Chapter 502 - Moving Forward

Since the rule is to scout every other position, seeing the fourth leap in the chess phase’s vision is actually the eighth position on a straight line.That is to say, as the Chess Host, Jiang Wang lies just beyond the extreme range of the regulated vision.

At this moment, within Jiang Wang’s regulated field of vision, two teams of stone cavalry stood at the seventh position ahead.

Stone helmets, stone armor, stone horses.

As soon as Jiang Wang laid eyes on them, they simultaneously “discovered” Jiang Wang and the others.

In a uniform fashion, they lifted their lances, forming two rows.

Clatter, clatter, clatter, clatter.

The stone horses tapped the ground, instantly shifting from stillness to motion, charging forward!

Qinghuo Yuanceng drew his sword and was about to move forward when a figure already shot out with a speed he couldn’t hope to match.

Jiang Wang, like a shooting star, charged head-on against the two teams of stone cavalry.

His speed was much faster; the stone cavalry had only advanced two positions by the time he was upon them.

The Longsword swept across, a horizontal slash!

The Sword of a Fallen Scholar!

The anticipated clashing sound didn’t occur; it was like slicing through tofu, utterly effortless.

Jiang Wang stepped forward, entering the “Life Point” ahead.

Click, clack, click, clack.

Behind him, the stone cavalry fell to the ground one after another, shattering into pieces.

One sword broke through ten riders!

Having fought side by side in the Endless Earth Den, Qinghuo Yuanceng and the others were no longer surprised by his strength.

They just pushed towards the “Life Point” without uttering a word, their hearts filled with the fortune of having such a steadfast ally.

The “Life Point” itself appeared to be nothing special, but once it had been “seen,” it would display as a white block on the Sovereignty contract, distinct from the surrounding chess spaces.

By the time Qinghuo Yuanceng and the others reached it, Jiang Wang had already circled the “Life Point” by himself, clearing all danger.

Only fragments of stone lay about, bearing witness to their former existence, yet it was impossible to tell just what kind of stone soldiers they once were.

All squeezed into the “Life Point,” with Jiang Wang designating two Chess Pawns as guards before ordering everyone to rest on the spot.

Because of the importance of the rule, he was constantly keeping track of time in his mind.

Indeed, the night of the Game of Life and Death arrived soon after.

At night, everyone’s “regulated field of vision” failed, and aside from the “Life Point” they occupied, they couldn’t see anything else.

But on the Sovereignty contract, all those white blocks representing the “Life Point” lit up.

The position of the “Life Point” appears randomly, shuffled every day.

Planning the route by remembering the position of the “Life Point” is impractical.

During the day of the Game of Life and Death, the positions of “Life Points” discovered by oneself will be displayed on one’s own Sovereignty contract, but it will not show the “Life Points” discovered by others.

Only at night will all occupied “Life Points” be revealed at once.

And only the “Life Points” will be shown.

The night of the Game of Life and Death is the time for all participants to review and plan for the next day.

Participants can determine the position of their opponents by combining the locations of the occupied “Life Points” with what they observed on their Sovereignty contract during the day.

The correct way to proceed in a Game of Life and Death battle is to control a “Life Point” and then move forward from there, searching for the next “Life Point.” If one feels that they can’t find another “Life Point” before the night falls, they may have to turn back, returning to the location of the previous “Life Point.”

It’s not uncommon for those who held an advantage but refused to retreat, insisting on pushing forward only to find no new “Life Point” and losing their chance to return, to be eliminated or erased from the competition.

The choice between advancement and retreat is indeed a test of decision-making and intelligence in the game of life and death.

Jiang Wang silently completed his basic daily cultivation before taking out the “Royal Edict,” spreading it out in front of him.

As the team leader appointed by Clan Leader Qinghuo Gaozhi, Qinghuo Yuanceng studied it alongside him.

They had only entered the chess phase for the first time that afternoon, while the first group to enter had already spent two days and one night in it, and it was now the second night.

“Today we didn’t have much time; we only advanced thirty positions.

That’s not too bad,” Jiang Wang summarized.

On the first day, the Jihuobao advanced one hundred and eighty positions.

From this perspective, Jiang Wang’s advancement of thirty positions in less than half an hour seems fast enough, but that’s on the basis that they were at the very end of all competitors and encountered no interference.

The pace of the Jihuobao on the first day, however, was hard-won in competition with the teams of all ninety-nine tribes.

This shows just how strong Jiang Wuji’s hidden strength is.

Jiang Wang estimated that the warriors of the Jihuobao have been trained by him to follow his commands like an extension of his body, possessing the power of Transcendent beings with their formation skills.

But this was also the reason for his targeting on the second day.

He was diplomatically “delivered” to Lei Zhanqian, who then personally made a move to knock him out of the first echelon.

“Taking into account today’s positions, the Chilei Tribe should be located at this ‘Life Point’.”

Jiang Wang pointed at a location on the Royal Edict: “Based on this, as of today, the Chilei Tribe has advanced a total of three hundred twelve positions.”

“When we set out from the Endless Earth Den, the Chilei Tribe had already moved up to position three hundred seventy.

They’re not advancing but retreating,” Qinghuo Yuanceng said with some schadenfreude while looking at the Royal Edict.

“I checked at dusk, and the Chilei Tribe had already advanced to over four hundred positions and was very close to the next ‘Life Point,'” Jiang Wang said, pointing to another Life Point.

“Either they were ‘pulled’ back by someone, or they couldn’t occupy that ‘Life Point’ and had to retreat.”

“It’s normal for the Chilei Tribe to be targeted since they’re currently in the lead,” Qinghuo Yuanceng said.

“Moreover, they’ll be targeted by even more tribes tomorrow.”

Because today, most people’s attention was still on the Jihuobao, and it was only after the sudden downfall of the Jihuobao that the Chilei Tribe rose to the top.

“However, I think…” Qinghuo Yuanceng changed the subject and suggested, “We should first pay attention to the tribe teams closest to us.

The Chilei Tribe is too far away; it’s not yet our turn to be concerned with them.”

Jiang Wang looked at him, slightly stern: “If you don’t care about being first, you’ll never become first.

Do you think the Chilei Tribe is too far away?

Unattainable?

Then we shouldn’t have come here.

If not to strive for first place, why am I here?”

“Understood,” Qinghuo Yuanceng said, bowing his head.

He had his own thoughts, but he still respected Jiang Wang’s command very much.

Jiang Wang let it go after saying it once, carefully examining the Royal Edict, analyzing the information, and deducing, “The lead of the Chilei Tribe has narrowed.

The positions of the Extreme Plague Department, Original Earth Department, and Ironwood Tribe are very ambiguous; there will likely be moves from them tomorrow.”

Currently, he only knew that the Chess Pawn of the Original Earth Department was Fang Chong; the Chess Pawn of the Extreme Plague Department and Ironwood Tribe didn’t match his memory.

He guessed he would need to meet them to recognize who they were.

Qinghuo Yuanceng said, “It seems the Chilei Tribe is about to be pulled down, which will give us more time.”

If Lei Zhanqian turned out to be that easy to deal with, that would indeed be a good thing.

Jiang Wang remained noncommittal, just looking at the Royal Edict again before rolling it up and packing it away.

“Do you know why Qinghuo Gaozhi had you come to the chess phase with me?” he asked.

Qinghuo Yuanceng thought for a moment and said: “Probably because I’m still willing to fight hard.”

Jiang Wang shook his head: “He intends for you to be his successor.

He knows with me here, the rank of the Celebrating Fire Division won’t suffer, so he gives you such credit, allowing you to have the qualifications to command respect.”

Qinghuo Yuanceng was stunned: “I’ve never thought about that.”

Jiang Wang looked at him and said, “To be honest, I don’t think you’ll make a qualified leader because you don’t know how to unite comrades.”

Qinghuo Yuanceng didn’t speak, knowing that Jiang Wang was referring to Qinghuo Qiming.

Within the chess phase, the nights are long.