I Really Didn’t Mean to Play Go!
Chapter 247: The Beginning of the Contest — Turmoil Across the Land

That night, the online debate over the upcoming contest intensified. Even as the clock ticked past midnight, the buzz didn’t fade—it only grew more heated. By 6 a.m., the entire internet was in an uproar!

Tieba!
Weibo!
Headlines!
Short video platforms!

Practically every media outlet had been flooded with the words “Contested Game.” By six in the morning, countless people were already glued to their screens, waiting for the match to begin.

And the broadcast of the contest wasn’t limited to online platforms. The moment it started, even CCTV Sports Channel and the Tengen Go Channel would begin a full-scale live broadcast!

People from other countries were also paying close attention to the match. As for the two players participating, their entire nations were watching—the spotlight was intense!

At seven in the morning, Yu Shao got out of bed. After washing up, he left home with Yu Dongming and Cai Xiaomei. After breakfast, Yu Dongming drove him to the front entrance of the Southern Go Association.

“Xiao Shao, don’t stress.”

Through the rearview mirror, seeing Yu Shao opening the car door to get out, Yu Dongming hesitated for a second, then finally spoke up.

“Got it, Dad.”

Yu Shao nodded before stepping out and walking toward the Go Academy.

Yu Dongming and Cai Xiaomei watched as Yu Shao walked into the building. Only when his figure disappeared from sight did they slowly withdraw their gaze, their expressions filled with anticipation—and worry.

Finally, Yu Dongming let out a sigh, turned the wheel, and drove away from the Academy.

Now, everything was up to Yu Shao himself.

As parents, all they could do was silently support him from behind—nothing more.

Yu Shao quickly entered the Go Academy and headed straight to the Review Room. He pushed open the door and walked in.

Inside, Che Wenyu, Qin Lang, Zhou Wei, and Gu Chuan were already present. They were staying at a nearby hotel, so they had arrived early.

In addition to the four of them, Ma Zhengyu stood in the room with his arms crossed, waiting for the players to arrive.

As the door opened, the five of them looked toward Yu Shao.

Seeing it was Yu Shao, Ma Zhengyu immediately asked, “Yu Shao, did you have breakfast?”

“Yeah.”

Yu Shao nodded and stepped into the room, standing next to Che Wenyu.

“Good. The match could go on for a long time. If you get hungry, there’s fruit and snacks. Having a proper meal is fine too,” Ma Zhengyu reminded. “Just don’t eat too much—it’ll mess with your focus.”

“I know.”

Yu Shao calmly nodded.

Che Wenyu didn’t say anything more. He really wanted to tell Yu Shao to relax again, but he’d already said it multiple times. Sometimes, too much repetition just backfires.

The five remained silent, quietly waiting for the others to arrive.

Before long, the door opened again, and Su Yiming walked in.

He scanned the room, then fixed his gaze on Yu Shao. But in the end, he didn’t say anything. He entered the room and silently stood beside Yu Shao.

Next came Ji Yuzhe, Chu Jiang, and Peng Zeyang, who arrived one after another.

A few minutes later, the last one—Le Haoqiang—finally strolled in, taking his place beside Chu Jiang.

With all ten players present, Ma Zhengyu finally spoke, “Alright, now that everyone’s here, let’s head to the competition hall. The U.S. team should be there already.”

With that, Ma Zhengyu pushed open the door and led the group toward the hall.

...

Southern Go Association, Competition Hall

As the doors opened, countless journalists turned their cameras to the entrance.

Unlike usual, the reporters weren’t all Chinese. Some had blonde hair and blue eyes, some had yellow skin but Southeast Asian features, and there was even a Black journalist among them.

“The Chinese team is here!”

As soon as the journalists of various nationalities saw Ma Zhengyu leading the Chinese team in, excitement flashed across their faces. They immediately raised their cameras and started snapping away, their shutters clicking nonstop in the hall.

To the right, seven blonde-haired, blue-eyed players and three black-haired Asian players stood together. As they saw the Chinese team enter, they turned to look, their expressions slightly tense.

Clearly, the American team had arrived.

Ma Zhengyu led Yu Shao and the others to the left side of the hall, standing in position opposite the U.S. team. A sense of confrontation had already begun to brew.

A moment later, a man in his fifties, dressed in a sharp suit, took the microphone and stepped onto the stage at the front of the hall.

The moment he appeared, the room quieted slightly.

He cleared his throat and began, “To all the media friends, participants, and viewers watching from your TVs and computers—good morning!”

“Go has been passed down for over four thousand years. Today, it has become a global phenomenon—not just a game of competition, but a pursuit of Dao.”

“In these four thousand years, on this nineteen-by-nineteen board, Go has given us countless moments of emotion and awe. We’ve witnessed the unwavering passion of Go players, and we’ve felt the boundless philosophy of the game...”

...

He spoke eloquently for a full half hour before finally saying, “I believe that in this match, we will witness the spark and clash of brilliance between the finest young players of both countries.”

“This showdown, a pure contest of talent, will bring Go fans a true feast!”

“I hope players from both countries show their spirit in this battle! But also, remember—Go is half about victory, and half about enlightenment. It’s not just about winning or losing.”

“May we be like the guests of Lanke, forever carefree.”

“The Contested Game officially begins!”

With his opening speech complete, the man finally announced, “The first player for the Chinese team will be Yu Shao, 2-dan. The first for the U.S. team will be Gene, 6-dan!”

“The two players may now head to the Handtalk Room to prepare. The first game of the contest will officially begin in thirty minutes!”

At those words, Yu Shao finally stepped forward. On the U.S. side, a blonde young man slowly emerged from the crowd, his expression tense, his gaze cautious.

The two locked eyes briefly, then turned and exited—Yu Shao through the left door, Gene through the right.

Though they left through separate doors, by the time Yu Shao arrived at the Handtalk Room, Gene had also reached the entrance.

Yu Shao was the first to push open the door and peer inside.

Inside, two referees and a recorder sat upright, clearly having waited a while already.

Beneath a calligraphy scroll that read “Discussing the Way While Seated,” the central table held two nameplates: “Yu Shao” on the left, and “Gene (万靖)” on the right.

Yu Shao stepped in and took his seat on the left.

Seeing this, Gene’s expression darkened slightly as he walked to the opposite side and sat down.

Inside the quiet Handtalk Room, the two didn’t exchange a word. Silence filled the air. The tension between them was already crackling—ready to explode.

This would be the first battle of the Contested Game!

...

...

It wasn’t just Yu Shao and Gene—thousands upon thousands of viewers sitting in front of TVs and computers instinctively held their breath, waiting anxiously for the first game to begin.

Yu Dongming and Cai Xiaomei didn’t go to their hotpot restaurant today. Instead, they closed up shop and stayed home. Now, cuddled up on the sofa, they stared nervously at the TV screen.

“Old Yu, do you think Xiao Shao can win? Everyone online says he’s really good.”

Cai Xiaomei tightened her grip on Yu Dongming’s hand, asking worriedly.

“Don’t worry, don’t worry.”

Yu Dongming patted her hand, eyes fixed on the countdown on the screen. With a smile, he said, “That’s my son we’re talking about!”

“Ugh, listen to yourself.”

Cai Xiaomei rolled her eyes at him.

Yu Dongming chuckled, but as the countdown neared zero, he couldn’t help but clench his fists.

Clearly, he wasn’t as calm inside as he appeared.

...

...

On the other side, Su Yiming and the others had returned to the Review Room.

They glanced at the TV screen inside. The Go board shown on the display was still completely empty.

No one said a word. All eyes waited for that first move to land.

...

In the broadcast studio, the first game of the contest would be analyzed by Kong Zi, the Meijin titleholder, and Wei Mengman, 7-dan.

The two were chatting casually, occasionally glancing at the big screen.

“Even though the game hasn’t started yet, I can already feel the tension coming through the screen,” said Wei Mengman, a bit worried. “I have a lot of confidence in Yu Shao 2-dan, but his opponent is strong, and Yu Shao doesn’t have much experience in big tournaments. I’m really worried the pressure might get to him.”

“Pressure is inevitable.”

Kong Zi rubbed his chin and nodded solemnly. “Even if I were playing the first game of the contest, I’d feel it. After all, making it into the opening match means you’re already close to the level of top-tier players.”

“Being able to seize fleeting opportunities and beat top players through sheer strength—it’s not unheard of.”

“When your opponent isn’t weak, and you’re carrying so much expectation on your shoulders, anyone would feel the pressure.”

“But... our worries are meaningless now.”

Kong Zi fixed his gaze on the screen and said, “When that first stone lands, it’ll give us the answer.”

Finally.

In the Handtalk Room, one of the referees glanced at his watch, then slowly stood up and looked at the two players seated on either side of the board.

“It’s time!”

“Match rules: five hours per player, with one-minute overtime countdowns. Black gives 7.5-point komi!”

The referee took a deep breath and said solemnly, “Now, please begin determining turn order!”