Chapter 77: Hiroshi Nohara’s Era! Certification From The Audit Department!
In the Audit Department office, the atmosphere was completely different from the tense standoff in the corridor.
This was the heart valve of Tokyo Television Station, the final checkpoint before all creativity and ambition could be pumped into the audience’s veins.
Here, there were no factions, only rules.
No personal grudges.
Only the absolute rational logic for ultimate ratings.
Aiai Takeshita, this woman who had worked in the Audit Department for nearly a decade, seen countless geniuses rise and fall, and prided herself on having a heart as still as water, now felt her heartbeat skip half a beat.
She looked at the two proposals on the table, both marked as “S-grade,” but her eyes distinguished them clearly.
One was the one submitted by Masao Iwata《 An Shizhi Season 3》.
She was too lazy to even glance at that well-produced proposal, simply taking out the master tape and placing it at the bottom of the pending review documents rack.
In her view, this was nothing more than a clumsy imitation picking up scraps, an IP that had already proven its value, reborn after changing creators under the coercion of power.
Reviewing it was just going through the motions.
Just to check if there were any political metaphors or extreme ethical issues that might discomfort the audience.
As for ratings?
Heh, the myth of the original work was being circulated throughout the Neon film and television industry—did it really need more concern for ratings?
Aiai Takeshita could figure it out with her toes: once the name《 An Shizhi Season 3》 was announced, it would be chased by a huge group of fanatic viewers who had already watched《 An Shizhi》 Seasons 1 and 2.
Even if it was a pile of garbage, countless readers would still watch it because of the《 An Shizhi》 name.
The reason lay in the fame effect brought by its original father, Hiroshi Nohara’s meticulous creation and nurturing!
“Somewhat shameless.” Aiai Takeshita looked down on this behavior of stealing others’ credit when one’s own abilities fell short.
But thinking about the power struggles and interest exchanges involved.
She felt disgusted.
This was also why she was willing to stay in the Audit Department forever, this nearly independent department that required viewing films with rational eyes.
And the other one—
Aiai Takeshita’s gaze fell on that title designed with unique artistic font, carrying a touch of mystery and eeriness.
—《 World of the Strange》.
Her fingertips lightly brushed over that proposal still carrying the fragrance of ink, and in those eyes usually hidden behind black-rimmed glasses, appearing somewhat stern, a hint of expectation almost like a young girl’s emerged involuntarily.
“Come over here.”
Aiai Takeshita cleared her throat and beckoned to the few equally experienced veteran colleagues in the office.
“There’s a new film, S-grade. Come open your eyes.”
“Oh? S-grade?”
A middle-aged man with slightly curly hair named Ken Tanaka walked over holding coffee, his face carrying a lazy indifference as if he’d seen it all: “Section Chief Iwata’s《 An Shizhi》 Season 3, right? What’s there to see? Just swap in a few urban legends, make the images bloodier—same old routine.”
“Exactly. Might as well spend that time reading a couple more chapters of《 Yu Yu Hakusho》 manga.” Another younger female colleague whispered in agreement; she was a die-hard fan of Hiroshi Nohara.
“No.” Aiai Takeshita shook her head, gently pushing the《 World of the Strange》 proposal to the center of the table, her action like displaying a rare treasure.
“It’s Section Chief Nohara’s, a brand-new proposal.”
These words were like a stone thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring up waves in the small office.
The laziness and disdain vanished from everyone’s faces in an instant, replaced by a focus and curiosity almost like pilgrimage.
“Quick! Play it and let’s see!”
“I’ve been dying to know what tricks that genius would come up with!”
“Where’s the master tape? Get it out!”
Aiai Takeshita watched her colleagues, who had instantly become pumped up, a knowing arc curving at her lips.
She knew it would be like this.
She steadily inserted the master tape labeled《 Terrifying Touch》 into the projector.
The office lights dimmed, and the large monitor screen lit up.
Everyone held their breath.
The image appeared.
No intense opening, no flashy effects.
Just a pitch-black background, a desk lamp emitting soft light, a retro leather sofa, and… a man in a black suit and sunglasses, sitting quietly there.
“…Hiss!”
As the lens slowly pushed in, clearly presenting the man’s profile to everyone, the office immediately filled with a unified sound of sharp intakes of breath.
“Di… Director Eiji Kurosawa?!” Ken Tanaka’s coffee cup jolted, spilling half its scalding liquid, but he was oblivious.
“My god! Am I seeing this right?! It’s really Di… Director Kurosawa!” The young female colleague clamped her hand over her mouth to keep from screaming.
This was no simple surprise! This was a shock!
Having a national treasure first-class director host interludes for a unit drama?!
This Hiroshi Nohara, how exactly did he pull it off?! Was he crazy, or did he really have otherworldly abilities?!
Amid this near-frozen shock, the mysterious man on the screen slowly spoke.
“Humans are an inconceivable species…”
That hoarse yet steady voice, carrying a world-weary worldliness, seemed to possess magic, instantly pulling everyone’s minds firmly into the wondrous world about to unfold.
The story officially began.
A bright modern city, crowded subway, hurrying crowds.
The female protagonist Xiao Xunhua appeared, an ordinary, even somewhat introverted urban white-collar worker, but harboring a secret no one knew—she could sense a person’s deepest thoughts by touching their belongings.
“Superpower?” Ken Tanaka’s brow slightly raised: “This theme is fresh, a bit like those U.S. comics. But in Neon, this kind of theme isn’t easy to film; one slip and it feels cheap.”
However, before his words finished, the plot took a sharp turn.
After a blind date, Xiao Xunhua accidentally touched a male object’s item in someone’s car.
When her fingertips touched that icy cold item, a malice filled with blood and violence surged like a breached flood, instantly overwhelming her sanity!
Countless images of girls being brutally murdered flashed through her mind!
And that man, that seemingly gentle and refined, even handsome man, was now standing not far away, watching her coldly with a gaze that chilled her to the bone.
He was the serial killer!
The following plot left all the Audit Department veterans dumbfounded.
The expected scene of the female lead panicking and calling the police never appeared!
This seemingly fragile female protagonist, after a brief moment of fear, made a decision no one anticipated—she would strike back!
She would get him first before this monster could harm her!
She began stalking the man, gathering his information, even… designing to frame him, trying to send him to prison, or even to his death!
“This… this female protagonist’s setup is too thrilling, right?!” The young female colleague’s eyes sparkled: “In past TV dramas, weren’t female leads just vases waiting for male leads to save them? This… this is a black rose with thorns!”
“Indeed novel.” Aiai Takeshita nodded too, a glint of approval in her usually calm eyes: “Shaping women from passive objects into active subjects, even willing to skirt the law for self-preservation. This intent surpasses ninety percent of dramas on the market.”
At that moment, the second male lead appeared.
A handsome, wealthy, gentle, and considerate perfect man.
He seemed to sense the first male lead’s danger and began actively helping the female protagonist, strategizing for her, even… personally eliminating that ‘killer’.
When the man they pegged as the killer, the first male lead, finally met his end on screen, everyone in the office subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief.
“It’s over?”
“That’s it? It felt stimulating… but kinda simple.”
“Yeah, the plot lacks depth, but it’d make decent sub-golden slot popcorn TV.”
Though they said this, their tones carried some regret.
This was Hiroshi Nohara’s first live-action program.
They all had high expectations.
Now perhaps because expectations were too high, it indeed left them wanting more.
However, just as they thought the story was heading to a ‘justice triumphs over evil’ happy ending.
The image shifted.
While sorting through the ‘deceased’ first male lead’s belongings, the female protagonist found a work notebook.
When her fingertips touched that notebook, she froze.
Inside, there was no malice at all, only a police officer’s persistence toward cases, desire for truth, and… deep worry for an innocent girl dragged into danger.
That girl was herself.
And on the last page of that notebook, in messy handwriting, was a name that plunged her into an ice cave.
—Ryū Watanabe.
The perfect second male lead who had ‘helped’ her solve her problem.
‘Ding dong~’
At the same time, her doorbell rang.
At the door stood the handsome man she saw as her savior.
He held a bouquet of vibrant roses, wearing the gentle smile she knew best.
“Xiao Xun, I’m here to pick you up.”
But as the female protagonist instinctively reached out to touch Ryū Watanabe, her superpower that could see through everything told her that the handsome face was slowly distorting, ultimately turning into a ferocious, insane face belonging to the true demon!
He was the serial killer!
What she had touched on Fujii Tree earlier wasn’t the police officer’s at all, but an item left behind by this demon!
She had killed the wrong person!
She had misunderstood that police officer!
She had personally ushered in a true, inescapable Grim Reaper for herself!
“Ah—!”
With the female protagonist’s despairing scream piercing the horizon, the image abruptly ended.
「The End!」
The screen went black instantly.
The entire Audit Department office fell into a deathly, suffocating silence.
Everyone was like they’d been frozen in place, staring blankly at the pitch-black screen, their seasoned faces now showing unmasked shock and horror.
Their hearts were still pounding wildly from that final second’s earth-shattering twist, nearly jumping out of their chests!
A long, long time passed.
“…Mon… monster…”
Ken Tanaka’s voice, hoarse as if sandpapered, finally echoed faintly in the dead silence.
He stared at the screen, his eyes like gazing into an abyss that had just devoured all his reason.
“This… this is real terror! This is a true urban legend!”
His words were like a lit fuse, instantly exploding the entire office!
“Too awesome! That twist! Damn! I got goosebumps all over!”
“Leading us to assume the first male lead was the killer! Midpoint female lead counter-kill, making us think it’s female empowerment! Then this final twist overturns all the prior setup! This… who wrote this script?! It’s devilish!”
“And that lens! Did you see? The quick-cut character face close-ups! That eerie score! My heart condition’s about to act up! This production is too top-notch!”
Praise surged like tides, completely overwhelming the small office.
These veterans immersed in the TV industry for decades, immune to all gimmicks, were now utterly conquered by this mere twenty-minute unit drama!
The way they looked at that proposal was no longer scrutiny, but reverence.
And Aiai Takeshita hadn’t spoken from start to finish.
“Hoo—” She just quietly leaned back in her chair, slowly, long, exhaling a breath.
That breath seemed to carry away all her numbness and fatigue from the past decade.
Aiai Takeshita looked at the sky outside the window, her usually calm-as-a-still-pond eyes burning with excitement.
She slowly stood up, walked to the proposal, and picked up the red seal symbolizing ‘approved’.
Looking at her colleagues still immersed in shock, unable to extricate themselves, her voice wasn’t loud but clearly reached everyone’s ears.
“Everyone.”
“We may be… witnessing the arrival of a whole new era, one that could change Neon’s live-action drama history.”
“And this《 World of the Strange》 is the… beginning of this era.”
“Pa!”
The red seal stamped heavily on the proposal’s cover.
That vivid red was like a burning flame, or a drop of blood declaring the end of the old era.
More like a coronation for a rising new king…
At this moment, Aiai Takeshita uttered a name:
“Hiroshi Nohara’s era!”
