Chapter 80 Unremitting Efforts
Chapter 80 Unremitting Efforts
As the lists of preliminaries, semi-finals and main competitions of the "Metropolis Cup" Dongjiang Division were released, the news that Bai Yinhua had retired to participate in amateur competitions instantly spread throughout the Go circle.
A large number of chess fans flocked to the official WeChat account of the Chess Association to ask for an explanation. Various sponsors also expressed that they would continue to follow up and pay attention.
In response to this incident, Chess Association Chairman Shang Chaotian and Vice Chairman Lu Wenjie immediately held a small press conference on behalf of the Chess Association.
At the press conference, Shang Chaotian first acknowledged the loopholes in the Chess Association's rank management, and publicly apologized to the chess fans and sponsors on behalf of the Chess Association.
At the same time, Shang Chaotian also said that the emergency procedures have been initiated within the Chess Association, and the rank management rules will be improved as quickly as possible to prevent such incidents from happening again.
As for Bai Yinhua's decision to quit his dan and participate in amateur competitions, Shang Chaotian said that the Chess Association has been committed to ensuring that all actions and procedures are standardized in recent years. If the regulations allow, then there is nothing wrong with it, and if the law does not prohibit it, then it can be done.
Therefore, although the Chess Association firmly opposes and even condemns such behavior, because all of Bai Yinhua's operations comply with the various management regulations at the time, the Chess Association has no right to prevent Bai Yinhua from participating in the "Metropolitan Cup" Dongjiang Division. All competition arrangements will proceed as usual.
Finally, Shang Chaotian still made a public appeal, hoping that Bai Yinhua would put the development of Go sport first and voluntarily give up participating in the "City Cup" competition.
And if Bai Yinhua can take the overall situation into consideration, the Go Association will surely show its utmost sincerity to every comrade who is truly committed to the development of Chinese Go.
This press conference held by the Chess Association fully demonstrated the official attitude.
Although a considerable number of chess fans have complained about the fact that the Chess Association does not intend to cancel Bai Yinhua's qualification to participate in the "Urban Cup", "everything is done according to the rules" is inherently politically correct in China where all kinds of violations and unauthorized operations are common, and the vast majority of chess fans and sponsors can understand the decision of the Chess Association.
So overall, the Chess Association successfully weathered the first wave of public relations crisis.
But... Shang Chaotian and Lu Wenjie knew that the real test was still far from coming.
...
May 5th, late at night, Chinese Go Association.
Before leaving, Lu Wenjie came to Shang Chaotian's office as usual to summarize the work situation.
"Brother Tian, from what I've seen these past few days, people in the industry generally don't have any major objections to our decision regarding Xiao Bai's withdrawal from the competition.
"As for the media outside the circle, just as we expected, they don't seem to think now is a good time to report. They are probably waiting for Xiao Bai to make more waves before following up."
Shang Chaotian sighed upon hearing this.
"If it is a blessing, it will not be a disaster. If it is a disaster, you can't avoid it!
"Xiao Bai's retirement to play amateur games is just an isolated case, so what if he wins a few games?
"What's really troublesome is the thoughts he expressed to you that night.
"If those ideas are exaggerated by irresponsible media, the long-term impact on Chinese Go is unimaginable!"
Lu Wenjie responded: "Brother Tian, you are right. Until now, I don't know how to refute the ideas he said..."
"Because in a way, what he said was true."
Shang Chaotian said it simply and bluntly.
Lu Wenjie couldn't help biting his lip when he heard this, but finally nodded:
“Yes… That’s why I was a little confused when I talked to you on the phone that night.
"If we want to change the current situation, we still need to further expand the number of chess fans, especially the number of chess fans willing to pay.
“At the same time, we also need to enhance the commercial value of Go so that more companies and enterprises are willing to sponsor Go events.
“But all of these require long-term and unremitting efforts.”
"Ah, it's okay, take your time!"
Hearing a hint of fatigue in Lu Wenjie's words, Shang Chaotian immediately spoke to comfort him.
“It takes long-term and unremitting efforts to achieve results… Isn’t the Go that we love so much just like this?”
Lu Wenjie couldn't help but laugh.
"Ah! Brother Tian, you are right!
"Since we can win the world championship in Go, we can definitely do these things well!
"That is... For now, we still have to find a way to deal with Xiaobai's situation, otherwise it will inevitably shake the foundation of Chinese Go."
"Yes, I know."
Shang Chaotian also smiled bitterly and nodded helplessly.
"After all... now that an 18-year-old girl has given it her all, I have to do my best!"
...
...
Tuesday, May 5, 23 p.m.
Dajing City, Longxiang Shengjing Villa Community.
"You said... all the professional players have been checked, and none of them is it?"
Hearing the reply from the other party on the phone, Lin Ruixin was confused. "Yes, Boss Lin, we have checked all the professional chess players one by one these days, and found that all the chess players have 'alibi' so far."
"Are you sure?" Lin Ruixin didn't quite believe this statement: "There are so many professional players, don't you have any doubts?"
"Oh! Boss Lin, you may not have paid much attention to this [Yi Zhao Qi Yi] recently. Do you know how busy his schedule is?"
Lin Ruixin was stunned when he heard this.
Indeed, after he was angered by [Yizhaoqiyi] last time, he himself didn't want to see this ID again and never paid attention to it.
What the hell is this? You are actually mocking me in front of this chess master! Do you think you deserve my attention?!
Therefore, even though he vowed to find out the true identity of Yi Zhao Qi Yi, he directly commissioned a private investigation company and did not do the hard work himself.
But it sounds like...is there something new?
"Uh...is his schedule very full?" Lin Ruixin asked, following the other party's tone.
"Of course! He has been playing chess until 1:30 in the morning every day since last Sunday!"
"What?" Hearing this answer, Lin Ruixin frowned: "Then, then is he usually not online in the morning?"
"No way! His first game of the day usually starts at 7:30 in the morning!"
"what--?!"
Hearing this answer, Lin Ruixin suspected for a moment that he had heard it wrong.
"He went offline at 1:30 a.m. and started online at around 7 a.m.... Including the time for washing and cleaning up, he only slept for five hours a day? Is he online in the afternoon or evening?"
“Also online!”
The other party gave a very affirmative answer:
"【Yizhao Qiyi】 basically played a slow game of chess in the morning, afternoon, and evening last week. After the slow game in the evening, he played a fast game of chess for more than two hours. He was online for more than 18 hours a day!"
Eighteen hours?!
Four games of chess, three slow and one fast, in one day? !
Hearing these two numbers, Lin Ruixin was a little dumbfounded.
What is this concept?
There is no concept at all!
Even though there is no shortage of hardworking people in the Go world, practicing for more than eighteen hours a day is almost unheard of!
"...On the weekend, he might have taken some time off, so he didn't show up during the day.
"But the two games of chess, one fast and one slow in the evening and early morning, were still played as usual.
"Given how long he was online, we didn't have to do much investigation. It's impossible for all active professional chess players to stay out of the daytime on weekdays, so we ruled them all out with a quick check."
"Could it be... an inactive chess player?" Lin Ruixin carefully proposed a possibility.
"how come!
"Boss Lin, you should know better than us. Inactive chess players stop playing because they can't play anymore. Who would want to play chess after retirement?"
"……Too."
"Well... could it be that he is a teenager who is going to get promoted to a Dan this year? After all, there is only a little over a month away from the Dan qualifying tournament in July. He might be training like crazy!"
"A young man who is striving for a dan?" Lin Ruixin chuckled: "If it is a young man who is striving for a dan, with the level of [Yizhao Qiyi], if he wants to play in the dan qualifying tournament now, he would be almost blind. Why play with his life?
"It's actually because he's working so hard that he's ruined his body, and that's the real reason why he can't be determined."
"Then...then we can't guess who he is!" The other party's tone was full of helplessness.
"Hey, that's enough! Keep keeping an eye on this [Yi Zhao Qi Yi] for me, and let's think about it again!"
Lin Ruixin hung up the phone impatiently, then sat cross-legged on the sofa to think.
If he is not a professional chess player, why is this [Yizhaoqiyi] suddenly trying so hard?
Eighteen hours a day, it feels like I'm preparing for something...
But what could this be? I can't imagine it!
Lin Ruixin was puzzled for a moment, so he took a piece of paper and wrote down all the information he knew about [Yizhao Qiyi]:
His strength is that of a low-level expert, not a professional. His IP address is in Dongjiang. He is desperately preparing for something. He seems to be related to Shang Chaotian...
Eh? !
Putting this information together, Chess Master Lin suddenly had an idea in his mind.
I communicated with Mr. Bacon yesterday. Mr. Bacon originally suggested putting it on the shelves at noon today, but I thought it was a bit sudden, so I still hoped to arrange it to be put on the shelves on February 2st.
Bacon said that the problem is not too serious, but he needs to look at the data on the 31st for details.
So, if nothing goes wrong, it will be on the shelves on February 2st. If it is confirmed to be on the shelves on the 1st, I will post a "feeling for the shelves" on the 1st. If you guys don't see the feeling, then the shelves will be delayed~
(End of this chapter)