The work of the Go master

Moreover, it just so happens that Ke Zhiguang is particularly good at painting white, so he should be even more compatible with milk.

Another 9-dan player replied: "Let's forget about that. As far as I know, his performance is very inconsistent, often making those watching him play very nervous. I suggest he endorse heart medication instead."

"Is it implying that watching others play chess is mentally taxing, and that watching his chess is physically taxing?"

Nine-dan laughed and said, "That's about right."

The entire VIP box was filled with hearty laughter.

All sounds were shut out from the chessboard, where only the two figures stood facing each other in silence, like rocks.

The water in the cup suddenly rippled, caused by the movement of a chess piece being placed after a long period of contemplation.

On move 40, Atsuki Ōki smashed a soft stone into the thick corner of the black stone's solid pillar, and the entire board seemed to tremble because of this move.

A proud smile played on his lips, the satisfaction of a skillful operation.

Whoosh—a light, flippant whistle escaped from Jiu Duan's mouth inside the VIP box.

"Damu is an 8th dan, after all. He still has a solid foundation. I thought he would focus on his family after getting married and having children," they commented.

A brilliant move that benefits both sides.

Although being able to "win both sides" is a derogatory term, it is indeed a positive term in Go. Similarly, there are also terms like "treacherous moves" and "disgusting moves."

The seemingly solid Black Horn was thus opened up by a tunnel, through which solid matter flowed out.

But that's all there is to it.

Although it was impressive, it didn't affect the overall outcome of the game.

With a soft breath, Ke Zhiguang immediately straightened his back on the sofa, his aura beginning to build up layer by layer.

Atsuki Oki glanced at Shigemitsu Kojima while taking a moment to look at him, and involuntarily swallowed.

I felt as if the other person's figure was glowing with a fighting spirit, as if they were getting serious.

Ke Zhiguang took out a chess piece and tapped it on the chessboard with a click, creating a ripple effect.

The pace is accelerating!

Moves 60 and 62! A combination of deception and sneak attack landed on the lower left corner of the board, and Black's sharp teeth tore away half of the fat corner that originally belonged to White!

Moves 72, 74, 76, and 78! Another set of trap cards, which had been laid in the local area, were revealed. Chains of trap cards burst forth from each card, blocking the white stones' path and forcibly dragging them back into the abyss of the black stones!

Atsuki Oki was starting to feel dizzy, and cold sweat was pouring down his face.

—This script is wrong?

Logically speaking, after showing off his skillful moves, shouldn't he be unstoppable and sweep through the enemy lines?

How come after showing off like that, I've been mercilessly pushed aside?

"10, 9, 8..." The timer has started counting down the seconds.

There's still a little over an hour left for Ke Zhiguang.

With his life points about to reach zero, Atsuki Oki gritted his teeth and slammed his fist on the first line, intending to forcefully finish off a major endgame situation.

Ke Zhiguang also retaliated with a swift counter-attack! He also struck along the same lane, and the two engaged in a fierce battle at the very low position along that lane.

The two passed each other like swordsmen exchanging a single, sharp slash.

After the scene froze for a few seconds, Atsuki Oki fell down, and Koji Mitsuhiro sheathed his sword.

"Thank you for your guidance."

Blood gushed out from the ten white stones huddled on the second and third lines of the chessboard on the right side, and a sharp needle pierced its most vulnerable eye.

A small dragon thus met a tragic end.

Atsuki Oki was finally able to press the timer with a sense of relief and concede defeat.

Before he made that move on the first line, he saw the flaw in his own shape and was sure that his opponent's skill would be able to detect it instantly, but he still made that move without hesitation.

This behavior is commonly known as "finding a place to invest".

The gist is that he knows he has no hope in the whole game, but giving up like this would seem too unambitious, so he decides to start a hopeless battle, quickly kill off a bunch of enemies, and then justifiably concede defeat, finding a way to save face.

In some MOBA games, it's like opening a GG fog, rushing out, and surrendering if you get wiped out.

"Congratulations, Kojiro, I wish you all the best in winning the championship... Oh, by the way, this is for you." After conceding defeat, Atsuki Oki quickly recovered and handed over a small notebook and a pen.

"Signature?" Ke Zhiguang asked.

“Yes, make sure the signature looks nice, that’s what my daughter wants… Of course, don’t get your hopes up, kid. My daughter is only six years old. If you’re willing to wait twelve years for her, I might consider it.” Atsuki Oki chuckled.

This... sounds even more dangerous.

Ke Zhiguang still signed his name and handed it to the other party, and then the debriefing and discussion session began.

Ranking, 64 → 32!

The conversation continued inside the VIP box.

A bald-headed leader said, "I heard that Mr. Yu Chengqi is organizing a team to challenge the Dragon Throne in a group battle. Is that true? He's even preparing a cruise ship to go to Hawaii?"

"It is true. We will inform everyone when the results are finalized. Such a large-scale chess competition would be very difficult to organize without your support."

"Then let's wait and see... The team that Mr. Yu Chengqi has organized should be a top-tier team, right? Could it be the new era's five heroes we were just talking about?"

"Of course not. The people who came up with this title don't know that An Yongxin didn't play that game herself. Qingdao Lu was added mainly because of her status as a female Go player. If she can maintain the form she had when she won the princess title, then she still has a chance."

"The remaining ones are exactly the three giants of this battle of champions." The bald leader held up three fingers.

"Well... I don't know."

The TV camera then focused on Zhudao Tuan, who also won his game right after Ke Zhiguang, another resounding victory.

The schedule remains quite tight. After waking up in the morning and doing a short warm-up, I'll head out to the competition venue for today.

After the game, they would stay for a small press conference before they could have free hunting time to go home and continue studying the game records.

A day later, the second round of the competition continued, and the players stepped onto the playing field.

The competition was held in a stadium, and stepping into it felt like returning to one's alma mater.

When An Yongxin saw her opponent, she felt as if she had been struck by lightning.

Bamboo Knife Forging, exuding a murderous aura, sat opposite him.

"Alright, now it's the official competition, you can show your true strength," said Bamboo Sword Forging.

"this......."

Ernst & Young's heart was shattered at lightning speed.

"You bastard, you're still hiding your strength here?" Bamboo Blade Forging shouted angrily.

Security guards nearby gathered around: "Mr. Bamboo Knife, the others are still competing, please be quiet."

Under the intimidation of the top physical combat power of the chess players, the bamboo sword forging immediately fell silent.

Meanwhile, the Cold War group had also met early on.

"Eagle Beauty!"

"Xiong Ying!"

"Why do you two always yell the other person's name like that every time you face off? Did you plan this beforehand?" the female referee complained, embarrassed.

Perhaps because they are both women, she is often assigned to be the referee in the matches between these two.

But the match between the two was truly exciting, so we can let go of these minor details.

Yamaoka also met Soma Masae at the chessboard.

"You...you made it through the first round?" Soma Masae asked, somewhat surprised.

"Hey! Shouldn't I be the one asking that?" Yamaoka was the one who was truly surprised.

"Oh, I almost forgot, I'm the female Go player, Yamaoka, you're a male Go player." Soma Masae was slightly taken aback.

"You...you're provoking me, aren't you?" Yamaoka's fingers rubbed together crisply, his eyes rolling back in anger.

Ke Zhiguang, who had been resting with his eyes closed, was about to face his opponent.

A relatively unknown but young contestant looked quite flustered.

"Hello, Senior Ke Zhiguang!" Although he entered the industry earlier than Ke Zhiguang, he subconsciously felt that Ke Zhiguang was his senior because Ke Zhiguang's recent fame was too great.

Ke Zhiguang ended his meditation and slowly gathered his energy: "Then, let's begin."

Today's results are in: 32nd to 16th place!

After two days of competition, most players have ended their journey early and returned to the chess academy to relax and enjoy their leisure time.

The Science and Technology Optical Warfare Research Laboratory has also reopened.

"Hey, look, this is the latest opening that Ke Zhiguang played against 8-dan Oki in the last round. He shifted this piece one line to the right, and then... as a result, 8-dan Oki actually fell for it."

"Damn it! Ke Zhiguang has pulled off another trick. We haven't even figured out the ordinary Light Stream yet, and now he's come up with a disguised Light Stream. Even a virus mutation wouldn't be this efficient!"

Far away in Nerima Ward, on the other side of Chiyoda Ward, Gentama Tomokazu walked through his own long, quiet corridor to the training room where the Go board was placed.

The focus is on studying the game records of Ke Zhiguang and Zhudao Duan from the past two days.

"They are really strong." Xuan Yuzhi's fingers involuntarily clenched so tightly that they hurt as he faced the halfway point of the game.

The night passed quickly, and another day would bring a new round of matches.

After washing his face and applying the face wash that had somehow leaked from someone, Ke Zhiguang stepped into today's battlefield in his prime.

The will to fight was like a signal fire, with new smoke rising every two days.

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Fast Forward to the Final Rounds

The competition continued to progress steadily, with each round advancing the number of players halved.

Groups A and B were like two paths to the summit. Ke Zhiguang started from side A and fought his way up, while Zhu Daoduan lived up to expectations and made it to the final stage.

As a seeded player who is considered a strong contender for qualification, it is only natural that they need to be placed in different groups.

A sense of impending battle permeated the streets, alleys, squares, and intersections of Tokyo, subtly stimulating every passerby.

The influence of psychological suggestion on one's fortune is already taking effect.