I Really Didn’t Mean to Play Go!
Chapter 207: Pieces Fall Like Hail

For a moment, the room was filled with puzzled looks.

The description... might be a bit of an exaggeration, don’t you think?

In this game, the black stones had adopted a large-scale formation, a bold and imposing strategy that almost overturned the entire board. Eventually, with a high mountain and deep valley-like formation, the black stones defeated the white stones, crushing them completely.

While this large-scale strategy did resemble Shen Yi’s style, it wasn't quite right to say that Su Yiming had mastered the "modern joseki" like Shen Yi.

Shen Yi wasn’t just about big formations. His brilliance lay in his elegant moves and his unyielding middle-game fights, which often left his opponents in awe. But more than that, Shen Yi’s real strength was in his endgame.

Unless his opponent had a 99% chance of winning by midgame, even with a 90% advantage, it was nearly impossible to defeat Shen Yi.

This game, however, was simply about using a large-scale formation and power struggle. He Yu was overwhelmed by this raw force. How could anyone claim that Su Yiming had learned Shen Yi’s "modern joseki" from this?

There were far too many people who could play like Shen Yi!

Everyone looked at He Yu with confusion, wondering if he had gone a bit too far with his comparison. Couldn’t he just accept his loss without making such a statement?

Su Yiming also looked up and glanced at He Yu, who was still staring at the board, opening his mouth as if to say something.

He... had seen the game between Su Yiming and Yu Shao at the high school Go league.

It was precisely because that game and this one overlapped in his mind that he found himself thinking about the "modern joseki" of Shen Yi.

In the end, He Yu shook his head, realizing how absurd and laughable his own words were. He stopped speaking and reached out his hand to join Su Yiming in cleaning up the pieces.

Once the pieces were all back in the box, Su Yiming slowly stood up, glancing at He Yu for a moment.

"You’re wrong."

"Actually, I haven’t fully mastered modern Go theory and joseki yet..."

His emotions were mixed—there was a sense of joy, but also a feeling of melancholy.

The joy was in knowing that his game—his moves—were his name, his identity. Even after so many years, despite everything that had changed, people could still recognize his past self through the moves he made.

Though he had become a different person, the moment someone saw his game, they could still trace it back to his previous life.

The melancholy came from the knowledge that everything from before had passed. The past was gone, and it couldn’t be brought back.

After reporting the results to the referee, Su Yiming walked through the crowd and headed out of the game room.

"In this era..."

"How far can I go?"

"Go is profound and unpredictable. After more than a hundred years, will my skills ever touch a higher level?"

"Regardless, I’ll keep moving forward until the end of this life."

"I hope that one day, when people see my game, they’ll no longer think of Shen Yi, but of... Su Yiming."

"I hope one day, they’ll think—"

"Even the Shen Yi who mastered modern joseki would not be my opponent!"

...

After the registration deadline for the Yingjiao Cup, the schedule quickly became packed and intense, with the competition happening nearly every day.

Even though Yu Shao’s score was quite high, it had only been three days since his last match, and the next Yingjiao Cup pre-qualification was already here.

That morning, Yu Shao arrived again at the Go Academy. As soon as he entered the lobby, he saw Wu Zhixuan.

Wu Zhixuan was wearing a sweatshirt with a cute bear design on it and tight jeans, looking youthful and full of energy.

She was standing in front of the vending machine, holding her phone, seemingly ready to scan a code to buy a drink.

Upon seeing Yu Shao, her eyes lit up, and she greeted him immediately, “Good morning, Yu Shao!”

“Good morning.”

Yu Shao nodded back, not surprised to see Wu Zhixuan at the Go Academy.

After the first six rounds of the Yingjiao Cup pre-qualification, there were fewer players with low scores, and most of today’s players had already accumulated high scores. Wu Zhixuan, with a record of three wins and three losses, wasn’t on today’s match list.

However, Yu Shao had heard that Wu Zhixuan had signed up for the Go Sage Tournament pre-qualifications, which happened to be today.

“You wait for me,” she said, tapping her phone a couple of times before bending over to retrieve two cans of coffee from the vending machine and walking toward Yu Shao.

"Here!"

She handed him one of the cans, smiling brightly, "Have a drink!"

"Thank you."

Yu Shao took the coffee from her with a smile.

"No need to thank me!"

Wu Zhixuan shook her head and opened the can of coffee, asking, "You’re playing in the Yingjiao Cup today, right? Who’s your opponent?"

“Yang Liqiang, 6-dan.” Yu Shao opened his own can and answered.

“Yang Liqiang, 6-dan?” Wu Zhixuan was surprised. "You need to play carefully. He’s very strong!"

“Really?”

Yu Shao was a bit surprised, looking at Wu Zhixuan. He and she had played many online games together, and although those were casual, she should have a general sense of his skill.

“He’s capable of occasionally defeating 9-dan players,” Wu Zhixuan explained with a serious expression. “Yang Liqiang, Wang Xiuyuan, Le Haoxiang, and Qiu Jingrui—these four all have that level of skill.”

"Among them, although Le Haoxiang is a 5-dan, he’s probably the strongest. His record against high-ranked players is the best.”

Wu Zhixuan paused for a moment, then added, “Rank doesn’t equal skill. Even though these players aren’t high-ranked, even 9-dan players have to take them seriously."

“Just like Li You, 7-dan. Even though he’s only 7-dan, he’s already defeated so many 9-dan players. Not long ago, he almost made it to the challenge rounds in the Go Sage Tournament.”

At this point, Wu Zhixuan smiled and stuck out her tongue, saying, “Too bad he ran into Teacher Jiang Changdong. After thirty-seven years of playing Go, someone as strong as him still couldn’t beat Jiang, even when he gave it his all.”

Yu Shao nodded, understanding. He mentally noted the names of Yang Liqiang, Le Haoxiang, and the others.

"But I heard Yang Liqiang’s mid-game fighting ability is especially strong, but he’s not good at handling small-scale situations and often loses in the endgame battles.”

Wu Zhixuan took a sip of coffee, then quickly added.

The two chatted as they walked, and soon they reached a corner, ready to part ways.

"Alright, I’m off. Good luck!" Wu Zhixuan made a fist, cheering Yu Shao on.

"You too."

Yu Shao nodded, and after parting with Wu Zhixuan, he walked toward the game room for the Yingjiao Cup pre-qualification. Soon, he reached the door of the game room.

Today, his table number was 7. He looked toward Table 7 and saw that no one was there yet, so he walked over and sat down, pulling out the chair.

Soon, the other players began to file into the room.

Not long after, Su Yiming also entered. After exchanging a brief nod with Yu Shao, he headed straight for Table 10 and took a seat.

For today’s pre-qualification, only those who had either never lost or had only lost one game could enter the game room. These high-ranking players would now face off, with all matches scheduled for the same day.

This meant that the Yingjiao Cup pre-qualification had officially entered a heated stage. Every win brought them one step closer to the finals, and there were only three spots available per region!

Soon, a young man around eighteen years old, wearing glasses, arrived and sat across from Yu Shao. He looked at Yu Shao for a moment, furrowing his brows slightly, then pulled out a chair and sat down slowly.

Yu Shao also looked up and met his gaze, recognizing him as his opponent for the day—Yang Liqiang, 6-dan.

At this moment, the referees had not yet arrived, but the game room was still completely silent. Everyone was maintaining a respectful silence. The atmosphere, unlike usual, was tinged with a certain tension, as though a subtle but palpable sense of danger was in the air.

Every player who could step into this game room today was, without exception, a strong contender. Those without at least a 4-dan ranking simply didn't have the right to set foot in this room.

Survival of the fittest, the weak are eliminated and the strong thrive!

Only the strong can remain, and the weak will make way for new challengers.

Not long after, the two referees finally arrived in the room.

"The time has come."

After a moment, one referee checked his watch and said, "Game time is two hours per side, with a one-minute overtime and black giving 7.5 points komi. We can now begin determining who goes first."

As the referee finished speaking, the sound of pieces being picked up echoed through the room, followed by the soft sounds of players bowing to each other, and then, the sound of pieces landing on the board.

Tap, tap, tap.

The pieces began to fall in rapid succession.

Le Haoxiang sat at Table 5, and his opponent today was Yuan Yufei, 5-dan.

After the determination of who would go first, Yuan Yufei took black, and Le Haoxiang took white.

Yuan Yufei’s expression wasn’t light as he stared at the board, thinking for a moment before finally reaching into the box and picking up a piece. He made his first move.

Tap!

Column 16, Row 4, Star Point!

As soon as Yuan Yufei placed his piece, the sound of "click" echoed, and Le Haoxiang immediately reached into the box to grab a white stone. It was as though he was in a race against time, and with incredible speed, he placed his stone on the board.

Tap!

Column 4, Row 4, Star Point!

"What’s going on?"

Seeing Le Haoxiang make his move so quickly, Yuan Yufei was shocked. Although this move didn’t require much thought, the speed at which Le Haoxiang played was too fast!

Normally, players would take two or three seconds to think here, especially since this wasn’t a blitz game with only fifteen seconds per move.

However, Yuan Yufei didn’t think too much about it. He quickly reached into the box and placed another piece.

Tap!

Column 16, Row 16, Star Point!

In the very next moment, the white piece fell once again, with lightning speed!

Tap!

Column 3, Row 16, Small Point!

"What... what is he doing?!"

Seeing the white stone fall so quickly again, Yuan Yufei was completely stunned. Unable to contain himself, he looked up at Le Haoxiang. When he saw Le Haoxiang’s expression, a chill ran down his spine.

Le Haoxiang was staring at the board with a cold, almost chilling gaze, and it felt as though a killing intent was emanating from his eyes.

"What... what’s going on with him?"

Yuan Yufei swallowed nervously, feeling like something was off with Le Haoxiang.

Even though they had the same rank, Yuan Yufei knew deep down that he was no match for Le Haoxiang. Le Haoxiang was truly a genius, and the intensity of his demeanor now was unsettling.

Yuan Yufei took a deep breath to steady himself and finally picked up a piece, placing it on the board.

As soon as the black piece landed, the white stone immediately followed.

Black stone placed!

White stone placed!

Tap!

Tap!

Tap!

The two players alternated moves quickly. With every black stone, the white stone would drop instantly in response. There was no thought put into these moves, as if it were purely instinctive, almost as though the players were on autopilot.

Watching each move, Yuan Yufei began to understand what was happening. His frustration and anger started to rise.

"Does he really think he can defeat me without thinking, just relying on his instinct?!"

Grinding his teeth, Yuan Yufei paused for a moment, then reached into the box with force, the pieces making a sharp sound. The next moment, his hand grabbed a piece and slammed it down onto the board.

Tap!

Column 16, Row 13, Extension!

Le Haoxiang still placed his white stone instantly, without hesitation, showing no need for any thinking time!

Seeing this move, Yuan Yufei was now absolutely certain of Le Haoxiang’s intention. His anger reached its peak.

Le Haoxiang was not thinking at all. He simply intended to finish the game as quickly as possible, with no consideration for strategy, relying solely on his gut instinct!

"Even though you’re stronger than me, if you think that you can win without thinking and just play by feeling—"

Yuan Yufei raised his head, looked at Le Haoxiang, and after a deep breath, his eyes flashed with a sharp glint.

"Then let’s see if you can!"

Yuan Yufei grabbed another piece from the box and placed it down.

Once again, the white stone immediately followed, falling like lightning.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

The sound of pieces continuously hitting the board echoed, and in that moment, time seemed to slip by unnoticed.

Soon, when Yuan Yufei made his move, it was Le Haoxiang’s turn again.

Le Haoxiang quickly reached into the box and placed a piece with astonishing speed, slamming it onto the board!

Tap!

Column 7, Row 13, Small Knight’s Move!

"Small Knight’s Move here?!"

Yuan Yufei’s heart skipped a beat, and his expression changed in an instant.

After grinding his teeth for what seemed like an eternity, Yuan Yufei finally reached into the box again, hesitating slightly before placing his piece on the board.

As soon as the black piece landed—

Smack!

The white piece fell again, creating a sharp "smack" sound!

Yuan Yufei’s eyelid twitched, and his expression flushed with anger. He immediately reached for another piece and placed it down.

Tap, tap, tap!

"Wow... so strong!"

A thought suddenly flashed in Yuan Yufei’s mind, one that was hard for him to accept:

"Even though he’s not thinking at all, I... I still feel like I’m not his match!"

At Table 7, Yu Shao was calmly analyzing the board.

"His shape judgment is precise, and his calculations are deep. My previous 'cut' move—I thought he would bend, but instead, he played the Tiger's Mouth..."

Yu Shao watched the board intently, examining the situation.

"I didn’t gain any advantage; instead, he countered me and damaged my shape!"

Yu Shao couldn't help but glance up at his opponent, Yang Liqiang, surprised by his ability.

"Interesting... he's really strong!"

Apart from Su Yiming, this was the first time Yu Shao had faced an opponent who could not only endure his attacks but also counter with effective responses!

Meanwhile, Yang Liqiang, with his eyes fixed firmly on the board, was fully focused, beads of sweat already dotting his forehead. His expression seemed calm, but inside, he was filled with disbelief and shock.

"Could it be...?"

"After my Tiger's Mouth, he should’ve had no way to respond!"

"But instead, he clung to my large dragon, using the cut and jump exchange to launch a counterattack. After all that fighting, my offensive has been shattered, and my right side is still unstable!"

After pondering for a long time, Yang Liqiang finally grabbed another stone from the box and swiftly placed it down.

"But in the middle game, even a 9-dan player wouldn't be able to easily defeat me!"

Tap!

Column 15, Row 12, Dig!

"He dug over..."

Seeing this move, Yu Shao lowered his gaze, contemplating the board.

"If I invade and eliminate his small territory, he might cut me off and trap my white stones, forcing both sides into a difficult fight. But if I just press forward and bend... maybe he’ll sacrifice stones and force a mutual destruction?"

After a moment of reflection, Yu Shao raised his head and looked at Yang Liqiang, sensing his opponent’s intentions.

"Are you thinking about my lower-right corner..."

Yu Shao reached into the box, slowly picking up a stone.

"Here, take it and see if you can swallow it!"

The next moment, the piece landed.

Tap!

Column 5, Row 12, Press!

"He..."

Seeing this move, Yang Liqiang’s face changed in shock. He almost jumped out of his seat, staring at the board in disbelief, unable to believe what he was seeing.

"Tenuki?!"

The lower-right corner was already in a life-and-death situation, and after his dig, the intention to fight had become obvious. The white stones there were likely to be surrounded and completely killed!

But now, the white stones had tenuki'd?!

After the brief shock, Yang Liqiang regained his composure and carefully considered the move. He instantly understood the sharpness of the tenuki to press.

This move had directly attacked the key points in the black stones’ shape, completely sealing them off. The once formidable black stones had suddenly become sluggish. The white stones had placed enormous pressure on the black, with a threatening, coercive force looming over them!

However, this had come at the cost of a large group of white stones in the lower-right corner, which had now been doomed.

Yang Liqiang couldn’t help but swallow hard. Even though he was an aggressive player, he couldn’t help but think that this strategy was... insane.

"From now on, both sides will face danger—no one will be spared!"

"The game will become so intense, so complicated, that no one can afford to give an inch. If either side relaxes, the situation will collapse immediately, and there won’t even be a chance to turn it around!"

"Because this game has no possibility of entering the endgame—it will end with one side’s death in the middle game!"

"I must find and exploit his weakness, cut off his chances of survival!"

Yang Liqiang took a deep breath, finally extending his hand into the box and grabbing a stone.

Then, he placed it down with incredible speed.

Tap!

Column 17, Row 10, Stand!

Yu Shao’s expression also grew more solemn as he stared at the board.

He decided to leave the lower-right corner for now. The white stones there were indeed in danger, having cut off their own escape route. The situation would become incredibly complicated. If the white stones survived, they’d have to rely on clever moves to escape, or they would die for sure.

Therefore, Yu Shao would now proceed with a fierce, relentless attack, breaking through the black shape, cutting off its connections, and destroying its formation!

He had to embrace the fight, honing his senses in the delicate balance between life and death, strength and weakness, and momentum and pieces.

A moment later, Yu Shao reached into the box again, grabbed a piece, and placed it down with lightning speed.

Tap, tap, tap!

The pieces fell like swords, sharp and resounding, thrilling everyone around.

...

After a long while.

"I..."

Yuan Yufei stared at the board, clenching his teeth in frustration. His face was filled with unwillingness, but in the end, he lowered his head, and with immense humiliation, he squeezed the words out: "I lost..."

In this game, even during the most complicated middle game, Le Haoxiang's thinking time never exceeded ten seconds. He played each move at a pace that left his opponent gasping for air. His moves were as fast as lightning!

Even so, he had won!

Le Haoxiang hardly used any of his time, while Yuan Yufei had already entered overtime.

Even when Le Haoxiang did take a moment to think, it was just a small fraction of the time he still had left.

"Thank you for the lesson."

Le Haoxiang said calmly, lowering his head.

Yuan Yufei, his face dark with defeat, returned the bow and said, "Thank you for the lesson."

Le Haoxiang stood up and first glanced toward Yu Shao's location, then looked over to where Su Yiming was sitting.

Neither of their games was over yet.

Le Haoxiang quickly withdrew his attention from Su Yiming and walked toward Yu Shao. As for Su Yiming's game...

Su Yiming’s opponent was too weak—a 4-dan player—and Le Haoxiang felt there was no need to watch it.

Soon, Le Haoxiang stood by Table 7, staring at the board. After just a glance, his thick eyebrows furrowed.

"Black has been directly cut off from the center, and the top has turned into an empty triangle. This situation is too complex. How did this position even happen?"

Le Haoxiang took a deep breath, having already predicted the outcome of the game. He could tell that the black stones would probably collapse soon.

He looked up and met Yang Liqiang’s eyes.

At this moment, Yang Liqiang’s face was as pale as paper, filled with disbelief. He was biting his lower lip, barely able to hold himself together.

Even though Yu Shao had been so impressive in his previous matches, Yang Liqiang had never truly taken him seriously, never paid him the proper attention.

Now, facing him in a game, Yang Liqiang realized that his opponent was far beyond his expectations!

"Yang Liqiang truly isn’t his match."

Le Haoxiang pulled his gaze away from the board and glanced again toward Su Yiming's direction. He thought back to the game between Su Yiming and He Yu.

One game surrounded just a small territory, the other killed a single dragon...

"I had thought the only player who could be a real threat to me was Wang Xiuyuan. But now it seems there are two more."

"But it doesn’t matter."

Le Haoxiang returned his gaze to the board and walked toward the referee. After reporting his results, he turned and walked out of the game room, his eyes filled with determination.

"Whoever my opponent is, I must win."

"Just like I did against Zhuang Xinyuan, 9-dan!"