Chapter 335 - A Guide for Background Characters to Survive in a Manga

Chapter 335 Su Bei lay in bed for a full three days. On the fourth day, once his body was free, he immediately drank water, went to the bathroom, took a shower, and then went out for a big meal. Not eating or drinking for three days might not kill you, but it feels deadly uncomfortable—how could that not count as death in a sense? While eating, Su Bei turned on his phone, which had powered off due to a dead battery as soon as he got back that day. "Beep, beep, beep, beep——" The moment it was on, a series of message alerts filled the phone. All messaging apps showed 99+ unread messages; without opening them, Su Bei already knew who sent them and what they contained. After a moment's thought, he didn't reply to others but instead opened Meng Huai's chat box. Meng Huai could be said to be the one who messaged the least, with only three messages in total. [Work Until You Die: Heard you've disappeared?] [Work Until You Die: Are you really dead?] [Work Until You Die: If you're alive, send a message.] [Southeast West: 1] Ten minutes later, just as Su Bei finished his meal, a message from Meng Huai arrived. [Work Until You Die: What's 1? Where are you now?] [Southeast West: I'll be back at school tomorrow. I thought I'd give you a heads-up, teach. Don’t tell anyone else, I want to surprise them.] [Work Until You Die: Congratulations on using the right word; it truly will be a surprise. So what's going on? From their expressions, everyone seemed to think you were dead.] [Southeast West: I used an item to resurrect.] There was a pause before Meng Huai called him directly: "Su Bei? Do you mind a video call?" "I don't mind." Su Bei shook his head and initiated a video call himself. Once the video connected, Meng Huai visibly relaxed before asking in a leisurely manner, "What was the cost of the resurrection item?" "Six months without superpowers," Su Bei answered honestly. He intended to use this as a reason to take a leave, so he couldn’t lie about it. Hearing that this was all it cost, Meng Huai sighed in relief again. "Do you plan to continue schooling? Without superpowers for six months, you can't participate in courses. Besides, things in the superpower world might become dangerous..." "That's why I'm planning to take a leave," Su Bei interrupted him, stating it without hesitation. He was aware that the upcoming period in the superpower world would be perilous. Not only due to the covert machinations of the "Black Lightning" organization but also because the Nightmare Beasts couldn't possibly remain at peace. It's crucial to note that their foundation was just destroyed; the annihilation of the six World Stones dealt a fatal blow to the Nightmare Beasts. The remaining small meteorite fragments could merely sustain their environment, and having the Nightmare Beast realm continually spawn new beasts was out of the question now. In such circumstances, Su Bei was certain the beasts would go berserk. After all, if they remained silent, what awaited them was a slow death. Never underestimate humanity's rate of clearing these beasts. Previously, a balance between input and output was maintained, but now, without income and only expenses, it wouldn't last long. So they'll either do nothing and await a slow demise or choose the latter—while their numbers remain nearly at their peak—and wage a do-or-die battle against humanity. It's obvious the Nightmare Beasts will choose the latter; they have no other option. This is one of Su Bei's reasons for taking a leave. He didn't want to be drawn into those campaigns as an ordinary person. Especially since he wasn't just any superpowered being but one of the chief culprits that turned the Nightmare Beasts into this state. Even if he were in his prime, he couldn't be 100% certain of withstanding their retribution, let alone now, when he's an ordinary person? Temporarily distancing himself from the superpower world to avoid the Nightmare Beasts' counterattack is his best choice. With that in mind, Su Bei shared his plan: "After giving them a surprise, I'll feign death to deceive the Nightmare Beasts. I'll need your help with that, teacher." "You've planned thoroughly, but if you're going to fake your death, wouldn’t it be better not to return to school at all?" Meng Huai asked in confusion, then coughed. "Of course, I'm not saying you should keep it from me—knowing you're alive is enough, I can relay it to the other students for you." "They need to maintain a good state, don’t they?" Su Bei considered, and since maintaining a persona was no longer necessary—especially since he'd "sacrificed" himself for rescue earlier—he frankly exposed a bit of his nature and truthfully added. They'd face both the counterattack from the Nightmare Beasts and the "Black Lightning" organization. If they were mired in grief over his death, some might act irrationally. After all, this world is like a manga; a slight oversight might lead someone down a dark path as a villain. Although the author controls things to an extent, it’s clear that they can’t manage everyone's thoughts completely; otherwise, they'd likely have made Su Bei gradually fade from the narrative long ago. Moreover, he needed to make an appearance to show readers that he’s still alive. Even though the author wasn’t planning to torment him further, readers' perceptions could still impact the storyline. If they believed he was dead, Su Bei feared it might lead to unexpected consequences. Especially since the author decided to let him off, with everything on the verge of settling. If he stumbled at the final hurdle, he’d be furious. Besides, one should end things properly. Since he’s going offline for a long time, he ought to make one final appearance to show readers he’s alive. "Yes, they’ve been quite heartbroken, indeed," Meng Huai recollects, reminiscing about the day they received the news, deeply moved. Returning to the Infinite Superpower Academy the next day and having nothing to do now, after lunch, Su Bei entered his room and started reading the manga. Although his mission was essentially complete and he didn't need to follow the plot, it felt wrong not to look at his own fake death outcome. Skipping the earlier scenes, Su Bei fast-forwarded to the latter half of the manga, where they prepared to place the World Stones into the machine. Seeing the machine emit a beeping sound in the manga, Su Bei felt a pang once more. The feeling of being one step away from success only to fail—only those who've experienced it understand. In contrast to him, the readers didn’t engage with such raw emotions. In fact, many readers seemed to enjoy the drama; rather than the mission going smoothly, they preferred its twists and turns. "I knew it wouldn't be that easy!" "Oh wow, a little mishap!" "Won't they complete the mission this time? Will there be a next attempt?" "It can't be helped, they couldn't conduct any pre-experimentation." "Wow, those beasts arrived quickly." "Let me see which cute little friend will shine this time?" Soon, Wu Mingbai swiftly devised a plan, collaborating with Si Zhaohua. After joining forces, they headed to where Lan Sui Bing was. However, soon after taking flight, they were targeted by several Nightmare Beasts. Next is the perspective of those two Nightmare Beasts, whose powers were formidable. One could continuously track its target, while the other could kill someone by staring long enough. In collaboration, the two had slain countless strong superpowered beings. Due to the urgency and lack of knowledge regarding the beasts’ abilities, Si Zhaohua and Wu Mingbai tried to shake them off instead of launching a counterattack. Aha, suddenly realizing, this is why those two would have perished. If not for his intervention, they would have been tracked by these beasts until they were "stared to death." Still, the author revealing this portion is quite surprising to Su Bei. After this revelation, it should be clear that his subsequent sacrifice was for whom. As if conjuring the saying, 'speak of the devil,' the scene shifted to his sacrificial moment. In the manga, he suddenly sensed something—a flutter in his heart—followed by a bitter yet relieved smile. Accompanying this were two lines of text— "Fate indeed..." "We must be at peace with ourselves." After those words, he wore a charismatic smile that even Su Bei himself would find mesmerizing. Despite its seeming pettiness, it exuded grace as he said, "Remember to apologize to me afterward for making me pay such a high cost to save your lives." The next panel featured a full-body shot of him. Surrounded by a pitch-black background, he floated in the air. Beneath his feet was the Fate Compass, between his hands! In the center rotated the Gears of Fate. The compass's light cast onto his face, the shadow and illumination contrast adding an air of mystery. Almost like going through the magical transformation sequence most magical girls experience... Okay, Su Bei’s able to critique like this because the manga depicted him. It’s challenging for him to have authentic feelings from a secure position, more as if watching as an observer aware of backstories. In readers' eyes, this moment probably appeared quite impactful; whether his hair was transformed or not, the imagery was beautifully poignant—a symbolic beauty in decay. The influx of comments—and their numbers soaring—indicated readers were quite taken by this. "Su Bei??? Su Bei?!" "What's going on?" "What an advanced magic array, finally seeing Su Bei's powers relate to fate." "Ahhh, why did his hair turn white?" "I'm sorry, but it's so beautiful..." "Damn, is this a sacrifice? Is Su Bei sacrificing himself to save Zhaohua and Mingbai?" "Why would it be you, Su Bei, doing this? I'm crying!" Jiang Tianming and the others' breakdown afterward caught Su Bei by surprise. He wondered whether there was some exaggeration on the part of the author—everyone crying and such. It appears emotions are indeed mutual. While he developed feelings for his classmates in Class S, they also cared deeply for him. This mutual affection left Su Bei with complicated emotions. In the last scene of this storyline, the camera focused on the spot where he disappeared. On the ground, mostly hidden by rocks, was a small doll resembling Su Bei. Many readers noticed this, and the comments exploded with excitement. Seeing this, Su Bei's eyebrows twitched. He finally realized that the author no longer intended for him to die. If it had been the past, the author wouldn't have included this shot in the manga, eager as he was to let readers believe he was dead. But now, the author not only included the scene proving his survival but also illustrated the previous rescue scenes vividly, leaving no room for misunderstanding. Things had indeed changed. Su Bei realized he had gone from an unwelcome character to a special guest in the author's mind—a character that typically doesn't die, existing as an Easter egg of sorts. This was a good thing. Su Bei smiled to himself. Since the subsequent plot didn't involve him, Su Bei stopped reading. However, even if he wasn't going to read the manga, he could still browse the forums. Due to his final scene, eight out of ten posts on the forum were discussing him. "Did Su Bei die?!" "I’ll kill you, author! Su Bei died saving people—I’m gonna cry." "Look at the final doll—Su Bei probably used a resurrection item and didn’t really die." "..." After scanning over them, Su Bei decisively clicked into the post analyzing that he wasn't dead. "Look at the final doll, Su Bei probably used a resurrection item and didn’t really die." [Su Bei Resurrects then Renames to No.0: Sigh, I couldn't help but sigh. The person most on the periphery of the protagonist group dramatically sacrifices himself for them. But I insist, Su Bei isn't dead. The last scene before the camera cut away was very indicative. That doll identical to Su Bei must be his item, one with the effect of reviving him once. It stands to reason, even if Su Bei has been 'redeemed' by the protagonist group and holds deep feelings for them, he doesn't seem like someone who would sacrifice himself for others. If the author genuinely portrayed that, it'd ruin his character. I think Su Bei had anticipated he might sacrifice himself for the protagonist group, so he prepared a resurrection item in advance. But this is precisely the advantage of having fate-related powers, isn't it?] [No.1: The post is long, but I trust it.] [No.2: Agreed, what are people crying over a grave for? Su Bei is 100% not dead!] [No.3: The author left such an obvious hint to let us know Su Bei isn’t dead, fearing we’d riot without the clue.] [No.4: Obviously, Su Bei is too cunning to die so easily!] [No.5: On one hand, my tears were in vain; on the other, it was worth crying over.] [No.6 responds to No.5: It was such a tear-jerking atmosphere.] "All's well," Su Bei laughed softly. Later plot unrelated, Su Bei stopped reading. But he could still check the forums. Inevitably, eight out of ten posts discussed him due to that scene. "Saying Su Bei is 100% not dead raises much praise." "Ambiguity ensures you can't write essays trolling them." "Served me a dose of pathos, yet hero vibes stay intact." "Stirred a cocktail of emotions—pathos justified Marvelously sharp." "Wonderful narrative preserves Su Bei's involvement. Su Bei maintained a low profile, now basking in affairs regarding his existence." Seeing this, his brow lifted. His special role clarifying the author's perspective caused recognition in maintaining separateness. Indeed, this added to his understanding as he sat in content contemplation. "By the way, about that,” marveling at the forums, a voice echoed his inquiry in a vacant room, “can I still read manga and use forums afterward?” Not that he necessarily planned anything; it was just isolation daunting devoid of these. "Manga Awareness" perhaps jesting previously, immediately retorted, "You can, no constraints." With this insight, Su Bei contentedly closed his manga. A realization surfaced: "If the author didn't wish Wu Mingbai's deaths, why concoct such a plot? It couldn't purely test me, could it?" "Not just that, although connected to you somewhat.” Since events reached closure, "Manga Awareness" offered clarity, “it stemmed from consequential discourse over your discordant character.” The expression of comprehension showed Su Bei satisfaction, “Didn’t finalize life and death bets drive dramatic alterations?” Realizing implications, Su Bei vehemently questioned, "Why involve others like Wu Mingbai and Si Zhaohua?” "Manga Awareness" emoted a somewhat human cough: "Well, hadn’t you frequented dodging fate previously? A decision forced inclusion, only if death marked outcomes, friends succeeded." Su Bei discerned disparity, voicing confusion: "Why assume victory? Isn’t determining conclusions solely reliant on the author? Even if my varied traits surprised him.” Struck by revelation, Su Bei's curiosity piqued, "How do your world’s writers differ from ours?" The response bridged insight, "Authors here face variable deviation, as real-time influences depict." "Manga Awareness" patiently explained, "In the real world, independent works like manga, novels, and films can give rise to a real small world. This is something authors generally know. When these worlds become complete and stable enough, they can even be visited by tourists." Hearing the word "tourists," Su Bei frowned. If a crowd of high-dimensional strangers suddenly appeared in his world and wreaked havoc, he'd rather see the world destroyed. Seeing his discomfort, "Manga Awareness" hurriedly assured, "Of course, tourists typically manifest as spectral forms that don't influence the plot. However, for a higher fee, they can choose to experience life in the story, though they’re prohibited from affecting any storyline. Otherwise, I'd immediately kick them out. When I mentioned being busy later, I was referring to monitoring these elements, ensuring they don't disrupt the manga world." That seemed reassuring. In important matters, "Manga Awareness" remained reliable, and Su Bei felt at ease knowing it was watching over things. Noticing his calm return, "Manga Awareness" continued with the main topic, "It's rare, but not impossible, for characters to emerge in a real world who defy authorial expectation." Su Bei was profoundly shocked by this revelation. He had believed that their manga world was the result of some anomaly, never imagining it was a common occurrence. No wonder, once the author became aware of his existence, he expressed annoyance but not fear or shock. If Su Bei imagined a scenario where his characters went off-script completely, he'd likely be terrified. "Manga Awareness" had previously mentioned altering the author's subconscious to minimize strangeness, but even then, if it were him, he’d be exasperated trying to write the character out, not sporadically dabble like the author did. In truth, the author's reluctance to off Su Bei was due to potential backlash from readers. Still, the actual instances of targeting him were fewer than Su Bei initially anticipated. After two failed attempts, the author ceased trying to hem him in. The author doesn't have as much control over the manga as Su Bei thought—after all, it exists as a real world! In a real world, where the story is written focusing on one individual, occasional unforecasted characters are understandable. Understanding this perspective, it made perfect sense for the friend's bet to hinge on Su Bei’s unpredictability. An uncontrollable character could rationally cause any plot shifts, which is precisely why authors dislike such wildcard characters appearing in their narratives.