I Really Didn’t Mean to Play Go!
Chapter 188: If He Keeps Winning, It Would Be Rude!

As match time approached, two referees entered the playing room.

Seeing the crowd gathered around Table Six, they were momentarily surprised. But after spotting the two players seated at the table, they immediately understood, though their expressions carried a trace of helplessness.

It was one thing for players to spectate after their own matches or to observe games that had already ended. But for professional players who didn’t have matches today to specifically come and watch—while not forbidden—was not something the referees particularly liked to see.

This kind of situation was rare, yet today, it was happening.

Seconds ticked by.

"Match time has arrived."

One of the referees checked his watch, cleared his throat, and announced, "Each player has two hours, with a one-minute overtime countdown. You may now determine turn order."

With that, both referees made their way toward Table Six, standing among the tightly packed spectators.

The crowd had completely encircled the table, leaving not a single gap.

Seeing the crowd, Tong Lecheng’s expression darkened. He clenched his teeth, feeling humiliated.

Because he knew very well—the spectators weren’t here for him. They were here for Yu Shao. He had become nothing more than a measuring stick.

Being treated as a mere tool by others never felt good—especially when one of the spectators was Sheng Ziyan, the very player who had defeated him in the National Master Tournament not long ago.

Tong Lecheng glanced at Yu Shao across the board, took a deep breath, and reached into the bowl, grabbing a handful of white stones. His voice carried a hint of hostility as he said, "Let’s determine turn order."

Yu Shao nodded and picked a single black stone from his bowl, placing it on the board.

Tong Lecheng released his grip, letting the stones fall onto the board with a crisp sound.

"Two, four, six..."

He counted them in pairs, and once finished, he looked up and said, "Twelve stones. I’ll play black."

"Alright."

Yu Shao nodded, placed the black stone back into its bowl, exchanged bowls with Tong Lecheng, and lowered his gaze.

"Please guide me."

"Please guide me."

The match began.

Tong Lecheng focused on the board, reached into his bowl, and quickly placed the first stone.

Tak!

Column 16, Row 4—Star Point!

"If he can push Tong Lecheng into a tough fight, then he’s worth paying attention to. If he loses this game, he’ll be at four wins and one loss, and he might end up facing me next," Wu Qian, a 4-dan pro, observed from the crowd.

He frowned slightly at the newly placed black stone. "I need to test his strength. I never expected him to go on a four-game winning streak."

As the first move landed, Tong Lecheng swiftly reached into his bowl and placed his own stone.

Tak!

Column 7, Row 18—Star Point!

He immediately followed up with another move.

Column 16, Row 16—Star Point!

Seeing the black stone land, Yu Shao quickly responded.

Column 4, Row 4—Star Point!

"A two-star formation versus a two-star formation. Their opening moves are surprisingly standard."

Standing beside Wu Qian, Hong Shengchen, a 5-dan professional, turned to look at Yu Shao with a hint of caution in his eyes.

"Tong Lecheng may only be a 3-dan on paper, but he’s just a slight step below me. His actual skill level is closer to 5-dan."

"If Yu Shao can give Tong Lecheng a hard time, then his future potential is boundless."

"He just became a professional two months ago... and if you count the Yingjiao Cup, that’s already six consecutive wins."

Hong Shengchen withdrew his gaze from Yu Shao and turned to look at Tong Lecheng.

"Fortunately, he’s up against Tong Lecheng."

"A rookie making it this far is already impressive. This winning streak needs to end—if he keeps winning, it’ll be a little disrespectful."

Standing beside Hong Shengchen, Sheng Ziyan crossed his arms, staring at the board, silently thinking to himself:

"Not long ago, I played against Tong Lecheng. I know his strength inside and out."

"If Yu Shao is only at the level of a 1-dan pro, then even if he plays well, he could win against other 3-dans. But no matter what, he absolutely shouldn’t be able to beat Tong Lecheng."

"If he can’t even get past Tong Lecheng, then he’s nothing special."

"But what if he wins...?"

Sheng Ziyan initially thought it was impossible. Yet, he couldn’t shake off the words Yu Shao had once said during an interview:

"If I’m wrong, then show me with your own game!"

That statement alone had piqued his curiosity and made him decide, on a whim, to come watch this match—even though Yu Shao was just a newly promoted 1-dan professional.

Sheng Ziyan’s expression darkened slightly as he looked at Yu Shao, thinking to himself, I hope he’s just a fearless rookie who doesn’t know his limits.

The spectators all had their own thoughts, but no matter what they believed, they had never been this invested in a match before.

It was Tong Lecheng’s turn to play again.

"Two-star formation against two-star formation..."

He stared at the board, frowning slightly.

This was one of the most common opening patterns. But precisely because of its popularity, it had been studied to death. At the professional level, it was rarely played anymore.

This kind of setup allowed both players to develop quickly, focusing on influence and fighting for control over the center, often leading to intense battles.

"They’re all using me as a benchmark, aren’t they? They think he’ll challenge me, and by watching how well he does, they’ll gauge his true skill?"

A sharp glint flashed in Tong Lecheng’s eyes, irritation flaring within him. He reached into his bowl, the sound of stones clattering together breaking the silence.

"Fine! Then I’ll crush him completely! Let’s see if they can figure anything out when he’s utterly defeated!"

He clamped onto a stone and slammed it onto the board with force.

PAK!

Column 16, Row 10—Star Point!

The spectators were stunned. Their eyes widened in surprise.

"Three-Star Formation?!"

The Three-Star Formation was an overwhelming setup. With just one more stone, a grand framework stretched across the board, ready to claim the center and pressure the opponent.

However, the formation had a clear weakness—the stones on the sides were spread out and left open. To maintain efficiency, Black had no choice but to build a massive moyo (territorial framework) toward the center. There was no turning back.

With such a setup, White would inevitably invade, leading to a fierce battle in the center. Aggression was the defining feature of the Three-Star Formation!

Because of its obvious weaknesses, most professionals avoided it. Only a select few specialists used it effectively. It was generally considered too difficult to handle.

Yet, Tong Lecheng had chosen it anyway.

"Three-Star Formation?"

Yu Shao blinked in mild surprise.

He knew this pattern was largely obsolete. Even if others weren’t certain of its weaknesses, they still found it unreliable and hard to control.

Other than encountering it a few times online, Yu Shao had never seen anyone use it in a real tournament. This was his first time facing it in an official match.

That being said, while the opening might be at a slight disadvantage, the deciding factor would still be the midgame. The inevitable all-out brawl in the center would determine victory or defeat.

That was why some players still used it—despite the poor opening, they relied on their fighting skills to turn the tables later.

Yu Shao withdrew from his thoughts, reached into his bowl, and slowly placed a stone.

Tak.

Column 17, Row 17—3-3 Point Invasion!

Silence.

The crowd blinked in confusion before their eyes gradually widened.

"This...?"

"Another 3-3 invasion?!"

At this point, no one was unfamiliar with this move. But against the Three-Star Formation, the standard response should have been a Small Knight’s Approach.

Since Black’s formation was already deemed weak, White should have played it safe with a standard counter. Any resulting variations would be easier to handle for White while being more difficult for Black.

Yet, despite the obvious correct choice, Yu Shao had gone for another 3-3 invasion.

"What is he thinking?!"

Tong Lecheng stared at the move, momentarily stunned before furrowing his brows.

After a brief moment of thought, he quickly reached into his bowl and placed his response.

Tak!

Column 17, Row 16—Block!

Yu Shao immediately followed up.

Column 16, Row 17—Extend!

Tak, tak, tak...

The sequence unfolded quickly—Black played hane, White responded in kind. Black extended, White crawled. Black extended again, White crawled again. Black extended yet again.

Each move was natural, a textbook exchange.

Then, it was Yu Shao’s turn once more.

A soft click sounded as he picked up a stone.

He reached toward the upper right corner and gently placed it down.

Tak!

Column 17, Row 3—3-3 Point Invasion!

"What the—?!"

The entire room froze, staring at the new white stone in complete disbelief.

"He ignored the local position... and invaded 3-3 again?!"

Tong Lecheng’s brow furrowed deeply. Without hesitation, he responded.

Column 17, Row 4—Block!

Yu Shao played his move.

Column 16, Row 3—Extend!

The sequence repeated. Black played hane, White hane. Black extended, White crawled. Black extended again, White crawled again.

In no time, the upper right corner mirrored the exact same shape as the lower right!

Then, it was Yu Shao’s turn once again.

The sound of stones shifting in the bowl echoed through the room.

Yu Shao focused on the board, picked up a stone, and placed it swiftly.

Tak!

Column 15, Row 10—Attach!

Silence.

The room was utterly still.