Star Odyssey

Chapter 2200: Fairness And The Difference In Ability

While a game of Stable Zone appeared to be fair, if one of the players provided the sourceboxes to be used in the match, then being familiar with the danger zones could provide them with a significant advantage. Still, it would not be an overwhelming advantage, as danger zones shifted and fluctuated in unpredictable ways when they interacted with each other. Unless an Array Master was capable of perfectly understanding all of the interactions between the sourceboxes, they would not be able to gain that much of an advantage. Such comprehension was something that very, very few people were capable of doing.

Also, even if one of the players obtained an advantage, it would only last for the beginning of the game. As soon as the game actually started, the danger fields would instantly start changing.

Lu Yin made such an offer because he was the higher-ranked Array Master. So, he offered Bai Weiwei this initial advantage and voluntarily took on a handicap.

Bai Weiwei smiled. "That sounds good, Professor."

Lu Yin said, "We’ll use Boundless Advanced sourceboxes, and you can decide the star rating however you’d like."

In the audience, Prof. Zheng was taken aback. Typically, when Array Masters played a game of Stable Zone, they would stick to Perceptive Intermediate sourceboxes. After all, even if Array Masters were capable of unlocking Boundless Advanced sourceboxes, it did not mean that they were capable of freely interacting with their danger zones. Sourceboxes were not simple at all.

Boundless Advanced sourceboxes were the most complicated and challenging of all sourceboxes, and some of the Boundless Advanced sourceboxes with more stars could make even Array Grandmasters wary.

Had Hao Yu really chosen to use Boundless Advanced sourceboxes for a game of Stable Zone? Was this confidence or pure arrogance?

Bai Weiwei's expression froze for a moment. Boundless Advanced sourceboxes were always challenging, and a Lockbreaker had to be an Enlighter just to attempt to interact with such a sourcebox. Many Boundless Advance sourceboxes had danger zones that surpassed the Enlighter level, and this meant that using them in a game of Stable Zone would make for a very, very difficult game. The players would be lucky to not get caught up in the chaotic and turbulent danger fields while playing the game.

However, Bai Weiwei could not back down after Lu Yin’s proposal. "Alright then, Boundless Advanced sourceboxes."

She brought out two sourceboxes from her cosmic ring. One looked like a kettle, but it was surrounded by twisting ripples that looked like water. However, there was no water present, and the ripples retracted back into the kettle after spreading out. This constant flow meant that the void within the kettle was constantly exploding in a very dangerous-looking manner. This sourcebox was a one-star Boundless Advanced sourcebox.

The second sourcebox was a disc, and the moment it appeared, a cold energy sliced through the void and shattered space. Its danger field was clearly above the level of an Envoy. This was a two-star Boundless Advanced sourcebox.

Bai Weiwei threw the two sourceboxes out, and the danger zones instantly overlapped with each other. The cold energy shot towards the kettle while the ripples spread out until they reached the disc. The two danger fields overlapped and stabilized to create a zone of absolute death for any Enlighter.

Lu Yin was actually taken aback at the power of the game field. "It would be better to use some Perceptive Intermediate sourceboxes instead. This kind of danger field isn’t fair to you."

Bai Weiwei gave a slight smile. "It's fine. I can deal with this."

Lu Yin waved a hand and spread out some star energy. The overlapping danger fields destroyed most of the energy, but eventually, scattered dots of energy filled the game field. Lu Yin waved again, and the energy changed color: half white and half black. "Choose your color."

"White."

Lu Yin continued, "My cultivation is also higher than yours, which makes this game unfair to you."

He waved his hand a third time, and most of the black dots changed to white. "This will makes things fair."

Bai Weiwei was stunned.

Outside the game zone, the students were even more shocked, and Nong Siniang could not stop herself from speaking up. "Professor, this isn’t fair for you!"

Even though Qing Feng blushed when he looked at Bai Weiwei, he also felt the urge to speak up. "Professor, this really gives you a terrible disadvantage. You should reconsider."

While Prof. Zheng did not understand lockbreaking, he had seen Array Masters play Stable Zone before, and he understood that the game depended on both strength and luck. Even if Hao Yu was able to attack and eliminate the opposing color, his own pieces would be depleted in the process.

If there was only a quarter as much black energy as there was white, it would be too easy for the black energy to be destroyed and completely eliminated. Hao Yu’s chances of victory were vanishingly low.

Bai Weiwei frowned as she looked up at Lu Yin. "Professor, are you underestimating me?"

Lu Yin smiled. "Student Bai, don't misunderstand the situation. I’m just trying to make things fair. Even if this weren’t a game of Stable Zone, this danger field would be difficult for you to deal with as an Enlighter. As an instructor, how could I take advantage of a student?"

Bai Weiwei nodded. "Alright then. Since you want things to be fair, we’ll leave things here for this game, but I hope to have a second game with you, Professor."

She turned back to look at the danger field as soon as she stopped talking. After observing for a while, she chose her path and stepped onto the field.

In a game of Stable Zone, the first person to enter the field would usually be at a disadvantage, so Bai Weiwei wanted to make sure that she was the first to enter.

Lu Yin already understood what the young woman was thinking, but unfortunately for her, Lu Yin intended to use this game to overwhelm the four ruling powers and bring down their reputation. He had given his opponent the first move, but he intended to quickly overcome his disadvantage and crush her. Thus, Lu Yin immediately stepped forward and entered the field, much to everyone’s shock.

No one had expected him to move so quickly and decisively.

Many of the people in the audience had seen Stable Zone be played before, and the players were always very cautious and hesitant at the beginning of the game, as they needed to study the danger zone and how the sourceboxes interacted. Tens of thousands of scenarios would play out in the Array Masters’ minds in an instant, and they would continuously simulate the various changes that would take place after they entered the field. It was imperative to find the optimal path that would protect one’s own pieces while eliminating the opponent’s.

There were even Array Masters who would take days to study the game field before making their first move. This was considered normal, and it was only when Array Masters of vastly different abilities faced each other or when one person was utterly confident in their decision that someone would brazenly step onto the field. Even then, no one would ever take action so quickly.

After all, the game field had only just been set up.

Lu Yin stepped forward, instantly entering the game field. The danger zone stirred and shifted, terrifying many people in the audience. The danger field that was being used for this game of Stable Zone could instantly kill an Enlighter.

After entering, Lu Yin raised a hand and flicked a finger. The danger field instantly surged, and countless changes took place. Vast numbers of white pieces were destroyed, and while the black pieces were also affected, very few of them were destroyed.

Once the danger fields had stabilized and the chaos had calmed, less than half of the white pieces remained, while only a fifth of the black pieces had been eliminated. Already, there were equal amounts of black and white on the game field.

Lu Yin looked up at Bai Weiwei and smiled at her. "You can take your time to study the field. There’s no rush, Student Bai."

Bai Weiwei stared at Lu Yin in a daze. How was this even possible? How could he possibly have evaluated and understood the overlapping danger fields so quickly? Was this professor really just a Senior Array Master? Impossible. This was something that only a Realm Array Master could pull off. Wait, was the professor a Realm Array Master? Could someone so young really reach such a level?

The surrounding audience was also shocked. The more they understood about Stable Zone, the more startled they were at this development.

Xia Shenguang, Wang Xiaofan, and many others stared at Lu Yin with unprecedented seriousness. His actions were far from simple, as Stable Zone was not merely a game, but essentially a spar between Array Masters. The gap between Bai Weiwei and the professor was too clear, and this was not the difference between an Array Master and a Senior Array Master.

Nong Siniang was blown away. She had been hoping that the professor would do well, but how was he this good?

Qing Feng's eyes lit up. Prof. Hao Yu was truly unfathomable.

On the other hand, Liu Que was not at all surprised. If others learned that Hao Yu had left Liu Que completely helpless with a single move, they would have been shocked. Also, Liu Que really did not know almost anything about lockbreaking…

At the center of Virtue Archives, atop a stone pillar, Headmaster Wen let out a slow breath as he stared intently at Lu Yin, as though trying to understand what he was seeing. Prof. Hao Yu’s first move was truly amazing.

Behind Headmaster Wen, Wen Zhao was also flabbergasted. "How could he move so quickly? That isn’t a Senior Array Master’s abilities."

The Wen family had always focused on lockbreaking, and Progenitor Wen, Headmaster Wen, and Wen Zhao were all excellent Lockbreakers. In particular, Headmaster Wen was a Realm Array Master himself, and he was only a single step away from becoming an Array Grandmaster. Unfortunately, he had stagnated at his current level for too many years, and he was unable to reach the next level.

As for Wen Zhao, she was also an Array Master, just like Bai Weiwei. This was precisely why the woman was so shocked by Lu Yin's performance.

"You’re right—that isn’t something that a Senior Array Master can do," Headmaster Wen muttered to himself.

Wen Zhao looked over at the old man. "Could you move that fast?"

Headmaster Wen was taken aback by the question, and he took a moment to consider it. "Possibly, but there’s no guarantee."

Wen Zhao could not believe this. "Just how old is he, and how did reach this level? Has anyone in the entire history of the Perennial World ever managed to reach such a high level of mastery at such a young age?"

A smile tugged at the corners of Headmaster Wen's mouth. "I can understand Xia Ziheng’s concerns. If my guesses are right, then that young man should be the same one that Grandmaster Gu Yan mentioned he met in the Lower Realm. He should be Grandmaster Gu Yan's apprentice."

This information once again shocked Wen Zhao. "Are you saying that Prof. Hao Yu is Grandmaster Gu Yan’s apprentice?"

Headmaster Wen had not mentioned the matter of Yu Hao to Wen Zhao. The headmaster had secretly investigated the instructor, and the information that he had gathered had allowed the old man to make a few speculations. In the end, Headmaster Wen had reached the same conclusion as Xia Ziheng. Of course, things were not certain, but all of Headmaster Wen’s doubts had been shattered after watching Lu Yin play Stable Zone.

Who else aside from Grandmaster Gu Yan could transform a wastrel of a youth into such an exceptional Lockbreaker? Grandmaster Gu Yan was indeed the only one capable of such a feat.

Yu Hao was not merely a Senior Array Master, but rather a Realm Array Master. Calling Grandmaster Gu Yan the greatest Array Master in the Perennial World was no exaggeration.

Everyone next on the lake shore was still shocked by how quickly Lu Yin had made his first move, and all eyes drifted over to Bai Weiwei at the same time. It was her turn.

No one did anything to disturb the woman. Bai Weiwei studied the sourceboxes’ danger field and considered various options, but her state of mind had been shattered by Lu Yin. She was no longer calm, and she quickly admitted defeat.

No one was surprised by her decision, as the gap between the two Array Masters had already been made perfectly clear. Even if the game continued, Bai Weiwei would only end up humiliating herself.

Lu Yin stepped out of the sourceboxes’ danger field with a hint of a smile on his face. He raised a hand and separated the two sourceboxes, removing the overlapping danger field.

Bai Weiwei put the two sourceboxes away and then stared at Lu Yin with shock, respect, and confusion evident in her eyes. She was utterly confused, as she could not make heads or tails of the man before her. Despite his evident youth, he had a very deep understanding of lockbreaking. How had he accomplished it?

"Prof. Hao Yu, are you really just a Senior Array Master?" Bai Weiwei asked the question that everyone was thinking.

"Yes."

"Then how were you able to make a move so quickly?" Bai Weiwei only grew more puzzled.

Lu Yin thought for a moment before answering, "I’m not sure. All I know is that I could feel the shifts and changes when observing the sourceboxes’ danger field."

Everyone's expressions changed. This was pure talent. This person was a natural Lockbreaker.

Bai Weiwei also understood. "You are truly a genius Lockbreaker. It’s possible that you will be the Perennial World’s next Array Grandmaster."