Chapter 72
Alas!!!!
How terrifying! They'll definitely hold a grudge!
I'm doomed, I'm going to be killed!
There's absolutely no way they'd make it to Victoria alive like that!!
[What's wrong, Doctor?]
Zuo Jian raised his eyes and looked at the Doctor, who was sitting in the passenger seat and gradually becoming depressed.
The other person was still muttering something to themselves.
Phrases like "It's over," or "I'm doomed."
Was he sad because Laurentina had replaced him in his only skill—driving?
He looked at the Doctor with some pity.
He understood that feeling; he had to find a way to cheer her up a little.
[Doctor, if you're bored, would you like to play chess?]
"Playing chess...?"
Upon hearing the familiar words, a glimmer of light suddenly returned to her eyes.
[Yes, playing chess.]
Zuo Jian deformed the flesh and blood, then hardened it again, mimicking a standard black and white chessboard, much like shaping a weapon.
[Can you do it?]
"... I can... just a little bit..."
[Then let me play a game of chess with you. Don't let my appearance fool you, if we're talking about skill, I'm actually quite good at chess...]
"Um... sorry... it seems... we won again?"
The Doctor looked up with some fear at the frozen tentacles beside him.
"Zuo Jian, what's wrong?"
Laurentina turned her head away, curious about what was going on between the two people playing chess nearby.
Why has Zuo Jian remained silent since the very beginning?
[Laurentina... I can't beat her...]
"Isn't this normal? It's just playing chess."
[Something's very wrong... something's extremely wrong... this is practically a dimensional reduction attack.]
Zuo Jian's pupils were fixed on the trembling Doctor in the passenger seat beside him.
The other person seemed quite worried that they had won too much.
This guy... his control and judgment of the situation are like a monster.
After saying that, he suddenly changed the shape of the chessboard. In an instant, flesh and blood rose up, turning the chessboard into a miniature model of a real terrain.
Near the edges of both sides, a large, egg-like structure also appeared.
At the same time, a large number of tiny, worm-like fleshy creatures emerged from it.
[Doctor, let's play a different game. This is the mother hive, these are the worker bees... I'm going to cover the map now, you can't see anything. You'll only know the situation when the scouts bring back information every three minutes.]
[Furthermore, you can only issue your commands by relying on the return of that scout wasp.]
"Ah, listening to this, it doesn't sound like playing chess... it sounds more like commanding..."
[You don't like it? Then forget it.]
"No, no, no, I just find it a little strange, but... it feels very interesting!"
This is where the Doctor will find it interesting.
Zuo Jian squinted, watching the Doctor's eager expression, and then sensed all the changes on the chessboard.
For him, every move of every unit on the field is under his control, and he can even synchronize operations and commands in real time.
The only thing the Doctor could rely on was the local battle situation updated every three minutes and the issuance of a single command.
He was curious how long the other party could hold out under these circumstances...
"The worker swarm retreats, the induction is over, and the sappers return to area f7. The terrain there is suitable for interception. Also, the main force stops advancing and blocks the supply line."
"The reconnaissance bees can turn back now; we no longer need intelligence."
The Doctor glanced at the map with some disappointment, then said...
"Hmm... it's pretty easy..."
[... Laurentina ...We might have found a genius.]
Zuo Jian, sweating profusely, spoke to Laurentina beside him.
"Huh? A genius? Who? Her?"
[I'll drive the car, you control the chessboard. You can give it a try.]
[I'll give you the full map, increase all unit stats by 80%, and increase the Mother Bug production rate by 50%.]
"Seriously, if things are like this, is this even considered playing chess? Just push straight through and it'll be over."
She was puzzled as to why Zuo Jian had remained silent since the very beginning.
It's just playing chess.
Is it really necessary to go this far?
Was that woman who claimed to be Doctor really that frightening to him?
She thought for a moment and then took control of the chessboard.
This time, however, despite being completely outmatched in terms of troop quality, she couldn't even last 20 minutes against the Doctor.
"... You're right, this guy is a monster."
Laurentina stared incredulously at the Doctor in front of her, who was looking down and didn't even dare to look at her.
The other party's instructions were extremely precise and ruthless.
He knew exactly what she was going to do, yet he could only watch helplessly as she dragged him into a quagmire of failure.
Damn it, what's up with this guy?
"Um... Laurentina... maybe I should just forget about it?"
"I feel like I might not be suited for this game."
The Doctor spoke with some fear.
It seems like I am...
When it comes to situations where I need to give orders, I feel like I become a completely different person.
Waaah.
I clearly intended to hold back a bit and lose after seeing Laurentina come up...
I absolutely don't want to win... and...
And wasn't this a crushing defeat...?
Why did you win so easily?!
I'm not going to be killed, am I?!
Chapter Thirty-Two, The Blessing of the Wraith
Why...
'Action Team A7, notify them to maintain their current pace of movement.'
Why...
'The target is about to enter the rift; should the warlock units on both sides be ready?'
'Very good... then that means we have a checkmate.'
Strategy is actually a very simple thing.
At least, that's how it is for her.
"Don't worry, even if they suspect it's a trap, they have no choice but to go for it. Their supplies have been cut off, and their only way out right now is to gather their forces and break out."
'If they retreat? Don't worry, that's impossible.'
'The nearest reinforcements will take at least three days to arrive. If we can hold out for three days without incident, that might be feasible, but unfortunately, if we do that, we should just send small assassination squads to harass them every day.'
For example... silently slit the throats of a small group of soldiers, then hang their heads in the most conspicuous place in their encampment.
'Remember not to kill that team's commander; he needs to be kept alive.'
"We're cut off from food, constantly under enemy attack, and might even have our throats slit when we close our eyes in the middle of the night. Who knows if we'll be next?"
'In this situation, expecting an army made up of former mercenaries to hold out for three days is more like counting down the days until they chop off their commander's head as a pledge of surrender.'
'Hmm? You're right. For them, there has never been a way to break this deadlock.'
So, it's a checkmate.
'Let's go, to the next outpost.'
It's very simple.
Sometimes, many schemes don't even need much concealment.
It's nothing more than the exchange of resources, manpower, and other goods.
When you offer something irresistible, even if you know it might be a trap, the other person will still have a 50% chance of taking the gamble and being the lucky one.
When you cut off someone's hands and feet, even if they can only move forward by gnawing on the ground, they will still desperately try to bite the bait.
That's how advantages are built up little by little, step by step.
As for sacrifices, no sacrifice is unacceptable in the face of the impending victory.
≥<>⑤∝?≥Seven≥Liu￠Ling*&^Ling℃⒎>Martial>Spirit+
Even if...
On the chessboard, she stared at the white queen in her hand, her pupils suddenly widening.
She noticed sticky blood on the soles of her feet, and as she looked down, she saw the blood gradually spreading to the center of her palm.
"Doctor, I understand. I'm sorry... You've been working so hard."
She turned her head abruptly and found herself, without realizing it, inside a chessboard.
The position under his feet represents the king's chess piece.
Beside her, the seat that should have been the queen's was replaced by a pure white Sarkaz figure.
"I'm sorry, I may not be able to be there to witness everyone's future."
No, don't...
At this moment, she found herself unable to control her body; she could only watch as she raised her hand and pushed the white Sarkaz under the blades of the local soldiers.
"Amiya... I'm counting on you."
No, no... no...
No sacrifice is unacceptable as long as the outcome is worthwhile.
No...
"No, don't go... don't go... Te... Te... Tere..."