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墨書 Inktalez
“I happen to have a few challenging positions here; I wonder if you can solve them?” Without giving Lu Fei Fan a chance to refuse, Duan Zhang immediately called for his subordinates to bring over a black notebook, which contained several game positions. The group quickly cleared the chessboard and set up the first position.
In this first position, the white pieces were at a disadvantage, with the black pieces intricately advancing in layers. Just looking at the board, it was clear that it resembled a tiger coiling around its prey. Most people would likely find this position difficult to resolve, but Lu Fei Fan had studied many such scenarios with his grandfather. In his previous life, he had analyzed some astonishing positions created by Wu Qingyuan and Xiu Zai for three months, which unfortunately were beyond the capabilities of an amateur like him. However, the current position was not beyond his grasp.
He manipulated both black and white pieces, pondering for several minutes after each move. Eventually, he sacrificed a white piece to capture a group of Go stones, revitalizing the entire game and leveling the situation.
He could tell that the person who set up this layout was not much more skilled than himself, but against someone like Duan Zhang, it was more than sufficient.
Seeing the board become clearer, Duan Zhang’s gaze toward Lu Fei Fan changed significantly. He promptly ordered someone to pour water for Lu Fei Fan and give him a massage, then had another person record the method of resolution before quickly clearing the board for the second position.
Thus, Lu Fei Fan became engrossed in solving these positions, and time slipped away unnoticed. During their rounds, several prison guards even noticed that the inmates were gathered around a chessboard, completely absorbed in their game, neglecting their meals. They couldn’t help but feel some admiration; it seemed that even prisoners could be so focused when they found a hobby.
It wasn’t until late into the night that Lu Fei Fan had solved all of Duan Zhang’s more than ten positions. Feeling famished, Duan Zhang finally instructed someone to fetch food from the guards. Lu Fei Fan couldn’t help but admire Duan Zhang’s influence; surprisingly, the guards actually brought them supper.
Moreover, those guards seemed quite reluctant to offend Duan Zhang’s requests; it was clear that he had some significant connections.
With his ability to solve these positions, Duan Zhang found Lu Fei Fan impressive. After supper, he had his subordinates clear out a decent bed for Lu Fei Fan and instructed everyone else in the room not to disturb him. Meanwhile, Duan Zhang began an all-night study of the moves Lu Fei Fan had provided him. Glancing over at him with little interest, Lu Fei Fan simply settled down and fell into a deep sleep.
The next day, when Lu Fei Fan saw the guards escorting Duan Zhang out for a meeting, he guessed that Duan Zhang was likely going to challenge the person who set up those positions using the methods he had taught him.
Lu Fei Fan paid no mind to it and sat in a corner wearing his Superbrain Device while connecting to the internet.
“Ah! You finally made it! Come here; let me show you your training schedule,” Hero said eagerly as soon as he arrived.
“Training schedule?” Lu Fei Fan was taken aback as a tightly packed schedule popped up on his Virtual Screen.
The training included physical exercises and even knowledge classes, all led by the 'Hero' who took on the role of a mentor, instructing him and making him memorize everything. The curriculum was even more extensive than that of the Free Federation Academy. Lu Fei Fan glanced at the schedule, which was packed with nearly seven or eight subjects, covering geography, literature, mathematics, physics, and chemistry—nine subjects in total. The overwhelming amount made Lu Fei Fan feel dizzy.
Before he could ask any questions, the Hero eagerly began to play the part of a strict instructor.
First came physical training: squats, jumps, leg kicks, followed by basic combat techniques. Each technique had to be practiced five thousand times back and forth. Finally, there was virtual swimming training. In the afternoon, there were various knowledge classes in mathematics, physics, chemistry, and geography. By evening, he had to complete two hundred push-ups and five hundred sit-ups.
Basic combat training was one of the essential subjects strongly advocated by the Hero. Using the Superbrain Device, the Hero played a video on a virtual table for Lu Fei Fan that demonstrated four main techniques: punching, swinging punches, kicking, and sweeping kicks.
Even for the most fundamental horse stance, the Hero insisted that Lu Fei Fan practice punching, swinging punches, kicking, and sweeping kicks ten thousand times in total while maintaining consistent strength without slacking off. There was only a ten-minute break allowed for bathroom use or drinking water.
After this session, Lu Fei Fan felt like a fish out of water. Even during dinner that night, when Hua Changong saw his son devouring his food like a starving refugee released from a camp after weeks of deprivation, it was clear that he had been through an exhausting ordeal. He finished every last bit of the tasteless prison food in one go. Then, under the Hero's strong insistence, he spent another hour reviewing what he had learned in class. The Hero's dual focus on physical and mental nourishment nearly drove Lu Fei Fan to despair. Thankfully, an hour passed quickly. After washing up, he dragged his utterly exhausted body back to bed and fell into a deep sleep.
He did not notice that Duan Zhang had not returned that night. It wasn't until Lu Fei Fan woke up the next morning that Duan Zhang came back looking considerably haggard. He approached Lu Fei Fan's bed.
"Seven Brothers," Duan Zhang said with newfound respect in his tone as he sat down with several subordinates nearby. "I have a few chess problems I need help with."
"I can help you with your chess problems," Lu Fei Fan replied casually. "But I need something in return."
Duan Zhang's burly companion grew angry upon hearing Lu Fei Fan's request and shouted, "Don't be ungrateful! Duan Ye is asking for your help because he values you!"
As he stepped forward to teach Lu Fei Fan a lesson, Lu Fei Fan maintained his smile and narrowed his eyes to remember this man; however, Duan Zhang intervened.
"Hey now, how can you speak to Seven like that?" Duan Zhang pretended to scold him before turning back to Lu Fei Fan. "Seven Brothers, what do you need? I have some connections with the prison guards here; as long as it’s not anything related to escaping or breaking rules, I can help you."
“I originally wanted a Human Sandbag, but I’ve changed my mind,” Lu Fei Fan said. “I want Duan Ye to find a few stronger helpers to fight with me.”
“Fight… fight?” Seven Brothers found this request quite peculiar. It was the first time he had heard such a strange demand. After thinking for a moment, he looked a bit bewildered but then patted the sturdy man beside him and continued, “How about A Bao?”
Lu Fei Fan glanced at the eager A Bao, who was cracking his knuckles and eyeing him like prey, seemingly eager to pummel him.
“Alright.” Lu Fei Fan nodded without hesitation. This person was tough and sturdy; being a Human Sandbag should suit him well, which was a consensus he had reached with the heroes.
Then, Duan Zhang quickly set up several endgame scenarios on the chessboard. These positions were similar to the last ones and were easily resolved by Lu Fei Fan.
Duan Zhang noted down the solutions, and the next day, he left with the prison guard again. However, this time he returned by evening, looking quite troubled.
“Duan Ye, how did it go?” As soon as he entered the cell, A Bao, who usually acted as a henchman, scratched his head and asked.
Duan Zhang had no words; he seemed somewhat sullen. After glancing at Lu Fei Fan with a heavy heart, he paced around the cell for a few laps before finally walking up to Lu Fei Fan.
“Seven Brothers, we hit it off well. How about we become sworn brothers?” Duan Zhang suddenly proposed.
Lu Fei Fan smiled and politely declined, “Duan Ye holds a noble status; how could someone of my lowly standing dare to be sworn brothers with you? If you have any requests, feel free to speak up. However, I’ve always preferred mutually beneficial arrangements…” He finished with an evil grin.
Lu Fei Fan was confident that Duan Zhang needed something from him, which made him fearless and unafraid of any repercussions.
“Alright.” Duan Zhang agreed almost without hesitation, fearing that Lu Fei Fan might change his mind later. “Seven Brothers, anything is fine.”
“Alright.” Lu Fei Fan had been curious for a long time and probably knew what he was being asked for.
“Um, it’s like this. Those tricky situations you’ve been solving were actually set up by another person. I’ve never won against him in a match, and I want to gain something from him. So he created these challenges, and if I can solve all of them, he promised to give me that thing.”
Lu Fei Fan nodded. Indeed, he had experienced Duan Zhang's level of chess skills firsthand; it was evident that such a level barely reached amateur standards. There was no way those tricky situations could have been set by him—they must have originated from someone else.
“Now that person knows I’m not the one solving the chess problems, so he has repeatedly requested that I send you to play against him personally,” Duan Zhang added, looking hopeful. “Seven Brothers, perhaps only you can help us. Your chess skills are indeed superior to ours. If you can win against him in a match, there’s nothing I can’t accomplish in this prison. Whatever you want, I can help you get it.”
Lu Fei Fan believed that Duan Zhang had some connections in the prison and might even have an ambiguous relationship with the guards; otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to come and go so freely. Initially, Lu Fei Fan had little interest in helping him, but his curiosity about the person who wanted to challenge him grew stronger, and he felt compelled to meet this individual.
After pondering for a few minutes, Lu Fei Fan stroked his chin and said, “For now, I don’t have any other requests; just find someone to practice boxing with me. If I think of anything else later, I’ll bring it up.”
“No problem, no problem,” Duan Zhang replied eagerly. He would agree to anything—even if it meant selling out his own family.
“Alright, it’s safer to have everything in writing. Let’s draft an agreement,” Lu Fei Fan suggested as he called for Duan Zhang to bring some paper. Duan Zhang felt a bit overwhelmed but grimly instructed his subordinate to fetch the paper. The agreement stated that Duan Zhang owed a significant favor to Seven Brothers and that in the future, they could not refuse any requests made by him. The document ended up being several thousand words long. After Lu Fei Fan finished writing, he had several people press their fingerprints on it before concluding the matter.
Duan Zhang exchanged glances with his subordinates; it felt as though they were signing away their lives. Looking at Lu Fei Fan’s seemingly harmless smile, they felt a sense of being tricked or deceived.
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