Chapter 445: Chapter 445
The crowd looked at the match schedule, searching for the players they each were following, whispering among themselves in a noisy commotion.
After a while, having repeatedly examined the match schedule several times, the venue finally gradually quieted down, and a solemn, oppressive atmosphere began to permeate the air.
A moment later, under everyone's gaze, Zhao Zhengyang walked back onto the stage and said slowly, "Well then, the opening ceremony and draw ceremony end here."
"All participating players, tomorrow at 9 AM, the Phoenix Cup World Championship will officially begin. We look forward to your stunning performances in the World Championship!"
Hearing this, everyone's expressions couldn't help but become serious. Each lost in their own thoughts, they turned around silently one after another and left the hall.
Tomorrow, the World Championship would begin!
But for half of the players, tomorrow's beginning would be their end. Just the first round of elimination matches would see half of the players directly leave, unable to continue further!
Zhuang Weisheng spoke up, then also turned and walked toward the hall exit. The group of Chinese players, all preoccupied with their thoughts, followed Zhuang Weisheng and left the hall together.
Hearing someone call his name, Yu Shao stopped walking and turned back curiously, then saw Su Yiming behind him.
"In this tournament, the early stages are all single-elimination format. If you lose just once, there's no second chance."
Su Yiming took a large step forward, walking alongside Yu Shao before asking calmly, "You won't be eliminated, right?"
Hearing this question, Yu Shao was momentarily stunned.
Would he be eliminated?
He actually hadn't considered at all whether he might be eliminated in the single-elimination rounds. Su Yiming's question caught him off guard.
If he were to say he had 100% certainty he wouldn't be eliminated, that obviously wouldn't be possible either. Opponents in the World Championship were destined to be strong, and in Go, a single mistake could lead to irreversible disaster.
No one could guarantee they wouldn't make mistakes. As long as one was human, there would inevitably be weaknesses. Even if the opponent's level was ordinary, if he wasn't careful and made a slip, of course he could lose.
Not just him—even if An Hongshi were to answer this question, he probably couldn't give a definitive reply.
So the question itself was quite strange.
Yu Shao thought for a moment before countering, "Do you think you'll be eliminated in the single-elimination rounds?"
The next second, Su Yiming's answer took Yu Shao completely by surprise.
Yu Shao was somewhat astonished, completely not expecting Su Yiming to give this answer.
"I won't be. As long as I haven't been eliminated yet, before encountering him—"
Su Yiming stopped walking, turned his head, and stared fixedly at Yu Shao before speaking again: "I definitely won't be!"
Hearing this answer, Yu Shao couldn't help but freeze.
After a moment of silence, Yu Shao finally started walking forward again, speaking as he went: "I'm the same. As long as I haven't been eliminated yet, then—"
"No matter who the opponent is."
A faint cold glint appeared in Yu Shao's eyes: "I will definitely win."
"That would be best."
Su Yiming said no more and also resumed walking, continuing toward the hall exit.
This night, facing the impending first round of the World Championship, many were destined to toss and turn, unable to sleep. On the internet across various countries, the popularity of the Phoenix Cup World Championship was rising at a staggering speed.
The next day, before 8 AM even arrived, some participating players had already begun trickling into the competition venue one after another.
They each found their seats and sat down, then waited silently without speaking as other participants arrived.
As time passed, more and more players gradually arrived at the competition venue.
Before long, Yu Shao also arrived at the competition venue alone.
During yesterday's opening ceremony, players from the southern division had gathered and come together, but once the competition began, everyone came to the venue separately.
This time, Yu Shao's arrival didn't attract any attention from the other participants. Many just glanced briefly at Yu Shao before immediately looking away.
The first round of the World Championship would eliminate half the players. Right now, all participants were focused only on their own opponents. Beyond that, others were irrelevant to them today—even Yu Shao was no exception.
However, besides the participants, the competition venue also had many referees, recorders, and some invited amateur players of some renown who had come to watch.
Seeing Yu Shao arrive, they indeed turned to look at him and began discussing in low voices.
"National Champion Yu Shao seems to be participating in the World Championship for the first time, right? I wonder what his final result will be. Do you think he has any chance of winning the championship?"
"With National Champion Yu Shao's strength, it's definitely possible. Online, National Champion Yu Shao is also a favorite to win, but... this is his first World Championship, so he lacks experience. That's what worries me."
"Who is National Champion Yu Shao's first-round opponent?"
"9-dan Dong He? Average luck there. 9-dan Dong He is also a seasoned veteran—not someone to be taken lightly."
They watched Yu Shao enter the competition venue, whispering among themselves.
Although Yu Shao guessed they were probably talking about him, he didn't know exactly what they were saying, but he didn't really mind either.
After scanning the competition venue, Yu Shao quickly found his position. He went to his seat, pulled out the chair, sat down, and like everyone else, began waiting.
Soon, as time approached 9 o'clock, more and more players arrived at the competition venue.
However, although the venue was filling up with people, it was surprisingly not very noisy. Only from the non-participant area would occasional whispers be heard.
Almost all the participants spoke very little, everyone looking preoccupied with their thoughts.
Some sat down and began repeatedly taking deep breaths while touching their hearts; some leaned back in their chairs with eyes closed, feigning sleep; some seemed unable to sit still, pacing back and forth in the competition venue.
There were also some who, though they had arrived at the competition venue, didn't enter but stood outside smoking cigarette after cigarette, continuously puffing away, trying to use nicotine to relieve their inner pressure and tension.
"Everything is just like before..."
Yu Shao silently watched this scene, feeling everything seemed familiar.
Although this world was different from his previous life in many ways, the scenes unfolding at the World Championship were no different from his previous life. The biggest difference was probably just that there were many more players now.
As the atmosphere in the entire competition venue grew increasingly tense and oppressive, the non-participants also seemed infected by this gradually intensifying atmosphere, lowering their voices when chatting with each other.
Before long, highly watched players like Su Yiming, Zhuang Weisheng, and An Hongshi also arrived at the competition venue one after another, taking their seats and similarly sparking discussion among the non-participants.
As for the participants, even regarding An Hongshi, aside from glancing at him when he entered the competition venue, they didn't look at him again afterward.
After a while, another young figure appeared at the competition venue's entrance.
The moment this figure appeared, the discussion among non-participants noticeably grew louder. Even the participants, though the newcomer wasn't their opponent, couldn't help but glance toward the entrance a few more times.
Even Yu Shao was no exception, looking toward the figure at the entrance.
The newcomer wore a black suit and had long hair. His handsome, refined face carried a heavy expression. It was none other than Higashiyama Kaoru.
After the first round draw results came out, the player who attracted the most attention wasn't Yu Shao, nor An Hongshi, nor Su Yiming—it was Higashiyama Kaoru.
Because in the first round of the World Championship, Higashiyama Kaoru was paired against his teacher, 10-dan Kimura Go. Today, one of them would inevitably be eliminated.
Higashiyama Kaoru took a deep breath and, under everyone's gaze, quickly walked to the Go table for his match today.
Kimura Go had already arrived at the competition venue before Higashiyama Kaoru. Seeing Higashiyama Kaoru approach opposite him, he looked up at his student.
Without a word, Higashiyama Kaoru silently pulled out his chair and sat down opposite his teacher.
Seeing this, many amateur players invited to watch the matches on-site exchanged glances, understanding each other's thoughts, and soon swarmed toward Higashiyama Kaoru and Kimura Go's table.
"Let's go, let's go. This is a show worth watching."
"Higashiyama Kaoru is really unlucky—facing his teacher in the first round. Teacher Kimura Go will have to prioritize duty over personal feelings."
Before long, Higashiyama Kaoru and Kimura Go's table was surrounded by crowds inside and out.
Only after seeing that Higashiyama Kaoru and Kimura Go were already surrounded did Yu Shao finally withdraw his gaze from Higashiyama Kaoru and continue waiting.
Finally, after a while, a slightly overweight young man around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old with chestnut-colored curly hair arrived opposite Yu Shao.
9-dan Dong He had arrived.
Dong He took a deep look at Yu Shao, then pulled out his chair and sat down.
Time passed minute by minute. By around 8:50, the entire competition venue was fully seated. The participating players who had been smoking outside earlier had all returned to the competition venue and taken their seats.
As all participating players took their positions, the atmosphere in the entire competition venue suddenly became intensely grave.
Right then, a young participating player suddenly stood up and, under everyone's puzzled gazes, walked out of the competition venue without looking back.
After another minute or two, the player who had just left hurried back. Different from when he left, his face now bore undried water stains—clearly he had gone out to wash his face with cold water.
Seeing this, everyone felt inexplicably emotional.
The moment the clock on the wall pointed to 9 o'clock, Chief Referee Zhao Zhengyang stood up from the referees' table and announced: "Competition time has arrived!"
"For this match, both sides have two hours each. Overtime countdown is one minute. Black gives 7.5 points komi. The competition follows single-elimination format—winners advance, losers are eliminated!"
"Now, the match begins. Players, please begin nigiri!"
Hearing Zhao Zhengyang finish speaking, Yu Shao immediately reached into the go bowl, grabbed a handful of stones, and clenched them in his palm.
Seeing this, Dong He's expression became somewhat complicated.
In Go nigiri, the higher-ranked player takes white stones while the lower-ranked player takes black stones to guess odd/even. If ranks are equal, the older player takes white while the younger takes black to guess odd/even.
At twenty-seven years old, he was actually quite young among high-dan players, and being 9-dan, after playing Go for so long, he usually took black stones when his opponent was older.
The number of times he needed to take black stones to guess odd/even against younger opponents could be counted on one hand.
Though strictly speaking, Yu Shao's rank was actually lower than his, Yu Shao had a title while he didn't, so naturally he took black.
Dong He took a deep breath, collected his scattered thoughts, glanced at Yu Shao again, then reached into the go bowl, took out stones, and placed them on the board.
Yu Shao opened his hand, and stones fell onto the board.
"Two, four, six, eight."
After counting the stones, Yu Shao looked up at his opponent and said, "Eight stones."
Dong He looked at the single black stone on the board and said, "Didn't guess right. You take black."
After speaking, Dong He returned the black stones to the go bowl, then he and Yu Shao exchanged bowls.
Yu Shao gently bowed toward Dong He opposite him as he spoke.
Dong He opposite him immediately returned the courtesy: "Please guide me."
Phoenix Cup World Championship, first round!
Yu Shao calmly gazed at the board, his right hand reaching into the go bowl, slowly picking up a stone.
Feeling the tense atmosphere permeating the air around him, at this moment Yu Shao felt as if he had returned to his previous life, to that battlefield he knew best!
Feeling the tense atmosphere permeating the air around him, at this moment Yu Shao suddenly felt as if he had returned to his previous life, to that battlefield he knew best!
Yu Shao's eyes were extremely calm as he finally picked up a stone and quickly placed it!
Column 17, row 4—komoku!
The stone landed on the board, clear and crisp!
Seeing Yu Shao's manner of placing stones, Dong He was actually somewhat stunned. It took him a good while before he finally came back to his senses.
The next moment, Dong He subconsciously clenched his fist, gritted his teeth, and felt an inexplicable surge of shame and anger. He immediately reached into the go bowl, picked up a stone, and placed it on the board.
The next moment, Dong He subconsciously clenched his fist, gritted his teeth, and felt an inexplicable surge of shame and anger. He immediately reached into the go bowl, picked up a stone, and placed it on the board.
Yu Shao quickly placed another stone.
Column 16, row 17—komoku!
Not to be outdone, Dong He also picked up and placed a stone.
Column 4, row 16—star point!
Both sides continuously placed stones. After forming an irregular komoku against twin-star formation opening, they quickly played another twenty-plus moves.
Both sides continuously placed stones. After forming an irregular komoku against twin-star formation opening, they quickly played another twenty-plus moves.
Dong He stared intently at the board, lost in thought.
After a few more seconds, Dong He finally reached a decision!
Dong He looked up at Yu Shao, reached into the go bowl, picked up a stone, then a fierce light appeared in his eyes as he slammed the stone onto the board! ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ꜰʀᴏᴍ novelꞁire.net
"Well then, come on!"
Column 18, row 12—knight's move press!
White's knight's move press was the most aggressive play!
After placing this stone, it aimed to both restrict black's influence while attacking black's corner territory—essentially baring the sharpest fangs. It seemed black would have a difficult response no matter how he answered!
The next moment, Yu Shao calmly looked at the board, then picked up a stone and again placed it as fast as lightning!
Column 19, row 4—atari!