When the MC announced the start of the competition, a handful of people went up. Then, they came back down after a sour defeat.
Because there was a camera set up and projected onto the screen, everyone saw how the games went.
Everyone lost after only a few moves.
When Su Qi, the honor student from Eighth High School, was wiped out, many unpleasant voices arose.
“If they are already in the university, why are they here?”
“Yeah, so many kids in the third year of high school are counting on these extra credits. Aren’t they just ending hopes for these people?”
Luo Jiahao from up on the stage coldly snickered, “We are doing this on purpose. So what? Why is it fair that we had to work our hardest for over a decade to get into UCC?”
“Even for the extra credits offered, they were only granted for students hand picked by authorities. How can anyone just get extra credits by playing a Go game?”
“Look at this group of people, look at everyone’s Go skills. With skills like that, you dare to ask for extra credits? You dare to call your city the City of Go when the average skill level is this low?”
“For a tiny city like the City of Brisk to not focus on its economy but rather to promote its Go culture is ridiculous. You use the title of City of Go to hoard resources. Aren’t you ashamed of yourselves?”
“You want to play Go? Then let’s play. We’ll see if any of you can surpass us three. Extra credits? The three of us will end your title of being the City of Go!”
Everyone in the room was infuriated by those words.
“***, are they psychos?”
“University students behave like this?”
“Those who are good at Go, stop hiding and go beat him up! Teach him that he cannot just humiliate the City of Brisk!”
It was obvious that this game was no longer just a personal victory.
If nobody here can win against those three, then the City of Brisk’s reputation will be destroyed today!
Even the city leaders who were here to watch the competition walked up to everyone and ordered, “Those who are only mediocre at Go, don’t go up there. You’ll only end up being a laughing stock. Those who are known to be great at Go, I hope you can all step up without fear. The City of Brisk is depending on you guys to restore its honor.”
In order to restore this community’s honor, everyone felt responsible and depended on.
Those who weren’t too great at Go weren’t mad. But they were all staring at the experts around them with a heated gaze. They were hopeful and trusting.
Just then, Qiao Nian stood up, “I will go and try.”
Xu Ningning immediately jumped up, “Way to go, Niannian!”
One of the other students from the City of Brisk also chimed in, “Way to go!”
Right now, anyone who was willing to shoulder this responsibility and was willing to stand out, deserved to be recognized as a hero.
Even Luo Chen, who disliked her very much, said nothing.
As Qiao Nian walked to the stage, everyone parted to make way.
Zhang Liang watched as she sat down across from him, and commented, “You are courageous.”
Qiao Nian played with her hair and said in a low voice, “Senior, you’re flattering me.”
Zhang Liang snickered, “If you are good enough, you can call me Senior once you get into UCC.”
Qiao Nian’s face froze and silently cursed at how ruthless this man was even towards a girl. She also thought it was fortunate that their conversation wasn’t loud, so nobody down there heard.
Next, it was time for them to duel.
Everyone below was focused on the projected screen, feeling more nervous than they would if they were playing themselves.
After 20 minutes, Zhang Liang put down a black stone, then sat up straight. In a calm voice, he said, “You lost.”
Everyone below gasped. Then they began to sigh one after another.
