Chapter 504: Am I Not Qualified?
"W-won again?"
Looking at the game board before him, Bork, standing behind Bliss, widened his eyes. He stared blankly at the masked girl opposite him, his eyes showing a look of disbelief.
What's going on?
Bliss is a professional 7-dan, this girl is only a professional 1-dan. Their Go strengths are completely not on the same level. How could Bliss lose to her again and again?
Bizarre!
Too damn bizarre!
Bliss's just-warmed-up face once again turned gloomy, anger burning in his heart.
Losing one game could still be attributed to carelessness, but after ten games, he had lost three. It seemed he won more, but who looks at that?
The opponent is 1-dan, but he is 7-dan...
"Again!"
Unsurprisingly, Bliss once again challenged. He now only wanted to defeat Ning Xi as many times as possible. Today's face was definitely lost, now he could only try his best to salvage it.
Just as everyone thought Ning Xi would accept the challenge as before, Ning Xi instead gave a different answer.
Facing Bliss's challenge, Ning Xi's delicate head lightly shook, softly refused, "No more."
Playing so many games in a row, the mental consumption was undeniably great. The moment the tenth game ended, she felt fatigue creep in. In this state, it was no longer suitable to continue.
Quit while you're ahead (见好就收 - jiàn hǎo jiù shōu)!
Playing ten games against a professional 7-dan and winning three; this record had already exceeded Ning Xi's expectations.
But Ning Xi could accept this result, Bliss, however, could not. Hearing Ning Xi's refusal, he instantly huffed coldly, "Seeing you're a girl, I deliberately let you win just now. In the subsequent games, you won't be able to win a single one!"
Forceful justification——
As soon as these words came out, they instantly caused dissatisfaction among the Qihai team members present. They spoke up one after another, their words full of sarcastic intent.
"Deliberately let her win? Tsk tsk, where's your face?"
"Find excuses after losing, are all professional players from Tianshui Country like this?"
"Putting other things aside, the thickness of this skin is definitely something I can't hope to match!"
…
Even Bork, who was with Bliss, upon hearing these words, his face couldn't help but feel a wave of embarrassment.
To say Bliss went easy in the first game, he didn't deny it. But in the subsequent nine games, Bliss clearly played with all his might, fundamentally having no intention of going easy.
Especially the tenth game, which was the match that just ended.
Bliss even used his signature 'Three-Point Kill' layout. To say he went easy in this, was truly somewhat...
"Cough cough——"
Bork patted Bliss's shoulder, persuaded in a low voice: "Alright, let this exchange end here."
"Cannot end!"
Bliss gritted his teeth, his gaze once again landing on Ning Xi, provoked: "Play three more games, you won't be able to win a single one, dare you or not?"
Ning Xi's brows furrowed. She wanted to refuse, but facing Bliss's aggressive pressing, if she were to refuse, it would be equivalent to being scared.
At this moment, she represented the Qihai team. After hesitating repeatedly, she ultimately was preparing to accept the challenge. But just as she was about to speak, Ye Fan's voice suddenly sounded beside her ear.
"I'll play with you."
Instantly, everyone's attention shifted to Ye Fan, their expressions of course brilliant.
Bliss's face was cold. Seeing Ye Fan was relatively young, he said unceremoniously: "You're not qualified, I'll only play with this girl!"
"I'm not qualified?"
Ye Fan's expression was light, his right hand stroking Ning Xi's fine hair, "Are your ears deaf? My girlfriend has already clearly refused. Either play with me, or this exchange ends here, choose one."
"You…"
Bliss looked at Gu Ziyi with an uncertain expression, questioned in a deep voice: "Captain Gu, is this the quality of Qihai team members?"
"Quality?"
Gu Ziyi teased: "My team members' quality is quite good. At least they lose games frankly, lose openly and generously. In this aspect, they are much stronger than a certain someone, what do you say?"
Indirect criticism!
Bliss's hands under the table clenched tightly into fists. Staring at Ye Fan, he said word by word: "Good, since you want to play with me, then I'll grant your wish!"
"OK."
Ye Fan patted Ning Xi's fragrant shoulder, said gently: "Come, go rest. I'll have a match with the professional 7-dan."
"Keep up the good work!"
A light smile curled by the jade lips under Ning Xi's mask. Regarding Ye Fan's Go strength, no one was clearer than her.
Usually playing against Ye Fan, no matter how hard she tried, there was only one result.
Crushed!
The oppressive force of Ye Fan on the Go board was suffocating.
Precisely because of playing against Ye Fan for a long time, so when facing Bliss, this professional 7-dan, not only did Ning Xi not feel any pressure, but on the contrary, felt a sense of ease.
"Bliss, 7-dan player."
"Ye Fan, 1-dan player."
Hearing these words, Bliss's expression instantly became extremely brilliant.
Another 1-dan player?
"Is there no one left in your Qihai team?"
After the surprise, Bliss's face was full of sarcastic intent. He glanced contemptuously at Ye Fan, said: "You are not a girl, I will not go easy."
Bork, standing behind Bliss, covered his face with both hands, clearly putting on an appearance of not knowing him.
Ye Fan nodded calmly, while clearing the Go stones, said: "Since it's like this, then I won't go easy either. Be careful!"
"Haha..."
Bliss seemed to have heard the funniest joke in the world, "Just you? Where on earth does a 1-dan player get such confidence?"
"Don't underestimate 1-dan players. Didn't my girlfriend also beat you in three games just now? In my opinion, 7-dan players are just so-so."
In an instant, Bliss's sore spot was stepped on. His laughter came to an abrupt halt, his expression stiff.
A meaningful smile appeared at the corners of Ye Fan's mouth. Lightly, he gave a suggestion, "Didn't you want to play three games with my girlfriend just now? Then I'll accept the challenge on her behalf. However, no need for three games, how about we decide the winner in one game?"
Three games?
Completely a waste of time!
The reason Ye Fan stopped Ning Xi from continuing to accept the challenge was because Bliss, this whetstone, had excellently completed his task.
Moreover, as Ning Xi's mental energy gradually declined, continuing to battle would no longer be of any help to the improvement of her Go strength.
"Good, just one game to decide the winner!"
Hearing Ye Fan wanted to accept the challenge on Ning Xi's behalf, a trace of joy flashed deep in Bliss's eyes. This way, as long as he defeated Ye Fan, it would be equivalent to winning against Ning Xi.
The person involved is confused, the onlooker is clear.
Bliss still thought he could salvage his face, but little did he know, in the eyes of the crowd, his face had long been completely lost.
A professional player, the most important thing is the player's spirit. If one doesn't even dare to admit defeat, they are fundamentally unworthy of being a professional player.
For example, the law is the lowest moral bottom line that constrains humanity. And Bliss's behavior was equivalent to breaking the lowest bottom line of a player.
Although Bliss was a professional 7-dan, in the eyes of the crowd, he was just a loser who dared not face the facts.
Truly...
Lost all the face of professional players!
After a brief moment of contempt in their hearts, the attention of the Qihai team members returned to the game. Looking at Ye Fan who was guessing the first move with Bliss, they couldn't help but look at each other, their expressions quite odd.
First Ning Xi, then Ye Fan.
1-dan players, are they all this brave???