A Guide for Background Characters to Survive in a Manga - Chapter 99



Feigning surprise, Su Bei glanced around, his expression a mask of confusion. “It’s almost time to start working; why hasn’t he shown up yet?”

He quickly added, “We just finished eating, and he mentioned needing to use the restroom. I thought I’d come chat with you instead. But now that I think about it, I haven’t seen him since…”

At that moment, three figures entered, their demeanor a mix of tension and excitement, casting furtive glances at Su Bei, their eyes betraying a hint of guilt.

Understanding dawned on Su Bei; it seemed these three were the ones who had taken action. He pretended not to notice their furtive glances, anxiously checking the time and the entrance.

—

The atmosphere thickened with unspoken tension, the air heavy with the weight of secrets and unfulfilled desires. The mine loomed ahead, a dark maw ready to swallow them whole, while the flickering shadows danced like specters of their pasts, whispering of choices made and paths yet to tread.

As the clock ticked down to the hour of labor, Su Bei could no longer sit still. “I can’t, I must go find Xiao Cao.”

“Hey, don’t go!” Li Jie quickly stopped him, perhaps out of the camaraderie they had just shared. He spoke gently, “He won’t make it back in time. Even if you go, it’s useless; you’ll only end up in trouble yourself.”

Su Bei seemed to heed the warning, scratching his head in despair. “Then what should I do? Where could he have gone? Do you know what the punishment is for not showing up…? Maybe I should ask for his leave later.”

His words tumbled out, disjointed, revealing his deep concern for Si Zhao Hua. Li Jie, sensing the urgency in Su Bei’s demeanor, dismissed his earlier suspicion that Si Zhao Hua had deliberately stayed away to uncover the secrets of this strange realm.

“Don’t worry,” he reassured, “We’ll look for him after work. You can’t ask for leave; it can only be for illness, and they’ll send a doctor to check. If he’s not sick, you’ll be punished too.”

As for what that punishment entailed, a flicker of pity crossed Li Jie’s eyes, but he chose to remain silent.

Su Bei didn’t press further, his anxiety palpable.

Before long, the supervisor arrived, and upon counting heads, noticed one was missing. He barked, “Where’s Mu Cao? Does anyone know?”

No one answered. Su Bei opened his mouth to speak, but Li Jie pulled him back, leaving him mute.

With no one willing to speak, it was clear that Si Zhao Hua was late. The supervisor sneered, “You all get back to work.”

With that, he turned and left the mine.

Without a doubt, Si Zhao Hua had vanished. The next day, the supervisor announced Si Zhao Hua’s punishment. Due to his tardiness, he had lost his job and was now gone.

Su Bei understood all too well that the supervisor’s “dismissal” was not merely a release from this strange space; it meant being sent to feed the Night Beasts. Yet he feigned ignorance, pretending to breathe a sigh of relief.

That night, while Su Bei was in the restroom, he spotted the mark left by Si Zhao Hua at their agreed-upon spot. It seemed he was alright, and Su Bei felt a wave of relief wash over him.

However, on the third day, following Si Zhao Hua’s mark, he took the initiative to search for where he might be confined. After all, if they couldn’t find a way out, Su Bei would have to lead Meng Huai and the others to him.

The mark left by Si Zhao Hua was a single red leaf. He could only leave a leaf, no more clues, indicating the urgency of the moment. They had previously arranged three marking points, placing them as close as possible to where they were.

The mark was a leaf, suggesting that Si Zhao Hua was somewhere with trees.

But this place was nothing but a vast expanse of red sand—where could trees possibly be?

Su Bei was perplexed, wandering around the restroom area, searching for any signs. Though there were many sand dunes, if there were trees, they would surely be visible. After a fruitless circuit, he concluded that this area had no trees. If there were no trees, where had Si Zhao Hua found the leaf?

Standing still for a moment, Su Bei decided to shift his perspective. If there were no trees above ground, could it be that they thrived beneath?

The moment this thought flickered in his mind, it felt strikingly plausible. Given that the primary resources of this strange realm were hidden underground, who could guarantee that the Night Beasts roamed the surface?

Moreover, if this place were to host trees and Night Beasts, they would be easily spotted. After all, a barren expanse of red sand, even with a few dunes, could hardly obscure one’s view.

But the question remained: how could he descend into the depths? He couldn’t just grab a shovel and start digging next to the restroom, could he? Setting aside the likelihood of finding anything, the restroom was a high-traffic area, making it difficult to carve out the time needed for such an endeavor.

He needed to find the right entrance; digging on his own might not suffice.

With this in mind, Su Bei retrieved a camera from his storage ring, placing it discreetly by a large tree next to the restroom. He ensured it wouldn’t be discovered by passersby, yet would capture everything happening in the vicinity.

Once that was done, he headed straight for the mine, ready to set his plan in motion. If he merely waited idly, who knew how long it would take for another to err, allowing his camera to record useful information?

He had to take the initiative, to find someone who had made a mistake, compelling the supervisor to venture forth to the place of punishment and unlock the entrance.

By the time he arrived, the lunch break was nearly over, and the supervisor had come relatively early, consolidating Su Bei’s intent. Rubbing his eyes to redden them slightly, he approached the supervisor.

“Supervisor, I wish to report that someone has deliberately framed a fellow dorm mate.”

“Oh?” The supervisor’s interest piqued, he quickly deduced what Su Bei was referring to. After all, it was he who had personally apprehended Si Zhao Hua, fully aware that the child was innocent. Yet, rules were rules; being late meant punishment.

It was unexpected that someone would stand up for her. If memory served, these two seemed to share a decent bond; this child was indeed loyal.

Without hesitation, Su Bei pointed to the last three individuals who had entered, his voice laced with anger. “Xiao Cao is very rule-abiding; how could he possibly know there would be punishment and still not show up? Someone must have prevented him from coming, and those three who entered last are the culprits!”

The supervisor chuckled, noncommittal. “You know, handling cases requires evidence; we can’t rely solely on your word.”

“I have evidence!” Su Bei replied immediately. “You should check those three; I’m sure you’ll find some money on them or under their pillows. Each coin bears a grass radical mark. If you find that money, it will confirm they stole Xiao Cao’s funds. Stealing is certainly worthy of punishment, isn’t it?”

At this point, regret washed over his face. “I realized today that when Xiao Cao and I mentioned we had money yesterday, they must have overheard us, which led them to commit this wrongdoing.”

Hearing this, a flicker of appreciation crossed the supervisor’s face. Su Bei’s quick identification of the wrongdoers and his ability to gather evidence to turn the tables was commendable. One had to admit, for a teenager to act so selflessly for a friend was quite remarkable.

Initially, the supervisor had little interest in intervening in a case of betrayal among peers, but since the victim’s friend could present evidence, he had no qualms about stepping in.

As Su Bei had anticipated, the three individuals indeed possessed the money he had prepared earlier. Some was found on their persons, while others lay hidden beneath their pillows—without exception, all were discovered.

The evidence was irrefutable. The supervisor let out a cold laugh, ready to seize the three individuals. Naturally, they refused, intent on fleeing. As expected, the supervisor was an ability user; with a flick of his wrist, he wielded a massive iron hammer, striking one down on the spot. The other two were left paralyzed with fear, crumpling to the ground.

The onlookers were stunned, a throng of ordinary folk who had never witnessed an ability user before! Let alone one committing murder. They trembled, not daring to utter a word.

The supervisor, pleased with his display of authority, proclaimed, “I warn you all, once you step inside, behave yourselves and work diligently. Anyone who dares to break the rules or frame their comrades will meet the same fate!”

With that, he seized one of the men and departed the mine.

Once he was gone, Li Jie hurriedly asked, “What on earth is going on?”

Su Bei’s eyes were still red, a picture of sorrow. “I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. Why hasn’t Xiao Cao shown up? It’s not like he had a major issue.”

“Last night, as I lay in bed, I recalled our conversation while mining. I warned him to be cautious with his money, to not let it be stolen. I noticed a few people around us; perhaps one of them overheard. Among them were the three boys who arrived last. The more I thought about their behavior, the more suspicious it seemed. So, I went to report it to the supervisor.”

Li Jie pieced together the events from his words and patted his shoulder. “Take heart. Remember this lesson; keep your wealth hidden, can’t you see?”

Su Bei hung his head, a picture of dejection, clearly not in the mood to talk. Li Jie, sensing the moment, wisely chose to leave him be.

As the night shift ended, Su Bei seized the opportunity to slip into the restroom, pausing the recording function on his camera to review the previous footage.

Sure enough, he saw the supervisor dragging the two boys behind the restroom, pushing aside a massive stone, revealing a hidden entrance. He had taken them inside, emerging only five minutes later.

A smirk crept across Su Bei’s lips.

He had found it.

Just past midnight, a thunderous explosion shattered the stillness, jolting everyone from their slumber, panic-stricken as they sat up in bed, glancing around in confusion. “What happened?”

Su Bei, however, was well aware. It seemed Meng Huai had made his move. He too feigned surprise, slipping on his shoes and bolting from the wooden cabin, exclaiming, “Could it be an explosion? I’ll go check!”

Behind him, Li Jie, still groggy from sleep, replied in bewilderment, “What good will that do?”

But all that awaited him was a whisper of wind.

Meanwhile, Su Bei followed the sound of the explosion to the scene of chaos. Meng Huai, clad in a tight black T-shirt, muscles rippling, stood defiantly against several others. Or rather, those few were confronting him, their stance one-sided.

As Meng Huai took a step forward, the few figures before him retreated, their wariness palpable, as if they were caught in a one-sided beating.

“Teacher!” Su Bei called out, his voice barely above a whisper.

In the next moment, Meng Huai turned sharply to face him. Upon confirming it was Su Bei who had spoken, he casually stomped his foot. Instantly, a large section of the ground around him caved in, swallowing the surrounding figures whole.

Such power was astonishing, Su Bei thought, breathless. He could tell that the ground’s collapse was not the result of any earth-based skill, but rather pure, inhuman strength.

Not just strength, but control as well. Without it, he could not have accurately ensnared the enemies around him. Each of these aspects was something he could only look up to from afar.

Once the enemies were trapped, Meng Huai strode over to Su Bei. “Why are you alone?”

“Si Zhao Hua went to find Jiang Tianming and the others.” As Su Bei spoke, he led Meng Huai toward the restroom, not forgetting to hand over the recording he had made earlier.

Upon reaching the restroom, they finished watching the footage just in time. Meng Huai raised an eyebrow. “You’ve hidden it well. How did you find it?”

Su Bei briefly explained their plan, watching as Meng Huai effortlessly pushed aside the massive stone door. Curiously, he asked, “Teacher, does your ability relate to strength? Beast Tamer? Spirit Warrior? General?”

By the end, he had begun to guess in a fantastical direction; after all, with abilities, anything was possible as long as it fell within the realm of professions. Based on his earlier deductions, the most likely similarity between Meng Huai’s ability and Si Zhao Hua’s was that both were profession-based.

With a profession and summoning capabilities, along with immense strength, those were the only options he could think of. Surely, there were other possibilities, but at that moment, he truly couldn’t come up with anything else.

Hearing Su Bei’s guesses, Meng Huai knew he was on the right track, just not quite there yet.

He shrugged. “Keep guessing.”

As he spoke, the massive stone was fully pushed aside, revealing an underground entrance before them. Just as they were about to descend, a sudden “bang” echoed from below, a sound of explosion.

Meng Huai frowned, ready to leap down, while Su Bei quickly followed, assessing, “That’s the sound of Mo Xiao Tian’s ability.”

Mo Xiao Tian’s ability, Air, could create explosive air blocks. Su Bei had witnessed it many times before and recognized the sound immediately.

As they spoke, Su Bei activated his ability, adjusting his pointer on the Fate Gear to the far left.

He knew there must be some opportunity in the underground space, and since he hadn’t gone, he had likely missed it. But what if, by some stroke of luck, there was a chance for him to pick up the pieces?

Following Meng Huai into the depths, they found themselves in a cavern that opened into a forest bathed in crimson. The leaves, the trees, and the very ground shimmered with red, as if they had stepped into a world woven entirely of blood.

Two figures hurried toward the source of the explosion, and before long, several tendrils of black mist darted toward them like frightened shadows.

“That’s the black mist that invaded Zhao Xiaoyu’s body!” Su Bei shouted decisively, sidestepping just in time.

Meng Huai, upon hearing his words, conjured a large piece of psychic crystal from thin air, absorbing all the black mist into it.

For someone like him, a wealthy ability user, the psychic crystal was a staple tool he always carried. He had heard from Su Bei and Si Zhaohua that this type of crystal was likely a vessel for the black mist. So, upon seeing the mist and hearing Su Bei’s warning, he instinctively produced the crystal.

Just then, Jiang Tianming and the others burst out of the forest, their initial surprise quickly turning to urgency as Jiang Tianming exclaimed, “Teacher, did you just see—”

“Right here.” Meng Huai shook the now darkened psychic crystal in his hand, “We need to hurry back; this crystal can’t withstand that energy for long.”

He was about to turn back when a thought struck him. “Wait, let’s check the room where you found the black mist. We can’t leave any loose ends.”

To resolve a matter, one must do so thoroughly; otherwise, the consequences could be endless.

The group arrived at the villa in the woods and split up to search. Su Bei headed to the master bedroom on the second floor, casually rummaging through things before preparing to leave. Just as he was about to step out, he tripped over a shoe on the floor and accidentally bumped into a nearby cabinet.

In the next moment, the solid wood section of the cabinet unexpectedly sprang open, revealing a drawer that appeared before Su Bei. Inside the drawer lay a beautifully crafted box.

Su Bei stared in astonishment, quickly realizing this was likely the work of the “Wheel of Fate.” He certainly wouldn’t squander the benefits his abilities had bestowed upon him. He opened the box, his eyes widening in disbelief.

Inside was a heart-shaped pink fruit, which, if memory served, looked exactly like the one Zhao Xiaoyu had described—the grand prize that could awaken ordinary people’s abilities!

No way! Su Bei nearly cursed aloud; he had merely wanted to enhance his strength a little, and fate had just dropped a fortune into his hands. This was absurd!

Holding this hot potato, Su Bei hesitated for a moment before resolutely shoving the box into his storage ring.

After all, no one had discovered this item; if he found it, it was rightfully his. The academy would only assume it was taken by the “Black Flash” organization, and they wouldn’t trace it back to him.

Such a valuable item might come in handy in the future. Su Bei was far from selfless enough to return it to the school; in this regard, he was quite similar to Zhao Xiaoyu—they both had a tendency to be rather stingy.

After checking and finding nothing amiss, the group made their way outside. Once they exited the villa, Su Bei curiously inquired about the explosion.

Jiang Tianming replied, “We’ve been investigating the secrets here, and not long ago, we finally discovered a massive crystal ball surrounded by black mist.”

“It looked just like the one we saw before, but it was over three times larger,” Si Zhaohua added from the side.

As he finished speaking, Jiang Tianming continued, “We decided to destroy the crystal ball. Although no one could touch it, Xiao Tian’s abilities unexpectedly harmed the black mist.”

—

Originally, our plan was quite sound—could we not blow up the entire crystal along with the black mist inside in one go? But…”

He glanced at Mo Xiaotian, who scratched his head, a hint of embarrassment creeping into his voice as he said, “I accidentally misaligned the explosive cube; some of the black mist wasn’t destroyed.”

Wu Mingbai’s smile was as innocent as a child’s, yet his words were merciless: “It seems some people haven’t been careful at all.”

Suddenly, Su Bei laughed, softly saying, “Indeed, quite careless.”

At this, everyone turned to him in surprise. Though Su Bei often enjoyed the spectacle, he rarely spoke in such a sarcastic tone unless it directly involved him. This felt more like something Wu Mingbai or Li Shu would say—what was going on today?

Yet Mo Xiaotian, as if oblivious to the undercurrents, replied with a silly grin, “Next time, I’ll definitely be more careful!”

Su Bei chose not to say more; any further comment would truly be out of character. His earlier remark wasn’t meant as a jab, merely a subtle hint that he already knew Mo Xiaotian was an undercover agent.

Lan Subing whispered a comforting note, “It’s alright; thankfully, the black mist was collected by the teacher in the end. Perhaps we can study how this thing is made when we return.”

Speaking of which, Jiang Tianming recalled something: “By the way, this black mist should have been developed using the Nightmare Beasts; we’ve seen them frequently capturing many of those creatures.”

As Meng Huai listened to their chatter, he guided them toward the exit of this strange space. Upon seeing the current state of the exit, even Si Zhaohua couldn’t help but gasp in disbelief: “How is this possible?”

What once resembled a cave now had its exterior completely vanished, leaving only a tattered black hole behind. The edges of the hole were jagged, as if someone had torn it open with their hands.

Three foreigners stood guard at the entrance, and upon spotting Meng Huai and the others, they quickly approached. One man, wearing a black top hat, struggled to contain his anger and asked in their familiar tongue, “Mr. Meng, what brings you here uninvited? Is such rudeness a disregard for the peace and friendship between our nations?”

Meng Huai scoffed, replying without a hint of politeness, “You’ve taken our academy’s students, and now you dare to turn the tables?”

“What students?” The man paused, his gaze shifting to the group of children behind Meng Huai, his expression turning to one of confusion. “We haven’t taken your students; all the laborers here volunteered. There must be some mistake!”

He truly had no idea how these students had entered. If he had known, would he have allowed such trouble to come in? Even if he had actively brought the students from the Ability Academy in, there was no way they could still be alive at this moment, leaving behind such a significant liability!

“Feel free to check if you don’t believe me.” Meng Huai was unflinching; they all had student IDs, making it easy to verify their identities.

Upon hearing this, the man in the black hat realized the other party couldn’t possibly be lying. Wasn’t this a trap? He felt utterly wronged. Initially, he thought he was in the right, but upon seeing these students, he instantly understood that being right could easily turn into being wrong. After all, he had been the one to capture their students first; whether intentional or not, it was reasonable for the other side to come in and rescue them.

Now, it was a case of losing the chicken while trying to catch the rice—who knew this group of ancestors had been locked up down there for so long without dying? What kind of chaos had they stirred up?!

—

Thinking of this, a forced smile crept onto his face: “This is truly a misunderstanding; mainly, the students from your esteemed academy did not declare their identities.”

“Declare their identities?” Meng Huai was not swayed by his words, nor would he allow him to share the blame. “Would they dare? In a place like yours, if they spoke up, wouldn’t it mean risking their lives?”

This was not an incorrect statement, the man in the black top hat thought. If those students had truly declared their identities, it would have been fine at first; he would have ensured their safe exit. But once they had spent a day inside, he would show no mercy. What if they got out and the secret escaped with them? That was a risk he would never take.

But he certainly couldn’t voice this thought. The man in the black top hat chuckled awkwardly: “You must be joking?”

“Who’s joking with you?” Meng Huai interrupted coldly. “We are leaving now. Do you have any objections?”

“Well, I think we should first check the previous location…”

“Hmm?” Meng Huai spoke again, his dense spiritual energy surged toward the man in the black top hat, the overwhelming pressure nearly stole his breath away, making him feel as if he would drop dead on the spot.

At this moment, the man in the black top hat could no longer concern himself with checking for losses in the alternate space; he just wanted to send this harbinger of doom away as quickly as possible, nodding vigorously: “Of course, of course, you can leave whenever you wish.”

“I will have the academy handle the follow-up matters,” Meng Huai said the last sentence and strode out of the alternate space with the group.

Once outside, he was about to discuss the next arrangements when he turned to find a crowd of students with sparkling eyes.

The first to speak was Mo Xiaotian, who jumped up excitedly, waving his hands: “Teacher, you’re so cool! I want to wear a black bodysuit too! Can I look like that when I grow up?”

The others: “…”

As expected of him, while everyone had been stirred by Meng Huai’s impressive display just moments ago, now they were left speechless.

Meng Huai, initially a bit flustered, regained his composure at Mo Xiaotian’s words. He looked him up and down, a half-smile on his lips: “You all? If you want to try, go ahead, don’t be afraid of looking foolish.”

This statement was rich in implication, and the faces of several boys, aside from Mo Xiaotian, turned green.

Only Mo Xiaotian continued to laugh happily, saying, “Thank you for the encouragement, Teacher!”

This time, the group could no longer hold back, speaking in unison: “Shut up, Mo Xiaotian!”

Just as they finished shouting, a voice whispered in Su Bei’s ear, the “Comic Consciousness”: “‘Powers of the King’ has been updated, please check it out.”

An expected reminder, Su Bei raised an eyebrow slightly, silently asking, “You’re back?”

“Just a bit more to wrap up the timeline; some content needs your personal touch,” the “Comic Consciousness” replied.

Su Bei nodded knowingly, “Let me finish the comic when I get back; you go ahead and wrap things up first.”

Upon returning to the inn, everyone looked utterly exhausted. Without exchanging many words, they each retreated to the rooms assigned by Ye Lin. It was worth mentioning that the foreign travel budget was generous this time, allowing each of them their own room.

The harsh environment had drained their energy significantly; the least among them had spent two days and two nights in that otherworldly space, while the most had nearly two weeks. Naturally, they were all worn out.

Su Bei felt quite tired as well, but his spirit remained relatively intact. He lay on the bed, opened his phone, and began to read the comic. The latest chapter picked up right where the last one left off, starting from the darkened auction house.