A Match Played with Everything on the Line

An afternoon of classes passed, and with the ringing of the final bell, it was finally time to go home.

The physics teacher kept the class a little late. Only after assigning the homework did he finally leave the classroom with a thick stack of exercise books.

As soon as the physics teacher left, the classroom instantly grew noisy.

"Get online?"

As usual, Zhang Wenbo came over to ask them to go to the internet café and queue together.

"Let's go! Watch me slaughter everyone today!"

Zhou De agreed at once, then turned to Yu Shao and said, "Old Yu, you coming?"

"I'm afraid I can't go for the time being."

Yu Shao shook his head helplessly. "The principal wants me to represent the school in this year's high school Go league. For the next while, I'll have to go to the activity room every day after school to practice and review games."

Yu Shao was actually quite resistant to having to practice Go in the activity room every day after school, because it was meaningless to him.

But the principal had already spoken, so it would be difficult for him to refuse. Otherwise, he would seem a little too much like a lone wolf.

What surprised Yu Shao, however, was that deep down, he actually did not resent participating in the Go league, even though it posed no real challenge to him.

Perhaps I've already grown used to competing on the board in my previous life?

"You're participating in this year's Go league?"

Zhou De was first a little surprised, then wore a gleeful expression. "This is so satisfying! A cause for universal celebration! You secretly learned Go just to show off, and now you're getting what you deserve, huh?"

Yu Shao shot Zhou De a sidelong glance and said, "Xu Ziqin is in it too."

"Damn!"

Zhou De immediately cursed furiously. "You really are damnable!"

"Alright, I have to go."

Amused, Yu Shao quickly packed his schoolbag, then waved goodbye to Zhou De and Zhang Wenbo before leaving the classroom.

"Old Zhou, since Old Yu can't go, forget it. Let's go. We'll rack up points like crazy today." Seeing that Yu Shao really could not go, Zhang Wenbo spoke to Zhou De.

"I'm not going!"

Zhou De waved his hand, gnashing his teeth. "You guys go."

Zhang Wenbo was stunned and hurriedly said, "Old Zhou, don't joke around! Didn't you just say you were going?"

"Do I look like I'm joking?"

Zhou De swore solemnly, "I've changed my mind. I'm going to play Go too. I, Zhou De, will also defy the heavens and win by half a stone!"

Meanwhile, Yu Shao soon arrived at the activity room with his schoolbag on his back. He pushed open the door and walked in.

At that moment, Xu Ziqin and Zhong Yufei had already arrived, and the other three, including Wang Rui, seemed to have been waiting for quite some time.

When they saw Yu Shao push open the door and enter, everyone's eyes immediately turned toward him.

"Sorry, the teacher kept us late. I'm a little late."

Realizing that he was the last to arrive, Yu Shao offered a brief explanation.

"It's fine. You made it."

Wang Rui shook his head, stood up, and got straight to the point. "Since everyone is here, let's skip the small talk and play."

With that, Wang Rui was the first to walk over to a Go table. A Go Board had already been set up, with Stone Boxes placed on either side.

Wang Rui pulled out a chair and sat down, then looked at Yu Shao and slowly exhaled. "I'll play you."

Yu Shao nodded, set down his schoolbag, walked to the opposite side of Wang Rui, pulled out a chair, and sat down.

On the other side, Xu Ziqin and Zhong Yufei soon sat down opposite their respective opponents as well.

Although the games had yet to begin, the air was inexplicably filled with a heavy, oppressive atmosphere.

Wang Rui silently opened the Stone Box and grabbed a handful of white stones.

Seeing this, Yu Shao also reached into the Stone Box and grabbed several black stones.

Wang Rui opened his hand, and the stones fell onto the board, clicking and bouncing.

"Two, four, six, seven—seven stones. Odd."

After counting the stones, Wang Rui raised his head and spoke.

Yu Shao opened his hand. There were two black stones in his palm, an even number.

This meant that in this game, Yu Shao would be Playing White, while Wang Rui would be Playing Black and move first.

"I'll be Playing Black."

Seeing the two black stones in Yu Shao's palm, Wang Rui spoke, then began gathering the black stones from the board. Yu Shao also returned the white stones to the Stone Box.

"I'll give it my all. I hope you will too."

Just then, Wang Rui suddenly spoke.

Hearing this, Yu Shao could not help but pause slightly.

He truly had not planned to take this game too seriously. After all, he knew his own strength very well. He did not even need to give it his all; even if he played casually, he should still be able to win with ease.

However, when Yu Shao saw the fighting spirit in Wang Rui's eyes, he fell silent.

From the simultaneous exhibition that morning, Wang Rui had already seen the gap between them. Yet even so, he had still chosen to fight Yu Shao.

So it was not that he was unaware of the gap between them. Quite the opposite—he understood it very clearly. But for that very reason, he did not want Yu Shao to hold anything back, even if it meant suffering an ugly defeat.

He wanted a game in which both sides gave it their all.

"I understand."

Yu Shao finally nodded. "I'll play seriously."

Hearing this, Wang Rui drew a deep breath, then bowed his head toward Yu Shao. "Please guide me."

"Please guide me."

Yu Shao immediately returned the bow.

Wang Rui reached into the Stone Box but did not place a stone right away. Instead, he closed his eyes.

He's already spending a long time thinking on the first move?

Yu Shao was slightly stunned, but he did not urge Wang Rui on. He simply sat opposite him and quietly waited for the black stone to be played.

With his eyes closed, Wang Rui recalled every move Yu Shao had made during the earlier simultaneous exhibition.

Even now, whenever he thought back to it, every move of the black stones in that game still brought him unparalleled shock and pressure!

He's strong... unquestionably strong, especially in his understanding of the game. He's far above me.

Last year, I suffered a crushing defeat in the competition. For this year's Go league, I've put in far too much effort... No matter how strong he is, I have to win!

If this is only a contest of Go strength, then I probably won't be his opponent. So how exactly can I play to win?

A full two minutes passed before Wang Rui finally opened his eyes.

His gaze shone brightly as he reached into the Stone Box and used the Clamp technique to pick up a stone.

Then he raised his wrist high and slammed the stone down!

Pa!

Sixteenth column, fourth row—Star point!

Yu Shao remained silent. He immediately used the Clamp technique to take out a stone from the Stone Box and placed it gently.

Fourth column, fourth row—Star point!

Wang Rui followed closely, using the Clamp technique to pick up a black stone and place it.

Seventeenth column, sixteenth row—Mokuhou.

"Mokuhou?"

Looking at the black stone on the board, Yu Shao thought for two seconds, then continued playing.

Fourth column, seventeenth row—Mokuhou.

"Creak."

Just then, the activity room's door was gently pushed open, and Chen Jiaming, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, walked in.

When he saw the six people engaged in their games, Chen Jiaming could not help but pause slightly. He said nothing, merely walked quietly behind them and watched the three games.

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