What Kind of Monsters Were These Two, Anyway?

How big was the gap between a Professional Go Player and an amateur player, exactly?

It could be so vast that it was difficult to comprehend.

There had once been a Professional First Dan whose win rate in competitions was extremely low. He had barely won any games, so people were constantly questioning whether he was simply too weak.

So, a renowned amateur sixth-dan Go player confidently went to challenge him.

Strictly speaking, an amateur sixth dan was the closest level to professional among amateur players. As for seventh and eighth dan, players had to participate in international amateur competitions and place in them to obtain those ranks.

In the end, that amateur sixth dan was effortlessly defeated by the Professional First Dan.

Professionals and amateurs were on completely different levels. It would not even be too much of an exaggeration to compare them to someone practicing martial arts and someone cultivating immortality.

Even if you practiced martial arts until you became Invincible Under Heaven, you still probably would not be a match for a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Every Go player who successfully advanced to Professional First Dan had fought their way out of countless competitors.

Therefore, even when giving two stones, a Professional Go Player should still have been able to defeat an amateur player with ease.

But how could someone, while giving only two stones, push a Professional Go Player almost to the brink of defeat?

This wasn't even a nine-stone handicap!

He stared at the big screen in disbelief, filled with confusion as he continued watching.

Gradually, his expression changed.

"Th-that strong!"

He couldn't help swallowing, sweat breaking out across his face as he stared at the big screen in astonishment. He seemed to understand why the game had developed into its current state.

"Black's moves are too precise, and his reading is incredibly deep!"

"When facing White's Hane, Black didn't choose the seemingly most reasonable Cut. Instead, he chose to attach. That silent observation actually used softness to overcome strength, leaving White with no way to respond!"

"Every time White prepared to counterattack, Black remained completely unmoved... No! Rather than saying he remained unmoved, it would be more accurate to say that Black had quietly neutralized every move!"

"How... how could this possibly be a game played by an amateur player?!"

At that moment, Yu Shao placed another Go Stone, and it was Wu Shuheng's turn again.

Wu Shuheng stared at the Go Board as sweat the size of beans slowly rolled down his cheeks.

After being forced to Sacrifice a Stone, he had launched a fierce attack, hoping to open up the position. But then Black played an incredibly restrained Extend, which instead made him feel as though thorns were pressing against his back.

In the games that followed, Black gave him no opportunity to exploit. He was like an utterly calm hunter, holding a shotgun and watching his wounded prey from afar, cautiously refusing to approach.

He was waiting for his prey to bleed out.

It was as if he knew that if he approached the prey sprawled on the ground and howling, it would lunge up and bite him in retaliation!

After that, he found no opportunities at all. In particular, when Black truly relied on that Extend during a later local fight to seize a huge initiative, White was completely suppressed!

"It feels as if he has completely seen through my style, and understood my thoughts..."

After pondering for a long time, he gave Yu Shao a deep look. In the end, he did not place another stone. Instead, he left this table and went over to Xu Ziqin's.

At that moment, the big screen also switched to Xu Ziqin's game.

When that second-year boy saw Xu Ziqin's game, his eyes widened even further.

"This..."

"How could it also..."

As he watched the game on the big screen, he began to doubt his entire life. For a moment, he could barely even speak.

Xu Ziqin's game had already become incredibly complicated. Black and White were intertwined, locked in a fierce and inseparable battle. On the Go Board, five huge dragons were dancing together!

Moreover, every one of those dragons was biting and fighting for its life. The air around every area reeked of battle, making one's hair stand on end.

Although White was not as completely suppressed and unable to fight back as in Yu Shao's game, it was still obvious that White had begun to fall slightly behind!

Even if White was not behind by much, one had to understand that in such a tense situation, with both sides fiercely engaged in a Capturing Race, the slightest disadvantage could be seized upon and continuously widened by the opponent.

"What kind of monsters are these two, anyway?"

He stared at the big screen, his mouth and throat dry.

He had originally thought that he had already lost, and that the other two would soon be unable to hold out either. But now, it seemed that not only had they held on, they might even both win?

No.

What did "hold on" even mean?

The fact that these two games had developed into their current state meant that from beginning to end, it was White who had been holding on!

He suddenly felt an absurdity so ridiculous that he wanted to laugh and cry at the same time.

Just as he had expected, after noticing White begin to fall behind, Xu Ziqin immediately seized the opportunity and launched a fierce attack against White.

"She's so strong too!"

Watching the Go Stones continuously fall, the second-year boy sensed an enormous gap between them.

Many of Xu Ziqin's moves were ones he had never even considered, yet she could play them quickly. Wu Shuheng could also respond just as quickly.

That meant they had both considered moves he had never even thought of!

"And Black is playing so aggressively. Just now, if he wanted to play safely, he could have used Extend and still maintained an advantage. But Black chose Clamp, the sharpest possible move."

"Xu Ziqin... She's actually this good at Go?"

Generally speaking, a high school would have three school belles, one each in the first, second, and third years. Jiangling First High School had originally been the same. But ever since Xu Ziqin enrolled, Jiangling First High School had only had one school belle.

Therefore, although he was not in the same year as Xu Ziqin, he recognized her.

He had never imagined that Xu Ziqin, who looked so detached from worldly competition and had such a mild temperament, could play a game this fierce and aggressive.

Unlike her earlier game against Yu Shao, neither Wu Shuheng nor Xu Ziqin played quickly in this game. They took a moment to think before every move.

But precisely because of that, the game gave the students below the stage more time to think. Some students who had not previously known much about Go were now gradually able to understand bits and pieces.

A moment later, as Xu Ziqin began thinking again, Wu Shuheng returned to Yu Shao's side and used Clamp to place a White Go Stone.

Yu Shao lowered his eyes and calmly studied the Go Board. Soon, he used the Stone Box to take out a Black Go Stone and gently placed it.

The two of them began taking turns placing stones.

The girls beneath the stage looked at Yu Shao and began whispering among themselves.

"Who's that boy? Why does he feel... so handsome?"

"Right? I think so too. Especially when he's focused on playing Go, his profile is incredibly good-looking. He's bursting with boyfriend appeal. Oh my god, help, I think I'm falling for him."

"Isn't he from Class Seven, first year? I used to think he was just kind of handsome, but when he's playing Go, he suddenly looks so much more handsome. He has that feeling of the male lead playing Go in a costume drama."

"Then go ask for his WeChat after he finishes!"

"He must have a girlfriend, right?"

"So what if he does? They're not married. Add him first, then make your move when they break up!"

Cheng Mengjie looked at Yu Shao on the stage. Hearing those voices, she felt inexplicably uncomfortable.

That "him" you're talking about is obviously supposed to be mine!

It was difficult for a niche novel to achieve good results, because its subject matter was destined to appeal to only a small audience. So if you thought this little author's writing was decent, please keep reading. Of course, it would be even better if you could support the rankings! Whether I can make it past the promotion round depends entirely on you.