Chapter 1104: Zhang Ye vs. Xu Han 8-dan
Trantor: Legge Editor: Legge
Old Wu''s voice came up from downstairs.
"Little Ye."
"Yes?"
"Shall I start cooking now?"
"You can do it a littleter. I''m going to y another game."
"You''re not hungry yet?"
"Haha, I was a bit ago, but not anymore!"
Zhang Ye was full of energy. After sadistically demolishing Wu Changhe over the course of three games, he felt like he was endlessly powerful. There was nothing more enjoyable than this!
I have a questionable character?
I''m not a good person?
I have a terrible temper!
Don''t say any more. I''ll crush you every time you y against me!
...
The spectating Go yers were once again dumbfounded!
"He won again!"
"Oh my goodness, YE won again!"
"Changhe 9-dan has been destroyed so badly!"
"But why do I get the feeling that Teacher Changhe''s ystyle has changed?"
"Yeah, I also feel the same!"
"Although this ystyle is one of the stronger attacking styles, it doesn''t seem like how Teacher Changhe usually ys. Hai, maybe I''m just overthinking it?"
"Teacher Changhe is gonna cry soon!"
"This YE is too mean! How can he keep taking apart Teacher Changhe like this? Doesn''t he know what position Changhe 9-dan holds in the Go world?"
"This YE fellow is a little too aggressive!"
"Hahaha, but I like it!"
"Who cares what happens when I''m just watching! More!"
...
At Old Wu''s family''s house.
Tian Weiwei said while sweating, "Ma''am, h-he''s really not a pro Go yer?"
Li Qinqin gave a wry smile and nodded. "He''s not."
Hu Liang said gloomily, "That''s not possible. There''s no way an amateur could y so well. How can an amateur beat a pro 7-dan yer? Then what are us pro Go yers still needed for!"
"Yeah."
"Ma''am, could you be mistaken?"
The several of them did not believe it. This was totally illogical!
But Li Qinqin told them with certainty, "He''s really not a pro Go yer, but you all must not consider him to be a normal person either. He''s not normal at all."
Xu Han, who had been silent for a very long time and was studying the defeat on the board, suddenly spoke up. "Ma''am is right. He''s really not a pro Go yer. As long as they''re a pro, even if they''re a pro who''s participating in a tournament for the first time, we''d be very familiar with them and know who they are. But whether within the country or outside of it, there are no pro Go yers who y like this. I''ve never seen anyone y this way before!"
The others looked at him and did not say a word.
Tian Weiwei asked, "How high should he be ranked?"
Chen Ying clenched her teeth and said, "He''s at least a 7th dan no matter how you look at it."
Hu Liang judged, "He''s definitely not just a 7th dan. Even if he''s not an 8th dan, he''s definitely at a higher level than your usual 7th dan!"
Tian Weiwei said, "Even Brother Liang could not beat him, so I guess I can''t either."
Tian Weiwei. A professional 6th dan Go yer. He had entered and been in the ranks of professional Go for a mere three years but was already hailed as the yer with the most potential in China. He was the darling of many of the senior yers. There was even a retired 9th dan senior yer who imed that if China were to produce another 9th dan yer, Tian Weiwei would most likely be the person to achieve that rank. He was quite young and had the most potential. However, he was still at the stage of rapidly improving his game. He hadn''t hit his ceiling yet and was not ready to be the g bearer at many of the international tournaments. He had to be protected and slowly groomed and trained to fulfill that potential.
Beep beep.
YE sent a message.
"Are we still ying? I''m going to eat lunch if not."
How arrogant!
He was too arrogant!
Hu Liang yelled in anger, "He holding us pro Go yers in utter contempt!"
Wu Changhe was trembling with rage. "Hurry up! It''s time to put you all to the test! Destroy him! He''s only at the level of a good 7th dan. Is that all he needs to scare you all shitless? Ah?"
Hu Liang looked at Chen Ying and Xu Han. "Sister Ying, Brother Xu."
Chen Ying and Xu Han looked at one another. "Who?"
Chen Ying was a 7th dan Go yer, but was publicly acknowledged to be at the level of an 8th dan. She had yed particrly well in everypetition she took part in for the past two years, and she was the world''s highest ranked female yer from China. She was 16th in the world.
Meanwhile, Xu Han was the only 8th dan yer of the lot here. He was one of the top yers in China and had won many medals at various world tournaments. He was also the most aplished yer among these disciples of Wu Changhe. The only problem was that he was already in his thirties and his skill had peaked. There wasn''t much more that he could improve on and could even be said to be declining. One could even go as far as saying that he would never reach 9th dan. He was currently ranked 13th in the world and was the highest ranked 8th dan. The remaining rankings above 13 were practically all active 9th dan yers, although there was a 6th dan and a 7th dan yer who upied two of the spots in the top 13. Those two yers were there because they had yed especially well this year.
Xu Han said, "Let me do it."
Chen Ying said, "Alright. It''s better if it''s you."
Hu Liang gave up his seat.
Xu Han exhaled and sat down.
Wu Changhe urged, "y well, give him hell!"
"OK!" Xu Han typed out: "Let''s begin."
YE replied almost instantly with: "Alright."
Chen Ying, Hu Liang, and the others immediately gathered around Xu Han!
A good 7th dan? To them, Xu Han should most definitely win this. At least, he stood an 80% chance of winning. Xu Han was ying pretty good this year. He was also one of the better 8th dan yers around, unlike Chen Ying, who was just a 7th dan but recognized as an 8th dan ranked yer. Xu Han had been ranked as an 8th dan for several years, so whether it was his strength or experience, he was iparable to the others. Although this amateur was astonishingly good, no matter how they thought about it, it would be impossible for him to beat a yer ranked in the world''s top 15!
Wu Changhe was already sneering!
Come on!
Come and y!
If you can even beat a professional 8th dan yer, then I''ll really have to give it to you!
Hahaha!
...
The room was nearly packed to the brim.
"Wow, it''s starting!"
"The match has started!"
"Come quickly!"
"Time to watch the excitement unfold again!"
With all that had happened, more and more professional Go yers took notice and were starting toe over to watch as well.
The amateurs could not see the signs, but how would they as professionals not know what was happening? Besides, they knew very well what Changhe 9-dan''s ystyle was. A lot of them read Changhe 9-dan''s game records growing up and had even received coaching from him personally.
At a Go academy.
In the lounge.
A female 5th dan yer was stunned. "Th-This isn''t how Teacher Changhe ys!"
A male 7th dan yer frowned. "It''s been this way since the previous game. The game before this one seemed more like Hu Liang 7-dan''s ystyle. It was very masterful and the moves were more radical. With this opening, who do you think''s ying?"
An 8th dan yer next to themughed. "I think it might be Old Xu?"
"Old Xu?"
"Teacher Xu Han?"
"Damn, isn''t this a fake game then?"
"Hur hur, don''t you guys know what Teacher Changhe''s temper is like? To get his disciples'' help after losing is something Teacher Changhe would definitely do."
"That''s true."
"But who could this YE be?"
"I don''t think I have any memory of such a yer?"
"Yeah, where did this guye from?"
"Look! Xu Han 8-dan is counterattacking!"
"It''s really Teacher Xu Han. This is his typical strategy!"
"Hasn''t the opponent figured out that he''s ying against someone else by now? Is he really a pro? Isn''t he too amateurish not noticing it?"
However, someone else had appeared behind this group of people at some point in time.
When one of them realized, they got startled and quickly stood up!
When the others saw this man, they quickly gave up the good seats and excused themselves!
It was Xiang Rong 9-dan!
30 years old, and an active 9th dan Go yer!
A legend who was the current world number one. He had retained his rank of first ce for the past three years in a row. He was also the three-time champion of the World Go Championship. The current number one in the Go world, and arguably recognized as the best yer in the world—with no oneing close!
After spectating the game for a few minutes.
Xiang Rong smiled. "Interesting."
...
At Old Wu''s residence.
The music was rocking out the study.
Zhang Ye had his legs crossed, ying Go as he spoke to himself.
"This oldrade is pretty good!
"Whoa, that''s a good move. Very clever!
"Whoa, you''re getting better and better?
"Haha, but you''re still not good enough!"
He was truly very amateurish. This fellow totally did not know that his opponent had already changed twice. He still thought that he was ying against Wu Changhe as he continued destroying him!
"Off you go!
"Yo, well defended!
"Try that against me again!
"Heh, you''re still holding up? Show that to me again!
"Haha, you can''t hold on anymore!
"Watch this! I''ve even shredded your pants!
"Come on, show off! Why aren''t you showing off anymore? Weren''t you trying to counterattack? Why are you shell-shocked? Oh? You even dare to make this move? You''re quite brave!
"Do that again!
"Do it!
"Haha, why aren''t you moving?
"Hurry up! The flowers are wilting as I wait!"
...
At theputer.
They saw a barrage of messages from YE.
He sent so many of them that it amounted to over twenty messages in just a short while.
"The flowers are wilting as I wait!" was apanied by a picture of a withered flower.
Infuriating!
So infuriating!
The spectators in the room were all roaring withughter!
"Pfft!"
"This YE is hrious!"
"This is Go! Why are you typing all that?"
"LMAO! Do you think you''re fucking ying Fight the Landlord 1 ?!"
"Hahahaha, this person is so weird!"
"But he''s really good!"
"I feel bad for Teacher Changhe!"
At the courtyard house.
Wu Changhe''s face was green from anger. "This young bastard! We''re now sworn enemies! Sworn enemies!"
Xu Han, who was versing YE, was sweating profusely!
Chen Ying was getting anxious. "Brother Xu, you can do it!"
Hu Liang said, "Get him! Senior Bro, get him!"
Xu Han was on the verge of tears!
Who do you want me to fucking get!
Are you guys blind?!
It''s clear from this that I''m the one getting yed, alright!
After another seven, eight moves, Xu Han was finally unable to hold out any longer. He gave up and resigned. His face had paled and he was couldn''t even turn around to face his teacher and fellow disciples!
Who is this!
Who the hell is this?
Chen Ying, Tian Weiwei, and the others were all silenced!
You can even beat an elite, professional 8th dan yer?
Damn, are you really an amateur Go yer? Are you trying to ascend?!
Li Qinqin looked at the mess of a game on theputer screen. She had also been shocked. This time, she had really been shocked! If a world-ss mathematician like Zhang Ye could beat an average professional Go yer, she might be surprised but still wouldn''t find it strange. But the issue here was that it was not that simple!
He had won against a professional 7th dan yer!
And now, even a professional 8th dan was not his equal!
This turn of events was far too shocking!