mtl008 Chapter 41 Rules and Constraints
Chapter 41 Rules and Constraints
It was too late for regrets, so he chose to look forward and stop dwelling on the past.
Cheng Baoni was seething with hatred and in a terrible mood.
She had hoped to turn the tide and regain the upper hand, but Cheng Ai unexpectedly took the initiative and turned the tide, causing her to lose 3 points.
It's like losing both your wife and your army; you're so frustrated.
Song Yifei knew she couldn't solve the game, but seeing Cheng Ai win so easily, she couldn't help but feel jealous.
Aside from them, everyone else present was extremely surprised. One photographer couldn't help but exclaim, "So, one step can determine the outcome! Professor Cheng is so clever!"
Cheng Ai raised her lips slightly and shook her head modestly, "Anyone who has studied Go through the system knows this solution. The reason you didn't discover it is because you lack confidence and are afraid of losing, and you are bound by the rule of 'giving each of us five stones'."
She stood up gracefully, pointed to the chessboard and continued, "Instead of desperately defending, it's better to go all out. Even if the last pawn falls, at least you've given it your all and have no regrets."
Cheng Ai looked at Wu Xu with a half-smile and said meaningfully, "If every black piece is scheming to survive and has no courage to sacrifice for its teammates, the result is destined to be tragic. So the true purpose of the puppet is to test humanity, not skill."
Everyone understood after hearing those words.
The game of chess is not difficult in itself, but if you are too cautious and overthink things, you will be trapped and unable to make any progress.
Everyone looked at Cheng Ai with admiration. They never expected that she, at such a young age, possessed such extraordinary spirit and magnanimity that they could only look up to her.
Wu Xu lowered his head, his face dark and unreadable.
Was it just my imagination? I had a feeling that Cheng Ai's words just now were implied, as if she was hinting at something.
Like herself, she was also a Taoist practitioner and knew about feng shui and physiognomy.
Did she see through me?
No, probably not.
The matter was handled flawlessly, leaving no trace. Moreover, many years have passed, and everything has changed. Even if she had extraordinary abilities, she could not find the slightest clue.
Thinking this, his tense nerves relaxed slightly, and he regained his usual dignified and otherworldly demeanor. "Young lady Ai has a broad vision and sees things clearly and thoroughly. I have learned a lot from you."
"You flatter me, Daoist Master. You currently have the fewest points, so I'll entrust the second set of puppets to you for safekeeping!" After Cheng Ai finished speaking, he gently pressed the only live piece on the chessboard, and the chessboard instantly cracked open from the center, revealing a groove.
Zhong Zheyi raised his flashlight and shone it over, and saw a palm-sized orange wooden puppet lying inside.
It has a chess piece on its head, a smiling face, and its hands clasped in a gesture of respect.
Seeing the number 1 displayed on his bracelet, Wu Xu thanked Cheng Ai and went to get the puppet.
However, before he could even reach out, he was shoved aside, a figure flashed before his eyes, bringing with it a pungent fragrance.
He looked closely and saw that the groove was empty; there was no trace of the puppet.
Wu Xu stared blankly at Cheng Baoni and saw her stuffing the puppet into Hao Jian's pocket.
He sighed and shook his head, not wanting to argue with the younger generation, so he remained silent.
But Song Yifei wouldn't let it go. She glared at her and rebuked sharply, "It was Sister Xiao Ai who broke the game. She has the right to decide who owns the puppet. What right do you have to take it?"
Cheng Baoni scoffed and replied matter-of-factly, "I already said in room 201 that whatever we find must be handed over to A-Jian. You're only 18 this year, how can you be so forgetful?"
Song Yifei trembled with anger, clenching her teeth. Just as she was about to explode, she was interrupted by a mechanical female voice.
Everyone had barely eaten since midnight and was starving. Hearing that there was food, they immediately perked up and rushed to leave room 208.
Although Cheng Ai was also hungry, she still took a chess piece with her, just in case.
As for who gets to hold the puppet, everyone tacitly ignores that.
The air seemed even more humid and sultry. A fierce wind howled outside the castle, rustling the trees. Dark clouds filled the sky, with thunder and lightning, but no rain fell.
As the group rushed into the restaurant, the first thing they saw was a camera placed on the dining table.
The guests were completely confused and couldn't understand the program team's intentions for a moment.
Finally, Zhong Zheyi broke the deadlock. He picked up his camera, looked around, and then pressed the shutter on Cheng Ai, who had already run off to choose food.
After the photos were returned, he explained in a deep voice, "Director Gong mentioned when introducing the mission that the password for the side door needs to be exchanged with seven photos, so a camera is a necessity."
He then looked at Hao Jian and urged, "Quickly put all the puppets on the table, we need to pose them accordingly."
Everyone suddenly realized what was going on, but they all expressed their reluctance, feeling that filling their stomachs was the most important thing at the moment.
Only Wu Xu disagreed. He pointed to the bracelet and slowly suggested, "Let's eat later. What if taking photos adds points?"
Upon hearing this, Cheng Baoni told Hao Jian to immediately retrieve the puppet, while she stayed in the restaurant to supervise.
The orange puppets had just been harvested, and fearing that someone might remember their poses, she secretly took photos first.
Hao Jian returned quickly. Since the two puppets in the first group were a pair, the first photo was taken of him and Cheng Baoni.
When the announcement didn't come on, Wu Xu and Zhong Zheyi were very disappointed.
They have very few points, so they're probably going to miss out on lunch.
Since they didn't gain any benefits, the casting process before filming "Orange Puppet" was much more arbitrary.
Playing chess is often associated with the elderly, so Zhong Zheyi directly asked Wu Xu to take the second photo.
Seeing this, Cheng Ai, who was about to eat spicy lobster tails, quickly took off her disposable gloves and placed the chess piece she brought from 208 on Wu Xu's head to ensure that the details were perfect.
The moment the shutter clicked, Cheng Baoni quickly snatched the camera and photos and handed them to Hao Jian.
The other guests' expressions changed slightly, but no one said anything, as they were all used to it.
After all the fuss, everyone eagerly sat down and chose the food they could afford.
The long glass cabinet is divided into more than a dozen compartments, displaying a wide variety of meats, vegetables, seafood, drinks, and snacks, but there is only one serving of each item, and in small quantities.
Thinking of Cheng Baoni's unborn child, Hao Jian coldly curled the corners of his mouth and volunteered to take the two bracelets to exchange for food.
Song Yifei followed closely behind, while Zhong Zheyi and Wu Xu remained motionless, silently praying that the rest period would end soon.
Cheng Baoni knew perfectly well what was going on. She smiled sarcastically and her gaze returned to Hao Jian's retreating figure.
Cheng Ai pushed the bracelet toward Zhong Zheyi and said calmly, "I still have a lot of points. You and the Taoist priest can use them."
She spent 11 points to redeem spicy lobster tails, roasted chicken wings, and scallion pancakes, leaving her with 16 points. As long as she didn't eat overly expensive dishes, that would be enough to support two more people.