Chapter 398 A New Era Begins
As time passed, the popularity of the Gemini Cup grew higher and higher. Six days later, on the evening before the start of the Gemini Cup, the popularity reached its peak!
Finally, the time came to the seventh day.
The eyes of everyone in the world are focused on the battle that is about to begin. Although there is no smoke of war yet, everyone seems to feel an inexplicable sense of tension and oppression!
At this time, it was already late at night in New York, but in the New York Chess Academy, a group of young chess players were all awake. They gathered in front of the computers, staring at the screens.
“It’s about to start.”
Someone looked at the computer screen, watched the countdown in the Gemini Cup live broadcast room, and spoke.
Although the game had not started yet, for some reason, thinking about the upcoming game, he subconsciously held his breath.
"Yu Shao, yes, Su Yiming."
At the side, another young man had a nervous look on his face. He couldn't calm down at all. He took a deep breath and said, "A year ago, these two names were completely unknown..."
"And now, a year later, they have come all the way from the Dan Tournament, defeating numerous strong opponents one after another. Even Jiang Changdong and Fu Shunan lost in the Fanqi match and lost their titles."
He stared at the countdown on the computer screen and continued, "This kind of feat can be said to be unprecedented."
"And now, they have met at the top of the mountain of Go."
"What kind of game will these two show us?"
…
…
Japan, Kansai Ki-in.
"Hurry, hurry, hurry! Run faster!"
Two teenagers, about twelve or thirteen years old, were running wildly along the corridor of the chess academy, their faces filled with anxiety: "The Gemini Cup is about to begin!"
They ran for their lives all the way and finally reached the door of the broadcasting room. The shorter boy among them pushed the door open with a bang without saying a word and rushed in.
The tall boy followed closely behind and also rushed into the broadcast room.
At this time, there were already quite a few people in the broadcast room. When they saw the two young men rushing into the studio, they all looked at them.
“Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!”
The short boy took a few deep breaths and without taking a rest, he raised his head and asked everyone in the broadcast room: "Has the Gemini Cup started? Who plays black and who plays white?"
"It hasn't started yet."
A young man pointed at the TV screen and spoke.
Hearing this, the short boy immediately looked towards the TV screen. Seeing that the countdown was still on the screen, he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief and said in surprise: "Fortunately, I made it in time!"
"You're not professional chess players, are you? Are you students?"
Someone noticed that the two looked unfamiliar and asked in confusion.
"Yes, we are students of the hospital. Teacher Muraku has been reviewing our lessons today. We almost didn't catch up."
The short boy smiled, patted his chest, and said confidently: "Although I am not a professional chess player yet, it is only a matter of time!"
"Oh? Really? Are you so confident?"
Hearing this, someone couldn't help but laugh and asked, "From Group A? What's your ranking among the students in Group A? It's not that easy to become a professional chess player."
"It's Group A... Group A is currently ranked last."
The short boy was a little embarrassed, but he soon clenched his fists and said confidently: "But it won't be long before I will be the first!"
The tall boy at the side glanced at the short boy, pushed his glasses on the bridge of his nose, and said, "Go to bed, you can't beat me."
"You look down on me, don't you?!"
The short boy immediately blew his beard and glared.
Seeing this scene, everyone in the broadcast room couldn't help but laugh out loud.
The so-called students in the academy are similar to the boys who are striving for the dan level, but with a different name.
Japanese academy students are divided into four groups, A, B, C, and D. The monthly points ranking determines whether they are promoted or demoted. Among them, the students in Group A can be said to be reserve professional chess players.
Obviously, both of them are students of the Japan Shogi Association. Although they are both in Group A and are both geniuses, one is at the tail end of Group A while the other is first.
"Are you so concerned about the Gemini Cup? Are you so afraid of missing the live broadcast?" At this time, someone asked curiously.
“Of course I pay attention!”
The short boy stared at the TV screen, his eyes seemed to be glowing, and said without turning his head: "Yu Shao is so amazing, watching the national team match gave me goose bumps all over my body, I am his fan!"
…
…
Pyongyang, North Korea.
A group of young professional chess players stared at the computer screens with different thoughts in their minds, but as the game time approached, they all felt a little nervous for some reason.
"Yu Shao..."
"Su Yiming..."
Everyone's eyes were focused on the two names on the computer screen.
Yu Shao is on the left and Su Yiming is on the right. Yu Shao's name on the left is black, while Su Yiming's name on the right is white. The two are clearly distinguished, just like the yin and yang of Go.
One, with incredible moves such as point three three, five shoulder charge, and pointed top, he broke the shackles of Go thinking for thousands of years, overturned everyone's perception of Go, and promoted the development of Go!
It can be said that because of Yu Shao, the way of playing Go has undergone shocking changes in this year.
The other one played the most complicated large-scale Go game ever, the "Rainstorm", which was so thrilling that it made people's scalps numb. In the title match, he crushed Fu Shunan 3-0!
Many people used to say that Su Yiming plays chess like Shen Yi, but after the Great Chess Masters Tournament, there has been no such saying anymore. Some people even say that rather than saying that Su Yiming plays like Shen Yi, it is better to say that Shen Yi plays like Su Yiming.
This will be a battle between the two of them!
Their previous fights were all impressive, and this time, both of them will get the titles and fight again after they stand at the top!
Winning or losing may no longer be important.
What’s important is, what kind of chess game will the two of them play under the watchful eyes of the whole world?
“Squeak.”
Suddenly, the sound of a door being pushed open broke the silence in the room.
Everyone came to their senses and subconsciously looked towards the door. When they saw the person coming, they couldn't help but show a look of surprise on their faces.
“Are they all here?”
An Hongshi glanced at everyone in the room, a smile appeared on his face, and he asked, "If you don't mind, would you like to take a look together?"
…
…
Not only the United States, Japan, North Korea and South Korea, but also France, Britain... At this moment, countless people in almost every country in the world are paying attention to the twin battles, anxiously and nervously waiting for the game to begin.
There was also a lot of discussion on the Internet at this time, and countless barrages flew through the live broadcast room.
"This year, the entire Go world has undergone amazing changes. Now looking back at the games from a year ago, they seem a little unfamiliar."
"I don't know why, but I always feel that this match has a different meaning... Yu Shao and Su Yiming are both chess players of the new era. Now that they have both won titles and become top-notch chess players, can this match between the two of them be considered the official opening of a new era?"
"Maybe, maybe 20 years from now, when someone asks when the new era of Go officially began, it might be this game."
“…”
The live broadcast room was filled with barrages of comments, but as the game time got closer, the comments began to decrease. Everyone seemed to be affected by an inexplicable force and became quieter and quieter.
Yu Shao!
Su Yiming!
Everyone's attention was attracted by these two names!
Everyone seems to be shocked by the grand proposition called "era" and can only wait silently for the new era to slowly begin.
During this long wait, the air seemed to be affected, filled with a suffocating feeling of oppression.
It was like a sign of a coming storm.
At this time, Yu Shao finally arrived at the Southern Chess Academy.
He walked straight through the corridor of the chess academy, finally stopped at the door of the chess talk room, and then gently pushed open the door of the chess talk room.
The decoration in the chess room is simple and elegant. There is only a chess table, two chairs, a long table for the referee and the music recorder to rest, and... the calligraphy hanging high on the wall.
On the copybook, four characters were written in a flamboyant style:
Sit and talk!
Under the calligraphy hanging high on the wall, Su Yiming had already taken his seat at the chess table in the middle of the chess room. When he saw Yu Shao pushing the door and walking in, he immediately turned his head and looked at Yu Shao intently.
"We're going to fight again."
Yu Shao also looked at Su Yiming with mixed feelings.
"This is the fifth game between us..."
The first game was in the high school Go league. At that time, Su Yiming was far from being his opponent. Although Su Yiming had already shown extremely strong Go skills and his tenacious resistance after falling into a disadvantage was astonishing, the gap between them was obvious at a glance.
The second game was in the qualifying tournament. That game was actually a somewhat unfair victory. When Su Yiming played the big avalanche, the game was already declared a dead end. What's more, he also played the demon sword. In the end, the loss was even more tragic than the first game.
In the third game, at the Yingjiao Cup, although Su Yiming was obviously much stronger at that time and had a deeper understanding of Go, there was still a gap in their chess skills, and in the end Su Yiming lost by three and a half points.
In the fourth game, during the team competition captain selection, Su Yiming unexpectedly played the Heavy Rain pattern, an AI pattern that he was very familiar with.
His understanding of the heavy rain pattern far exceeded Su Yiming's, so it was natural that Su Yiming lost this game again.
However, he was also deeply shocked by the fact that he could play the Heavy Rain pattern in a world without Go AI.
Su Yiming lost all four games.
Although he was an extremely familiar opponent and they had fought each other so many times, every time they fought, Yu Shao felt as if he was seeing a stranger Su Yiming.
Now, the fifth game is finally here!
How will the outcome be this time?
At this moment, Su Yiming slowly stood up from his chair, looked at Yu Shao, and said, "Yu Shao, you are finally here."
"Here you are. Have you been waiting for a long time?"
Yu Shao also looked at Su Yiming and asked.
"Soon. No matter how long I wait, it's not too long to fight you."
Su Yiming shook his head and said.
Hearing this, Yu Shao couldn't help but laugh. When he was about to speak, he was interrupted by Su Yiming.
"The fifth set."
Su Yiming suddenly spoke.
Yu Shao was startled when he heard this, and looked at Su Yiming, waiting for Su Yiming to finish his words.
"In the official competition, we played a total of four games."
Su Yiming looked directly at Yu Shao with an extremely sharp gaze, and said: "I lost all four games in the end. This... is our fifth game!"
On the side, the two referees and the referee were slightly startled, then turned their heads and looked at Yu Shao.
“…”
After hearing Su Yiming's words, Yu Shao did not say anything, but just looked quietly at Su Yiming's dark eyes, as if he could see through Su Yiming's thoughts.
"Um."
After a moment, Yu Shao finally spoke and said "hmm" softly.
The next moment, Yu Shao's eyes suddenly became sharp, and his whole body exuded a sense of oppression. His aura was so shocking that people dared not look directly at him!
The two men's gazes met and collided in mid-air, neither of them giving in at all, and they were tit-for-tat!
"In the official competition, we played four games in total, and I won every time. This... is our fifth game!"
Yu Shao's voice echoed in the chat room and did not fade away for a long time.
At this moment, inside the chat room, time seemed to be stretched and finally frozen!
After a moment, Su Yiming finally withdrew his gaze and sat back in his chair.
Yu Shao finally took a step forward, strode to the opposite side of Su Yiming, then pulled out a chair and sat down.
The music notator and referee on the side did not say a word from beginning to end. They looked at Yu Shao and Su Yiming sitting opposite each other not far away, with mixed feelings in their hearts.
Under the high-hanging calligraphy of "Sitting and Discussing the Tao", two chess players sat opposite each other, without saying a word, quietly waiting for the game to begin, but an invisible sense of oppression was gradually spreading!
"Indeed, as Su Yiming said, Yu Shao won the previous four games."
The referee looked at Yu Shao and Su Yiming not far away, with a thin stream of sweat on his face: "Will this game of chess, which concerns the title, be different from the previous ones?"
"This game is bound to attract everyone's attention."
"Who is better?"
The referee thought silently in his heart: "For them, is the existence of each other a blessing... or a misfortune?"
Looking at them sitting opposite each other, he even felt a great pressure, and inexplicably felt a sense of solemnity!
"But, no matter what, their existence is definitely a blessing for all those who love Go!"
"Compared to winning or losing, perhaps everyone is more concerned about——"
"What a show they will give to the world on the chessboard!"
"The answer to this question is about to be revealed!"
finally.
Seeing the hour hand on the watch pointing to ten o'clock, the referee slowly stood up, looked at Yu Shao, then looked at Su Yiming, suppressed all the emotions in his heart, and said in a deep voice: "Time is up!"
"This competition adopts the alternate first-goal system. In the first round, guess the first go. In the second round, black and white are swapped. Both sides have three hours available, with a one-minute countdown. Black has a seven-and-a-half-point handicap!"
The referee took a deep breath and spoke again: "Twin Cup——"
“Now, let’s begin!”
(End of this chapter)
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