Chapter 118: True and False Red Dancing Shoes

Su Mian's gaze swept across the chessboard quickly.

The white side's pawn formation was forced to shrink back, the bishop line was blocked, the rook couldn't be connected for a long time, and the black side gained a spatial advantage within a few steps.

The black queen pressed the line, and the entire column was locked dead.

This was falling behind.

If it weren't for someone teaching her how to play chess in the third instance, she probably wouldn't even be able to start setting up the chessboard now.

"If this continues, we will be slowly strangled." Su Mian murmured.

"Cannot continue to defend."

The arguing sound rose abruptly, the three people each holding their own views.

"Should we sacrifice a piece?"

"Sacrificing it might not necessarily exchange for rhythm!"

"The black side doesn't give a chance at all, you—"

Just at the moment when the sound was most noisy, Su Mian suddenly spoke.

"... the outer side."

Everyone was stunned, and she turned her head abruptly.

Pip stood at the very edge of the chessboard, a place almost ignored by everyone.

He looked down at the grid, the chess piece in his hand already soaked with sweat.

"His attention is entirely on the center." Su Mian explained, "If we send this step out now, it will force them to exchange."

"Are you sure?" Willow's forehead was sweating, "It will expose the line position."

Luna, however, had already understood what she meant.

"Release." Luna spoke toward Pip, "Now."

Pip took a deep breath and quickly sent that chess piece forward.

The white rook plunged straight into the front field along the edge line, directly breaking into the black side's control range.

The next second, the black side indeed responded to the battle.

The black knight jumped out and ate the rook.

But the moment the black knight's landing point was determined, the aura of the entire chessboard changed.

"Now!" Su Mian raised her head.

The white bishop cut diagonally, sealing off the retreat.

The white knight jumped in, forming a double attack, simultaneously threatening the back row and the advancing pawn.

The black side was forced to retreat, moving back one step, and the rhythm was interrupted for the first time.

"They are being held!" Willow was a bit excited. Felix stood in the corner, scratching his face, unable to get fired up at all.

If he had known his agent would let him learn international chess, he would have agreed.

Luna quickly replenished the pawns, and the center stood firm again.

The white rook line was opened, the other rook pressed up, completing the linkage.

The black side began to show hesitation.

The advance was blocked. Su Mian stared at the chessboard, her voice calm: "Continue to press, don't give it time to reorganize."

After a few steps, the white side completed the counter-encirclement.

The black side's queen was forced to exchange, the pawn formation collapsed, and the entire line was completely lost.

When the last piece fell, the whole scene was silent.

The outcome was decided.

Pip watched them nervously, swallowed, "Wh... why is no one talking?"

They wouldn't have lost, would they? He looked at the door in terror, fearing that he would rush in the next second, then saw Felix and Willow and the others erupt into huge cheers.

"Won!!! Won!!!!"

Felix breathed a long sigh of relief, his exquisite, tense face finally relaxed, excitedly wanting to hug Su Mian, "Pip, you idiot! I saw we won, and you still didn't see it!"

Following a mockery, Pip's face turned blue and white, but the feeling of surviving a disaster outweighed everything, and he was too lazy to fight with this trainee.

Su Mian took a step back, dodging Felix's hug. Luna took her arm, rolling her eyes at Felix.

The King chess piece turned slowly and jumped away into the distance. Behind it, the wall quieted down, and a music box and a letter were placed at the entrance.

Everyone opened the door. The little person in the music box was wearing a gorgeous little western dress, with a pair of red dancing shoes on her feet.

Not knowing where the switch was touched, the little person started to dance, but as the music slowly rang out, the little person's smiling face turned into a crying face.

"What... what does this mean?"

Luna scratched her face, only feeling a chill down her spine hearing this music.

Su Mian opened the envelope, which contained only a short line of words.

I am very happy that you can become the owner of the red dancing shoes, but please remember, the red dancing shoes can bring you glory and charm, but once put on, they cannot be taken off. You will dance until you die.

——Witch Maoshi.

"Could this letter be for one of us?"

Luna guessed. Su Mian nodded, "Very likely, and the owner of the red dancing shoes knows the truth about it."

"Wait—"

Felix suddenly opened his eyes wide, "I have a bold idea."

Su Mian: "Speak."

"Do you think the King stole the red dancing shoes, causing him to be unable to stop, ordered people to tie him up, and as a result, the rope cut his artery during the struggle, and then he died."

"But didn't the King want to give the shoes to Elizabeth?"

Today's candidate for the ball was also Elizabeth, which had confirmed Su Mian's idea from yesterday.

"Unless..." Su Mian suddenly raised her head and put down the music box, "The King didn't know the truth about the red dancing shoes."

"The owner of the dancing shoes wanted to take back the shoes, told the King the truth, that the person who puts on these shoes will keep dancing until they die, so this letter appeared in the King's hand."

"But he didn't believe it, so he tried on the dancing shoes himself, leading to being unable to take them off."

Several people widened their eyes, suddenly realizing.

Pip: "So... the King died, does that prove the murderer has already taken back the red dancing shoes?"

Willow scratched his head, "But aren't the dancing shoes still displayed in the banquet hall?"

"Passing off the fake as genuine."

Su Mian lowered her eyes in thought, "Perhaps what is displayed there is a pair of fake shoes."

Felix pursed his lips, "Then, who dares to try putting them on?"

Everyone was silent, no one dared to put them on.

If the judgment was wrong, and the dancing shoes were real, they would never be able to take them off for the rest of their lives, and they might even die in the instance.

The clue broke off here, and everyone returned to their rooms to rest. Su Mian stared at the pair of shoes, her eyes becoming increasingly fiery.

It wasn't impulse; Su Mian had always been confident in the results she reasoned out. She wanted to know the truth, so she would verify it in person.

The moment her foot stepped out, a panicked maid on the first floor called out to Su Mian.

"Your Highness! It's not good, Fuerdi is about to beat the maid who came to clean to death, and the guards can't stop him... Your Highness, you, you hurry and go take a look!"

The maid raised her head. Elizabeth, who was in a high position, had her cheeks hidden in the darkness, making it unclear.

The maid's expression was a bit nervous; she was afraid that this cold princess wouldn't care and would also cost her own life.

But she was entrusted by the Queen, and she couldn't afford to offend either side.

Fortunately, Su Mian just withdrew her gaze. Hearing her words, she actually came down from the second floor. She breathed a sigh of relief and led the way for Su Mian.

"It's truly terrible, Fuerdi is simply like he's gone crazy, probably because he hasn't seen you for too long..."

The maid chattered on. Su Mian glanced at her sideways, and the maid immediately shut up.

The two had just reached the corridor when they saw a guard fly out, his back hitting the wall and letting out a muffled groan.

His companion was still holding his sword, cold sweat dripping down. Seeing Su Mian walking slowly, his attention shifted for a moment, and a figure inside the door rushed out immediately, hugging Su Mian tightly. ===== CHAPTER 119 =====