First Taste of the Golden Shovel, Xiao Wu's Curiosity

"Battle of the Golden Spatula?"

Xiao Wu took the card, which shimmered with a golden glow, and curiously flipped it over several times. The card felt as warm and smooth as jade, its surface flowing with a faint golden halo. The four bold characters in the center were written with vigorous strokes, faintly exuding an indescribable, mysterious aura.

"Is this some kind of soul tool?" she asked, tilting her head, her large, lively eyes filled with curiosity.

Yi Chen smiled slightly. Instead of answering directly, he reached out and tapped the card lightly.

Hum—

The card suddenly erupted with a dazzling golden light. To the shock of everyone present, a translucent virtual screen unfolded out of thin air, hovering before them. An exquisite chessboard appeared on the screen, with several empty slots on either side, marked with different icons and text.

"Wow!" Xiao Wu exclaimed, her eyes lighting up. "How beautiful!"

Ning Rongrong, standing behind her, couldn't help but lean in as well. Her beautiful eyes were fixed on the screen, filled with amazement. "What is this? How did you do that? I've never seen a soul tool like this before!"

Even Zhu Zhuqing, who was usually cold and detached, couldn't help but take a few extra glances.

Watching the three girls' curiosity, Yi Chen nodded inwardly. It seemed the appeal of the Golden Spatula to women was just as powerful in this world as it was in any other.

"This is called Battle of the Golden Spatula," he said slowly, his voice clear and pleasant. "It is a... well, a strategy battle game. Simply put, two people each build a team and then face off on the chessboard. Whoever has the superior strategy wins."

"Build a team? A duel?" Xiao Wu blinked. "Just like a soul master battle?"

"Similar, but different." Yi Chen shook his head. "Soul master battles rely on individual strength and the quality of one's martial soul, but Battle of the Golden Spatula relies on strategy, luck, and team composition. Even an ordinary soul master, as long as they master the right lineup and equipment combinations, has a chance to defeat a much stronger opponent."

"Really?" Ning Rongrong expressed her skepticism.

Coming from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, she had known since childhood the importance of talent and bloodline. For an ordinary soul master to defeat a genius was nearly impossible. Yet, this so-called "game" could actually achieve that?

"Don't believe me?" Yi Chen raised an eyebrow and looked at Xiao Wu. "Want to try?"

"Yes, please!" Xiao Wu nodded without hesitation, her face full of anticipation. "How do I play?"

Yi Chen shifted his focus, and two options immediately appeared on the screen: [Create Room] and [Matchmaking]. He chose the former, and the screen split in two. On the left appeared an empty chessboard, while on the right was a row of miniature character portraits.

"Stand over here." Yi Chen gestured for Xiao Wu to stand on the other side of the screen.

Xiao Wu followed his instructions. As soon as she stood steady, she discovered that an identical chessboard had appeared in front of her as well. She was amazed to find that her consciousness seemed to have formed some kind of connection with the board, allowing her to clearly perceive every detail upon it.

"Now, I'll teach you the basics," Yi Chen's voice sounded in her ear. "See those portraits on the right? Those are called 'pieces.' Each piece represents a soul master or soul beast. You can use gold coins to purchase them and then place them on the board."

"Gold coins?" Xiao Wu asked, puzzled.

Yi Chen pointed to a string of numbers above the chessboard. "At the start of each round, the system automatically gives you some gold coins. Gold coins can be used to buy pieces, refresh the shop, or upgrade your population. Population is the maximum number of pieces you can have on the field. It starts at one, and each level increase adds one more slot."

He explained it concisely, but Xiao Wu was left dazed and confused.

"Never mind, I'll demonstrate it for you first." Yi Chen smiled helplessly and swiped his finger quickly across the screen.

He swiftly purchased three low-cost pieces and placed them in the front row of the board. Then, he tapped the [Start Battle] button in the bottom right corner.

The next second, the three pieces on the board moved simultaneously, charging toward a virtual enemy unit on the opposite side. In just a few seconds, the battle was over, and Yi Chen's pieces emerged victorious without a scratch.

"Did you understand?" Yi Chen asked.

Xiao Wu nodded as if she understood, then shook her head.

"It's okay, take your time." Yi Chen wasn't in a hurry; he guided her through the operations for a few more rounds.

Gradually, Xiao Wu began to get the hang of it. She mimicked Yi Chen, buying pieces and setting up her lineup. Although her movements were still clumsy, she at least understood the basic flow.

"Yes, exactly like that!" Yi Chen encouraged. "Try placing your pieces in the right positions. Put the tanks in the front and the damage dealers in the back. Remember to protect your core pieces."

"Mm-hmm!" Xiao Wu became more and more engrossed, and before she knew it, she had played over a dozen rounds.

She found the game truly interesting. It wasn't as dull and tedious as cultivating soul power, nor was it as dangerous and nerve-wracking as hunting soul beasts. All she had to do was use her brain, think about how to assemble her team, how to position them, and how to counter her opponent's strategy to feel a great sense of accomplishment.

And most importantly—she had actually beaten Yi Chen in a match!

"Yay! I won!" Xiao Wu jumped up in excitement, waving her little fists, her face beaming with a radiant smile.

Watching her joy, the corners of Yi Chen's mouth lifted involuntarily.

"So, is it fun?"

"Fun! It's super fun!" Xiao Wu nodded repeatedly, tugging on Yi Chen's sleeve and acting spoiled. "One more round! Just one more!"

"No rush." Yi Chen shook his head and pointed at the sky. "It's getting dark. Aren't you all supposed to be hunting soul beasts?"

"Ah, that's right!" Xiao Wu finally remembered the purpose of their trip and immediately felt conflicted.

She wanted to keep playing the game, but she couldn't delay her teammates from hunting soul beasts. For a moment, she was caught in a dilemma.

"How about this..." Yi Chen spoke at the right moment, pulling three golden cards from his robe and handing them to Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing. "I'll give these three trial cards to you. They contain the beginner's guide and basic tutorials. You can study them slowly when you get back. If you want to keep playing, just crush the card, and I will be able to sense it."

"Really? That's great!" Xiao Wu cherished the card like a treasure, carefully putting it away.

Ning Rongrong took the card, flipped it over a few times, and a strange light flashed in her eyes. "This thing... can it really make an ordinary soul master stronger?"

"Whether it can make you stronger, won't you know once you try?" Yi Chen smiled meaningfully. "Besides, I can guarantee that the value of this thing is far greater than you imagine."

Ning Rongrong nodded thoughtfully and didn't press further.

Beside her, Zhu Zhuqing silently tucked the card away. Although she hadn't spoken a word the entire time, her gaze lingered on Yi Chen for a moment, a trace of something unusual flashing in her eyes.

"Alright, I'll be going now." Yi Chen waved his hand and turned to leave.

"Wait!" Xiao Wu called out to him again. "You haven't told me your name yet!"

Yi Chen paused his steps, glanced back at her, and calmly spat out two words:

"Yi Chen."

With that, his figure flickered, turning into a blur that vanished into the dense forest, leaving Xiao Wu and the others to exchange bewildered looks.

"Yi Chen..." Xiao Wu murmured the name, the corners of her mouth curling up involuntarily. "What an interesting person."

"Xiao Wu, don't tell me you've taken a liking to him?" Ning Rongrong teased.

"As if!" Xiao Wu's face flushed red, and she shot her a reproachful glare. "I just think he's very impressive, that's all!"

"Is that so?" Ning Rongrong smiled meaningfully, choosing not to expose her.

At this moment, Tang San, who had been silent all along, finally spoke up: "Xiao Wu, that person... is no simple character. His strength is likely even greater than we imagined."

"I know," Xiao Wu nodded, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "But isn't that even better? With such a powerful friend, there will be someone to help if we run into danger later!"

Tang San opened his mouth, but stopped himself.

What he wanted to say was that the man gave him a feeling of extreme danger, and it would be best to keep their distance. But seeing Xiao Wu's spirited expression, he couldn't bear to dampen her mood.

Forget it, he thought, he's just a passerby we met by chance; we probably won't run into him again.

Tang San thought this, never anticipating that this man named Yi Chen would go on to completely alter the landscape of the entire Douluo Continent.