The work of the Go master

“No, this is the professional quality a chess player should have. As for the fact that I’m an adult… I don’t need to prove it to you at all. Even if you refuse to accept it, it’s still a fact,” Xingcai said, shaking her head.

Fine raindrops fell between the two, each drop reflecting their gazing faces, like two angry lions, but showing no expression.

The rebellious and thorny resolve burned ever brighter under the wash of the rain.

Marie Inoue clapped her hands and said, "Alright, it's a rare family reunion, let's put aside our tensions for now."

"Good evening, Mom," Xingcai greeted.

"Yes, good evening." Marie nodded gently. "Have you made up your mind? Now?"

“Yes, now is the perfect time. I’m going to unlock this lock. We made a promise that I can challenge you whenever I want,” Xingcai said.

“You have three chances in total. You’ve already used two. This is your last chance. If you fail… just like you said, this is your curse. It will stay with you forever. Have you thought it through? Is it really now?” Mari’s smile revealed her worry.

"It really is now. To paraphrase what Senior Harushima said when she won the princess title, it's because I can only win today, and I won't be able to win tomorrow. To paraphrase Senior Koji Mitsuaki... the atmosphere and emotions have been set right. It's time to abandon rational analysis and launch a full-scale attack."

"I see... They're both really good friends." Marie glanced down at Koji Hikaru.

Having said all that needed to be said, Inoue Masakado stepped aside, making way for Hoshino to enter the cabin.

Hoshino followed Marie into the cabin.

The girl officially declared war on the fortress.

Ke Zhiguang also breathed a sigh of relief, relaxed his tense posture, and started to wander around casually.

But just as he was about to take a step out, he discovered that Inoue Masakado had not left. He was still looking down from the cabin doorway, his expression revealing hidden anger.

It looks like they're planning to say something tough.

Ke Zhiguang showed no fear and prepared to exchange a few words with the other party.

"You forced her to drink?" He raised his voice.

One sentence made Ke Zhiguang's legs go weak; those harsh words exceeded his health bar limit.

Although Xingcai successfully passed the test at the Empress Pool and recovered from her drunken stupor, she was still smelling of alcohol, and she had clearly been exposed when they passed each other just now.

this......

Surely this person wouldn't call the police without any sense of decency?

"Just a little... just a little sake," Ke Zhiguang lied with a straight face.

"Vodka, don't think I don't know."

"Cough, cough!" Ke Zhiguang felt uneasy and coughed repeatedly.

I almost forgot, the other party can monitor all of Xingcai's movements.

But to be fair, isn't it a bit inappropriate to use the word "灌" (guàn, meaning to irrigate)?

Inoue Masakado gave a low hum, not pursuing the matter further, and turned to follow him into the cabin.

“By the way, Inoue-senpai, although this is your family conflict, I still want to say something…” Koji Hikaru’s words made Inoue Masakado stop in his tracks.

"I believe that family members love each other, but love is one thing, but conflicts also need to be resolved." Ke Zhiguang's voice echoed in the rainy night.

"That's all."

Inoue Masakado didn't linger and stepped into the cabin.

So, all we need to do now is wait for good news from Xingcai.

With that thought in mind, he strolled along the edge of the coastline, feeling relaxed, looking at the deep night sea and imagining where he was about to go.

Inside the luxurious cabin, the mother and daughter sat facing each other, both adopting the most traditional sitting posture.

No need for further explanation, let's draw pieces, guess who goes first, and begin.

An incredible power coiled around her fingertips as she played the white pieces.

Her record with black and white is not significantly different, but her playing style leans towards defense and counter-attack, and she is relatively better at playing white and going second.

The lock-breaking challenge begins. This is the last challenge; she used up her first two attempts without thinking.

Although her mother was sitting opposite her, under the special effect of the lock-breaking challenge, she was not displaying her own strength, but rather the perfect state of her daughter.

Mari only needs to place the piece based on her intuition; at this moment, she is merely a medium.

“It’s been a while since I last saw you, and your Go skills have improved a lot,” said Marie. Hoshino did not respond.

The pieces are placed, and the game officially begins!

In the realm of metaphysics, two identical symbolic spirits emerge.

Queen Bee vs. Queen Bee!

Ice and fire intertwined on the chessboard. On one side was the Queen Bee, whose body was covered with snowflake patterns after being baptized by the Empress Pool, while on the other side was the Flame Bee, which was in a state of pure perfection!

The symphony of fire and frost was practically a duel between Illidan and Arthas! And the outcome of this battle is probably clear to everyone.

Occupying the four corners, choosing fixed patterns, each piece is imbued with immense power, and every contact produces the hissing sound of a glacier rapidly melting under high temperature, followed by rising white mist.

The situation remained in a precarious balance, with perfection and impossibly intertwined.

Their form is perfect. In the first two games, Xingcai was already struggling after this number of moves, but now they are still evenly matched.

Calm your mind...

Overcoming anxiety...

With a slight exhale and a raised field of vision, things that were normally invisible were now clearly visible.

Time seemed to rewind to a few hours earlier, to that chess hall, where, under Ke Zhiguang's patient guidance, he suddenly caught a brilliant, unorthodox move.

Now is the time to demonstrate that chess sense once again.

Her pupils suddenly dilated, revealing snowflake-like patterns.

Move the chess piece away and slam it down on the chessboard!

Move 76: A questionable little jump from the center of the white stones points towards the connection point of the black stones.

"Was this move even useful? It seems like we've fallen behind," Nishi Chiaki commented quietly from the side.

The entire team was watching this game. Although they didn't know the reason behind it, they figured it must be of great significance.

Xuan Yu also shook his head: "It's really useless. It seems to be aiming at the connection of the black pieces, but in reality, it can't be separated. At most, it threatens the eye area, and it's not worth a single move."

Inoue Masakado sat to the side, offering no comment on the value of the move.

An endless mist emanated from the chess piece, obscuring everyone's view.

This also includes Xingcai herself.

But she could sense that behind this fog lay an exit leading to the correct answer.

Getting closer...

Closer...

It's now!

The chess piece plummeted down! Like a massive ice pick hitting the ground!

Move 86, a foolish curved top, struck the weakest black stone at the connection point, forming a continuous double attack with move 76!

The Queen Bee's Deadly Hand!

"It's...it's broken?" Nishi Chiaki exclaimed in surprise, as if a sharp, poisonous thorn had pierced his body.

What was previously thought to be a pointless move suddenly unleashed a penetrating force powerful enough to overturn the entire board. The long black dragon, isolated in the center, was thus separated head and tail, destined to die on one side.

"Is she... a powerful female figure who has recently emerged?" Shizuru Fuchigami wasn't very familiar with the current situation in the country.

“This…” Nishi Chiaki found it difficult to answer, it was really hard to answer that this was a semi-professional female Go player who acted as a TV commentator.

After much deliberation, Marie smiled helplessly.

Inoue Masakado showed a silent shock.

A rebellious gangster girl sliced ​​through the thorns with a single stroke, and the chains vanished.

My fortunes have changed dramatically without me even realizing it.

Ke Zhiguang stopped walking back and forth along the coastline.

He saw it; on the distant horizon, a miraculous scene was emerging.

Illusory light rose from the sea surface, ascending into the sky like wisps of silk, as dazzling as the aurora borealis.

This breathtaking scene shone brightly in Ke Zhiguang's eyes, purifying the entire rainy night.

That might be the destiny that Xingjia spoke of. Now that destiny has passed, perhaps she can finally break free from some of her constraints.

Without a doubt, Xingcai won this game.

It seems that Ke Zhiguang's guess was correct. To get rid of Xingjia's side, we need to start with Xingcai's side. The specific method is to let Xingcai win this game and break the chain of fate.

It wasn't just her chains that were bitten off.

Not long after, the cabin door opened, and Xingcai's figure appeared in Ke Zhiguang's field of vision.

A satisfied smile played on her lips, the air of a victor.

She turned around and said to Inoue Masakado, who was not far away, "I will be participating in the Dragon Throne Battle next, so please be prepared to meet me at the arena."

"Are you really going to participate?" Inoue Masakado knew that the other party had said those words, but he didn't take them seriously.

He also received that declaration that he wanted to punch his father hard in the face.

"Yes, removing the shackles from me is one aspect, while resolving the conflict is another."

"Resolving the conflict... That's surprisingly consistent with what he said before."

"Did you mention that just now, senior?" Xingcai asked, puzzled.

"Go ask him."

Xingcai nodded: "Goodbye... Father."

"Goodbye."

The distance between the two gradually widened on the steps, and the father watched his daughter's back.

Perhaps she has truly grown up and is now able to show her parents a proud and aloof demeanor.