Is there a match between Yu Shao and Su Yiming?

It seems there isn’t.

However, this question was immediately and unanimously thrown out of the minds of all reporters!

Now that Yu Shao had just claimed the National Champion title, it was already destined to be explosive headline news. Moreover, these three games, with Yu Shao’s stunning performance, guaranteed this topic’s heat would last a considerable time!

At the moment Yu Shao had just obtained the National Champion title, Su Yiming’s words... were essentially a challenge issued in front of everyone!

Su Yiming even boldly declared that he would definitely claim the Great Go Player title. If this was reported, it would itself be a massive scoop!

Furthermore, Su Yiming said he would compete with Yu Shao after obtaining the title, which to the reporters sounded nothing less than a declaration of war!

Because this was tantamount to saying... winning one of the seven major domestic Go honors at seventeen, the National Champion title, was indeed a prodigious achievement, but I can do the same!

If I achieve what you have, then it’s time for us to compete again for supremacy!

“Big news!”

A group of reporters’ faces flushed with excitement as they immediately raised their cameras toward Yu Shao and Su Yiming, furiously clicking the shutters.

Many reporters had a vague premonition that if this story was reported, the attention and heat it stirred might not be any less than when Yu Shao won the National Champion title!

Suddenly, the sounds of camera shutters clicking repeatedly echoed nonstop down the long corridor of the Go institute.

“They say the glow of fireflies cannot compete with the brilliance of the sun and moon!”

One reporter looked through the DSLR viewfinder at the seemingly confrontational standoff between Yu Shao and Su Yiming, as if sensing a sense of destiny and secretly wanting to watch—

“But if both of them really claim their titles, then without a doubt, if they meet again, it will be a battle between the sun and the moon.”

“One expert after another has fallen to their hands.”

“And they will ultimately meet at the peak!”

“Sun and moon, victory and defeat, light and darkness... just like the black and white of Go!”

He exhaled heavily, his eyes shining bright.

“Over the years, China’s record in international tournaments hasn’t been bad, but it hasn’t been entirely satisfactory either. The top few players in the Go world are mostly Japanese and Korean.”

“However, now a new wave has arrived!”

“Yu Shao and Su Yiming!”

“Yu Shao has already claimed the National Champion title, entering the ranks of top-tier players, and Su Yiming is just one step away!”

His heart brimmed with anticipation, thoughts running wild, unable to calm down.

At this moment, Yu Shao looked solemnly at Su Yiming opposite him, gazing steadily, and finally spoke: “I am also waiting for the day we face each other again!”

...

The National Champion match had completely concluded.

Although the last game of the National Champion match hadn’t started for long, the enthusiasm for the National Champion match offline seemed to have just finished fermenting, strangely growing even colder—far colder than during the final decisive game.

Especially after the National Champion match ended, the conversation between Yu Shao and Su Yiming was reported by various media outlets, undoubtedly pouring a fresh bucket of fuel on an already burning fire!

“Since Ming was born, why was Yu born? After the National Champion match, Su Yiming declares war on Yu Shao!”

“Su Yiming boldly claims he will claim the Great Go Player title. Is another seventeen-year-old titleholder about to emerge?”

“Exclusive interview with Great Go Player Fu Shunan! Regarding Su Yiming’s bold claim, Fu Shunan smiled lightly and said he was watching with interest!”

“Is Su Yiming confident, or is he just boastful?”

“The Chinese Go world may face a new pattern! Zhang Dongchen, Zhu Huai’an, and Yu Shao, all under thirty, have claimed four major titles. If Su Yiming wins the Great Go Player title, then most holders of the seven major titles will be young players! Is a new era truly coming?”

“Japanese renowned player Tsuchiya Masahiko, during an interview with Japanese media this afternoon, said that although Yu Shao is young, he is already a player worthy of being called great. After watching the three games of the National Champion challenge match, he was deeply moved and very much looks forward to facing Yu Shao in the future!”

“European player Master Ander admitted in an interview with European media that Yu Shao will be a major rival for all players in future world tournaments.”

...

The internet buzzed nonstop, with countless posts about the National Champion match appearing almost every moment. Even topics about the Great Go Player tournament were mentioned alongside the National Champion match.

At this time, in Jiangling, inside an ordinary residential house.

Su Yiming sat at a four-legged Go table, intently gazing at the board before him, on which the final game between Yu Shao and Jiang Changdong was displayed.

After thinking for a moment, Su Yiming reached out and played out an alternative variation. As he played, his hand suddenly paused, and his brow furrowed slightly.

“No, even if there’s a sacrifice here, Black can still turn around. Unless White pushes in to fight and truly overwhelms Black, the retreat path will be completely cut off by Black.”

Su Yiming silently stared at the board. When the game reached midgame and he finally understood Yu Shao’s intention, even he was struck by unprecedented shock.

This method of winning without fighting, hiding sharpness while appearing clumsy, great skill disguised as simplicity—every move was not forceful, yet the meaning behind every move was infinitely profound, beyond his imagination.

For the first time watching a game, he felt an immense gap, a difference in realm so distant it left him feeling powerless.

“This game, from start to finish, was just quietly observing, then striking later with invasion, elimination, and territorial transformation in an invisible way.”

“His overall vision, combined with this calculated waiting strategy, ultimately produced this game…”

“This kind of big-picture thinking doesn’t focus on single points or local victories, it’s as if from the very first move, the whole game was laid with traps.”

Su Yiming stared at the board, slightly distracted: “How can someone see so far ahead? How can someone completely ignore temporary gains and losses...”

From a rational standpoint, ignoring temporary gains and losses is right, but people are still human. Humans cannot truly consider the entire picture, cannot truly ignore immediate gains and losses.

It’s like many games where a big sacrifice is possible, and after the big sacrifice, there is obviously a way to play on. But because of the risk of the big sacrifice, many dare not play it.

Because of this, considering the whole picture usually means not contesting local gains and losses, but people will worry that letting the opponent take advantage there might affect the development of the board later, so they fight over it.

Therefore, Su Yiming did not think anyone could truly see the whole board.

But in this game...

He saw it.

Someone could truly see the whole board, combining a terrifying big-picture view with delicate and meticulous play style, continually pushing the momentum, ultimately winning the game without fighting.

Winning without a single drop of blood spilled.

That might just be the sharpest blade of all.

After a moment, Su Yiming calmed himself and looked at the board again, his expression focused and serious.

“But this style of play, this big-picture view, is not without flaws.”

“Because it pays too much attention to the whole, it often misses brilliant moves in unclear local positions.”

“Perhaps because of this, this game Yu Shao played unusually simple and plain, with no unclear spots on the board, controlling the game right up to the endgame.”

“Because this style of play uses a far-reaching big-picture view, first making oneself invincible and waiting for the opponent’s weakness, eventually overwhelming the opponent like a constricting python to end the game.”

“But no matter how simple it is played, it can never calculate everything. Not even immortals can.”

“There will always be local areas of the board that are unclear. If you can find the one move in those unclear positions—”

“You win.”

Go is like this, full of dialectics. Being too strong doesn’t work, being too weak doesn’t work;

too thick doesn’t work, too thin doesn’t work;

too fast doesn’t work, too slow doesn’t work...

What you gain, you inevitably lose something;

losing something also inevitably brings compensation.

In Go, there are many examples where a move initially judged bad unexpectedly becomes the foundation for victory.

This is Go. Every move in Go is never absolutely good or bad. You can only judge its value yourself and play what you think is relatively better.

Many say Go is like life;

from Go, you can gain many philosophical insights about life.

Thinking of this, Su Yiming’s mind suddenly recalled the second game between Yu Shao and Jiang Changdong.

That game was a chaotic battle under unclear board conditions. Yu Shao no longer showed the hesitation and worries from previous games;

every move was resolute and decisive, crushing Jiang Changdong like a whirlwind.

“He... has become stronger.”

Su Yiming lowered his head, staring at the board in front of him.

“Although he still can’t combine big-picture vision with attacking and killing under unclear board positions, there are no longer the flaws he had before. There is no weakness to exploit to defeat him directly.”

“In other words, if I want to win him, I can only rely on pure strength and judgment to decide the match. The deciding factor will only be the difference in strength, nothing else!”

“If I haven’t improved at all during this time—”

“I will definitely lose.”

At that moment, a female voice suddenly sounded outside the bedroom: “Yiming, come out to eat!”

“Coming.”

Su Yiming finally snapped out of his reverie, quickly responded, withdrew his gaze, and got up to walk out of the bedroom.

In the living room, Mother Su wore an apron and carried a dish to the dining table, placing it down as she complained somewhat: “You kid, all you ever do is play Go.”

“Playing Go is so boring.”

Fu Shunan smiled faintly, came to the table, pulled out a chair, sat down, and picked up the rice ladle, serving himself some rice.

“Anyway, you understand it too well.”

“...Hmm.”

Su Yiming nodded truthfully upon hearing this.

“Sigh, really, you don’t seem to have ever beaten him, right?”

Mother Su was a little displeased, placing a piece of braised pork into Su Yiming’s bowl, and said: “It would be better if that kid wasn’t around. With your current achievements, you’d definitely be the brightest new star in the Go world!”

Hearing this, Su Yiming smiled faintly, then shook his head and said: “Mom, it’s not like that.”

“Hm?”

Mother Su looked at her son with some puzzlement and asked: “What’s wrong?”

“On the contrary, I think meeting a player like Yu Shao is my luck.”

Su Yiming smiled and said: “Otherwise, wouldn’t it be a bit boring?”

“Look at you, acting so capable.”

Mother Su couldn’t help but roll her eyes and worriedly asked: “So, are you confident about a rematch with that kid?”

“To be honest, not right now.”

Su Yiming shook his head and answered truthfully.

“Not right now?”

Mother Su was a little confused by this answer.

“Yeah.”

Su Yiming put down his chopsticks, nodded, then continued: “I’ve met many experts too. Sometimes I also lack confidence, but I keep moving forward, keep moving forward... and eventually defeat them!”

Su Yiming’s eyes grew sharp, and he continued: “For this rematch, I will also do my best, keep moving forward until I finally win!”

Seeing Su Yiming’s determined expression, Mother Su was stunned.

After a long while, Mother Su smiled wryly: “What are you saying, kid? Except for that kid named Yu Shao, it seems you’ve never lost a formal match, right?”

Su Yiming smiled quietly upon hearing this and said nothing more.

“I believe you will definitely win in the end.”

Mother Su thought for a moment, then asked again: “But the pressing matter is the upcoming Great Go Player tournament. Great Go Player Fu Shunan is a very formidable player.”

“You’re still too young, how can you say in front of so many reporters that you will definitely claim the title? What if you don’t get it in the end?”

Mother Su worriedly continued: “Everyone knows what reporters are like. If you don’t get the Great Go Player title, all kinds of rumors will come. You’re too impulsive...”

At this moment, Su Yiming interrupted Mother Su, firmly saying: “Mom, I will definitely win the Great Go Player tournament.”

“That’s not what I mean. Mom knows you’re really strong and doesn’t think you won’t get the title, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. Titleholders are different—they are the top players today.”

Mother Su still looked worried: “Besides, I checked, and Great Go Player Fu Shunan’s recent form is very good. Even against other titleholders, his record is mostly wins, few losses.”

Su Yiming was silent for a moment, then finally said: “Yu Shao has claimed the National Champion title.”

“Since Yu Shao got the National Champion title, then—”

“I must get the Great Go Player title!”

“Definitely!”