I Really Didn’t Mean to Play Go!
Chapter 34: What Kind of Monsters Are These Two?

What is the gap between professional Go players and amateurs?

It’s a chasm so vast that it’s hard for most people to comprehend.

There was once a professional Beginner Dan player who faced skepticism because of an extremely low win rate in tournaments, almost never securing a victory. Doubts about their skill persisted until a renowned amateur Sixth Dan player, brimming with confidence, decided to challenge them.

By all accounts, an amateur Sixth Dan is already at the peak of amateur ranks. To reach even higher levels like Seventh or Eighth Dan, one must compete in international amateur tournaments and achieve top placements.

But in that match, the amateur Sixth Dan was easily crushed by the professional Beginner Dan.

The difference between professionals and amateurs is not just a matter of degrees—it’s a complete gulf. Comparing them to someone practicing martial arts versus someone cultivating in the spiritual realm wouldn’t even be an exaggeration.

Even if you’ve trained in martial arts to the point of invincibility, you’d likely still be no match for a cultivator in the early stages of spiritual training.

Every professional Go player who successfully achieves Beginner Dan has emerged victorious from an incredibly competitive pool.

Thus, even when giving a two-stone handicap, a professional should still easily defeat an amateur.

So how could it be possible for someone to nearly push a professional to their limits with just a two-stone handicap?

This wasn’t a nine-stone handicap!

He stared at the screen in disbelief, utterly baffled, as he continued watching the match unfold.

Gradually, his expression began to change.

“So… strong!”

He swallowed nervously, sweat forming on his forehead as he stared at the screen in shock. Slowly, he started to understand why the game had progressed to its current state.

“The black pieces… the moves are just too precise, and the calculative depth is incredible!”

“When faced with that white stone’s hane, Black didn’t choose the seemingly logical cut. Instead, they attached—this subtle, observational move countered hardness with softness, leaving White with no way to strike!”

“Every time White attempted to fight back, Black seemed unresponsive… No! Rather than being unresponsive, it was more like Black cleverly neutralized every move!”

“How could this possibly be the play of an amateur?!”

At this moment, Yu Shao placed another black stone, and it was once again Wu Shuheng’s turn to make a move.

Wu Shuheng stared at the board, sweat dripping down his face like beads.

After being forced to sacrifice some stones, he launched an aggressive counterattack, hoping to turn the tide. However, Black’s seemingly gentle "stand" move in response was so restrained that it sent chills down his spine.

As the game continued, Black gave him no openings at all. Like a hunter exuding calm determination, Black held the shotgun steady, keeping a safe distance from the wounded prey while cautiously waiting for it to bleed out.

It was as if Black knew that approaching the howling prey too soon might lead to a desperate counterattack.

Through the subsequent exchanges, Wu Shuheng found no opportunities to strike back. In fact, Black solidified their advantage in local skirmishes, leveraging that one “stand” move to secure a large sente. From that moment on, White was completely suppressed.

“It’s like he’s seen through my strategy… completely understood my intentions.”

After pondering for a long while, Wu Shuheng glanced deeply at Yu Shao before ultimately deciding not to place another stone. Instead, he left the table and moved to Xu Zijin’s game.

At that moment, the screen switched to Xu Zijin’s board.

Upon seeing her game, the second-year male student’s eyes widened even further.

“This…”

“This, too…”

Staring at the board displayed on the screen, he began to doubt reality. For a moment, he was so shocked that he couldn’t even form coherent words.

Xu Zijin’s game was already incredibly intricate. The black and white stones were intertwined in fierce battles, creating a board with five large dragons locked in combat!

Each dragon was locked in a vicious struggle, and every corner of the board radiated the atmosphere of war, sending shivers down his spine.

Though White wasn’t as utterly suppressed as in Yu Shao’s game, it was clear that White had begun to fall slightly behind.

Even a minor disadvantage in such an intense battle could easily snowball if the opponent seized the opportunity.

“What kind of monsters are these two?”

He stared at the screen, feeling his throat go dry as he gulped.

Initially, he thought his own loss meant that the two remaining players would soon crumble under pressure. But now, it seemed that not only were they holding their ground, they were… about to win?!

No, wait.

“Hold their ground” wasn’t the right phrase.

The way these games had developed showed that White had been struggling to hold on from the very beginning!

A strange and absurd feeling overcame him.

As he expected, after noticing White’s disadvantage, Xu Zijin immediately capitalized, launching a ferocious offensive against White.

“So strong!”

The second-year boy watched Xu Zijin’s relentless moves, sensing an insurmountable gap between their skills.

Xu Zijin’s moves were ones he hadn’t even considered possible, yet she executed them with ease. Meanwhile, Wu Shuheng responded just as quickly, indicating that both players had accounted for strategies beyond his comprehension.

“And Black is so aggressive! That last move—while a safe extension was possible and still advantageous, Black opted for the sharpest move, the peep!”

“Xu Zijin… she’s this good at Go?”

Normally, every high school has three recognized beauties—one in each grade. Jiangling High School was no exception, at least until Xu Zijin enrolled. From then on, the school had only one.

Even though they weren’t in the same grade, he was familiar with Xu Zijin. He’d never imagined that someone so serene and detached in demeanor could play such a bold and ferocious style of Go.

Unlike Yu Shao’s game, this match between Wu Shuheng and Xu Zijin was progressing at a slower pace. Each move required thoughtful deliberation.

This slower pace, however, gave the audience more time to ponder the moves. Some students, who previously didn’t understand Go at all, were gradually beginning to follow the flow of the game.

After some thought, as Xu Zijin contemplated her next move, Wu Shuheng circled back to Yu Shao’s table and placed a white stone.

Yu Shao lowered his gaze, calmly studying the board before swiftly selecting a black stone and gently placing it.

The two continued exchanging moves in this manner.

In the audience, a group of girls quietly whispered about Yu Shao.

“Who is that guy? Why does he seem… so handsome?”

“Yeah, I think so too. Especially when he’s focused on the game—his side profile is just stunning! So boyfriend material. Gosh, I’m melting!”

“That’s from Class 7, right? I used to think he was just a little handsome, but now, seeing him play, he looks way more charming. He’s got that ancient drama protagonist vibe while playing Go.”

“Then go ask for his WeChat after the game!”

“He probably has a girlfriend, doesn’t he?”

“Who cares? It’s not like he’s married. Just get his contact first. Then if he breaks up, you can make your move!”

Cheng Mengjie stared at Yu Shao on the stage, her mood inexplicably sour as she overheard the murmurs.

The person they were talking about should clearly be hers!