Chapter 349 - A Guide for Background Characters to Survive in a Manga

**Chapter 349: Some Follow-up** The subsequent events unfolded quite simply. Su Bei quickly eradicated the majority of the Nightmare Beasts, leaving the remaining ones to be easily handled by the city's own superhumans. However, everyone remained motionless, staring in bewilderment at the scene before them. Just a moment ago, they had been battling the beasts, but now, those same creatures were mysteriously slain with precision hits by stones. They were utterly confounded. A young woman raised her head to the azure sky, her face full of confusion. “Is this… divine retribution?” Inevitably, all eyes gravitated towards the person standing on the city wall. In the process of using his superpower, Su Bei's disguise had dissipated, revealing his true appearance. His blond hair and purple eyes made him far more striking than when he was disguised, not to mention his handsome, youthful face. Someone like this standing atop the highest city wall was hard to overlook. Perhaps nobody had witnessed the exact moment he used his power, but these bizarre deaths of the Nightmare Beasts and his sudden appearance on the city wall led anyone with a bit of wit to connect the dots. It seemed as though this suddenly appearing young man had saved them. On the other side, the few remaining guards on the wall had also noticed Su Bei's actions. At that moment, the golden glimmers surrounding him and the faintly visible Fate Compass behind him made them realize that the upheaval within the city was likely brought about by Su Bei. "Did... you save everyone?" one of the guards, who had earlier informed Su Bei of Ai Baozhu's whereabouts, hesitated before stepping forward with a tentative inquiry. Su Bei turned to look at him and did not deny his actions. He wasn't sure if this particular plot would end up being illustrated in the manga, so he maintained character, smirking playfully. "Yes, it was me. So, have you figured out how to repay me?" The guard was initially taken aback by this statement but then replied earnestly, "I'll find a way to repay you. Judging by your age, you must be a student at one of the academies, right? After this battle, I'll bring a banner and the money we've raised to thank you at your academy." This sort of serious attitude was indeed the bane of all amusement-seekers, causing Su Bei to lose his desire to speak further. He turned to leave. His mission was complete, and whether to return to the Arctic or seek out others was up to him. Logic dictated that Su Bei should return to the Arctic. Even though Jiang Tianming had made significant progress, this battle evidently wouldn't end so easily. It might last several months at best, or even years at worst. After all, this was the Nightmare Beasts' final chance; they wouldn't stop until all their forces were depleted. Thus, returning to the Arctic would certainly be more convenient. Nonetheless, Su Bei also knew that revealing he was still alive meant the Nightmare Beasts wouldn't leave him alone. If he stayed in the Arctic by himself, he risked being found and besieged, so staying with the main group was safer. Although he had exposed that he was alive, he didn't consider coming here a mistake. In coming here, he had genuinely saved a city and also boosted the reputation of the "Fate" organization, which would improve his circumstances in the future. Most importantly, even with his identity exposed, he was confident in his ability to stay alive with the use of his superpowers. The grand pointer's alterations had a strong element of foresight, allowing him to see impending death at least a day in advance if the Nightmare Beasts truly targeted him. Whether it meant simply adjusting the pointer and fleeing, or using the incident to strike back at the Nightmare Beasts, the initiative remained with him. Thus, as long as his mental power and superpower remained intact, he was unquestionably invincible when it came to protecting himself. At first glance, returning to the Arctic might not seem problematic, as he could constantly monitor his status and not worry about the threat of death. However, Su Bei feared that if he stayed there, the grand pointer would perpetually stay in the lower half, with each adjustment being immediately followed by another incident. Even if his mental power didn't run out, he would end up exhausted. Hence, seeking protection from the government seemed more prudent. Besides, to be honest, Su Bei genuinely wished to help. Despite his aversion to trouble, in an all-encompassing battle threatening all of humanity's safety, how could he possibly not partake? It's important to note that one of the main reasons he decided to assist the "Manga Awareness" was to save the world! For now, though, he didn't need to hurry to leave. He at least needed to wait for Ai Baozhu to awaken before departing. Although the Nightmare Beasts' conspiracy had been thwarted, she was still unconscious, with no classmates from their class around. To leave immediately would be highly irresponsible. Yet before Su Bei could reach the stairs, a guard suddenly seemed to recall something and exclaimed, "You're that... what's your name again? That... Su Bei, right!" As he spoke, the guard swiftly pulled out his phone and found the announcement on the superpower official website. Sure enough, there was Su Bei’s photo— the individual named in the announcement as having sacrificed his life to defeat the Nightmare Beasts looked exactly like the blond, purple-eyed youth standing before him. Unexpectedly recognized, Su Bei was momentarily taken aback, and then he nodded, "Yes, that's me." "I can't believe you're still alive! That's wonderful! I knew someone as good as you couldn't die!" The guard rejoiced, “You will surely have good fortune after surviving such an ordeal. You'll be blessed with a peaceful and smooth future.” This was a blessing Su Bei desired, and his expression softened as he nodded naturally, "Thank you, I think so too." Without further delay, Su Bei left the city wall in quick strides, heading towards the room where Ai Baozhu lay unconscious. She hadn't awoken yet, but she was sleeping peacefully, clearly not in any life-threatening danger. Su Bei bent down to lift her onto the bed, then roused his weary spirits to deal with the nearby corpse. After all, the deceased had been a leader within the third refuge city, and beyond himself and Ai Baozhu, no one else was aware of the treachery. Given the uncertainty about when Ai Baozhu might awaken, Su Bei decided it was best to gather evidence first. Otherwise, there was a risk of being wrongfully accused later. Even though he could eventually prove his innocence, being slandered was hardly pleasant. A wise person doesn't stand beneath a precarious wall; knowing the potential dangers, pinning his hopes on the government blindly trusting him was not Su Bei's style. He would preemptively clear obstacles to ensure peace of mind. As for collecting evidence of the leader's betrayal—Su Bei rummaged through the "Fate" organization's repository of tools and soon extracted numerous gadgets. These tools could make a soul speak the truth, reveal another’s memories, or detect the truth directly… However, the deceased must have been exceptionally skilled to have risen to a government refuge leadership position, for all these tools failed against him. Notably, while using the last tool, the man's corpse nearly disintegrated, though Su Bei managed to preserve it using an additional tool, thereby avoiding the appearance of having destroyed evidence. After setting the body aside, Su Bei tiredly massaged his temples. Having expended a significant amount of mental power in one go, he was now suffering from a splitting headache. If not for this hassle, he would've already been in his room, asleep. After some thought, he stopped searching the body for clues and used his last bit of mental strength to adjust his luck before wandering through the room. This was the traitor's residence; surely there must be some tool for communicating with the Nightmare Beasts. Just as he suspected, he soon discovered something peculiar. Walking by the bedroom, Su Bei, due to fatigue, accidentally knocked against a lamp post, causing an earpiece to fall out. This item appeared crucial; even if the entity behind it severed its connection, superhuman methods could trace evidence through the device. Su Bei stored the earpiece in his storage space with a sigh of relief. Feeling somewhat spent, he settled beside the unconscious Ai Baozhu to rest his eyes. Though sleep was out of the question, with her still unconscious, resting his eyes was just fine. It was a bit uncomfortable, but mental power recovery was still possible. The advantage of advanced mental power was its rapid recovery pace without strict conditions. Roughly an hour passed, and outside noise started to permeate the room. Su Bei opened his eyes, realizing that reinforcements must have arrived. If the crisis wasn't resolved, reinforcements wouldn't have arrived so speedily. Considering the city leader's betrayal, sending a distress signal externally would've been impossible. Even if they managed to send one, penetrating the city would likely have been unachievable. Yawning, Su Bei slowly approached the door and opened it. Outside, several unfamiliar superhumans cautiously approached, promptly adopting defensive stances upon the sudden opening of the door. Su Bei, unfazed by their aggressive response, nonchalantly spoke, "Come in, the traitor is dead, and Ai Baozhu is unconscious. Did you bring a doctor? It'd be great if you could check her condition." The three newcomers exchanged glances, and one of them sternly demanded, "Raise your hands and step aside. We..." Before he could finish, another superhuman suddenly exclaimed, "Are you Su Bei?" "Su Bei? Who's that? Someone you know?" The leader turned, puzzled by her revelation. The woman quickly reacted, pulling up the news from the superhuman official website and enlarging Su Bei's ID photo. "Isn't this him?" "It really is! But doesn't it say this guy is supposed to be dead?" The man turned back to Su Bei, his tone noticeably softer now, "What's going on? Are you still alive?" "Just faked my death. Can we save some time, please?" Su Bei replied, somewhat exasperated. He was waiting for them to take over caring for Ai Baozhu so he could finally get some much-needed rest. Once his identity was confirmed, they all nodded in agreement. Upon entering and seeing the leader's corpse, their expressions grew cautious again. Su Bei, unperturbed, said, "I'll take a nap in this room. You can station someone at the door to keep an eye on me. I have evidence of this person colluding with the Nightmare Beasts. You can report the situation now, and I'll present the evidence when others arrive to investigate." Relieved by his willingness to cooperate, the trio visibly relaxed. It would've been a real dilemma if he hadn't agreed to work with them. Su Bei confidently handed Ai Baozhu over to their care and then settled himself onto the bed, drifting quickly into a deep sleep.