TDU Chapter 416
Chapter 416 The Skillful Soldier
“Wh–”
“This young master has been lying all along,” Chen Junnan cut in, his expression one of complete relief. “Before, I could never make sense of it, and I kept taking all the blame…but now that I know that you became an {Earthly Branch}, everything falls into place.”
“You’re saying… I was the one who made you do this?”
“That’s right,” Chen Junnan nodded. “Before you disappeared, you personally entrusted this matter to me. You told me, {Chen Junnan, if one day I fail in a life-staking wager with an Earthly Branch, no matter what it takes, you must trap everyone in our probation room. The longer, the better. Ideally, long enough for all the {Earthly Branches} to be replaced}.”
Hearing this, Qi Xia reached up and stroked his chin.
Now things were getting interesting. All parts of the plan… are now connected.
Slowly, Qi Xia lifted his head, as if before him stood his former self. Just like himself, stroking his chin, eyes fixed on the floor, immersed in quiet contemplation.
“Upon reflection… you have truly achieved much,” Qi Xia said to him.
Yu Nian'An, the {mole} within the {Earthly Branches}, {Cats}, the probation room veiled for seven years, and… {Endowing Life Without End}.
“What exactly do you want me to do…?” Qi Xia frowned at the apparition before him. “What kind of desperate situation… would require you to lay out such an interminable path? You realized that escaping in ten days was impossible… even ten years wouldn’t suffice?”
“So…” Qian Five looked at Qi Xia. “What do you plan to do next? Lead us to kill {Black Tortoise}…or try to meet the {Terrestrial}-grade Earthly Branches?”
“Our first task is the {Earthly Branches},” Qi Xia answered. “I’ll circulate among the {game venues} and attempt to rally all the {Terrestrial}-grades.”
“Do you believe you can succeed?"
“It shouldn’t be too difficult,” Qi Xia shook his head. “The {mole} I planted should act in tandem with me. From what I know, all the {Earthly Branches} could come together at night, so I’ll handle the daytime work while the {mole} takes care of nighttime. Then the pace should exceed my expectations.”
“But you said it yourself: the {Terrestrial-grade Earthly Branches} are all cunning, each of them has killed before; their hands are stained with blood. These aren’t people you can convince with just a few words.”
“Indeed,” Qi Xia said in a low voice. “But don’t forget, we are {participants}. We have our own methods.”
“You mean…?”
“I’ll stake my life against them,” Qi Xia said. “As long as we take advantage of the {bandwagon effect}, once a person dies from {refusing to cooperate}, the remaining {Earthly Branches} will avoid that path. Once at least half of the Terrestrial-grade {Earthly Branches} join us, the high wall will crumble on its own.”
Qian Five slowly furrowed his brow. This approach wasn’t impossible—but it was extremely risky. “Have you ever staked your life against a {Terrestrial} before?”
Qi Xia thought for a moment. “I suppose so. I declared the wager, but the game ended without a winner.”
“Then consider yourself fortunate,” Qian Five remarked.
“Fortunate…?” Qi Xia nodded in acknowledgment. “Perhaps.”
“You’re familiar with the repercussions of {losing a life-staking gamble}, aren’t you?”
“I do,” Qi Xia nodded. “You lose your sanity.”
“Correct. The rulers here seem intent on punishing anyone who overestimates themselves…” Qian Five said with a sigh. “In other words…those capable of challenging the {Earthly Branches} are the ones most likely to turn into {indigenous inhabitants}.”
“Have you considered…that these so-called {capable figures} lose simply because they aren’t truly that capable?”
Qian Five exhaled helplessly. “Qi Xia, I trust you have the ability, but have you thought…how fragile a force built on {threats} is?”
“Oh?”
“If you can threaten them…{Celestial Dragon} can too…” Qian Five’s expression grew darker. “I can hardly imagine the outcome if we fight alongside these unstable elements.”
“Your concerns are unnecessary,” Qi Xia said. “As ‘The Art of War’ teaches: The skillful soldier does not raise a second levy, neither are his supply-wagons loaded more than twice. Bring war material with you from home, but forage on the enemy.”
“I’m not well-read,” Qian Five shook his head. “What does that mean?”
“It means that in war, there’s no need to rely solely on your own troops and supplies. Even if you win, your nation’s strength will be continually drained. Instead, you can draw troops and provisions from the enemy.”
Hearing this, Qian Five felt the gulf between his mind and that of the man before him.
“So…you consider this a {war}? You intend to recruit troops from the enemy?”
“Correct,” Qi Xia said. “What a marvelous sight that would be if the {Terrestrial-grade Earthly Branches} can really clash with {Celestial Dragon}.”
Before Qian Five could respond, Nineteen furrowed his brow and paused, then turned to inform, “Five ge, Six jie says there’s a matter that requires attending to.”
Qian Five nodded, then gestured to the others. {Sound Insulation} concluded, and the conversation abruptly stopped.
“What’s the matter…?”
“A {formidable figure} has arrived,” Nineteen answered.
Qian Five nodded gravely. “Is it Celestial Horse and Celestial Tiger?”
“It doesn’t seem so; it’s a man,” Nineteen replied. “I don’t know precisely who…but he’s not an average person by any means.”
“I’ll go take a look,” Qian Five said.
“I’ll go too,” Qi Xia added.
Just as he was about to stand, Qian Five reached out and pressed a hand on his shoulder. In an instant, Qian Five’s form grew, appearing indistinguishable from Qi Xia.
“Qi Xia…there’s a chance the visitor is a {Celestial}.”
“I’m aware, which is why I want to go,” Qi Xia nodded. “I’ve never interacted with a {Celestial} before; this is a prime opportunity.”
Qian Five’s hand remained on Qi Xia’s shoulder, a feeling of unease creeping over him. “But Qi Xia…you’ve been an {Earthly Branches}. Aren’t you worried they might recognize you?”
“If I had previously been acquainted with the {Celestials}…then I should have been at least a {Terrestrial}-grade,” Qi Xia remarked. “The heads of all {Terrestrial-grades} are animals; I’m certain the {Celestials} could recognize my genuine visage.”
“But every {Celestial} has their own abilities…you’re taking a huge risk,” Qian Five said.
“Then take me too,” Qiao Jiajin stood and stretched lazily. “You all keep talking about {Celestial} this, {Celestial} that. I want to see for myself—if they’re human too, how much different can they be?”
Qi Xia glanced at Qiao Jiajin, then lowered his head to think.
If the abilities of the {Sacred Guardians} derive from {Reverberation}, then what exactly are the abilities of the {Celestial-grade}?
Should all their abilities stem from {Reverberations}, would {Purge All Power} be of use?
“All right,” Qi Xia nodded. “Then Fists and I will go assess the situation. Chen Junnan, given your numerous acquaintances, stay out of sight for now to avoid unnecessary trouble. Officer Li, you stay here as well—after all, it’s dangerous, and you’ll have a chance to maneuver if something happens.”
TL Note: The quote from ‘Sun Tzu: The Art of War (孙子兵法)’ (善用兵者，役不再籍，粮不三载， 取用于国，因粮于敌，故军食可足也) is from Chapter 2, Waging War (Zuò Zhàn 作 战), line 8. The translations is taken from this site: https://pages.ucsd.edu/~dkjordan/chin/Suentzyy/Suentzyy02-wimp.html
