Chapter 298 - 196: Chessboard in the Box, The Game

Hearing Niuniu gloating, Shore felt even more indignant.

’They didn’t even give me a chance to fight back! A forced, scripted death! What kind of bullshit instance is this?!’ Shore raged internally.

But soon, as the scene before him changed and text appeared in the notification bar, he froze in surprise.

The Giant had indeed grabbed both ends of his body and snapped it forcefully.

CRACK.

After the sharp sound, a pile of rubble fell.

But Shore could clearly see that his own petrified body had been moved to a corner next to the pure white box.

[The Kingdom Giant has discreetly saved a Chess Piece]

[You have escaped death. You may be able to enter the game at a critical moment]

"Huh?"

Shore was stunned for a moment, then overcome with delight.

’Holy shit, Niuniu was right! This Kingdom Giant really is a sore loser. It actually pocketed me, a Chess Piece that was supposed to be eliminated.’

He didn’t have to die!

"Whoa, what a great design, Spirit Candle! Such a brilliant plot! Props to the developers!"

Shore’s expression changed in an instant, his face breaking into a wide grin.

The other four on the chessboard were flabbergasted by this turn of events.

"Huh? It really cheated! That Kingdom Giant is so shameless, hahaha..." Guagua laughed, amused.

"This plot twist really fits the Kingdom Giant’s character profile," Wa Zai mused, stroking his chin.

"Tsk, can’t believe that kid got away." Niuniu was greatly disappointed, shaking his head. "It would’ve been better to save a Soldier piece."

"Holy shit, you damn cow! You want me dead, don’t you?" Hearing this, Shore was fuming and snapped back.

Niuniu just chuckled slyly in response.

"It’s about to start," Gray Sky, who had been watching the situation closely, reminded them at the right moment.

Hearing this, everyone turned their attention back to the game.

At that moment, the "cutscene" of the two Giants playing out before their eyes synced up with the prompts in the info box.

[The chessboard is ready]

[The chess box is opened by the Giant, revealing the two irreconcilable factions: the Kingdom and the Demons]

[The two Giants begin to place their Chess Pieces...]

The pure white box was opened, and the petrified players on the board were moved by the Kingdom Giant, placed into the chess box along with the other Chess Pieces.

The chess box was divided into two sides: the Kingdom Faction and the Demon Faction.

Each faction had five buildings.

The Kingdom’s were "Frontline," "Moat," "City Wall," "Residences," and "Royal Palace."

The Demons’ were "Battlefield," "Blood Pool," "Flesh Wall," "Hatching Grounds," and "Nest."

Each building had a different function, providing various buffs and effects to a faction’s Chess Pieces within it. Moreover, the buildings had a certain influence on each other.

For example, the "Residences" building could restore the status of the Kingdom’s Chess Pieces, but if the "City Wall" in front of it was destroyed, this Effect would disappear.

Among the five buildings, the most important were the "Royal Palace" and the "Nest."

When one of these crucial buildings was captured or destroyed, that faction would be declared defeated.

The "Chess Pieces" represented by the five-person team would play an indispensable role in this process.

The [Chess Pieces] of both factions were also roughly divided into categories.

These were approximately "Soldier," "Water Monster," "Ranged," "Giant Beast," and "King."

Note, these are general categories, not specific types. The number of specific types is much greater and harder to distinguish.

After all, the "Ranged" category alone included Chess Pieces like "Mage," "Archer," and "Pitcher," and there were quite a few of them.

Furthermore, the board was far from simple. The two Giants outside the board were not just for show; they would apply various "influences" during the game, making the situation more dynamic and causing the Chess Pieces to undergo further changes...

At this moment, Niuniu, Gray Sky, and some other [Soldier] Chess Pieces were placed on the Frontline, closest to the opposing Demon Faction.

Meanwhile, Wa Zai and some bizarre-looking [Water Monster] Chess Pieces were placed in the Moat.

Guagua was positioned furthest back, placed in the [Knight] slot in the Royal Palace.

As for Shore, he could only watch helplessly from the corner as the Kingdom Giant arranged the Chess Pieces.

A moment later, the pieces were more or less set. Both Giants put down their trays.

[Placement complete. The chessboard will now close.]

"Holy shit, what the hell? What about me? Why didn’t it put me on the board too?"

Shore was dumbfounded. He was still in the corner, his body motionless.

However, seemingly due to the influence of the Power of the Spirit Candle, he could temporarily move around in a third-person, Wandering Soul-like perspective.

"What’s the rush? Just wait," Niuniu said irritably, rolling his eyes. "The Kingdom Giant only kept you by cheating. How could it brazenly put you into the game?"

"Alright." Shore heard this, thought it made sense, and calmed down, now watching the others’ actions with keen interest.

Not that he could see much at the moment. The box had already closed, so he could only type in the chat.

[The Box in the House slowly closes. After a moment of darkness, dim light floods in. The clash between the Kingdom and the Demons has begun...]

The view shifts to inside the chessboard.

CRACKLE... CRACKLE...

A Chess Piece shaped like a Soldier, seemingly influenced by some kind of Power, suddenly twitched. Dust trickled from its body, and the next moment, it began to move freely.

The same thing happened to the four players on the board. One after another, they broke free of their constraints and gained the Ability to move freely.