# Chapter 1076: A Commander's Talent
Earth Dragon stood at a height, quietly watching Chu Tianqiu's side's movements, and soon revealed a smile.
Now it seemed both sides had realized that collecting twenty-eight "characters" and collecting "Paths" were similar in principle—a difficult path that would lead to more deaths.
Now Qi Xia and Chu Tianqiu, after discovering the secret of "crossing the river," both seemed to want to find the quickest and simplest path to win this game.
Although both sides would only encounter simplified "Earth-rank Games" after crossing the river, the excessively high mortality rate still blocked their way like a great river.
Azure Dragon had been staring at Chu Tianqiu for a while. The moment he saw Chu Tianqiu swallow an eyeball after unleashing his "Echo," Azure Dragon's eyes also lit up with vitality.
"I really didn't underestimate Chu Tianqiu..." Azure Dragon turned his head and said to Earth Dragon, "Did you see that...? How much does he resemble me?"
"Resemble you?"
"Just now, did you hear what he said...?" Azure Dragon asked. "He said, 'It's really tiring dealing with people who aren't smart.' Don't I feel the same way?"
Earth Dragon only felt that Azure Dragon and Chu Tianqiu were vastly different, but he couldn't pinpoint exactly where the difference lay.
"I have already surpassed 'mortals' by so much. One glance from me can make them kneel—why should I kindly explain my schemes to them?" Azure Dragon asked. "In this regard... Chu Tianqiu is far too much like me."
Earth Dragon nodded. "You mean that although Chu Tianqiu has considerable intelligence and depth, he isn't good at communicating with people."
"'Isn't good at communicating with people'...?" Azure Dragon clearly didn't like this phrasing. "I think it's 'no need to communicate with people.'"
"But is that really correct?" Earth Dragon asked. "In order to better control 'mortals,' you even chose 'Echoes' specifically designed to control them. 'Soul Capture' means you want them to act according to your thoughts, 'Spiritual Hearing' means you want to hear what they say, and 'Space Leap' and 'Thunderclap' mean you want to have the means to intimidate them."
"The logic is correct." Azure Dragon said. "I need to use the simplest and most violent methods to make these people submit to me and stop questioning my thoughts. Do I need to explain to them one by one that 'I am a god'?"
Earth Dragon understood Azure Dragon's meaning. "So you say Chu Tianqiu is like you, because Chu Tianqiu often falls into the predicament of being unable to mobilize his teammates. Whether in 'Heaven's Gate' or 'Cangjie Chess,' it's the same. He constantly needs to explain his thoughts to try to make his teammates understand him. If he also had these abilities you possess, perhaps this game would have been won long ago."
"So he is the person I have my eye on." Azure Dragon said. "Someone very similar to me, yet lacking the aid of powerful 'Immortal Arts.' Don't you think he is very suitable to become a new 'god'? He is only one step away—just one 'eyeball' away."
"I don't think so." Earth Dragon shook his head. "After all, some people don't need these 'Echoes' to achieve the same effect... People will act according to his words, will tell him what's on their minds, and will even be willing to sacrifice their lives for him without needing to be threatened. Doesn't that prove that person is more suitable to become a 'god'?"
"Is that so?"
Azure Dragon squinted his eyes and looked in Qi Xia's direction. But Qi Xia seemed to have already entered a game room with someone, and was currently not on the 'Cangjie Chess' playing field.
"Earth Dragon... although some people can achieve this level, the effort he has put in is truly terrifying." Azure Dragon shook his head. "Even he himself is on the verge of breaking. And you tell me this is a 'god'? Would a 'god' push himself to such an extreme?"
Earth Dragon shook his head again after hearing this. He couldn't understand Azure Dragon's thinking. Azure Dragon had been sitting on the throne of 'god' for far too long.
He believed himself to be a 'god,' and likewise would not accept any other form of 'god.'
...
When Qi Xia returned to the 'Preparation Area,' Chen Junnan and Han Yimo were both perfectly fine here.
He didn't say anything; he just walked over to Qiao Jiajin's side to check on his injuries. He found that Qiao Jiajin was just too tired and had fallen asleep. Given his physical condition, he should wake up soon.
"Lao Qi." Chen Junnan came to Qi Xia's side and called out in a low voice. "I have something to tell you."
"Oh?" Qi Xia looked at him, and after a few seconds, opened his mouth to say, "About Han Yimo?"
"Yes! You brat guessed it again!" Chen Junnan nodded, pulled Qi Xia aside, and said in a low voice, "Little Master gave him my 'character.'"
Qi Xia thought for a few seconds. "'Jin'?"
"Exactly!" Chen Junnan laughed. "I'm going to give the other side a slap in the face and throw them into disarray!"
"Giving them 'Jin' is essentially no different from issuing a direct declaration of war." Qi Xia said. "I expect Chu Tianqiu won't be able to sit still. We should prepare to counterattack."
"I'm waiting for them to not sit still!" Chen Junnan said. "You brat, that's a sneaky move you've got there—keeping the enemy's mole right here with us..."
Qi Xia glanced discreetly at Han Yimo in the corner, seemingly worried that continuing the conversation would cause problems. So he interrupted Chen Junnan and said, "Let's drop this matter. How was Fist earlier?"
"Oh, he's been lying down all along." Chen Junnan said. "But I think I heard him snoring just now. What kind of constitution does this kid have?"
"Good, he's fine." Qi Xia nodded. "Next, we switch from offense to defense. We'll still act in pairs and try not to trigger any games."
"Alright." Chen Junnan nodded. "Anyway, Little Master always listens to you. So what do we do about our dear teammate Xiao Han?"
Qi Xia looked at Han Yimo and said flatly, "Han Yimo has always been our teammate, hasn't he?"
Upon hearing this, Han Yimo nodded frantically. "Of course, Qi Xia... Anyone might not believe me, but you have to believe me."
After speaking, Han Yimo kept shooting meaningful glances at Chen Junnan, who immediately caught on.
"Oh, oh! Right, Xiao Han is utterly loyal, as clear as the sun and moon." Chen Junnan said. "Lao Qi, you really must trust him!"
Qi Xia nodded and looked at Han Yimo. "Do you still have any 'characters' on you?"
Han Yimo shook his head after hearing this. "Uh... sorry, I just lost my 'character' again... Wen Qiaoyun is really too strong..."
"It doesn't matter." Qi Xia said. "As long as you're our teammate, losing a few times is nothing."
"Ah...?" Han Yimo was stunned.
"Wait here. I'll give you another 'character' later." Qi Xia said.
"Oh...? Okay... okay!" Han Yimo nodded seriously.
Chen Junnan felt that the situation seemed off. Qi Xia was going to give Han Yimo another 'character'?
"Lao Qi... what are we waiting for?"
Qi Xia turned around and looked at the screen, then said softly, "Wait for me to finish my business. You can go to the 'front line' first. I'll come find you later."
"Oh..."
Chen Junnan nodded and took a step towards the 'door.' Just as he hesitated, he heard a sentence drifting slowly from Qi Xia's direction: "Really an eye-opener. Although there are no points, there's actually a combination like 'Mi'..."
Chen Junnan suddenly realized something was wrong. The matter Qi Xia had instructed earlier also occupied his mind at this moment.
But before Chen Junnan could rush over, in the next second Qi Xia suddenly raised his fist, and under the shocked gazes of Han Yimo and Chen Junnan, he smashed the screen to pieces.