A Guide for Background Characters to Survive in a Manga

With a sigh, he nodded, “Let’s give it a try; after all, we haven’t seen what eliminating someone looks like yet.”

After a moment’s thought, Su Bei added, “Let’s use the method of crushing the dial’s outer cover.”

He worried that if their transportation truly malfunctioned, the consequence of taking a life wouldn’t be the opponent facing a deadly danger and being sent out of the alternate space, but rather, an immediate death on the spot.

To make them crush the dial’s outer cover to escape, they would either need to make them feel a great danger and withdraw voluntarily, or they would have to control them and crush the cover themselves.

The former seemed unlikely; they had to consider the latter.

After pondering for a while, Su Bei asked, “How many air cubes can you conjure up now?”

“Ten!” Finally asked about something he excelled at, Mo Xiaotian replied with glee. He had developed his first ability quite well.

Ten would be enough. Su Bei nodded, “I’ll sneak up from behind and launch the attack, driving the others away. You just need to trap one person.”

Two people had coordinated a few times, their actions surprisingly in sync. Su Bei sent out several gears, easily scaring many into a panicked flight. They were merely fifteen or sixteen years old, and in this moonless, wind-swept forest, their courage was hardly sufficient; they abandoned their group and scattered in all directions.

Mo Xiaotian had already fixed his gaze on a boy while Su Bei was in motion, strategically placing several air blocks around him, trapping him with no chance of escape.

The boy was clearly terrified, seeking help from others. But the rest were too preoccupied with their own survival; who had the energy to assist him?

Once the others had fled, Su Bei stepped forward, effortlessly subduing the boy.

“Is… is it a person?” The boy, held captive, felt a strange relief. He would rather be eliminated by his classmates than haunted by a ghost.

“It’s a person.” Su Bei stood in the moonlight, allowing the boy to see his shadow, “Will you withdraw on your own, or shall I assist you in withdrawing?”

Upon receiving his affirmation, the boy let out a long sigh of relief, then asked with a hint of hope, “Bro, can you let me go?”

“What do you think?” Su Bei looked at him with a smile that was not quite a smile.

As expected, it was not possible. The boy sighed, “I’ll withdraw myself then.”

He knew he had little chance of making a significant impact in the team battle; becoming someone else’s captive was to be expected. Just as the teachers had said, withdrawing early meant an early break, which was a good thing for him.

Su Bei added in a timely manner, “After you get out, find Teacher Meng Huai from Class F, and tell him Feng Lan went missing as soon as he entered, possibly in danger.”

“Got it. I get eliminated by you and still have to help you out—what kind of touching classmate bond is this?”

He muttered, decisively shattering the glass cover without a second thought. In the next moment, the boy vanished from sight.

“Wow, so magical!” Mo Xiaotian’s eyes widened, “You can just exit like that? Crushing the glass isn’t hard at all; that’s fantastic! I was worried I wouldn’t be able to break it.”

Su Bei relaxed, nodding with a smile, “Yes, it’s truly wonderful.”

Since breaking the glass still allowed one to exit the alternate space, there was no major issue. Perhaps he had misjudged; the other party’s scheme wasn’t in this regard.

Wait? Something felt off?

Su Bei’s expression suddenly stiffened as he recalled that Feng Lan had also disappeared as soon as he entered. Who said disappearing meant leaving the alternate space and returning to the academy?

Moreover, just as he had thought before, today was merely the first day of the team competition. Even if someone wanted to stir trouble, it was too early. Today’s teleportation device might indeed be fine, but who could say there wouldn’t be issues later?

He could not let his guard down.

—

Fine, it’s better to meet up with Jiang Tianming for a more permanent solution. Su Bei sighed, glancing at his watch. “Let’s go, we need to find Jiang Tianming and the others quickly. It’s already so dark, and we still don’t have a place to sleep.”

After realizing the pursuers had vanished, Jiang Tianming and Mu Tieren ceased their flight. They had been running for half the day and were utterly exhausted. It was late at night, and safety was a concern; if their enemies continued the chase, even if they felt they might not win, they would have to fight back.

It was truly unfortunate; Jiang Tianming had just happened to cross paths with an opponent he had severely offended in a personal battle. And now, for reasons unknown, this opponent had teamed up with another adversary of his. Together, the two groups numbered over ten—how could they possibly stand a chance?

The forest had initially seemed a convenient place to escape; the dense trees provided cover, and as long as they maintained a certain distance, their pursuers would struggle to keep up. Yet, one of the teams had a tracker among them, relentlessly pursuing them.

Now that the group had given up, both Jiang Tianming and Mu Tieren breathed a sigh of relief. Yet, they were also curious as to why their pursuers had suddenly abandoned the chase after so long.

“Rustle, rustle…”

Not long after they had rested, sounds of rustling from the underbrush echoed through the forest. Jiang Tianming and Mu Tieren exchanged wary glances, bracing themselves for a desperate fight.

Though it was two against twelve, the two of them, having ranked among the top ten in personal battles, were not without their chances.

However, what they did not expect was for two heads to emerge from the thicket—one golden, one red.

It was Su Bei and Mo Xiaotian!

Seeing them, Jiang Tianming and Mu Tieren were taken aback, but they did not let their guard down simply because it was the two of them. Instead, they first checked the map on their watches. Upon confirming the presence of two red dots representing teammates nearby, they finally relaxed.

“What are you doing here? By the way, did you drive off our pursuers?” Jiang Tianming quickly intercepted Mo Xiaotian, turning to Su Bei with a question.

Su Bei nodded. “We eliminated one of them. It seems that taking out one person gives us ten points.”

Hearing this, Jiang Tianming glanced at the scoreboard and nodded in understanding. “Ten points for eliminating one, fifty for killing a Night Beast. It seems completing the task yields more points than going solo.”

“There’s no need for separate tasks right now. We thought it would be better to regroup with you first,” Su Bei said, scanning their surroundings as he shared his thoughts. “My idea is that we don’t need to score more points in the next couple of days; we can just wait until the second day to grab what we need.”

At this, Jiang Tianming’s eyes lit up. “I was thinking the same!”

That was why, after completing that task, he hadn’t taken any further action, even when he spotted a Night Beast from a distance—he had hurriedly hidden away.

The realization had struck him only after he killed his first Night Beast. He suddenly noticed that his mental energy was recovering very slowly.

To restore mental energy, one needed quiet meditation or sleep. Engaging in daily activities that didn’t require physical exertion could help, but it would undoubtedly take much longer.

—

Exhausting one’s mental energy could typically be restored in a day. Yet, in this wretched place, it might take a day and a half, provided there were no brawls in between.

Upon realizing the issue of mental recovery, Jiang Tianming decided it would be best to wait until the next day to act; otherwise, becoming someone else’s experience package would be too humiliating.

This was precisely what the school aimed to teach its students through practical combat: when out on real missions, the comfort of the academy would be a distant memory. There would be no time for psychics to recuperate their mental energy. Thus, they must learn to allocate their resources wisely, striving to maximize their mental prowess within the confines of limited recovery.

Su Bei had not grasped this concept, for he possessed advanced mental energy, which restored itself more swiftly and with greater ease, less affected by the environment. Moreover, he had indeed lazed about for a considerable time today, his mental energy already replenished to a significant degree.

As for Mo Xiaotian, he simply hadn’t realized this at all. Acting purely on instinct, the beast-like Mo Xiaotian had expended a fair amount of mental energy upon entering this otherworldly space, and afterward, he had scarcely tapped into it again.

It was only when Jiang Tianming voiced his discovery that both of them suddenly understood.

“Right! My mental energy has been recovering much slower too! I hadn’t even noticed until you mentioned it!” Mo Xiaotian exclaimed, his eyes wide with admiration.

Su Bei was equally surprised but quickly deduced the reason behind the sluggish recovery. He had not been unfamiliar with ordinary mental energy; indeed, restoring it required ample time and a tranquil environment.

He hadn’t anticipated that advancing to a higher level of mental energy would come with such an unexpected benefit. Following Mo Xiaotian’s lead, he added, “I hadn’t noticed either; it’s you who are observant.”

In truth, he hadn’t overlooked it; rather, there had been no significant change to catch his attention.

Clearly, Jiang Tianming and Mu Tieren had surmised this as well. They could hardly believe that Su Bei would be as oblivious as Mo Xiaotian, failing to recognize the anomaly in his own state.

Yet neither of them intended to voice this suspicion. Mu Tieren merely inquired with curiosity, “Since you didn’t notice the issue with mental recovery, why did you wish to refrain from action the past couple of days?”

Su Bei raised an eyebrow, grinning like a cunning fox. “While my neighbor hoards grain, I hoard weapons; my neighbor is my granary.”

The hour had crept to one in the morning. Though children of this age were typically brimming with energy and quick to metabolize, staying up late was no trivial matter, especially in a competition where fatigue could easily lead to ambushes and missed opportunities.

Su Bei scanned the surroundings, finding no particularly safe haven. Constructing a makeshift shelter would consume a great deal of time, and throughout the forest, he had yet to spot a cave.

With a sigh, he spoke, “You all discuss the night watch; I’m flexible. For now, I’ll prepare a place to sleep.”

Sleeping directly on the forest floor was out of the question; the chill would seep into his bones, and while there were no birds or beasts here, insects still thrived. Awakening the next day after sleeping on the ground would turn him into a human terrarium. At the very least, he needed a layer of leaves beneath him.

A campfire was also necessary. Though lighting a fire in the dark would easily attract unwanted attention, it would provide warmth and essential visibility, serving as an aid against potential foes.

Su Bei could be called a veteran, quick and skilled in his work. After a brief discussion, a few of the wooden iron men came over to lend a hand.

Among them, it was clear that Su Bei and the wooden iron men were exceptionally adept. Jiang Tianming, though inexperienced, picked things up swiftly. Mo Xiaotian, while neither quick nor skilled, was a perfectly adequate atmosphere setter.

“Our final decision is for Xiaotian to stand guard first, then me, the squad leader, and lastly you, Su Bei. Each of us will take an hour and a half. We’ll start at eight, alright?” Jiang Tianming said, moving leaves as he recounted their earlier decision.

Su Bei nodded indifferently; he understood that Jiang Tianming and the others were looking out for him. In the watchman’s duty, it was undoubtedly the first and last shifts that were the easiest. But he accepted this with a sense of peace; after all, he was the one who kindled the fire, contributing his share for his pay.

Before long, they had set up the grass bed, and Su Bei had lit the fire. According to their earlier agreement, they took turns keeping watch.

“Wake up…”

The voice of the wooden iron man rang in his ears, and Su Bei almost instantly opened his eyes, a wary expression crossing his face. After all, they were in a perilous place, and he slept lightly, waking easily.

Realizing the situation, Su Bei sat up and glanced at his watch. It was six-thirty, just the right time. He appreciated punctuality in such matters; if someone deliberately let him sleep longer by not waking him, it would only irritate him.

After the handover, Su Bei stood to stretch. Following yesterday’s plan, they were supposed to take it easy today. But with Su Bei’s understanding of comics, he knew today would not be a walk in the park.

Sure enough, before it was even seven-thirty, he heard rustling from the trees above. Looking up, he spotted a jet-black snake, as thick as an adult’s wrist, slithering down from a tree near Jiang Tianming, its tongue flicking in and out.

Its body was long, and though its head was nearly touching the ground, its tail remained hidden among the leaves, out of sight. Su Bei estimated it must be at least five meters long.

With a swift motion, he threw a gear at the snake, which dodged with remarkable speed. Perhaps realizing it had been spotted, it no longer concealed itself, rapidly descending to reach Jiang Tianming.

“Get up!” Su Bei dashed over, kicking Jiang Tianming to rouse him, then leaping to kick the nightmare snake away.

He wore the school’s specially designed uniform, remarkably tough, not easily torn. If it weren’t for that, Su Bei wouldn’t have dared to strike.

Everyone had been sleeping lightly; at his shout, they all opened their eyes in unison and scrambled to their feet.

“What’s going on?” Jiang Tianming asked, following Su Bei’s gaze, and spotted the nightmare snake, half of its body raised, glaring at them.

Mo Xiaotian’s eyes widened. “What a huge snake!”

“Hisssss—”

The nightmare snake flicked its tongue, its raised upper body swaying back and forth, as if searching for the best position to strike.

“It moves with great speed,” Su Bei warned, eyes wide with caution. “Mo Xiao Tian, trap it!”

“Got it!” Mo Xiao Tian nodded vigorously, conjuring ten transparent cubes of air to form a protective barrier before them.

Beside them, Mu Tie Ren, drawing from the extracurricular knowledge he had gleaned at school, assessed the situation accurately: “This Night Serpent should be non-venomous. The books say that venomous ones have large heads. But what its abilities are, I cannot say.”

The absence of venom was undoubtedly good news, and the tension in the group eased considerably. Jiang Tian Ming asked Su Bei for a few gears, and together they manipulated the gears to launch an attack. The common saying about striking a snake at its vital point was etched in their minds, and they moved in unison toward that critical spot.

Indeed, the serpent was swift, but amidst such a concentrated assault, it was difficult to evade entirely. With Mo Xiao Tian’s air cubes blocking its path, it found itself increasingly cornered, and before long, it was brought down.

Seeing the Night Serpent fall, the group hesitated, cautious not to approach immediately. They checked their watches, confirming they had earned the 50 points for slaying the beast before stepping forward.

Su Bei grasped the serpent’s tail and hoisted it up, inspecting it. “How about some roasted snake for breakfast?”

Even ordinary snake meat would be a fine delicacy, let alone the renowned Night Serpent, famous for its exquisite taste.

At his words, Jiang Tian Ming chuckled, “Such a large snake—forget breakfast; it might be enough for lunch too.”

Mo Xiao Tian, ever the enthusiastic supporter, chimed in, “Yay! I’ll do it! Let me show you my grilling skills!”

“You can barbecue, Xiao Tian?” Mu Tie Ren laughed. “I’m really looking forward to it.”

Though Jiang Tian Ming could cook well himself, he was happy to let Mo Xiao Tian take the lead, seeing the excitement on his face.

However, as soon as Mo Xiao Tian took the snake from Su Bei, the thrill faded, replaced by a look of distress.

“What’s wrong?” Mu Tie Ren asked, concern in his voice. “Is it because you’ve never cooked snake before and don’t know how to handle it?”

Mo Xiao Tian shook his head, frustration etched on his features. “No, it’s just that it needs to be cleaned!”

This entire large serpent couldn’t be roasted directly; at the very least, it needed to be washed in river water. They couldn’t simply rinse it with bottled water like before; that would be far too wasteful.

“We passed a river yesterday,” Jiang Tian Ming volunteered. “I remember the way; it shouldn’t be too far from here. Let’s go together?”

At his words, Mu Tie Ren looked surprised. “You can still remember the way in this forest? I recall we encountered a river yesterday, but I’ve completely forgotten the route.”

Jiang Tian Ming offered a somewhat complex smile, hinting at untold stories behind it. “Well, remembering the way is quite important.”

Seeing him like this, the wooden iron man hesitated for a moment but chose not to ask further. Though they had become friends, they had yet to reach a point where they could touch upon each other’s privacy. If the other did not speak of it first, then silence was the better choice.

After following Jiang Tianming for half an hour, the group indeed heard the sound of rushing water. But it was not just the water; there were also voices—many voices—mingling in conversation.

“It seems there are quite a few people around this river,” Su Bei remarked, his eyes glinting with understanding.

This was only natural; water was the source of life, and even those with little survival experience would instinctively gravitate towards a riverbank.

Using his mental energy to sense the surroundings, Su Bei raised an eyebrow. “There are fifteen people by the river, likely belonging to two different teams.”

Jiang Tianming and the others were not curious about how he knew this; upon hearing the news, they all breathed a sigh of relief. If those two teams could coexist peacefully, then adding their own team should pose no problem.

As they crossed through the woods, the moment they emerged, they were met with fifteen pairs of eyes. One green-haired boy, upon seeing Su Bei, gaped in surprise. “It’s you!”

This was the opponent Su Bei had defeated in the first round of the individual competition.

Seeing a familiar face, Su Bei waved without a hint of embarrassment, greeting him calmly. “Oh, what a coincidence.”

“What do you mean, ‘oh’?” the green-haired boy shouted angrily. “Don’t you feel even a bit guilty seeing me?”

Perhaps it was because he had been eliminated in the first round that the green-haired boy had kept an eye on Su Bei’s matches. Soon, he realized that Su Bei was not merely a trickster who won by deceit, but someone with genuine skill.

At this moment, he no longer felt humiliated by his defeat. Although Su Bei was merely from Class F, his strength was clearly beyond that level. Losing to a Class F student was embarrassing, but losing to someone in the top ten was not.

But if Su Bei had such strength, why had he resorted to trickery in their match instead of showcasing his true abilities to win him over?

Without a doubt, Su Bei had been toying with him!

The green-haired boy felt his pride had been insulted, his expression one of tragic indignation. “You could have defeated me outright, yet you chose to humiliate me instead.”

Su Bei: “…”

Was there a possibility that he had truly only been able to win by that method at the time?

But alas, the truth could not be spoken, and the green-haired boy would never know. Su Bei sighed inwardly, finding a clear spot by the riverbank to squat down. He turned to Mo Xiaotian. “What are you standing there for? Come wash the snake!”

“Oh, oh, oh!” Mo Xiaotian snapped back to reality, hurriedly bringing over the Nightmare Snake he had carried all the way, ready to split and clean it.

Seeing such a massive serpent, the crowd gathered by the river could not help but swallow hard. The green-haired man’s gaze flickered uncertainly between the Night Serpent and Su Bei. “Did you kill this?”

“We killed it together,” Su Bei replied, not taking all the credit.

Yet, that alone was enough to leave the other in shock. While they had only been able to flee from these Night Beasts, Su Bei’s team, mostly made up of Class F members, had managed to band together and slay one. How powerful was that!

Recalling how he had just been criticizing such a formidable figure, the green-haired man immediately shrank back. He cleared his throat. “Ahem, well, I suppose you’re impressive. I won’t pursue the matter from before.”

With that, he convinced himself that he had secured his safety while saving face, puffing up with pride, completely oblivious to the disdainful glances from his companions.

A few of his comrades quietly stepped back, fearful of being associated with this guy.

—

But regardless, the enormous Night Serpent had successfully intimidated the crowd by the river. Even those who didn’t wish to join in on the territory dispute dared not speak out.

After all, possessing the strength to slay a Night Beast made them seem like mere monsters to be farmed. What was the difference between seeking trouble and courting death?

As the serpent meat sizzled over the fire, the aroma began to waft through the air.

In this forest, aside from the Night Beasts, there were no other animals. The crowd by the river had been fleeing from the beasts all day, now weary and hungry. Upon catching the scent of the meat, they couldn’t help but swallow, their stomachs growling in protest.

The green-haired man, thick-skinned, edged closer. “Share some with me, and I can teach you a piece of intel.”

He was aware that directly asking would likely yield no results and might even lead to mockery upon his return, so he laid his cards on the table right away.

“What kind of intel?” Jiang Tianming asked, intrigued. The serpent meat was more than they could handle, and carrying it around was inconvenient. If they could trade it for useful information, they would gladly oblige.

But the condition was that the other party truly had something valuable to share.

The green-haired man spoke with a hint of confidence. “We found a mission stone tablet that grants a whopping 1000 points! Tell me, are you tempted?”

1000 points?

Jiang Tianming was clearly taken aback. They had only received 500 points for slaying five beasts; what kind of mission could possibly offer 1000 points?

“Alright, I agree. What’s the mission? Have you completed it?”

As he spoke, Su Bei cast a glance at the points leaderboard. Sure enough, the top three teams were raking in thousands of points, clearly having completed this task. Meanwhile, their team, along with Si Zhao Hua’s group, lagged far behind.