CIATB Chapter 147 Why didn't you say so sooner!
Chapter 147 Why didn't you say so sooner!
"Snapped!"
The crisp sound of the pieces being placed, like the beating of war drums, heralded the start of this game of chess between grandfather and grandson.
When Old Master Nie made his move, it was with overwhelming force.
The knight leaps, the chariot moves, the elephant leaps... every move is swift and ruthless, the pieces landing on the board with a dull thud, exuding a sense of oppression.
He spent half his life playing chess, with an extremely domineering style that emphasized "taking the initiative" and completely overwhelming his opponent's momentum within the first three moves.
The onlookers, seeing the old man's imposing demeanor, subconsciously felt a chill for Zhang Yan.
"Oh no, oh no, the old man is serious now."
"This kid is in trouble. The last time I saw the old man play chess like this was with Commander Wang, who retired from the military region."
"If he can last ten steps, he's really impressive."
Even Nie Qingcheng clenched her fists nervously.
Although she didn't understand chess, she could read the expressions on her grandfather's face.
It was the excited yet cruel expression on a hunter's face when he saw his prey.
However, Zhang Yan, on the other side of the chessboard, remained calm and composed.
He even had the leisure to pick up the teacup beside him and take a small sip.
Faced with the old man's relentless onslaught, his response was summed up in just two words.
steady.
No matter how tricky the old man's moves were or how fierce his attacks were, Zhang Yan's defense was as solid as a rock, leaving no room for error.
You advance a soldier, I leap a horse; you move a chariot to the side, I reinforce with a strategist.
His chess style seems unremarkable, even somewhat conservative.
But every move was perfectly timed, blocking the old man's most uncomfortable spot.
Like a Tai Chi master, no matter how much force you strike, I remain unmoved and neutralize it.
Ten steps.
Twenty steps.
Thirty steps.
The game has unknowingly entered the middle stage.
The anticipated scene of Zhang Yan being utterly routed and losing his armor did not occur.
On the contrary, fine beads of sweat gradually appeared on Old Master Nie's forehead.
His brows furrowed deeper and deeper.
Not right.
Something's really wrong!
He felt as if he had been punched hard, but it had landed on cotton.
No matter how hard he tried, his opponent always managed to neutralize his attacks with a subtle and effective method.
Moreover, as the game progressed, he gradually felt immense pressure.
The opponent's pieces appear to be on the defensive, but in reality, every single one is a trap.
That seemingly impenetrable defensive net was actually a spider web full of traps.
And he was that moth that plunged headlong into it.
He was horrified to discover that his chariot, horse, and cannon had been unknowingly divided and surrounded by the opponent's pieces, trapped in small spaces, unable to move.
"What... what kind of chess move is this?"
Nie Zhenbang, who was standing to the side, also noticed that something was wrong and couldn't help but exclaim in a low voice.
Although his chess skills are not as good as the old man's, he is still considered a master.
He could see that Zhang Yan's chess moves had completely transcended the conventional realm.
It was a state of being that he had never seen before—a return to simplicity, a state of profound skill achieved without artifice.
"General!"
A cold, clear voice suddenly rang out.
Zhang Yan moved a black "cannon" one step to the side and placed it steadily in the middle.
This move was like a stroke of genius, a truly astonishing moment!
It directly blasted through the old man's seemingly impregnable defenses, exposing the red "Handsome" to the muzzle of the cannon.
Old Master Nie was jolted, as if struck by lightning.
He stared intently at the chessboard, sweat pouring down his forehead.
How could that be?
How is that possible!
He rehearsed it countless times, but he still couldn't figure out where the opponent's "cannon" came from.
He had clearly calculated everything!
"Snapped!"
The old man refused to believe in superstition and sent a "strategist" flying up to block the "general".
"General!"
Zhang Yan didn't even look at it, and casually placed another "pawn" on the board.
This "pawn" has already crossed the river after charging all the way.
At that moment, it was like a sharp knife, piercing straight into the old man's heart.
Two cannons and one pawn, a chain checkmate!
Lore!
There is no solution left on the chessboard.
The entire main hall was deathly silent.
Everyone seemed to be frozen in place, staring blankly at the chessboard that had already been settled.
We lost?
The invincible patriarch of the Nie family, who was undefeated in the chess world of Beijing, actually... lost?
Moreover, he lost to a young man who was not even twenty years old?
"Clatter".
A red "horse" coin slipped from Grandpa Nie's fingers and fell to the ground with a crisp sound.
His face first showed shock, then bewilderment, and finally, an indescribable...ecstasy!
"Ha ha ha ha!"
"Hahahaha!"
The old man suddenly stood up, looked up at the sky and laughed heartily, his laughter filled with joy and excitement.
"Excellent! Excellent move! What a brilliant series of checkmates!"
He grabbed Zhang Yan's shoulder and shook him violently, his cloudy old eyes shining with an astonishing light.
"Kid! Tell me honestly, who taught you this chess game?!"
Zhang Yan was a little dizzy from being shaken, and said helplessly, "I learned it from the old man who guarded the gate when I was a child in the orphanage."
【Ding! 】
[The God-level Chess Skill (Chess Grandmaster) experience has ended.]
Zhang Yan silently added a sentence in his mind.
"The gatekeeper?" The old man looked incredulous. "What kind of gatekeeper could raise a monster like you! No way, you have to take me to meet him another day!"
Zhang Yan: "..."
Well, sir, I guess you won't be seeing him again.
This game of chess solidified Zhang Yan's unshakeable "prodigy" status within the Nie family.
If his previous calligraphy only shocked people...
This time, I'm completely convinced.
Even the area the old man was most proud of was easily conquered by him.
Is there anything this young man can't do?
Soon, they found out the answer.
After the game of chess was over, Nie Xiaorou pestered him again.
"Brother-in-law, do you know how to play video games?"
"Let's play together! I'll carry you!"
She held up her phone, and on the screen was the most popular MOBA game at the moment.
Several teenagers nearby joined in the commotion.
"Yeah, yeah, Brother Zhang Yan, let's play together!"
They felt that Zhang Yan, an "old-fashioned" man who was skilled in calligraphy and chess, would definitely not be interested in things that young people like them did.
Nie Qingcheng laughed and said, "Don't pay them any mind, they're just a bunch of internet addicts."
Zhang Yan smiled and took the phone from Nie Xiaorou's hand.
"Okay."
"However, you won't be taking me."
He looked at the familiar interface on the screen, a strange light flashing in his eyes.
"It's me, I'll lead you."
Half an hour later.
From the room of the younger generation of the Nie family, bursts of pig-like screams and ghostly cheers erupted.
"Holy crap! Triple kill!"
"Quadruple kill!!"
"Penta Kill!!!"
"Brother-in-law is awesome!!" (voice cracks)
Nie Xiaorou and a group of cousins, holding their phones, were so excited that their faces were flushed, and they were gesturing wildly as if they had gone mad.
On the screen, an assassin hero with the ID "Xiang Yang Qingcheng" moved through the enemy's fountain as if it were empty, and with a series of smooth moves, instantly took down all five enemies.
In 15 minutes, his record was 28 kills, 0 deaths, and 3 assists.
A complete, one-sided massacre.
The five opponents were so badly beaten that they typed for mercy in the public chat.
"Big brother, please stop killing us! We'll surrender, okay?"
I'm sorry, I'll never play this game again, sob sob...
Zhang Yan put down his phone and stretched his wrists.
[God-level e-sports mastery].
Well, it's nothing special.
He looked at his younger siblings, who had completely gone mad, clinging to his legs and shouting "godfather," and shook his head helplessly.
Young people these days are really naive.
He walked out of the room. In the main hall, the elders of the Nie family were already sitting around the sofa, ready to watch the annual Spring Festival Gala.
The television set played festive opening music.
Zhang Yan walked over and sat down next to Nie Qingcheng.
Nie Qingcheng naturally rested her head on his shoulder.
Her hair carried a faint, sweet fragrance that tickled Zhang Yan's heart.
"The party is about to begin," she said softly.
Outside the window, the night was already deep.
Inside, the lights were on.
The family was happy and harmonious.
Watching this heartwarming scene, Zhang Yan felt an unprecedented sense of fulfillment in his heart, a longing for "home" that belongs to orphans.