I Really Didn’t Mean to Play Go!
Chapter 165: A Ninth Dan is a Ninth Dan, Zhuang Weisheng is Zhuang Weisheng

Ding Huan wasn’t the only one stunned.

Inside the academy’s discussion room, everyone watching the game on the screen was just as dumbfounded. They exchanged bewildered glances, wide-eyed and speechless—including Jiang Xiahua, who was at a loss for words.

“This…” “A crawl?”

The 3-3 Point earlier had already been shocking, but at least they could somewhat comprehend it. After all, the 3-3 invasion had existed since ancient times—it was a strong approach to break open the corner.

However, playing a 3-3 Point in the opening, when the board was still so open, was practically unheard of. Since a 3-3 invasion didn’t secure much territory, while White gained thickness, the move was generally considered suboptimal.

But this crawl? This move… made absolutely no sense!

By exchanging this crawl with White’s extension, Black was clearly suffering a loss. Basic Go principles warned against playing on the third line too much, and especially against crawling on the second line. Yet, Black had deliberately crawled on the second line.

The standard move here for Black should have been a hane-connect. While hane-connect would also incur some loss, it was still superior to crawling on the second line in terms of territory. In comparison, the crawl was clearly an even bigger loss.

“He ignored it earlier, only to return to the lower-left corner now.”

Zheng Qin kept his eyes fixed on the screen, swallowing hard.

“In the end… just like those two games a year ago, he crawled on the second line again!”

“This move means Black will never play the hane-connect here.”

Zheng Qin took a deep breath.

“A year ago, in those two games, I wasn’t strong enough. I was too inexperienced, too immature, and I made a lot of mistakes in the follow-up. So I failed to grasp the subtleties of the position.”

“But after a year of battling in professional tournaments, I’m no longer the same player.”

“And today, this is a team match.”

“That means I can put aside all other considerations—I only need to focus on analyzing his moves!”

“Why did he play this way? Give me the answer!”

“Yu Shao!”

“He ignored the move earlier, only to come back and crawl on the second line…”

Su Yiming stared at the screen, his eyes reflecting the game board. His expression remained calm as ever, but his right hand had unconsciously clenched into a fist.

Clearly, seeing Yu Shao’s move had stirred something inside him.

“Not a hane-connect, but a crawl on the second line… I never would’ve thought of that.”

Su Yiming analyzed the board and made his assessment.

“At this moment, it’s clear—Black is at a disadvantage!”

“Will he overturn the situation later and turn the tide?”

“Or have these moves, starting from the 3-3 Point, all contained hidden depth that I failed to notice?”

Su Yiming’s sharp gaze gleamed, making it hard to meet his eyes directly.

“Yu Shao… just what kind of game are you going to show me?!”

The playing room was dead silent.

After placing his stone, Yu Shao remained composed, quietly watching the board, waiting for Fang Haoxin to make his move.

At this moment, everyone in the room wore different expressions.

But without exception, all eyes were locked onto Yu Shao.

No one understood the meaning behind this move. It was utterly baffling.

Finally, after a long silence, Fang Haoxin reached into the bowl, picked up a stone, and gently placed it on the board.

Click!

Row 3, Column 12—Extend!

After Black’s crawl, this was White’s natural response—there was no other choice. No matter who was playing, this would be the move they’d choose.

Next, it was Kong Zi’s turn.

Kong Zi took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.

He had no idea what Yu Shao was thinking anymore.

Sometimes, Yu Shao would play moves that left him in awe. Other times, it was as if he didn’t understand Go at all.

That crawl just now was a critical move, one that directly shaped the local position in the lower-left corner.

There was no changing the past. Kong Zi had no choice but to follow standard play and continue the game.

Furrowing his brows in thought, he finally reached into the bowl and placed a stone on the board.

Row 4, Column 3—Cut!

A strong move in this position, returning to the upper-left corner to attack White, aiming to seize the initiative and recover from the disadvantage in the opening.

Zhuang Weisheng pondered for a moment before picking up a stone and placing it down.

Row 4, Column 2—Atari!

Then, it was Yu Shao’s turn again.

At that moment, everyone’s gaze fell on Yu Shao.

Not just Fang Haoxin, Kong Zi, and Zhuang Weisheng—Ding Huan, Wu Zhixuan, the referee, the cameraman… every single person in the room was watching him.

Under the weight of their gazes, Yu Shao quickly picked up a stone and placed it lightly on the board.

Click!

Row 3, Column 10—Three-Space Extension.

Seeing this move, everyone unconsciously breathed a sigh of relief.

This move was clear in its intent—it aimed to stabilize Black’s stones in the upper-left corner. It was a normal, solid choice.

Fang Haoxin, too, felt a weight lift off his shoulders as he continued thinking about his next move.

After a brief moment of contemplation, he placed his stone.

Then Kong Zi made his move.

Then Zhuang Weisheng followed.

Click. Click. Click…

The cycle completed, and it was Yu Shao’s turn again.

This time, he didn’t immediately play. Instead, he studied the board carefully before finally reaching into the bowl and placing his stone.

Click!

Row 8, Column 16—Invasion!

“Invasion?”

Kong Zi’s heart skipped a beat. He immediately saw Yu Shao’s intent.

“He’s throwing a lone Black stone deep into enemy lines, trying to disrupt White’s formation?”

Even though he understood Yu Shao’s idea, Kong Zi found it hard to believe.

“The lower-left White group is already extremely solid. How does he plan to attack here? He… he actually thinks he can undermine White’s thickness?!”

Looking at White’s shape in the lower-left, even as an attack-oriented player, Kong Zi had no intention of engaging there. He had already begun preparing to expand into the center.

Yet, at this moment, not only did Yu Shao ignore his approach, but he also played in the complete opposite direction, rendering Kong Zi’s last move almost meaningless.

This invasion was a bold sacrifice—he was willing to suffer losses just to drag the fight into the lower-left corner.

Kong Zi wasn’t the only one shocked. Fang Haoxin’s expression flickered with surprise, and Zhuang Weisheng furrowed his brows once again.

“The lower-left is thick. If Black extends to the ninth column, his shape would be more stable… but if he has a strong move like a Large Knight’s Enclosure to pressure White, then what about playing at the Star Point?”

Fang Haoxin pondered for a long time before finally playing his move.

Row 10, Column 16—Extension!

Now, it was Kong Zi’s turn again.

He took a deep breath, his brows furrowed.

“I don’t understand him at all. White’s lower-left is so solid, and now my last move was wasted?”

Then, as if noticing something, Kong Zi froze for a moment—then fell into deep thought.

After a long while, he blinked at the board.

“Maybe… just maybe… if I place a point here, White might actually be in trouble?”

Confirming his thoughts, he finally picked up a stone and placed it.

Row 5, Column 15—Peep!

“Hm?”

Zhuang Weisheng’s expression shifted slightly.

For the first time, he fell into deep contemplation.

After a long pause, he placed his stone.

Row 4, Column 15—Connect!

The moment Zhuang Weisheng’s stone landed, Yu Shao immediately picked up a stone, his gaze sharp as he locked onto the peep point.

The next second, the stone landed.

Row 8, Column 14—Jump!

“Great move!”

Kong Zi’s eyes flickered as he turned to look at Yu Shao.

This Move—Both Swift and Fierce—Ignores Territory to Tear Through White’s Influence!

Would it really work?

Kong Zi shook his head and decided not to dwell on it any further.

The game had already reached this point. He still didn’t understand why Yu Shao was insisting on fighting to the death against White’s thick shape in the lower-left corner. But since Yu Shao had chosen this path, he had no choice but to follow him to the bitter end.

If they weren’t completely in sync, the inevitable outcome would be a resignation.

With Yu Shao’s earlier moves, Kong Zi had already boarded his “pirate ship”—there was no getting off now.

At this moment, everyone realized that the match was entering its most critical juncture. They instinctively held their breath.

The result of this battle could very well decide the outcome of the entire game!

Fang Haoxin pondered for a long time before finally taking a deep breath and placing his stone.

Next, Kong Zi made his move. Then Zhuang Weisheng. And finally, Yu Shao.

Click, click, click…

Inside the playing room, stones continued to land on the board one after another.

The battle on the board grew fiercer, with blades clashing and blood being drawn!

Inside the Academy’s Discussion Room

“Incredible… Black is actually challenging White’s thick position in the lower-left corner?”

A group of young professional players crowded around a board, reviewing the game and discussing possible variations.

“Yu Shao, as a newly promoted 1-dan pro, that invasion was terrifying. Kong Zi originally planned to play in the center, but now he’s been dragged into this brutal fight.”

One of them pointed at the black stones on the board, his expression grave.

“But Kong Zi handled it well—his peep was brilliant. That might have been Black’s only move in that situation.”

“Still, Zhuang Weisheng’s response was flawless. After his connection, Black didn’t gain much.”

“And then Fang Haoxin continued expanding territory below, trying to solidify his advantage.”

“Black isn’t sitting idly either. The press, followed by the extension, is sealing in White’s group. But breaking through White’s influence is still incredibly difficult.”

On the screen, each move played by Black and White was immediately mirrored on the review board.

Amidst the crowd, Zheng Qin remained silent, his eyes locked onto the board, refusing to join the discussion.

Then, on the screen, another black stone was placed.

Click!

Row 9, Column 17—Peep!

“Kong Zi, the Meijin titleholder, chose to peep here?”

Someone blinked in surprise. Realizing the implications, they immediately picked up a black stone and placed it on the review board.

“This peep strengthens Black’s connections while simultaneously threatening White’s group below!”

Another player’s eyes lit up. “Brilliant! As expected from Kong Zi.”

Moments later, White responded on the screen.

“Zhuang Weisheng blocked it—solid and unshakable, giving Black no opening.”

The review players followed suit, placing the White stone on the board and continuing their analysis.

Then, another black stone appeared on the screen.

Row 5, Column 13—Jump!

“Yu Shao chose to…”

“A jump?”

The room fell into a stunned silence.

As realization dawned, their eyes widened in shock.

Zheng Qin instinctively leaned closer to the screen, his eyes locked onto the single black stone in the lower-left corner. His heart nearly stopped.

“This jump… it threatens White’s eye space in the lower-right!”

A player muttered in disbelief, his mind buzzing.

“The lower-left White group… is actually in danger?!”

“That supposedly unshakable White formation, after Kong Zi’s peep and Yu Shao’s jump… it’s actually being torn apart?!”

Inside the Training Room at a Korean Dojo

A group of young players sat in front of the screen, stunned into silence.

Not a single word was spoken.

On the screen, White hesitated.

Fang Haoxin had clearly realized the terrifying truth—his hand hovered uncertainly over the bowl of stones.

And yet, White’s correct response wasn’t hard to find.

If White allowed Black to seal the area any further, the group would be in mortal danger.

At this moment, White had only one move for survival—

Row 5, Column 12—Attach!

Finally, the screen updated, and White placed the expected move.

Just as everyone had anticipated.

Row 5, Column 12—Attach!

This was White’s only way out.

And the moment the White stone landed, Kong Zi’s hand shot out, swiftly placing his next move.

As the stone struck the board, the other pieces trembled slightly.

Even through the screen, the young players could feel the weight behind that move—how forceful, how resolute, how full of fighting spirit.

Row 6, Column 12—Hane!

A long pause followed before Zhuang Weisheng’s hand appeared on the screen.

He placed his move, slow and deliberate.

Row 5, Column 11—Extend!

The response from Black was immediate—

Row 6, Column 11—Press!

White—

Row 5, Column 10—Extend!

Black—

Row 6, Column 10—Press!

After a brief pause, Zhuang Weisheng made his move again.

Row 5, Column 9—Extend!

The battle in this narrow corridor of the board continued.

Black and White exchanged one move after another, pressing and extending in a relentless cycle.

“For White to survive, they’ve staked everything on this fight.”

A young player’s voice was hoarse as he finally spoke.

“But these moves… every single one from White is a single-point gote, while Black gains everything.”

In Go, a “single-point gote” referred to moves that secured no immediate gain—not even a single point of territory. Typically, these were played only in the very late endgame.

But now, White had no choice but to play them to stay alive.

A young player swallowed hard, his expression dazed.

“…I have to ask.”

“What exactly was going through Zhuang Weisheng’s mind when he played these last two moves?”

No one had an answer.

The tide of battle had turned in an instant.

In the blink of an eye, White had gone from attacker to the one desperately struggling for survival.

From the moment Yu Shao played the 3-3 Point to his forceful invasion of White’s formation, every move had been a calculated setup. And now, with this jump, his blade was fully unsheathed!

But this blade was too sharp—so sharp that it threatened to overturn the entire game!

The tides of attack and defense had shifted.

At this moment, on the screen, Yu Shao placed another move.

Row 3, Column 8—Jump!

Faced with this move, Fang Haoxin sank into deep thought once again.

Seeing his hesitation, one of the young players in the discussion room finally spoke after a long silence.

“With him around… it’s no surprise Fang Haoxin will fall into the loser’s bracket.”

“Even without Su Yiming… Fang Haoxin would still lose to him.”

The room fell silent once more.

After what felt like an eternity, Fang Haoxin finally picked up a white stone and placed it gently on the board.

Row 6, Column 9—Turn!

Inside the Playing Room

Wu Zhixuan stared at the game board in the distance, cold sweat forming on her forehead.

Every time she recorded a move, her hand trembled slightly.

The referee beside her was even worse off—he had completely forgotten his role, barely remembering to breathe as he stared at the game in shock.

“What… what kind of game is this?”

Ding Huan swallowed hard, a chill running down his spine.

Kong Zi’s face was flushed with excitement as he stared intently at the board, still processing the previous moves.

Those last few moves—he could only describe them as heart-stopping!

The first twenty moves were normal enough, but ever since Yu Shao played the 3-3 Point, his emotions had been thrown into turmoil.

One moment, he thought the game was salvageable. The next, he believed it was completely lost. Then, another move would make him think there was still a fighting chance, only for despair to set in again a moment later.

And now—

Without even realizing it, the supposedly unbreakable White formation in the lower-right corner had been shaken to its core!

“A 3-3 Point invasion… followed by a crawl instead of a hane-connect… using that peep to restrict White… and then launching a full-force assault on White’s thickness.”

“Because he avoided the hane-connect and tiger’s mouth exchange, White actually lacks enough eye space and is now in danger!”

“This strategy… is simply mind-blowing!”

“This kid…!”

Even now, Kong Zi could hardly believe it. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn’t have given the lower-left White formation a second thought.

And yet… once the battle began, this seemingly impenetrable position suddenly didn’t seem so invincible anymore?!

“But was it really worth it? Sacrificing points and letting White build influence, all for the sake of exposing this one weakness?”

Kong Zi didn’t have time to keep questioning it. Shaking off his distractions, he focused on the board and considered his next move.

After a brief moment, he reached into the bowl, picked up a black stone, and placed it.

Row 16, Column 18—Small Knight’s Approach!

Now, it was Zhuang Weisheng’s turn.

He gazed at the board with unwavering focus—so intense it sent a chill down people’s spines.

It was as if nothing in the world could make him look away—even if someone were to drop dead beside him, he wouldn’t so much as blink.

After playing several single-point moves just to survive, White’s position had worsened significantly.

And now, Kong Zi’s last move was incredibly sharp—it threatened White’s eye space in the lower-right while also setting up an attack on the upper side, aiming for massive territory gains.

“The exchange of the crawl and extension after the 3-3 invasion… Black lost some points, but by skipping the hane-connect and tiger’s mouth, the peep exposed a thin point in White’s shape.”

“Sacrificing points and influence in exchange for exploiting White’s vulnerability… It may not have been the optimal strategy, but the concept itself is absolutely extraordinary.”

“The position is already bad for White, but there’s still room for a comeback. If I want to turn this game around…”

Zhuang Weisheng’s gaze darkened slightly. Finally, he reached into the bowl and placed a stone.

Row 17, Column 13—Two-Space Extension!

Once again, it was Yu Shao’s turn.

He quickly picked up a black stone and slammed it down.

Row 7, Column 9—Hane!

“Huh?”

Zhuang Weisheng, who had just placed his move, froze on the spot.

Next to Yu Shao, Kong Zi’s eyes widened in shock!

“He didn’t play a defensive move… he played a hane?!”

Kong Zi immediately grasped the intent behind this move, and his heart pounded violently.

As an attack-oriented player, his Go style was already extremely aggressive. But even he was startled by how ruthless this move was!

Normally, he would only attack until he had a clear advantage, then ease off.

If Yu Shao had played a jump to stabilize the position, the game would still favor Black, but the battle would be drawn out.

But instead—

“This kid is even crazier than me!”

“He’s going for a dragon slay!”

Inside the Academy’s Discussion Room

The reviewing players had barely recovered from the shock of seeing White’s supposedly solid formation get shredded apart.

And now, on the screen, Black played a hane!

The entire room fell into stunned silence.

“Black may have the advantage, but… does he even realize who he’s up against?”

Finally, someone couldn’t hold it in anymore and shouted:

“That’s Zhuang Weisheng he’s playing against!”

“A Ninth Dan is a Ninth Dan—but Zhuang Weisheng is Zhuang Weisheng!”