Chapter 331 - A Guide for Background Characters to Survive in a Manga

### Chapter 331 Having finished the manga, Su Bei sat pensively with his chin resting on one hand, murmuring to himself, "It seems things won't calm down anytime soon. I better stick close to Jiang Tianming." The loss of a major asset by the "Black Lightning" organization wouldn't stay under wraps for long; they probably have already caught wind of it by now. While outsiders might not know the machine's potential for reverse transformation, it's certain the "Black Lightning" organization is well aware internally. Given their current collaboration with the Nightmare Beasts, they'd certainly not want this machine, which could potentially threaten the Nightmare Beast community, to fall into the hands of the righteous faction. Now that the machine is at the Triple Academy Base, it's not hard to guess what "Black Lightning" will do next. They might attempt to infiltrate the base to destroy the machine, or inform the Nightmare Beasts, urging them to directly assault the base. Either way, the base is unlikely to stay peaceful anytime soon. There have been similar plots before, where the author's solution involved splitting teams into two groups: one for protection, the other for crisis resolution. No surprises here; this strategy is likely to repeat. In other words, one group will remain at the base while the other deals with the meteorites or the earth-element Nightmare Beasts. It's evident which team Su Bei would choose. Naturally, he'd opt to deal with the meteorites. Having fought for this goal for so long, he would feel deeply regretful if he couldn't partake in resolving this matter at the final moment. Despite his usual lazy demeanor, he values his sense of ritual. Just as Su Bei anticipated, the number of Nightmare Beasts around the base began to rise on the third day. The area around the Triple Academy Base had previously been thoroughly cleared, with routine tasks issued to superpowered individuals for maintenance. An occasional appearance of one or two beasts was understandable, but an influx like this clearly spelled trouble. The Nightmare Beasts weren't even trying to hide their intent, amassing around them, clearly intent on encircling. Su Bei was puzzled as to what the Nightmare Beasts aimed to achieve with such actions besides alerting them, given that they could still leave. It's not him raising a flag here, either; the portal to the Nightmare World at the Triple Academy Base simply cannot be shut down. The portal to the Nightmare World is the academy's lifeline and can only be shut from the physical world. Yet, the entrance on the physical side is under the joint custody of three institutes, fortified with countless superpowers. If even that could be breached and forcibly shut by the Nightmare Beasts, those academies might as well cease operations, saving everyone the hassle. In the manga *King of Superpowers*, although there are typical flaws, with the academy and government often reacting post-event, they were relatively dependable compared to other mangas Su Bei had read. That’s why he trusted that they wouldn't make any significant oversight. Since they can exit the Nightmare World anytime to return to reality, what was the Nightmare Beasts' objective in surrounding the base? If it was to destroy the hard-built base, Su Bei thought they were overthinking it. While the base was indeed crucial, the collected data, personnel, and active superpowered individuals in the base were of far greater importance. Compared to these, the base itself wasn't as valuable. They could always regroup, eradicate the Nightmare Beasts, and rebuild the base, an endeavor that wouldn't break the bank. Even changing the base’s location wouldn’t pose a problem; the maps were comprehensive. They could gradually expand a new base and eventually merge the two regions. Su Bei reasoned: if he could figure this out, why wouldn't the Nightmare Beasts? After all, it's not rocket science—they wouldn't exert effort for no reason. What, then, was their real goal? He soon had his answer. On the fifth day of the siege, with the increasing restlessness among unprepared superpowered individuals due to the growing number of Nightmare Beasts, the Triple Academy Base decided to evacuate a selected number of people with the data. They wouldn’t abandon the base outright, given their sweat and effort. However, faced with the Nightmare Beasts' determined stance, preparations had to be made. All coordinates, maps, and data from the base absolutely couldn't be compromised. Evacuating them was the best option. The superpowered individuals weren’t formally employed by the base, so there was no obligation to stay. Nonetheless, eliminating the Nightmare Beasts was their duty, and the promised rewards by the base enticed many to remain. For those unwilling, they were free to leave with the data. However, there was a small snag during the evacuation: the machine Jiang Tianming brought back couldn't pass through the portal to the Nightmare World. More accurately, it couldn’t leave the Nightmare World. With this hitch, Su Bei finally discerned the Nightmare Beasts' goal. They simply wanted to stop the base from researching the converter, coercing them to either destroy it now or prepare for an all-out battle with the Nightmare Beasts. With virtually endless numbers in the Nightmare World, a showdown would indisputably favor them, relegating the base to inevitable defeat. Just as Su Bei deduced this outcome, he and the other members of Class S were summoned by Jiang Yan. Arriving at the conference room, they found not just Jiang Yan but several adults, likely leaders of the Triple Academy Base. Mu Tieren, whom they hadn't seen for days, sat in a chair with tired eyes, lost in thought or possibly in a daze. Once everyone was seated, Jiang Yan shared why they'd been gathered: "You might have noticed already that the siege by the Nightmare Beasts was likely triggered by the machine you brought back. It holds significant value for the Nightmare Beasts, and they aim to reclaim it. Since it can't be returned to the real world, we’re contemplating destroying it outright. Given it was your team that retrieved it, we wanted to hear your thoughts." Uncertain whether Su Bei and the others grasped the relation between the Nightmare Beasts and the meteors, Jiang Yan skirted around direct references, only suggesting its value to the Nightmare Beasts. However, Jiang Tianming and his group were aware of the truth, so there was no communication barrier. Even realizing she was right, Jiang Tianming hesitated to decide, feeling something was amiss. As he pondered, Su Bei watched in silence. Despite knowing he should probably oppose Jiang Yan's idea, joining Mu Tieren to argue for keeping the machine for further study, he refrained from speaking. Su Bei believed in Jiang Tianming, trusting he'd realize the right move. Since Jiang Tianming could reject, why intervene? The asset was his find; it was his moment. As Jiang Yan and the others began to grow curious, Jiang Tianming finally spoke resolutely, "I'm sorry, but I don't think we should destroy the converter." Before Jiang Yan could question further, he explained, "If, as you said, the Nightmare Beasts' goal is to reclaim the machine, they must have anticipated that we would destroy it if they besieged us. This contradicts their supposed intention." His reasoning was straightforward—the Nightmare Beasts seemingly wanted to provoke them into destroying the device; hence, keeping it would serve them best. Jiang Yan pondered his words: "We've considered that they might have another agenda. However, returning the machine to the Nightmare Beasts would certainly be detrimental to us, so destruction might be the safest option. We can't risk everything on an uncertain benefit." "Actually... I might know why they want us to destroy the machine," Mu Tieren, after drifting off for quite some time, finally mustered the resolve to speak up, raising his hand decisively. "I've made some breakthroughs in my research." He produced a diagram, demonstrating, "The machine isn't unidirectional. According to my research, its initial purpose was likely the opposite: transforming meteors into other stones or earth-element Nightmare Beasts into Nightmare Beasts of other elements." After a brief pause to let the others digest, Mu Tieren continued, "Thanks to a brilliant design by the original researchers, the machine's function was successfully reversed to its current state. But if given time, I think I can revert it to its original function." The meeting room fell silent. Those aware of the secrecy immediately grasped how Mu Tieren's success could significantly accelerate their ultimate goal of annihilating the Nightmare Beasts. Though uncertain of his success and acknowledging the substantial risk if he failed, the potential gain deeply tempted Jiang Yan nonetheless. Glancing back at the leadership, Jiang Yan could tell from just one look that they were equally hesitant. She pressed her lips together, and when she spoke again, her tone shifted to one of persuasion: "If Mu Tieren's effort succeeds, no cost is too high. Besides, we can still leave anytime, right? Walking away might mean missing a once-in-a-lifetime chance. We'd be condemning ourselves as traitors to humanity." By the end of her appeal, her tone had become resolute, almost suggesting an ultimatum: "Agree with me, or I'll force your agreement." The leader glanced at her a few times, then broke into a smile. "Seems you've made up your mind. In that case, I support you. I'll give you a week. We can hold out for at most a week. If this research yields no results by then, everyone leaves together—no exceptions." He deftly shifted the burden in an instant, placing responsibility squarely on Jiang Yan's shoulders. If successful, he could claim foresight, but if it failed, it would be Jiang Yan's stubbornness that led them to this point. However, Jiang Yan had no objections. Having decided to support Mu Tieren, she was prepared to shoulder all consequences. She was willing to stake her future for that possibility; after all, her future was insignificant compared to the annihilation of the Nightmare Beasts. With quick consensus, the leadership communicated their decision to those outside and resolved to stick to their plan. Apart from Mu Tieren, the others were tasked with holding out for the week. As for Mu Tieren, naturally, his sole focus was on his research. Su Bei's hopes were dashed; he didn't plan on slacking this time, but his involvement was supposed to focus on eliminating the meteorites, not being the base's laborer. The current situation placed Mu Tieren in charge of researching the machine, while the others began emergency preparations for defense. Initially, the base leaders considered enlisting additional superpowered individuals to address manpower shortages. But Jiang Tianming quickly stepped in to halt this plan, presenting a justifiable reason: "The 'Black Lightning' organization has infiltrators in many places. If we admit a few operatives here, it could jeopardize everything. It's best to rely on our existing superpowered individuals—they're undoubtedly trustworthy." Indeed, a single infiltrator could be more deadly than thousands of enemies. Given their predicament, bringing in an infiltrator would only worsen the chaos. The leadership's decision to hold out a week was undoubtedly out of hope for Mu Tieren's success. He was keen to dodge any potential mishaps, so after hearing Jiang Tianming’s reasoning, he decisively abandoned any thought of external help, opting instead to seal the portal to the Nightmare World, ensuring this final stand. Learning of this bold measure, Ai Baozhu was conflicted. "Is he cautious or bold?" On the one hand, sending blame flying at the onset hints at his cautious nature, almost as if agreeing to the plan was him being pushed by Jiang Yan. On the other hand, sticking to the decision under such pressure and risking everything demonstrated considerable boldness. "Human nature is complex," Zhao Xiaoyu remarked calmly. "Let’s focus on how to tackle the incoming beast horde." Compared to large-scale beast tides in the normal world, their small-scale wave had both advantages and drawbacks. One benefit was their compact environment, allowing concentrated defensive efforts. The Triple Academy Base was fortified and not easily breached. Its resources could definitely last a week. The downside was the concentrated threat from the Nightmare Beasts in their native realm made them formidable adversaries. However, their goal wasn't about victory, but survival for a week. In this manga world, Su Bei was confident that Mu Tieren could achieve results within that timeframe. Thus, it was time for Su Bei to make some preparations. Once Mu Tieren reversed the converter, their task would be to eliminate the meteorites. While transforming all meteorites at once would be impossible, focusing on the larger ones could achieve significant damage. Transforming the major meteorites would immediately weaken the Nightmare World considerably, and dealing with the smaller fragments would be just a matter of time. According to the "Fate" organization’s data, or rather, as detailed by the author's world-building notes, these few substantial meteorites were the root cause for the Nightmare Beasts' continuous birth. The smaller fragments served to sustain the ecosystem of the Nightmare World. While the latter must be eradicated, ensuring that the Nightmare World doesn't persist indefinitely, breeding and evolving more Nightmare Beasts, the priority was to eliminate the larger meteorites first. Knowing his duties as the intelligence agent, Su Bei identified what he needed to do next—provide the coordinates for finding these enormous meteorites to Jiang Tianming and his group. Having figured this out, Su Bei flipped through his notebook for information. The large meteorites, colloquially termed as "Boundary Stones," were critical supports for the Nightmare World. The "Fate" organization, undeniably established by the "Manga Awareness" entity, had recorded five Boundary Stones and their precise locations. Considering the Nightmare World lacked traditional coordinates, the organization mapped specific locations using unique devices. In fact, the organization possessed tools that could directly transport individuals near the Boundary Stones. Incredible, isn't it? Su Bei couldn't help but mentally commend the efficiency, then proceeded to exchange for those very transport devices. Interestingly, they weren't as costly as expected. Of course, for someone like Su Bei, who's the organization leader, they were affordable; otherwise, they'd be quite expensive. But to Su Bei, their utility outweighed their cost significantly. He quickly pieced together why this was the case, understanding that once Mu Tieren completed his research successfully, those devices could be immensely valuable, enabling them to bring the meteorites to the device for instant transformation. However, others without access to such devices couldn’t possibly destroy a Boundary Stone barehanded. Add to that the guardianship of multiple formidable Advanced Nightmare Beasts, accomplishing that feat seemed impossible. Thus, for anyone else, these transport tools were less of a lifeline and more of an ill-advised adventure, hence their lower perceived value. But why could only a handful be exchanged? Perhaps it was hubris from a select few believing in their prowess enough to try. Yet none had returned to champion any success, leaving these tools back in obscurity. "Just five Boundary Stones?" Su Bei suddenly posed the question upon seeing the teleportation charms. "..." A brief silence ensued before the "Manga Awareness" responded, "Sorry, no spoilers." So there's a sixth stone, Su Bei deduced. If there really were just five, the "Manga Awareness" could have easily confirmed it. Grateful for the early discovery, Su Bei shuddered at the thought of realizing too late, when a sixth might thwart their plans at the last minute without remedy. Believing any failed attempt would make future plans exponentially more challenging, given the Nightmare World’s protections surrounding the Boundary Stones, Su Bei promptly posted a bounty with the "Fate" organization for information on the sixth stone's location. Indeed, he believed simply offering a bounty would suffice. In class, few truly capable of completing this mission existed—himself, the protagonist trio, Qi Huang, and Si Zhaohua—beyond that, nobody else qualified. Despite Zhao Xiaoyu's powers being a perfect counter to Beasts, she hadn’t been effective against those guarding the stones. Likewise, Wu Jin's allure had no impact on the Advanced Beasts. Ling You’s prowess was suited for lesser beasts, and both Ai Baozhu and Ling You, while capable, were not predisposed to welcoming danger, making them less likely candidates. Zhou Renjie, however, couldn’t consume several Advanced Nightmare Beasts at once without overwhelming risk. Mu Tieren had his research, unlikely to be dragged back center stage with existing tasks. Feng Lan shared a similar situation. This left only six individuals potentially able to tackle the task, matching the narrative logic where six Boundary Stones seemed appropriate. Su Bei hoped someone would pick up the bounty; he'd offered ample points, though the elusive sixth stone's locator might remain unknown. Even excessive rewards couldn’t guarantee availability without leads. Still, should they find themselves without an answer, Su Bei surmised the author might contrive a scenario for Jiang Tianming to inadvertently discover the sixth stone's placement. How exactly the author would arrange this, he wasn’t sure. With preparations set, Su Bei, now unoccupied, found himself pondering another curiosity. Given the daunting number of powerful superpowered individuals at the base, how had the task of dealing with meteorites fallen to Jiang Tianming and his friends? Certainly, they couldn’t possibly dispatch mere students for such a mission? Regardless of their talents or experience, Jiang Tianming's team weren’t equipped for such duties. Furthermore, their minor status should be a natural barrier; any conscientious adults would hesitate to risk youngsters if alternatives existed. It didn't take long for Su Bei to find out the answer, as Feng Lan came to see him. His face was extremely pale, and his lips were devoid of any color. Seeing him in such a state, Su Bei's first instinct was that Feng Lan had been injured somewhere. However, there was no scent of blood on him. Given how well Su Bei knew Feng Lan, he quickly realized that Feng Lan had probably used his [Prophecy] ability and had foreseen something significant. Right upon arrival, Feng Lan, with a grave expression, activated a device to block out interference from superpowers. He then solemnly addressed the group, "In the future I foresaw, the team sent to transform the meteorites failed. As soon as they vanished from the main battlefield, the Nightmare Beasts sensed something was off and discovered our plan." Feng Lan’s prophecies rarely had such precise details, but because he knew the importance of their mission, he used his mental power, at great personal cost, to foresee a definitive future when he found it turning adverse. "Did you inform Teacher Jiang about this?" Jiang Tianming was the first to ask. Feng Lan shook his head. "Not yet." In this unfamiliar setting, when faced with a task that impacted the entire human world, Feng Lan trusted only his classmates, especially knowing that the deployment arranged by the base was bound for trouble. Jiang Tianming pondered for a moment, "In the future you predicted, those individuals were detected because they weren't present on the battlefield, which drew attention. This means the Nightmare Beasts are actually keeping close watch on the superpowered individuals from the Triple Academy, able to promptly notice anyone's absence." This was understandable; the Triple Academy Base's presence in the Nightmare World was inherently a threat to the Nightmare Beasts, so constant scrutiny was expected. Moreover, new superpowered individuals were admitted only biannually, except for "transfer students" like them; thus, their numbers remained consistent for a time, making information gathering valuable. This also implied—"Does it mean we aren't under the Nightmare Beasts' observation?" Lan Subing asked this pivotal question immediately, pinpointing the crux of the matter. Jiang Tianming, sharing the same thought, nodded in agreement. "That's exactly what I believe. So, this task should be carried out by us."