Chapter 999: The Chessboard

Compared to the Qi Xia camp's tactical arrangements, the Chu Tianqiu camp appeared somewhat chaotic.

Zhao Yisheng said,"What do you mean... I don't understand at all... Can I really be of help?"

Chu Tianqiu said,"I'll explain it to everyone if there's anything unclear."

Wen Qiaoyun said,"I get it. We need to collect various radicals and components, piece them together into new 'zi', and then hand them to Chu Tianqiu to 'score points'."

Chu Tianqiu nodded and replied,"That's right. That's the general idea."

Xu Liunian asked,"So how do we 'collect' them?"

Yan Zhichun, who had been silent until then, said from the side,"Wasn't it just explained? Either 'seize' them, or use your own 'zi' to gamble against the other side—as long as both parties agree, anything goes."

Zhao Yisheng asked,"But where are we supposed to go to seize or gamble? Just charge in as a big group...?"

Chu Tianqiu replied,"Have you forgotten? At the start of the game, we entered through the rightmost 'men', and Qi Xia entered through the leftmost 'men'. There were seven 'men' on the field in total, which means the middle five 'men' and all their rooms could be our game areas."

Chu Tianqiu squatted down and sketched a rough map of the area on the ground.

"If I'm not mistaken, all the 'fangjian' here are arranged in five rows and seven columns. Our 'beizhan qu' and Qi Xia's occupy one column each, so the middle area should be five by five, forming a square with a total of twenty-five rooms. Those are the places where we'll conduct 'seizing' or 'gambling'."

Everyone looked down at the map and got a general sense of their location.

Wen Qiaoyun said,"I think that's not quite right. Chu Tianqiu, you've overlooked something."

Upon hearing this, Chu Tianqiu paused slightly, his expression growing complex. After a long silence, he turned and asked,"What have I overlooked...?"

His eyes held a mix of anticipation, nostalgia, and a hint of despair.

Wen Qiaoyun said,"If this game is based on 'Xiangqi', it's not just the 'pieces' that are referenced."

Chu Tianqiu said,"The 'qipan'...?"

Wen Qiaoyun replied,"That's right."

Wen Qiaoyun bent down and modified the map Chu Tianqiu had drawn, erasing the middle five rooms and writing a few characters.

"Chu He Han Jie".

She said,"That's more accurate, Chu Tianqiu. Although the 'qipan' has changed from the traditional one, in 'Xiangqi', the middle row of rooms should be considered the 'river', and it's not part of the game area."

After hearing this, Chu Tianqiu took a deep breath, feeling a sense of nostalgia.

Every time he proposed a plan, there was always someone who pointed out what was missing and completed it with a few words.

This strategy needed both Wen Qiaoyun and himself.

Chu Tianqiu nodded and said,"You're right... Since it's a neat, square 'qipan', that makes it closer to the 'Xiangqi' setup."

Yan Zhichun, standing in the corner and seeming out of place with the others, was silent for a moment before saying,"Since this is like 'playing chess', how should we move? We all have 'zi' on us—do we take turns, with you moving first and then him?"

Chu Tianqiu thought for a moment and shook his head."It shouldn't be that way... Though it's called 'chess', it's not a turn-based game, because not everyone can hear the 'zhushuai's commands in every corner. So, I deduce that besides the 'zhushuai', the other six people will all move at the same time."

Wen Qiaoyun and Yan Zhichun both frowned at the same time and said,"At the same time...?"

Chu Tianqiu said,"So, in this game, besides competing for 'zi', 'information' is crucial. It's like ancient warfare... Even though our battlefield is small, the high walls and doors block our view, so as the 'zhushuai', I can't get real-time intel. We need an 'information officer' to help me control the overall situation."

Chu Tianqiu finished speaking and turned his gaze to Jin Yuanxun.

He said,"Jin Yuanxun, your ability makes you the most suitable for being the information officer. Has your 'belief' improved? If doors are blocking the way, can you 'leap' freely?"

Jin Yuanxun shook his head and said,"It's hard to say, bro. Without knowing the terrain first, I can't try it boldly, or I might 'leap' to somewhere else."

Chu Tianqiu nodded after hearing this. If Jin Yuanxun accidentally 'leapt' to 'Heaven's Gate', it would likely count as 'escaping'.

He said,"Then spend some time getting familiar with the terrain first. Report back to me on the battlefield situation as much as possible."

Jin Yuanxun nodded and said,"Got it."

Chu Tianqiu scanned the group and said,"Next, I'll assign the 'zi'. You're all smart people, so you know not to expose them. Once the game starts, we'll spend the first few minutes on 'probing'—first, to guess what 'zi' the other side has, and second, to check the 'battlefield' layout."

Everyone nodded and said,"Good."

Yan Zhichun said,"What about you? Are you going to stay in the 'beizhan qu' the whole time and let us fight on the front lines?"

Chu Tianqiu smiled and nodded."I believe Qi Xia will do the same as me—use the first few minutes to score points with teammates' 'zi', since only the 'zhushuai' can score. Then, in the following time, score based on the 'zi' your teammates seize."

Everyone fell silent for a moment before nodding.

After finishing, Chu Tianqiu took out the seven 'zi' in his hand and said to the group,"Our team is different from Qi Xia's—they're more cohesive, but here, many of you don't know each other well, so 'individual ability' outweighs 'team collaboration'. I won't demand unity; just act on your own ideas. If you're unsure about a tactic, ask Wen Qiaoyun or Yan Zhichun. If they're unsure, they can ask me."

Everyone felt that Chu Tianqiu's leadership strategy was a bit unusual, but it was the best choice for now.

Chu Tianqiu added,"I have to say this upfront: my wisdom doesn't match Qi Xia's. To avoid being eliminated in this game, we can only rely on the 'echoes' you all release. But most of your 'echoes' are unstable and need time to adapt, so we'll build up in the later stages and win in one go."

Next, Chu Tianqiu took out the 'zi' in his hand, thought for a moment, and distributed six of them to the group.