pancakeswitch

The Heavenly Martial Empress Returns Chapter 281: Cheater Versus Genius

Added 2025-03-04 18:01:17 +0000 UTC

Listen While Reading: OKURA
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Bing Xue ended her turn while glancing at her current cards in the field with a smile.

…

[Baby Fire Dragon (Tier 5): Defense Position (Super Blazing Egg Form)]

[LIFE POINTS: 35.000] (+30.000)

[ATTACK POINTS: 35.000] (+30.000)

[SPECIAL EFFECT: BLAZING EGGSHELL]

…

[Aberrant Mutant of the Sewers (Tier 2): Defense Position]

[LIFE POINTS: 5.000 -> 2.000] (Field Damage)

[ATTACK POINTS: 2.000]

[SPECIAL EFFECT: SLUDGE BOMB]

…

[Greenwood Forest Archer (Tier 2): Defense Position]

[LIFE POINTS: 3.000 -> 1.000] (Field Damage)

[ATTACK POINTS: 5.000] (+2.000)

[EQUIPMENT: [Life Draining Knife: Tier 3]

[SPECIAL EFFECT: ARROW RAIN, LIFE DRAIN]

…

[Undying Hydra (Tier 4): Defense Position]

[LIFE POINTS: 20.000]

[ATTACK POINTS: 5.000]

[SPECIAL EFFECT: REGENERATION]

…

Bing Xue, surprising everyone, had completely flipped the tables to her favor with a series of “trash-level cards” she got from her deck.

Belphegor had made sure to create a deck that would be filled with low-rank and terrible cards. Whatever high-rank card was there was also an attempt to mess with her, as they had certain hidden conditions that made them into terrible cards to use for long periods of time.

However, he was unable to realize just how sharp and adaptable Bing Xue was. Indeed, living eleven thousand years in a world like Murim didn’t just sharpen her battle senses, but she also spent many years playing all sorts of board games with other immortals and people of great prestige.

Occasionally they were friendly games to pass time; usually this was with her beloved disciples… However, there were also many times when Immortals liked settling down grudges or betting through playing board games.

Bing Xue practiced such games for thousands of years, and she didn’t just become good with them; she learned to use her foresight abilities and even the power of time to rapidly calculate the best ways to use any advantage given to her.

Even the smallest thing could suddenly become what would turn the tables in her favor; Bing Xue’s mind had been sharpened through countless hardships.

While Belphegor, the Archdemon of Sloth, had lived a lazy life, devouring the souls of mortals passively through all his wicked games, which he had spread throughout the multiverse.

Even now, as he faced a genius in his game, he was being utterly humiliated.

“Let’s see, my Baby Fire Dragon could easily win me the game next turn, but Belphegor isn’t going to let that happen, definitely.” Bing Xue’s sharp eyes glanced as the golden masked demon took five cards from the deck and added them to his hand. “Don’t you think, Belze?”

“E-Eh? Ah! But what else could he pull out to screw you over at this point? You won!” Belze said. “I never imagined your strategy could actually work, though; this is crazy… The combination of effects, and even using cards that should be aimed at a foe on yourself to create the ideal setup for this… And to think the Baby Fire Dragon had such a hidden powerful form if you met the incredibly hard-to-meet conditions of setting a permanently ablaze field! Not even Volcanic Lands could spread as much fire as this! But… The cards you choose are random; you thought about the entire strategy in just that moment, master?”

“Oh? Ah, yes,” Bing Xue nodded. “Devising such strategies isn’t hard at all, dear. This card game is also so basic, and it lacks a lot of depth compared to the board games of Murim… The King’s Castle, The War of Yin and Yang, and the Blood Path of Conquest are among the hardest, most complex board games I’ve played in Murim; they even use boards made using Immortal Treasures, giving them magical effects to create entirely unique rulesets.”

“K-King’s… Castle?” Belze was completely confused; she had never heard of any such board games, but they all sounded rather interesting. “Now you have my interest… Could you please teach me how to play those board games?”

“Of course,” Bing Xue smiled gently, patting Belze’s little head. “Now, tell me, what do you think Belphegor will do now?”

“He would… Of course he wouldn’t give up easily; he’ll probably cheat,” Belze said. “He’s a damn lazy bastard; he doesn’t even know well how to play his game, and now he’s frustrated. He’s being humiliated in front of a bunch of demons he brought himself… he’ll probably do something ridiculous to guarantee his victory.”

“And I cannot do anything about it, indeed.” Bing Xue closed her eyes, taking out a white and golden fan and waving it to her face; the place was rather hot. Even the infernal flames of hell made her sweat a little. “Then what do you think I should do?”

“I-I…” Belze furrowed her eyebrows. “If he cheats, then you should cheat as well.”

“Haha, indeed, I had thought about that…” Bing Xue said, giggling. “Well, I dislike cheating on games. I always like playing by the rules…”

“Even when others cheat?” Belze asked. “But why?”

“Because when I win, it leaves them even more humiliated than before,” Bing Xue’s face suddenly showed the shrewdness of a woman her age. “I want to see Belphegor scream and cry tears of frustration.”

“Y-You’re crazy…” Belze muttered, her lips twitching… But she smiled as well. “And I love that… I’ll help however I can. Now let’s see what he does.”

The two-faced Belphegor, who was already beginning to choose his cards.

His face was stoic; for a moment, it felt like he had gotten terrible cards or something.

But Bing Xue and Belze could detect within him…

His Aura, his Presence…

FLUOSH!

They showed his true colors; he was excited and happy!

“Very well, if things are going to get so serious, I will get serious as well, Bing Xue,” Belphegor smiled. “Fortune just happened to bless me with wonderful cards again! I wonder why that is the case.”

As Belphegor smiled, he quickly began using card after card consecutively.

Three cards first, monsters.

“I summon the Infernal Three-Headed Dog: Cerberus in Attack Position!”

FLASH!

Suddenly, as he flipped the card, a giant black dog appeared, with three blazing heads covered in crimson flames and a long tail with a snake head blazing with black fire.

“WOOF! WOOF! WOOF!”

“Then! I bring forth my Abyssal Mother Centipede in Defense Position!”

FLASH!

A gigantic black centipede was summoned, overflowing with dark powers and an intimidating, abyssal aura from within.

“SHYAAAAH!”

And lastly, Belphegor brought the third beast.

“I bring forth Blue Bird of Hope in Defense Position…!”

FLASH!

A small bird appeared, innocent and beautiful, with blue and white feathers, flying there innocently.

“Cheep, cheep!”

Bing Xue’s eyes squinted; she looked at the monsters’ stats.

…