Chapter 42: New Gear and Hidden Threats

Resentful Tiger Gauntlets: Weapon (Off-hand)

Equipment Attributes: +3 Strength, +2 Agility, 30% Increased Attack Speed.

Equipment Effects: Each attack delivers a heavy hit effect, causing knockback and additional crushing damage based on the strength difference between fighters.

Equipment Skill: Tiger’s Roar

Tiger’s Roar: Unleash the sealed, resentful will within the gauntlets to deliver a mental shock to the target. This attack briefly stuns and may cause fear. Cooldown: 24 hours.

Equipment Evaluation: These gauntlets, imbued with grudge, instill the terror of a tiger beast in any opponent.

Another little treasure.

After reviewing the attributes, Yenir immediately swapped his old white gloves for the Resentful Tiger Gauntlets. Clenching his right fist, a surge of impulsive power filled his punch.

Extra damage combined with a control skill, and it’s an off-hand weapon to boot.

In terms of value alone, this piece even eclipses the blue gear worth 60,000 points from last time.

Being an off-hand weapon means he can also equip a main weapon—such a bonus is extremely rare.

Although Yenir prefers cold weapons and isn’t keen on ultra-close combat, the attribute boosts and effects alone elevate his fighting power.

With a light-hearted sigh of “Fortune Bringer,” Yenir decided not to overthink it.

Today, luck was truly on his side.

Fortunately, his opponent was scared off—otherwise, facing that Tier-3 while his skill was on cooldown would have meant an instant takedown.

If his foe had known that the Tiger Beast wielded such fine equipment, they’d probably bleed from heartbreak, right?

…….

Tianfeng Security Zone.

“Captain! We’ve detected two more Tier-3 psychic energy fluctuations! And they’re right in the Tianfeng Suburbs!”

Inside the Monitoring Station, a staff member reported the situation to his superior in a startled tone.

On the screen, two green energy lines of different lengths clearly indicated that two Tier-2 fighters had acted together.

“Not again!?”

Shocked and pale, the exhausted squad leader rushed over. Seeing the Tier-3 fluctuations made his scalp tingle with unease.

Tier-3? And two of them?!

“What the hell is going on!? Have we poked a Tier-3 nest in Tianfeng? Why are there always Tier-3s fighting nearby!”

His face darkened, and in his anxiety he hurriedly relayed the news upward.

When it comes to Tier-3s, nothing is trivial. The Security Zone has sent out search teams nonstop these past days, all in vain.

Just when they hadn’t found the two mysterious Tier-3 fighters, two more suddenly appeared.

Under immense pressure, the squad leader could only imagine the grim expressions on his superiors’ faces.

Sure enough.

Fifteen minutes later, amidst a retinue of numerous Awakened, a Group Army Commander stormed into the Monitoring Room, his face dark and grim.

“Are we sure that two Tier-3s engaged!?”

“Can we pinpoint their approximate location?”

Staring intently at the monitor, the Commander’s expression instantly soured.

In the past, Tier-3s were unheard of; now they keep emerging one after another. Under this pressure, even he felt a hint of panic.

Standing nearby, a monitoring officer offered a wry smile and said:

“Sir, we can only confirm it’s in the suburbs—perhaps near East City. Unlike before, when we couldn’t tell if the incidents were linked, this time the energy surges clearly come from two separate Tier-3s, likely engaged with each other.”

At these words, his heart sank.

Engaged in combat? And still near Tianfeng? Knowing the destructive power of Tier-3s, a heavy concern settled in his heart.

Who on earth is it?! Who is the Tier-3 that keeps striking? Could there be a hidden treasure near Tianfeng?

A few minutes later.

The middle-aged man known as the Commander furrowed his brow in thought. Scanning the recent locations of Tier-3 appearances, he suddenly seemed to have an idea:

“All of them have been near Tianfeng, appearing from morning until noon.”

Pointing at the map, he soon conjured up an unbelievable thought.

“Doesn’t this route look like it originated from the Security Zone?”

“Could it be that our Security Zone is harboring a Tier-3 fighter?!”

Startled, an adjutant nearby hesitantly spoke up:

“I don’t think so, Sir.”

“In our Security Zone, only Commander Xiao is Tier-3. Where would we have any other Tier-3s?”

“If a Tier-3 really came here, why hide? With just a greeting, we’d politely honor him.”

“A person of this caliber has no reason to stay hidden.”

Well said.

The middle-aged senior officer looked puzzled.

All the battles were taking place in mutant-infested areas, and their levels were relatively low. If our Security Zone truly harbored a Tier-3, wouldn’t it be absurd for them to spend their time practicing on low-tier mutants?

Yet, as he stared at the map in his hands, he hesitated.

“Forget it. We’ll ramp up our investigations.”

“Since the enemy has been striking repeatedly, it’s clear they aren’t just passing through. Even if by chance they’re hiding in our Security Zone, it’s a serious threat!”

“Let’s trace back what these mutants are yielding and check if any related materials have been traded in the Security Zone recently!”

At these words, the adjutant’s eyes lit up:

“Sir, I think it’s a good idea. If they’re just idling by killing mutants for fun, they must be carrying the materials they yield.”

“We might not track them through the trading channel, but as long as they operate within the Security Zone, traces will show up!”

“But what then? Commander Xiao hasn’t returned yet…”

As his words trailed off, the middle-aged officer sighed:

“What can we do? We’ve already called for Commander Xiao to return quickly. With one—or even multiple—Tier-3s in Tianfeng, any incident would be catastrophic!”

“If we manage to locate them, we should politely ask what their purpose is.”

“If we can’t find them… no! We must find them!”

Behind him, those who had been searching tirelessly for days let out a wry laugh; they knew how seriously the higher-ups regarded this matter. But how were they supposed to locate them?

Speculating even about those within the Security Zone—if they were outside, would they comb through every head?

“Sigh, I really have no idea which big shot it is.”

“If we had a few more Tier-3s in Tianfeng, we wouldn’t be so worried.”

With a heavy sigh, everyone resigned themselves to ramping up their search.

What can you do? A single Tier-3 is essentially a self-propelled tactical weapon. When it goes berserk, it can wreck half a Security Zone without breaking a sweat.

However, just as the Commander was studying the map, pondering whether the enemy was hiding in the Security Zone, an A-tier private message suddenly lit up.

Instinctively glancing at the sender, the Commander was shocked to see that the message came from Honggang, the Deputy Commander of the Zhenjiang Security Zone.

“Zhang Chu!”

“Is your Tianfeng Security Zone too overbearing?!”