I Really Didn’t Mean to Play Go!
Chapter 35: Can a Professional Third Dan Play Like This?

At first, when Yu Shao suddenly stopped paying attention to her, Cheng Mengjie felt a mix of anger and grievance. But as the days passed, she realized she didn’t care that much.

However, when she overheard the nearby girls’ gossip, an inexplicable irritation bubbled up within her.

On stage, the matches continued.

It was clear to everyone that Wu Shuheng was spending more time on his game against Xu Zijin than on his match with Yu Shao.

This wasn’t because his game with Yu Shao was easier—in fact, it was the complete opposite.

It was precisely because he was at a total loss in his match with Yu Shao that he had no choice but to focus on Xu Zijin first. After thinking things through there, he would return to Yu Shao’s table to make his move.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

The sound of Go stones being placed on the board was crisp and rhythmic.

At this moment, it was Yu Shao’s turn to play.

Yu Shao gazed at the board, reached into the Go box, picked out a black stone, and gently placed it on the board.

Tap.

The sound of the stone landing was soft, yet it carried undeniable weight.

Standing across the table, Wu Shuheng stared silently at the move Yu Shao had just made.

The game could still continue.

But there was no point.

Although the white stones on the board were technically alive, they were completely suppressed, unable to move. In contrast, the black stones had gained overwhelming influence across the board, leaving White with no chance to fight back.

As a professional player, Wu Shuheng could already see how this game would end.

From beginning to end, he had been utterly crushed in this match.

After a long exhale, Wu Shuheng reached into the Go box.

But this time, he didn’t pull out a single stone to continue the game. Instead, he grabbed two stones and placed them on the board.

Tap, tap.

The stones landed and bounced twice before settling in silence.

Seeing this, the students in the audience were confused.

“What’s going on? Why isn’t he continuing? And why did he place two stones on the board?” someone asked, puzzled.

“It’s a forfeit. That’s… a sign of surrender.”

A student who knew how to play Go, still shaken, stared at the board displayed on the screen and explained slowly, “You can declare surrender verbally, but placing two stones on the board means the same thing.”

“Surrender?”

“He lost?!”

The revelation caused an uproar among the students. All at once, they widened their eyes in disbelief.

“How is that possible? The game hasn’t even progressed that far!”

“Yeah, this match has been going on for a while, but the total number of moves played isn’t much more than the first game where someone surrendered.”

“That’s what I’m saying! Even if White’s at a disadvantage, a professional player should still be able to turn things around, right? That’s what pros do!”

The confusion spread through the audience. The game might have felt long due to its slower pace, with each move taking time for deliberation, but it was still in the mid-game and far from the endgame.

Hearing this, the student who had explained earlier couldn’t help but laugh, as if they’d heard the most ridiculous joke.

“A comeback?”

“What’s wrong with that?” someone asked, still puzzled.

“Take a good look.”

The student pointed to the screen, his voice steady yet full of amazement.

The crowd turned their attention back to the match displayed on the big screen.

“Don’t you see? Black has already occupied nearly all the key points. For White to expand outward, they’d have to fight their way through, but White is completely immobilized…”

“White has been utterly suppressed by Black.”

“If White tries to resist any further, the final outcome… well, it’ll likely end with Black wiping out every last piece of White’s.”

The audience fell into a stunned silence.

Up until now, Wu Shuheng had demonstrated his strength as a professional player in his matches against other students. And yet, Yu Shao had pushed him to the point where he couldn’t make a single move?

“Although this match was played with a two-stone handicap and in a simultaneous match format, judging by this game alone…”

The student who had spoken earlier continued to stare at the screen, his eyes filled with awe. “I can’t help but wonder… If Yu Shao’s opponent were another professional Third Dan player, also playing with a two-stone handicap and in a simultaneous format, could that Third Dan play like this?”

“What do you mean?”

The surrounding students gasped, staring at him in disbelief. “Are you saying Yu Shao’s skill is stronger than a professional Third Dan player?!”

“No…”

He hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. “I’m just saying… the thought crossed my mind, and I couldn’t help but wonder.”

Hearing this, the crowd collectively breathed a sigh of relief.

After all, even the fact that Yu Shao could defeat Wu Shuheng in a two-stone handicap simultaneous game was already shocking enough.

If someone were to claim that Yu Shao’s skill matched that of a professional Third Dan, it would simply be too terrifying to believe.

After all, he was just an ordinary high schooler with no formal Go training!

Now, only one game remained—the match at Xu Zijin’s table.

The audience quieted down, their focus entirely on the last match.

Both players continued placing stones in turns. Each move, while appearing ordinary, felt like a clash of blades—every placement brought to life the sound of swords slicing through the air.

Even the students who had only just learned some basics about Go from Wu Shuheng earlier could sense the intense tension of the match.

For those who already knew how to play, watching this game was enough to make their hearts race.

This game lasted far longer than anyone expected. The battle between Black and White continued until the endgame, finally concluding.

“It’s over…”

Finally, as Xu Zijin placed another stone, Wu Shuheng stopped making moves. Instead, he reached into the Go box, grabbed two white stones, and placed them on the board.

White had lost.

Yet, despite both losses, losing to Xu Zijin and losing to Yu Shao felt like two completely different experiences for Wu Shuheng.

In his game against Yu Shao, the loss was suffocating. He had been completely suppressed throughout the match, unable to counterattack at all. All he could do was watch as Black steadily expanded its advantage, eventually converting it into an unstoppable victory.

But his match with Xu Zijin was different.

In the mid-game, there had been especially fierce skirmishes between Black and White, with numerous moments where White had opportunities to turn the tide. However, Black’s responses were always precise and composed. In the end, the two sides fought all the way to the endgame, where White narrowly lost.

Thus, after the frustration of his earlier loss to Yu Shao, this defeat against Xu Zijin felt strangely cathartic to Wu Shuheng.

The students in the audience stared blankly at the screen.

At first, everyone believed that, even with the two-stone handicap and the simultaneous games format, Wu Shuheng, as a professional player, should have been able to win every match.

But the reality shocked them all.

Wu Shuheng lost—not just once, but twice.

Was Wu Shuheng weak?

No. The swift defeats of the previous seven players all proved Wu Shuheng’s strength. How could someone who dared to step up for a simultaneous exhibition with a handicap lack skill?

For instance, many of the students in the audience who knew how to play Go didn’t sign up for the match because they felt their skills were mediocre and didn’t want to embarrass themselves. The fact that anyone signed up meant they had confidence in their abilities.

The fact that Wu Shuheng was able to simultaneously play multiple games, with a two-stone handicap, and achieve quick victories over seven opponents clearly demonstrated his profound skill.

The only reason he lost these two games, and the only reason, was because his two opponents were exceptionally strong—far stronger than anyone else.