I Really Didn’t Mean to Play Go!
Chapter 227: Using His Moves to Give Me the Answer

Another two three-three invasions!

Zeng Chenlu stared at the big screen, almost unable to tear her eyes away, as if her gaze was glued to the upper-left and lower-right corners of the screen where the two games were displayed.

The three-three invasion, a move that would have earned a slap on the wrist from her teacher when she was learning Go, had now appeared four times in succession in the Yingjiao Cup—the tournament that represents the highest level of competition among young players!

It was both shocking and absurd!

After a long time, Zeng Chenlu finally forced herself to look away and turned to Zhu Huaian beside her.

But Zhu Huaian remained silent, standing motionless, offering no commentary on the two three-three invasions. His deep, black eyes were locked onto the big screen in front of him, not even blinking.

Time passed, second by second.

Yet, in the upper-left and lower-right corners of the board, neither player had responded to the three-three invasion.

They had both entered a deep thought process!

Faced with such an unreasonable move, which completely defies conventional Go principles, neither Le Haoqiang nor Zhou Wei—two top players of the younger generation—could make an immediate move. Instead, they simultaneously fell into a prolonged period of contemplation!

In the previous round, the three-three invasion had already appeared in two games. These players must have studied the game records and reviewed the variations over the past three days. Yet, despite this, they were still stuck in deep thought when confronted with the same move!

This meant...

They had no absolute confidence in handling the three-three invasion!

After waiting for a long while, seeing that neither player had made a move yet while the other two games were starting to show signs of direct confrontation, Zeng Chenlu had no choice but to suppress her astonishment and begin analyzing the other matches.

"Qin Lang, 6-dan, chose the small knight’s move here. That’s a bit unexpected, but Gu Chuan, 4-dan, responded well..."

Hearing Zeng Chenlu start analyzing the other two games, Zhu Huaian finally withdrew his gaze from the upper-left and lower-right corners of the screen and joined in the discussion.

"This small knight’s move isn’t just about reducing territory; it’s also an attempt to lure the opponent deeper into the position..."

However, even as he continued to explain, Zhu Huaian’s gaze would frequently flicker back to the two games featuring the three-three invasions. It was clear that his mind was still preoccupied with them.

And it wasn’t just Zhu Huaian—everyone else was the same.

In the Yingjiao Cup’s official live broadcast, thousands of viewers were fixated on these two three-three invasion games.

Among them were countless Go enthusiasts, countless strong amateur players, and even professional players!

But after waiting for more than ten minutes, seeing that Le Haoqiang and Zhou Wei still hadn't made a move, the audience had no choice but to shift their attention to the other two games.

Fortunately, these games did not disappoint. In both matches, the level of play was astonishing. Every single move carried a sense of tension, as if blades were flashing across the board.

Watching the black and white stones being placed, it felt like an intense sword fight. The audience quickly became immersed in the duels, captivated by the fierce battles unfolding.

"So strong! Qin Lang’s 6-dan placement at the center is truly brilliant—it not only strengthens his own position but also seals off the white stones, as if he's preparing to swallow them whole!"

"But Gu Chuan, 4-dan, is formidable as well. He refuses to back down, aggressively taking territory before diving into Qin Lang’s black stones to live, stirring up chaos!"

"After all, Gu Chuan is the strongest player in the Western Division. Qin Lang is famous for his ability to handle weak groups, yet Gu Chuan is deliberately forcing him into a life-and-death battle. This is going to be a fierce clash!"

"Meanwhile, over at Che Wenyu’s game, it looks like Yu Shu, 5-dan, is struggling. He’s barely managing to keep up."

"Che Wenyu’s playstyle is too aggressive. Every move is relentless. Yu Shu is clearly feeling pressured—he seems hesitant to engage in an all-out fight against Che Wenyu."

The live chat was filled with dense bullet comments.

Finally, after a few more moments, a single comment floated across the screen, instantly grabbing everyone’s attention.

"At table four, Zhou Wei, 6-dan, has finally played a move!"

Inside the fourth game room, the crisp sound of a stone being placed echoed through the air.

Tak!

Column three, row sixteen—block!

After firmly placing his stone on the board, Zhou Wei slowly withdrew his hand. Then, he lifted his head, his expression serious as he gazed at Yu Shao across the board.

"Finally... a move!"

Hearing the clear sound of the move being played, the female game recorder felt a jolt in her heart.

Although each player had a total of three hours for the match, taking a full twenty minutes to think during the first five moves of the opening was an absurdly long time.

And all this over a three-three invasion.

In the past, there would have been no need to even consider how to respond to a three-three invasion. Let alone a high-level professional like Zhou Wei—even an amateur...

Even amateur players could respond to a three-three invasion instantly!

But this time, Zhou Wei had thought about it for a full twenty minutes!

Spending such a long time deliberating on how to handle a three-three invasion—this would have been unthinkable in the past!

As Zhou Wei finally made his move, Yu Shao calmly looked at the board. Without hesitation, he reached into the bowl, picked up a stone, and placed it down gently.

Tak.

Column four, row seventeen—extend!

Seeing Yu Shao’s move, Zhou Wei didn’t hesitate this time. Clearly, during his long contemplation earlier, he had already mapped out his next steps. With a serious expression, he reached into the bowl, picked up a stone, and placed it down decisively.

Tak!

Column five, row seventeen—hane!

Yu Shao picked up another stone and placed it down gently.

Column five, row eighteen—hane!

“He haned…”

Seeing the placement of the black stone, Zhou Wei wasn’t surprised. He took a deep breath and swiftly reached into the bowl, picking up a white stone and placing it down.

Column six, row seventeen—extend!

The next moment, Yu Shao, holding a black stone between his fingers, placed it down once again.

Tak!

The sound of the stone striking the board echoed crisply.

Column six, row eighteen—crawl!

“He crawled on the second line!”

Seeing this unconventional second-line crawl, Zhou Wei’s eyes narrowed slightly. He steadied himself, then reached into the bowl, picking up another stone with a soft click before placing it down.

Tak!

Column seven, row seventeen—block!

Yu Shao lowered his gaze to the board and placed another move.

Column four, row ten—extend!

Black didn’t follow the usual hane-and-connect sequence but instead chose to detach and extend after crawling along the second line!

However, Zhou Wei wasn’t surprised by this move either.

As he studied the board, the matches between Cao Xinghuai and Chu Jiang surfaced in his mind.

Having meticulously dissected those two games, every move was engraved into his memory, clear and precise.

“In both of Cao Xinghuai and Chu Jiang’s games, they played too solidly out of fear that their outer influence would be attacked, which led to an underutilization of its full potential.”

Zhou Wei’s gaze grew more determined as he reached into the bowl, swiftly picking up a stone.

"Let's go!"

Tak!

Column three, row twelve—small knight’s move!

Seeing this small knight’s move, Yu Shao lowered his eyes to the board. After a brief moment, he finally reached into the bowl again and carefully placed another stone.

Tak!

Column three, row five—high approach!

Tak, tak, tak!

The two players continued their rapid exchanges, the quiet game room filled only with the crisp sounds of stones being placed.

At that moment, in the broadcasting studio, Zeng Chenlu and Zhu Huaian watched as the stones kept landing on Table Four’s board. Even though they were in the studio, it felt as if they could hear the sounds of the moves through the screen.

Every move played was the voice of the player’s thoughts.

“This is beautiful!”

Zeng Chenlu stared unblinkingly at the lower-right corner of the board, her face showing an expression of awe that wouldn’t fade. She exclaimed, “Zhou Wei, 6-dan, is playing exceptionally well!”

“It seems that he wasn’t rattled at all by Yu Shao, 1-dan’s three-three invasion. After that twenty-minute-long contemplation, he’s now playing with lightning speed!”

“Clearly, even though Yu Shao, 1-dan, won his last game with a three-three invasion, Zhou Wei, 6-dan, wasn’t affected in the slightest. His moves are strong, aggressive, and filled with fighting spirit!”

“Right now, Zhou Wei, 6-dan, is leveraging his outer influence to quickly deploy his stones, forming a large framework. He’s not concerned with immediate gains—he’s aiming to control the entire board!”

After saying this, Zeng Chenlu looked up and shifted her gaze to the upper-left board. She spoke again, “Even though it’s a different game, it seems like Le Haoqiang, 5-dan, has had the same idea as Zhou Wei, 6-dan!”

“After being invaded at three-three, he’s also focusing on building outer influence. Now, Le Haoqiang, 5-dan, is rapidly expanding his stones, trying to construct a large territorial framework!”

Zeng Chenlu continued, “At the same time, they’re not ignoring the weaknesses in their influence. They are constantly reinforcing it.”

“Of course, Black won’t allow White to build influence so easily. Since White’s positions aren’t as solid as in the previous two games, they still have some weak points. The next phase of the game will likely be an intense local battle!”

After finishing her analysis, Zeng Chenlu turned to Zhu Huaian and asked, “Professor Zhu Huaian, in a local fight like this, who do you think will have the advantage?”

Zhu Huaian stared at the big screen for a moment, deep in thought. Then, he shook his head, unable to give a definitive answer.

“It’s hard to say.”

Frowning, he studied both the upper-left and lower-right corners before explaining, “If the battle turns into a complex, all-out fight, the board will become extremely chaotic, possibly affecting the entire game.”

“For both matches, Black does have options like hane and peep to attack White’s weaknesses in shape, but White’s formation is still quite solid.”

“Even though it isn’t an impenetrable wall, it won’t be easy for Black to break through White’s influence.”

"From the way it feels, if an intense fight breaks out, White might still have an easier time managing the situation.”

"Of course, facing Black's fierce and relentless attacks is also a severe test for White. A single misstep could lead to complete annihilation."

Zhu Huaian paused for a moment before continuing, "At this point, the question of local superiority comes down to which side has the greater killing power!"

Zeng Chenlu nodded. Just as she was about to speak, her eyes suddenly caught something on the bottom-right corner of the screen—a hand, holding a black stone between the index and middle fingers, slowly placing it down.

The stone landed on the board.

And the moment she saw the exact position of the move, Zeng Chenlu's beautiful eyes widened bit by bit!

Column seven, row five—knight’s jump!

"He jumped away?!"

Zeng Chenlu stared in disbelief at the lower-right corner of the screen and exclaimed, "Black didn't attack White’s influence but instead jumped away. He wants to develop his own influence like White?"

"Is he… trying to compete with White in framework building?!"

Seeing Yu Shao’s move, Zhu Huaian was also momentarily stunned, a deep look of confusion flashing through his eyes.

And then, on the upper-left corner of the board, Black finally made his move.

Column fifteen, row ten—hanging connection!

The entire room fell into a dead silence!

Zeng Chenlu opened her mouth slightly, but the words seemed stuck in her throat, unable to come out.

Although these were different games and different move placements, the intentions behind these moves were strikingly similar!

Here too…

Developing outer influence and competing with White in framework building?

…

…

At this moment, in the game room—

"He’s not attacking the weaknesses in my influence but instead trying to build a framework in the center?"

Zhou Wei stared blankly at the board in front of him, his eyes fixed in disbelief on the black stone at column seven, row five.

This move was completely beyond his expectations.

He had mentally prepared himself for a brutal, drawn-out fight against Black. He had even considered the possibility of Black playing defensively and avoiding direct confrontation. But…

He never expected that Black would actually choose to fight for influence instead!

If Black had attacked White’s weaknesses and forced an all-out battle, the outcome would still be uncertain. Even if White had a slight edge, he would still be in a dangerous position.

But if Black wanted to compete with White in influence and framework building—how could Black possibly be a match for White?

Zhou Wei snapped back to his senses but did not immediately make a move. Instead, he studied the board carefully, thinking deeply for a long time before finally reaching into the bowl, pulling out a stone, and placing it down swiftly.

Tak!

Column twelve, row seven—large knight’s move!

As soon as Zhou Wei played his move, Yu Shao quickly reached into the bowl, picked up a black stone, and gently placed it down.

Tak!

Column fourteen, row eight—diagonal move!

Tak! Tak! Tak!

The crisp sounds of stones landing echoed as the two players continued their rapid exchanges.

On the board, black and white stones intersected like a constellation of stars, shining brilliantly.

Soon, after more than ten moves, Yu Shao once again placed a stone.

Tak!

Column nine, row five—attachment!

Seeing Yu Shao’s move, Zhou Wei immediately reached into the bowl. Just as he was about to take out a stone, he suddenly realized something.

His eyes widened in shock as he stared at the board.

"My left side… it’s getting cramped?"

Zhou Wei’s expression changed slightly, and beads of sweat began to form on his forehead. He looked at the board in disbelief.

After carefully reassessing the position, Zhou Wei gritted his teeth and finally took out a stone, placing it down quickly.

Tak!

Column nine, row six—press!

Yu Shao quietly studied the board for a moment before reaching into the bowl again, picking up a stone, and placing it down lightly.

Tak!

Column fourteen, row fourteen—large knight’s move!

Zhou Wei steadied himself, reached into the bowl, and placed another stone.

Tak! Tak! Tak!

With a series of crisp sounds, the two players exchanged another seven or eight moves in rapid succession.

Seeing Yu Shao place another move on the board, Zhou Wei's face started to pale. His mind was in turmoil as he stared at the board, unable to believe what was happening.

"His stone placement speed… is so fast!"

Sweat on Zhou Wei’s face gradually gathered and slid down his cheeks, but he was oblivious to it. His gaze remained fixed on the board, watching as the sweat dripped onto the floor.

"My stones in the lower area… they’re starting to be constrained!"

After a moment, a sharp glint appeared in Zhou Wei’s eyes. He once again reached into the bowl.

"No problem!"

Finally, Zhou Wei’s fingertips touched the cold, smooth surface of a stone—the chill seeping straight into his heart.

"Even though his stone placement speed caught me off guard, my influence and framework still surpass his!"

He picked up a stone and placed it down.

"As long as I keep Black completely suppressed and unable to move, once my position solidifies, I’ll have complete control of the board, making it nearly impossible to overturn!"

Tak!

Column ten, row fourteen—press!

The sound of the stone echoed in the game room.

Yu Shao remained perfectly calm, quickly picking up another stone and placing it on the board.

Tak!

Tak!

Tak!

More stones followed in rapid succession. But as the game progressed, the look of disbelief on Zhou Wei’s face deepened, his complexion growing increasingly pale.

Meanwhile, the female game recorder sitting at the recording desk had been completely stunned, her mouth dry.

"This… what’s happening?"

"Why is it turning out like this?"

Neither side had launched an outright attack yet; they were still maneuvering and forming encirclements. However, within this seemingly calm positioning battle, there was already a chilling tension, as if the entire board had become a battlefield where every move carried lethal intent.

Yet, despite moving later, Black was subtly catching up in the formation battle!

A short while later, Yu Shao reached into the bowl again, carefully placing another stone.

Tak!

Column eight, row fourteen—two-space jump!

Zhou Wei lowered his head, staring blankly at the board, eyes locked onto that lone black stone in the center.

"A framework forming in the middle… Black and White’s positions…?"

Zhou Wei studied the board, trying to assess the overall situation. But the conclusion he arrived at was one he simply couldn’t accept.

"A dead even game?!"

…

…

Meanwhile, in the broadcasting studio—

"Why?!"

Zeng Chenlu stared at the big screen, looking at both the upper-left and lower-right games, her forehead dotted with beads of sweat. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

"I don’t understand… how did it turn out like this?"

"Logically, even if Black successfully built an influence, it shouldn’t be able to match White’s."

Zeng Chenlu found the situation utterly baffling. Her throat felt dry as she murmured, "But the reality is, their central development is nearly equal?!"

In the official Yingjiao Cup live chat, a flood of question marks filled the screen, covering it entirely.

At this point, almost no one was paying attention to the matches at tables two and three—even though those games were undeniably spectacular.

But the first and fourth games… they were simply too unsettling!

If this had happened in just one game, it might have been dismissed as an anomaly.

But it was happening in both!

Suddenly, Zeng Chenlu snapped back to reality, as if she had realized something. She quickly turned to Zhu Huaian beside her.

Zhu Huaian, however, was simply staring at the big screen, lost in thought. His expression was grave, and he remained silent.

At that moment, on the screen’s lower-right board, another black stone landed.

Column five, row seven—point!

"Black has started invading White’s center!"

The moment they saw this move, everyone instantly understood what Black was trying to do. The presence of this move radiated an undeniable sense of power and sharpness!

Previously, Black had been acting unusually, completely ignoring White’s outer influence. But now, with Black’s formation fully established and standing on equal footing with White’s framework, the moment of revelation had arrived!

This move—Black’s invasion into White’s central position—was a declaration of intent to attack!

And this attack wasn’t just a random move. Black had already built a solid influence in the center, providing full support. This meant the assault would be relentless, like a torrential storm crashing down with unstoppable force!

Under everyone’s watchful eyes, on both the upper-left and lower-right boards, Black and White continued exchanging moves at a furious pace.

The entire audience held their breath, staring intently at the board, not daring to make a sound.

Even through the screen, they could feel the killing intent emanating from the board!

Soon, after just a few more moves, another black stone landed, sending shockwaves through the spectators.

"White has been cut off!"

Black had successfully severed White’s connections, forcing White into a desperate fight, completely disrupting White’s overall strategy!

More importantly, being cut off meant that Black’s blade was now pressing against White’s throat!

With Black attacking from multiple directions, White was no longer stable. Survival now depended on securing life through eye formation!

The board continued to fill with stones.

Tak!

Tak!

Tak!

Even through the screen, the audience could sense White’s increasing frustration and reluctance with each move!

Black’s every move was ruthlessly precise, stealing White’s potential eye spaces and cutting off any chance of escape. White had no choice but to struggle desperately for survival.

After another seven or eight moves, Black struck once more.

"White…"

Zeng Chenlu stared blankly at the big screen, looking at the position where Black had just placed its stone. She muttered in disbelief, "has fallen into a losing position…."

In the end, White managed to live—but it was an extremely humiliating survival. With almost no influence left, White barely escaped Black’s encirclement, looking utterly battered.

As a result, the board position was now clear at a glance.

White had fallen behind!

Not just in one game, but in both!

In both games, White had ended up at a disadvantage!

Although the difference wasn’t overwhelming—Black may have taken the lead, but the game was still relatively close, and the battle was far from over—

That wasn’t the point.

The problem wasn’t whether the gap was big or small.

The problem was that such a gap should not exist!

Not only should Black not have had the upper hand, but under normal circumstances, the difference between Black and White should have been enormous!

Yet, White had fallen behind!

The entire room was silent.

The live broadcast chat was dead quiet.

At this moment, as everyone stared at these two games, one particular sentence that Yu Shao had said in a previous interview surfaced in their minds—

"If this way of playing is wrong, then let his moves personally tell me the answer."