Zongman: Becoming Prime Minister in the Conan Universe

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Kyoto, Nichiuri TV Station Building 1.

Inside a broadcasting room, Momiji Ooka wore a light purple kimono. She knelt gracefully on the tatami mat, her legs bent, wearing tabi socks. Her sharp gaze made people fearful.

Opposite her, a young girl wearing glasses and dressed in a dirt-colored outfit bowed her head. Although Momiji Ooka didn't look at her, just being in front of Momiji Ooka made her feel immense pressure.

Between the two, a karuta card depicting ukiyo-e and poetry was laid out. This was the popular karuta game that truly matured during the Edo period. Initially a court game, it was now played by many families.

The first half of the judgment and the poem had just concluded. In an instant, Momiji Ooka's hand, like a bolt of lightning, slammed down and sent the card opposite her flying.

The card flew out of the competition line, representing Momiji Ooka's victory.

The girl in the dirt-colored outfit bowed her head and regretfully said, "I lost, Miss Ooka."

Momiji Ooka shook her head, her posture dignified, and said, "You were distracted just now."

"Yes, I was pressured by Miss Ooka's aura. I got distracted for a moment just now."

The girl wearing glasses scratched her hair and said awkwardly, "Karuta requires concentration when practicing; one cannot be moved by external things. Your fundamentals still have some issues. You need to go back and practice diligently."

"Thank you for your guidance!"

"..."

"CUT!"

It wasn't until this moment that the director shouted "CUT," signifying the end of this segment's recording.

"You've worked hard, Miss Ooka!"

"You've worked hard, Miss Ooka!"

The staff immediately stepped forward to start packing things up, and also bowed to Momiji Ooka.

"You've all worked hard too." Momiji Ooka returned the bow, then walked to a nearby...

...corner.

As the champion of last year's Kyoto Karuta Tournament and the eldest daughter of the Ooka family, regardless of her family background or personal ability, Momiji Ooka was a truly respected presence.

And this time, the purpose of the program was to invite Momiji Ooka as a guest to duel with other karuta players and provide guidance. Due to her extreme love for karuta, Momiji Ooka also readily agreed to participate in such a program that could promote karuta.

"Wow, Chika is so amazing! I couldn't even see how fast her hand moved just now!"

Fujiwara Chika, wearing a black jumpsuit, who had been watching the program recording from the side, shouted excitedly. At the same time, her expression changed. She mimicked Momiji Ooka's stern gaze, and with a "smack," she forcefully swung her arm.

Coincidentally, a staff member walked by, and Fujiwara Chika slapped him on the face. He almost fell over.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

Fujiwara Chika, whose eyes had just been stern, had cold sweat dripping from her forehead. She immediately became a weak immortal.

That staff member saw that the one who slapped him was a beautiful woman, and also the eldest daughter of the Fujiwara family. He suppressed the anger in his heart and quickly apologized.

Momiji Ooka, who always maintained the elegant demeanor of a young lady, covered her mouth and couldn't help but laugh aloud.

"Chika, aren't you bored watching the program recording from the side?" Momiji Ooka walked over to Fujiwara Chika and asked.

Program recording wasn't a real competition. Much of it was scripted, and there were many NGs (No Good takes). It would not go smoothly at all.

Fujiwara Chika happily said, "Not boring at all, Hongyo, you know, I'm very interested in karuta. This is also my first time watching a program recording. If there's a chance, let's play together!"

Momiji Ooka heard this and said lightly, "Just don't cheat, and you'll be fine."

In the past, during New Year's, the Fujiwara family would also spend it with the Ooka family. At that time, playing karuta was a form of entertainment for everyone.

However, Momiji Ooka knew very well that what Fujiwara Chika liked most was cheating!

"Hehe!"

Fujiwara Chika's eyes darted around, and she let out an embarrassed giggle.

"Miss Ooka, this is your bento (lunch box). You've worked hard. There's another program to record in the afternoon... Miss Fujiwara, do you need lunch?"

"Thank you, give me a share of it too!"

Momiji Ooka and Fujiwara Chika walked to a corner and began to eat their bento boxes.

Momiji Ooka elegantly picked up her chopsticks and ate her bento, as if the bento box contained some rare delicacy.

Fujiwara Chika said, "I'm digging in!" and then quickly shoved food into her mouth, looking exactly like a starving ghost grabbing for food.

However, even though she ate quickly, her demeanor was not unpleasant.

Staff members near the TV station watched the two beautiful women eating their meal, secretly exchanging whispers.

"Miss Fujiwara has such a good personality; she doesn't have the airs of a young lady from a prominent family at all. In this regard, Miss Ooka is far superior."

"Yes, Miss Ooka seems polite to everyone, but her arrogant attitude actually makes people quite uncomfortable."

"Hey, I think Miss Fujiwara is quite approachable. Do you want to go over and try to get to know the Fujiwara family? You'd save a hundred years of detours!"

"If I really go, you'll have to call the police! Miss Fujiwara is only in her first year of high school; she's underage!"

"You guys like Miss Fujiwara? I think Miss Ooka is better. Miss Ooka's queenly demeanor and gaze, one look from her and I'm ready to kneel! If only she could step on me, that would be even better!"

"Damn it, where did this pervert come from? Get lost!"

"..."

Although Momiji Ooka couldn't hear what those staff members were saying, she probably didn't care about it. What they said wouldn't affect her.

After finishing lunch, everyone took a break. Afterward, the staff busied themselves preparing for the afternoon's recording.

However, the entire TV station staff didn't know that someone had secretly infiltrated the building at this time, and set up many hidden traps on the lower floors.

It was past two in the afternoon. A segment of the program recording was complete. The director and staff were tidying up, and Momiji Ooka was also getting off the stage to drink water, waiting for the next segment's recording work to begin.

Fujiwara Chika looked at her phone and said, "It's already past noon. Kaguya and my brother should be coming here to look for us soon."

Hearing Fujiwara Chika mention Fujiwara Tōru, Momiji Ooka's brow involuntarily furrowed.

It wasn't that she disliked Fujiwara Tōru. On the contrary, she greatly admired the man who had the same surname as her and had once saved many innocent people in Kyoto.

However, her father's coercion and his cold treatment of her as a tool made Momiji Ooka somewhat resentful and indignant. When she resented her own father, her impression of Fujiwara Tōru also became slightly distorted.

But what needed to be done still had to be done. Since she had agreed to go to Kyoto with them, Momiji Ooka wouldn't go back on her word.

"Action!"

The TV station director raised his hand and shouted loudly.

He was about to shout "Start recording," but just then—

"Boom——"

An earth-shattering explosion suddenly erupted on the ground floor of the building.

The immense tremor caused the entire building to shake. The hanging lamps on the ceiling and objects on the tables jumped and fell to the floor in the shaking, causing even more chaos in the scene.

"What's going on? Is it an earthquake?"

As a country prone to earthquakes, faced with this situation, everyone instinctively felt it was an earthquake.

"Boom——"

Immediately after, a second explosion sounded. Bursting flames surged upwards, and the terrifying shockwave instantly shattered all the glass in the building.

This explosion caused women's screams and cries to echo throughout the entire building.

Someone, unknown, shouted from outside the broadcasting room: "..." "Run! It's a bomb! Someone has planted bombs in the building and is carrying out an attack!"

This shout made everyone's expressions change dramatically. People screamed and ran, fearing for their lives first. At this time, everyone only thought about surviving and completely disregarded others.

"Go through the fire escape! It's blocked over there!"

The crowd swarmed forward. There was no time to care about others. When one's own life was threatened, things like "young lady" or "beauty" no longer mattered.

Fujiwara Chika ran with the crowd, but after just two steps, she realized something was wrong.

"What about Hongyo?"

Fujiwara Chika didn't see Momiji Ooka's figure. She didn't know if Momiji Ooka had run ahead, or if she hadn't come out yet.

She bit her lip, then resolutely turned her head and ran back to the broadcasting room.

Others saw this, but no one stopped her. At this point, they were busy escaping themselves; who would care about others' lives or deaths?

"Hongyo!"

Running back to the broadcasting room, Fujiwara Chika saw Momiji Ooka sitting limply on the ground, one of her legs pressed down by a heavy object, unable to stand up at all.

Fujiwara Chika ran over in a panic, wanting to help her lift the heavy object, but with her strength, she couldn't move it at all.

Momiji Ooka saw Fujiwara Chika actually running back. Her expression changed in surprise, and she said anxiously, "Chika, run quickly! Don't worry about me!"

Fujiwara Chika shook her head, completely ignoring her words, and continued to try and lift the cabinet with force. (She really tried her best). However, her strength was too little, and she couldn't move it at all. Tears streamed down her eyes.

"You go! It's dangerous here; the big fire from downstairs might spread up here." Momiji Ooka shouted loudly.

At this moment, they could already feel the temperature in the building rising, especially hearing the crackling sounds. They knew the building couldn't hold up.

Fujiwara Chika thought for a moment. She felt that she couldn't save Momiji Ooka here. She gritted her teeth and said, "Hongyo, you wait here. I'll go down and find someone to save you."

"Boom——"

She had just turned around to run out and find someone, when another loud explosion rang out. The building shook violently, causing the iron frames that held the lights on the ceiling to fall down.

Momiji Ooka and Fujiwara Chika cried out together, fearfully watching those iron frames fall and pile up not far in front of them. And these iron frames completely blocked Fujiwara Chika's path.

Seeing this scene, Momiji Ooka said miserably, "I'm sorry, I've harmed you, Chika."

Fujiwara Chika shook her head. She pulled out her phone and quickly typed on it.

Momiji Ooka asked curiously, "What are you doing? Are you asking for help?"

Fujiwara Chika's face was covered in tears, her shoulders heaving. She choked back sobs and said to Momiji Ooka, "I'm writing my last will and testament. I also need to delete everything on my phone."

Momiji Ooka was speechless.

Then she quickly pulled out her phone and started deleting things.