Chapter 164: The Editor-in-Chief's admiration

"Editor Awazu, it seems that your department's editor-in-chief's affairs are relatively busy, so I will say goodbye today."

After finishing the 3rd cup of tea, Akiwara Yuto put down the cup and said to Awazu Hideki, who was sitting on the side.

From the time he sat down until now, 45 minutes had passed, and he didn't think his time could be consumed like this.

And this serialization matter was just something he did conveniently for himself.

Since *April Youth* had no sincerity here, then choosing to cooperate with other journals, or waiting for a period of time to publish a single volume, were also acceptable choices.

"Master Akiwara, sorry, I'll go and ask. Maybe something important delayed her."

Awazu Hideki wiped the cold sweat on his forehead and said in a very polite tone.

He faintly guessed what had happened in the Editor-in-Chief's Office, but he didn't expect it to be delayed for so long.

He didn't dare to let Akiwara Yuto leave. If that happened, the subsequent cooperation matters would probably only end up in a bubble.

In the current situation of the arms race among the four major publishing houses, wanting to find another writer with Akiwara Yuto's fame was undoubtedly harder than ascending to heaven.

Just as Awazu Hideki was about to leave the reception room, a sound of high-heeled footsteps came over.

Immediately after, the door of the reception room opened.

After seeing the person coming, Awazu Hideki finally felt relieved.

"Master Akiwara, sorry to keep you waiting for a long time. I am Dacheng Lixiang, the editor-in-chief of *April Youth*. Please give me your guidance."

After hearing this sentence, Akiwara Yuto subconsciously raised his head and looked at the other party.

The other party was a middle-aged woman in her 40s, wearing glasses and a simple black suit. On her, there was a very gentle temperament.

Seeing the other party bow and introduce herself, Akiwara Yuto also stood up, "Nice to meet you, I am Akiwara Yuto. Please give me your guidance."

Since the other party had come, he put down the plan to leave.

However, he still had some guesses in his heart. Was making him wait so long a show of power from *April Youth*?

Forget it, let's see how this Editor-in-Chief Dacheng will be.

If the other party's attitude is still not good, then don't blame him for not giving face and leaving directly.

On the other side, Dacheng Lixiang, after bowing and handing over her business card, sat on the sofa to the right of Akiwara Yuto.

She took out a file bag and placed it on the coffee table in front of the sofa.

"Master Akiwara, regarding the conditions you proposed before, someone in our editorial department raised an objection?"

"Objection?" Akiwara Yuto frowned.

He thought for a moment and didn't feel surprised. After all, he requested to hand over the single volume and other copyrights to himself after the serialization ended, which was undoubtedly a bit inconsistent with industry rules.

But regarding this point, he still wouldn't choose to make concessions.

After all, whether it was channels or publicity, he now had funds and resources to arrange, so there was no need to hand over a large sum of royalties to the publishing house.

Akiwara Yuto drank a sip of tea and asked: "Editor-in-Chief Dacheng, then what is the result of your final negotiation?"

He had already made a decision in his heart. Anyway, if *April Youth* didn't accept this condition, he would choose to give up cooperation.

Dacheng Lixiang heard Akiwara Yuto's words and looked at his expression carefully.

On Akiwara Yuto's face, she couldn't see a trace of wavering.

She sighed in her heart and said.

"Although some people have objections, I think your conditions are still acceptable. But before signing the formal contract, I hope to take a rough look at your work."

Akiwara Yuto nodded and took out the file bag he brought from home, handing it to Dacheng Lixiang opposite.

In this file bag, there were copies of the outline and initial manuscript he had written before.

As for the original of this manuscript, he entrusted it to Asano Aiko, asking her to take it to the law firm they cooperated with before to make relevant filings.

Speaking of which, this manuscript was the second adaptation he had made for foreign mystery works after *Negligent Homicide*.

He didn't know if it could satisfy *April Youth*?

Although a bit puzzled, Akiwara Yuto didn't have much tension in his heart.

After all, after a series of events, he had already become accustomed to it.

On the other side, Dacheng Lixiang didn't know Akiwara Yuto's thoughts. She opened the file bag, took out the manuscript inside, and began to read.

When seeing the title, she was a bit puzzled.

*The Invisible Guest*?

In Japanese, "Kyaku-sama" represents the meaning of a noble guest, and the word "invisible" has a bit of the meaning of hiding.

So, is this work a Suspense school work?

It seems that Master Akiwara's *Zoo* series, which he debuted with, was suspense.

However, he seemed to have written Social school and Honkaku school works later.

Forget it, let's look at the content first.

Dacheng Lixiang glanced at the title carefully twice and then began to read carefully.

She didn't look at the outline first, but picked up the first serialization manuscript on the side and began to read.

After all, for serialized works, the quality of the initial stage is the most important.

After all, if it can't attract many readers at the beginning, then even if it's wonderful later, the contribution to the improvement of magazine sales will be limited.

For a time, the reception room became quiet.

Awazu Hideki sat on the side, waiting quietly. As for Akiwara Yuto, he closed his eyes to rest.

Sunlight projected through the window into the room. At the same time, time passed bit by bit, and soon half an hour passed.

In this half-hour time, Dacheng Lixiang's posture was like being frozen. Except for the almost instinctive page-turning and her constantly changing expressions, there were basically no other movements.

Until finishing the last page, Dacheng Lixiang breathed a sigh of relief and realized that her body had become a bit numb from sitting.

She put down the manuscript, took the outline on the other side, and began to read carefully.

After quickly reading the outline and understanding the cause and effect of the story, Dacheng Lixiang had a different feeling in her heart.

Can mystery still be written like this?!

But at this moment, her eyes were shining with different light.

In her original imagination, the work *The Invisible Guest* should be a suspense work.

But she didn't expect that at the beginning, a lawyer appeared, making her think it was a court school at the time.

As a result, with the constant conversation between this lawyer and the client, the story reversed constantly! Truth and lies alternated constantly!

Who is the murderer?

What is the motive for killing?

What is the method of killing?

These questions made Dacheng Lixiang deeply realize that this Master Akiwara winning the Mystery Literature Newcomer Award was not a fluke at all.

Even after she understood the cause and effect through the outline, she couldn't wait to see the subsequent manuscripts!

Such serialization content can definitely help *April Youth* get rid of the current predicament!

Dacheng Lixiang expressed admiration in her heart, but didn't show it on the surface.

However, the hand holding the manuscript was trembling slightly.

She thought for a moment, put down the manuscript, and said to Akiwara Yuto on the other side.

"Master Akiwara, if there are no other problems, let's sign the contract now!" ===== CHAPTER 165 =====