The team from Yicheng, who had come from afar, comprised the young masters of the testing and development team for the Grand Strategy gameplay. They also demonstrated formidable combat prowess. This team excelled at balancing tactics, campaign command, and leveraging the inherent randomness of the game. Moreover, the team members were of relatively equal strength, more adept at mutual cooperation and cover as a unit. The most classic battle of the Yicheng team was when they drew a map with abundant water features, showcasing their robust organizational skills in amphibious warfare. They utilized a fleet to shuttle troops back and forth, leaving their opponents disoriented. And because the team's players were evenly matched, the Yicheng team's multi-pronged rolling assault would inevitably be a tactic imitated by many in the future.

These six favored teams all successfully advanced to the top eight, beginning their long-awaited showdown. The other two teams in the top eight also possessed considerable strength.

One team was established by Hu Yunwu, the second-largest silk merchant in Danyang. Hu Yunwu could be considered a veteran of the battlefield, having served in the military from the age of eighteen until he lost an arm in a war at the age of forty. Unexpectedly, his talent in the business world seemed to far surpass his military skills, which had only earned him the rank of deputy commander. Now, at the age of fifty-five, Hu Yunwu was a pivotal figure in Danyang's merchant community. His team consisted of clerks and apprentice accountants from his silk shop, his nephews, former subordinates who were now his old family retainers, and the children of his former comrades. It was, in essence, an unabashed group of relatives and friends. Hu Yunwu's commands were strictly obeyed, and his aggressive, fire-like combat style always managed to steer battles into a situation everyone enjoyed.

The other team, on the other hand, was plagued by constant mishaps. This was the Taixue team, and not a single member had any military experience. A group of scholars who had thoroughly studied military texts and memorized countless military strategies and examples had formed this team, never expecting to make it to the top eight. Their combat style was simple: plagiarism. They would slightly alter classic historical battles and then use them. Their incredible audacity, combined with some equally incredible luck, and combat methods that always provided commentators with plenty of material, surprisingly earned this error-prone team a considerable following.

However, in this open tournament, they were destined to be supporting characters. Hu Yunwu's team of relatives and friends stood in front of the Yicheng team, but the attack-minded Hu Yunwu was ultimately defeated by the Yicheng team's equally enthusiastic, but more efficient, rolling assault. The Taixue team's strategy of quoting historical battles crumbled under Dai Yun's seemingly dreamlike cavalry assault. After launching several waves of raids and diversions, Dai Yun determined the location of the Taixue team's main camp by observing their troop movements. A force of three thousand elite cavalrymen marched through the gaps in the enemy lines, raided seven hundred *li*, and swiftly captured the Taixue team's main camp, easily securing their victory.

Compared to them, the other four teams' battles were less smooth. The Chun'an officers under Chang Huaiyin faced off against Chi Yun's imperial guards, which could be regarded as a simulated clash between the two countries' young generals. With superior skills in strategy, campaign tactics, and individual tactics, Chi Yun led the imperial guard officers to victory after a difficult contest. And the time taken in this match would probably not be broken for a long time.

The collision between the Tan Weixin and Tan Weishi sisters' teams once again drew the Dongping royal family to attend and watch. If this battle were presented in a modern computer game, it might give people the feeling that both sides were playing with cheats. Tan Weishi's side certainly made full use of all the bugs they discovered, fearing to be left behind. But Tan Weixin's understanding and judgment of her sister, and of the people on her sister's team, was so clear and accurate. Tan Weishi's elaborate attacks were always easily resolved by the methods that Tan Weixin guided and Chi Li carefully arranged. Tan Weixin, as one of the creators of the official rules for the Grand Strategy gameplay of *Yi Zhan Qi*, also used this match to demonstrate "secrets" on how to minimize the effect of bugs when the rules were not revised.

Compared to the excitement and intensity of the quarterfinals, the semifinals were slightly less impressive.

The contest between Chi Yun and Tan Weixin was unequal from the start. After Chi Yun deployed six armies, the vast amount of information overwhelmed Tan Weixin, who was not prepared for it. She hastily relinquished her command to recover. Chi Li, after all, was somewhat inferior to his brother in military strategy. Although the situation looked evenly matched, and the winner was only decided at the very end, experienced players had long predicted the final result: Chi Yun's victory.

The Yicheng team once again used the rolling assault tactic, but in front of Dai Yun, this tactic suddenly failed. The rolling assault relied on the phased deployment of troops to achieve a continuous advantage, but behind this lay the danger of dispersing forces. Dai Yun seized an opportunity, launching a full-scale attack to annihilate a portion of the Yicheng team. From then on, she steadily widened the gap between the two sides with superior forces, leaving no room for suspense.

In the end, two people with the name "Yun" actually reached the finals of this highly anticipated competition.

Undoubtedly, in the field of *Yi Zhan Qi*, Chi Yun and Dai Yun were currently the top masters. Like all masters in any field, besides a little bit of mutual appreciation, they mostly wanted to prove their strength on the other. And this idea determined the only match in the entire series that was not limited in time. Instead, there were two sessions each morning and afternoon, until a winner was decided. From the start, the final showed an intensity like that of Mars colliding with Earth.

Ironically, the map drawn for this final was the same one that Chi Yun's imperial guards had drawn in the first round to defeat Tan Weishi's team, and it was also the map that Ye Tao had passionately explained, adding some color to the brilliant competition, and that everyone had become thoroughly familiar with during his initial commentary attempt. Standing on the commentary stage again, Ye Tao no longer emotionally rendered any story, but instead steadily and solidly explained the various movements of both sides. And judging from the actions the two experts made at the start, it seemed that they were using roughly the same opening strategy.

If this were placed in the era in which Ye Tao originally lived, in e-sports events, the tactic used by both sides could probably be called "extreme unit spamming." In a short period of time, both sides organized combinations of troop types that were low in cost, relatively balanced in combat power, and guaranteed in quantity. In addition to the necessary garrison troops and the troops ensuring control of the area, both sides simultaneously mobilized roughly one-third of their forces to clash in the middle of the map. It was a main force decisive battle that was reduced in scale by several times, and the result left all the viewers feeling somewhat depressed: a draw.

However, a master's instincts need to be shown precisely at times when others cannot determine the situation. Especially Chi Yun. He felt that if his opponent, Dai Yun, had not actually served in the military for a long time, then there must be other experts on her team, experts who were very good at reorganizing the situation. After the clash that ended in a draw, Dai Yun's troops were actually the first to recover from the chaotic situation. While reorganizing, they launched a tidal wave of attacks towards Chi Yun's side. Newly formed troops were deployed to key positions on the battlefield at crucial moments, and the original basic troops were reorganized into elite garrison forces for important cities, consisting of a mix of infantry and cavalry. If anyone could accomplish this amidst the constant movements on the battlefield, then he would undoubtedly be a remarkable general. Although achieving this on a chessboard could not be compared in terms of difficulty, the skill and idea were still admirable.

Chi Yun quickly paid the price for underestimating his opponent. After being a step slower than his opponent in reorganizing his troops, Chi Yun had no choice but to use two fresh armies to hold off Dai Yun's pursuit, forcibly withdrawing his troops to reorganize. Just as Chi Yun was feeling relieved to have finally broken contact with Dai Yun's troops, he suddenly discovered that the scouts he had sent out had lost track of the opponent's movements.

Launching raids and harassing attacks with mobile cavalry was something that most players of the *Yi Zhan Qi* Grand Strategy gameplay would try, as it was, after all, a very exhilarating way to fight. But Dai Yun was different. Although she was also using cavalry raids and harassing attacks, where others would focus on one point or a few points, Dai Yun selected targets that were spread out over a wide area. And when a series of low-intensity, small-scale battles were linked together, the experienced players and veterans in the audience couldn't help but gasp. Through this series of small battles, Dai Yun carved out a piece of land from Chi Yun's controlled area, greatly improving the attack positions of her own main force. If this tactic was really devised by Dai Yun herself, then Dai Yun's ability was simply terrifying.

Even more terrifying was Dai Yun's control of the game, possessing an extremely macroscopic shrewdness. She was not afraid of Chi Yun launching rounds of counterattacks aimed at changing her weaknesses in certain areas after her operational intentions were detected. Instead, she carefully weighed the trade-offs. As long as Chi Yun paid a high enough price, she would accept almost any passive tactical maneuver, such as retreating or abandoning positions.

Faced with such a powerful opponent, Chi Yun once again used the strategy that he and his imperial guard comrades had discussed, a strategy that might not be very honorable: multi-line operations. No matter how strong the opponent was, it was impossible for them to have all of their members possess good tactical skills like the imperial guards. Relying solely on Dai Yun, one could certainly fight beautifully, but the multi-line operation style of harassment that was greater than actual combat would not have much effect on a true expert. However, Dai Yun was, after all, a young woman. She would find it annoying, and eventually have feelings of anger. And by seizing that point, Chi Yun finally found an opportunity to turn the tables.

In the final battle, Chi Yun once again secured victory with two consecutive rolls of nineteen on the dice, also securing himself a rather awkward nickname of "lucky general."

"The reason why I am able to stand on this stage at this moment is not because I am particularly capable. After these days of competition, I have increasingly realized that *Yi Zhan Qi*, the Grand Strategy gameplay, is a collective sport, just like the war that this very realistic game strives to represent. Except for the fact that there are no real deaths or injuries, the actual difference between it and real military strategy is not very large. The fact that I and several of my military colleagues are able to excel in such a competition at least shows that the generals of my Dongping are at least a little stronger than those who aspire to military affairs… However, I still want everyone to remember that I am not alone…"

At the brief post-match awards ceremony, Chi Yun said these words that sounded very modern no matter how one listened to them. Especially ending with "I am not alone," which almost made Tan Weixin and Ye Tao spit out a mouthful of water. But in comparison, the address of the runner-up, Dai Yun, was cooler and more regrettable. Dai Yun ran onto the stage with a look of helplessness and fatigue. She scanned the audience with a very indifferent gaze, then snatched the trophy from the chief judge, Suo Zheng, who was standing beside her, hugged it in her arms, and said loudly to everyone: "Lost, and I'm annoyed right now, don't bother me." Then she stomped off the stage.

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This chapter is the promised extra chapter. Please continue to vote to see more.