"Then open your eyes wide and watch."
Hearing Shen Lang's words, Zhao Shengtian sneered, then picked up a black stone with his ring finger and index finger from the stone jar and placed it lightly on the board.
Zhao Shengtian's first move was very ordinary and conventional, exactly as a primary school Go teacher would instruct.
Shen Lang glanced at it, smiled slightly, then picked up a white stone and followed suit.
Yu Youwei watched them play. In just two minutes, they had placed thirteen stones.
Yu Youwei felt that both Zhao Shengtian and Shen Lang's Go skills were mediocre and unfocused, completely unlike a match between masters.
This was because Yu Youwei was also a Go expert. She had joined the Go club in university and had even won the provincial university Go competition for her club.
However, after watching Shen Lang and Zhao Shengtian play over a dozen moves, Yu Youwei felt that their moves were all conventional and unremarkable, with no hint of brilliance.
Furthermore, through the movements of the stones, Yu Youwei could clearly discern where Shen Lang and Zhao Shengtian had placed their stones and where they would move next.
"Shen Lang, it seems I've underestimated you."
After placing thirteen stones consecutively, Zhao Shengtian's movements slowed. He looked at the board where black and white stones intertwined, a hint of seriousness on his face, and said to Shen Lang, "It seems you truly understand Go. No wonder you are so confident."
"Zhao Shengtian, I told you, I am the most skilled Go player in the world. For at least three hundred years, no one will be able to reach my level. It's not too late for you to surrender now, otherwise, you will lose miserably, or even have your mentality shattered."
"Anyone can talk big. However, to defeat someone, it never takes words, but strength."
Zhao Shengtian slowly placed a black stone, a cold smile on his face, and said, "My Go master once told me that I am the most talented person she has ever seen in Go. My skills have reached the level of transcending mortality and entering sainthood. Even if I were to face a celestial being descended to the mortal world, I would be able to snatch half a victory from heaven."
"It seems your master was not very honest to say such things."
Shen Lang smiled and said, "Perhaps you paid too much for your apprenticeship, making her unwilling to tell you the truth. It seems the ancients did not deceive me, for money can not only make ghosts push mills but also make them spout lies."
With that, Shen Lang followed up with a white stone.
"This move..."
Yu Youwei, standing nearby, was stunned when she saw Shen Lang place the white stone. This move would allow Zhao Shengtian's black stones to capture a small group of Shen Lang's white stones. Wasn't this self-defeating?
However, Yu Youwei adhered to the principle of a gentleman watching a game without speaking. Even though she knew Shen Lang had made a mistake, she remained silent.
"Snap—"
As Yu Youwei was contemplating, Zhao Shengtian expressionlessly picked up a black stone. After half a second of thought, he placed the dark gray stone on the board.
This black stone, along with others, cut off all the liberties of Shen Lang's three white stones, instantly killing them.
Seeing this, Zhao Shengtian expressionlessly scooped up the three white stones and placed them into a stone jar for captured stones.
"Shen Lang, I know you intended to sacrifice these three stones to lure me into a trap you had already set. But I don't mind. Because even if I'm ambushed from all sides, I can fight with my back to the river and turn the tide."
After capturing Shen Lang's three white stones, Zhao Shengtian picked up a black stone, weighing it in his hand, and said, "I never fear entering a dead end. I only fear that a dead end lacks challenge. It has always been this way."
"Zhao Shengtian, you are meticulous and your schemes are unfathomable. If you were to walk the righteous path, you would be a second Song Shadao. But it's a pity that you prefer to take the unconventional route, the evil path. This way, your end will only be self-destruction."
Shen Lang smiled and said, "It's good that you can see through my trap. But have you ever considered that what you are seeing now is precisely what I want you to see?"
"If saying so helps you find an excuse for your incompetence, this young master doesn't mind."
Zhao Shengtian smiled and said, "Many people are arranged by fate, while I arrange fate. The world is like a game of Go, and people are like pieces. You claim to be the player, but you don't realize you are merely one of the many pieces."
"A piece that tries to play the role of a player is rebellious and should not be. Because in doing so, only death awaits you."
Zhao Shengtian seemed to be talking about the game, but also not about the game. He flicked his wrist, and the black stone in his hand flew up.
"Snap—"
After Shen Lang placed a white stone, the black stone falling from mid-air landed precisely on the board, forming a new encirclement against Shen Lang with the already placed black stones.
Throughout this, Zhao Shengtian's expression remained calm and confident, clearly showing his strong belief in his Go skills.
Seeing Zhao Shengtian's confidence, Yu Youwei turned her gaze to Shen Lang and found him looking lazy.
Shen Lang's lazy demeanor seemed to tell Yu Youwei that the current game was not worth taking seriously, and neither was Zhao Shengtian.
Following this, Zhao Shengtian and Shen Lang played seven more moves. Eventually, five of Shen Lang's white stones were once again captured by Zhao Shengtian's black stones, their liberties cut off. Zhao Shengtian picked them up one by one.
Then, as Shen Lang placed a white stone, it formed a pincer with his previously placed white stones, capturing four of Zhao Shengtian's black stones, thus halting Zhao Shengtian's fierce offensive.
However, on the board, Zhao Shengtian's black stones already possessed the latent power of a black dragon. Although not yet fully formed, dark clouds pressed down, relentlessly attacking Shen Lang's white stones.
Shen Lang's white stones could only defend, and he was gradually falling into a disadvantage.
"Snap—"
As Yu Youwei worried for Shen Lang, Zhao Shengtian picked up a black stone and placed it. Seeing this, Shen Lang followed with a white stone.
Under Yu Youwei's watchful eyes, for the next half hour, Zhao Shengtian and Shen Lang played furiously.
Zhao Shengtian's black stones were sharp and unstoppable, attacking Shen Lang's white stones with the fury of a whirlwind. Shen Lang's white stones could only parry, with no power to fight back. After they had played one hundred stones, Shen Lang was completely at a disadvantage.
Shen Lang had captured thirty-three of Zhao Shengtian's black stones, while Zhao Shengtian had captured seventy-two of Shen Lang's white stones. It was not just Yu Youwei, but even someone who knew nothing about Go would know that Shen Lang was no longer a match for Zhao Shengtian.
"Shen Lang, you are quite impressive. Aside from the old men in Longdu, I haven't encountered such a tenacious opponent."
As Yu Youwei inwardly despaired, Zhao Shengtian exhaled a breath of stale air and said, "You set eight traps in one go, and I fell into all of them. But by fighting within the traps, I managed to kill all your white stones. What other tricks do you have? Continue."