The roar of the rain.
The accumulated water poured down like a curtain from the eaves of the workstation, crashing into the gutter and stirring up waves.
A small identity badge tumbled up and down in the water, quickly being swept into a blob of sticky yellow mud.
Jamie looked like he'd seen a ghost, thinking he hadn't heard clearly.
This arrogant Easterner, what is he saying?
Asking me to go and pick it up for him?
"Sorry, are you saying that you want me to fetch the badge you just dropped into the sewer?"
The shadow under the large black raincoat nodded, the seriousness of the manner instantly provoking another round of laughter from those around.
Hearing the laughter, Jamie's face alternated between green and red, gritting his teeth and said, "Then you might as well..."
Before he could finish speaking.
A cold gun barrel suddenly pressed up, the metal's chill rushing from the forehead's skin straight down the spine, freezing the latter half of the sentence in his throat.
The laughter stopped immediately, everyone showing looks of disbelief.
A gun!
He's crazy, Cheng Ye is crazy!
He actually dared to draw a gun at the inspection station, aiming it at one of his own?
"Go, get it back for me."
Cheng Ye repeated, the smile on his face completely retracted, cold as if he had become a different person.
There was bullying in the orphanage too.
The food in the cafeteria was often eaten by the older kids first, leaving only scraps for the younger ones.
But he, since the age of five, was always among the first to eat.
And it was never thanks to any charity from the older kids!
"You... want to scare me?"
"I am scaring you."
Cheng Ye squeezed out a slight smile, the gun muzzle slowly pressed down, from the forehead all the way to the chin.
Then the cold gun muzzle poked upward, causing a sharp pain in Jamie's jaw.
"First Chapter, Third Rule of the Inspection Station Ordinance: During duty, an inspector's orders are above all."
"Anyone who disobeys can be treated as an Infected Body."
"Mr. Jamie."
The sound of the safety catch being opened gently sounded, "Please answer me directly, are you an Infected Body hiding within the North Inspection Station?"
Arrogance.
What an arrogance!
Jamie's throat moved with difficulty, ultimately falling into silence.
Because he had a hunch that if he didn't say the next words correctly, the madman in front of him, who always had a smile, was really not joking, he would truly pull that damned trigger!!
But the gazes from those around him, like countless steel needles piercing his back, made it impossible for him to bend.
He could already foresee that if he really went to pick up the badge, he would become the laughing stock of everyone.
The disgrace of the Westerners, even affecting the face of the entire North Station!
But.
He, he didn't want to die.
Even if it meant dying at the hands of an Infected Body, he didn't want to be shot by an inspector for not being able to bow.
"Garcia, the inspector is now in a life-and-death situation."
"You're just a lowly nobody, with no rank or position, willing to risk your life for a bit of pride, spurred on by a few words?"
The devil's whisper continued in his ear.
Jamie suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with fear.
He looked at the people around him, everyone was indeed looking at him with encouragement, trying to make him use his life to prove Cheng Ye wouldn't dare to pull the trigger.
But he...
"I'll get it, I'll go get it!"
Jamie's legs buckled, scrambling towards the drain.
Under Cheng Ye's seemingly amused gaze, and amidst the stunned looks of the young people around, he dug the badge out from the yellow mud, scrubbed it clean in a puddle, and finally used the cleanest fabric at his collar to repeatedly wipe it.
"Inspector... Inspector Cheng."
"Kneel down, and hand it to me!"
What?
Jamie's eyes widened, the blood vessels in his eyes filled with menacing bloodshot, his face full of disbelief.
Kneel down, what kind of joke is this?
He is the inspector's only son; he can lower his head temporarily to stay alive.
But he would never allow himself to lose his dignity, even if it meant dying, even if it meant being beaten...
Boom!
A violent roar erupted in his ear, searing airflow grazed his face, leaving a scorching scar.
Jamie instantly froze, and instinctively, a warm liquid slowly trickled down his pant leg.
He fired?
He really fired!
No, how dare he?
Shooting a colleague, is he not afraid of the rules and punishment of the inspection station at all?
The thick smell of gunpowder rushed into his nostrils, the buzzing in his ears still continued, and the pungent smell nearly suffocated Jamie, yet his mind was unprecedentedly clear.
With a rush of adrenaline, his rigid body quickly regained perception.
But at that moment, even though he felt his legs regaining strength, he completely lost the courage to stand up straight.
Thud.
Jamie dropped to one knee, his teeth chattering uncontrollably, and his hand instinctively extended the item forward.
Some things seemed lost forever: the proud head held high, the inherent arrogance, the dignity of being an inspector's descendant.
But it seemed more things were retained, like the heart wildly beating within his chest, the rapid breaths at his throat, and the constant influx of fresh air.
Under the watchful eyes of all, he offered up his dignity but managed to retrieve his life.
Was it worth it?
"Congratulations, you've made the right choice."
The devil reached out and took away that badge, along with part of what he had lost.
The surrounding crowd fell silent.
Those who had earlier taunted, mocked, and egged him on were all dispelled by this single shot, like smoke.
In the rules of the inspection station, they are inspectors' descendants, towering above all ordinary people.
Yet when someone blatantly disregards the rules, even uses them against them, they suddenly realize they're not even on par with the lowly guards.
At least guards have a designation, and if they die, the inspection station can justifiably pursue accountability.
But for these without rank, if they die, it's just death. Worse, they might even be labeled as "infected bodies" and crushed to dust.
Blowing on the non-existent water droplets on the identity badge, Cheng Ye pursed his lips as if to turn and leave.
The crowd around him quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
But the next second, that breath seemed to be caught in their throats by an invisible hand.
That crazy guy actually, he actually, didn't leave?
What is he planning to do?
The dark muzzle of the gun lifted, sweeping slowly from left to right across the crowd. Whenever it stopped in front of someone, the barrel would sway slightly, like a silent roll call.
Who is he looking for?
Someone's knees buckled, instinctively trying to retreat into the workstation.
Bang.
The gunshot sounded abruptly, the bullet hole creating a small dark pit on the epoxy flooring, landing precisely at the tip of the toe about to step out, just a tiny bit more and it would have pierced the foot.
The figure was so frightened their soul nearly departed, falling back to the ground, "You're crazy, what do you want to do?"
"Everyone, don't be tense."
Cheng Ye toyed with the identity badge, a trace of amusement flashing in his eyes, "I suspect an infiltrator has snuck in, someone was constantly egging on Mr. Jamie to defy the Inspector's orders just now, but I can't pinpoint who it is at the moment, what do you all say?"
?
Confusion spread across their faces, then suddenly someone started it, and all eyes turned to one individual in the crowd.
Dozens of eyes focused on him, and he immediately felt as if struck by lightning, nearly collapsing to the ground.
"No, it's not me!"
"Is it him?" Cheng Ye turned his head, softly asking Jamie, who was still kneeling on the ground, "I know you're a good kid, tell me, was it him who was inciting you?"
Even though they were about the same age, Cheng Ye was actually a year older.
But Jamie felt an incredibly strange sensation.
At that moment, he wasn't facing a peer, not an inspector, but a godfather offering him a baptism.
The godfather asked kindly, was it him?
He should also piously respond, "Yes, yes it was him, Raul Davidson!"
Davidson?
It seems to be the surname of the deputy station head at North Station?
"Very good!"
Cheng Ye reached out and patted Jamie's shoulder, turning his head with a smile, "Mr. Davidson, could you come over here to me?"
His tone was incredibly kind, yet Raul felt the threat of death.
He turned to look around, only to see the schadenfreude in the eyes of those who weren't chosen.
Damn things.
Clearly, they were all egging Jamie, why is it me, why is it me!
"Do I need to repeat it a second time?"
Cheng Ye raised the Wild Bull Fighting Handgun, pretending to pull the trigger.
The immense threat of death made Raul's body instantly go tense, but he ultimately chose not to live on his knees like Jamie.
He's the son of Evan Davidson, the deputy station head.
Only standing death, no living on your knees!
Even if he were to kneel to Cheng Ye now and survive, his strict father would strip him of his right to inherit the inspector role, eventually dying in obscurity in some corner of the Buffer Zone.
Time seemed to freeze at that moment.
After a few seconds, Raul finally struggled to straighten his legs and walked forward, his face flushed, veins bulging on his forehead.
A few short steps, his mind rehearsing the words to come, even if the end result was death, it would be a glorious death.
He wanted this arrogant guy to know, not everyone at North Station is like Jamie...
"Mr. Davidson, I need to report to the station head, could you please lead the way?"
"Cheng Ye, no..."
The two spoke at the same time, and a subtle tension immediately permeated the air.
Raul lifted his head abruptly, eyes full of alarm, as if he had seen a ghost.
Kneeling on the ground, Jamie seemed struck by lightning, his face turning pale instantly, immediately understanding Cheng Ye's intent.
Station head report?
Lead the way?
Those two short words struck him like a heavy hammer, leaving him breathless.
"Hmm, what did you just call me?"
Cheng Ye raised a brow, calmly placing the gun back into its holster, a trace of confusion on his face, "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you clearly, could you repeat it?"
All the overwhelming ferocity and menacing aura retreated, the face beneath the broad raincoat restored to its previous calm.
Raul turned his head, glancing over the astonished crowd behind him. No one expected Cheng Ye to act so unpredictably.
He felt lost for a moment, not quite processing it.
But in the next instant, a sense of narrowly escaping death washed over him, only then did he realize he was soaked to the skin.
Sticky, as if someone had just fished him out of a sewer.
"Cheng... Inspector Cheng, I said, I'm... I am honored to lead the way for you."
...