Soon, Shindo Hikaru counted to the fifteenth row and fifteenth column, then looked up at Ao Ying, his eyes eager to try.
Several minutes passed.
Seeing that there was no movement for a long time, he yawned and glanced at the table next to him.
Clack!
As Toya Akira placed his Go stone, Shindo Hikaru felt a light flickering at his fingertips and couldn't help but widen his eyes.
Ao Ying remained deep in thought.
"He didn't play at the connection point immediately; this young man has some skill."
"Playing the second move at the tengen earlier, it seems he regards both Shindo and Toya as little kids."
Sai muttered to himself.
Just as he had said before, children of this age aren't strong and are far from professional standards.
Presumably, Ao Ying had the same thought.
At this moment.
More and more onlookers gathered, three layers deep inside and three layers outside, completely surrounding the three people and one ghost playing the game.
Since everyone couldn't see the ghost, they occasionally came into contact with Sai, passing right through him.
"Is there no politeness? I'm still here!"
Sai was greatly displeased, repeatedly waving his fists and stamping his feet in protest.
"What is this kid thinking?"
"That three-space extension has some foundation; a rookie wouldn't dare play like that."
"So he was intentionally letting Xiao Liang Teacher win, which is why he played the second move at the tengen."
"Xiao Liang Teacher, dragon slaying, you must slay the dragon! Let his Go stones all die."
"Yes, yes, yes, make this kid cry and Go home!"
Whispers continuously fell into Shindo Hikaru's ears, annoying him to the point of scratching his head.
"Sai, can Xiao Liang deal with this guy?"
"Currently, black stone is choked and can't recover."
"Wh-what? It's only been a little over thirty moves, and Toya is going to lose?"
After a moment of silence, Sai whispered, "It depends on how Xiao Liang makes his choices. The game is still early, and there are still opportunities, for example..."
Clack!
Toya Akira placed a Go stone.
Knowing that Shindo Hikaru was a Go novice, Sai continued to explain, "Xiao Liang is very brave, actively giving up a Go stone in the corner to seize the initiative and launch an attack on the tengen Go stone."
"Can Xiao Liang win?"
Shindo Hikaru was secretly pleased.
Sai shook his head, "The loss in the corner is too great. Even if the tengen is surrounded, the outcome is still unknown."
"Hmm... this young man named Ao Ying, with his Go skill, the strongest response would be to cut off the two attacking Go stones and fight to the death."
Through the three-space extension, he judged that Ao Ying pursued efficiency in his Go play and was not afraid of battle.
Since black stone actively sought battle, then white's cut-off would not only be imposing but also conform to the principle of quick battle Go.
"Cut-off? The white Go stone at the tengen, with two black stone Go stones close by, and white then cutting off black stone's connection, it seems a bit slow?"
Shindo Hikaru stated his initial feeling.
A glimmer of light flashed in Sai's eyes, "Hikaru, your feeling is very accurate."
"To capture the corner, Ao Ying spent one more move."
"Now at the tengen position, Xiao Liang's two Go stones against one Go stone is indeed about half a move faster."
Just then.
The onlookers quieted down, swallowing their saliva.
They understood that white's next choice would determine the final direction.
Toya Akira stared intently at the Go board.
Under a disadvantageous position, could the meticulously redesigned situation turn the tide?
What kind of response would the young man opposite him make?
A moment later.
Under countless gazes, Ao Ying calmly placed his Go stone.
Twelfth row, fifth column.
Tenuki, he played.
"He actually dared to ignore the battle at the tengen!"
"What does it mean to play a Go stone on the side as a throw-in?"
"Abandon the tengen? Does he think that even if he captures the center, the territory won won't be enough to compensate for black stone's losses?"
"Too risky, the tengen battle was only slightly disadvantaged, why would he choose to sacrifice a Go stone!"
The onlookers exclaimed.
Some leaned in, some rubbed their eyes, some opened their mouths slightly.
"Tenuki, invading the left side, opening up another battlefield?"
"Something's not right..."
Understanding this white Go stone, Sai showed a hint of doubt.
"What's wrong? Is tenuki very powerful?"
Shindo Hikaru did not understand why everyone was surprised.
"Tenuki, as the name suggests, is to ignore the main battlefield's current shape and choose to seek opportunities elsewhere."
"Ao Ying ignored the battle Xiao Liang initiated at the tengen, still playing according to his own rhythm."
"On the surface, white is quite unreasonable, as if he would rather take a hit than spit at his opponent."
Hearing Sai's explanation, Shindo Hikaru squeezed his eyes, "That harsh? Then white must be in trouble?"
"Hikaru, I haven't finished yet. Actually, Ao Ying's play is testing Xiao Liang, much like a teacher guiding a student."
There's no proper teacher who would ruthlessly crush a student; patient guidance is the right path.
Sai looked at Ao Ying and chuckled, "An ordinary professional Go player really can't beat you. It's not simple."
Toya Akira shivered, as the person involved, he deeply felt the pressure.
"This is not the best move, nor is it the strongest move."
"He is testing me, he is observing me from above."
Toya Akira closed his eyes and sat motionless.
One minute, two minutes...
The scene was silent, heavy breathing clearly audible.
After following Sai's instructions to invade with the three-space extension, for some reason, Ao Ying didn't continue the game with him.
Bored, Shindo Hikaru paid attention to the Go stone-holding action, his eyes lighting up with little stars.
For a full twenty minutes, Toya Akira moved.
Twelfth row, seventh column, counter-attack!
As the Go stone was placed, everyone let out a heavy sigh.
"Toya chose a strong fight, intending to capture the thrown-in white Go stone."
Sai saw Toya Akira's determination, his expression unwavering, refusing to compromise even if it meant utter destruction.
"Very good, your Go path already has a rudimentary form."
Ao Ying smiled with satisfaction, "I won't hold back anymore."
Clack!
Eleventh row, seventh column, counter-lean.
Facing the challenge, white confronted directly, forcing through the blockade.
Toya Akira said coldly, "Show me your full strength."
At this point, everyone understood that Ao Ying's Go skill was at least close to professional level.
Eleventh row, eighth column, press.
black stone's move, 'dark clouds covering the top,' fiercely pressed down on white's head.
Want to break out?
No way!
The onlookers carefully controlled their movements, fearing that even a tiny sound would disturb the game.
white cut, black stone retreated singly, white counter-attacked and pressed continuously.
"What courage!"
Sai stared blankly at the two fighting, "Hikaru, both these young men are displaying Go skill far beyond their age."
"Ao Ying is even better, truly terrifying."
"With one cut, sacrificing the thrown-in Go stone from the seventh line, he rebuilt an aerial base, and that white Go stone at the tengen has revived."
"Huh? The rabbit that was already in my mouth can fly away too?" Shindo Hikaru held his head in his hands, "At the crucial moment, Toya actually made a mistake."
Sai unfolded his fan and waved it, "No, he didn't make a mistake, but Ao Ying calculated Xiao Liang's calculations and controlled the entire process."
"Normally, pressing on the fourth line is a slight disadvantage for the pressing side. What's more, white pressed on the seventh line as bait, and black stone had no choice but to take it."
Toya Akira picked up a Go stone and then put it back in the Go bowl.
white lunged in aggressively, and when black stone blocked the path, the enemy made a graceful turn, sacrificing its tail to gain time. Finally, it established defensive fortifications on the outer left side of black stone's territory, once again responding to the white Go stone at the tengen.
And the black stone Go stones that originally surrounded the tengen were in precarious danger, with the risk of being completely annihilated.
Once completely annihilated, it would definitely not be compensated by the profit on the seventh line.
