### Chapter 186: The Intricacies of Heaven and Earth, All in a Game

“Just luck, nothing much. So, did I get the first question right?”

The boy nodded repeatedly in satisfaction.

“Of course, of course! With a remarkable beauty like you, I can’t help but admire you. The first question has been answered correctly.”

Then, he shifted his tone.

“The second question may be a bit difficult. I wonder if you need some time to prepare? I must emphasize again, all the answers are in the 990,000 volumes of our grand library. Since you love books, feel free to browse; I could wait forever.”

“No need, please continue with the questions.”

Although the Priestess was indeed interested in the abundant collection of books here, she could only think about slowly borrowing them during her leisure time. At this critical moment, going through the books one by one would mean that by the time she finished reading them all, the world outside might have changed drastically.

The white-clad boy seemed to have anticipated her attitude and could only sigh in resignation and nod.

“Well, since you insist, I shall pose the question. This second question is somewhat complex and involves some specialized knowledge. But if you have studied this content or read certain books in the library, it will be much easier to answer.”

With a wave of his hand, a hazy, glass-like light flickered, and an ancient square wooden board appeared out of thin air in front of them, along with two wide-bottomed thick cups filled with black and white stones positioned across from each other.

“Milady, please.”

“Eh? Isn’t this…?”

Seeing Vilyric suddenly freeze, the white-clad boy thought she didn’t recognize it, so he explained with a smile.

“I call this game ‘Wisdom Chess,’ a unique game that came from a distant land. Though it’s a game, it contains great wisdom.”

“Three hundred years ago, I stumbled upon a strange book recording Wisdom Chess. After reading it, I realized this was truly profound and have dedicated myself to study it ever since, and I can only say I’ve grasped a little bit. Over the past hundred years, I have devised thousands of endgames, compiling over a dozen volumes of chess manuals, all housed in this grand library. I wonder if you might be interested?”

“Uh… you’ve already told me the content of the second question and asked me to look at related books. Isn’t that a bit too lenient?”

“Hahahahaha~”

The white-clad boy waved his hand nonchalantly, pointing to the unarranged wooden board with a light smile.

“But what of it? As the saying goes, great treasures are easy to come by, but true friends are hard to find. Your posture while seriously reading books is truly a sight to behold. I genuinely hope to make your acquaintance. Since the chessboard is empty, I haven’t posed a question yet; you aren’t holding a manual to solve this endgame, so how can this be considered leniency?”

“Alright then…”

To be honest, the appearance and demeanor of this white-clad boy were indeed remarkable; he was clearly the kind of person with great refinement. Coupled with his frequent goodwill and his open declaration of intentions, Vilyric couldn’t help but feel some fondness for him. Making a friend wasn’t out of the question.

However, the Priestess truly didn’t have the time to browse through books leisurely, so she could only smile helplessly.

“I appreciate your help, but that won’t be necessary. Regarding the endgame, just set it up directly. I may not be a renowned expert, but I have played… Wisdom Chess to some extent.”

Despite the unfeeling rejection, the boy didn’t get angry or upset. Instead, his eyes brightened instantly, and he snapped open the fan he had just closed with a “pop.”

“Oh?! You truly are extraordinary, being well-versed in this foreign game? Wonderful! Marvelous! Then allow me to present my humble talents!!”

He swung his folding fan again, and countless black and white pieces leaped out, falling into the board like stars scattered across the sky. In less than a few seconds, a complex and enigmatic situation had formed.

“The endgame is set, milady. You shall play the white pieces, please!”

“Hmm…”

Reaching into the cup for the pieces, Vilyric picked up a piece as white as jade and pondered the situation for a moment.

Well, this really is too lenient.

It appeared that, perhaps because Vilyric mentioned she also knew some “Wisdom Chess,” the boy hadn’t set up the endgame too complicatedly. Or rather, he hadn’t revisited those original complex situations he had painstakingly crafted; instead, he used a scenario that was clearly crafted by a traveler, likely recorded in some special way from his previous life.

This game was titled “Nine Dragons Dance Together,” and the boy had only mirrored it to the most intense mid-game, where both sides had advantages. Rather than a resolution, it felt more like an invitation for Vilyric to contest with him, to make friends through their games.

Since he had already made his intentions clear, pushing back further would be a bit too much; accepting the challenge wasn’t out of the question.

“Interesting… I accept.”

“Please!”

Observing the chessboard and pondering slightly, the Priestess swiftly grasped the situation and placed a piece down.

Vilyric indeed knew how to play Go; although this was her first time physically holding the pieces, she had already studied various master’s games to the point of fluency, having played thousands of matches. She didn’t know how strong this white-clad boy was in chess, but she had to play to find out, right?

It’s said that the complexity of Go even contains the essence of great principles; while this might be somewhat exaggerated, for Vilyric, it was certainly far deeper than any form of chess or checkers.

Difficult to grasp, difficult to master, which is why it once gained the Priestess’s fondness.

“Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap…”

The sound of pieces falling echoed softly amidst the silent sea of books. Once the match began, both Vilyric and the boy ceased to speak again, with the occasional utterance sounding like “Hmm,” or “Ah,” while they contemplated.

Time passed, and how long, she couldn’t say.

The boy, holding a piece as dark as the Abyss, gazed back and forth over the densely intermingled board, hesitated for a long while before finally sighing deeply and placing his piece down.

“I… lost. You have a great strategy.”

“Thank you for the match.”

Vilyric nodded gently with a calm expression, while the boy opposite her quickly got over his initial disappointment, revealing an exceptionally joyful and satisfied smile.

“Refreshing, truly refreshing! Not to hide it from you, this is the first time I’ve played a real match since learning this. I have truly gained so much. Your thoughts are steady, and your moves are well-paced, striking both openly and secretly; it’s genuinely challenging, and I accept my defeat wholeheartedly.”

Rarely, Vilyric actively praised him in return.

“You’re not bad yourself! Just from a manual, you studied gradually and reached this level; that’s quite impressive. I doubt I could manage it as well.”

Indeed, to be honest, the white-clad boy’s skill was remarkably excellent. Even if it wasn’t quite at a peak level, what he lacked was merely practical experience.

After all, playing against oneself means the thoughts are shared, but battling someone else requires pondering their intentions. Tactics such as managing the surface while executing hidden maneuvers, or a last-ditch effort and cutting off supplies, can only be thoroughly mastered through continuous battles with various opponents.

When it comes down to it, Vilyric had only won by a half-count.

   

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