Chapter 826 Dead End

    bHayley’s /bPOV:

    :

    At first, I didn’t notice anything strange. But after ten moves, it finally clicked.

    I remembered–I’d used this same strategy once before, back in Aetherfall.

    So Monica really did learn a lot from Baxter.

    b65 /b

    +8 Pearls

    I studied the board calmly, tilting my head with a small smile. This was actually kind of fun.

    Monica, who had been ying fast, suddenly froze when she saw me smile. She pulled her hand back from the piece and gave me a mocking look.

    “Out of moves already? Don’t know what to do next?” she sneered. “Too bad it’s toote to quit now. You’d better get ready to p yourself bloody!”

    I just sat there, smiling quietly at her arrogance.

    I already knew exactly where she was going with every single move.

    For a moment, I almost felt bad for her. I wanted to warn her. But looking at her smug face, I changed my mind.

    So instead, I lowered my head and calmly made my next move–stepping straight into the trap she had set for me.

    Monica smirked as I yed right into her hands. “You still won’t admit you’re dumb, huh? Fine. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Keep this up, and in two more moves, you’re done for. And remember, in chess there’s no take–backs.”

    She snatched up one of my pawns with a gleeful flick of her fingers.

    I only chuckled and slid another piece forward, rxed as ever.

    “Still pretending to be calm? You’re hopeless.” Monica rolled her eyes and went in for another

    move.

    I let her y out Baxter’s strategy, all the way through. Then I nced at the clock.

    Four minutes and 30 seconds left.

    Back in Aetherfall, Baxter had needed a full half hour to get this far.

    So, yes, Monica had some talent. She’d managed to set the board this way in a fraction of the

    b8:50 /bbMon/bb, /bbSep /b15

    Chapter 826 Dead End

    time.

    :

    I looked at her evenly and said, “If you give up now, we can cancel our bet.”

    b65 /b

    +8 Pearls

    I was only saying it for Benjamin’s sake. No matter what, if I became his Luna, I’d have to deal with his rtives–Monica included.

    But Monica only stared at me like I’d lost my mind. She thought I was crazy to talk to her like that.

    “You really don’t know what you’re facing, do you? One more move and you’ll know what it feels like to lose everything,” she snapped.

    I leaned back and said tly, “I’ll give you onest chance. If you surrender now, you won’t have to p yourself.”

    She snorted, brushing me off.

    I sighed and turned back to the board, my face serious. “Honestly, this tactic isn’t even that hard.”

    Monica scoffed, “Hayley, a loss is a loss. Stop dodging it. I’ve never seen you act so unsportsmanlike.”

    I lifted my eyes, cold and sharp, and gave her a sideways nce. Then I pushed my queen straight down the path her ck pieces had opened, cutting straight into her territory and locking into position.

    Monica had been raising her forces, ready tond the killing blow. But when she really looked at the board again, her face froze.

    With one single move, I had flipped the entire match. Now she was the one trapped in a dead end.

    “What …

    what’s happening? I… I lostb??/b” Her eyes went wide, her voice shaking,

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