Go: The live broadcast queen launched a gorgeous rebellion against the dog

"...Liu Shixian, 9th Dan, you've had a tough match today!"
"As the first player to challenge Rui Zhao 9-dan in the 'Yongzhao Junwei' special challenge match, the result of today's game may have surprised most people."

"Even with the first move, the overall game process seems not much different from a game with equal moves."

"Black lost its first-move advantage in less than sixty moves, was forced into a chain formation by move 84, and resigned by move 130... It was a crushing defeat."

"After this swift defeat, how are you feeling right now?"

"Ah... to be honest."

"Although I had made full mental preparations before the match, the strength that Rui Zhao 9-dan showed on the board still completely exceeded my expectations."

"I originally thought that, given the advantage of having the first move, I should at least cause her some trouble today, if not win."

"However, judging from the course of the match... I think I've been overthinking things!"

"I accept defeat wholeheartedly in this game."

"Okay. So, Liu 9-dan, where do you think you went wrong in this game, leading to the rapid collapse of the situation?"

"Hmm...if I really have to say..."

"Perhaps in the middle game, I was a bit too eager to launch an attack, trying to counter some tactics that I thought were a bit excessive."

“Every move she makes is both efficient and aggressive, forcing me to fight against her.”

"But when I actually made a move, I found that she hadn't revealed any real flaws."

"The reason she dared to make such a move must be that she was certain that it wouldn't be a big loss—on the contrary, I became the one being tested by her, and in the end, I revealed my weakness and was defeated by her in one fell swoop."

"But looking back now, if I had chosen a more stable and patient strategy, I might have been able to persevere longer. If I have the opportunity to take on this challenge again, I will consider making my approach more balanced."

"That's right..."

"'that is'?"

"To be honest, this is probably just treating the symptoms, not the root cause!"
"Rui Zhao, a ninth-dan player, is too well-rounded. There are almost no weaknesses, and her performance is so consistent that it is terrifying."

"Even if I have a close-range advantage, if I just retreat and defend in the face of her continuous and tricky tests, I will only be slowly dying."

"Her moves force you to make difficult choices under pressure, and no matter what you choose, it seems difficult to escape the predicament."

"This feeling... is just like actually playing against AI!"

"...'Playing against AI'?! That's really high praise!"
"Since you, Liu Jiuduan, have said so, then please allow me to ask you a question:"
"Based on your personal experience today, do you think that with Rui Zhao's current strength, she is qualified to challenge top Go AIs?"

"Well... objectively speaking, in terms of pure strength, I still think the current top AI is stronger."

"But we must admit that the gap in strength between Rui Zhao and the other players is definitely far more than just a handicap!"
"In my opinion, reaching this level already gives you the potential to defeat AI—because even the most powerful AI is not perfect in a match."

“When we review and analyze human games, AI will occasionally have some ‘blind spots’ – they can also make mistakes.”

"Facing a player of Rui Zhao's 9-dan level and with such keen insight, if the AI ​​makes a blind spot at a crucial moment and Rui Zhao seizes it, then it is entirely possible to beat the AI."

"So in my opinion, Deepbrain may genuinely be afraid that their loss will affect the company's market value, which is why they keep dodging the question and acting like cowards who dare not accept the challenge."

"If Deepbrain really is targeting some cutting-edge technology as they claim, then they should accept Rui Zhao's challenge as soon as possible."

"This is not only a highly entertaining and historically significant match, but for DeepBrain itself, it will also be an excellent opportunity to learn and improve its AI program in other aspects through a real-world confrontation with a top human Go player like Rui Zhao..."

……

“Hey, hey…

"What the hell is this South Korean bastard spouting?!"

At 6 a.m. on the same day in North America, after seeing the post-match interview video of Liu Shixian, which had been freshly released half an hour earlier and instantly spread virally on major social media platforms, Zhang Zhengxi, who had just gotten up, let out a low growl of suppressed anger!

Rui Zhao, who started that "handicap challenge," was already a headache enough. Now, how come even Liu Shixian, whom she just utterly defeated, who finished the game in 84 moves and resigned in 130 moves... is starting to stir up trouble too?!
They even said things like "it's like playing chess with AI" and "DeepBrains is a coward"...

This is simply adding fuel to the fire, as if they want to stir up trouble!
However... Manager Zhang was angry as much as he was.

His reason clearly told him: Liu Shixian really had the confidence to say that!
Zhang Zhengxi forced himself to suppress his anger, while simultaneously pulling up the game record and AI analysis data of the handicap challenge match that had just ended on his tablet.

My gaze swept over the crucial section of the replay in the lower right corner: Rui Zhao's few moves, as precise as a scalpel yet as powerful as a rocket launcher, instantly reversed all the initial disadvantages against South Korea's strongest Go player! The subsequent progress was like an autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves, with every move initiating an attack, suppressing at every turn, launching fierce attacks, and calculating with precision... forcing Liu Shixian to defend on all sides, unable to attend to everything! Every move was like dancing on the opponent's most vulnerable spot!
This sense of control, this feeling of pressure, this stability like a precision machine... you can feel the influence of AI in almost every aspect!
Looking at the win rate curve given by the AI ​​after the game: from Black's huge advantage at the beginning, to Rui Zhao gradually leveling the score, overtaking, and finally crushing Black in the middle game...

That curve was so smooth it was despairing, so stable it was suffocating!
It's exactly the same kind of despairing dominance that AI displays when bullying human chess players!
"...Damn it!"

Seeing this, Zhang Zhengxi slammed the tablet heavily on the table in frustration, his face extremely unpleasant!
No need to think about it!

After seeing this damn interview video, my president, who is extremely sensitive to public opinion and has a very low tolerance for failure, will definitely call me immediately and bombard me with questions! I must think of a response right away!

Zhang Zhengxi took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

His mind raced, rapidly weighing the pros and cons, devising a narrative that would both appease the president and maintain the "avoidance of war" strategy.

On one hand... we must ensure that Musk continues to maintain a disdainful and aloof attitude!

Just like before, we must not show the slightest wavering or concern!
On the other hand... we must continue to assure the President that "this was just an accident!"
As the challenge continues and he faces a series of top players with different styles, Rui Zhao will inevitably reveal his weaknesses and lose... Everything is still under control!
However, after Zhang Zhengxi quickly went through the prepared speech in his mind, his movements paused almost imperceptibly.

His gaze involuntarily swept over the final game of the chess game frozen on the tablet again, and an indescribable wave of self-doubt washed over his heart like an icy tide.

Rui Zhao's impeccable performance today, his near-inhuman consistency and dominance...

Was it really just an "accident"?

...Tsk!

Could it be that she really can do something as outrageous as "giving the first team a chance to remain undefeated"?!
This seemingly absurd thought surfaced almost uncontrollably in the deepest recesses of Zhang Zhengxi's mind, causing him to feel a sudden pang of fear...

impossible! Absolutely impossible!
Supervisor Zhang shook his head violently, trying to banish this terrible idea that was undermining morale!
Rui Zhao is, after all, human, and it's impossible for him to maintain such a high level of performance indefinitely—and Liu Shixian is no longer the best player besides Rui Zhao.

Everything will be alright once Lei Qi issues the challenge!
Thinking of this, his gaze unconsciously turned to the gray sky outside the window, as if piercing through a vast distance and landing on the young figure who had already arrived in Singapore.

Hopefully this year's South China Sea Cup...

Lei Qi should be in top form!

...

...

This time, it seemed as if Heaven had heard Zhang Zhengxi's prayers.

Despite the growing suspicion and scrutiny in the eyes of the blond president of North America toward Zhang Zhengxi, Lei Qi has been displaying an increasingly outstanding competitive form on the chessboard of Singapore!
His playing style remains comprehensive and stable, and with the increasing experience and accumulation, his skills in all aspects are like a sharp blade that has been tempered a thousand times, becoming even sharper and more resilient.

Even though the South China Sea Cup used a time-over-time format that Chinese players are not so good at, he won every game and was unstoppable!
In the first round, they easily defeated Zhu Han, a rising star from the Qiannan team who had just entered the World Championship main tournament for the first time and had been promoted to 7-dan. The whole game was a breeze.

In the second round, facing Ji Qiuquan, the captain of the Yuzhou team, Lei Qi demonstrated strong mid-game attacking power. After a stalemate in the opening, he broke through the opponent's defense in a local area, and in just eighty moves, he brought the opponent to the point of being a dragon within a dragon, ending the suspense of the game early.

In the quarterfinals, facing his old rival, Xiao Chu 9-dan, Lei Qi seized a fleeting opportunity amidst the complex and chaotic battle, securing a decisive victory.

In the semifinals, facing Uesaka Rei, who had reached the World Championship semifinals for the first time, Lei Qi, playing white, gave the young Japanese player, who had caused him trouble in the Chinese Weiqi League finals, no chance. In the end, he secured a steady victory, showing his opponent with his strength that "the future is yours."

—Oh, of course, there's a prerequisite: the greatest of all time needs to agree.

In the final... facing his former nemesis, South Korean 15-time champion Ryu Se-hyun 9-dan, Lei Qi played with even more confidence and composure.

Although before the first game of the best-of-three series, Xiao Lei, a 9-dan professional, seemed to be slightly affected by his opponent's casual chatter, his expression was noticeably distorted.

However, once they entered the game, the increasingly mature leader of the Chinese generation demonstrated his strength as the second best player in the world.

With a solid foundation, sharp mid-game skills, and delicate endgame play, Liu Shixian fought hard but could not find a breakthrough in the face of Lei Qi's relentless pressure.

In the end, Lei Qi defeated Liu Shixian with a clean and decisive 2-0 score!
While winning his fourth world championship, he once again demonstrated his strength, proving that in the world of Go, he is still the one closest to the peak besides Rui Zhao!
but……

For Lei Qi, lifting the South China Sea Cup trophy was not the end of his trip to Singapore. Rather, it was merely the prelude to another, more crucial showdown!
January 23, 2028, the 27th day of the 12th lunar month.

As the festive atmosphere of the Spring Festival grows stronger across China, filling every corner with joy and peace...

Thousands of miles away in Singapore, the newly crowned champion of the Nanhai Cup is about to step onto the stage of the "Eternal Glory of the King" special challenge match, to challenge that god-like figure who sits atop the world of Go...

Launch the attack! (End of Chapter)