Boundless Uses of Action Points

Inner City officials? Cheng Ye gave it some thought, but chose not to ask whether he could just pretend not to hear and ignore a distress signal. In principle, that was out of the question. Inspectors enjoyed an exalted status in the Buffer Zone, but within the overall power structure of Happiness City, the role was essentially that of a sentinel: striking outward with overwhelming force while strictly obeying the rules inward. To put it more plainly, if Happiness City was a residential compound, an inspector was merely its security guard. Even if this guard carried a gun, wielded authority, had subordinates, and commanded far more swagger than a five-star general of Country Garden, he still couldn't leave the Inner City "property owners" to die. It was a fundamental principle—after all, a guard's salary came from the maintenance fees paid by those very owners. If they didn't even observe this much order, why would anyone fight tooth and nail to get into the Inner City? Everyone might as well become guards and lord it over the residents. "When no one is in line, can I go rest in the back?" "Forget when there's no line—even if there is one, who would dare stop an inspector if you want to rest?" Raven replied bluntly, making no effort to dance around the subject. "As long as no Inner City officials are waiting for clearance, who cares if ordinary folks have to stand outside all day? Whenever they learn to behave and you feel like it, you can just let them in." The implication was clear: North Station still ran on the "entry toll" racket customary among Westerners. Whoever paid got in first; whoever didn't could wait outside. "All right. You two can head to the back and rest. I'll just sit here." "Understood. I'll fetch an umbrella for you, sir." Not having to stand around in the quarantine zone with the inspector was undoubtedly welcome news. After all, they had duties of their own. Just cataloging the quarantine files took hours, often keeping them working overtime until two or three in the morning. The two exchanged glances and happily took their leave. Before long, they carried back a large umbrella, wedged it firmly against the edge of the desk, and popped it open. Cheng Ye crossed his legs, leaning back into his seat. Sipping his nutrient paste, he watched the queue in neighboring Zone B grow steadily longer. He had to admit, it was quite cozy. Being an inspector was indeed a sweet gig. As long as you had the strength to back it up, trouble wouldn't touch you. Everyone had to show you respect and follow your orders. Anyone who defied you—barring Inner City officials—could be executed on the spot without answering to anyone. Better yet, inspectors held the security lifeline of the entire Buffer Zone. The harsher the inspections, the more the ordinary residents sang their praises and offered adulation. It truly lived up to the old saying: align your interests, and scholars will bend over backward to justify your scripture. Who would dare criticize an inspector? The Buffer Zone's hundreds of thousands of residents would drown them in spit in seconds! *Wait a second. Why does it feel like I just skipped decades of detours in life?* As the thought crossed his mind, Cheng Ye's smile froze. Damn it. This security gig really was an ambition killer. He had planned to make waves at the checkpoint. Yet here he was, just minutes after sitting down, already basking in comfort and drifting off. No good. He needed to pull himself together! Gulping down the rest of the nutrient paste, Cheng Ye sat up straight and began reviewing his actions today. Bullying a bunch of brats wasn't worth dwelling on; those spoiled scions were almost naively modern in their demeanor. Playing those petty schemes in the wasteland... if they ever crossed paths with a truly ruthless figure, they wouldn't even know how they died. Station Master Downs, on the other hand... Cheng Ye had a faint feeling that someone had been standing behind the screen while they spoke, though he couldn't be entirely sure. On second thought, even if someone had been there, it didn't matter. He hadn't slipped up or shown anything out of the ordinary from start to finish. "As for getting a score of ninety without firing a shot..." Cheng Ye shook his head inwardly. If he had truly scored a ninety with Downs, how could he possibly be reclining here in such leisure right now? Fame brought trouble just as fattening brought the pig to the slaughter. Acting too sharp wouldn't change Ding Yishan's view of him anytime soon. In the eyes of the West Faction, however, it would change everything. There would be endless harassment, relentless targeting, and continuous tests of his limits, forcing him into unnecessary high-pressure situations. Therefore, carrying the reputation of a reckless hothead was actually a blessing in the short term. *Next, I should keep a low profile and ride out the first week. Ding Yishan needs time to gradually realize how much I've changed...* *Besides, with the slow charger recharging me, I can search at least four more times before my rotation ends.* *With my current strength, acquiring any skill at random will give me a massive boost!* While lost in thought, Cheng Ye suddenly remembered when he searched for the Barrett earlier—canceling the search had caused the Collector to refund double the action points. Focusing his mind, he summoned the panel. "Wait... did action points unlock a new feature?" Scanning the interface, Cheng Ye paused abruptly. He had initially assumed action points were just a minor sub-feature under the Search function. To his surprise, next to the "Search" option was an entirely separate, parallel tab labeled "Action." They weren't part of the same interface, but completely independent? A surge of excitement hit him. The Search function alone had turned his capabilities completely upside down. Could this newly unlocked Action function boost his combat prowess just as dramatically? Furthermore, there was a key factor: whenever a search failed, action points were guaranteed, differing only in quantity. This meant that once his three skill slots were full and he couldn't expand more slots or swap skills to grow stronger, action points would simply pile up. After all, as his strength grew, the benefits of Level 1 skills would gradually diminish, and he would inevitably target Level 2 skills. Searching above his level carried a success rate of only twenty-five percent, which naturally skyrocketed his chances of gaining action points. What was more, canceling a search upon detecting an infected entity granted a double action point bonus. *Search is already so overpowered—Action better not be a flop.* *The cruder, the simpler, the better! Don't hold back on a fragile rookie collector like me!* Muttering a silent prayer, Cheng Ye mentally selected the Action function. The interface hitched slightly, appearing to load. After roughly four or five seconds, an entirely new functional panel materialized before his eyes. [Action] [This feature is a derivative supplement to "Search," designed to utilize the energy dissipated during failed searches to its full potential.] [Judicious use will assist the collector in saving time and significantly improving information gathering efficiency.] [Overview: When performing a repetitive task, the collector may spend action points to instantly complete the task in their stead.] [Current Action Points: 4 (Lv.1)] [Current Action Targets: Silently invoke the Action command to automatically scan for viable targets within a ten-meter radius.] [Please note the following: 1. Action targets must fall within the collector's current capabilities. Targets slightly exceeding this range will display the necessary unlock requirements... 2. Effects generated by action points automatically mask biological perception and non-biological monitoring, rationalizing the logical sequence of actions. Collectors may use this feature with confidence... 3. The tier of action points is tied to the collector's rank. Elevating your rank unlocks additional action paths...] ... "Spend action points to instantly complete a repetitive task?" Skipping past the verbose descriptions, he focused on the concise summary. Cheng Ye mulled it over. Why did this feature feel so strangely familiar? Digging through his memories... Around 2013 to 2020, a slew of predatory pay-to-win mobile games flooded the market, especially RTS titles like Clash of Certain Clans, Invasion of Some Land, or Certain Royale. When players first started building structures, upgrades took seconds, ten seconds, or at most a minute, letting them quickly assemble a base. But once they reached a certain threshold, build times skyrocketed: from a minute to ten minutes, twenty minutes, an hour, or even several days, completely abandoning any reasonable progression curve. For those who couldn't wait, the games offered speed-up tokens. Spend real money on speed-up items, and you could slash the timer or skip the wait altogether. As a result, you often saw a single whale steamrolling an entire alliance of dozens of players. "Then again, there is a difference. In those games, every objective was hardcoded by developers, turning players into paying marionettes. But the Collector's Action feature lets me set the targets myself." "Let's test it out first..." With a thought, Cheng Ye followed the prompt to scan his surroundings. Instantly, a ring of blue light matching the panel swept out from him, expanding across a ten-meter radius. Something marvelous occurred: every object brushed by the blue light began to emit a faint luminescence. The alloy floor, the desk in front of him, the umbrella wedged against the corner, the backpack on the tabletop... Bathed in sunlight, every item shimmered with distinct blue radiance, as though infused with a life of its own. *Wait... can no one else see this?* Alarmed, Cheng Ye darted his peripheral vision around. Among the crowd queued up in neighboring Zone B, only a few stray heads glanced in his direction, but none showed any sign of noticing anything amiss; they were merely looking around out of boredom. *It really is visible only to me.* The blue scanning ripples were as clear as physical matter in his vision, yet invisible to everyone else. Greatly relieved, Cheng Ye turned his attention to the changes wrought by the blue light. *As for a target...* He certainly couldn't pick anything belonging to the quarantine zone; if the action succeeded, someone might notice the anomaly. Cheng Ye's gaze swept over the desk and quickly settled on his backpack. He had bought it from a drifter's street stall after crossing over. It had a few holes torn in the sides and looked thoroughly worn, but it boasted a practical layout, impressive load capacity, and rugged durability that far surpassed the flimsy showpieces sold in general stores. Cheng Ye had meant to buy some needle and thread to patch the tears, but he kept forgetting amid his busy days, only remembering whenever he headed out the door. Now was the perfect chance to see if action points could handle the mending in his place. "Mend backpack, mend backpack, mend..." Setting an objective with his mind for the first time, Cheng Ye lacked experience and could only chant it like reciting a textbook. Yet miraculously, the moment the thought solidified, a blue panel snapped into existence beside the backpack, unfurling lines of text. [Drifter Canvas Backpack (Lv.0)] [Description: A backpack hand-stitched from coarse canvas and treated with a triple-wax coating. Capable of resisting minor surface tears even when scraping against thorn-choked wastelands or jagged rock faces.] [Action Paths: 1. Basic Optimization: Repair the backpack's tears and slightly refine its structure to enhance durability. Estimated Action Points: 3 (The collector may provide materials and tools to reduce the point cost.) 2. Deep Modification: Substantially refine the backpack's structure for improved comfort and utility; replace materials with premium leather to effectively withstand scratches and abrasions from sharp objects; incorporate an open-top single compartment with concealed side cinch straps and a weapon pouch, moderately boosting functionality. Estimated Action Points: Locked (Prerequisite: Master sewing-related skills) 3. Complete Transformation: Replace materials with Happiness Alloy to render it virtually indestructible; integrate an intelligent weapon system capable of automatically acquiring hostile targets within a fifty-meter radius and executing precision fire; house a comprehensive survival kit, including but not limited to: a compact life raft, an all-terrain grappling hook, an automated freshwater collector, etc. Estimated Action Points: Locked (Prerequisite: Locked)] [Please select an action path!] ...