The Silent Strategist

The Game Behind the Game

The air in the room still contained the residual tension from the previous game. After Robert left, Ethan remained seated in his chair, staring at the chessboard still neatly arranged in front of him. His fingers tapped lightly on the surface of the table, contemplating his next move—not in the game, but in the larger strategy.

He didn't know what had distracted Robert, but one thing was for sure—he had just caught the attention of someone influential.

With a sigh, Ethan began to tidy up the chess pieces. Each piece he tidied up reminded him of how this game was not just a strategy on the board but also a reflection of the real world. Sometimes, the best move was not to attack directly but to wait for the opponent to move first.

Just as she was about to stand up to leave, a well-dressed man approached her. One of the event staff.

"Mr. Carter?"

Ethan turned his head. "Yes?"

"There's someone who wants to see you in the VIP room."

Ethan raised an eyebrow, but he didn't show his surprise. He had expected this to happen.

---

The VIP room was elegantly dimly lit, with large windows that revealed the cityscape under the glow of the night lights. Robert Fletcher sat casually on one of the sofas, sipping a glass of drink with a thoughtful expression.

As Ethan entered, Robert looked at him with piercing eyes, as if he was reassessing the young man before him.

"I don't like to leave things hanging," Robert said as he set down his glass. "I had some urgent business, but now I have time. Can we continue playing?"

Ethan smiled a little and sat down in the chair provided. "Of course. But... I guess it's more than just chess, isn't it?"

Robert chuckled. "You're pretty smart. That's why I wanted to test you further."

They started playing, and this time, Robert seemed more serious. His moves were sharper, more calculated. However, Ethan was not intimidated. Instead, he used this game to reveal something—that he was not only someone who was good at playing chess but also someone who understood real-world strategy.

In the middle of the game, Robert spoke without taking his eyes off the board.

"You mentioned earlier that you read my son's case report. What did you think of it?"

Ethan knew it was time to show his worth. He stared at the chessboard for a moment before speaking.

"I think they handled the case with too linear a mindset. They're looking for the missing money by following the trail backward. That's not going to work."

Robert raised an eyebrow. "So?"

Ethan moved one pawn and looked at Robert. "They have to think backwards. Don't look for the missing money—look for who can launder it in bulk. Not all companies have that capability. If they find a strange pattern of transactions at a particular company, that's most likely the starting point."

Robert squinted. He seemed impressed but didn't show it right away. Instead, he continued the game. However, it didn't take long before Ethan cornered him.

"Checkmate," Ethan said calmly.

Robert was silent for a moment before laughing softly. "You're really interesting."

Ethan just smiled. He knew Robert wasn't one to be impressed easily. If he showed interest, it meant he really saw something in Ethan.

Robert leaned back in his chair and sighed. "It's a shame you failed the retest. Otherwise, maybe I could have helped you further."

Ethan didn't show any reaction, but he knew this was bait. Robert wanted to see how he responded.

With a relaxed expression, Ethan stood up and straightened his suit. "Thanks for the game, Mr. Fletcher. I have to prepare for the interview tomorrow."

Robert watched Ethan with a thoughtful expression, then smiled a little. "You don't have my number, do you?"

He took his business card and slipped it into Ethan's coat pocket. "If you need anything, give me a call."

Ethan bowed slightly in thanks before leaving. But as soon as he was out of the room, Robert reached into his pocket and found the packet of food Ethan had given him.

As he opened it, the aroma of specialties from his small town filled the air. Robert stared at the food, then smiled slightly. He couldn't remember the last time someone prepared something like this for him.

After a few seconds, he took out his cell phone and called someone.

"Daniel, there's a young man I'd like to add to your recruitment list."

On the other side of the phone, his son's voice sounded confused. "Who?"

"His name is Ethan Carter," Robert replied as he stared at the chessboard still arranged on the table. "I want to see how far he can go in this game."

---

The next day, at the interview venue, Thomas Walker stared at the list of participants with an expression of disbelief.

"Why is Carter's name still here?" he asked in an angry tone.

One of the staff from the state health department gave him a flat look. "He was specially recruited by the police department."

Thomas clenched his fists. He knew this was no coincidence. Someone had been pulling the strings behind the scenes. And he could guess who it was.

The room felt colder, and Thomas realized one thing that had been bothering him since last night:

Robert Fletcher—the man who always played it safe and didn't bet recklessly—had taken an interest in Ethan Carter.

And that meant... this game had just turned into some

thing much bigger than he had anticipated.