. After all, quite a few people were left with broken families by Cheng Long back then. Though those people were initially at fault, blood feuds are something you understand."
"If Cheng Ye stays in the city, no one dares touch him. But if you plan to send him out to the outer city for experience, what's coming will come."
"This..." Ding Yishan waved toward the distance. Jiang Chuan immediately trotted over.
The blue light on his body seemed to make Flame King very uncomfortable. It snorted impatiently and disappeared back into the spiritual space as a flash of fire.
"Sir, Director Liu." Jiang Chuan bowed respectfully, not daring to breathe heavily.
"Jiang Chuan, what's Cheng Ye's current strength level?"
"Uh..." Jiang Chuan was stunned, clearly not expecting this question. He carefully recalled, "Should be at legion elite level. He's already been exposed to the Four Forces, with the first one being Dragon Force. Progress is quite fast."
"Dragon Force..." Director Liu nodded slightly.
Being able to touch the Four Forces threshold at this age was indeed fast.
But this was still far from enough. Any Tendon Opening realm practitioner could easily handle him, let alone Dao Embryo realm, Unity of Heaven and Man, and those half-step transcendents.
"Like this, Old Ding."
Director Liu pondered for a moment, "I'll have Little Shuang follow you and protect you for a while. You temporarily don't need to leave the city. Staying within the defense line shouldn't encounter too many troubles."
He paused, continuing arrangements, "Have Yu Hong's people secretly protect Cheng Ye. Jiang Chuan will openly provide backing, at least showing our inspection station's attitude, letting those 'garbage' know their limits."
When both men climbed up from the bottom years ago, they cultivated confidants.
Jiang Chuan was Ding Yishan's right-hand man, while Feng Shuang was Director Liu's confidant. Both currently had half-step transcendent strength.
"This..."
Jiang Chuan was stunned. Having followed Ding Yishan for so many years, with the situation currently tense, if he left...
"Follow Director Liu's arrangements."
Ding Yishan nodded directly, "Little Shuang has a hot temper. She might restrain herself with me, but having her interact with Cheng Ye would probably lead to arguments every few days, causing more trouble instead."
"Understood."
Since Ding Yishan said so, Jiang Chuan had no further objections and bowed in acceptance.
Moreover, he had previously suggested to Ding Yishan about protecting Cheng Ye, so this perfectly suited his wishes.
"Alright, Achuan, go wait over there."
Director Liu waved his hand, his tone carrying a trace of fatigue, "Old Ding and I will say a few more words, then go back to sleep after we're done. After staying up so long, we need good rest to fight the upcoming hard battles."
After sending Jiang Chuan away, Director Liu squatted down on the ground and patted the empty space beside him.
Ding Yishan understood and also half-squatted down.
Night wind stirred up dust from the ground, brushing across both men's faces filled with exhaustion.
"Old Ding, remember?"
Director Liu gazed at the pitch-black wilderness in the distance and suddenly smiled, "Back then we always squatted like this, right under that broken watchtower at the inspection station, staring blankly at the gray sky outside."
Ding Yishan immediately smiled, wrinkles at his eyes bunching together, "How could I not remember? Back then we always thought about when we could push the Happiness Defense Line out ten li, when we could completely clear the Chuan City ruins and turn it into territory under our control."
"Yeah, so many years have passed in a flash."
Director Liu picked up a small stone and casually drew on the ground, "That watchtower from back then was long ago collapsed by infected entities. The brothers have changed batch after batch. Scars on our arms scabbed and fell off, fell off and scabbed again. Only we two have been able to consistently maintain our original hearts, guarding this mess."
"But back then when we squatted, we thought about how to survive. Later when we squatted, we thought about how to climb up. Now squatting here..."
Director Liu paused, the stone between his fingertips suspended in mid-air, his gaze suddenly becoming extraordinarily bright, as if burning with scalding heat:
"It's time to realize our dreams!"