A Guide for Background Characters to Survive in a Manga

—

Never stopping, how could one not be weary? Both body and mind are burdened with fatigue.

Yet this is also because they have not attempted to slack off; every time a nightmare beast appears, they fight with all their might, striving to defeat it as swiftly as possible. In such circumstances, with enemies coming one after another, isn’t that exhausting?

If one were to laze about like Su Bei, even without advanced mental strength, they wouldn’t be as drained as they are now.

“It is tiring,” the Ironwood Man replied good-naturedly, “but with a bit more practice, we won’t be so blind when we venture into the other space later.”

Speaking of their upcoming journey to the other space, everyone’s interest was piqued. They were to explore a “wild” other space this time, unlike the one they had encountered during the monthly exam, which had already been cleared out.

“I’ve heard that undeveloped other spaces are vastly different from those that have been explored,” Ai Baozhu said, elegantly twisting in her seat. “I wonder what other differences there are besides the nightmare beasts.”

None of them had been there, so naturally, no one could answer. The conversation then jumped back to the previous topic: “It’s precisely because we don’t know that we need to improve ourselves. It’s good to be a bit tired now; it’ll make things easier later, so we won’t have to rely entirely on the teachers for protection.”

Upon hearing Jiang Tianming’s words, Li Shu looked at him with admiration: “Tianming makes such a good point! Truly worthy of being a student highly regarded by Teacher Meng Huai!”

Sometimes, it was hard to tell whether he liked Jiang Tianming or despised him. If he liked him, his words seemed to carry a hint of provocation. But if he didn’t like him, he certainly seemed to admire him. Moreover, he had rushed to help Jiang Tianming when asked, albeit with conditions.

Speaking of which, what was the price for that help?

Su Bei had only caught a glimpse of it in the comic; Li Shu had told Jiang Tianming not to forget their transaction. Knowing the details of that deal would reveal what exactly Li Shu saw in Jiang Tianming.

Of course, his curiosity wasn’t to draw Li Shu’s attention to himself; on the contrary, he wanted to know so he could avoid it. This guy clearly seemed a bit off; it was better to keep a distance.

However, whether it was misfortune or something else, just as he thought this, Li Shu noticed him: “Su Bei, may I ask what the teacher wanted with you before lunch?”

It would be normal for a good friend to ask, but for someone unfamiliar to inquire, it felt insidious. Didn’t he see that while others were curious, no one else had asked this question?

He cast a faint glance at Li Shu: “The teacher told me to stay away from those with too much curiosity.”

“Pfft!” Wu Mingbai immediately burst into laughter. If he had been drinking, he surely would have spat it out.

Li Shu, of course, could tell he was being subtly mocked, yet he didn’t get angry, still wearing a good-natured expression: “I’m sorry; I just thought this matter might concern us. Since it doesn’t, I suppose I was being too nosy.”

This too carried a hint of provocation. Su Bei coldly replied with a simple “hm,” acknowledging Li Shu’s claim of being “nosy.”

—

—

Then, despite his blatant disregard, Li Shu surprisingly did not get angry; instead, his smile widened even more. “Su Bei, you truly are quite interesting. Coming to Class S was the right choice!”

Seeing his cheerful demeanor, Su Bei nearly shuddered. What was wrong with this guy? A masochist?

He didn’t want to speak, but it was clear that Li Shu had more to say. “When shall we have a match? I’m quite curious about your abilities, and I imagine you must be a bit curious about mine as well?”

Indeed, Su Bei was curious about his abilities. But after those words left Li Shu’s lips, his curiosity waned, and he had no desire to battle him.

There were others in the class who had fought him before. With that thought, Su Bei ignored Li Shu’s words and turned to Jiang Tianming. “What happened when you fought him?”

It was no longer a personal battle, so it was fine to speak. Jiang Tianming recalled, “At first, it was like a psychological suggestion, a kind of illusion. It felt like Li Shu’s presence was overwhelming; I simply couldn’t compete. Then he pulled me into a dreamscape, and when I broke free, he had fainted himself.”

He didn’t mention what had happened in the dreamscape; that was Jiang Tianming’s secret. Su Bei guessed that it was precisely because of this secret that Li Shu had taken an interest in him.

Given that, Su Bei was even less inclined to fight Li Shu. The secrets he carried were no fewer than Jiang Tianming’s, and he wouldn’t allow even a hint of prying.

Early the next morning, Su Bei stood on the same platform as Feng Lan, Zhao Xiaoyu, and Mu Tieren, facing Meng Huai.

Among the four of them, Zhao Xiaoyu trained in physical techniques because her abilities had limited impact in combat, necessitating compensation in other areas.

Mu Tieren was different; his abilities were rooted in physical techniques, so he required specialized training.

Feng Lan fell somewhere in between. His abilities didn’t directly influence combat, but they could assist in physical fighting.

Meng Huai scanned the four of them, and the other three, having sparred with him yesterday, wisely averted their gazes.

Even though they were all mentally prepared to endure suffering for the sake of strength, being brutally beaten by a teacher was still a bit much.

Only Su Bei, caught off guard, found himself locking eyes with Meng Huai.

Seeing the amusement in the other’s eyes sent a chill down his spine, and he immediately wanted to follow the others’ lead and look away. But it was too late; Meng Huai pointed without hesitation. “Su Bei, let’s give this newcomer a little benefit. Today, you’ll spar with me to demonstrate for the others.”

Thanks a lot! Su Bei silently complained. Do you even want this ‘benefit’?

Though he said that, a part of him was eager to try. Su Bei knew his physical techniques were far from top-tier, but after years of practice, he was curious about the gap between himself and a true master of physical combat.

—

Meng Huai, with his broad shoulders and narrow waist, exuded an aura of raw power, unmistakably a master of physical prowess.

As the two engaged in combat, Meng Huai refrained from unleashing the full extent of his extraordinary physical abilities honed through years of training. Instead, after testing a few moves, he matched his speed and strength to that of Su Bei, keeping the fight even.

Yet, even so, after several exchanges, Su Bei began to falter. Setting aside the mastery of technique, when it came to the application of strength and speed, he was no match for Meng Huai.

In the past, this would not have been an issue; after all, who could be unfamiliar with a body they had used for over a decade?

However, since becoming an ability user, both his speed and strength had surged at a pace entirely different from before. This left him feeling somewhat lost.

For these novice ability users, the unfamiliarity with their newfound power often led to mishaps, like accidentally crushing a cup with a careless grip.

During recent fights, Su Bei often felt overwhelmed. His strength and speed had increased, but without the finesse to wield them, it only resulted in counterproductive outcomes. Each move risked being too forceful, a case of too much being as bad as not enough.

This bout with Meng Huai amplified that sensation. The opponent moved with ease, making Su Bei feel like a clumsy bear.

Yet, this was merely Su Bei’s perspective; Meng Huai and the three onlookers had a different view.

Meng Huai thought to himself that Su Bei truly was the best in physical combat among the newcomers. His fighting techniques were executed with remarkable skill; though he was at a disadvantage against Meng Huai, he was far from being crushed like the three from yesterday.

While his control over strength was not perfect, it was certainly better than that of his peers. At the very least, Meng Huai had never heard of Su Bei causing any accidents, unlike even the cautious Jiang Tianming and the class leader Mu Tieren, who occasionally had their own mishaps.

Truly impressive, Su Bei. Mu Tieren mused. He had also managed to withstand Meng Huai’s onslaught for a time yesterday, but he knew his own limits; he was merely enduring.

Having trained for many years, he could see that Su Bei was not just taking hits; he was consciously counterattacking, and occasionally landing a few successful strikes.

Zhao Xiaoyu might not have perceived all that, but just by the duration of the fight, she recognized that Su Bei was performing admirably.

Yesterday, when Meng Huai sparred with them, he had also moderated his strength to match theirs, a fact confirmed among the three.

Originally, Mu Tieren had held out the longest, but now it was Su Bei, and judging by his performance, he was able to exchange blows with Teacher Meng, which was no small feat.

Feng Lan, however, had no such thoughts; he only considered that during their breaks, he could ask Su Bei for some practice. His own physical skills were lacking, having relied entirely on his abilities until now. Since he would be overwhelmed by anyone, it was better to choose someone he was comfortable with.

Once Meng Huai had gauged Su Bei’s style, he shifted his approach. He first wore down Su Bei’s stamina with a series of measured attacks, then suddenly unleashed a flurry of strikes.

With his energy nearly spent, Su Bei could only barely defend himself, but after a few more exchanges, he was ultimately defeated, brought to the ground.

However, Su Bei felt no shame or anger; after all, how many times had his father knocked him down during his training in martial arts? He wouldn’t care about face at a moment like this.

So, even though he had been knocked down, Su Bei’s spirit remained surprisingly high. He adjusted himself into a comfortable position, propping his head up with one hand. “Is there any healing after this, teacher? I still want to drink that life water from last time.”

He was referring to the life spring water that Teacher Ye Lin had conjured with her powers on the last day of their individual battles. It was delicious, not because of its taste, but because drinking it filled one with a vibrant sense of life.

“Dream on,” Meng Huai chided with a laugh. “If you’re not tired, get up quickly.”

“Tired, tired, tired!” Su Bei hurriedly replied, for he truly felt sore and unable to rise. “Teacher, even if you don’t believe me, you must believe in yourself!”

Meng Huai, too lazy to indulge his complaints, began to explain some techniques and strategies applicable in combat based on their earlier fight.

Once Su Bei had rested enough to stand, he started pairing them off for sparring. Feng Lan took the initiative to approach Su Bei, while Zhao Xiaoyu naturally teamed up with Mu Tieren.

With only four of them, the pairing seemed reasonable—one strong with one weak. But soon, Meng Huai realized the flaw in this arrangement. Their strengths were mismatched.

Su Bei was too strong; his battle with Feng Lan was purely charity. On the other side, while it was also one strong and one weak, Zhao Xiaoyu was not particularly weak.

Ever since awakening her powers, she had begged her family to enroll her in martial arts classes. Though she couldn’t learn much in a single summer, she certainly had some foundation.

“Let’s do it this way,” Meng Huai interrupted the “harmonious” pairs. “Su Bei, you’ll spar with me, while Feng Lan and Zhao Xiaoyu will take on Mu Tieren.”

This arrangement worked perfectly; Feng Lan and Zhao Xiaoyu would provide enough challenge for Mu Tieren. And sparring with Su Bei would be the best way for him to improve. Though it was a bit troublesome for himself, who could blame Meng Huai for being a good teacher?

When lunchtime finally arrived, the morning’s lessons concluded, and everyone’s expressions were finally in sync. They all looked pale and drained. Instead of rushing to the cafeteria, they plopped down on the grass of the playground to rest.

Seeing their state, the onlookers from other classes felt a pang of sympathy. Though Class S was glamorous, it was certainly no easy feat. With the intensity of this training, they doubted they could endure it.

Some had the self-awareness to recognize this, but clearly, others were oblivious. Once Meng Huai left, they began to feign whispers, loudly gossiping.

“If Class A can be promoted to Class S, I can accept that, but how come Class F and Class D can go too?”

“Don’t say that; maybe they have some special qualities?”

“Ha, you haven’t inquired, have you? There are several people there whose powers are utterly useless!”

“Oh, really? That does seem quite strange…”

They were indeed reckless, and while others might have ignored their idle chatter, it had gone on for far too long. It had been five minutes since they emerged, and they showed no signs of stopping, clearly wanting to be overheard.

Before Jiang Tianming and the others could react, Si Zhaohua was the first to lose his composure. Defeated by Jiang Tianming himself, he now found them calling Jiang Tianming a waste. What did that make him, the one defeated by a so-called waste?

Fury bubbled within him, and a cold smile twisted at the corner of his mouth as he strode over. “If you’re so dissatisfied, why not go find the teacher, the head of discipline, or even the principal? Surely, it must be stifling to only whisper behind our backs.”

The two were from Class B, and now confronted by the top student of Class A, they looked utterly dumbfounded. They had assumed that the students from Class F would also resent those few from Class F. Their earlier words had stemmed from genuine jealousy and a desire to curry favor.

Who would have thought their flattery would backfire, drawing ridicule instead?

Ai Baozhu, pulling a pink fan from somewhere, began to fan herself lightly as she approached Si Zhaohua, covering her mouth with the fan as she giggled, “I suppose they’re afraid the teachers won’t listen to them. No need to worry; I’ve already sent someone to fetch the teacher.”

She wasn’t lying; she had indeed sent Zhou Renjie. But Zhou Renjie wasn’t foolish enough to truly bother Meng Huai over such trivial matters; it was merely for show.

“You guys…

… I… I didn’t say anything just now!” Upon hearing that a teacher was to be summoned, one of them panicked, words tumbling out in a rush, “I was just chatting with friends!”

“Ah, just chatting,” Su Bei nodded, casually tapping his phone screen.

In the next moment, the voices of the two echoed from his phone, repeating exactly what they had just said.

One of them turned pale with shock. “When did you start recording? Delete it, quick!”

The other, slightly more astute, realized they were caught and quickly apologized, “We’re sorry for our loose tongues! We were just too envious of your excellence. Please forgive us; we truly regret it! We promise we won’t speak ill of you again!”

Wu Mingbai laughed brightly, “With your words, I’m sure we won’t hear such talk again!”

Hearing this, Su Bei nearly burst out laughing. The implication was clear: if they heard any more slander in the future, it would all fall on these two.

Truly, Wu Mingbai was as cunning as they came.

Once the two had left, Qi Huang curiously asked, “Hey, Su Bei, when did you start recording?”

“After they had been rambling for a minute and still wouldn’t stop,” Su Bei replied honestly. If it had just been a few sour remarks, he wouldn’t have bothered. But they were simply too annoying, prompting him to take action.

After saying this, he sent the recording to the small group created by Mu Tieren for Class S, then promptly deleted the recording from his phone. His storage was limited, and he had no desire to keep such trash.

After that day, it was strange how those two managed it, but the rumors around the academy truly diminished, and the crowd that used to gather outside had nearly vanished.

From this perspective, those two could indeed be considered talents.

In the blink of an eye, a month had passed, and during this time, they had learned a great deal. Though the duration was not particularly long, the intensity of the training had led to a noticeable increase in their abilities.

Moreover, the food they consumed had transformed from ordinary fare to meticulously prepared high-grade nightmare beast meat, resulting in significant improvements to their physical condition.

Compared to their former selves before entering Class S, it was not merely a rebirth; they were, at the very least, entirely different. As for Su Bei, if he were to face Meng Huai again, he would certainly not be as helpless as he had been that day. Defeating his opponent was out of the question, but he could at least last more than twice as long.

As the month drew to a close, they received a notice from the school the previous morning: the entire class was to embark on a training expedition to an alternate space, with an uncertain return date.

The meeting point was, of course, the school playground, where everyone arrived half an hour early. It was a rare sight to see everyone out of their uniforms, and it felt quite refreshing.

Having learned from their previous experience, everyone had instinctively prepared their own backpacks. Seeing each person with a bag slung over their shoulder, laughter erupted among them.

“What did you all bring?” Mo Xiaotian asked curiously, opening his own backpack. “I packed jelly, chips, chocolate… Ouch!”

Before he could finish, Meng Huai, who had appeared behind him without notice, gave him a light tap on the head. With a mix of annoyance and amusement, Meng Huai said, “Is that all you brought? Do you really think this is a spring outing?”

I must say, it did have the atmosphere of a spring outing; everyone felt quite excited. Mo Xiaotian rubbed his head and chuckled, “I regretted not bringing more during the team competition.”

With him leading the way, others began to showcase their supplies one by one.

Wu Mingbai had brought a dagger, a lighter, a compass, and drinking water—items essential for survival in the wild.

Building on that, Jiang Tianming had packed several concealed weapons. These were custom-made by the Lan family at great expense—small, lightweight, yet incredibly sharp, perfectly suited to Jiang Tianming’s abilities.

This was partly due to Lan Subing’s assistance, but also because the Lan family wanted to invest in this talented individual who had made it into Class S.

Of course, Wu Mingbai had his own investments as well, though it was a supernatural item that he had not displayed earlier.

Ling You had brought along an MP3 player, clearly determined to be the cool girl of the group.

Feng Lan, Qi Huang, Si Zhaohua, and Zhou Renjie had equipped themselves with well-prepared tents, hammocks, and thermoses, demonstrating that having money allowed for indulgence.

The true “mom” of the group, Mu Tieren, had packed medicines, bandages, and mosquito-repellent sachets. He said earnestly, “I thought the teacher might not provide us with healing items, so I wanted to bring a little peace of mind.”

“I knew you would bring those,” Zhao Xiaoyu laughed, “so I specifically avoided what I thought you would pack.”

She carried a “Confused Walkie-Talkie,” a brand crafted for those with abilities, designed specifically for their use, functioning even without a signal. With just a small expenditure of mental energy, one could converse with others wielding the same device within a hundred-mile radius.

In addition, there were portable water purifiers, binoculars, and other items—indeed, she was different from the rest, but all were quite useful.

In stark contrast stood Ai Baozhu, who brought a sun hat, disinfectant wipes, skincare products, and more.

When she caught the bemused glances of others, she spoke with conviction: “With a teacher protecting us, we are surely safe! Since it’s safe, why would I need those things? Of course, I’m just preparing for some essentials!”

“That’s true,” Lan Subing murmured softly. Though she hadn’t brought such items, seeing someone else do so made her want to join in, and she certainly wouldn’t criticize the other’s choices.

After supporting her, she quickly shifted the topic: “I brought these.”

Everyone peered into the small bag she opened, revealing plastic gloves, plastic bags… but the most eye-catching were the stack of masks!

“Is that really necessary?” Wu Mingbai chuckled, “In the other space, it’s just us—why wear masks?”

“Not necessarily,” Meng Huai, who had been letting them showcase their items, suddenly interjected. “Aside from some private or newly discovered spaces, most are open to all ability users. As long as one isn’t afraid of death, they can apply to enter. There should be quite a few people going in this time.”

Even as ability users, they couldn’t interact solely with the Night Beasts; sooner or later, they would have to face others.

The obvious advantage of a crowded other space was that it would never be too dangerous; otherwise, so many wouldn’t dare to enter.

This was a carefully selected training ground by the academy for this group of first-year S-class members, allowing them to encounter other seasoned ability users without being overly perilous.

Indeed, the purpose of this training wasn’t truly to thrust them into life-and-death struggles in the other space. They had only trained for a month—why rush into such things?

“Ah?” Lan Subing’s eyes widened; she genuinely hadn’t known this! The reason she wore a mask was merely for precaution—who knew they would actually have to deal with people?

At this, Lan Subing’s previously buoyant mood darkened, her entire being seeming to lose color as she silently donned her mask, retreating to the back, looking pitiful.

At that moment, her gaze shifted, and she suddenly noticed that Wu Jin had also put on a mask at some point. Due to his low presence, he was easily overlooked. Seeing him like that, Lan Subing felt a flicker of joy—at least there was someone else who couldn’t handle it, right?

Thinking this, she called out to Wu Jin, who seemed too shy to speak up: “Wu Jin, what did you bring?”

As soon as Lan Subing spoke, the others turned their attention to Wu Jin. With only half of his eyes visible beneath the mask, he truly looked like a peculiar figure.

“Mask, hat, dagger.” Wu Jinyan replied succinctly, pulling a duckbill cap from her bag and placing it atop her head, the long brim casting a shadow that obscured her face entirely.

Seeing her like this, Lan Subing felt a twinge of regret; had she known Wu Jinyan would don a duckbill cap, it would have been the perfect face-concealing tool!

But upon further reflection, she decided against it. A mask was one thing, but to be fully armed like Wu Jinyan would surely invite a torrent of strange glances.

She didn’t possess Wu Jinyan’s inconspicuous ability; it was better to maintain her usual appearance.

“I brought comic books and novels. If you’re bored, feel free to borrow them from me,” Li Shu said with a gentle smile, unzipping his backpack to reveal a trove of comic books.

Given their current physical condition, carrying a bag of books was no burden, yet bringing such items into the otherworldly realm had drawn quite a few curious stares.