[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-tokyo-you-call-this-normal-equipment":3,"chapter-tokyo-you-call-this-normal-equipment-tokyo-you-call-this-normal-equipment-chapter-108":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Tokyo: You Call This Normal Equipment?",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},1951672,2739,"Chapter 108","tokyo-you-call-this-normal-equipment-chapter-108",108,"\u003Cp>“Survivorship bias.”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Fujiwara Aoi suddenly realized:\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“Yes, yes, yes, that’s it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Saionji Nanase nodded with a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“Although I didn’t expect the truth about the cherry blossom tree legend to be like this...”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“But in any case, the first topic of our Collection Force is successfully completed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“The great contributors this time are Natsume-kun and Fujiwara-san.”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“If it weren’t for you finding Teacher Otsuka and asking about these past events, we might have been busy for a long time in vain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Fujiwara Aoi laughed shyly and embarrassedly:\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“It’s not that exaggerated.”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“But on the way to find the history teacher, I really almost wanted to give up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“He... is really elusive, too hard to find.”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Natsume Chikage smiled helplessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“I feel the same way.”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Saionji Nanase remembered the appearance of the two running to the library to ask people with sweat on their heads, and couldn’t help covering her mouth and laughing.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>At this time, she suddenly thought of something and asked:\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“By the way, is everyone free tomorrow?”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“Should we organize the materials collected this time in the clubroom, or... go out for a walk?”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Fujiwara Aoi’s wheat-colored cheeks flushed slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Tomorrow is the “date” preparation day with Natsume-kun in the plan, how could she come to club activities!\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>She coughed twice and said shyly:\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“I... have to work tomorrow. Let’s do it next time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Natsume Chikage also nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“Me too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Yukimura Suzune still didn’t look up.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“I have arrangements too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Saionji Nanase’s small mouth pouted slightly, somewhat disappointed.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“Alright...”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Afterward, the four ended the first official club activity of the Collection Force in idle chat.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Shibuya.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>The glass curtain wall of the high-rise office building reflected the slanting afternoon sun.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Elevator lobby.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Natsume Chikage looked down at the manuscript in the brown kraft paper document bag in his hand, his heart aching slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Printing this 150,000-word novel really cost him a considerable expense.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Ding—\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>The elevator door slid to both sides.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Coming into view was the huge, well-designed logo of “Midnight Publishing House”.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Natsume Chikage took the document bag and walked to the front desk.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“Hello, may I ask...” The female clerk at the front desk looked up, and the moment she saw Natsume Chikage, her eyes clearly brightened, and her tone became more enthusiastic, “Is there anything I can do for you?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Natsume Chikage spoke calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“Hello, I am Natsume Chikage, I have an appointment, I’m here to submit a manuscript today.”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“Okay! May I ask which editor you have an appointment with?”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“Mr. Takahashi Jun.”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“Understood. I have notified Editor Takahashi for you, please sit in the reception area over there for a moment, he will be here soon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“Thank you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>In the meeting room.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Novel editor Takahashi Jun was sitting opposite an author wearing glasses.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>He had been reviewing the suspense mystery novel manuscript the other party brought for nearly two hours.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>However, no matter from which angle he examined it, this work could only be described as “mediocre”.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>In the era of paper media decades ago, it might still have had a place.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>But in the current era of information explosion and scarce reader patience, such a suspense story lacking grip is hard to stir up any splash.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Today’s readers have extremely picky tastes; if the plot isn’t sharp enough or the hooks aren’t sharp enough, the chance of even being glanced at is minimal.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Not to mention those masterpieces with ingenious conception, interlocking, and reversals that make one’s scalp tingle; those are the ones that can truly explode across the internet!\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>And this manuscript in front of him... he flipped through it repeatedly, finding no highlights worth praising.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Let it pass?\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>I’m afraid he would be called to the editor-in-chief’s office to be scolded in the next second.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Takahashi Jun’s personality was already gentle and cowardly; knowing the manuscript had absolutely no chance of passing, he could only squeeze out the most tactful wording possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“Your novel... the plot is solid, and it’s clear you put in the effort. But the overall style might not... match our publishing house’s recent submission direction.”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>The man with glasses understood the subtext instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>He pushed his glasses hard, and his volume rose sharply.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“Brilliant reversals! Perfect closed loop! You actually dare to reject my excellent novel?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>He was so excited that his fingers were trembling slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“My plot setting is crushing level on the market!”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“Even other publishing houses would be fighting to sign this book!”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“An editor like you actually refuses? You’re simply blind!”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“No wonder you’ve been a small editor for so many years, you don’t even have the most basic appreciation!”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Takahashi Jun was overwhelmed by this head-on scolding, could only force a forced smile, and opened his mouth dumbly, but couldn’t make a decent sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Seeing him silent, the man with glasses became even more arrogant, his scolding becoming sharper and harsher, causing other editors and authors talking in the meeting room to look over.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Until he was dry-mouthed from scolding, he grabbed the manuscript back and slammed the door and left.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“If this place doesn’t keep me, there’s a place for me elsewhere!”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“Wait for my book to become a hit, you idiot, just wait to regret it until your intestines turn green!!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Takahashi Jun looked at the back that disappeared behind the door, let out a long, silent sigh, his lips moved a few times, and he muttered habitually: “Slow... walk slowly...”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>At this time, the intern editor at the next table, Arakaki Shoji, had just finished a smooth interview.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>He successfully signed an author with great potential, neatly put the contract documents into his leather briefcase, and stood up to send the other party to the door considerately.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Turning back, he happened to see Takahashi Jun’s appearance of being scolded and still saying “walk slowly” with a low voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Arakaki couldn’t help but step forward, lowering his voice and complaining:\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“Senior Takahashi! You’re an editor! How can you be scolded like this by an author without refuting a word?”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“The manuscript was rejected, if it were me, I would definitely have retorted! How can you take this kind of cowardly anger!”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Takahashi Jun scratched his somewhat sparse hairline and squeezed out a bitter smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“Haha... just, just being said a few words, it’s no big deal.”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>His submissive and peace-loving appearance made Arakaki Shoji, who had just graduated from university and was full of blood, shake his head repeatedly, but there was nothing he could do.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Arakaki remembered that he had an appointment at the Western restaurant downstairs later, the author was a high school student named Yamaguchi Hakuta—considered his distant cousin.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>The level of the previous few submissions was indeed average, but after his pointing and combing, today’s manuscript should be readable.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>When it is signed and submitted to the editorial department, the publishing process should be able to start.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Being relatives, he had done his best to help to this point.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Arakaki Shoji picked up the suit jacket and briefcase on the back of the chair and said goodbye:\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“Senior Takahashi, you have an appointment later too, right? Then I’ll go first.”\u003C\u002Fp>",1193,"2026-06-15T07:08:26.586Z","2026-06-17T08:41:32.805Z",1,"Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite","d978c1610895d747f50fcc5d20fa94a8e387275ccc7c3c44760669d3698de2cd","tokyo-you-call-this-normal-equipment-chapter-109","tokyo-you-call-this-normal-equipment-chapter-107",624,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Ftokyo-you-call-this-normal-equipment-cover.jpg"]