Tokyo Mystery Writers

Chapter 34 If you only do the right thing, wouldn't life be too boring?

Jiang Liumei's boldness surprised everyone!

Because no one expected that someone would dare to question Gonda Manji to his face!

It's important to know that Manji Gonda has a significant influence in the publishing industry!

Let alone editors, even high-ranking executives at the Yinyu Group wouldn't dare to address him by his name!

Although Hideomi Uyama also expressed his disdain for Manji Gonda's statement, he didn't really have the guts to confront this master of mystery commentary in public.

Seeing Jiang Liumei's actions, he naturally whispered anxiously beside her:

"Miss Jiang Liu, please sit down!"

"That's Manji Gonda! Even if the president of the Otowa Group came, let alone you, the editor-in-chief of a magazine, he'd have to give you some respect!"

"If you provoke him, forget about launching your magazine. Even if it's published, just one word from Gonda Manji and the next issue will be canceled!"

"It doesn't matter that Ms. Maishiro didn't win the Rising Dragon Award this time. Anyway, with my power, I can make Ms. Maishiro's debut successfully no matter what, and I can also make 'The Astrological Murder Magic' a success."

"But Miss Jiang Liu, you're different!"

"It's okay for Ms. Maishiro to lose once, but if you offend Manji Gonda, it'll be almost impossible for you to continue working in the publishing industry!"

Jiang Liu Meili naturally knew that Yu Shan Hideomi was worried about her future, and she also knew that listening to Yu Shan Hideomi's advice was the right choice.

But wouldn't life be too boring if we only did the right thing?

After all, sometimes, it's only by deviating from the right path that we can see a different and wonderful world!

Her original plan was to join her mother's Futabasha, become a manga editor at Futabasha, and eventually inherit the family business to become the new president of Futabasha.

However, instead of choosing that stable life, he threw himself into the world of detective novels!

Although the work was full of backstabbing and deceit, I still became the youngest editor-in-chief in history!

It was precisely because he had deviated from the right path that he met that genius writer, Kyosuke Maijo!

They embarked on a path that could potentially reshape the landscape of Japanese mystery fiction!

If I didn't know about this "Dragon Ascension Award," that would be fine!

But now not only do we know, we also have to watch helplessly as Maijo Kyosuke loses to a weaker opponent because of so-called political correctness?

This is absolutely unacceptable to Jiang Liumei!

"A mistake is a mistake! For the sake of Maishiro Kyosuke! We absolutely cannot let Izawa Motohiko take away the Dragon Award that rightfully belongs to Maishiro Kyosuke!"

Jiang Liu Meili turned to look at Yu Shan Ri Chen, who was already sweating profusely, and said with a solemn expression:

"Mr. Yushan! From now on, don't say anything as shameful as 'it doesn't matter if you lose once'!"

"He is none other than Maijo Kyosuke, the Prometheus who can bring a spark to the stagnant world of Japanese mystery literature!"

"A god descended to earth, yet lost to mortals because of ridiculous political correctness. Don't you feel this is an insult to the gods?!"

After Jiang Liumei finished speaking, she reached into her briefcase, took out the manuscript of "A Bellflower," and handed it to Yu Shan Hideaki.

"This is a short story that Teacher Wu Cheng gave me this morning. If you support Teacher Wu Cheng, please quickly make a copy of this short story and give it to everyone here!"

"If you're scared, just burn them all down! After all, without the Dragon Ascension Award, even gods can't escape the fate of becoming just another face in the crowd!"

Uyama Hideomi was deeply moved by Jiang Liu Meili's do-or-die spirit!

He used to say he was willing to do anything for the sake of deduction, but now that he's actually in trouble, he's scared and acting like a coward.

Jiang Liu Meili's words spurred Yu Shan Hideomi's fighting spirit to be reignited!

Clutching the manuscript of "A Bellflower" in his hand, he rushed out of the meeting room without a care in the world!

Jiang Liu Meili pinched Jiang Liu Meiya's cheek, and then, under the astonished gazes of hundreds of Kodansha staff, resolutely walked towards the stage!

She was like moonlight piercing the darkness, making all injustices tremble in fear and have nowhere to hide before her!

Gonda Manji thought that once his argument was put forward, it was a foregone conclusion who would win the "Dragon Award".

But unexpectedly, a very beautiful young girl stepped forward and shattered his argument.

Even with Gonda Manji's esteemed position in the mystery commentary world and his extensive experience among mystery critics, he showed surprise at Jiang Liu's sudden appearance:

"May I ask who you are?"

Gonda Manji stared wide-eyed, frozen in place.

Jiang Liumei had already made up her mind to die.

Without hesitation, he walked up to Takao Tsuchiya, took the microphone from him, and addressed the audience:

"You may not know my name yet, but from today onwards, you will definitely remember me!"

Jiang Liumei pointed to the ground with an unusually proud expression.

"Because here, at the Edogawa Ranpo Dragon Prize competition, there was a magazine editor named Eri Miri who stood on the judging panel and spoke out against the injustice done to Professor Maijo Kyosuke!"

Naoki Akimoto is the editor-in-chief of Kodansha's Bungeikan Third Publishing House and one of Kodansha's founding editors-in-chief.

She greatly admired Jiang Liumei, the magazine's editor-in-chief, even though she knew that offending Quan Tianmanji might lead to a bad end for her.

But Jiang Liumei's self-sacrifice and Yushan Hideomi's burning fighting spirit still made Akimoto Naoki stand up and applaud Jiang Liumei!

When Akimoto Naoki's subordinates saw their boss leading the applause, they naturally couldn't resist joining in.

Soon, everyone who had supported Maijo Kyosuke stood up and clapped, making the scene resound with an exciting sound!

Gonda Manji coughed heavily twice towards the crowd below the stage, silencing the audience.

He then turned to Jiang Liumei beside him and questioned her:

"Miss Jiang Liu? Please explain what you just said offstage."

"What constitutes nonsense? What constitutes political correctness? And what constitutes a fig leaf?"

"Do you think that protecting historical reasoning is politically correct? Do you think that mentioning historical reasoning is a shameful thing?"

"You may be young, but you should be careful what you say!"

"If I get serious, believe me, I could sue you for defamation just because of the few things you just said."

Gonda Manji speaks politely and without any intense emotional fluctuations, but it is precisely this use of the softest tone to say the hardest words that is most terrifying!

Just as everyone in the audience was holding their breath for Jiang Liumei.

Jiang Liumei, however, fearlessly retorted:

"Mr. Gonda Manji, as Professor Chen Shunchen just said, this is Edogawa Ranpo's Ryusho Sho, not your home!"

"Please stop using your sophistry as a critic to mislead the judges and the public!"

"Are you trying to pin all the blame on me? To portray me as someone who despises historical reasoning?"

"Since you enjoy labeling others so much, can I also say that you're using the despicable tactic of political correctness to try and make historical reasoning prevail, and that you're the one who truly insults historical reasoning?"

Before Gonda Manji could react to the meaning behind Jiang Liu Meili's words, he saw Jiang Liu Meili turn her gaze to Miyoshi Tetsu and Chen Shunchen beside her.

"Chairman Miyoshi, Professor Chen, you two are the most renowned historical mystery writers in Japan, and you have both won the Naoki Prize, the highest award in Japanese popular literature. It is no exaggeration to say that you can represent historical mystery."

"But I'd like to ask you a question?"

"If you had been nominated for the Naoki Prize back then, and in the final round you encountered an extremely talented opponent, and you were outmatched in every aspect, but ultimately won because of the political correctness of the subject matter!"

"Can you accept this?"

Jiang Liumei walked up to Miyoshi Tetsu and Chen Shunchen, who were both looking shocked, and pointed to the same watches on their wrists.

"Chairman Miyoshi, Professor Chen, is this the custom-made watch you received after winning the Naoki Prize?"

"If you two won the Naoki Prize through political correctness, using such humiliating means, don't you feel it was an unfair victory? Don't you feel ashamed and embarrassed wearing this watch that represents honor?!"

Hearing Jiang Liu Meili questioning Miyoshi Tetsu and Chen Shunchen.

An unprecedented silence fell over the conference room!

Apart from Watson's heavy breathing, everyone else was having an extremely difficult time breathing!