Chapter 25
Chapter 25
“I was thinking about doing a revenge match myself… but I’m a little unsure. What if I lose?”
She was usually the type to crush viewers mercilessly with her aggressive style.
But today was different.
The confident charm that was uniquely Jang Yuna 2-dan was nowhere to be seen.
Her subdued attitude only made the chat explode even more.
“So, for our specially invited guest… please welcome Professional An Seong-hyun! Give him a warm round of applause!”
Jang Yuna 2-dan clapped her hands together.
At that moment, the screen split, revealing a composed man in his late thirties.
Short, neatly trimmed hair.
Calm, steady eyes.
Even sitting silently in front of the camera, his presence spoke volumes.
‘So this is the person.’
An active professional Go player.
“Hello, everyone. I’m professional Go player An Seong-hyun. I’ll do my best for a good game today.”
A straightforward greeting.
Yet the quiet confidence behind it was unmistakable.
Jang Yuna 2-dan leaned closer to the microphone.
“An Seong-hyun is the runner-up of the Baekdusan Cup and once ranked 56th domestically. Today, he’s here to take my place and deliver an exciting revenge match, I’m sure of it.”
I watched the screen and slowly flexed my fingers.
A pleasant tension traveled from my fingertips.
Invited by Jang Yuna 2-dan, I entered the match room.
A moment later, the match request popped up.
[You have received a match request from An.Seong.Hyun_P7.]
P7.
Short for Professional 7-dan.
A tag only available to accounts verified as professional on the Samgukji Go site.
‘This is real.’
I moved the mouse and clicked accept.
[Handicap: None. Komi: 6.5 points. Time limit: 20 minutes. Byo-yomi: 3 periods.]
The cursor on the board turned into a hand icon.
Tap.
First move: hoshi point.
An Seong-hyun 7-dan responded on the lower right hoshi point.
The opening proceeded smoothly.
Following standard joseki, exploring minor variations.
But I deviated from the joseki.
One stone.
Another.
I left the pattern incomplete.
An unfinished shape, leaving both flavor and potential.
And this was my plan.
The opening I had wished I could play during the 64th round of the President’s Cup against Park Jun-su.
I was repeating it now.
‘Let’s give this a try.’
A move rarely played early.
The second line.
Commonly, the third line for territory, the fourth line for influence.
Playing on the second line in the wide early game is extremely rare.
Yet I traced the two black stones on the corner and placed a “clove-shape” on the second line.
Tap!
The stone landed.
It looked ordinary at first glance.
A variation of joseki to secure the shape of the stones.
That’s what it would seem like.
But if you scanned the whole board, it was entirely different.
Only those who could see it would understand how far it connected.
‘How will he respond?’
A small smile curved my lips.
This wasn’t a simple move.
A probing play to gauge my opponent.
A professional 7-dan would feel the depth of this move immediately.
‘Let’s see…’
Would he hesitate?
Or accept it without flinching?
Either way, it didn’t matter.
Even if he responded correctly, some early disadvantage was inevitable.
Until a moment ago, white had been placing stones without hesitation. Now, there was a pause.
A brief silence.
Then a stone was placed.
Tap.
‘Caught him.’
The moment I saw it.
I smiled inside.
“…That’s a second-line clove-shape.”
Jang Yuna 2-dan restrained her words.
A formation occasionally seen in the san-san joseki.
Recently attempted by AI, also frequently used by professionals in practical play.
Yet, at this timing, in this position, a second-line clove-shape—it was unprecedented.Why place it there? Looks plausible though Is this a studied move? Yuna, please explain Is this a broadcast or what lol The chat was erupting.
It wasn’t objectively strange.
But its intention was unreadable.
‘I can’t follow the reading. Too complex.’
Jang Yuna 2-dan glanced at the auxiliary monitor.
She launched the AI, DeepStone.
Running the broadcast, reading the chat, commenting, and explaining simultaneously.
Honestly, it was overwhelming.
She displayed the AI-recommended sequences off-screen.
Immediately, a 15-move progression stemming from the clove-shape appeared.
The moment she saw it.
Shock flashed across Jang Yuna 2-dan’s eyes.
“Ah…”
A quiet murmur of awe.
Second-line clove-shape.
The hidden flow towards the lower right corner.
Finally, the intention of the move became clear.
“This is a probe! If white retreats downward, the lower right corner is caught. Perfect strategy!”
Excited, Jang Yuna 2-dan raised her voice.
A probe.
A move that relentlessly pushes the opponent’s stones in one direction.
Viewers, realizing the intention belatedly, were impressed.Sneaky right from the start Woah, insane reading Are they really an amateur? This is the kind of move pros study Wow, perfectly caught in the trap Tap.
An Seong-hyun 7-dan placed a stone.
“Even the pro noticed. But… retreating here caused an early loss.”
With DeepStone’s help, Jang Yuna 2-dan continued commentary.
Capitalizing on the early advantage, black pressed forward.
As the opening passed and midgame approached, I began shaking An Seong-hyun 7-dan’s rhythm.
Especially.
Using the board widely.
Moves interlocking like gears.
“Every move by Mumyeong has a reason. Even just this branch… if white extends here, black’s cut hits perfectly.”
Even while commentating, Jang Yuna 2-dan marveled internally.
‘Playing this entire position by reading every line?’
It was different from when she played against me before.
Each move sharper, more precise.
Even seasoned professionals would be pushed.
‘An Seong-hyun doesn’t look happy.’
Being led by an amateur.
A professional would find this humiliating.
While Jang Yuna 2-dan was closer to a Go streamer than a pro.
An Seong-hyun 7-dan was an active pro.
“All of Mumyeong’s moves are connected. Any oversight from the opponent leads to advantage.”Yuna, this isn’t AI, right? Doesn’t feel like it, very human intuition. Really a pro? Who is this? Definitely not an amateur Viewers were realizing.
Even entering midgame, solid and unshaken.
Board judgment like AI.
Precise responses flowing into endgame.
Nothing to criticize.
Like watching a finished game unfold.
“I’ve been a professional over ten years… but I’ve never seen an amateur play like this.”
Jang Yuna 2-dan was shocked.
This was supposed to be just content.
Yet, the deeper she analyzed Mumyeong’s moves, the more her jaw dropped.
“Who is this person?”
Shock and awe.
However.
Even more panicked than Jang Yuna 2-dan was.
The very player in the match—An Seong-hyun 7-dan.
‘Where does this intuition come from…’
Precise reading like AI.
Yet a human-like rhythm of tempo.
This is.
‘Not amateur Go.’
The fact that he was playing for appearance fees.
The humiliation of being led by an amateur.
Already erased from his mind.
Only felt when playing top-tier professionals.
‘Two points.’
The gap he had never closed even against top professionals.
Those two points.
The overwhelming distance between the world’s best and himself pressed down again.
“Ah… that position… An Seong-hyun is shaken.”
Jang Yuna 2-dan’s regretful commentary.
AI estimated winning probability: only 31.7%.
A terrible spot.Crushing it Can’t even breathe, getting pushed Mumyeong AI? They test AIs pretending to be users sometimes lol What AI types in chat while broadcasting? With each stone placed, the position reached a point of no return.
“Black… is heavily favored.”
The AI’s judgment was precise.
Unless a professional made a mistake, there was almost no margin of error.
Beyond the camera, An Seong-hyun 7-dan bit his lips.
He seemed to feel further play was pointless.
[The match has ended.]
[Black wins by resignation.]
Instantly, the chat exploded.Did they really win? An Seong-hyun… Can’t be explained without pro skill Why is a pro playing amateur games lol Who is it? Odonggeun 9-dan? Park Cheol-woo 9-dan? “That was a great match. Thank you, An Seong-hyun.”
Jang Yuna 2-dan spoke carefully, glancing at the live feed of An Seong-hyun 7-dan.
The pride of an active pro.
Losing to an amateur made every word cautious.Well done
“Then, see you next time…” Jang Yuna 2-dan tried to wrap up.Wait a moment. An Seong-hyun 7-dan interrupted from the camera.If there’s a chance next time, I want a revenge match. As the challenger. Challenger.
Humble words, yet carrying a strong fighting spirit.
And the wish to play again was genuine.
At that moment.
Mumyeong’s chat appeared.
Mumyeong: Thank you. I’ll be waiting.
A calm greeting.
Yet, in those last words, An Seong-hyun 7-dan’s eyebrows twitched.
Polite on the surface.
Yet within, unwavering confidence.
The feeling of being able to play again and win anytime.
Meanwhile, the chat was in chaos.Wow, he’ll wait anytime lol Is this even correct against a pro? No humility Come on, come on An Seong-hyun, challenge and crush him again Watching the chat, Jang Yuna 2-dan pressed her lips together to hold back a twitching smile.
‘Amazing!’
Not just Mumyeong’s victory.
But An Seong-hyun’s revenge match request.
And Mumyeong’s comment, willing to wait on the winner’s terms!
Everything she had hoped for—huge content.
“Thank you, An Seong-hyun. See you next time.”We’ll support the broadcast. With the farewell, An Seong-hyun 7-dan’s camera turned off.
Jang Yuna 2-dan exhaled deeply.
“Mumyeong.”
She spoke, holding her breath.
“You’re really not a professional?”
A quiet call.
Even the chat fell silent.
Everyone wanted the truth.
A short pause.
Mumyeong’s brief chat appeared.
Mumyeong: Yes, I’m just an ordinary office worker.
“Excuse me?”
Jang Yuna 2-dan couldn’t immediately respond.
She stammered, lips moving.
The same answer as before.
Yet no one, including her, truly believed it.
A momentary awkward silence.
Jang Yuna 2-dan forced a smile.
“Ah… so this is your concept?”Lol At least not a high school girl? How will this black history be handled later… Shouldn’t you give up being a pro? I’m curious who you really are Everyone knew he was a pro, yet played along.
She covered her mouth, then let out a quiet laugh.
“Mumyeong, today was a fantastic match. We look forward to the revenge… uh, um! Everyone, wait a moment.”
Jang Yuna 2-dan’s gaze went to the auxiliary monitor.
A message from PD Heo outside the studio.
She read it, took a deep breath, and nodded.
“Everyone, don’t be surprised.”
A brief pause.
She carefully chose her words.
“After seeing the match, a Chinese Weiqi association player contacted us.”
Her shoulders rose slightly.
She tried to hide her smile but failed.
“Sun Yao 6-dan requested us to arrange a match with Mumyeong!”
Sun Yao 6-dan.
Currently ranked 92nd in the Chinese Weiqi Association.
A rising star who has climbed the ranks rapidly since last year.
This Chinese pro had specifically chosen the amateur ‘Mumyeong’ as an opponent.Yuna, this isn’t fake right? Sun Yao who defeated Lee In-han 9-dan at the Chunlan Cup? Is this for real lol A Chinese pro against a single amateur? Chinese Go is strong. They’ll set things straight. The chat exploded.
Amidst it, a short, calm line appeared.
Mumyeong: Thank you. I’ll be waiting with anticipation.
Mumyeong did not shy away from the challenge.
No.
He was enjoying it.