Chapter 309 - A Guide for Background Characters to Survive in a Manga

Chapter 309 The following day was still a day of tourism activities, but Su Bei had no interest in that. He left the group early to start searching for any signs of Nightmare Beasts. He wasn't certain if this mission from the "Black Lightning" organization involved any cooperation with the Nightmare Beasts, but since their target, Guardian Gaodi Anzhuo, was a mutated Nightmare Beast, he thought it unlikely that the beasts wouldn't play a part. During his search, Su Bei indeed discovered something suspicious. Within the large coverage area of his advanced mental power, he sensed traces of a Nightmare Beast within the "Afri Royal Superpower Academy." However, the trace was fleeting, disappearing almost instantly, making him almost doubt whether it was just an illusion. But how could that be? If he hadn't known that the capital might see the presence of Nightmare Beasts, he might have indeed thought it was an illusion. But Su Bei was aware of the potential appearance of Nightmare Beasts, so he would not dismiss this as a mere figment of his imagination. Hidden within the academy, huh? It's truly the perfect hiding place under the radar. Though the Superpower Academy housed many strong psychics, this very reason meant that people usually wouldn't investigate too closely. Once infiltrated, it would be easy to remain hidden. Previously, while Su Bei was sweeping with his mental power, he came across another mental force. This mental power seemed to come from a security personnel of the Afri nation. They scrutinized him for quite a while, but Su Bei cooperated, allowing them to investigate him fully. Only once it was confirmed that he posed no threat did that mental power withdraw and continue its checks elsewhere. Despite such meticulous checks, they still failed to notice the entry of the Nightmare Beast into the capital of Afri nation. Su Bei shook his head, suddenly recalling something. If he remembered correctly, Jiang Tianming and the others had a visit to the "Afri Royal Superpower Academy" in their itinerary. Trust the protagonist group to attract trouble wherever they go. But with the protagonist group around, he wasn’t worried; even if they couldn’t handle the hidden Nightmare Beasts, they would definitely glean some clues. Sure enough, that evening, Jiang Tianming shared their day’s discoveries. During their visit to the "Afri Royal Superpower Academy," they stumbled upon traces of a Nightmare Beast. Following the trail to the Nightmare Beast, they discovered that this was a deliberate setup by the beast to trap them, preventing any chance of them reporting outside. However, the protagonist group wasn’t to be trifled with, especially since Qi Huang had recently made significant progress and gains. She could take on any challenge singlehandedly, standing as an unstoppable force against the Nightmare Beasts. Upon hearing the unrestrained praise from everyone, Qi Huang couldn't help but reveal a bright smile. As they conversed about the events of the day, Wu Mingbai glanced at Su Bei, who hadn’t spoken much: “Did you run into Third and Fourth Brothers today? They came looking for me earlier, digging up your background, and they didn’t seem to have any goodwill.” “They were up to mischief with me.” Su Bei responded nonchalantly, “So, I taught them a small lesson.” This happened earlier that afternoon when he had just returned from outside and encountered the twin brothers. These past few days, there had been virtually no interaction between them and Wu Mingbai's siblings, so Su Bei merely nodded politely at them and proceeded to head upstairs. Unexpectedly, the younger brother suddenly said to him, “Hey, you’re the friend Brother Wang brought back, right? He has something to say to you guys, and we’re here to call everyone. Since you're here, come with us to find him.” Hearing that, Su Bei raised an eyebrow, nodded, and followed them upstairs. Though he appeared unsuspecting, he had already unleashed his mental power to probe the surroundings for any traps. This prince’s story seemed too flawed to escape doubt. Firstly, Wu Mingbai must have known they were all out at this time, so how could he have something to say? Moreover, even if he did, the best way to contact them would surely be by phone. Besides, the brothers showed no sign of surprise upon seeing him, unlike someone suddenly accomplishing their task. Despite knowing something was amiss, Su Bei was genuinely curious about their intentions, so he decided to play along and follow them. After reaching an upstairs room, Su Bei had just walked in when the two coordinatedly retreated and locked the door. The younger brother's voice came from outside, chuckling, “Heard you’re a powerful psychic? Even participated in the world tournament? I fear Brother Wang might be cheated, so I’m here to test your skills.” As soon as he finished speaking, a medium-level Nightmare Beast with the head of a tiger and the body of a snake slithered out from behind the bed, eyeing Su Bei menacingly. For Su Bei, a medium-level Nightmare Beast was not really a threat, but getting ensnared by two kids was problematic. Sniggering, he turned and forcefully kicked the locked door open. Facing the twins, whose eyes were now blank with shock, Su Bei smirked, “Heard royalty has special training methods? Let me test your strengths.” Without hesitation, he grabbed each of them by the collar, tossed them into the room, and shut the door. “You can’t do this! We’re princes!” the younger brother screamed in a sharper voice filled with anger, “If we die, Father won't let you off!” Su Bei leaned casually against the door, using his weight to block them, lazily replying, “You brought the Nightmare Beast, and this room is of your choosing. If I’m not mistaken, you deliberately avoided the castle's surveillance all the way here, right? If you die here, what has that to do with me?” While speaking, he did not forget to suppress the medium-level Nightmare Beast with his mental power. Though he could not directly kill it, intimidating it was well within his capacity, rendering it immobile. The kids had shown some restraint; knowing he had participated in the world tournament, they must have believed he could handle a medium-level Nightmare Beast. If they had set an aim to harm him, they would have brought a stronger beast. Therefore, he intended it as just a lesson. Unaware of his real intentions, the two boys thought they were truly forced to confront the Nightmare Beast, growing more panicked as they realized they had boxed themselves into their own trap. As Su Bei said, they had avoided everyone; no one knew they were with Su Bei. Consequently, even if they died here, no one would suspect Su Bei. Their father would likely discover the Nightmare Beast was of their own doing. The death scene would resemble a tragic accident, as if they were bitten by a pet of their own making—an unforeseen yet utterly embarrassing demise. The older brother’s voice emanated from within, noticeably strained as he fought to stay composed: “What do you want? Release us, and we can satisfy your demands.” “What if I want you both dead?” Su Bei maintained his lazy tone, as if he hadn’t uttered anything alarming. While Su Bei remained nonchalant, the two boys in the room already began to tremble. After all, they were just kids of eleven or twelve, bratty but never having faced a life-and-death crisis before. Facing the Nightmare Beast, which seemed all too eager for a meal, they watched it guardedly. Not knowing why the beast hadn’t moved, it was menacing just standing there. They hadn’t awakened their superpowers, so there was no way they could face off against a medium-level Nightmare Beast on their own. Ordinarily, their guardian spirits could have protected them, but recently all spirits were busy preparing for Wu Mingbai's recognition ceremony. Their focus was on gaining the guardian spirit’s acceptance for Wu Mingbai, meaning the spirits couldn’t protect the twins. “What did you bring me here for?” Having thoroughly scared them, Su Bei asked slowly. The older brother’s voice was hoarse, striving to explain: “We just wanted to test your strength. You are Brother Mingbai’s classmate; therefore, your strength should be about the same as his.” In simpler terms, they couldn’t test Wu Mingbai’s faculties, so they thought they’d test his classmate as a benchmark for strength. “And then?” Su Bei prodded, believing them yet seeking more than their immediate explanation. “And then... and then...” the older brother hesitated. Su Bei casually warned, “I advise you not to lie.” With that, the older brother made up his mind, “And if you’re weak, we’ll leave it at that, but if you’re strong... I’d think of a way to have Mingbai return to your country.” A powerful psychic prince naturally had higher potential for ascending. The might of powerful psychics in a nation doesn't determine kingship directly but definitely adds a competitive edge. “Ha, you guys certainly covet that position,” Su Bei laughed, tone laced with subtle mockery. Having understood their intentions, he straightforwardly laid down his condition. “Tomorrow, regardless of what happens, act as usual. Don’t let your parents cause trouble. Can you do that?” The next day, Wu Mingbai had the opportunity to meet the guardian spirit, which he was bound to follow. If he happened to reveal any traces while tailing, having this agreement in place would ensure that Wu Mingbai could still meet the guardian spirit that day and wouldn't disrupt the storyline. It would also somewhat restrain the king from tracking his whereabouts. "What are you trying to do?" the younger brother asked warily, "We wouldn’t want to harm—" Before he could finish, the older brother interrupted abruptly, but urgently promised, "Agreed." No matter what Su Bei intended, their priority was to leave alive. If they ended up dying there, they wouldn't be able to hinder Su Bei, even if he indeed harbored ill intentions. "Smart of your brother to be sensible." Su Bei opened the door, tossing over a superpower contract and a pen. Besides the conditions he’d mentioned earlier, the contract included a clause that required them to keep today's events a secret. Once the twins signed and sealed the contract, Su Bei used a "Gear of Fate" to terminate the medium-level Nightmare Beast, "politely" seeing off the teary-eyed young princes. Regarding the contract signing, there was no need to elaborate; he only recounted the earlier parts. After hearing his story, Qi Huang was furious. "That's outrageous! What if you couldn't handle the medium-level Nightmare Beast and ended up dead because of them?" “If he couldn’t handle a medium-level Nightmare Beast, they probably would’ve tried him with a lower-level one first,” Jiang Tianming said calmly, though the anger was evident in his eyes. “But this kind of unwarranted testing clearly lacks proper upbringing.” "A lack of upbringing in children points to parental failure," Si Zhaohua stated coldly, casting an intentional look at Wu Mingbai. Wu Mingbai frowned with anger as well. "I didn’t expect them to trouble you... You were right to teach them a lesson. Tomorrow, I'll have Father teach them one more." Su Bei shrugged indifferently. The contract bound the twins to secrecy, not himself. Ignoring the contract part, the lesson he’d given was well-measured; the King of Afri nation likely wouldn’t take it to heart. Even if he did, it wasn’t Su Bei who was in the wrong. In a modern society, with superpowered beings, they couldn’t secretly kill him. If anything were exposed, Afri nation would face severe consequences. If the king were that foolish, Su Bei would accept it. Having finished this discussion, Mu Tieren hesitantly spoke up, “Oh, by the way, I don’t know if I was mistaken, but when leaving the academy, I thought I saw a familiar figure...” Noticing his evident hesitation, Jiang Tianming asked curiously, “Whose figure? Why didn't you mention it earlier?” There was no accusation in his words, just simple curiosity about his friend's concerns. “It was... Mo Xiaotian,” Mu Tieren answered with uncertainty. “I only saw a silhouette. It wasn’t a physique I recognized, but it felt familiar to me.” Back at the academy, Mu Tieren had been closest to Mo Xiaotian, hence his strong intuition. Although the silhouette didn’t seem like the Mo Xiaotian he knew—taller and more robust—its bouncing nature made him suspect that it indeed was Mo Xiaotian. “Mo Xiaotian?” Hearing this long-missed name, everyone momentarily felt dazed. Unlike Zhou Renzie’s betrayal, Mo Xiaotian was unequivocally an undercover agent and couldn’t possibly be returning to the academy like Zhou Renzie. At the time, they expected Mo Xiaotian’s exposure as a spy would lead to significant upheaval, but instead, he vanished without a trace. This made accepting his role as a double agent difficult; he seemed more like someone who went on an extended assignment. However, this illusion was now challenged by his sudden appearance in Afri nation, especially given the looming crisis there—it was hard to believe he was merely sightseeing. “Don’t overthink this,” Jiang Tianming quickly composed himself. "Even if it truly was Mo Xiaotian, it doesn’t necessarily relate to the crisis Feng Lan predicted. After all, the 'Black Lightning' organization usually targets only psychics and Nightmare Beasts, right?” This was true from their understanding. The "Black Lightning" organization always acted with research missions that typically involved only Nightmare Beasts and superpowered individuals—ordinary people were rarely their concern. They occasionally harmed ordinary people for research, but specifically targeting them was not their agenda. The impending Afri nation crisis wasn't solely targeting psychics either, but the entire populace. There was no logic in "Black Lightning" orchestrating such events; it seemed more like the handiwork of Nightmare Beasts, as evidenced by their presence discovered at the "Afri Royal Superpower Academy." As for Mo Xiaotian, even if it truly was him, it might just be for a separate mission. Optimistically thinking, perhaps the "Black Lightning" organization heard about the Nightmare Beasts’ scheme and sent support, as during previous battles and the world tournament. “I’ll have Father investigate this matter.” As a prince, Wu Mingbai could finally reasonably utilize his status, “No reason to worry too much.” Even if he couldn’t purge all "Black Lightning" members domestically, at least within the capital, they could avoid trouble. With this assurance, the group noticeably relaxed. Knowing "Black Lightning" was plotting something might have concerned them initially, but being aware meant the capital of Afri nation wouldn’t leave its heart undefended. They were all in the capital, so as long as they were safe, they could assist wherever "Black Lightning" attempted anything else. Observing their relieved expressions, Su Bei said little. He was now contemplating whether anything would occur during the next day's recognition banquet, although it seemed unlikely. How incompetent could the Afri royal family be to let "Black Lightning" infiltrate and execute schemes on such an important day? What required thought was how he would follow Wu Mingbai to meet the guardian spirit. Using an invisibility talisman was a given, but the key was finding a reasonable excuse to disappear for a period and tracking them without slipping up. Also, how would he escape if caught? Though he'd prepared somewhat for this outcome, it was vital to ensure thorough, solid plans to ease his mind. First, a reconnaissance was necessary, Su Bei quickly formulated a plan: “Where is the recognition banquet being held tomorrow?” “The grand hall on the second floor of the castle.” Wu Mingbai answered proficiently, “The final arrangements should still be underway now. Why do you ask? Want to see it in advance?” Such an accommodating classmate, saving him from concocting a reason. Moved genuinely, Su Bei nodded eagerly, “I’m a bit curious.” “I’d like to take a look too,” Lan Subing chimed in. Outwardly, she wasn’t overly curious; otherwise, she’d have mentioned it earlier. There was no need to hide things from Wu Mingbai. The reason for joining Su Bei now was mainly as she was intrigued by what Su Bei might be planning. She couldn't think of anything particularly interesting about the hall that they’d see tomorrow. So, Su Bei must have ulterior motives. As both expressed their wish to visit, and with free time in the evening, the rest of the group also headed to the second-floor hall. Previously, Su Bei had checked out the castle’s second floor on the first day but had only taken a glimpse of the hall before leaving. This time, entering the hall, they discovered numerous details. The grand hall certainly emphasized “grand,” occupying nearly half of the castle's width. There was a space for dancing in the center, and an exhibition stand at the far end. The rest consisted of tables, chairs, and decorations, seemingly nothing extraordinary. The hall featured two doors: the main entrance they used and a smaller one near the exhibition stand. After surveying the layout, Su Bei approached the smaller door, “Where does this lead?” “The other side’s staircase,” Wu Mingbai said, walking over to help Su Bei open the door, “Performers use this entrance and exit; we’ll also leave through here.” Su Bei took note, surveying the space a few more times before leaving. After a quick tour, he lost interest, yawning, “I’m heading back.” “Leaving already?” Lan Subing seemed surprised. She expected Su Bei had something planned, but he genuinely seemed only interested in sightseeing, doing nothing more. Su Bei amusedly looked at her, “What else?” Lan Subing didn’t bother with pretense, replying confidently with her insight into him, “I don’t believe you; you must have another plan.” Su Bei couldn’t argue as he tousled her blue hair, “No proof? Don’t make baseless accusations.” The recognition banquet was at night, and promptly at seven, the whole hall was aglow. Reporters, royalty, political bigwigs—all gathered, awaiting the introduction of the newly recognized prince. Standing in a corner, Su Bei held a wine glass filled with deep purple grape juice. As a minor, he couldn't indulge in alcohol; however, drinking orange juice at such an event seemed out of place, so grape juice was a more appropriate choice. The others had planned on having regular drinks, but upon seeing Su Bei's convincing act, they all tacitly followed suit and grabbed some grape juice to maintain appearances. Barely two sips in, the twin brothers approached him. Aware of the conflict between them, Jiang Tianming and the others watched the twins warily. Though the twins did not appear friendly, they maintained their composure and politely requested to speak with Su Bei alone. Raising an eyebrow, Su Bei agreed, "Let's go." The rest were not worried, confident that Su Bei could easily handle the two boys. The three of them exited through the main door and walked to a secluded area before stopping. The older brother, with a serious expression, got straight to the point: "What exactly do the terms of that contract mean? Are they something you foresaw about our future?" They had been waiting all day for the recognition banquet to begin and had become impatient. Since nothing unusual had happened yet, any incident could only occur during the banquet or the subsequent royal private event. Either scenario spelled trouble, a situation that was unfavorable for them. Initially, they suspected Su Bei might plan something illicit, which was why he made them sign the confidentiality agreement. However, after learning about Su Bei's fate-related superpower, they began to wonder if he had seen something detrimental to the royal family. Had the king shared Feng Lan's prophecy with them, their judgment might have been more inclined to consider this possibility. Earlier, believing Su Bei intended mischief, they were not overly concerned. Despite Su Bei's talent, he was just a fifteen-year-old boy, and their royal pride led them to believe that Su Bei could cause no significant trouble under their vigilant watch. However, if the latter were true and fate indeed revealed something to him, it warranted serious concern. Could their enforced silence lead to real consequences? Driven by this concern, the twins were compelled to seek clarification from Su Bei.