Chapter 851: The March of History, Individual Struggle

Real-person xiangqi, battling for supremacy under heaven?

If anyone else said this to this group of martial battlefield tough guys, they'd surely pick up their weapons and fight.

But the person saying this is Jia Rong, the sole Supreme Grandmaster, so they couldn't attack.

Actually, it had little to do with being a Supreme Grandmaster; we'd already fought earlier and lost.

Who supports, who opposes?

This isn't just a matter of their opposition or support; it concerns the future state of the world.

"Not opposing means acquiescing." Tang Luo said.

"Wait—" Sun Quan said, "I need to go back and discuss with my elder brother."

"That's right." Xiahou Dun nodded, indicating he also needed to go back and discuss with the King of Wei.

"Me too." Zhang Fei, seeing Guan Yu had no intention to speak, spoke up voluntarily.

"Sure." Tang Luo said, "But what about you? I want to know your opinion—are you in favor or against?"

They glanced at each other, responding with silence, saying nothing.

They were indeed battlefield commanders—kindness doesn't govern troops, they act ruthlessly when fighting, skilled and fond of battle.

But to say they actually enjoy being meat grinders on the battlefield, chopping up enemies one by one into flying flesh and blood, that's impossible.

Not to mention killing people; even a hundred chickens placed before someone to be killed one by one would make them vomit.

Even if these generals' nerves were as tough as steel rebar, they would still slowly corrode.

"Why not try first?" Tang Luo suddenly said.

"How to test?" Sun Quan said; actually he was quite curious.

"You pick a player, then choose people—sixteen of you, Red side." Tang Luo said, "I'm Black side; I'll play while explaining the rules so you can understand."

Saying that, he directly arranged the 'pieces'.

They stared at each other; we hadn't agreed yet, but we were indeed eager to try.

In short, everyone soon selected the pieces.

They stood on the board Tang Luo had just drawn, a large board with enough area.

Red side: the Great Ding Three Kings Alliance.

General: Sun Quan, after all he's Sun Ce's younger brother.

Two each of chariots, horses, cannons, advisors, and guards; five soldiers.

The two chariots are Guan Yu and Zhang Liao; the two horses are Zhao Yun and Ma Chao; the two cannons are Xu Chu and Yu Jin; the two advisors are Gan Ning and Tai Shi Ci; the two elephants are the Xiahou brothers.

Huang Gai and Lu Meng are the proactive pawns, plus three soldiers, making sixteen pieces in place.

Well, Zhang Fei didn't go onto the board; he's the player.

Don't mind Zhang Fei's loud voice; usually he seems reckless, but he's quite interested in chess and can play a few rounds 'hand talk' with Zhuge Liang, with wins and losses each way.

For Black side: the two chariots are Lin Daiyu and Xue Baochai; the two cannons are Jia Yingchun and Jia Tanchun; the two advisors are Yuan Yang (Grandma Jia's senior maid) and Si Qi (Yingchun's maid); the two horses are Wang Xifeng and Qing Wen.

The two advisors are Ping'er (Wang Xifeng's maid) and Shi Xiangyun.

Xiang Ling (the maid Baochai took from her brother Xue Pan), Zi Juan (Daiyu's maid), Ying'er (Baochai's maid), plus Jia Huan (Ao Yu Lie) and Jia Rong herself make up the pawns.

As for the commander, it's the youngest Jia Xichun.

Jia Rong as a pawn is quite spirited.

As for Qin Keqing, Yang Jian and his Howling Heaven Dog, they're not here.

Ao Yu Lie actually got the supplies for them; over a hundred people formed the 'logistics unit,' heading for the City of Chaos while also planning matters related to the Number One City under Heaven.

Zhu Bajie, after binding Xu Shu, directly joined them.

As for Jiang Wei, he's still in the cavalry unit, pondering whether to become a player.

In chess, he's quite confident, but after all he was captured, so he hesitates a bit.

What if the other side misunderstands and thinks he has other intentions?

Bound together, Jiang Wei's thought of fleeing had long faded; he felt tagging along with the number one under heaven wasn't bad either.

He'd surely be able to accomplish something great.

The other side's ambition is huge—wanting to change the whole world; just thinking about it makes Jiang Wei feel his blood boil.

But Tang Luo quickly made it so Jiang Wei didn't need to think.

Because he decided the player would be himself, acting both as a piece and as commander.

The Great Ding side, upon learning Tang Luo would be the player himself, immediately felt a bit pleased.

They weren't clear on Jia Rong's skill, but that night before the big battle he lost to Lü Bu, and everyone knows Lü Bu's level.

Ruling out the possibility of throwing the game, Jia Rong is just a lousy chess player.

Soon, the first real (kill) person xiangqi of the Chess Warriors in the 'Four Great Classics Grand Melee' Battle for Heaven and Earth 2.0 version began.

Zhang Fei, without a word, commanded a frontal cannon.

Xu Chu hesitated a moment, then moved behind Huang Gai, not quite used to obeying Zhang Fei's commands.

Tang Luo's side said nothing; he stepped forward one square, completely not following normal thinking.

Zhang Fei frowned, wondering if this move had some deep meaning.

Normally, facing a frontal cannon, most people would advance a horse to pin it, letting the enemy cannon take a soldier so their horse could take the cannon—a sure gain.

But what operation is it to move a soldier about to be hit forward one step—is it just suicide?

After a while, finding no deep meaning, Zhang Fei commanded: 'Take that soldier.'

Commanding Hu Chi to 'kill' Xuan Zun felt kinda satisfying.

Xu Chu's massive physique leapt up and crashed toward Tang Luo—the ground before him.

Still midair, Tang Luo swung a palm, sending Xu Chu flying, the huge meteor hammer in his hand flying far away.

Everyone looked at each other. What's the situation?

"Xuan Zun, what's this?" Zhang Fei said.

"He 'died'." Tang Luo pointed at Xu Chu, who had flown out of the chessboard far away and was crawling up with a dazed look.

"No, it's me letting him eat you." Zhang Fei said.

"Right."

"Then why did he die?"

"Because he can't beat me." Tang Luo raised his head, chest out, as a matter of course: "This is real‑person chess·chess warrior, used to contend for supremacy under heaven and pacify pointless disputes. Of course we must consider the historical process and also personal struggle."

Everyone thought for a moment and instantly understood Tang Luo's words.

The so‑called historical process is just the chess player's skill level.

Personal struggle is just the chess piece's martial power value.

"So, even if I take the first move, if my piece can't beat the opponent's piece, then the opponent's piece stays and my piece is 'eaten' out." Zhang Fei said.

Tang Luo nodded.

If personal combat power weren't an important factor, we wouldn't need to play any kind of slaughter chess; we could just play normal chess.

After hearing Tang Luo's answer, Zhang Fei fell into thought: how should he play?

Before Zhang Fei could think of a plan, Tang Luo stepped forward again, crossing the river boundary (Chu River Han Border); the pawn that had crossed the river could now move sideways.

"You…… yes, it's your turn, now it's me." Zhang Fei said, raising his hand then lowering it.

Damn! How do we play this?

Huang Gai turned to Zhang Fei and said, "You just say whether you can protect me."

Zhang Fei gave a helpless look, then moved Guan Yu.

The chariot Guan Yu stepped forward, planning to attack.

Without surprise, Tang Luo slapped Huang Gai flying, capturing this soldier.

Sun Quan was only a few steps away; seeing Tang Luo not far off, he felt immense pressure.

On the other side, Zhang Fei almost overturned the board—how to play? All the opponent needs is a pawn to charge straight in, impossible to stop.

Invincible under heaven!

Contending for supremacy under heaven requires considering both the historical process and personal struggle.

And when the Upper Grand Master takes the field, chess power is meaningless before absolute martial power.

"I lost." Zhang Fei really wanted to overturn the board; even if it were drawn on the ground, he could stab his eight‑foot snake spear into the ground and heave it up, flipping a large chunk.

This game can't be played; it's so stifling.

"No, you can't concede; you must finish the game." Tang Luo said, "Once started, there's no conceding; only when one side's veteran is eaten does it end. Oh, if the side accepting the challenge is willing to accept, the side that issued the challenge can concede."

"What if the general doesn't die?" Zhang Fei said.

Sometimes crazy mutual eating makes the opponent's general immortal.

If both sides have no river‑crossing pawns, the commanders face off; treat it as a duel before the armies.

However, after this duel it's straight to win/lose, with no later army clash.

After a few steps, Sun Quan voluntarily retreated: "This way, can I concede?"

"Sure." Tang Luo nodded; in chess we distinguish win/loss, and pieces do too, but we don't need to distinguish life or death.

You can voluntarily concede and leave; the other side won't pursue.

But there's a catch: if you're the one who actively captured, even if you shout concession, if the other side doesn't agree, victory must be decided by life or death.

Simply put, the side that initiates trouble must inevitably pay a price.

"The chess rules are roughly like that; as for how to actually play." Tang Luo made a pressing gesture, "The specifics will be discussed a month from now at the Number One City Under Heaven."

The Number One City Under Heaven doesn't even exist yet, yet Tang Luo says we'll talk about it again there.

But those present have no doubt that in a month they'll see a Number One City Under Heaven.

Moreover, in the near future it will become the true Number One City Under Heaven.

"See you then; I also hope to see new faces." Tang Luo said, remounting, about to leave.

"Xuan Zun, please stay." Xiahou Dun said, "If—I mean if—we all follow your rules, how will you guarantee our interests?"

You're strong, but not strong enough for what you need to do.

Xiahou Dun means this; he wants to see more things.

Just the Supreme Grand Master's strength isn't enough; even if he could behead three kings, or anyone under heaven, it's still not enough.

"This…" Tang Luo drew the Mysterious Transformation Sword.

Seeing this made Xiahou Dun's heart tremble, like a myocardial infarction, fearing this person before him would cut him down.

Tang Luo raised the Mysterious Transformation, aimed at the nearby chessboard, and gave a light swing.

Black sword light surged forth, connecting heaven and earth.

That day, many saw the "Divine Trace," realizing there were things truly higher than heaven and broader than earth.

The black fissure appeared after the sword light faded, starting from Tang Luo's side.

From a crack it rapidly expanded into a huge fissure tens of meters wide; both sides' cavalry suddenly stood on the edge of a precipice cliff.

Fortunately the fissure isn't especially deep; looking down it's about ten or so meters.

Its length is unknown, because the fissure's edge can't be seen.

At a glance, with these martial artists' eyesight, the farthest point of vision is still that tens‑of‑meters‑wide black fissure.

"Jia Rong! Is it you? I know it is! Is this the end of the martial path? Have you reached the end of this road? Is there any way ahead?"

From the end came some scattered sounds.

If it weren't for everyone's astonishing hearing and the shouter's loud voice, we probably wouldn't hear it.

Everyone recognized this voice; it came from the former strongest under heaven, Lu Bu.

He, bringing his cavalry, arrived late, leisurely, then was enveloped by sword light; although he wasn't injured, he fell into a pit—a freshly dug pit.

In the pit, Lu Bu sensed a familiar breath.

"Let's go, everyone, see you in a month." Tang Luo turned his horse and rode off.

The cavalry followed, kicking up a great cloud of dust.