The Master’s Mask Unveiled Again
Chapter 920 - 919: Lu Yutian and Master Jing Reunite

Chapter 920: Chapter 919: Lu Yutian and Master Jing Reunite

As time passed, the Chess Academy’s Man vs. AI competition quickly began.

In the specially arranged competition venue, the academy’s students had already taken their seats. Lu Mian was seated in the student section with Su Luo and La Wenwen.

Since this wasn’t a public, large-scale competition, there weren’t any reporters present—only a few publicity staff from the Chess Academy setting up cameras to record the match.

Soon, members of the Go Association entered one by one and took their seats in the front row.

On stage, Zhuge Heng was giving a passionate speech full of platitudes.

"Let us thank Miss Lu Yutian for her support with equipment! Without Lu Enterprise’s AI robot, this match wouldn’t be possible. Let’s give her a warm round of applause!"

The audience erupted in applause as Lu Yutian stepped onto the stage gracefully, said a few poised words, and took her seat.

Zhuge Lin, seated beside her, leaned in and whispered, "The distinguished guest, Master Jing, is about to arrive!"

Excitement sparkled in Zhuge Heng’s eyes as his voice grew even more animated on stage.

"Next, let us welcome Master Jing to the stage!"

Music played as Jing Pei walked onto the stage, wearing a white tank top and lazily fanning himself with a straw fan. Oblivious to the pomp, he muttered a couple of half-hearted remarks and stepped aside after showing his face briefly.

It was only when his gaze happened to fall on Lu Mian that his expression softened slightly.

La Wenwen chuckled under her breath, amused. "Master Jing’s temperament is so peculiar!"

Meanwhile, Zhuge Heng continued rambling on about self-aggrandizing accolades as Jing Pei nonchalantly fanned himself, his eyes casually scanning across the front row.

Finally, his gaze landed on Lu Yutian.

Lu Yutian noticed Jing Pei’s stare as well.

Their eyes met midair, and Jing Pei seemed to drift into a dazed recollection.

A flicker of panic crossed Lu Yutian’s eyes. She quickly turned her head away.

Beside her, Zhuge Lin suddenly looped her arm around Lu Yutian’s elbow and asked in a hushed voice, "Yutian, do you know Master Jing?"

"I..." Lu Yutian stammered.

That denial—"I don’t know him"—hadn’t yet left her lips when Zhuge Heng cut in from the stage: "Master Jing, do you know Miss Lu Yutian?"

Jing Pei didn’t immediately respond. Frowning deeply, he seemed utterly lost in thought.

Seeing this, the impeccably composed Lu Yutian began making nervous gestures—fiddling with her hair, tugging at her clothes—barely able to maintain her smile.

To outsiders, she appeared calm. But only she knew how much her mind was racing.

The more you fear something, the more likely it is to happen.

Out of all places and people, this event and this Master Jing were precisely what she didn’t want to face.

Yes.

Because Master Jing was once the elder who played against her grandfather!

The last stalemate game she played had originated from Master Jing...

Back then, she hadn’t known his name or title. But the moment Jing Pei stepped onstage, she recognized him instantly!

No other point in her life had made her feel more anxious than now.

Her greatest hope at this moment was that Master Jing wouldn’t recognize her!

While Lu Yutian was consumed by unease and fear of being exposed, Jing Pei leaned into his slow fanning and finally spoke.

"Hmm, I’ve met her before."

Lu Yutian: ...

She bit down on her lower lip, her complexion turning awkwardly pale. There wasn’t even a shred of pride in being remembered by the esteemed elder.

But the others didn’t know that. Several students were now glancing at Lu Yutian, their gazes filled with envy and curiosity.

"Yutian, you actually know Master Jing! Why didn’t you tell me earlier? I thought I’d surprise you!" Zhuge Lin exclaimed joyfully.

"He’s the one who told my uncle that sixteen years ago, only one person managed to win against white pieces using black ones!"

Lu Yutian: ... I know. That adds up.

"Tell me, how is Lu Mian so shameless? Just wait till I expose her later!"

"Now there’s no need for me or my uncle to help connect you two—the Master surely can’t wait to play a match with you!"

Zhuge Lin rattled on incessantly, her enthusiasm unrelenting. Lu Yutian didn’t utter a word.

"Yutian, what’s wrong? Go stand next to Master Jing on stage and share your stories with him!" Zhuge Lin stood up excitedly, cleared a spot, and practically pushed Lu Yutian toward the stage.

This morning, Zhuge Lin had fumed over Su Luo getting chummy with Master Jing.

Now, discovering that her friend was secretly an extraordinary talent—how could she not be thrilled?

Compared to Su Luo, certainly, Yutian held Master Jing’s favor far more!

Zhuge Lin grinned triumphantly and, as she rose to her feet, intentionally glared provocatively in the direction of Lu Mian and Su Luo.

La Wenwen smirked and muttered under her breath, "What are you glaring at? If I reveal my goddess’s connection to Master Jing, it’ll scare the life out of you all!"

Su Luo sighed helplessly, making a zipping motion over La Wenwen’s lips.

Lu Mian, however, keenly sensed the strange tension between Master Jing and Lu Yutian.

Ultimately, though, it didn’t concern her.

Lu Yutian felt like she was being roasted on an open flame as Zhuge Heng, oblivious to her discomfort, cheerfully started chatting about family ties in front of everyone.

"I truly didn’t expect the two of you to share such a connection—my oversight. Master Jing, this young Miss Lu here is exactly the girl I mentioned who resolved that stalemate game into a draw! Remarkable, isn’t she?"

Lu Mian’s victory in a game? Zhuge Heng didn’t even give it a second thought.

Even though both carried the surname "Lu," this young Miss Lu clearly outshone the other.

Jing Pei gave a puzzled "Oh," his tone rising slightly at the end as his gaze grew inscrutable, landing back on Lu Yutian.

His small, beady eyes brimmed with confusion.

Lu Yutian squirmed under his intense scrutiny, walking onto the stage as if each step weighed a thousand pounds. In such a short moment, she had internally criticized Zhuge Heng and Zhuge Lin eight hundred times over. She prayed silently that Master Jing wouldn’t let anything slip so she could leave this embarrassment behind.

After all, it was no real big deal. Once it passed, it would be over.

"You’re Old Lu’s granddaughter, aren’t you?" Jing Pei asked directly.

"Yes, that’s me. Grandpa Jing, it’s been years—how’s your health these days?"

Jing Pei didn’t answer but stared at the girl scrutinizingly, his expression growing increasingly cold until hints of anger began to surface.

He had played chess with many people and met countless others. Some names might escape him, but faces—that was different. If he saw someone once, he could often recall them later.

The features of this face stirred his memory. Back then, Old Lu had praised the girl, calling her a once-in-a-decade prodigy of high intellect—someone who didn’t focus on chess but had middling skills as a mere hobbyist.

But now, hearing Zhuge Heng’s insinuations...

The elderly man squinted slightly.

Zhuge Heng finally noticed something amiss and froze. "Master Jing?"

"Hah." Jing Pei’s grip tightened around the microphone, and his demeanor shifted utterly as he coldly declared, "I despise people who manipulate and exploit Go for personal gain. On the chessboard, deceit and scheming may be acceptable, but not in life."

Zhuge Heng panicked. "Master Jing, what’s wrong?"

Lu Yutian’s face turned pale, retreating a step instinctively.

"What’s wrong?" Jing Pei spared no mercy, directly confronting her. "That stalemate game? I set that up for your grandfather. Since when did you claim it as your own work? Are you even remotely aware of your skill level? If you’re good, admit it; if you’re not, own it. What kind of merit is twisting the truth? Did you actually think no one would see through you?!"

"..."

The room instantly fell silent.

What just happened?

Master Jing had berated Lu Yutian—publicly?

Oh my god, what’s going on?!

Every gaze shifted to Lu Yutian, curiosity mingled with gossip.

Lu Yutian swore, this was the most humiliating, uncomfortable moment in her otherwise gleaming life.

Not only had she been exposed on the spot, but she’d been thoroughly reprimanded.

No one had ever disgraced her this badly before—this was a first!

And yet, she hadn’t even really done anything, hadn’t caused any harm. Why would Jing Pei go this far?!

Her face flushed red and then pale, alternating as she stood on stage, subject to so many piercing eyes. She felt as though daggers were stabbing her in the back.

Until she caught sight of Lu Mian...