All-Heavens Game, the Strongest Player

Chapter 20 Yuan Shao's Generous Gift

"So, the elimination king I defeated was also playing with three other people. They were already planning to dominate the top three before even starting the dungeon, and I was the only lone wolf?"

Chu Xiu was a transmigrator; on Earth, he was an unregistered person.

Without a past, there are naturally no relatives or friends.

If Blue Star itself weren't merely a district within the "Game of All Heavens," lacking any household registration system, and if entering the game meant having only one identity as a "player," with no one caring about anyone else's past.

He'll probably be arrested.

"This challenge is treacherous!" Jia Tong said. "Even if a player had their teammate killed by you and wants revenge, they wouldn't issue such a public challenge like this!"

The challenge that was sent was far too hasty.

With most players in "three-person teams," two of the elimination king's teammates had already been eliminated.

Chu Xiu's teammates, on the other hand, didn't even show up.

If he were to directly challenge them, what would he do if Chu Xiu and his two companions ganged up on him and he were outnumbered and outmatched?

If he stands out so openly, how could other players not hunt him down?
"Could it be a scheme by Lü Bu?" Cao Cao said.

Before the players arrived, he would have laughed at the idea that Lu Bu was cunning. But now, influenced by the players, even he is starting to doubt whether Lu Bu has learned to use cunning.

"Hard to say!"

Chu Xiu glanced at Jia Tong, then looked in the direction of Hulao Pass.

The teammates of the "elimination king" may not be true teammates. They may be a team of players, or a group of players, used as bait to lure players.

Under normal circumstances, if you get the kill and bounty of the elimination king, your strength should increase significantly.

They will not consider the lone wolf remaining in the "elimination king" team as an opponent, and will instead engage in battle.

"It's also possible that it was a scheme orchestrated by Lü Shengnan and Guo Liang!"

Thinking of this, Chu Xiu used his undercover agents to investigate the situation at Hulao Pass. He discovered that the teammate of the elimination king had indeed stepped forward.

He was neither under the command of any warlord nor under the command of Lü Bu.

Instead, he led a troop of about a thousand men from the capital, Luoyang.

They were flying the banners bearing the character "Dong" from the Xiliang Army.

He was one of Dong Zhuo's subordinates.

He specifically swapped positions with Lü Bu, choosing an entrance to the allied camp and leading a thousand men to guard it alone—his challenge was certainly not to take place in an open field, but to directly engage in a protracted battle.

Instead, it was to guard a key location.

If Chu Xiu were to accept the challenge, there would be no need for a response; he could simply lead 1,250 men to charge in.

Even the enemy gave them a chance to contain Lü Bu—Cao Cao and Sun Jian didn't have many troops, so they sent Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei to contain Lü Bu while the two of them led their troops to flank and launch a surprise attack.

Then Chu Xiu attacked the entrance.

If Chu Xiu wins, Lü Bu will be put on the defensive and forced to retreat to Hulao Pass.

If Chu Xiu loses, that person will lead his troops out of the camp, which will allow him to flank Cao Cao and Sun Jian and, together with Lü Bu, wipe out the warlords in one fell swoop.

"It seems like everything is for a fair fight, but is a mere duel really that important?"

It's like challenging a proud and aloof master to a fair fight, a decisive battle to determine who is superior.

It seemed like a display of extreme confidence.

But here's the problem: they're all players, so will the shameless Fourth Calamity really act like the natives, being aloof and arrogant?

Chu Xiu didn't believe it!

"Report! Someone requests an audience!"

A sudden report interrupted Chu Xiu's thoughts; it was a sentry soldier under Cao Cao's command.

"Who requests an audience?" Cao Cao asked.

"That man called himself 'Tian Feng,' and he was an advisor under Yuan Shao!" said the soldier on guard.

This made both Cao Cao and Chu Xiu show expressions of curiosity.

When Yuan Shao sent someone here, was it to ask for help?

"Let him in!" Cao Cao said.

Not long after, Tian Feng, Yuan Shao's top strategist, arrived at the camp led by soldiers. Without delay, he went straight in to apologize to Cao Cao, describing how much Yuan Shao regretted his actions.

Then he explained his purpose.

They had indeed come seeking help, requesting Cao Cao to send troops to relieve the siege of the feudal lords. They even prepared generous gifts for this purpose.

"I came in a hurry, and my lord Yuan Shao was unable to prepare gold and silver. He could only send me with this 'Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Formation' blueprint!" Tian Feng said. "This item was brought from the upper realm by a celestial being under my lord's command. The formation within was created many years later by an unparalleled genius in the mortal world. It possesses unfathomable power, and I believe you, Lord Cao, will certainly like it!"

After saying that, he glanced at Chu Xiu.

The meaning is obvious.

It was given to Cao Cao so that he could use it to win over Chu Xiu.

Cao Cao did not refuse, because he was also curious about just how mysterious the battle formation method of "Zhuge Liang," the future unparalleled strategist brought down by Yuan Shao's god, really was.

"I will set out with troops without holding a grudge, you may go back now!" Cao Cao said.

Tian Feng accepted the order and returned.

Cao Cao, meanwhile, pulled Chu Xiu, Cao Ren, and the others together to study the battle formation.

"I observe that this formation is based on the Eight Trigrams of the Primordial Era and operates according to the changes of the Book of Changes. Its power should be extraordinary."

Cao Ren pondered this, a look of confusion on his face.

"But why are there obvious loopholes in some places, making it seem like mere theoretical discussion?"

After saying that, he pointed to one of the spots.

There was a mistake in the formation that even a novice general wouldn't make: the "commander's platform" was blatantly exposed at the entrance to the formation.

If the enemy's charge is strong enough, they might be able to break through directly.

With the commander-in-chief gone, what use is the formation?
"Could it be that this battle formation is fake?" Cao Cao asked.

“It’s true!” Chu Xiu shook his head and said, “Exposing the command platform isn’t a problem. With the help of mystical arts, I can become invisible. That’s how I dealt with Guan Yu before. If I weren’t currently under divine punishment and marked by celestial phenomena, even if a hundred Guan Yus entered the formation, they wouldn’t be able to see the exhaust fumes from my four-wheeled vehicle!”

Although it is a four-wheeled vehicle, it does not emit exhaust fumes.

But that's the gist of it: Zhuge Liang's method of hiding was ingenious.

It is by no means an enemy general who can be beheaded.

“Even so, this side is still not right!” Cao Ren said again, “The Gate of Life is right there in the open. As long as the army charges, the formation will be broken, and no matter how ingenious the Bagua Formation is, it will become a decoration!”

This time, it made Chu Xiu frown.

Zhuge Liang's "Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Formation" does indeed have many unreasonable aspects. Not only is the "Life Gate" too obvious, but blunt weapons, tripping ropes, and other traps are not hidden.

The person on the other end isn't blind, so how could they not see?

"Wait, a blind man?"

Chu Xiu suddenly noticed that the image of the array seemed somewhat dirty, as if it hadn't been properly preserved. However, upon closer inspection, he discovered that it was sand that had been drawn on during the painting process!
This reminded him that the original text seemed to mention that Zhuge Liang's Bagua Formation could cause sand and stones to fly.

What is flying sand? What is rolling stone?

In the first-tier dungeon, there won't be any overly powerful beings or even anything too "extraordinary." So, where does the mesmerizing effect of the legendary "Eight Trigrams Formation" come from?

"It's flying sand!"

Chu Xiu instantly understood.

"What flying sand?"

Cao Cao was puzzled.

"The irrationality of this formation becomes reasonable if we raise sand and dust!" Chu Xiu said, "When setting up the formation, have the soldiers prepare flying sand and raise it in front of the enemy. This can be combined with the military formation to create a kind of illusion."

If paired with Wuhou's skill "Feather Fan East Wind", the effect will be even better!

"This is it!" Chu Xiu smiled and said, "I'll take 1,250 men over there in a bit, and we'll use this 'Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Formation' to fight the person who challenged me!"

Upon hearing this, Cao Cao frowned.

"I'm afraid it's a trick!"

But Chu Xiu didn't care and said, "Don't worry, Mengde!"

In fact, besides "Feather Fan East Wind", there is another way to stir up sand and dust, which is to move at high speed on the battlefield after activating the "Four-Wheel Maze" skill.

Hanging tree branches on a four-wheeled vehicle creates a fantastic effect.

Furthermore, and more importantly, the "illusionary" effect of the formation's "flying sand and stones" occurs in the eyes of those who enter the formation!
This allows the marker to be hidden.

Combined with the level six four-wheeled tracking skill, who else can find Chu Xiu?

(End of this chapter)