The Incomparably Vast Gap

For quite a long time, under the Great Avalanche Fuseki, the white stone's Inside attachment had indeed been widely considered the optimal move.

However, in Yu Shao's previous life, AI had given a completely different answer. On this fuseki, AI had made a stunning retreat, deciding that the oldest-style Outside attachment was actually superior to the newer Inside attachment.

After the Outside attachment, Black cut. Then came White's atari and Hane—two moves that human players could almost never have imagined.

If Wang Rui had not previously expressed his wish for Yu Shao to give it his all, Yu Shao most likely would not have chosen this variation, even though it would have allowed him to seize the advantage after only a few moves in the opening.

After all, using such a fierce AI-era move against an amateur player whose Go strength was far below his own was simply... too cruel.

Yu Shao raised his head and glanced at Wang Rui, who was sitting opposite him. Then he lowered his head again and looked down at the board.

"If this is the all-out game you wanted..."

Yu Shao stared at the board and finally used the Stone Box to pick up a stone.

"Then so be it!"

His wrist rose high, and his hand came crashing down from above!

Smack!

The white stone struck the board with a resounding crack!

Wang Rui immediately picked up a stone and placed it on the board.

Yu Shao's expression remained calm as he followed with another move.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

The two players began placing stones in a blur. On the small board, black and white stones kept appearing, as if they were swords and blades. The crisp sounds of stones striking the board rang out like the clang of blades meeting.

Chen Jiaming had originally intended to watch this game for a while before checking on the other two.

But as the game progressed and the black and white stones continued to fall, he seemed to be rooted to the spot. His eyes remained fixed on the board, refusing to move away.

"That boy called Yu Shao... how can this be?"

"Black's Cap just now was already a very good move!"

"But White's Cut was even stronger. It directly attacked Black's shape and invaded the upper side!"

"Now..."

Chen Jiaming scrutinized the game and discovered a fact that he found hard to believe!

"How many moves have there been? Why does it feel as if Black has already fallen somewhat behind?"

Wang Rui's expression had also become extremely ugly as he stared intently at the board.

"How could this happen?"

He could not understand why the game had fallen into such a situation. He clenched his teeth and placed another stone.

"I have to open up the game as soon as possible, or it's over!"

Tap!

Tenth column, seventeenth row—Clamp!

"Has he invaded?"

Yu Shao calmly gazed at the board. After thinking for only a moment, he picked up another stone and placed it lightly.

"Cap?"

Wang Rui's expression changed, and he looked incredulous. "He actually played here?"

"He's ignoring my attack completely. He doesn't care about the white stones over there at all. He wants to decide the victor here!"

Wang Rui clenched his teeth even harder. After a long think, he finally picked up a stone from the Stone Box and placed it rapidly!

The stones continued to land on the board.

The game quietly transitioned from the opening into the middle game.

As the game continued, Chen Jiaming, watching from the side, suddenly felt his mouth go dry.

"Wang Rui hasn't played badly in this game. He has made almost no mistakes. In fact, you could even say he has played very well. But that boy called Yu Shao has played even better!"

"It's astonishing!"

"Once White seized the advantage, he rapidly expanded it. With unstoppable force, he dragged Black into White's rhythm and then rapidly expanded his influence!"

"The current position is indeed complex and fierce, but it almost looks as if White was the one who played the Great Avalanche. Black, on the other hand, has been swept along by White!"

"Black probably won't be able to hold on!"

At this thought, Chen Jiaming finally raised his head and shifted his gaze from the board to Yu Shao's face.

However, when he saw Yu Shao's expression, Chen Jiaming could not help but freeze for a moment.

Yu Shao's expression was utterly unruffled. He merely gazed quietly at the board, as if he felt no emotion at all. Somehow, his calmness created an immense pressure out of nowhere.

That only left Chen Jiaming even more shocked.

"Could he really... have that expression?"

Even though White held the advantage, most players would probably still frown instinctively and ponder the complicated, tense position.

Chen Jiaming had seen an expression like Yu Shao's only on television, during games between high-dan players.

It was calm to the extreme.

It was as if everything lay within their grasp. No matter what happened, nothing could make them waver in the slightest. They had already calculated the entire game and seen the ending.

The stones continued to land.

Black stubbornly struggled to hold on, but White's attack showed not the slightest haste. Every move was precise and vicious, leaving no room for mercy.

Finally, after another dozen or so moves,

Yu Shao stared at the board and picked up another stone.

Tap.

Ninth column, thirteenth row—Probe!

Seeing this move, Wang Rui had already reached into the Stone Box and was about to pick up a stone. His hand immediately went limp.

Chen Jiaming watched the game in silence.

"It's over..."

"This Probe completely shattered Black's shape..."

Chen Jiaming raised his head and glanced at the clock on the wall.

When he had arrived, it had been five-thirty, and the game had only just begun.

Now, it was five forty-five.

In only fifteen minutes, the game had reached the middle game—and was already over.

Wang Rui stared blankly at the board. Only after a long while did he lower his head and say in an almost inaudible voice, "I... lost."

"Thank you for the game."

Yu Shao stood up, only to discover that Chen Jiaming had arrived in the activity room at some point.

"Teacher Chen, I'm going to use the restroom," Yu Shao said.

Chen Jiaming looked at Yu Shao and nodded lightly.

Soon, Yu Shao left the activity room.

Wang Rui closed his eyes and said nothing. His body trembled faintly.

A despair known as helplessness enveloped his heart. He could not even pick up a stone. Every shred of his pride had been crushed in this game.

Before this incomparably vast gap, his effort and his unwillingness to accept defeat... everything seemed so laughable.

Chen Jiaming quietly sighed and patted Wang Rui on the shoulder.

Wang Rui's body shuddered. He opened his dazed eyes, and when he saw Chen Jiaming, his expression grew even more despondent.

"Teacher Chen, I'm sorry to disappoint you..."

Wang Rui spoke in a low voice. "I, I... I'm sorry."

"I wasn't his opponent at all... I'm too weak. We're simply not even on the same level. It was as if... as if he had seen through me completely."

Wang Rui's voice trembled slightly. "I even felt that I never forced him to give it his all. I had no power to fight back. Every struggle and resistance was nothing but a joke..."

"Completely... completely out of reach..."

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