I really don’t want to play Go!

Chapter 304 Fighting between Dragon and Tiger
After Qin Lang finished speaking, he began to eat in silence. The barbecue at this restaurant was actually quite good, but the group seemed to eat it rather listlessly, and everyone was somewhat distracted.

After lunch, everyone returned to the hotel, but instead of gathering together to continue playing and analyzing chess, they went back to their respective rooms, each lost in their own thoughts.

After all, the team competition opening ceremony and draw will be held at 5 p.m., and the competition will start early tomorrow morning.

There's no point in clinging to this last day; we might as well rest today and conserve our energy for tomorrow's game.

After staying in his hotel room until around 4:20 p.m., Yu Shao received a WeChat message from Ma Zhengyu, instructing the contestants to change into formal attire and then gather in the hotel lobby.

Yu Shao quickly changed into a suit and then took the elevator to the hotel lobby.

By this time, the hotel lobby was already packed with people, bustling with activity. More than a dozen tables were set with exquisite dishes, and at the very front of the lobby, a sign reading "The 42nd China-Japan-Korea Team Tournament" had been hung up.

"This competition has been going on for forty-two years."

Yu Shao was slightly surprised. Although he knew that the China-Japan-Korea team competition had a long history, and even Zhuang Weisheng had participated in it when he was young, he did not expect that it had been held for 42 years.

"Yu Shao, over here."

Upon seeing Yu Shao arrive in the hall, Ma Zhengyu quickly waved, signaling Yu Shao to come and join the group.

Yu Shao turned to look at Ma Zhengyu and saw Qin Lang and Le Haoqiang standing next to him. They had also changed into formal attire and looked much more mature.

Su Yiming and Gu Chuan had not arrived yet, but Wu Zhixuan, Xu Zijin, Zheng Qin, and others who were not participating in the competition arrived first.

Yu Shao quickly walked to Ma Zhengyu's side and began to wait for the opening ceremony and the lottery.

Because the Chinese team was the first to arrive, many people in the hall cast curious glances in the direction of the Chinese team.

"That's Yu Shao from the Chinese team, right?"

"It's him. I've only seen him in news reports before, this is the first time I've met him in person."

"After all, he just became a professional Go player last year. It's a bit exaggerated that he can stand here right after becoming a professional Go player. This year's team competition is going to be very interesting."

"With Yu Shao and Su Yiming, the Chinese team should not be underestimated this year. There are some uncertainties, and it is no longer a battle between Japan and South Korea."

Most of the people in the hall were from North and South Korea, and they didn't lower their voices. However, since they were speaking Korean, Yu Shao could roughly guess that they were talking about the Chinese team, but he couldn't understand what they were saying.

However, Xu Zijin would occasionally glance at those who were discussing the Chinese team.

"You understand Korean?"

Yu Shao noticed this and asked in surprise.

Xu Zijin nodded slightly: "I learned it when I was a child."

Not long after, Su Yiming and Gu Chuan arrived and quickly stood beside Ma Zhengyu.

"****"

"***..."

Seeing that the entire Chinese team had arrived, the people in the hall started talking about them even more, but apart from Xu Zijin and Fang Haoxin, no one else could understand what they were saying.

However, judging from Xu Zijin and Fang Haoxin's expressions, it seems that no one is saying anything bad about them.

"The North and South Korean teams have arrived."

After a while, Ma Zhengyu looked at the entrance of the hall and said in a deep voice.

Upon hearing this, everyone looked towards the entrance of the hall, including Yu Shao.

At the entrance to the hotel lobby, a man in his thirties with a robust build led four men and one woman into the lobby.

Yu Shao glanced at one of the somewhat thin young men. The young man was wearing a sharp black suit, gold-rimmed glasses, and had short hair that exposed his forehead. His eyes were sharp.

Seeing someone looking at him, the young man also looked at Yu Shao, and their eyes met in mid-air.

Upon seeing that it was Yu Shao, the young man's eyes became more serious. After a moment, he slowly withdrew his gaze and stood with the team leader at another dining table in the hall.

“Lee Joon-hyuk…”

Yu Shao had previously read Lee Joon-hyuk's game records and reports, so he naturally recognized that the bespectacled young man was Lee Joon-hyuk, the captain of the North and South Korean teams.

Soon, Yu Shao turned his gaze to the only female chess player among the five.

There are a total of 15 players from China, Japan and South Korea participating in this team tournament, but there is only one female player among them, and that female player is Bae Yoo-yeon, a 6-dan player from the four Korean teams.

Upon seeing Pei Youyan, a hint of surprise appeared in Yu Shao's eyes.

Pei Youyan is about 1.7 meters tall, with long, slightly wavy hair draped over her shoulders. She has fair skin, red lips, and white teeth, and her features are very delicate, but she doesn't look like she's had plastic surgery; she looks very naturally beautiful.

In terms of looks, she can even be compared to Xu Zijin; in Zhou De's words, she's incredibly beautiful.

Pei Youyan was also curiously observing Yu Shao at that moment. Seeing Yu Shao looking at her, she politely nodded to him. Yu Shao was slightly taken aback, and also nodded slightly in return.

At this moment, the leaders of the North and South Korean teams walked towards the Chinese team and quickly came to Ma Zhengyu. They greeted him with a smile in broken Chinese, saying, "Long time no see, Mr. Ma Zhengyu."

"Ah."

Ma Zhengyu clearly didn't like the South Korean team leader, and his attitude was somewhat cold. He casually replied, "Long time no see, Mr. Shin Seung-hyun."

Shin Seung-hyun didn't seem to care. He shifted his gaze to Yu Shao, then looked at Su Yiming, and said with a smile, "I originally thought it would be another battle between us and Japan for first place this year, but I didn't expect China to pose a threat this year, however..."

Shin Seung-hyun paused for a moment and then said, "Mr. Ma, shall we accept this year's championship?"

"Anyone can talk big, let's see what they've got," Ma Zhengyu said coldly.

Shin Seung-hyun smiled faintly upon hearing this, said nothing more, turned and left, and soon returned to the table where North and South Korea were sitting.

As soon as Shin Seung-hyun left, Ma Jung-woo's expression immediately turned somewhat unpleasant.

"Chairman Ma, do you have a conflict with him?" Gu Chuan couldn't help but ask.

"The conflict has become significant."

Ma Zhengyu looked gloomy, but he didn't bother to explain, so Gu Chuan didn't press the matter further.

A little while later, a man in his forties with a thick head of hair led five young men into the hall, drawing everyone's attention once again.

Upon seeing this group, Ma Zhengyu said, "The Japanese team has arrived as well."

Yu Shao had already met Dongshan Xun and the others before, so when he saw them again today, he only glanced at them before looking away.

On the other side, upon seeing the arrival of the Japanese team, the expressions of the five players on the North and South Korean teams became more serious, especially Lee Joon-hyuk, who stared intently at Dongsan Kaoru, his fists clenched involuntarily.

Bae Yoo-yeon also stared at the four Japanese players, subconsciously pursing her lips.

Last year, they lost two matches against the Japanese team. Lee Jun-hyuk lost to Higashiyama Kaoru, and she lost to Yamada Go, one of the four Japanese players.

The Japanese team, except for Kaoru Higashiyama, all four members became extremely serious when they saw the five members of the Korean team. The atmosphere between the two sides was already tense as soon as they entered the arena!
"It seems that everyone on the Japanese team is still somewhat unwilling to accept their loss to the South Korean team last year, and they are determined to get revenge this year!"

A British journalist glanced at the Japanese team, then at the South Korean team, and finally at the Chinese team. He excitedly said to the cameraman beside him, "The Chinese team now has Yu Su too! There are so many highlights in this team competition!"

Will Japan be able to avenge their previous defeat? Will North and South Korea be able to defend their titles? Will China be able to wipe out their previous loss this year? What kind of game will they play?

"This will definitely be a fierce battle, and even the most established top players will only be able to watch it with admiration!"

The cameraman nodded and said with some emotion, "Mike, I have a strong feeling that this year's team competition will be far more exciting than we imagine!"

After all three parties had arrived, a short while later, a male and a female host went up on stage, took the microphone, and began to give their speeches.

The venue for the China-Japan-Korea team competition rotates among the three countries every year. This year it's North and South Korea's turn, and the host is also from North and South Korea, so naturally, they speak Korean.

The two hosts talked at length, but Yu Shao and his team couldn't understand a word, and the Japanese team was clearly in the same boat.

After a moment, Fang Haoxin finally said, "It's time to go on stage. The three contestants will come up, and the team leaders will draw lots. Then the team leaders will give speeches, followed by the team leaders."

"Okay, let's go."

Upon hearing Fang Haoxin's words, Ma Zhengyu nodded and led Yu Shao and his group toward the stage, while the North Korean and Japanese teams also set off almost simultaneously.

Soon, all three parties came to the stage. Reporters below the stage carried DSLR cameras and pointed them at the contestants, and the flashes started flashing continuously.

After the host on stage said a few more words, the drawing of lots began.

Since there are only three parties in the competition, there are only three draws in total, namely A, B, and C.

The two players who drew A and B will play against each other tomorrow. Then, B will play against C the next day, and finally C will play against A. A total of three games will be played to determine the champion.

Lee Joon-hyuk walked to a table on the stage, reached into the fortune-telling box on the table, grabbed a fortune ball, and then held it up high. The fortune ball had the number B written on it.

After Li Junhe returned, Yu Shao also stepped forward to the table, reached into the chess box, and pulled out a lottery ball with the number C written on it.

With both lots drawn, it was obvious what the number of the last remaining lot was. However, following procedure, Higashiyama Kaoru stepped forward and drew the lot numbered A from the lot box.

"Okay, so the schedule for the next few days is as follows: Japan vs. North and South Korea tomorrow, North and South Korea vs. China the day after tomorrow, and China vs. Japan the day after that!"

The host took a deep breath and said, "Now, let's give a warm round of applause to the representatives from China, Japan, and South Korea to come to the stage and give their speeches!"

…………

P.S.: Guys, it's almost the end of the month, please vote for me next month!
　Asking for a monthly ticket!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)