Chapter 61: The Director’s Arrangement
Tokyo’s night is a black satin adorned with countless gems, luxurious yet icy cold.
When Hiroshi Nohara, under the warm lighting of the restaurant, used a carefully prepared feast to place a crucial piece in the chess game of his life.
At the other end of this city.
Tokyo Television Production Bureau Headquarters Building.
In that top-floor meeting room symbolizing power, a silent war had already brought frost to the ground.
The meeting room was carpeted with thick gray carpet that absorbed all extraneous sounds, leaving only the monotonous and oppressive ‘hum’ from the central air conditioner vents, like a prelude composed for the storm about to arrive.
The long oval conference table was polished to a mirror shine, reflecting the icy cold light strips on the ceiling, and it divided the people sitting around it into two distinctly opposing camps.
On the right side of the table, led by Executive Deputy Director Toshihide Takada, sat three first-class directors and seven second-class directors.
They mostly had relaxed expressions and casual postures; on the fingers holding their tea cups were expensive wristwatches, and in the occasional exchanging glances was a deep-rooted arrogance belonging to those fighting on home turf.
They were the ‘Tokyo Faction’, the true blood and foundation of this television station.
Controlling everything from the 5:30 a.m. news broadcast to the midnight variety show finale, the lifelines of almost all golden and silver time slots.
While the left side of the table seemed somewhat sparse.
Deputy Director Asumi sat upright among them, with only one first-class director and four second-class directors beside him.
Their expressions were calm, their backs straight, like a group of lone soldiers still holding the last position on a battlefield where the enemy outnumbered them.
They were the ‘Kanto Faction’, the ‘outsiders’ incorporated into this massive machine after that acquisition war, and for years, they could only toil in the secondary time slots picked over by the ‘Tokyo Faction’, like scraps of cold rice, struggling to cultivate their barren land.
The chill of power condensed like tangible icicles in this sealed meeting room.
The two sides exchanged no words, but those scrutinizing, contemptuous, or restrained gazes had already clashed thousands of times in the air.
‘Click.’
The heavy door of the meeting room was gently pushed open, and a figure walked in.
It was an old man, sixty-three years old, with hair already graying, but combed meticulously.
He wore a neatly pressed dark suit, his stature not particularly tall, yet his steps were as steady as a mountain.
His face, etched with the ravines of years, showed no particular expression, but in the instant his slightly cloudy eyes swept over the room, they revealed a dignity sufficient to silence all noise.
Everyone who saw him enter stood up immediately.
“Director!”
Everyone bowed their heads and respectfully called out his title.
It was Nobuhiko Sakata, Director of Production Bureau, the supreme ruler symbolizing the entire Tokyo Television Production Bureau.
A man whose name was filled with legend and contradiction.
He had once been a general of Kanto Television Station, not only training a generation of celebrities in the Tokyo Television Production Bureau, but personally leading that industry-shaking acquisition negotiation, incorporating the rising Kanto Television Station into his kingdom and his territory.
This also made Tokyo Television Station the unchallenged king of the Kanto Region, and even the number one in the entire neon land.
Therefore, rumors spread that Nobuhiko Sakata was the next station manager of Tokyo Television Station.
This made everyone present not dare to slack off in the slightest.
All were extremely respectful.
“Everyone’s here.” Sakata sat down at the head seat, his voice flat yet carrying an unquestionable force.
The tense atmosphere in the meeting room was gently suppressed by this voice, instantly becoming solemn.
Everyone sat down again.
“I’ve reviewed the summary of the first half-year proposals.” Sakata’s gaze slowly swept over everyone, his tone indifferent: “The projects of several first-class directors all have weight, and the station will provide the greatest support. The proposals of a few second-class directors also each have highlights.”
He paused, his gaze seemingly casually falling on Asumi’s camp.
“Especially《An Shizhi》 this project, very well done.”
A trace of barely perceptible approval entered his tone: “Making something out of nothing, using creativity to shift the ratings landscape of the entire late-night slot. This approach is worth learning for all of us. Kiyoto Suzuki isn’t here today, but this achievement must be recorded.”
As his words fell, the corners of the mouths of those Kanto Faction directors who had been keeping tight faces unconsciously curved into a slight arc.
“Yes!” Asumi bowed his head in respect.
Sakata commented on a few more projects, all innocuous pleasantries. The meeting ended in an eerie calm.
This was just a routine meeting in itself.
“Asumi, Takada, you two stay.” Just as everyone was rising to leave, Sakata’s voice rang out again.
The meeting room door was closed, shutting out all external prying and speculation.
Sakata did not look at his two rival deputies, but walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking Tokyo below, shrouded in night and lights.
“I’ve heard that lately, Kyoto Television Station and Osaka Television Station are getting very close.”
His voice was as deep as the night outside the window: “They want to unite to challenge our position as number one in Kanto. While we’re infighting internally, the wolves outside are about to rush into the sheepfold.”
A barely perceptible cold smile tugged at Toshihide Takada’s lips; he knew the main topic had arrived.
All of this was the result of his personal advice to the director.
That grand cause of ‘uniting against the outside’ was the sharpest sword in his hand.
Asumi frowned slightly; he hadn’t expected the director to break the current deadlock in such a direct way.
“Therefore, I’ve decided.” Sakata slowly turned around, his cloudy eyes flashing with the unquestionable light of a decision-maker: “For the second half of the year, the Production Bureau’s key proposal work will be fully handled by you, Asumi. Including that S-grade sub-golden slot real terror project.”
This news was like a depth charge thrown into a calm lake, bringing a trace of surprise to Asumi’s face.
Although he had gotten some wind of it in advance, he hadn’t expected the director to so decisively hand him this plump cake that could determine the landscape for years to come.
The second half-year’s key proposal work.
That essentially meant all the work, didn’t it?
This was equivalent to… Executive Deputy Director switching from Toshihide Takada to him, Asumi, for the second half of the year!
Meanwhile, on Toshihide Takada’s face, which always wore a warm smile, the muscles twitched imperceptibly.
This cake was just too plump.
He hadn’t expected it to be handed so decisively to Asumi, or rather to these Kanto Faction guys.
But thinking about it, it made sense.
After all, Director Sakata had already said before that the infighting between the Kanto Faction and Tokyo Faction really shouldn’t continue; integration was needed, with the Tokyo Faction taking the initiative to give up some profit to make the Kanto Faction see the importance of this integration.
To make the Kanto Faction willing to integrate into the Tokyo Faction.
So.
Profit transfer was necessary.
“Though I was prepared, it’s still a bit disappointing.” Toshihide Takada thought, but soon regained his strategic planning calm.
It was only for the second half of the year.
Besides, he wasn’t sure if Asumi and his Kanto Faction could produce any excellent proposal programs in six months.
When the second half ended, wouldn’t Executive Deputy Director still be his?
So Toshihide Takada wasn’t anxious at all.
“But.”
Sakata changed his tone, his gaze falling on Takada: “For balance, and to promote cooperation and exchange between the two teams, since I gave you an S-grade real project, then the production of《An Shizhi》 season three will be taken over by your side, Takada. I hope you can set aside past grudges, learn from each other, and complement strengths.”
“This…” A look of astonishment finally appeared on Asumi’s usually serene face.
He abruptly looked up at Director Sakata.
Trading an S-grade project for the production rights of《An Shizhi》?
This seemed like a fair deal, even one where he got a huge bargain.
But he knew better than anyone that the value of《An Shizhi》 could no longer be measured by a simple late-night animation.
It was a flag they Kanto Faction had finally planted, the only well dug by that young man named Hiroshi Nohara on this barren land monopolized by the ‘Tokyo Faction’, from which sweet spring water could flow!
Now, what the director wanted to do was hand over ownership of this well to the opponent who had always wanted to starve them to death.
“This is for the big picture.” Fatigue that brooked no argument entered Sakata’s voice: “I hope you can understand my good intentions.”
At this moment, Toshihide Takada slowly stood up and bowed respectfully to Sakata.
That face once again wore his signature mild and humble smile: “Director, rest assured.” His voice was so sincere it seemed to drip water: “We will certainly live up to your expectations, strengthen cooperation, and unite against the outside.”
Asumi looked at his hypocritical face, then at Sakata’s face full of ‘big picture first’, and the fire suppressed for years in his heart nearly burst out of his chest at this moment.
He slowly closed his eyes, forcing that rage capable of burning everything back down.
He knew he had no choice.
Moreover, the power of Executive Deputy Director for half a year… was really too important!
When he opened his eyes again, all emotions had faded from those elegant eyes, leaving only a bottomless calm.
“I understand, Director.” He said slowly.
That voice was as calm as a sea about to welcome a storm.
But at this moment, Asumi spoke again slowly: “Director Sakata, if possible, could you give me the right to choose the director for this S-grade real terror project?”
In Asumi’s mind appeared that young man, the one whose quick thinking and imagination even amazed him.
And the young man who had left a good impression after several deep conversations with him—
Hiroshi Nohara!
“Yes.”
At this time, Director Sakata finally spoke, very seriously to Asumi: “Asumi, Tokyo Television Station hasn’t broken previous ratings in three years. This time it’s really for the big picture, and I also hope you can set aside grudges, let the Kanto Faction integrate deeply into every link of the Production Bureau, rather than remaining a separate entity as before.”
His words were sincere, so Asumi had no reason to refuse, simply standing, bowing his head: “Yes.”
