C-tier equipment, in the adventurer guild, not only requires a three-star Mercenary Corps but also a C-tier equipment exchange voucher to be exchanged.
The cost is very high.
Perhaps, a few big shots already possess such items; however, most of the audience present had never even heard of it, let alone seen it.
Their understanding of C-tier weapons, more importantly, came mostly through the host's recent introduction.
Many in the audience complained that this was like cheating, but who doesn't want a life of cheats?
The struggles in the wilderness were tough and dangerous—if one could slay a Demonized Beast with a single strike…
Many powerful and wealthy Awakeners, with gleaming eyes, had secretly resolved to acquire a C-tier weapon at any cost.
The slightly weaker Awakeners, aware that C-tier rune equipment was far out of reach, knew D-tier was also good.
Just like that Silver Scale Chest Armor, precisely as the host said, it could save one's life at a critical moment.
Compared to one's life, that high cost was nothing.
Inside the Spirit Space.
Zhou Jianhong moved rapidly, killing his opponents without hesitation or concealment, just charging through directly.
In the Death Forest, rune equipment was abundant, but the forest was vast and the environment complex.
Most competitors first hid to ensure their safety, then searched for targets. Their experience in wilderness survival was deeply ingrained in every cell.
Yet, this was merely a matter of time, as others would inevitably realize that in the early stages of the tournament, the Demonized Beasts in the forest were weak, and the rune equipment scattered throughout could significantly enhance their combat power.
Zhou Jianhong knew very clearly that by the middle and late stages, when other competitors also had full sets of rune equipment, any big shot could eliminate him.
Surviving until the end was definitely not possible; he had to arm himself during the early stages and score as many points as possible. As Tang Yu had said, top three wasn't out of reach if he had enough kills.
Zhou Jianhong, as a dark horse bursting onto the scene, rampaged through the forest.
His aura wasn't strong, a Fifth Tier Awakener who encountered him wouldn't flee immediately, and a Sixth Tier big shot who discovered him would feel lucky to have an easy target come their way.
Now, some of the audience were almost on the verge of despair; several heavily favored players had been eliminated by Zhou Jianhong, a mere Fifth Tier.
Those big shots returning from the Spirit Space to reality were sitting in small rooms, questioning their life choices.
In the finals, as the matches progressed, more and more fights erupted, causing the audience to scream continuously.
Zhou Jianhong, after rampaging for so long, finally encountered a well-equipped big shot in the middle of the tournament and was subsequently eliminated.
High-level battles, Tang Yu also watched with great interest. Even though his own level was slightly higher than the competitors, he still learned a lot.
A battle was not only a test of physical fitness, equipment, or experience… Strategy, timing, choices in the chaos of battle, all these benefited Tang Yu greatly.
"Tanks to Director Tang for producing a vast amount of rune equipment, the help it has brought to us warriors is tremendous. Recently, the power of the Awakeners around Lin City has not only improved rapidly, but the casualty rate has also dropped quite a bit."
The speaker was a bespectacled, straight-postured Awakener sitting on Tang Yu's left.
He was Lu Jianjun's deputy and had come to Green Shadow not merely to watch the competition but to discuss important matters.
Tang Yu smiled, "The military deserves more credit; without the proper initial response to the apocalypse and the establishment of the Lindong Sanctuary, where would we be today?"
The two exchanged pleasantries beneficial for business.
Although somewhat hypocritical, it was the truth.
While watching the match and discussing the contestants, the adjutant also stated his purpose.
He hoped to build a railway connecting Lindong and Green Shadow.
Tang Yu pondered for a while, thoughts rapidly turning in his mind.
He had already heard about the incorporation of the small Sanctuaries surrounding Lindong; many of the directors of these small Sanctuaries had received notices from Lindong Sanctuary, and some Sanctuaries, with the help of the military, had already moved survivors and resources to Lindong.
He hadn't received a notice from Lindong, and Tang Yu knew the reason.
He wouldn't likely give up this Sanctuary with all the commercial districts he was constructing and the martial arts tournaments he was hosting. Moreover, considering his displayed strength before, the military hadn't taken any forceful measures.
Constructing a railway that facilitated rapid travel between the two places might be Lindong's way to enhance its infiltration and surveillance of Green Shadow.
the construction of the railway would benefit the territory more.
Most Awakeners were still active around Lindong; some were too weak to reach Green Shadow, and others, for various reasons, returned to Lindong even after registering adventure groups in Green Shadow.
With a railway, more Awakeners could be attracted.
Moreover, Tang Yu could even allow recruitment notices to be posted in Lindong — Lindong had many ordinary people, while Green Shadow was short on manpower.
This was a mutually beneficial matter.
And the territory stood to gain even more.
As for infiltration, it was indeed hard to say who was infiltrating whom.
Tang Yu pondered for a while and nodded, "There shouldn't be a problem with the talent for the railway construction, should there?"
"Of course." The adjutant was very confident in this aspect, pulling out a plan already prepared, "We plan to use the existing railway line and make changes to it; the estimated cost and time shouldn't be too much."
Tang Yu looked it over.
Lindong originally had a railway passenger station, which was a major transportation hub with several routes leading to surrounding cities; perhaps, this was also why large Sanctuaries chose to be established in Lindong.
And one of the railway routes passed through a small town not very far from Green Shadow.
The refurbishment and construction of the railway in Lindong wouldn't be difficult due to the availability of professionals; the key lay in ensuring safety once it was operational.
Tang Yu also had some ideas in this regard.
Since the project was a collaborative effort, Tang Yu wasn't stingy about contributing; his contributions would give him a say in the future.
Though he couldn't assist with the construction due to a shortage of talent in the territory, he was an expert in ensuring safety.
Tang Yu called Chen Haiping to take charge of this matter.
Once the agreement was reached, a slight smile also appeared on the usually serious face of the adjutant.
At that moment, a young warrior hurried up to the stands, came beside the adjutant, and whispered in his ear.
The smile on the adjutant's face disappeared, turning solemn. He turned his head towards Tang Yu, paused, "Director Tang, I've just received news. Green Shadow, including some surrounding areas, has seen unusual activities of demonized beasts, a significant increase in their numbers, and even small-scale beast tides have occurred in several places; something is amiss."