The nigiri ended, and the four players bowed to each other.

The game had finally begun.

Zhuang Fei stared intently at the empty board before him. His match against Yu Shao from the Ranking Tournament a year ago still felt vividly clear in his memory.

After a moment, Zhuang Fei's gaze grew more determined. With the sound of stones being picked up, he finally extracted a stone from the go bowl and placed it slowly.

Clack!

Sixteenth line, fourth row - star point!

After the first move, it was He Yu's turn.

Looking at the newly placed black stone on the board, visible tension appeared on his face.

"This game... will be watched by go players worldwide. It's also... my first match as a professional."

He Yu took two deep breaths, trying desperately to calm himself before reaching into the go bowl.

"I will win."

A fierce glint flashed in He Yu's eyes as he finally picked up a stone and placed it forcefully.

Clack!

Fourth line, sixteenth row - star point!

Seeing He Yu's move, Su Yiming only pondered briefly before quickly extracting a stone and placing it.

Seventeenth line, sixteenth row - komoku!

"Star and komoku..."

After some thought, Yu Shao also picked up a stone and placed it.

Fourth line, fourth row - star point!

For white, komoku or 3-3 point were also considerations, but this being a doubles match, after deliberation, Zhuang Fei ultimately chose the most common seven-star opening.

With this, all four had made their first moves, forming the classic star-komoku vs seven-star opening - a common pattern that even amateur players might have played hundreds or thousands of times.

Now it was He Yu's turn again.

He Yu's expression grew more solemn. After some thought, he finally picked up a stone and placed it on the board.

Clack!

Third line, third row - 3-3 point!

"The 3-3 point?"

Yu Shao was stunned by this move, completely unprepared for He Yu to play the 3-3 point when paired with Su Yiming.

Even Su Yiming gave He Yu a surprised glance before quickly turning back to the board, waiting for Yu Shao's response.

Snapping out of it, Yu Shao immediately picked up a stone and placed it quickly.

Clack!

Ninth line, third row - block!

Su Yiming maintained his calm expression as he picked up and gently placed his stone.

Third line, fourth row - extension!

Now it was Yu Shao's turn again.

"With this position, should I extend or play hane?"

"Or perhaps..."

Yu Shao studied the board thoughtfully, glancing at Zhuang Fei across from him. He noticed Zhuang Fei had clenched his fists, staring intently at the board, waiting for Yu Shao's move.

Though Zhuang Fei hadn't spoken, Yu Shao could sense the turbulent emotions churning within him since the game began.

Finally, Yu Shao reached into the go bowl, picked up a stone, and placed it slowly.

Clack!

The stone landed.

Third line, sixth row - small knight's approach!

"So, how will you respond to this?"

Yu Shao looked up at Zhuang Fei with curiosity in his eyes.

Seeing this move, Zhuang Fei froze. Not just him - He Yu, the referee, and recorder in the Go room all showed visible reactions.

"Great Storm!"

Indeed.

This small knight's approach was an aggressive move. With this stone, the basic shape of Great Storm had formed, and the board's development now depended entirely on Zhuang Fei's response!

"Can this be real...? A doubles match forming the Great Storm joseki?"

The recorder couldn't hide his shock, staring unblinkingly at the board.

"The Great Storm joseki is, to this day, the most complex variation in go history - bar none!"

"Even playing alone, one could be drowned in this storm, let alone in doubles!"

The recorder took a deep breath, as if sensing the impending tempest.

"If black plays the shoulder hit, both sides will be trapped in dire straits - even white who initiated the Great Storm won't be spared!"

The referee beside him also held his breath, eyes fixed on the board that had already shown its ferocity so early in the game.

"Both will find themselves in a dilemma, neither confident, all four players placed in mortal danger where the slightest mistake could mean complete annihilation!"

The Great Storm joseki had only existed for about a year, but had already claimed many top players, earning its fearsome reputation.

Normally, the longer a joseki exists and gets studied, several inferior and superior variations emerge. But the Great Storm is unique!

Just when people think a certain variation is bad, new branches soon appear from it - a single stone change alters the entire board!

When research suggests a variation is advantageous, further study often disproves it!

To this day, no one knows what's right or wrong beneath this storm.

All can only grope forward blindly in this rain-drenched darkness, finding no path out.

Under this storm, neither side has answers - not even direction - forced to burn their boats and fight desperately, where only the strong survive!

Thus, unless absolutely necessary, no one plays the Great Storm. In public perception, it's the most vicious strategy possible.

Yet now, the basic Great Storm shape had formed!

"Though avoiding it is simple - Zhuang Fei just needs to play the cap move. This being doubles, he probably won't take the risk..." another referee thought silently.

Zhuang Fei stared at the board for a long time without moving.

Time ticked by.

Finally, Zhuang Fei gritted his teeth, reached into the bowl, and placed his stone swiftly.

Clack!

The crisp sound echoed through the Go room.

Seeing Zhuang Fei's placement, Yu Shao was slightly surprised, while the referee, recorder, and thousands watching on TV stared in disbelief.

On the board:

Second line, sixth row - shoulder hit!

"Zhuang Fei has accepted the challenge!"

With this move, everyone could almost feel the once-calm board suddenly become a raging storm.

That a doubles match would see the Great Storm was beyond all expectations!

This meant a deadly game had irreversibly begun - both sides now in a dilemma where one must perish, with no chance for prolonged battle.

None understood Zhuang Fei's choice, but regardless, he had made it.

He Yu, looking at the board, also gritted his teeth before placing his next stone.

Su Yiming considered briefly before following suit.

Then Yu Shao, then Zhuang Fei again - the four took turns placing stones in cycle.

Clack!

Clack!

Clack!

The board grew increasingly complex and intense, the sound of stones echoing continuously.

"Visibly more mature now."

Zhuang Fei quietly observed the board, noting He Yu's latest placement with some admiration.

This move was quite cunning - anticipating at least thirty moves ahead, aiming to exploit white's bad shape on the left for a surprise attack to gain outside influence. Missing white's weakness there could spell instant defeat.

Fortunately, he had spotted it.

"Though..."

Yu Shao glanced at the sweat-beaded He Yu beside him, feeling concern.

He had seen it, but this move was He Yu's to answer.

Soon, He Yu picked up and placed his stone quickly.

Clack!

Seventh line, twelfth row - clamp!

"Not bad - he noticed too!"

Seeing He Yu's placement, Yu Shao sighed in relief. After Su Yiming moved, he immediately placed his stone.

When Yu Shao finished, Zhuang Fei gritted his teeth and placed his next stone swiftly.

Clack!

Eighth line, fifth row - small knight's approach!

"Trying to bait white into attacking the cutting point?"

Yu Shao instantly grasped Zhuang Fei's intent and found the counter: "But if white simply turns and pokes the cutting point, black actually becomes thin..."

Just as this thought formed, He Yu placed white's stone.

Eighth line, sixth row - shoulder hit!

"Wait, what...?"

Yu Shao was dumbfounded, finally twitching his lips: "Alright..."

Compared to Zhuang Fei's earlier move, this was actually easier to handle, yet He Yu had missed it.

Yu Shao understood He Yu's intention - to surround black's three isolated stones above - but failed to see black's strong sacrifice-for-initiative move here!

Across from Yu Shao, Su Yiming also froze, glancing at He Yu before placing his stone gently.

"A... sacrifice?"

Seeing this, He Yu stared blankly before his expression changed drastically, realizing his grave mistake.

This was the Great Storm joseki - in this position, even a slow move could be disastrous, let alone this outright mistake!

"We're done for... it's hopeless now. All my fault..."

Profound regret and guilt flooded He Yu. He wanted to apologize, but speaking was forbidden, so he swallowed his words.

Yu Shao frowned at the board, calculating desperately for a comeback chance.

"Not necessarily lost."

"Black's sacrifice does gain initiative, but white's shoulder hit isn't as bad as imagined."

Yu Shao stared intently, growing more focused.

"Perhaps we can treat the shoulder hit as a sacrifice too - force black to capture, then use the dead stone to breach white's thickness."

His mind raced through variations, stones appearing and spreading wildly across the mental board.

"If we relentlessly attack white's weakened thickness, there's still a slim chance!"

Finally, Yu Shao picked up and placed his stone.

Clack!

Thirteenth line, twelfth row - jump!

"A jump?"

This move stunned Zhuang Fei completely - never expecting Yu Shao to play here.

He Yu also stared bewildered at the board, utterly failing to understand Yu Shao's reasoning.

Even Su Yiming paused briefly before his expression turned deadly serious.

Soon, Zhuang Fei seemed to grasp something, his expression changing as he clenched his left fist while his right hand darted to place another stone.

"Black takes initiative but doesn't attack - instead reinforcing?"

He Yu remained confused: "I left an opening - if it were me, I'd attack without hesitation."

Clack!

Eighth line, fourteenth row - tiger's mouth!

He Yu hesitated before finally placing his stone.

Su Yiming studied the board before following suit.

"More reinforcement..."

He Yu stared blankly, completely lost by these three consecutive moves, unsure how to proceed.

Just then, Yu Shao focused intently and placed another stone.

"Wait..."

Seeing this, He Yu suddenly realized something as he stared at the board.

"This...!"

His eyes widened gradually in disbelief as he finally grasped the board's hidden profundity!

"So that's it!"

"To think..."

"To think this was possible!"

Unprecedented shock overwhelmed He Yu as he gaped at the board like a mortal glimpsing a towering peak piercing the clouds.

"The shoulder hit was bad!"

"Normal thinking is to fix mistakes, but... National Champion Yu Shao... your approach isn't that!"

"You not only persist in the 'mistake,' but treat it as good, maximizing its potential!"

A bead of sweat rolled down He Yu's cheek as his mind reeled.

"You found this move's greatest possible value in the game's future!"

"You even want to use my shoulder hit to crush black completely!"

"This is simply..."

"Genius!"

He Yu recalled Zhuang Fei's words before the Torch Battle in the lounge:

"You know nothing about Yu Shao!"

"Only when facing him across the board will you understand -"

"He'll make you tremble in despair, even lose the courage to lift another stone!"

Now, though seated beside rather than across from Yu Shao, he understood those words.

Finally comprehending what it meant for Zhuang Fei to keep chasing after losing to Yu Shao that year.

That Zhuang Fei still had the will to continue was itself remarkable!