Chapter 44 - The Strategy of the Board and Blade

In the morning, Kai Syaoran woke up to find that Zhao Lusi had already quietly left his room. A foolish smile spread across his face as he prepared himself and stepped out into the pavilion. In the main sitting room, he found Zhao Lusi seated gracefully in a chair, playing a game of chess entirely against herself. He stood back and watched how she deliberately moved the pieces for both sides, exuding a serene harmony that seemed to flow perfectly with the natural laws of the world. She played multiple games in isolation as Kai observed from the shadows. He had never formally played the game before, but through sheer observation of her calculated movements, his sharp mind quickly picked up the fundamental rules and strategies.