Chapter 304: Fight between Dragon and Tiger
After Qin Lang finished his words, he began to eat in silence. The barbecue in this restaurant actually tasted quite good, but the group of people seemed a little bored while eating it, and they were all a little absent-minded.
After lunch, everyone returned to the hotel, but did not gather together to continue playing chess. Instead, each returned to their own rooms with their own thoughts.
After all, the team competition will open and the draw ceremony will be held at five o'clock in the afternoon, and the competition will start early tomorrow morning.
There is no point in clinging to this last day. It is better to have a good rest today and recharge your energy for tomorrow's competition.
After staying in the hotel room until about 4:20 in the afternoon, Yu Shao received a WeChat message from Ma Zhengyu, asking the contestants to change into formal attire and gather in the hotel lobby.
Yu Shao quickly changed into his suit and took the elevator to the hotel lobby.
At this time, the hotel lobby was already crowded and bustling. There were more than a dozen tables of exquisite dishes in the hall, and at the front of the hall, a sign that read "The 42nd China-Japan-Korea Team Competition" was hung.
“This competition has actually been held for forty-two years.”
Yu Shao was a little surprised. Although he knew that the China-Japan-Korea team competition had a long history and even Zhuang Weisheng had participated in it when he was young, he did not expect that it had been held for forty-two years.
"Yu Shao, this way."
Seeing Yu Shao coming to the hall, Ma Zhengyu quickly waved his hand, signaling Yu Shao to come over and gather.
Yu Shao turned his head to look at Ma Zhengyu, and saw Qin Lang and Le Haoqiang standing next to Ma Zhengyu. They had also changed into formal suits and looked a lot more mature.
Su Yiming and Gu Chuan had not arrived yet, but Wu Zhixuan, Xu Zijin, Zheng Qin and others who did not participate in the competition arrived first.
Yu Shao quickly walked to Ma Zhengyu's side and began to wait for the opening and drawing ceremony.
Because the Chinese team was the first to arrive, many people in the hall cast curious glances in the direction of the Chinese team.
"That's Yu Shao from the Chinese team, right?"
"It's him. I've only seen him in news reports before. This is the first time I've seen him in person."
"After all, he just became a professional chess player last year. It's a bit exaggerated that he can stand here just after becoming a professional chess player. This year's team competition will probably be very interesting."
"With Yu Shao and Su Yiming, the Chinese team this year should not be underestimated. There is some suspense. It is no longer a competition between Japan and South Korea."
Most of the people in the hall were North Koreans and South Koreans, and they didn't lower their voices. However, because they were speaking Korean, Yu Shao could probably guess that they were talking about the Chinese team, but he couldn't understand what they were saying.
However, Xu Zijin would occasionally glance at those who were talking about the Chinese team.
"Do you understand Korean?"
Yu Shao noticed this and asked in surprise.
Xu Zijin nodded gently: "I learned it when I was a child."
Not long after, Su Yiming and Gu Chuan also arrived and quickly stood beside Ma Zhengyu.
"****"
"***..."
Seeing that the entire Chinese team had arrived, people in the hall talked more about the Chinese team. However, except for Xu Zijin and Fang Haoxin, no one else could understand what they were talking about.
But judging from the looks of Xu Zijin and Fang Haoxin, no one should say anything bad about them.
“The North and South Korean teams have arrived.”
After a while, Ma Zhengyu looked at the entrance of the hall and said in a deep voice.
Hearing this, everyone couldn't help but look towards the entrance of the hall, Yu Shao was no exception.
At the entrance of the hotel lobby, a sturdy man in his thirties led four men and one woman into the hotel lobby.
Yu Shao cast his gaze towards one of the thin young men. The young man was wearing a neat black suit, gold-rimmed glasses, had short hair that exposed his forehead, and had a sharp gaze.
Seeing someone looking at him, the young man also looked at Yu Shao, and their eyes suddenly collided in mid-air.
Seeing that it was Yu Shao, the young man's eyes became more serious. After a moment, he slowly retracted his gaze and followed the team leader to stand in front of another dining table in the hall.
"Lee Jun Hyuk..."
Yu Shao had seen Li Junhe's chess records and reports before, so he naturally recognized that the young man with glasses was Li Junhe, the main general of North Korea and South Korea.
Soon, Yu Shao turned his attention to the only female chess player among the five.
There are a total of fifteen chess players from China, Japan and South Korea participating in this team competition, but among them, there is only one female chess player, and this female chess player is Bae Yoo-yeon, 6th dan, one of the four generals of North Korea and South Korea.
After seeing Pei Youyan, a hint of surprise appeared in Yu Shao's eyes.
Pei Youyan is about 1.7 meters tall, with long curly hair, fair skin, red lips and white teeth. Her facial features are very delicate, but she doesn't look like she has had plastic surgery. She looks very natural.
In terms of appearance, she can even be compared with Xu Zijin. In Zhou De's words, she is just so awesome in looks.
Pei Youyan was also looking at Yu Shao curiously at this time. When she saw Yu Shao looking at her, she nodded to him politely.
Yu Shao was slightly startled, and nodded slightly to Pei Youyan.
At this time, the North Korean and South Korean team leaders walked towards the Chinese team and soon came in front of Ma Zhengyu. They smiled and greeted him in half-baked Chinese: "Long time no see, Mr. Ma Zhengyu."
"Um."
Ma Zhengyu obviously didn't like the Korean team leader very much. His attitude was a bit cold and he said casually, "Long time no see, Mr. Shin Seung-hyun."
Shin Seung-hyun didn't take it seriously. He looked at Yu Shao, then at Su Yiming, and said with a smile, "I thought it would be us and Japan competing for first place again this year, but I didn't expect China to pose a threat this year. However..."
Shin Seung-hyun paused and said, "Mr. Ma, we'll accept this year's championship with a smile."
"Anyone can talk big, but let's show our true strength with our own actions." Ma Zhengyu said coldly.
Upon hearing this, Shin Seung-hyun smiled faintly, said nothing more, turned around and left, and soon returned to the table where Chao Han was sitting.
As soon as Shin Seung-hyun left, Ma Zhengyu's expression immediately became a little unsightly.
"Chairman Ma, do you have a conflict with him?" Gu Chuan couldn't help but ask.
“It’s a huge contradiction.”
Ma Zhengyu had a gloomy face, but he didn't seem to want to explain, so Gu Chuan didn't ask any more questions.
After a while, a man in his forties with thick hair led five young men into the hall, and everyone's attention was attracted again.
Seeing this group of people, Ma Zhengyu also said: "The Japanese team is here too."
Yu Shao had met Dongshan Xun and others before. When he saw them again today, he just glanced at them and then looked away.
On the other side, seeing the arrival of the Japanese team, the expressions of the five members of the North Korean and South Korean teams became solemn, especially Li Junhe, who stared at Dongshan Xun and clenched his fists.
Pei Youyan also looked at the four players of the Japanese team and pursed her lips subconsciously.
Last year, they lost two games against the Japanese team. One game was lost by Lee Jun Hyuk to Toyama Xun, and the other game was lost by her to Yamada Go, the fourth player of the Japanese team.
As for the Japanese team, except for Toyama Xun, the other four players also became very serious when they saw the five Korean players. Just after entering the field, the atmosphere between the two sides was already tense! "It seems that everyone on the Japanese team is unwilling to lose to the Korean team last year, and they are determined to get revenge this year!"
A British reporter looked at the Japanese team, then the Korean team, and finally the Chinese team. He excitedly said to the cameraman beside him: "The Chinese team now also has Yu Su. There are so many highlights in this team competition!"
"Can the Japanese team succeed in revenge? Can the North and South Korean teams continue to defend their titles? Can the Chinese team avenge their previous defeat this year? What kind of chess game will they play?"
"This will definitely be a fierce battle. Even those top chess players who have been famous for a long time can only watch with admiration!"
The cameraman nodded and said with some emotion: "Mike, I have a strong feeling that this team competition will be far more exciting than we imagined!"
After all three parties arrived, after a while, a male and a female host came on stage, took the microphone, and began to give speeches.
The venue for the China-Japan-Korea team competition rotates among the three countries every year. This year it is North Korea and South Korea's turn. The host is also North Korean and Korean, so he naturally speaks Korean.
The two hosts said a lot, but Yu Shao and his team couldn't understand anything at all, and the same was apparently true for the Japanese team.
After a while, Fang Haoxin finally said, "It's time to go on stage. The three players will go on stage, and the captains of each team will draw lots. Then the team leader will give a speech, and then the captain will give a speech."
"Okay, let's go."
Hearing what Fang Haoxin said, Ma Zhengyu nodded and led Yu Shao and his group to the stage. On the other side, the North Korean and Japanese teams also set off almost at the same time.
Soon, all three parties came to the stage. Reporters below the stage carried SLR cameras and pointed them at the contestants on the stage. Flash lights began to flash continuously.
After the host on the stage spoke a few more words, the drawing of lots began.
Because there are only three parties in the competition, there are only three draws in total, namely A, B, and C.
The two parties who draw A and B will compete tomorrow, then B will compete with C the next day, and finally C will compete with A. There will be a total of three games, and the champion will be decided in the end.
Li Junhe walked to a table on the stage, reached into the lottery box on the table, grabbed a lottery ball, and then held the lottery ball high. The number B was written on the lottery ball.
After Li Junhe went back, Yu Shao also stepped out and walked to the table. He reached into the chess box and took out the ball with the number C written on it.
Both lots had been drawn, so the number of the remaining ball was self-evident, but for the sake of procedure, Dongshan Xun walked forward and grabbed the ball numbered A from the lot box.
"Okay, then the schedule for the next few days is: tomorrow Japan vs. North Korea, the day after tomorrow North Korea vs. China, and the day after that China vs. Japan!"
The host took a deep breath and said, "Now, let's give a warm round of applause to the representatives of China, Japan and South Korea to come to the stage and give a speech!"
…………
ps: Brothers, it's the end of the month, please vote for next month! (End of this chapter)
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