I Really Didn’t Mean to Play Go! -
Chapter 306: Yu Shao, This Is the Game That Will Kill You
The Next Day.
The team competition was finally about to begin.
Although today's match was between Korea and Japan, the Chinese team still had to go to the review room to observe and analyze the games, preparing for tomorrow’s battle. After all, as the saying goes, "Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated."
Even though they had studied the game records of the Korean and Japanese players before, those records were from a while ago and didn’t fully represent their current skill level.
Yu Shao arrived early at the discussion room arranged for the Chinese team by the hotel. When he pushed the door open, he saw the room already packed with people.
In addition to Su Yiming and the other three, team members like Zheng Qin, Wu Zhixuan, and Xu Zi, who had traveled to Seoul with the delegation, were also there. Yu Shao was the last to arrive.
“Yu Shao, you’re here?”
A man in his twenties greeted him and joked, “Thanks to you, everyone was giving me strange looks on the way to the review room today.”
“Even though a lot of people had complaints, they didn’t say much. They all just held it in.”
Just then, a man in his thirties wearing a suit sighed and said, “I know a bit of Japanese. On my way to the review room earlier, I ran into a Japanese player and tried to apologize on your behalf.”“He said I didn’t need to apologize because you really do have the strength—but if you lose the next match, you’ll be humiliated, and he’ll laugh hard...”
“He’s clearly so mad he won’t even accept an apology. Probably everyone else feels the same way, so they’re bottling it up, wanting to let the board speak.”
The man looked a bit helpless and said, “If you lose… all that bottled-up emotion will probably erupt. Yu Shao, you’ve put yourself right on the fire. The pressure’s gonna be intense.”
“Honestly, I don’t think it’s that bad.”
The young player shook his head. “Even this year, both Miyamoto Shun and Shin Seung-hyun totally ignored Team China and only had eyes for each other. We really need to vent our frustration.”
“But what if you lose?”
The man furrowed his brows.
“I’ve already talked to Chairman Ma about it.”
Yu Shao spoke as he walked toward Su Yiming, soon pulling out the chair across from him and sitting down.
You talked to Chairman Ma?
Both the man and the young player were shocked and instinctively looked over at Ma Zhengyu.
“Alright, alright, cut it out.”
Ma Zhengyu shook his head and said, “Just drop it. The more you talk about it, the more pressure you’re putting on him.”
Hearing that, the two finally fell silent, realizing that continuing the conversation would only make things worse for Yu Shao.
Seeing Yu Shao seated across from him, Su Yiming looked at him but ultimately said nothing.
Yu Shao turned his gaze to the television screen. At the moment, it only showed an empty board—the game hadn’t started yet.
“Didn’t expect Korea and Japan to clash in the first round. Probably not gonna be much fun to watch.”
A slim man in his late teens or early twenties stared at the screen. “Last year, didn’t Korea lose both the main board and seventh board games?”
“Yeah, they did. But both those games were pretty flat from our analysis.”
A female player nodded. “Usually it’s Lee Junhyuk… it’s rare to see a male player mess up a game that badly.”
As soon as she said that, all the female players in the room—including Xu Zijin and Wu Zhixuan—glared at him. For once, they stood united.
The man immediately realized he’d said something wrong and raised both hands in surrender. “My bad! I’m the worst! I’m unforgivable!”
The other male players couldn’t help but smile, and the atmosphere in the room noticeably relaxed thanks to this little incident.
“It’s not just Lee Junhyuk versus Higashiyama Kaoru. The games between sub-captains Park Jichang and Fujiwara Terashima are also worth watching.”
Someone stroked his chin and said, “Fujiwara’s been in great form this year—even beat Master Ozawa Rin. But Park Jichang’s not doing bad either; he made it into the Korean Meijin title match and is gunning for the Tengen title.”
“Third board: Kim Choeun vs. Oda Takeshi. Fourth board: Bae Yeon vs. Murakami Junichi. Fifth board: Shin Seokjae vs. Onishi Keikawa. Not a single weak player among them...”
He couldn’t help but sigh. “It’s a real battle royale. Who knows who’ll come out on top?”
A while later, when the screen finally showed a hand placing a black stone on the board, everyone’s expression grew more focused.
“They’re deciding turn order!”
Soon after, turn order was set.
The main match would be Lee Junhyuk playing black and Higashiyama Kaoru playing white. The other four boards alternated colors—for example, Board 2 had Fujiwara with black and Park with white.
The match had begun.
Each team had two hours on the clock, with one-minute byo-yomi. While that wasn’t a short time, it wasn’t exactly a luxury either, so the early moves on all five boards were played at lightning speed.
“Lee Junhyuk ignored the small point and went straight to the star point to challenge Higashiyama Kaoru’s two-star formation. He's coming in aggressive.”
Wu Shuheng studied the board displayed on the screen, while moving stones on a demo board in sync with the game. “Looks like Lee’s trying to strike first in this one.”
“No doubt.”
Someone chuckled. “He’s been considered the most talented Korean player in recent years. After losing to Higashiyama last year, there’s no way he’s just letting it go. He wants payback.”
Hearing that, Qin Lang glanced at their board before turning back to look at the third board—Kim Choeun vs. Oda Takeshi.
In the China-Korea-Japan team tournament, substitutions weren’t allowed. Which meant that tomorrow, he would face Kim Choeun.
Compared to the main match, his attention was more focused on his own upcoming opponent.
As he watched, he couldn't help but recall what Miyamoto Shun had said during the opening ceremony:
“I think only Yu Shao and Su Yiming from the Chinese team are worth watching out for…”
Qin Lang clenched his fist slightly. His gaze sharpened as he stared at the board, becoming fully focused.
Le Haoqiang and Gu Chuan were the same. They were more concerned with the fourth and fifth boards. No matter how exciting the main and sub-captain matches were, they didn’t concern them—at least not for now.
In the review room, most of the male players were fixated on the main board, while the female players—including Xu Zijin and Wu Zhixuan—had their attention on the fourth board.
After all, Bae Yeon was the only female player participating in the entire team competition.
“Her judgment is fast and accurate, and her board vision is excellent.”
Xu Zijin’s eyes were locked on the fourth board, more focused than ever. “She’s even stronger than I expected. Her play reminds me a bit of Master An Hongshi!”
Just then, the TV showed Bae Yeon dropping a white stone with precision.
Seeing that move, everyone watching the fourth board reacted.
“She dug here?”
Wu Zhixuan’s eyes widened. “That’s a savage play! She’s going in for a full-on assault on the black stones!”
Xu Zijin’s face changed slightly—she hadn’t anticipated that spot as a vital point for white.
Le Haoqiang’s expression also grew grim. He had seen the move but was still weighing its impact. He never expected Bae Yeon to play it so decisively and without hesitation.
Meanwhile, at the game venue—
“Dig?”
Seeing Bae Yeon’s move, Murakami Junichi—a muscular man with a buzz cut—felt a jolt in his heart. His face stayed calm, but he couldn’t help glancing across the board at her.
Bae Yeon was also staring back at him. Her delicate features held no softness—only a biting chill, almost like a killing aura.
“A year apart... she really has gotten stronger…”
Murakami took a deep breath and started analyzing the board with growing seriousness.
“She might’ve lost to me before, but I can’t take her lightly—not even for a second!”
“She’s just a woman, but her fighting spirit is terrifying!”
He finally drew a stone from his Go bowl and played swiftly.
“But I’m a man—I won’t be beaten by a woman!”
Bae Yeon studied the board. After seeing Murakami’s response, her expression turned cold.
“I lost last year, but this year—I won’t lose again!”
“I’ll win this game!”
“I’ll show everyone that even though I’m a woman, I can play a game that leaves men in the dust!”
She dropped a stone with lightning speed.
Click!
Column 14, row 12—Jump!
At the fifth board—
Onishi Keikawa sat upright, analyzing the board carefully.
“I’ve driven him into a corner on the left side... but it feels like he did it on purpose!”
He looked at his opponent—Shin Seokjae—who was staring right back at him, eyes sharp and fierce.
Their gazes clashed in midair.
“If I kill this group of white stones, the compensation from the rest of the board could be costly…”
Onishi Keikawa didn’t flinch. He remembered how he had been completely defeated by Shin Seokjae in last year’s team match, his dragon group captured and his game shattered. But today—
“Today is revenge day!”
“I’ll show everyone just what kind of Go little Bae Yeon plays!”
He drew a black stone and slammed it down.
Click!
Column 8, row 12—Peep!
Seeing that move, Shin Seokjae finally lowered his head to inspect the board. When he saw the placement, he was momentarily stunned.
“He sacrificed a stone?!”
Back in the review room—
“On board five, Shin Seokjae is falling behind. Onishi Keikawa’s sacrifice let his big group escape, and he’s still maintaining pressure on Shin’s black stones!”
Everyone stared at the board, shocked.
“This sacrifice… it clearly exposed Shin Seokjae’s attempt to force a large trade, and Onishi turned it to his advantage instead!”
Zheng Qin frowned as he stared at the board. “Last year, Onishi was totally crushed—his dragon was slain and his game fell apart. But this year... he’s taken the initiative.”
Gu Chuan glanced at the screen, his eyelid twitching. His face looked troubled as he felt an intense pressure building inside him.
“Over on board four, things are just as dicey. From a territory standpoint, Bae Yeon is slightly behind. But Murakami Junichi’s position is under immense pressure—if a fight breaks out, it’s anyone’s game.”
Someone spoke up, prompting everyone to shift their attention back to the fourth board. They were immediately struck by the tangled battle there—black and white stones locked in fierce combat.
Only about 50 moves had been played, but it was already chaos.
A brutal melee, full of complex trades—it was enough to make their scalps tingle.
As everyone huddled around the demo boards, discussing the games, Yu Shao also stared intently at the fourth board.
“The third board seems to favor Korea slightly, but it’s still close—too early to call.”
“The second board looks like both players are heading for a long, close endgame. They’ll settle it in yose.”
“And the first board…”
Everyone turned toward the Lee Junhyuk vs. Higashiyama Kaoru game, eyes solemn.
“Lee is going full throttle—every move is sharp and pressing. But Higashiyama’s responses have been flawless.”
“By now, Higashiyama has secured solid territory with his white stones, while Lee’s black stones are forming influence in the center. It’s a dead-even fight—neither side can let up.”
Just then, Lee played again.
Column 3, row 3—Diagonal move!
“A diagonal?”
Everyone was startled, and then a look of realization spread across their faces.
“Earlier, Higashiyama’s diagonal made it so black had no choice but to respond. Black seemed to only have two options—push or stand.”
“If white stands, after deeper analysis, it looks like exchanging black’s diagonal for white’s stand slightly favors white.”
“If black pushes instead, Higashiyama can extend. And if white strengthens the top left later, it’ll help him break black’s position in the upper right.”
Wu Shuheng’s face lit up with shock. “So… Lee considered all that and decided to just abandon those two black stones?! He’s ready to sacrifice them if needed!”
Zheng Qin’s face grew serious. He slowly said, “That move was ice-cold—ruthlessly calculated.”
On the screen, white played again.
Column 5, row 3—Diagonal move!
Then black immediately followed.
Column 6, row 4—Extend!
As black and white alternated moves in the upper right, everyone’s eyes were glued to the screen—including Yu Shao and Su Yiming.
“Higashiyama’s fighting spirit is flaring up!”
Someone took a deep breath. “A real clash is about to explode!”
The killing intent was thick on the board.
At the game venue—
“By move 50, the board was still balanced. But now, black has secured outer influence, with a powerful board-wide setup...”
Higashiyama Kaoru calmly examined the board and assessed the situation:
“Looks like I’ve… fallen behind.”
Across from him, Lee Junhyuk’s expression wasn’t relaxed either.
He stared at the board, deep in thought about his next move.
“I have the advantage right now.”
“But I absolutely can’t get careless.”
“This opponent doesn’t just roll over after giving up a small lead.”
“He’s no pushover…”
Lee’s face grew increasingly serious, his eyes sharpened like blades—his focus intense.
“I’ve gotta grit my teeth. I’ve gotta go all out.”
“We’ll fight this to the end—to the very last half-point!”
“No chances. I won’t let him turn this around.”
“Since my loss last year, I’ve spent every day studying, sharpening my skills just for this moment!”
“All of it—”
Click.
Lee finally played his stone.
Column 12, row 4—Diagonal!
“A diagonal—nice move!”
Higashiyama’s eyes narrowed slightly, sensing the lethal edge hidden within that placement.
“I underestimated him. He’s gotten a lot stronger over the past year…”
After a long think, Higashiyama finally made his move.
Click.
Column 6, row 1—Connection!
Lee took another moment to ponder, then responded immediately.
As he moved, Higashiyama inhaled deeply and reached into his Go bowl. In his mind, he recalled what Yu Shao had said during the opening ceremony:
“No matter how strong he’s become—I have to win!”
Higashiyama’s eyes gleamed like blades.
“Yu Shao must be in the review room, watching this game.”
“I’ll win—just for you!”
“I’ll make you watch closely—see my game for what it is!”
“This is the game that’s going to kill you!”
Click!
The white stone landed on the board.
“Carefree Move!”
Suddenly, a shocked voice rang out in the Chinese review room, pulling everyone’s attention.
They turned to look at a blond-haired young man, his face full of disbelief as he stared at the screen.
Everyone else looked puzzled, but soon lifted their heads to see what he was talking about.
As they examined the board, their expressions began to change—soon, everyone wore a look of utter astonishment.
“How is this possible?”
A female player covered her mouth, staring at the screen. “Lee had the advantage just now, but... Higashiyama pulled out a carefree ko out of nowhere? What kind of trick is that?!”
A carefree ko is a ko fight where even if you lose, you suffer minimal damage—hence, no worries.
“This ko’s risk is minimal, but if white loses, he still gains leverage with a bend move along the second line.”
Even Su Yiming looked stunned. “With that ko, the tables have turned—Higashiyama’s taken the lead!”
Yu Shao said nothing, silently watching the screen.
So did Su Yiming—completely focused on the game.
Stones continued to fall rapidly.
People glanced at the other games occasionally, but aside from Qin Lang, Le Haoqiang, and Gu Chuan, everyone’s attention was locked onto the main board!
Click!
Click!
Click!
Time passed second by second.
The review room grew quieter and quieter.
At last, someone spoke, voice tinged with awe:
“Higashiyama’s attacks after the ko were ruthless—each move deadly.”
“Even if black’s position didn’t collapse entirely, he’s clearly been forced into a rough situation—messy shape and brutal struggle!”
“But… Lee never lost his cool. He calmly shifted focus to territory, stretching the battle and preventing any lead from forming. Like a python, he’s coiled tightly around Higashiyama!”
The duel between black and white was so intense that even though they were in the review room, everyone could feel the life-or-death stakes on the board.
Then, white played again.
The room went utterly silent.
Su Yiming finally spoke:
“Higashiyama’s gone deep behind enemy lines—he’s trying to kill black outright. If it works, it’s the strongest move he has.”
“If they keep stretching the game, Lee’s left-side potential could become overwhelming. But white still has hope.”
Zheng Qin nodded. “But Higashiyama wants to end it now—he’s forcing a net!”
“If he fails, though… white might collapse too!” Wu Shuheng said what Zheng Qin had held back.
The tension was suffocating.
After a short think, Lee moved again.
Column 3, row 15—Hane!
Zheng Qin instantly grabbed a black stone and mirrored the play on the demo board.
Click! Click! Click!
Everyone moved stones while dissecting the match.
“Using central and lower-board thickness, Lee just sliced white apart in the lower left!” someone said.
Everyone stared at the board with grim faces.
“But Higashiyama’s counter is insane too. He’s trying to eat twenty points in the bottom right and live in the lower left—that’s bold!”
“Still, black’s response is incredible—he used white’s aggression to build his own strength and now he’s counterattacking!”
“The real problem is—Higashiyama overreached...”
The more the game progressed, the heavier everyone’s expressions grew.
Even though this was a brutal central fight, every move was sharp—this match was still neck and neck!
Zheng Qin suddenly looked up and exclaimed, “White... leaned in?!”
Everyone turned to the screen.
White: Column 7, row 13—Lean!
At first, people didn’t understand. But after some thought, their pupils dilated.
“The Ghost Move to Settle a Lone Group!”
Wu Shuheng gasped. “That move looks harmless, but it targets the weak point in black’s group. No matter how black tries to fix it, white benefits!”
“That single move turned the whole board upside down—it’s the start of white’s final counterattack!”
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