A Guide for Background Characters to Survive in a Manga

17:

Su Bei seemed to pause for a moment, then looked down and shook his head: “No, what I meant was that it’s normal for new ability users to be unskilled in using their abilities, so an incomplete prediction is quite normal.”

Feng Lan did not ask further, and Su Bei did not continue, turning his head back. His words just now were deliberate, meant to make Feng Lan doubt whether his ability was of the prophetic kind.

Originally, since Feng Lan was not the protagonist, Su Bei had no intention of showing off in front of him. After all, it’s only worth performing for the camera when following the protagonist, otherwise, it’s a waste of emotion.

But after reading the first chapter of the comic update, he changed his mind. Who says only the protagonist gets the spotlight? Meng Huai is a prime example, isn’t he?

Although his solo scene came about as a critique of the protagonist, it also critiqued others, didn’t it? Su Bei benefited greatly from this, as undoubtedly many readers followed Meng Huai’s speculations.

Thus, he suddenly realized that leaving a profound impression on supporting characters, especially important ones, was also crucial. After all, the protagonist will certainly leave a deep impression on them, and two people who both have a deep impression are easily evaluated together.

Seeing that everyone had completed a use of their abilities, Meng Huai asked, “Do you feel any power draining?”

“It’s mental strength!” A few scattered replies echoed in the classroom, most people appearing indifferent. After all, this was common knowledge, no need to think to answer, and naturally, they felt there was no need for teaching.

Meng Huai sneered, suddenly his eyebrows standing on end, he said sternly, “Do you really think this is something unimportant? Remember this! The exhaustion you feel from using your abilities extensively is an illusion caused by the lack of mental strength, in fact, your physical strength is not depleted.”

This was something everyone had not considered before, even Su Bei was stunned, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes. He had not realized that such a principle was hidden behind this common knowledge.

Meng Huai continued loudly, “So on the battlefield, when your abilities are exhausted, do not forget that you can still run away. No matter how tired you feel, believe that it is an illusion, you still have remaining strength! Stand up, run! Do you understand?”

This was a real lifesaving skill, remembering this could indeed save one’s life when danger comes. This time, everyone was convinced, answering in unison loudly, “Understood!”

Seeing that everyone took this matter seriously, Meng Huai nodded in satisfaction, about to continue speaking when suddenly his phone rang with a message.

As the class advisor, he had professional ethics, always turning off his phone’s notification sound before class. Only messages that were likely important were spared.

So upon hearing the message, he decisively picked up his phone. Frowning as he read the message, Meng Huai glanced at Jiang Tianming and Lan Subing, then raised his voice, “Alright, now that you understand, try to release your abilities until you’re completely exhausted, unable to summon them at all. Feel this sensation, distinguish it from true exhaustion.”

After these words, he left the classroom directly.

Watching the teacher’s actions, Su Bei raised an eyebrow, recalling Feng Lan’s earlier words. Was the so-called “quarrel” about to begin?

Was it a quarrel between Meng Huai and someone else?

He was about to turn his head to ask Feng Lan’s opinion when he saw Jiang Tianming

The two, taking advantage of the teacher’s absence, were sneaking over to his side.

What were they up to?

Confusion flickered for a second before Su Bei’s gaze inadvertently fell upon the gear laid out on the table, and suddenly, his complexion changed.

He had been careless!

Normally, when using the “Gear” ability, he would summon the most ordinary gears. So, when the teacher asked them to use their abilities just now, he subconsciously summoned only ordinary gears.

But his public persona was not truly a “Gear” ability, but “Fate”. Summoning such ordinary gears was clearly a breach of character.

Looking at it this way, those two probably came for this reason.

What to do? How could he explain to patch up this flaw?

Once the protagonist group began to doubt his ability, the readers, who view the story from their perspective, would likely also harbor doubts.

To successfully transform his own ability, he must make the vast majority of readers believe. If they were led to split their votes, that would really be troublesome. Even if he later used other methods to dispel the doubts of the protagonist group and the readers, it would directly slow his pace.

In just a few seconds, Su Bei’s brain whirled a thousand times, and his face had already returned to its usual calm composure.

A moment later, Jiang Tianming and another person walked over, and as expected, the black-haired boy looked thoughtfully at the ordinary gear: “Why does this gear look so different from the one yesterday?”

“Why should I answer your question?” Su Bei asked lazily, propping his chin with one hand.

“Shouldn’t this be considered after-sales service?” Stunned for a moment, Jiang Tianming quickly recovered, “Yesterday’s transaction was legitimate, and now I suspect there’s a problem with the product you gave.”

Hearing this, Su Bei looked at him with a half-smile, not refuting. In fact, he indeed needed an opportunity to explain, so he naturally took advantage of the situation.

His gaze swept over the tops of the heads of the two opposite him: “Because it’s missing something.”

Missing what? Almost simultaneously, Jiang Tianming and the other person recalled Su Bei’s mention of “threads of fate” from yesterday.

That would make sense then. The gear is a medium of fate; without the integration of the threads of fate, it’s just an ordinary gear.

“Call that person out!”

Suddenly, an angry female voice erupted outside the classroom, though it was too distant to make out clearly.

Then there was a burst of noisy commotion, footsteps, and faint arguing sounds. The class had quieted down at some point, and everyone had the heart of a melon-eater.

If it weren’t for Meng Huai’s sufficient intimidation over the past two days, someone would have already been unable to resist sneaking out to see.

Su Bei glanced at the two protagonists next to him, who were eagerly watching the drama unfold, feeling a mix of helplessness and amusement. These two were still enjoying the show, and if he wasn’t mistaken, they were probably one of the main subjects of the gossip.

Sure enough, not long after, their expressions changed dramatically, and they stood up abruptly. Lan Suling’s face was stern as she asked, “Wu Mingbai?”

Jiang Tianming frowned deeply and nodded, looking towards the door, “I think I heard it too.”

They walked together towards the door, peering through the glass window. In the distant corridor outside, several teachers had gathered, and the person surrounded by them seemed to be Wu Mingbai.

Without hesitation, the two pushed the door open under the admiring gaze of their classmates.

“It was me who pushed him. If you have a problem, come to me, but they didn’t even touch that person. What right do you have to go after them?” As soon as the door opened, Wu Mingbai’s angry voice came through.

Then a stranger’s female voice followed, “Please calm down, parent. We also deeply regret the death of student Sun Ming. But you have seen the surveillance and evidence; this matter has nothing to do with the students. Please, be calm.”

Almost immediately after she finished speaking, another voice, almost hysterical, erupted, the same one they had first heard, “Calm? How can you ask me to be calm! My child, whom I’ve raised through hardship, died on his first day at your school! I want all of you to pay for his life!”

Next came a man’s cold laughter, “Heh, we will avenge Mingming. If you can’t find the murderer, don’t blame us for being ruthless. Mingming is alone on his journey to the underworld; he needs someone to accompany him.”

“We will protect them,” Meng Huai said calmly.

But the man was dismissive, “We may not be able to touch the Ability Academy, but targeting a few students is easy. If our investigation is correct, this Wu Mingbai is an orphan, right? Mingming was a kind child; he would surely like the company of the orphans.”

It was a blatant threat. If the school couldn’t find the murderer, they would inflict their grief over the loss of their son on Wu Mingbai and the orphanage behind him. If Wu Mingbai couldn’t be the one to accompany their son in death, then the children of the orphanage would.

Although any rational person knew Wu Mingbai and the others were innocent, the grieving parents believed that people in extreme anger don’t need rationality.

Having roughly understood what had happened, Jiang Tianming and his companion could no longer stay put. They pushed the door open and strode over. No matter what, they couldn’t just watch Wu Mingbai face this situation alone. Even if it meant facing retaliation, they would confront it together.

They had barely stepped out when Meng Huai’s voice rang out, “What are you two doing out here? Get back inside!”

But the two were unmoved, standing firmly with Wu Mingbai.

Meng Huai rolled his eyes in frustration, walked back to the class quickly, fiercely warning the obviously curious students with his gaze, and then slammed the door shut with a “bang,” cutting off the noise from outside.

With the door closed, the classroom immediately erupted into noise, with the students discussing what they had just heard.

A student who had been to the cafeteria the day before told everyone about the incident, including the involvement of Wu Mingbai and the others.

Upon hearing that they were merely the discoverers of the crime and had passed a lie detector test, everyone felt sympathy for them. It was such a tragedy, a calamity that had befallen them through no fault of their own.

Those parents were truly unreasonable, yet there seemed to be no good solution.

Sitting in his seat, Su Bei finally sighed. He knew that somehow the protagonists would get involved, but he hadn’t expected it to happen this way.

At that moment, he felt someone’s gaze upon him. Turning his head, he saw the class president, Mu Tie Ren, sitting not far away.

The class president was looking at him with curiosity. When their eyes met, he didn’t look away but walked over confidently. “Su Bei, you heard what those people outside were saying, didn’t you?”

Anyone who wasn’t deaf must have heard it. Su Bei didn’t move, curious to see what the other intended to do.

The upright Mu Tie Ren clearly disliked the people outside. Speaking with a hint of disapproval, he asked, “This might seem abrupt, but do you have a way to deal with those kinds of people?”

The question was indeed abrupt, considering they had hardly interacted before. But with one having the will and the other the way, it all made perfect sense.

“Of course, there is—a way,” Su Bei said with a light chuckle.

He was the best at handling such ruffians!