I Really Didn’t Mean to Play Go!
Chapter 57: I Think Jiangling High Will Win the Championship

“Alright, I won’t bother you anymore. I’ll keep an eye on your match when it starts later,” Zheng Qin said with a smile before turning to leave the competition venue.

The two young men who had followed him finally snapped out of their daze. After glancing at Yu Shao and committing his face to memory, they quickly jogged after Zheng Qin.

“Zheng-ge, wait for us!”

One of them caught up to Zheng Qin and asked, “The reason you’re here at this Go league is because of that Yu Shao guy? What’s his story?”

“Yeah, and what did you mean by those two games?” the other young man chimed in. “And what do you mean by waiting for him? Are you waiting for him to become a professional player?”

Their heads were swimming with questions. Zheng Qin had never mentioned the two games from the Mountain-Sea Chess Hall to anyone, not even them.

Instead of answering, Zheng Qin suddenly asked, “Earlier, you asked me which school I thought would win the championship, right?”

“South China Third High?” one of the young men guessed.

Although both he and Zheng Qin were alumni of South China Affiliated High School, he had already heard that South China Third High had two students who had trained at a dojo. While he emotionally preferred his alma mater to win, rationally, he couldn’t see it happening.

Shaking his head, Zheng Qin replied, “Even though South China Third High has two players who were once dojo trainees, I think the champion… might just be Jiangling High.”

The two young men were momentarily stunned.

This team tournament was a best-of-three format, meaning that to win the championship, Jiangling High would need to defeat at least one of South China Third High’s dojo-trained players.

The implication of Zheng Qin’s words was clear.

He believed that Jiangling High could at least beat one of those players—otherwise, they wouldn’t have a shot at the championship.

Recalling Zheng Qin’s attitude toward Yu Shao and his earlier words to him, the young men exchanged glances, their eyes brimming with shock.

"Did Zheng Qin lose to that high schooler Yu Shao?"

"And not just once, but twice?"

Meanwhile, in the competition venue:

“Old Yu, is he your relative or something? Waiting for your match to finish so you can have dinner together?” Zhou De asked curiously. “Why else would he ignore South China Affiliated and focus on you? And what was all that talk about two games?”

“He’s not a relative, just someone I know,” Yu Shao replied casually, brushing off the question.

Chen Jiaming and Zhong Yufei both seemed to realize something, casting Yu Shao a couple of meaningful glances.

Xu Zijin, however, remained as calm as ever. She already knew the truth—she had even witnessed those two games at the chess hall firsthand.

At that moment, the principal, seated at the referee’s table, glanced at his watch and stood up.

Clearing his throat, he announced, “It’s about time. Let’s start the draw for group assignments. When your school’s name is called, send a representative up to draw a lot.”

The previously noisy venue fell silent, a tense and oppressive atmosphere settling in, like the calm before a storm.

Many people instinctively looked toward South China Third High. Even Coach Jin from Guangzhou Affiliated found his gaze drifting in their direction.

Looking at Su Yiming, who was still curiously fiddling with the timer, Coach Jin muttered under his breath, “Hopefully, we’re not that unlucky... This kid sure knows how to stay relaxed.”

Despite his confidence in Su Yiming, Coach Jin was less certain about the other two players on his team.

The Go league followed a single-elimination format, the most brutal of all. With 16 schools participating, half would be eliminated each round, and there were no second chances.

Even if Su Yiming could secure a win, if the other two players lost, their team could be knocked out in the first round. Reaching the finals would be out of the question.

Having a prodigy like Su Yiming this year gave Guangzhou Affiliated a rare shot at the championship. The thought of an early exit was unbearable.

Many other coaches shared Coach Jin’s sentiments—no one wanted to face South China Third High in the first round.

Chen Jiaming, however, felt entirely different.

He was itching for a chance to face South China Third High in the first round and prove themselves!

“Yu Shao, you want to do the draw?” Chen Jiaming asked.

Drawing lots was a simple task, so Yu Shao didn’t refuse. He nodded.

When Jiangling High’s name was called, Yu Shao walked to the referee’s table, reached into the box, and pulled out a slip. Just as he was about to leave, the principal whispered, “Do your best!”

Yu Shao paused slightly before nodding and returning to his seat.

“What group are we in?” Zhou De leaned over, curious.

Opening the slip, Yu Shao revealed a large Chinese character: “Five.”

“Group Five,” he replied.

After all the lots were drawn, the principal began matching the groups. “Who drew Group One?”

“I’m in Group One,” said a boy with a face full of acne, raising his hand.

“So am I,” responded a girl with a delicate appearance from another part of the room.

The principal jotted down their schools on the whiteboard and moved to the next group.

When it came to Group Five, the principal asked, “Who’s in Group Five?”

“Here,” Yu Shao said, raising his slip.

“Me too,” called a boy on the other side of the room, holding a matching slip.

Chen Jiaming looked over and recognized the other boy’s school uniform. “That’s Jianghai Affiliated High,” he remarked.

Though slightly disappointed that it wasn’t South China Third High, Chen Jiaming kept his thoughts to himself. As a teacher, he quickly advised his students, “They made it to the semifinals last year. Don’t underestimate them.”

Finally, the principal called for Group Eight. Even before the matchups were confirmed, the participants from Jiangling Fifth High and their coach wore grim expressions.

It was clear to everyone: the only schools left were Jiangling Fifth High and South China Third High.

This meant their first-round opponent could only be South China Third High.