Chapter 305: Simple Game (1)
“You mean a game?”
“Yes. It’s a simple one. It will be easier if you think of it as a game like chess or Korean chess. Of course, it can be a little more complicated than that, but… you will understand it quickly.”
‘Why a game all of a sudden? This crazy bastard…’
I just wanted to ask them to let me go back home quickly, seeing as I was not interested in this at all. However, I couldn’t possibly say that.
‘Is it safe for now?’
Seeing that he didn’t want to cause problems in conflict areas, he didn’t seem to like being involved in complicated affairs very much.
Right now, it seemed like he was being strangely favorable to me, but I would never know when this would change.
I thought it wouldn’t be bad to play along with it since it felt like it wouldn’t be bad to follow what this guy was saying. For now.
The atmosphere was also not very uncomfortable, and this bastard certainly controlled Shaolin and Valentin.
I didn’t know if it was because he had the power to surpass these two, or if there was any other reason, but seeing the Russian Park Deokgu, who breathed hard but didn’t try to get me, answered my question.
‘It’s fine.’
As I turned and looked at Jung Hayan, I noticed that she still could not relax, but she seemed to calm down a little when I patted her shoulder slightly.
I lost my appetite, as I thought I had almost died, but I had no choice but to do as he suggested.
“This dinner is on me. Oh, I think I need to explain the game first. Have you ever heard of this kind of game?”
“No. I’m only seeing it for the first time…”
One of the guys brought him a board game that looked ridiculously big.
It was composed of dozens of Korean chess horses, and it would be true that the map itself was taken from a real terrain.
Forests, seas, deserts, plains, city walls. The composition greatly.
Kings, knights, wizards, knights, priests, people, I couldn’t say exactly what, but as he spoke, it felt like this was an extension of chess, or Korean chess.
It’s even more complicated than those. We had to deliver supplies to the fighting horses, and in order to move troops classified by classes, we had to meet the necessary resources.
The soldiers were also very subdivided, and many classes were basically operated on the continent, such as archers, infantry, and horse riders.
‘Game, my ass…’
This board was a miniature version of a war.
Of course, it was undeniable that some rules were in place as we were playing a game.
‘What is his intention?’
I started to get curious about his primary intention.
Perhaps I could think of this as real entertainment, or perhaps he intended to test me out.
The way he looked forward to it, it seemed like he’d heard about me, but most of the information about me being a genius of resourcefulness was fabricated.
‘I think I made him misunderstood…’
However, this was not a situation where I could refuse.
“The basic rules are the same as always. When the king dies, it’s a defeat. Losing all the horses you have is also a defeat. If you have any questions or need anything, feel free to tell me.”
“Okay.”
“I think it would be better to give some additional handicap…”
“I will not refuse. The more, the better.”
“I thought you would be offended, but that’s fortunate.”
‘Why would I be offended?’
If he thought I would refuse, then he was wrong.
I enjoyed starting advantageously, to begin with. I was just doing this to gain more time, but…
‘This is an opportunity.’
As I glanced at Jung Hayan, she nodded as if she knew what I wanted.
Since he was a military of the Republic, it was natural that he was smart for this kind of strategic simulation.
Unfortunately, I was not into chess or Korean chess, but I could adapt a little since this was not an ordinary horse game.
Exactly until a few minutes ago, I thought so.
‘This… this… son of a bitch. This fucking pro!’
From the beginning, my troops and supplies were superior.
However, as the game progressed, I gradually felt embarrassed.
No matter how much it was my first time, he did so well aside from my inexperience. Little by little, he gnawed my horses and tightened my breath.
I wonder how I, who had maintained more troops, managed to get stuck.
The more I moved the horses, the more I felt like things are getting twisted.
In fact, my camp was in a state of chaos from the start. What was even more annoying was that I felt that he was going easy on me, but he had a slightly annoyed face as time passed, unlike the initial amused look.
“The genius of the Empire, no, the State…”
It was a spectacle seeing him mumbling.
Unfortunately, being a genius was only part of publicity.
At the time of the Eight Imperial Seats’ announcement, the imperial family had spread a lot of ridiculous stories, so I thought it was not unreasonable for him to have such information.
But even if he were to grasp this false information, it didn’t mean that I did not feel offended at all.
There was definitely a feeling of contempt on his occasional cold stare at me.
‘No, is it different from contempt…’
His face now was not showing a boring face or a face that is looking down on me. I didn’t know why, but he seemed very upset.
‘What’s up with this bastard?’
It was then that a little unexpected voice burst out, just as we had reached the game’s midpoint.
“Are you not playing properly? You don’t have to bother about the others here. It’s literally a game, and I don’t want to cause friction regardless of win or loss.”
‘What bullshit is that?’
“I want you to play it a little sincerely.”
‘So, what bullshit is that?’
I was already playing as sincerely as I could.
If I were really playing the game for entertainment, I’d have chosen to lose at some point. That was the way to make the other side like you, after all.
‘What can I do if it’s not working? You bastard.’
If I had been familiar with this game, I wouldn’t be losing in such a ridiculous manner.
If I had been good at tactics, I could have tried, but he was like Lee Jihye, who had chosen to be a commander, not me.
I did some basic studies and thought that I wasn’t bad either, but…
‘He’s on another level.’
I couldn’t even be considered a match for him.
It was then, after 10 moves had passed, that this crazy guy’s mood had changed a little.
“I thought this would be a good entertainment in a while. From my perspective, I thought I was considerate enough of Honorary Cardinal. I guess the Honorary Cardinal doesn’t want to compete sincerely with me.”
‘Compete for what, you crazy bastard?’
“I think it would be better to make a light bet. That way, Honorary Cardinal will be a little interested, too…”
“What?”
“Let’s say that if I win in the next 100 moves, it’s my victory. Otherwise, it’s the Honorary Cardinal’s victory. What should be the content? Oh, let’s bet a finger. All ten fingers. I’m not sure, but if it’s a simple bet, the Templars of the Holy sector may also tolerate.”
I almost cursed. This filthy pro had no consideration for newbies.
I lifted my head a little in doubt and looked at his face, but his eyes weren’t looking at me. It was striking to see that he was focused 100% on the game, trying to somehow bring out my true intentions.
‘He’s serious.’
What was stuck in his eyes was sincerity without a speck of dust.
In terms of disposition, he was not someone who enjoyed gambling. This meant that he already knew he had victory on his side.
Unfortunately for him, I had no hidden intentions with playing this game.
‘This crazy bastard!’
“B-Beat him! Oppa! Don’t go easy on him!”
‘I said, I’m not.’
Jung Hayan was also cheering with her two fists clenched as if I could win, which added some more tension to Jin Qing’s expression.
‘Fuck, someone, bring Lee Jihye.’
I was definitely not strong enough in this area.
The crazy bastard who promised to finish it in 100 moves began to pressure me in earnest.
It was impossible to oppose him in the first place. I couldn’t keep up with him with my dull mindset.
‘I have to hold on.’
It might be possible if it was just about not losing.
The conditions for defeat were that the king must not die, as well as prevent the horses’ annihilation.
As soon as I said that, his face crumpled immediately when he figured out my intention.
“You mean you won’t fight until the end.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about right now.”
“I thought I had shown enough favor to you, but the Honorary Cardinal seems to ignore me to the end.”
“You seem to have misunderstood something, really.”
“…”
His expression crumbled. I didn’t know why, but I think I had made him mad.
If I was ridiculously defeated, I thought that not only my fingers but my neck might be blown away, so no other expression would be necessary.
However, my behavior didn’t change.
It was impossible to overturn a match that had been lost from the middle.
This was a turn-based game in the first place.
Although the space was limited, if he moved one space forward, I could step back one space. I might be able to endure this for 100 moves, but that was a small possibility.
‘The priority is to save the king.’
I wouldn’t think about anything else.
One knight was sent to a plain where it was relatively easy to move, and the archer or assassin was sent to flee to the forest.
The wizard was used only to attract the attention of the enemy and the people…
‘That’s going to be discarded.’
After securing as much of the supplies that the people provided each turn, I used them to gain some time, or block a path.
Killing the people running toward the main force made him consume a turn.
If this wasn’t a game, I’d be absolutely crushed, but…
‘It doesn’t matter because it’s a game, anyway.’
Honestly, I couldn’t be sure that I wouldn’t also move in this manner if a real war were to actually break out.
I don’t know if he would be satisfied, but if his purpose was to understand a human named Lee Kiyoung, then part of that purpose was achieved.
‘I’m sorry I’m such a shitty person.’
While our great people blocked his main force, my king began to fall back.
I also used common soldiers until the end and pushed it in boldly when I judged that they could no longer withstand it.
Nevertheless, his troops, who were taking away my side one by one, were now suffocating.
‘Is he some kind of Zhuge Liang?’
In the next 20 moves, a picture of my king being caught by his soldier was being drawn in my mind.