Outside the simulation, students, teachers, and creators from across the province who came to witness the test were all left utterly dumbfounded, unable to speak for a long time.
The scenes within the simulated world were far too fantastical, too overwhelming.
The 20,000-strong mechanized army, an impenetrable wall of steel, seemed unbeatable. Anyone else facing them would have met with utter defeat.
Yet, Bai Ze, with a single move using a tool card, turned the tide, breaking through the deadlock and not only surviving but overwhelming the enemy forces in a counterattack.
It was simply inconceivable.
"One move, a heavenly fall, sweeping away 20,000 mechanized troops his methods are terrifying!"
"So it turns out... it turns out that everything was part of Bai Ze's plan. He divided his forces into three units to lure the mechanized troops from all sides to converge and encircle him."
"What a masterful strategy, like the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind!"
Amidst the amazement, even Pang De, the star forger in the war room, stood up excitedly for the first time.
His usually casual expression was now filled with exhilaration.
"Brilliant! This lad's strategy is truly brilliant!"
"These central nerve systems have exceptionally powerful algorithms, but they are ultimately inferior to human ingenuity. Their calculations are limited to the intelligence they possess. Unpredictable factors, such as tool cards, aren't factored into their computations."
"This lad not only identified a bug in their system but also used it against them. Remarkable, truly remarkable!"
"But I must say... what's the deal with this tool card? I've never seen a tool card with such tremendous power before."
Pang De's excitement soon gave way to confusion.
A card of this magnitude was already comparable to an A-tier tool card.
While simulated wars didn't cause real damage to creatures or planets, the usage of a tool card meant it was permanently consumed.
No matter how wealthy someone was, who would be willing to use an A-tier tool card worth over a billion federal credits for a mere simulation war?
"Star Forger Pang De, that card was given to him by me," Teacher Zhou Qing interjected hastily.
"There's no need to dwell on it. After all, the new student test doesn't prohibit the use of tool cards, does it?"
Zhou Qing tried to smooth things over, knowing full well the card was Bai Ze's own doing.
However, showcasing too much could invite jealousy. A single move to annihilate 20,000 troops and achieve an extreme reversal this was something even Tang Qingcheng couldn't accomplish.
To shield Bai Ze, she decided to shift the narrative.
That said, Zhou Qing couldn't help but glance at Teacher Su, a smug hint in her expression.
Teacher Su, on the other hand, looked visibly displeased, her face burning as though she had been repeatedly slapped.
Bai Ze's maneuver had completely overshadowed her prized student, Tang Qingcheng.
Although the use of a tool card was involved, it still reflected Bai Ze's capabilities.
Before Teacher Su could retort, Pang De suddenly spoke up again.
"Well, well. There's no need to argue over this."
"However, even though your student from Tianzhou Academy has strong leadership skills, he still won't make it to the end."
"The planet I created isn't as simple as it looks on the surface."
"I can say with certainty that no student this year will achieve victory!"
Pang De stroked his beard, his tone filled with amusement.
His statement immediately provoked the two teachers.
Especially Teacher Su, who had been sitting still earlier, suddenly jumped to her feet.
"Star Forger Pang De, what you're saying is..."
"Well, I still have great faith in my Qingcheng. Since you're so confident, why don't we place a bet?"
"I'll wager 10 million federal credits that Qingcheng will win the provincial championship and break the so-called 'unwinnable legend' you created!"
With that, Teacher Su casually took out a card and placed it in front of the others.
She then turned to Teacher Zhou Qing with a challenging glare.
"What about you, Teacher Zhou? Dare to join us, or do you think your student, Bai Ze, won't be able to defeat Qingcheng and reach the end?"
Zhou Qing's face fell. She knew it was a provocation, an attempt to humiliate her.
But she wasn't one to back down.
"Fine. I'll wager 10 million federal credits as well, betting that Bai Ze from Tianzhou Academy will achieve everything you just said!"
Unyielding, Teacher Zhou Qing placed a similar card on the table.
The two teachers locked eyes, the tension between them palpable.
At that moment, Pang De chuckled.
"Haha, since that's the case, I'd like to join in as well."
"This is a black card with 100 million federal credits. I'll bet it as my stake."
"I wager that no new student this year will succeed in defeating the simulated planet I created!"
He laughed strangely, leaving the two teachers momentarily stunned.
A wager of 100 million federal credits such high stakes!
Could it be that the simulated planet was even more challenging than it seemed, giving Pang De such confidence?
Still, what was said couldn't be taken back.
The teachers had no choice but to place their faith in their students.
Back in Bai Ze's Simulation
"System notification: Aura recovery has reached 2,000 times the original rate. Resource supplies have increased exponentially!"
Bai Ze's face lit up with joy.
This was exactly the solution he had devised.
With too few creatures under his command, whether he fought head-on or acted separately, losses were inevitable.
The only viable approach was to lure all the mechanized forces into one spot and annihilate them in one decisive strike, completely disrupting their rhythm.
Having noticed this during a prior simulation, Bai Ze realized that the "Heavenly Explosion Star" could eliminate far more than 5,000 creatures.
So in this real test, he dared to bring it out and catch the enemy off guard.
"Good! Let's keep up the momentum and push to the end!" Bai Ze shouted, raising his arm.
The allied forces below were brimming with fervor, surging forward with unstoppable momentum.
The Water Sovereign creatures took advantage of their speed in the water to lock down the perimeter, leaving the remaining mechanized creatures in the center with nowhere to escape.
The massive Meteor Swarm army swept through the interior, scattering the mechanized troops and reducing them to heaps of scrap metal.
After the devastating blow of the Heavenly Explosion Star, the original 20,000 mechanized creatures were now fewer than a tenth of their number and those that remained were all half-destroyed.
Against the nearly full-strength allied forces, they crumbled instantly.
The defeat was reported to the central nervous systems, which were utterly flustered.
Electric signals turned into frantic Morse code-like pulses, with the systems blaming and berating each other in a mechanical cacophony.
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