I Really Didn’t Mean to Play Go!
Chapter 210: Holy Sh*t, You Actually Did It!

The atmosphere in the playing room was heavier than ever.

Many players stole glances toward Table Three, where Yu Shao sat, and Table Eight, where Su Yiming was seated.

The Yingjiao Cup qualifiers had reached their final battles. These last two rounds would largely determine who could break into the main tournament. Winning today meant not only a step closer to qualification but also a psychological edge in the next match.

That Yu Shao and Su Yiming had made it this far was beyond everyone’s expectations.

But at this moment, none of that mattered.

No matter who the opponent was, every player here shared the same thought—

I have to win!

Most of them were teetering on the edge, but they hadn’t fallen yet. The fact that they were still sitting in this room meant they had one last chance—one final gamble to turn things around.

At Table Ten, Dou Yiming glanced toward Su Yiming.

"That game… I couldn’t find a single opportunity."

"I had no chance at all. In a pure battle of strength, I was completely overwhelmed."

He couldn’t help but recall his previous match against Su Yiming. The loss had been so crushing that he had never dared to review that game with anyone.

"And yet… even someone as strong as him once lost to Yu Shao."

Dou Yiming shifted his gaze to Yu Shao, feeling a mix of emotions.

Out of everyone here, he was probably the least surprised that Yu Shao and Su Yiming had made it this far.

"I’m a 6-dan. Among my peers, there were only two players I felt I had no chance against—Le Haoqiang and Wang Xiuyuan."

At that thought, he looked toward Table Twelve.

Le Haoqiang and Wang Xiuyuan were sitting across from each other.

Unlucky draw. They had to face each other this round.

For everyone else, though, that was good news.

"Tsk… I’ll be invincible one day, but this path to invincibility sure has its obstacles."

Dou Yiming sighed inwardly.

If luck had been on his side, he might have had a shot at making the main tournament. But now, he wasn’t so sure.

After a deep breath, he set aside his distractions, clenched his folding fan, and focused on his opponent.

There was still a chance. He couldn’t give up now. He had to push forward.

—

Moments later, two referees entered the room and took their seats at the judges' table. The already tense atmosphere became even more solemn.

"Time’s up!"

A referee’s voice rang out, announcing the start of the match.

"Begin turn order determination!"

The players reached into their bowls, drawing stones for the first-move decision.

"I’ll play Black," Yu Shao announced, returning his stones to the bowl.

"I’ll take White," Qiu Jingrui nodded, doing the same before bowing slightly. "Please guide me."

The formal exchange of bows completed, Qiu Jingrui picked up his first stone and placed it on the board.

Click.

(17-4) Small Point.

"Small Point, huh?"

Yu Shao studied the board briefly before making his move.

Click.

(4-4) Star Point.

Qiu Jingrui didn’t hesitate.

Click.

(16-16) Star Point.

Yu Shao quickly followed suit.

Click.

(4-16) Star Point.

Now, Qiu Jingrui fell silent.

For the 3-3 invasion to work, the opponent needed to have occupied the Star Points first. That’s why he had played Two-Star Formation.

Even so, he wasn’t sure if Yu Shao would actually play 3-3 here.

After all, they were in the final stretch of the qualifiers. Would Yu Shao really dare to use such an unconventional move?

Would he take such a risk?

Yu Shao had no idea what Qiu Jingrui was thinking. He simply focused on the board, considering his next move.

There were plenty of viable options—at least a dozen reasonable moves to choose from.

And 3-3 was just one of them.

After a couple of seconds, he reached into his bowl, picked up a stone, and placed it on the board.

Click.

(3-3) 3-3 Invasion!

The room stirred.

"He actually did it!"

Qiu Jingrui had been expecting this move.

But the moment Yu Shao actually placed the stone, he still felt his heart jolt.

Forcing himself to remain composed, he kept his expression neutral, eyes fixed on the board.

"He invades at 3-3, skips the hane-connect, crawls an extra time on the second line, leaving White thin while taking sente to fight for the whole board."

"Genius."

Even as Yu Shao’s opponent, Qiu Jingrui had to admit—this concept was absolutely stunning.

When he first realized that 3-3 could be played without hane-connect, he had been completely shaken.

But acknowledging the concept didn’t mean accepting the move itself.

"After all, crawling twice on the second line loses territory—it goes against standard Go principles. White still gets an imposing outer influence with the hane-extend. White should still have the advantage!"

"The only reason Yu Shao won with this before was probably that his opponents weren’t strong enough. Even if he was slightly behind, he could make up for it in the mid-to-late game."

Qiu Jingrui reached into his bowl and placed his stone firmly on the board.

Click.

(3-4) Block!

Yu Shao responded immediately.

Click.

(4-3) Extend!

—

At Table Twelve, Le Haoqiang and Wang Xiuyuan continued exchanging moves at a rapid pace.

After Le Haoqiang played his move, it was Wang Xiuyuan’s turn again.

"I’ve played against him before. As much as I hate to admit it, my intuition… is a step behind his."

Wang Xiuyuan studied the board, recalling their past matches.

Le Haoqiang’s moves were sharp, his speed and strength overwhelming. Every game against him felt like facing a storm—sudden bursts of brilliance, genius in every move.

"Even so, I’ve beaten him many times. I specialize in whole-board strategy and thickness. If I can drag this into a long battle, I can win!"

"This Yingjiao Cup is everything. No matter who stands in my way—I will win!"

Resolving himself, he reached into his bowl and placed his stone.

The moment it landed, Le Haoqiang responded without hesitation.

Click.

(18-11) Attach!

"A second-line attach?!"

Wang Xiuyuan’s heart skipped a beat.

Right now, White had solid territory, but Black had massive potential in the lower-right. Both sides were evenly matched—neither had a clear lead.

The key to this game lay in how White would handle Black’s growing influence.

Up until now, Wang Xiuyuan had been expecting a standard invasion sequence. But this attach on the second line—

"This is brutal!"

This move wasn’t a simple reduction. It was a direct, ruthless assault on Black’s lower-right corner.

If Black didn’t respond correctly, White could tear apart his entire position.

But at the same time…

White was putting itself in danger, diving deep into enemy territory.

A misstep here could mean total annihilation.

Wang Xiuyuan looked up at Le Haoqiang—

And his eyelid twitched.

Le Haoqiang’s face, tanned bronze, was devoid of emotion.

His eyes were locked on the board, filled with nothing but cold, calculated aggression.

Wang Xiuyuan clenched his teeth and forced himself to refocus on the board, diving into deep thought.

"He invaded this deep… does he really think he can get away with it?"

After a long contemplation, he finally reached into his bowl, pulled out a stone, and swiftly placed it.

Click!

(18-16) Hane!

Without hesitation, Le Haoqiang grabbed a stone and countered instantly.

Click!

(17-14) Counter-Hane!

No surprise there. Wang Xiuyuan immediately responded.

Click!

(16-15) Retreat!

The sound of stones clashing against the board rang through the room.

But before the echoes faded, Le Haoqiang had already placed his next move, his white stone carrying a sharp, almost violent aura as it cut through Black’s formation.

Click!

(16-11) Attach!

"Attach?!"

Wang Xiuyuan froze for a split second, then his pupils shrank to needlepoints. His face flushed red as he realized—

"He… he’s going straight for the weakness in my shape!"

"He’s aiming to shatter my black stones!"

—

Table Three

"No… No way!"

Qiu Jingrui stared at the board in disbelief, sweat beading on his forehead. His teeth dug into his fingernail as he fought to stay composed.

"Why does this feel so suffocating?"

"My stones in the upper left… they’re not just failing to exert influence—they’ve become a liability!"

"How did this happen? This wasn’t supposed to happen!"

After what felt like an eternity, Qiu Jingrui finally forced himself to move. His fingers trembled slightly as he placed his stone on the board.

Click!

(5-12) Press!

"A press?"

Yu Shao didn’t respond immediately. He lowered his gaze, studying the board in silence.

Qiu Jingrui wasn’t weak. His skill in tight, close-quarters battles was evident, and his tenacity in complex fights was commendable. While he wasn’t outstanding in any particular area, his well-rounded abilities made him a formidable opponent.

"I need to crush him in one decisive blow."

After a moment of contemplation, Yu Shao reached into his bowl and gently placed his move.

Click!

(4-7) Peep!

Qiu Jingrui stiffened.

His mouth, which had been absentmindedly biting his thumb, slightly parted in shock.

"A peep?"

"He… he invaded straight into my thickness?!"

—

At Table Eight, the player facing Su Yiming had his right elbow propped on the table, his hand covering half his face as he stared at the board with visible frustration.

After a moment, he closed his eyes as if unwilling to look at the game any longer.

And then…

He sighed.

He didn’t reach for another stone.

Instead, he lowered his head and quietly admitted, "I lost."

After the customary bow, they packed up their stones. Su Yiming rose from his seat and walked over to the referees to report his victory.

After completing the formalities, he approached Table Three and observed the match in silence.

Then, after a few moments, he turned and left.

Click. Click. Click…

Back at Table Three, the relentless sound of stones being placed continued.

Until finally—

Qiu Jingrui lowered his head.

"I…"

"I lost…"

Yu Shao looked down at the board and calmly responded, "Thank you for the game."

It took Qiu Jingrui a long time to respond.

His voice was faint, barely above a whisper.

"Thank you… for the game."

After clearing the board, Yu Shao stood up and walked to the referees to report his win.

—

Not long after, at Table Twelve, Wang Xiuyuan bit down hard on his molars.

Finally, after immense struggle, he bowed his head toward Le Haoqiang.

"I lost…"

In the past, beating an opponent like Wang Xiuyuan would have made Le Haoqiang breathe a sigh of relief.

But this time, his expression remained calm.

He merely bowed his head slightly.

"Thank you for the game."

After packing up his stones, he stood up and glanced toward Tables Eight and Three.

"They both won."

Letting out a slow breath, he walked toward the referees and reported his score.

"Since they both won, there’s a 70% chance I’ll be facing one of them in the next round."

"If I win that match, I’ll secure my spot in the main tournament."

"Of course… they might end up facing each other instead, leaving me with a different opponent. But who that will be… is still unknown."

Le Haoqiang’s fingers unconsciously curled into a fist.

Wang Xiuyuan had lost this round.

Qiu Jingrui had lost this round.

Yang Yuqiang had already lost in the previous round.

Of the four players most favored to qualify for the main tournament, only one remained undefeated—Yu Shao!

After the next qualifier, the two winners would directly secure their spots in the main tournament. The two losers, however, would have to continue battling through the remaining qualifier matches to fight for the third and final spot.

—

Meanwhile, in Shuchuan City – Western Go Academy

Inside one of the playing rooms hosting the Yingjiao Cup qualifiers—

"I lost."

A seventeen-year-old boy stared at the board for a moment before lowering his head in resignation, his face full of disappointment.

Across from him sat a young man with a crew cut, broad shoulders, and a solid build. His sharp eyes remained calm as he bowed to his opponent before standing up and heading toward the referees' table.

"Table One—Gu Yi, 4-dan, wins. Zhai Bo, 6-dan, loses."

The referee recording the results didn’t seem surprised at all. Nodding slightly, he picked up his pen and jotted down the match outcome.

Watching Gu Yi’s departing figure, the referee turned to his colleague and muttered in a low voice, his expression somewhat odd.

"Gu Yi's momentum this year is insane. A bunch of strong players ran into him in the early rounds and got eliminated right away. Even Zhai Bo just lost. Next round, he’ll basically have no competition left."

"Yeah… Feels like Gu Yi might actually win the entire Yingjiao Cup."

"I don’t even care about him winning or not. I just hope he faces the toughest opponents possible."

"Huh? Why? He’s from our Western region. You want players from other regions to win instead?"

"That’s not what I mean. The Go Contention Tournament is coming up. With a strong rival ahead, wouldn’t it be better to have ten players as strong as Gu Yi? Or even stronger?"

"...Well, yeah, I guess you’re right. Finding ten players as strong as Gu Yi might be a stretch, but getting five or six shouldn’t be impossible."

—

Meanwhile, in Chu-Han City – Central Go Academy

An eighteen-year-old young man in a tracksuit casually walked toward the academy’s cafeteria, a cigarette hanging between his fingers.

Just then, a short-haired girl with a cute face approached from the opposite direction. The moment she saw him, she froze in place before her eyes widened in anger.

"Zhou Wei! You’re smoking again!"

Zhou Wei's face turned pale with panic. He quickly flicked the cigarette to the ground, stomped it out with lightning speed, and raised both hands in surrender.

"My bad! I was wrong, Ting!"

The girl huffed angrily as she walked up to him. "You won again? That was fast."

"Heh, of course I won! Who can beat me?"

Zhou Wei rubbed his nose smugly. "Hey, someone go call Zhu Huai’an over!"

"Ugh, stop bragging! You shameless idiot! Zhu-ge is four years older than you, and he’s already won the Go Sage title. What about you?"

The girl glared at him before asking, "And if I give you a three-stone handicap, do you dare to beat me?"

"Nope, no way!" Zhou Wei immediately raised his hands in surrender again, grinning shamelessly. "My girlfriend winning is only natural!"

"Stop saying that! Girlfriend is girlfriend, who’s your wife?!"

Her cheeks flushed pink as she scolded him. "The Yingjiao Cup main tournament is being held in our region. You’ve got the home advantage, so don’t mess it up!"

"Heh, I still need to win one more round to secure my spot. Haven’t made it yet."

Zhou Wei smirked. "Didn’t know you had so much faith in me."

"As your girlfriend, of course I believe in you!"

She straightened her posture confidently before adding, "But the main tournament won’t just have players from our region. I heard that Le Haoqiang from the South and Qin Lang from the North are incredibly strong. You need to give it your all!"

"I know."

At her words, Zhou Wei’s usual carefree expression disappeared, replaced by a rare seriousness.

"What I’m really worried about is that they’re too weak. If I have to carry the Go Contention Tournament all on my own, that’s way too much pressure."

—

Three Days Later

More than half a month had passed since the last National Master Tournament qualifier.

Today, the next round had finally arrived.

Yu Shao’s opponent was Fei Hanfei, 6-dan.

That morning, he took a taxi to the Go Academy and walked into the playing room where the tournament was being held.

The moment he stepped inside, he immediately spotted a familiar figure.

"Jiang Xiahua? What are you doing here?"

Yu Shao pulled out a chair and sat down at Table Eight, looking over at Jiang Xiahua, who was seated at Table Nine.

"Ahem."

Jiang Xiahua gave an awkward laugh. "Didn’t do too well in the Meijin Tournament, so I’m here for the National Master Tournament instead."

Yu Shao almost couldn’t hold back a laugh.

Losing in the Initial Dan Competition and coming to the Yingjiao Cup was one thing, but now he’d been eliminated from the Meijin Tournament too?

As far as Yu Shao knew, Xu Zijin was still competing in the Meijin Tournament—how many matches had Jiang Xiahua lost already?

"You think everyone’s as strong as you? I actually did okay! I even beat a 4-dan player once! A 4-dan! Meanwhile, Zhu Yi has only won two matches total!"

Jiang Xiahua tried to defend himself. "It’s totally normal for newly promoted professionals to struggle in their first few months. Most people don’t start improving dramatically until at least six months in!"

"Alright, alright, just focus on your National Master Tournament games."

Yu Shao chuckled before adding, "Just don’t get eliminated halfway and jump into the Go Sage Tournament next."

"That’s totally reasonable, though?!"

Jiang Xiahua rolled his eyes dramatically before narrowing his gaze. "Wait… you’re not seriously trying to qualify for the title match, are you?"

Yu Shao blinked.

"…Holy sh*t, you actually are!"

Jiang Xiahua stared at him in shock before blurting out, "Dude, if you keep winning, you’ll eventually be facing 9-dan players!"

Yu Shao simply smiled.

"I’ll do my best."

He added, "A few more matches, and I’ll be promoted to 2-dan soon."

"I know."

Jiang Xiahua sighed. "You, Su Yiming, and Fang Haoxin are all about to hit 2-dan. Oh, and Xu Zijin in the women’s division too."

"Fang Haoxin is close to 2-dan?" Yu Shao asked, surprised.

"You didn’t know? He’s a lot stronger than he was during the promotion tournament. Most of his losses have been in the Meijin Tournament, and now he’s competing in the East Region’s Initial Dan Competition main event. After that, he should be promoted."

Jiang Xiahua exhaled deeply. "I think I’m finally getting used to professional play. If I perform well over the next six months, I should hit 2-dan too."

Then, as if something clicked in his mind, Jiang Xiahua turned to Yu Shao.

"If you win one more qualifier, you’ll make it into the Yingjiao Cup main tournament, right?"

"Yeah."

Yu Shao nodded. "The next match is in three days."

"Jesus."

Jiang Xiahua clicked his tongue. "You’re moving up way too fast. So who’s your next opponent?"

"The matchup was announced yesterday—Le Haoqiang, 5-dan."

At that name, Jiang Xiahua’s expression shifted.

"Le Haoqiang?"

"Yeah, why?" Yu Shao raised an eyebrow. "You know him?"

"I’ve heard of him, but never played against him."

Jiang Xiahua’s face darkened.

"My teacher is Zhu Xinyuan, 9-dan. You know that, right?"

"Yeah. What about it?"

Jiang Xiahua took a deep breath.

"I know you’re strong. But…"

He hesitated for a moment before continuing, "Le Haoqiang once beat my teacher."