Chapter 269

This move not only pulled out the opponent's river-crossing stronghold but also allowed his own Gold to occupy a more aggressive forward position, vaguely threatening the weak links that might exist on Xia's flank.

He seemed to have seen how he would use this Gold as a fulcrum to launch a continuous counterattack within the next dozen moves until he captured the opponent's King.

He even couldn't help but look up, wanting to catch the astonishment or annoyance on Xia Xia Xia Mujun's face after his plan was disrupted.

However, what he saw was still a calm and waveless face, those eyes as clear as a deep pool, reflecting the light of the board, as if the piece just eaten was just a small stone thrown into the water, failing to stir up half of the expected ripples.

A trace of displeasure at being underestimated flashed in Fukuda Tsukasa's heart, but it was immediately suppressed by the thought that "the opponent didn't even realize that the overall situation was gone."

Thinking that he was a newcomer with shallow experience after all, unable to judge the superiority or inferiority of the board, it was truly ridiculous.

Just at the moment when this thought of his had not yet dissipated—

Snap.

Xia Xia Xia Mujun's piece had already fallen.

The sound was not loud, but it clearly knocked on Fukuda Tsukasa's suddenly tightened heartstrings.

This move was not to remedy the lost ground, nor to consolidate the defense line, but a sharp and precise Bishop cut-in!

That Bishop, which originally seemed to be separated by Fukuda Tsukasa's formation, had quietly adjusted its angle at some point, and at this moment, like a scalpel, it fell precisely on a crucial connection point on the flank of Fukuda Tsukasa's "Yagura enclosure."

The smugness on Fukuda Tsukasa's face froze instantly, turning into unbelievable astonishment.

He leaned forward abruptly, almost sticking to the board, and cold sweat oozed from his temples.

This Bishop's intrusion was by no means an isolated move.

It cleverly connected the pieces of his own side that previously seemed scattered and resolved one by one.

That protruding Knight, the other Lance waiting for an opportunity—all connected together, forming a coordinated attack network that had been planned for a long time.

At this moment, Fukuda Tsukasa was horrified to find himself in a painful dilemma.

If he moved his own Knight to save the Rook threatened by the Bishop.

Then the Gold that was originally guarding the Silver would lose important support, and the entire right-wing defense line would immediately have a fatal hole.

If he defended the right wing to protect the connection between the Silver and the King, then the Rook on the left wing—his important long-range attack main force—would be in jeopardy.

No matter which side he chose, the defensive system he had painstakingly managed for more than twenty moves, which seemed solid as a rock, would be torn open in an instant, leaving a huge gap that was difficult to bridge.

How could this be?

When did he start setting up this game?

Could it be that from that seemingly reckless "questionable move" Pawn, or even earlier, that seemingly impatient Bishop exchange, he had already been inducing me, letting me move my pieces to these seemingly safe but actually dangerous positions?

Fukuda Tsukasa's face turned pale, his fingers suspended above the piece box, but he couldn't place them for a long time.

Time passed silently, and his reserved time on the Shogi clock was decreasing at an unprecedented speed.

Beads of sweat the size of beans dripped onto the edge of the board.

After a long period of torment, he could only painfully choose to abandon the relatively secondary Knight, trying to keep the Rook with more strategic value, and hoped to move the King to the relatively safe left side as soon as possible.

However, this fell completely into Xia Xia Xia Mujun's calculations.

Snap—

Xia Xia Xia Mujun's subsequent playing rhythm was still stable and fast, without any hesitation, as if everything was already in his chest.

He used the chaos and stagnation caused by the fragmentation of Fukuda Tsukasa's formation to exert continuous pressure.

The Lance advanced in a straight line, forming crossfire with the Rook that had regained its range of motion.

Pieces like precision-guided weapons pressed step by step toward Fukuda Tsukasa's King, which had been hurriedly transferred and exposed.

Fukuda Tsukasa's defense line completely collapsed.

He tried to organize scattered counterattacks or build a final barrier, but found that his pieces had been completely separated and restrained, and the escape route of the King had been completely sealed by the net Xia Xia Xia Mujun had precisely laid.

On the board, his King had nowhere to escape.

"Tsume (Checkmate)."

Xia Xia Xia Mujun's calm voice sounded, declaring the end of the game.

Fukuda Tsukasa stared blankly at the board, his mind blank, unable to accept the facts before him.

Lost?

Lost just like this?

Lost to a newcomer whom he had regarded as a "lamb to be slaughtered" from beginning to end?

He looked up blankly and looked at the calm youth opposite again.

Until this moment, Fukuda Tsukasa realized with a start as if struck by lightning.

Something is wrong… this is absolutely wrong!

He had racked his brains, thought hard, and used forty-five minutes, almost all of his thinking time.

And the time consumption shown on the opponent's Shogi clock was less than one minute.

The absurd reality and the cold numbers gave him the final blow.

It turned out that from beginning to end, he was the "big water fish" that swam happily toward the mouth of the 'Great White Shark' without knowing it.

Referee Kishida Minesuke took a deep breath, suppressed the shock in his heart and his re-evaluation of the youth's Shogi strength, and solemnly declared:

"The winner is decided! The winner of this game—contestant Xia Xia Xia Mujun!"

Xia Xia Xia Mujun bowed slightly:

"Thank you for the game, Mr. Fukuda."

Fukuda Tsukasa's face turned red and white, and finally he could only squeeze words out from between his teeth:

"……It seems I have been studied through!"

He paused, his tone stiff.

"A bet is a bet."

"About the stake, come with me… my wallet is in the locker."

After saying that, he stood up abruptly as if fleeing, left the seat without looking back, and couldn't stay for another second at this Shogi table that made him lose face.

Kishida Minesuke walked up to Xia Xia Xia Mujun, his eyes filled with undisguised appreciation and inquiry:

"Xia Xia Xia Mujun, congratulations on successfully advancing to the next round."

"A very exciting game, especially the timing of the middle-game transition and the precision of the end-game, which can be called textbook level."

"Thank you for the compliment." Xia Xia Xia Mujun responded politely.

"Then, as agreed, as a notary, I will accompany you to take the stake."

"Thank you."

Although Fukuda Tsukasa was full of frustration and unwillingness, he was considered straightforward and paid the 10,000 yen as agreed.

He thought the other party was a joke, but didn't expect that he was the joke himself?!

He even took the initiative to start the bet; it was simply putting his face out to be hit!

In such a frustrating situation, how could he stay?

As for Xia Xia Xia Mujun's strength being completely stronger than his own?

Hmph, maybe he just studied his routine in advance.

If that's the case, it's not surprising that he could win in such a short time!

After all, his routine was seen through, how could he not lose?

If he had known, he wouldn't have jumped in so early, otherwise he wouldn't have lost so miserably this time!

Thinking of this, Fukuda Tsukasa's face was ashen as he quickly disappeared into the crowd.

Xia Xia Xia Mujun put away the extra prize money properly, walked calmly through the slightly noisy competition area, and walked toward the contestant passage, preparing to leave.

However, at the entrance of the passage, he stopped.

Because someone was in front, blocking him. ===== CHAPTER 270 =====