The stone landed.

Tap!

With a crisp sound resembling metal striking stone, a black stone appeared on the board.

Thirteenth column, eleventh row!

A clamp!

Seeing this move, Jiang Changdong, the two referees, the recorder, and all Go enthusiasts worldwide observing this game froze simultaneously. The puzzle that had troubled everyone was finally solved with this single move - the answer had arrived.

"This... this is..."

Jiang Changdong stared fixedly at the board, his pupils trembling slightly.

"The most solid response for Black would've been extending. If White wanted to maneuver, the strongest counter would've been a hane..."

"But he chose neither."

"Instead... a clamp!"

"He... truly intends to attack White!"

With this clamping move, Black's strategic intent from the beginning finally materialized clearly on the board. Though the question had been answered, Jiang Changdong still found it hard to believe.

"He actually believes Black is stronger than White in this capturing race!"

In this position, nearly everyone would consider White stronger. Yet Black's move demonstrated a completely opposite assessment of the board state. Jiang Changdong finally looked up incredulously at Yu Shao across the table.

Behind Yu Shao, that hazy figure narrowed its eyes, locking gazes with Jiang Changdong. Their stares seemed to transcend space, intersecting midair.

After a long moment, Jiang Changdong finally averted his gaze back to the board, forcing himself to calm down and analyze subsequent developments.

"If he cuts, I'll press from the center. If he plays a small knight's move, I'll shoulder hit and fight to the death!"

"Black's shape here is clearly thin. Even with this clamp cutting off my retreat and posing an attacking stance, it's useless - Black can live easily!"

"The initiative... remains with me!"

Having calculated the variations, Jiang Changdong no longer hesitated. He promptly picked up a stone and placed it.

Tap!

The crisp sound of stone meeting wood rang out again. Yu Shao glanced at the board, then immediately reached into his bowl, picked up a stone, and swiftly placed it.

Tap!

Tap!

Tap!

Black and white stones alternated across the board like a spreading net, capturing everyone's attention. Spectators watched mesmerized, sweat beading on their foreheads.

Gradually, as more stones were placed, Jiang Changdong's expression began changing. Not just him - increasingly more observers found their eyes widening uncontrollably. An indescribable sense of shock washed over them all.

The board's subtlety was finally revealing itself, stunning everyone's minds.

"My white group here... might actually get captured by Black!"

Jiang Changdong stared disbelievingly at the board, lips slightly parted, throat dry. However unwilling, he had to admit the situation had developed completely contrary to his expectations.

"If I don't attack, my white stones face no danger."

Jiang Changdong knew his initial assessment wasn't wrong - his miscalculation came later.

"But I chose to attack fiercely."

"Though Black's shape is thin, facing my strong attack, Black could only keep reinforcing externally."

"But..."

Jiang Changdong gazed blankly at the board, vision blurring slightly.

"Because Black moved outward, each black stone connecting imperceptibly increased pressure on my initially aggressive white group. Black has formed a pincer attack from both sides!"

"My attack here was a double-edged sword - harming both Black and myself!"

"The situation... has turned unfavorable!"

Time ticked by as Jiang Changdong remained motionless, immersed in deep calculation.

"Calm down!"

Finally taking a deep breath, Jiang Changdong forced himself to regain composure, glaring at the board while visualizing countless variations.

"Though checkmated here, the point difference remains small. My white group lacks sufficient eye space and is indeed in danger, but through intense fighting, it can still live!"

"At this point, I must flee and rescue my isolated stones!"

Having reached this conclusion, Jiang Changdong picked up a stone and placed it immediately.

Tap!

Eleventh column, tenth row - a jump!

......

"He jumped!"

Watching Jiang Changdong's move on TV, Zheng Qin stared fixedly at the screen without turning his head. "Teacher Jiang remains unexpectedly calm," he remarked hoarsely, still shaken by the board's dramatic transformation.

"Indeed."

Le Haoqiang nodded nervously. "If it were me, I'd probably grit my teeth and keep attacking Black. If Black misplays, his position could still collapse." Staring at the screen, he added, "But Teacher Jiang sensed the danger, showing no stubbornness - he went straight for making life!"

Xu Zi stood opposite Su Yiming, picking up stones to demonstrate possible continuations on the current board. After placing several moves, she said solemnly, "But even going for life now won't be easy."

Su Yiming nodded, studying the board before picking up stones to display variations. As he placed them, he explained, "If Black cuts here, White must form a tiger's mouth. Then when Black connects, White's eye space could be destroyed."

Soon, Su Yiming removed the stones and demonstrated another line. "If Black doesn't cut but plays a small knight's move instead, that's also strong. White would have to either retreat or shoulder hit, entering difficult fighting."

"Besides cutting and the knight's move, a wedge is also possible."

"In short, Black has plenty of sharp options here!"

On screen, under everyone's watchful eyes, another black stone descended.

Tap!

Eighth column, thirteenth row - a press!

Discussion about the current position instantly ceased. The broadcast room fell into eerie silence.

They'd envisioned countless possible Black responses, yet never anticipated Black would completely ignore White's attempt to live - actually letting White live if that's what White wanted?!

"Click."

The sound of picking up a stone. Su Yiming took a stone from his bowl, mirroring Yu Shao's placement on his own board, then studied the position.

"Tenuki to the left side..."

"Though White's left side seems leaky, Black actually has no good moves there. Playing out these variations won't significantly affect the overall situation."

Su Yiming frowned slightly.

"But after exhausting these left-side variations, it wastes ko threats and offers little potential for future utilization."

Having faced Yu Shao multiple times, Su Yiming considered himself quite familiar with Yu Shao's play. Yet in this game, every one of Yu Shao's moves baffled even him.

Then Wu Zhixuan's voice suddenly broke the prolonged silence.

"Could there be... some hidden follow-up?"

......

Online discussions were equally heated.

Black letting White live seemed unbelievable yet acceptable since White wasn't absolutely dead anyway. But Black tenuki-ing to the left side where the moves appeared non-threatening, even wasting ko threats - this was truly perplexing!

Many shared Wu Zhixuan's suspicion.

Did Black have some unseen trick up its sleeve?

"He actually tenuki-ed."

In the Go room, Jiang Changdong's expression darkened. Instead of moving immediately, he stared at the board in deep thought, eyes filled with confusion.

"Is there some tactic here I've failed to notice?"

Time passed.

Yet after prolonged calculation, Jiang Changdong still couldn't identify any hidden Black strategy. Black did have some seemingly aggressive options, but none worked - White could handle them all.

With time running short, Jiang Changdong gritted his teeth and reluctantly placed his next stone.

"If there's really a follow-up, I'll have to wait for it and respond accordingly!"

Seeing Jiang Changdong finally move, Yu Shao promptly placed his stone.

Tap!

Tap!

Tap!

Black and white stones kept spreading across the nineteen-by-nineteen grid.

"What exactly... is Black planning?"

"I can't tell. If there's a follow-up, what form would it take? What grand scheme is Black plotting?"

"How should White respond?"

Tension permeated the global audience as everyone awaited Black's revelation, the moment when the dagger would finally be drawn from the map!

But as left-side variations dwindled, puzzled expressions surfaced everywhere.

"Still not making a move?"

"The left-side variations are nearly exhausted - ko threats all used up!"

"If he doesn't act now, while it won't drastically change the situation, those wasted ko threats might prove fatal for Black later!"

After six or seven more exchanges, it was Yu Shao's turn again.

"Thirteenth column, eleventh row - a large knight's move!"

Hearing this inner voice, Yu Shao reached into his bowl, picked up a stone, and gently placed it as instructed.

Thirteenth column, eleventh row!

Large knight's move!

Black shifted focus back to the right flank!

This move wasn't hard to envision - in fact, it was the most natural choice. Yet seeing this utterly natural move, Jiang Changdong froze momentarily. So did every worldwide observer.

While indeed a good, natural move in this position, its very naturalness was the problem. Because playing it meant left-side variations were completely exhausted - and throughout, Black had shown no follow-up whatsoever.

So Black simply tenuki-ed to the left, exhausted variations, and wasted ko threats for nothing? No one could comprehend this, because it was fundamentally incomprehensible.

In the Go room, that hazy figure remained standing behind Yu Shao, its blurred face perpetually calm. Yu Shao looked down at the board.

Only he understood.

There was no follow-up here.

That tenuki had indeed wasted ko threats with no subsequent utilization!

Yet this was precisely the style of the figure behind him - his Go.

Playing with simplicity as strength, never creating unnecessary complications, avoiding all risks, coordinating globally, often overwhelming through position - employing needle-hidden-in-cotton strategies to erode and transform, surrounding territory imperceptibly!

He didn't know how a Go AI would play here. He only knew the figure behind him would play exactly like this.

Simply to reduce branching variations.

Simply to minimize calculation.

That's all!

Yet precisely this style had once swept countless masters, dominating the Go world of its time!

"So... just meaninglessly exhausting variations?"

Seeing Yu Shao truly had no follow-up, Jiang Changdong recalled his prolonged worry about hidden tactics. His eyelid twitched as humiliation-fueled anger surged.

"Damn it!"

A fierce glint flashed in Jiang Changdong's eyes as he grabbed another stone and slammed it down.

Tap!

Seventh column, thirteenth row - a hane!

The expression of the blurred figure behind Yu Shao contrasted starkly with Jiang Changdong's - utterly tranquil, simply gazing at the board before calmly stating the next move.

"Eighth column, fourteenth row - cut!"

Tap!

Tap!

Tap!

On the board, black and white stones fell in rapid succession, their impacts seemingly echoing worldwide!

"Thirteenth column, fifteenth row - small knight's move!"

Hearing this inner voice, Yu Shao again picked up a stone and placed it gently.

"He's ignoring my upper-side territory to focus below, building the lower right!"

This move wasn't hard to understand. Jiang Changdong immediately grasped Yu Shao's intent. His right hand, already in the stone bowl, unconsciously clenched a handful of white stones, producing a "click" as they collided.

Up to this point, none of Yu Shao's moves had been particularly strong - no forceful attitudes or aggressive plays. Jiang Changdong knew how to counter each one. Throughout, he'd been the one initiating challenges, successfully claiming everything he contested. Yet now, his position wasn't favorable - even disadvantageous!

Fortunately, Yu Shao's non-aggressive play kept the point difference minimal - vanishingly small!

"No good. Though the center group can make eyes, there's no time to reinforce. Black's attack persists, keeping it dangerous. If he builds big territory below, the point gap will widen!"

Jiang Changdong's mind raced through variations until finally understanding the situation. Releasing his stone grip, he picked up a white stone and placed it swiftly.

"I must invade - prevent him from making territory! Go all out!"

Tap!

Fifteenth column, eighteenth row - an invasion!