A Guide for Background Characters to Survive in a Manga

Chapter 271

While recalling the scenes I had just witnessed, I pulled myself out of the mud and sat to the side to rest. The next activity was the hot spring, and there was a bathhouse right beside it, so there was no rush to go back and clean up or change clothes.

I had to admit, the "Illusion Marsh" really had something to it. I actually gained some inspiration. The content I saw in the illusion was related to cycles—cycles of destiny.

To put it simply, it was the kind of causal loop often found in sci-fi novels: something done in the past affected the future, leading me to return to the past in the future, where I did something again that influenced both the past and the future.

I had read similar novels before, and back then, I found them quite shocking. But experiencing it firsthand made the shock multiply exponentially.

As shown in the illusion, destiny and causality were inextricably linked. Feng Lan had used this insight to develop the ability of Prophecy Fragments. And me? With my [Destiny Gear] ability, what kind of ability could I develop from this?

I had a faint idea in my mind, but I needed to calm down and think it through carefully. Now was clearly not the time for that.

Sighing, I stored my thoughts in my mind and looked at Feng Lan and Si Zhaohua. They hadn’t yet emerged from their bubbles, each sealed inside like those fake people in crystal balls.

Speaking of which, the container preserving Zhou Renjie’s life was also a crystal, though shaped like a coffin. It was hard to imagine that Snow White’s crystal coffin actually existed. If this item were revealed to the public, ordinary people unaware of the truth might suspect that ability users existed thousands of years ago, not just a few hundred years ago as it is now.

After waiting a moment, the two of them woke up. The three of us, covered in mud, headed toward the Body-Forging Hot Spring, discussing what we had experienced in the illusion.

Si Zhaohua had directly arrived in paradise, experiencing the duties of an angel. He didn’t have much recollection of the specifics, but the sense of divinity was etched into his bones.

Feng Lan, on the other hand, experienced the perspective of an ordinary person, witnessing a prophet cause worldwide chaos with a single prophecy that ultimately came true. Similarly, he didn’t remember much of the details about the chaos or displacement, but the feeling of the prophet’s lofty superiority and the insignificance of ordinary people left a deep impression on him.

After experiencing it ourselves and learning about each other’s experiences, we realized that the illusions created by the "Illusion Marsh" weren’t really about letting us live through a story. The crucial part was the feelings within the story.

These feelings were the key factor in comprehending new abilities. “Why don’t we go back and think it over carefully?” Si Zhaohua couldn’t help but ask, wanting to seize this feeling to see if he could develop a new ability.

Unlike abilities gained from skill books, self-developed abilities would undoubtedly have the greatest impact.

“We can think while soaking in the hot spring,” I advised. I had nothing to do in the afternoon and could think anytime, so I naturally didn’t want to go back right away. If I missed this activity now and came back alone later, I worried it might be dangerous.

Thinking about skills while soaking in the hot spring wasn’t a bad idea, and developing new skills wasn’t something that could be done overnight. Feng Lan nodded first: “Let’s go to the Body-Forging Hot Spring first.”

Along the way, we attracted countless strange looks. After all, three mud-covered people walking together were hard to ignore, especially since the mud on us was multicolored, making us look like we were performing some kind of art.

When we arrived, we eagerly went to the bathhouse next to the hot spring to wash off the colorful mud. Coming out of the bathhouse, we didn’t need to wear much—just the large shorts provided for free by Vixi Holy Land were enough.

Ability users had exceptional physical conditions and trained daily, so all three of us had great physiques. I glanced at the other two, then looked down at myself, shocked: “Am I actually the darkest of the three of us?”

My skin was already fairer than most, but Si Zhaohua and Feng Lan were even fairer, one paler than the other. If it weren’t for our abs, I would’ve mocked them as white-cut chickens.

Interestingly, our abs matched our skin tones. My abs were the most defined, but not bulky, giving a lean and powerful vibe. Si Zhaohua’s were next, while Feng Lan’s were standard thin muscle.

But those two trained just as diligently as I did, so I was genuinely curious where their abs went.

Guys usually liked exaggerated muscle lines. Although my muscles weren’t exaggerated and looked quite good, they were the most defined among the three of us, naturally earning envious glances from the other two.

Even Feng Lan couldn’t help but take an extra look, feeling a bit envious. Everyone trained daily, so why the huge difference? Was this also a matter of talent?

The bathhouse was close to the hot spring, but there was still a short distance to walk. During this stretch, we felt like animals on display in a zoo. Countless girls were either sneaking glances or openly staring at us, even more than when we were covered in mud.

The most awkward moment was passing a few women sitting on the curb, young and old, all holding sunflower seeds and staring unblinkingly at those coming out of the bathhouse—namely, us.

They occasionally whispered to each other, tactfully keeping their voices low so we couldn’t hear. But even without hearing, we could guess they were probably discussing our physiques.

They were likely Vixi Holy Land natives, specifically coming here to watch people heading to the hot spring, treating us like daily entertainment.

The three of us: “…”

I was fine with it. Growing up following my father in the military, I often went shirtless and got teased by annoying adults as a white-cut chicken. I never got mad then, and now, with my great physique, I minded even less. Though it was a bit awkward being stared at by women, as a northern kid, I was used to bathhouses.

Si Zhaohua and Feng Lan, however, were completely different. They were practically squirming, looking like they didn’t know how to walk, which was honestly hilarious.

What really made me laugh out loud was their ears. With a casual glance, I noticed both had bright red ears, but in different ways—Feng Lan’s ear tips were red, while Si Zhaohua’s entire ears were flushed.

No, wait, Si Zhaohua wasn’t just red-eared; his whole head looked cooked. A side glance made me think he was cosplaying a red-hot tomato.

I couldn’t hold it in and burst out laughing: “Seriously, this shy?”

Si Zhaohua: “…”

“You’re the one with thick skin!” He snapped, embarrassed and angry, but knowing he couldn’t outtalk me in this situation, he decisively threatened, “Keep talking, and I’ll treat you to a ‘Holy Judgment.’”

His threat worked. I pouted, raising my hands in surrender, though my eyes were still smiling, not serious at all: “Fine, fine, I won’t call you shy.”

His fists clenched harder. Si Zhaohua was clearly itching to punch me, but now wasn’t the time, so he just quickened his pace toward the hot spring. He was starting to regret not bringing a towel—anything to avoid this embarrassment.

Feng Lan was on the same page. As the lofty head of the Feng Family, when had he ever faced such treatment? While I was talking with Si Zhaohua, he probably wanted to ditch us and head to the hot spring alone. If our conversation hadn’t ended quickly, we might not even see his shadow by now.

With the two of them leading, we soon reached the “Body-Forging Hot Spring.” The hot spring was empty—most people soaked at night, so coming in the morning was rare.

This was good news for Si Zhaohua and Feng Lan. If the hot spring was crowded, even with just men, they might’ve turned and left. Without those staring eyes, Si Zhaohua finally relaxed: “Good thing the hot spring’s empty.”

“It’s morning, after all,” I said, sinking into the hot spring pool and letting out a comfortable sigh. “This hot spring is different from the ones outside.”

On the surface, the “Body-Forging Hot Spring” didn’t seem much different from a regular hot spring. It wasn’t as flashy as the other activities, with just thicker mist on the water, giving the feeling of being in a misty immortal palace.

But the real difference was in the sensation. At first, it didn’t feel too hot, but soon a steady stream of heat surged into my body. This was completely different from a regular hot bath. The feeling of energy filling my body was far more comfortable than a normal hot spring.

Yet, alongside the comfort, I felt a fiery sting in my meridians. With my strong control over my body, I knew this was the hot spring improving my physique, clearing impurities from my blood.

The “Body-Forging Hot Spring” wasn’t a one-time item. Soaking for about two hours a month was ideal; more wouldn’t do much. Unlike the “Gravity Beach,” which required consistent use for effects, the “Body-Forging Hot Spring” enhanced physical condition with just one soak, with the first time being the most effective.

“Indeed, Vixi Holy Land is truly blessed,” Si Zhaohua said, eyes closed, his silver hair, usually tied up, now loosely draped behind him.

His words piqued my interest. A meteorite had landed here, and Vixi Holy Land rose because of it. Curious, I asked, “Does this count as destiny’s mandate?”

“Just luck,” Si Zhaohua opened his eyes and snorted. “Anyone could’ve risen with that opportunity.”

Feng Lan shook his head: “Nightmare Beasts were rampant here at the start.”

I immediately understood. The meteorite didn’t just bring environmental changes; it caused a fusion between the real world and the Nightmare Beast world. As the intersection of the two realms, Vixi Holy Land must’ve been a disaster zone overrun with Nightmare Beasts initially.

As the saying goes, danger always comes with opportunity, and vice versa. The founders of Vixi Holy Land managed to reclaim this place despite such dangers, so it was only natural they reaped huge benefits afterward.

Soaking in this comfortable yet agonizing hot spring for a full two hours, until I felt my bones were practically melting, we finally got up.

After washing up, I stretched lazily and waved to Si Zhaohua and Feng Lan: “Alright, you guys go handle your stuff. I’m off to eat.”

I wasn’t getting involved in what came next. Si Zhaohua and the others probably couldn’t settle things with Jiang Tianming and the rest just over the phone; they might need to continue discussing over lunch. I wasn’t going to join the chaos.

Walking to the restaurant, I felt full of energy, my body warm and comfortable.

This was the effect of the “Body-Forging Hot Spring.” With my precise control over my body, I could keenly feel my physique had improved a step further. Both speed and strength had progressed slightly. Though the improvement wasn’t huge, considering it came from just one soak, it was astonishing.

With so many precious resources, no wonder the Radicals’ ambitions grew, unwilling to stay confined to a corner. If the whole island worked together, they might actually achieve progress. But clearly, internal conflicts prevented them from moving this giant forward.

I never underestimated Jiang Tianming and the others’ destructive potential, which was why I had warned them to take it easy. But what I didn’t expect was that my warning turned out to be a prophecy. At 5 p.m., while I was quietly reading in the library, a commotion suddenly erupted outside.

The library in Vixi Holy Land was in a remote location with good soundproofing. Hearing noise from outside meant something big was happening.

The few people in the library looked up, exchanging puzzled glances and craning their necks toward the door.

The librarian stood up first: “Everyone, stay calm. I’ll check outside.”

She walked out and returned shortly, her face grim: “Please return to your residences immediately. If you don’t want to get involved in the conflict, lock your doors and don’t come out until it’s quiet. Outside… those two sides are fighting, and the library will lock down soon.”

Clearly, the librarian mistook us for natives, so she explained the situation briefly. Fortunately, I knew some inside information and guessed from her words that it was likely the Radicals and Conservatives fighting.

I had just said Jiang Tianming and the others better not spark an island-wide conflict, and they actually made it happen, to the point that even a remote place like the library wasn’t spared?

This wasn’t the first time such a conflict had occurred. The other natives present understood what the librarian meant, their expressions changing instantly—some annoyed, others excited.

Everyone filed out of the library. I followed the crowd, found an empty corner, and used an Invisibility Charm. In such a chaotic brawl, it was safer to stay invisible to avoid accidental injury.

A few steps out, I fully witnessed the island’s chaos. People were fighting everywhere—some one-on-one, others in groups. It looked like they’d been infected with some kind of frenzy virus.

While throwing punches and kicks, they didn’t hold back with their mouths either, hurling insults and cursing each other’s ancestors up to eighteen generations. But if their ancestors eighteen generations back were likely the same people, wouldn’t they be cursing themselves?

Yet, amid this chaotic frenzy, I noticed they were somewhat restrained. Despite the fierce surface fighting, no one used large-scale destructive abilities. It was mostly hand-to-hand combat, and even when abilities were used, they didn’t affect the surroundings or others.

This restrained brawl raised my suspicions. The Radicals and Conservatives both claimed to want the best for Vixi Holy Land, but the Radicals were gambling with its future. So, logically, the Conservatives should be fighting them without holding back. Why so restrained?

The Radicals’ behavior was also off. They were crazy enough to consider cooperating with Nightmare Beasts, so why were they so calm against the Conservatives blocking their ambitions? It didn’t match their “Radical” name.

And while I didn’t know how Jiang Tianming and the others managed to spark an island-wide fight, the natives’ reactions in the library suggested this wasn’t the first time. For such frequent conflicts to not escalate into real violence, should I praise the Vixi Holy Land natives for their “love” for each other?

Observing for a while, I muttered to myself: “Why does it feel like they’re acting?”

I abandoned the plan to return to the hotel as the librarian suggested. Relying on my invisibility, I moved freely through the chaotic crowd.

After observing closely for a bit without finding any clues, I got a mischievous idea.

I wasn’t exactly a saint. Knowing there was likely something fishy with these people, I didn’t mind using slightly unethical methods to test my suspicions.

So, as two natives were throwing hidden weapons at each other, one suddenly got a cut on his neck. The cut wasn’t life-threatening, but a wound in such a vital spot was enough to make anyone wary.

Both stopped instantly. The injured one angrily demanded: “You’re going for the kill?!”

“I didn’t!” Seeing the wound, the other was startled and quickly defended himself. “We’ve fought before; why would I do that? Maybe someone else’s fight accidentally hit you.”

The injured man didn’t buy it, sneering: “Look around before you say that.”

The other glanced around and wilted. Their fighting spot was secluded, with no one else nearby. Even an accidental hit wouldn’t reach them.

“…Then it was a sneak attack!” Denied his first guess, he quickly offered another. It couldn’t possibly be him slipping up and accidentally hitting the other. As a Vixi Holy Land native, if he couldn’t control his ability, he might as well not live.

After all, on their island, everyone was an ability user. Ability education was far more advanced than elsewhere, and from a young age, they learned to train their abilities after awakening, generally surpassing their peers in mastery.

But the injured man wasn’t convinced. Who would sneak attack him for no reason? And with no one else around, who else could it be but his opponent? Yet the other didn’t seem to be lying. He looked suspiciously at his opponent: “You don’t have some grudge against me, do you… No, this isn’t a small grudge.”

A minor grudge might lead to a heavier hand, but attacking a vital spot like the neck? Though the attack wasn’t too severe, the location alone showed significant malice.

His expression turned serious: “You’re not planning to switch sides and join the Neutral Faction, are you?”

“Of course not!” The opponent immediately denied. “I think the Radicals’ ideas are great, perfect, and beneficial to me. I’d never join the Conservatives or Neutrals, absolutely not. Don’t slander me!”

Though he denied it vehemently, the injured man wasn’t entirely convinced but wasn’t too worried: “If you think you’re clean, let the leaders verify it with a lie detector. You know how it works~”

“No problem!” Though hurt by the lack of trust, it was indeed the best way to prove himself. The opponent nodded decisively, agreeing.

Due to this incident, the two couldn’t continue fighting. The injured man needed to treat his wound and ensure his safety. Even if his opponent tried to silence him, he wouldn’t escape Vixi Holy Land’s punishment. But a life was a life—if the opponent acted, no amount of punishment would bring him back.

Watching them leave, I whistled cheerfully and strolled back to the hotel.

The sneak attack was worth it; I got some important information.

The Neutral Faction—there was another group on the island.

Logically, the Neutral Faction should neither support the Radicals nor the Conservatives. But given the goals of the Radicals and Conservatives, the Neutrals should be lumped with the Conservatives, as doing nothing meant wanting Vixi Holy Land to stay as it was.

But clearly, that wasn’t the case. The Neutral Faction was distinctly different from the other two. More interestingly, both the Radicals and Conservatives seemed to disdain the Neutral Faction. In Vixi Holy Land, the Neutrals were likely an isolated group.

Indeed, those who didn’t take sides often ended up unwanted by both. But more often, Neutrals were courted. If the Neutrals truly did nothing, they wouldn’t be in anyone’s way, so why the disdain?

There was only one possibility: the Neutral Faction differed from both the Radicals and Conservatives on a certain point. Conversely, this meant the Radicals and Conservatives were aligned on that point.

There was definitely a secret.