Chapter 318 - A Guide for Background Characters to Survive in a Manga

Chapter 318 In this wondrous closed circle, Qi Huang had become one of Li Shu's closer friends in the class. It's worth mentioning that, ranked by Li Shu's friendliness order, the third place belonged to Su Bei. After all, aside from Jiang Tianming, he was the second person Li Shu was interested in. For this, Su Bei was humbled yet somewhat reluctant. Despite this, he still raised his hand with a cheerful smile, "I'm going too. How could I miss such a good show?" It was certain that he had to go. If this situation was related to the main storyline, he couldn't afford to miss it. If it was unrelated, then the danger wouldn't be too great, and going would be harmless. After his declaration, others also raised their hands to express their desire to join. After all, staying idle over the weekend was still staying idle. Rather than completing school assignments, why not visit Li Shu's house? "If too many people go, it might just be a hassle," Si Zhaohua shook his head. "Besides, Li Shu might not even want that." He believed that Jiang Tianming visiting Li Shu's house would likely be welcomed, perhaps even moving him. But for the rest of them, that might not be the case. Realizing he was right, those with their hands raised began to hesitate. While they were indeed friends with Li Shu, not everyone had a close relationship with him. A class of fifteen wasn't much, but it wasn't possible for everyone to be close. After some discussion, it was decided that the trio of Jiang Tianming, Su Bei, Qi Huang, and the class monitor Mu Tieren—a total of six people—would visit Li Shu’s house. As for the others, they would stay at the school on standby. Just in case something unexpected happened, they could offer timely support. Although this sounded a bit overly cautious, given the various past dangers they encountered on assignments, the members of Class S found this approach reasonable. Upon his return, Jiang Tianming learned of their plan and had no objections. He gathered those who were going to Li Shu's house and began to relay the information he'd heard from Teacher Meng earlier. "Li Shu's family is in business. I’m not sure what kind of business, but the teacher told me they have a lot of children. Usually, when a child reaches a certain age, they take over the family business. Li Shu used this as the reason to withdraw from school." "Take over the family business?" Qi Huang furrowed her brow. "What kind of business requires a sixteen-year-old to take over? Moreover, he doesn't seem... doesn't seem particularly wealthy, does he?" Being wealthy herself and having a good relationship with Li Shu, she could naturally infer from his daily behavior about his family situation. They certainly weren’t struggling with basic needs, but their regular expenses weren't particularly high. Thus, Qi Huang had always thought Li Shu came from an ordinary family, like Zhao Xiaoyu. However, the difference was that his family clearly had someone with superpowers, and they weren’t as oblivious to the superpower world as Zhao Xiaoyu's family. Why would a family like that need their child to quit the Infinite Superpower Academy, even before completing his education, to deal with business? "I find it strange too. That’s why I want to visit his house." Jiang Tianming nodded in agreement. "Teacher Meng said we shouldn't meddle in others' family affairs, so if you all..." His meaning was clear: if they didn't want to go against the teacher's advice, it would be best not to go. However, none present were docile students. Even Mu Tieren could be very stubborn about certain matters. They weren't the type to abandon a decision just because the teacher opposed it. Qi Huang rolled her eyes in annoyance, "If we didn't want to meddle in others' family affairs, we wouldn't have come in the first place." "As class monitor, I can’t just ignore a fellow student withdrawing from school," Mu Tieren had his own logic. Jiang Tianming understood Wu Mingbai and Lan Subing, as well as Su Bei, so he didn't even bother to ask their intentions. Seeing Qi Huang and the others' resolute attitudes, he stopped saying more, "Let's create a small group chat. I'll send the location of Li Shu's house there. We'll meet at the marked spot at 8 AM on Saturday. I guess we won't inform the Li family beforehand, right?" Considering the Li family who wanted Li Shu to quit school and sever ties with his classmates, they wouldn't possibly welcome them. Arriving unannounced might result in being directly turned away. Others shared similar concerns, but Mu Tieren had a different solution from Jiang Tianming, "I think we should first get a legitimate reason from the teacher to visit. That would make it easier to act." That's true; who would want to sneak around if they could go openly? Besides, sneaking around might not even let them in. "So who will talk to the teacher about this?" Wu Mingbai asked. Though it was a question, his gaze was fixed on Mu Tieren, clearly having an answer in mind. "I'll go." Not disappointing him, Mu Tieren readily volunteered, raising his hand confidently. That afternoon, Meng Huai learned of their plan and kept them after school. "Jiang Tianming, I wasn't aware that you could be so impulsive." Meng Huai hadn't expected Jiang Tianming to remain determined to visit Li Shu's home after hearing about their situation, even forming a small group to join him. "Teacher, there's definitely something wrong with Li Shu dropping out. As friends, we can’t just let this slide," Jiang Tianming stated earnestly. However, his earnestness didn’t move Meng Huai. He rolled his eyes, "I can tell you with 100% certainty that it was Li Shu himself who told me he wanted to drop out, so your visit would be pointless." "He could’ve been coerced," Qi Huang reasoned logically, "Maybe something's leveraging him into this. It’s not like he suddenly despised us and chose to drop out." While Meng Huai appreciated their concern, he sighed, "Why do you insist on interfering with someone’s family matters? What if he doesn’t return to school?" "That would violate the nine-year compulsory education," Lan Subing quietly remarked. This statement nearly exasperated Meng Huai. He took a deep breath, sarcastically threatening, "So now you're no longer socially anxious?" Lan Subing immediately went silent, as obedient as a mouse. Given her weakness disclosed to the homeroom teacher, Meng Huai could easily make things difficult for her. She couldn’t afford to offend him for a moment's wit. "Please agree, Teacher!" Wu Mingbai chimed in with a bright, sunny smile, "After all, we're determined to go, and with a legitimate reason, we'll be somewhat safer." This fellow's scheming nature was evident; after Meng Huai's threat to Lan Subing, he unabashedly turned it on Meng Huai. Seeing that reasoning with them was futile, Meng Huai stopped persuading and sternly declared, "Li Shu specifically instructed me not to let you cause trouble. This weekend, I’ll have an assignment for you. Whoever skips it will be immediately expelled from Class S. Understood?" Nobody had anticipated that in order to prevent them from visiting Li Shu's home, the teacher would go so far. Moreover, his words revealed that Li Shu didn’t want them to come, which slightly made them hesitate. If they misunderstood, and Li Shu severing ties with them wasn't a cry for help but purely an unwillingness to see them, then their sudden appearance might indeed be unwelcome. "Teacher, is that true? Did Li Shu really tell you to stop us?" Mu Tieren asked, furrowing his brow. Meng Huai nodded, irked, "Why would I lie to you about this?" Receiving such an answer, everyone fell silent. Jiang Tianming pursed his lips, "Sorry for taking up your time, we'll take our leave now." "Go on, go on," Meng Huai waved them away with thinly veiled impatience, shooing them off like flies. As they walked out of the office, Jiang Tianming didn’t have the air of someone who had fully accepted the situation, heading directly towards the exit. Wu Mingbai and Lan Subing were initially stunned, but soon understood, quickly catching up to him. "Hey! Where are you going?" Seeing the three moving ahead, Qi Huang hurried to catch up. Mu Tieren, following closely, sensed that Jiang Tianming’s demeanor was off, not appearing entirely resigned, and felt compelled not to let him wander unchecked. Bringing up the rear was Su Bei, hands in pockets, trailing leisurely. Like Lan Subing and her companion, he too deduced what Jiang Tianming was thinking. He surely wasn’t going to abandon the idea of investigating Li Shu’s residence. However, it wasn’t just from understanding Jiang Tianming that he discerned his intentions, but from knowing manga narratives and understanding the storyline, predicting that the plot involving visiting Li Shu’s house was bound to occur. Sure enough, once they reached an area without surveillance, Jiang Tianming stated concisely yet firmly, "I still plan to visit Li Shu's house." "Why?" Mu Tieren asked in confusion. As far as he was concerned, the teacher's explanation was ample—it wasn’t justifiable for them to disturb things. After a moment's thought, Jiang Tianming explained, "Because even if Li Shu explicitly stated he didn’t want us there, it might be out of fear of involving us. Only by personally ensuring he’s alright can I be at ease." That did make sense, though such a possibility didn't seem reason enough for Qi Huang to take the risk of being expelled from Class S. She crossed her arms, showing an uncharacteristically frosty demeanor, "Are you sure you want to abandon Class S for such ungrounded suspicion?" If there was even a hint of a basis, Qi Huang wouldn't mind taking the risk. What did the status of being in Class S matter when it came to saving a friend? If Meng Huai truly threatened them with that, she would rather disdain staying in Class S. But the current situation was such that Li Shu had clearly expressed he didn't want them to go, and Meng Huai also didn't think it was a correct course of action. Qi Huang was no fool; she didn't feel that being stubborn in this case was right. "But if there's even a slight chance that he's calling for help, I won't stand by and do nothing," Jiang Tianming said firmly, his eyes suddenly twinkling with a hint of mischief. "Besides, who said we'd pay a price?" Hearing this, Qi Huang's crimson eyes flickered with interest, "Oh? What do you mean?" Jiang Tianming spoke with confidence, "The teacher only mentioned an activity this weekend that we can't miss. We could go on Wednesday night and then skip the class the next day. Missing this weekend activity would get us expelled from Class S, but skipping a regular class wouldn't have that serious of a consequence." Quite true! The group widened their eyes in realization. They had indeed forgotten about the possibility of skipping class. With this plan, the problem was indeed resolved. Meng Huai couldn't possibly claim afterward that skipping class would also get them expelled from Class S; they’d have a case to argue before the principal. "Great idea!" Qi Huang clapped her hands excitedly. "In that case, the plan's on! When shall we head out?" Since they weren't bound by the weekend, the sooner, the better. Jiang Tianming promptly replied, "Wednesday. We'll look into the Li family today and tomorrow, then head out on Wednesday. Hopefully, Teacher Meng won't alert Li Shu's family about our visit." Given both Meng Huai's and Li Shu's behavior, the Li family likely wouldn't welcome them. If Meng Huai spilled the beans, they'd surely be turned away. Of course, that’s assuming the Li family could even spot them. Suddenly, Lan Subing remembered something and turned to Su Bei, who had been silent since they approached Meng Huai: "Su Bei, why aren't you saying anything?" Upon hearing this, Su Bei, who had been staring at his phone, looked up and showed them the screen. "I just asked Feng Lan for a prophecy. The key words for this trip to the Li family are trade, bloodshed, and redemption." Tilting his head with a cheerful grin, he added, "Sounds like a good show, doesn't it?" "Looks like we’ve got no choice but to go now," Mu Tieren's expression turned grim at the mention of "bloodshed." He had hesitated before, but now his resolve was firm. Misunderstanding or not, he had to check it out. Back in the dorm, Su Bei began preparing for the endeavor. There was no doubt that there was something amiss with Li Shu's family. Even without Feng Lan's prophecy, this point was beyond dispute. Although unclear as to what exactly, the secret involving a family's affairs might be an undisclosed and possibly malevolent one. To ensure smoother proceedings in their endeavor, Su Bei prepared a recording device in his storage ring and attached a gear-shaped micro camera to the outfit he planned to wear that day. Satisfied with his makeshift gear, Su Bei mused contentedly that he could reluctantly play the role of a war correspondent—if provoked, he could expose the other's scandals. Having done this, Su Bei checked the location Jiang Tianming shared in the "Li Shu Rescue Squad" chat group. To his surprise, yet quite expectedly, Li Shu's family was indeed very wealthy. Their house was on an island in the center of a lake, and the lake was part of the Li family property. The island had a small dock and several houses. Here lies the problem: how would they quietly cross the river to get to the island? Surely they wouldn't swim across! Setting aside the question of whether they could swim or if everyone could swim, there was also the matter of whether the lake had any defenses. If the Li family did harbor any secrets, they wouldn't allow outsiders to casually cross this moat. Well, it didn't matter; the main characters always had a way. He'd just follow suit. Su Bei quickly decided not to trouble himself further and waited for the events to unfold. As expected, the next day at school, Jiang Tianming laid out his plan, "There’s a boat that passes the river outside Li's Island every day. At 8:30 in the evening, there’s a regular boat, and I think we can smuggle ourselves onto it to reach the island." "Why do their boats frequently come and go?” Lan Subing asked, her curiosity peaked. "They're probably doing business," Wu Mingbai answered offhandedly. However, Lan Subing shook her head, clearly dissatisfied with such a simplistic response, or rather, she sought a deeper answer, "If it's business, what kind of business requires daily trips in such a complicated way?" A good question indeed. Su Bei rested his chin on one hand, "Might be business that can't leave the island.” Leaving the island might get them caught. Lan Subing didn’t catch his insinuation, but she found his answer sufficiently satisfying: "I wonder what 'bloodshed' implied by Feng Lan means. Was Li Shu punished?" "It could refer to the Li family's business," Qi Huang speculated randomly, "Like the underworld or something?" "That sounds a bit dangerous for us..." Wu Mingbai mused, "By the way, did anyone find out about the Li family’s superpower situation?" Only Qi Huang or Mu Tieren could look into this. They are people with connections in the superpower world. As for Wu Mingbai, though he had significant backing, it was too far removed to be useful in everyday life. Mentioning this, Qi Huang spoke brightly, "I did some digging. The Li family has a lot of superpowered individuals. More than half of their family members can manifest superpowers, which is quite impressive." Bear in mind, the combination of two superpowered individuals doesn't necessarily guarantee a superpowered child. It's a probabilistic event. Even if both parents possess superpowers, typically, there's only a one-fourth chance that the child will inherit them. If one parent is a non-superpowered or neither are, the probability drops even further. Though this aspect was surprising, what Qi Huang found more fascinating was another piece of information. "But do you know what’s truly shocking? The members of their family have a knack for having lots of children! According to my intel, each small family unit within them has at least seven children, and that’s only counting those who survive. It's said that possibly due to having so many children, many are weak and sick from childhood and don’t make it to adulthood." Seven or more? That's a lot! The group exchanged bewildered glances, eyes full of disbelief. Lan Subing opened her mouth, finally managing to voice her sarcasm: "They must be spending all their time making babies, huh?" Su Bei found this setting quite intriguing. Considering the story's manga plot, such peculiarities wouldn't be without reason. What was the purpose of having so many children? It must be closely tied to the Li family's interests. Were those children who died really succumbing to sickness, or was there a conspiracy? What role did Li Shu play in all of this? Just as the thought of Li Shu crossed his mind, Jiang Tianming asked, "Which child is Li Shu? What’s his standing in the family on the island?" "I couldn't find that out," Qi Huang admitted, her family’s information network wasn't omnipotent. "But Li Shu himself should hold a significant position on the island. These superpower families value talent greatly." "Then he probably isn't in immediate danger," Mu Tieren seemed relieved, "We just need to find him, have a chat, and understand why he dropped out." Upon hearing "bloodshed," he had feared finding Li Shu's corpse on the island, or a severely injured and unconscious Li Shu. Learning about his high status eased those worries considerably. On Wednesday after school, the six of them gathered and took a train straight to the city where Li Shu's family resided. While kids aged fifteen or sixteen typically can't travel solo, as superpowered individuals, they were quite adept. Not a single hitch along the way, the train process was second nature to them. By 7:30 PM, they finally arrived outside Li’s Island. From a distance, they could see lights on the island, yet the outskirts were shrouded in darkness; only the pier area was illuminated by streetlights. There were no residential areas in the vicinity, only a few scattered shops, all currently closed. It was evident that the Li family wielded considerable influence in the area, perhaps even claiming this region as their domain. "Are we really going to wait here until the boat arrives to sneak onboard?" From the bushes, Qi Huang asked skeptically, gazing at the distant pier. With Jiang Tianming stating confidently that the plan was his, she hadn’t questioned much, only knowing the broad strokes about how to get on the island. As they neared action time, she couldn’t resist asking for details. "Of course not." Jiang Tianming shook his head, turning to Wu Mingbai. Seated on the ground without a speck of dust tainting him, Wu Mingbai replied, "We have two plans. First, we try to board the 8:30 boat using Lan Subing’s [Word Spirit], to suggest we're part of the crew. If this fails, we all scatter and regroup here ten minutes later, where I'll create an underground passage." The former him certainly wouldn't have been able to achieve such feats. Whether it was the concentration of earth elements or the mastery over them, he couldn't have managed to dig a tunnel underneath a deep moat. But with the blessing of the guardian spirit, Wu Mingbai had become a different person. A simple tunnel crossing a river was no big deal for him now. Su Bei asked with curiosity, "Why didn't we just use Plan B from the start?" Clearly, the first plan carried significant risks. If Lan Subing's [Word of Spirit] failed, they would be exposed to the Li family, greatly increasing the difficulty of exploring the island. Although the tunnel-digging method was a bit of a hassle, it was much safer and seemed more feasible than the first option. "First, there's the issue of time. Second, digging a passage underwater isn't as easy as it sounds. If we can go above, it's naturally better. You don't think digging a tunnel is easy, do you?" Wu Mingbai rolled his eyes at Su Bei as he finished speaking. Though he hadn't tried it before, Su Bei had faith in him. Su Bei simply trusted the plot that the author had designed. He ignored Wu Mingbai’s eye roll and glanced at the Gears of Fate hovering above their heads. "In that case, I'll stay here and wait for Plan B," he decisively said. Everyone understood what he meant. Jiang Tianming frowned and asked, "We won't be able to board the boat successfully, and have to resort to the tunnel?" Su Bei nodded, "I can't say for sure if the tunnel will work, but boarding the boat definitely isn't an option." The luck hovering above each of them was equally poor; only Wu Mingbai’s luck was slightly better but still leans toward the uncertain. This made it hard for Su Bei to make a precise judgment. It seemed to him that even the tunnel attempt might not go smoothly. However, he figured staying put would be safer than heading out with the others. "Then we won't try the other side. Mingbai, start digging," Jiang Tianming decided decisively. "The others will stay on guard nearby. If Mingbai makes any noise, we'll have to divert attention." After giving his instructions, he turned to Su Bei, perhaps worried that Su Bei would disappear midway, and emphasized, "If you discover anything else, be sure to let us know. The show hasn’t started yet; you wouldn't want any actors to drop out prematurely, right?"