Chapter 245: Successive Skills
"Pa—"
The crisp sound of a chess piece colliding with the board echoed through the quiet room.
Seeing Ye Fan's response, a hint of amusement flashed across Zhou Jie's face.
He glanced imperceptibly at Ning Xi, who was standing not far behind Ye Fan, and a confident smile emerged on his face.
Next, he would thoroughly crush Ye Fan!
From the slight youthful softness in Ning Xi's features, it was clear that she wasn't very old, probably around eighteen.
Under normal circumstances, people at this age cared a lot about face. If her boyfriend was utterly humiliated in front of others, she might develop certain different thoughts.
Only if a rift formed between them would he have a chance to make a move on Ning Xi.
It had to be said—Zhou Jie's calculations were quite meticulous.
But would things really unfold as he anticipated?
Not at all!
"Pa!"
Three-seventeen, cut!
This move completely exposed the offensive strategy of Zhou Jie's white pieces. The intensity of his attack was unparalleled.
Among those present, the strongest players were undoubtedly Gu Yun and Guo Yuan. When they saw this move from Zhou Jie, their expressions darkened.
The level of strength Zhou Jie displayed was such that even they, as ninth-dan players, would have to go all out to counter it.
This wasn't just a casual match, let alone a teaching game. There was no mercy whatsoever.
A dignified professional seventh-dan player, going all out against a beginner who had only learned the game recently?
Gu Yun and Guo Yuan's expressions were far from pleasant.
Especially Gu Yun!
Ye Fan was his savior, and Zhou Jie's behavior was no different from slapping him in the face.
Guo Yuan had known Gu Yun for many years and understood this old friend very well. Sensing the shift in Gu Yun's mood, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
This disciple of his… was truly an embarrassment!
Ye Fan narrowed his eyes and, without much hesitation, placed his piece.
Four-fourteen, intercept!
He had to admit—professional seventh-dan was indeed formidable. Compared to playing against opponents online or even playing against Ning Xi, this match was on a completely different level. For the first time, Ye Fan felt the pressure from an opponent.
Overbearing, aggressive, completely unreasonable.
However, Ye Fan was unfazed.
Like he had said—he grew stronger when faced with stronger opponents.
Especially when he recalled the way Zhou Jie had been eyeing Ning Xi so blatantly, a strong irritation surged within him. That irritation became the fuel for his motivation.
Ye Fan's mind was clear, free of distractions, with only the board in his eyes.
With the support of his four-tier intelligence, his thinking speed had reached a frightening level, his terrifying computational ability making him akin to a supercomputer. He was frantically calculating the future moves of the white pieces and devising the corresponding countermeasures.
A series of chess variations flashed through Ye Fan's mind. In less than ten seconds, he had already predicted Zhou Jie's next eighteen moves.
Of course, this was merely the theoretical optimal sequence.
If Zhou Jie followed this sequence, Ye Fan could set traps in advance.
After all, foreseeing an opponent's moves provided a massive advantage—it was practically an innate path to victory.
If Zhou Jie deviated from Ye Fan's predicted optimal sequence, it would mean revealing a flaw.
And once a flaw appeared, Ye Fan simply had to exploit it and magnify it, ultimately securing his victory.
Guo Yuan lowered his head, contemplating for a moment, preparing to intervene.
If things continued like this, there would be only one outcome.
Ye Fan would lose—and he would lose miserably!
However, when Guo Yuan saw the piece Ye Fan had just placed on four-fourteen, a flicker of uncertainty flashed in his eyes.
This is…
Gu Yun's expression also changed. His pupils contracted slightly, and his face showed clear surprise.
This move… was brilliant!
Not only did it perfectly neutralize the white pieces' attack, but it also cut off their potential development in the corner.
A move serving two purposes.
A brilliant move!!!
Was this Ye Fan… really just a beginner who had only been playing for a little over a month?
Gu Yun and Guo Yuan exchanged a glance, their eyes now filled with seriousness.
Zhou Jie's offensive wasn't stopping anytime soon. They wanted to see how Ye Fan would handle the next moves.
Was it just luck, or…
Gu Ziyi and Ning Xi, lacking the skill to see the subtlety of Ye Fan's move, remained unaware.
"Xiao Xi, do you want to remind Ye Fan that he might as well surrender? There's no point in continuing this game."
"Ziyi-jie, let's… just forget it. I believe in Ye Fan!"
Seeing the unwavering confidence in Ning Xi's expression, Gu Ziyi was momentarily stunned, then shook her head slightly, saying nothing more.
Zhou Jie furrowed his brows, a trace of surprise flashing in his eyes.
A blind cat stumbling upon a dead mouse—this brat had actually lucked into playing a brilliant move.
But so what if it was brilliant?
The attack had only just begun!
Ye Fan would surely be humiliated today!
Zhou Jie lifted his right hand, his white piece falling on six-fifteen. The offensive maneuver that had just been neutralized instantly surged forward again, even more aggressive than before.
Ye Fan remained calm, placing his black piece at six-eighteen.
Once again, the attack was neutralized!
And once again… a brilliant move!
Seeing this, Gu Yun and Guo Yuan exchanged a look of astonishment. Even they wouldn't have been able to come up with such a move in such a short time when facing Zhou Jie's offense.
One brilliant move could still be attributed to luck. But two in a row…
Guo Yuan nudged Gu Yun's shoulder and murmured, "Old Gu, do you think Ye Fan is fooling us? How the hell is this the level of someone who's only been playing for a month? This is nonsense!"
"Don't be so hasty. Keep watching."
Gu Yun replied with a blank expression, his eyes locked onto the board.
Seeing his offensive neutralized again, and even a hint of counterattack brewing, Zhou Jie's smile froze. His left hand, which was resting beneath the table, clenched instinctively.
Damn it!
Did he step on dog shit today?
Was Ye Fan's luck that good?
Suppressing his irritation, Zhou Jie placed another white piece, forcibly shutting down the potential counterattack from the black pieces.
He refused to believe this!
Brilliant moves weren't something one could play at will. Even professional players needed extensive time for thought and calculation to produce them.
Luck, the opponent's choices, and the right conditions—all of these had to align for a brilliant move to happen.
Wasn't this brat just lucky?
Zhou Jie was going to see just how long luck could keep Ye Fan afloat!
A faint smile flashed in Ye Fan's eyes. Zhou Jie was indeed strong—every move he had made so far matched the optimal sequence Ye Fan had calculated perfectly.
A professional seventh-dan player was undeniably formidable!
But…
The stronger he was, the deeper he would fall into Ye Fan's trap.
"Pa—"
A black piece landed.
This move was completely contrary to what one would expect from a brilliant move. In fact, it could even be called a blunder. Not only did it fail to stop White's offensive, but it also left a gaping hole in Black's formation.
A massive weak point!
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