Chapter 841

The temporarily convened group meeting kept most of the editors behind, gathered in the slightly cramped conference room.

The air was filled with a mixture of coffee, paper, and a faint scent of fatigue and restlessness.

Takahashi Jun, Niigaki Shoji, and the gloomy-faced Yoshida Tomohito were all sitting in their respective seats.

Yoshida Tomohito kept his head down, his fingers unconsciously spinning a fountain pen, while the corner of his eye glanced from time to time at Takahashi Jun, who was sitting diagonally opposite, always keeping his head down and being regarded by him as the "bottom of the office."

A cold sneer, mixed with schadenfreude and sinister anticipation, flashed across the corner of his mouth.

Wait a moment...

Wait a moment when the group leader announces the sales data of all new books today...

Let's see how you, this "unlucky guy," can still pretend!

He had already calculated it in his heart.

The initial printing of the book "The Devotion of Suspect X" was as high as five thousand copies, which was an extremely rare big move for a new author's new work.

And "first-day sales data" had always been the first, and most cruel, touchstone for the editorial department to judge a book's market potential.

If the first-day sales were bleak, or even just unremarkable...

Then Takahashi Jun, the "person directly in charge" who advocated for high print runs and had caused controversy for it, would definitely be unable to escape the blame.

Group leader Miyagi Kazuu would inevitably keep him behind alone for a severe "business reflection."

Even, along with the group leader himself who supported this decision, he might be recorded by the editor-in-chief.

After all, the decision to give a new author five thousand copies but have poor sales would lead to company losses, and someone had to take responsibility.

And himself...

Yoshida Tomohito could almost imagine the scene:

Takahashi Jun being scolded dejectedly, while other colleagues, because he had "wisely" advised everyone not to get involved in this "high-risk" book, would cast grateful or admiring glances at him.

That "office tacit understanding" led by him to isolate Takahashi Jun would be consolidated again.

After all, who would want to be too close to a "jinx" with terrible vision who always dragged down the team's performance?

A guy like Takahashi Jun should stay at the bottom of the editorial department, never to turn over.

This time, there would be no exception.

Yoshida Tomohito was immersed in the fantasy of the upcoming "victory," and the rhythm of his fingers tapping on the table even carried a hint of joy.

However.

When his gaze quietly swept toward group leader Miyagi Kazuu, who was organizing materials at the head seat, his heart "thumped" inexplicably.

Something is wrong.

The usual calm and slightly serious expression on the group leader's face was gone.

Instead, it was a rare, almost overflowing joy and excitement.

Those slightly raised corners of the mouth, those shining eyes, were completely different from the state he expected when "announcing flat data" or "handling problematic books."

A bad premonition, like cold vines, quietly wrapped around Yoshida Tomohito's heart.

"Ahem."

Group leader Miyagi Kazuu cleared his throat, and the buzzing whispers in the conference room quieted down immediately.

All eyes were focused on him.

He didn't immediately look at the sales report in his hand, but raised his head, his gaze slowly sweeping over every editor present.

Finally, his gaze lingered on Takahashi Jun for a moment, intentionally or unintentionally, with clear approval in his eyes.

"Before starting tonight's regular data report..."

"I want to announce a piece of—great news that our Second Editorial Department, and even the entire Late Night Publisher, has long been waiting for!"

He paused to ensure everyone heard.

"The book 'The Devotion of Suspect X', created by new author Natsume-sensei, which is responsible by our group's editor Takahashi Jun—"

He raised his volume, word by word, incomparably clear.

"On the first day of its release, it achieved phenomenal sales results! It completely broke the first-day sales record for a new author's new book since the founding of our Late Night Publisher!"

As soon as the words fell, a gasp that could not be suppressed sounded in the conference room.

Many editors subconsciously looked at Takahashi Jun, their eyes filled with shock and disbelief.

Miyagi Kazuu didn't pause and continued to elaborate on the details in an excited tone:

"As everyone knows, the initial printing of Natsume-sensei's book was the highest among all new books in the same period, reaching five thousand copies, almost two to three times that of other new books."

"However—!"

He emphasized heavily.

"Even in this situation, in just one morning, all ten cooperative bookstores that put 'The Devotion of Suspect X' on the shelves, without exception, all announced that their inventory was sold out before noon!"

"It's not that it sold well, it's that it was completely sold out, even the trial copies were sold out!"

He picked up a fax that had just been summarized and signaled to everyone.

"Just now, we received urgent feedback and additional orders sent overnight from all cooperative bookstores."

"They unanimously requested us to reprint at the fastest speed, and promised that as long as the supply keeps up, they will immediately provide 'The Devotion of Suspect X' with the most core, highest-traffic golden sales position in the store!"

He looked around at everyone, his tone intensifying.

"I think everyone here knows the weight of this position. Usually, only new works by great god-level authors with a stable fan base can obtain it in the early stages of release."

"And our Late Night Publisher, as a relatively vertical mystery novel brand, is even harder to fight for such resources."

"But now, because of the amazing market performance of 'The Devotion of Suspect X', all bookstores have made an exception!"

"What does this mean?"

Miyagi Kazuu's voice trembled slightly because of excitement.

"This means that the potential of this book has far exceeded our initial expectations! It is not just a 'bestseller,' but a super hit with the energy to sweep the market!"

He took a deep breath and threw out even heavier news.

"This situation has even alarmed the management of our New English Publisher headquarters!"

"Headquarters has directly issued instructions, requiring us to seize this opportunity and do our best to build 'The Devotion of Suspect X' into our publisher's landmark work this year!"

"For this reason, headquarters will come forward personally to use its wider channel network to open up brand new, more bookstore sales points for this book!"

"This is the first time in many years that headquarters has provided such channel support for a single work of our Late Night Publisher!"

All the editors were stunned, clearly completely shocked by this series of incredible news.

Miyagi Kazuu looked at Takahashi Jun, who was completely stunned, a brilliant smile on his face, and announced loudly:

"Therefore, after an emergency consultation with the editor-in-chief and with the consent of headquarters—"

"We have decided to give the second printing of 'The Devotion of Suspect X' the same level of treatment as a new work by a great god author!"

He extended five fingers and shook them hard in the air.

"Reprint quantity—fifty thousand copies!"

"Bang!"

The pen that Takahashi Jun had been holding in his hand fell onto the table, making a crisp sound.

But he didn't notice it at all.

He just sat there blankly, his eyes wide open, his mouth slightly open, as if he had lost all ability to think.

Only those two constantly echoing numbers and words remained in his brain.

Fifty... fifty thousand copies?

New author... second printing... fifty thousand copies?!

"Great!! Takahashi-senpai!!!"

A cheer full of ecstasy rang out beside him.

Niigaki Shoji stood up from his seat abruptly, because the movement was too big, the chair legs rubbed against the floor, making a harsh sound.

His face was filled with undisguised, near-manic excitement, and his hands clapped hard.

He also had a signature on this super hit!

The value of this performance and the industry reputation that followed far exceeded money!

Driven by Niigaki Shoji, a few sporadic, hesitant applause sounded in the conference room.

Immediately after, more and more editors reacted.

Although everyone's heart was filled with unspeakable shock, envy, and even a hint of jealousy...

But facing such a certain "huge success" announced by the group leader, they could only suppress their complex emotions and raise their hands one after another, following the applause.

For a time, the applause in the not-so-spacious conference room became somewhat enthusiastic, and even somewhat noisy.

However. ===== CHAPTER 842 =====