604: Chapter 604 The game is over, so isn't it broken?

Seeing this, Yan Qingwu couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong? Did you find something?"

Ye Chen withdrew his gaze and said with a smile.

"Someone has placed charms around the entrance; normal methods can't detect the situation inside."

"We need to enter the mountain to take a look."

Yan Qingwu's brows furrowed slightly: "Charms? Like the one you gave us before?"

"Similar," Ye Chen nodded.

After hearing this, Yan Qingwu grew even more curious.

"Could you teach me about these charms when you have time?"

"I think they're quite interesting!"

Ye Chen nodded: "Sure, you have good talent."

Yan Qingwu smiled happily.

"Then shall we head into the mountain first?"

"Let's go!"

Ye Chen stopped talking and walked straight toward Mount Fuji.

Yan Qingwu quickly followed.

The two of them headed up along a mountain path, passing through dense forests and crossing gurgling streams.

The higher they went, the colder the air became.

After walking for about half an hour.

The forest ahead suddenly began to thin out.

A temple appeared in their line of sight.

It was an ancient Japanese-style temple.

With black tiles and white walls, and sweeping, upturned eaves, it stood quietly halfway up the mountain.

But...

It was very desolate.

The temple was surrounded by weeds, the plaster on the walls was peeling off, and the roof tiles were covered in moss.

A plaque hung above the lintel, its writing blurred and indistinct, with only a few strokes barely recognizable.

The entire temple exuded an indescribably eerie atmosphere.

It looked as though it had been abandoned for many years.

Ye Chen stepped over the threshold and walked inside.

Yan Qingwu followed closely behind.

However.

They had only walked a few steps inside.

"Halt."

A cold voice came from ahead.

Ye Chen paused and looked up.

In the main hall ahead stood an old monk wearing a grey robe.

His hair was white and his face was covered in wrinkles, but his eyes were as sharp as blades.

Standing with his hands behind his back, he blocked the hall entrance, looking down at Ye Chen and Yan Qingwu.

"This is a forbidden area; outsiders are not permitted to enter without authorization."

Ye Chen looked at him and tilted his head.

"Oh?"

"Then may I ask, Master, how does one enter?"

The old monk looked at him expressionlessly.

"To enter, one must first solve a Go endgame."

"If you cannot solve it, you cannot enter."

Ye Chen raised an eyebrow: "A Go endgame?"

The words had just left his mouth.

"Creak—"

A wooden door on the side of the main hall was suddenly pushed open.

A Middle-aged Man in a suit, accompanied by several Bodyguards, walked out dejectedly.

He looked to be about forty years old, slightly plump, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, and exuding the aura of a successful professional.

But at this moment, his face was written with frustration.

It was as if he had just experienced a massive blow.

He looked up, saw Ye Chen and Yan Qingwu, and was stunned for a moment.

Then.

He sighed and shook his head.

"Young man, are you also here to see the Master inside?"

Ye Chen looked at him without answering.

The Middle-aged Man took his silence for agreement and sighed again.

"Go back; the endgame inside is simply impossible to solve."

"I've already brought three top domestic Go masters to try, and not one could last more than ten moves."

"That endgame is too bizarre."

Hearing this, Ye Chen actually laughed: "The more impossible it is to solve, the more I want to see it."

The Middle-aged Man was stunned and looked Ye Chen up and down.

"Young man, you aren't a Go player, are you?"

"No."

"Then you..."

"I'm just a tourist."

The Middle-aged Man's mouth twitched. He wanted to say something, but ultimately shook his head.

"Forget it. It's good for young people to have drive, but some things can't be solved with drive alone."

"That endgame will make you question your life."

"I'll also make the person who set the game question their life," Ye Chen replied calmly.

Everyone was dumbfounded.

Wait...

Is this guy serious, or is he here to cause trouble?

To actually dare say such a thing!

The endgame inside has remained unsolved to this day!

Ignoring everyone, Ye Chen looked at the old monk: "Master, can we go in now?"

The old monk looked at him expressionlessly: "Follow me."

With that, he turned and walked into the main hall.

Ye Chen followed, and Yan Qingwu followed closely behind him.

The Middle-aged Man in the suit stood outside the hall, staring at Ye Chen's back in a daze.

Then.

He gritted his teeth and followed as well.

He wanted to see exactly what kind of skill this arrogant young man had.

After all.

If even he couldn't get in, he didn't believe this one young man could!

The three of them passed through the main hall and came to the rear hall.

The rear hall wasn't large, with wooden floor-to-ceiling windows on all four sides. Light from outside streamed in, making the entire space bright and transparent.

In the center of the hall was a pond.

The water was crystal clear, with several koi swimming leisurely.

In the middle of the pond was a stone platform.

A Go board was set upon the stone platform.

Beside the board sat an old man.

He wore a faded grey robe and had hair as white as snow.

The old man was fiddling with a Go piece, his gaze fixed on the board as if he were deep in thought.

Hearing footsteps, he slowly raised his head, his gaze landing on Ye Chen.

"Another one?"

"Quite young, indeed."

Ye Chen walked to the stone platform and sat down heavily.

"How do we play?"

The old man looked at him, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly: "Just solve this endgame."

Ye Chen looked down and scanned the board.

On the board, black and white pieces were crisscrossed and densely packed, like a chaotic battlefield.

He looked for a few seconds and said honestly: "I don't understand it."

The old man was stunned.

The Middle-aged Man following behind him turned dark in the face and couldn't help but blurt out: "I thought you were capable, but it turns out you don't even understand what you're looking at?"

Ye Chen turned his head and glanced at him: "Not understanding doesn't mean I can't win."

Middle-aged Man: "???"

baka!

Look at what this person is saying!

If you don't know the game, how can you win?

Do you think you invented Go and can play however you want?

The old man also became interested. He put down the piece in his hand and sat up straight.

"Oh?"

"Then please, make your move."

"This poor monk is also quite curious how you will do it."

Ye Chen smiled, his gaze sweeping over the dense black and white pieces on the board.

"You'll find out very soon."

The old man's brow furrowed slightly, a flicker of doubt flashing in his eyes.

Standing to the side, the Middle-aged Man's frown deepened.

baka!

This kid's ability to act mysterious is top-notch.

Standing behind Ye Chen, Yan Qingwu felt inexplicably excited.

She knew Ye Chen all too well.

This bastard was about to cause trouble.

And it definitely wouldn't be by any normal method.

The old man fiddled with the piece in his hand and said calmly.

"Young man, it's easy to speak arrogantly, but to solve this endgame, you must show true ability."

"This endgame is called 'Trapped Dragon.' In hundreds of years, no more than ten people have lasted past fifty moves."

"Only two have lasted past a hundred."

"And as for those who could solve it..."

He paused, a complex light flashing in his eyes, "To this day, there has been no one."

After hearing this, Ye Chen nodded: "Well, today there will be, and it can be solved in a single move."

Old man: "..."

Middle-aged Man: "..."

Yan Qingwu's shoulders were shaking as she tried to suppress her laughter.

The old monk stood to the side, expressionless, but the light in his eyes grew colder and colder.

He had guarded this temple for decades and had seen countless arrogant fools.

But someone like Ye Chen, who dared to say he could solve it without even understanding the game, was truly a first.

"A single move?"

"What a 'single move'!"

"Then young man, please."

The old man's voice cooled as he made a gesture of invitation, "Let this poor monk see how you solve this Trapped Dragon endgame in one move."

Ye Chen reached out his hand.

Everyone's eyes were focused on his hand.

The Middle-aged Man held his breath.

The old monk's gaze was sharp as a knife.

The old man narrowed his eyes even further, prepared to see exactly how Ye Chen would break the move.

The result...

Ye Chen's hand landed on the board, but he didn't pick up a piece.

Instead...

He spread his five fingers.

And gripped the edge of the board.

The old man's pupils suddenly constricted: "You..."

Before he could finish.

Ye Chen flipped it violently.

"Clatter!"

The black and white pieces on the board scattered like falling petals, clattering as they fell all over the floor.

The entire board became clean instantly; not a single piece remained.

"???"

Everyone was stunned.

The old man sat before the stone platform, frozen in his previous posture, his right hand still holding his piece, but his entire body had become like a stone statue.

His clouded eyes were filled with disbelief.

"You... what are you doing?!!"

Ye Chen looked at the old man as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Solving the endgame."

"baka! You call this solving the endgame?"

The old man flew into a rage, the veins on his neck bulging, "You flipped the board, and you call that solving the endgame?"

Ye Chen tilted his head, looking innocent: "The game is gone, isn't it solved?"

Old man: "..."

Middle-aged Man: "..."

Old monk: "..."

Fine, fine, fine!

Was he playing word games with them?

The Middle-aged Man finally snapped out of it, feeling completely unwell.

"baka! This is cheating!"

"That's not how you solve an endgame!"

"Do you understand Go? Do you understand the rules?"