Chapter 266 This Broken Chess Game, You Will Die No Matter How You Play
"Senior, this chess game probably tests more than just the strategy of marching and deploying troops."
"You are very perceptive," Master Ji nodded approvingly. "Ordinary chess skills are meaningless in this Tianyuan chess game. What it truly tests is the player's 'choices and decisions' and 'heart of truth.'"
"Choice and Dao Heart?"
"That's right," Ji Lao looked at Xiao Yu, his eyes becoming deeper. "On the chessboard, each piece represents something different. There's your army, your city, your people, your beliefs, and your... obsession."
"Every step you take will face a choice: sacrifice the people of a city for a tactical advantage, or give up a vital strategic location to protect the entire army."
"Every move you make will reflect the deepest Dao within you, and your Dao will determine the ultimate outcome of this chess game."
Mr. Ji’s words made Chu Xuanyi’s heart sink.
This is no longer a chess game.
This is a torture of human nature.
Xiao Yu had no expression on his face, just looking at Ji Lao coldly.
"Are you done?"
"That's all."
"Then let's get started."
There was no hesitation in Xiao Yu's tone.
Not to mention Daoxin, even if it means letting him fall into the path of evil, he would do it as long as he can save Ajiu.
"Your Highness, let me go first." Chu Xuanyi stopped him. "This chess game is unpredictable. Let me explore the way for you first."
As the Grand Master of the Great Zhou Dynasty, Chu Xuanyi's mastery of Qimen Dunjia and formation deduction is unparalleled. He is the perfect candidate to crack the Tianyuan chess game.
Xiao Yu glanced at him, nodded, and stepped aside.
Chu Xuanyi took a deep breath and walked to the edge of the chessboard. He stared intently, and the image of the entire chessboard instantly flooded into his mind.
Master Ji looked at him and slowly said, "The game begins."
"Please place your move."
There seemed to be stars flowing in Chu Xuanyi's eyes.
His brain was working rapidly, and every detail of the Tianyuan chess game was disassembled, analyzed and reorganized by him.
The white light spots represent the "army", the blue light spots represent the "city", the golden light spots represent the "people", and the black light spots represent the "enemy".
Everything was clearly presented in his mind.
"The enemy is powerful and has surrounded us from three directions. Our forces are scattered and our supplies are low. Defending the city is a very bad idea."
Chu Xuanyi muttered to himself.
"The only solution now is to take a risky tactic. Sacrifice the rook to save the king."
A gleam of light flashed in his eyes, and he pointed his finger at a white dot of light on the chessboard that represented his main force.
"The first step is to gather our forces together, march three hundred miles at a rapid pace, and attack the enemy's central camp."
As he moved, the white spots of light on the chessboard indeed gathered together and turned into a stream of light that pierced the enemy formation.
"Buzz."
The chess game shook.
The black spots of light representing the enemy army suddenly became agitated, but the central army was broken, the formation was in chaos, and the front and rear could not take care of each other.
Wherever the white light passed, the black spots dissipated.
"It's done."
A Dragon Shadow spy couldn't help but cheer softly.
Even Xiao Yu's eyes flashed with approval.
Chu Xuanyi's move of removing the fuel from under the cauldron was indeed ingenious.
However, there was no expression on Ji Lao's illusory face.
“The choice has been made, and the outcome is clear.”
As soon as he finished speaking, amazing changes took place on the chessboard.
The white light, which was as powerful as a hot knife through butter, broke through the enemy's center and became encircled by the enemy's left and right wings.
At the same time, the blue and golden light spots representing the "city" and "people" that Chu Xuanyi had voluntarily abandoned were quickly swallowed up by the black light spots that surged like a tide after losing the protection of the army.
In the end, the isolated white main force that had penetrated deep into the enemy's territory had its light exhausted and completely dissipated under the enemy's frenzied counterattack.
The entire chessboard was completely covered in black, representing failure.
"puff."
Chu Xuanyi took a step back suddenly, spitting out a mouthful of blood, his face as pale as paper.
"Xuan Yi." Xiao Yu immediately stepped forward and supported him.
"I'm fine."
Chu Xuanyi waved his hands, his eyes filled with shock and confusion.
"How could this be... My deduction was flawless. Sacrificing a small part for the sake of a big one is a common practice in the military. Why did we fail so completely?"
The old man's voice sounded again.
"Because you gave up something you shouldn't have given up."
"You abandoned your people for victory. A commander who can't even protect his own people, whose army has long lost its fighting spirit and will, how can it not be defeated?"
"The chess game is reset."
As soon as he finished speaking, the black on the chessboard faded away, and all the light spots returned to their original appearance.
Chu Xuanyi wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and a hint of stubbornness flashed in his eyes.
"I understand. Come again."
This time, he changed his strategy.
He no longer pursued a quick victory, but took a steady and cautious approach, distributing all the white light spots representing the "army" to various "cities", building a solid line of defense and protecting those golden light spots of "people" with all his strength.
"Your Highness, look," a dragon figure whispered, "Lord Chu has secured all the cities this time."
The black spots of light on the chessboard attacked again and again, but they were unable to break through the defense line of the white light.
The golden light was safe and sound.
But the price is that the white light becomes dimmer and dimmer with continuous consumption.
The enemy's numbers were simply too great.
An hour later.
As the last white light representing the "army" went out, the impregnable defense line collapsed.
The black tide instantly submerged everything.
"puff."
Chu Xuanyi spat out blood again, his body swayed and he almost couldn't stand.
"Defeated again..."
His voice was filled with bitterness and confusion.
"Why? I clearly protected all my people, so why did I still lose?"
The figure of Ji Lao remained indifferent.
"Because your way is to protect, but protecting requires strength."
"You dispersed all your strength to defend, giving up the initiative. Facing an enemy many times your size, blindly defending will only exhaust all your strength and lead to destruction."
"You saved the process, but lost the ending."
"The chess game is reset."
The light spots on the chessboard returned to their original state for the third time.
Chu Xuanyi looked at the chessboard, and beads of cold sweat oozed out of his forehead.
This is simply an unsolvable dead end.
If we take the initiative to attack, we will lose the morale of the army because we abandon our people and eventually be defeated.
If you defend with all your might, you will be dragged to death due to exhaustion of strength and eventually be defeated.
No matter what choice he makes, it seems that the only outcome is failure.
There is no so-called way to win this chess game.
"I don't believe it."
Chu Xuanyi gritted his teeth and tried more than a dozen different strategies.
Sometimes they attack in groups, sometimes they lure the enemy deep into their territory, and sometimes they cut off their food supplies...
He used all his life's knowledge to bring military strategies to the extreme.
But every time, no matter how big an advantage is gained in the early stage, the final outcome is a complete loss.
Every time he failed, his mind would be shocked and his face would become paler and paler.
“Ahem…”
After another failure, Chu Xuanyi began to cough violently, blood stained his clothes red, and his body was on the verge of collapse.
"Xuan Yi, that's enough."
Xiao Yu held his shoulders, and a stream of pure internal energy passed over to stabilize his mind which was about to lose focus.
"Your Highness, I..." Chu Xuanyi was filled with a sense of defeat, "This chess game... is a dead end. There is no possibility of winning at all."
He looked at Xiao Yu with guilt in his eyes.
"I'm sorry, my lord, but I can't get the sacred stone."
"I've played this game over a hundred times, and every time it's a dead end. Attacking will lead to loss, defending will lead to loss, no matter what I choose, I'll lose. This isn't a game set up to win."
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