“Dr. Bloomer, if you help me find my daughter, I, Chasel, am willing to serve you for the rest of my life!” Chasel stated earnestly.
To Chasel, his daughter was now his entire life.
While Leo was preparing to leave the clinic to pick up Sophia from work, Harry appeared once again.
In addition to expressing his gratitude to Leo, Harry handed Leo an envelope. Inside the envelope was a cashiers’ check for ten million dollars.
In the blink of an eye, the third day had arrived, the day when Leo would face off with Master Spencer.
It was the Moon Crescent Lake Hotel, in a high-end private room.
The room’s decor had an antique style, with furnishings that exuded both an ancient charm and sophistication.
Inside the private room, a gathering of people had arrived, mostly members of Langstel’s high society and some reporters.
In the center of the private room, on a large table made of golden wood, there was a Go board with black and white pieces arranged on either side of it.
Closest to the chessboard were individuals like August, Jack, Solomon Zacharias, and Porter Croft.
Sitting to the north of the Go board was one of today’s main characters, Master Spencer.
At this moment, Master Spencer looked solemn, with his eyes half-closed, appearing like a meditating old monk.
Several reporters had their cameras trained on the chessboard, ready to broadcast the event live as soon as the other main character arrived.
Time passed by, and the person scheduled to play against Master Spencer had yet to show up. Onlookers started to discuss the situation.
“It’s almost half-past nine. Why hasn’t the one challenging Master Spencer arrived yet? Does anyone know who it is?”
“I heard it’s just a freeloading son-in-law, someone named Leo.”
“I can’t believe a freeloader dares to challenge the grandmaster of the Go world. Doesn’t he have any sense?”
“This good-for-nothing son-in-law might not be as simple as you think. Not long ago, he defeated Master Spencer’s top student, two games in a row!”
“Beating Master Spencer’s top disciple gives him the audacity to challenge Master Spencer himself? He really doesn’t know his place!”
Many people didn’t know that it was Master Spencer who had issued the challenge to Leo, not the other way around.
Despite the ongoing discussions, Master Spencer remained unfazed, maintaining his meditative posture with his eyes closed.
August, Jack, and the others casually sipped their tea, seemingly not too concerned about the impending chess match.
Solomon Zacharias, growing impatient, asked Porter Croft beside him, “Porter, do you think that Leo guy will actually show up, or is he just standing us up?”
Porter Croft, who was not entirely certain himself, put on a tough front and said, “If he doesn’t come, we’ll make a scene at Sophia’s cosmetics company again!”
Just as the clock struck half-past nine, Leo strode in, right on time. He first cast a cold glance over the assembled crowd, then calmly took a seat across from Master Spencer.
Leo’s arrival stirred even more fervent discussions among the onlookers, most of which were filled with taunts and criticism.
Leo merely gazed coolly at Master Spencer and coldly declared, “Let’s begin. My time is precious.”
Leo’s words sent the onlookers into an uproar once more.
“Did I hear that right? A freeloading son-in-law dares to claim that his time is precious? Is he in a hurry to go home and freeload?”
“I’ve seen people acting pretentious, but I’ve never seen someone who’s so good at it. I bet he’s not in a hurry to freeload; he’s in a hurry to do housework, cook, do the laundry, and mop the floor. He’s practically a housekeeper.”
“This guy who married into the family probably thinks he’s a big shot just because he’s playing chess with Master Spencer. He must have no idea who we are and how privileged he is to have us watching him play.”
Leo’s gaze turned colder, and he stood up from his seat. He addressed Master Spencer, saying, “There are too many annoying mosquitoes buzzing around. It’s hard to concentrate on the game.”
Master Spencer understood Leo’s message – if people around him didn’t shut up, he wouldn’t play.
For a Go enthusiast like Master Spencer, his greatest desire now was to defeat Leo in front of everyone. So he shouted sternly, “Quiet down, all of you! If you don’t want to watch, you can leave right now!”
Master Spencer’s words were quite intimidating, and the onlookers immediately fell silent.
Leo sat back down and looked at Master Spencer, saying, “Now we can begin.”
“Who goes first, you or me?” Master Spencer’s lips curled into a barely perceptible smile.
Leo waved his hand nonchalantly and said, “You’re older; you go first.”
This statement led to hushed discussions among the onlookers.
“Can someone tell me where this good-for-nothing’s confidence comes from? Doesn’t he know that Master Spencer is a legend in the world of Go?”
“This freeloading son-in-law probably doesn’t know anything about Master Spencer’s status and position. He’s even more clueless that many people never get the chance to play against Master Spencer. This is an incredibly rare opportunity for him, but he’s acting all high and mighty…”
“This guy who freeloads for a living doesn’t know anything about Go. Forget about Master Spencer; I could easily defeat him!”
Master Spencer cleared his throat, and the crowd quieted down once more.
“Kid, you’re pretty audacious at such a young age. Don’t think that beating my disciple gives you the right to look down on anyone in the world of Go. Today, I’ll show you with hard facts what it means that there’s always someone better out there. If you don’t want to lose too embarrassingly, I’ll give you a chance to make the first move.”
Leo naturally didn’t refuse this challenge. He sneered, “I’ll go first then. I hope you won’t regret it.”
With that, Leo picked up a white Go piece and placed it casually on the board.
Among the onlookers, some had witnessed Leo’s previous match at the Extensive Martial Arts Training Center. They now watched the board intently, eager to see whether Leo’s first move would be impressive.
To their disappointment, Leo’s initial move was similar to his casual style at the Training Center, devoid of any strategic advantage.
Although some spectators wanted to mock this style, they refrained from doing so to avoid provoking Master Spencer’s anger and kept their attention on the game.
In contrast to the expressions of the onlookers, Master Spencer appeared cautious.
Having seen Leo lose to his disciple at the Training Center, Master Spencer understood the principle that arrogance could lead to defeat, and he didn’t want to make the same mistake as his disciple.
After a careful analysis of Leo and Colin’s match, Master Spencer believed that his disciple’s loss had primarily been due to arrogance and carelessness.
With his disciple’s lesson in mind, Master Spencer began cautiously, aiming not to give Leo any opportunities.
When Master Spencer placed his third black piece on the board, the spectators couldn’t help but applaud.