33: Chapter 33 begins

The 'Tianyuan' of the Starlight Chessboard began to surge with rolling corruption... The circle was shrinking, it had begun!

The dense power of disaster at the center of the Tianyuan spread in all directions. The entire Starlight Chessboard seemed to be oozing thick ink from its center, and the black aura slowly devoured the starlight on the board, inching toward the Home Base of each nation.

Just then, in the chessboard world where Chen Aoyun was located, a line of text from the Starlight Will suddenly appeared in the air:

[The second stage is about to begin]

[Participant eligibility: Nations possessing the 'tree of eternity' and nations possessing both the 'tree of dark twilight' and the 'tree of morning light'.]

[Second stage content: Complete the plot mission — 'Emperor with Real Power']

['Emperor with Real Power' plot content: Your emperor has been controlled by someone beside them (disguised as a 'weirdness'), the palace (Home Base) is no longer under your (Strategist) control, the mighty divine tree cannot take root, and corruption is about to spread here...]

[Objective: Find the weirdness beside the emperor, roleplay as an appropriate character, and eliminate the weirdness]

[Time limit: Three days in-plot time]

[Reward and penalty: Complete the plot mission, and the 'divine tree' item is retained; failure to complete the plot mission will result in the participating nation being ranked last]

[Explicit rules for this stage: Communication with the Support Group is prohibited; external items are prohibited; wonders... are prohibited; skill restrictions for the Strategist and Roleplayers: lifted]

[Plot dungeon scale: Individual nation]

[Number of participants: Four people (must include the Strategist; personnel eliminated in the previous stage can be used)]

"There really is a second stage!"

"The plot scale is an individual nation, which means if we participate in this plot dungeon, we won't encounter the Strategist or Roleplayers from other countries."

"Eliminated personnel can be used... Even those of us in a soul state can join in."

"There are many things prohibited, which is favorable for our Dragon Nation. The only downside is that the skill restrictions for the Strategist and Roleplayers have been lifted."

"What do you think? Should we participate?"

Fan Ling appeared eager to try, but Zhao Hongxiu and Xiao Zhenghong seemed very hesitant.

Knock, knock, knock—

The 'knocking sound' from next door rang out, and Yin Zhengxi's voice followed:

"The shrinking has begun; you should have received the prompt from the Starlight Will.

How about that? I didn't lie to you, did I?

While the plot hasn't started yet, there's still time to make a deal with me!"

Chen Aoyun ignored the Goguryeo Strategist for the moment and instead looked at Zhao Hongxiu and Xiao Zhenghong.

Xiao Zhenghong knew well that he was not good at making such decisions and did not express his stance. Zhao Hongxiu, standing to the side, frowned and pondered for a long time before speaking:

"Among the known rules, things like prohibiting external items and the individual dungeon are very favorable for the Dragon Nation.

But the unfavorable rule is also very obvious: the abilities of the Strategist and Roleplayers have been unsealed.

There are pros and cons, and participation carries risks. I am inclined not to participate in this second stage!"

If they didn't participate in the second stage, they could just trade away the 'tree of dark twilight'.

The Dragon Nation couldn't afford to lose. Top ten wasn't unacceptable for the Dragon Nation; on the contrary, getting into the top ten would provide a boost to the Dragon Nation's national destiny, and Chen Aoyun would still be a hero of the Dragon Nation.

But Chen Aoyun felt it would be a huge loss to just give up the top eight he already had in his grasp, especially since he still had a backup plan—a chess piece layout he hadn't revealed yet. With that piece, Chen Aoyun's original ambition was the top three!

"The Dragon Nation can't afford to lose... The Dragon Nation really can't afford to lose, but if we dodge this time, what about the future?

Zhao Hongxiu, I ask, you answer."

Zhao Hongxiu looked over.

"Are there many Game of National Destiny matches with this mode, where external items are prohibited and it's an individual dungeon?"

"Not many."

"Then, are there many Game of National Destiny matches where the abilities of the Strategist and Roleplayers are available?"

"Many. In almost all Game of National Destiny matches, the abilities of the Strategist and Roleplayers are available. The current Game of National Destiny, where the first stage prohibited these abilities, can only be considered a special exception."

As expected, Chen Aoyun stated his thoughts:

"Since it is the norm for the Strategist and Roleplayers to be able to use their abilities, this is not an additional disadvantage.

On the contrary, the individual dungeon and the prohibition of external items are rare advantages.

I'm not wrong in thinking this, right?"

Seeing Zhao Hongxiu nod, Chen Aoyun said no more. He slammed his fist into his palm; as the [Strategist], he had already made his decision:

"Then we participate!

How could we just hand over the two trees we worked so hard to get?

Give up top eight to aim for top ten?

Ridiculous, my goal is even higher than the top three!"

Zhao Hongxiu pondered for a moment again. Although she still felt it was a bit rash—getting into the top ten would provide a huge recovery of national destiny for the Dragon Nation—she also knew Chen Aoyun was right. The rules for the second stage were mostly favorable to the Dragon Nation. If the Dragon Nation didn't dare to fight when the rules were favorable, how could they continue to challenge the Game of National Destiny in the future?

"Good, what you said makes sense. I agree!" Zhao Hongxiu finally nodded.

Knock, knock, knock—

They were 'knocking' next door again.

"The plot should start soon. Are you Dragon Nation going to trade or not? I'm kindly reminding you: your Dragon Nation finally fought for a chance at the top ten, don't ruin it by being impulsive. I advise you to just..."

Before he could finish speaking, Fan Ling rudely interrupted him:

"No trade... Get lost!"

Goguryeo's [Strategist] Yin Zhengxi: ...

Having rejected Yin Zhengxi's proposal, the second stage entered a countdown:

[Ten... Nine... Eight... Seven... Three... Two... One]

[Plot starting... Participants selected...]

[Dragon Nation participants: Strategist, Chen Aoyun; Roleplayers, Zhao Hongxiu, Xiao Zhenghong, Fan Ling]

[Retaining original personnel identities... Strategist identity can be chosen in the final stage after entering the plot, or can be selected directly...]

[Personnel distribution...]

[Strategist freely chooses distribution direction...]

[Skill seals... lifted]

[Second stage plot mission, begin!]

The Starlight Chessboard, along with Chen Aoyun and everyone participating in the plot, vanished.

The entire Starlight Chessboard was completely paused.

Nations eligible to participate in the plot entered the plot dungeon, while those Strategists without eligibility seemed to have been hit with a pause button, frozen in place, unable to move...