[{"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-134":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},1951698,2739,"Chapter 134","tokyo-you-call-this-normal-equipment-chapter-134",134,"\u003Cp>Hiiragi Kyoichiro looked at the section chief of the second editorial group, Miyagi Kazuu, who had stormed in, and couldn't help but frown tightly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Editor Miyagi, please pay attention to your words and actions, in front of the author, you must maintain basic professional quality.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miyagi Kazuu sneered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Quality? You have the nerve to talk to me about quality?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Teacher Natsume is clearly an author of our second group, you actually took advantage of our internal group meeting to run over and poach, rushing to sign?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I knew from the first day I entered the industry that your methods weren't clean, I didn't expect you to become more and more shameless!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hiiragi Kyoichiro shrugged indifferently, seemingly not caring at all about being scolded:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Teacher Natsume has not yet officially signed with any group, how can you say he is 'your author'?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Besides, the one currently communicating with Teacher Natsume is me. Can you please not disturb us?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miyagi Kazuu was almost laughed at by anger:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Reversing the heavens, are you? Hiiragi Kyoichiro, I was too lazy to argue with you about your little tricks before, now you insist on playing dirty with me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fine!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Editor Niigaki, go, invite the editor-in-chief over.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hiiragi Kyoichiro's expression changed slightly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wait!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We are all colleagues in the same company, there's no need to make a scene to the editor-in-chief, right? This won't do anyone any good.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He rolled his eyes and changed to a seemingly fair tone:\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"Why don't we compete fairly and let Teacher Natsume make the choice himself? This is the fairest, isn't it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miyagi Kazuu snorted through his nose:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fair competition? The author was originally mine, where do you get the face to say 'fair'?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Editor Niigaki, hurry up!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Apprentice editor Niigaki Shoji nodded upon hearing this, turned around, and walked out quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Hiiragi Kyoichiro knew he had to act quickly, immediately turned to Natsume Chikage, his face piled with twelve points of sincerity:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm very sorry, Teacher Natsume, for letting you see the discordant side of the company. It's also my fault for not explaining it clearly to you beforehand, leading to the current misunderstanding.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I will confess to you now: Editor Takahashi, who contacted you before, belongs to the company's second editorial group. And I am the section chief of the first editorial group.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Although we are colleagues, there is indeed a competitive relationship between groups. Precisely because the quality of your novel is very excellent, our first group is desperately hoping to win you over!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Having me personally sign for you means I can use the section chief's authority to fight for the best split conditions and the highest quality resources for you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Even in all subsequent matters, our group will send the most excellent editor—Uta Ayaka, to connect with you throughout the process, ensuring your work is successfully published, promoted, and put on the shelves.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing this, Uta Ayaka knew the moment to perform had arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She immediately walked closer and sat elegantly on the chair beside Natsume Chikage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was quite confident in her sweet smile and proud figure, thinking that taking down a little high school student was as easy as pie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Natsume-kun...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice was so gentle it could drip water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Any confusion you encounter in writing from now on, needing to collect material, find inspiration, or even just wanting to go out and relax and chat... as long as you speak up, I can arrange it properly for you immediately.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So, please rest assured and become an author of our first group. We will definitely give you meticulous care.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she spoke, she \"naturally\" reached out and gently held Natsume Chikage's hand on the table, her expression extremely sincere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, she leaned forward slightly, and her well-tailored professional suit inadvertently outlined an even more astonishingly beautiful curve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This scene made Miyagi Kazuu stunned for a moment, then furious, almost scolding on the spot—actually using a beauty trap on a high school student?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is this still shameless!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It's really despicable!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which hot-blooded boy wouldn't fall for this trick?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this Uta Ayaka usually wouldn't use such methods, why today suddenly...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And just at this moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miyagi Kazuu noticed Natsume Chikage's appearance and was instantly amazed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He thought, no wonder Uta Ayaka was willing to take the initiative to use a beauty trap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He figured she was just taking advantage of the situation and had simply taken a fancy to this kid!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Really convinced, the people in this group 1 are more outrageous than the last!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as he was about to shout to stop, fearing that Natsume Chikage would really fall for it, he was stunned to see Natsume Chikage gently but firmly pull his hand out of Uta Ayaka's hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I can feel the sincerity of your group.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Natsume Chikage's voice was calm and waveless, with no discernible emotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But for me, at this stage, this is probably not the most important thing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uta Ayaka was stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ah?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I'm like this... this boy actually has no reaction at all?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miyagi Kazuu saw this and almost laughed out loud, his gaze toward Natsume Chikage full of appreciation:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Teacher Natsume, everything their first group can promise, our second group can do, and we will only do it better!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So, you don't need to waste time here at all.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I have already prepared a more generous contract for you in our conference room over there.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Please get up and come with me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, Natsume Chikage still didn't move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He just raised his eyes and looked at Miyagi Kazuu:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If I'm not mistaken, you are the section chief of the second editorial group, Mr. Miyagi Kazuu, right?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miyagi Kazuu was stunned for a moment and nodded:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Exactly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Natsume Chikage made a \"please\" gesture, his tone steady but with an unquestionable meaning:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Both section chiefs, please sit down first. I have some things I want to discuss with you together.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hiiragi Kyoichiro was stunned for a moment, then his heart \"thumped,\" thinking of some bad situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He immediately cursed Miyagi Kazuu in his heart for coming at the wrong time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now it's good, the situation is completely out of control, turning into an open bidding!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miyagi Kazuu also keenly sensed the change in atmosphere, although he was full of reluctance, he could only sit down with a dark face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When sitting down, he didn't forget to glare fiercely at Hiiragi Kyoichiro.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the two were seated, Natsume Chikage spoke slowly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Actually, for me, it's not that I must choose to join a specific editorial group.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as this was said, the one who reacted most intensely was Takahashi Jun, who had been silent since entering the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His face turned pale \"swish,\" and cold sweat instantly broke out on his forehead:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tea, Teacher Natsume... what do you... mean by this?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miyagi Kazuu's expression also became very ugly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Uta Ayaka and Hiiragi Kyoichiro of the first group looked at each other and were secretly happy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were not afraid of no opportunity, but afraid of Natsume Chikage refusing outright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This statement was equivalent to opening the door for them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Miyagi Kazuu was an old hand after all, he suppressed the anxiety in his heart and asked in a deep voice:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Teacher Natsume saying this, there should be prerequisites, right?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Natsume Chikage nodded and said frankly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Although saying this might seem a bit arrogant, before submitting, I had already done a lot of reading and research on suspense mystery novels.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So I know very well the market value and potential of this work of mine.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miyagi Kazuu and Takahashi Jun, who had seen *The Devotion of Suspect X* with their own eyes, had no doubt about Natsume Chikage's words, but felt it was a matter of course.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the two editors of the first group, although they hadn't read the manuscript, saw the serious, earnest, and even slightly awe-filled expressions of the two in the second group, and immediately understood—Natsume Chikage's work was probably much better than they had expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hiiragi Kyoichiro reacted extremely quickly, immediately associating it with the request Natsume Chikage made when interrupting the signing, and tentatively asked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So, Teacher Natsume wants to... discuss the royalty split ratio in detail with our two groups?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Natsume Chikage met his gaze unhurriedly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Exactly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Takahashi Jun and Uta Ayaka both shut their mouths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They knew that this kind of split negotiation involving core interests was not something that editors at their level could decide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The authority of ordinary editors could at most give a split of around 15% to newcomers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anything higher had to be decided by the section chief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miyagi Kazuu was not in a hurry now, holding his arms in a leisurely manner, his gaze cast toward Hiiragi Kyoichiro, as if saying: You play your cards first, I'm waiting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hiiragi Kyoichiro cursed Miyagi Kazuu countless times in his heart, but maintained his demeanor on the surface and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Since that's the case, Teacher Natsume, given the excellence of your work... our first group can make an exception and offer a 25% royalty split for a new author like you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How do you feel about this ratio?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Natsume Chikage remembered very clearly that not long ago, the split that this Editor Hiiragi called \"the highest for newcomers\" was still 15%.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Later, during the negotiation, it rose to 18%.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that the two editorial groups met, it jumped directly to 25%.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The difference before and after nakedly revealed the trap of information asymmetry in the industry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It is conceivable how a new author who doesn't know how to negotiate would be \"pitied.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this also precisely proves that the excellence of *The Devotion of Suspect X* is worth letting senior editors break the rules to fight for.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And this is precisely the bargaining chip Natsume Chikage needs most right now.\u003C\u002Fp>",1640,"2026-06-15T07:08:26.586Z","2026-06-15T07:45:38.736Z",1,"Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite","e5641cd567694f3556236ccf21235bebf8450b32ed37fd149d35108b0268296a","tokyo-you-call-this-normal-equipment-chapter-135","tokyo-you-call-this-normal-equipment-chapter-133",624,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Ftokyo-you-call-this-normal-equipment-cover.jpg"]