As soon as Ma Zhengyu gave the order, the players at Table One stood up first, reaching into the drawing box to pick their matchups. Soon after, Table Two, Table Three, Table Four…
In no ti, everyone had drawn their opponent for this round.
Since both the winners' bracket and the losers' bracket had an odd number of players, there would inevitably be players who got a bye this round.
"Players who drew Number 7 from the winners' bracket and Number 13 from the losers' bracket, please raise your hands."
As soon as Ma Zhengyu spoke, two players—faces filled with pleasant surprise—imdiately raised their hands.
Both of them were unfamiliar nas, aning no one had gotten multiple byes in a row.
The rest of the players, however, clutched their match slips with heavy expressions.
Those who didn’t get a bye would have to fight for their survival today—there were no more second chances.
Even worse, Zhuang Fei had dropped into the losers' bracket, but the winners' bracket still had Yu Shao, Su Yiming, and Fang Haoxin.
And if possible, no one wanted to face any of those three.
Although Fang Haoxin had lost in the previous round, the finals were reset, aning his record no longer carried over.
—
After recording the nas of the players with byes, Ma Zhengyu spoke again.
"Alright, now please proceed to your assigned tables."
The players imdiately stood up and moved toward their designated match tables.
Yu Shao glanced at his draw slip—Table 6—and walked over.
Monts later, an eighteen-year-old player approached him, his face slightly pale.
—
"Liu Yuanjia is up against that guy… Yu Shao!"
Hearing this, a group of eliminated players exchanged glances before hurrying toward Table 6.
However, halfway there, soone suddenly stopped and gasped in shock.
"Wait, look at Table 4!"
Everyone turned to glance over, and soon, expressions of astonishnt spread across their faces.
At Table 4, on the left side sat Su Yiming.
On the right side… Fang Haoxin.
—
Fang Haoxin stared at Su Yiming, his expression incredibly complicated.
"Fang Haoxin is up against Su Yiming again?!"
The spectators hesitated for a mont, glancing between Table 6 and Table 4.
In the end, they chose Table 4.
As much as they were curious about Yu Shao, the rematch between Fang Haoxin and Su Yiming was far too compelling to miss.
After all, none of them had seen their first match.
—
Ma Zhengyu, upon noticing the unexpected pairing, couldn’t help but take a second look at Fang Haoxin.
However, he quickly refocused and proceeded with the match announcents.
"Ti's up."
As the match clock reached its start ti, Ma Zhengyu's voice rang out.
"Each player will have three hours, with a one-minute countdown per move in overti. Black gives a 7.5-point komi. Let’s begin the drawing of lots for turn order."
At his words, the clicking sounds of Go stones being picked up filled the room.
—
Standing near Table 4, Ma Zhengyu glanced at Fang Haoxin, then let out an almost imperceptible sigh before shifting his attention to Table 6.
Without hesitation, he turned and walked toward Table 7, preparing to observe the match there.
—
anwhile, at Table 4, the ga began.
Su Yiming won the turn order and took Black.
After a mont of thought, he reached into his Go bowl, picked up a stone, and placed it down lightly.
Click.
Row 17, Column 4—Small Point Opening.
—
Fang Haoxin stared at the board.
It was just one stone, but as it landed, he felt an imnse pressure bearing down on him.
A mont later, he clenched his teeth and reached into his Go bowl.
As his hand moved through the bowl, the Go stones clinked against each other, producing a crisp sound.
Yet, despite having his hand in the bowl—
Fang Haoxin hesitated.
—
He didn’t pick up a stone.
To him, it felt like each stone weighed a thousand pounds.
—
Seconds passed.
Then minutes.
A full five minutes went by, yet Fang Haoxin still hadn't placed a single move.
—
"He’s thinking this long for his first move?"
"Is he feeling the pressure from his previous loss?"
"Even if he lost last ti, it’s still only the second move. There’s no reason to hesitate this much!"
—
Finally, two more minutes passed.
And then—
Fang Haoxin withdrew his hand from the Go bowl.
—
The spectators straightened up, thinking he was finally about to make a move.
But the next second—
Everyone froze.
—
Fang Haoxin’s fingers were empty.
He hadn’t taken a stone.
—
Then, under everyone's shocked gazes, Fang Haoxin slowly lowered his head.
His voice, barely above a whisper, trembled as he spoke.
"I… I forfeit."
—
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Even Su Yiming looked surprised.
"Wait, but you haven’t even played yet?"
Su Yiming frowned slightly, clearly puzzled.
"Are you sure you don’t want to at least try?"
—
Fang Haoxin opened his mouth as if to say sothing, but no words ca out.
After a few seconds, he simply stood up, turned around, and hurriedly left the match room.
—
The players watching were left completely dumbfounded.
They exchanged glances, each seeing the sa expression of shock and confusion on the other’s face.
—
He just… resigned?
Without even making a single move?
—
Yes, Fang Haoxin had lost to Su Yiming before, but didn’t that an he should be even more determined to fight back?
Shouldn’t he be burning with fighting spirit, eager for a rematch?
How could he forfeit on the first move?
—
Countless unanswered questions swirled in their minds.
In the end, though, they shook their heads and turned toward Table 6, where Yu Shao was playing.
—
The crowd gathered around Yu Shao’s board, though many still seed distracted, their minds lingering on Fang Haoxin's resignation.
Then—
Click.
A White stone landed on the board.
Row 16, Column 12—Peep!
—
"Huh? He played there?"
The spectators blinked in confusion.
But as more stones landed, their doubts quickly faded.
—
Gradually, they beca completely absorbed in the match.
Click. Click. Click.
The rhythmic sound of stones being placed echoed throughout the silent room.
—
As the ga progressed, the onlookers’ expressions shifted.
At first, they had been unfocused, then curious, then serious—
And finally—
Stunned.
—
"Wait a second…"
One of the observers suddenly muttered, his voice laced with disbelief.
"At first, that Peep move seed slow… but looking at the board now, it was actually a setup!"
"He was preparing for a deep invasion into Black’s territory all along!"
A young player stared at the board, utterly dumbfounded.
"That move… it balances both solid territory and outer influence, and it even aids in life-and-death struggles. Looking at it now… it’s the most brilliant technique possible!"
—
Across from Yu Shao, Liu Yuanjia's face had turned noticeably pale, beads of sweat forming at his temples.
He fixed his gaze on the board, lost in deep thought for a long ti before finally reaching into his Go bowl and placing his move.
Click.
Row 3, Column 16—Connect.
—
"He connected?"
Yu Shao studied the board for a mont before swiftly reaching into his bowl and dropping a stone.
Click.
Row 14, Column 12—Jump!
—
"White has aggressively invaded Black’s territory… he’s starting a life-or-death struggle!"
As that stone landed, the entire room instinctively held their breath.
They could feel the cutting sharpness of that move, like the edge of a blade.
—
In this match, White had taken the "grab first, settle later" approach—securing massive territory early on.
And now, diving headfirst into Black’s domain, White was initiating an all-out fight for survival.
It was a battle to the death.
White was determined to tear through Black’s formation, while Black had to fortify its defenses at all costs.
If Black managed to secure a living shape, it would turn the tables.
But if the invasion failed—
Then White would be wiped out.
—
Liu Yuanjia’s expression changed dramatically.
After another long period of thought, he finally reached into his Go bowl.
Click.
Row 14, Column 11—Clamp.
Yu Shao imdiately responded.
Click.
Another move landed in an instant.
The crisp sound of stones hitting the board echoed through the room as ti relentlessly ticked away.
Black and White clashed, each move flowing seamlessly into the next.
Click. Click. Click.
—
"The gap in skill is obvious!"
The spectators watched with unwavering focus, not daring to blink.
—
"That Black 'Press' move seed reasonable at first… but once White 'Clamped,' Black couldn’t connect and had to hane at the two-stone head instead."
"Then, when White extended again, Black’s thin shape was completely exposed! Black tried to reinforce its position, but White’s follow-up throw-in instantly choked its formation!"
—
The audience felt a chill run down their spines.
—
White had started the ga by securing early points, so logically, Black’s formation should have been thick and stable.
Yet, the mont White invaded to fight for survival, Black’s grand frawork collapsed instantly!
—
Even as Liu Yuanjia realized his structure was breaking apart, he remained calm, reinforcing his shape with solid moves.
But—
Yu Shao had already seized the montum.
With overwhelming force, he tore through Black’s defenses, leaving nothing but holes!
—
"That 'Press' move… in hindsight, it was a mistake. Because of that one move, White was able to launch an overwhelming attack, shifting Black from a minor disadvantage into a losing position."
—
Ma Zhengyu glanced at the gathered spectators, noting the shock on their faces.
A thought crystalized in his mind.
"Anyone could have pushed Black into a desperate position—if they had realized that 'Press' was a mistake."
"But… Liu Yuanjia didn’t see it."
"I didn’t see it."
"And from the looks on their faces, no one else saw it either."
—
Ma Zhengyu took a deep breath, his gaze falling on Yu Shao.
"So… only he saw through it."
—
The ga continued.
Each of Yu Shao’s moves was flawless, cutting straight to Black’s weak points.
Despite diving alone into enemy territory, he played as if he owned the board, twisting the battlefield to his will.
—
Eight moves later, it was White’s turn.
Yu Shao looked down at the board, picked up a stone, and placed it lightly.
Click.
Row 12, Column 15—Peep.
—
The room fell even quieter.
A few seconds later—
Liu Yuanjia lowered his head.
"I… I resign."
—
The match was over.
—
"Too strong."
A fifteen-year-old player nearby swallowed hard.
—
"That Peep move… it struck exactly at Black’s weak point, piercing through its thin shape."
"With that one move, White shattered Black’s entire central formation."
—
This ga had been utterly one-sided.
Despite playing solidly, Black had never truly stood a chance.
Under White’s relentless attacks, Black had been crushed before even reaching the endga.
—
"That level of attack… that precision in finding life inside enemy lines… it was like slicing through paper."
—
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