188: Chapter 188 Decision: To Give Up or Not?

The two professional commentators in the live broadcast room had long since set up a whiteboard, using markers to write down the current number of Calamity Demon strongholds handled by each country:

In the third act, the fog had dissipated three times in total.

The first time the fog dissipated was at the start.

At that time, on the map where the fog had cleared, the number of Calamity Demon gathering places was not large; all in all, it was just over twenty.

Back then, the available Heroic Spirit Manifestation for the USA was [Tesla], who went to the demon area to kill demons first, but was later killed by [Dongfeng-61] on the way back to the resource point due to [Heroic Spirit Zhuge Liang]'s 'Borrowing the East Wind'.

On the first map, before Xiao Zhenghong came out of the 'Technology wonder resource point', and before the Dragon Country's Heroic Spirit [Heroic Spirit Zhuge Liang] Manifestation was activated.

Other countries, just like the USA, were all killing Calamity Demons.

Afterwards, the Dragon Country sent a 'mass delivery', and after the casualties of various countries were nearly exhausted, the Dragon Country didn't actually give the remaining Russia and France much time to continue killing Calamity Demons.

All remaining Calamity Demons were also annihilated in the fireworks of the 'mass delivery'.

On the first map, there were a total of twenty-three Calamity Demon strongholds.

The Dragon Country alone killed eleven of those strongholds.

The USA killed four, and the remaining countries killed one on average.

By the second map, the Dragon Country was still the country that activated its Manifestation power the latest, and the Heroic Spirit for the Manifestation was [Du Yu].

At that time, there were over forty Calamity Demon strongholds on the map.

The Dragon Country acted late, but fortunately, [Du Yu]'s Manifestation was strong enough. The number of Calamity strongholds the Dragon Country handled in this second map was neither more nor less, just the average level of other countries: they took out five.

The total number of Calamity Demon strongholds taken out by each country in the past two maps was written on the whiteboard in the broadcast room:

Dragon Country is in first place; the total number of strongholds taken out across the first two maps is a staggering 16!

The USA is in second place, with a total of 9.

Russia is in third place, with a total of 7.

The remaining countries, except for Sakura Country, basically have 6.

The two commentators analyzed the situation based on the whiteboard in front of them,

"In the first two maps, the Dragon Country has accumulated a significant advantage.

If the Dragon Country can still activate its Heroic Spirit in this third map, even if it's the last to activate again, as long as it handles the Calamity Demon strongholds to reach the average value—or even if it doesn't reach the average, it doesn't matter—as long as it can activate the Heroic Spirit Manifestation and not fall too far behind on this map.

Then, the Dragon Country will definitely be able to take first place in the total calculated score for this third act!"

After a pause, the commentator Heller continued,

"However... the rules for this final map are truly too unfriendly to the Dragon Country.

There isn't a single extra resource point, and in fact, once four resource points are occupied, the others will immediately disappear!

The Dragon Country no longer has the space to imitate the previous two times and play any 'feint to the east and attack in the west' strategic tactics.

In my opinion, it's impossible for the Dragon Country to activate its Heroic Spirit Manifestation on this map.

The number of Calamity Demon strongholds in the third map is more than the first two maps combined, totaling 60!

If the Dragon Country cannot activate its Heroic Spirit Manifestation on this map, then the number of missed Calamity strongholds will be huge.

Not to mention that first place might not be secured, I estimate that even the top three are in jeopardy!"

The third act continues to use the previous rules; only by being in the top three for the number of Calamity Demons killed can one get a score.

If Chen Aoyun, in the third map, is unable to activate the Heroic Spirit Manifestation of [Du Yu] as commentator Heller said, and the total kill count does not squeeze into the top three, then Chen Aoyun will have worked in vain for this act again!

In the first act, the Dragon Country was third; in the second act, the Dragon Country gave up directly. If it also works in vain in this third act, the total points will fall too far behind. Chen Aoyun really cannot afford to lose!

But what can he do if he can't afford to lose?

Regarding the rules of the third map, not to mention that the audience and commentators don't think highly of the Dragon Country, even Chen Aoyun himself felt desperate after a careful analysis.

Saku Kenichi did his utmost to interfere on the chessboard, constantly mocking and distracting Chen Aoyun with his words. Chen Aoyun left the retorting to Fan Ling, who was eloquent and, when necessary, used extremely foul language, while he himself never stopped thinking,

"It is only possible to kill the Calamity Demons after activating the Heroic Spirit Manifestation.

The strength of our Dragon Country's Roleplayer is the weakest. If there is no Heroic Spirit Manifestation, then on this final map, we won't be able to take a single one of the sixty Calamity strongholds!

But how exactly should we take them?

The 'Martial Temple resource point' will refresh right under the noses of the Sakura people... We must find a way to lure the Sakura people out!"

How to lure them?

Chen Aoyun tried to find elements on the new map that could lure the Sakura people.

But the entire map was exactly the same as the previous two maps; apart from the roads being more intricate and complex than the previous map, there were no elements other than the resource points.

There was absolutely no possibility of luring the Sakura people!

"What should be done about this?"

Saku Kenichi's mockery was like a viper flicking its tongue, constantly causing interference.

Fan Ling fought back fiercely, cursing until spit flew.

And Chen Aoyun fell into an unprecedented silence and struggle.

The time until the third map starts was getting closer and closer. When the five-minute countdown above the chessboard hit zero, Chen Aoyun would have to make a decision:

Should the Dragon Country send a [Roleplayer] to participate in this third map or not?

If he doesn't participate, the advantage in the number of Calamity kills established in the previous two maps will be washed away, and Zhao Hongxiu will have died in vain once.

If he participates, without being able to get resource points, participating is equivalent to giving away a head for free. One head is one point of total score, and the Dragon Country cannot afford to give that away.

"Being able to pick it up and put it down is also a kind of wisdom.

You could figure it out in the second act, so why can't you figure it out in this act?

Is it because you are reluctant to let go after having already established an advantage?

Perhaps you can change your train of thought..."

Zhao Hongxiu stepped forward to Chen Aoyun's side and counted on her fingers for him,

"On the first map, you mass-killed the [Roleplayer]s of all countries except Russia and Britain once. Although I also lost a life, the number of deaths in other countries was more than one person. They all deployed three [Roleplayer]s on the first map, and basically, they all died.

The second map was similar; after a chaotic brawl between various countries, the [Roleplayer]s died quite a few times.

Calculated this way, even if our Dragon Country gives up this act and fails to reach the top three, it can actually be considered a gain!"

Zhao Hongxiu's persuasion was indeed correct; the casualties of [Roleplayer]s in other countries were higher than in the Dragon Country, so the Dragon Country had actually already profited in this third act.

But what Chen Aoyun had to consider was not just a question of profit or loss, but how much profit, and whether he could get first place in the entire [Game of National Destiny].

The USA, which is ranked first in the entire [Game of National Destiny], has a total score that is a dozen points ahead of the Dragon Country.

If the USA also gets first place in this third act, excluding the points deducted for deaths in this act, the USA's total score will not decrease, but increase!

There are four acts remaining. If the Dragon Country doesn't get any total score in this act, then the possibility of catching up to the USA will be even lower!