Chapter 339 - A Guide for Background Characters to Survive in a Manga

**Chapter 339: Halfway Restored** After dealing with matters in the real world, Su Bei formally embarked on his journey. To avoid the Nightmare Beasts, he had to steer clear of crowded places. During this time, Su Bei had already made travel plans. Although he intended to go with the flow and explore as he moved, he needed a general direction. He decided to avoid countries where storyline characters were based, like Apogode and Yafei... Su Bei planned to head north, with the North Pole as his ultimate destination. With superpower tools, he wasn't worried about the extreme cold of the Arctic, and in such sparsely populated places, there wouldn’t be too many Nightmare Beasts to contend with. Dealing with just one or two of them was manageable. Although Su Bei couldn't use his superpowers and mental power right now, and his physical condition hadn't fully recovered, he possessed a variety of superpower tools. Handling one or two Nightmare Beasts was easy. In the big forest, Su Bei felt a bit tired as he reached the center. He carefully selected what appeared to be the tallest tree and quickly climbed up in a few moves. Sitting on the topmost branch, he could almost overlook the entire forest. The vast greenery was soothing. If only those pesky Nightmare Beasts didn't exist. As two low-level Nightmare Beasts raced towards him from the distance, a trace of annoyance flickered in Su Bei’s eyes. The inherent attraction between superpower users and Nightmare Beasts was evident throughout his solo travels. Over the past half month, he encountered Nightmare Beasts every two or three days, sometimes individually, other times in groups. If not for the ample tools at his disposal, he might have had to turn back. Fortunately, there were no Advanced Nightmare Beasts among them, which made things much easier. It strengthened Su Bei's belief that his previous misfortunes were entirely due to his association with the main characters. Steering clear of them meant he would hardly encounter such formidable creatures! Su Bei retrieved a miniature laser cannon from his backpack, aimed at the approaching bird-like Nightmare Beasts, and fired. His shots were precise, effortlessly dealing with the two low-level beasts. He then adeptly tossed the laser weapon back into his bag. Not being able to use mental power was indeed troublesome, even rendering his storage ring unusable. Not just the storage ring, many superpower tools required mental power to operate. Temporarily unable to use mental power, Su Bei had limited tools at his disposal. Luckily, with the help of his classmates, by modifying tools and scouring the tools' depository, he managed to gather a good number of usable tools. After defeating the Nightmare Beasts, Su Bei opened his phone to check if there was anything new on the superpower website. Although there was no signal in the forest, superpower user's phones were specially designed to work in most situations without a signal. The website was calm and uneventful; news of his death remained posted. Friends apart from his S-Class were messaging him, futilely inquiring about his survival. Su Bei chose not to reply. To his S-Class classmates, he wouldn't feign death and disappoint those who cared sincerely. As for others, he didn’t feel the need to be overly concerned. After all, he didn't fake his death out of idleness but because there was a genuine need. If too many people are privy to a secret, it's no longer a secret. For his safety, it was better to be cautious. Turning off his phone, Su Bei continued toward the depths of the forest, following the route displayed on the mobile navigation: “Is this route really correct? The thing that can help me recover is truly here in the forest?” As he walked, Su Bei questioned skeptically. This untouched forest was sparsely populated, with few Nightmare Beasts in sight. It didn't seem like a place to hide treasures. Usually, treasures are guarded by monsters or people, right? “Of course, I am the awareness of this world; nothing escapes my eyes,” the “Manga Awareness” retorted righteously when questioned. Su Bei didn't doubt this claim but questioned: “But it’s only been half a year. Why are you so eager to help me find a restorative tool?” This was the real cause for concern. A half-year period of weakness wouldn't endanger his life. Why would “Manga Awareness” inexplicably help him? “I just don't want to see you suffer. Isn't it frustrating to be without superpowers and mental power?” the “Manga Awareness” replied as if full of goodwill. To be truthful, it wasn't so bad. He hadn't lost his innate instincts as an ordinary person just because of a few years as a superpower user. However, that wasn’t the point now; the point was that he didn’t believe a word of the “Manga Awareness’s” nonsense. The entity wasn't known for its kindness. Even though they had some rapport and it might lend a helping hand in critical moments, not in every trivial matter. Especially when Su Bei hadn't asked for help. Caring so much about his recovery speed—had it turned into a doting mother? Su Bei coldly said, “What do you want me to do after I recover?” Seeing as Su Bei was so direct, the “Manga Awareness” didn't hide it anymore: “As a high-popularity character, if you remain offline, readers will definitely be dissatisfied. The author wants you to appear in the finale and play your part as an Easter egg, saving everyone from peril.” Resurfacing a popular character during the finale could generate extra buzz if managed well. Familiar with manga conventions, Su Bei naturally understood the author's intention. He pondered, “Is there any benefit for me?” The “Manga Awareness” had apparently anticipated this question and quickly responded, “Doesn't early recovery count?” “If you think it counts, then there's no need,” Su Bei scoffed. “I'm not in need of such a small favor.” Initially, he had firmly decided not to participate in the remaining season's storyline. Given there was no threat to his life, he didn’t plan on getting involved. A small perk wouldn’t sway him. Knowing the leverage was in Su Bei’s hands, the “Manga Awareness” soon yielded: “Alright, what do you want?” If it disclosed its terms first, experience showed Su Bei would easily haggle. But if Su Bei spoke first, although he might ask for the moon, the bargaining rights would rest with the “Manga Awareness.” Su Bei contemplated and realized there wasn’t anything he particularly desired. The previous notion of requesting growth plans from the author was more jest than earnest; he didn't want anyone designing his superpowers. “Open a hardware store near the Superpower Academy for me,” he finally said, “A fully-equipped hardware store with a defensive system.” “…” After a long pause, the “Manga Awareness” said in a complicated tone, “You really believe in seeing things through…” In truth, Su Bei wasn't obsessed with the idea of a hardware store. After all, opening one near the Academy wouldn’t be profitable. Yet, as the “Manga Awareness” mentioned, one should see things to the end, right? To add a touch of self-indulgence, he also fancied playing the role of a sweeping monk. The narrative where the clueless store owner near the Academy is actually a powerful senior piqued his imaginative, dramatic spirit! Moreover, opening a hardware store didn’t mean settling down. He could shut it whenever he wanted or hire staff to manage it, returning during breaks to play the part of an earnest little shopkeeper. Wait—why pretend? Ahem, aside from that, an essential reason was Su Bei's need for a relatively safe place near the school. It was known that the *King of Superpowers* manga would have a third season. While season two crises were mostly unrelated to him, he might be drawn in during the third season. If the author didn't use a time-jump tactic, the primary setting for the third season should still be the Academy. While the Academy served as a safe haven in season two, would it remain as such in the third? Su Bei didn’t think so. Only when the Academy was also jeopardized could it offer readers a fresh experience, right? This was, of course, speculation, but preparing a bit extra beforehand couldn’t hurt. This request was not difficult. The “Manga Awareness,” eager to prevent Su Bei from reneging, agreed immediately. It decided the hardware store must be fortified to the maximum, lest it be undeserving of such a simple demand. While conversing with the “Manga Awareness,” Su Bei remained active, progressing deeper into the forest according to the map. The surrounding dense miasma would’ve knocked a normal person unconscious by now. But with tools for protection, Su Bei had nothing to fear. One must admit that superpower users enjoy this advantage: not only can they wield superpowers, they can craft tools for others to use. However, most superpower tools are expensive; without fair trade, acquiring useful tools for money alone would often be futile. “Red mushrooms…” At the target location, Su Bei looked down, searching the area. He was searching for a particular type of red mushroom, which, for ordinary people, is highly toxic, capable of drastically accelerating blood flow, causing the consumer to explode. However, within Su Bei's body was the seal of a "Life-saving Doll," which could absorb this energy. Likewise, this energy could also help break through the seal. In a sea of green, the red stood out, and Su Bei quickly located his target. He walked over, crouched down, and pulled up the mushroom by its roots, "Is this it? How should I eat it?" "It's poisonous no matter how you consume it, so however you like," the "Manga Awareness" responded nonchalantly, unfazed by taste and focused on the effect instead. Su Bei twitched his lips, eyeing the mushroom, dirt still clinging to its roots, "Is one bite enough?" If one bite would suffice, he could just bite into the clean, undirtied part of the cap. A bit of dirt wouldn't hurt. But if he had to eat the whole thing, washing it would indeed be better. Thankfully, it didn't require that much effort. The "Manga Awareness" confirmed, "One bite will do." Nodding, Su Bei bit into the umbrella's tip of the mushroom. Immediately, his vision went dark, and he collapsed to the ground with a thud. In his final "moments," he didn't forget to scribble a few words in the dirt with his hand—"The culprit is."