Meanwhile, in a large apartment building in the imperial capital, a group of people gathered.
Each of them worked at an oversized computer, with lines of dense code scrolling across side screens. At the center of the main screen, a view of the vast universe was displayed.
As the operators' fingers danced across their keyboards, the main screen continuously shifted, revealing corners of the universe one after another.
Among them, two individuals dressed in distinguished attire stood watching the screens intently, their focus unwavering.
"Captain Ouyang, we've searched through the nearby star systems around our planet," one of them reported, stepping forward, "but we still haven't found any trace of that piece of Mystic Ice."
The universe was simply too vast, not to mention the possibility of countless multiverses. Relying solely on their creations to locate something was practically a fool's errand.
Thus, these sophisticated computers were used for universal reconnaissance. However, even with this technology, it was impossible to comprehensively observe the entire cosmos.
"If there's nothing nearby, then expand the search outward, into the lower-level multiverses," Captain Ouyang instructed. "The Mystic Elf race isn't a top-tier species. They wouldn't drift to the higher-level multiverses under normal circumstances. More likely, they were transported to the lower levels through that black hole."
Hearing this, the search team nodded vigorously.
"Understood, Captain. We'll adjust the instruments to search the lower multiverses immediately!"
Watching the motivated team, a man nearby hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Captain Ouyang, I'll go rally some of my subordinates within the star system to assist in the search!"
Captain Ouyang Na, referred to as "Captain" by the man, nodded in agreement.
This mission was undoubtedly arduous.
The Lich race, though not a top-tier species among the heavens, had previously been a significant threat to humanity. This was due in part to their technological advancements but also because of the existence of a god-tier figure among them: The Lich God.
According to the latest intelligence, the Lich God had disappeared since the depletion of the Lich's homeworld. While the reasons remained unclear, one thing was certain:
As long as humanity could prevent the Liches from obtaining the Heart of the Mystic Wood, they wouldn't need to lose a single soldier. The Lich God and by extension, the entire Lich race could be eradicated!
After all, planets couldn't be casually moved, and the majority of celestial bodies in the universe weren't suitable for sustaining life.
The perspective shifted back to Bai Ze.
The outside world was abuzz with activity, but the suddenness of the situation meant students hadn't been informed yet. Naturally, Bai Ze remained unaware of the official efforts to locate Aurora and the Lich race.
After completing another simulation, the sky had grown dark, and Bai Ze finally emerged from his room, looking utterly drained.
As soon as he stepped out, a wave of delicious aromas wafted into his nose.
Looking up, he saw the living room table was laden with plates of food, the enticing smells coming from them.
Sitting nearby was Xia Yinyue, who blinked her bright eyes at him mischievously.
"Hehe, the big shot is finally willing to come out?" she teased. "I waited for you all morning and afternoon, and when I went to your room, the door was locked!"
"Look, I've even prepared dinner for you."
Xia Yinyue crossed her arms, her tone light and playful.
Bai Ze scratched his head awkwardly. To avoid interruptions during simulations, he had deliberately locked his door. Being immersed in the simulations, he hadn't heard anything from outside.
"Uh… Sorry, Yinyue. I got so absorbed in the immersive world that I didn't hear you."
With an apologetic smile, Bai Ze walked over.
Just as he was about to sit down, Xia Yinyue stopped him.
"Wait, Bai Ze. Maybe you should shower before eating."
"Smell yourself you're a bit… well…"
Covering her mouth, she let out a light chuckle.
Sniffing himself, Bai Ze immediately noticed a faint sour odor, likely from being cooped up in his room for too long.
"Haha… Yeah, guess I should."
"How about we shower together?" Bai Ze joked, raising an eyebrow as he leaned closer to Xia Yinyue. His arm snuck around her waist.
Startled, Xia Yinyue quickly dodged. "Hmph! No way."
"You're not trying to shower with me you're thinking of… something else…"
Curious about what she'd say, Bai Ze waited, but after struggling for a while, her face turned bright red, and she still couldn't finish her sentence.
"Alright, alright. I'm just teasing you."
"Your mind went straight to the gutter. It's just a shower," Bai Ze said with a shrug, looking utterly relaxed. For a moment, Xia Yinyue almost believed it was her overthinking things.
It wasn't until Bai Ze walked away that she realized and huffed indignantly, "Hmph. Always teasing me, all talk and no action."
She stuck out her tongue playfully, making an adorable face.
Not long after, Bai Ze returned from the bathroom, freshly showered and feeling refreshed. Sitting at the table, he wasted no time diving into the meal.
"Slow down. No one's going to take it from you," Xia Yinyue said softly, patting his back.
As he ate, Bai Ze suddenly thought of something and began asking Xia Yinyue for advice.
"Yinyue, I've run into a bit of trouble. I wanted to get your opinion."
Hearing his serious tone, Xia Yinyue's expression became equally serious.
"Go ahead. I'm listening."
Propping her chin on her hand, she stared at Bai Ze intently.
"Hmm… I've encountered an enemy I can't deal with right now. I'm debating whether to report it to Teacher Zhou and try to get some support."
Xia Yinyue looked puzzled. "An enemy you can't handle?"
"Then it's best to tell Teacher Zhou. Otherwise, there could be unexpected consequences."
In the vast universe, anything was possible. Bai Ze's planet had already become valuable enough to attract invaders, so Xia Yinyue immediately thought of that possibility.
"But… I feel like…"
Seeing Bai Ze's hesitation, Xia Yinyue grew impatient.
"Bai Ze, this isn't like you."
"I remember during the freshman trials, the plants you summoned were indiscriminate in their attacks. You even used them to redirect trouble and managed to take down a peak commander-level creature!"
"You broke Su Lin Province's long-standing record back then."
Hearing her words, Bai Ze sighed softly.
During the freshman trials, it had been a simulated war. The lives of his creations weren't truly at stake, which was why he'd dared to use such tactics.
But this was a real war, and the opponent was a genuine monarch-level creature far stronger than anything he had faced before.
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