I Really Didn’t Mean to Play Go!
Chapter 66: They Are Not Opponents to Be Underestimated!

In the cafeteria, Zhong Yufei poked at his food with a gloomy expression, frustration written all over his face.

He had just made a bold declaration, vowing to win his next match, only to discover that Jiangling High’s next opponent was South China Third High. If he were matched against their weakest player, it might still be manageable. But if he faced one of their two dojo trainees, defeat seemed inevitable.

“It’s fine, bro. The key to victory isn’t you—but you’re still important,” Zhou De said with a chuckle, trying to console him. “After all, without you, we wouldn’t even be able to field a team.”

Zhong Yufei wanted to get angry, but Zhou De’s words rang true. In the end, he could only channel his frustration into eating and began shoveling food into his mouth.

Zhou De, puzzled by Zhong Yufei’s mood, asked, “Seriously, Old Zhong, why so glum? You’re getting carried to victory! If someone carried me in a game, I’d be clinging to their legs and refusing to let go.”

Zhong Yufei didn’t know how to respond to that.

Admittedly, even though South China Third High had two dojo trainees, he didn’t think they could take down Yu Shao or Xu Zijin. As long as those two kept winning, Jiangling High would claim the championship, even if he lost every match.

Still, when he imagined that scenario—even if they did win the championship—Zhong Yufei doubted he’d feel truly happy about it.

“I think South China Third High won’t switch their lineup,” Chen Jiaming said suddenly. “If we also keep ours, it’s very likely you’ll be matched against their third player.”

Zhong Yufei froze, his chopsticks paused in midair, and fell silent.

South China Third High had never changed their lineup in previous tournaments. With two dojo trainees in their ranks, they were confident enough to win regardless of their opponents.

Their third player was significantly weaker than the other two. If South China Third High didn’t change their lineup, it was likely Zhong Yufei would face the third player—the only one he had a chance of defeating.

But Zhong Yufei also understood that the safest strategy for Jiangling High was to switch positions.

If South China Third High kept their lineup, Jiangling High could use the Tian Ji’s Horse Racing strategy: sending Yu Shao against their vice player, Xu Zijin against their third player, and himself against their main player. This would maximize their odds of victory.

Even though Zhong Yufei believed the dojo trainees probably wouldn’t beat Yu Shao or Xu Zijin, he also knew that upsets—where professional players lost to amateurs—weren’t unheard of.

After a long silence, Zhong Yufei finally shook his head. “No. Let’s switch. I’ll be the main player.”

Chen Jiaming raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure?”

He had been leaning toward switching as well. While he had confidence in Yu Shao and Xu Zijin, it was better to play it safe. In competitions, winning within the rules often meant taking every possible precaution.

However, if Zhong Yufei insisted on sticking to the original lineup, Chen Jiaming was willing to respect that—he trusted Yu Shao and Xu Zijin.

“I’m sure.” Zhong Yufei took a deep breath. “I’ll give it my all and aim to disrupt the game. If I can drag it into chaos, I might win in the confusion.”

“Alright.” Chen Jiaming nodded and turned to Yu Shao and Xu Zijin. “In that case, you two will switch to vice and third players. Any objections?”

“No,” Yu Shao said indifferently, nodding.

Xu Zijin glanced at Yu Shao, remained silent, and also nodded lightly.

Meanwhile, outside the cafeteria.

South China Third High’s Go coach, surnamed Sun, stood smoking with the coach from Jianghai Affiliated High.

“Mr. Han, your first-round opponent was Jiangling High, right?” Coach Sun took a drag from his cigarette and suddenly asked.

“Yeah, why?” Han replied, looking at Sun with some surprise.

The two were not particularly familiar; they had only met during previous tournaments. Han had merely stepped outside for a smoke and happened to run into Sun. He didn’t expect Sun to initiate a conversation.

“I heard something,” Sun said, exhaling a smoke ring. “Word is that Jiangling High’s main and vice players are very strong this year. Is that true?”

Han paused, then nodded silently. “It’s true.”

Sun was taken aback by the candid admission. He had expected some dismissive remark like, “They’re strong, but not as strong as South China Third High.”

“Really?” Sun asked, intrigued. “How strong, exactly?”

Han remained quiet for a moment before answering slowly, “Very strong.”

“Very strong?” Sun repeated, stunned.

He had expected a comparison—how Jiangling High stacked up against South China Third High. Instead, he received a vague but emphatic response: very strong.

Thinking Han might not have understood his intent, Sun chuckled and clarified, “What I mean is, compared to us—South China Third High—how strong is Jiangling High?”

“I understand your question,” Han interrupted. “And my answer is the same: very strong.”

Sun froze, momentarily speechless.

Han took a deep drag on his cigarette before continuing, “I’m not saying this to justify our loss to Jiangling High. I’m not exaggerating or making excuses. I’m simply stating the facts.”

“Our school isn’t weak. The reason we were eliminated in the first round is because Jiangling High is just that strong.”

“While I can’t pinpoint their exact skill level, one thing is certain: they’re formidable.”

Han turned to Sun and added, “If South China Third High underestimates Jiangling High just because you have two dojo trainees... well, you might be in for a rude awakening.”

“They are not opponents to be underestimated.”

With that, Han extinguished his cigarette in the trash bin and walked back into the cafeteria, leaving Sun standing outside, cigarette in hand, staring blankly into space.