Chapter 131: The Real Reliance

Wednesday, 7:00 PM, GK Ward, Tokyo, Chacez Western Restaurant.

Akiwara Yuto and Anju Jin Gangyi arrived at this Western restaurant early and booked a four-person booth near the corner.

After waiting for more than 10 minutes, they met the book reviewer Kawada Keiji they had invited.

Upon seeing the person, Akiwara Yuto didn't wait for Anju Jin Gangyi to introduce him, but bowed and introduced himself: "Nice to meet you, Kawada-sensei. I am Akiwara Yuto, the author of *The Devotion of Suspect X*. Please treat me well."

After finishing this sentence, he straightened up and handed over his business card.

Kawada Keiji nodded, took the business card, introduced himself politely, and handed over his own business card.

Seeing that the social etiquette was over, Anju Jin Gangyi called a waitress from the restaurant and ordered Western-style meals such as steak and red wine.

After the waiter served the red wine, Kawada Keiji coughed and asked a question: "President Anju, Akiwara-sensei, is there any problem calling me over today?"

Akiwara Yuto didn't answer immediately but replied with a smile: "No, the purpose of inviting you today is mainly to thank you for publishing that book review for *The Devotion of Suspect X*."

Hearing this, Kawada Keiji shook his head instead. "Akiwara-sensei, this has nothing to do with me. If President Anju hadn't visited me specifically, I probably wouldn't have known about this book."

Anju Jin Gangyi sat on the side and laughed loudly, "Not at all, not at all," and then politely poured wine for the other two.

Kawada Keiji picked up his wine glass, took a sip, and then said: "Besides that, the most important thing is that the quality of *The Devotion of Suspect X* has been recognized by me. Otherwise, I wouldn't have written a book review for this book, and maybe I would have even written a bad review."

Akiwara Yuto smiled awkwardly when he heard this explanation. If he were really to be written a bad review, he would have the heart to stab the other party to death.

After all, if that were really the case, the reputation and sales of the book would be greatly affected.

At this time, the waiter in a waiter's uniform served the three people's respective dinners one by one. The three picked up knives and forks and had a conversation while dining.

"Kawada-sensei, actually, besides thanking you, I have a small question." Akiwara Yuto cut the steak and then replied in a casual tone.

"Please ask, but I can't guarantee whether I will answer." Kawada Keiji replied.

Akiwara Yuto nodded, then put down his knife and fork, and asked: "Regarding the book review of *The Devotion of Suspect X* you published, why did you choose to publish it in *Mystery Literature* instead of the *Chiba Daily News*?"

"Just this?" Kawada Keiji was a bit surprised. He thought Akiwara Yuto already knew.

Seeing Akiwara Yuto's puzzled expression, he thought for a moment, put down his knife and fork, and answered this question in a serious tone.

"Akiwara-sensei, President Anju, Mantanshe has already conducted public relations for all media in Tokyo and surrounding areas, requiring cold treatment of your works. In other words, you have already been blocked by the other party."

He paused and added: "So in order to publish this book review, I could only choose a professional newspaper that is not a media company."

Akiwara Yuto and Anju Jin Gangyi were both stunned. They didn't expect to get this answer.

A giant publisher in the top four of the industry suddenly wants to block a writer who has just debuted for less than half a year. It is simply unbelievable.

After all, the comparison between the two, although not as exaggerated as the comparison between a giant elephant and an ant, is almost the same from another level.

Anju Jin Gangyi took a cold breath and subconsciously looked at Akiwara Yuto, starting to doubt whether it was a correct decision to cooperate with him.

Although he has earned a lot of money now, if he wants to offend a giant, it seems a bit not worth the loss.

On the other side, Akiwara Yuto frowned and began to think.

Who would target him like this? Kihara Daigo? Takei Kohei?

It seems that no one else has the motive except these two. But if they do this, what is the intention?

Kawada Keiji cut off a piece of beef and fed it into his mouth. After chewing and swallowing, he picked up the napkin on the table and wiped the corners of his mouth, continuing: "Akiwara-sensei, actually, you don't have to worry too much."

Akiwara Yuto was pondering and didn't expect the other party to give such a statement, so he asked back: "Do you have any high opinions?"

Kawada Keiji replied: "This kind of publisher's blockade is often only effective for some authors without much talent. After all, the work itself is not very good, and once it loses the promotion channel, the work will not be sold at all."

He picked up the red wine and took a sip. "But I have read your *The Devotion of Suspect X*. To be honest, even without the recommendation of a book review, sooner or later it can be continuously promoted by the word-of-mouth recommendation of readers."

"So Akiwara-sensei, you don't have to underestimate yourself too much. Believe in your readers; they are the reliance you can truly compete with Mantanshe."

Akiwara Yuto was worried, but didn't expect to be comforted instead. He thought about it and found that this was indeed the truth.

As long as the word-of-mouth of *The Devotion of Suspect X* slowly spreads, this book will still sell well, and his other works can also accumulate readers and achieve further sales in the market.

Besides that, the many works in his mind can completely become his reliance.

As long as the time is longer, the sales of his works are more, and the fame is greater, the less he needs to worry about Mantanshe's so-called blockade.

In the final analysis, time is still on his side!

Thinking of this, Akiwara Yuto had a count in his heart and was not as worried as at the beginning, but he thought of other aspects.

However, if he only accepts it passively, the time needed to endure is still a bit long, and it even affects his other book release plans.

Therefore, he still has to think of other ways to see if he can break this so-called blockade!

Kawada Keiji held the red wine glass, looked at the expression on Akiwara Yuto's face relaxing, and also showed a satisfied smile.

In fact, if the person who invited him this time was the author of another work, he probably wouldn't even come.

After all, as a book reviewer, or a literary critic, he actually has to keep a certain distance from the author of the book he evaluates. Only in this way can the book review he writes often be fair and just.

But after receiving Akiwara Yuto's invitation, he couldn't help but accept it.

After all, he was really curious, what kind of person is the author who can write a work like *The Devotion of Suspect X*?

Akiwara Yuto stood up again and bowed to express his gratitude after knowing the content he wanted to know again.

After all, without the book reviewer in front of him, he didn't know how many detours he would have to take, and he was probably still stupidly thinking about why there were no other book reviews.

As for the remaining specific situation, he probably has to ask Asano Aiko who is helping him inquire about the news.

What Akiwara Yuto didn't notice was that when he expressed his gratitude to Kawada Keiji, Anju Jin Gangyi standing on the side showed a strange expression... ===== CHAPTER 132 =====