I Really Didn’t Mean to Play Go!
Chapter 94: Victory and Defeat

The game continued.

Even though Black had built an overwhelming advantage, White’s sheer resilience left everyone speechless. Under such dire circumstances, White had managed to tenaciously fight on for this long.

Despite being at a massive disadvantage, White still had moves left to play—still had a sliver of a chance to turn things around.

Could White make a comeback?

Judging by the current board position, it seemed nearly impossible. Black's lead was too substantial. Even though White's Tiger's Mouth move earlier had barely allowed him to escape disaster, it was doubtful he could even survive until the endgame.

Yet, thinking back to White’s performance in the first half of the game and that stunning Tiger's Mouth, the spectators could only remain silent.

At the very least, in such a difficult position, White was still managing to battle fiercely in the midgame against Black—something none of them could do.

He could still play...

Su Yiming stared intently at the board. Despite his dire situation, he remained calm.

No, more than calm—he was in an unprecedented state of absolute clarity.

"I can't afford even the slightest mistake. I have to cling to Black—if I can just survive until the endgame, there’s still a chance to win!"

"All I need to do now is endure!"

Su Yiming reached into his bowl, picked up a stone, and placed it swiftly.

Yu Shao scanned the board briefly before picking up his own stone and responding just as quickly.

Snap!

Snap!

Snap!

The stones continued to spread across the board like an intricate web.

The spectators stared at the game without blinking, as if they wanted to etch every single move deep into their memories.

The sound of stones hitting the board was soft—yet each move landed with a decisive finality.

"So... so tenacious! White is clinging on so tightly!"

"How is White still holding on in this situation? Facing Black’s encirclement, I would've been completely wiped out already. But White... actually managed to break free!"

"Could White really manage to stabilize the position and take it to the endgame?"

"Impossible. Black still has strong attacking moves—his offensive options are endless. Even if the game reaches the endgame, Black will still hold a steady lead."

The venue was silent, yet every spectator’s heart was pounding.

Then, Yu Shao picked up a Black stone and placed it tightly against White’s formation.

Snap!

Column 18, Row 11 – Push!

"Black is going for the kill!"

A heavy, suffocating tension filled the air.

This was merely a high school Go league match, yet even He Yu, a 5-dan professional, found himself unconsciously holding his breath.

Black had once again launched a relentless assault, applying maximum pressure in an attempt to crush White's stones before the endgame—sealing the victory with brute force!

"A push—what a devastating move!"

Seeing this stone, which was like a dagger pressed against White’s throat, Su Yiming’s expression turned grave. The sheer pressure of the moment weighed down on him.

"Black had countless options, yet he managed to find the single move that posed the greatest threat to me!"

"If I hane, he’ll cut me apart—my stones are too weak, and he’ll tear them to shreds."

"If I jump away, he might sacrifice a stone to squeeze me for liberties, forcing an all-out, mutually destructive fight. That’s a move most players wouldn't even consider... but he will.

"He will definitely see it."

"Then I'll push forward. If he blocks, I'll clamp his upper stones. If he reinforces, I'll solidify my own position. If he doesn't defend, I'll launch an all-out assault on his center!"

Su Yiming picked up a stone and swiftly placed it.

Snap!

Column 17, Row 10 – Push!

The moment White's stone landed, Yu Shao immediately responded, continuing the merciless offensive!

The two quickly exchanged more than ten moves.

Every move Black played was precise and ruthless, each one striking with deadly accuracy.

But what shocked the spectators even more was that, despite being pushed to the brink of defeat time and time again, White still managed to survive!

Yu Shao's gaze turned cold. He picked up a stone from his bowl and played another powerful move.

Snap!

Column 7, Row 15 – Clamp!

"Clamp!"

Seeing this move, Su Yiming’s pupils contracted slightly. He instinctively clenched his teeth.

This clamp targeted White’s biggest weakness while simultaneously reinforcing Black’s structure—transforming his lower stones into a solid, unbreakable formation!

After a long thought, Su Yiming finally reached into his bowl, placed his next stone, and the battle raged on.

Snap!

Snap!

Snap!

Black's offensive was stronger than ever, overwhelming and relentless.

White’s large dragon was now under direct threat. He had little room to maneuver and even fewer opportunities to counterattack.

But still, Su Yiming refused to give in.

Through sheer determination, he kept placing his stones, one after another, each one a desperate bid for survival.

His stones scattered across the board, like a lone warrior standing against an army.

The audience's eyes widened as they held their breath.

They watched in shock and awe, unable to comprehend the level of play before them.

White was still fighting back. Somehow, against all odds, he was still holding on.

"Did White... survive?"

He Yu remained silent as he analyzed the board.

After a long pause, he spoke.

"He survived... but not really."

"Despite White’s incredible resilience, Black has still been gaining incremental advantages through subtle positional exchanges. The lead might seem small, but it’s steadily growing."

"And once that advantage snowballs into an overwhelming force... White will be completely submerged."

Even so, despite knowing this, He Yu found himself still hoping for White to make a miraculous comeback.

Snap!

Snap!

Snap!

The game continued.

Su Yiming clenched his teeth and placed another stone.

Snap!

Column 11, Row 14 – Cut!

But just as he reached for the timer—he suddenly froze.

His hand stopped in midair.

On the timer display...

His time had run out.

That meant—

The game was over.

The entire venue fell into complete silence.

Outside, the soft patter of rain filled the room, the only sound breaking the stillness.

"...I lost."

Su Yiming stared at the board in a daze. He already knew the result.

No matter how he looked at it—he had lost.

Positionally, White had been forced into a desperate struggle for survival, barely clinging on. Reaching the endgame had seemed almost impossible.

But in terms of the rules—he had run out of time.

Although he had rarely played such an intense, high-speed game with only a 30-minute fixed time limit, that was no excuse.

His opponent had only 30 minutes as well.

And he never made excuses.

Losing meant losing.

From the moment the game began, he had been suppressed at every turn. No matter how hard he fought in the midgame, he had never managed to regain control.

"I..."

He had always known the day would come when he would finally lose.

Yet now that the moment had arrived, the words caught in his throat.

But in the end, he took a deep breath.

In the absolute silence of the room, he finally spoke.

"I lost."

Silence.

No one spoke.

Though they had expected this game to be spectacular, they had never imagined it would become a legendary battle they would never forget.

Boom!

A low rumble of thunder echoed outside.

The rain intensified, neon lights flickering through the downpour like a fleeting dream.

It was as if the heavens themselves had been moved by the game—shedding tears of admiration.

As the thunder roared, the spectators finally awoke from their trance.

"It’s over."

"No matter what... the game has finally reached its end."