Chapter 1007: Crossing the River

Lao Qi, it’s over, it’s over! Young master messed up big time!

Chen Jun Nan pushed open the door and burst in, yelling.

At that moment, Tian Tian, Han Yi Mo, and Qiao Jia Jin were all gathered in the Bei Zhan Qu. They were watching Qi Xia who seemed lost in thought in front of the screen.

Hearing Chen Jun Nan’s shouts, Qi Xia slowly turned around and said softly:

Calm down and explain slowly. What happened?

Just now… Chen Jun Nan pointed behind himself, I bet a chain with Wen Qiao Yun, and she lost one to me. But I didn’t lose mine, and she figured out that I didn’t have a Pao on me. She even said that one of you, Zhang Lü Shi, or Lao Qiao had a Pao. Then I gave Zhao Yi Sheng a look, but he didn’t have anything either…

Chen Jun Nan rattled off a bunch of things in a rush, and the room fell into an unusual silence.

Lao Qi, do you understand…? Chen Jun Nan blinked and asked.

Qi Xia was silent for a few seconds before replying: I understand. You won a chain.

What the hell do you mean I won a chain?! Chen Jun Nan said with a look of grievance. Wen Qiao Yun tricked me! She really figured it out!

I know. Qi Xia nodded. And after she figured it out?

After she figured it out… I didn’t say anything and just left. Chen Jun Nan said. What else could young master say? Should I have complimented her some more?

Excellent. Qi Xia said. Gong Xin is fully complete. Now we can start breaking them down one by one.

Hold on… Lao Qi, do you really understand? Chen Jun Nan said. Wen Qiao Yun is just like before! She’s incredibly sharp!

You’re not bad yourself. Qi Xia thought for a moment and said. Did the Zi on you get exposed?

My Zi… Chen Jun Nan paused. Probably not.

With that, he reached into his pockets and pulled out a balled-up sock from each one. Each sock had several chains stuffed inside.

Chen Jun Nan slowly unraveled the two balls of socks, revealing the Zi inside.

One was Ma, another was Shi, and finally, there was a Shuai from Chen Jun Nan’s pocket.

It looked like he had prepared thoroughly, but before he could even lay out his messy plan, Wen Qiao Yun had thrown him off balance.

This is actually good. Qi Xia said. You went up to them with three Zi, and not only did they not snatch them from you, they even thought you only had one Zi and it wasn’t a Pao. In some ways, we’ve won.

Really…? Chen Jun Nan said, a bit incredulous. Young master counts as winning even like this?

From now on, you can be any Zi except Pao. Qi Xia nodded. Gong Xin has already succeeded.

But Lao Qi… Chen Jun Nan said hesitantly, There are a lot of smart people on their side…

Don’t worry. Qi Xia said. Their strength is having too many Zhi Jiang, but that’s also their weakness.

Huh…?

On their side, except for Zhang Shan and Jin Yuan Xun, everyone overthinks things. Qi Xia said. Even if you just walk in a circle in front of them, they’ll keep guessing your intentions.

But I don’t have any intentions… Chen Jun Nan shook his head. Young master goes crazy and doesn’t even know what he’s doing.

Qiao Jia Jin suddenly thought of something and happily said to Chen Jun Nan:

That’s right! I heard that fools beat experts, and it seems that’s exactly you, Jun Nan Zi!

Lao Qiao, I’m truly so grateful for your compliment. Chen Jun Nan said with a straight face. In the future, if there’s nothing important, please compliment me less.

Why aren’t you happy? Qiao Jia Jin stepped forward and put his arm around Chen Jun Nan’s shoulder. Jun Nan Zi, don’t be upset. I’m pretty foolish too.

That too doesn’t make me any happier. Chen Jun Nan said. Lao Qiao, you should stop comforting me. Why don’t you go over there and see if there are any dumbbells to lift for a while?

Qi Xia took a Shi from Chen Jun Nan’s hand and walked over to Tian Tian, handing the Zi to her.

Returning it to its rightful owner. Qi Xia said.

Tian Tian took her Shi with some confusion and asked: Qi Xia, didn’t the rules say we can’t exchange Zi at will? Why could Chen Jun Nan take our Zi and run off with it? And now you’re giving his Zi back to me… Isn’t this an exchange?

Of course not. Qi Xia said. This Zi isn’t something Chen Jun Nan exchanged with you—it’s something I just snatched from him.

Snatched…?

And you didn’t give your Zi to Chen Jun Nan; he snatched it from you.

Tian Tian was stunned, recalling that Chen Jun Nan had indeed pulled the Shi from her hand earlier, and now Qi Xia had done the same to take it from him before using his authority as the main commander to assign it back to her.

No wonder such bold actions hadn’t been stopped by the Cai Pan—everything was within the rules.

Di Long said… Qi Xia explained, We can use any means to seize Zi from anyone, including our own people. The only thing is, the person who loses their Zi has to wait in the Bei Zhan Qu.

I see… Tian Tian murmured to herself as she looked down at the Shi in her hand.

Qi Xia told her that in regular Xiangqi, the Shi is the last line of defense for the Jiang Shuai.

But in this game, only the weak end up with Shi.

Oh, right, Lao Qi! Chen Jun Nan said. Earlier, I had that kid deliver a message to you. Did you get it?

I got it. Qi Xia said. It seems both sides thought the same thing and discovered the hidden rule of this game—Guo He.

Guo He…? Tian Tian and Qiao Jia Jin asked, puzzled.

In Xiangqi, some pieces can’t cross the river. Qi Xia said. But in this game, Di Long didn’t mention anything about Guo He, which might be a trap. No matter what, someone has to test it out. We’ll try to make the other side cross the river first, and once we know the consequences, we’ll act.

After hearing this, Qiao Jia Jin turned to look at the wall: Deceiver, which pieces can’t cross the river?

Qi Xia also turned to the wall and pointed at the characters on it: Normally, Shi, Xiang, and Jiang Shuai can’t cross the river; they can only move in their own territory. That means if we see someone appear in our area later, their identity can only be Ma, Che, Zu, or Pao.

So… Chen Jun Nan thought for a moment, Lao Qi, what do you think will happen if we cross the river?

It’s hard to say. Qi Xia shook his head. There are just too many possibilities. We don’t know which rules Di Long and Qing Long decided to use in the end.