Meanwhile, the Lich Chieftain and its army of Lich warriors had ascended to the top floor, stepping onto the exposed balcony.
Two opposing forces stood off against each other. Outside observers, the creators, were completely transfixed, forgetting they were meant to search for the lich's location rather than merely spectate.
"Game over. With so many general-level entities on the lich's side, the student's winged tigers don't stand a chance."
"And look at that Lich Chieftain! It's a general-level pinnacle. If it uses the energy converter to create a Lich King, it's over for sure."
The spectators watched with bated breath, their concern for Bai Ze mounting. Some even wished they could step in to fight for him.
Meanwhile, the Gamma Ray Cannon on the lich's side was fully charging, its barrel slowly protruding outward. Within, a massive surge of energy began to concentrate.
"The Gamma Ray Cannon is operational! This student won't hold out much longer," someone noted grimly.
"Stop watching! Focus on locating the lich's base of operations!" a creator called out, snapping others back to their search.
In the real world, it was the dead of night. The moon hung high in the sky, its light faint and misty.
Across the nation, countless students were roused from their sleep as universities scrambled to check third-year seniors while gathering data on first- and second-year students.
At Tianzhou Academy, however, they prioritized the dormitories for hosts first. The villa district, home to wealthy or highly talented students, was reserved for last.
Bai Ze, still immersed in the fierce battle, directed his celestial winged tigers as they faced the Lich Chieftain. The air between them crackled with static, charged with tension.
When the Lich Chieftain saw that the energy converters on the top floor remained intact and untouched by the celestial winged tigers, its face lit up with glee.
"Young creator, you're still too green," the lich scoffed with disdain, looking to the sky as if speaking to the heavens.
Without hesitation, the Lich Chieftain raised its staff, unleashing beams of light that erupted outward. The lich warriors behind it, seemingly receiving their orders, launched a coordinated assault.
Donning heavy armor and wielding light swords, their general-level strength was unmistakable.
On Bai Ze's side, his celestial-winged tigers seemed ill-equipped in comparison. Despite their numbers, most were mid- to high-level servant ranks, placing them at a disadvantage against the formidable lich warriors.
"Roar!"
"Fall back! Don't engage them in direct combat. Spread out and adopt a defensive stance!"
With a deafening roar, the Taoti issued a strict command.
The celestial-winged tigers unfurled their wings, attempting to maneuver around and outlast the lich warriors. However, the lich forces pressed forward relentlessly, denying them any opportunity for evasion.
As the celestial-winged tigers retreated, some resorted to self-detonation to buy time for their comrades.
The Taoti stood its ground, creating massive black holes to absorb incoming ranged attacks. But soon enough, it began to falter, its steps slipping under the pressure.
With the celestial winged tigers being pushed back, rows of energy converters came into full view of the Lich Chieftain.
These devices, second only to the Gamma Ray Cannon, were the space station's most devastating weapon. Unlike the cannon, these devices could combine energies to create multiple commander-level entities!
"Flee? Where can you possibly run?"
"Now, activate the energy converters!" the Lich Chieftain bellowed, its tone filled with triumph.
"With the Lich King's emergence, I shall ensure your permanent demise."
The lich raised its staff again, unleashing a ripple of space-tearing energy. All lich warriors within its range were instantly absorbed, reduced to particles that streamed into the converters for synthesis.
At this point, everything was set. The Gamma Ray Cannon was fully charged, and energy within the converters began to condense.
From the outside, Bai Ze appeared cornered, with no way out of the dire situation.
"How's the search going? Any leads on their location?"
In her apartment, Ouyang Na anxiously awaited an update.
Yet, after hours of searching, her team had no new information.
"Nothing. We've scoured everywhere but can't find which part of the universe they're in," one of the observers reported with a bitter smile.
"Our efforts to screen students are moving quickly, but so far, there's no news from anywhere in the country," another added.
Ouyang Na sighed softly.
Back on the battlefield, creators stared at the blurry live feed with despair.
"Damn it, is it over?"
"A student is still a student. No combat experience whatsoever cornered like this..."
"No practical skills and still trying to play hero. Now everyone's in trouble!"
The creators were disheartened. Bai Ze's losses weren't the main issue they could handle his demise. What worried them most was the heightened awareness the liches would gain. If the liches fled now, finding their traces again would be nearly impossible.
"Wait a second… something's not right!"
"Look at the main screen! There's a problem with the liches' weapons!"
A single exclamation sent shockwaves through the crowd. Every creator's eyes snapped back to the central display.
To their astonishment, the fully charged Gamma Ray Cannon's energy was rapidly depleting.
The energy within the converters, just moments away from forming a Lich King, also seemed to have stalled.
Not only that, but the bottom of the space station erupted with a series of blinding lights, bursting from its seams. The display was so vivid even the creators outside could see it.
"What's going on?!"
"Why hasn't the Gamma Ray Cannon fired? Why did the converters stop creating the Lich King?"
"Who tampered with this?!"
The Lich Chieftain swung its staff, enraged but powerless.
What happened next left it utterly speechless.
It wasn't that the Gamma Ray Cannon's energy had disappeared it had been rerouted to the top floor via a transmission line.
This was a trap Bai Ze had prepared during the brief moments before the lich forces arrived.
Even the energy from the base's reactors had been funneled through the same lines to the top floor.
"If you can use the energy converters to create a Lich King and enhance yourself..."
"Then why shouldn't I use the same method to empower my creations?"
A mocking voice echoed across the cosmos, causing the Lich Chieftain's face to fall.
At that moment, it understood everything.
But it was too late.
The energy converters reached full capacity, and instead of the liches, the power surged into Bai Ze's celestial winged tigers.
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