The complex, tense situation brought about by the war cast a shadow over many of the human civilization's top governing and strategic officials.
Many negative emotions spread amid it all.
On a verdant planet, beneath a cluster of lush giant trees, lay a comfortable residential district.
Every one of these giant trees had a diameter exceeding ten meters! They rose cleanly and sharply from the ground, as though they were about to pierce the sky.
Above the giant trees' canopies, the leaves were not particularly dense. Mottled light scattered down casually from several directions in the sky.
This Star System possessed four stars with extraordinary orbits.
These four stars generated enormous magnetic fields between them, balancing their gravitational pulls in a marvelous way. Under that balance, the inconspicuous little planet nearby received starlight from four angles, harmonizing unexpectedly in a fascinating and wondrous arrangement.
On the residential district's lawn, several elderly men sat around a round table. A chessboard rested atop it, set with generals, advisors, elephants, horses, chariots, cannons, and soldiers: Huaxia Chess.
"Elder Jiang, you've been much quieter lately." The elderly man playing red smiled at the other old man across from him, who was frowning as he pondered deeply.
Elder Jiang looked up at him, then returned his gaze to the chessboard. He spoke unhurriedly. "So many young people have inherited our work, and they're doing it so well. Being a little quieter is no big deal. You, Su Peiyuan, are already so old, yet you're still carrying something on your mind."
The old man's words carried a hidden meaning.
Su Peiyuan did not care about what he meant. Smiling, he urged him to make his move. Clearly, he held the upper hand in this game.
Elder Jiang steadied himself and moved a soldier forward.
With a