NOVEL NEXT Ch. 270
Translator: AkazaTL
Proofreader/Editor: JWyck
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Chapter 270
A solid plan. The Si Family, prominent locally but less known globally, could leverage Feng Family connections for Vixi talks, aligning with their interests. If talks failed, no loss—the chance to probe was enough.
Seeing them settle it quickly, Su Bei finished his meal, “Good luck. I’m off.”
“Where to?” Si Zhaohua tensed. Too often, Su Bei’s exits meant trouble. With elements aligning, he feared the restaurant exploding.
Seeing his wariness, Su Bei laughed, “The library. I can’t help with your stuff, and I’m done eating—why should I stay?”
True, but Si Zhaohua suspected he’d sensed danger, “Could you check if our cooperation will work?”
After so long, though Su Bei never detailed his [Destiny Gear], they’d guessed some of its functions.
Su Bei nodded casually, checking. Both their small pointers leaned left, “No issues today.”
Despite seeing this, he couldn’t be sure. Luck was fickle, unlike fate—it could be fine one second, yet crashing the next.
Shaking his head, he left for Vixi’s library. Many were there, mostly natives—tourists rushed to projects, not lingering for books.
Su Bei should’ve too, finishing projects before extras like this.
But today’s events made him wary. With Conservatives and Radicals, the latter possibly scheming harm or Nightmare Beast collusion, projects could hide traps.
With Si Zhaohua’s group skipping projects, Su Bei wouldn’t go alone.
Sitting with a random book, he pondered. Si Zhaohua’s guesses—mass harm or Nightmare Beasts—seemed right.
Either way, Jiang Tianming’s group would get dragged in. Avoiding them might keep Su Bei safe, but if it engulfed the island, only leaving now would work.
Exiting now was a loss—his one VIP chance would be wasted. Post-trouble, compensation was possible, but pre-trouble? No way.
He wasn’t the old Su Bei, dodging plots like plagues. To avoid author smears, he needed to show up occasionally, not solve things.
If he couldn’t leave early, he needed a safe spot for flexibility. He returned the book, asked the librarian, and grabbed one on Vixi’s geography.
It detailed terrains, helping to find a safe hideout.
The map marked projects, not landscapes. Without fieldwork, it was useless for terrain.
Vixi was a flat plain, with few elevation changes. Beyond man-made structures, natural hideouts were scarce. The Holy Spirit Skyward Banyan stood out.
Existing pre-meteor, centuries old, fed by Mental Energy, it was massive.
Its canopy could hide him—even climbers might miss him. It was safer than elsewhere.
Radicals aimed to advance Vixi, not destroy it. They’d spare natural wonders like the banyan—buildings could be rebuilt, but these would be lost forever.
It wouldn’t be touched.
With a spot chosen, Su Bei adjusted his plan on the map. He’d aimed to hit the projects in order, but with potential trouble, he prioritized valuable ones.
Ten projects: six available to all, one extra for guests, one for regulars, two for VIPs.
The banyan was VIP-only, explaining its sparse crowd.
Another VIP project, set for day four, he moved to tomorrow.
Next, a guest-accessible Body-Forging Hot Spring for physical enhancement.
Logically, he’d do VIP projects, then regulars’. But Su Bei prioritized based on his needs.
His strength relied on his high Mental Energy, strong Ability, and physique. Mental Energy was boosted today. The other VIP project inspired new Abilities, highly popular.
For physique, the hot spring was key. Gravity Beach was just experiential—useless without long-term stays.
Done planning, Su Bei read books of interest. Destiny had much, but it was an intel group, not an encyclopedia, it focused on obscure data. Common knowledge required books.
Jiang Tianming, Zhao Xiaoyu, and others from non-Ability backgrounds often studied, hiring tutors. Su Bei, self-reliant, built his all-knowing persona in secret.
Back at the hotel, it was dark. As he was not a protagonist, he’d avoided trouble since parting with Si Zhaohua, calm like any ordinary day.
But he knew it was the calm before the storm. Trouble would hit tomorrow, the next day, or at the latest, the day after. It was a five-day trip—the author wouldn’t delay.
“Su Bei?” At the stairs, someone called. Turning, he raised an eyebrow.
Jiang Tianming’s trio, dusty and disheveled, just returned. Su Bei was late from library reading, but why were they late?
He greeted casually, then asked bluntly, “Why so late?”
“Shouldn’t we ask you?” Wu Mingbai shot back, sharp. “We’re three, vouching for each other. You, alone, back now? Suspicious.”
Familiar now, he ditched his old fake-sweet jabs for direct ones, his grin more mocking.
Su Bei shrugged, “Library. Cameras prove it.”
Modern Vixi had tech—cameras, cheap and effective, outdoing surveillance Abilities.
Caught off-guard by his openness, Wu Mingbai faltered, unsure how to respond.
Jiang Tianming took over, “We hit some trouble… Let’s talk in my room.”
Cameras made talking in public risky. In Jiang Tianming’s room, he continued, “This afternoon, we saw a High-Level Nightmare Beast. Vixi having one is a problem, especially a high-level one. We tailed it, but black-robed people spotted us, chased us, and we barely escaped.”
Lan Subing added, “One odd thing—we thought the beast aimed to wreck Vixi, but who sent those helpers?”
Humans and Nightmare Beasts were enemies—even Black Flash loathed them. Targeting Vixi’s wealth shouldn’t involve beasts—that was taboo.
Normally, shady moves against Vixi were shrugged off—winner takes all, no one cries foul. Losers were just outplayed.
But beast collusion was treason, universally condemned. Even Vixi’s foes wouldn’t be that dumb.
Protagonists, hitting danger on day one—Su Bei wasn’t shocked, applauding his choice to avoid them.
Their beast sighting was useful, especially with his group’s encounter.
“We had something too,” Su Bei recounted Lin Qi’s feud talk and Si Zhaohua’s theories.
“So Vixi’s beasts might be Radical-driven? Colluding with them?” Wu Mingbai gaped, then sneered, “Bold move.”
If exposed, Vixi’s envious rivals would pounce, potentially toppling it.
Su Bei thought murder was better—their reputation would be hit, but with their wonders intact, Vixi could recover. Collusion was fatal.
He silently mourned Vixi.
“Should we tell the teachers?” Lan Subing asked uncertainly from the bed.
Jiang Tianming shook his head, “We have no proof—just our guesses.”
Vixi wasn’t a pushover. Even if Meng Huai and the academy believed them, they couldn’t act pre-emptively.
Denying her, he looked at Su Bei, “What’s Zhaohua planning?”
Knowing Si Zhaohua, he wouldn’t ignore societal harm.
Su Bei confirmed, “He and Feng Lan are seeking evidence. Feng Lan’s setting up a leadership talk to probe.”
“Good plan. We can’t lag behind,” Jiang Tianming’s eyes blazed with shonen hero fire, cooling quickly, “Let’s talk with them, to see if we can help.”
They couldn’t join the talks but could stir chaos outside. If Vixi’s leaders denied the feud, they’d spark conflict, forcing acknowledgment.
The four left, reaching Si Zhaohua’s door. Su Bei walked past, “My room’s there.” Pointing next door, he waved, “Happy planning.”
Back in his room, his smile faded, purple eyes thoughtful.
Everything seemed logical—learning of Radical-beast collusion, then spotting a beast. Very “manga-esque,” like the author guided the protagonists to truth.
But Su Bei knew the author didn’t lay clues openly. The smoothness felt fake, like a trap.
Waking, the trio met on time. Though investigating Radicals, projects were vital.
Their goal was Vixi’s projects for growth—new issues didn’t negate that, and they didn’t conflict.
Projects were their real benefit.
“Our families prepped the items,” Si Zhaohua said. “After the two projects today, let’s hit the All-Knowing Conch.”
Su Bei blinked, realizing he forgot Zhou Renjie’s crisis. “No problem.”
Si Zhaohua led, so he agreed. He was curious about the conch—one question per person, it may be useful later.
“I’ve got something,” Su Bei shared his revised project plan. Less aligned with theirs, but close enough, so they agreed.
Feng Lan spoke last, “I've contacted them—4 p.m. today, one-hour meeting.”
“I’ll tell Tianming,” Si Zhaohua pulled out his phone. An hour meant they had to refine yesterday’s plan.
He texted in their group chat, with Su Bei somehow included, glancing at their plan.
Simple: during the meeting, Jiang Tianming’s trio would stir factional conflict outside. If leaders denied the feud, they’d escalate, signaling Si Zhaohua to press them.
Solid plan, but knowing the protagonists’ chaos, Su Bei warned, “Take it easy.”
Don’t spark an island-wide feud and end up hiding.
Today’s first project, VIP-only, was the Illusion Marsh. It created Ability-based personal illusions, offering a chance for skill insights. Not one-time—you could revisit, but success depended on comprehension.
At the site, they saw a vibrant marsh, colors blending—whether light or soil, it was stunning.
Beyond colors, it was unique. Puddles were capped with colored bubbles, trapping people inside, eyes closed, sealed-like.
The marsh felt vivid yet eerie. Normally, Su Bei would flee—only thrill-seekers or geologists would brave it.
But in Vixi, even risky projects were safe for VIPs.
Cautiously, Su Bei checked everyone’s Destiny Compasses—no issues. He jumped into a puddle, sinking as a bubble enveloped him.
No suffocation, just drowsiness. Knowing it was part of it, he didn’t resist, drifting off.
Two hours later, the bubble popped, and Su Bei woke, blinking to clear his foggy mind.