Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

The Great Go Player Tournament had stirred a huge sensation online after Su Yiming’s two consecutive wins pushed the match directly into the final decisive game.

In the past two days, attention on the Great Go Player Tournament only grew stronger. By the morning of the match day, as early as six or seven a.m., countless viewers had flooded the official live broadcast room, with barrage comments flying across the screen.

Everyone was waiting for the game to start, waiting for the outcome of this match!

The third game of the Great Go Player Tournament was also the one that decided the title. If Su Yiming won again, the match would end immediately, and the new Great Go Player would be Su Yiming!

“What will be the result of this game?”

Someone silently wondered in their heart.

This was not only his question but the question on the minds of all those watching in front of their TVs or computers, waiting anxiously for this game’s result!

Time quietly slipped away. As the match time drew near, the number of online viewers in the live room began to surge at an astonishing speed!

At 9:50 a.m.,

Inside the Go room of the Western Go Academy, Su Yiming and Fu Shunan sat opposite each other at the Go board, ready for battle.

Unlike before, Fu Shunan’s expression was now extremely heavy. His fists clenched tightly the entire time, clearly troubled by the stakes of this crucial game.

After a moment, the referee sitting before the desk glanced at his watch. Seeing that the match time had arrived, he finally spoke in a deep voice, “Time has come. The colors switch for this game. Su Yiming, 3rd dan, plays Black;

Fu Shunan, Great Go Player, plays White!”

“Each player has three hours available, with a byo-yomi of one and a half minutes. Komi is 7.5 points. Now...”

The referee paused, then looked at the two seated players, and finally announced, “The match begins!”

Su Yiming and Fu Shunan bowed to each other, then Su Yiming gazed at the board and slowly placed the first stone under the watchful eyes of the entire world.

Clack!

Column 14, Row 4, star point!

...

Meanwhile,

Yu Shao did not go to the Mountain Sea Go Club today. Instead, he stayed home alone, watching the third battle of the Great Go Player Tournament on his computer.

On the screen, each time a black or white stone was placed, Yu Shao simultaneously picked up stones and arranged the board himself, silently observing the game.

Clack.

Clack.

Clack.

The sound of stones hitting the board echoed continuously in the room.

After a moment, seeing Fu Shunan hesitate without placing a stone and entering a long period of thought, Yu Shao looked at the board and also fell into contemplation.

“Fu Shunan is still managing the central area. White has formed a spectacular central position inside the territory. It’s a pass, but White’s move is poor, lacking small amounts of territory support. The board’s score is still about two points...”

“But the losses in the previous two games might have affected the Great Go Player. The situation isn’t bad, but he seems overly cautious.”

“Here, White hesitates between climbing the second line or cutting?”

Yu Shao examined the board silently.

Both climbing the second line and cutting are playable. Climbing the second line is sturdier, cutting is more aggressive. How the game develops depends on White’s next move.

However, no matter what White plays, Black also has appropriate responses. White still has some follow-up moves, and both sides are wary of each other.

Finally, after a long time, on the TV screen, Fu Shunan picked up a stone and quickly placed it.

Clack!

Column 8, Row 12, small knight’s approach!

“No climbing the second line, no cutting.”

Seeing this move, Yu Shao slightly frowned, “Instead, a small knight’s approach?”

Yu Shao stared intently at the screen, even forgetting to arrange stones in sync, his mind racing to calculate the resulting variations. His expression gradually grew more serious.

“A completely unexpected move. At first glance, this position looks odd—neither urgent nor a large-scale strategic point. But thinking deeper, this move actually corresponds to both urgent points and large-scale areas simultaneously!”

“Black has been counterattacked!”

Yu Shao’s eyes did not blink as he stared at the board, frantically calculating in his mind to find a way out.

Faced with Fu Shunan’s move, it seemed Su Yiming had not anticipated it either and fell into deep thought, not placing a stone for a long time.

After a while, Su Yiming finally picked up a stone and continued.

Clack!

Column 8, Row 10, central pressure!

“Central pressure is indeed the strongest local response, but White might respond with a diagonal move, which would bite into Black’s position!” ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ ɴovᴇl(ꜰ)ir(e).nᴇt

As soon as Su Yiming placed his stone, Yu Shao immediately thought this, then saw a white stone fall on the board.

Clack!

Column 9, Row 9, diagonal move!

Seeing Fu Shunan’s stone placed, Su Yiming quickly picked up a stone and followed up.

Clack!

Column 6, Row 5, cut!

The next second, Fu Shunan placed a stone swiftly as well.

Clack!

Column 7, Row 8, extension!

Yu Shao watched intently, already seeing the outcome of this exchange!

“White’s attack has dealt damage to Black. Now White can only protect by playing a tiger’s mouth!”

The next moment!

Clack!

Black, Column 11, Row 7, tiger’s mouth!

Right after Black’s move, White quickly pressed forward on the board with breathtaking speed!

Clack!

Column 8, Row 5, hane!

Both sides placed stones rapidly. Although each player has three hours, this felt like a blitz game wrapped into thirty minutes!

After finding an opportunity, Fu Shunan played several moves in a row, each sharp and ruthless, mercilessly attacking Black’s weak points with extreme force!

“Black’s shape is shattered!”

Yu Shao’s expression was extremely serious as his eyes reflected the game’s tension.

“Moreover, Black actually has dead stones to borrow, but White has seen through this and cut off Black’s retreat. Even Black’s stones on the right side are in danger!”

Under Yu Shao’s watchful eyes, black and white stones continued to alternate on the board.

Su Yiming clearly realized the danger and started to fiercely attack White’s gaps, trying to turn White into a broken shape. However, Fu Shunan unleashed an even more ruthless spirit, ignoring the broken shape and boldly cutting Black’s path!

In this fierce contest, White player Fu Shunan showed a sharpness that even made Yu Shao glance sideways in admiration!

“I think I underestimated him.”

Watching every move of Fu Shunan, Yu Shao’s expression grew more serious.

“After all, he is a Great Go Player, one of the top players today—”

“Black has fallen behind!”

...

This sudden twist stunned everyone. Everyone stared intently at the game, instinctively holding their breath, feeling the killing intent radiating from the board!

“It’s just... too beautiful!”

“These White moves are simply marvelous, each one extremely powerful!”

“I told you Fu Shunan wouldn’t be so easily defeated! He once swept through all Japanese players in the Masters Invitational, creating a miracle!”

“This is the Fu Shunan I know—seizing the opportunity and applying overwhelming power to crush his opponent!”

Barrage comments kept flooding the live room!

At this moment, inside the Go room,

Two referees and the recorder all instinctively craned their necks, closely watching the board nearby, seemingly wanting a clearer view!

Clack!

Black stone placed!

Seeing Su Yiming’s move, Fu Shuju’s eyes turned fierce. He quickly reached into the stone box, picked up a stone, and forcefully placed it!

“Black’s position isn’t good. Fu Shunan thinks through every move carefully, giving Black no chance to breathe!”

One referee scrutinized the board, sensing the powerful strength behind each White move and feeling awed.

“Although Fu Shunan lost the previous two games, he seems to have revived in this game. The Great Go Player title is still undecided!”

“Perhaps Fu Shunan can come back from two games down to win three straight and defend his title again!”

Thinking this, he couldn’t help but glance sideways at Su Yiming.

Seeing Su Yiming’s expression, he was stunned.

Su Yiming sat calmly despite the unfavorable situation, showing no trace of anxiety or panic, as if it were White who had fallen behind, not Black!

“Could it be that all this is within Black’s expectations? Does Black have other tricks up his sleeve?”

The referee’s mind involuntarily flashed this chilling thought!

Su Yiming lowered his gaze to the board, calculating possible future variations in his mind.

Of course, none of this was unexpected to him.

He knew well that his Black position was already precarious!

“Over a hundred years ago, facing challenges from various masters, I too fell into bitter battles and was once on the losing side.”

“But even if they gained the upper hand in the midgame, in the end, they were defeated by me!”

Su Yiming reached into the stone box again, feeling the cold temperature of the stones with his fingertips.

One hundred and eighty years ago and one hundred and eighty years later—two completely different worlds. People from 180 years ago could never have dreamed of the world 180 years from then.

But some things haven’t changed even after 180 years.

Like the cold temperature of the stones.

“The next move is a jump. If White presses on, it will be troublesome. If I block, White’s large knight’s approach will cut off my retreat. So I will play a tiger’s mouth—protecting while secretly setting up a large ko fight!”

“As long as I entangle White and quietly hold on, when the ko fight appears, it will be Black’s chance to survive!”

Su Yiming slowly picked up a stone.

The next moment, the stone fell!

“Since Yu Shao earned the National Champion title, then I must claim the Great Go Player title!”

“Yu Shao lost a game, so I won’t lose a single one!”

Clack!

Column 5, Row 11, tiger’s mouth!

Though the sound was soft, it landed decisively.

Clack!

Clack!

Clack!

Under everyone’s watchful eyes, stones began to fall continuously again, spreading rapidly like an avalanche!

As the stones piled up, a trace of shock appeared in everyone’s eyes!

“White’s jump is clearly an order move. Black has no other choices but to abandon stones here, but this variation, upon deeper thought, subtly threatens White’s large group!”

“So resilient! Under such a fierce attack by White, Black actually managed to entangle White, preventing White from breaking through for the time being!”

“But it’s useless. Black’s entanglement here is remarkable but flawless in play. The gap on the board is impossible to close.”

“Not necessarily. Perhaps Su Yiming is pinning his hopes on the endgame? The midgame deficit can’t be caught up, but he hopes to win in the endgame?”

“That’s too risky. The endgame skills of such top players usually don’t differ much.”

“But there’s no other choice. Trying to grind through the endgame is the only hope, and holding on in the midgame is already good!”

Watching White fail to break Black’s position, the barrage comments in the live room flew like a waterfall. Everyone nervously watched the game, their hearts unsettled.

Then, under the eyes of the world, a black stone was placed right beside a white stone.

Clack.

Column 18, Row 11, bent move!

“Black boldly attacks!”

Everyone could feel the heavy, oppressive atmosphere in the air and instinctively held their breath.

Black was already in a difficult position here. White’s attack was too fierce for Black to manage. But Su Yiming’s response shocked them.

Black stubbornly bit into White’s stones, using offense to replace defense!

Yes.

Defense is not always defense. In this case, White had already formed a strong group, but Black played the most terrifying move, abandoning the rear and continuing to fight fiercely with White!

This was equivalent to cutting off one’s own arm first to seize the initiative. If Black could then sever one of White’s arms with this initiative, Black would not lose out!

Seeing Black’s move on the board, White immediately followed with another stone. Although White held the advantage, the local fighting saw the roles reversed in attack and defense!

Clack!

Clack!

Clack!

“Black secured this area, making life here!”

After seven or eight more moves, someone couldn’t help but exclaim!

This did not mean Black had turned the tables. It only meant Black used the initiative to make up for previous losses. White still held the advantage, but the gap could not be extended!

Both sides soon played over ten moves continuously. White’s every move was merciless, causing immense pressure. But astonishingly, Black repeatedly entered dangerous ending positions, yet the difference remained tightly contested!

Everyone’s eyes widened bit by bit, staring at the game with a mix of shock and confusion.

Under these circumstances, it really seemed that Black had... held on!

Soon, another white stone fell on the board,

And at the moment that white stone landed, Black almost immediately placed another stone right after!

Clack!

Column 12, Row 13, atari!

“Atari?”

Seeing this utterly unexpected move, everyone was stunned.

The two sides were fiercely entangled, but this move completely deviated from the main battlefield, landing in a bizarre position.

However, the next moment, when they looked carefully and thought it through, their faces turned pale with shock!

“This seems to have formed...”

“A ko fight?”

At this moment, a white stone that had been hidden for most of the game finally revealed its significance after more than thirty moves, corresponding with all Black stones on the board, creating an unprecedented large ko fight!