Cheng Ye

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Cheng Ye (程野)
Gender	Male
Age	26 at the time of transmigration; inhabits a 19-year-old body 2 15
Species/Race	Human; Transcendent, Life Level 1 136 137
Affiliation	Xingfu City Checkpoint; Big Wave Town; appointed station chief of Yeyue Shelter City's Checkpoint 243
Occupation/Role	Inspector; Civilization Collector; Senior Collector; prospective Border Inspector 2 243 271
Status	Active; leads Big Wave Town's reconstruction and development 291
First Appearance	Chapter 2

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Civilization Collector — Lv.1 Intern	2, 53	His inherited pendant activates when exposed to electricity, creating the Civilization Collector interface. By Chapter 53, his panel identifies him as a Lv.1 Intern.
Basic Strength and Beast Intuition	6	Performs his first successful skill searches on Chu Yunfeng, recording both Lv.1 skills.
Martial Body Foundation / Dragon Power Embryo	52	Miao Yang identifies Cheng Ye as having forged a martial body and begun cultivating Dragon Power. His former “Basic Strength” is reclassified as the Dragon Power Embryo.
Embryo Holding Realm	53	Miao Yang recognizes Cheng Ye as having entered the Embryo Holding Realm, granting heightened bodily control before he has completed the Four Forces.
New Civilization Collector — Union path	84	Advances to New Civilization Collector after the infected tide. Unlocks Lv.3 searches and Information Fusion, which combines skills without occupying additional slots.
Wild Grass Physique	94	Equips the fused physique talent, producing a broad increase to physical attributes and recovery.
Life Level 1 / Transcendent	136, 137	Heart-Protecting Fire forms a transcendent seed and opens a fourth Skill Slot. Cheng Ye gains the Blazing Hawk Symbiotic State with Flame.
Verdant Physique / Tiger Power mastered	175	Fuses Wild Grass Physique with Water Wave Physique. Gains 21 kg of dense mass, nearly doubles his measured strength, and fully masters Tiger Power.
Four Forces assembled	176	Searches Eagle Power and Snake Power from Miao Yang, completing access to Dragon, Tiger, Eagle, and Snake Power.
False Embryo Realm / Four Forces perfected	232	Eagle and Snake Power break through in battle; all Four Forces integrate into his physique, and he enters the False Embryo Realm.
Senior Collector	243, 244	Promotion grants greater authority, Lv.4 skill-search permission, an 800 kWh charge capacity, and the new “Resources” search option.
Controlled giant Transcendent form	244, 287	Uses the Ground-Shrinking Giant Louse to assume a 3.8-meter armored form, later demonstrating that he can retain his humanity and judgment while transformed.

Background

Cheng Ye was a 26-year-old graduate who wished for a stable “iron rice bowl” job before transmigrating into the body of Cheng Long’s 19-year-old son in Xingfu City’s wasteland-era Buffer Zone. He inherited an Inspector identity, an apartment, and a pendant left by his predecessor’s father. The pendant became the Civilization Collector after being connected to electricity, giving him a hidden means to search for and record other people’s skills. 2

The original body had been frail, pale, withdrawn, and raised inside the High Wall. Cheng Ye’s rapid transformation after leaving it drew notice from those who knew Cheng Long, including Uncle Dong, Luo Xiaoxue, and Liu Bi. 3 15 Liu Bi—Cheng Long’s sworn brother—personally trained him, while Cheng Ye used the Collector’s equip-and-uninstall function to supplement that training with acquired muscle memory and force-control experience. 7 11

Cheng Ye’s early career placed him amid Xingfu City Checkpoint’s conflict between Easterners and Xiren, as well as the competing ideologies behind its factions. He completed a dangerous North Station probation assignment, received a passing evaluation from Director Downs, and formally became an Inspector. 25 27 34

After the infected tide destabilized the Buffer Zone, Cheng Ye increasingly shifted from surviving within the existing system to building his own base of influence. He developed Tianyuan Community and Big Wave Town, recruited and trained personnel, assembled vehicles, organized infrastructure, and pursued a model of development built around work, rules, resources, and opportunity. 96 168 192 291

Appearance

Cheng Ye’s appearance changes dramatically as his physique talents, Transcendent Life Level, and symbioses alter his body.

• Initially inhabits a thin, pale, quiet young man whose body appeared physically weak. 15
• After activating Qi Pulse Hand, develops visible musculature, enlarged hands, pale skin, and prominent dark-blue veins. 9
• Wild Grass Physique and Verdant Physique give him a dense, unusually heavy but proportionate build; at one point he weighs 107 kg despite appearing lean. 175
• Later grows to approximately 1.9 meters tall, with a wheat-colored complexion, broad shoulders, pronounced musculature, and the appearance of a Wasteland elite. 247
• In Ground-Shrinking Giant Louse form, expands to approximately 3.8 meters and manifests living golden carapace over vulnerable areas; blood-red runes appear on his right arm. 244

Personality

Cheng Ye is calculating, observant, and intensely cautious. He does not easily trust people whose backgrounds or motives he cannot establish, considering lowered vigilance potentially fatal in the Wasteland. 140 He habitually evaluates risks, leverage, factional interests, and long-term consequences before acting.

Despite his pragmatism, he is not indifferent to others. He pays for Chu Yunfeng’s family to enter Xingfu City, arranges better pay for Chu Yunfeng’s labor, helps vulnerable scavengers secure compensation, and takes responsibility for mentoring Wang Kang. 6 8 132 195 His approach favors enforceable rules rather than empty goodwill; Liu Kun recognizes his inspections as exemplary in both procedure and attitude. 131

He initially sees himself as a strategist who fears uncontrollable variables. Wang Kang’s advice leads him to reconsider leadership: rather than carrying everyone alone, he must show others a path they can continue walking together. 205 This develops into Cheng Ye’s broader ambition to become a Border Inspector capable of uniting defense, trade, containment, and development. 270 271

Abilities & Skills

Civilization Collector

A concealed interface activated through Cheng Ye’s pendant. It allows him to inspect targets with sufficient Cooperation Degree and search their information, items, skills, talents, and later resources.

• Searches originally require a target’s Cooperation Degree to exceed 50%. 6
• Recorded skills can be equipped or uninstalled, granting practical experience and muscle memory while equipped. 7
• Failed searches produce energy for the Action function, which can rapidly execute repetitive tasks or formulate action routes. 34 35
• Information Fusion combines compatible skills and talents without consuming additional skill slots. 84 175
• Senior Collector permissions allow Lv.4 skill searches and expand his total charge capacity to 800 kWh. 244
• Cheng Ye conceals the Collector, recognizing that exposure would make him a target. 260

Physique Talents

Cheng Ye’s core physical development comes from stacking and fusing physique talents.

• Iron Physique — Greatly improves body control, reduces pain sensation, reinforces fascia, and provides permanent physical enhancement. 45 46
• Wild Grass Physique — Provides broad attribute enhancement and extraordinary regeneration; severe injuries projected to require a month can recover in roughly five days. 94 97
• Verdant Physique — Fusion of Wild Grass Physique and Water Wave Physique. Increases vitality, energy storage, strength, and bodily precision. 175
• Marshland Physique — Adds defensive enhancement and manifests the Silver Arowana Totem, which Cheng Ye can activate manually. 194
• Iron Fish Physique — Mutation created by fusing underwater and aquatic physique skills, further reinforcing his physical foundation. 194

New Martial Arts

Cheng Ye combines Collector-acquired skill memory with instruction from Liu Bi and Miao Yang.

• Dragon Power, Tiger Power, Eagle Power, and Snake Power — The Four Forces that shape force application and combat rhythm. 52 176
• Embryo Holding / False Embryo — Realms of increasingly refined bodily control; Cheng Ye reaches Embryo Holding early and later advances to False Embryo during the Sponge Chamber battle. 53 232
• Blood Dragon Legion standard combat technique — Learns the legion’s Lv.1 combat style in only days, reaching Miao Yang’s level of understanding. 66 67
• Four Forces perfected — Integrates all four forces into his body, allowing seamless transitions between movement, defense, and attack. 232

Blazing Hawk Symbiotic State

A Supernatural Power created through the Heart-Protecting Fire and Cheng Ye’s symbiosis with the hatchling Flame.

• Shares skills, attributes, and abilities with Flame. 137
• Enables fire consumption, brief aerial suspension, and fire-assisted movement. 137 220
• Flame’s growth directly affects Cheng Ye’s strength, making its care a strategic priority. 137
• Its fire-based abilities have a resource cost and require Flame to be fed. 136

Ground-Shrinking Giant Louse

A Transcendent Infection Source that grants Cheng Ye extreme physical power and mobility.

• Allows controlled transformation into an armored giant form. 244 287
• Grants teleportation-like movement by folding space around him. 287
• Its power exacts a physical price; Cheng Ye runs 2,000 km in 5.5 days to repay part of the debt. 246
• The giant form creates immense strain on his muscles, tendons, and blood vessels during sustained combat. 224

Tan Ming Messenger

A Perfect-grade fusion skill derived from Tan Ming’s traits.

• Combines Vitality Extraction, Vitality Conversion, Life Messenger, and Withering Armor. 231
• Extracts vitality from surrounding plants and converts it into energy. 231
• Forms blood-red armor that resists mental contamination and absorbs life force to strengthen itself. 232
• Connects Cheng Ye to Tan Ming’s lingering conviction and its associated restrictions. 239 242

Hundred Weapons Savant

A Perfect-grade talent acquired from Mu Shuang.

• Physically reshapes Cheng Ye’s hands for weapon use, improving finger length, grip, joint structure, and knuckle hardness. 182
• Grants instinctive command of weapon handling and exceptional force control, allowing ordinary tools to function as natural extensions of his body. 182
• Includes a target-locking function with a 15-minute duration; its cooldown increases after each use. 182
• Cheng Ye treats the talent as dangerous power that requires discipline and restraint. 182

Equipment

• Civilization Collector pendant — The inherited pendant that activates the Collector interface when charged. 2
• Defense Communicator — Receives disaster alerts, supports communication, and later aids in vehicle and personnel management. 67 172
• Obsidian Armor — Conceals his presence, provides powerful protection, and is used during Immortal Relic containment operations. 224 239
• Purple Blade — A melee weapon used during battles against crabmen and Immortal Relic forces. 224
• Crimson Blade — A blood-red straight blade later wielded alongside the Purple Blade. 97 232
• Scorching Eagle Roost Cauldron — A Transcendent item obtained through Liu Kun, associated with special flames. 213
• Silver Arowana Totem — Defensive manifestation obtained through Marshland Physique. 194

Relationships

• Cheng Long — His predecessor body’s father. Cheng Long’s former alliances, reputation, and unfinished political legacy repeatedly shape Cheng Ye’s position at the Checkpoint. 15 96
• Liu Bi — Mentor and father figure; Cheng Long’s sworn brother. He trains Cheng Ye, protects his interests, and later tests Cheng Ye’s Transcendent control in combat. 11 287 288
• Luo Xiaoxue — Liu Bi’s wife and a protective elder-sister figure. She advises Cheng Ye on Infected, supports his choices despite fearing for his safety, and treats him as family. 17 21 23
• Liu Yi — Liu Bi and Luo Xiaoxue’s daughter. She affectionately calls him Brother Cheng Ye, and he promises to bring her new vegetable seeds. 17 18
• Uncle Dong — Convenience-store owner and early supporter. He notices Cheng Ye’s changes, keeps his secrets, later leaves Xingfu City, and entrusts the store to Cheng Ye. 9 91
• Chu Yunfeng — Cheng Ye’s first major skill-search target and later an ally. Cheng Ye helps his family enter the city and later assists him in selling weapons acquired from the Hundred Ghosts Gang. 6 130
• Miao Yang — Martial arts mentor and sparring partner. He explains New Martial Arts, identifies Cheng Ye’s realms, and helps him complete the Four Forces. 52 176
• Wang Kang — Mentee and close subordinate. Cheng Ye trains him in martial arts and leadership, while Wang Kang helps Cheng Ye articulate his philosophy of guiding people toward a shared path. 95 205
• Liu Kun — Transcendent rule-maker whose respect Cheng Ye earns through fair enforcement and ideological insight. Their 100% Cooperation Degree enables major searches and Transcendent-item acquisitions. 132 133 213
• Flame — Blazing Hawk hatchling and symbiotic partner. Its hunger for fire is linked to Cheng Ye’s soul, while its growth strengthens him in return. 136 137
• Luo Kuke — Field ally during the Big Wave Town Immortal Relic operation. He follows Cheng Ye’s lead in the Sponge Chamber and remains involved despite serious injury. 230 248
• Tan Ming / Tan Rui — Ancient Transcendent thought-entities whose powers and convictions become intertwined with Cheng Ye through runes, armor, and the Tan Ming Messenger skill. 236 239 242
• Li Maitai — Political ally and ideological confidant. Their cooperation grows from practical work into shared belief in building a livable future through development. 96 265
• Ding Yishan — Xingfu City Checkpoint’s station chief. Initially tests Cheng Ye’s potential, then supports his rise and permits him greater room to act. 95 271

Story Role / Major Arcs

Arrival in Xingfu City

Cheng Ye transmigrates into Xingfu City, inherits an Inspector identity, witnesses the city’s brutal handling of infection, and activates the Civilization Collector through his pendant. His first searches of Chu Yunfeng give him Basic Strength and Beast Intuition, establishing his method of growth. 2 6

Inspector Training and North Station Probation

Under Liu Bi’s training, Cheng Ye learns to apply strength and adapts to the Checkpoint’s factional conflicts. He chooses the dangerous North Station assignment, survives its Xiren-dominated political environment, and receives a passing probation evaluation from Director Downs. 7 21 27

Rise During the Infected Tide

Cheng Ye becomes a formal Inspector, gains Iron Physique, studies New Martial Arts under Miao Yang, and develops his Collector’s Action function. The infected tide advances him to New Civilization Collector and unlocks Information Fusion. 34 43 52 84

Tianyuan Community and Big Wave Town Development

He begins building an independent power base through medical services, militia training, recruitment, vehicle assembly, trade infrastructure, and rule-based governance. His influence expands beyond ordinary inspection duty as other Inspectors and communities seek his guidance. 97 168 192

Immortal Relic Containment

Cheng Ye enters the Sponge Chamber beneath Big Wave Town to confront the Demonic Eye Sponge and Myriad Decrees Earthly Dharma Conch. He gains Tan Ming-derived traits, perfects the Four Forces, resists mental contamination through blood armor, and helps contain the Immortal Relic conflict. 213 231 232 239

Senior Collector and Border Inspector Ambition

Following the containment operation, Cheng Ye is appointed station chief of Yeyue Shelter City’s Checkpoint and promoted to Senior Collector. Rather than accept a limited role, he declares his intention to become a Border Inspector capable of defending borders, conducting trade, managing containment, and building new settlements. 242 243 271

Notable Quotes

“I will become that Border Inspector.” 271

“A road sign means nothing by itself. Its meaning is something we give it.” 291

“Today, all of us have given it the name ‘Big Wave Town’ once more. I hope this is not its end, but only its beginning!” 291

Trivia

• Cheng Ye’s first successful Collector search target, Chu Yunfeng, possesses thirteen visible Lv.1 skills as well as locked higher-level skills. 6
• He has lived two lives but had never driven a car before personally assembling and operating an off-road vehicle. 171
• Cheng Ye’s body becomes so dense after gaining Verdant Physique that he gains 21 kg while looking leaner rather than bulkier. 175
• He consciously avoids revealing the Collector because he believes its discovery would cause consequences too dangerous to predict. 260