The golden unknown infection source is definitely hidden at the bottom of the White Water River, possibly even in a secret corner near the Lin River.

Like the shell plates of the Vortex Turtle, it hides where humans cannot currently find it.

Others, even the Extraordinary, lack his ability to visually parse the infection source.

Just like now, even if they see the mark on the infected individuals, they cannot analyze its origin.

Yet one thing is certain, this golden legend currently poses no major threat.

As long as its mode of action is "contamination" rather than "direct parasitism," simply staying clear of its influence is sufficient.

And likely, this area of influence refers to underwater.

Retracting his chaotic thoughts, Cheng Ye did not rush to stand but instead moved back to the first infected individual, starting the dissection and observation according to inspection station’s standard procedure.

The Collector can directly provide the answer, but ultimately, collecting clues firsthand is necessary to verify it.

If he hadn’t communicated with Wang Kang before and missed this golden entry, he might have bypassed these cumbersome dissections and gone directly to the river to find traces of the two individuals going underwater.

But now, he has vaguely figured out the path to take.

With the Collector verifying the infection source, he might draft a more detailed manual for preventing and treating the infection source.

Spreading knowledge so everyone can learn how to identify, protect themselves, and contain the infection source would be far more convenient than inspectors blocking each quarantine zone.

Of course, it’s a process that one can only imagine as extremely lengthy.

Not inferior and even surpassing Cheng Wu’s past efforts of building inspection stations, potentially requiring years, decades, but as long as one walks this path, as Wang Kang said, even if he falls, countless will stand before him.

And if it’s achieved, he would certainly be famed across the Wasteland.

For now, finding problems with clear answers greatly improves efficiency.

Soon, he identified the key features of the Soul-catching Catfish.

Turning the infected individual’s head over, Cheng Ye fumbled on the scalp for a moment, found a protrusion, and decisively cut it open.

A blob of black, gooey substance was dug out with his hand, emitting a pungent stench, similar in color to the liquid that previously flowed from a gunshot hole, thick and scorched.

He rubbed it on the infected’s clothes, revealing its original form.

A piece of muscle covered with tiny protrusions, looking extremely disgusting.

Luokuke turned his head, paused in surprise, "Soul-catching Catfish?"

"Yes!"

Cheng Ye nodded, then calmly placed the muscle piece into the containment tray, continued to search near the infected individual’s face.

Unable to find a suitable spot for cutting, he didn’t panic, holding the jaw of the corpse and with a bit of force, he directly pried open the infected’s mouth.

Amid the shocked and fearful gazes, he reached several fingers into the oral cavity, quickly clawing out the core of the infection source amid a teeth-grinding squeaking sound.

The Face-swapping Fish’s core, a fish fry not even as long as a pinky finger, had perished along with its host.

Resembling a goldfish, but its head covered with a skin that made one’s hair stand, upon careful examination, a blurred human face could just be discerned.

Cheng Ye shook the fish’s head, while nearby Chang Kai nervously walked forward.

Upon closing to within three meters, seeing the face on the fish’s head clearly, he nodded frantically, "It’s him! It’s him! It’s Mao!"

"Face-swapping Fish."

Cheng Ye sighed, and similarly extracted another fish fry from the oral cavity of another infected individual.

"Yes! This is Zhang Hu!" Chang Kai confirmed eagerly.

"Identity confirmed, these two are the missing team members." Exhaling deeply, Cheng Ye expressed.

Though it’s a pity they’re gone, at least they wouldn’t die without evidence or a complete corpse; there must be an account.

"Kang, bring the containment box."

Cheng Ye called out, Wang Kang promptly responded, hurriedly running up with a box.

Seizing the moment Wang Kang retrieved the box, Cheng Ye also carved out the muscle of the Soul-catching Catfish from the second infected individual’s scalp, placing all four infectious sources into the containment box.

"Brother Cheng, I believe now." Wang Kang, staring at the box’s contents, murmured somewhat dazedly.

"Believe in what?" Cheng Ye asked casually.

"I believe you can kick this person’s head off." Wang Kang’s voice was full of stunned disbelief.

Inspectors have different styles when dealing with infected bodies.

Like Luokuke, the Third-stage Inspector, who toiled over powder formulas yet failed to locate the marks’ corresponding infection source.

While Cheng Ye, with decisive actions, cut and dug here and there, instantly identifying four infection sources.

"Uh..."

Cheng Ye paused, initially wanting to explain, but reconsidered...

If it could leave an impression as a "violence maniac" in others’ eyes, it would actually facilitate implementing many of his subsequent plans.

Moreover, it’s mainly because he wasn’t really violent, wasn’t it normal to attack weak points?

He just... had a tad bit more strength!

"Inspector Luo, have you discovered anything on your end?"

Cheng Ye contemplated extracting the Ghost Water Cave Crab from the heart but hesitated in the end.

"Only one finding, the mark wasn’t left by a creature; it’s like... a form of contamination."

"Oh?" Cheng Ye was slightly surprised, instantly adopting a listening posture.

Unexpectedly, Luokuke indeed had some hard skills; he learned about spiritual contamination relying on the panel, yet Luokuke deduced the result through testing and analysis.