"Five-in-a-Row?"
Ling An's move left Tide Sis and Changli utterly baffled.
Tide Sis pressed a hand to her forehead and said helplessly, "This is Go."
"Oh~" Ling An replied thoughtfully. "Isn't that because A-Bu only knows how to play Five-in-a-Row?"
"Bro, that's slander!" A-Bu planted its hands on its hips indignantly. "I'm done! This isn't fun!"
It lunged at Tide Sis and plunged into her Resonance Mark.
It really had quit, retreating inside to sleep.
Faced with that, Ling An could only spread his paws. "If you can't take a loss, don't play. If you suck, practice."
At that, Changli chuckled. "Ling An... do you know how to play Go too?"
Ling An looked utterly confident. "Of course. Guess what they call me."
"Ling An? No, Crownless?" Changli stroked her chin in thought.
"Exactly!" Ling An nodded solemnly. "Guess why they call me Crownless."
"Why?"
"Because I was once an eight-time champion, until some scoundrels stripped me of my title and left me Crownless. Send me fifty bucks to help me return to the top, and I'll help you unravel the Longevity Secret Art hidden in this game," Ling An declared righteously.
"Pfft!"
Tide Sis couldn't hold back her laughter. She scooped Ling An into her arms. "Stop messing around."
"I'm serious. Play a game with me if you don't believe me," Ling An said earnestly.
Seeing this, Changli gracefully seated herself across the board and extended a hand in invitation. "Certainly. Please take a seat."
Ling An jumped out of Tide Sis's arms and landed beside the board.
He pressed a paw against a black stone and spoke like a seasoned master. "Now, there are actually set formations in this game. A set formation means mastering one trick and using it to beat everyone. Here, I'll teach you one."