Every four or five hundred meters, there was a foreman from the Public Works Bureau, squatting by the drainage ditch with a few temporary workers, either using an iron shovel to dig out clumps of silt or directly using their hands to scoop out the trash stuck at the drainage entrance.
Hanging from the foreman's neck was a metal loudspeaker, raspily repeating the need to clear the pipe network, to overcome tough times together, and to welcome a happy and beautiful life.
The various divisions made Cheng Ye feel like this world was truly going crazy.
The technology seen in the Inner City from past memories, even the slightest glimpse, could cause a revolutionary transformation in the Buffer Zone.
But the upper echelons chose to control the output of technology, allowing the Buffer Zone to barely survive in its obsolescence, keeping ordinary residents living here always hovering on the line between not getting enough to eat and not starving, between not being warm enough and not freezing.
"Without a stark comparison, there is no desire to squeeze into the Inner City at all costs."
Cheng Ye also saw the numbness in the eyes of the foreman.
Apparently, for some people just muddling through life, the more they understood the insider details, the more they felt hopeless about the future.
Quickly walking through a few outer street blocks towards the main city center, the number of foremen and work teams began to increase.
Suddenly, Cheng Ye stopped in his tracks.
Under the building marked 'Celestial Essence Mall' at the end of a street corner, he saw a somewhat familiar figure mingled in with the temporary workers, diligently moving sandbags to seal around the mall's potential flood points.
Not far away, a woman shielded a child, huddled under a temporary tent to escape the rain.
"He's a real man..."
The large sandbags used for blocking water each weighed about seventy kilograms.
Ordinary workers, frail and thin, needed two people to carry one sandbag with combined effort.
But Chu Yunfeng carried a bag each on both shoulders, appearing relaxed as if he had strength to spare.
"Unfortunately, in the Buffer Zone, a single person trying to support a whole family can't do it just by selling physical strength."
Cheng Ye stood in the shadow of the street corner, watching the work team labor for over ten minutes.
He waited until Chu Yunfeng went to the collection point at the back of the mall to transport new sandbags, then approached the foreman.
"That big fellow, strong one, what's his story?"
The middle-aged foreman turned his head to see a young guy when asked, frowning as if about to act out.
But in the next second, seeing a suddenly spinning badge appear in Cheng Ye's hand, his expression instantly changed.
"Sir, that man just entered the city this afternoon as a refugee. Seeing he had some strength and asking around where he could get a meal, I brought him in to work."
"He does the work of four people; how many jobs does he get?"
"Um..." The foreman hesitated a moment, secretly gauging Chu Yunfeng and Cheng Ye's relationship.
One just entered the city as a refugee, the other is a senior officer at the inspection station...
If they had any connection, Chu Yunfeng wouldn't have fallen to the point of being here to sell his labor.
Realizing this, the foreman honestly replied, "Sir, you know the labor rules in the city. No matter how much work is done, it's only counted per head."
"His strength gives him a higher chance than others to be chosen for work; it's fair."
"Give him the share for four jobs."
Cheng Ye gestured dismissively, switching to an unquestionable tone, "Any problem, let the people from the Public Works Bureau come to me."
"Un...understood."
Cold sweat seeped down the foreman's neck as he nodded in agreement.
Yet, until watching Cheng Ye leave, he dared not mention verifying the badge or recording identity information.
How could he dare?
The inspection station, as the pinnacle authority of the Buffer Zone, tightly controlled the movement of people, the allocation of goods, work assignments, and external dispatching operations. Not even a high-ranking official of the Public Works Bureau would dare to stand tall in front of an Inspector. Trying to verify the identity, he might as well be courting death.
As for how to explain giving out three extra job shares, it was simple enough — just report it.
After all, in the Buffer Zone, lying or embezzling wouldn't kill someone, but if one were to back the Inspector into a corner, a thorough investigation would ensue, resulting in heads rolling before satisfaction was achieved.
...
"Qinghui, son, you must be starving?"
Chu Yunfeng spread open his coat, revealing five bags of Nutrient Paste and two sugary tablets wrapped inside. The face that had remained solemn since entering the city finally showed a slight smile.
"Turns out, the peddler we met before wasn't lying. In Happiness City, as long as you're willing to work, you really can earn a bite to eat."
"Papa, weren't there only two bags? How did the... boss give you so much?"
The adults could still endure, but the child, already dizzy from hunger, was both surprised and eagerly grabbed the sugary tablets, crunching them happily and chomping with delight.
Under the tent, the spouses of other workers watching couldn't stop licking their cracked lips.
"I don't know either. The boss only said before that the payment was per headcount, but just now, he settled it as four shares, saying... Papa has strength and doesn't slack, giving him face... He seemed very satisfied?"
Chu Yunfeng was puzzled.
Normally, he would have long been suspicious, wondering if there was some conspiracy behind this.
But today's events had his mind too jumbled.
This so-called Happiness City known throughout the Wasteland had people behaving very inconsistently. One inspector relentlessly demanded an entry fee, almost making him want to kill on the spot, while another appeared like a charity figure from the old times, treating them extraordinarily well, making it hard for him to believe.
And the second Inspector was secretly suppressing laughter the whole time, further adding to Chu Yunfeng's confusion, making him unable to comprehend what was happening.
Since entering the city, even finding a job seemed the same.
Some foremen were very dismissive of him, preferring to let a group of skinny refugees stand around wasting time.
Yet some foremen, like the boss just now, treated him superbly, quickly putting him to work, and in the end, paying him for four shares.
Such drastically contrasting attitudes rendered Chu Yunfeng's longstanding wariness from the Wasteland fruitless.
"Yunfeng..."
Yu Qinghui waved her hand, signaling him to lean in, whispering, "I just saw a young man standing next to the boss, and the boss seemed to treat him very respectfully... I wonder if it has something to do with him?"
On "him," Yu Qinghui put emphasis.
Understanding the tacit connection between them, Chu Yunfeng immediately realized who she referred to.
"Are you sure? He was wearing a mask in the afternoon..."
"Almost, although his face was obscured, his body shape, habits, and postures were evident. No one else could match so many personal traits, yet it was somewhat strange..."
"Strange in what way?" Chu Yunfeng hurriedly asked.
"I...I felt his way of walking was much like yours, that technique for exerting force. I might have missed him if not for that resemblance. So..."
Yu Qinghui stammered slightly as she spoke, as she certainly couldn't explain that it looked like a younger, thinner version of Chu Yunfeng back when they first met many years ago, which would be too far-fetched.
"He...like me?"
Chu Yunfeng was startled, "When he sat in the afternoon, I didn't notice. If he suddenly helped me, could there really be some connection between us?"
"I'm not sure if I saw wrong, given it was night and raining..."
Yu Qinghui's explanation sounded more like a cover-up.
Both had roamed the Wasteland for years, never ceasing to train, and as martial artists, their senses remained sharp; how could their eyes be deceived?
Chu Yunfeng contemplated for a bit, occasionally shaking then nodding his head, finally picking up a still-warm bag of Nutrient Paste and handing it to Yu Qinghui.
"Drink it. Regardless of the motive, he helped us twice, and we owe him this favor."
"In the future, I'll find chances to repay him tenfold."
With that, he paused for a moment before continuing, "What's most important for us now is to find a place to settle before the heavy rains come, secure some stable work with meals, and not overthink the rest."
...