The work of the Go master

"That's all then, goodbye."

"Goodbye."

Just as they were about to pass each other, Ke Zhiguang immediately stopped and looked back: "Wait!"

"What's wrong?" Xingcai turned around calmly.

I almost didn't notice it just now.

The score that Xingcai carries.

It scored as high as 80 points?

This is getting more and more confusing.

"Senior, although I am a young girl in the prime of my youth and don't mind being stared at by an outstanding boy like you, but... isn't your gaze, which is like that of someone staring at food, a little too strange?" Xingcai squinted her eyes, achieving such a perfect effect of吐槽 (tu cao, a Chinese internet slang term for sarcastic or critical commentary) with just her eyes.

Perhaps this is an innate talent of the people of Kansai.

"To be honest, at most it's just the way they're eyeing the treasure chest."

"See? You admitted it yourself. It's pretty much the same thing. So, back in Hokkaido, you were looking at them with this kind of gaze?"

"How could that be? When I was in Hokkaido, my eyes and mind were focused on the distant and vast snowfields."

Well, everyone's already been opened once, so they all know what's inside the treasure chest. At most, the Cold War group's gazes are more or less filled with the idea of ​​prying open the chest.

"Hey, Inoue, interested in... uh, wanna play a round?" Koji asked seriously.

"Do you mean a game of chess?" Xingcai asked in surprise.

"Yes, right now, is that okay?"

Chapter Thirty-One: The Vase Placed Between the Tatami Mats

We arrived at the chess venue at 8:30 p.m.

This is a fairly upscale shogi (Japanese chess) hall located in the central area of ​​Chiyoda Ward, where many office workers choose to play a game after work.

As expected, Ke Zhiguang was identified when he registered at the front desk. His poster was hanging on the wall, which was enough to prove his recent fame.

This time, the fee was waived entirely; Kogoro Mouri is often treated this way.

Entering the private room of the chess hall, a sense of Japanese elegance arises spontaneously.

To be honest, Ke Zhiguang didn't expect Xingcai to agree so readily.

After all, this is their precious time after get off work, which should be used to watch TV series or symbolically stretch their limbs with the aerobics on TV.

"Today I suddenly felt like doing something I wouldn't normally do." — This was her reason for accepting the match.

Xingcai sat down in front of the chessboard. The waiter brought in a fruit platter and desserts from outside, said goodnight, and then left.

They also left behind a small vase with a single red rose in it, which they placed perfectly in the gap between the tatami mats.

Before leaving, the waiter said, "There are bedding items in the closet; they might be of help to you two in a pinch."

Well......

I always felt that her tone of voice was like that of an old auntie in a hot spring resort.

Xingcai calmly replied, "Thank you, but we don't need this."

"Oh, I'm so sorry." The waiter left respectfully.

So, what is the meaning behind this small vase with only one flower in it?

"Alright, let's eat something first. If we don't get into the right mindset before the game, our moves won't be very good, right?" Xingcai picked up a piece of matcha daifuku and put it in her mouth.

It's basically something like a cream puff, with the delicate and exquisite beauty of Japanese desserts. In addition to its taste, it also boasts a beautiful, artistic appearance.

They probably also care about the high price.

Ke Zhiguang sat down as well, and asked while eating, "How have you been spending your time lately?"

"I have a regular get off work schedule, and I occasionally attend my classmates' winter break gatherings. I even made an appearance at the chess academy once."

Is work tiring?

"No, not at all. I'm just observing as an intern. All the things I'm doing are probably just as tiring as the average person my age."

“Ordinary people your age wouldn’t be like you, juggling multiple identities and moving between several locations… Of course, I’m an exception,” Ke Zhiguang added cautiously at the end of his sentence.

"Alright then, my level of fatigue is just at the level of an average professional Go player. Does that make it more relatable?"

After being pointed out like that, Ke Zhiguang suddenly realized something.

Compared to ordinary students, she would indeed seem very busy, but when the role model is changed to an ordinary professional Go player, such as a diligent and down-to-earth newcomer like Yamaoka, Hoshino is indeed at a normal level.

“Tokyo is very prosperous. If you’re not strong enough, you’ll be swallowed up by it,” Xingcai sighed, glancing out the window at the idyllic street scene.

Her eyes dimmed slightly.

The confusion and bewilderment unique to young people.

Although young people in this era are generally positive and motivated, in the dead of night, on a balcony after a night of revelry and indulgence, they may inevitably reveal a lack of genuine connection to the rampant materialism.

"Just think of yourself as an idol of active female high school students, and use your energy and love to overcome difficulties," said Ke Zhiguang.

"An active female high school idol? You really have a knack for creating vocabulary, senior." Xingcai's lips curled up slightly.

"Don't worry, after the industry develops for another twenty or thirty years, there will be active female high school idols everywhere. They will switch back and forth between school and workplace, and their job content will be similar to yours and ours, but they will definitely not do it as well as you."

"Alright, let's wait and see what happens then."

Xingcai smiled gently, straightened her back a little, and put down the small fork she had been using to eat.

The battle is gradually initiating.

"Alright, the emotions are almost ready, we can start the game anytime." Xingcai opened her eyes, a layer of armed light flowing across her irises.

“Very good, this is the state.” Ke Zhiguang also sat down.

Although sitting upright might limit his performance, he can easily handle ordinary female players.

"By the way, given the current skill gap between you and me, it wouldn't be fair if you didn't give me a two-piece handicap, would it?" Xingcai said, resting her chin on her hand, a hint of cunning in her eyes.

"This... is it alright if I let you go first?" Ke Zhiguang tried to bargain.

No matter what, Xingcai is a professional Go player who has reached the professional level. At this level, giving him a two-stone handicap is already a huge gap.

"I'm only playing chess with you because I'm determined to defeat you, but of course, there are some conditions to meet. You can't expect me to just lie there helplessly and be slaughtered." Xingcai finished with a melodious voice, her dark smile hidden in her palm.

There's a feeling that she has everything planned out in her hands.

Perhaps she had decided from the beginning that she would be given two sons, otherwise she would have simply refused to use the spade.

"Then let's go, a two-piece handicap, right... Can we play a rapid game?" Ke Zhiguang asked astutely.

Xingcai squinted: "Senior?"

"Okay, so it's normal now, come on!"

Ke Zhiguang made a snap decision and decisively swapped the black pieces.

It's just a casual game after work anyway; it's all about taking life and death lightly and fighting if you're not convinced.

Moreover, there might indeed be a huge gap in strength between Xingcai and him.

"Then thank you very much, senior." Xingcai let out a soft chuckle, and then placed the two black stones in the diagonal star position.

The game begins!

As the first piece was placed, the curtain of darkness descended from the left and right, and a crisp buzzing sound came from the side.

Queen Bee

It has been almost half a year since I last saw this symbolic spirit.

Although he and she had faced off in a campus team competition, they never actually met on the field due to group assignments.

The only time they played against each other was when Ke Zhiguang barged into their school team's hotel, forcibly requested a match, and even petted one of her cats.

Then Ke Zhiguang never saw the cat again. Perhaps it had been corrupted by his manipulation. Alas, what a sin...

Although the name "Queen Bee" contains the character for "king," its visual appeal is not particularly striking; at most, it is just a minor overlord.

Now, six months later, when confronted again, the Queen Bee has undergone some changes.

More elaborate patterns and sharper needles suggest a new evolution.

According to Ke Zhiguang's recent observations, as chess players improve their skills, the symbolic spirits associated with them do indeed change.

The simplest example is that several of the chains used to bind the dragon on the pillar behind the deer on the island have broken.

The pieces were placed one by one. Although this was not the fast game that had been agreed upon, both sides sped up their moves, neither wanting to get home before midnight.

A clicking sound.

A clicking sound.

A clicking sound.

The pieces on the board begin to increase in number, approach each other, and then twist together!

In a crucial area, Inoue lowered his head, pondered intently for a moment, unconsciously clenching his teeth, revealing an expression he only showed when playing chess.

She boldly drew a chess piece and launched an attack, viciously smashing it into Ke Zhiguang's side territory, creating a sound effect like shattering glass.

This... is not a good move.

After giving it a bad review in his mind, Ke Zhiguang was about to retaliate when he suddenly frowned as if he had been stung.

A thorny emotion spread from the other side of the chessboard.

The skill "[Thinking Through Chess]" has been triggered.

Chapter Thirty-Two: The Night Before the Throttle

【Using Chess to Connect Feelings】, similar to the Eye of the Demon Dragon, is based on an upgraded version of Ghidorah's hearing, connecting the opponent's emotions with Ke Zhiguang's own, and more vividly embodying the meaning of "playing chess".

At this moment, a continuous stream of emotions, like a thicket of thorns, was being transmitted from the very move Xingcai had just made in chess.

It doesn't produce any special effects; it delivers pure emotion.