Soon, Yu Shao also picked up a stone and slowly placed it down.

Clack!

Column 4, Row 16 —Star Point!

Zeng Jun quietly stared at the board. After a brief pause, he picked up another stone and gently placed it.

Clack!

The stone landed on the board—

Column 4, Row 4 —Star Point!

“Black’s second move… on theStar Point?”

Zeng Jun merely kept his eyes lowered, calmly watching the board. His expression was unreadable, betraying no emotion. It didn’t seem like he was baiting for a3-3 Invasion, or had any plan prepared for it.

It was as if… he didn’t know Yu Shao was known forinvading the 3-3, or rather—

If you're going to invade, then invade.

“He’s just playing his own game. No matter what Yu Shao does, he’s going to answer it head-on—completely unfazed by the sharpness of the3-3 Point!”

This thought suddenly flashed through all three of their minds.

From this move alone, it was already obvious—Zeng Jun was completely different from any of the players in the previous争棋matches.

“He’s playingStar Point.”

Yu Shao looked at the Black stone on theStar Point, a flicker of surprise flashing in his eyes.

“Should I still go for the3-3? Or…”

As the thought passed through his mind, Yu Shao couldn’t help but glance up at Zeng Jun.

Sensing Yu Shao’s gaze, Zeng Jun finally looked up as well. His eyes appeared calm, yet carried a sharp, silent pressure.

Yu Shao made up his mind, reached into the Go bowl, pulled out a white stone, and placed it gently.

Clack!

As the crisp sound echoed, the white stone landed on the board.

But this move… wasn’t the3-3 Pointeveryone had expected.

Instead—

Column 17, Row 16 —Small Point!

Everyone was momentarily stunned. Though a completely ordinary move, played at this moment, it carried subtle undertones.

White didn’t directlyinvade 3-3, but instead played aStar-Small Point formation, as if to say: “Let your hand be shown first—I’ll meet you there.”

Though the two of them hadn’t said a word, the sound of the stones spoke volumes. They were already locked in a standoff, refusing to back down.

Both players had set upStar-Small Point vs. Star-Small Point. This opening variation was complex and flexible, so no one could say yet what direction the game would ultimately take.

Zeng Jun’s expression shifted slightly, as if he, too, had heard the unspoken message behind Yu Shao’s move. After a moment, he picked up another stone and played.

Column 15, Row 17 —Small Knight’s Approach!

In response, Yu Shao instantly played back.

Column 17, Row 5 —Small Knight’s Approach!

Faced with Black’s corner approach, White ignored it entirely and mirrored the same attack—turning the question back to Black.

Black played again.

Column 16, Row 8 —Two-Space High Pincer!

White responded immediately.

Column 11, Row 17 —Three-Space Low Pincer!

Clack, clack, clack…

With the continued sound of stones landing, Black and White kept playing move after move.

Everyone watched nervously. Over a dozen moves passed. Both sides were holding back, laying down quiet formations without any direct conflict. The board remained tranquil.

And yet—watching this scene, an inexplicable pressure settled over everyone’s hearts.

Soon after, Yu Shao placed another White stone.

Clack!

Column 16, Row 7 —Attach!

“He’s trying to maneuver in the upper-right.”

Seeing this move, Zeng Jun instantly saw through Yu Shao’s intent.

“If I respond with aHane, White willPull back, and if he follows up with aClamp, he’ll immediately start threatening theSmall Pointgroup.”

Zeng Jun stared at the board, running through variations in his mind. His expression was stern.

“At this point, the board is still split evenly.”

“If IExtend two spacesto defend, White willCut. I’llAtari, White willStand, I’llBlock, and White willAtariagain, capturing my third-line stones. That formation would be redundant for me.”

“So…”

His eyes flashed. Finally, Zeng Jun picked up another Black stone and played swiftly.

Clack!

Column 4, Row 14 —Small Knight’s Move!

Yu Shao followed immediately.

Clack!

Column 15, Row 8 —Hane!

Seeing the move, Zeng Jun wasn’t surprised. Within a few seconds, he responded.

Column 16, Row 11 —Retreat!

Yu Shao stared silently at the board, then placed his next stone.

Clack!

Column 17, Row 7 —Stand!

“It’s here!”

In theHandtalk Room, the sound of stone-grabbing rang out sharply. The next moment, Zeng Jun fixed his gaze on a certain point and made his move.

Clack!

Column 17, Row 4 —Diagonal Push!

Like a sword drawn from its sheath!

After building up for more than twenty moves, the time had come. This Black stone fell, and the board suddenly erupted!

Seeing the move, everyone tensed. The sharp edge of this play was unmistakable.

Black had made the first move!

“ThisDiagonal Pushnot only secures territory but subtly applies fierce pressure to the four White stones on the upper right!”

In the American team’sReview Room, everyone stared tightly at the screen, the atmosphere heavy with tension.

Moments later, under the crowd’s gaze, White made a move:

Column 3, Row 6 —Small Knight’s Approach!

“He’s ignoring it? Heading left to fight for initiative at theStar Point?”

Everyone in theReview Roomwas briefly stunned. A hint of realization dawned on Ma Dong’s face, and his expression turned stern.

Quickly, Black also played:

Column 6, Row 3 —Small Knight’s Approach!

Immediately afterward, White responded:

Column 18, Row 4 —Hane!

“This…”

Seeing White delay his response, only now returning to the right side after an apparently unrelated move—everyone was even more puzzled.

But soon, their eyes widened with realization.

“It’s different! That earlier move changed everything!”

“If Black blocks now, White’sAtaribecomessente. After Black defends, White won’t continue here but will likelytenuki!”

“With that, White gains major flexibility on the right, and his stones on the lower left will begin forming a powerful framework!”

Handtalk Room—

“Can’t block anymore?”

Zeng Jun’s expression remained calm. He had already seen the subtle shift in momentum that White’stenukihad created.

After analyzing the position, his eyes darkened slightly. Then he picked up a Black stone and played:

Clack!

Column 3, Row 14 —Small Knight’s Approach!

Faced with White’sHane, Black also ignored it, choosing to approach the lower-left corner. Now, White couldn’ttenukiagain.

Yu Shao looked at the stone, then quickly dropped another White stone back in the upper right.

Clack!

Column 17, Row 2 —Small Knight’s Move!

Black’s attack had backfired. Now it was White pressuring Black’s three stones in the upper-right!

Zeng Jun quickly responded:

Clack!

Column 3, Row 5 —Diagonal Push!

“Black… ignored it again?!”

Even the recorder and two referees couldn’t believe their eyes.

Black didn’t respond to White’s pressure in the upper right—instead, he launched a fierce attack on White’s earlier approach in the upper left!

Moments later, White made another move:

Column 12, Row 3 —Small Knight’s Move!

“Still ignoring it?!”

The three officials were stunned.

White ignored Black’s upper-left attack and went straight for thecutting point, trying tokillthe upper-right Black stones!

Clack!

Another Black stone fell—

Column 9, Row 4 —Clamp!

“Again… no response?!”

Everyone in the room was completely dumbfounded.

…

Not just them—everyone watching the game was utterly shocked by this exchange.

In the Chinese team’sReview Room—

“They’re just… playing their own moves…”

Zhou Wei stared at the screen in disbelief, swallowing hard. “Neither is answering the other.”

The others remained silent, their faces full of shock.

Both sides were ignoring each other’s threats. That kind of confidence could only come from absolute judgment of value—because if one side misjudged, they'd instantly fall behind.

It wasn’t that such play was impossible. It’s that no one dared to do it.

And yet, here they were—two players doing exactly that. No tit-for-tat, no immediate trades. Just sheer aggression. Blades drawn.

“Su Yiming… right now, would you say the board is evenly matched?”

In the crowd, Peng Zeyang looked over and asked with some uncertainty.

“Roughly balanced. Hard to say with precision.”

Su Yiming stared at the screen and said, “Even if there’s a gap, it’s extremely small.”

Everyone took a deep breath, locking their eyes on the board.

Just then, another Black stone landed.

Column 6, Row 13 —Small Knight’s Move!

The moment they saw it, everyone’s expression shifted slightly.

“A strong move!”

…

Handtalk Room.

Zeng Jun lowered his gaze, focused intently on the board, calculating countless possibilities while waiting for Yu Shao’s response. He remained incredibly calm.

Soon after, Yu Shao picked up a stone and played.

Zeng Jun’s eyelids twitched slightly.

“MySmall Knight’s Movewas strong—but he found the most hiddenreduction pointon the board…”

He looked at the newly placed White stone.

“APeepright here—quietly reducing my shape. There’s even a subtle threat to cut through my vital stones.”

Zeng Jun quickly played another move.

“Looks like I’ll have to use the most ruthless method to drag him into akill fight!”

Clack!

Column 3, Row 12 —Shoulder Hit!

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by lotustale.com