Chapter 728: Victory or Defeat
Chapter 728: Victory or Defeat
September 25, 2017
From the very beginning, Changsun Hong had known that his grand plan was to ultimately benefit someone else.
He was well aware of this fact the moment he appeared as Changsun Hong, for it was all part of his design.
He diligently organized and played this game, even going as far as using himself as a pawn to assist Lu Hai Kong and Xi Zhicai in purging the unruly forces in Bingzhou, ensuring that Lu Hai Kong could firmly establish his control over the province with ease.
The reason he did all this was for the moment he had been waiting for.
From the start, his goal was not Lu Hai Kong's industries or influence; instead, he had set his sights on Lu Hai Kong's chief strategist.
On the one hand, he was well aware that once he eliminated Lu Hai Kong's top strategist, Lu Hai Kong would be half-crippled.
Without a top-notch strategist to support him behind the scenes, it would be challenging for Lu Hai Kong to maintain control over his forces.
In Changsun Hong's eyes, Xi Zhicai was like an unyielding bulwark for Lu Hai Kong. To move against Lu Hai Kong, one must first eliminate Xi Zhicai.
On the other hand, as one of the most exceptional strategists among the Outsiders, Changsun Hong lacked the NPC's desire to assist a wise ruler in achieving greatness. Instead, they were more akin to the diplomats and strategists of the Spring and Autumn Period, often relishing the feeling of maneuvering across the world like a chess game.
Therefore, Changsun Hong wanted to face Xi Zhicai in a direct confrontation, eager to see who would prevail—whether his magic would surpass Xi Zhicai's wisdom by a foot or Xi Zhicai's path would exceed his by a yard, just as Xi Zhicai had said; Changsun Hong sought the satisfaction of defeating Xi Zhicai!
At this moment, he had finally achieved his goal. As he gripped Xi Zhicai's neck, Changsun Hong knew he had succeeded.
Even though he was an Outsider, Changsun Hong was well aware that many antagonists met their end due to their verbosity. Still, despite this knowledge, he did not immediately strike to kill Xi Zhicai after restraining him.
On the one hand, as the victor, and a hard-earned one at that, he felt that if he couldn't savor the honor and relish the sense of accomplishment that came with victory, his year of meticulous planning, even using himself as a pawn, would have been in vain.
More importantly, as he held Xi Zhicai, he felt an immense pressure bearing down on him. At that moment, Changsun Hong realized that the defenses in the vicinity were akin to a web of safety, and if he dared to kill Xi Zhicai, his survival would be nearly impossible.
For Changsun Hong, mutual destruction was not a victory.
As someone with a strong desire to win, he aimed not only to capture Xi Zhicai but also to leave this place safely. Under these circumstances, Changsun Hong could not and would not kill Xi Zhicai at this time.
With Xi Zhicai's neck firmly in his grip, Changsun Hong ignored the overwhelming pressure and asked with a victorious smile, "Surprised?"
Xi Zhicai nodded, finding it a bit difficult to respond with his neck in Changsun Hong's grasp, "A little!"
Changsun Hong smiled calmly, "I had no choice. As you said, the resource advantage you hold is too significant! The Ghost Shadow Guard, your intelligence organization, and even the aristocratic families that have sided with you—with such absolute resources, it's not easy for me to win against you."
"This isn't, or at least not solely, your ultimate goal, is it?" Xi Zhicai asked, his neck still held.
"You guessed it? Of course, the last card has been played. With your wisdom, it's impossible for you not to notice. The game before you is only half of what I've set up; the real show is about to begin!" Changsun Hong pointed at the chessboard in front of him.
"How can you be sure that the game before you isn't the one you want to play?"
Hearing this, Changsun Hong's expression changed. He couldn't possibly ignore the underlying meaning in Xi Zhicai's words, "What do you mean by that?"
In response, Xi Zhicai didn't answer directly. Instead, he fixed his gaze on the chessboard.
Changsun Hong's face changed again when he saw Xi Zhicai's attention on the chessboard.
"Why don't you try flipping this chessboard over and taking a look?" Xi Zhicai said with a smile.
Upon hearing this, Changsun Hong's face turned pale. He had no doubt about the truthfulness of Xi Zhicai's words. Although he didn't turn the chessboard over, he was certain that there was another game on the other side.
This implied that all his calculations for the past year were under someone else's control, both openly and secretly.
This situation was a significant blow to Changsun Hong, who was quite confident in his intelligence.
He had thought he had been cautious enough, playing a grand game openly and even using himself as a pawn, while secretly setting up another game. This interconnected web of moves had consumed a considerable amount of his energy.
Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine that everything would be seen through by others. How could such a blow not be devastating?
For him, this past year was entirely dedicated to preparing for Xi Zhicai. In contrast, while Changsun Hong didn't know what Xi Zhicai was up to during this time, it was certainly not a matter of single-minded focus on countering and suppressing him.
On one hand, he gave it his all, while on the other, he had to divide his attention to suppress others. Yet, he still ended up in a complete defeat, leaving Changsun Hong utterly humiliated.
However, Changsun Hong's face quickly regained a hint of blood color, and a forced smile reappeared on his lips, "It seems I couldn't outwit you in the end, but I guess I'm a little lucky. The final victory is still mine!"
Xi Zhicai responded to Changsun Hong's words with a calm smile, maintaining this composure from start to finish. Even when his neck was squeezed, he only needed a gentle squeeze to break it, yet he remained completely unmoved.
"If you consider holding my neck and not letting go as a victory, then yes, that's true. But I don't think you'll kill me!"
"Oh? Are you so sure?" Changsun Hong smirked, tightening his grip on Xi Zhicai's neck.
He could feel that Xi Zhicai had no defensive power at all at this moment. With his own strength of 80, a simple squeeze would be enough to take away this top historical strategist.
In the book "One Six One Nine One Book One Bar One Look One Wrong Version," he had no doubts.
But as Xi Zhicai said, he didn't plan to take action yet. Doing so would mean admitting complete defeat. Although he had one last resort, he didn't want to use such a means of escape unless absolutely necessary.
As Changsun Hong exerted force, Xi Zhicai's face turned crimson, indicating intense pain. Yet, a smile remained on his face.
"Brother Changsun, I don't think we should talk like this."
"No, as a loser, if I don't do this, I might not even have the right to talk to you on equal terms."
Changsun Hong shook his head, pondering how to escape this predicament while responding. If possible, he wanted to take Xi Zhicai with him as he broke free.
What he didn't know was that by not taking the opportunity to kill Xi Zhicai immediately, he had already lost his chance.
As they stood off, with Changsun Hong squeezing Xi Zhicai's neck, Xi Zhicai suddenly called out softly, "Gungung!"
Gungung, who was playing nearby, paused, tilting his head in confusion at Changsun Hong and Xi Zhicai, seemingly unaware of what these two were up to.
Then, Gungung seemed to sense Changsun Hong's ill intent. His chubby little paws pushed him upright, and he waddled over to Changsun Hong on his short legs.
But just as Gungung started moving, Changsun Hong became aware of it.
In fact, when Xi Zhicai held Gungung, his gaze immediately fell on Gungung. He wasn't one to overlook details, especially in such a situation where any unexpected change could ruin his plans. So, he discreetly observed Gungung with his observation skill.
It was this observation that led him to underestimate Gungung, as the skill told him Gungung's strength was only 20. For a creature the size of two fists to have a strength of 20 was already surprising, so Changsun Hong decided to turn Gungung into a cute companion for his own amusement.
Although he didn't consider the little guy a threat, when Gungung obediently followed Xi Zhicai's summons and approached him, Changsun Hong instinctively waved his hand, intending to swat away this cute but potentially dangerous creature.
However, as he waved his hand, he suddenly felt a flash before his eyes. His grip on Xi Zhicai's neck tightened, and he felt a sharp pain. Then, he saw his hand and shoulder detach from his body, followed by a surge of terrifying force that sent him flying.
Before Changsun Hong even hit the ground, a giant Gungung pounced on him, pinning him down.
In an instant, Gungung transformed from a cute, two-fist-sized creature into a towering, robust beast standing two meters tall. As the beast transformed, Changsun Hong, with his strength of 80, was brutally crushed.
Xi Zhicai rubbed his neck and approached Changsun Hong, "When I said we should talk in a different way, I meant I prefer this current method of chatting over being choked by you."
(End of Chapter)
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