I, Hiroshi Nohara, the star of Japanese cinema!

"As long as you want to see it, it will never end." Nohara Hiroshi held up the wine glass with both hands: "Welcome to Tokyo! Uncle!"

"Yeah." Yoshiharu Koyama looked at the clear liquid in the cup and listened to these words that were more beautiful than any promise. His face, as cold and hard as a rock, finally, completely and irrevocably...completely shattered.

He picked up his wine glass and gently clinked it with Nohara Hiroshi's glass.

The sound of "ding" is crisp and pleasant.

It was like a war, and the final bell of reconciliation fell.

"Wow, this wine is so fragrant!" Yoshiharu Koyama still maintained the last expression on his face, but he was very happy in his heart: "A magical wine! The 14th generation Longquan! I can finally drink it! I must show those idiots what Tokyo wine is like when I get back!"

Chapter 61 Director's Arrangement

The night in Tokyo is like a piece of black brocade embellished with countless gems, luxurious yet cold.

When Hiroshi Nohara made a crucial move in the chess game of his life with a carefully prepared feast under the warm lights of the restaurant.

The other side of the city.

Tokyo TV Production Headquarters Building.

In that top-floor conference room that symbolizes power, a silent war has been going on, and the ground has already been covered with frost.

The conference room was covered with thick grey carpet, which absorbed all unnecessary sounds, leaving only the monotonous and oppressive humming sound of the central air-conditioning vents, like a prelude to the coming storm.

The long oval conference table was brightly lit, reflecting the cold light strips on the ceiling and dividing the people sitting around it into two distinct camps.

On the right side of the table, headed by Executive Deputy Director Takada Shunei, sat three first-level directors and seven second-level directors.

Most of them looked relaxed and had casual postures. They wore expensive watches on their fingers holding teacups, and when their eyes occasionally met, there was a deep-rooted arrogance that came from playing at home.

They are the 'Tokyo faction', the true blood and foundation of this TV station.

It controls the lifeline of almost all the golden and silver time slots, from the news broadcast at 5:30 in the morning to the finale of the variety show at midnight.

The left side of the table looks a bit desolate.

Deputy Director Ming Rihai sat in the middle, with only one first-level director and four second-level directors beside him.

They looked calm and stood straight, like a group of isolated soldiers holding their last position on a battlefield where they were outnumbered by the enemy.

They are the "Kanto faction", the "outsiders" who were incorporated into this huge machine after the acquisition war. For many years, they could only cultivate their own barren land with difficulty in those minor periods that were left over by the "Tokyo faction", like leftovers.

The chill of power was like solid ice, quietly condensing in this closed conference room.

There were no words between the two sides, but those gazes, some scrutinizing, some contemptuous, and some forbearing, had already clashed in the air for thousands of rounds.

'Crack.'

The heavy door of the conference room was gently pushed open, and a figure walked in.

He was an old man, sixty-three years old, with gray hair, but combed meticulously.

He was wearing a neatly ironed dark suit. He was not tall, but his steps were as steady as a mountain.

There was no expression on his face, which was full of wrinkles from time, but his slightly cloudy eyes, when they swept across the entire audience, revealed a majesty that was enough to silence all the noise.

Make everyone stand up immediately when they see him coming.

"Director!"

Everyone bowed their heads and called out his name respectfully.

It is Nobuhiko Sakata, the director of the production department who symbolizes the supreme ruler of the entire Tokyo TV production department.

A man whose name is full of legends and contradictions.

He was once a general of Kanto TV. Not only did he train many celebrities in the production department of Tokyo TV, he also personally led the acquisition negotiations that shocked the industry, incorporating the famous Kanto TV into his own kingdom and territory.

This also made Tokyo TV unrivaled in the Kanto region and the number one king in the entire Neon territory.

Therefore, there are rumors that Nobuhiko Sakata will be the next director of Tokyo TV.

This also made everyone present dare not slack off in the slightest.

All were extremely respectful.

"Everyone is here." Sakata sat down in the main seat. His voice was calm, but it contained a power that could not be questioned.

The tense atmosphere in the conference room was lightly suppressed by this voice and instantly became solemn.

Everyone sat down again.

"I've reviewed the plans for the first half of the year." Sakata's gaze slowly swept across the crowd, his tone calm, "The projects of several first-tier directors are all very significant, and the station will give them its utmost support. The plans of several second-tier directors also have their own highlights."

He paused, and his gaze seemed to fall inadvertently on the camp on the side of Tomorrow Sea.

“The project ‘Dark Zhiju’ in particular was very well done.”

There was a subtle hint of praise in his tone: "He used a small investment to achieve great results, leveraging creativity to shake up the ratings of the entire late-night slot. This approach is worth learning from for all of us. Although Suzuki Seito isn't here today, this contribution should be recognized."

As soon as the words fell, the directors of the Kanto faction, who had been keeping a tense expression, unconsciously raised their lips into a slight arc.

"Hi!" Asumi bowed his head to show respect.

Sakata commented on a few more projects, all bland and superficial remarks. The meeting ended in an eerie silence.

This was a routine meeting in itself.

"Asumi, Takata, you two stay for a moment." Just as everyone stood up and prepared to leave, Sakata's voice rang out again.

The door of the conference room was closed, isolating it from all outside prying eyes and speculations.

Sakata didn't look at the two deputies who were competing with each other, but walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling window and overlooked the Tokyo below, which was shrouded in night and lights.

"I heard that Kyoto TV and Osaka TV have been getting very close recently."

His voice was as deep as the night outside the window. "They want to unite and challenge our position as the number one in Kanto. There's still internal scheming going on, and the wolves outside are about to burst into the sheepfold."

A barely perceptible sneer appeared at the corner of Takada Shunying's mouth. He knew that the main topic was coming.

All this was the result of his personal advice to the director.

The righteousness of "united against external enemies" is the sharpest sword in his hand.

Ming Hai frowned slightly. He didn't expect that the director would use such a direct method to break the current deadlock.

"So, I've decided." Sakata slowly turned around, his cloudy eyes gleaming with the unquestionable light of a decision-maker. "For the second half of the year, all of the production department's key projects will be fully managed by you, Asumi. This includes that S-rated, sub-pornographic, live-action horror project."

This news was like a depth bomb dropped into a calm lake, causing a hint of surprise to appear on Ming Rihai's face.

Although he had gotten some news in advance, he never thought that the director would be so straightforward as to hand over this piece of juicy cake that would determine the future situation in the next few years directly to him.

Key planning work for the second half of the year.

Doesn’t that represent the entire job?

This means... the executive deputy director was replaced by Asumi, from Takada Toshihide, in the second half of the year!

And on Takada Toshihide's face, which always had a warm smile, a muscle twitched slightly.

This cake is so delicious.

He didn't expect that it would be handed over to Asumi so easily, or to these guys from the Kanto faction.

But think about it too.

After all, Director Sakata had said before that the infighting between the Kanto and Tokyo factions should not continue like this. They need to merge, and the Tokyo faction needs to take the initiative to give up some interests to let the Kanto faction know the importance of this merger.

We need to make the Kanto faction willing to integrate into the Tokyo faction.

and so.

It’s about transferring benefits.

"Although I'm mentally prepared, I still feel a little disappointed." Takada Toshihide thought so, but he quickly regained his calmness.

It's just the second half of the year.

Besides, he was not sure what excellent planned program Asumi and his Kanto faction could produce in six months.

By the end of the second half of the year, won’t he still be the executive deputy director?

So Takada Toshihide is not in a hurry at all.

"but."

Sakata changed the subject, his gaze landing on Takata. "For the sake of balance, and to promote cooperation and communication between the two teams, I've given you an S-rank live-action project. Production of the third season of 'Anzhiju' will be taken over by your team, Takata. I hope you can put aside your past prejudices, learn from each other, and draw on each other's strengths to overcome your weaknesses."

"This..." A look of surprise finally appeared on Ming Rihai's face, which was always calm.

He suddenly raised his head and looked at Director Sakata.

Use an S-level project to exchange for the production rights of "An Zhi Ju"?

This seemed like a fair deal, even a deal in which he got a huge bargain.

But he knew better than anyone that the value of "An Zhi Ju" was no longer something that could be measured by a simple late-night animation.

That was the flag that their Kanto faction had raised with great difficulty. It was the only well that could gush out sweet water that the young man named Hiroshi Nohara had opened for them in this barren land monopolized by the 'Tokyo faction'!

Now, what the director has to do is to hand over the ownership of this well to the opponent who has always wanted to kill them with thirst.

"This is for the greater good." Sakata's voice was filled with a hint of fatigue that brooked no room for argument. "I hope you understand my painstaking efforts."

At this time, Takada Toshihide slowly stood up and bowed respectfully to Sakata.

His signature gentle and humble smile returned to his face. "Don't worry, Director." His voice was so sincere it seemed to drip with water. "We will definitely live up to your expectations, strengthen our cooperation, and act in unison."

Asumi looked at his face full of hypocrisy, and then looked at Sakata's face full of "the overall situation is more important". The anger that had been suppressed in his heart for many years almost burst out of his chest at this moment.

He slowly closed his eyes and suppressed the anger that was enough to burn everything.

He knew he had no choice.

Besides, the rights of the executive deputy director for half a year... are really too important!

When he opened his eyes again, all the emotions in those elegant eyes had faded away, leaving only a bottomless calmness.

"I understand, Chief," he said slowly.

The sound was as calm as a sea about to face a storm.

But at this time, Asumi slowly spoke again: "Director Sakata, if possible, could you give me the right to choose the director for this S-level real-life horror project?"

In Ming Hai's mind, he thought of that young man, the young man whose quick thinking and imagination made him amazed.