The work of the Go master

"He really did tell me a lot about this experience, saying how dashing and talented he was back then, and how he killed the four strongest Heavenly Kings of Peach Blossom Village as soon as he entered the place."

Ok?

Does this mean that the title of "Four Heavenly Kings of Peach Blossom Studio" is part of the company culture and tradition?

Wait, if we calculate it this way, does that mean Isshin also took care of Saito?

Ke Zhiguang has confirmed that one of the conditions in the undisclosed Mission 2 is to eliminate these Four Heavenly Kings.

"Does Mr. Isshin often play against multiple opponents?"

"That's true. He really enjoys the feeling of being surrounded and likes to play handicap games with his opponents... He also frequently plays blitz games against players of the same level, often beating them to the point where they can't beat him even with a two-stone handicap."

"Is he that good?" Ke Zhiguang raised an eyebrow. To be able to beat a player of the same level in blitz chess to the point that he couldn't win even with a two-piece handicap, sounded a bit exaggerated.

"There's nothing we can do about it, that's his advantage in playing style. Back then, everyone preferred to play traditional Japanese Go, but he was the only one who liked to play medieval-style aggressive Go. He was very fast at calculating local moves and had an excellent feel for the game, which made him very suitable for playing super-fast games and handicap games. He used this advantage to bully people all day long." Harushima Shika complained without giving any face to her deceased father.

Ke Zhiguang understood.

Does that mean you're showing off everywhere because of your unique playing style?

This person is so immoral!

However, upon closer reflection, it seems that the game I won against Harushima Kashiwa that day was also a very fast game.

So, you mean you did it yourself?

Since Harujima Isshin is alright now, his behavior is certainly not immoral, but rather invincible.

"I like the next one-to-many..." Ke Zhiguang caught this keyword, which basically matched Ghost-kun.

"Mr. Isshin, what are your thoughts on some of the moves in Japanese Go, such as Shusaku's 'small kyuu'?"

"He had a very low opinion of these things, saying they were things that were about to be phased out. His slogan was 'The best Go player in the world during the Middle Ages.' After winning the Eternal Moon Heaven honor, he even clamored to restore the rules of Go during the Middle Ages, set up the board, and return the Go stones... Luckily, when he made this declaration, some righteous people unplugged his microphone, otherwise, as his daughter, I would have been laughed at by my peers for a long time." Harushima Shika said, pouting.

Setting up the board and returning the pieces are special rules of medieval Go. Although they are very interesting, they are also quite ridiculous. In this day and age, calling for the restoration of ancient methods is probably just being cute.

Looking down on Japanese Go is quite different from what Ghost-kun did.

"However, my father mentioned someone to me, saying that this person kept challenging him using the Japanese Go style, and no matter how he played, he couldn't beat him, and he kept challenging him day after day."

"Could you elaborate?" Ke Zhiguang perked up, having grasped the most crucial point.

"It's hard to explain in detail. It's just that some greenhorn comes along, challenges him again and again, and loses again and again. If I had to say something, I would say that people who keep fighting despite repeated defeats, and who can stick to their beliefs in Japanese Go and their love for the game, are very admirable." That was all Harushima Shika could say.

“But once, my father took me to Peach Blossom Studio to see the place where he used to live. He sat under that peach tree for a long time, his expression always sad and melancholy. He said he was mourning a deceased friend, but he didn’t say who that friend was. I think it’s very likely that it was the person who kept challenging him with Japanese Go.” Harushima Shika’s expression also lowered a bit, as if she was talking to a somber mirror.

"That was the first time I saw my father with such a sad expression. Perhaps he felt that he would leave this world like him in a few years."

Suddenly, Shiro's address to Harushima changed unconsciously from "Dad" to "Father".

As for the phrase "in a few more years," it probably refers to the fact that Harujima Isshin also realized that his life was coming to an end, and it slipped out of his mouth unconsciously, which indeed came true in the end.

Ke Zhiguang felt it was best not to ask any further questions, as continuing might actually touch on something about Qingdaolu.

You can probably find out the name of this hothead by asking Saito afterwards.

However, according to this account, this naive young man is already dead, physically dead, not just a symbolic loss of his spirit.

So what exactly was I playing chess with that night?

this.....

cough cough.

Putting aside the most fantastical possibilities, Ke Zhiguang thought about it and concluded that the person he played chess with that day was probably just someone possessed by the soul of a naive young man.

In short, Sai immediately recognized him as an expert!

Of course, this soul is much more extreme than Sai. Sai was just counting coordinates behind others, but this soul directly possessed the host and ran out to play chess.

After this deduction, Ke Zhiguang felt that the matter was much clearer, and at least the eerie feeling of playing chess with strange things was gone.

Although the soul is strange, it's better than the unknown.

However, there is still one thing that makes Ke Zhiguang curious: what exactly was Ghost hiding from that night?

"There's something else going on. We've been standing here chatting for ages, and I'm still in my pajamas."

"It's all alright now. See you next time, Harushima."

"I'll say it again, next time... next time we meet, we'll be enemies!" Harushima Shika loudly concluded.

"Oh." Ke Zhiguang's reaction was surprisingly indifferent.

"What kind of reaction is that? Your calm reaction is making me very embarrassed!"

"Well, although what you said sounds really exciting, like we won't see each other for more than ten episodes, and the last time we meet will be in the final episode, I still feel like I'll see you again in less than a week." Ke Zhiguang said, scratching the back of his head, looking very tired.

This feeling is similar to that in some anime series, the protagonist is hospitalized several times a month, and even the doctors think that this kid will definitely be sent back in covered in injuries in a few days.

Perhaps he and Harushima Kashima do share some kind of connection.

Inoue secretly covered his mouth and chuckled: "I can already picture it."

"right."

"Hmph, whatever, we'll face off someday anyway... Oops, the doll fell." Harujima Kaoru, in a moment of arrogance, dropped the doll, and could only lower her spirits again, looking at Koji Hikaru with a pleading expression.

"Hold the doll."

"Uh, thank you."

And so, her usual attempt to show off failed, and she slunk away.

"Inoue-kun, remember to do your best in the qualifying tournament." After thinking for a moment, Ke Zhiguang decided it was better to say goodbye to Inoue.

"Yes, I will." She was surprised to be called by name and smiled slightly.

Chapter Twenty-Three: What's buried under the peach tree?

May 5th, the last day of the Golden Week holiday, was indeed a gloomy and rainy morning.

It seems that last night's celestial observations were correct.

Ke Zhiguang arrived at Peach Blossom Studio earlier than usual today, but the questions on the notice board had not changed; they were still the ones he had done yesterday.

It looks like it hasn't been updated yet.

"You're here even earlier today. It's a pity the daily practice questions won't be posted until later; that's the rule." Matsunaga Tingko appeared at the apartment entrance, standing under the eaves behind the rain curtain.

"Could you please post it a little earlier, considering how diligently I come here every day?" Ke Zhiguang said, holding up his umbrella.

Song Ningtingzi chuckled and sighed, "I originally wanted to play along with you a bit more and see how troubled you were, but since you're so straightforward, I guess I'll just have to give in."

Matsunaga Teiko, wearing wooden clogs, stepped through the puddles and pasted a poster-like wallpaper on the notice board, displaying the new daily practice questions.

Inside Peach Blossom Studio, Yasuhiro Yamaoka, as if his biological clock had struck, suddenly sat up in bed.

An ominous premonition jolted him awake; if he had been any later, that outsider who came every day might have answered the questions for him again.

But just as he was about to get out of bed, he suddenly felt aches and fatigue all over his body.

For some reason, he had been going to bed early for a few days recently, but he didn't feel refreshed when he woke up. Instead, he felt increasingly tired. Who knows if some succubus had taken advantage of his sleep to drain him dry.

As he stepped out of his room, he bumped into another superstar, Shintaro Tamura, in the hallway.

"Good morning, Tamura. You woke up early today." Just as Yasuhiro Yamaoka was about to greet him, Tamura suddenly dropped a wad of 10,000 yen bills from his pocket as if he had been startled.

"Where did you get this money?" Yamaoka took a step back, utterly astonished, as if he had stumbled upon a crime scene.

"No, I don't know! I don't know where this money came from either. I found it on the table when I woke up." Tamura shook his head, quickly picked up the money, and hid it.

Each bill looked wrinkled, as if it had been crumpled by a greasy middle-aged man.

"You... went to a chess hall outside to play chess?" Yamaoka could only guess.

"No, besides, I'd have to win several games to have that much money, I don't have the time," Tamura said, shaking his head. "I'm thinking, maybe I should bury this money."

“Bury it... If you feel that the money came from dubious sources, you can just keep it and not use it, right?” Yamaoka suggested.

Tamura shook his head: "It's not that problem. I feel that this money might be a bit ominous. Ever since this money appeared around me, I've been in a very bad mental state every day, as if I'm possessed by something, which makes me very anxious... By the way, you don't seem to be in a very good mental state either. Go and look through your drawers, you might find a pleasant surprise."

"You mean, there's a pile of money in my drawer too?" Yamaoka's jaw dropped.

Tamura sneered, then turned and walked into the courtyard without looking back, intending to bury the money under the peach tree. He had heard that the tree was very powerful and might be able to exorcise demons.

Yamaoka shuddered, but after thinking about it, he decided to tackle the problem first.

Upon arriving at the apartment exit, I indeed saw Ke Zhiguang standing in front of the notice board again.

This guy has come again!

Also, isn't there still a few minutes before we post a new topic?

Could it be that Miss Song Ning gave him special treatment?

Yamaoka glanced at Matsunaga.

She tilted her head, revealing a kind yet slightly cunning smile.

Yamaoka understood immediately.

The dorm supervisor really gave him special treatment!

At this point, Ke Zhiguang stopped writing.

“Good, you got it right again,” Matsunaga Tingko said with a smile.

--Um

—This person solved the problem again?!

"I'm free to tour Peach Blossom Studio now, is that alright?" Ke Zhiguang put down his pen and walked into the apartment.

“No problem, after all, you might become one of us here in the future.” Matsunaga Tingko nodded slightly.

Yamaoka Yasuhiro's face twitched as he watched Keiji enter, exchanging a nonchalant glance with him.

After Kazumitsu's figure disappeared into the depths of the corridor, Yamaoka Yasuhiro slammed his hands on the counter indignantly and pleaded with Matsunaga Teiko, "Please let me do the problem again!"

“But… that student already solved it. If you solve it now, it won’t count towards your points.” Song Ningtingzi smiled reluctantly.

"That's not important. What's important is that I need to solve the problem in less time than him, Ms. Matsunaga, please!" Yamaoka was already competing with Koji Mitsuko from afar.

"OK then."