Chu Chen smiled helplessly and said, "The old war god makes it sound like winning is easy."
"Who doesn't want to dominate the battlefield, but that requires strength."
"Without strength, you'll either be annihilated or you'll have to retreat and develop yourself."
"Only when the time is right can you step out and command the world."
"To gain dignity, you must rely on strength, not just words or brute force."
As he spoke, Chu Chen moved his chariot, placing it on the riverbank.
The old war god's eyes lit up and he said, "Prime Minister Chu, isn't moving your chariot now a bit too early?"
"Didn't you just say you wanted to keep a low profile? Why are you showing off your military might now? Isn't that contradictory?"
Chu Chen, however, smiled and shook his head, "Old war god, you've probably misunderstood me."
"Although I said I wanted to keep a low profile, it doesn't mean I'll always endure when others are arrogant."
"When it's time to draw the sword, you must draw it. Otherwise, others will truly think you're easy to bully."
The old war god nodded, "Chu Chen, what you say has some truth to it."
"But I'd like to see exactly how you plan to do it."
As he spoke, the old war god's chariot charged forward, deep into enemy territory.
This move threatened Chu Chen's base. If Chu Chen didn't respond, he could be wiped out!
Chu Chen, however, was not worried and continued to draw his sword.
The old war god intended to continue his attack but found his own position in danger.
Moreover, he was deep in enemy territory. Although he appeared imposing, he lacked support.
A slight misstep could lead to the collapse of his vanguard.
Given this, he decided to lay low for now.
The old war god ceased his advance and instead deployed his artillery from the rear, supporting his minister.
After completing all defensive preparations, his chariots and soldiers continued to advance.
All forces pushed forward, a massive army pressing in, like a thousand troops and horses.
At this point, Chu Chen was entirely on the defensive, appearing quite passive.
Even the old war god couldn't help but shake his head.
"Prime Minister Chu, your situation is precarious. Although your internal affairs are almost consolidated and ready to face external threats,"
"all the powerful enemies have noticed this place, and they will surely move against you."
"Don't you think you're in danger now?"
"It seems you hold immense power in Yunyue Kingdom, but Yunyue Kingdom itself is not strong."
"Your ultimate fate is closely tied to Yunyue Kingdom. If Yunyue Kingdom cannot withstand the pressure from all sides and eventually disintegrates,"
"you will also face great disaster. Is this what you want?"
Hearing this, Chu Chen smiled slightly and did not reply. Instead, he began to maneuver his pieces in the intertwined battle lines.
With a single move, he deftly diffused an offensive from one direction.
The old war god's eyes lit up and he said, "Prime Minister Chu, this move surprised me."
"But this is only a localized reprieve. What does a slight advantage in Yunyue Kingdom count for?"
"There are several great powers in the world, not to mention numerous smaller nations."
"If any of them exert even a little pressure on Yunyue Kingdom, won't Yunyue Kingdom have to pay a price?"
Chu Chen smiled and said, "What the old war god says has some truth, but it's also a bit alarmist."
"Although there are many great powers and many small nations, they are not necessarily all enemies of Yunyue Kingdom, at least not currently."
"Yunyue Kingdom's national strength has been growing steadily over the past two years, taking one step at a time."
"Although it hasn't bared its fangs yet, it's not a country that other nations can easily manipulate."
"We just need to maintain strategic focus, avoid conflicts as much as possible, and continue to develop. In less than two years, our strength will see a substantial breakthrough."
"I believe that by then, the global situation will have become even more complex, and the time for Yunyue Kingdom to act will arrive."
As he finished speaking, Chu Chen moved his chariot, directly attacking the opponent's four routes and occupying key positions.
The situation had now shifted from the old war god's one-sided offensive to a mutual entanglement.
The old war god nodded and said, "Prime Minister Chu's chess skills are indeed admirable."
"But with such a complex situation, how can you guarantee that you won't make a single mistake?"
"As the saying goes, one wrong step leads to a cascade of errors. Yunyue Kingdom is still too small; any mistake could make it unable to hold its head up."
Chu Chen, with a confident expression, advanced his horse, saying, "Old war god, there's no need to worry. As long as we are united internally and focused on facing external threats."
"With domestic development, internal unity will surely grow stronger, while other countries will deplete their national strength due to internal conflicts."
"With this ebb and flow, combined with a strategy of distant alliances and close attacks, we will surely achieve victory."
Hearing this, the old war god breathed a sigh of relief.
"Since Prime Minister Chu is so confident, I won't say any more. Let's not discuss world affairs and focus on the game."
At this point, the situation on the chessboard had reached a point of close combat, where every pawn, soldier, minister, and advisor had to fight for every inch.
At this moment, any slight shift in power would be a substantial change.
Neither dared to be careless.
Any slip-up at this point would render all previous efforts in vain.
Chu Chen, of course, understood this.
Fortunately, during his life simulation, he had received the "Mastery of Chess" reward.
He was now a chess master, with no more than three people in the entire Yunyue Kingdom who could surpass him in chess.
For him, defeating the old war god might not be easy, but winning this game was not difficult.
In just fifteen minutes, Chu Chen used a "bottom cannon" move, trapping the old war god's general at the bottom.
The old war god stared at his trapped general, lost in thought.
"Well done, Chu Chen, I never expected you to have this move. You've truly opened my eyes."
Chu Chen smiled and shook his head, "Old war god, you flatter me. Playing chess with you has been very rewarding for Chu Chen."
Although he had won the game on the board, he knew clearly that without the "Mastery of Chess" skill, he would never have been able to defeat the old war god with his previous chess skills.
The old war god replayed each move in his mind, increasingly feeling that he was only one move away from victory.
As long as he didn't make that small mistake, he was sure he could turn the tide.
"Prime Minister Chu, this game doesn't count. Although I lost to you, I lost unfairly. Let's play another game. I'm sure I can beat you."
Chu Chen smiled wryly and shook his head. Although he already knew the outcome, he agreed to play another game to satisfy the old war god's wish.
They continued playing until nightfall.
After a total of ten games, the old war god pushed the chessboard away.