The work of the Go master

"It's just a vice-general battle, not the finals. Don't get too excited like a child," Harushima Shika sighed.

"Come celebrate too." Mizuki Yuuki pulled Harujima Shika into the celebration, even though she still didn't know who he was.

And so, Shireshima Deer inexplicably joined in the childlike celebration and gradually began to enjoy it.

After the celebration, Ping Shisheng suddenly asked, "Won't Ke Zhiguang be under a lot of pressure in the next game?"

"What do you mean?" the vice president asked.

"When he hasn't won a single game, that's when the pressure is least. But now that he's won two games, won't he be under even more pressure in the third game? Do you understand what I mean?" Ping Shisheng explained.

Everyone snapped out of their daze after being pointed at like that.

This is similar to the classic best-of-five (BO5) series in sports. When you're down 2-0, you can play the last game with a lighter heart. But when it becomes a thrilling 2-2 tie, the last game can be enough to break your heart. One step forward is heaven, one step back is hell.

"It's not that I doubt Ke Zhiguang's personal ability, but I think it would be better for him to play more conservatively in the last game. After all, his playing style can sometimes easily lead to a loss."

“No need, just ignore him and let him figure it out himself,” Harushima Shika suddenly said. “Even if he loses, it’s best if he loses in his own style. If he can’t make a decision at this crucial crossroads, he won’t move forward, and I believe he is fully capable of defeating his opponent in his own way.”

Ping Shisheng suddenly realized that he lost the game yesterday because he was too eager for a quick victory. If Ke Zhiguang had followed his advice and played it safe today, wouldn't he have repeated the same mistake he made yesterday?

"But who exactly are you? Why are you suddenly celebrating with us?"

"Well... I was just a passerby."

Suddenly, the reporters all rushed to the opposite side of the stadium, clearly having caught some news hotspot, and turned their long lenses in that direction.

The vice president pointed to where they were heading: "Over there, it seems like some important person has arrived."

Taking advantage of his height, Heishi saw over there: "Is that Saito Sando, the ninth dan?"

The name Saito Sando struck a chord with everyone.

This name is well-known throughout the country, not to mention in the chess world. He is a grandmaster among the older generation of chess players. His chess style is elegant, and he is even more elegant and charming. He perfectly embodies the saying "the person is like the chess, and the chess is like the person." He is an old charlatan who walks with a swagger.

He was also someone who was either paying off debts or borrowing money every day. That's how people with extraordinary talent are; they never worry about having too much debt and are always confident that they can make the next deal and then continue to borrow money for excessive consumption.

"Mr. Saito, you rarely make public appearances, but why are you attending such a grassroots high school team competition? Is there some other reason behind it?" a reporter rushed up and asked.

"Because the Go Association offered high salaries this time, next one," Saito Sando bluntly dismissed the first reporter who rushed up to ask a question.

And so, each reporter rushed up to ask a question, only to be swiftly dismissed, allowing Saito Sando to move forward through the crowd as if he were punching a monster one by one to break through the encirclement.

"As expected of Saito 9-dan, he really has a unique aura," said Aoba Bridge from the side, referring to him as the role model for life he admired most.

Harushima Shika's attention differed from the others. Instead of focusing on Saito Sando in the distance, it lingered on a young man dressed like an intellectual from the Taisho era, standing in the shade of a tree not far away. He seemed to be patiently and with great interest watching Saito Sando as he finished his interview.

It was a very uncomfortable feeling. His skin had a pale, sickly beauty, like that of a bat or vampire who only comes out at night. It seemed a bit of a stretch for him to come out at four o'clock in the afternoon.

—I have a bad feeling...

Harushima Shika tightened her shoulders and clenched her small fists.

......

......

After the second game ended, Ke Zhiguang went to the rest area.

A breath of fresh air was exhaled out the window, like wisps of cooled white smoke rising after a Gatling gun barrage.

Just one more person needed to complete the game.

"Why is there so little person in the lounge..." Ke Zhiguang turned his head in confusion, his gaze inadvertently meeting that of a passing student.

The students were so frightened that they ran away.

Ok?

What does this mean?

Ke Zhiguang quickly looked around to make sure there were no strange special effects around him.

"I knew it. If I came here to wait for you, I was sure to catch you." Kiyotaki clapped his hands as he turned into the corridor.

“Mr. Kiyotaki, your entrance looks just like that of a villain.”

"Huh? Is that so? I thought this way of making an entrance was quite fashionable..." Kiyotaki Ayumi was taken aback by her first words.

"Why is no one in the lounge now?" Ke Zhiguang asked.

"Saito Sando 9-dan just appeared, and both the contestants in the lounge and other reporters are rushing over there," said Kiyotaki Ayumi.

This is a golden opportunity. While there are no competitors, I should quickly interview him and then push him back into the game room. This way, I'll have a press release that's almost exclusive. Success!

As for the title, there's no need to think too much; anything like "The Next Go Saint," "A 7-dan High School Student," or "Naosaka's Appointed 8-dan" will provide plenty of material.

"Saito Sudo, ninth dan?" Ke Zhiguang asked with slight doubt.

If I remember correctly, he has some connection with the Lord of the Swamp.

"How long will he stay here?" Ke Zhiguang asked.

"He'll probably stay a bit longer, enough for you to finish today's match and then go ask him for an autograph and a photo," Kiyotaki Ayumi said matter-of-factly.

"Then there's no problem. What did you come to see me for?"

Kiyotaki Ayumu chuckled: "You're asking a reporter why they'd hire a contestant who scored 148 points in a single day, setting a team record?"

"Of course, we'll have some shameless and fun post-match interviews! Whether it's mocking the opponent we've already defeated or mocking the opponent we're about to defeat, I... welcome them all!" Kiyotaki Ayumu spread his arms wide, revealing the face of a shameless reporter.

Chapter Fifty-Eight: The Alarm Antenna Sounded Again

Saito Sanmichi finally dealt with all the reporters and slipped into the stadium through the back door, followed by the young man who had been resting in the shade.

He always walked close to the shade, never touching a ray of sunlight.

"I never imagined that Saito-senpai would be so embarrassed when facing outsiders." The young man chuckled, his eyes narrowing into slits as he smiled, his hands tucked into his wide sleeves.

“These reporters are quite difficult to deal with; someone with your vampire-like lifestyle would never understand,” Saito Sando said.

"I heard they go so far as to sneak into garbage dumps at night to steal personal belongings used by celebrities. Many celebrities have been caught doing this. Is that true?" the young man asked curiously.

"It seems to be true, but fortunately, we who are in the world of Go have nothing to fear. Even if it's exposed that we have several illegitimate daughters, as long as we keep winning on this path, we are not afraid of any slander. The essence of Go is martial arts, and there is no second place in martial arts. That's the truth." Saito Sando put a cigar in his mouth, looking quite extravagant.

"Don't say that, Saito-senpai. Reporters are partners of justice, dragon slayers who seek out the dark side on behalf of the people. Although they have indeed gone too far in recent years, it's just a story of a dragon slayer becoming a dragon himself. Isn't this kind of tragic fate something the masses love to see?"

Saito Sando chewed his cigar dismissively: "I've slain so many dragons on the chessboard, yet I've never called myself a dragon slayer. Their words are at most 'the muckraker will eventually become dung,' not even worthy of the lofty proposition that the dragon slayer will eventually become a dragon. On the other hand, a vampire from the dark side of society like you, if you were caught in the light of a camera shutter, you'd probably be reduced to ashes in no time, right?"

The young man, unfazed by the mockery, continued with a smile, "The reason vampires are vampires, and not bats, is precisely because they can't be harmed by ordinary light. Aside from the sun and crosses, who have vampires ever been afraid of?"

"Hmph, you glib-tongued young man. Next time we meet, I should buy some garlic and ginger and stuff them into your mouth, then let's see how you still complain."

"I am very much looking forward to it." The young man bowed.

"Fine, it's a rare opportunity to come to a high school and soak up some youthful energy, so I won't argue with you anymore."

Saito Sanmichi glanced at the students running on the playground. It was dismissal time, and the sports club students had already started their activities. He took a deep breath, and his nose was filled with the scent of youth.

"Speaking of which, I have a high school student I need to meet."

......

......

Faced with Kiyotaki Ayumu's suggestion, Koji Hikaru pondered for a while.

"If you can be so unscrupulous, can you criticize reporters?"

"No problem, criticize whoever you want—wait, criticizing reporters is going too far!"

"Oh, it doesn't work then. How boring." Ke Zhiguang stretched lazily, looking bored.

It feels pretty good to be able to connect with a reporter or similar creature. It's like having a bard in your party. Speaking of which, his current party composition includes a priest (a healer) and a blacksmith, so it feels like they can find a dungeon to run anytime.

Unfortunately, this setup was miscast for this anime. It's a solo anime, not a group battle or dungeon crawler.

"Ask me any questions you have, I'll try to be as unscrupulous as possible," Ke Zhiguang answered honestly, though he didn't really know how to be unscrupulous.

After thinking about it, I decided not to deliberately pursue anything unscrupulous, just be myself.

"My first question is, you scored 148 points in today's game, setting a record. What are your thoughts on that?"

Ke Zhiguang was puzzled for a moment: "So I did this?"

"Yes, yes, that's the answer! And that natural expression!" Kiyotaki Ayumu exclaimed excitedly, not expecting the kid to be so perceptive.

"Ok?"

Kiyotaki Ayumu scribbled furiously in his notebook, expanding on the interview excerpt with a style reminiscent of the Spring and Autumn Annals: "However, the young man before me didn't seem to care about breaking such a record, as if it were all just how it was supposed to be..."

"My second question is, during your battle against Miyano Nobuyuki, there was a period when the situation was very unfavorable for you. How did you manage to counterattack then?" Kiyotaki Ayumu continued to ask.

Ke Zhiguang was stunned again: "Who is Miyano Nobuyuki?"

He couldn't quite remember the names of the two players he had just faced.

Kiyotaki Ayumu's reaction was even more intense: "That's right, fantastic, that's exactly the way to answer!"

"Ok?"

Is this how a reporter is supposed to be?

Kiyotaki Ayumu continued his subtle, euphemistic style: "He gave a wicked, arrogant smile, completely disdainful of mentioning the names of his defeated opponents..."

To be fair, Ke Zhiguang was simply engaging in dialogue in his own normal way.

Suddenly, new fragments of memory surfaced, also showing himself being interviewed—

"Oh, you mean him? He's still too young. I would have won several fewer championships without him." This was a sarcastic remark after the match.

"He said he had a 50% chance of winning, which isn't wrong, because I have a 95% chance." This was a pre-match boast.

"Put some effort into it, you?" This was said during a live Go game broadcast.

[Fragments of Memory: Unscrupulous Interview, Success]

Damn! I've gained a really weird memory!

"So, what are your plans for the near future, in terms of Go, or your regular studies? Travel plans are also welcome."

"I don't have any plans for the near future. I just want to get a good ranking in this team competition first." Ke Zhiguang chose the safest answer, determined to get rid of the label of "unscrupulous".

"What are your future plans? For example, what level do you hope to reach in Go?"

"I don't have that many thoughts, I just want to defeat the enemy in front of me." Ke Zhiguang continued to remain calm, he couldn't very well accuse him of being unscrupulous, could he?