A Guide for Background Characters to Survive in a Manga

Translator: AkazaTL

Proofreader/Editor: JWyck

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Chapter 257

Where protagonists were, luck was never great. Endless Ability Academy supposedly had few Nightmare Beast invasions, yet during their security stint, the number doubled.

"Is the School Nurse lying, or is it you three?" After dealing with the third Mid-Level Nightmare Beast of the day, Su Bei couldn’t hold back.

They’d been promised minimal beast attacks, yet they faced this many right after starting. It had to be targeting them.

Wu Mingbai wanted to curse too. Where was the easy job? But he rejected Su Bei’s accusation, "Why's it not your fault? Your luck’s no better than ours."

Su Bei wished he could say it was because they were protagonists, naturally trouble-prone. Instead, he choked, "…"

Rolling his eyes, about to say he’d rest, Manga Consciousness chimed, "King of Abilities updated. Please check."

A manga update? The other groups’ crises must’ve resolved. Su Bei waved off further talk, "I’m out. Don’t call me unless it’s urgent. Actually, don’t call me at all."

Back in the dorm, he opened the manga. It updated two chapters, the first focusing on Moyun City, his main concern.

He wanted to know where the author would smear him, if only at the known spot.

The manga started unremarkably, with Mu Yunfan reporting Different Space anomalies. The city went on alert, soon descending into chaos.

After briefly depicting the unrest, the main event arrived. The manga faithfully showed Su Bei at the woman’s house, helping with the scumbags, then taking the Nightmare Egg.

Though accurate, the art made it seem he helped just to get the Nightmare Egg, turning a helpful youth into a self-serving schemer.

The author’s skill was impressive—same story, but shadows and effects changed the tone, fitting Su Bei’s manga persona.

The author wanted him tied to villains and killed off but wasn’t collapsing his character yet. Otherwise, readers would attack the author, not Su Bei, a non-sentient character.

This was good news for Su Bei. If the author forced a character break, it’d be easy—like implying he sent the scumbags to create a damsel-in-distress scenario for a heroic rescue.

That might not break his character, but it’d earn black fans. Even bad guys needed a moral baseline in the public’s eyes.

You could be bad, but not low.

Readers didn’t react much here, unaware of the Nightmare Egg’s nature. The next plot clarified it.

In the manga, Su Bei casually left the building, trading with Cyril’s duo, who waited as if prearranged. After tossing the Nightmare Egg, they even joked familiarly.

The comments exploded.

"Whoa! Su Bei’s really with Black Flash?"

"Shocked my whole family."

"What plot did I miss? Trading already?"

"Is this the thing Black Flash was after last chapter?"

"Big bombshell out of nowhere."

"Undercover, is that you?"

Readers’ reactions were expected, suspecting his identity. Comments were knee-jerk, not deeply thought out, assuming he was Black Flash without considering alternatives. Su Bei wasn’t too worried.

He’d check the forum’s direction—that was key.

After this, the plot was mundane. Su Bei vanished, and Jiang Tianming’s trio fought Cyril’s duo. With the device limiting power, they were evenly matched.

Jiang Tianming’s multi-Ability was peerless at his level, seamlessly switching to catch opponents off guard. Even while knowing his Abilities, countering them wasn’t easy.

This was why Wu Di, the principal of Endless Ability Academy, was the Ability world’s strongest. His [Bloodline] Ability, like Jiang Tianming’s, granted multiple Abilities. Though easier to acquire, with most being high-quality, training was tougher, relying on self-improvement.

Back to the fight, Jiang Tianming’s Abilities, plus Lan Subing’s overpowered [Word Spirit], let them match Cyril and Li Xiang.

With them being sufficient, Wu Mingbai was sent for Su Bei. Knowing the rest, Su Bei meant to skip, but after helping with the Lost Nightmare Beast, the comments shifted.

"Su Bei’s knowledge is insane."

"Ugly Nightmare Beast."

"North Bro casually slays me."

"Where’s all this intel from? Black Flash?"

"Seeing Su Bei’s definitely not with the Nightmare Beasts, I’m relieved. Even if he’s Black Flash, it’s fine."

"Mingbai found him quick."

"With so much intel, he seems more like Destiny."

As expected, helping the protagonists earned positive points. His persona was the redeemable type, so despite frequent misdeeds, occasional good acts won forgiveness.

Smirking, Su Bei thought mastering this balance would benefit his next moves.

Continuing, the plot shifted to Mo Xiaotian’s city.

Their plot mirrored Black Flash’s aid, then betrayal after resolving the Nightmare Beast crisis.

This reduced Black Flash’s infamy, showing they sided with humans in major conflicts. Their goal to benefit humanity even earned some praise in the comments.

In a manga world, Su Bei understood readers’ views. Even in reality, such a villain group would have fans, let alone here.

Even Su Bei felt little dislike for Black Flash, though he knew his original Ability likely made him a research subject, not an ally.

The chapter ended, and the next continued in Mo Xiaotian’s city. As Black Flash caused trouble, Mo Xiaotian’s undercover identity teetered.

He secretly aided them several times, leaking government plans to Black Flash and dropping the ball at key moments, nearly costing them the task. If not for Mu Tieren’s mechanically enhanced body, courtesy of Mu Scientist, saving the day, it could’ve been disastrous.

Such a blunder raised reader and character suspicions, with even Qi Huang doubting Mo Xiaotian.

Qi Huang was sharp. Despite Mo Xiaotian’s silly demeanor, he rarely failed. His strong Ability and battle instincts ensured task completion. Yet he kept slipping up here.

With intel leaks suggesting a mole, Qi Huang naturally suspected her reluctant-to-believe friend.

In Class S, Qi Huang and Mo Xiaotian were close. Both from Class A, then Class S, their outgoing personalities made them “buddies,” often chummy.

But familiarity made Qi Huang sense his oddity. Mu Tieren felt it too. Such mistakes weren’t Mo Xiaotian’s style, especially on big matters.

Unlike Mu Tieren’s simple concern, Qi Huang’s female intuition was sharper. Linking it to the mole issue, she tested Mo Xiaotian. But he was tight-lipped, showing no cracks.

His airtight demeanor dispelled many readers’ doubts, as they couldn’t believe he’d be a mole without slipping up.

Wu Jin, at Qi Huang’s request, tested Mo Xiaotian for lies but found nothing, easing suspicions, as Wu Jin could sense deception.

Yet at the chapter’s end, Mu Tieren noticed a bandage on Mo Xiaotian’s neck.

Others didn’t know, but Su Bei did. Under it was Black Flash’s Black Lightning Mark. If Mu Tieren removed it, Mo Xiaotian’s identity would be exposed.

His cover was hanging by a thread.

Mo Xiaotian’s plot stopped, leaving readers to their imaginations.

"Argh, don’t cliffhang, author!"

"Is Mo Xiaotian the mole? I don’t think so…"

"Isn’t the mole Su Bei next door?"

"With Xiaotian’s goofy act, he’d have slipped if he were the mole."

"Nooo! Don’t let Mo Xiaotian be the mole!"

"A silly mole’s kinda fun."

"What’s with that bandage?"

Forum threads were inevitable, Su Bei sighed. His issue would spark posts, Mo Xiaotian’s at least two or three, and Zhou Renjie’s return would add more.

Thinking of the forum workload, Su Bei rubbed his temples, continuing.

After Mu Tieren’s bandage discovery, the scene shifted to Si Zhaohua’s city. Initially, Zhou Renjie was absent, and they just fought Nightmare Beasts with Black Flash.

Black Flash contributed manpower and effort, sending familiar faces like Ye Lin and Qingqing to each affected city.

But helping didn’t stop their schemes. Besides the protagonists’ cities, others faced their disruptions, keeping things chaotic post-Nightmare Beasts.

Su Bei wasn’t sure if Black Flash’s help was good or bad.

Zhou Renjie appeared when Black Flash’s plot was exposed. The city had an Ability Government lab with valuable data they wanted to seize.

Si Zhaohua’s Ability was strong, especially his known ultimate move. At his level, even Black Flash’s strongest couldn’t counter it.

Losing their strongest while the heroes lost only a student would tilt victory toward the good side.

As the situation stalemated, Zhou Renjie appeared, using [Prime Minister’s Belly Can Hold a Ship] to trap Si Zhaohua and two other strong Ability Users, putting the rest at a disadvantage.

Indeed, during his time with Black Flash, Zhou Renjie’s Ability had grown. He could now hold three Ability Users in his belly, with much stronger internal defenses.

The three trapped—two Attack Track, one Support Track—couldn’t break the dark space to escape.

With three key fighters gone, the city’s defenses weakened. Luckily, Ai Baozhu and Li Shu developed a Combo Skill: [Gorgeous Domain] triggered [Illusion], protecting the lab from Black Flash.

But it wasn’t sustainable. Even with Mental Crystals, their Mental Energy would run out. Without quick government aid, they and the lab could fall to Black Flash.

The government couldn’t send help soon—the city wasn’t sealed, but Black Flash intercepted reinforcements.

Ai Baozhu and Li Shu could hold for a day at most, not long enough for the government to break through.

Just as Black Flash was poised to take the city and lab, Zhou Renjie betrayed them.

He released Si Zhaohua’s trio, then swallowed Black Flash’s strongest members. His betrayal reversed the tide. Si Zhaohua, with the timely Si and Zhou Families, swiftly secured the city, capturing Black Flash members.

A flashback explained the context. Zhou Renjie hadn’t truly defected—it was a ruse.

When Qingqing’s [Cupid’s Arrow] charmed him in the first Different Space, he got a family item to alert and defend against mental control.

Su Bei had judged that Black Flash’s subtle personality-altering items, like the Feng Family’s wine, caused Zhou Renjie’s radicalization and defection.

He was right. Black Flash did this, but Zhou Renjie’s item alerted him the first time, revealing their intent to turn him.

His family issues were real—internal sibling rivalry and external competition from Mo Xiaotian for a spot. His chances of securing it were slim.

But he didn’t just sit back, frame Mo Xiaotian, fail, and defect to Black Flash after the exam, as it appeared.

It was an act. His real plan was to risk himself, pretend to join Black Flash, and betray them at a critical moment. With major merits, he’d return backed by the Ability Government as the Zhou Family’s rightful heir.

The manga detailed his trials and suffering in Black Flash, hardships untold.

But he succeeded, leaking info to the government, resolving issues, and now thwarting Black Flash’s plan, saving the city’s Ability Users and capturing many members, costing Black Flash dearly.

With these merits, the government would support his rise. Even his unreliable father and ambitious peers couldn’t oust him as Young Master.

Notably, Si Zhaohua and Ai Baozhu knew his plan, contacted post-defection to explain.

Zhou Renjie needed a liaison to the Zhou Family after “defecting.” The government wasn’t an option—seeking their help before gaining merits would leave him vulnerable.

Si Zhaohua and Ai Baozhu were perfect. As friends, he trusted their integrity. They prioritized family but wouldn’t mind helping freely or use it against him later. Their contact with the Zhou Family was logical, not arousing Black Flash’s suspicion, making them ideal.

Su Bei finally understood why Si Zhaohua and Ai Baozhu mourned briefly before accepting it. Zhou Renjie had reassured them secretly.

He’d suspected as much, and the manga confirmed it.

Their silence was impressive, especially during the harsh criticism post-defection, even affecting Class S. Any slip-up, and Mo Xiaotian reporting back could’ve endangered Zhou Renjie.

At the chapter’s end, Zhou Renjie revealed another reason for exposing himself and returning.

["I got reliable info in Black Flash—their Saint is in Endless Ability Academy’s first-year Class S," a slimmer Zhou Renjie said seriously to the officer across the table.

Learning their class had a mole, he wanted to return and warn everyone but couldn’t justify exposing his cover for that alone.

Soon, the campaign forced Black Flash, planning to lie low for their leader’s research, to act. Initially helping with Nightmare Beasts, they saw a chance to enter cities legitimately and made plans.

Chosen for a key role, Zhou Renjie saw his chance to return.

“Saint” sounded big, like a major catch. The officer pressed, “Black Flash’s Saint? What’s that role?”

Zhou Renjie wasn’t sure, knowing only, “The Saint is likely the leader’s only living relative. Capturing him could let us leverage Black Flash.”

A great idea. The officer, unaware the leader had a living relative, saw opportunity. If they cared that much, capturing him could force Black Flash’s hand.

Eyes gleaming with determination, the officer said, “We’ll investigate thoroughly. Any more details on the Saint, like appearance?”

“A male,” Zhou Renjie replied, “That’s all I know.”]