"This game of chess... I didn't play it well."
Looking at the "old enemy" in front of him, Lei Qi naturally started talking casually and talked about today's defeat:
"I didn't expect Brother Sun to be so difficult to deal with! How dare you force Jie to fight when it's obviously unfavorable to kill!
“In the end, when I was constantly being caught up in the gap, I felt like my mentality was ups and downs.
"For him... I really didn't make enough preparations, and he deserves it!"
"You can't say that, Senior Brother Sun is already very strong!"
Rui Zhao replied firmly:
"Besides, Senior Brother Sun also did a lot of research on Lei Qi 9th Dan before the game!
“There will be breakthroughs, that’s normal!
"Lei Qi 9th Dan, you don't have to worry so much!"
"But he broke through, but I didn't..."
Lei Qi sighed lightly and continued:
"Like me... in the final analysis, it was only in the Spring Orchid Cup semi-finals that I defeated Ryu Shi-hyun once in a single game!
"The last Tongge Cup championship was thanks to Zhuang Zheng helping me stop Liu Shixian. After that, every time I met him in an international competition, I was always eliminated.
"Obviously I felt that I had worked hard enough, but in the end I was unable to go any further, and was even defeated by Brother Sun.
"Thank you...you said before the semi-finals of the Spring Orchid Cup last time that I was no worse than Ryu Shi-hyun!"
"Ah... Actually, in my opinion, you are all very powerful!
"Perhaps Liu Jiuduan is indeed more experienced!"
Rui Zhao continued to comfort:
"Moreover, hard work may not necessarily lead to success.
"Until now, haven't I been able to beat Lei Qi Jiuduan in slow chess?
"I think I actually worked very hard!"
Lei Qi blinked after hearing this and couldn't help but retorted:
"But... you have defeated me three times in a row in fast chess!
"I can clearly feel that we are getting closer in slow chess..."
"Really?
"So: Although hard work may not necessarily lead to success, there will definitely be progress!
"And a little bit of progress is the foundation of final success."
The smile on Rui Zhao's face remains:
"Just like before, it might be difficult for you to defeat Liu Jiudan even once with Lei Qi 9th Dan, but now it has actually come back and forth! But overall, he is still more experienced.
"Victory... maybe next time!
"As for Senior Brother Sun, Lei Qi 9th Dan, at least you defeated Liu 9th Dan once in the Spring Orchid Cup last year. Senior Brother Sun has no record of victory against you two. At best, you were 1-1 in the third game of Yi Xian last year. 2!
"But...he has been working hard to break through!
"In order to win against you, he even asked me for advice in an attempt to improve his shortcomings and make his style more comprehensive - Teacher Yu obviously did not advise Senior Brother Sun to do this.
"Including how to deal with Lei Qi 9th Dan, I have discussed with him many, many times! We shared a lot of experiences and opinions with each other! This is how we achieved today's rare victory... huh?
"Lei Qi 9th Dan, why are you looking at me like that?
"...
"...!!!"
At this time, Hanhan finally realized that something was wrong and hurriedly said:
"No, no!
"I-I just...just...uh...uh..."
At this time, the celebrity Zhaojun was still trying to make a final excuse.
However, her panicked expression had given her away completely.
The two sides looked at each other for a few seconds, and finally realized that they had caused another human accident. Zhaohanhan was the first to be unable to resist, and he shrank his head and apologized:
"Yes, I'm sorry Lei Qi 9th Dan!
"I, I thought you were not in a good mood, so I wanted to come and talk to you...but I messed up again!"
However, when talking about this, Lei Qi, who had a slightly troubled expression, suddenly burst into laughter.
"It's okay...
"It is my honor to be specially studied and targeted by your famous Zhaojun..."
He was still a little gloomy at first, but when he saw the beautiful old enemy in front of him looking anxious and embarrassed, he felt a lot better for some reason.
Obviously... all he said was nonsense!
But listening to her, it just feels different...
Maybe...
It’s because she herself truly thinks so and does so...
"...Ah, that's right!
"In this case, let's go find Brother Sun together tonight!"
Lei Qi added:
"Actually, I also have some research of my own on Liu Shixian.
"Although I won't be able to use it myself this time, I don't want to waste it."
"...Eh?"
Rui Zhao was obviously a little surprised by Lei Qi's statement:
"Lei Qi 9th Dan...are you not angry?"
"Of course I'm not angry."
Lei Qi smiled and responded:
"Do I look like such a petty person?"
"Uh..."
"...Well...can you stop being so hesitant at this time?
"Even if it's the truth, your reaction is very hurtful, okay?!" "...Ah?!
"Yes, I'm sorry! (＞人＜；)"
…
…
"Sun Yi Jiuduan, first of all, congratulations on entering the third round of the Tongge Cup finals!
"This is also your second consecutive World Series finals after the Sanshuang Cup in April. How do you feel?"
"Ah... you're still very excited, right?
"For me, who had not reached the finals of the World Championships three months ago, it is an unexpected surprise to be able to reach the finals two times in a row!
"Especially against Lei Qi. I had no victory against him for a long time, and I only won a small game in the third game of Yixian Zhan at the end of last year. Winning this hard-fought battle can be regarded as a small breakthrough. ”
"Okay, and your opponent in the final will be the same as in the Sanshuang Cup, which is still recognized as the world's strongest chess player Ryu Se-hyun 9th Dan.
"Ryu Se-hyun's 9th dan is another one of your faults. In the last Sanshuang Cup final, you were eliminated 2-0, and there was no clear chance in sight!
"The last time you beat him was back in 2019 at a U20 youth competition! I even just watched the Yiguo Forum, and some chess fans directly expressed disappointment at your reversal and victory over Lei Qi.
< br>
"Excuse me, how do you view your long-term invincibility against Ryu Se-hyun and the three-game final that is about to begin tomorrow?"
Please...you...collect 6...9...books...!
"Ah... I think it's normal for chess fans to have this idea, right? Because I have never beaten him!
"Including the last time our China won the World Championship, it also happened to be the Tongge Cup that Lei Qi won last year.
“After that, all world championships were won by Ryu Se-hyun, so it’s normal for chess fans to expect an end to his continued dominance in the world championships!
"It's only natural to have doubts when I go to the finals against him and it's hard to win!
"It's just...no matter what the previous results were, chess is played one by one.
"Zhuang Zheng was able to defeat Liu Shixian in the Tongge Cup last year. Rui Zhao also failed today. I think I may not have a chance.
"I also ask everyone to be more patient with me, thank you everyone..."
……
"Well...
"Sun Yi, the student who was originally scolded by Lao Yu as a 'defective' student... is now more respectable than Yu Hong!"
At eight o'clock in the evening on July 6, in a room at Tongge Hotel.
After watching the interview video uploaded not long ago on the Yiguo platform, Shang Chaotian couldn't help but praise:
"I originally thought that if he was asked such a pointed question by a reporter, even if he could control his anger, he would at least be a little embarrassed.
"Looking at the results now...they are completely different from those two years ago!
"It's a pity that he didn't seize the window period before Xiao Lei fully matured. If he had reached the current level two years earlier, he would have won the world championship long ago!"
"There's nothing we can do about it, Brother Tian.
"Not everyone can think through some seemingly simple things early and thoroughly like Rui Zhao."
Lu Wenjie on the side responded and said:
"Most of the principles of life can only be understood by paying actual tuition fees.
"Just like the famous saying, 'One cannot have youth and the feeling of youth at the same time' - only when one pays the tuition fee of 'squandering youth' can one truly realize the value of youth.
"But...I really admire Rui Zhao.
"Obviously she became famous at a young age and was recognized as a genius girl. However, she faced some setbacks, but she didn't think too much!
"This means knowing that there will be no disasters along the way for her. Otherwise, I would have said, 'It's heartbreakingly optimistic.'"
"Indeed.
"In terms of mentality and resistance to setbacks...it's hard to say that someone is born with good qualities."
Shang Chaotian nodded and said:
"Even Choi Myung-ho, who is the best in history and is recognized as having the best mentality, when he was young, he was forced by Mr. Wu to call home and say, 'I don't want to play Go anymore.'
"Sun Yi... seems to have survived."
"Not only Sun Yi, but also Xiao Lei, I think, are making great progress!"
Lu Wenjie smiled and answered:
“When I watched the review after the game today, I felt that he was still trying to be calm, and I was a little worried that there had been no breakthroughs in the international arena in the past year, so it would have any impact on his mentality.
"But when I wanted to see him to see what was going on, he had already gone with Rui Zhao to help Sun Yi prepare for tomorrow's final!"
"Well, he's... very good."
Shang Chaotian smiled and gave a simple but satisfactory evaluation.
But then he changed the topic and asked about another thing:
"But Wenjie...
"This final... do you think Sun Yi has a chance?"
"Ah..."
Lu Wenjie pondered for a moment and said truthfully:
"To be honest, if it is a single game, I think there is still some chance. But the final...
"...It's a three-game chess game."
"That's it..."
Shang Chaotian said noncommittally:
"Sure enough...
"Some things require not only personal struggle, but also the process of history!"
…
…
And just as Shang and Lu judged before the game, the wheels of history are slowly moving forward along the ruts, without any intention of changing due to personal will...
The next day, the first round of the third "Tongge Cup" World Go Open finals ended on the top floor of Tongge Tower.
In the end, after only holding on for 164 moves, Sun Yi, who was holding black, surrendered. The estimated difference between the two sides given by AI at the end of the game is as high as...
...A total of seventy eyes! (End of chapter)