Chapter 878 - 845 Wang Chaling

Dadong City.

Near the sea, its economy is extremely developed.

These two points also mean that Dadong City is very prosperous, surpassing Dachang City by far in terms of economy, population, or urban area.

But in this era of resurging specters.

Such cities need the most top-notch leaders even more; otherwise, any spiritual event could cause significant losses and impact.

The top leader of Dadong City is Wang Chaling.

His profile reads.

Wang Chaling.

Male.

Twenty-eight years old.

Born in Dadong City.

A master’s degree holder returned from studying abroad.

…

The profile is quite ordinary, containing information that can be collected from public sources, and nothing particularly noteworthy except for his identity as a leader. If it wasn’t for his position, Wang Chaling’s profile would serve as a model for contemporary youth.

Young, handsome, with high educational qualifications.

From a family with an excellent background.

He can certainly be considered a cultured and wealthy gentleman.

It is now four-thirty in the afternoon.

The Ning’an Building in Dadong City.

This building soars up to five hundred meters, with over a hundred floors, being a landmark of Dadong City. However, the owner of this entire building is not a publicly listed company or a wealthy tycoon but an individual.

That person’s name is Wang Chaling.

A very unfamiliar name, even the elite tycoon circle at the top of Dadong City has not heard of it. Occasionally, those who hear it and attempt to investigate find themselves stumped and are sternly warned off by some law enforcement officers.

At this moment.

The hundredth floor of Ning’an Building.

This floor is quiet and serene, unaffected by the noisy bustle of the big city.

Today.

A private party is being held here.

The invitees are not famous socialites or stately stars and tycoons, but rather top talents from various fields. However, they all share one thing in common: they enjoy playing chess in their leisure time.

There is Go, international chess, Chinese chess…

Even some renowned professional chess players are within the range of invitees.

“Mister Wang Chaling indeed has exceptional chess skills. That Jeang Chong from America was the runner-up in the international chess competition, but he just lost five games in a row to Mister Wang. You should know that Jeang Chong managed to win games against the champion in their three-game match.”

“The Go master Jang Zhezhi also lost earlier, and perhaps because he couldn’t save face, he has already left the premises.”

“This expert in Chinese chess seems about to lose as well.”

A group of people from various social backgrounds gathered and discussed with each other.

They watched the two people sitting in front of a Chinese chessboard in the middle.

One was a middle-aged man with a bald head, dressed plainly, like an ordinary old man from the roadside, but with a deep love for Chinese chess. He had been engrossed in it for over a decade and had a lot of natural talent. Although he had never competed professionally, not all professional players could necessarily beat this bald middle-aged man.

Sitting opposite him was a man in casual business attire, wearing glasses and smiling.

He had a gentle temperament, handsome looks, and an aura of scholarly grace that radiated from him, revealing an indescribable charm in his speech and manners that made people instinctively feel good about him.

It’s hard to imagine that, in this materially-fueled society, there could be such a special person.

“I, I’ve lost…”

The bald middle-aged man stared fixedly at the chessboard. Although he hadn’t reached checkmate yet, he knew that in three more moves, he would have no chance for a comeback.

“Thank you for the game,” Wang Chaling said with a smile: “Would you care for another round?”

“I can’t beat you, you are much better than I am.”

The bald middle-aged man shook his head and stood up: “Although I’m not satisfied and would like to play a few more rounds with you, it’s getting late and I need to pick up my child from school.”

“No rush, if you don’t mind, I can arrange for a driver to pick up your child, and we can play a few more rounds,” Wang Chaling said with a smile.

The bald middle-aged man hesitated for a moment, seemingly still eager for a few more games.

“Let’s wait a bit though. I have a colleague coming to visit. Let me attend to him first, my apologies to everyone.”

However, at that moment, the always-smiling Wang Chaling’s brows twitched as he looked outside through the huge windows of the building.

In the far distance.

A streak of red light had appeared and vanished in the blink of an eye, as if everything seen just a moment ago had been an illusion.

But then, the lights on this floor flickered as if interfered with, and an icy chill lingered in the air that could not be waved away. The previously serene atmosphere suddenly felt gloomy and eerie, making it uncomfortable for the people present.

“Has Team Leader Yang arrived?”

Wang Chaling stood up immediately and said warmly and politely, “I am Wang Chaling, the person in charge of Dadong City. I have long heard of Team Leader Yang’s reputation, and meeting you today is truly an honor.”

The other invited guests turned to look towards another corner at once.

In the darkest corner of the floor, where the lights had failed, as the light flickered, seven mysterious figures suddenly appeared out of nowhere, men and women, as well as children.

Many people were startled.

That spot was not in the direction of the entrance; there should have been no one there before.

“Are you Wang Chaling?”

A man holding a golden spear stepped out from the shadows. He was pale, with an indifferent expression and an aura of coldness about him, conveying a feeling that he was not to be approached by strangers.

“Captain Yang must have seen my file, don’t you think I am Wang Chaling?” He smiled, his tone teasing.

Yang Jian said, “You seem pretty relaxed, still in the mood for chess.”

“It’s a hobby of mine. Can Captain Yang play? If you’re interested, feel free to sit down for a few games.” Wang Chaling invited.

Yang Jian replied, “I know a little.”

“That’s great. Since Captain Yang also plays, may I know what kind of chess you usually play? How about we have a friendly match today and learn from each other?”

“What chess are you good at?” Yang Jian asked calmly.

Wang Chaling said with a smile, “How about Chinese chess? What do you say, Captain Yang?”

“I’ll take the red pieces and go first, Pawn 7 forward one.” Yang Jian stood there motionless, his voice ice-cold.

Wang Chaling was taken aback, and so were the others.

“The chessboard isn’t even set up yet…” Said the bald middle-aged man.

“Cannon 2 moves horizontally to 5.” Wang Chaling adjusted his glasses slightly, the smile on his face fading a bit.

Yang Jian continued, “Knight 8 forward 7.”

“Knight 2 forward 3.” Wang Chaling also spoke.

They both spoke very quickly, hardly hesitating before stating the next move.

“What are they doing?” Someone asked in surprise, not realizing what was happening.

The bald middle-aged man watched incredulously, then quickly sat down and started setting up the chessboard to match the moves they had just described.

Luckily, the game had just begun, not too scrambled, and thus he could reconstruct it. If it were any later, he wouldn’t have managed because he wouldn’t have remembered all the changes in the positions.

“Rook 8 moves horizontally to 7,” Yang Jian said still calmly, beginning to capture pieces.

Wang Chaling counterattacked swiftly, “Cannon 2 moves horizontally to 7.”

Their exchanges seemed to become more intense as they both took each other’s pieces.

Others looked on with eyes wide open, as if watching monsters at play.

Are these two really normal humans?

They have constructed the entire chessboard in their minds, playing without a board, just with their words. Aren’t they afraid of remembering the pieces’ positions incorrectly?

“How can they get so into it? If you want to play chess, look for Daddy Xiong, I’m tops.” Xiong Wenwen muttered to himself.

He could cheat.

But he couldn’t remember an entire chessboard. However, if the pieces were laid out, he could definitely beat this Wang Chaling.

The two continued to clash, with fewer and fewer pieces on the board.

But the outcome was becoming more and more clear.

“Checkmate, you’ve lost,” Yang Jian said, expressionless, announcing checkmate for the first time.

Wang Chaling frowned, then smiled again, “Captain Yang is indeed sharp and clever. I’ve lost, but it was interesting playing chess with you. Shall we have another round?”

“Why is it over already? This move, Scholar 4 forward 5, can still be played…”

The bald middle-aged man moved the chess pieces on the board, surprised and confused.

He obviously couldn’t see that far ahead.

Both were strategizing, and the one who puts the opponent in check first is already at a disadvantage, forced into a defensive position.

Maybe they won’t lose.

But they’ve lost momentum, already one step behind, so the outcome on the chessboard is no longer important.

Yang Jian had no intent to play another round. Instead, he directly asked, “How much do you know about the Pendulum Clock curse?”

“There’s no hurry. If Captain Yang is interested, please take a seat, and we can talk it over slowly. Everyone’s already here, I suppose you wouldn’t mind delaying a bit further. Of course, Captain Yang mustn’t suspect that I’m intentionally stalling. I have no affiliation with that group of people.”

Wang Chaling chuckled, looking somewhat innocent.

“Sit,” indicated Yang Jian.

Feng Quan, Tong Qian, Huang Ziya, Li Yang, and the others took their seats.

The lights above their heads went out, shrouding everyone in shadow, and as they sat down, the air grew colder, sending shivers down one’s spine.

Some were curiously observing Mister Wang’s guests.

Not to mention the one called Captain Yang who, despite his youth, was brandishing an odd golden spear as if role-playing.

The most eye-catching was the inconspicuous child walking barefoot on the ground.

In this chilly weather, not even a pair of shoes for the kid?

But after a few more glances, it seemed to catch the attention of the child who suddenly turned to look this way.

Many were startled.

The child was dressed in the burial clothes one would put on a corpse, with eyes that were pupil-less and eerily crimson.

“Manager Liu, please help me send our guests home first, I need to discuss something with my colleague.”

Wang Chaling said and then apologized, “My friends, I am sorry for the sudden issue. Please forgive any poor hospitality today.”

“I’ve indeed learned something new today. I didn’t expect chess could be played like this, and so brilliantly too. Impressive, impressive,” the bald middle-aged man couldn’t stop exclaiming.

Had he not seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn’t believe that there were people in this world who could finish a game of chess just in their minds.

The rest also quickly greeted Wang Chaling before leaving.

Some looked pale and shaken, clearly frightened, and very unsettled.

The Ghost Child had been seen after all.

Its appearance akin to a dead infant is chilling even in broad daylight.

Considering some of the unsavory rumors online, they dared not ask more, only wanted to leave quickly, away from those strange and unusual things.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by novlove.com

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