When a person is in a high-ranking position, their words carry the law.

Chapter 252 Don't underestimate my intelligence network
At this crucial moment, this news brought everyone who was discussing the matter to a sudden silence, their expressions varying.

Di Zheng continued, "This is a situation that the East China Sea garrison has just discovered. I believe it will soon be communicated to the Martial Arts Association and the Twenty-Four Martial Arts Universities. You all just need to wait a little while to verify the authenticity of the information."

Before he could finish speaking, everyone else present focused their attention on him, and a message notification popped up in front of them.

Clearly, what Di Zheng said was true.

“Vice Principal,” Di Zheng continued, “This concerns the Yingzhou Secret Realm. I propose that the school help Yun Shu recover as soon as possible and break through to the sixth star, so that his injuries will not be incomplete when the Yingzhou Secret Realm opens.”

Vice Principal Zhang Huayang pondered for a moment, then finally said, "The matter of the Yingzhou Secret Realm still needs further verification. We will make relevant decisions after we determine the location of the Yingzhou Secret Realm. For now, let's get the preparations done."

He looked at the dean of the Ordnance Department.

"I will have the equipment and supplies prepared in advance," Dean Liu of the Ordnance Department said expressionlessly.

On the contrary, Di Zheng showed a look of joy.

Exploring the dimensional realm is difficult to do with modern technology because the physical rules in the dimensional realm are slightly different from those on Earth, making it difficult to use high-tech equipment.

Therefore, Dongxia has always been far ahead of the new warriors of Xilian in exploring the Yuan Realm.

Yingzhou Secret Realm was connected to Earth decades ago, and its rules have long been synchronized, allowing it to use high-tech equipment.

Asking Dean Liu to prepare the relevant equipment and supplies undoubtedly reveals a certain inclination.

"Let's adjourn."

Zhang Huayang said.

As for holding Yun Jingming and his wife accountable, that has obviously been postponed for the time being.

As the attendees began to leave, Bai Ze was about to depart as well, when he unexpectedly received a private message.

'A private message from the vice principal?'

Bai Ze glanced at Zhang Huayang, who was still there, and raised an eyebrow. 'He actually wants to invite me over for a meeting...'

The private message also has a teleportation icon. As long as Bai Ze agrees, he can be teleported immediately to meet Zhang Huayang.

Upon seeing this, Bai Ze chuckled and tapped the private message.

A white light shone in the hall. Bai Ze was still standing in the same spot, but Zhang Huayang could already see him.

Upon seeing Bai Ze, Zhang Huayang smiled kindly and said, "You've arrived. Please have a seat."

He waved his hand lightly, and the long table disappeared, even the surrounding scenery changed abruptly.

The solemn building has been transformed into a pavilion on the mountain, complete with a balcony on the side, offering views of the swirling clouds and the distant Baiyujing North City suspended in mid-air.

Zhang Huayang sat at a wooden table and gestured for Bai Ze to sit opposite him.

There was also a sandalwood chessboard on the table, with chess boxes on either side.

"Do you know how to play Go?" Zhang Huayang asked with a smile as he opened the Go box and sat down.

"I only know the general rules," Bai Ze said.

He had never played Go, a high-level game, in either his past or present life. However, he was very good at Gomoku (Five in a Row), and once dominated elementary school, with few rivals.

"Just knowing the rules is enough."

Zhang Huayang smiled and said, "The most important thing in Go is computing power. With your computing power, you should be able to adapt quickly."

As he spoke, he opened the chess box for Bai Ze and said, "You play black and go first."

Seeing this, Bai Ze didn't hesitate. He picked up the chess piece with the gestures of an amateur and placed it in the center of the Tengen position.

“The first move is Tianyuan, which is not a wise choice,” Zhang Huayang said with a smile.

"I've read a few novels, and the main characters all die like this," Bai Ze replied.

"Haha, actually I've seen it too."

Zhang Huayang smiled and placed the white piece on the lower left corner star position. "When I was teaching that kid Ye Liuyun, he liked to play like this. I scolded him a few times before I realized that he had learned the trick from reading novels. I just took a look at it myself."

"Oh? The vice principal is a literature major?"

Bai Ze was not intimidated at all, and asked the question in a generous manner, and then immediately placed the black piece down without any hesitation.

"I wasn't a literature student, but a literature teacher, who later became the dean. Then, because I mentored that kid Ye Liuyun, I gradually rose to the position of vice principal."

Zhang Huayang said, "When I was in the Literature Department, I mainly taught chess and related martial arts."

As they spoke, Zhang Huayang made a series of moves, and Bai Ze's movements were just as swift.

Because the positions where Bai Ze placed his pieces corresponded to Zhang Huayang's white pieces.

Zhang Huayang moved to the lower left star position, and Bai Ze moved to the lower right star position, like looking in a mirror.

"You're quite clever at imitation chess."

Seeing this, Zhang Huayang smiled and said, "That is indeed a good idea, but in the end, imitation chess still depends on adaptability, which requires calculation ability and a strategic perspective."

"I like to invite my students to play chess because I can see a person's overall strategic vision through the chessboard. Since I always let the students play black and move first, I even gave it a funny name, 'Black Speaks'."

"The vice principal knows these popular terms?" Bai Ze couldn't help but chuckle upon hearing this.

"People always have to keep up with the times. With my lifespan, I can live for at least another two hundred years. If you really want to be serious, I'm still young," Zhang Huayang said with a humorous expression.

He now looks completely different from his previous authoritative demeanor at meetings, and instead bears a striking resemblance to former Principal Lu Mingzhou.

Moreover, Zhang Huayang was right; with his level of cultivation, living another two hundred years would definitely not be a problem.

In other words, martial arts have only been around for a short time. In another one or two hundred years, Earth will probably be just like those fantasy novels, full of old guys and a bunch of ancestors.

As he spoke, Bai Ze placed his pieces. In the first half of the game, he played quite well, and even if he stopped imitating, he was still doing quite well.

Unfortunately, in the end, experience prevailed, and he was no match for Zhang Huayang, losing his dragon and suffering a crushing defeat.

"Want to come again?" Zhang Huayang continued to invite.

"Come again."

Bai Ze immediately declared that he would fight again.

In the second game, he didn't continue to show off by placing a piece at the center point, but instead replicated Zhang Huayang's previous moves.

"good."

Zhang Huayang stroked his beard in approval, remaining composed as ever.

'He knows how to learn from failures and remains calm and composed, unaffected by my words. In this respect, he's far superior to that brat Yun Shu.'

Zhang Huayang had also played chess with Yun Shu before, and he directly stated his intention of "the black pieces speaking," letting Yun Shu know that the vice principal wanted to see his overall perspective, without any attempt to conceal it.

There's no need to hide it.

Telling students to look at their overall perspective won't magically elevate their overall outlook.

Often, students panic because they know the vice principal is testing their overall perspective.

They might get confused and unable to decide what to do, which would actually hinder their performance.

Either they wanted to demonstrate their sense of the big picture and cater to the vice principal's ideas, but ended up making things worse.

Yun Shu belongs to the latter category.

Unlike Bai Ze, he understands chess and is quite skilled at it.

In the first round, the vice principal deliberately played it weak, allowing Yun Shu to gain the advantage. As a result, Yun Shu intentionally or unintentionally threw the game, and the two ended in a draw.

This ingratiating tactic was so subtle and perfectly executed, but unfortunately, it was seen through.

From that time on, Zhang Huayang had a less than favorable impression of Yun Shu.

Now it's Bai Ze's turn. 'I let you off easy in the first game, and I saw your honesty and composure. This second game, we'll put some pressure on you.'

Zhang Huayang smiled inwardly and began to reveal his true skills.

In the second round, we'll see how much perseverance and progress Bai Ze makes.

Then······
In the second game, Zhang Huayang won again.

However, his victory was not easy; in fact, he felt like he had met his match in the middle game.

"Again," Bai Ze said, seemingly spurred on by his competitive spirit.

"it is good."

With a smile, Zhang Huayang began to take things seriously.

Young people are improving very quickly. Let me see how you perform in the third game.

And then...

Zhang Huayang's smile was a little stiff. After the endgame, he breathed a sigh of relief when he realized he had won by half a point.

My hands, which were under the table, were trembling slightly.

That was close! We almost lost. The young man has improved a lot.

A single game of chess made this martial arts expert feel as if he were fighting a formidable enemy, and he was almost drenched in sweat.

"Again?" This time it was Bai Ze's turn to invite him with great enthusiasm.

Seeing this, Zhang Huayang steadied his trembling hands and said, "Not bad, your perseverance is commendable."

As an elder, he certainly couldn't refuse.

Ever since——

At the end of the fourth game, Zhang Huayang suffered a crushing defeat.

Young people lack martial ethics and have no respect for teachers.

Zhang Huayang barely managed to keep his expression in check before laughing and saying, "Impressive! This old man has lost."

On the other side, Bai Ze wore a smile, fully demonstrating his composure in victory.

A transparent light screen, visible only to Bai Ze, floated in front of him, displaying the chess game in real time.

The vice principal's chess skills were indeed superb, leaving Bai Ze in awe and forcing him to resort to his ultimate weapon—AlphaGo.

With Luo Shu providing off-field assistance, every step was precisely calculated by the supercomputer, and within four games, the vice principal was defeated.

No, it should be said that Bai Ze was already able to beat Zhang Huayang in the first round, but he just kept letting him win.

In essence, Bai Ze's actions were exactly the same as Yun Shu's back then. The difference was that Yun Shu's tactics were seen through, while Bai Ze's were never seen through because of the calculations of the Luo Shu.

"So, has my overall perspective been approved by the vice principal?" Bai Ze asked with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Huayang finally suppressed the bitterness of losing to the prodigy and sighed, "It's beyond my expectations. You truly deserve to be called a genius who can stand shoulder to shoulder with Yao Guang. Even Yao Guang back then was no match for you."

"Thank you for your praise, Vice Principal."

Bai Ze bowed slightly and said, "Then, in order not to disappoint the vice principal's judgment, as long as the vice principal's reason is for the greater good, I am willing to take a step back."

Zhang Huayang immediately looked surprised. "You know what I'm trying to say?"

Even he had only just learned that the Yingzhou Secret Realm was about to open.

"I don't know, but I can guess," Bai Ze said calmly. "At this critical juncture, the only thing I can influence is matters related to the Yun family."

Zhang Huayang sighed again, "That's right, I wanted you to back down. But now, after discovering your wisdom and talent, I'm hesitant. I don't know if I should ask you to back down for the sake of the Yingzhou Secret Realm."

"Even if our school ultimately manages to gain the greatest benefits from the Yingzhou Secret Realm, it would be a huge loss if it caused a rift between you and the school."

Even if the Jade Capital Martial Arts Tournament offers compensation, Bai Ze might not necessarily distance himself from the tournament afterward, so Zhang Huayang was reluctant to take the gamble.

Bai Ze's talent, intelligence, and magnanimity made him value him immensely at this moment.

"The Secret Realm of Yingzhou?" Bai Ze looked puzzled.

"You've probably heard of it too; it's space debris floating at sea..."

Zhang Huayang recounted the events of the Yingzhou Secret Realm in detail and explained his current predicament.

"Then let Yun Shu go."

Bai Ze said, "Letting Yun Shu go is the best choice in terms of the overall situation, isn't it? Besides, if I were to become estranged from the school because of this, it would only show that I am petty. Sooner or later, I would still have conflicts with Yujing Martial Arts University."

As he spoke, Bai Ze made no attempt to conceal his hostility, yet showed no sign of resentment.

In short, it can be summed up in two words: vision and perspective!

Even Zhang Huayang was amazed by Bai Ze's magnanimity.

"Aren't you afraid of regretting it later?" Zhang Huayang asked.

Bai Ze didn't answer, but instead asked a question, "I've been wanting to ask this before, the vice principal must have played chess with Yun Shu before, right? What's his overall strategic perspective like?"

Zhang Huayang was slightly taken aback, seemingly not expecting Bai Ze to ask this question.

Then, without hiding anything, he said, "Yun Shu's overall perspective is not bad, but I don't see the overall situation of the collective in his chess, only his own. He is a person who thinks he is the overall situation."

“It seems I guessed right,” Bai Ze smiled. “When I fought him, I saw from his spiritual power that his divine will was biased towards egocentrism.”

"As the vice principal said, Yun Shu only thinks of himself. No matter how well the school treats him, he always puts his own interests first, followed by his family. Yujing Martial Arts University is at most third, or even not third. He is the kind of person who would even sacrifice his own brothers. If necessary, the interests of Yujing Martial Arts University can also be sacrificed."

"As for me, I can step back for the benefit of Yujing Martial Arts University. My talent and ability far surpass Yun Shu's. Yujing Martial Arts University needs me to step back now, but in the future, it will only choose me."

After Bai Ze finished speaking, Zhang Huayang's eyes were filled with undisguised admiration.

"Ha ha ha ha······"

He let out a loud laugh, clapping his hands in delight, "Good! What a confident Bai Ze! But you're right, Yujing Martial Arts University will only choose you in the future, unless this old man gets Alzheimer's."

“This time, you take a step back, not because I need you to take a step back, but to let everyone see that you are taking a step back for the sake of Yujing Martial Arts University.”

"As a way of compensating you, you may choose any chapter of the Cantongqi to practice. In addition, after the matter in Yingzhou Secret Realm is settled, the Yujing Martial Arts Tournament will hold Yun Jingming and his wife accountable. As the chief of Yujing Martial Arts Tournament, the school has a responsibility to stand behind you."

The first part is about compensation.

The second half of the sentence is to state one's position.

Just as Zhang Huayang said, Yujing Martial Arts University chose Bai Ze.

For Bai Ze's sense of the bigger picture, for Bai Ze's talent and ability, and for his performance in this meeting, the vice principal is willing to stand up for him.

He deserves to be treated this way by Yujing Martial Arts University.

"Bai Ze will not let the vice principal down."

Bai Ze stood up and bowed.

As his gaze lowered, the floating screen that only he could see gradually faded away, and the information about Vice Principal Zhang Huayang on it also disappeared.

Zhang Huayang's decades-long service at Yujing Martial Arts University is recorded in Luoshu's database.

Based on his past, Luo Shu established Zhang Huayang's personality model to provide real-time support to Bai Ze.

Don't underestimate my intelligence network.

'The plan is clear.'

Bai Ze smiled slightly.

(End of this chapter)