Chapter 342 - A Guide for Background Characters to Survive in a Manga

Chapter 342: An Encounter with Familiar Faces Upon understanding their intentions, Su Bei straightforwardly answered, "I'm not a superpower user. I took a break from school due to physical reasons. Fortunately, I've got some money on hand, so I decided to travel." With his current superpower and mental power sealed, no machine could detect his identity as a superpower user. Only the Nightmare Beast could sense it. The latter part of his statement was entirely truthful, without any embellishments. Hearing him claim he wasn't a superpower user, Ian showed a hint of surprise. Because of his superpowers, Ian was very perceptive of people's auras. In his view, Su Bei was clearly a superpower user. Could he have made a mistake? "Oh, sorry, then I must have guessed wrong. If you're not a superpower user, avoid going east for the next few days," Ian apologized to Su Bei, scratching his head, and kindly reminded him. The east was exactly where the Advanced Nightmare Beast was located. Non-superpower users could easily get caught up in their battles if they went there to play. Su Bei smiled, accepting the good intention. "Got it. I'll probably just explore around the hotel." At that moment, Elvis cast a suspicious glance at him. Su Bei wasn't concerned that Elvis could identify him with just a sentence. After all, he had deliberately changed his voice. His appearance, voice, and even character had been altered. Recognizing him would indeed be surprising. Thus, he looked Elvis in the eye confidently, without a hint of evasion. Indeed, Elvis didn't recognize Su Bei. He merely sensed something was amiss. In this society, ordinary people have always aspired to be superpower users. Although it might sound narcissistic, Su Bei's calm demeanor upon learning they were superpower users on a mission here was suspect. After exchanging a couple of glances, Su Bei naturally took the bowl of pasta his server brought over and began eating. He had a clear conscience and didn't care how the other party perceived him. Being the most outgoing person at the table, Ian kept the conversation lively by talking about high school. He first shared amusing tales from "Alpha Superpower High School" before inquiring about Su Bei’s experience: "The three of us never attended a regular high school. What's it like?" "It's pretty ordinary. Classes, exams, classes, exams—nothing like your exciting school life," Su Bei replied casually. While he hadn't attended a regular high school, he wasn't unfamiliar with the typical student experience. The three exchanged looks, and Ian, taking the cue, began discussing their mission. From their conversation, Su Bei learned that the mission was far from simple. The Advanced Nightmare Beast could control snow and might trigger avalanches during the mission. Here's the issue: to Su Bei's knowledge, there were no hotels near the mountain where the Advanced Nightmare Beast resided, meaning it's sparsely populated. An avalanche, as a mass attack ability, is most effective in populated areas. Why would such a beast choose to settle in a scarcely populated area? It's unlikely out of concern for ordinary people. So there are two possibilities: Either the beast isn't planning for the distant mountain to be its main battleground—it’s temporarily resting there and will move to populated areas when provoked. Or, it’s powerful enough to attack residential areas from afar. This could mean it can either extend an avalanche over a vast area or trigger multiple avalanches for wide-ranging damage. Regardless of the scenario, Su Bei was 100% certain that his current hotel would not escape unscathed. Didn't they say it had nothing to do with him? "When do you plan to act?" After a while of silence, Su Bei suddenly asked. Realizing it was a stark question, he quickly added, "I want to leave the Arctic before you act, just to ensure I stay out of danger." This was a verbal excuse; Su Bei had no intention of leaving. Leaving now seemed optimal on the surface, but in reality, it wasn’t. If trouble reached the Arctic, other places wouldn’t necessarily stay safe. Even if this was just a precursor event, it was still within the narrative. The author guaranteed he wouldn’t die within the storyline, so the seemingly dangerous snow mountain was the safest spot for him. However, inconvenience was inevitable; safety didn’t mean he couldn’t get hurt. Getting buried under snow and needing a rescue wasn’t an experience he wished for. While his explanation made sense, it might lead to negative assumptions. Seeing Ian hesitating, the unexpected happened—Tiffany spoke up, "We will act in three days." Su Bei raised an eyebrow, nodded in thanks, indicating he understood. He quickly finished his meal as they chatted, then left the restaurant. Once he left, Ian turned to Tiffany in confusion, "Why did you tell him when we'd take action?" "He could follow us even if I didn't," Tiffany said, lowering her blood-red eyes. "Besides, there's no 'evil' scent in his blood." Elvis and Ian understood what she meant. An "evil" scent in one's blood suggested recent substantial interaction with Nightmare Beasts. Tiffany, with her 【Bloodline】 superpower, was quite sensitive to the beasts' scent. They felt reassured. Someone without contact with Nightmare Beasts wasn’t necessarily a good person, but given the current superpower world’s situation, with people collaborating with Nightmare Beasts popping up everywhere, those not involved tended to band together. As long as this guy wasn't collaborating with Nightmare Beasts, his activities were none of their concern. Elsewhere, back at his lodging, Su Bei’s expression was slightly somber, prompting "Manga Awareness" to ask nervously, "What's your plan now?" It was an unforeseen disaster even for the narrative. After all, not even an author could script every detail of a hotel's involvement. "Manga Awareness" was unaware that this incident would affect Su Bei. However, like Su Bei, it could deduce from previous narrative patterns that their current hotel was bound for trouble, hence the question. Su Bei revealed his already formed plan: "I’m going to the mountain where the Nightmare Beast resides." This wasn't to preemptively eliminate the beast, but to execute "hiding in plain sight." Since the attack range wouldn’t be the deserted mountain, he needed only to find a spot on the mountain safe from avalanches during their operation. Without delay, Su Bei hired a driver and headed towards the mountain. Since the Advanced Nightmare Beast could sense his superpower status, Su Bei activated an invisibility charm upon entering the mountain. Currently lacking the ability to confront an Advanced Nightmare Beast, he couldn’t wield the tools requiring mental power for such a task. After a brief survey, Su Bei dismissed his initial plan. He’d considered digging a snow cave, but the snow was so deep that he’d risk suffocation if an avalanche lasted too long. His tools didn’t include an oxygen solution. Seeing the expansive, barren, snow-laden landscape, Su Bei realized hiding was precarious anywhere. If the beast truly had advanced snow-controlling abilities, it might detect even his movements on the snowy ground. If staying on the ground wasn’t feasible, he’d have to take to the skies. Though he lacked tools for breathable air supply, he possessed numerous flight tools. Having figured this out, Su Bei wasted no further time there, opting to travel. Though the Arctic was cold, its scenery was picturesque, offering a cleansing effect after two days' stay. On the third morning, hidden by an invisibility charm, Su Bei staked out Ian, Elvis, and Tiffany. Once they left, he leisurely followed. The moment Tiffany flew with the others towards the mountain from an uninhabited area, he used a pre-set teleportation array to arrive ahead at the mountain. Seated cross-legged on a flying carpet high above, Su Bei had a cup of milk tea and a dish of kumquats on hand, prepared for the spectacle ahead. Typically, it would be sunflower seeds, but cracking them was too noisy, forcing Su Bei to abstain. Just as he peeled the first kumquat, Tiffany and the others arrived. Ian used his power to set a barrier over the entire mountain. Witnessing this, Su Bei was surprised. Who would've thought Ian's 【World in a Painting】 evolved to encompass even a snow mountain? The extent of his superpower range was remarkable. The Advanced Nightmare Beast, not one to be trifled with, stood defiantly on the snow-capped peak directly in front of Su Bei, refusing to back down to the provocations from three students. It appeared as a Snow Maiden, crafted entirely from black snow. Visually, it was strikingly beautiful. The substance was unmistakably snow due to its unique texture, unlike anything else. A Black Snow Maiden, a marvel in itself. Neither side had any intention of making small talk, and after a brief meeting of eyes, they immediately began to clash. Unlike the protagonist squad, ordinary characters engaged in battle with straightforward efficiency. If it had been the protagonist's group, there would undoubtedly be dialogue—never this clean and prompt a onset of combat. The Snow Maiden Nightmare Beast, being a major entity capable of controlling a region, was no easy adversary—especially not in a perfectly suited snow mountain environment. Even though they outnumbered it three to one, they struggled to hold their own. After watching them get pushed around for some time, Su Bei grew weary. "Can they actually win?" "Of course," "Manga Awareness" assured confidently. Although they weren't the protagonists, they were nonetheless important supporting characters that had fought alongside the main team in the past. Such significant characters wouldn't be easily defeated. "Can I lend a hand then?" Su Bei proposed. He was growing tired of staying in the frigid cold of the mountain peak. The top was much colder than the base, and even with warming gear, it wasn't comfortable.