Chapter 340 - A Guide for Background Characters to Survive in a Manga

Chapter 340: Manga Update "Ugh… You're awake?" As soon as Su Bei regained consciousness, he heard the voice of "Manga Awareness" resonating beside him. Memories began to surface, recalling the events before he fainted. He was so amused that he almost laughed in exasperation, “You didn’t think to warn me I’d pass out after eating the mushroom?” “I didn’t know you’d blackout either...” "Manga Awareness" felt quite guilty, mainly because it had only theoretical knowledge but lacked practical experience. Eating the poisonous mushroom to break the seal was theoretically sound, but there had never been anyone like Su Bei who tried it, so it didn't know that passing out would be a consequence. Quickly, it added, “That was my oversight, so if any dangers arose while you were unconscious, I would have handled them for you. After all, you’ve woken up perfectly fine, haven’t you?” True enough, there was no harm done in the end. Su Bei rolled his eyes, deciding to let the matter drop. He stood up, dusted off, and assessed his condition. “Doesn’t seem different from before?” "Manga Awareness" scanned his body condition, narrating findings as it went. “With the seal on, it feels unchanged. Let’s see… In about three months, you’ll be unsealed.” Originally, it was just under six months, but now the time had halved. The effective result pleasantly surprised Su Bei. “Can I eat another one then?” He knew it was unlikely but couldn’t help but ask—what if? One mushroom diminished three months of wait, two could mean he’d wake up and head back to school. Not that he’d actually return to school even if his powers were restored. He’d found a legitimate excuse to drop out, and only a fool would throw that chance away. Besides, returning now would mean facing new dangers. Even if the author assured him he wouldn’t die in the main plot, he preferred to steer clear of trouble. As expected, "Manga Awareness" dashed any hope he had. “No, this mushroom has achieved all that external help can. The rest is up to your own recovery.” Su Bei sighed a bit but wasn’t particularly surprised. The ability to halve the seal was already a fortunate surprise; removing it entirely was too much to hope for. Returning from the forest to his lodging, even before reaching the inn, the “Manga Awareness” chimed in, “'King of Superpowers' has updated, please take a look.” A manga update at this timing—it must signify something significant happening. Scanning the latest chapter, Su Bei raised an eyebrow. Contrary to his expectation, the author hadn’t illustrated his upcoming meeting with Jiang Tianming and the others. Readers were still left in the dark about whether he was alive or dead. Even those convinced of his survival began to doubt. Based on the previous chapter, that doll was almost concrete evidence of his being alive. So why had the author withheld his appearance? Could it be the doll was just a decoy, nurturing false hope before crushing it, in true authorial style? “Main page alert: Su Bei still hasn’t revived in this chapter.” “Author, what’s your play?” “Why is Su Bei not back yet? How long are you dragging this subplot?” “I have a bad feeling…” “You can’t possibly have killed off Su Bei, right?” “Selling suspense, huh!” Su Bei felt helpless too and asked the "Manga Awareness," “Why isn't the author bringing me back?” “So your appearance in the finale is all the more impactful,” "Manga Awareness" replied matter-of-factly. “Don’t worry, unless the author confirms your death in the manga, most readers won’t accept that you’re dead.” True enough, most readers resist believing in the death of a key character—especially a beloved one whose mortality is disputed. Many would hold onto hope for his revival or that he never died, which naturally means he wouldn’t achieve the conditions to alter his fate through the forum. Without further comment, Su Bei continued perusing the manga. This chapter focused on Ling You, whose abilities had finally caught the Nightmare Beast's attention due to her recent performances. Before, it was harder to notice her; after all, low-level Nightmare Beasts were produced in abundance daily. However fast she slew them didn’t really matter. Now though, it was different. The Nightmare World could no longer generate new Nightmare Beasts, so even the lowest ones couldn’t be treated as mere disposable pawns. A threat like Ling You, capable of significantly reducing their numbers, naturally became a thorn in their flesh. Especially since she hadn't even fully matured yet and was already this impactful. What if she reached her full potential? Subsequent events unfolded as a somewhat typical kidnapping plot. Ling You rarely left the academy, but this time was different. A medical conference on viral research abroad, only open to invitees, offered significant advantages for her power studies. Conveniently, Meng Huai had an invitation. At this, Su Bei couldn’t suppress a chuckle. Such a prestigious medical gathering—only industry titans received invitations. Known was that Meng Huai’s abilities had nothing to do with medicine. Who, then, gave him the invitation? To later reveal Ye Lin’s secondary betrayal, the author had spared no effort. Along with a few instructors, the academy sent Lan Subing, Ai Baozhu, and Zhou Renjie to accompany Ling You. The three provided adequate protection and were less encumbered than the instructors with other duties. The conference was hosted by ordinary humans, but despite employing many superpowered bodyguards, the Nightmare Beasts could still cause trouble. Particularly with someone like Ling You from the main group present, security collapses were even more plausible. In a familiar phase of locating and rescuing kidnapped individuals, Su Bei’s interest waned, and he quickly flipped through until nearing the end of the chapter. Ling You, an S-Class member, had previously spearheaded the recent major disruption in the Nightmare World, engendering significant animosity. Having her in their clutches, the Nightmare Beasts weren’t about to let her die simply. The death they planned for her was to fall to a pandemic virus— {Plague} espers dying from plague both insulted Ling You and served as a human caution. Infamously, villains overly gloat verbally, and should Gray O’Wolf not insist on eating cooked meals, the tale of Pleasant Goats would’ve ended long ago. Their dilatory waste was their blunder, fated to doom. Not just did Lan Subing’s team rescue Ling You; she also assimilated the virus, acquiring a virus potent enough to indiscriminately ravage the Nightmare World. A failed gambit that underscored the phrase "lose the battle to win the war," leaving Su Bei marveling. Beyond Ling You’s advancements, the noticeable chapter facet was antagonist evolution. The "Black Lightning" organization continued cooperation with the Nightmare Beasts, overly hostile towards humanity. Governmental purges found no bases. Simultaneously, foreign insurgent groups surfaced and flourished, sufficiently numerous to unseat "Black Lightning" as a global threat. The villain dynamic thus shifted from hierarchical dominance to a multipolarly polarized structure (a grand fog indeed), shadowing the previously prominent "Black Lightning." A noiseless child indeed schemes somewhere unseen. Participants within may not discern this, yet as an observer, Su Bei sensed clearly. "Black Lightning's" lull wasn’t due to suppression or objectives lost—it was them rebuilding clandestinely and prepping a resounding impact. Su Bei maintained indifference, assured "Black Lightning" would face eradication this season. The manga's customary arc constraints aligned—one villain per season. He mused about the next season’s adversary. Should the Nightmare Beasts resolve, logically no larger foe should remain, verily confirming internal strife? Such thoughts prompted a headshake. Hopefully, not internal conflicts; he detested infighting. Nonetheless, if his prior conjecture held, the potential for internal strife loomed large. How else would chaos erupt within the academy? Fingers crossed then for false predictions, wishing for a novel battlefront in "King of Superpowers" Season Three, disconnecting from "Infinite Superpower Academy's" upheavals. Troubling. Might he seize the chance and drop out entirely? He exhaled deeply, shutting the manga, and asked, “So I need to head back in three months, right?” "Not exactly, not so soon," the "Manga Awareness" reassured him. Since there were no immediate events scheduled, there was currently ample time. "It's just that the plot won't stretch for six months, so there's definitely a push to help you recover as quickly as possible." This meant there would be a gap between his power restoration and his reappearance in the storyline. Su Bei intended to make full use of this interval. After all, if he disappeared for nearly half a year with no progress while others continued advancing, it would effectively mean he was falling behind. Before his abilities restored, this pause was the perfect opportunity for him to contemplate his next direction of growth. Su Bei had previously been struck with some inspiration, but the swift pace of recent events had left him no time to reflect. Now presented an ideal moment for thorough contemplation.