Chapter 284

The large conference room in the Fuji TV Odaiba Building was buzzing with excitement. The production department had specially set up an oversized screen so that the older staff members with poor eyesight wouldn't miss the details. On both sides of the screen, real-time ratings were displayed, along with various guarantees meticulously designed by President Kameyama, who was convinced that this program would be a massive hit!

As a moderately developed capitalist country, Japan naturally possesses a very strong commercial atmosphere. Ever since the Japanese economy began to soften, the demand for entertainment has only grown stronger. Fuji TV was among the first to reap the rewards; the classic "Long Vacation," produced by President Kameyama and starring Kimura Takuya and Yamaguchi Tomoko, comforted the Japanese people during the economic downturn and the bursting of the bubble by framing it as "just a long vacation," thereby resonating with the entire nation.

Of course, such placebos lose their effectiveness when overused; in this regard, Fuji TV is both a beneficiary and a victim.

Hundreds of audience members, each with their own agenda, kept their eyes fixed on the big screen. They were either Fuji TV executives, business partners, major sponsors, or outsourced production companies.

Everyone, of course, knew about the Odaiba Building lockdown case and the record-breaking ratings from last year. Everyone admired President Kameyama's decisiveness and courage—not only did he turn a funeral into a celebration, but he also used the opportunity to push ratings to their absolute peak.

However, the Odaiba Building lockdown case had its own unique and accidental nature.

Today, President Kameyama intended to prove that this was neither an accident nor a wish, but an arrangement by the heavens for a reunion. He had the ability to recreate the brilliance of that night! This was not impossible to replicate!

As the sky gradually darkened, "God's Hand SP" officially launched at 6:30. After a brief opening sequence, the National Goddess Shirakawa Mai appeared on the television screen. She responded to the camera with a radiant smile. Her routine opening joke and introduction of Uesugi Muneyuki were steady and unremarkable, lacking any particular flair, yet they still captured everyone's attention.

After all, not being a professional host or Comedian, Mai's hosting rhythm was clearly a bit off. She focused too much on the relationship between herself and Uesugi Muneyuki rather than using the small to reflect the large.

But that didn't matter, because Uesugi Muneyuki was not a stranger to the audience; they were too familiar with him to need an introduction. On the contrary, the joy that naturally radiated from Mai's face whenever she mentioned Uesugi Muneyuki, the occasional anecdotes about their time as alumni at Gunma Prefecture Tokiwa Middle School, and her teasing of Uesugi Muneyuki's little habits and secrets made the overall effect of the program explode.

This is what we want to see! This is exactly what we want to see!

Countless viewers sitting in front of their televisions gritted their teeth.

Mai is our goddess! A National Goddess actress who hasn't had a single scandal since her debut—how did she end up with a toad like you? Damn it, being both an alumnus and a friend, and even eating together often enough to know each other's little secrets.

So envious it hurts!

Tomorrow, I'm sending tanks one by one to the Metropolitan Police Department to send that Forensic Examiner Uesugi of the Special Mission Unit to the sky!

Mai's fanatical fans hated Uesugi Muneyuki to the bone.

Can't you just fall into Tokyo Bay like Ms. Igarashi Aiko in the Yokohama Case?

But everyone couldn't help but watch.

Because everyone usually knew nothing about the daily lives of Uesugi Muneyuki and Shirakawa Mai, even the smallest revelations made the audience feel inexplicably satisfied.

When the program started, the ratings were only 18%, but after Shirakawa Mai's first few sentences, the ratings surged to 21%.

Subsequently, Uesugi Muneyuki made his official entrance amidst the gaze of the masses.

Sure enough, the moment he appeared, an inexplicable aura emerged between Uesugi Muneyuki and Shirakawa Mai. Even though there was no direct physical contact, there was an inexplicable sentiment and familiarity between them. They had no sense of boundaries; Shirakawa Mai even reached out to pat Uesugi Muneyuki's head—a scene of a bullying goddess senior picking on a pure junior—while Uesugi Muneyuki's occasional verbal counterattacks and unreserved banter were absolutely thrilling.

Both of them showed sides of themselves on the program that were previously unknown.

At the same time, there was always a special charm in their expressions. When finishing a question, Mai would look at Uesugi Muneyuki slyly as if testing how he would answer, and after Uesugi Muneyuki answered, he would use his eyes to show off, "I answered well, didn't I?" When talking about school anecdotes, the two would look at each other and smile, and when Uesugi Muneyuki spoke eloquently, Mai would gaze at him with a unique look.

This look is called "You are the only one in my world."

Moreover, with one hosting and one answering, and neither being a professional, there was a sense of awkwardness between them that looked completely unprofessional.

But it was precisely this lack of professionalism that everyone watching the show dreamed of!

To hell with scripts, designs, and hype!

This is what we want to see; this is the sense of reality we want!

Therefore, as Uesugi Muneyuki appeared, the ratings began to rise rapidly!

22%, 24%, 27%—it surged all the way to 28% before showing signs of slowing down, and this rating was already the best for a variety show on Fuji TV in recent years!

But it wasn't over yet; everyone knew the bigger explosion was yet to come!

President Kameyama clenched his fists tightly.

Although it had reached 28%, for Fuji TV, this still hadn't reached the expected level of ratings. One had to know that to get this episode aired, Fuji TV had paid a huge price and used many connections to handle the Metropolitan Police Department and the Ministry of Justice.

Don't panic, it's a technical adjustment!

President Kameyama comforted himself this way; a massive explosion was about to happen!

The short interview and Q&A ended, and the Comedians appeared. Fuji TV started its antics, repeatedly using obscure camera angles to hover over Miyano Hiroyuki's face, body parts, and even his crotch, as if afraid the audience wouldn't remember his name or recognize his face.

Then, the hired narrator used a "half-smiling," "barely holding it together" tone, paired with post-production animation effects. Miyano Hiroyuki's earnest, serious, and hard-working attempts to be funny and throw out topics, while self-deprecatingly calling himself sharp-tongued, truly became another kind of joke. His entire performance was seen by all of Japan; it was truly a hellish joke.

But it wasn't over yet; even before the case was revealed, the Comedian segment was already quite intense.

Uesugi Muneyuki admitted to having sexual fantasies about Mai; not only that, he admitted himself that he was a sex fiend in high school!

The appearance of the two Idols, Miyawaki Sakura and Yamaguchi Maho, was eye-catching, and both knew Uesugi Muneyuki. Yamaguchi managed to get a "lying" meme, while Sakura showed off her special relationship with Uesugi Muneyuki and Shirakawa Mai. After the three of them agreed to go eat at Yoshinoya together, the most intense part of this segment arrived!

After drawing a question—an anonymous one—Mai asked Uesugi Muneyuki: "Among the female celebrities here and in the entertainment industry, if you had to pick one to go to Hakone hot springs for an overnight trip, who would you choose?"

"This question depends on what kind of girl Uesugi-san likes? For example, someone with fairer skin? An older type? Someone you went to school with? Someone you have a common language with and meet for a meal once a month?" Shitara Osamu of Banana Man coaxed.

"Wait!" Uesugi Muneyuki suddenly waved his hand: "You might as well just ask if I want to go to Hakone for an overnight trip with Mai."

"Yes! Yes, yes, yes!" Shitara Osamu got excited: "That's what you said! I didn't say it!"

"Why go through all that trouble, Junior? Let's speak Japanese; this question, in short, is asking, do you want to do it with me?" Mai held up the microphone with a grin.

"Wait!" Uesugi Muneyuki quickly raised his hand to signal a stop: "I have a question. I don't understand—is the production team asking me this, or is Mai asking me this?"

The entire Fuji TV studio burst into laughter, followed by another round of enthusiastic applause. Fuji TV really dared to do anything!

Aren't you afraid the Miyazaki Brothers of the Soul Agency will fight you to the death? Old ghost Kameyama, you guy!

And it was at this very moment that the ratings continued to soar, from the 28% when Uesugi Muneyuki appeared to 37%! And this figure had already climbed to nearly 40% when Shirakawa Mai asked the question!

"Is there a difference?" Shirakawa Mai blinked.

"Of course there is a difference!" Uesugi Muneyuki smiled meaningfully.

"Fine, then let's answer separately. If Shitara asked, you must pick someone to go to Hakone hot springs for an overnight trip with you; who would you choose?"

"Of course, my dear senior, Shirakawa Mai-sama~"

"Then what if I asked?"

"Of course, my dear senior, Shirakawa Mai-sama~"

"What is this? Isn't there absolutely no difference?" Mai was clearly very pleased with this answer. The National Goddess actress pouted: "Then why did you bother saying all that?"

"It's completely different, okay?" Uesugi Muneyuki revealed a serious expression at this rather inappropriate time: "If the production team asked, it would just mean we are going to Hakone together to record the show and do promotions."

"But, if Mai asks, then it means... you know, this is a romantic invitation, and I will gladly accept~" After the audience burst into waves of good-natured laughter, Uesugi Muneyuki suddenly asked back: "Don't you want to go with me, Senior?"

"I..." Shirakawa Mai didn't expect Uesugi Muneyuki to pull such a move. Even she, who was always strong, confident, and well-composed, finally lowered her head in shyness at this moment.

That touch of bashfulness when lowering one's head is just like a water lotus flower, tender and unable to withstand the cold wind.

The senior student has been counter-killed by the junior student!

Miyazaki Takataka, president of the Soul Agency, who was watching the program, slammed the table in anger: "Fuji TV! Kameyama! I will sue him! I will sue him!!!"

Likewise, at the Watanabe Residence in Gotokuji, Setagaya Ward, Watanabe Eiji and Watanabe Michiko both cast their gazes toward Watanabe Minami.

The true enemy has appeared! Miss Minami wore a serious expression.

"Nani!" At the Uesugi Mansion in Bunkyo Ward, Uesugi Muneyuki's entire family was dumbfounded.

This kid not only hides a woman at home, but also has a flower outside the home? And it's actually Shirakawa Mai? How is this possible?!

Otsuka Station, the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office, Nippon Life, the Sumitomo Mitsui Group, as well as the YKC48 dormitory and the Yoshimoto Kogyo headquarters.

All of Kanto is watching!

And at this very moment, the real-time viewership statistics came out!

"President, the peak viewership has broken 42%!!!" An employee shouted with wild joy: "We have beaten Kohaku again!!!"

The large conference room in the Odaiba Building was silent; in this famous television station with a 50-year history, only the sound of breathing remained.

President Kameyama's hands tightened more and more, and even his breathing quickened; he was clearly more nervous than the people around him. The opening viewership of this episode had not been as ideal as imagined, and he had therefore shouldered immense pressure, but... the High Plain of Heaven does not fail those who work hard; he had proven that the viewership miracle of the night the Odaiba Building was locked down could be replicated!

Uesugi Muneyuki, he is my father! Shirakawa Mai, she is my mother!

Now the peak viewership has already broken 42%, and the real live bombshell has not yet been revealed.

The conference room of the Odaiba Building is waiting, the citizens of Tokyo are waiting, and all the television media and print newspapers in Japan are also waiting, waiting for the moment the accident happens, waiting for the moment the viewership breaks through the peak!

Uesugi Muneyuki's on-site verification is coming!

(End of this chapter)