A Guide for Background Characters to Survive in a Manga

With a swift strike, Su Bei seized the moment and promptly whisked Mo Xiaotian away.

Unaware of the unusual happenings, Si Zhaohua retracted his powers, stepping forward to scrutinize the corpse of the Night Monkey. He turned and inquired, “Shall I take care of it?”

Though as the young master of the Si family, Si Zhaohua would likely never need to cook in his lifetime, he believed that while one might not need to cook, one should at least know how. Thus, he had diligently learned for a time. And now, it seemed, that knowledge was put to use.

Ai Baozhu had tasted the flesh of the Night Beasts before; it was quite palatable and rich in nutrients. So, despite her pampered nature, she held no disdain for the dark meat.

Upon hearing Si Zhaohua’s offer, she conjured a small, ornate Domain, from which she plucked a rose and presented it to him, her smile sweet as honey: “Thank you, Zhaohua.”

The implication was clear—she hoped he would prepare her share as well.

Indeed, she could not cook. In stark contrast to Si Zhaohua’s thoughts, Ai Baozhu firmly believed that as long as she did not learn, she would never face the need to cook. No one would make her lift a finger to stir a pot!

Zhou Renjie also lacked culinary skills, thus he could only watch Si Zhaohua with longing. He felt acutely aware that his connections and lineage paled in comparison to those of the other two, and naturally, he did not dare to make demands like Ai Baozhu.

Fortunately, while Si Zhaohua was typically proud, he possessed a kind of pride that scorned the idea of making others uncomfortable. He treated them equally, quickly grilling two pieces of meat—one for each.

Just as they had taken a few bites, Ai Baozhu suddenly glanced at her watch, exclaiming in surprise, “Why haven’t we gained any points?”

The conversation split in two directions.

Far off, Su Bei checked his watch, nodding in satisfaction: “The task is complete.”

Having calmed from the earlier excitement, Mo Xiaotian finally engaged his mind, a hint of worry creeping into his voice: “Will we face retaliation for stealing their Night Beast?”

In response, Su Bei feigned solemnity, saying, “What theft of monsters? They needed lunch, we needed points—there’s no conflict here.”

“Can it really be counted that way?” Mo Xiaotian asked, his head tilting in confusion.

Su Bei, confident in his reasoning, surveyed their surroundings: “We haven’t taken on the next task yet; let’s rest here for now.”

At his words, Mo Xiaotian was momentarily taken aback, hesitantly asking, “Aren’t we going to eliminate the Night Beasts or eliminate other teams to earn points?”

Su Bei lazily leaned against a large tree, folding one leg beneath him, and replied with a relaxed air, “What’s the rush? It’s only the first day.”

The monthly team competition allowed for two days, permitting the theft of points from one another. This meant that regardless of how many points were amassed in the first two days, unless one decisively chose to withdraw while ahead, there was always the possibility of a complete turnover by the second day.

Moreover, there was the leaderboard that displayed points, making those with higher scores more susceptible to being targeted. It was unwise to become the center of attention just days ago.

Su Bei glanced at his watch, unable to suppress a sigh. Their group was firmly in first place with a hefty 500 points, while the second place, the group of Si Zhao Hua, barely scraped together 200.

Having high points early on was no issue; after all, others wouldn’t be foolish enough to target them immediately. As long as their ranking dropped later, it would be fine.

The reason Su Bei chose to complete that task instead of slacking off from the start was to mask his true intention of wanting to seize opportunities the next day.

Otherwise, if they saw their group’s score consistently low, how could they not guess his thoughts? At that point, they would become public enemies.

He wondered if Jiang Tian Ming shared the same thoughts as Su Bei. They had been slacking for two hours, yet no new tasks had emerged. Their group’s score had increased a bit, but only by sixty points.

This place was indeed secluded; no one or nightmare beasts had come by in those two hours. Su Bei found it quite enjoyable, while Mo Xiao Tian was nearly growing mold. Seeing Su Bei resting, he hadn’t disturbed him. From sitting together at first to now jogging around for exercise, he had even begun to replicate Su Bei’s earlier attempts at fire-making.

Still without oxygen, though.

Su Bei: “…”

Opening his eyes to this scene, he couldn’t help but chuckle at this hyperactive child. Before he could say anything, he heard the rustling of leaves nearby.

Something was coming.

Su Bei’s gaze sharpened, quietly rising to take a defensive stance. In contrast, Mo Xiao Tian’s eyes sparkled with excitement. He looked at Su Bei with pleading eyes, mouthing, “Can you not hide?”

Seeing this, Su Bei could only nod helplessly. After all, with their abilities, whether facing nightmare beasts or humans, escaping wouldn’t be difficult. Moreover, the other party was a genuine member of the protagonist group; it was impossible for them to be eliminated at this moment.

Before long, a group of people strode in. They were not strangers; all were familiar faces from Class F! Among them were Wu Jin and Zhao Xiao Yu. Judging by their positions, Zhao Xiao Yu was likely leading this group.

Clearly, they hadn’t expected to encounter Su Bei and Mo Xiao Tian here. A flicker of wariness crossed Zhao Xiao Yu’s eyes as she stood still, not moving.

The rest of the Class F students showed no intention of greeting Su Bei. Aside from the protagonist group and Feng Lan, he had little interaction with anyone else in this class.

During the previous individual battles, they had realized the vast gap between Su Bei and the others through their rankings, so there was naturally no sense of camaraderie. They felt that these few were clearly misplaced in their class.

The only one not in Class F, Mo Xiao Tian, wanted to speak, but even he, no matter how naive, understood that casual chatter could only come after the atmosphere had settled. So he obediently stood behind Su Bei, silent.

In the end, it was Zhao Xiao Yu who broke the silence. She smiled and asked, “Su Bei? I remember you teamed up with Jiang Tian Ming, right? Did you split up?”

Su Bei did not lie; he answered the question honestly. He had not yet weakened to the point of needing to rely on Jiang Tianming’s influence even in front of a group of F-class students.

However, passively accepting inquiries was not in his nature. After responding to Zhao Xiaoyu’s question, he raised an eyebrow, “How did you all end up together?”

At his words, a hint of bitterness crossed Zhao Xiaoyu’s face, making her appear quite pitiable. Yet, given Su Bei’s not-so-deep understanding of her, that bitterness was likely a deliberate act.

“The school mandates that Class A must team up with Class F, but they don’t genuinely want to take us along; it’s merely out of obligation. We few were abandoned by our original teammates after entering the alternate space.”

This was the answer Su Bei had anticipated, but it clearly caught Mo Xiaotian off guard. His eyes widened, indignation spilling forth as he exclaimed, “How could they abandon their teammates? That’s just too much!”

His words opened the floodgates for the F-class students, and they began to voice their grievances in a cacophony.

“Exactly! They were not saying that when we formed teams!”

“I was mocked by someone who said Class F didn’t deserve to participate in the group competition. It infuriated me!”

“You have no idea how outrageous they are! If it weren’t for the rule against harming teammates, they would have personally kicked us out to prevent us from scoring points for others.”

As they spoke, Mo Xiaotian chimed in with his own condemnations, acting like a comedic foil. If Su Bei didn’t know his character well, he might have thought he was deliberately stirring up public outrage for his own amusement!

Su Bei was not the only one familiar with Mo Xiaotian; after all, he had often visited Class F during that previous period, and with his top-tier E-class persona, he had mingled well with most of the students.

Seeing him so riled up, Zhao Xiaoyu’s eyes flickered, and she feigned concern, saying, “I gathered these abandoned members of Class F together to prove to others that we are also a force to be reckoned with! But without our abilities, we can’t even defeat a common Nightmare Beast. Without protectors, I fear we’ll soon be eliminated entirely.”

At this point, she sighed deeply, a bitter smile gracing her lips. “Perhaps it’s better to just give up; maybe we’re just a burden to others.”

Her masterful performance indeed evoked deep sympathy from Mo Xiaotian, who looked at Su Bei with hopeful eyes. “How about we…”

Before he could finish, Su Bei interrupted him, a look of heartfelt emotion directed at Zhao Xiaoyu. “How inspiring! To prove Class F’s strength, you’re even unwilling to accept help from others. If it weren’t for the fact that I can’t separate from my A-class teammates, I would definitely help you!”

Zhao Xiaoyu: “…”

With her intelligence, she could easily discern that Su Bei was cutting off her chance to seek Mo Xiaotian’s assistance. Her earlier approach had been flawed; in focusing solely on evoking sympathy, she had neglected the details, giving Su Bei the opportunity to turn the tables.

Mo Xiaotian, however, was oblivious to the undercurrents of their conversation, his face lighting up with realization. “So that’s how it is! I was being presumptuous, only thinking of helping Xiaoyu without considering whether you all wanted my help.”

After saying this, he sincerely apologized. From the rare, twisted expression on Zhao Xiaoyu’s face, it was clear that his actions had irked her significantly.

But Zhao Xiaoyu was, after all, Zhao Xiaoyu. With lightning speed, she adjusted her expression and decisively said, “It’s fine, we’ll take our leave now. I wish you all ultimate victory.”

Having maintained the facade of a dignified person, she had no desire to linger even a moment longer. She turned, leading the group back the way they had come.

At that moment, Su Bei suddenly called out to her, “Aren’t you tired, carrying so many people?”

Zhao Xiaoyu’s expression shifted slightly, and she smiled gently, “Of course not. We are in a relationship of mutual aid.”

Su Bei regarded her thoughtfully for a moment before returning to sit beneath the old tree. He couldn’t yet discern the truth of Zhao Xiaoyu’s words, but one thing was certain: her gathering of so many people was definitely not out of pure benevolence.

If Zhao Xiaoyu had only brought Wu Jin along, that would be normal. They were in the same group, needing to huddle together for warmth after being abandoned.

But bringing along others from Class F was entirely unnecessary. What other purpose could it serve besides handing out a collective experience package?

Even if she intended to employ a tactic of sheer numbers, it would be difficult to outmatch those from Classes A and B, wouldn’t it?

Speaking of which, with Si Zhaohua and the others together, where had Feng Lan gone while Zhao Xiaoyu and Wu Jin were together?

Realizing this, Su Bei furrowed his brow and looked at Zhao Xiaoyu, who had yet to leave. “Where did Feng Lan go?”

Zhao Xiaoyu paused for a moment, then seemed to understand: “Have you seen Si Zhaohua and the others? They didn’t escort you out?”

If he hadn’t seen Si Zhaohua and the others, how could he ask about Feng Lan’s whereabouts upon noticing only her and Wu Jin together?

Su Bei didn’t answer, merely repeating, “Where did Feng Lan go?”

This was a crucial question. Su Bei sensed that something was amiss. It was known that Si Zhaohua and the others might allow Zhao Xiaoyu and Wu Jin to fend for themselves, but they would never drive Feng Lan away.

Did Feng Lan choose to leave on his own? That seemed unlikely; his ability was [Prophecy], a vital asset that required protection. Moreover, Feng Lan wasn’t a difficult person to get along with—there was no reason for him to act as a lone wolf.

If he hadn’t left on his own, nor had he been driven away, then why wasn’t he with the main group?

“This is exclusive information. If you want to know…” Zhao Xiaoyu instinctively sought to gain some advantage from this news.

However, before she could finish, she was interrupted by the previously silent Wu Jin: “He’s disappeared.”

At this, both Zhao Xiaoyu and Su Bei turned to look at him in unison. The difference was that Zhao Xiaoyu wore a face of shock, unable to comprehend why Wu Jin would divulge the information so directly, while Su Bei’s brow was furrowed, his expression grave.

“How did he disappear?” Su Bei felt an increasing sense of unease. “Since when?”

“He vanished the moment he stepped in,” Wu Jin replied, his words terse yet revealing. “But this is school, so there’s no need to worry.”

It was clear that something was amiss. From his vantage point, Su Bei immediately sensed the anomaly.

Yet, Si Zhao Hua and the others had done nothing wrong. To the ordinary students, the Academy of Abilities was a fortress of safety, an impossibility for disaster. They were in a different space, and the only way to report back was to withdraw from the competition. With Zhao Xiao Yu and Wu Jin unwilling to forfeit, naturally, no one would rush to report.

“…Alright, I understand. Thank you.” After a moment of silence, Su Bei nodded with a serious expression, then returned the favor with a warning, “Don’t go in that direction.”

In that direction, Zhao Xiao Yu and Wu Jin were fine, their pointers slightly veering left, but those following them were almost entirely skewed to the right, nearly touching the edge.

If Zhao Xiao Yu wasn’t deliberately leading them astray, then that direction must harbor a grave danger.

The reason he hadn’t mentioned it before was, of course, that he wasn’t so benevolent. But since Wu Jin had helped him, he couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.

Upon hearing his words, Zhao Xiao Yu and the others, like every first-time listener to Su Bei’s warning, were momentarily stunned. It was Zhao Xiao Yu who first regained her composure, decisively expressing her gratitude: “Thank you for the warning. Do you think we should take this path?”

She had no doubt that Su Bei was speaking nonsense; the clever ones had already guessed that his ability must be tied to fate, and his words likely held weight. Moreover, they had just assisted him; he had no reason to repay kindness with malice.

“That works.”

Though this path was also ordinary, at least the pointer was centered.

Once they had led the group away, Zhao Xiao Yu turned to Wu Jin, puzzled. “Did you tell Su Bei the information to befriend him?”

She held no blame towards Wu Jin; after all, she had benefited from the situation as well. Seeing Su Bei’s reaction, she realized her earlier decision might have been a misstep.

Striking a deal with Su Bei was certainly an option, but gaining an advantage like this was undoubtedly better.

So, she was merely curious why the usually taciturn Wu Jin had chosen to speak up. She suspected she hadn’t fully grasped his character.

However, Wu Jin simply shook his head, remaining silent.

He wasn’t quite sure why he had answered; perhaps it was an instinctive feeling that the answer to this question was crucial for Su Bei.

While Su Bei and Zhao Xiao Yu had been conversing, Mo Xiao Tian had been busy chatting with others. After they departed, he returned to Su Bei’s side.

As soon as he arrived, Mo Xiaotian saw Su Bei staring at his watch, lost in whatever thoughts danced behind his eyes.

He was always straightforward, asking whatever came to mind: “Brother Bei, what are you looking at?”

Su Bei’s thumb brushed the glass cover of the watch face, his expression inscrutable: “Tell me, has anyone been eliminated yet?”

“Of course!” Mo Xiaotian scratched his head, puzzled by Su Bei’s seemingly obvious question.

But Su Bei had no intention of clarifying his thoughts; instead, he stood up. “Let’s go find Jiang Tianming.”

“Alright!” Though Mo Xiaotian didn’t understand Su Bei’s actions, his greatest wisdom lay in never rejecting the plans of the clever.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Su Bei was acutely aware that something unexpected had transpired in this team competition. If he were just an ordinary student, hearing that Feng Lan had vanished the moment he entered, he might suspect a malfunction in the spatial gate or think the school had taken someone away.

But he was a being with a god’s-eye view, aware that this was a world drawn from the pages of a comic, making it hard for him not to connect Feng Lan’s disappearance to some sinister plot.

Why was it Feng Lan who vanished, and not someone else?

It was well-known that his greatest distinction from the others was his prophetic ability. Unlike Su Bei, he had gained notoriety for his powers long before even stepping foot in school.

Others might not have uncovered Su Bei’s abilities, but they certainly knew of Feng Lan’s.

Feng Lan had mentioned that his power could only be used once a month, the last time being before the school year began. So, by the passage of time, he should be able to foresee again now.

Su Bei speculated that this was likely the reason the enemy had taken him.

But what was the enemy’s purpose in abducting him?

If it were merely to seize Feng Lan’s prophetic opportunity for the month, Su Bei wouldn’t be worried at all. After all, he wouldn’t die; he would eventually return to the main storyline.

Yet, what he feared most was that the shadowy figures behind this abduction aimed to prevent Feng Lan from making predictions for them.

In other words, they were orchestrating a conspiracy against all the students. Feng Lan’s prophetic ability could potentially foresee or even unravel this plot, which was why they had taken him.

To be honest, though he was reluctant to admit it, Su Bei felt that, in terms of comic narrative, the latter scenario was far more compelling and would certainly involve the main characters.

And if it truly was the latter, then they were all ensnared in a vast conspiracy, and Su Bei needed to think of a way to save himself—yes, save himself.

In most cases, the hot-blooded youth of the manga world do not truly die before the end. There’s nothing to worry about; no matter how great the challenges they face, by the time the events conclude, they always manage to turn peril into safety and emerge victorious.

But he was different. Long before he believed he had successfully ascended to the status of an important character, Su Bei had questioned the “manga consciousness” about this very matter.

He had asked whether he now bore the halo of a significant character, capable of transforming danger into safety time and again.

Yet the answer from the manga consciousness was a resounding no. A character like him, who had risen from the ranks of cannon fodder, could at best avoid dying easily, but the notion of possessing a life-saving halo was utterly impossible.

This meant he could not rest easy.

And the enemies lurking behind him would snatch him away due to Feng Lan’s prophetic abilities. Once they discovered that Su Bei also possessed such powers, they would surely not let him go.

Feng Lan might survive under their grasp, but he could not be so certain.

Thus, he immediately resolved to join the main cast. Jiang Tianming and the others would surely not be easily captured; by following them, even if he couldn’t guarantee his safety, he could at least feel a bit more secure.

Safety and security—he knew well which to choose.

Opening the map panel on his watch, Su Bei’s expression suddenly froze: “What’s going on with them?”

“What’s wrong? What’s wrong?” Mo Xiaotian leaned in curiously, completely forgetting that he had a watch of his own.

Upon seeing the situation on Su Bei’s watch map, he couldn’t help but widen his eyes: “How are they moving so fast?!”

After a brief moment of surprise, Su Bei understood: “Looks like they’re being chased. Let’s go see if we can help.”

He wasn’t worried that Jiang Tianming was being pursued by those who had captured Feng Lan; after all, it was only the first day. Even if they were planning something, it wouldn’t happen so quickly.

The direction Jiang Tianming and the others were moving was exactly opposite to where Su Bei and Mo Xiaotian stood. Without the map, they would have never crossed paths.

Hurrying toward that direction, by the time the sky had completely darkened, Su Bei and Mo Xiaotian finally approached Jiang Tianming’s location.

This was also because their pursuit could not have been a straight line; otherwise, the difficulty of Su Bei and Mo Xiaotian catching up would have increased severalfold. Mo Xiaotian was exhausted, not wanting to utter a single word, leaning against Su Bei to stifle his gasps.

In the dark, oppressive forest, only a faint moonlight illuminated their path. Before them stood a group of students, their faces obscured, likely taking a moment to rest. The one at the front kicked a nearby tree with a fierce expression: “Are they rabbits? Why are they running so fast?”

His teammate, panting after the chase, awkwardly suggested, “Why don’t we just let it go? There are only two of them; even if we kill them, we won’t gain much in points.”

“No way!” Before the words had even left his mouth, the one who had kicked the tree decisively rejected the idea. “That damned Jiang Tianming made me suffer such a huge loss in the arena. If I let him go, what face would I have left?”

Upon hearing those words, Su Bei finally realized who this person was. It must be Jiang Tianming’s opponent from the arena, a fleeting figure captured in a panel of the comic.

In that brief moment, Jiang Tianming stood in the background, fists clenched in encouragement, while in the foreground was a boy, face contorted in pain, clutching his groin—a sight both comical and tragic.

Su Bei didn’t bother to look at the arena; even from that fleeting glimpse, it was clear this fellow had suffered a great loss. A kick that severed his lineage, no wonder he wouldn’t let Jiang Tianming off the hook!

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Mo Xiaotian also caught wind of their conversation, lowering his breath to a whisper, he asked, “Are we going to eliminate them?”

Eliminate…

At the sound of that word, Su Bei’s eyelids twitched, and he recalled a thought that had flitted through his mind earlier.

It was always wise to consider the worst outcome when faced with danger; he had been mulling over this matter throughout their journey. If this event truly was a conspiracy orchestrated by a hidden hand targeting all first-year students, what should they do?

Logically, in this alternate space, they should be quite safe. After all, as long as they could crush the not-so-sturdy glass of the dial, they could be transported out directly. Even if someone launched a surprise attack, as long as they encountered a life-threatening situation, they could be whisked away in an instant.

Thus, the only danger Su Bei could foresee was a malfunction in the transportation. If they couldn’t be sent out of this alternate space, facing off against high-level ability users would turn them into lambs for slaughter.

But could the hidden hand truly pull off such a feat? If they could tamper with the academy’s life-saving measures prepared for the students, then the ability academy would indeed be riddled with holes.

This was the worst-case scenario, and Su Bei could only hope it wouldn’t come to that.