Chapter 437: Xu Qiqin Achieves Victory!
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
At Wang Chong's level, few chess moves were worthy of his gaze. But Xu Qiqin's move had absolutely reached this level.
Moreover, Xu Qiqin's move was one that Wang Chong had never seen before, yet was also not completely unfamiliar.
I didn't think that by reading my chess books, she would so quickly fuse her skills in logistics with her chess style, Wang Chong mentally sighed.
Commerce was related to the art of war, as was chess. Military strategy was connected to almost everything. 'By learning one thing thoroughly, one can learn all things' was no empty phrase.
When one reached the peak, one's field of vision would change, and many things would begin to connect.
In his previous life, Xu Qiqin had been famed throughout the world for her skills in logistics. Whether it was cavalry, infantry, or archers, Xu Qiqin would always be able to promptly deliver weapons, armor, and rations to them.
If one regarded the pieces in the middle of the board as the regular army and the pieces on the edge of the board as the supply train, then Xu Qiqin's black stone was a sword that had cut off Wang Chong's army from his supplies.
At Wang Chong's peak, when he was regarded as a War Saint, he commanded all the generals and strategists and led an army of tens of thousands of elites, but he had no one to manage logistics, so his grand army eventually reached its limit.
Thus, he had an extremely deep appreciation for this field.
The Xu Qiqin of the present had not reached the level of reputation from his previous life, but she had already begun to comprehend the logistics skills of her Xu Clan. By melding it with military strategy, she was gradually beginning to show signs of that King of Logistics.
Such intelligence and talent were too astonishing. Even Wang Chong, the man once acclaimed as 'War Saint', had to admit that Xu Qiqin's skill in chess was quite headache-inducing.
"How is it? Why aren't you saying anything? Weren't you really good?" Xu Qiqin sneered, taking full advantage of this chance to jeer at Wang Chong.
If one said that Wang Chong had been energetically defending himself this entire time, keeping the distance between the two of them close, then now, this single move had instantly widened the gap, making it extremely obvious.
"I don't have anything to say. This move truly was formidable," Wang Chong said with a faint smile. He would never deny when something was formidable.
"Hmph, finally, some sense."
Xu Qiqin raised her head high, a proud smile finally emerging on her lips. This was the first time Wang Chong had praised her in this match.
"However, this alone won't be enough to deal with me."
Wang Chong's addition almost made Xu Qiqin explode.
"Bastard, just you wait and see," Xu Qiqin furiously said. Not even she had noticed that though she was still dressed as a man, she had unintentionally taken a slightly feminine posture in front of the crowd.
Everyone in the Chess Hall had very strange expressions, though the crowd quickly put it aside. After all, Xu Qiqin was taking another black stone and placing it on the board.
No matter how strong the disciple was, they could never be stronger than the master.
Xu Qiqin had known long ago that she could never beat Wang Chong in chess just by studying his strategy and chess books. To defeat him, she needed another method.
Thus, Xu Qiqin's goal in studying Wang Chong's chess books was very simple: understand his strategy and chess style, and find a way to suppress them.
Wang Chong's conjectures had been correct. This fusion of logistics and strategy was the method Xu Qiqin had developed to deal with Wang Chong.
And it could be considered Xu Qiqin's true chess style.
The game proceeded, black and white following each other in quick succession as they continued to be placed onto the board. Wang Chong continued his full-out assault in order to reverse the situation, but in Xu Qiqin's eyes, he was clearly fighting with his back to the wall.
If Wang Chong had been able to see her intentions from the start, perhaps he would still have had a chance, but now that they were forty to fifty moves deep, her surprising move had crippled Wang Chong's assault. His disadvantage was now clear, and everything was too late.
I'll see how long your stubborn mouth will last! Xu Qiqin mentally sneered.
She had already taken quite a few of Wang Chong's pieces, but Wang Chong had only taken about eight of hers. Based on the state of the board, Wang Chong's chances of victory were nil.
Clack!
On the fifty-eighth turn, Xu Qiqin put down another black stone, almost magically cutting off Wang Chong's little dragon in the upper right corner from his large dragon.
On the seventy-second turn, Xu Qiqin's new chess style that mixed logistics and strategy once more appeared. Another piece mystically broke through one of Wang Chong's dragons.
On the eighty-fifth turn, Xu Qiqin's style showed itself for the fourth time, and Wang Chong's position worsened, the gap growing larger.
On the ninety-sixth turn, Xu Qiqin's logistics skills went to work, devouring one of Wang Chong's small dragons.
The one-hundred-and-eighth turn…
The one-hundred-and-twenty-third turn…
The one-hundred-and-fifty-first turn…
……
Xu Qiqin was growing more and more familiar with the art of logistics and was finding it more and more enjoyable. Unbeknownst to her, all the confidence that she had lost from her miserable defeats to Wang Chong had returned.
She had returned to being that big sister of Longwei Training Camp that everyone revered.
Xu Qiqin began to play faster and faster, began to have a greater feel of the game, each move played almost instantly and naturally. This was probably the greatest grasp Xu Qiqin had ever had of the game and also the highest level of chess she had ever displayed.
Xu Qiqin felt that she was invincible in chess. No one, not even Wang Chong, could defeat her.
Not even the war god, Su Zhengchen, who she had always respected, was her match.
Once this match concluded, she had to find Senior Su Zhengchen and have him play a match with her. This was not out of disrespect for that revered elder. She simply wanted to test her skills.
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.