Little Tiger was momentarily stunned, his expression filled with confusion as he took the small box. He gently opened it and saw two crystal-clear, teardrop-shaped pearls inside.
“This… this…” Little Tiger’s hands trembled.
The others were equally shocked.
This item was one of the best rewards, appearing after the Gate of Sacrifice was upgraded to seven-colored grade. It was something that left everyone in awe.
These were Lucy’s Tears… two of them.
“Boss…” Little Tiger’s voice choked up.
None of them were fools. They all knew just how precious this item was.
Although one of the abilities of Lucy’s Tears was particularly suited for Little Tiger, the other abilities were arguably even more valuable.
Everyone, including Little Tiger, had never imagined that Ye Zhongming would take this item out and give it to someone else.
It could be consumed, and after consumption, it would increase one’s strength by 30%. With two, the increase would be 50%!
Ye Zhongming’s strength was already immense, unmatched in the post-apocalyptic world. Only someone like Shengyuan, a pure defensive ability user Ye Zhongming had nurtured, could rival him in this aspect.
If Ye Zhongming had consumed these two tears, his strength would have skyrocketed, and his overall power would have been significantly enhanced.
His job skills, other abilities, basic attack power, and any strength-related attacks would all see a substantial boost.
Ye Zhongming might even become the most powerful person in the entire region.
Or, even if he didn’t consume them himself, giving them to someone like Xia Bai or Liang Chuyin, who were loyal to him, would increase their agility by 50%. One could only imagine their power after consuming them, especially Xia Bai. Who could possibly evade her attacks then?!
In addition, the core members already knew that Ye Zhongming had been promoted to the highest level Smith. Naturally, they were thrilled, as Ye Zhongming would no longer have any restrictions when crafting equipment and weapons. At least in theory, he could now create items of any level.
It was easy to imagine that with Ye Zhongming’s advancement, Cloud Peak’s equipment would also rise to a new level.
And Lucy’s Tears was a top-tier material.
They were even more precious than Ghost Metal, Drill Ocean Metal, or even level-nine monster materials!
This pair of tears could not only be used as gems but also serve as the best blueprint for the most difficult-to-obtain accessories.
Not to mention the abilities they could grant when crafted into accessories, just the simple gem functions alone were enough to make any Smith unwilling to let them go.
Whether chiseled into weapons, armor, or accessories, they could increase the corresponding attack power, defense, or main attributes by 30%.
Thirty percent! And that was just for one. With two, it would be 60%!
And there was more!
They could elevate the level of the equipment by one, up to purple grade.
If Ye Zhongming used these two tears himself, he would add two purple-grade items to his list of creations!
This wasn’t just an achievement; it was a mark of honor!
But Ye Zhongming had given up all of this. He had handed over these tears, which represented two purple-grade items, to Little Tiger.
“I’ve been trying to find a Black Soul job or a top-tier healer who could regenerate an eye for you, but I haven’t found one. So, this is the only option for now.”
Ye Zhongming spoke as if he were reluctant, but even if Little Tiger was a bit slow, he knew his boss was just trying to make him feel less guilty. His eyes immediately reddened, and despite several attempts to hold back, tears streamed down from his remaining good eye.
This young man, who had never cried even after losing an eye, crouched on the ground and sobbed openly. Then, with a thud, he knelt before Ye Zhongming, half his body pressed to the ground, unable to speak.
Ye Zhongming pulled Little Tiger to his feet.
“We men, we kneel to heaven and earth, our homeland, and our parents and teachers. Nothing else is worth our kneel!”
“Boss, I… I can’t take this. You could use them to…”
Ye Zhongming cut him off before he could finish.
“I said they’re for you, so stop with the nonsense. Don’t be such a woman.”
This immediately drew glares from the women in the room, including the half-understanding Yuan Yuan.
Ye Zhongming coughed awkwardly and patted Little Tiger’s shoulder. “You lost your eye for Cloud Peak, so it’s my responsibility to help you recover.”
Although Ye Zhongming said this, everyone knew the truth wasn’t so simple. While Little Tiger had lost his eye fighting for Cloud Peak, it wasn’t just for Ye Zhongming—it was for himself, too. Ye Zhongming didn’t owe anyone anything. On the contrary, everyone in Cloud Peak “owed” Ye Zhongming. It was this man who willingly shared resources with everyone and led them through the apocalypse, ensuring not only their survival but also their rise to true strength.
“Alright, try them on. But I suggest you replace both eyes. That way, you’ll gain three abilities. If you only replace one, you’ll only get one ability.”
Hearing this, Xiao Hu quickly waved his hands. “No, no, boss. I don’t even want one. I’ve gotten used to having one eye.”
Ye Zhongming shook his head firmly.
“Use them. Stop with the nonsense. The stronger you are, the more you can help Zhongming,” Xia Lei said.
Little Tiger hesitated for a moment. “Boss, then… I’ll use one.”
“Use both. Don’t you have the confidence to surpass a purple-grade item?” Ye Zhongming said seriously.
“Alright!”
At this point, Little Tiger knew that further refusal would be ungrateful. Without hesitation, he pulled out a dagger from his waist and, without a second thought, gouged out his remaining good eye!
The others watched in horror.
To be so ruthless to himself—it was no wonder Little Tiger had risen to become one of Cloud Peak’s top figures at such a young age, earning Ye Zhongming’s utmost trust and reliance.
“Boss, how do I do this?”
With blood covering his face, Little Tiger handed the box to Ye Zhongming, who took it and said, “Stay still.” He removed one of Lucy’s Tears, removed the eyepatch, and embedded the gem-like tear into the empty socket.
As the tear entered Xiao Hu’s eye socket, thin black tendrils pierced into the surrounding tissue. Even though it had left Ye Zhongming’s hand, it automatically adapted to the human eye socket, moving slightly to adjust itself before settling into place.
“Look, it’s changing!”
Little Li, standing close by, saw the tear transform into the shape of an eye in just a few seconds!
This miraculous sight made her cover her mouth in astonishment.
Ye Zhongming felt relieved. It seemed this item truly was extraordinary. He then placed the second tear into the other eye socket.
The same miraculous transformation occurred again, taking on the shape of an eye. From the outside, there was no visible difference.
However, Xiao Hu’s new eyes were incredibly bright, with a deep, profound gaze compared to a normal person’s eyes. They seemed to hold the brilliance of a starry sky or the richness of an ink painting.
“Boss, I… I can see!” Little Tiger exclaimed with childlike excitement. “Holy crap, I can see so far and so clearly! Little Li, your pores are that rough?”
“Do you want to die?!” Little Li narrowed her eyes threateningly.
“Alright, enough joking. Tell us, what abilities did you gain?” Ye Zhongming was very interested in this.
Little Tiger, however, just grinned mischievously. “Boss, let’s go to an open area. I’ll show you how amazing I’ve become!”