A Guide for Background Characters to Survive in a Manga

How could Su Bei be here?

The violet-haired woman did not know Su Bei; she merely regarded this sudden variable with caution.

The blonde youth smirked, yet his violet eyes held no trace of mirth, staring directly at her: “Oh dear, I’ve been discovered.”

The words were so eerie that, despite his youthful appearance, the violet-haired woman dared not let her guard down, her gaze fixed warily upon him.

The blonde youth raised a hand, casually snapping his fingers.

Just as the violet-haired woman felt a wave of confusion wash over her, the next moment, a sharp, needle-like pain pierced her mind.

In terror, she clutched her head, her eyes locked onto the broken whip in her grasp. How had her whip shattered!

In the second before unconsciousness claimed her, the violet-haired woman had but one thought—what kind of ability is this?

Seeing this scene unfold, Su Bei nodded in satisfaction. The comic captured his essence with a lofty style, and it cleverly omitted the reason behind the whip’s break, adding an air of mystery to his powers.

If the readers were to know that he merely built upon the foundation laid by Jiang Tianming and the others to create the whip’s fracture, the style might remain intact, yet the elevation it brought him would be diminished.

Thus, it seemed that regardless of the author’s thoughts about him, he would generally refrain from allowing his already established character to crumble before he took the initiative to self-destruct.

It was evident that as his character gradually solidified and his popularity surged, the author, in a bid to retain this segment of fans, would actively obscure certain unnecessary plot points within reasonable bounds. This was a promising sign; the author’s support could spare him much cautious maneuvering.

Undoubtedly, such shining moments would elicit screams from the readers.

“Ahhhhhhh!”

“So handsome, I’m already tired of saying it!”

“Help, help, help! How can Su Bei be this handsome!”

“I’m dying from the handsomeness!”

“What kind of power is this? This is fate!”

“This ability is so strong; he didn’t use it at all during the individual battles before, did he?”

“Su Bei really knows how to hit my XP every time!”

“No way? This is just too handsome!”

“Clearly, I’ve been watching all along, yet I still found myself asking the same question as the purple-haired girl…”

In another dimension, someone was synchronously viewing this very content alongside Su Bei.

Xiao Zhao was drawn in by the second season of the comic “Powers Reign,” quickly becoming a devoted fan of the main cast. Previously, the forums buzzed with talk that the group battles were surely meant to deepen their bonds of friendship, and Xiao Zhao was eagerly anticipating it.

As the story opened with everyone laughing and joking together, Xiao Zhao blissfully cradled her face in her hands: “This is wonderful; daily life is the best!”

At that moment, her friend, who had just finished queuing and brought over two cups of milk tea, leaned in curiously at her peculiar antics and asked, “What are you watching?”

“‘The Power of Abilities!’” Little Zhao shot her a flirtatious glance, “Darling, you really won’t take my recommendation? Everyone in the group is seriously telling you, every character is super charming!”

“Not a chance.” Her friend set down her milk tea, crossing her arms defiantly, “You know I’ve been busy lately. I’m going back to work; you can go read your comics.”

Seeing her friend already opening her laptop and typing furiously, Little Zhao pouted and decided not to disturb her further.

After the mission involving the stone tablet was revealed, they all went their separate ways. Little Zhao had initially felt disappointed at the lack of a large group dynamic, but soon discovered that even in pairs, interesting sparks could fly.

Before long, they regrouped, and the first hints of conspiracy emerged. Little Zhao gasped, “Hiss!”

“What’s wrong?” her friend looked up, curious.

Little Zhao grimaced, “The villain is causing trouble! As a devoted fan, this is the worst time for me. Who knows who will get hurt? I’ll be sad for any of the babies that get hurt.”

At her words, her friend lost interest and returned to her work, offering a half-hearted consolation, “It’s fine, it’s fine. You’ll get used to being sad after a few times.”

Little Zhao: “…”

She shot her friend a middle finger and continued reading. Jiang Tianming and Si Zhaohua were battling the purple-haired girl. Just as she worried for them and secretly shipped their pairing, suddenly, Little Zhao’s eyes widened: How is Su Bei here?

In the comic, the handsome blonde youth exuded an air of pride and mystery, showcasing unmatched strength as he effortlessly defeated the purple-haired girl.

When she saw the moment the purple-haired girl collapsed, she covered her mouth, unable to contain a scream, “Ah!”

“What now?” her friend asked, exasperated.

Little Zhao slowly lifted her head, her eyes sparkling, utterly entranced, “…I think I’m about to become a die-hard fan.”

*

Su Bei, of course, was unaware that he had just gained a whole new batch of fans; he continued reading the comic. In the next panel, the chibi versions of Jiang Tianming and Si Zhaohua looked utterly dumbfounded, which was quite amusing.

Next, Jiang Tianming and Si Zhaohua pressed Su Bei for answers about why he was there. At the time, Su Bei hadn’t thought much of it, but now, from the comic’s perspective, he realized that while his answers were truthful, they came off as rather dismissive in the comic.

If he didn’t know the truth himself, he might have thought it was nonsense too.

From noble mtl dot com

The plot progressed to the part where Si Zhaohua and Su Bei got into an argument.

To be precise, it was Si Zhaohua who unilaterally argued with Su Bei, only to be soothed by Su Bei’s two simple sentences.

Perhaps it was the swiftness of the soothing that led to this, for though Su Bei, the one directly involved, knew that at that moment, Si Zhao Hua was genuinely angry—on the brink of severing ties—yet from the comic’s perspective, it merely appeared as a boy throwing a tantrum.

In the end, Su Bei’s remark, “Sometimes victory is not necessarily a good thing,” sparked a flurry of speculation among readers.

“Is it okay to say that Su Bei and Si Zhao Hua have a bit of a thing going on?”

“But isn’t Si Zhao Hua officially paired with Jiang Tian Ming?”

“And Jiang Tian Ming’s official pairing isn’t with Wu Ming Bai?”

“Isn’t Si Zhao Hua’s official pairing with Ai Bao Zhu?”

“And Ai Bao Zhu’s official pairing isn’t with Lan Su Bing?”

“Is Zhou Ren Jie absent because he doesn’t measure up?”

“Suddenly realizing all these names are just two characters long!”

“CP enthusiasts have taken over the comment section!”

“What does Su Bei’s line mean?”

“‘Sometimes victory is not necessarily a good thing’? Is this suggesting that Si Zhao Hua and Jiang Tian Ming might not have a favorable outcome from this victory?”

“Ahhh, no! Are we already laying the groundwork for tragedy here?”

Scrolling down, Su Bei encountered the plot that unfolded after his departure.

【Not long after Su Bei left, the purple-haired woman awoke. Jiang Tian Ming and Si Zhao Hua attempted to extract any information regarding the ‘Black Flash’ mission from each other.

However, the purple-haired woman would, of course, never betray her organization. She did not threaten them to release her; instead, she merely scoffed, “Don’t waste your efforts on me. Do as you will—kill or torture, it matters not!”

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The protagonists of a youth comic indeed could not act excessively towards captives, yet Jiang Tian Ming and Si Zhao Hua were no pushovers. Jiang Tian Ming told Si Zhao Hua he would return shortly, then took his leave.

Facing the purple-haired woman alone, Si Zhao Hua wore a detached expression, rubbing his wrist where the whip had struck: “We can’t do much to you, but what about the school? If you share a bit more now, you might suffer less when you’re outside.”

At his words, the purple-haired woman laughed triumphantly: “Outside? Do you think we would allow so many to enter without any backup plan?”

Upon hearing her words, Si Zhaohua became acutely aware of the gravity of the situation. “Black Flash” was notorious for its enigma; with so many members infiltrating, if they were caught, the entire organization would face dire consequences.

Relying on their perceived invulnerability, the purple-haired woman had no qualms about revealing the truth: “We all enter as avatars. If we die or leave this alternate space, we return to our true selves.”

At this, a hint of mockery flickered across her features. “Otherwise, do you think you two novices could last so long against me?”

As a seasoned esper, even if her physical prowess was lacking, her abilities alone would have swiftly subdued the two newcomers. If her true self were present, their meager attacks wouldn’t even graze her.

Upon hearing this, Si Zhaohua understood. No wonder he felt these foes were not particularly strong; it was clear that “Black Flash” had gone to great lengths to create this opportunity. Why would they send weaklings? The reason behind it was now laid bare.

At this moment, Su Bei also experienced a sudden clarity. He shared the same doubts as Si Zhaohua. Through his mental perception, he realized that these cloaked figures were indeed not formidable.

Of course, they were far stronger than first-year students, but they were by no means unbeatable. Unless “Black Flash” had truly run out of capable members, it made no sense to dispatch them.

It seemed that the weakness of their opponents stemmed not only from “Black Flash” underestimating these first-year students but also from a strategic reserve.

Having members complete tasks as avatars effectively ensured their safety. One had to admit, this organization was quite cautious.

However, the man in the duckbill cap was genuinely formidable, far surpassing the others. Su Bei suspected he might be the true body, the kind of death warrior who would commit suicide upon mission failure.

This was good news for him; if the man in the duckbill cap died, it meant that before he made his move, no one would know he had impersonated a superior to fabricate an identity for himself.

Before long, Jiang Tianming returned, accompanied by a pink-haired boy named Li Shu.

Li Shu?

Su Bei felt a flicker of recognition. He recalled that this was Jiang Tianming’s opponent in a certain round of the individual competition, his abilities unknown, yet he had a knack for making others concede.

So it was this person? Su Bei’s interest piqued; he was curious about this individual’s powers. Though the individual competition had concluded, the results of the final day remained undisclosed, yet everyone’s abilities no longer needed to be concealed.

Li Shu did not directly state his powers. Instead, with a gentle smile, he suddenly pressed his hand against the purple-haired woman’s head.

From his palm, a continuous stream of pink energy surged forth, flooding into the purple-haired woman’s mind.

Before long, the purple-haired woman transformed from her initial shock and vigilance into a dazed state, murmuring in response, “Yes, I know my mission, I must capture…”

Just as she spoke, a look of excruciating pain twisted her features. She abruptly opened her eyes, her bound hands splayed wide, then clenched tightly. In the end, her entire form melted away like ice cream, dissolving into a pool of blood.

“Wow, truly the mark of a villainous organization.” Su Bei murmured to himself, a sudden alertness creeping into his mind. Until now, the narrative had been a peaceful tale of youth, lulling Su Bei into a false sense of security. It was only upon witnessing this scene that he realized the villainous organization here was no mere jest.

Though the violet-haired woman, reduced to a pool of blood, was but a specter, her agony was unmistakable. The “Black Flash” kept its secrets with a cruelty that promised even greater ruthlessness towards its foes.

He needed to ponder the undercurrents more carefully, Su Bei thought. If he truly intended to engage with the “Black Flash,” he must be thoroughly prepared, armed with sufficient trump cards. Otherwise, a single misstep could lead to irretrievable doom.

Speaking of which, this Li Shu’s ability was rather intriguing. It seemed he could conjure illusions or fantasies, something that could warp perceptions within the mind, allowing the violet-haired woman to unwittingly reveal the truth.

This also explained why he could compel opponents to concede in personal duels—perhaps he made them feel he was formidable.

A terrifying ability, Su Bei mused; it bore a striking resemblance to Wu Jin’s second persona’s powers.

Before departing, the other had reminded Jiang Tianming not to forget their agreement. Though the specifics of this pact eluded him, Su Bei sensed something peculiar about Li Shu’s character.

Jiang Tianming’s segment concluded, and the comic shifted focus to Lan Subing and Wu Mingbai, who had managed to evade pursuit. After aiding a few classmates, they overheard a conversation between two enemies.

It was then they learned that Feng Lan had been captured at the onset of the group battle. Yet, due to his innate defenses, the foes could do little against him.

When one of them remarked, “Feng Lan has been in that house for so long; who knows what he’s heard? We must take him away,” Wu Mingbai conceived a plan to feign capture and infiltrate the enemy ranks.

Wu Mingbai and Lan Subing soon reunited with Jiang Tianming, and before long, it was the next day. Upon seeing the newly released ultimate mission, Wu Mingbai shared his thoughts from the previous day with Jiang Tianming and the others. They quickly reached a consensus and began devising a concrete action plan.

The scene then shifted to Mu Tieren. Initially, he had been with Mo Xiaotian, but they had become separated during the chase.

Upon spotting Zhao Xiaoyu and the others, he approached, intending to join them, only to collide with two cloaked figures intent on capturing them.

Wu Jin, employing his ability “Silence is Silence,” slipped away unnoticed. Meanwhile, Mu Tieren fought valiantly against the enemies, managing to dispatch one with the group’s combined efforts, yet he was utterly exhausted and fell prey to another foe.

Originally the strongest among them, Mu Tieren still had the stamina to flee, but with his companions captured and the enemies using them as leverage, he had no choice but to surrender.

Initially, the enemies treated the captives poorly, especially Mu Tieren, who was further injured. Yet, the astute Zhao Xiaoyu engaged them in conversation, her laughter and charm successfully disarming their hostility towards the prisoners.

So that was it; no wonder the others had reacted to Mu Tieren and Zhao Xiaoyu in such a manner when they first encountered them.

Just then, Su Bei arrived to rescue them. The comic did not depict the transaction between him and Wu Jin, instead showcasing the rescue from Zhao Xiaoyu and Mu Tieren’s perspective.

A few gears hurtled towards the enemies, occupying a frame on their own; any fool could see it was Su Bei who had come to their aid. After all, he was the only one in the comic whose powers were linked to gears.

Soon after, Wu Jin returned, confirming that it was indeed Su Bei who had saved them, though he kept their transaction to himself.

Seeing this, Su Bei’s eyes flickered with a glimmer of light. It seemed the comic author had no intention of letting Wu Jin take the spotlight just yet, which meant he could indeed ponder how to make use of this situation.

Of course, he did not wish to actively expose the other’s secrets; after all, since the comic author chose not to reveal them at this moment, he naturally would not go against that.

Su Bei merely wanted to prepare the most fitting response for when Wu Jin’s secret was finally unveiled.

The ensuing plot had little to do with Su Bei. Jiang Tianming, Lan Subing, and Wu Mingbai were deliberately captured, joining forces with Feng Lan. In these two days, Feng Lan had indeed learned many secrets, revealing the specific locations that needed to be destroyed, saving them a great deal of time.

Aside from him, Ai Baozhu was also brought in. This young lady showed no awareness of her captivity, demanding water and cushions. Yet, due to her status, the men in black dared not treat her too harshly.

Previously, Si Zhaohua had worried that Ai Baozhu might encounter misfortune, but seeing this scene, Su Bei could only conclude that Si Zhaohua underestimated Ai Baozhu. Not only did nothing happen to her, but she hadn’t even suffered the slightest hardship.

The young lady was clearly adept at leveraging her privileged background, skillfully dancing on the edge of the captors’ fury, securing the best treatment for herself and her friends.

Then, following the plan, Jiang Tianming went to provoke the man in the duckbill cap, drawing his attention. Wu Mingbai went to plant the bomb. Lan Subing went to rescue the captured. Si Zhaohua was responsible for luring away the patrolling men in black.

Once the bomb was set and ready to explode, they all vanished, escaping together.

The scene shifted to the man in the duckbill cap, whose face was filled with despair after the explosion. He knew the mission had failed; as the one who had infiltrated, he could only die to protect the organization’s secrets.

The next scene was a flashback, echoing the words Su Bei had disguised as a superior to tell him.

Then, the man in the duckbill cap arrived at the open space where he had previously encountered Jiang Tianming, conjuring a blank sheet of paper, stuffing a silver ball inside, and placing the paper in the grass.

Once he completed this, the teachers from the Ability Academy arrived, beginning to assault him. Although the man in the duckbill cap had already ingested poison, he could not simply surrender; the group fought their way further and further away.

【In the final scene, a pair of white sneakers stepped into the open space, a voice coming from above: “Where did the things go?”】

Upon seeing this last segment, Su Bei raised an eyebrow. It was clear that this person was not him. After all, he had used an invisibility talisman when he arrived, while this person appeared directly here. Moreover, he had never uttered that phrase.

Su Bei speculated that this person was likely Mo Xiaotian. In the final segment, Mo Xiaotian had hardly appeared, suggesting he was likely working some hidden angle.

He had not sought out the man in the duckbill cap and his group before, but that did not mean he hadn’t looked for them during this last stretch of time; otherwise, how would Mo Xiaotian know the meaning of the signal flare?

Now, readers should have begun to believe that the “Black Flash” organization had “collaborators” within the school. And after witnessing the disappearance of the items, Mo Xiaotian, this “Holy Son,” would likely also come to believe in the existence of such a “collaborator.”

When the next comic update arrives, it would probably showcase Jiang Tianming’s discovery. By then, many would surely suspect that Su Bei was the owner of those final shoes.

This cannot do. Su Bei’s brows furrowed instantly. Indeed, the identity of the villain is quite thrilling for the readers, but after all, this is a tale of spirited youth.

Readers typically immerse themselves in the side of justice; after a brief excitement over his villainous role, they will soon begin to worry for the main characters, especially since he is an undercover villain among them.

By that time, aside from a few fans of the antagonists, the remaining readers will likely develop a distaste for him. Su Bei does not need many fans, but he certainly cannot afford too many haters. After all, those who dislike him always wish for his weakness; if the number of those who despise him increases, it will become difficult for him to grow stronger.

He must find a few more protectors for himself. Isn’t the classic trope of comics about choosing between a villain, an undercover agent, or a murderer? Only when readers are engrossed in guessing who the true villain is will his popularity not only hold steady but perhaps even rise.

The two members of the main group cannot be included among these protectors, but whether it’s Mo Xiaotian or Mu Tieren, both are excellent choices. Besides them, Zhou Renjie could also serve this role well.

However, Su Bei suspects that the comic’s author likely shares the same thoughts; in the final group collaboration, neither Zhou Renjie, Mo Xiaotian, nor he made an appearance.

If he is not mistaken, the author probably intends for the two of them to serve as backup protagonists for this dual role.

With this understanding, Su Bei summarizes the secrets he has uncovered during this group battle: Si Zhaohua’s ability can attract the Nightmares, Wu Jin has a second personality and an exquisite face, Mo Xiaotian is the “Black Flash” Holy Son, and one can contact the “Black Flash” at 26 Mushroom Road…

It must be said, this group battle has yielded rich rewards. Secrets that were nearly exhausted have now been replenished.

However, aside from establishing contact with the “Black Flash,” he has already achieved all his other short-term goals. Su Bei plans to check the forum to see if it can provide him with any new ideas.

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In this group battle, Su Bei gathered a wealth of information, and naturally, the readers did as well; many new posts appeared in the forum.

“Can Mu Tieren single-handedly fight two men in black???“

“Everyone’s cooperation was so seamless; I will forever love the plot of friends working together to defeat enemies!”

“So cool!!! Su Bei, you really!!!”

“Discussion thread for the ‘Black Flash’ organization”

“Who was that last person?”

“A light ship for Su Bei and Si Zhaohua, do they have a CP name?”

“Isn’t this dungeon’s final battle missing a few people?”

“‘Don’t think too highly of your companions…’ I smell the scent of a knife!”

The first post caught Su Bei’s eye, for in his haste, he had truly overlooked this place. Yet, upon reflection, it made sense; despite the assistance of other Class F students, their contributions were minimal. It could very well be said that the Wooden Iron Man faced two foes alone.

“Can the Wooden Iron Man really battle two cloaked figures???”