Chapter Five: Let the Opponent Write the Rules

Tang Yue chose a mountain course built inside an abandoned quarry. There were no spectators for the eighteen-hole match, only twelve live cameras, three registered Obsidian Tour officials, and standardized equipment selected by Tang. Before the opening tee, he even had Lu Chen draw lots for his set of clubs. “You wanted transparency,” Tang said, tossing him a sealed box of balls. “Today you get every grain of sand.” Lu checked the seal. “Good. Qiyun won't have to supply my magnetic powder.” The audience passed one million at once. Tang gave him nothing through six holes. The country's eleventh-ranked player was no underground bruiser. His shots repeated like machinery. Lu could see the optimal paths, but had to execute them with unfamiliar clubs.