Chapter 255: Odaiba Storm!

As the program recording reached this point, even though Mai was a big-name Actress and Uesugi Muneyuki was a guest of honor personally invited by the Fuji TV station manager, the director on site and the FNS Production Bureau Department Director in charge of production, Abiru Kazuhiko, still called a halt to the recording.

"Shirakawa, what on earth is going on? This segment isn't in the script."

If it had been any other entertainer, the production team would have already swarmed up to complain, but it was the Uesugi Shiro duo that made the production team feel they had to give some face.

"Oh, it isn't," Mai said, unhurried. "But I feel that if we just sit here simply talking and answering questions, it's a bit dull. Besides, the questions in your script are always targeting low-brow topics and personal privacy, aren't they?"

"But the station hasn't prepared for an on-location shoot!" Abiru Kazuhiko frowned, feeling displeased with Shirakawa Mai's attitude. "If we just take action like this without prior preparation and planning... won't it lead to a massive waste of recording time? Everyone present is at least an A-list entertainer, if not a big name; their schedules are precious. And you and Uesugi, you both know it wasn't easy for this station to invite you..."

"It's fine, I will take full responsibility." Mai's bright, glistening eyes stared at Uesugi Muneyuki. "Junior, you'll support me, right?"

"I will always support Mai." Uesugi Muneyuki gave his utmost affirmation.

Seeing that the Odaiba double-C had both spoken, Department Director Abiru was silent for a moment and reluctantly nodded in agreement, while Director Yayoi, who was in charge of this program, did not look very happy.

In film and television programs of different countries, the status of directors and screenwriters varies. In some countries, the director is greater than the screenwriter; in others, the screenwriter is greater than the director. In Japan and Korea, it is customary for the screenwriter to be greater than the director; in Japan, many TV dramas even deliberately have two or more directors take turns to avoid excessive interference by the director in the production.

Only directors like Kurosawa and Kitano Takeshi can be like emperors on set, but they often also serve as screenwriters.

Hearing that they were going on location, the five A-list Comedians present were also surprised, but they were all battle-hardened veterans who had seen it all. The Banana Man immediately began recalling various on-location sketches, Tsuchida began to ponder various sharp questions, and Sawabe began to rack his brains, considering which sketches from the "Haraichi" duo were suitable to bring here; after all, his partner was not here, and he wondered if others could get his jokes and pick up his cues.

Only Miyano Hiroyuki of the Umbrella Duo had a slight change in expression.

As for the two little Idols, sorry, no one on set considered their thoughts at all. They were just two minor Idols, yet the program recording had actually given them at least 13 minutes of independent interaction segments, and the Uesugi Shiro double-C had even created a running gag for each of them. Honestly, the production team felt it was already a bit of a waste.

For a Golden Time program, every inch of airtime is worth its weight in gold; even one or two shots are carefully considered.

Just like that, under the insistence of Uesugi Shiro, the production team was forced to go on location together. This move meant two cameras running in front, two cameras following behind, and one camera suspended above for real-time filming. The boom mics and lighting couldn't be skimped on either. Once they moved, it was a scale of several dozen people. Mai's impromptu idea threw the scene into chaos.

This is why TV stations actually don't like doing on-location programs. The program recording TV stations like most is actually a large group of people watching a VCR together, acting as an atmosphere group, and expressing some thoughts and post-viewing reactions. On-location programs are time-consuming, laborious, and expensive. You might record for seven or eight hours and only have one hour of footage after editing, whereas watching a VCR for an hour and a half might yield an hour of program.

But times are changing, audience tastes are changing, and the national standard of living is changing. Naturally, everyone prefers to watch on-location programs, and the arms race between TV stations has forced Fuji TV to accumulate rich experience in on-location shoots.

Especially the Hironaka Mariko case, which gave Fuji TV experience in responding to emergencies and conducting building-sweeping programs inside the Odaiba Building.

And as everyone began to move, Uesugi Muneyuki also came to Ikeda Erena. The man whispered, "Master Erena, follow us. We might need your help later."

Erena was stunned for a moment. The tall beauty had come today to be an audience member and a bodyguard, but seeing Uesugi Muneyuki and Shirakawa Mai being lovey-dovey on stage and taking a bunch of low-brow questions, Erena was already full of resentment, her energy bar maxed out, ready to explode and return to Sakata Bridge to hit Uesugi Muneyuki with a MAX super-kill "Jigoku Gokuraku Otoshi."

But when she saw this expression on Uesugi Muneyuki, the tall beauty suddenly realized something.

There's a case!!!

It's finally my turn to appear!

The gloom of the whole day immediately dissipated. Erena straightened her willow waist and gave it a fierce shake, confidence returning to her face: "Leave it to me!"

…………

Sure enough, the production team's worries were justified. After going on location, the interaction between Shirakawa Mai and Uesugi Muneyuki did not significantly intensify. Both sides were still simply having conversations and introducing the situation inside Fuji TV, while also briefly reviewing the Hironaka Mariko case from last year.

The five Comedians were also thrown off their rhythm by this turn of events. The original script and comedy sketches couldn't be performed, so the on-location shoot seemed a bit dull. Not to mention that people were coming and going inside the Odaiba Building, requiring coordination between each other, filming required permits, and they needed to send people ahead to clear the way.

This didn't produce the expected effect, and for a moment, the expressions of both the production team and the Comedian group were not very good.

Only Shirakawa Mai was still hosting the program with a charming smile, while using her eyes to ask Uesugi Muneyuki if he was ready.

Mai was buying time for Uesugi Muneyuki.

Through the on-location shoot, while keeping Miyano Hiroyuki under control, they arrived near the body to buy time for Uesugi Muneyuki to trigger the Death Soul Contract and understand the whole sequence of events!

Just like that, in a program recording that was slightly sluggish and lacked any explosive points, Mai, after challenging the patience of Fuji TV, finally bought enough time for Uesugi Muneyuki.

It's ready!

About fifteen minutes later, Uesugi Muneyuki signaled to Mai: I have figured out what is going on!

Good!

The two hit it off immediately and led the entire production team toward a certain lounge on the seventh floor.

Seeing the direction the production team was heading, the expression of Miyano Hiroyuki of the Umbrella Duo changed drastically. He thought about speaking up to stop them, but with a pile of cameras pointed at his face, he had no way to interrupt the program and could only follow silently behind, praying in his heart.

Don't go there, don't go there!

The thing he feared most was exactly what happened.

Although he had made temporary preparations and was certain that things would go according to his expectations after the incident occurred.

But today's situation was different.

Today, the legendary rookie Forensic Pathologist Uesugi Muneyuki was here!

As if his prayers had taken effect, as if locked on by a targeted skill, even though there was a row of lounges and a "Do Not Disturb" sign hanging on the door, Uesugi Muneyuki suddenly roared: "Something's wrong!"

"???" Everyone on site was bewildered, and the entire production team was stunned.

"What's wrong?" Only the mischievous Mai continued to ask, knowing the answer.

"Someone is dead. I smell the scent of a corpse!" Uesugi Muneyuki then said sternly.

"Ah???" His actions made everyone on site even more bewildered.

Most of them even found it quite interesting.

Is this some kind of impromptu script? The Comedians subconsciously looked at the production team.

As it turned out, Director Yayoi and Department Director Abiru were also wearing blank expressions.

What script? There isn't one?

The station had thought about specifically getting a corpse to create a program effect, but the Ministry of Justice wouldn't allow it!

What is going on here?

And just as everyone was completely confused, Uesugi Muneyuki rushed toward one of the lounges and kicked the door open: "Right here, someone is dead! Call the police! Call the Detective!"

Inside the room, the other member of the Umbrella Duo, Miyano Hiroyuki's partner, Miyahara Toru, was leaning on the sofa with his eyes closed, looking as if he were resting.

Until this moment, everyone had not yet reacted. The Comedians looked at each other, still not understanding whether it was a program effect or if an incident had really occurred.

This, this can't be possible, right?

Last year, a murder case occurred in the Odaiba Building. The Live Broadcast ratings for the Hironaka Mariko case directly surpassed the Kohaku ratings that year, ranking first in annual viewership.

How could someone die in the Odaiba Building again this year? And it just so happened that Uesugi Muneyuki and Shirakawa Mai were both on the scene?

You Fuji TV, this is too fake.

Damn it, is the Odaiba Building a Cursed Grudge Haunted House or what?

Everyone had an expression of disbelief on their faces.

Among them, two young Idols, Yamaguchi Maho and Miyawaki Sakura, even took the initiative to go up and greet him in order to get some screen time.

However, Miyahara Toru, who was lying on the sofa, did not respond at all.

Looking closer, this Comedian's face was cyanotic and his expression was extremely painful, his eyes tightly shut and his mouth wide open; taking another look, he was no longer breathing.

"Miyahara-san? Miyahara-san?" The two young Idols were still tentatively calling out this guy's name, but Uesugi Muneyuki's roar arrived first: "Don't touch him! Don't disturb the scene!"

"Production team, stop the recording immediately!" Uesugi Muneyuki then shouted: "Department Director Abiru, Director-san, report to your station quickly, this person is dead! Call the police immediately!"

"Eh?" The young Idols were stunned for a long while before they gradually realized that what was in front of them was a dead person.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!"

The screams pierced the tranquil sky of the Odaiba Building.

Another new storm is about to sweep through this place!

(End of this chapter)