I Really Didn’t Mean to Play Go!
Chapter 238: The Great Dragon Falls

Time ticked away, second by second.

"After the Peony Capture, white cuts, black extends, white pushes..."

Su Yiming’s eyes were locked onto the board, his mind racing as he calculated countless variations. His expression grew colder and colder—so cold it was almost terrifying.

This was a move no ordinary player would even dare to conceive, a concept no ordinary player would even dare to imagine. With an understanding of the game that shattered conventional wisdom, Yu Shao had completely overturned the strategic fundamentals of the so-called "Thirty-Point Central Peony Capture!"

A moment later, Su Yiming’s left hand clenched into a fist, as if he couldn't control himself. Then, he reached into the Go bowl once again, swiftly placing his move.

Clack!

Row 7, Column 9, Capture!

At this point, there was no turning back. If black didn’t follow through with the Peony Capture, it would be even more unacceptable. Even knowing the risks, he could only grit his teeth and execute the capture, hoping to reassess the situation afterward.

Just as Su Yiming lifted the captured white stones from the board, Yu Shao had already reached for another stone.

Row 10, Column 9, Cut!

Su Yiming’s expression shifted slightly. He took a deep breath, then picked up another stone and placed it down.

Clack!

Row 7, Column 11, Extend!

Clack! Clack! Clack!

Stones continued to fall. Normally, after executing a Peony Capture, black should have gained immense thickness and influence, making it a decisive advantage.

But in this game—that was not the case!

"Black’s influence has been completely cut in half, and the once-mighty attacking stones at the top… have now been surrounded!"

Su Yiming studied the board, but instead of panic, his expression grew eerily calm. After a brief pause, he reached into the Go bowl again.

A stone was placed.

Yu Shao immediately responded—as if he had already anticipated this move.

Clack!

Row 12, Column 7, Clamp!

Black and white continued their relentless exchange.

The fight in the center had started as an all-out struggle—white had bravely invaded, risking everything to break the formation, while black sought to trap and slay the invading force.

But now, as the recent moves unfolded—

"What was once a weak, isolated white group… has suddenly transformed into a strong, well-connected formation!"

"And black’s supposedly dominant outer influence… has now turned into a floating, endangered group! Even the massive dragon at the bottom is now at risk of being attacked!"

The female recorder stared at the board, her breath catching in her throat.

The board was now too complex to analyze at a glance. Black and white were tightly entangled, every move sending shockwaves across the entire game. What had started as a local skirmish had now shifted the balance of power for the entire board!

Just then, Yu Shao placed another stone.

Upon seeing this move, Zeng Chenlu hesitated for the first time.

Tian Lanfang narrowed her eyes, staring at the board. Her mind was working at lightning speed, replaying every possible scenario.

White and Yu Shao continued their relentless onslaught, moving like the shifting forces of yin and yang.

"There’s still a way out."

"Even though black’s influence has been severed, even though the massive dragon below is in danger… I can still sense it—there’s still an escape!"

"But this opportunity will only last a fleeting moment. If I miss it, there will be no second chance!"

Su Yiming’s gaze never wavered.

At this moment, it was as if nothing in the world existed except this small, eighteen-inch board. He had completely shut out everything else, sinking into deep contemplation as he analyzed the endless possibilities.

Time continued to pass.

Five minutes.

Ten minutes.

Fifteen minutes.

"It’s been twenty minutes already..."

The female recorder stole a glance at Su Yiming. If not for the fact that his eyes were still open, she would have thought he had fallen asleep.

Yes, the board position was unbelievably complicated, and a fifteen-minute deep think was understandable.

But it had already been twenty minutes.

She turned toward Yu Shao—but he remained as calm as ever.

Even though his opponent had been silent for twenty full minutes, not a single trace of impatience appeared on his face.

"Well, it should be soon. It’s already been twenty minutes."

The recorder reassured herself.

But—she was wrong.

Thirty minutes passed.

And still, Su Yiming had not made a move!

—

—

Inside the Review Room.

"It’s been forty minutes already!"

The spectators looked at each other in disbelief.

"Yes, the variations are complex, but this is taking far too long! He only has three hours total, and he’s already spent over an hour before this!"

Zhou Wei frowned deeply as he stared at the board, utterly confused.

They were right.

Yes, the variations were difficult.

Yes, a deep think of ten or fifteen minutes made sense.

But forty minutes?!

"He should be close now, right?" someone muttered.

The room fell silent once more.

No one spoke.

Everyone’s eyes remained fixed on the screen, waiting for black’s next move.

—

Tick.

Tick.

Tick.

The second hand ticked forward—time continued slipping away.

As the minutes passed, the expressions of those watching grew increasingly tense.

One hour.

An entire hour had passed, yet black had still not made a move!

"Why?"

"It’s been a full hour!"

"What is he thinking?"

Inside the Review Room, murmurs of discussion broke out.

"Do you think… there's a possibility…"

Among the crowd, Le Haoqiang stared at the computer screen, his forehead covered in sweat. His voice was hoarse as he struggled to speak:

"Could he be trying to calculate every single variation in this position?"

At those words, the entire room fell silent.

It was as if someone had just grabbed them all by the throat.

Calculating every single variation?

At first, it sounded absurd.

What kind of joke is this?!

The level of unimaginable precision and mental fortitude needed to calculate everything in this complex position… how was that even possible?!

—

Inside the Handtalk Room.

The hour-long deep think continued.

Under normal circumstances, after sitting still for an hour, the recorder and two referees would be half-asleep by now.

But not this time.

The atmosphere was so thick with pressure that no one dared to even breathe too loudly.

One hour had passed—

And still, he had not played a move.

After such an unfathomably long thought, what kind of move was black about to unleash?

Fifteen more minutes passed.

Su Yiming was now down to his final forty-five minutes—after that, he would enter the overtime countdown.

The tension in the Handtalk Room grew even heavier.

Another five minutes slipped by.

And then—

Clack!

A crisp sound suddenly echoed through the silent room.

The sound of a stone being picked up.

All at once, the recorder and both referees snapped their heads up, their gazes locking onto Su Yiming.

Even Yu Shao finally lifted his eyes from the board, his attention shifting toward his opponent.

Su Yiming’s eyes were clear and sharp.

With slow, deliberate movement, he reached into the Go bowl—

Everyone instinctively held their breath.

And then—

After one hour and twenty minutes of uninterrupted calculation, Su Yiming finally placed his move.

Clack!

Row 18, Column 9, Peep!

"Peep?!"

The instant the stone landed, everyone’s expressions twisted in confusion.

That’s it?!

"He spent all this time… for just a peep?!"

Both referees exchanged bewildered glances.

"After thinking for so long, the move he chose… is completely ordinary?"

Yu Shao stared at the board for a brief moment before finally placing his next move.

Seeing white’s response, Su Yiming immediately picked up another stone and dropped it onto the board without hesitation.

Yu Shao followed swiftly, and in an instant—

Clack!

Clack!

Clack!

The rapid exchange of moves began.

As the game accelerated, the female recorder and the two referees felt their hearts clench.

And they weren’t the only ones—

Every single spectator watching this match was utterly stunned.

Before, white had successfully severed black’s influence, forcing black to split into two separate dragons—one at the top, one at the bottom.

White immediately launched an all-out assault, trying to kill the bottom dragon outright!

However—

Even though white’s attacks came like a violent storm, black absorbed every blow with unshakable resilience.

Black's defense was so unyielding that, for the moment, white couldn’t find a finishing blow.

—

Inside the Review Room.

"His ability to resist under pressure… is completely airtight!"

The analysts kept adjusting the board, replaying various scenarios.

"Can he actually make that dragon live?!"

Zhou Wei took a deep breath, his expression full of shock.

"When white pushed just now, I was certain black would block… but instead, black played a small knight’s jump! I didn’t expect that at all!"

"Black is holding on so tightly. If he actually manages to live, and then gets the initiative… he could turn the entire game upside down! White’s offensive strategy has been relentless, but that has also made its shape incredibly thin!"

Gu Chuan stared at the board in disbelief.

"But still… against such a brutal attack from white, black has held firm?!"

Just then, the screen updated—

White had played its next move.

White invaded directly into black’s Tiger’s Mouth!

"Throw-in?!"

Zhou Wei furrowed his brows, thinking deeply—then his expression suddenly changed.

"This is a high-level move—it's ruthless! I never saw this coming!"

"After this throw-in, black will be forced to capture, which will tighten liberties and create a forced kill!"

"Black… is in danger!"

—

Inside the Broadcast Studio.

Zhu Huai’an and Zeng Chenlu continued following the match on the large board.

"Black’s defense is utterly impenetrable!"

"But Yu Shao’s move is even more incredible! Forcing black to capture will tighten the position, and suddenly, black’s dragon will be teetering on the brink of death!"

Before Zeng Chenlu could finish her sentence—

Clack!

White played another move.

She froze.

"He… cut?!"

Zeng Chenlu hadn’t expected this move at all. But the moment she saw it, she instantly understood its brilliance.

Immediately, Zhu Huai’an grabbed a white stone and placed it on the review board.

"White has completely severed black’s connection! Now, black is totally isolated, and its last remaining eye space is gone!"

A few moves later—

White landed the finishing blow.

In that instant, the Broadcast Studio fell into complete silence.

Even though black had demonstrated monstrous resilience, showing countless clever defensive maneuvers—

Under white’s overwhelming offensive wave…

Black’s great dragon was ultimately slain.

The Great Dragon Falls.

"It’s over…"

Zeng Chenlu let out a deep breath.

"This game is as good as—"

Before she could even finish her sentence—

Clack!

A black stone landed on the board.

Zeng Chenlu’s words caught in her throat.

...The dragon had already been killed.

Why was black still playing?!

And then—

When she saw where black had placed its next move—

Zeng Chenlu’s eyes widened in shock.

"A diagonal move…?"

Her voice trembled with disbelief.

"What does this mean? Why play something so subtle? Could black still have a counterattack?!"

Even Zhu Huai’an stared at the board, his expression frozen.

The screen updated again—black and white continued exchanging moves.

As the sequence played out, Zhu Huai’an suddenly realized something.

His pupils contracted sharply.

"No…"

"That dragon… wasn’t killed by white."

"Black… abandoned it!"

"He… sacrificed the dragon to seize the initiative!"