This is really not mechanical ascension

[Tiger Shredding Armored Prosthetic Limb--Grade F: A prosthetic limb custom-made for a certain gene seed.

Control Conditions: 50 metal energy points

Control Effect: Armorization

Control Ability--Tiger Hunting: Empowers with 25% speed and 25% strength to make an accelerated assault.]

Grade F Armored Prosthetic Limb, this is the standard prosthetic limb of the Fierce Tiger Gang's cadre, not due to injury but proactively replaced to boost strength.

All the data was within expectations, but what puzzled him was, what exactly was this "armorization"?

Unlike previous control effects which were intuitive, but now there was no time for him to carefully consider it.

Yang Peng and the others should arrive here soon, he better take control and pack it up fast.

Li Ming looked around quickly and made some quick arrangements.

...…

"What's the situation now? Where are the others!?" Yang Peng's expression was dark as he sprinted toward the target, repeatedly inquiring over the channel.

"Qi Xin was killed instantaneously, Wang Zhaoguo and I evacuated the site at the same time," reported Zhang Gong.

"As for Li Ning and Li Ming, they should have also retreated." Zhang Gong wasn't quite certain, showing slight hesitation.

"What do you mean 'should'?" Yang Peng scolded angrily and then shouted over the channel, "Li Ning, Li Ming, if you hear this, respond immediately!"

The silence was like death, no sound whatsoever, Yang Peng grew even more anxious. How could his luck be so bad, encountering Pang Wenlong on his very first mission!

And those two guys...Yang Peng's face tensed up, knowing he couldn't blame Zhang Gong and Wang Zhaoguo; even if Pang Wenlong was injured, he wasn't someone they could handle.

You better not die here!

Yang Peng felt extremely anxious, wishing he could move faster, even hoping that Li Ming was as afraid of dying as Zhang Gong and the others.

If Li Ming died here, he didn't know how he would face Chief Changhai, as well as his elderly father and daughter, bold enough to break ties with him!

Hurry, hurry!

Bang!

He leaped into the area, dust swirling around.

First thing he saw was the body of Qi Xin, eyes wide open in death, which fueled his rage even more; then, he saw Li Ning lying not far away.

Next to him was a piece of rubble, seemingly hit by a flying rock by accident, but his breathing was still relatively even.

Where was Li Ming!?

"Hiss!"

From a nearby ruin, the sounds of rocks being overturned came, and Yang Peng's face suddenly changed, staring intently at the spot, ready to spring into action.

Another piece of concrete was pushed aside, and Li Ming emerged gasping for breath.

"Still alive!" Yang Peng finally breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't know what had happened here, but surviving an encounter with Pang Wenlong was the greatest fortune for Li Ming.

But before he could approach to inquire, his pupils suddenly contracted, as if a major earthquake had occurred, a look of disbelief crossing his face.

Because behind Li Ming, there was another body being dragged; despite being battered and missing limbs,

from the familiar combat suit on the body, Yang Peng instantly recognized it was the body of Pang Wenlong.

"Pang Wenlong, dead!?"

"Killed by Li Ming?"

"No, how is that possible!" Yang Peng instinctively disbelieved, hurriedly rushing forward, not bothering to talk to Li Ming, he bent down to examine the body.

It was indeed Pang Wenlong, but where was his mechanical arm? He looked at the severed right arm, the wound was messy, as if torn off by a great force.

The chest was pierced, the wound was irregular, and there were other injuries on the body, crisscrossing, like... claws?

"What happened here?" Yang Peng stood up, staring intently at Li Ming's face.

Li Ming had a look of having narrowly escaped death, swallowed his saliva, and mournfully said, "Captain Yang, Team Leader Qi... is dead."

"I know. I'm asking you what exactly happened here. How did Pang Wenlong die?" Yang Peng desperately wanted to know everything that had happened.

"It was... like this..." Li Ming seemed to be organizing his thoughts before he continued, "We were stationed here..."

"..."

Soon, Yang Peng had figured out the whole story and his frown deepened,

"You mean, after Pang Wenlong killed Qi Xin, he originally wanted to attack you all but then a stranger suddenly appeared, fought with Pang Wenlong, and even tore off his prosthetic arm?"

It sounded like a far-fetched tale.

Suddenly, Yang Peng raised his hand and punched Li Ming on the shoulder. The sudden force made Li Ming stagger back involuntarily.

"You... F-level?" Yang Peng's face changed slightly, as F-level life forms were barely different from ordinary life forms and hard to observe with the naked eye.

But the events of today combined with Li Ming's previous anomalies had led him to some speculations. His probing attempt proved he was right.

"I..." Li Ming's gaze flitted, seemingly guilty.

"Tell me honestly, I won't hurt you," Yang Peng said sternly,

"It was my father..." Li Ming resignedly said, "He... left me the Dragon Rise Potion and gene seeds, which I used."

"Dragon Rise Potion and gene seeds?" Yang Peng's eyes flickered sharply, "So that's why Brother Changhai mortgaged his house."

"No, those two items together are worth about two hundred thousand Star Coins in the market."

"Yes..." Li Ming sighed helplessly, "My father, he had already sold the house, only making an agreement with the owner to delay the property transfer, and then he mortgaged the house to the Fierce Tiger Gang."

Even at this moment, Yang Peng was stunned, then realized, "Was your father's death really the work of the Fierce Tiger Gang?"

But then he shook his head, "That's not right either. If so, why didn't they move against you?"

Li Ming remained silent, leaving it to your own interpretation.

"You don't have to be so nervous, there's no need to hide your strength." Seeing the silent Li Ming, Yang Peng spoke reassuringly, "Since your father did this, just accept it."

What I'm hiding is not my strength, but the truth about the murder

If he had been exposed earlier, Yang Peng would definitely have listed him as a prime suspect.

"Captain Yang, could you please help me keep the truth hidden for now? I'm afraid of the Fierce Tiger Gang..." he hesitated.

"Indeed, although the Star Coins involved are not much, this openly slaps the Fierce Tiger Gang's face. If they do not reclaim this situation, they might become a laughingstock," Yang Peng agreed profoundly.

"Plus, with the interstellar inspection team arriving soon and the Star Creation Company moving in the shadows, things have been very unsettled recently."

No, what I fear is the force that killed Li Changhai, which hasn't left yet...

Li Ming added in his mind.

"However, how much of what you just said was false?" Yang Peng suddenly asked, pressing for an answer.

"I... this..." Li Ming looked aghast as if caught in a lie, helplessly said, "Actually, that person and Pang Wenlong both got hurt in the fight. He tore off Pang Wenlong's prosthetic limb and fled from here. Pang Wenlong tried to leave, but I stopped him... killed him..."

As expected... Yang Peng was not surprised. Li Ming was still too young and had been tricked into confessing by his ruse.

He did not doubt that Li Ming was still lying, as Pang Wenlong's strength was clearly not something Li Ming could handle.

Pang Wenlong's removed combat prosthetic limb served as evidence supporting Li Ming's version of events. They still had to carry out an extensive cleanup later; there was no place to hide that combat prosthetic limb.

"However, the truth can be covered up, but credit must not be lost." Yang Peng patted Li Ming on the shoulder, "Whether you killed him or just found him, the body of Pang Wenlong is in your hands, and the credit is yours."

"Let's settle on that. No dawdling."