Tokyo, everyone is drawing comics, who still wants to fall in love?.

Chapter 192: Hayato Panic
The main publication department of Qunying Society.

At this moment, the popularity votes are being counted nervously.

Several editors gathered together, whispering.

"Could it be that Oda Shingo really surpassed Adachi Yutaka in this episode?"

"If he takes first place, he will actually win the bet with Minister Hyakki, which is incredible."

"I think even if he wins, he won't really dare to let Minister Baigui shine his shoes."

"Yes, I think so too. After all, the previous conflict was between the web department and the publication department, and this time it's a personal grudge. He doesn't want to offend someone too much, does he?"

"Minister Hyakki, you'll have to get back at me sooner or later. If Oda Shingo insists on the bet, it will be a career-ending act!"

As the statistical work progressed, the technician's face became more and more unsightly.

After the first results came out, he called for help and several people counted together.

After another long delay, they finally came to the final conclusion.

This time, the door of Hayato Hyakki's office was not open, as if he had anticipated something.

The large display screen on the office wall displayed cold data without any emotion.

Shingo Oda's "Parasyte" received 9257 votes, ranking first; Adachi Yutaka's "notouch" received 8399 votes, ranking second.

Taking into account past achievements, Oda Shingo has already taken the top three of the quarter!

Even after a month's absence, it still ranks third in the total points! It is only 1400 points away from the second place "Sword of the Goddess", and more than 4200 points away from the first place "notouch"!

"Oh my god, he really has been absent from work for a month, and he still ranks third!"

"Oh my god! Minister Baigui has lost the bet!"

The editors looked towards Minister Hyakki's office with concern.

They couldn't see what was going on inside the room.

But they could imagine that Hayato Hyakki inside must know that since it was so quiet outside and there was no good news, it must be bad news!
indeed so.

Hyakki Hayato stayed in the office for the entire morning and refused to come out.

Although he could already infer that Oda Shingo had won from the silence outside, he still refused to go out to confirm.

It was not until the technicians put the popularity value into the system of the magazine department and prepared it as the content of the next issue that he had to accept the result with a grim expression.

"Damn it! Oda Shingo, you're the one who embarrassed me!" Hayato Hyakki stared at the computer screen, his teeth almost broken, "If you dare to settle the bet, I will definitely..."

The bet is on shoeshine!
As the head of the magazine department who is more powerful than the editor, he has to bow down and serve a cartoonist? !
How could Hayato Hyakki, who had been bullying the cartoonists for more than a decade, accept this? !
At this moment, his cell phone suddenly rang.

It was Vice President Xiaoshan calling. He was so scared that he quickly stood up, bent over, and took out his cell phone to answer it.

Standing up and bending over to answer the phone even when no one is around is a conditioned reflex habit among Japanese working people.

Even on the streets, you can often see people talking on the phone bowing to the air.

Very sad.

"Hi, Mr. Xiaoshan."

[Hyakki-kun, it's time to call Oda Shingo.]
"Hey?"

[Didn't you see the predicted results for the top three? Although the top three has not yet been announced as it is not the end of the season, the scores have confirmed that it will definitely be the top three. You must have remembered the bet, right?]
"Mr. Koyama..." [Do I need to remind you how to treat Oda Shingo? I don't want to see our director polishing the shoes of a cartoonist! This is something that affects the reputation of the main publication department of Qun Ying Sha!]
"This one……"

[For the sake of our long-time friendship, let me remind you: Oda Shingo is, after all, a cartoonist, and he still has a long way to go in his career...] Vice President Koyama's words were meaningful.

"But..." Hayato Hyakki understood that Vice President Koyama was hinting at him to give benefits to Oda Shingo, but he found it hard to accept!
Throw benefits at a cartoonist and make peace? No way! Have I spent more than ten years in vain?
Vice President Xiaoshan heard his reluctance and said in a more serious tone: [If you really need to shine his shoes, then the position of head of this magazine department... you can decide for yourself!]
After saying this, Vice President Xiaoshan hung up the phone.

Hayato Hyakki's hands were shaking, his body was trembling, and he couldn't put down the phone for a long time.

He realized that his position as minister was no longer secure!
If I really polish Oda Shingo's shoes, I will never be able to return to the position of minister!
He sat in the chair in a daze for a long time before he managed to calm down.

Using the minister's authority that had not yet expired, he retrieved Oda Shingo's phone number from the Qunyingshe internal system and dialed the number on the dial screen...

After hesitating for a long time, he gritted his teeth and attacked.

[Moshimoshi.] A familiar voice came from the other side, but a voice that made Hayato Hyakki extremely disgusted.

"...Oda-kun, I am Hayato Hyakki."

"Oh! The former head of the Hyakki department!"

“……”Hayaki Hayato broke out in a sweat.

He stood up subconsciously, his body began to hunch, and his words became as gentle as if he was talking to a lover: "Oda-kun, maybe we... can be friends..."

"Ah? I'm in Hokkaido, the signal isn't very good..."

Oda Shingo is playing dumb! Hyakki Hayato could clearly hear the clear voice quality of the other party's call, and he stamped his feet in anger.

But relying on his decades of experience in the workplace, he managed to swallow his anger.

"Oda-kun... Brother Oda... Nobuo..." Hayato Hyakki's words were not only gentle, but also more intimate. "Congratulations on the good results of Parasyte. I would like to arrange a two-color draft for the next issue. Do you have the confidence to complete it?"

"..."Oda Shingo was obviously considering it.

"Color pages! Let's put on the color pages! Every chapter cover on page 85 will be a color page! How do you think?" Hyakki Hayato gritted his teeth and presented a new bait.

Two-color drafts and color pages are special reward mechanisms for super popular comics. Because they will greatly increase the printing cost, color pages are more expensive than two-color drafts, but they can also significantly increase the popularity of the comics, which is very beneficial to the author.

Back then, Dragon Ball was a frequent user of two-color drafts, but color pages were only seen once every hundred episodes.

"Shingo, this is just the beginning. I believe that based on my trust in your ability, your comics will get better and better!" Hyakki Hayato was almost making it clear, but he was already very close to making it clear!

Oda Shingo finally responded: [Ah, I suddenly remembered our bet. I'm still on vacation in Hokkaido, so I have to put it aside for now!]
His voice was very hearty, like a generous person making a promise.

"Good! Very good! Absolutely great!" Hyakki Hayato almost jumped up!
He used the hand that was not using the phone to press the corner of his mouth, for fear of laughing out loud.

After saying a few more words to express his sincere expectations for the future, Hyakki Hayabusa hung up the phone.

After taking a few deep breaths, he raised his head and laughed out loud, not minding at all that the sound could be heard throughout the magazine department in the basement.

"No matter how great you are, you are just a cartoonist! You have to bow to me when it comes to interests!"

His waist is straight again, his belly is plump again, the former Minister of Ghosts is back!
However, he didn't know that in the distant Hokkaido...

After Oda Shingo hung up the phone, he snorted.

Then, a smile appeared on his face.

That smile has a hint of cruelty...

(End of this chapter)