Chapter 249 The Victory Is Decided
"Pa——"
As Zhou Jie placed his move, Ye Fan immediately followed, almost instantly.
His eyes sparkled with light, radiating an invisible yet proud aura.
Fast chess?
As you wish!
Within just a few moves, Ye Fan sensed that Zhou Jie was highly skilled in fast chess.
Since that was the case, the next step was simple.
The best way to defeat someone was to completely crush them in the area they were most proud of and skilled in!
Since Zhou Jie excelled at fast chess, Ye Fan would counter with speed.
With the boost from his Level 4 intelligence, his thinking speed had reached an astonishing level.
Competing in fast chess…
Heh—
Watching the chessboard before her, Gu Ziyi swallowed hard, then slowly walked over to Ning Xi's side and whispered, "Xiao Xi, has Ye Fan really only been learning Go for just over a month?"
"Mm."
"Then how is he so amazing?"
"I'm not sure either."
Ning Xi blinked her eyes innocently. "Maybe... this is just what being a genius is."
Finally, she wasn't the only one shocked anymore!
That feeling was actually quite nice…
Zhou Jie's body trembled slightly, beads of sweat as large as soybeans covered his forehead, and his face was deathly pale.
At some point, his move speed had already slowed down, and as time passed, it became even slower.
The oppressive force Ye Fan exerted over him on the board was suffocating.
Even when playing against his teacher, Zhou Jie had never felt such pressure before. He never expected to feel it from someone not even twenty years old—it almost felt like a dream.
His black stones had already been forced into a dead end. No matter how hard he racked his brain, he couldn't find a way to turn the game around.
That was normal—not everyone was Ye Fan.
If one wanted to make a comeback like Ye Fan, first and foremost, they would need a system.
Ye Fan took in all of Zhou Jie's expressions, but his own face remained calm.
Was Zhou Jie pitiful?
Yes, he was!
A professional 7-dan Go player had lost to him, a novice who had been learning for just over a month, not once but twice. That was indeed pitiful.
However, pitiful people often have detestable traits.
Ye Fan felt no sympathy for Zhou Jie. He pinched a white stone between his fingers, took it from the container, and placed it firmly on the board.
3-6, kill!
The match was decided.
Gu Yun and Guo Yuan stared at the board in shock, at a complete loss for words.
This was just ridiculous!
From the level Ye Fan had displayed in this match, even if he played against them, he had a high chance of winning.
Guo Yuan forced a twitching smile. "Old friend, how old is this... Little Ye?"
"Eighteen."
"..."
"And yes, he really has only been learning Go for just over a month."
"..."
This time, Guo Yuan was completely dumbfounded!
An eighteen-year-old who had been learning Go for only a little over a month… yet possessed a level of skill comparable to a 9-dan player?
Even in a movie, this would be too absurd!
"Cough, cough—"
After his initial shock, Guo Yuan's emotions quickly turned to excitement. He hesitated and stammered, "Old friend, um… can I discuss something with you?"
"What, you want to take Ye Fan as your disciple?"
Gu Yun raised an eyebrow and lowered his voice, "What can you even teach him?"
Guo Yuan was speechless.
He was right!
Given the level Ye Fan had just displayed, there was nothing Guo Yuan could teach him.
Even if he managed to take Ye Fan as a disciple, it would be in name only, with no real teacher-student relationship.
Gu Ziyi stood frozen, staring blankly at the board.
Today, she finally understood what it meant to be... a genius!
Ning Xi's cheeks bloomed with a joyful smile—sweet and beautiful. She couldn't help but lean close to Ye Fan's ear and softly say, "You're amazing. I've decided—you're going to teach me Go from now on."
"I'd love to."
The girl's slightly coquettish voice was the most lethal thing to Ye Fan. His deep voice carried a hint of indulgence, "Anything I know, anything you want to learn, I'll teach you."
Such sudden affection, and in front of so many others, made Ning Xi's eyes fill with embarrassment. She bit her lip gently, lowered her head, and softly murmured, "Then… what if you don't know how?"
"I'll go learn it."
Ye Fan answered without hesitation.
Hearing this reply, the corners of Ning Xi's lips curved into a faint smile, but she was afraid Ye Fan would notice, so she quickly put on a serious face—unaware of just how adorable her shy expression was.
Unfortunately for her, Ye Fan still caught a glimpse of her fleeting smile, and the corners of his own lips lifted slightly.
Then, he turned to face Zhou Jie, who now looked like a man recovering from a severe illness. His tone was calm—devoid of mockery or arrogance.
"You lost. It's time to fulfill your bet."
"Impossible… This must be fake!"
Ye Fan's words were like a catalyst, instantly causing Zhou Jie to lose control. He swept all the stones off the board and burst into hysterical laughter.
"I didn't lose… I didn't lose…"
Laughing and staggering, he walked out of the room, leaving behind a chaotic mess.
"Xiao Xi."
"Hmm?"
"Let's pick up the stones."
"Okay."
Watching the two of them crouch down to collect the scattered pieces, Gu Yun and Guo Yuan exchanged a silent glance, their eyes filled with complicated emotions.
"Ziyi, follow after your Senior Brother Zhou. In his current state, something might happen."
"Alright, I'll go now."
Gu Ziyi nodded and quickly left.
Guo Yuan sighed deeply, his face full of apology. "Old friend, I made a fool of myself today."
"It's nothing."
Gu Yun shook his head indifferently and said, "I didn't expect things to turn out this way. This incident will likely have a huge impact on Zhou Jie. You should talk to him—otherwise, he'll have a hard time in the ranking tournament this year!"
"Talk to him?"
The mere mention of Zhou Jie made Guo Yuan furious. "He can compete or not—I don't care. That kid is too arrogant. Before, I could still keep him in check, but as his skills improved, he's become more and more defiant."
"Now he doesn't even listen to me, his master! I don't need a disciple like that. As soon as I get back, I'll expel him from my school!"
Hearing the words 'expel from the school', Gu Yun finally realized Guo Yuan's resolve. After hesitating for a moment, he asked, "Are you serious?"
"Of course!"
Guo Yuan nodded firmly. "If he won't listen, what's the point of keeping him around? Just so he can keep pissing me off?"
Gu Yun knew Guo Yuan's personality well—once he made up his mind, no one could change it, so he didn't bother trying to persuade him.
"Ye Fan."
"Mr. Gu, what is it?"
Hearing Gu Yun call him, Ye Fan handed the Go stones to Ning Xi and stood up.
Gu Yun's aged eyes carried a trace of unspoken complexity as he said, "Are you interested in playing a match with me?"
"Count me in."
Hearing this, Guo Yuan immediately spoke up. This was actually the reason he had stayed behind.
Ye Fan's skill level was simply too shocking. As a 9-dan player, Guo Yuan hadn't encountered such a strong opponent in years, and he was eager to play.
The best way to improve one's skill was to compete against strong players!
Under the expectant gazes of both men, Ye Fan slowly shook his head and said calmly:
"Not interested."
"..."
"..."
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