16: Chapter 16 Chess

The [Strategist] of Sakura Country.

On the Starlight Chessboard, one could see the moves made by each country and some of the important items each country had obtained.

Beyond observing the chessboard, the special off-board items Sakura Country had activated early on allowed for a more nuanced insight into the situation of the Dragon Country.

The reason for using such precious off-board items against the Dragon Country was, naturally, to force the Dragon Country to sign that extremely unequal treaty.

At first, everything proceeded very smoothly.

The Dragon Country was a weak nation by nature, lacking its own native Heroic Spirits. The Heroic Spirits authorized by foreign nations were all useless trash with abysmal combat power. Even the nations that possessed these trash Heroic Spirits didn't know how to use them, so after authorizing them to the Dragon Country, it was impossible for the Dragon Country to achieve good results with these useless spirits.

And this time was different. This time, the powerful nations in the Game of National Destiny, led by Sakura Country, not only wanted to prevent the Dragon Country from achieving good results but also to completely break the Dragon Country's spine!

Isn't your Dragon Country's national destiny already at rock bottom?

Isn't your Dragon Country relying on the Heroic Spirits dispensed by us powerful nations just to survive in the Game of National Destiny, struggling repeatedly between being at the bottom and barely avoiding it?

Then this time, we'll do something big to your Dragon Country: completely cut off the authorization of Heroic Spirits for your Dragon Country!

Not only did they cut off the authorization, but the [Strategist] of Sakura Country also step-by-step lured the Dragon Country's [Strategist] into participating in lethal missions.

Smoothly, everything was very smooth.

The Heroic Spirit authorization was cut off, and the [Strategist] died.

If the Dragon Country didn't sign that unequal treaty, it would suffer terrifying disasters in the real world!

Just when the Sakura Country [Strategist] thought their targeting of the Dragon Country was a checkmate, and that the Dragon Country had no choice but to sign that unequal treaty...

A new [Strategist] had actually appeared on the Dragon Country's Starlight Chessboard position!

It would have been one thing if just a new [Strategist] had appeared, but what the Sakura Country [Strategist] hadn't expected was that this new [Strategist] could also place native Huaxia Heroic Spirits on the board. Not only could he place native Huaxia Heroic Spirits, but he could even construct exclusive skills for the Heroic Spirits!

He saw it. Through the situation on the chessboard and the prompts from special items, this Sakura Country [Strategist] didn't need a reminder from the off-board Support Group; he had already 'seen' that the Dragon Country had snatched the 'tree of dark twilight'!

"Having obtained the 'tree of dark twilight', it is a certainty that the Dragon Country will advance to a middle ranking!

But that new Dragon Country [Strategist] seems unsatisfied. He only used 'Three In, Three Out' for [Seven In, Seven Out], leaving 'Four In, Four Out' still available.

[Rule 12] stipulates that Heroic Spirits can be withdrawn and can be used again after being withdrawn.

It is very obvious that the Dragon Country's new [Strategist] will not be satisfied with just obtaining the 'tree of dark twilight'; he is also delusional about snatching the 'tree of morning light' as well!

There are only five countries that possess the 'Twin Trees'. If the Dragon Country manages to snatch the 'tree of morning light' as well, it will also become a 'Twin Trees' country!

Does that new [Strategist] from the Dragon Country want to squeeze the Dragon Country into the top ten on his very first appearance?"

Saku Kenichi said in a cold tone.

Beside Saku Kenichi were [Roleplayer]s in soul form. One [Roleplayer] reminded him:

"The 'Black Warrant' issued by the Shogun of Kamakura's envoy demands that the Dragon Country must be at the bottom in this Game of National Destiny. Now that the Dragon Country has obtained the 'tree of dark twilight', being at the bottom is definitely impossible, but we must absolutely not let the Dragon Country squeeze into the top ten!

In the Game of National Destiny, being at the bottom results in a deduction of national destiny, a middle ranking maintains national destiny without increase or decrease, but squeezing into the top ten means there is national destiny to be gained!

We must not let the Dragon Country squeeze into the top ten and win national destiny, otherwise Sakura Country's colonization plan for the Dragon Country will be delayed significantly, and that 'Grand Plan' will also..."

Saku Kenichi gritted his molars and lowered his voice to scold angrily, "Baka, shut up, you idiot!"

Realizing he shouldn't have mentioned the three words 'Grand Plan', the Sakura Country [Roleplayer] turned pale instantly. A grave mistake had been made. After the Game of National Destiny ended, he would have to commit seppuku. He only prayed that these three words hadn't been noticed by too many people watching the live stream, as that might be the only way to protect his wife and children.

Ignoring the idiot beside him, Saku Kenichi kept his gaze on the Starlight Chessboard.

He looked past the pieces placed before him, past the various 'Starlight Entities'.

Each body shaped like starlight represented the [Strategist] of a country. This Game of National Destiny did not directly label the country represented by each Starlight Entity, but Saku Kenichi, having used special items early on, still locked his gaze onto that 'Starlight Entity' in the front left.

This 'Starlight Entity' locked in Saku Kenichi's gaze was, naturally, the Dragon Country's [Strategist] Chen Aoyun.

"A successor [Strategist], with such a long gap in between, holding pitifully few items, and even with that, he dares to covet a top ten ranking?"

"Since when did the people of Dragon Country become so arrogant?"

"Fine, let me properly educate this Dragon Country [Strategist]. In the Game of National Destiny, just having suitable Heroic Spirits is not enough; one also needs to use one's foundation to compete for resources and items. Without a foundation, if the opening is not smooth, even if you have 'pieces' in your hand, I can destroy them for you!"

[Rule 12: 'Placed' Heroic Spirits can be withdrawn and re-'placed' after withdrawal, but there must be a 15-minute interval in between.]

According to this [Rule 12], after Chen Aoyun withdrew the Heroic Spirit [Zhao Yun], he needed a 15-minute cooldown before he could re-'place' [Zhao Yun].

Another team of [Cavalry] had already arrived at the designated position, and another important item, the 'tree of morning light', was also slowly approaching.

He just needed to wait, wait for [Zhao Yun] to be re-'placed', and the 'tree of morning light' would be his!

Both Chen Aoyun and Xiao Zhenghong kept their eyes fixed on the 'piece' card of the other team of [Cavalry] on the board.

"Can't you just get another new Heroic Spirit to snatch the 'tree of morning light'?" Xiao Zhenghong asked.

Chen Aoyun grumbled, "Get another Heroic Spirit to snatch the 'tree of morning light'? Are you going to provide me with the Construction Power? Condensing a new Heroic Spirit and constructing an exclusive skill for a new Heroic Spirit both require Construction Power. I have plans for the remaining Construction Power. If I create a new Heroic Spirit, where will the Construction Power come from? Should I mold you into a Heroic Spirit?"

Xiao Zhenghong was just asking offhandedly; he didn't expect Chen Aoyun's answer to be that he lacked 'Construction Power'.

The implication was that as long as there was enough Construction Power, this young man in front of him could continue to condense new Huaxia Heroic Spirits?

Are Huaxia Heroic Spirits that easy to condense?

Just as Xiao Zhenghong was about to press for an answer, he suddenly noticed Chen Aoyun narrowing his eyes!

A nebula-like curtain fell over the Starlight Chessboard, isolating the [Strategist]s of other countries. Only one [Strategist] in the form of a Starlight Entity remained under the curtain!

Xiao Zhenghong knew that this was a sign that the hostile [Strategist] was about to directly 'match' with Chen Aoyun and was preparing to expend their own 'hand cards'!