After both players exchanged formal greetings, it was ti to place the first stone.
However, Su Yiming did not imdiately make his move. Instead, he lowered his gaze, quietly staring at the board before him.
From that fateful ga in the High School Go League to today, a full year had passed.
A year wasn’t exactly short, yet that rainy night, that ga—Su Yiming still rembered it vividly. The sound of the stones being placed on the board still echoed in his ears.
"No matter what... now, at last, he is sitting in front of once again."
"He’s not just so random player online, nor is he one of the inexperienced competitors in this Promotion Tournant."
"His moves are unpredictable, leaping beyond common sense. His positional judgnt is unparalleled, and his calculative depth is beyond imagination."
"So, if I want to win this ga, it won’t be like before—waiting for my opponent to make a mistake and then launching an all-out assault."
"Nor will it be about setting a trap, luring him in, and capturing him with ease."
"To truly compete against him, the only deciding factor is raw skill—nothing else."
"A year ago, I lost that ga. But today... who will erge victorious?"
Taking a deep breath, Su Yiming slowly closed his eyes.
"This ga, I play as Black."
"Although I bear the 7.5-point komi pressure, the advantage of making the first move ans I dictate the pace. The flow of this ga will be led by Black..."
The entire hall was silent.
Everyone was waiting for Su Yiming to place the first stone.
And as they waited, they began to sense that beyond the solemn and dignified atmosphere, a sharp tension was beginning to rise—like the calm before a storm.
Unconsciously, Ma Zhengyu and another referee had joined the crowd. They instinctively held their breath.
Neither of them spoke. They simply stared at the empty board, waiting for Su Yiming to make his move.
This year’s Promotion Tournant had already brought too many shocks and surprises.
Zhuang Fei and Fang Haoxin—two players practically guaranteed to secure professional slots—were now on the verge of elimination. Each had been taken down by the two competitors before them.
And now, those very two had finally reached their fated showdown!
What kind of ga would they unfold before everyone’s eyes?
Minute by minute, ti passed.
Taking an extended pause before the very first move was generally considered unnecessary. But in this atmosphere—so solemn, so tense—not a single person found it unusual.
Finally.
Su Yiming’s eyes suddenly snapped open, sharp as blades.
"Then, I must seize control of the ga with an awe-inspiring stance, dictate the board’s rhythm, grasp the overall flow, and in this intricate battle, determine victory purely through strength!"
At last, Su Yiming reached into the Go bowl. The crisp clack of stones rang out as he picked one up.
"Only the strong can win!"
In the next mont, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the first move of the match was played.
Clack.
With a crisp, clear sound, the stone landed on the board.
Column 16, Row 4—Star Point!
Over a century ago, the first move for Black was almost always played at the Small Point. The idea of the Double Star Point was practically unheard of. Because of this, Su Yiming's specialty had always been Small Point openings.
Even today, a Small Point opening remained an impeccable and mainstream choice.
But Su Yiming chose the Star Point!
"First move, Star Point!"
The mont this move was played, a ripple passed through the crowd.
It was an ordinary move—yet, for so reason, as soon as it landed, an invisible pressure seed to spread.
Yu Shao quietly gazed at the board. After a few seconds, he, too, reached into his Go bowl and gently placed a stone.
Clack.
Column 16, Row 16—Star Point!
Su Yiming’s expression remained unchanged as he studied the board.
The advantage of a Small Point opening was that it disrupted the ga flow early, allowing greater control over the corners—ideal for territory-oriented play. In contrast, the Star Point was placed higher, making it harder to suppress. It prioritized influence, lending itself to large-scale enclosures.
Neither was necessarily superior to the other.
However, there was a third option—one that balanced both approaches with greater flexibility.
The next mont, Su Yiming reached into the Go bowl once more and placed another stone.
Clack!
Column 4, Row 3—Small Point!
"Star-Small Point?"
Seeing this move, Yu Shao pondered for a mont before reaching into his bowl and placing his own stone in the lower right corner.
Clack.
Column 3, Row 16—Small Point!
"Star-Small Point vs. Star-Small Point?"
The spectators' eyes sharpened.
Both Black and White had chosen the Star-Small Point formation.
This ant that from this mont on, the direction of the ga was completely unpredictable.
Either side could opt for a territorial battle, breaking the board into smaller engagents.
Or they could develop large-scale enclosures, leading to a life-and-death struggle.
Alternatively, one player might focus on influence while the other secures territory, resulting in an extrely complex ga.
Most assud Su Yiming would play his next move quickly.
But contrary to all expectations, after just the fourth move, he fell into deep thought once more.
Su Yiming stared at the board, hesitant to proceed.
"If I choose to secure the upper-left corner, playing a Small Knight’s Enclosure, Large Knight’s Enclosure, or even a Two-Space Jump would all be stable options."
"If I want to go on the offensive, then invading White’s frawork is the way to go—either a Large Knight or Small Knight approach, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. The ga would imdiately beco sharp."
"But aside from these… there’s another approach—"
Su Yiming’s eyes flashed.
Finally, he reached into the Go bowl once more, swiftly placing a stone.
"Let’s do this!"
Clack.
Column 5, Row 16—High Approach!
Though only five moves had been played, this High Approach had already begun to shape the ga into sothing extraordinary.
If Black’s intent was to attack, then approaching White’s Star Point directly—either with a Small Knight or Large Knight—was standard.
But instead—
Black had chosen the High Approach!
"A High Approach... completely unexpected!"
Seeing this move, Ma Zhengyu’s heart skipped a beat.
Su Yiming hadn't seen the match between Yu Shao and Zhuang Fei, but he had watched the ga between himself and Fang Haoxin.
So while he knew Yu Shao was undoubtedly strong, deep down, Ma Zhengyu still believed that Su Yiming had the upper hand.
Yet now, facing Yu Shao, Su Yiming had chosen a High Approach.
"How this ga unfolds will depend on White’s response. If White retreats, Black can follow up with a low clamp. But if White refuses to back down, then..."
The next mont, Yu Shao picked up a stone and gently placed it on the board.
Clack!
Column 5, Row 17—Attach!
"White didn't retreat... he's fighting back!"
Everyone instinctively held their breath.
With this move, there was no turning back.
Black had drawn his sword, and White did not step aside—he had unsheathed his own blade as well. The battle was set, and neither side would yield!
"Now, it’s purely a test of skill and judgnt!"
Pu Weize's heart pounded violently as he swallowed hard. "With this move, both sides are plunging into the abyss. Even Black, who initiated the High Approach, is not exempt!"
Beside him, Qiao Anli stared at the board, unable to blink. He unconsciously held his breath, not daring to exhale.
"Neither side has a guaranteed path forward. One misstep, and either of them could fall into a bottomless pit. This battle... only the winner will be recognized as the true strong!"
Qiao Anli forced himself to suppress his trembling emotions, his mind focused on one pressing question:
"Who... is the strongest?!"
On the other side, Wan Baihao's expression was heavy, as if he could already foresee the course of the match. This clash would be nothing short of earth-shattering, spreading across the entire board!
"This is a fight to the death!"
"One side is destined to be utterly destroyed!"
The other spectators, their throats dry, stared at the board. It was as if they could hear the distant rumbling of an avalanche, their hearts pounding in their chests.
"The Great Avalanche... it's forming!"
This overwhelmingly complex variation had buried countless players before—be they amateurs or professional 9-dan players. Almost everyone had, at so point, been consud by its unforgiving weight.
The Great Avalanche was so intricate that even these aspiring professionals rarely played it. They feared it.
But now, here, upon this vast frozen battlefield—
The avalanche had begun.
And once it fell, it would sweep across the entire board!
Seeing Yu Shao's move, Su Yiming’s eyes sharpened instantly.
Without hesitation, he reached into the Go bowl, picked up a stone, and swiftly placed it.
Clack!
Though the sound of the stone landing was soft, it was accompanied by the roar of a collapsing glacier.
Column 4, Row 16—Push!
It was the most aggressive response—directly biting into White’s formation, forcing a reaction.
Everyone could feel the raw battle intent behind this move. There was no retreat. This was a fight to the bitter end!
Yu Shao studied the board briefly, then reached into his Go bowl and placed his next move.
Clack.
Column 4, Row 17—Block!
The mont the stone touched the board, Su Yiming instantly picked up another stone and slamd it down.
Clack!
Column 3, Row 15—Hane!
Black was playing ferociously, launching the deadliest attack against White’s lower right corner. He gave White no room to breathe—this was a kill-or-be-killed situation!
"It's... it's completely transford into a Great Avalanche!"
Ma Zhengyu couldn't help but take a deep breath. He could already picture it—an enormous avalanche cascading down from a glacier, an unstoppable force shaking the entire board.
Under its crushing weight, all one could feel was helplessness and insignificance.
Who... would survive?
And then—
Clack.
The sound of stones colliding rang out.
Yu Shao reached into his Go bowl.
Holding a white stone between his index and middle fingers, he suspended it in midair before letting it drop gently onto the board.
Clack!
Column 2, Row 14—Stand!
The entire hall fell into silence.
Every pair of eyes widened in utter disbelief.
"Stand...?!"
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