The last class today was physics. Although the bell had rung, the physics teacher showed no signs of stopping and continued explaining the test paper.
Watching students from other classes in the corridor already leaving with their backpacks, the students of Class 7, Grade 1 cursed the physics teacher hundreds of times in their hearts, all eager to go home.
Finally, after dragging the class out for a full ten minutes, the physics teacher reluctantly put down the test paper, cleared his throat, and said: "Class dismissed."
"Woohoo!"
With these words, the entire classroom erupted, and everyone quickly packed their bags with nimble hands and feet.
This world wasn't as intensely competitive as his previous life. Although high school coursework was quite heavy, it wasn't like his previous life where evening self-study lasted until 10 PM.
At Jiangling No. 1 High School, students were basically day students who went home at 5 PM sharp after school.
"Old Yu, let's go online!"
A male student ran over to invite Yu Shao: "Let's team up today and climb the ranks. I'll carry!"
"I won't go today, I have quite a bit of homework."
Yu Shao packed his bag while declining his classmate's invitation.
"Come on, I've been practicing a champion and I'm ready to go on a killing spree!" The classmate persisted: "Just copy the homework tomorrow morning."
Yu Shao shook his head and refused: "Forget it, I need to study hard and improve daily. There's a saying: 'If you don't fight hard in high school, you'll live in vain.'"
"I don't believe you for a second. This is only first year, what are you fighting for? At most morning wood."
The classmate rolled his eyes, not believing him at all.
But seeing Yu Shao's firm attitude, he stopped persuading and went to drag other classmates to the internet cafe for team games.
Soon, Yu Shao finished packing his bag, left school, and started on his way home.
Walking along, when passing a crossroads, Yu Shao suddenly stopped and turned to look at a shop on the right.
This was a chess hall with exquisite decoration, with two wide automatic glass doors at the entrance, and a sign hanging above with several large characters written in flowing script—Shanhai Chess Hall.
"There's actually a chess hall here?"
Yu Shao was slightly surprised.
He had been here for several days now, and naturally had walked this route home more than once, but had never noticed that there was a Go chess hall hidden on his way home.
Through the glass doors, Yu Shao could see that the chess hall seemed quite crowded inside, looking like business was thriving.
Seeing this scene, Yu Shao thought of his previous life spent with chess as a companion, and his mood became somewhat complex.
"Little brother, here to play chess?"
Suddenly, a voice came from behind Yu Shao.
Yu Shao was startled and turned to look. The speaker was a young man around twenty years old, wearing a tracksuit.
"No, I..."
Yu Shao shook his head. Before he could finish speaking, he heard the young man say: "Let's go in together. You're a student, right? Students get half price here."
After speaking, the young man stepped forward, and the glass sensor door immediately opened automatically.
The young man was about to walk in when he saw Yu Shao hadn't followed, so he turned back to look at Yu Shao standing there and asked: "What's wrong? Aren't you coming in?"
Somehow, hearing this, Yu Shao inexplicably followed behind the young man and walked into the chess hall together.
"Welcome."
The receptionist saw customers coming and immediately put on a sweet smile. When she saw who it was, she looked somewhat surprised: "It's Zheng Qin? You're here so early today?"
"I don't have classes at university these days."
The young man named Zheng Qin smiled and asked: "Sister Su, are there still seats available?"
"Yes, there are."
The receptionist nodded, then noticed Yu Shao and asked: "This student is...?"
"Oh, I met him outside the shop. He should also want to play chess, so I brought him in."
Zheng Qin asked cheekily: "Shouldn't I get some commission for this?"
The receptionist rolled her eyes at Zheng Qin, then smiled at Yu Shao: "Is this your first time here?"
Yu Shao nodded slightly: "Yes."
"Did you bring your student ID? Students get half price here, just twenty yuan." The receptionist smiled sweetly.
Yu Shao hesitated for a moment, but finally showed his student ID and took out his phone to scan the QR code and pay.
"Alright, please wait a moment. I'll arrange a match for you. Um... what's your playing strength?" the receptionist continued to ask.
Playing strength?
This stumped Yu Shao, and he wasn't sure how to answer for a moment.
Playing strength is divided into amateur and professional levels. Amateur ranks from 1 to 8, professional ranks from 1 to 9, with higher numbers indicating stronger ability.
In his previous life, he was of course 9th dan professional.
But should he really say he was 9th dan professional? Although Yu Shao didn't mind showing off, wasn't this showing off a bit too much?
First, let's not even mention whether others would believe it. Even if they did, could this chess hall really find a 9th dan professional to play against him?
Just then, Zheng Qin suddenly spoke up with a smile: "Forget it, Sister Su, don't bother arranging. I'll play with him."
"Ah?"
Hearing this, the receptionist was somewhat shocked and said: "You're playing with him? But..."
"Ah, it's fine."
Zheng Qin waved his hand, then turned to Yu Shao and asked with a smile: "How about it, little brother? Want to play a game with me?"
"Sure."
Yu Shao didn't think much about it and nodded.
The receptionist immediately wanted to say something but stopped, but finally thought about it and didn't interfere, saying: "Alright then, there should be empty seats by the window on the first floor. You can go there."
"Okay."
Zheng Qin also paid, then walked with Yu Shao toward the chess room.
The receptionist watched their departing figures and couldn't help shaking her head with a smile: "Little Zheng really..."
Zheng Qin was obviously a regular customer of the shop. After entering the chess room, many people actively greeted him and looked curiously at Yu Shao following behind him.
Soon, Zheng Qin found an empty chess table by the window, pulled out chairs, and sat across from Yu Shao at the table.
"I'm Zheng Qin, from Jiang University. And you?"
Zheng Qin opened the chess box lid while curiously asking.
"Yu Shao, Jiangling No. 1 High School, currently in first year."
Yu Shao also opened his chess box lid and answered.
"Quite young."
Zheng Qin asked with a smile: "So what's your playing strength? Have you achieved a dan rank? Do you need handicap stones?"
Handicap stones?
Yu Shao was slightly stunned, then shook his head and said: "No need. Although I haven't achieved a dan rank, my playing strength should be... quite strong?"
So-called handicap stones means the black player places a certain number of stones on the board first, then the other player plays with white stones. This can narrow the gap between players of different strengths.
In his previous life, Yu Shao was always the one giving handicap stones to others. Now hearing someone offer to give him handicap stones made Yu Shao feel somewhat strange.
Hearing Yu Shao's words, the surrounding chess players immediately looked at each other.
Although none of them spoke, they could all see the strange look in each other's eyes—
"Really? He doesn't need Little Zheng to give handicap stones? Won't he be played into doubting his life?"
Here, Zheng Qin was also somewhat surprised by Yu Shao's words and couldn't help but smile: "So confident? Alright then, no handicap stones. Um, you take black and play first."
Yu Shao looked at the crisscrossing board on the table in front of him, his eyes somewhat complex.
He had been here for several days now, but this was the first time he sat in front of a chess board again, which made him feel as if he had returned to his previous life and could hear the metallic sound of stones hitting the board.
Yu Shao took a deep breath, calmed his emotions slightly, and after settling himself, looked up directly at Zheng Qin and said: "Then, please give me your guidance."
Zheng Qin was startled, feeling as if Yu Shao sitting across from him had suddenly become a different person, and even had a mysterious sharp aura pressing toward him.
After being stunned for quite a while, Zheng Qin finally came to his senses. For some reason, he instinctively sat up straight before saying: "Please give me your guidance."
Yu Shao reached into the chess box, and amid the "click-clack" sound of stones colliding, gently picked up a black stone.
He lowered his eyes, silently gazing at the 19×19 grid of intersecting lines on the board before him.
This would be the first stone he would place in this world.
The stone was held between his index and middle fingers, his wrist raised high, and then—
The next moment, Yu Shao's right hand holding the stone descended with tremendous force!
Clack!
Accompanied by a crisp metallic sound, the stone hit the board.
Sixteenth column, fourth row!
Star point!