Chapter 321 - A Guide for Background Characters to Survive in a Manga

Chapter 321 Armed with only a camera, collecting evidence to its fullest potential demanded presence at crucial moments. While shadowing the main group was certainly an option, creating his own narrative, rather than merely riding the coattails of someone else's, was paramount. Following the lead characters would only reveal his newly designed abilities if he chose the right moment. These abilities were showcased best in the midst of battle. Stepping out of the room, it was clear the ground had transformed significantly from before. Several teams, flashlights in hand, patrolled the area, evidently in search of something. Amongst them, Li Shu stood out the most. Clad in a quality black silk nightgown, he commanded the patrol with a cold demeanor. The adage "clothes make the man" rang true, lending him an air of aristocratic elegance, akin to Si Zhaohua. "Lord Li Shu, the master of the house wishes you to resolve this issue promptly so as not to disturb everyone's rest," an underling, dressed more luxuriously than the other patrol members, spoke respectfully though the content of his words lacked genuine deference. Seemingly unbothered by the respect-laden disrespect, Li Shu beamed like a model student, "Is that so? Understood." Su Bei, observing from the side, noted the glint in Li Shu's eyes. Suddenly, the light in the underling's eyes vanished, and he marched directly towards the island's edge. Amidst the chaos, most didn't notice the anomaly. A few did, but lacking understanding, took no action. It wasn't until the underling plunged into the lake with a splash that alarm spread through the crowd. While others rushed to the rescue, another subordinate, who had been watching attentively, cautiously asked the seemingly erratic young man, "Lord Li Shu, what was that about?" Li Shu maintained his serene smile, "He really was careless, wasn’t he? Falling into the lake like that. Don't you agree?" Under the gaze of Li Shu's smile-less eyes, the subordinate felt a potent threat, breaking into a cold sweat as he hurriedly agreed, "Yes, indeed, too careless!" "Li Shu has changed a lot, hasn't he? Treating subordinates like that?" A man in a suit approached, speaking to Li Shu with amusement in his tone. Yet, his eyes matched Li Shu's in their absence of mirth. Invisibly observing, Su Bei raised an eyebrow, pondering the connection between the two men. Given their ages, they seemed more like brothers than father and son. As suspected, Li Shu's expression shifted slightly with annoyance, "Even if I'm not my father's favorite, my position on the island isn't one for a mere subordinate to question, brother." "Which is why I didn't stop you from punishing him, did I?" the older brother maintained an air of moral propriety, "I'm simply curious, are you no longer concerned about our father’s disapproval?" "Hasn’t Father always disliked me? Since that’s the case, being a bit more excessive now shouldn’t matter," Li Shu murmured, a neurotic smile skirting his lips. The older brother gave him a scrutinizing look, then changed the subject, "Do you know who’s causing trouble this time?" Without reservation, Li Shu nodded, "Probably my foolish classmates." This was not something he could hide. The moment he returned, the island was invaded—it was clearly linked to him. Moreover, since the intruders showed neither intent to sabotage nor to steal, Li Shu could easily deduce who they were. His brother's expression turned grave, "What do you mean? You’ve attracted attention from your school?" Li Shu showed no signs of worry, shaking his head with impatience, "No. They likely just came for a special visit after I withdrew suddenly." This response seemed to partially reassure his brother, though suspicion lingered, "So why wouldn’t they just ask you directly, or visit openly, instead of sneaking around? Li Shu, are you hiding a mistake, or have you grown attached to your foolish classmates?" Li Shu's cold snort was followed by a feigned innocence, "I've already blacklisted them; how could those options work? Brother, if you suspect me, you can have Father judge me in person. As for your baseless suspicions, I won't waste time responding." His brother found some reassurance in this attitude—as contradictory as it seemed, a calm explanation would only have fueled his distrust. "You..." Before he could finish, a cry rang out, "Over there!" In an instant, everyone surged towards the indicated direction, determined to catch the intruder. The older brother also glanced that way, "Looks like the little rats will be caught. Given they are your classmates, perhaps we'll spare them." Li Shu's hand clenched slightly by his side, his composure unwavering, "They’re the treasures of this cohort at ‘Infinite Superpower Academy.’ If you dare to kill them, I’d be impressed." "Such a dear, aren’t you, Li Shu? Too bad I’m immune to provocation." The brother mused, recalling that not only was Li Shu an S-Class student at the academy, but so were his classmates. Indeed, they weren’t people to be killed lightly. The Li family couldn’t afford the scrutiny of an academy investigation. His expression darkened, hoping that these uninvited students hadn’t uncovered any secrets. Otherwise, even at the risk of provoking the academy, they might have to resort to extremes, as the Li family’s secrets mustn’t be revealed. Watching them depart, Su Bei wore a pensive expression. Clearly, Li Shu wasn’t favored by the family head, which led others to underestimate him. From his brother's words, it was evident the original Li Shu would have endured such situations seeking paternal approval. But now, he acted with unhesitant authority. Though his explanation seemed logical, Su Bei keenly perceived the underlying issue. In his obsessive consideration for one important person, Li Shu’s change in dealing with the Li family subordinates indicated more than just a mental shift: he likely cared less for his father’s view now. With someone else of significance—perhaps more important than his father, like Jiang Tianming—sharing his attention, Li Shu no longer valued paternal opinions as he once did. However, for Su Bei, these observations didn’t offer actionable information. He merely performed a cursory analysis before refocusing on more pressing matters. The island’s secretive nature was apparent to Su Bei, even without the brother’s affirmation, thus, it wasn’t of priority. The true concern was the brother’s emergence point. Clearly holding a high rank within the family, favored by the patriarch, the brother’s quarters would either be in the same villa as their father or nearby. Su Bei’s objective was to find the family head and, as Jiang Tianming and others diverted attention, infiltrate his quarters to seek useful intel. With full luck on his side, Su Bei seized the distraction to move toward the villa adjacent to the brother's quarters. Despite the night setting, likely due to the commotion outside, the villa was aglow. In the well-lit first-floor hall stood two maids with distinctive pink hair, tending to cleaning tasks. Seeing them triggered Su Bei’s realization: everyone on Li family's island bore the Li surname, with their signature pink hair as proof. Excluding the children, he had already glimpsed perhaps four to five dozen adults, indicating the Li family’s vastness. Yet, there was an issue: insufficient rooms on the island. Quickly pinpointing the problem’s roots, Su Bei recollected that female residents, as per a prior female doctor, are continuously birthing. This, coupled with the Li family's prodigious reproduction evidenced by numerous offspring per birth, implied far more children than the island's capacity could sustain. Even if all the children were lodged in highly congested dormitories, the island, given the family's lengthy development, would fall short in room numbers. Qi Huang’s investigation had revealed that the current family head spearheaded the family’s rise, greatly aided by superpowers. Were it not for the known issues, Su Bei might have found admiration for such a self-made first-generation magnate. Returning to the matter at hand, using the number of available beds as a basis, Li Shu speculated that either not everyone in the Li family was required to continually have children—only a select few—or most children born were not meant to stay on the island, thus negating the need for so many beds. If the latter were true, these children not remaining could mean two things: they either died or were sent elsewhere. While contemplating this, Su Bei entered the villa, heading upstairs. He didn’t know if this villa housed the family head or which rooms were occupied, but with his luck maximized, he chose to trust his instincts. Reaching the furthest room on the third floor, he used his mental power to sense if it was occupied. Finding it vacant, he pushed the door open, immediately spotting a family photo on the nightstand. The photo featured only three individuals: a couple and the older brother he had just encountered. Su Bei raised a brow; this room was definitely significant. Even if it wasn’t the family head’s room, it belonged to the brother. Approaching, Su Bei examined the photo closely. Among the trio, the brother was the only one he recognized, appearing much younger in the picture, around fourteen or fifteen. It was fortunate the brother's appearance hadn’t changed much, allowing Su Bei to identify him instantly. The couple looked typical, in their thirties. Notably, it seemed Li family’s rapid ascent matched this timeline. If his earlier hypothesis was correct, the proliferation of children was due to the family head’s superpower. Therefore, as their first child, birthed without superpower influence, the brother being favored by the head made sense. After a quick search of the room, Su Bei confirmed it was indeed the brother’s. While not filled with as much information as the family head’s would be, it was likely very secure here. Checking the drawers yielded nothing useful. Confidently, Su Bei turned to the computer. Not everyone in this world set passwords, and luckily, this applied even in a comic book universe. This endearing brother hadn’t set any password and had left the computer running. Su Bei easily accessed it, swiftly navigating the open chat software and delving into the brother’s conversation history. This account appeared work-related, with many labeled contacts like Client 1, Client 2, all the way to Client 73. Most records were erased, except for an exchange with Client 34: —“I’m coming today. Is the delivery ready? My team has been prepared for a long time; we can’t afford delays.” —“Of course, you won’t be disappointed.” Upon reading this, Su Bei immediately recalled the ship they encountered upon arrival. Despite the chaotic scene at the time, he had noticed the group disembarking. Their all-black attire screamed suspicion, drawing his attention inevitably. However, since their arrival coincided with an active transaction, the exchange hadn’t begun yet. His task was to identify and follow the buying party, ensuring he observed the purpose of their dealings. Hold on—there was an easier strategy: waiting in the operating room. According to the two doctors, there was a degenerate who watched surgeries from a luxury sofa. Su Bei inferred these degenerates were the clients, and the operations presumably involved children. Initially, Su Bei suspected they aimed to send children away. Many affluent families preferred adoption over childbirth, making newborns ready for adoption attractive. Medical exams ensured the healthiest candidates. But he wasn’t wrong; some children were certainly sent away. The question remained about the rest. Numerous older children resided on Li family’s island. Adopting those grown children was unlikely. Trafficking was possible, but meticulous medical exams weren’t necessary for that—only a basic health certificate was needed. Why detail data so thoroughly? Reflecting on the health certificate, while standard, its detail stood out. If something seemed unusual, the anomaly must lie in those details. Thanks to his memory, Su Bei vividly recalled what tests were included. Apart from standard full-body exams, there were many details about cardiac, liver, spleen, stomach, and kidney function. These tests, although common, seemed extravagant for the disposable assets the Li family regarded these children as. They seemed less like benevolent examinations and more dubious in purpose. Then, the chat content made sense. Organ transplants, of course. The realization dawned on Su Bei. This explained everything: Li family’s child-bearing was to supply organs for paying customers. Regardless of age group needed, Li family island had them covered. Regular health checks ensured precise monitoring of organ condition, avoiding critical failures at vital moments. No wonder the Li family amassed wealth quickly—such a business was highly profitable. With multiple children born per pregnancy and minimal upkeep costs, children were sold at high prices. With the scarcity of suitable organs, those with illnesses always abound. To save them, many would pay the Li family well. As the children were the Li family’s own, as long as nobody talked, the transactions remained under wraps. Exposing them required two things: a surgery video and transaction records. Client impatience in the chat suggested operations would happen imminently, despite the obvious island's intrusion. Su Bei deduced surgeries would occur at night, providing an opportunity for recording. The ledgers, however, likely resided in the family head’s personal quarters. Su Bei doubted they were within this villa. The head’s room was bound to be heavily secured, not lightly guarded. Before entering, Su Bei scouted the villa with mental power, confirming there were no hidden guards. He checked his phone—it was 10 PM, ample time to act. First, he needed to secure a hidden camera in the operating room. Arriving there, Su Bei sighed silently. He was slightly late; the operating room was no longer empty. Several Li family members were inside, programming equipment, sterilizing tools, and setting up defenses. The room swarmed with people, leaving no space to discreetly place an invisible camera. Currently, the best method was simply filming directly, invisible under the stealth charm’s effect, remaining undetected. However, ledger access outweighed video importance. Staying here filming forfeited time for reclaiming the ledger. Organ transplants likely wouldn’t conclude swiftly. And the protagonist group might cause disruption—they, including Jiang Tianming, were unlikely to let such evil surgeries proceed unchallenged. Staying here risked overlapping with their trajectory. Having weighed his options, Su Bei entered the operating room. Thankfully, the door remained open; a locked door would complicate matters. Invisible, he often found doors a hindrance—once closed, staying covert would make opening them challenging. Perhaps he should acquire a tool to pass through walls, Su Bei mused thoughtfully. Familiar with the operating room's layout, he had pre-identified the ideal camera placement. One went directly opposite the entrance door, adhering a stealth charm to the micro camera and positioning it atop a vase on the window sill. Shielded by foliage, the camera wouldn’t be subject to idle tampering. If discovered, it was beyond his control. As he always said: the ledger was critical, the video supplementary. A priority must be established. Nevertheless, he adjusted the camera’s luck. A lucky camera wouldn’t be found, representing its immunity from discovery—otherwise, it risked obliteration. With all preparations in place, Su Bei wasted no more time and left the operating room. He needed to find the ledger before the family head realized their secrets were being probed, potentially moving the critical documents to a more secure location, making them exponentially harder to recover later. Reaching the surface, Su Bei was greeted by the sounds of battle and fire lighting up the sky. Qi Huang soared aloft on her fiery phoenix, with Mu Tieren comfortably nestled in front of her, firing a modified machine gun down at their adversaries below. Mu Tieren's gun, specially crafted, posed no lethal threat as it fired tranquilizers instead. Below, Li Shu engaged them in conversation: "I suppose Teacher Meng didn’t give you permission to come here? I've contacted our teacher, so you'd best surrender immediately, or you're in for trouble when he arrives." A statement loaded with coercion, seemingly meant to deter the S-Class from uncovering more of the Li family’s secrets. Yet, Su Bei discerned an incongruity. Under these circumstances, Li Shu shouldn’t really be attempting to deceive them into descending, should he? First and foremost, it was clear Li Shu hadn't become a villain. Repeating the same narrative of teammates turning into antagonists would lose its charm—it wouldn't be prudent for the main group to constantly confront new enemies. Moreover, earlier interactions suggested Li Shu no longer idolized his father as much and had developed a slight concern for Jiang Tianming, indicating he wouldn’t betray them. In the worst-case scenario, if Li Shu only wanted to ensure Jiang Tianming's survival, he wouldn’t summon Qi Huang and the others now. The Li family likely possessed methods of extracting information from captives, and if Qi Huang and Mu Tieren were captured, Jiang Tianming and his companions would also struggle to remain hidden and might even expose themselves in a rescue attempt. Understanding this, Li Shu wouldn't call them down recklessly. Qi Huang, airborne and formidable, couldn’t be easily tackled. As the Li family lacked flying superpowers, they couldn’t currently pose a direct threat. However, if they descended, they'd be placing themselves at the mercy of the Li family—helpless against their captors. The Li family’s approach to Qi Huang’s group was contingent on ignorance of their secrets. Being unaware might spare them, but awareness guaranteed death. Without confirming Qi Huang’s knowledge, Li Shu was unlikely to lure them down. Hence, the logical inference was that even if Qi Huang and her ally descended, Li Shu had a plan to safeguard their safety. And that plan could only be ensured by—Teacher Meng Huai!