A Guide for Background Characters to Survive in a Manga

Chapter 12

A death at school was undeniably serious.

Hearing Jiang Tianming’s judgment, a boy drawn by the commotion paled, questioning skeptically: “You sure? Don’t talk nonsense!”

Having seen and caused death, Jiang Tianming knew he wasn’t wrong. Ignoring the boy, he looked at a teacher rushing over: “Teacher, someone’s dead. Should we seal the cafeteria?”

Surprised by his calm, the teacher paused, then nodded, shouting into a megaphone on his chest: “All students, stay where you are!”

Checking the victim and confirming the death, he snapped his fingers, shutting the cafeteria doors.

With a grim expression, he used a walkie-talkie to report the incident to his superiors.

The cafeteria erupted. No one expected this. The timid grew anxious, while the bold discussed the event.

Wu Mingbai tugged Jiang Tianming and Lan Subing’s sleeves, nodding toward a corner: “Look there.”

They saw Su Bei eating leisurely, as if the chaos didn’t faze him.

The trio recalled his “watching a show” remark. As he said, they were on stage, and he was in the audience.

“Should I call him over?” Wu Mingbai said mischievously. “He definitely knows something.”

After years as partners, Jiang Tianming knew his antics, glaring: “No, calling him now would fully antagonize him. Messing with someone like that… don’t court death.”

Lan Subing nodded, typing rapidly: “Let’s ask him later. Reminder: someone’s meal card is with me, got it?”

Wu Mingbai pouted but knew they were right. Su Bei likely wasn’t the killer, so exposing him was pointless.

“Got it, I won’t expose him.”

The teacher, done reporting, asked them for details. It was simple: Wu Mingbai, heading to the bathroom and finding one side blocked, lightly pushed the victim to wake him for space. The victim fell sideways, a passing girl screamed, and the rest was known.

Undoubtedly, Wu Mingbai was caught in bad luck. Logically, it involved no one, and the school could investigate.

But Su Bei knew the plot would force the protagonist trio to investigate.

Soon, a striking female teacher arrived, saying nothing, briskly setting up a tent and entering it.

The earlier teacher had everyone line up to enter the tent one by one.

Seeing their worry, he explained kindly: “Teacher Zhou’s Ability can clear your names. If you’re fine, you can leave the cafeteria.”

With over fifty students, keeping them confined wasn’t practical.

Relieved they could leave, everyone quieted, lining up obediently. Innocent, they had no qualms. Clearing their names easily was ideal.

The first student entered, exiting in five minutes. Ignoring questions, he left with an assistant teacher.

His silence unnerved others, wondering what happened inside.

Su Bei, near the front, knew the manga would update tomorrow, revealing events, so he didn’t plan to linger.

When his turn came, he strode in confidently. Teacher Zhou sat behind a desk, saying coldly: “Answer my questions. If you’re clear, you can leave.”

“Did you kill Sun Ming?” The victim’s name was Sun Ming.

“No,” Su Bei shook his head. Though Sun Ming died due to his altered fate, he didn’t kill him.

He realized Teacher Zhou’s Ability was lie detection.

“Do you have any special relationship with Sun Ming? Like family, friends, enemies?”

“We’re not family, friends, or enemies. We’d never even met,” Su Bei answered, pausing before shrugging, “If anything, we share a common enemy: this world.”

He’d planned to stop at the first part, but his mouth wouldn’t close after.

Teacher Zhou’s Ability not only detected lies but forced complete answers, preventing evasion.

Su Bei couldn’t say he had no relation to Sun Ming, as they shared the role of manga opening cannon fodder.

He’d hoped to skirt the question, but the Ability thwarted that. Thankfully, he had a Plan B, passing the hurdle.

“Answer seriously,” Teacher Zhou frowned at the Yellow-Haired Boy, inwardly surprised.

She knew her Ability ensured truthful answers reflecting the answerer’s true thoughts.

This sunny, handsome boy genuinely believed he and Sun Ming shared “the world” as an enemy.

Did he have nihilistic tendencies?

But now wasn’t the time for mental health concerns. She continued: “Do you know anyone who had issues with Sun Ming?”

“No.”

After a few questions, Teacher Zhou nodded: “You’re done. Don’t share our conversation with others outside, and don’t discuss the cafeteria incident.”

“Got it, thank you, Teacher,” Su Bei bowed slightly, leaving the tent. Seeing the protagonist trio staring from the line, he winked playfully and sauntered back to the dorm.

Wu Mingbai’s expression soured, but he kept his sunny smile: “That’s provocation, right? Total provocation!”

Jiang Tianming mused: “He left so easily, so he didn’t plan this. At most, he knew something via his Ability.”

His noninvolvement was good news. A spectator was safer than an actor.

Getting it, Wu Mingbai nodded, unconcerned: “Whatever, it’s got nothing to do with us. They can’t pin it on me just because I touched the body, right?”

The victim wasn’t their kill and had no ties to them. To him, Su Bei’s knowledge was irrelevant.

But Jiang Tianming’s face grew complex, eyeing Su Bei’s departure: “I don’t know why, but I feel this won’t end so simply.”

If it were that simple, why would they need to star in this show? Su Bei wouldn’t just want to watch them find a body—that’s dull.

Despite his ominous feeling, Wu Mingbai couldn’t pinpoint the issue and let it go.

Suddenly, he turned to Lan Subing: “Subing, why so quiet?”

Stepping in front of her, he saw her gazing at the entrance, face slightly flushed: “He’s kinda hot.”

Jiang Tianming: “…”

Wu Mingbai: “…”

Meanwhile, Su Bei returned to the dorm. The hallway buzzed with students, drawn by cafeteria news, seeking gossip.

Seeing him, several looked over curiously, itching to pry.

“Hey, buddy! You’re from the cafeteria, right?” A red-haired, handsome boy approached familiarly, glancing around warily, whispering, “I heard someone died in there?”

Seeing others perk up at his words, Su Bei thought his “wariness” was futile. He sized up the boy, dodging the question: “Where’d you hear that?”

“Uh…” The boy faltered, blinking, then gave a shaky excuse: “I saw the cafeteria sealed, so I asked around at the entrance. Didn’t get details before a teacher shooed me back.”

He wasn’t a good liar. Knowing something happened from the lockdown was normal, but pinpointing a death was not.

Suspicious but hiding it, Su Bei acted convinced, smiling and zipping his lips: “Teachers told us not to talk.”

“Got it, understandable,” the red-haired boy said, slightly disappointed, leaving without pressing.

As he turned, Su Bei’s gaze sharpened, eyes widening.

Being taller, he clearly saw a black lightning mark on the boy’s neck, partially hidden by his collar.

Lightning—one of the shapes he’d deduced from the four gears.

Was this student in league with the killer?!

Before Su Bei could school his expression, the red-haired boy spun back, his sunny face now blank, staring intently: “What were you looking at?”