I Really Didn’t Mean to Play Go!
Chapter 62: "Battle of the Mediocre"

"The first round has concluded. The schools advancing to the second round are: Jiangling First High, South China Third High, Ziyang First High, Guangzhou Affiliated High…"

From the judges’ table, the referee announced loudly, "There will now be a ten-minute break. Participants, please take this time to rest. Afterward, we will begin the second round."

"All team coaches, please come to the judges’ table to confirm the positions of your main player, vice player, and third player. Adjustments can be made if necessary, and we will draw lots to determine the next round’s matchups."

Hearing this, Chen Jiaming and the other coaches walked toward the judges' table.

Meanwhile, the schools that had been eliminated chose not to leave but stayed to watch the rest of the day’s matches and their final outcomes.

The eliminated players were visibly dejected, speaking little, while even the participants advancing to the second round weren’t entirely at ease. Instead, they felt mounting pressure.

The weaker teams had already been eliminated in the first round. Those who remained now faced stronger opponents, and no one was confident about their chances of advancing further.

Thus, even though the first round had ended, the atmosphere in the venue remained tense and stifling.

Feeling the weight of this unique atmosphere, Zhou De found himself unusually quiet and somewhat shaken.

His eyes were filled with confusion.

"Why does it feel even more intense and nerve-wracking than our long-distance track meets?"

Before long, the results of the second-round draw were announced.

"Jiangling First High versus Ziyang First High; Guangzhou Affiliated High versus Jiangling Second High; Songhuai First High versus South China Third High…"

The referee stood at the table, announcing the matchups.

The crowd erupted into murmurs.

"Songhuai First High is up against South China Third High in the second round!"

"Looks like Songhuai is stopping at the top eight this year. What a pity. They made it to the final four last year, but against South China, there’s no way…"

"What surprises me the most is Guangzhou Affiliated High and Jiangling First High. Both schools were eliminated in the first round last year and the year before, but now they’ve made it to the top eight."

"Hey, now that you mention it, that’s true. It’s amazing that both Guangzhou and Jiangling First have advanced this year."

"Jiangling Fifth High and Ziyang First High must be relieved. Their pressure just dropped significantly."

"You can’t say that. Jiangling First High replaced their entire roster this year, and they won all three games in the first round. They might be the dark horse! Maybe they even have a shot at second place!"

"Seriously? Then I’m going to watch Jiangling First’s matches later."

The crowd buzzed with speculation.

The break ended quickly, and the referee called out, "Time’s up! The second round is about to begin. Participants, please take your positions."

The chatter in the venue fell silent instantly.

All participants returned to their respective tables, pulled out their chairs, and reached into their Go bowls to grab stones, beginning the turn-determination process.

"Six stones."

Yu Shao counted his stones and looked across the table.

The boy across from him opened his palm to reveal two stones. "Even. I’ll play black."

Yu Shao nodded, returning the stones to the bowl. "Please, let’s have a good game."

"Likewise," the boy replied, taking a deep breath as he placed his first move on the board.

Click.

16th column, 4th row—Star Point.

Yu Shao quickly followed.

Click.

4th column, 16th row—Star Point.

The boy placed another stone in the lower-left corner, again opting for the star point, creating the classic double-star opening, aiming to establish influence quickly.

Without much thought, Yu Shao mirrored this move in the upper-right corner, also playing a star point.

At this moment, He Yu, who had previously left the venue, returned.

After glancing toward Guangzhou Affiliated High's section, he hesitated briefly before heading toward Jiangling First High's area.

A referee sitting at the judges' table noticed this and subtly breathed a sigh of relief.

"So, He Yu, 5th Dan, is just here to kill time and casually watch matches?"

He Yu stopped at Yu Shao’s table, silently observing the board.

As the players set up a double-star versus double-star position, the boy across from Yu Shao made his next move.

Click.

8th column, 17th row—Small Knight’s Approach!

Facing black’s corner approach, white had numerous viable responses, each leading to vastly different board positions.

But Yu Shao merely glanced at the board before calmly placing a white stone:

Click.

3rd column, 14th row—Small Knight’s Extension!

"A small knight’s extension? Out of so many possible responses, he chose the most stable one?"

He Yu furrowed his brow, puzzled.

He had initially assumed the rapid conclusion of Yu Shao’s previous game was due to his aggressive playstyle. He imagined Yu Shao relished complex, chaotic fights, using ferocious attacks to overwhelm his opponent, forcing a decisive victory in a storm of aggressive moves.

Such a scenario would explain how one side could swiftly fall into disarray, culminating in a complete collapse and an early resignation.

But...

The reality contradicted He Yu’s expectations completely.

Among the dozen or so possible responses, Yu Shao had opted for the most conservative, the most stable small knight’s extension?

"Then how exactly did he manage to win so quickly earlier?"

The question gnawed at He Yu.

The boy across from Yu Shao also seemed mildly surprised by the move.

"So steady?"

He thought for two seconds before reaching into his bowl and placing his next stone.

Click.

4th column, 18th row—Jump!

This jump was unconventional, and black’s intent was clear—

If white’s playing style leaned toward stability and avoided chaos, then black would force a messy fight, creating complications and aiming to crush white during the midgame!

Seeing this move, the Go coach from Jianghai Affiliated High couldn’t help but twitch an eyebrow.

Behind Zheng Qin, the two university students wore expressions of utter bewilderment, their lips moving as if wanting to speak but holding back.

Having witnessed Yu Shao’s previous game from start to finish, they regarded his attacking prowess as nothing short of terrifying. That earlier match was like a relentless storm—Yu Shao had utterly dismantled his opponent with overwhelming force.

Now, seeing this jump, the two students exchanged uneasy glances.

Yu Shao, however, remained composed. Without hesitation, he placed a stone in the lower-right corner.

Click.

17th column, 17th row—3-3 Point!

"A... a 3-3 invasion?!"

The room collectively gasped in astonishment.

As the stone landed, the onlookers’ faces reflected their shock. Eyes widened, expressions turned incredulous, and murmurs filled the air.

Even He Yu was visibly stunned by the move.

If Yu Shao’s earlier win was due to a significant skill gap, He Yu would understand. But this… This was like watching two mediocre players awkwardly sparring. How could someone capable of winning so decisively in the last game now make such a move?

In He Yu’s eyes, this 3-3 invasion aligned Yu Shao squarely with the label of "amateur-level."

The only exception was Zheng Qin. He stared at the 3-3 move, his lips pressing together as he unconsciously bit down. His expression grew unprecedentedly grave.

"It’s here!"