Like some invisible lock in her mind had been opened, Xu Qiqin felt like this game with Wang Chong had caused her thoughts to gush out, allowing the fusion of the Xu Clan's logistic skills, military arts, and her chess style to become ever more harmonious. Slowly, Xu Qiqin began to form her own style.
And this increasing familiarity with logistics and chess was reflected on the board in the worsening status of Wang Chong's forces. Just like a great army that had been cut off from supplies and reinforcements, Wang Chong was gradually pushed into a dead end.
Water without a source would dry up, and even the greatest army would march to defeat if it had no supplies!
This was the situation confronting Wang Chong.
Pa!
The final stone was placed on the board like a hammer striking a nail. Xu Qiqin immediately stood up from her seat, her arrogant face announcing the result of this match.
"Wang Chong, you've lost! This game is my victory!"
Xu Qiqin looked down upon him, her face suffused with pride. After all the injustices she had suffered in Deflecting Blade Manor over these last few months, she had finally reached her goal.
She had finally defeated the so-called 'Qilin son' of the Wang Clan.
Starting from now, Xu Qiqin of the Xu Clan was the true genius of chess, and the strongest chess player in the world. With this name, she could openly challenge war god Su Zhengchen.
Who said that women were inferior to men? Xu Qiqin was better than any man!
In terms of martial attainments, everyone in the Longwei Training Camp had to respect her as their big sister. And in terms of chess, hadn't even the recently popular Qilin son of the Wang Clan who was adored by all fallen at her hands?
In both civil and martial terms, she, Xu Qiqin, was superior to any of those foul men.
The Chess Hall was silent. Everyone had been stunned by these results. No one had expected that the chess god that was Wang Chong would be defeated by Xu Chong!
"How is this possible?"
Old Eagle and Wei Anfang were also dumbfounded. But the chessboard did not lie, nor would the crisscrossed white and black stones wrangling on the board.
Wang Chong truly had lost!
An indescribable silence filled the Chess Hall, an almost stifling air.
Everyone was staring at Wang Chong. If Wang Chong could not prove that he was supreme in chess, then he would no longer have the right to test or teach the other students of the Chess Hall.
Wang Chong's status in Deflecting Blade Manor would also be shaken.
First it would be chess, and then it would be martial arts, and then the rest. This event would cause a chain reaction.
Moreover, under Wang Chong's influence, the Chess Hall was growing increasingly important to Deflecting Blade Manor. The first thing everyone did after entering the Deflecting Blade Manor was take the test in the Chess Hall.
The Chess Hall test was the entrance exam for Deflecting Blade Manor.
If Wang Chong could not prove his legitimacy and leadership ability, all of this would stop existing. At the very least, Xu Qiqin would be more qualified to lead the Chess Hall.
"That's right…"
Xu Qiqin gave Wang Chong a gentle laugh, revealing an indescribable smile. And then with a swish, she untied her hair band and shook her head, allowing a head of black hair to flow down like a waterfall.
At the same time, Xu Qiqin flicked a finger from her right hand across her chest. The thin fingernail was as sharp as a saber, instantly cutting away at Xu Qiqin's blue outer garment.
In the blink of an eye, as if some magic trick had been performed, a soft, long, and ivory-colored gown revealed itself before the crowd.
The forceful Xu Chong was no more. In his place was a pale-skinned and elegant woman of supreme beauty.
"Wow!"
This sudden transformation flabbergasted the crowd.
"My god, Xu Chong, Xu Chong was a girl!"
"So beautiful!"
"That's impossible! She's stunning! We were together with her for so long and didn't even notice!"
……
Everyone had been struck dumb by Xu Chong's transformation. When he was a man, 'Xu Chong' had been so handsome that even women looked dim in comparison.
And now that 'Xu Chong' was back to being a woman, her beauty was such that many beauties and fairies in the capital seemed to fade into the background.
Most importantly, Xu Chong was not so delicate and weak as other girls, nor was she only a beautiful face. She had the elegance and majesty of a great clan, and an astonishing talent that many girls didn't have.
This made her beauty even more stunning, and even more fatal.
In the Chess Hall, everyone who saw Xu Chong's true self couldn't help but be enraptured, naturally developing a good impression of her.
This sort of magnetic charm was unstoppable!
How beautiful!
This thought emerged from the minds of the crowd at the same time.
Even Wang Chong couldn't help but widen his eyes.
This was Wang Chong's first time seeing Xu Qiqin's true appearance!
And Wang Chong had to admit that this girl's beauty was soul-stirring, surpassing the normal definitions of beauty.
This sort of beauty would make others inadvertently want to get close to her and submit to her.
…Everyone says that the daughter of the Xu Clan possesses a peerless beauty. It seems that it wasn't a lie!
This thought flitted through Wang Chong's mind, and Wang Chong firmly agreed.
Chapter 438: The Last White Stone Reverses the Victory!
Chapter 438: The Last White Stone Reverses the Victory!
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
Wang Chong had already known of Xu Qiqin's true identity and also that she was a woman. However, Xu Qiqin's true beauty really had surpassed his expectations.
"…I forgot to tell you, I'm not called Xu Chong. My name is Xu Qiqin, the oldest daughter of the Xu Clan. In a little while, when you announce to everyone that you're inferior to me, don't forget this point."
Xu Qiqin had no idea what Wang Chong was thinking. A proud expression on her face, she lightly flung her black hair behind her and casually used a white hairtie to tie it together.
Although there had been a few twists and turns, Wang Chong had still lost to her.
"Young Lady! Wow! You really won!"
A shriek came from out of the crowd as Xu Qiqin's dainty and delicate maid ran out. She was jumping and yelling, her face covered with excitement.
"You won, you really won!"
The little maid was so excited that it seemed like she was the one that had won.
"Little girl, you're so annoying!"
Xu Qiqin impatiently gave the maid a light slap on the back of the head.
"Wang Chong, what are you doing? Quickly make the announcement!"
Xu Qiqin turned around and looked at Wang Chong, the look of victory on her face. She made a gesture with her hand, indicating that Wang Chong should go into Deflecting Blade Manor and announce her victory to everyone.
"Haha, you've won? Then why don't I see it?"
Wang Chong sat like an unmoving mountain on his seat, watching with a faint smile as Xu Qiqin played out the part of the rejoicing victor.
"Wang Chong, the outcome has already been decided. With so many people watching, are you still thinking about going back on your word?"
Xu Qiqin's pupils constricted and her expression shifted.
"The Wang Clan is still a clan of ministers and generals. You wouldn't be so lacking in character, would you?"
The maid immediately came to her lady's defense. "That's right. Wang Chong, are you a man or not? Do you want to go back on your words after playing chess with my clan's young lady?"
The atmosphere in the Chess Hall also began to get a little strange.
Xu Qiqin's victory truly had been surprising, but so had Wang Chong's reaction. Deflec
ting Blade Manor had been established for more than half a year, and Wang Chong had left a very good impression on its students.
No one believed that Wang Chong was someone who would so easily break a promise, but the scene taking place had left many of them confused.
"Hey hey, I didn't say anything about taking back my words! But, Xu Qiqin, do you not know that this game's outcome is only decided once I play my last piece? …You didn't forget that you were the one who went first this game, did you?"
As he spoke, Wang Chong took his last white stone from the box.
Buzz!
The appearance of this white stone instantly caused the atmosphere in the Chess Hall to shift. Xu Qiqin acted like someone had stung her, her entire body trembling.
In just an instant, some matters that had been forgotten quickly resurfaced to the top of the mind with the appearance of this white stone.
Indeed, she really had been the one to go first in this game!
In the game of chess, there was one who went first and one who went second. Although she had already put down her last stone, this game could only truly conclude when Wang Chong put down his last stone.
Wang Chong was completely correct when he said that victory had not been decided!
Bzzt!
Like a lightning bolt flashing through her mind, Xu Qiqin suddenly had a bad feeling. The smile on her face quickly vanished.
Xu Qiqin had never dared to look down on Wang Chong, and now was no different.
However, Xu Qiqin quickly regained her composure.
"Hmph, Wang Chong, stop trying to mess with me. With the board in this state, I don't believe that your last piece can still bring you victory!" Xu Qiqin coldly said.
Sweeping one's gaze across the gilded chessboard, one would only see white and black stones intertwining like a map of broken hills.
Xu Qiqin could be sure that Wang Chong's forces had been scattered and smashed, completely losing any ability to threaten her.
"Hahaha, Xu Qiqin, remember these words: the one who laughs lasts laughs best!"
Right in front of everyone's eyes, Wang Chong gave a hearty laugh as he put down the last white stone.
Time seemed to slow to a crawl. The white stone in Wang Chong's hand seemed to a weigh a thousand jun, attracting everyone's attention.
Even Xu Qiqin couldn't help but follow the slow descent of the white stone onto the board.
Xu Qiqin found it impossible to believe that this white stone could pose any threat to her, but Wang Chong was too calm, too carefree. This made her unconsciously feel a tinge of unease.
It was just a second, but to the crowd, it felt like countless epochs. Finally, peng! With this sound, Wang Chong's last white stone fell on Xu Qiqin's lower left corner, a position that she had never once paid attention to.
The moment this stone fell, the entire Chess Hall shook. It was as if Wang Chong's stone was not falling on their chessboard, but on the hearts of every person present.
"Check1! Xu Qiqin, you've lost!"
Wang Chong said a term that Xu Qiqin didn't understand. But Xu Qiqin very quickly put aside her attempts to understand what Wang Chong had meant, because with Wang Chong's final white stone, everyone's gazes had gathered on that unremarkable spot.
And when the dust had settled, everyone suddenly discovered that this originally unimportant spot had become extremely important.
Wang Chong's efforts had been like constructing a giant net, one that had begun being woven from the first stone, but that only now finally took shape.
Wang Chong's scattered, broken, and formless white stones seemed to revolve around this white stone, transforming into a massive and lethal trap.
And Xu Qiqin was the prey sitting in the very center of this trap.
"This is impossible!" Xu Qiqin's eyes went wide as she stared with disbelief at the sudden reversal on the board, her chest heaving up and down.
"Nothing is impossible. Xu Qiqin, you've lost!"
Wang Chong grinned as his hands stretched out to collect the pieces. Under Xu Qiqin's stunned gaze, he began to collect the first prey caught in the net he had spent so much time constructing: Xu Qiqin's first large dragon, formed from black stones.
Next was a little dragon in the corner, and then a second, a third…
A part of the once-packed board was suddenly emptied by Wang Chong, and then a second part, a third part…
Xu Qiqin's black stones were different from Wang Chong's. She had constituted them into many dragons, large and small, all of them connected to support each other.
It seemed like a masterful layout, but at this moment, it became her greatest error.
As space after space was emptied, when the pieces were all collected, the black stones were scattered and sparse. Wang Chong's originally shattered army of white stones now occupied the absolute advantage.
The layout of those sparsely scattered stones at first seemed like the result of Xu Qiqin's fusion of logistics and chess, but now it seemed like a masterstroke from Wang Chong.
Because it was now impossible for Xu Qiqin to take any of Wang Chong's pieces off the chessboard.
Wang Chong had won!
The situation on the chessboard could be recognized at a glance. Even the most ignorant of chess players could see it.
"Impossible, impossible… This can't be happening!"
Xu Qiqin's entire body trembled. The stark contrast in the state of the board from just a single move truly had dealt her a heavy blow. Even if you beat her to death, Xu Qiqin would have found it impossible to believe that she could have lost!
And even though she had held the upper hand against Wang Chong for the entire game, she had lost at the final move.
"How could this be? How could this be?" Xu Qiqin muttered to herself, her face pale, her body swaying.
"Young Lady!"
The delicate little maid hurriedly went to assist her young lady while shooting a glare at Wang Chong.
It was all this scoundrel's fault that her young lady had received such a blow. Did he not know what it meant to hold back?
And he had even seen her young lady's true appearance. He truly knew nothing of what it meant to be graceful!
Wang Chong only smiled at the maid's vicious glare. If this had been a contest of wills or a leisurely game, he wouldn't have minded holding back.
However, Wang Chong had set up this board precisely so that he could subdue Xu Qiqin, the future King of Logistics, and bring her under his command. Thus, he could not possibly hold back.
"To be able to fuse your Xu Clan's logistics skills with your chess style, Xu Qiqin, your talent really is incredible!"
Wang Chong slowly swept a large pile of black stones into a chess box and then stood up.
"Alas, you were so focused on the local situation that you disregarded the whole! After all, chess is not a simple contest of logistics!"
With this last word, Wang Chong began to exude a mighty aura, one that he had always had.
As a War Saint in his last life, Wang Chong had been speaking as a teacher to Xu Qiqin.
Xu Qiqin's talent truly was excellent, but it was barely excellent. There was still a large gap between her and Wang Chong. One could see it from this game.
Xu Qiqin had held the advantage throughout the game, but at the very end, Wang Chong's last white stone had ruined all her efforts and turned victory into defeat.
Xu Qiqin might have been surprised by this result, been astonished, found it impossible to accept, but to Wang Chong, this had all been part of the plan.
Xu Qiqin was not the first opponent Wang Chong had faced, nor would she be the last, and she certainly wasn't the most formidable.
In Wang Chong's life, he had encountered innumerable opponents of impressive caliber, and those had been on the dangerous battlefield. And these famous generals, Great Generals, and even the foreign invaders had all suffered a bitter defeat at his hands, so why would Xu Qiqin be the exception?
The title of 'War Sa
int' was not something one could just give oneself!
Boom!
The moment Wang Chong finished speaking, those students who worshiped and supported Wang Chong immediately broke into cheers, soon followed by the rest of the students.
Wang Chong and Xu Qiqin's chess match had been truly too amazing, especially Wang Chong's divine last stone that had instantly turned defeat into victory and thoroughly routed Xu Qiqin.
This unfathomable chess style had completely overcome everyone present.
Just this alone was enough to win Wang Chong a great number of unswerving fans, and even more people had been completely bewitched by the profundity of chess.
None of them had expected the way of chess to be so strange and wonderful. It was like a mysterious world bursting with infinite light, enrapturing all the people looking in.
"Good job!"
"Young Master really is Young Master. No one can lightly challenge him in his area of expertise!"
……
Wei Anfang and Old Eagle were also smiling.
The pair had never doubted Wang Chong's ability, but the brilliance of this game had far surpassed their expectations.
______________
1. 'Check' was written in English in the original text.
Chapter 439: Wang Chong's Condition!
Chapter 439: Wang Chong's Condition!
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
Xu Qiqin's complexion was terrible. The surrounding cheers were unquestionably putting a sort of pressure on her.
"Wang Chong, don't get too smug! You've only won one game. There will be a day when I defeat you!" Xu Qiqin coldly said.
"Haha, that's a matter for the future. But right now, we have another pressing matter. Xu Qiqin, you didn't forget about our wager, right?"
Wang Chong tossed around a white stone, a smirk on his face.
Xu Qiqin's eyes narrowed and she seemed to almost stop breathing. She had suddenly recalled a most disastrous matter.
Wang Chong really had promised that if he lost, he would announce to everyone that he was inferior to her. But similarly, if she lost, she would have to agree to a condition of his.
The Human Emperor c1-2382 Page 309