[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-literary-master-of-tokyo":3,"chapter-literary-master-of-tokyo-literary-master-of-tokyo-chapter-140":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Literary Master of Tokyo",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2354989,4607,"Chapter 140: Riddles and Riddle-Makers","literary-master-of-tokyo-chapter-140",140,"\u003Cp>At 5:30 PM, Akiwara Yuto got off the train, hailed a taxi outside the station, and headed straight for the \"Takeishi\" restaurant where the awards ceremony was being held tonight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A restaurant of this type is a high-end Japanese establishment; in the past, its most important feature was having a luxurious, spacious area for entertainment like performances, and beyond that, its location was set up to be extremely discreet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its history can be traced back to the early 17th century, the Shogunate era, when feudal lords would often meet in these hidden places to avoid the eyes and ears of their enemies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Due to this special historical background, over time, these restaurants became gathering places for Japanese political figures and business magnates to hold discussions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Akiwara Yuto walked through the gate of the antique-style restaurant, and soon a woman wearing a kimono stepped forward to greet him, \"Are you a guest here for the Mystery Literature Newcomer Award?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Akiwara Yuto nodded and handed over his invitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the woman in the kimono verified it, she gestured for him to follow and led Akiwara Yuto inside. After walking through a long corridor, the two soon arrived at a traditional Japanese-style room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman in the kimono pushed open the sliding door and brought Akiwara Yuto into the room: \"Akiwara-san, this room is reserved for your exclusive use. Dinner will be served a little later.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Akiwara Yuto nodded, she continued: \"I will come to escort you 15 minutes before the awards ceremony begins. If you need anything else in the meantime, please call the front desk.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After saying this, she bowed and left, and Akiwara Yuto set down his luggage after she departed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He took out the notebook he had brought, opened it, and began to memorize the acceptance speech he had prepared for tonight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hope this acceptance speech will be of use.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as he was reciting it, he heard a knock at the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Has dinner been delivered so soon?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Akiwara Yuto was a bit puzzled, but he pushed open the sliding door anyway. To his surprise, there was no one at the door, only an envelope lying on the floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Akiwara Yuto picked up the envelope and opened it, finding a note inside with a single sentence written on it: \"For tonight's speech, you can say a little more.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who left this letter here?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Akiwara Yuto fell into confusion for a moment; he closed the door and looked at the note a few more times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His room was theoretically arranged by the organizers, so the only ones with the motive and ability to deliver a note would be the Mystery Writers Association.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He lowered his head, suddenly recalling a rumor he had heard in his past life regarding the Akutagawa Prize in Japan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the day of the Akutagawa Prize, all the shortlisted candidates usually wait in a hotel and receive separate phone calls; if the caller's opening line is \"I am so-and-so from Bungeishunju,\" it implies the candidate has lost. If the caller's opening line is \"I am so-and-so from the Society for the Promotion of Literature,\" it implies they have won.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking of this, Akiwara Yuto suddenly felt his spirits lift.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Does receiving this letter mean that I have successfully won the award?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had only just felt encouraged when he suddenly thought of another question: what does \"say a little more\" mean?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is it just a simple message?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it were just that, wouldn't it be easier to just write \"be prepared to speak\"...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Akiwara Yuto couldn't come up with an answer after thinking for half a day, so he stopped pondering and went back to the notebook he had brought, reciting his speech for the evening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time passed quickly, and it was soon 6:45 PM. The woman in the kimono knocked on Akiwara Yuto's door and gestured for him to follow her to the site of the awards ceremony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two first walked through the corridor, then through the garden, and after walking for a full five minutes, they finally arrived at a large Japanese-style hall. The woman in the kimono pushed open the door, and Akiwara Yuto walked in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this hall, about half the seats were already filled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Akiwara Yuto looked around and found that most of the people were strangers to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you Akiwara-sensei?\" a male voice sounded beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Akiwara Yuto turned his head to see a man in a suit wearing glasses and replied, \"Yes, I am Akiwara Yuto. May I ask who you are?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I am Takeda Yuto from the Mystery Writers Association,\" the man in glasses bowed and continued, \"Akiwara-sensei, the candidates' seats are on the other side, please follow me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Akiwara Yuto nodded and followed the man toward the front of the hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But while walking, he suddenly saw two familiar figures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kihara Daigo and Takei Kohei? Why are they here?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Akiwara Yuto was somewhat surprised for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to the information he had gathered, the Mystery Writers Association usually only invites member writers and relevant partner media; as for other publishing houses, usually only people at the vice-president level attend.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While he was lost in thought, the man in glasses suddenly lowered his voice and said, \"Akiwara-sensei, Chairman Kawai asked me to tell you something.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What is it?\" Akiwara Yuto asked, puzzled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who is Chairman Kawai? Why does he want to talk to me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"At the Mystery Writers Association, you don't need to worry too much.\" After saying this, the man in glasses stopped and gestured for Akiwara Yuto to take his seat in the front row.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And next to that seat, a woman with short hair was already sitting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Akiwara Yuto walked up and sat in his seat, frowning as he kept thinking about the problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Are these people from the Mystery Writers Association all riddle-makers? Or have they played too many mystery games?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It's too strange; that inexplicable letter left at the door, and the words Takeda just relayed to him, all seem to imply that he can do something tonight?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He racked his brains, and combined with the sight of Kihara Daigo and Takei Kohei, he suddenly realized a possibility.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as he was thinking, the short-haired woman sitting next to him suddenly asked, \"Are you Akiwara Yuto-sensei?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Akiwara Yuto's train of thought was interrupted, and he looked up at the short-haired woman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He found that she had an ordinary appearance and was dressed very simply; how to put it, she was the kind of person you would immediately lose sight of in a crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I am Akiwara Yuto. May I ask who you are?\" Akiwara Yuto replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The short-haired woman smiled and answered, \"My name is Murata Kyoka, and my work 'The Third Person Behind' was just shortlisted this time. By the way, I've read your previous work 'Seven Rooms,' and I thought it was written brilliantly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Akiwara Yuto nodded, but he began to think to himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Third Person Behind\"—the name sounds like suspense fiction; no wonder she thought \"Seven Rooms\" was brilliant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He thought for a moment, then took a business card from his card case and handed it over, \"Murata-sensei, I look forward to your guidance.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Being able to be shortlisted from among so many writers, this short-haired woman named Murata Kyoka would likely continue to walk the path of the Japanese literary world even if she didn't win the Newcomer Award; in short, she could not be underestimated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Murata Kyoka took the business card, she took one of her own and handed it over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Akiwara Yuto looked at it and found the words \"Murata Kyoka, Takasago Convenience Store Clerk\" written on it, and was immediately surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing his expression, Murata Kyoka explained, \"Akiwara-sensei, I haven't debuted yet; I'm currently still working at a convenience store.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She paused, then added, \"The work I submitted this time is also my debut work. In any case, please look after me, Akiwara-senpai.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Akiwara Yuto was speechless for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be able to break through from all the mystery writers in Japan with a debut work and be shortlisted for the Mystery Association's Newcomer Award.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is a true genius, or rather, a monster, right?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While the two were talking, another man with a gloomy expression walked over and sat down nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, the lights in the hall dimmed slightly, and the noise died down. After that, a middle-aged man wearing a traditional men's kimono walked to the very front of the hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Akiwara Yuto ended his conversation with Murata Kyoka, straightened his posture, and assumed a listening stance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The awards ceremony for the Mystery Writers Association Award and the Newcomer Award was about to begin...\u003C\u002Fp>",1450,"2026-06-21T03:58:01.347Z",1,"Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite","0b23c13b5cb22f9f608fd50c51108daa7fae27b01fe763eb0a870ab9bdf9dbcf","literary-master-of-tokyo-chapter-141","literary-master-of-tokyo-chapter-139",334,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fliterary-master-of-tokyo-cover.jpg"]