TGPSAC – Chapter 155

“An internal struggle at the Lu Family Go Academy? Now this is interesting.”

“Who do you think will win, Yu Jiuzhou or Tu Cen?”

“I’m betting on Tu Cen. He’s been famous for a long time, a Go prodigy since childhood.”

“Yeah, Tu Cen is really strong. He was undefeated among his peers growing up, and after reaching his peak at twenty-eight, he’s barely lost a match in the last five years.”

“If you’re going to say that, Yu Jiuzhou’s win rate is one hundred percent. That’s much higher.”

“What does win rate matter? How many years has she been playing? And how many has Tu Cen played?”

“Then let’s just look at the data from the last two years. Is Tu Cen’s win rate higher than Yu Jiuzhou’s?”

“What’s the point of arguing? This isn’t a betting house. We’ll have the result once the game is over.”

A flurry of discussion broke out among the crowd, everyone eager to know who would win. One was hailed as a genius among geniuses, the other possessed an absolute win rate. A contest between the two was sure to be a spectacle.

For those who understood Go, being able to witness such a match was a true blessing.

Chi Wan could hear the many discussions. The audience was composed of Go players and staff, but since it was the Go Sage Championship, there were still several hundred people present.

Even if they were whispering, the murmurs of several hundred people sounded like the buzzing of mosquitoes, grating on the nerves.

But soon, the match began, and the referee announced loudly, “Quiet in the hall.”

Anyone unable to remain quiet would be asked to leave. If they caused a disturbance, they would risk their future careers, as everyone present was either a Go player or worked in a related field.

With silence finally falling around her, Chi Wan focused her attention on the game.

Yu Jiuzhou played white, and Tu Cen played black.

Tu Cen played first. After a few quick moves, he placed a black stone on the side.

Yu Jiuzhou thought for a moment before placing her stone on the star point in the lower-left corner.

Both sides played with great caution, each taking about two minutes to consider every move. Finally, the opening phase concluded, and the game moved into the middle game.

An hour had already passed. At this rate, the game would likely take three hours, by which time it would be noon. Everyone would have to break for lunch, and the final match for the Go Sage title would be postponed until the afternoon.

But as the middle game began, Yu Jiuzhou suddenly took the initiative, playing her stones almost instantly, with no thought at all. Her rapid-fire moves clearly had an impact on Tu Cen.

They were both human, and their skills were considered roughly equal. For one to play instantly while the other needed at least two minutes to think was a psychological blow.

Yu Jiuzhou’s attacks grew fiercer. With the opening complete, she focused solely on offense, neglecting defense.

The commentator was surprised. “Yu Jiuzhou is playing too recklessly. If her attack is reversed, she’ll have no way to fight back.”

“Can Tu Cen find a way to counter? Black doesn’t have much solid territory. How will he attack white to give himself some breathing room?”

“And if Yu Jiuzhou’s relentless assault fails to break through black’s defenses, it will be very difficult for her to win.”

Chi Wan frowned. Yu Jiuzhou’s offense was overwhelming, but her defense was lacking. Tu Cen’s defense was solid, but his offense was weak.

Knowing Yu Jiuzhou, she shouldn’t be this reckless. Did she have a follow-up plan?

Half the spectators in the hall could no longer follow the game, but those who could began to explain, as the official commentary wasn’t detailed enough.

“Tu Cen is still playing it safe. With such a steady approach, he’ll gain the upper hand as soon as he finds a flaw in Yu Jiuzhou’s play.”

“Yu Jiuzhou is too impatient. She wants a quick victory, but that’s impossible between players of the same level, unless the opponent makes a huge mistake.”

“So if she’s this impatient, doesn’t that mean she’s going to lose?”

“Not necessarily. Yu Jiuzhou’s attack is ferocious. If Tu Cen only defends and can’t find an opening, he might run out of room to survive.”

“I still think Yu Jiuzhou is being too hasty. At this rate, it’ll be hard for her not to make a mistake.”

“Let’s just wait and see.”

It sounded like most people didn’t favor Yu Jiuzhou, all because her play was so rushed and aggressive. Go was a game that valued stability—not too much, but not too little either.

Chi Wan studied the board intently. The current situation was that Yu Jiuzhou was constantly advancing, trying to capture stones.

Tu Cen was constantly evading, trying to avoid being captured.

At this level, players looked at the whole board, not just short-term gains and losses. That was why they played so cautiously from the opening, with deep thought being essential.

No, that wasn’t right. Yu Jiuzhou had been thinking during the opening. It was only in the middle game that she started playing instantly. This meant she had already calculated every one of Tu Cen’s middle-game moves, which was why she could play so quickly.

It was true that some players could discern their opponent’s intentions from the very beginning of the opening, but she and Tu Cen were players of equal skill.

“Black, press!”

The commentator’s voice suddenly rose in excitement. “The black stone is pressing forward! Tu Cen is counter-attacking.”

That was it. Chi Wan understood. Yu Jiuzhou was forcing Tu Cen to counter-attack, using overwhelming force to break through everything.

Tu Cen’s opening had been defensive. Or rather than defensive, it was a strategy to lure the enemy in deep and then annihilate them.

Yu Jiuzhou had seen through his intention. It was impossible for them to both play defensively and remain in a stalemate—though not entirely out of the question, they could slowly seek a breakthrough.

But Yu Jiuzhou refused. She had thought of another solution: relentless attack. Tu Cen could either meet her head-on or watch as she continuously attacked, disrupting his setup.

Her attacks seemed chaotic, as if she were playing wherever an opportunity arose, but in reality, every move was part of a larger plan.

Suddenly, the commentator exclaimed in surprise, “She’s yielding! Yu Jiuzhou is yielding.”

“The moment Tu Cen engaged, Yu Jiuzhou actually backed down. What is she planning?”

Chi Wan’s eyes lit up. You can lure the enemy in deep, and I can feign an attack to lure you out. Once you take the bait, I can concede one point, then two…

Yu Jiuzhou conceded two points in a row, and then suddenly, the white stones pressed forward like an overwhelming army.

“White is pressing forward!”

“White is capturing points, overwhelming with force!”

“White has won! Tu Cen has lost!”

“In this game, Yu Jiuzhou 9-dan, playing white, wins in 301 moves!”

“Yu Jiuzhou wins!!!”

The commentator’s voice grew louder and more excited. He had never expected to see such a quick victory in a match between players of this caliber.

Two hours was incredibly fast for a game at this level.

This commentator, however, was a bit biased. He looked down on female players and had made several remarks about them being impatient. This victory was the best way to shut him up.

The main issue was that Tu Cen only figured out what Yu Jiuzhou was doing at the very end. As a player caught in the game, he was blind to it, and by the time he saw clearly, it was too late.

Chi Wan was an outsider. Her Go skills had been personally taught by Yu Jiuzhou, so her line of thinking was about eighty percent similar. That was why she was able to see what white was truly planning during the middle game.

Yu Jiuzhou had won. It was truly something to celebrate.

She stood up to welcome her returning champion. The other match was still ongoing and didn’t look like it would end anytime soon. They could go have a meal first.

As for the defeated Tu Cen, he was clearly dejected. He had considered the possibility of losing, but he never thought he would lose so quickly.

The old men on the judging panel exchanged glances, shock evident in their eyes.

“I never would have thought this young woman would appear out of nowhere, make it to the Go Sage Championship, and defeat a player of the same level so quickly.”

“I’d long heard that Yu Jiuzhou’s play was extremely meticulous, but today we saw a different side of her.”

“This game was just as meticulous. She appeared reckless, but in reality, it was great wisdom disguised as foolishness. She used overwhelming force to break through everything. No matter how well Tu Cen set up his board, Yu Jiuzhou understood his intentions from the very beginning.”

“Tu Cen plays too safely. Among players of the same level, playing it safe is a good thing, but it also means there are no surprises, making it easy for an opponent to read your intentions.”

“That’s easy for you to say. Playing it safe is a good thing. Not everyone is as crazy as Yu Jiuzhou. If Tu Cen had seen what she was planning earlier and conceded those two points, the outcome might have been different.”

“In a match, the player’s mindset is the key to victory. Besides, if any of you were in Tu Cen’s position, would you have dared to concede two points? Conceding would have been suicide.”

“Alright, alright, the other match is about to conclude as well.”

Chi Wan met up with Yu Jiuzhou and quickly handed her a thermos filled with chrysanthemum and goji berry tea, which was good for her health.

Sipping the water, Yu Jiuzhou watched the other match on the screen for a moment before turning around. “Let’s go. The winner has been decided.”

“The skill gap between them isn’t large. Black will win by a narrow margin,” Chi Wan had also figured it out.

The two of them went to the backstage lounge. Chi Wan took out a lunchbox. When competing, ensuring the food was clean was essential. During a match that lasted several hours, there could be no unexpected incidents.

So they didn’t eat at the cafeteria. Instead, Chi Wan had prepared food that morning, and it was still warm enough to eat at noon in the insulated container.

“It’s very light. I’ll take you out for something nice tonight.” Chi Wan massaged Yu Jiuzhou’s hand. Holding the Go stones for so long must have been tiring.

An unknowing observer might think each stone weighed dozens of pounds.

Yu Jiuzhou leaned into Chi Wan’s embrace. “Mm.”

She didn’t have much energy to talk. A game like that was mentally exhausting, and she had another one coming up that required her full attention.

This was the advantage of finishing early. She could rest first, giving her more recovery time than the winner of the next match.

Half an hour later, the commentator’s voice came from the screen in the lounge: “Cui Pin is the winner. The next match will be between Yu Jiuzhou 9-dan and Cui Pin 9-dan, starting in one hour.”

One hour was just enough time for a meal. Yu Jiuzhou had already finished eating and was now taking a walk around the lounge.

With a bit of rest time, Chi Wan would give her a full-body massage and acupuncture therapy to help her recover to peak mental condition as quickly as possible.

One’s mind was sharpest right after waking up and washing up in the morning. As time wore on, that sharpness faded, especially after a high-intensity mental battle like a Go match.

Chi Wan’s massage and acupuncture skills were top-tier. Even if the other side also had a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, their technique couldn’t compare to hers.

The competition for the next match had already begun the moment the first one ended—the extra rest time, the opportunity to observe the opponent’s game in advance, scouting their full-strength play in the previous round, and so on.

When Cui Pin returned to his lounge, he immediately collapsed onto the sofa.

“Have the doctor give you acupuncture first. Eat a little something later, just enough so you won’t be hungry during the next match.”

A woman in the lounge waved for someone to administer acupuncture to Cui Pin.

After about ten minutes, Cui Pin had recovered some of his energy. “How was she so fast?”

He was clearly talking about Yu Jiuzhou. Finishing her match half an hour before him was a significant advantage.

The woman’s voice sounded. “I watched her game. Her observational skills are exceptionally sharp. Tu Cen was unable to make the necessary sacrifices, and that’s why he lost.”

“Sacrifices? Sometimes, a single sacrifice can mean losing the game. When you’re in the middle of it, who can be bold enough to make that choice?”

That was why the two points Yu Jiuzhou had conceded were an incredibly bold move.

An hour passed quickly, and the match began.

Yu Jiuzhou still wore a calm expression; no one could see any nervousness in her.

Chi Wan’s state of mind was also fine. She secretly squeezed Yu Jiuzhou’s hand. “You can do it.”

“Okay.”

Yu Jiuzhou smiled, then she overheard people discussing them.

“Did you see? The news is true. The two of them were just holding hands.”

“Yeah, I can’t believe they’re in that kind of relationship. It’s so unnatural.”

“Two beautiful women together is a nice sight, but if they’re in that kind of relationship, it’s as uncomfortable as seeing two guys together.”

Chi Wan frowned. News? What news?

She opened her phone and checked the latest trending topics. She was shocked to see news about Yu Jiuzhou.

#GoSaintChampionshipContestantYuJiuzhouActuallyHasAGirlfriend#

She clicked on the article. It contained secretly taken photos, pictures of them on their seaside wedding trip, and a tip from an informant.

—It is reported that Yu Jiuzhou suddenly achieved professional status at the age of twenty-eight and became a 9-dan player within a single year, subsequently winning championships in major tournaments. If she wins the Go Sage title, she will be the strongest player of our time. However, she has a girlfriend. This girlfriend is said to be a doctor, a graduate of a top university with a direct Ph.D. program, who has won awards in numerous traditional Chinese medicine competitions and later sold many medical patents. Her skills in traditional Chinese medicine are said to be incredible, and she has been called a once-in-a-century genius. She should have become an angel who heals the sick and saves lives, but for the sake of true love, she is willing to become the manager of a Go player. (Due to Chi Wan being a private citizen, her face has been censored.)

The publisher had censored her face, but the comments below had not. It was clear the person behind this wanted to expose them.

The article itself didn’t pass judgment on their relationship, but the latter half was clearly meant to guide netizens to cyberbully them. A genius who could save lives, cultivated with who knows how many resources, was now “not attending to her proper duties.” This drew even more criticism.

【What a waste of resources. She became a successful doctor but isn’t treating patients, choosing to be a manager instead. If I’d known she was this kind of person, she never should have been allowed to study medicine.】

【This world is truly messed up. One is a Go player, basically an athlete, and the other is an heir to the world of Chinese medicine, willing to debase herself for this kind of relationship.】

【So, the medical world has lost an expert and gained an abnormal person.】

These were the nicer comments. There were many other disgusting and nonsensical remarks. A quick look showed that most of them came from male accounts, which fit Chi Wan’s stereotype of the internet.

Chi Wan frowned and locked her phone without a word.

The person Yu Jiuzhou cared about most was her. If this storm, clearly orchestrated by someone behind the scenes, hadn’t affected her, Yu Jiuzhou might not have cared at all.

However, the last thing Yu Jiuzhou wanted to see was Chi Wan getting hurt.

“What happened?” Yu Jiuzhou had, of course, heard the nearby discussions and seen Chi Wan’s actions.

She didn’t believe nothing was wrong, despite Chi Wan’s calm demeanor.

Chi Wan shook her head and was about to say something, but Yu Jiuzhou’s brow twitched. “Tell me the truth.”

Alright, she couldn’t fool Yu Jiuzhou. She could only hand over her phone.

“A contemptible clown.”

Yu Jiuzhou frowned. The tone of these comments and the way they were guided made it obvious that someone was manipulating things from behind the scenes.

The person wanted to disrupt her state of mind at this critical moment to win the upcoming match. The beneficiary was Cui Pin.

Her gaze fell upon Cui Pin. Did he really think she was made of clay?

After coming to this world, she had hidden the aura of authority she carried. Years of farm life had made it easy to control her presence. A person who had long held a high position possessed a different kind of aura.

It was like the scholarly air of a young student, the righteous energy of an upright person, or the killing intent of a general.

She had been an emperor for many years. An emperor’s wrath could mean a million corpses and rivers of blood.

Of course, she couldn’t do that in this world, but after so long in a position of power, her anger could affect another’s state of mind. It was a subtle thing, but it was real.

In Go, it was common to use one’s presence to pressure an opponent. Yu Jiuzhou had never done so before. She knew she had to restrain her aura; she couldn’t overdo it in a single game.

Today, Cui Pin had angered her.

Cui Pin was stunned by her gaze. The smug smile on his face vanished, and his heart pounded like a drum. He felt her presence suddenly surge—it wasn’t just the aura of someone in complete control, but also the aura of someone looking down on an ant.

It was as if he were a mere ant, how dare he act so presumptuously.

Chi Wan stepped forward and squeezed Yu Jiuzhou’s hand. “It’s okay. Public opinion… if they can manipulate it, so can we.”

Yu Jiuzhou shook her head. “Defeat him, and shatter his Go spirit.”

She had never done something like shattering a player’s spirit before. When a player’s spirit was broken, their skill might remain, but against opponents of the same level, they could only rely on technique. Without a heart for the game, their play would lack soul and adaptability. Losing would be inevitable.

Even a 9-dan player, after losing their spirit, probably couldn’t even defeat a 7-dan.

Chi Wan raised an eyebrow. Very good, her wife was angry. And when her wife got angry, no one but her could withstand it.

“Alright, make him lose.”

She had absolute faith in Yu Jiuzhou. Since she said she would defeat Cui Pin, she believed her wife would be victorious.

The game began. The commentator took his seat. After the customary guessing of the stones, Yu Jiuzhou took black and played first.

An imposing aura emanated from Yu Jiuzhou. Cui Pin felt like he was sitting on pins and needles. He felt as if something was staring at him, and a cold sweat broke out on his back. He felt like he might die.

Because of this, Cui Pin’s moves in the opening were clumsy, and he immediately fell into a disadvantageous position.

The opening was where both sides laid out their formations and vied for strategic points on the board. From the very start, Cui Pin, playing white, was at a disadvantage, while Yu Jiuzhou, playing black, gained the upper hand.

The black stones drove straight into white’s territory like a sharp sword piercing into its heartland.

The commentator was stunned. “I thought Yu Jiuzhou’s offense in the match against Tu Cen was incredibly strong, a perfect example of overwhelming with force. I never expected her offense in this game to be even stronger. In the last game, she played around the edges; in this one, she’s aiming straight for the heart.”

“What on earth happened? What made Yu Jiuzhou play with such ferocity, giving white absolutely no room to breathe?”

Spurred by the commentator, the audience also grew restless.

“Why does Yu Jiuzhou have such a murderous aura? It’s like she’s not playing a game of Go, but hunting down Cui Pin himself.”

“Are you all really that clueless? The news about Yu Jiuzhou suddenly broke online and shot to the top of the trending list in just half an hour. Who benefits from that?”

“Cui Pin. He tried to mess with Yu Jiuzhou’s mentality with such a dirty trick. He never expected to infuriate her and make her so bloodthirsty.”

“I just don’t know if Cui Pin can withstand her assault. In any case, we’re in for a good show.”

The game reached the middle game. Under the influence of Yu Jiuzhou’s murderous aura, Cui Pin made a mistake. Yu Jiuzhou immediately seized the opportunity, and her win probability shot up to 95%. She instantly expanded her advantage and gave Cui Pin no chance to fight back. Not getting bogged down in capturing minor territories, she instead drove another sword into the head of white’s dragon.

After a series of attacks and defenses, around move 850, Yu Jiuzhou completely cut off Cui Pin’s path to survival. After komi was applied, she still won by three points.

The commentator said, “My goodness, the winner was decided in just an hour and a half! Even after komi, Yu Jiuzhou still won by three points. This is an absolute advantage, a much easier victory than her game against Tu Cen.”

It was clear the commentator was a fan of Tu Cen. By bringing him up at this moment, he was implying that Tu Cen was stronger than Cui Pin and was just unlucky to have faced Yu Jiuzhou in the first round.

Chi Wan stood up excitedly. Watching a game of such absolute dominance and relentless attack was truly thrilling.

Moreover, the public opinion online had also reversed, with many people now speaking up for them.

【She got in based on her own ability, she studied based on her own ability. If you’re so capable, go pass the college entrance exam yourself. Besides, she got into her graduate program on her own merit too.】

【LMAO, some people need to stop being so possessive about other people’s lives. How they live their life is their business. Stop pointing fingers and minding other people’s business. They’re living their own lives, what does it have to do with you?】

【What’s normal or not normal? At her level, even if she practiced medicine, you wouldn’t be able to get an appointment. Besides, she’s on a research track, she doesn’t see patients. Also, something every medical student knows: the author of the Collection of Chinese Medicine Formulas is Chi Wan. She’s already donated two volumes. She doesn’t seek fame or fortune, yet the person who made such a contribution is being insulted like this by you all.】

【Exactly, Chi Wan’s skill level is very high. The formulas she’s written include long-lost ones as well as new innovations. Chinese medicine students are blessed; they have a lot more to memorize, but she is benefiting humanity.】

【Taking a step back, just by compiling those books and donating them without seeking profit, do you know how many more medicines are now covered by health insurance? You people who are cursing her, have some guts and don’t buy her medicines.】

【I support this. Because it’s free, the cost is very low. There’s no need to recoup research funds, so the initial price will be very low. Add insurance reimbursement on top of that, I can’t imagine how cheap it will be.】

Unexpectedly, the matter of her donating the books had caused countless medical students to speak up for her, allowing living netizens to see what she had done. She had done so many good deeds; she shouldn’t be slandered like this.

Chi Wan stopped paying attention to the internet. She had never cared what others said anyway. Neither she nor Yu Jiuzhou were people who cared about the opinions of others.

And the person who manipulated public opinion had paid the price. Seeing Cui Pin’s look of disbelief, constantly muttering “impossible,” it was clear his Go spirit had been shattered.

But no one paid him any mind. The Go Sage had been crowned. This was a celebration for the victor.

Yu Jiuzhou stood on the awards stage. She accepted the trophy and certificate. Just as everyone thought she was about to give a victory speech, her first words were, “I saw the trending topic. Chi Wan and I are real.”

After saying that, she walked off the stage. Everyone was stunned. Wait, was that it? Was it that brief?

So cool. A single sentence, “We are real,” immediately made countless people ship their CP. What a powerful female lead statement.

On the way back, the more Chi Wan thought about it, the more she felt something was missing. “Sister, why didn’t you confess your love to me on stage, saying ‘Chi Wan, I love you,’ and then I could have run up and shouted, ‘Yu Jiuzhou, I love you too!’”

Yu Jiuzhou said, “…I love you.”

“Mm, huh?”

Chi Wan let out a soft laugh. “What a coincidence, I love you too.”