Compared to the tactical arrangements of the Qi Xia faction, the Chu Tianqiu faction appeared slightly disorganized.
“What do you mean…? I don’t understand at all…” Dr. Zhao said, “Can I really be of any help?”
“If there’s anything unclear, I can explain it to everyone,” Chu Tianqiu replied.
“I get it,” Wen Qiaoyun said. “We need to collect various radicals and components to form new characters, then hand them over to Chu Tianqiu to ‘score.'”
“Right,” Chu Tianqiu nodded in agreement. “That’s the general idea.”
“But how do we ‘collect’ them?” Xu Liunian asked again.
“Didn’t we just say…?” Yan Zhichun, who had been silent until now, interjected. “Either ‘seize’ them or wager our own ‘characters’ against the opponent. As long as both sides agree, anything goes.”
“But where do we go to ‘seize’ or ‘wager’?” Dr. Zhao asked. “Just charge in with a big group…?”
“Have you forgotten?” Chu Tianqiu answered. “At the start of the game, we entered through the rightmost ‘door,’ while Qi Xia entered from the leftmost one. There were seven ‘doors’ in total on the field, meaning the five central doors and their rooms could all serve as our game areas.”
Chu Tianqiu crouched and roughly sketched the area’s layout on the ground.
“If I’m not mistaken, all the ‘rooms’ here should be arranged in five rows and seven columns. Our ‘preparation zone’ and Qi Xia’s each occupy one column, meaning the central area should consist of five by five rooms—twenty-five in total, forming a square. These rooms are where we’ll engage in ‘seizing’ or ‘wagering.'”
The group looked down at the map, roughly understanding their position.
“I don’t think that’s right,” Wen Qiaoyun said. “Tianqiu, you overlooked something.”
Hearing this, Chu Tianqiu paused slightly, his expression growing complicated. After a long silence, he finally turned and asked, “What did I overlook…?”
His eyes held a mix of anticipation and nostalgia, with a faint trace of despair if one looked closely.
“If this game is modeled after ‘chess,’ then it shouldn’t just be the ‘pieces’ that are referenced,” Wen Qiaoyun said. “The ‘board’ should be too.”
“The ‘board’…?”
“Right.” Wen Qiaoyun bent down and modified the map Chu Tianqiu had drawn, erasing the five central rooms and writing a few words in their place:
**”Chu River, Han Border.”**
“Tianqiu, this is how it should be,” Wen Qiaoyun explained. “Though the board has been altered from the traditional one, if we follow ‘chess’ logic, the central column of rooms should be considered the ‘river,’ not part of the playable area.”
Chu Tianqiu took a deep breath, feeling an overwhelming sense of nostalgia at this realization.
Every time he proposed an idea, someone would always step forward to point out what was “missing,” then refine the entire plan with just a few words.
This kind of strategy required both Wen Qiaoyun and himself—neither could be absent.
“You’re right…” Chu Tianqiu nodded. “Since it’s a square ‘board,’ this is the only way to align with the ‘chess’ setting.”
Yan Zhichun stood in the corner, seemingly out of place with the others. After a moment of silence, she spoke up: “If this is ‘playing chess,’ how do we move? Do we carry our ‘characters’ and take turns, one step each?”
Chu Tianqiu lowered his head in thought before shaking it. “Probably not… Though it’s ‘chess,’ it’s not turn-based. Not everyone can hear the ‘commander’s’ orders from every corner. So I’d guess that aside from the ‘commander,’ the other six will act simultaneously.”
“Simultaneously…?” Both Wen Qiaoyun and Yan Zhichun frowned at the same time.
“So in this game, aside from competing for ‘characters,’ ‘intelligence’ is crucial,” Chu Tianqiu said. “Just like ancient warfare… Though our battlefield is small, high walls and doors block our vision. Even as ‘commander,’ I can’t immediately grasp the battlefield’s situation. That’s why we need a ‘scout’—so I can better control the overall strategy.”
With that, Chu Tianqiu turned his gaze to Jin Yuanxun.
“Jin Yuanxun, your ability makes you the best fit for scout,” Chu Tianqiu said. “Has your ‘conviction’ improved? If there’s a door blocking you… can you still ‘warp’ freely?”
“Hard to say, boss,” Jin Yuanxun shook his head. “Without familiarizing myself with the terrain, I can’t experiment recklessly. Otherwise, I might ‘warp’ to the wrong place.”
Chu Tianqiu nodded. If Jin Yuanxun accidentally “warped” to “Paradise Port,” he’d likely be considered to have “escaped.”
“Then take some time to familiarize yourself with the terrain,” Chu Tianqiu said. “Do your best to report the battlefield’s situation to me.”
“Got it,” Jin Yuanxun nodded.
“Next, I’ll assign ‘characters,'” Chu Tianqiu scanned the group. “You’re all smart—you know not to reveal your ‘characters.’ After the game starts, we’ll spend the first few minutes ‘probing.’ First, to guess what ‘characters’ the opponents have. Second, to figure out the ‘battlefield’s’ structure.”
“Understood,” the group nodded in unison.
“What about you?” Yan Zhichun asked. “Will you just stay in the ‘preparation zone’ while we fight on the front lines?”
Chu Tianqiu smiled and nodded. “I believe Qi Xia will do the same. In the first few minutes, we’ll both use our teammates’ ‘characters’ to score, since only the ‘commander’ can do that. Later, we’ll score based on the ‘characters’ seized by our teammates.”
A brief silence followed before everyone nodded again.
Chu Tianqiu then held up the seven ‘characters’ in his hand and said, “Our team’s composition is different from Qi Xia’s. Many of you here aren’t familiar with each other, so ‘individual ability’ far outweighs ‘team coordination.’ I won’t demand unity—just act according to your own judgment. If you’re unsure about tactics, consult Wen Qiaoyun or Yan Zhichun. If they’re unsure, they can ask me.”
The group found Chu Tianqiu’s leadership style somewhat unusual, but under the circumstances, it was the best option.
“I should also mention—my intelligence can’t match Qi Xia’s. To avoid elimination in this game, we’ll have to rely on the ‘Echoes’ you all unleash,” Chu Tianqiu said. “But most of your ‘Echoes’ are unstable and need time to adapt. So we’ll make our move in the later stages and win in one decisive strike.”
With that, Chu Tianqiu distributed six of the ‘characters’ among the group, keeping one for himself.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage