The surroundings fell into complete silence.
Everyone was deeply shaken by the Go prowess displayed by the white stones in this game.
After Black played a hane, attempting a final desperate counterattack, White responded with three consecutive tenuki, moves so graceful they seemed like divine strokes—ethereal and elegant to the extreme, yet ferocious to the core!
Even though the three tenuki weren’t directly offensive, they inexplicably carried an aura of unyielding ruthlessness. These moves weren’t overt, visible attacks but rather a deeper, more profound style of domination—an oppressive fierceness emanating from White’s influence.
Whenever the battle grew most intense and the situation became critical, White would suddenly choose a tenuki, leaving everyone stunned and filled with dread.
White wasn’t bound by concerns of gaining or losing a single point or stone. Even amidst the most complex and chaotic moments, they maintained a panoramic perspective, demonstrating a terrifyingly profound grasp of the overall situation, an ability to assess positions, and an extraordinary depth of calculation.
This game wasn’t particularly intense after the tenuki moves; each skirmish stopped just short of escalating further. Yet, everyone watching felt their hearts pounding as if they were witnessing a fierce and bloody melee.
And so, even though the game had already ended, everyone remained immersed in the match, unable to utter a single word.
The silence spoke louder than a thousand words.
Su Yiming exhaled slowly, his gaze fixed on the board, still savoring the ingenious beauty of White’s tenuki moves.
If it were him, upon recognizing Black’s trap, he would have opted to maintain a blockade rather than attempt an invasion. By steadily building his position, he could wait for the perfect opportunity to launch an overwhelming attack, wiping out Black’s large dragon with ease.
That approach would also secure victory, so he hadn’t considered what might happen if he pretended not to see Black’s trap and attacked directly.
However, White’s aggressive response, followed by the tenuki plays, transitioned the game into a seemingly calm position, creating an oppressive momentum that relied on sheer influence.
It was hard to say which strategy was superior.
In this game, White’s approach of dominating through influence proved more suppressive, leaving no room for a counterattack, methodically devouring Black’s territory.
But what puzzled Su Yiming slightly was how the game’s tone had shifted. When he first observed the board, White had been aggressively attacking, leading to an intense battle. Later, White’s style changed to a graceful but ruthless domination, showcasing extraordinary skill.
The difference in style was striking. While top players could switch seamlessly between aggressive and passive strategies, this sudden shift felt odd. Why abandon the most aggressive moves for a suppressive approach?
“No matter the reasoning...”
“He’s no ordinary high school student.”
Su Yiming glanced at Yu Shao, his face full of admiration.
He had entered this year’s High School Go League out of curiosity about Go tournaments a century into the future. But he hadn’t expected to witness such an unpredictable and extraordinary game!
Returning his gaze to Coach Jin, he said, “Coach, shall we check how the other two games are going?”
Coach Jin didn’t respond.
Su Yiming turned his head in confusion, only to see Coach Jin staring at the board, beads of sweat dripping down his face.
“That kid from Jiangling High... is this strong?”
Meanwhile, Xu Zijin noticed that Yu Shao had already finished his match.
“He’s... already won again?”
Her eyes narrowed as she lowered her gaze to her board.
Moments later, her slender hand reached into the Go bowl, picking up a stone.
Row 17, Column 10—wedge!
The boy across from Xu Zijin blinked in surprise, suddenly sensing a shift in her presence.
Although she had always been elegant, her dark eyes now gleamed sharply, exuding a chilling aura and an oppressive pressure that seemed to push him back.
After a long pause, he refocused on the board, his pupils contracting in alarm.
“Not good! She’s abandoning the stones near the small point and wedging directly to cut off my formation! She’s already in a superior position—how can she afford to sacrifice stones ?”
His expression darkened as he glanced at Xu Zijin, then back to the board.
“Cut her off? No... if she hane-connects, I’ll be in trouble. Should I extend instead?”
Gritting his teeth, he deliberated for a long time before finally placing his next stone.
Row 16, Column 10—extend!
Both players began placing stones rapidly, engaging in an intense battle where neither gave an inch, each move aiming to annihilate the other.
The boy sitting across from Xu Zijin looked at the board with a grim expression.
In the end, he reluctantly lowered his head. “I’ve lost...”
Upon hearing this, Xu Zijin’s expression remained calm. She nodded politely. “Thank you for the game.”
The boy, still biting his lip, stared at the board.
Though he had fallen behind during the midgame, he’d clung tenaciously to the hope of a comeback. But after Xu Zijin played that wedge, the entire dynamic shifted.
Her relentless attacks and unexpected moves widened the gap, ultimately leaving him with no way to recover.
Despite his frustration, he managed to return the courtesy. “Thank you for the game...”
The spectators were stunned.
“Jiangling High has two wins.”
“South China Third High... is eliminated.”
Even after witnessing both matches firsthand, everyone found it hard to believe.
Under the tournament’s best-of-three rules, Jiangling High’s two victories meant the outcome of the third game no longer mattered.
Regardless of the result, Jiangling High was advancing to the finals.
And South China Third High—
Everyone had assumed South China Third High, the reigning champion, would take the title again this year, with only the runner-up position in doubt.
But now, the result had shocked everyone.
South China Third High, home to two dojo trainees, hadn’t even made it to the finals, falling in the semifinals instead.
And the team that defeated them—Jiangling High—was the one that had been eliminated in the first round for the past several years!