Unspoken Rules, Invisible Benefits of the Quick Checkpoint!

Having Raul lead the way was a spur-of-the-moment idea for Cheng Ye, but to his surprise, it brought quite a few pleasant surprises.

Take the present situation, for instance. When Raven introduced the quarantine zone, he held nothing back.

Not only did he clearly explain the authority of the inspectors on the surface, but he also dissected, one by one, the unspoken rules, the methods for skimming profits, and the ways to squeeze money on the sly, revealing everything without reservation.

Aside from the common tactics Cheng Ye already knew, one point particularly caught his attention.

"Contraband" stored in Supply Room No. 3.

What constituted contraband?

It wasn't the three bags of PCB boards seized from the driver earlier. A few electronic components could hardly be called contraband.

Because these items only yielded several times the profit if smuggled out and sold to other Sanctuary Cities, settlements, or individual Scavengers. Within Xingfu City, they weren't worth much, so confiscating them held little significance.

What was truly valuable, worthy of being labeled 'contraband,'

was the Crystal Cores of Mutated Beasts, contained Infection Sources, various Extraordinary Ores, Special Plants, and those good things from the Old Era that no longer existed!

"They can just confiscate them?"

"Of course not," Raven quickly shook his head. "These items can be exchanged for a large number of Contribution Points. If an Inspector were to arbitrarily seize them, those people would likely be driven to desperation."

"Then?"

"Sir, it's like this."

Owl, who had been standing by without speaking, chimed in. "According to the rules, these items are not allowed to be brought into the Buffer Zone by individuals due to the risk of contamination by Infection Sources. Even if someone manages to sneak them past inspection and sell them at the supply exchange, they would only receive 70% of the normal price."

"However, if an Inspector confiscates them and takes them out of the Buffer Zone to the supply exchange, they can receive 100% of the normal price. This 30% price difference is the Inspector's reward for bearing the 'risk of material contamination.'"

What a clever way to frame it as a risk of material contamination!

Cheng Ye couldn't help but click his tongue. It seemed Garcia's collection of entry taxes at the Central Checkpoint was quite restrained in comparison.

In contrast, this "contraband tax" created by the Quick Checkpoint through collusion between officials and merchants was outright robbery.

"So, they're willing?"

Cheng Ye asked a question that, after he voiced it, he felt was rather foolish and naive.

What choice did they have if they weren't willing?

Were they going to oppose the entire Checkpoint, the whole of Xingfu City, with their own strength?

"Inspector, you jest. Of course, they are very willing."

Owl seemed not to have caught the underlying meaning of Cheng Ye's question and continued to explain with a smile. "Not only can the Inspector help them bring contraband into the Buffer Zone, but they can also help them exchange it for the same price as selling it themselves. Why would they be unwilling?"

"Is that so?"

Cheng Ye frowned in thought, then suddenly realized.

The limitations of the era prevented Luo Xiaoxue from understanding the internal structure of the checkpoint.

But similarly, it also prevented him from immediately grasping the logic established on the foundation of the Wasteland.

Thinking carefully.

Without this unwritten 30% tax, adventurers might see a short-term increase in income, but in the long run, it would only incite more conflict.

How could the inspectors not be tempted when seeing these things while people entered and exited the checkpoint?

How could the purchasing department not forcibly suppress prices when items were sold?

It would even breed new parasites, such as underground black markets and scalpers, significantly driving up the purchase prices in Xingfu City.

And proposing this 30% not only protected the adventurers' fixed income but also perfectly curbed the greed of all participants in the entire process, from entering the city to selling goods.

It was precisely because of this that Owl had said, "Why would they be unwilling?"

It seemed like three-tenths were being taken away, but in reality, it was exchanging rules for more stable profits.

"Then what about the charging here?"

Cheng Ye pretended to be indifferent as he walked into the garage, his eyes glancing at the nameplate of the fast charging pile.

As expected, it used a three-phase AC input, with a maximum voltage of 380V and a maximum current of 160A for the fast charging pile.

If it could run at full parameters, reaching an ideal purely resistive load, it could achieve a charging efficiency of about 100kw.

But in reality, the charging pile had heat protection and could not maintain full power output for a long time. The current would quickly drop to around 110A, and the power would also return to around 65kw, meaning it could charge 65 degrees per hour.

"Sir, you're talking about this. Because our Zone A is mainly responsible for inspecting vehicles and convoys, it's inevitable that some people will be quarantined. Their vehicles will be temporarily stored here. Charging is also a form of value-added service, bringing a considerable operating income to the checkpoint."

"It's not free?"

"How could it be free? Xingfu City waives electricity fees for ordinary people for the sake of people's livelihood. But these people are driving out to make money. If it were all free, wouldn't that be unfair?"

Seeing Cheng Ye's apparent interest in charging, Raven took the initiative to say more.

"Don't look at our charging speed here not being fast, and the fees being three times that of the buffer zone, but people are still crowding here to charge."

"Why is that? It's not because charging within the city requires not only payment but also obtaining permits from the Public Works Department. Not every convoy has the right to charge. Want to drive out of the city? You have to feed those 'masters' in the Public Works Department first."

"Charging requires a permit?"

Cheng Ye was stunned for a moment. The words of the bus driver, Master Tian, from before suddenly flashed in his mind. He had also mentioned needing to find the Public Works Department to get charging procedures before leaving the city. At the time, he hadn't thought much of it, only assuming it was related to vehicle usage permissions.

"Of course. Batteries are one of the most strictly controlled resources in Xingfu City. The vehicles in the Buffer Zone and the buses running back and forth are essentially assets of the Public Works Department, assets of Xingfu City."

"And batteries have a lifespan. The more fast-charging cycles, the more frequent the usage, the faster they wear out. How could such a strategically important resource be freely available?"

So it wasn't charging that was restricted, but the batteries themselves!

Cheng Ye suddenly understood.

During his time here, besides buses, he rarely saw private cars or trucks on the road.

The reason, he now realized, was here.

If people could charge freely, coupled with the free electricity in the Buffer Zone, vehicles would have been everywhere by now.

But the reality was that batteries, as a strategically controlled resource, were tightly held by the Public Works Department from production to wear and tear, naturally preventing the lifting of fast-charging restrictions.

"If it's charged, there will inevitably be a record, which is a bit troublesome."

Cheng Ye couldn't help but frown and asked about the charging price.

Raven's answer made his jaw drop.

Good heavens, it really wasn't cheap at all. And it wasn't paid with Happiness Coins, but with Contribution Points!

For every 100 kWh, the Buffer Zone charged 5 Contribution Points, while the Quarantine Zone charged triple that, 15 Contribution Points. This was equivalent to indirectly transferring the cost of battery wear and tear to the charging fees.

"Then what about these slow chargers?"

Cheng Ye walked to the other side of the warehouse, his gaze falling on three ordinary slow chargers that he often saw in the underground parking garages of rental apartments before the apocalypse.

Eighty years had passed, interspersed with several apocalyptic cataclysms. Such basic equipment, lacking advanced technology, naturally wouldn't have undergone significant changes.

They still used the standard 220V voltage and 30A current, capable of delivering 6-7 kW.

"These are private charging piles for the Checkpoint, exclusively for use by station vehicles."

Raven revealed a meaningful, subtle smile and explained respectfully, "To use these slow chargers, you don't need to spend Contribution Points or Happiness Coins, but you need permission from our Checkpoint."

"Permission for the first one is with the Station Chief."

"Permission for the second one is approved by the Deputy Station Chief."

"Permission for the third one in the corner belongs to the currently on-duty Inspector. For example, if you are currently on duty in Zone A, you are eligible to use it. When you switch shifts, the eligibility rotates to the Inspector taking over."

?

What was going on?

Cheng Ye was stunned for a moment, then his brow twitched. He immediately felt that his own standing was still too low.

No wonder they say power is the best cosmetic for men.

Damn it, the person who set up this system is a genius, utterly insidious.

First, they set up a "compliance target" with a fast charging pile at triple the price, leaving the Public Works Department with no grounds for complaint.

Then, they introduced a slow charging pile, secretly using it to curry favor and accept bribes.

The station chief took some, the deputy chief took some, and the duty Inspector took some. Everyone was satisfied.

And those who needed to charge were also satisfied. After all, everyone used to have to fawn over the Inspectors. Now, they could "serve the Inspectors" and get free electricity. What was there to complain about?

"I'm truly enlightened. I thought people in this Wasteland only knew how to fight and kill. I didn't expect there to be such capable people at the checkpoint, able to pull off such a scheme!"

Cheng Ye secretly calculated in his heart.

Among the four zones, A, B, C, and D, only Zone A could charge. This seemed unfair to the other three zones.

However, the Inspectors' duty zones rotated. If Cheng Ye was in Zone A this week, he would go to Zone B next week, then Zone C the week after, and Zone D. He had to complete a full rotation before returning to Zone A.

This way, every Inspector had a chance to be assigned to Zone A and could share in this hidden bonus.

Assuming each person worked eight hours a day, the slow charging pile could charge about 50 kWh per day. Converted to the official electricity price in the Buffer Zone, that was about 3 Contribution Points.

It wasn't a lot, but it wasn't nothing either.

It was just a small gain, about 20 more points of income per month. Three months of duty would be enough to buy 1g of Extraordinary Ore.

"Although I can't use this fast charging pile to recharge for now, having a slow charging pile is still acceptable. I can get an extra 50 kWh per day, which is enough for one recharge cycle every two days."

Cheng Ye pondered inwardly.

He had already decided not to touch any paid charging within the Buffer Zone in the early stages, especially without any foundation.

If the person who recorded electricity consumption discovered any anomalies and came looking for him, he wouldn't even have a chance to explain.

But free charging was different.

Firstly, even the most detailed records would be meaningless. As long as unused resources didn't cause trouble, no one would care about their whereabouts.

Secondly, the charging piles in this warehouse were already a black market operation. Recording them too clearly would only make it easier to leave evidence.

"Start charging. The fast charging pile is too risky to use without being noticed. I'll wait until I understand the situation better."

"It's only 15 Contribution Points. There are plenty of ways to earn money; the problem is the lack of channels."

"But since this slow charging pile is a hidden benefit of the Quick Checkpoint, why should I be afraid? Everyone else is exploiting it, so why can't I join in!"

ps: Thanks to readers 20220726, Zhuozhuo, s司机, and Kan Huakai Kan Zhe for their Monthly Tickets. Thank you for your support!

ps2: I read every comment and review in this chapter. Some questions are not answered because they involve spoilers. Please rest assured, the settings of this book are absolutely unique, including extraordinary power and development models. It's a brand new version and a brand new experience!

ps3: Seeking tickets and Follow-up Reading. Dear readers, please do not put the book on hold. Follow-up Reading is very important. I'm begging you~