The work of the Go master

Ke Zhiguang woke up on the floor, surrounded by snack bags, wine bottles, and other items scattered around him, as well as other people sleeping in all sorts of creative positions, all of them unconscious.

Ke Zhiguang tiptoed through the crowd and entered his study... The chessboard placed on the windowsill was covered with a black curtain.

Fortunately, there was indeed something behind the black curtain; even though Zero was gone, it still maintained its operational capability.

Ke Zhiguang walked to the chessboard and forcefully pulled back the curtain... There were surprisingly few things on it.

Item 1: [Chess Luck Wood]

Let's find a suitable, auspicious spot and plant it!

On the chessboard, a small green potted plant lay in the center, its emerald light dripping from its sparse branches and leaves, carrying a touch of elfin charm.

To be honest, this thing looks more like ginseng, the kind you cook and eat...

Ke Zhiguang examined the bonsai closely, as if trying to savor its secrets.

This is the original form of the Wood of Chess Luck, or rather... this is the last part of the Wood of Chess Luck that was preserved.

Under the raging black fire, it was almost completely burned to ashes, but as long as it survives, it will be passed down.

This sapling might just be the last bud on the Chess Fate Tree.

Ke Zhiguang gently placed it in a sunny spot, allowing it to thrive under the sunlight.

The second prop was actually a bento box.

Opening it, sure enough, it contained English cuisine. The yogurt and cheese created an appealing color combination, with lamb and potatoes underneath, and a beautiful cake on the shelf.

Ke Zhiguang picked up a fork and took a bite... Well, she can still make delicious food, huh?

It seems that watching cooking channels day after day during this period has had an effect.

Attached to the bento box was a statement of faith:

"I'm sorry, I can't think of any good Christmas gifts, so I can only use this as a substitute for now. Or rather, the real Christmas gift will have to be postponed. As for how long it will be postponed, I don't know. It may be a long time or it may be very soon."

The handwriting was unexpectedly beautiful, as if a pair of delicate hands were writing softly on a library desk. Peach petals fluttered in from outside the window, and the whole letter carried the fragrance of peach blossoms.

"I don't know where to begin this story. To be honest, it's a pretty cliché story. A righteous knight looks back on the past, suddenly realizes something, and gains the power to defeat the demon king. But the only difference is that when you look back, your past is a bit too long. But don't doubt it, you are yourself. To put it another way, humans are animals ruled by hormones, you know?"

In the quiet study, Ke Zhiguang silently read the words on the page, sometimes even uttering the sounds.

Ke Zhiguang actually understood what the other party meant.

Humans are animals governed by hormones. This is a quote from a senior, Yixin, who used it to describe himself. Although he had lived two lives, totaling over a hundred years, he was living in the body of a young man, so he was truly just a lively young man.

Similarly, this principle seems to be reflected in myself.

After the Imperial Castle Chess Tournament ended, he took the elevator down the stairs. During this time, he was actually quite nervous.

After all, he had just received all the memories of the past. If he walked out like this, which Ke Zhiguang would be the one to walk out?

However, the moment he saw Shireshima Deer, he was immediately relieved. He was just himself, no different from usual.

"In short, your mission has come to an end. There will be no more missions or monsters threatening world peace, just like the ending of a fairy tale. But in another sense, the story is over. You are now free to do whatever you want, such as travel, or fall in love. Of course, you can also persevere in the game of chess, or consider trying your studies... and so on. The door to the world has officially opened for you."

Signature: Zero.

After reading the envelope, Ke Zhiguang shrugged and let out a sigh of relief.

The mission... is over.

That's true. After you finish the game, the final boss's treasure chest isn't really that important. What's important are the cutscenes and the stories that follow the main story, like side stories or sequels.

The end of one story is just the beginning of another; he still has a life ahead of him.

Ke Zhiguang finished his bento box carefully, left a word of thanks, and then left the study to come to the living room—where he pulled open the curtains!

"Damn it! They even let people sleep in!"

"Who the hell is it that opened the curtains so early in the morning?!"

"Huh? Is the sun really that bright today?"

Under the bright light, everyone woke up grumbling and cursing.

However, they soon realized something was wrong.

When was the last time I saw sunshine like this?

Everyone instinctively went to the balcony, and looking at the magnificent scene of the sun shining on the snow, a special sense of holiness rose in their hearts, as if they had seen divine light after passing through endless darkness.

Everyone brought out small stools and gathered around the French windows on the balcony, feeling for the first time how beautiful the morning sunlight was.

Not long after, the women's group next door also woke up and carried their mahjong sets into Ke Zhiguang's room.

"Come on, let's keep going! Give back all the luck you had yesterday!" Harushima Kashima slammed the mahjong tiles down on the table, with the united and determined women behind her, clearly ready for revenge.

Speaking of which, it feels a bit strange that this group of people are playing mahjong on Christmas Day.

Time continued to turn slowly and carefree.

Chapter Fifty-Seven: In this ever-blooming, bubble-like winter of prosperity

Even after the Imperial Chess Tournament ended, time continued to pass day by day. The blizzard subsided, the power was restored, the temperature warmed up, and every morning we woke up to a bright sunrise.

Under normal circumstances, if Ke Zhiguang had won the title of Yucheng Chess, his home would have been completely blocked by media for the next few days.

However, because these past few days have been so surreal, people have overlooked the fact that during this time, a world-renowned Go game was being held all alone atop Tokyo Tower, and related reports were limited to channels and magazines within the Go community.

However, as time goes by, people will gradually remember the legendary nature of this game. Atop the Tokyo Tower, shrouded in a blizzard, a young boy, wielding an invisible blade, charged at the Emperor Dragon, who reigned supreme in the world of Go. Stories abound both on and off the Go board, perhaps only the legendary nuclear explosion game can compare to it.

See, going around and around, everything returns to the origin of the cycle of fortune, the alternation between legends.

Ke Zhiguang, who created the legend himself, seems to have entered the peaceful life of a retired cadre ahead of time. His daily work consists of chatting with friends, taking a break, playing mahjong, and watching the latest movies.

It's the turn of the new year, from 1988 to 1989. Even the most hardened office workers will stop working at this time to enjoy this rare annual holiday.

Meanwhile, the 9-dan group, who had been forced to travel abroad to the point of vomiting, finally embarked on their journey back home.

This includes Saito—

"Long time no see, kid. Congratulations on winning the Oshiro Go title." In a simple and unpretentious izakaya, Saito Mukashi raised his glass.

Although his expression remained meticulous, Ke Zhiguang, who had known him for so long, could still sense the warmth beneath his stern face—a genuine joy... not just because his disciple had won the championship, but more like a simple celebration of the success of a young friend despite their age difference.

Ke Zhiguang raised his juice glass in return, clinking glasses with it. Many unspoken feelings of long-awaited reunions echoed in the clinking of glasses.

"However, is it really appropriate for us to celebrate a championship with a prize of 2.4 million yen in such a cheap izakaya?" Koji asked casually. The address was chosen by Saito; it was a place with a very old-fashioned atmosphere.

“When you’re older, you’ll understand. Actually, the food from these small street stalls is often tastier and cheaper than what you get in big restaurants.” Saito skillfully poured oil and sauce onto the food in front of him, just like a regular customer.

"I can no longer teach you chess skills, so I can only tell you some life lessons," he added.

"So, teacher, have you been having a great time in China lately?" Ke Zhiguang asked, his mouth full of meat skewers, his words concise and unrestrained.

“It’s worth going again. Dean Chen is very polite and courteous, and his clothes are very tasteful.” Saito smiled.

"Dean Chen is...?"

"The current president of the Chinese Chess Academy... I have already preached about your deeds. If you go back, you will be treated like a hero."

"Really? That's something to look forward to."

To be honest, Koji Mitsuko was never very confident about Saito helping him spread the word. He thought that Saito was just using the name of a charlatan chess player to freeload in his homeland. He never expected that Saito would actually take this matter seriously.

A small, unexpected moment of感动 (touching moment), I got it.

"By the way, how is Yagami Kunikyo?" Ke Zhiguang suddenly asked.

"He died peacefully in his sleep," Saito replied calmly.

"I see." Ke Zhiguang showed no emotion, having anticipated this outcome. "In the end, what exactly is fortune?"

"No one can explain what it is, they only know that it truly exists in this world and has caused one miracle after another... Speaking of which, as the holder of the Imperial Chess title, shouldn't you know it better than anyone else?"

Ke Zhiguang paused for a moment in thought about the question, then wiped his mouth and smiled: "Whatever it is, we'll still live our lives."

There is no more standard answer than this.

In fact, ever since his mission was declared over, his inspiration in matters of fortune has weakened considerably. When he plays a couple of games with his friends on a whim, he can't really see the symbolic spirits behind his opponents, and the special effects on the chessboard have also weakened a lot. It's no longer a battle between masters of earth-shattering power.

At the end of the story, every superpowered individual will face an ordinary world without superpowers, where they live an ordinary life and play ordinary Go.

However, what is certain is that his luck has not left him, it's just that it's become unclear. The evidence is that when he occasionally sits on the chessboard, the perfect state from the Dragon Throne Trophy is activated.

Based on this conclusion, the trophy of Yu Chengqi should have already worked, granting him the ability of youth. However, as a young man of eighteen, the effect of this fortune will not be immediately apparent... Even if it takes ten or five years, it is estimated that it will be difficult to manifest in him.

By the time it truly works, perhaps a younger and more talented player will have emerged, just as there is always a new king who ascends the throne and pulls the old one down.

However, only in this way can we demonstrate the strong vitality and continuous growth of the chess world. Everyone's life will eventually come to an end, and there will always be newcomers who will be crowned kings. The only constant is the inheritance of the belief in the way of chess.

And then there are those timeless legends.

"My legend will never end until my last breath."

If I remember correctly, this is his original quote from Weibo.

“Alright, after this meal, I’m going to continue my legendary journey.” Koji said, raising his glass to Saito.

......

......

A few days later, a new chess match began.

However, this time it was Ke Zhiguang who took the initiative to come knocking on the door.

January 5th, Dao Ce War.

In a small Japanese-style house, Koji Mitsuaki and Nishi Chiaki sat facing each other, surrounded by the media and referee teams.

Nishi Chiaki's face was extremely pale, one could even say he was utterly despondent.

Sure enough, after the fall of Yagami Kunikyo, Ke Zhiguang set his sights on him and rushed over with his sword without stopping.

Normally, title battles require extensive discussion and research to determine the best date for the start of the battle. However, Ke Zhiguang is currently at the height of his power, and the entire 9-dan group firmly stands behind him. He decides on a date for the battle, and it happens on that date. His word is law.

Even worse, he created a designated challenge match rule just like Yagami Kunikyo's, skipping the preliminaries and elimination rounds and starting with one-on-one duels, with a single-elimination format.

Therefore, more than ten days after the end of the Imperial Castle Go Tournament, the Dosaku title match was launched again, and Koji Mitsuko went straight to the door with a forty-meter-long sword.

Ke Zhiguang also explained this move: "I can't wait to become a co-holder of all seven titles."

That's a really simple and blunt reason.