A Guide for Background Characters to Survive in a Manga

Chapter 263

Only Su Bei knew Mo Xiaotian’s offer to split and handle his beasts wasn’t pure kindness. He likely didn’t want Su Bei in the coming danger—either to avoid interference or to keep him safe.

Whatever the reason, Su Bei accepted gladly.

With four in the team and two wanting to split, the others didn’t object. At the task site, they parted ways—Su Bei headed to the Sun Family.

Ability Users were often wealthy, and the Suns were no exception. They lived in a two-story villa, not downtown but pricey.

At the door, Su Bei scanned the villa with Mental Energy, smirked, and rang the bell.

A muscular, 1.9-meter-tall man answered, forcing Su Bei to look up. A Houde Ability Academy grad, he fit the stereotype.

Seeing Su Bei, he lit up, his tough demeanor clashing with his excitement, “You’re Su Bei, right? Finally meeting you! I’m a fan—can I get an autograph?”

Even confident Su Bei felt awkward, coughing, “I’m no celebrity. No need for that.”

In the Ability world, caution was key—he wouldn’t give out signatures lightly.

He shifted topics, “Not inviting me in?”

Sun Nan dropped the autograph idea, stepping aside, “Come in.” As they walked to the sofa, he rambled, “No idea how we attracted this Nightmare Beast. My wife and I have been unlucky for a while, even with Mental Energy resisting. Per the Bad Luck Nightmare Beast’s data, we’ve got less than a week before we’re doomed.”

He knew his situation well, explaining clearly, “I saw you at the Tri-School Competition. [Destiny Gear], right? Can it fix our problem?”

Su Bei nodded, aiming for speed, “The beast’s upstairs. I’ll kill it first. Is it just you and your wife affected? If so, call her—I’ll adjust your fates together.”

He wasn’t doing this for free. The government would pay extra for such tasks, funded by the Suns, so Su Bei was eager. Money for work—his rule.

With Su Bei so proactive, Sun Nan kept up, “Just us. My wife’s out buying groceries, back soon. You already know where the beast is?”

Su Bei nodded, led upstairs, and pulled a black, sea-urchin-like Bad Luck Nightmare Beast from under a sock drawer.

With a physical form, it could be killed physically, with Mental Energy. One Gear ended it. Su Bei turned to Sun Nan, “Any good restaurants nearby?”

He planned to spend the rest at a restaurant—less awkward than staying, with witnesses to prove he wasn’t in Mo Xiaotian’s plan, plus a meal and time to read the manga.

“Go west down the street, turn right at the crossroads—third restaurant’s the best around,” Sun Nan, a local, advised, then offered, “Stay for lunch. My wife cooks fast.”

Su Bei declined politely—he didn’t eat at clients’ homes.

Soon, Sun Nan’s wife returned. Su Bei adjusted their luck, then left for the restaurant. It was only 10 a.m., early for lunch, so he ordered double-skin milk and started the manga.

It opened with Zhou Renjie’s Saint intel: male, no relatives but the leader. This ruled out most students.

Endless Ability Academy, thorough, tested each student’s hair for DNA to confirm family ties, not adoption.

Suspects were Su Bei, Jiang Tianming, Wu Mingbai, and now Mo Xiaotian, whose grandpa had died, leaving no relatives.

With suspects listed, comments flew.

“Gotta be Su Bei, no question.”

“How do they not arrest him?”

“Mo Xiaotian shouldn’t be on this list, even without relatives.”

“Poor Jiang and Mingbai.”

“Someone said Mo Xiaotian’s the mole.”

“Protagonists can’t be moles, so it’s Su Bei, right?”

“I’ve got a hunch it’s Mo Xiaotian.”

With little room for guesses, it was Su Bei or Mo Xiaotian. Mo Xiaotian’s persona gave him a perfect disguise—Su Bei seemed far more mole-like.

The manga continued. The government sent a [Detective] Ability User to investigate. Each questioning was shown from the detective’s perspective.

Notably, Mo Xiaotian’s pen-drop incident was included—not a side note, but a foreshadowing. No readers caught it yet, only seeing it when the truth emerged.

In the detective’s view, suspects had colors. Wu Mingbai was red; others green.

After Wu Mingbai left, the detective frowned, “My [Detective] Ability senses negative emotions. Wu Mingbai’s were strong, especially when I mentioned Black Flash.”

This shocked readers, comments surging.

“How??”

“Mingbai’s framed! Black Flash set him up?”

“This detective’s fishy.”

“He’s being framed!”

“Don’t misunderstand Mingbai! Don’t! (Not a typo)”

“How can they suspect Mingbai? He’s always with Jiang Tianming.”

No one believed Wu Mingbai was the mole, but they didn’t know why.

From Wu Mingbai’s perspective, the manga showed his struggles: feeling watched, classmates distancing, teachers’ scrutiny.

This fueled his irritation and Jiang Tianming and Lan Subing’s worry, fearing the academy would wrongly pin him.

Next was Jiang Tianming asking Su Bei for help. The author seized the chance to paint Su Bei as a villain, looking malicious for knowing the mole but staying silent for the drama.

But the author miscalculated. For most characters, this would draw hate, but Su Bei’s consistent shady persona made it unsurprising.

The author’s malice contrasted with the comments’ laissez-faire, making Su Bei chuckle. His crafted persona lowered reader expectations—worth it.

With main plot ongoing, the author’s smear was brief, returning to the story. Wu Mingbai, Qi Huang, and others went on a task. Their guard was lured away, and they were attacked.

A bluish mist drifted in, bringing heavy drowsiness. They resisted with Mental Energy, but except for Wu Mingbai, the others’ attackers intensified, aiming to kill.

That was the goal—severe injury was enough, but death was better. The guard’s return thwarted them, and they fled. Safe, the students’ Mental Energy relaxed, and they passed out.

Even a fool, seeing the attack comparison, could tell Black Flash framed Wu Mingbai. Wu Jin’s expression in the last panel showed he realized their intent.

But he was comatose, unable to clear Wu Mingbai.

Su Bei knew the rest, skipping Wu Mingbai’s detention and the academy’s gossip, reaching Jiang Tianming and Lan Subing’s search for his family.

He was curious about Wu Mingbai’s living relatives and their identity. The author’s focus suggested a compelling backstory.

Recommended by Meng Huai, they found a [Family Finder] Ability User, skilled at locating blood relatives.

The government didn’t use them, deeming it pointless. [Family Finder] couldn’t be blocked, but if Black Flash’s leader hid their ties, it’d show nothing.

They saw Wu Mingbai as the mole, with the leader as his only relative, who’d hide it, making the Ability useless.

But Jiang Tianming and Lan Subing believed Wu Mingbai was innocent, so they tried, hoping his relatives were alive.

Their persistence paid off—the Ability User found Wu Mingbai’s relatives abroad, though reaching them was tough.

Ecstatic, they reported it, but the government was skeptical. [Family Finder] could be fooled—Black Flash might’ve faked a relative to clear Wu Mingbai.

They needed to verify in person.

Traveling abroad, after twists and turns, they located Wu Mingbai’s relatives—the Yafei Kingdom’s palace.

Yafei, far away but racially similar, had deeper features and darker skin but looked like locals.

Su Bei guessed Wu Mingbai’s identity, gasping. No wonder Feng Lan foresaw nothing—Wu Mingbai would turn misfortune into fortune, finding royal relatives.

As expected, online research revealed the royal family’s brown hair, confirming Wu Mingbai’s ties.

After negotiations, they learned his story. During a fierce crown prince race, Wu Mingbai’s father, now king, had an edge as the first with a child.

Yafei’s royal lineage was thin, so having a child ensured succession without adopting.

To undermine him, a rival stole Wu Mingbai. Spared for his royal blood, he was left in a distant, similar-looking country to fend for himself.

Now, finding their lost child, the king and queen were thrilled, eager to return and retrieve Wu Mingbai.

A royal family wouldn’t fake for Black Flash, confirming Wu Mingbai’s living relatives—many of them. His suspicion was cleared. But Yafei was far, and international calls failed—they had to return to inform the academy.

The final panel showed them boarding the return flight.

“Fortune from misfortune!”

“Mingbai, I misjudged you! Poor like me, now a crown prince?”

“Orphan to prince—what a novel plot!”

“Lost prince, I’m in love.”

“So jealous—when’s my turn for this?”

Comments overflowed with envy. Even Su Bei was jealous. The author was rigid—give him a rich family to whisk him away, and he’d quit Endless Ability Academy for a cushy life.

But the author wanted him dead, which he wouldn’t accept.

By now, they were likely on the plane, landing in a day. The academy would reinvestigate. Jiang Tianming’s trip would clear Wu Mingbai and himself, leaving Su Bei and Mo Xiaotian as suspects.

Su Bei hoped Mo Xiaotian would act fast—he didn’t want another interrogation. But he didn’t bank on it, preparing items to counter [Detective]. He didn’t want his Destiny ties exposed if cleared of Black Flash.

After the manga, he checked the forum.

Fewer new posts than last time, but still plenty. Four about Wu Mingbai’s origins, one hot. Fewer on the mole—just two: one for Su Bei, one for Mo Xiaotian.

He opened the one about himself.

[I Don’t Care, Mo Xiaotian’s Not the Mole—Su Bei’s Definitely Black Flash’s Saint!]

[AlwaysSmilingGoodLuckNo.0: Su Bei fits the villain Saint vibe, while Mo Xiaotian screams “hero.” Who’d suspect him?

But Su Bei’s openly bad, right? So blatant it’s not villainy? If I’m bad enough boldly, no one thinks I’m a mole.]

[No.1: Hahaha, OP’s description is hilarious.]

[No.2: Come on, it’s Mo Xiaotian!]

[No.3: Su Bei’s mole act is so bold…]

[No.4: Could there be someone else? Neither feels right. I’m suspecting Meng Huai.]

[No.5 replying to No.4: Great theory.]

[No.6 replying to No.4: LosingIt.jpg]

[…]

[No.31: After all those posts, I almost believed Su Bei wasn’t the mole. Against anyone else, I’d suspect them, but it’s Mo Xiaotian. Who could suspect him?]

[No.32: I’m scared if Mo Xiaotian’s the mole—my worldview would collapse.]

[No.33: Little suns should stay little suns!]

[No.34: Su Bei’s practically blatant with Black Flash. That’s a mole?]

[No.35 replying to No.34: Say that next door. We’re Team Xiaotian.]

[No.36: Xiaotian rules!]

[…]

[No.76: Neither feels like a mole.]

[No.77 replying to No.76: True. Both sides argue why their guy isn’t the mole but can’t pin the other. They’re too un-mole-like.]

[No.78: Could there be another?]

[No.79: Saw bullet comments suspecting Meng Huai, lol.]

[No.80 replying to No.79: Absurd but oddly plausible.]

[No.81: Can we fast-forward to next week? I need to know the mole.]

[No.82 replying to No.81: Fast-forward +1]

[No.83 replying to No.82: +1]

[No.84 replying to No.82: +10086]

[No.85: Author, ten chapters a week!]

[No.86: Taking all the perks.]

[No.87: Someone just give me the answer.]

[No.88 replying to No.87: I know who you mean @Prophet]

[No.89 replying to No.87: @Prophet]

[…]

Seeing readers @ing him, Su Bei went online. He’d planned to boost his presence with this chance, and this was perfect.

[Prophet Post: Mole Speculation]

[ProphetNo.0: Conclusion first: Mo Xiaotian’s the mole.

Check my post history—I’ve long suspected him. I won’t repeat old reasons, but here’s what I found in recent chapters.

Zhou Renjie’s defection ties closely to Mo Xiaotian. Even if it was for his own goals, Mo Xiaotian pushed it. That’s suspicious.

Last chapter’s end showed Mo Xiaotian’s neck bandage. Many ignored it, not understanding. Look at this image:

Season 2’s first killer’s Black Lightning Mark.jpg

I think the author’s hinting Mo Xiaotian’s bandage hides Black Flash’s mark.

Also, this scene:

Mo Xiaotian falls and touches Wu Mingbai.jpg

Ability Users have great reflexes. Mo Xiaotian’s agile, always climbing walls effortlessly. Why fall suddenly? After touching Wu Mingbai, he’s suspected. I strongly suspect foul play.

In summary, Mo Xiaotian’s the real mole.]