A Guide for Background Characters to Survive in a Manga

With that, she turned and left.

Once she was gone, everyone turned their attention to Wu Jin. Ai Baozhu curiously asked, “What was she angry about? Can Teacher Ye even get angry?”

Lan Subing’s gossiping spirit was equally unable to be contained, her eyes sparkling with excitement: “Did she have a fight with Teacher Meng or Teacher Lei?”

Surrounded by them, Wu Jin looked to Su Bei for help. He wasn’t socially anxious, but he truly wasn’t accustomed to being the center of attention with his hair obscuring his face.

Catching his gaze, Su Bei spoke up at the right moment: “The teachers are dissatisfied with our performance today; they’re considering not following us starting tomorrow.”

At this, the expressions of everyone shifted slightly. To be in Class S, even as the bottom of the barrel, was a source of pride. Hearing that the teachers were unhappy with their performance inevitably brought a sense of gloom.

After pondering why the teachers might feel this way, Jiang Tianming tentatively asked, “Is it because we were too lax?”

This was the only reason he could think of that would lead the teachers to decide not to accompany them. With teachers around, even in the face of danger, they felt no urgency.

Su Bei nodded: “They said they plan to stop following us tomorrow, but they’re worried about parents causing trouble, so they decided to give us a waiver.”

At this point, he looked at Si Zhaohua and the others, adopting a serious demeanor, but with his words, it came off as mockery: “If you’re afraid of danger, you can choose not to sign. Then the teachers will specifically follow those who don’t sign the agreement.”

The first to explode was the hot-tempered Qi Huang, who certainly understood Su Bei’s hidden meaning. What did he mean by “worried about parents causing trouble”? It was clearly about fearing their families would pressure the school.

“Ha? Do you think I would fear this? After awakening my powers, I have prepared myself to face all sorts of dangers,” Qi Huang declared resolutely. “As long as the contract is fine, I will definitely sign it.”

Though he knew the school wouldn’t betray them, Si Zhao Hua still felt the need to be a bit more cautious. “Let’s take a look at the contract tomorrow before deciding.”

Having resolved the tasks left by the teachers, Su Bei relaxed against the sofa, watching everyone chat. Suddenly, a prompt from his “Comic Awareness” buzzed in his ear: “The latest chapter of ‘Powers Reign’ has been updated. Please pay attention.”

The comic updated? Su Bei raised an eyebrow. The interval for this update had been quite long—an entire month had passed, longer than any previous wait.

Since the end of the group battle, they hadn’t really experienced much; it had just been training, training, and more training. However, Su Bei didn’t think this time was wasted. Without a doubt, each of them had made significant progress, akin to a collective period of study.

To be honest, he wouldn’t mind if such training sessions came more often. Growing stronger always brought a sense of security; wouldn’t it be easier to face the villains when he was immensely powerful?

But it was clear that the strength of the villains was always proportional to that of the protagonist group, especially in a comic world where dark powers suppressed the light.

In other words, the more they trained outside the comic, the stronger the villains would become. Thinking about it this way, he would rather not train at all.

That said, after the “Comic Awareness” prompt, Su Bei could distinctly feel that he had grown a bit stronger. Yet, he couldn’t pinpoint exactly where the improvement lay; he would have to explore it slowly once he returned home.

Back in his room, he didn’t immediately open his phone but instead checked himself, trying to find out where he had progressed.

After experimenting with several aspects of his powers, a rare look of surprise crossed Su Bei’s face. He had actually enhanced the one ability he needed most—reducing the cost of altering fate!

This change must have stemmed from the moment he snapped his fingers to defeat the purple-haired girl; that scene had left a deep impression, thus leading to a more significant change.

In reality, the change was quite minor. He had acted when the purple-haired girl was on the verge of collapse, akin to the last straw for a camel. It hadn’t greatly affected either the process or the outcome. Thus, he had only expended a quarter of his mental energy, which was why he had managed to remain relatively composed.

However, from the readers’ perspective, he had effortlessly defeated the purple-haired girl all on his own. They believed he could easily alter others’ fates, so the cost of changing fate for him had significantly decreased.

Now, if he were to repeat that action, Su Bei estimated he would only need to expend one-tenth of his mental energy.

Without a doubt, this was exhilarating news! Enhancing his physical skills, boosting his mental energy, and improving his powers were all beneficial, but none were as useful to him as reducing the cost of turning the dial of fate.

Content, Su Bei finally opened his phone. The comic had been updated for a while; he needed to check it quickly.

The latest chapter began right after the group battle, and after finally resolving the crisis, everyone was buzzing with excitement. Just from the visuals, it was clear that Jiang Tianming wore a serious expression, as if deep in thought.

Finally, just as Su Bei was about to leave the playground, Jiang Tianming called out to him, saying he needed to find him shortly.

Then the scene shifted to the dormitory, where Jiang Tianming stood at the door of Su Bei’s room, hesitating for a moment before knocking.

【“I saw you up in the tree when I was escaping, but when I returned, you were gone. Where have you been during this time?”】

As this question hung in the air, memories began to unfold.

【After successfully detonating the bomb, Jiang Tianming fled with his companions. Having witnessed Su Bei leap from the tree earlier, he instinctively glanced up, only to unexpectedly find Su Bei leisurely perched in the branches, watching the chaos unfold below.

With several figures in black hot on his heels, Jiang Tianming couldn’t call out to Su Bei; he could only continue his flight. Once he finally shook them off, he turned back to find Su Bei.

There was no particular reason for his urgency; it was simply that everyone had scattered, and the only person he knew the whereabouts of was Su Bei. Naturally, he wanted to regroup with his teammate.

But to his surprise, when he arrived at that spot, he found the tree empty, Su Bei nowhere to be seen.】

On its own, this segment might seem trivial, but when combined with the foreshadowing left at the end of the previous chapter, it easily sparked connections.

“I can’t believe it, I can’t believe it, I can’t believe it!”

“What did I say? Su Bei is definitely the undercover agent!”

“Disappearing at this moment, could he be the owner of those little white shoes?”

“Ahhh, are we about to uncover the truth so soon?”

“The undercover is really Su Bei?”

“What a shock!”

Su Bei’s response was vague, almost reinforcing the notion that he was indeed the mole. Yet, to his astonishment, the subsequent comments didn’t unanimously conclude that he was the undercover; a small faction even speculated whether this was an illusion crafted by the old thief Bu.

After all, the information was delivered too straightforwardly, leaving no hints at all—completely contrary to the author’s style.

The story opened with a heavy bombshell, as if the comic had just ticked off some KPI, and now it began to meander through daily life, gradually filling in the impressions of Class S and its members.

↑Return to Top↑

Among them, Wu Jin and Zhao Xiaoyu’s entrance was undoubtedly surprising, and after Wu Jin revealed that he had come in through the back channels, the comic hinted through Zhou Renjie’s inner thoughts that he might have ties to the principal.

The training that followed held little substance, and Su Bei had initially intended to flip through it quickly, but gradually, his pace slowed.

The only part of this entire segment that proved useful to him was the comic’s portrayal, which made him appear far superior to the others.

While the others were still in the first phase, Su Bei had already advanced to the second stage of training. Even in this second phase, he was significantly stronger than the rest.

Readers could naturally see this, and the comments flooded in.

“The S class is full of handsome guys and beautiful girls, and there are even two new characters!”

“Ling You is so pretty, the female character is awesome!”

“Is this Li Shu a green tea type?”

“I now think Su Bei is the strongest of this batch.”

“Su Bei really gives me the feeling of an old-timer crushing the new class.”

“Daily dose of satisfaction!”

“Someone definitely didn’t use their full strength in the personal battle, right?”

As he watched the scenes of training unfold in the comic, Su Bei suddenly felt a sense of disorientation. Had he unknowingly… really caught up?

When he first awakened his ability, he was acutely aware of how useless his [Gear] power was, so he had never harbored any extra expectations for this world of abilities. He and the realm of powers were merely two parallel lines, intersecting once in a lifetime.

Of course, he felt neither disappointment nor despair over this—just a tinge of regret. After all, abilities were merely one of countless talents, just relatively special.

Then, chosen by the “comic consciousness,” he learned he had nearly died, uncovered the truth of this world, and was forced to begin leveraging the readers to enhance his powers.

Everything happened too quickly; his body adapted skillfully, yet his mind lingered in the early days of school. In Su Bei’s heart, he had always been that ordinary person who would leave the realm of abilities after graduation.

It was only when he saw the content in the comic moments ago that he finally felt a sense of reality. He was no longer the Su Bei of Class F; now, he had surpassed most, and even in Class S, he was certainly not a weakling.

He had indeed integrated into the world of abilities.

“Crack.”

Suddenly, Su Bei felt a faint shattering sound in his mind, and his mental strength seemed to experience a slight increase that he could distinctly sense!

—

One must understand how difficult it is for him, with his current advanced mental prowess, to grow any further. Yet, unexpectedly, his shift in mindset has spurred a growth in his mental strength—this truly is a delightful surprise.

Joyful events lift the spirit; the progress made twice in a single day has brightened his mood, a smile gracing his face as he continues to peruse the comic.

In the blink of an eye, a month has passed, and the trials in the otherworldly space are about to commence. After granting the main cast a few moments of preparation, the scene shifts abruptly to a silvery laboratory.

[A man clad in a butler’s uniform stands with his back to the camera, reporting to someone, the black lightning emblem on the back of his neck flickering in and out of view: “They will begin a week-long trial tomorrow. Our people have already made the necessary arrangements.”]

“Good work.” The one receiving the report seems engrossed in some experiment, only occasionally revealing a gloved hand, wielding a scalpel, that appears in the frame.

He halts his actions, tossing a vial of red potion into the butler’s hand: “This time, you will go personally. I want them alive.”

“Understood!”]

Su Bei’s brow furrows slightly. Though he had long suspected that the “Black Flash” organization would take action during this trial, seeing it unfold before him still brings a headache.

The silver lining, however, is that the BOSS intends to capture them alive, which means he will not face life-threatening danger. As long as he isn’t killed outright, there remains a chance to escape.

Arriving at the sandy expanse of the otherworldly zone, the comic vividly depicts the surroundings, offering a general impression.

The environmental description lacks intrigue, yet the camaraderie among Meng Huai, Ye Lin, and Lei Ze’en stands out, drawing a flurry of comments in the barrage, all clamoring for a backstory on the trio.

However, Su Bei estimates the likelihood to be slim; if their popularity can sustain until the season’s end, then perhaps a side story could indeed emerge.

Once they finish tidying up, everyone gathers in the plaza outside the otherworld, where the conflict between the main cast and the “Sky Vault Ability Academy” is unmistakably illustrated. The unyielding exchange between Wu Mingbai and Jiang Tianming delights the readers, while the ensuing dialogue between Su Bei and Li Shu heightens their anticipation.

“What a bunch of lowlifes! Do they really think being a year older gives them some sort of superiority?”

“Hahaha, Wu Mingbai, you’re so sarcastic!”

“I absolutely adore this innocent yet sarcastic demeanor!”

“Can we just smash these fools’ heads in?”

“Jiang Tianming is so handsome!”

“I envy those who can stay calm and retort during arguments; I can’t help but turn red and flustered!”

—

“Did Li Shu make a move in secret?”

“If you’re going to make them pay, Li Shu, then I’m buying your millet!”

“Who understands? I really enjoy the vengeful spirit of the main characters!”

The ensuing dialogue from the “Sky Dome Ability Academy” was vividly illustrated. Upon seeing their intent for revenge, Su Bei raised an eyebrow.

Since these people hadn’t retaliated today, it was clear they would stir up trouble in the coming days. And “Black Flash” would also be up to something soon. To be honest, Su Bei secretly hoped they would clash, a dog-eat-dog scenario.

The comic deliberately showcased a scene through Jiang Tianming’s perspective, depicting Su Bei stepping back before anyone arrived.

After the people from the “Sky Dome Ability Academy” were said to have fled, they truly entered the alternate space. It began with a macro view, a vast desert with a tiny rest stop, surrounded by a transparent blue energy shield.

This shield was invisible to the naked eye in reality, likely established by the government to ensure the safety of the rest stop.

Inside the rest stop, many people were present. Thanks to the author’s exquisite artistry, the calm demeanor of the veterans contrasted sharply with the naivety of the main characters, making it immediately clear who were the newcomers and who were the seasoned ones.

The expressions of the veterans, relishing the spectacle, were equally well-captured. Many in the main group felt this tension and revealed wary glances.

Just as they were about to queue to exit the rest stop, the camera once again followed Jiang Tianming’s gaze to Su Bei, who took a step back. This time, Jiang Tianming pushed back alongside him.

Accompanying this was Jiang Tianming’s inner thoughts: “Su Bei stepping back can’t be a good sign; I’d better retreat with him.”

Just then, Feng Lan, about to step out of the protective shield, seemed to suddenly realize something and quickly moved aside. Zhao Xiaoyu, standing next to him, cleverly followed suit, stepping aside as well.

However, Mo Xiaotian, trailing behind them, clearly lacked this quick wit, oblivious to any danger, and boldly walked out.

The retreat of the clever ones was evidently not in vain; the first group to step out indeed encountered peril.

After a hard-fought ambush against the Night Beasts, Si Zhaohua and the others, encouraged by the applause of the veterans, successfully noticed that a few had stealthily retreated and thus avoided the battle.

And so, they began to settle scores.

Readers witnessing this scene erupted in laughter.

“Hahahahaha, how ruthless, Su Bei!”

“Jiang Jiang, you lot aren’t faring much better.”

“Xiao Tian, darling, you really haven’t noticed that the two in front of you are off, have you?”

“Hahahahahaha!”

“No wonder that expression; it seems ambushes by the Nightmare Beasts at rest stops are the norm.”

“Finally, you’ve noticed these slackers.”

“Goodness, each one of them is a master at shifting blame.”

“Su Bei: ?”

“Hahahahahaha, an expression of disbelief.”

“Su Bei, how dare you shift the blame onto Teacher Meng? Such courage you have!”

“Looks like you’ve been sanctioned, huh? (No mercy.)”

After traversing the desert for a while, the teacher vanished, and soon after, Feng Lan revealed the target left by the teacher—discover the ‘Closing Point.’ Through Jiang Tianming’s analysis, they confirmed that the ‘Closing Point’ lay directly to the north.

On the path to their goal, Qingqing and her trio appeared. Before they revealed any malice, the readers held a favorable view of them. After all, Qingqing’s abilities were intriguing, and this little team was quite entertaining.

Once they decided to collaborate, issues began to surface— they asked far too many questions.

Each time they posed a crucial question, they had to lay the groundwork with several others first, and with four of them, the back-and-forth made it seem like an endless barrage of inquiries.

Many astute readers had already sensed their probing.

During a break, Jiang Tianming, Si Zhaohua, and Su Bei gathered to discuss how to locate the ‘Closing Point.’ When Su Bei revealed a piece of information they logically shouldn’t have known, the comments exploded with speculation.

“Yeah, how did Su Bei know that?”

“I can’t shake the feeling that Su Bei has intel channels we aren’t aware of; the information he shared before doesn’t seem like it could all come from his abilities.”

“Could he be an undercover? Did the ‘Black Flash’ organization send him intel in advance?”

“Su Bei is shrouded in so many mysteries; I shall call him the ‘Mysterious First of the ‘Abilities Reign’!”

—

For this turn of events, Su Bei was somewhat taken aback. Though he had lived through it himself, he could hardly fathom what others were thinking.

The comic illustrated Jiang Tianming’s inner turmoil, revealing that the other party could deduce from the nuances in his words that his sources of information did not stem from supernatural abilities, but rather from other channels. This revelation left him quite astonished.

Of course, this was a boon for Su Bei. He had initially intended to use the “Prophet” moniker to share this news, but it seemed that would no longer be necessary.

The conspiracy began to unfold when everyone discovered the issue of the quicksand and prepared to seek out the “closing point.” It all started when Zhou Renjie and Brother Dao emerged from the restroom together.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, a chill crept into the air, casting a shadow over the group, transforming the warm hues of light into a cold, eerie glow.

【After Jiang Tianming and the others descended, Zhou Renjie immediately turned to Su Bei, whom he deemed the strongest among the upper echelon: “Su Bei, I need to talk to you.”

He had assumed Su Bei would be caught off guard, but instead, Su Bei wore a mocking grin, as if he had anticipated this moment: “Good news or bad news?”

Of course, it was bad news… Zhou Renjie felt a foreboding sensation rising within him: “…It’s definitely good news.”

Predictably unexpected, Su Bei chuckled: “Liar. If it’s bad news, then I won’t be involved.”

With that, he vanished from sight.】

The barrage of comments erupted.

“Ahhh Su Bei, you’re such a handsome darling!”

“Help! He really knows how to hit my sweet spot!”