A Guide for Background Characters to Survive in a Manga

“Teacher, what do you think of what Li Shu brought?” Wu Mingbai asked, curiosity piqued. After all, Mo Xiaotian had been scolded for bringing snacks earlier; wasn’t this just as trivial?

Knowing his intentions were less than pure, Meng Hua glared at him: “Li Shu needs these for his ability; he requires ample imagination.”

Illusions, such as his ability, indeed demanded a rich imagination to construct. So it was for his powers; no wonder Li Shu had brought them.

“Hey? Su Bei, why didn’t you bring anything?” Mo Xiaotian exclaimed, eyes wide as he turned to Su Bei, just now realizing the oversight.

This wasn’t due to Su Bei’s lack of presence; in fact, he was quite the opposite—no one in Class S could overlook him.

The reason no one had noticed his lack of a backpack was simply that he had been leaning against the wall. Had it not been for Mo Xiaotian’s idle curiosity, he might have gone unnoticed.

Hearing the question, Su Bei shrugged and raised his right hand.

His hand was pale and well-defined, fingers long enough to be a model’s. On his ring finger, a silver ring had appeared, adding an unexpected allure.

Qi Huang, ever discerning, blurted out, “Storage ring?”

Someone actually recognized it. Su Bei retracted his hand, nodding calmly: “I exchanged it at the academy’s points market.”

After the individual competition, he had indeed struck it rich, amassing over five thousand points. Had the event not concluded on the last day of the competition, he could have doubled that amount.

Many items that had previously eluded him were now within reach with a mere wave of his hand.

In addition to this twenty-square-meter storage ring worth a thousand points, he had also purchased several invisibility talismans used during the team battles. These weren’t cheap, costing two hundred points each.

—

There was also a “Transformation Mask (Imitation)” for 1,000 points, which, once worn, could change one’s appearance. This item was, in theory, quite useful—definitely not something one could acquire for just 1,000 points.

But as a replica, it could only store three forms. In other words, wearing this mask allowed for only three transformations; once those were used up, no further changes could be made. Thus, the price was considerably lower.

Su Bei didn’t mind; three forms were already more than enough for him, as he wouldn’t need many. Upon receiving the mask, he immediately stored an image of a figure cloaked entirely in black robes. Taller and leaner than himself, it resembled a shadow stretched long.

The face was merely a swirling mass of black mist, which, in a sense, was quite straightforward—no pretense at all. Not disguising oneself while in disguise was still a form of honesty, after all.

This image was crafted specifically for his collaboration with the “Black Flash” organization, and he had no fear of others discovering it was a false guise. Isn’t it quite normal to change one’s face when out in the world? Especially when working with such an organization.

As long as Su Bei “casually” revealed to the main group that he had exchanged for the “Transformation Mask,” it wouldn’t be hard for readers to guess that this collaborator was indeed him.

“Are we all ready?” Once they finished their chatter, Meng Huai led the group to the library and exited through the back door.

This door was usually locked; Su Bei had noticed it during his many visits to the library. He hadn’t expected to have the chance to come now, perfectly satisfying his curiosity.

Behind the door was a very spacious room, featuring a circular archway formed of blue light, with two machines maintaining it nearby.

The school doctor, Ye Lin, and another chubby male teacher they hadn’t seen before stood in the room. Upon seeing them enter, the male teacher, Jiang, smiled and said, “So this is this year’s Class S? Hello, I’m Lei Ze’en, also responsible for your training this time. You can call me Teacher Lei.”

Ye Lin gently brushed her green braid that hung before her chest and introduced, “Teacher Lei is a third-year instructor, possessing abilities that are both supportive and defensive—he’s our academy’s golden backup!”

“Wow, that’s impressive!” Mo Xiaotian exclaimed, giving him a compliment, then curiously asked, “So what’s Teacher Lei’s ability?”

“It’s [Teleportation],” Lei Ze’en answered himself. “I can teleport to fixed points or randomly. This blue teleportation gate is created by my ability.”

This was what they called a supportive skill, indeed a powerful capability. They didn’t yet know the specifics of his teleportation time or distance, but since Ye Lin spoke so highly of him, it must be formidable.

“And what about the defensive capability?” After pondering for a moment, Ai Baozhu grew curious as well.

In the next second, Lei Ze’en calmly replied, “During teleportation, the subject being teleported is in a state of absolute defense.”

Su Bei raised an eyebrow and whispered to Feng Lan beside him, “It seems the teacher has been waiting for that question for a long time.”

This was no exaggeration; Lei Ze’en had nearly answered the question the moment Ai Baozhu asked it, looking as if the previous silence had made him quite anxious.

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—

Though his voice was soft, it resonated loudly in the empty classroom. For the sake of her colleague’s dignity, Ye Lin turned her face away, stifling a laugh.

Meng Huai, however, lacked such restraint, bursting into laughter without a hint of decorum: “Hahaha! Old Lei, how does it feel to be seen through by a first-year student?”

Lei Ze’en maintained a stiff, composed expression, pretending he hadn’t heard: “Once we step through this door, we will find ourselves in the outer hall of the异空间. Before we enter, there are some important matters we need to discuss.”

He then turned to Ye Lin: “Little Ye, the introduction part is up to you.”

With that, he tightly wrapped his arms around Meng Huai’s neck, smiling yet gritting his teeth: “Come on, let’s step outside for a chat.”

Seeing everyone’s gaze follow them, Ye Lin cleared her throat heavily: “Alright, don’t mind them, all eyes over here. This time, we’re heading to an open异空间 that belongs to the state. As long as you pay a small fee and register, you can enter. The school will cover the cost for you, and we’ll handle the registration. What you need to do is learn how to navigate this, as you’ll have plenty of opportunities to enter the异空间 on your own in the future.”

This was true; unless one planned to avoid the supernatural world, entering the异空间 was a necessity for any ability user. The usual process involved graduating from the academy, registering one’s identity, and then taking on missions.

Going to disaster-stricken areas or completing extermination tasks in the异空间 could earn a decent sum, which was the primary source of income for ordinary ability users.

It was surprising that they were already leaving the ivory tower of school as first-years. Jiang Tianming suddenly asked, “Was the S class like this in the past? Going to the异空间 as first-years?”

At this, Ye Lin pressed her lips together, nodding and shaking her head: “They usually did this trial during the summer break between finishing first year and starting second year.”

She then revealed her customary gentle smile: “But you’ve caught the attention of ‘Black Flash,’ so your learning pace will be a bit quicker.”

There was a flaw in this logic. Some were quick to catch on, like Su Bei. After being targeted by the ‘Black Flash’ organization, their pace had indeed quickened, but it was not the pace of learning.

The real response to this incident was the early activation of the S class, using its resources to protect them. So, logically, since the S class had already been established, its teaching pace should remain consistent with the past.

Yet it was clear that their teaching rhythm was much more hurried now. What exactly were they rushing for?

Lost in thought, Meng Huai and Lei Ze’en returned. They appeared outwardly unchanged from before they left, but Su Bei, with keen eyes, noticed that Meng Huai seemed to be favoring his waist, likely injured, while Lei Ze’en’s leg appeared to have been kicked.

Feeling the scrutiny of Su Bei’s gaze, Meng Huai shot him a glare. Su Bei, ever wise to the situation, chose to look down, pretending to be oblivious.

“Have you finished?” Lei Ze’en asked, looking at Ye Lin.

Ye Lin nodded: “Actually, there’s not much to say. You’ll understand once we arrive.”

“That’s true; when we went, the teacher didn’t explain much either,” Lei Ze’en mused, stroking his chin. “Just stick close to the teacher and don’t start any unnecessary arguments.”

“Are you guys classmates with the teacher?” Driven by curiosity, Lan Subing, for once, spoke up in the presence of strangers.

In the dim light, she spoke softly.

Through this month’s exam, her social anxiety had indeed improved significantly, and she could now use her “Word Spirit.” Yet, whenever a stranger was present, she still instinctively fell silent.

“Yeah, we’re classmates,” Leizhen said cheerfully, “and we’ve been in the same class since we entered the Ability Academy!”

Upon hearing this, Lan Subing’s eyes sparkled: “No wonder the teachers seem to get along so well.”

Beside them, Meng Huai crossed his arms and let out a cold snort, though he didn’t refute it. Ye Lin cast a knowing glance at him, aware that Meng Huai wasn’t the type to be tsundere; he was just a bit shy.

Thinking of this, Ye Lin chuckled lightly: “Don’t be fooled by how they are now; they weren’t so friendly at the beginning.”

“How weren’t they friendly?” Lan Subing immediately chimed in, while the others perked up, eager to hear tales of the teachers’ past.

“Ahem!” Meng Huai coughed heavily, trying to interrupt her revelation.

Leizhen leaned closer to Ye Lin, pleading, “Little Yezi, please don’t expose our past. We were just young and clueless back then~”

Ye Lin, rarely lively, let out a playful “hmph” and shrugged at Lan Subing: “That’s another story; right now, it’s about you two.”

With that, she pressed a button on the machine: “Alright, it’s getting late; let’s go. I’ll head over first to prepare.”

As Ye Lin stepped through the blue-glowing archway, Meng Huai hurriedly ushered Su Bei and the others inside like herding ducks.

Su Bei was the fourth to enter. Stepping out of the light gate, he felt nothing particularly special, as if he had merely walked through an ordinary door.

Emerging felt like instantly entering another dimension; the outside buzzed with life. The sounds of vendors calling, conversations, and lively chatter filled the air, unmistakably a place bustling with people.

Ye Lin stood not far from the entrance, surrounded by the others who had just exited. Su Bei walked over to Jiang Tianming and turned to see he had just come out of a regular house.

“So this teleportation is linked to this door?” Su Bei asked, curiosity piqued.

Ye Lin confirmed, “It can be a specific location or a particular door. Your Teacher Lei’s ability is quite flexible. This time, it was linked to this door, so coming out won’t draw too much attention.”

Indeed, at first glance, one might think they were residents of that house, stepping out from their own home, naturally avoiding notice.

However, when a full eighteen people emerged from that house, it was hard for anyone to overlook. A tall, thin man approached, a warm smile on his face: “Hello, teachers! You must be from the Ability Academy, bringing students for training, right?”

The Ability Academy wasn’t just the “Endless Ability Academy”; there were three in total. On the surface, there was no distinction of strength, as abilities were rare; as long as one could be found, regardless of strength, they would generally be accepted.

—

Wasn’t that initial “gear” ability of Su Bei’s also once looked down upon?

Yet, from the fact that they could cultivate the world’s foremost ability user, and that the other party had come here to be the principal, it was clear that the invisible first academy was none other than their own “Endless Ability Academy.” Otherwise, Si Zhao Hua and the others wouldn’t have come here to study.

Typically, students in their second and third years would be led by academy teachers to train in the alternate space, so this wasn’t particularly surprising.

Ye Lin stood at the forefront, already guessing a thing or two about their intentions: “We’ve prepared the map for this alternate space.”

As soon as those words left her lips, the uncle’s warm smile noticeably dimmed, but he quickly recovered: “Being well-prepared is a good thing. Do you need a place to stay? I can recommend a cheap inn. It’s not far from the alternate space, just a ten-minute walk. And if I introduce you, you’ll get a twenty percent discount.”

Ye Lin pondered for a moment; they hadn’t actually booked a hotel in advance, after all, there were usually plenty of rooms in this area. Since someone was recommending it, it wouldn’t hurt to take a look.

“Then let’s go have a look,” she nodded, thinking, “If the environment is decent and the price is right, we’ll book it.”

“Alright, alright!” The uncle was overjoyed and immediately led them away.

The inn he mentioned was indeed not far from their location, bustling with small vendors along the way. Besides snack stalls, there were those selling supplies, others offering dried Nightmare Beast meat, and some selling ability-enhancing items…

There were many things they had never seen before, and since becoming ability users, they had mostly stayed within the school. Now, seeing all this felt refreshingly novel.

Observing their expressions, Lei Ze En chuckled: “If you’ve brought money, when we come out of the alternate space tonight, we can let you wander around for a bit.”

“Are we really coming out today?” Mu Tie Ren asked in surprise, thinking it would be like the team competition last time, where they had to stay in the alternate space for a long stretch.

If they could come out, that would be the best. The experience of surviving in the wild was hardly comfortable; although he had long prepared for hardship, it was always better to avoid suffering if possible.

“Of course! Otherwise, why would we be booking an inn now?” Lei Ze En explained. “This place is far more dangerous than the alternate space you went to for the team competition. Although we’ll be protecting you, it’s best to come out before night falls.”

Hearing this promise, the happiest were Mo Xiao Tian and Ai Bao Zhu. One loved to join in the fun, while the other enjoyed shopping; they were both very much looking forward to tonight’s itinerary.

Su Bei blinked: “It’s starting to feel more like a spring outing.”

Beside him, Si Zhao Hua couldn’t help but chuckle at his words: “Indeed, I remember the routine for spring outings often involved playing in the morning and wandering around in the evening.”

“You weren’t just playing in the morning,” Lei Ze En interjected with a laugh. “Although we’ll be protecting you, unless we encounter a danger we can’t handle, we won’t intervene.”

Perhaps reminded by him, Meng Huai, who had been walking absentmindedly, suddenly said: “By the way, you fifteen can arrange your formation now. Think about how to act when you encounter danger. It’s best to split into two teams; we might end up separating later.”

—

They were so many, and if arrangements weren’t made in advance, encountering danger would surely lead to mutual hindrance; accidental injuries were not out of the question. Yet, they might not separate entirely; it was merely a preparation. This preparation could last until the end of the entire trial.

Upon hearing they would be split into two teams, everyone instinctively gravitated toward those they were more familiar with. If they had to be grouped, it was certainly better to be with those they knew.

Noticing their intentions, Ye Lin shook her head, her tone gentle yet firm: “Never mind, we’ll handle the grouping for you. Many of you will be in the same class for three years; it won’t do to be unfamiliar with each other.”

Having said that, she recalled the information and quickly called out: “Wu Jin, Su Bei, Li Shu, Si Zhao Hua, Zhao Xiao Yu, Lan Su Bing, Wu Ming Bai, you’re all in one group, with Si Zhao Hua as the leader. The rest will form another group… Jiang Tian Ming will be the leader.”

It was clear she had done her homework; this grouping effectively scattered many small cliques. Jiang Tian Ming and his group, Si Zhao Hua and hers, Feng Lan and herself… all were separated.

However, Su Bei noticed something quite interesting: the teacher had definitely gone easy on Wu Jin in this grouping. The only two people he was barely familiar with in class were herself and Zhao Xiao Yu, and it just so happened they were both in his group.

Truly, a well-connected individual.

As they spoke, they arrived at their destination. It was a quaint little inn, not large in size but with a tall structure, the uppermost floor giving off a bell tower vibe.

Upon entering, it revealed a hidden charm.

This “hidden charm” didn’t refer to any lavish decor but rather the clever use of space. A narrow building would typically feel cramped with just a few pieces of furniture, yet here, it exuded a warm ambiance instead.

The wooden clock ticking on the wall, the reddish-brown armchairs, the elderly man in traditional attire with gold-rimmed glasses sitting behind the counter… everything conveyed an air of antiquity.

“Old Yang, I’ve brought you some guests!” the jovial uncle called out, then turned to Ye Lin with warmth, “Don’t let the size fool you; this inn has its own character, and the rooms are kept very clean. The prices are negotiable.”

The man called “Old Yang” adjusted his glasses and stepped out from behind the counter. He appeared to be in his fifties or sixties, yet his physique looked quite robust: “How many of you are there?”

“Fifteen,” Ye Lin replied politely.

“Then we can accommodate you.” A smile spread across Old Yang’s face as he patted the uncle’s shoulder, “You did well! All that fussing over you wasn’t in vain!”

Turning back to Ye Lin, he could clearly see she was in charge: “Shall I show you to the rooms?”

While they went to inspect the rooms, Jiang Tian Ming looked at Ling You. Though she was also from Class S, he hadn’t spoken much with her before and hadn’t used his abilities either. So even though she had mentioned her ability was [Plague], he knew nothing of the specifics.

“Ling You, how do you use your ability?”

“There are many ways—venom, toxic gas, both are possible. I’m not suited for the periphery,” Ling You replied, her voice as cool and clear as her demeanor, yet she didn’t resist following orders.

Hearing her words, Jiang Tianming understood the situation in his heart and led a few team members aside.

Once they left, Si Zhaohua, appointed as the squad leader, naturally wouldn’t rest either. He called over a few members of the team: “Let’s arrange ourselves in formation, shall we? Form a circle, with the weaker attackers in the center.”

“Li Shu, Wu Jin, and Zhao Xiaoyu will be in the middle. I’ll take the lead, and Su Bei, you’ll cover the rear. Lan Subing and Wu Mingbai will take the left and right flanks.”

From his arrangements, it was clear that Si Zhaohua was a strong-willed person, offering little opportunity for others to choose. However, his plan was indeed reasonable, so no one voiced any objections.

Wu Mingbai and Lan Subing walked together, quietly teasing themselves: “If it were before, I would’ve definitely stirred up some trouble for him.”

Their previous relationship had been tense, and whenever faced with the other’s decisions, he would seize the chance to cause a ruckus.

Lan Subing, well aware of the past, immediately laughed at this: “If it were still like before, this squad would be quite lively.”

Su Bei, having no opinions on the formation, idly observed the inn. It looked more like a home than a lodging, the only somewhat out-of-place feature being a newsstand cluttered with magazines.

In an age dominated by smartphones, few people read magazines, but in a hotel, they were still worth a glance for travelers.

With this thought, Su Bei raised an eyebrow and approached the newsstand.

The teacher had quickly decided on this inn, booking a three-person room and six double rooms. The three-person room was for the three teachers, who had known each other for many years and often ventured into other realms together, so they didn’t mind.

Accommodation and activities were different, especially since it was their first time staying out. Ye Lin didn’t want any disturbances in the middle of the night, so she arranged for familiar faces to be grouped together.

Unsurprisingly, Su Bei and Feng Lan shared a room, and the two of them went to check for any issues. Feng Lan first examined the oil paintings on the wall, then stood by the window, admiring the view outside.

Su Bei sat on the bed, watching his actions with amusement, and asked, “Are you satisfied with this room?”

“Mm.” Feng Lan nodded. His own room at home was a thousand times more luxurious, yet it lacked the vibrancy of this place. He indeed preferred it here.

However, he also understood that while staying for a day or two might be a refreshing experience, if he were to live here long-term, he might not adapt well.

“It’s not bad.” Su Bei looked around; the room, though small, was clean and tidy. When staying in a hotel, that was the most important thing.

After putting their things away, everyone gathered outside to form up.

Old Yang had seen all kinds of travelers. While others might only recognize that this team was made up of teachers from the Ability Academy leading students on a training exercise, he could see deeper.

Not to mention, at least these three teachers didn’t seem simple at all. The abilities of the few students were likely not weak; otherwise, they wouldn’t be led by such formidable instructors.

Old Yang chuckled softly, leisurely settling back into his armchair. He picked up the book that lay face down on the table and began to flip through its pages.

In the blink of an eye, Su Bei and his companions arrived at the square before the otherworldly space. The entrance to this realm resembled a black hole, a gaping void nearly two meters high. It was nestled against the mountainside, giving the impression that a tunnel had been carved straight into the rock.

The entrance was cordoned off tightly with barriers, guarded by security personnel. Only those who had completed their registration and paid the fee could enter.

Leizhen went to pay, while Meng Huai and Ye Lin stayed behind with the students.

Bored, Su Bei fiddled with his phone, too apathetic to play, merely spinning it idly in his hands.

Isn’t it about time something happened? he pondered. The main cast is all here; it’s a perfect opportunity for some chaos. Hasn’t it been a bit too peaceful for too long?

Just as he entertained these “malicious” thoughts, another group arrived in the square—two teachers leading a throng of students.

Ah! Here comes the action!