I Really Didn’t Mean to Play Go!
Chapter 324: The Storm Sweeping the World Go Scene

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

That morning, Yu Shao arrived at the Go Academy and headed toward the room hosting the National Master Tournament preliminaries. Today, he had a match.

Given his current points, if he could win two more games, he would directly qualify for the National Master Tournament main event. In other words, if he won today’s match, he’d only need one more win to get in.

Just as Yu Shao walked into the academy lobby, he spotted a familiar, graceful figure ahead.

The weather in Jiangling had warmed up. Today, Wu Zhixuan was wearing a denim jacket and black fleece-lined tights, outlining a slender, shapely figure—more sensual than usual.

"Wu Zhixuan?"

Seeing her, Yu Shao looked a bit surprised and called out.

Hearing someone call her name, Wu Zhixuan stopped abruptly and turned around in confusion. When she saw it was Yu Shao, her face lit up with pleasant surprise. "Yu Shao, you have a National Master Tournament match today?"

"Yeah."

Yu Shao nodded, then glanced at her, puzzled. "Don’t you have the day off from matches?"

"Today’s the first match of the Ten-Dan Title Match!"

Wu Zhixuan smiled, dimples showing. "I’m the recorder for today’s Ten-Dan match!"

Yu Shao immediately understood. He’d heard before going to Seoul that the Ten-Dan main tournament was wrapping up. Looks like the title challenge had finally begun.

"Who earned the right to challenge for the Ten-Dan title?" Yu Shao couldn’t help asking.

"You didn’t keep up with that?"

Wu Zhixuan gave him a slightly incredulous look and explained, "This year’s challenger is Go Sage Zhu Huai’an."

"A match between Go Sage Zhu Huai’an and Zhuang Weisheng, the Ten-Dan holder?"

Yu Shao’s interest was piqued. "That should be an incredible game."

"Oh, it’ll be incredible for sure, but in the end, I think Teacher Zhuang Weisheng will defend the title as always."

Wu Zhixuan shook her head with a smug look. "You know what they say: ‘Titles may flow like water, but the Ten-Dan is made of iron.’ Teacher Zhuang dominates the Ten-Dan like a monster."

"Is that so?"

Yu Shao glanced behind her and said, "Teacher Zhu Huai’an is standing right behind you."

Wu Zhixuan froze. Then, realizing what he said, her eyes went wide in panic.

She whipped her head around, only to see no one behind her. That’s when she realized Yu Shao had tricked her.

"Yu Shao, you jerk!"

Wu Zhixuan puffed up her cheeks and glared at him, fists clenched. "You’d better watch out for my Bajiquan!"

Yu Shao couldn’t help but chuckle. As he walked toward the match room for the National Master preliminaries, he asked, "Is this your first time recording for a title match?"

"Yep."

Lil’ Feixuan nodded, her expression a bit dreamy. "A title... that’s a lifelong goal for so many players. If you could win one someday, that’d be amazing."

They chatted as they walked, and soon reached a corner where they had to split ways.

"I’m heading to the Handtalk Room. Good luck in your match today!" Wu Zhixuan cheered him on.

"Thanks."

Yu Shao nodded and said goodbye, then made his way to the game room entrance.

Scanning the room, he walked to Table Twelve, pulled out the chair, and sat down.

Not long after, a man in his thirties with a stern face sat down opposite him with equal seriousness.

Everyone in the room began turning their eyes toward Table Twelve.

Table Twelve: Yu Shao, 2-dan versus Yu Wenrui, 9-dan!

Yu Wenrui was a seasoned veteran. But even so, everyone could clearly see the grave look on his face. Their emotions varied.

Finally, after a while, two referees arrived in the game room.

As soon as they entered, both instinctively glanced toward Yu Shao and Yu Wenrui, their eyes lingering for several moments before shifting away.

Soon, when the time came, the referees announced the match had begun.

After determining color, Yu Shao played Black, and Yu Wenrui played White.

They nodded and bowed to each other. The match began.

Yu Shao stared at the board, thinking for a moment before reaching into the Go bowl. The clatter of stones echoed inside.

Clack!

Amid the sound of jostling stones, Yu Shao picked one up and placed it on the board.

Tap!

First move: Column 16, Row 4. Star point!

...

Meanwhile, in the Handtalk Room.

The Ten-Dan Title Match—Game One!

Challenger: Go Sage Zhu Huai’an!

Defender: Zhuang Weisheng, Ten-Dan!

Wu Zhixuan sat at the recorder’s desk, feeling a bit nervous. She’d done this many times, but this was her first time recording for a title match.

"I’ve been to the Handtalk Room many times... but this time, the atmosphere is completely different."

She looked at Zhu Huai’an and Zhuang Weisheng in the distance. Both were calm, but behind that tranquility lurked a terrifying edge.

She couldn’t help but recall the title match promo recently released by the Go Academy’s website.

Before each title match, both players shoot a promotional video. This time, it was directed by an internationally acclaimed filmmaker.

In the one-minute trailer, Zhu Huai’an and Zhuang Weisheng wore traditional robes, playing by candlelight in a dim room. The board was interlaced with black and white stones.

The background music—intense drumbeats—sounded like the prelude to a grand battle, evoking the feeling of a showdown atop Mount Hua.

Now, sitting in the Handtalk Room, Wu Zhixuan felt like she was witnessing a martial arts epic—the ultimate face-off between masters. It sent chills down her spine.

Clack.

The sound of a stone being drawn snapped her out of her thoughts.

Zhu Huai’an played Black, Zhuang Weisheng played White.

Only four moves had been played—Star point versus Small Point.

Now it was Zhu Huai’an’s move.

Wu Zhixuan turned quickly to watch him. He was fully focused, eyes on the board. A moment later, amid the gentle clatter of stones, he picked one and placed it.

Tap!

Column 3, Row 3—3-3 Point!

"He actually... played 3-3?!"

Wu Zhixuan’s palms started sweating.

Ever since the Hero’s Pride Cup, 3-3 wasn’t rare anymore. It appeared often in major matches.

But—

This was the first time it had ever been played in a title match, the highest tier of Go competition!

3-3 Point!

That move finally shone today on the grandest stage of all!

Not only did it signal that top-tier players now fully acknowledged the 3-3, it also revolutionized centuries of Go theory regarding thickness and thinness!

A year ago, who could have imagined seeing this in the opening of a title match?

This was the kind of move you’d get scolded for by your teacher as a beginner!

And the one who sparked this earthshaking change—

Yu Shao!

Whew...

Wu Zhixuan exhaled, steadied herself, moved her mouse to log the move, then turned to look at Zhuang Weisheng.

Even after that surprising 3-3, Zhuang Weisheng’s face remained calm. He reached into his bowl and made his move.

Tap!

Column 3, Row 4—Block!

Zhu Huai’an didn’t think for long. He picked another stone and placed it.

Column 4, Row 3—Extend!

Zhuang Weisheng didn’t immediately respond. He stared at the board, deep in thought, then reached in.

Clack!

The stones collided.

Then, he placed his move.

Tap!

Column 6, Row 3—Small Knight’s Move!

"Small Knight’s Move!"

Wu Zhixuan’s pupils dilated. In her mind, she instantly recalled that rainy-day match between Yu Shao and Su Yiming.

"This is... the same Small Knight’s Move from that game!"

And Zhuang Weisheng had been there that day!

Zhu Huai’an also paused when he saw it.

He’d followed that team tournament match between Higashiyama Kaoru and Yu Shao.

He remembered—when Higashiyama responded to Yu Shao’s 3-3 with this very move, Yu Shao had played the push, reverting to the standard 3-3 variation.

"A push would simplify things, but White can tenuki afterward. So the strongest move is to deny that tenuki."

Zhu Huai’an focused, calculating the future positions in his head.

"So... attach?"

A moment later, he decided and placed his move swiftly.

Column 6, Row 2—Attach!

"Teacher Zhu Huai’an didn’t back off—he chose the strongest response, the Attach."

Wu Zhixuan stared at the board, mouth dry, already foreseeing what was coming.

"Maybe he doesn’t realize... it looks simple at first glance, but—"

"No!"

"The follow-up variations from this local fight are mind-numbingly complex!"

"This match will reveal a super-joseki even more intricate than the Great Avalanche, Demon Blade, or Large Diagonal!"

She could already imagine: when this game ended, it would shake the entire global Go scene like a tsunami!

This would be the most complex super-joseki ever known.

Not just one of them—the single most complicated.

And within this super-joseki might lie the ultimate truths of life and death in Go.

Zhuang Weisheng placed his move.

Tap!

Column 7, Row 2—Hane!

In that moment, Wu Zhixuan swore she saw a blade flash before her eyes.

...

By the time Yu Shao won his National Master Tournament prelim game, the first round of the Ten-Dan title match also came to an end.

Yes—at the same time.

Even though prelims had a 4-hour limit and the title match had 8 hours (not counting overtime), both games concluded simultaneously.

As the Ten-Dan title match ended, the whole world fell into a stunned, deafening silence.

Zhuang Weisheng—won by slaying the dragon at move 97, midgame!

It was a kill match from start to finish. No time to breathe. Every move was deadly—a kill with each step.

Zhu Huai’an played just one slack move—White gained an extra liberty. When White struck, Black had no way to resist.

If the Great Avalanche, Large Diagonal, and Demon Blade are considered tesuji theory, then this entire game—every move—was tesuji theory!

A terrifyingly intricate super-joseki had been unveiled to the world, like a golden lotus in full bloom, revealing the mysteries of Go.

It left people in awe... and fear.

This game was earth-shattering!

One hour after the Ten-Dan match ended, the entire internet exploded.

Not just in China—on global trending lists, "Ten-Dan Match" skyrocketed to the top with lightning speed!

Online, netizens debated furiously. Posts analyzing Zhuang Weisheng’s new variation flooded in like a monsoon.

"It’s insane. I started analyzing from the opening, and even after the match ended, I still hadn’t finished breaking it all down!"

"What is this madness?! Every 1-2 moves leads to a major branch, then sub-branches, and sub-sub-branches!"

"The whole board—from upper left corner to edge—was a kill zone! Every move was sharp, no tenuki allowed. One slack move, and Black collapsed!"

"Is this... a new super-joseki beyond the three great unsolvable ones?!"

"Holy c**p, I still don’t understand 3-3 completely, and now it’s spawning this nightmare-level pattern?!"

"This match gave me chills! I’ve never felt the razor-sharp edge of a game so vividly!"

The whole internet was ablaze!

The variation Zhuang Weisheng and Zhu Huai’an revealed was downright chilling.

If the post-3-3 variation proves sound, then this might truly be a new super-joseki beyond all previous theory—like a nuclear bomb exploding on the Go scene!

And as more and more professionals joined the discussion, analyzing and confirming the variation's validity—

The entire Go world went into shock.

"A joseki that surpasses the three most complex in Go history—this is a historic moment!"

"Teacher Zhuang Weisheng has truly achieved legendary status with this game!"

"This is insane. Forget the Demon Blade—this thing is even more terrifying!"

The buzz raged on well into the night—with no signs of stopping.

And then, past midnight, a rumor started circulating online that pushed the hype to a fever pitch—

Some said...

This variation wasn’t first played by Zhuang Weisheng and Zhu Huai’an...

But by—

Yu Shao and Su Yiming!