Chapter 319 - A Guide for Background Characters to Survive in a Manga

Chapter 319 Clearly, he grasped Su Bei's personality traits, compelling Su Bei to choose to help. However, Jiang Tianming didn’t realize that this was exactly what Su Bei wanted. He liked having proactive teammates who gave him a convenient excuse to assist. "Rest assured," Su Bei said with a slight smile, "you guys will definitely get on the island." Wu Mingbai had already started digging a tunnel once Jiang Tianming made his decision. But soon, he encountered a problem: "It’s not working. I can’t keep the lake water calm while digging this tunnel." Wu Mingbai frowned with some frustration in his eyes. Ever since acquiring the power of a guardian deity, he had grown unprecedentedly confident. However, it hadn’t been long before he stumbled upon a dilemma. The lake around the heart of the island was deep, making it a challenging task to dig a tunnel underneath. Moreover, he couldn't dig too deep, as going too deep would risk hitting the facilities below, which would inevitably lead to discovery. As they watched the slight ripples on the water surface, everyone realized the severe nature of the issue. The guards here weren’t blind; even if it was dark, abnormal water movement would surely be noticed, leading them to suspect someone was up to no good. “What now? Change plans?” Qi Huang raised an eyebrow, glancing at the time. “We have half an hour until the next boat arrives. Let's use this time to figure out how to board.” Mu Tieren turned to Su Bei. “Didn’t Su Bei say this method won’t work?” “Su Bei must have meant our original plan wouldn’t work, right?” Qi Huang also looked to Su Bei, seeking his opinion. Seeing their persistent bad luck, Su Bei shrugged. “None of it will work, huh? Let's find a new method.” After thinking for a moment, he added, “If you can't think of anything, I suggest using the old method. Even if it fails, luck is like that—great misfortune is followed by great fortune.” With their current luck, everything would fail unless Jiang Tianming devised a foolproof plan. The best course was to fail once, use up the bad luck, and naturally, luck would return to normal. An easier fix would be for him to readjust their luck, but Su Bei wouldn't waste mental power on such a meaningless endeavor. Hearing his reply, Jiang Tianming wore a contemplative expression and decided to go with the flow: “Let’s split into two groups. Mingbai, continue digging the tunnel. The rest of us will draw their attention.” It was nighttime, and the lake’s ripples were hard to notice. As long as they could draw the guards’ attention away, Wu Mingbai would have ample opportunity. Su Bei raised his hand timely. “I’ll stay here. If there’s danger, I’ll warn you in advance.” The warning meant alerting Wu Mingbai. Digging the tunnel required his full concentration; Su Bei’s presence would help avoid many risks. Jiang Tianming nodded in agreement. The team split, with Su Bei enjoying peace, while chaos ensued with Jiang Tianming’s team. Their efficiency was high, and within ten minutes, the dock was in turmoil. Even from afar, Su Bei could faintly hear someone shouting, “Catch them for me!” The protagonist group’s unparalleled talent for causing trouble was finally being used for a righteous cause, perfectly drawing the enemy’s attention. Not knowing how long Wu Mingbai would need to dig the tunnel, Su Bei took out a small stool, a fishing rod from storage, and began fishing by the lake. Wu Mingbai, taking a breather from tunnel digging, looked around perplexed, “?” He couldn’t believe his eyes as he sized up Su Bei and the fishing rod. “Why would you carry a fishing rod on a mission?” “Not just that,” Su Bei casually set the rod aside, pulling out a deck of cards, a chessboard, and several comic books from storage. With Wu Mingbai dumbfounded by the pile of entertainment items in front of him, Su Bei grinned, "You know, I don't like being bored." This wasn’t just avoiding boredom; it was having nothing better to do, right? Wu Mingbai was speechless. I’ll forego sarcasm and just say, “If you’re bored, get more involved. Go with them and cause some trouble, won’t that be exciting?” Su Bei had his logic: “I prefer to watch the show, not be in it.” Unable to persuade him, Wu Mingbai quickly returned to tunnel digging, while Su Bei continued fishing, casually observing the fate compass overhead in case of emergencies. “Stop, quick!” Suddenly, Su Bei swiftly retracted the fishing rod and warned Wu Mingbai beside him. The needle on his fate compass had suddenly shifted to the right, a clear sign of impending trouble. Ideally, he should have just slapped an invisibility talisman on the other, but touching him could startle Wu Mingbai and potentially collapse the painstakingly built tunnel. In such a perilous situation, even with a strong and reliable teammate nearby, Wu Mingbai couldn’t fully immerse himself in the task. He quickly reacted, retracting his power and standing firm. “What’s happening?” Su Bei shook his head to indicate he wasn’t sure either and casually slapped an invisibility talisman on him, watching the compass needle return to the left, before lazily saying, “Don’t say I didn’t help. This thing is worth gold.” Before Wu Mingbai could respond, two men suddenly appeared beside them as if they had teleported. One looked around in confusion, “I sensed someone here just now. Where did they go?” “They must have run away!” The other replied irritably, “Let’s go. They must have bolted by now.” With that, he pulled his companion, and in a flash, they vanished. Su Bei and Wu Mingbai exchanged a glance, remaining perfectly still, counting the stars. When the invisibility talisman was about to expire, Su Bei applied another for both of them. Ten minutes later, the duo reappeared where they had disappeared. The one with teleportation capabilities shook his head, “Looks like it was false alarm. Let’s not waste time here.” The other nodded, and they left, heading toward the dock. Su Bei and Wu Mingbai waited five more minutes to ensure they wouldn’t return before canceling the invisibility. Wu Mingbai hesitated, “I didn’t expect they’d have such skills. Should we relocate and continue?” “No need. If they were going to keep checking here, they wouldn’t have left earlier.” Su Bei shook his head, “Be it a cooldown on their powers or they can’t constantly scan one spot, staying here is our best bet.” His reasoning was sound, and Wu Mingbai wasted no time, resuming his tunnel construction. Possibly due to restored energy, nothing interrupted their progress afterward. When the tunnel was finally complete, Wu Mingbai pulled out a rooster-shaped device and pressed hard. Instantly, a rooster crow sounded from afar. Su Bei: “?” Is this device magical? It sounded far away, even though it was here. But admittedly practical—if anyone suspected the crowing, it would lead them far from their hiding spot instead of directly to them. Soon, Jiang Tianming and the rest managed to evade trackers and arrive in succession. Once everyone gathered, Wu Mingbai nudged the entrance with his toe. “Here it is. Let's go.” With that, he led the way into the hole, the rest following confidently. With an earth element superpower user, even if the tunnel collapsed, they had a way out. “Let there be light.” Observing the pitch-black endless tunnel, Lan Subing used a voice command to light the way, hastening their pace. As they neared the end, Jiang Tianming suddenly asked, “Do you know where this leads?” Everyone halted, the air turning thick with silence. After a moment, Wu Mingbai coughed, “I didn’t actually open an exit. Wherever it is, we won't be exposed. We just need to surface when no one's around.” He had almost forgotten this detail while digging but had wisely refrained from fully breaking through. In response, Su Bei released his advanced mental power to probe above, quickly stating, “There’s someone above—it seems our tunnel leads to someone’s bedroom. FYI, they’re sleeping.” Sleeping meant no escape soon, yet they couldn’t linger here either. Avoiding unnecessary conflict was preferable, and the team still hoped for swift resolution. Mu Tieren suggested, “Why not keep digging? We could extend the tunnel elsewhere.” "Not really feasible," Wu Mingbai sighed, "Most of the island's underground spaces are occupied, and this is the only path I found. Heading above ground may be safer; heading underground could encounter defenses." Lan Subing quickly devised a plan: "Since there's only one person, let's quietly go up, and I'll use [Language Command] to control him." "Just keep him asleep," Jiang Tianming nodded. Wu Mingbai skillfully manipulated the soil above, silently dissolving it into a large opening. Lan Subing was the first to ascend, using her ability: "Sleep." Once confirmed safe, the others followed suit and climbed up, taking in their surroundings. The room was a bedroom, and asleep on the bed was a man in his thirties with pink hair. Su Bei didn’t need to guess that he was related to Li Shu. Given his age, he was likely an uncle rather than a father. "So, how do we find Li Shu? Did anyone figure out which room he specifically resides in?" Qi Huang asked, arms crossed. Jiang Tianming shook his head, "Not yet. Let's split up; I'll go with A-Bing and Mingbai, and the remaining three can form another group. Once someone spots Li Shu, message the group chat." Though no one objected, he explained the grouping rationale: "If someone spots us, A-Bing and I can use abilities to temporarily control them while Mingbai gets us to escape underground. For you three, Su Bei's got invisibility talismans, and Qi Huang can fly everyone to safety. Since the talismans offer more security, Boss, you'll be in this group." Honestly, Su Bei had some thoughts about this grouping. The original protagonist trio forming one group implied an uneven future scene distribution, with Jiang Tianming's group likely getting more screen time. However, that wasn't the point of concern for Su Bei; he never cared much about the amount of screen time—effective screen time mattered. No doubt, given this arrangement, effective screen time for their group would be sparse. It's improbable that they’d find Li Shu or crucial information on their route. Su Bei estimated that they'd spend half the time without progress, making it feel pointless. For subplots not affecting the main narrative, lacking effective screen time was acceptable. Although Su Bei cared a bit about popularity now, he wasn't pressuring himself. Missing one or two events wouldn’t drastically drop his popularity. What frustrated him was being an underdog—their route wouldn't be easy. Both Qi Huang and Mu Tieren were strengthened earlier with little room to display power, indicating likely future battle scenes for their group. With no effective screen time and a lack of leisure, Su Bei seemed set to step into pitfalls he'd rather avoid. Lacking any valid objection, Su Bei quickly concocted a plan for himself. Since Qi Huang's group wasn't ideal, and he couldn't join Jiang Tianming's group, he'd start his own. Having accepted missions before, everyone knew the drill well—leaving the room quietly and splitting up. Preemptively, Su Bei handed Qi Huang and Mu Tieren each an invisibility talisman: “Each one lasts ten minutes, use them at critical times.” After the duo treasured the talismans, Su Bei made a pretend gesture of wiping his eyes and rubbed his fingers, mimicking a money-grabbing motion: “I spent a fortune on this show—care to compensate?” Without hesitation, Qi Huang boldly offered, "If you’re willing to sell, I’ll take as many as you've got." It's common knowledge that Su Bei's invisibility talismans were highly effective. Though it’s unclear where he acquired such powerful talismans, never being detected speaks volumes of their value. Since Qi Huang wasn't short on cash, buying from Su Bei would be all gain and no loss. Even her family would likely encourage her to buy more. "You dream on," Su Bei turned her down flatly. Despite being nearly a cash cow, as a rare asset, maintaining its mystery was crucial. Hearing this, Mu Tieren chuckled, "Weren't you just asking for payment? But now, faced with a real offer, you're refusing?" Su Bei, logically consistent, wasn't deceived by wordplay, responding in his usual lazy tone yet with piercing intent: "I just want to recoup losses, not give more." "You're right," Mu Tieren acknowledged the loophole, promptly shifting to another topic, "Where to next?" Indeed a valid point, Su Bei glanced around at the complex villa layout: "They’re heading down, so we'll go up. Once we finish with this villa, we’ll check others." Wu Mingbai mentioned many underground facilities on this island, leading Su Bei to suspect Li's family secrets might lie there. Exploring upwards might not yield much; the story likely wouldn’t lead them to Li Shu immediately. True enough, after fruitlessly exploring, narrowly avoiding being spotted by someone getting a midnight drink, they exited the villa. The view on the island differed significantly—from within, the lack of shops, greenery, or streetlamps was evident, yet there were patrol squads. A team of five patrolled along fixed routes. Taking notes of their routes, the trio emerged from the house's shadows. "The intense guards—what secrets are they hiding?" Qi Huang frowned, unknowingly hitting the truth. Mu Tieren shrugged. "A big island having patrols makes sense, especially since we caused a ruckus earlier around the island..." Not wanting to elaborate, he pointed to a luxurious villa: "That one looks grandest. If Li Shu holds high status, he should live there?" "Perhaps. Let's go take a—" Qi Huang's words caught in her throat, eyes widened at the sight. Following her gaze, they saw fifty to sixty children filing out of a house, led by a man. Sporting pink hair, these were clearly Li family descendants, ranging from four or five years to fourteen. "This is insane, so many?" Qi Huang murmured, shocked. Though they’d read about the prolific Li family, seeing over fifty same-generation peers was astonishing! And, their pink hair, the Li family's dominant genes seemed universally inherited. Perhaps those without such traits weren't on the island, implying far more offspring exist, amplifying Qi Huang's shock. Mu Tieren, equally stunned but focused on another aspect, noted, "How'd so many kids fit in that small house? A spatial ability?" "Must be a basement," Su Bei speculated while watching the children, answering absentmindedly. Suspecting something was amiss with the peculiar birthing trait, Su Bei guessed hidden significance in the narrative. And now, either the children or their progenitors had issues. Yet, only one way to explore: "Shall we check that house?" Both Qi Huang and Mu Tieren agreed, curious to uncover its secrets. What necessitated these children congregating here at night? Having decided, they collectively paused, watching as the group of pink-haired children returned to their quarters. They were led to a two-story factory-like residence, appearing crude and akin to workers' accommodations beside a plant. Unlike such dorms, these weren’t individual rooms but open-plan collective spaces. In other words, even more basic than workers' lodgings. Fifty to sixty children housed in a two-story dorm? That’s nearly thirty kids per floor, possibly lacking boundaries. Insanity! Granted, it’s unreasonable for every child to have their own room, but cramming them into communal dorms felt wrong! Shouldn't kids reside with parents? Even if focused on collective upbringing, environments could be better, given the Li family’s resources. Housing fifty over three floors wouldn’t shock them, but two floors imply excessiveness. Qi Huang furrowed her brow, puzzled. She had never lived in a collective dormitory, let alone one like this. Her eyes held nothing but confusion: "In large families, it's true that having many children means each gets less attention, but these living conditions..." "It’s because there are just too many," Su Bei turned to Mu Tieren. "That uncle of yours who can create so many intelligent parts probably doesn’t value them much, right?" While there was truth in that, Mu Tieren nodded but argued, "How can children related by blood be compared to life-imbued parts?" "In a way, they’re similar, aren't they? Both smart and made by one's own hands; children and parts alike," surprisingly, Qi Huang sided with Su Bei. "It seems they don't see these children as flesh and blood, but rather as replaceable components." Su Bei offered a more fitting analogy: "Like an ant colony." "Ah! Exactly!" Mu Tieren and Qi Huang nodded emphatically, finding Su Bei's example spot on. If the Li family kept producing so many offspring, wouldn’t it be akin to a queen ant's way? Children born in such environments, much like worker ants, weren’t cherished, and were often left to fend for themselves—that was the norm. Yet, Mu Tieren quickly realized a flaw in the analogy: "But wait, ants have virtually no nurturing costs after birth, unlike human children. Raising them requires tremendous energy and resources. These rudimentary living conditions suggest these children live in cramped spaces, so their diet and clothing are likely equally basic, not to mention their education..." He cast a worried glance at the building, "Can children raised here truly grow up properly?"