Chapter 323 - A Guide for Background Characters to Survive in a Manga

Chapter 323 While Su Bei was brainstorming, a sudden loud noise erupted from above the room. Immediately following that, Jiang Tianming and his two companions burst in, accompanied by a small, thin girl. "Brother!" Seeing the young man on the operating table, with his abdomen cut open, the girl's tears streamed down uncontrollably. The familiar voice prompted the young man to lift his head abruptly, disregarding the pain coursing through his body. In shock, he asked, "Sister? How did you get here?" "If I hadn't come, you'd be dead!" his sister shouted, her voice full of anger as she turned her hateful gaze towards the doctor. "We've already investigated. The school you claimed doesn't exist, and those people from the outlying islands aren't even attending school here!" Hearing this, the brother's expression changed immediately. Of course, he trusted his sister unconditionally. "How could you do this? Where did all those people go? Wait...what's that?" Suddenly, his eyes fell upon the kidney that had already been removed, lying nearby. "Is that my kidney? Didn't you say you'd only take one? Why is the operation still ongoing if it's already out?" At this point, he'd completely lost trust in the doctor, struggling to rise and leave the operating table. Jiang Tianming and his group took advantage of the chaos to control the buyers. Wu Mingbai quickly dug a short tunnel directly connecting the outside of the operating room to the inside. Interestingly, throughout the entire process, Li Shu showed no intention of stopping them. He merely stood by, watching the development with a casual demeanor. Once they entered the operating room, he silently left the secret chamber. After they were inside, Su Bei also slipped into the operating room. He retrieved a camera, planted earlier in a flowerpot, which had recorded ample evidence, and then returned outside. Jiang Tianming and his group wasted no time, swiftly subduing the doctors in the operating room, forcing them to suture the young man's wounds. They left the controllable element, Lan Subing, and the little girl behind, while the other two went out to support Qi Huang and Mu Tieren. Naturally, Su Bei chose to follow them out, eager to witness the confrontation's conclusion. Outside, Qi Huang and Mu Tieren were wreaking havoc. Although the Li family had some people with superpowers, their trading partners were mostly ordinary folks, indicating that they were merely a family devoid of powerful superhumans. As "Infinite Superpower Academy" S-class members, Qi Huang and Mu Tieren were battle-hardened. Facing an overwhelming number of ordinary and superpowered individuals, they remained unfazed, effectively holding their ground as two opposed to hundreds. With Jiang Tianming and Wu Mingbai joining the fray, the battle turned decidedly one-sided. The Li Family Patriarch was fuming, directing his family members in their defense while attempting to interfere with taunting words, "Your academy's teachers are on their way. When they see you fighting here, you'll surely be punished." "Are you kidding? You've broken the law. The teachers will only arrest you!" Qi Huang retorted with a cold laugh. Nevertheless, she understood internally that they would face punishment once everything settled. After all, the teachers had repeatedly warned them not to get involved, but they came nevertheless. Still, Qi Huang had no regrets. If they hadn't taken the risk, how would they have uncovered the Li family's secrets? "Do you have any evidence?" the Patriarch gloated. "Even if that little girl and her brother testify against us, it doesn't matter. Her brother signed a contract; it was a legal transaction." "How about if I testify against you?" The usually silent Li Shu finally spoke up, dropping a bombshell. "I've already reported your illegal activities to the academy. As your fourth child who has never participated in any transactions, my accusation should hold some weight, right?" Su Bei suddenly realized why Teacher Meng had been so adamant about preventing them from coming. It turned out he had long been aware of the Li family's affairs and didn't want them involved. They were likely gathering evidence to bring the Li family down in one fell swoop. No one expected Jiang Tianming and his group to disrupt their original plan by barging in. Li Shu's sudden betrayal at such a critical moment, seemingly premeditated, caused the Patriarch's expression to contort momentarily, before twisting into a sneer. "Li Shu?! You... heh, as expected, you're an ungrateful wretch." Lowering his gaze, Li Shu said nothing. Jiang Tianming and Wu Mingbai, evidently already aware of Li Shu's true reasons for leaving school, weren't surprised. Qi Huang and Mu Tieren, lacking such knowledge, were genuinely taken aback. They had misjudged Li Shu, thinking he had betrayed his family. After a moment of ridicule, although the Patriarch's face was grim, he maintained an air of indifference toward Li Shu's betrayal, saying, "I've been bitten by a dog, so what? But remember, my abilities have served influential people far and wide. As long as my power remains useful, they won't let me rot in jail." He was right. The Patriarch's ability likely helped people have more children—a highly beneficial talent, particularly for families struggling with fertility. The organs he produced were a boon for many wealthy individuals. Those who've benefited wouldn't let the Patriarch languish in jail. First, they desired his power, not wanting it squandered. Second, the Patriarch had a list of buyers, and exposure of such dealings would irreparably damage these buyers' reputations. To avoid mutual destruction, they would inevitably seek his release. The Patriarch didn't express this out loud; stating his threats so openly might incur deadly risks. Regardless, those in power knew the score and understood his point—this made the Patriarch unafraid of exposure despite the impending scandal. In the Patriarch's eyes, he was confident that with his powers, he'd rise anew, even if his current empire crumbled. Regrettably, this brazen confidence left the group at a loss. They were astute enough to grasp the Patriarch's implied threats, acknowledging that influential figures would surely free him. While they might imprison him for a time, lasting containment seemed unattainable. Post-release, they could assign someone to surveil him discreetly, waiting for him to slip up and re-incarcerate him. But who knew how long that would take? Assigning ordinary people might result in them being dealt with by his powerful saviors. Deploying superhumans seemed wasteful when their primary mission was combating Nightmare Beasts. Moreover, who could guard indefinitely against an escaped thief? Multiple pressing issues in the superhuman realms diminished any eagerness to monitor the Li Family Patriarch. As everyone held grim expressions, a familiar voice cut through: "Hmm, what if those big wigs are too busy saving themselves to save you?" The group looked up to see Su Bei standing on a nearby villa's second-floor balcony, holding a blue book. With just a glance, the Patriarch paled significantly, losing all prior confidence. After all, he knew exactly what that book contained—it was his lifeline! Feigning surprise, Su Bei covered his mouth, seemingly realizing his slip-up. "Oops, my bad. If those big shots discover you're the source of their exposure, they might not save you at all—in fact, they might spend their final efforts to take you down." Jiang Tianming quickly deduced that the book in Su Bei's hands was likely critical evidence, his eyes lighting up with realization. He relaxed entirely, as the tables had turned. "Shoot to kill! Destroy that ledger!" the Patriarch bellowed hoarsely, despairing over the ledger's potential exposure. "All Li family members, no matter the cost, obliterate that ledger!" Seeing this, Mu Tieren swiftly moved to help fend off attackers, urging Su Bei, "Run! We'll keep them at bay!" Previously, they effortlessly countered these Li family attacks because their enemies acted hesitantly, fearing death and pain. With a clear power gap and a lack of formal training, these people couldn't unleash their full potential against the seasoned "Infinite Superpower Academy" students. Now, however, this had changed. For the brainwashed populace, the Patriarch's orders held supreme authority. So when he commanded them to obliterate the ledger regardless of cost, they shed their fear of pain and death, becoming fiercely courageous. Even incredibly skilled as Mu Tieren was, he felt the pressure of their frenzied assault. Though unconcerned for Su Bei, Li Shu treasured the ledger and advised, "If needed, stash the ledger in your storage ring." "Don't underestimate me." With a placid smile and no intention of storing the ledger, Su Bei leaped from the balcony, boldly holding the book aloft while several Li family members advanced upon him. Seeing Su Bei's nonchalance about tucking away the ledger convinced Jiang Tianming he had a trump card. Sharing a look with Wu Mingbai, they both clearly harbored tremendous faith in Su Bei's capabilities. "Forget about that guy; do you think he can really come to harm?" Qi Huang remarked with a hint of irritation, as she unleashed a Fireball to help Mu Tieren deal with the attackers. Although her tone wasn't exactly warm, the underlying trust was evident. Indeed, this was the case, as Su Bei soon demonstrated the true power of fate. He moved leisurely among his adversaries, and each time someone reached for the ledger, he seemed to almost offer it up willingly. Yet despite this brazen behavior, not a single person managed to grasp the ledger. In fact, none even touched it. Just as they were about to, various accidents would occur. Someone might slip and fall, collide with an ally, be struck by a stray attack, or suddenly experience electrical shocks, muscle spasms, or even a fracture—endless unforeseen events unfolded, all concluding in the same manner: Su Bei stood unscathed, the ledger intact in his grasp. Since everyone fixated on seizing the ledger, and because Su Bei deftly used it as a shield, he too remained completely uninjured. Qi Huang's lips twitched slightly. "…This guy, is he playing with cheat codes?" "Is it the power of a tool?" Mu Tieren asked with curiosity. Upon hearing this, Su Bei shot him a brief, disdainful glance, though internally, he was nodding vigorously. What a perfect set-up! His excellent classmate had unwittingly presented him with a golden opportunity. Had no one asked, raising the topic himself would have seemed awkward, since Su Bei wasn't the type to reveal his cards easily. However, now that the question had been asked, he could naturally deliver the line he had long prepared. "A tool? No, it's a superpower," Su Bei snapped his fingers. "Today's fate is—I won't lose the ledger to anyone." "In that case, your fate for the day could be 'definitely win,' 'invincible,' or 'sure to uncover the truth'..." Jiang Tianming astutely speculated, his expression growing increasingly shocked. "That's incredible!" While Su Bei would love to design his abilities that way, he sensed the author wouldn't allow such a leap in power when already closely watching him. More importantly, overreaching could backfire. His current strengths in the manga were considerable, and adding such prowess risked making him seem overpowered to the readers—an ominous sign indeed. Therefore, he shook his head with a chuckle. "I wish. Sadly, this skill is limited to passive defense." Initially, he only needed defensive skills; adding more would have been greedy during battle. But since Jiang Tianming brought it up, Su Bei left himself some room for the future, "For now, that's the limitation. But who knows what the future holds? Stay tuned!" Feeling satisfied with his performance, Su Bei, now in good spirits, decided against any further demonstrations. Mainly because the "Evasion Max Sticker" he used would soon expire, and it couldn't be reused in quick succession, forcing him to retreat temporarily. Appearing uninterested, he waved a hand, effortlessly retracing his earlier path from the chair to the flower wall and finally the window, gracefully alighting back onto the second floor. Leaning on the windowsill, his hand propped under his chin, he cautioned, "It's no use. The teachers will be arriving… soon." As his words fell, a resounding dragon's roar echoed from afar. They all turned instinctively to see, amidst swirling mist, a massive Western black dragon heading their way. The dragon's perceived slowness was merely an illusion due to its distance, much like how airplanes appear to crawl across the sky when observed from the ground. In reality, the dragon flew with extraordinary speed, rapidly closing in as if traversing vast distances in a heartbeat. "Finally! The teachers have arrived!" Mu Tieren's face lit up with relief, knowing that their safety was now assured. Of course, the earlier situation never appeared overly dangerous, but the issue was that they were trapped on the island! As soon as they were discovered, the moat encircling the island turned a deep purple, clearly toxic without needing a touch test. It emitted a constant purplish mist, and any bird attempting to fly over it would croak in distress and plummet, clearly indicating they had been poisoned and incapacitated. The Li family must have invested heavily to make the moat so deadly. Even without the toxic mist, flying off the island was nearly impossible for them. Qi Huang and Si Zhaohua were distinct cases; the【Phoenix Fire】ability didn't grant actual wings. She relied on the flame-shaped phoenix as her vehicle. These conjured wings had weaker load-bearing capabilities than actual ones. Carrying Su Bei and the others across the river was virtually unfeasible. Plus, taking them one by one would leave the rest vulnerable to a siege. Five people could manage, but with only three, it would be pure suicide. The tunnel Wu Mingbai dug was already discovered, with several Li family members busy filling it back. Digging another tunnel elsewhere seemed unlikely, as Wu Mingbai needed silence nearby to excavate effectively. Currently, finding a secluded spot was impossible, not to mention the constant surveillance. All their exit strategies were blocked thoroughly. Unless they incapacitated a significant portion of the island's inhabitants, escaping was unattainable. Shamelessly, the Patriarch even involved underaged children in combat, hindering their ability to strike decisively. With their mental power waning, a crisis loomed. Meng Huai's timely arrival resolved their dilemma. None doubted that his abilities would be deterred by mere toxic water; never mind, his dragon flew higher than Si Zhaohua and Qi Huang. The black dragon alighted on Li family grounds, and Meng Huai dismounted, casting a stern glare at Jiang Tianming’s group before turning to Li Shu, who knew the full story: "What's the situation?" Li Shu hesitated, choosing to respond truthfully, "…Despite many unexpected twists, the mission was a success." With the ledger in Su Bei's possession, the Li family's downfall seemed inevitable. As previously mentioned, not only the police but also those disgraced by their dealings with the Li family would eagerly target them. Right after his reply, Su Bei's ears were greeted by the "Manga Awareness" notification: "Update for 'King of Superpowers' available. Please check." The update signified the event conclusion, and Su Bei couldn't wait to see if his plan succeeded. Without the foresight feature shaping his image, there was an added layer of unpredictability. Although discussions weren't vital for credibility, readers' debates would enhance his ability portrayal, making his superpower evolution easier to remember and more impactful. With the forum account absent, explicitly stating his powers became necessary to prevent misunderstandings that could derail his scheme, wasting his efforts. That said, Su Bei remained optimistic; losing one advantage meant gaining another. The extra work was worthwhile if it granted him an ace up his sleeve. Relative to the protagonist group, he wasn't struggling much. After all, happiness often stems from comparison. With everyone on the island under control, Meng Huai delayed their departure to await reinforcements. Though he arrived first, a larger contingent followed; they couldn't leave before the others caught up. During the wait, Meng Huai engaged Mu Tieren about the incident details. Naturally, Li Shu should have briefed him, being both a collaborator and a Li family member. Yet Li Shu showed little interest in recounting, promptly passing the storytelling task to Jiang Tianming and Mu Tieren. Despite everything, the Li family remained his roots, having once deeply revered the Patriarch. Though replacements were found, the Patriarch's impending legal reckoning brought no joy. His discomfort wasn't tied to imprisonment or death but rather realizing the father he idolized as infallible was, in fact, quite vulnerable. While not completely inadequate, Li Shu re-evaluated the situation, acknowledging that Su Bei's discovery of the ledger left his father defenseless. Had Su Bei not secured the ledger, or worse, if he'd delayed finding it, the father might have remained invincible. Li Shu couldn't believe his father lacked contingencies for the ledger's safekeeping. Capturing the Patriarch alone wouldn’t suffice—it would surely be hidden or destroyed. With this perspective, Li Shu's resentment eased. His father remained formidable, but fate had placed an unconventional opponent in their path. Few could face such crises and react first by finding the ledger, remarkably breaking the expected patterns. Seeing Li Shu alone in the corner, Su Bei approached him. Of course, he wasn't there to offer comfort; he had a question that only Li Shu could answer: "I heard that one of your roles upon returning was to heal buyers post-surgery? Since when did 【Illusions】 have healing capabilities?" "Where did you hear that from?" Li Shu was bewildered. "Only a handful of people know about that. You…" He paused for a couple of seconds. Faced with Su Bei's calm expression, he decided to stop dwelling on it and instead sneered, "With the wealth of information Su Bei possesses, surely you also know how I acquired healing capabilities. So why bother asking?" "I just want to confirm," Su Bei shrugged, maintaining his composure despite being uncertain about his guess. "Even I would be surprised if you managed to collaborate with Teacher Ye." This statement was a bit of a gamble for Su Bei. If he guessed wrong and Li Shu hadn't actually collaborated with Ye Lin, it could raise suspicion. However, he had a backup plan. Even if Li Shu hadn't collaborated with Ye Lin, it was certain that Ye Lin had collaborated with Meng Huai. Su Bei could then use this as an excuse, claiming he only knew Ye Lin was working with someone from "Infinite Superpower Academy," but wasn't sure who specifically, defusing any suspicion. Moreover, Su Bei was no longer his past self. Previously, he had no margin for error; any mistake could severely damage the trust of his companions and readers, making it hard to rebuild. Now, however, even if he did make a mistake, others would instinctively cover for him, extrapolating wildly to rationalize or even transform his missteps into a grand scheme. Su Bei initially crafted his persona as a mystery man precisely for this reason. It provided him with a considerable safety net, increasingly beneficial as time went on. Fortunately, this time his hunch paid off. Li Shu looked even more shocked than before, "Where do you get your information? It can't be Ye Lin who told you, right?"