Yu Shao stood up and quickly arrived at the Go room door, pushing it open and stepping outside.

Su Yiming followed closely behind, leaving the Go room and walking shoulder-to-shoulder with Yu Shao toward the press interview room.

"Indeed, there's still a gap between you and me..."

After walking some distance down the corridor leading to the press room, Su Yiming suddenly spoke.

Hearing this, Yu Shao momentarily froze before stopping in his tracks and turning to look at Su Yiming.

"Why do you say that?"

Yu Shao shook his head and resumed walking with a smile. "The teacher said this game had me sweating buckets. I thought I'd already won, but never expected you'd actually manage to create a quadruple ko cycle at the end."

Recalling this match, even Yu Shao felt moved. That final quadruple ko cycle was practically a god-tier move that turned the tables completely.

Su Yiming's talent was simply extraordinary - turning the impossible into reality. Every move brimming with genius inspiration left Yu Shao, who had experienced the AI era, utterly astonished.

"Precisely because I know how difficult this was to achieve, and precisely because we ended with a quadruple ko cycle, I can see the gap between us even more clearly."

Su Yiming stopped walking and looked steadily at Yu Shao. "During our match, I was completely overwhelmed by you."

Yu Shao froze again, stopping once more to meet Su Yiming's gaze. Their eyes locked in midair.

"If we played another match, I probably couldn't perform at this level again. This was the best game of my life - one I'll remember forever."

Su Yiming spoke with complete honesty. "But this game... was just your normal standard. I could tell your desire to win wasn't nearly as strong as mine."

"You didn't want to lose, but you didn't have that all-or-nothing determination to win no matter what. If you had, I would have lost this match too."

"Even so, this game already represented my absolute limit. So if we played again, I would definitely lose."

"You... are much stronger than I imagined."

Desire to win?

Yu Shao seemed momentarily dazed by this.

"You lack that fighting spirit - that absolute determination to win."

Su Yiming gazed into Yu Shao's eyes and continued. "Or perhaps you've never truly felt you might lose. Even when facing potential defeat, it doesn't seem to matter much to you."

"You just methodically play each carefully considered move. Your attitude seems to be 'man proposes, heaven disposes.'"

"But I'm different. My thinking is—"

Su Yiming paused, his voice clear and bright. "If heaven won't let me succeed, then I'll beat heaven by half a move."

Had Zhou De uttered this phrase about "beating heaven by half a move," Yu Shao would have immediately started mocking it.

But coming from Su Yiming's mouth, Yu Shao found himself at a loss for words.

"Perhaps it's inappropriate for the loser to say these things, but honestly, Yu Shao..."

Su Yiming paused before continuing. "I find it strange. You lack fighting spirit. Or rather, you lack a Go player's proper... fear."

"Chasing with a trembling body, challenging with reverent awe - only then can a Go player grow."

"If you were guaranteed to win, then lacking fighting spirit would be understandable."

Su Yiming's eyes showed confusion as he asked. "But why, even when facing situations where you might lose or be unable to win, do you still show no significant fighting spirit?"

This question made Yu Shao's mind buzz, leaving him rooted to the spot.

He truly lacked fear.

Because he had already experienced the greatest fear - facing an opponent he was destined never to defeat. After that, facing anyone else naturally inspired no fear.

He truly lacked fighting spirit.

Because that greatest fear had already scattered his fighting spirit to the winds. In this life, his goal was merely to surpass his previous self - never daring to hope of reaching AI's level.

After AI's emergence in his past life, he had completely lost his drive.

Originally standing atop the Go world's summit, after Go AI appeared, he fell from that peak. Though he later rallied, studied continuously, and regained his position at Go's pinnacle...

He was never truly first again - merely top five. Perhaps this was already an impressive achievement, but compared to before, it fell far short.

He too had wondered why - whether he hadn't studied Go AI enough, whether his skills had declined.

But perhaps the real answer was:

Without fear, he consequently lacked fighting spirit - had lost his drive.

Though after AI's emergence, his understanding and perception of Go had become incomparable to before, he no longer possessed that desperate, must-win conviction!

It was hard to say whether this represented progress or regression.

Yu Shao suddenly felt an unprecedented sense of absurdity.

"When I lost our first match, I felt there was a gap between us, but not a large one."

Su Yiming smiled and started walking again as he spoke. "After losing the second match, I still felt the gap wasn't large."

"Then the third match, fourth match... Though I kept losing, each time I felt the gap wasn't big."

"Until this Twin Stars Cup."

Su Yiming walked while speaking calmly. "Only after finishing the entire Twin Stars Cup did I suddenly realize the gap between us is much larger than I thought."

"Before, I couldn't even clearly see the gap between us."

"But Yu Shao."

Su Yiming stopped and looked back at Yu Shao behind him. "This time, I see it clearly."

"The gap I see now is bigger than ever before. But instead of discouraging me, I feel I'll catch up before long!"

Watching Su Yiming's back, Yu Shao felt emotions too complex to name. After a long silence, he finally took a deep breath and followed Su Yiming.

Soon they reached the press room entrance.

The room was already packed. When Yu Shao and Su Yiming appeared at the doorway simultaneously, all reporters' eyes instantly lit up.

"They're here!"

"Yu Shao and Su Yiming both came!"

Like wolves spotting prey, reporters with cameras and DSLRs swarmed around them, completely encircling the two.

"National Champion Yu Shao, hello! I'm from Paris Go News. May I ask..."

"Yu Shao, I'm from Go World. About today's match..."

"Grandmaster Su Yiming, in the Twin Stars Cup final, you created the incredibly rare quadruple ko cycle. Could you..." Read complete version only at NoveI(F)ire.net

Reporters of various nationalities shouted questions simultaneously through microphones, creating such chaos that no single question was audible.

Nearby, two staff members trying to maintain order wiped sweat from their brows, helplessly urging: "Don't crowd! They're here - they won't run away! Line up! One question per person!"

"I came first! I ask first!"

"Nonsense! I camped here yesterday! I just went to the bathroom when you arrived - how are you first?"

"I was fourth!"

The reporters argued noisily until the two staff members finally managed to organize them into an orderly line after tremendous effort.

First in line was a middle-aged man with a full beard who, after collecting his thoughts, immediately asked: "I'm from Go World. National Champion Yu Shao, what are your thoughts about the Twin Stars Cup second match?"

After speaking, the man looked expectantly at Yu Shao, who seemed not to hear the question, lost in thought.

"National Champion Yu Shao?"

The man looked confused and repeated his question.

Only then did Yu Shao snap back to reality, looking at the man apologetically. "Sorry, I spaced out. What was the question?"

"......"

Slightly embarrassed, the man laughed awkwardly before repeating: "I'm from Go World. National Champion Yu Shao, what are your thoughts about the Twin Stars Cup second match ending in a draw?"

"The second match?"

Yu Shao thought before answering honestly. "Su Yiming played extremely well. I thought I had it won, but never expected him to force a quadruple ko cycle from such a dominant position."

As the man tried to ask more, the next reporter already pushed forward: "Grandmaster Su Yiming, I'm from Japan's Kanto region."

"Triple ko cycles are rare enough, but quadruple ko cycles are exceedingly uncommon. Two groups forming four kos has never been seen before - truly an earthshaking game. How did you conceive and ultimately execute this quadruple ko cycle?"

Su Yiming smiled and shook his head. "It wasn't conceived - how can you plan a quadruple ko cycle?"

"At that point I was practically defeated, but I wanted to persist, to struggle on. Only when White played that tiger's mouth move did I suddenly realize a quadruple ko might be possible."

Su Yiming continued calmly. "Then it was just a matter of going all out."

After the second reporter finished, the third immediately pushed forward, microphone aimed at Su Yiming. "I'm from Longcheng Go Club. What are your thoughts about Yu Shao?"

At this, everyone's attention instantly focused on Su Yiming - even the two staff members, and Yu Shao himself couldn't help looking over.

"About Yu Shao?"

Su Yiming froze momentarily, instinctively glancing at Yu Shao beside him. After thinking, he faced the international press corps and spoke.

"He is... the greatest gift of my Go career."

"The greatest... gift?"

The reporter looked stunned. He'd expected Su Yiming to say Yu Shao was strong, that he'd work hard to win next time - not this completely unexpected response.

Not just him - everyone present was dumbfounded, Yu Shao included.

"Yes."

Su Yiming nodded smilingly. "Because of him, I understand there's no limit to art. I'm so fortunate to have him, so lucky to share this era with him."

He paused before adding. "Having such an opponent leaves no regrets in life."

The room fell completely silent.

"No regrets in life."

These four words carried tremendous weight.

No one could have dreamed such words would come from two rivals' mouths about each other.

After a long silence, the fourth reporter finally regained composure.

He pushed aside the Longcheng reporter and aimed his microphone at Yu Shao. "National Champion Yu Shao, everyone has high expectations for your World Championship performance."

"The first Phoenix Cup World Championship will soon be held in Phoenix Ancient Town. As National Champion, you've already qualified. Will you be entering the Phoenix Cup?"

Hearing this, Yu Shao finally focused.

Unlike his past life, this world had so many Go players that World Championship participation required meeting certain criteria - namely reaching a title match main event within three years.

Having not only reached but won the National Championship, he naturally qualified.

As for the Phoenix Cup, he'd heard about it recently amidst all the buzz.

A month later, Go players worldwide would gather in Phoenix Ancient Town for this grand event, competing from preliminaries to finals for the world championship title.

Yu Shao nodded. "I currently have no other tournaments. I'll probably enter."

Hearing this, the reporter's eyes lit up. Before the next reporter could push forward, he eagerly continued. "The World Championship has many strong players. As a first-time participant, will you feel pressure? Are you confident of achieving good results?"

"Hey hey, my turn now! One question per person!" The reporter behind complained while trying to push forward.

"I look forward to competing against strong players worldwide."

Yu Shao thought, glanced at Su Yiming, then continued. "As for pressure..."

"I think they should watch how Su Yiming and I play."

The moment these words landed, the noisy press room instantly fell silent. Even the fifth reporter, about to push aside the lingering fourth, froze mid-motion.

Soon, all reporters' faces flushed with excitement. They knew exactly how explosive this statement would be when reported.

"Then, then, Grandmaster Su Yiming, will you participate in this Phoenix Cup World Championship?"

The fifth reporter finally shoved the fourth aside and asked urgently.

"Me?"

Su Yiming looked at Yu Shao, then nodded. "Of course I'll participate."