I Really Didn’t Mean to Play Go!
Chapter 67: Where Exactly Should They Not Be Underestimated?

At 1:40 in the afternoon, the participants trickled back into the competition venue.

By this time, the other Go boards had been removed, leaving only six in the center of the venue. These would serve as the battlegrounds for the top four players vying for supremacy.

In a corner near the windows, Coach Sun was conversing with the three participants from South China Third High. Two of them looked visibly uneasy, but they reluctantly nodded in the end.

About five minutes later, the referee at the judges' table stood and announced in a loud voice, "Team coaches, please step forward one by one to confirm your lineup for the main, vice, and third players. Adjustments, if any, can be made now."

The referee paused briefly and turned to Chen Jiaming, who was nearest to the judges' table. "Jiangling First High, you're up first."

Hearing this, Chen Jiaming immediately walked over to the table and reported their lineup adjustments for the main, vice, and third players.

The referee, unsurprised by their arrangements, nodded and noted them down. After Chen Jiaming stepped away, the referee called out again: "Guangzhou Affiliated High."

Coach Jin of Guangzhou Affiliated High promptly went forward.

Next up was Jiangling Foreign Language School.

Finally, South China Third High’s coach, Coach Sun, stepped to the judges' table to report their adjustments for this round.

After listening to Coach Sun, the referee froze momentarily and gave Coach Sun a look of astonishment. However, he said nothing, merely glanced toward Jiangling First High, nodded, and recorded South China Third High’s lineup.

A few moments later, the referee raised his right hand and checked his wristwatch. With only three minutes to go before 2:00, he announced, "The time is almost up. Players, please take your seats."

At this, the six competitors moved to the central Go tables, pulled out their chairs, and sat down.

"Hmm?"

Yu Shao blinked in surprise at the boy seated across from him.

If his memory served him correctly, wasn’t this the main player from South China Third High?

Why was he sitting in the vice player’s seat now?

The boy across from Yu Shao was equally taken aback to see his opponent.

Around them, the spectators also began noticing the lineup shifts for both Jiangling First High and South China Third High, leaving them wide-eyed with shock.

"South China Third High... changed their lineup?!"

"In past tournaments, they never changed positions. Why would they do it now?"

"Switching players' positions is a valid strategy, but it’s usually a move of desperation when you’re unsure of victory!"

"Could it be that South China Third High isn’t confident about winning?"

"Impossible! Two of their players were dojo trainees aiming for professional ranks!"

"Is this for real? South China Third High… backing down?!"

"But their lineup change ended up pointless since Jiangling First High also shifted theirs, so it’s still main vs. main, vice vs. vice, and third vs. third!"

"Did South China Third High assume Jiangling First High wouldn’t adjust their lineup?"

The audience buzzed with disbelief.

Although the outcome remained the same—each team’s lineup matched up exactly—the significance of the lineup changes was undeniable. South China Third High had hesitated, opting for caution.

This was a team that had always held an aura of dominance. Was Jiangling First High truly a match for them?

Recalling rumors from earlier, some began to reconsider. That morning, someone had mentioned Jiangling First High might rival South China Third High, but no one had taken it seriously at the time. After all, South China Third High boasted two players on the brink of professional status. How could mere amateurs pose a threat?

Yet here they were, changing their lineup to avoid confrontation.

"Could Jiangling First High really be on par with South China Third High?"

The spectators, stunned, found the idea hard to swallow.

Those who had witnessed Jiangling First High’s earlier matches, however, were far less surprised. Only those who had seen their games firsthand could truly grasp the depth of their strength.

Meanwhile, another group in the audience had mixed feelings. These were the players who had faced or observed Guangzhou Affiliated High’s matches.

They had deliberately stayed quiet about how formidable Guangzhou Affiliated High was, hoping to see them square off against South China Third High. After all, Guangzhou Affiliated High had a legitimate shot at defeating them.

But before that match could happen, Jiangling First High had emerged, seemingly unnerving South China Third High in the process.

Was this for real?

For two consecutive years, South China Third High had claimed the championship without contest. Other schools could only vie for second place. Now, out of nowhere, two schools appeared capable of challenging them?

The referee’s voice rang out again: "Quiet down. The match is about to begin."

The chatter subsided, though the audience’s faces still bore a mix of astonishment and doubt.

At exactly 2:00, the referee stood and announced, "Time’s up. Players, proceed with determining the turn order."

Across from Zhong Yufei sat a girl with a mushroom-shaped haircut. She looked soft-spoken, almost frail. Hearing the referee, she reached into her Go bowl and grabbed a handful of white stones.

Zhong Yufei followed suit, clutching black stones in his palm.

The girl let her hand go first, and the stones clattered onto the board.

"Two, four, five," she counted, lifting her gaze. "Five stones. Odd."

Zhong Yufei opened his palm to reveal three black stones. "I’ll take black."

With that, the main player for Jiangling First High had determined his color. As a result, Yu Shao would play white, while his opponent across the board would play black.

The boy across from Yu Shao glanced at him deeply before opening his Go bowl and saying politely, "Please teach me."

Yu Shao quickly bowed his head in response. "Please teach me."

The boy stared at the board as his mind replayed Coach Sun’s earlier words:

"Jiangling First High is not a team to underestimate. I have full confidence in you, but for safety’s sake, I suggest we adjust our lineup..."

Taking a deep breath, he glanced at Yu Shao again before picking up a stone from his Go bowl.

"Not to be underestimated?"

The stone landed on the board with a crisp click!

Seventeen columns, four rows—Small Point.

"Let’s see exactly where they shouldn’t be underestimated!"