I really don’t want to play Go!

Chapter 484 A lottery with only the worst possible outcome.
Yu Shao had just stood up when he noticed Su Yiming and Araki standing to the side, realizing that the two of them had also won their match.

Araki stood in the crowd, having watched the game of chess. His expression showed no surprise or fear, only... complete calm, making it difficult to fathom his thoughts.

Many people noticed this and were surprised. After all, as two of the top four in the winners' bracket, they were bound to fight each other either tomorrow or the day after. Seeing such a game, it was hard to imagine that Araki would remain so calm.

Seeing Yu Shao stand up, Araki took his gaze away from the chessboard, met Yu Shao's eyes calmly for a moment, and then turned and left without saying a word.

Yu Shao frowned slightly as he watched Araki's retreating figure. Then he looked at Su Yiming, who gave Yu Shao a deep look before turning around and walking toward An Hongshi's table.

Seeing that the two had turned and left, Yu Shao thought for a moment, then took a step and walked towards An Hongshi, standing in the crowd to start a game next to him.

Of the four games in the winners' bracket, Araki's game was the first to finish, followed by Yu Shao's game against Honinbo Shinho.

Although the two games between An Hong-seok and Jiang Han-eun are not yet over, they are nearing their end, and the winner will be decided soon.

……

On the other side, in the losers' bracket, at table number two.

"Why……"

Ander's expression was extremely pale. Although the game had ended long ago, he still sat in his chair, staring at the chessboard like a king. His glasses had slipped from the bridge of his nose to the tip, and his pupils were slightly unfocused.

He never expected it to end like this.

Since participating in the development of the Go AI "Young Eagle" and benefiting greatly from it, he has lost before, but he has never encountered such a crushing defeat again.

Even Master Ma Dong, who was no match for him before, was eventually defeated by him.

He thought he would rise to prominence as a dark horse in the World Championship, but he suffered two consecutive defeats and has now been eliminated. The World Championship title is out of his reach!
Although reaching the top 16 of the winners is an achievement he never dared to imagine before, he has finally seen hope of entering the finals, so how could he be content with that?

Shouldn't it?

With the help of the fledgling eagle, I should be unstoppable. After all, the variations the fledgling eagle has played are beyond the comprehension of human chess players!

How could this be... completely outmatched?!

why? !

A deep sense of powerlessness and confusion swept over him, and Ander lost his spirit for a moment. He even began to have great doubts about the "young eagle" that he had once believed in.

"Do not."

A moment later, Ander's previously dim eyes suddenly shone with a faint light.

"The reason I lost is simply because the fledgling eagle has not yet been fully developed. Although the fledgling eagle can indeed produce some bizarre and terrifying changes, it is, after all, just a fledgling eagle!"

"Even against amateur third or fourth dan players, it would be difficult to win. In the end, the project is not completed; it can't even be called a half-finished product!"

"If the project is fully developed and the fledgling eagle spreads its wings to become a mighty eagle, then things will be different!"

"I lost, but I am the only one who lost, not the fledgling eagle, much less the mighty eagle!"

Ander clenched his fists, gritted his teeth, and finally stood up and walked out of the competition venue.

He had just stepped outside the competition venue when he saw Ma Dong smoking and puffing out clouds of smoke.

"Ander, you're out."

Seeing Ander, Ma Dong slowly exhaled a puff of smoke and said slowly through the swirling smoke, "Don't take it too seriously. There are many more World Championships. Losing this time doesn't mean anything."

Ander's elimination means that all American players have been eliminated from this year's Phoenix Cup World Championship. However, Ma Dong is actually quite open-minded about it. Although he had high hopes for Ander, he has gotten used to it after so many years.

There is more than one World Championship, and the opportunity is not just once. The World Championship is the graveyard of top players. Falling in the World Championship, no matter when, is not shameful.

After all, being able to enter the world championship means you're already among the strongest players in the world.

His only worry was that the loss in this competition would have too much of an impact on Ander, causing Ander to become discouraged and unable to recover.

But as soon as he finished speaking, Ma Dong knew that his worries were unnecessary.

Although there was intense resentment in Ander's eyes, there was even more of an unprecedented fighting spirit.

Ma Dong was somewhat surprised. He had thought that Ander's excellent performance over the past year, coupled with his defeat in his first World Championship, would be a huge blow to Ander.

"Looks like I was overthinking it..."

……

……

Inside the competition venue.

Time passed by minute by minute.

Soon after, the matches between An Hongshi and Jiang Hanen were also decided.

The results of the competition were not too surprising; both games ended with An Hong-seok and Jiang Han-eun emerging victorious.

Although Lee Ji-gu and Cho Chan-yeol are not weak, and are even said to be quite strong, they are still inferior to Ahn Hong-seok and Kang Han-eun. They lost both games by two or three points in the endgame.

"It's such a pity that Coach Li Zhijiu has missed out on the world championship again. The last time Coach Li Zhijiu made it to the quarterfinals of the world championship was six years ago."

"Yes, Mr. Lee Ji-gu... Sigh, in the end, Mr. Ahn Hong-seok is too strong. He's still so strong after all these years."

"Losing to Ahn Hong-seok again, Lee Ji-gu must be very unwilling..."

"Zhao Canlie 9-dan hasn't made it to the World Championships many times. He should be quite satisfied with reaching the quarterfinals of the winners' bracket this time. Besides, he can still try again if he falls into the losers' bracket."

The crowd whispered amongst themselves, feeling a pang of regret. After all, Lee Ji-kyung was a familiar face at the World Championships, appearing in almost every tournament, but each time he returned disappointed.

The four semifinalists of the winners' bracket have been decided, and now only the losers' bracket matches remain.

Compared to the winners' bracket, the atmosphere in the losers' bracket was significantly heavier, as this was their last chance.

If we win, we might be able to go even further.

If you lose, you're eliminated.

They will not yield an inch, nor will they tolerate any compromise. They must grit their teeth and fight to the bitter end, until the very last moment when it is a matter of life and death, with no choice but to fight for themselves.

Jingzhongqin, you've advanced!

Zhang Dongchen has advanced!

Zheng Cui is eliminated!
……

Finally, not long after, the losers' bracket matches were all over.

The eliminated players were undoubtedly disappointed, but the winners weren't much better off either; their faces were also heavy with weariness. Compared to the winners, they faced even greater pressure, perhaps even more so with each victory, because no one knew if they would be the one eliminated the next day.

"Today's competition ends here. After today, the remaining players in the winners' bracket are: Yu Shao, Araki, An Hongshi, and Jiang Han'en."

On stage, Zhao Zhengyang began to announce the results of today's competition. After hearing the list of the top four, some contestants in the audience remained silent, while others couldn't help but murmur among themselves.

"Yu Shaoguo, a national champion, actually made it to the semi-finals in his first world championship."

"He's only been a professional Go player for less than two years, and that's the scariest part. In less than two years, he's already on par with Ahn Hiroshi."

"Jiang Han'en's long-term accumulation has truly led to his meteoric rise. It seems his chances of winning the championship are quite good."

"This semi-final is going to be very interesting no matter who plays whom."

"..."

Zhao Zhengyang stood on the stage, coughed twice, and waited for the audience to quiet down a bit before continuing to announce the results of today's loser's bracket matches.

"The players remaining in the losers' bracket today are: Su Yiming, Zhang Dongchen, and Jing Zhongqin..."

Not only did the winners' bracket advance to the final showdown, but the losers' bracket did as well. Every player who survived was a renowned and well-known figure.

Everyone unconsciously held their breath slightly, knowing in their hearts that this world championship had entered its most intense climax and the most brutal confrontation.

There aren't many people left.

Now, the remaining small group of people will make a final sprint toward the world championship title. It is still unknown who will win or lose, leading many to sigh that heroes are as numerous as carp crossing a river.

After announcing the list of players in the winners' and losers' brackets, Zhao Zhengyang did not leave immediately as he had done before. Instead, he looked at the group of participating players, took a deep breath, and said:

"This Phoenix Cup World Championship is nearing its end."

"I have watched you all get to where you are today step by step. It has not been easy to get here. I have also seen many wonderful matches that have moved me deeply."

"The road ahead is very short, but it is also the most difficult part."

"But since we've come this far, let's grit our teeth and keep going!"

As soon as Zhao Zhengyang finished speaking, enthusiastic applause erupted from the audience.

Afterwards, the contestants began to leave one after another. Seeing the contestants leave, the others also dispersed, and the once crowded competition venue quickly became completely silent.

We await tomorrow's showdown to awaken it once more.

……

……

the next day.

"Today's competition is going to be very interesting no matter who is drawn against whom in the winners' bracket."

As Zheng Qin drove towards the competition venue, he said to Yu Shao in the passenger seat, "And both games will definitely attract a lot of attention."

After being eliminated from the competition, Zheng Qin rented a car and drove around the surrounding area every day after the competition ended. After the competition ended yesterday, he arranged with Yu Shao to pick him up this morning so that they could go to the competition venue together.

Looking out the car window at the bustling streets, Yu Shao smiled and said, "After all, there are only four people left."

"Yes."

Zheng Qin also sighed and said, "I wonder who you'll draw today. Will you face off against An Hongshi, Araki-sensei, or even Jiang Han'en, a 10th-dan player?"

"If you draw Araki-sensei, the battle between Ahn Hong-seok and Kang Han-eun 10-dan can be considered a battle of the changing of the guard between North and South Korea, which is also worth looking forward to. If you draw Kang Han-eun 10-dan, then the rematch between Ahn Hong-seok and Araki-sensei is even more exciting. If you draw Ahn Hong-seok, then the battle between Kang Han-eun 10-dan and Araki-sensei will be a showdown of the best."

"In short, once you reach the semifinals, there are no good draws left; whatever you draw will be the worst possible outcome."

At this point, Zheng Qin's expression turned somewhat dejected, but he still forced a lighthearted smile and said, "Even so, I still hope that one day I can also reach a point where I only get the worst possible lot in the lottery."

As he spoke, Zheng Qin couldn't help but sigh with emotion: "More than a year ago, I never dreamed that you, who played chess with me at the Shanhai Chess Hall, would be about to face off against a player like Master An Hongshi in a world championship."

Upon hearing Zheng Qin's words, Yu Shao couldn't help but recall the scene more than a year ago when he first met Zheng Qin at the Shanhai Chess Hall. That game of chess with Zheng Qin was the first game he had played since he came into this world.

Back then, I wasn't a professional Go player, but now I've arrived at the World Championship, the battlefield I was most familiar with in my previous life, and I've already made it to the semi-finals.

It can be said that I am now in a position not much different from my past self.

To others, achieving this result in just over a year is an incredible feat, but to him, it is meaningless.

Because he was meant to be in this position, and now he's just coming back.

Otherwise, he would be reading the same book and seeing the same ending as in his previous life, while in this life he would be reading different books and seeing different endings, otherwise it would be meaningless.

Shortly after, the car stopped in the parking lot outside the competition venue. Yu Shao and Zheng Qin got out of the car and then walked into the competition venue together.

There was still some time before 8:30, but the competition venue was already bustling with people, and the contestants were arriving one after another.

Soon after, all the contestants had arrived.

"Alright, now that everyone is here, let's start the lottery."

Zhao Zhengyang took the lottery box and walked back onto the stage. His gaze swept over Yu Shao and the others, and he said in a deep voice, "Let the players in the winners' group come up on stage to draw lots first."

Upon hearing this, Yu Shao took the lead, went up to the stage, took out a fortune slip from the box, and then walked off the stage.

Following them, Araki, Ahn Hong-seok, and Kang Han-eun also went on stage and drew their own fortune slips from the box.

Instantly, everyone's attention was focused on Yu Shao and his three companions.

Yu Shao unfolded the folded slip of paper and glanced at the number on it.

Number One.

"The two players who drew number one, please raise your hands."

As soon as Zhao Zhengyang finished speaking, Yu Shao raised his hand. Then, Jiang Han'en narrowed his eyes slightly, glanced at Yu Shao, and slowly raised his hand as well.

Number one!
Yu Shao, yes, Jiang Han'en!

Seeing this scene, everyone was stunned for a moment, and then all eyes turned to the remaining An Hongshi and Araki Nobuo!
With only four players remaining in the winners' bracket, and since the two players at table one have already been decided, we can easily deduce the answer using the process of elimination—

Table number two, An Hongshi, yes, Araki No!
…………

P.S.: I'm still experiencing writer's block, so updates will be slower.

(End of this chapter)