A Guide for Background Characters to Survive in a Manga

Chapter 19

“Because you don’t want too much interaction with the protagonist group?”

“Manga Consciousness” asked, somewhat worried. It feared its guess was right—that Su Bei might have a “use and discard” mindset, planning to abandon the world once he survived his doomed fate.

According to the plot, the world’s destruction would take at least ten years. That meant, by shedding his cannon fodder status, Su Bei could live a free decade without saving the world—a guaranteed win.

Sensing its concern, Su Bei explained: “It’s not that I don’t want interaction with the protagonist group. I just don’t want to be hated by readers.”

He didn’t care about being liked, but he absolutely couldn’t be hated. As someone who browsed forums himself, Su Bei knew readers’ habits well.

For beloved characters, everything was fine—every move was dissected under a microscope for deeper meaning. For neutral but plot-relevant characters, readers were willing to analyze objectively.

But for hated characters…

A cryptic figure? Just pretending to be profound!

Helping the protagonist? The author’s forcing them into the plot for clout!

A powerful ability? A forced cheat that’s utterly useless!

In short, hated characters didn’t need analysis—just bash them!

This was the opposite of Su Bei’s goal, so he’d never let himself be hated by readers and fall into that trap.

“But wouldn’t joining the protagonist group give you more screen time and gain more popularity? How would that make you hated?” “Manga Consciousness” was utterly confused. “Hardly anyone hates Jiang Tianming and the others.”

After all, as protagonists, they had plenty of spotlight moments. Plus, being on the side of justice, even if they didn’t hit everyone’s preferences, they generally weren’t hated.

Su Bei chuckled lightly: “You really think joining the protagonist group would be accepted by everyone?”

“Isn’t it?”

Shaking his head, he said confidently: “How about this? Let’s make a bet. In this Sun Ming incident, someone will definitely join the protagonist group. When it’s over, we’ll check the forum reactions to these new members. If there’s no negative feedback, I’ll join the protagonist group in the next incident. If there is negative feedback, you stop giving me suggestions.”

Clearly, Su Bei was trying to pull a fast one, but “Manga Consciousness” wasn’t foolish and caught on immediately: “Wait, that’s not fair. You’d have too big an advantage. Even Jiang Tianming has haters on the forums! If any negative comments about the new members count as your win, why bother betting? Just declare you won!”

Caught out, Su Bei wasn’t fazed and touched his nose: “Alright, let’s tweak it. How many characters are set to join the protagonist group this time? Two?”

“How did you know?” “Manga Consciousness” asked, surprised.

Su Bei didn’t answer, just said confidently: “If these two together get hated by over 10% of the forum, I win.”

10% was no small number. If that many people truly hated them, “Manga Consciousness” would admit it didn’t understand readers.

So it agreed: “Fine, but you can’t start threads to stir up drama.”

The two struck a deal, and Su Bei casually walked back to class, continuing: “Besides, there’s another reason I can’t join the investigation.”

“Manga Consciousness” was puzzled again: “Why’s that? Are you bad at investigating? But based on what I know of your background, your dad should’ve trained you.”

Su Bei sighed: “I’ve seen the killer.”

At that, “Manga Consciousness” finally connected the dots: “I see! Then you really can’t go with them!”

Though it was just a glance through a mask, Su Bei had faced the killer directly. If the killer realized Su Bei was after them, they might strike again.

Su Bei’s death by the killer’s hand was an original fate line. Though it had been severed, if the killer regained murderous intent, his chance of dying was nearly 100%.

Reaching agreement on this, Su Bei asked another question: “By the way, I should’ve left some impression on readers this time. When will my ability change?”

Su Bei flipped his palm, and an ordinary gear appeared in his hand.

Three days had passed since the first manga chapter aired, yet his ability hadn’t changed. If the ability change cycle was longer than he thought or required other factors, he’d need to reassess his plan.

“It takes until the next manga update to settle the data from the previous one,” “Manga Consciousness” answered. “In the real world, the manga updates weekly, but in the manga world, the timing varies.”

Su Bei thought for a moment and asked: “Are the chapters roughly the same length?”

“More or less.”

Then, barring surprises, the next chapter’s start should be when the Sun Ming incident wraps up.

The first manga chapter only covered one day, but that day was packed with events: the opening ceremony, class assignments, the running scene, the infirmary talk with the school nurse, the conflict with Si Zhaohua’s group, the pre-dinner chat with Su Bei, and finding a body in the cafeteria…

Clearly, the author aimed for hefty, content-rich chapters with no filler.

So, he deduced the second chapter would end with the incident’s resolution.

This news wasn’t exactly good or bad, but it wouldn’t hurt. He hadn’t planned to get involved in this plot anyway, so whether his ability changed or not wouldn’t make much difference.

However, since he didn’t know when the third manga chapter would start, he’d better reinforce the impression of his ability in the second chapter.

That meant he couldn’t completely stay out of Jiang Tianming and the others’ search for the killer. At the very least, when the killer appeared, he needed to clarify his earlier prophecy, making readers understand it was real and effective.

With a plan in mind, Su Bei focused on classes. Though he’d encountered some ability users through his father, it was only a few, and his understanding of the ability world wasn’t deep.

New ability users attended the Endless Ability Academy to learn about this world, so classes were genuinely useful for him.

Though it might not show on the surface, Su Bei was a true academic star, consistently ranking among the top in his grade.

Even though the curriculum was entirely different now, learning methods were universal. With his sharp mind and excellent stamina, within just a week, Su Bei had left a deep impression on his classmates: if his ability weren’t so weak, he’d never be in Class F. Even with such a lackluster ability, he might still climb out of Class F on his own merit.

This was, of course, a deliberate impression crafted by Su Bei.

Before school started, his plan was to be an invisible nobody in class. Not aiming to become an ability user, he just wanted to learn some basic knowledge at the school without getting involved with others.

But after a series of events, his mindset had to change. To catch the attention of manga readers and alter his ability, staying low-key was absolutely not an option.

Besides acting high-profile in front of the protagonists, leaving a strong impression on background classmates was also crucial.

That way, when something happened, his words would carry some authority, making most classmates inclined to listen to him.

If such a scene appeared in the manga, it could both build his charisma and potentially hint at new uses for his ability.

The next period was physical training, and Meng Huai arrived at the class early. Due to his intimidating presence from the start of school and his robust physique, the homeroom teacher held strong authority in Class F. Seeing him at the podium, even during break time, the students stayed obediently in their seats, looking like good kids.

—Except for a certain yellow in the corner.

Seeing Su Bei slouching lazily in the corner with no proper posture, Meng Huai, irritated from a morning of forced meetings, let out a “tch.”

“Su Bei, you’re leading the run later.”

Leading the run was a tough job. Run too fast, and the stragglers complained. Run too slow, and not only did you tire yourself out, but Meng Huai would be displeased. It was a lose-lose situation.

Usually, the physically fit took turns leading, so being singled out like this was clearly targeted.

The unfairly targeted Su Bei kept a blank face, glancing at Mu Tieren’s seat. As expected, it was empty. Clearly, the class monitor was off helping Jiang Tianming and the others with the investigation.

While Su Bei was diligently studying to build his image, Class Monitor Mu Tieren and Class A’s Mo Xiaotian had successfully joined the protagonist group, investigating the killer together.

As Class F’s monitor, Mu Tieren was naturally warm-hearted and chose to help his classmates. Meng Huai had given him some leeway, allowing him to skip his classes for the investigation.

Of course, the main reason for this leniency was that early physical training was useless for Mu Tieren. His ability was body enhancement, so basic running exercises were a breeze for him.

Meanwhile, Class A’s Mo Xiaotian had quietly blended into the protagonist group. Perhaps the true “sunny and cheerful little sun” archetype was simply irresistible in the manga world. Though he had no connection to the incident and no free class time, he still got involved in the main storyline.

Su Bei hadn’t asked him about this part. He figured he’d see it in the manga later, so there was no need to inquire. Plus, staying uninformed could help him build a “well-connected” persona in the future.

After leading ten laps and performing a set of military-style exercises, it was free activity time on the field. Su Bei and Feng Lan were about to find a place to rest when they saw Wu Mingbai walking onto the field from a distance.

He headed straight for them with clear intent: “Su Bei, long time no see! Got a chance to read something for me today?”

He was trying to get a freebie. Su Bei lazily glanced at him: “Why not ask the guy next to me? He’s from a legit prophet family.”

At that, Wu Mingbai looked at Feng Lan. Though not in Class F, he knew Feng Lan had the [Prophecy] ability. They’d discussed asking him for help before, but compared to the drama-watching Su Bei, Feng Lan was clearly harder to approach.

Besides, things were already showing progress, so there was no need to involve him.

But since Su Bei brought it up, it was a good chance to test the waters. Wu Mingbai’s eyes flickered, and he asked curiously: “Really? You have the [Prophecy] ability? That’s awesome! Can you read something for me?”

Back in the cafeteria, Su Bei had asked about Feng Lan’s ability usage. Feng Lan had already used up his specific prediction chances for the month, and further predictions with mental energy would only yield random results, so he couldn’t help.

Sure enough, Feng Lan, slow as a turtle, shook his head. Naturally aware of what Wu Mingbai and the others were up to, he said directly: “I can’t help you predict who the killer is.”

Unsurprised by the refusal, Wu Mingbai deliberately showed disappointment: “Not even if we pay a price?”

Saying this, he couldn’t help glancing at the Yellow-Haired Boy watching the show nearby. Though both had prophecy-related abilities, they gave completely different vibes.

Feng Lan was like an enigmatic sage, rarely giving predictions. Su Bei, on the other hand, seemed like he could slap on some sunglasses and set up a fortune-telling stall under a bridge.

Just like before, Feng Lan said calmly: “I’ve used up my specific prediction chances for this month. I can only use them again next month. And even then, getting me to use [Prophecy] isn’t that easy.”

At this, Wu Mingbai’s interest was piqued: “So, how can I get you to predict for me next month?”

Su Bei glanced over, equally curious about this question. On the surface, the cost for getting a prediction from him was providing enough entertainment. So, what was the cost for getting a prediction from Feng Lan?

“It’s expensive,” Feng Lan replied. He wasn’t bragging, just stating a fact plainly.

“Besides that…” He hesitated for a moment, shook his head, and didn’t continue.

Clearly, besides offering enough benefit to his family to make this rare [Prophecy] ability user predict for someone, there was another way to achieve this. But what that method was remained unknown.

Seeing he didn’t want to elaborate, Wu Mingbai didn’t press further. Instead, he pondered the earlier response and quickly found a loophole: “If you don’t clarify the other method, what if someone unknowingly meets it?”

“Then I’ll proactively perform a [Prophecy] for them.”

Wu Mingbai nodded thoughtfully, gave an enthusiastic farewell, and turned to leave without hesitation.

After he left, Su Bei propped his chin, staring at Feng Lan, who had somehow pulled out a book to read. Feng Lan remained composed, as if he didn’t feel Su Bei’s gaze at all.

In the end, Su Bei didn’t say anything. He had a ton of secrets himself—how could he expect others to spill theirs?

When the bell rang for the end of class, the two returned to the classroom as if nothing had happened.

Back at his seat, Su Bei mulled over the earlier conversation. Feng Lan didn’t want to reveal the other method, meaning he hoped others would meet the condition naturally.

What kind of condition needed to be met spontaneously, where deliberate effort would backfire?

And it had to be a condition the protagonist group could likely achieve. It didn’t take much thought to know that in future manga plotlines, the protagonist group would definitely meet this condition and gain Feng Lan’s help.

Could it be becoming his friend? Or helping him in some way?

The former wasn’t something Su Bei had achieved. He saw it clearly: though they often hung out, he and Feng Lan weren’t true friends—just meal buddies at best.

As for making friends? Feng Lan might not know, but Su Bei had no intention of doing so.

All his connections at the Endless Ability Academy—whether Jiang Tianming, Lan Subing, Feng Lan, or anyone else—were calculated for personal gain.

At the very least, a person needed some principles. Someone with ulterior motives didn’t deserve friends.

Time outside the main storyline always passed quickly. In the second week of school, Su Bei finally made it to the library. The academy had a large library with an extensive collection.

His goal was clear: to find books on fate-related topics.

That’s right, [Destiny], not [Prophecy].

Su Bei had only learned in ability basics class these past few days that [Destiny] abilities encompassed [Prophecy] abilities, with [Destiny] being the broader category.

But a wider scope didn’t mean stronger. Take [Summoning], for example: though it was a broad ability category, the strength varied wildly depending on the summoned entity.

Beyond the small subset of prophecy, destiny-type abilities were not only rare but also wildly diverse.

In Abilities: The Little Things—Destiny, several known destiny-type abilities were listed, one being [Stumble]. As the name suggested, when activated, it could make someone trip.

This was a destiny-type ability, imposing the “stumble” fate on its target. This showed how uneven destiny-type abilities could be.

Naturally, Su Bei wouldn’t settle for such an ability. His goal was like Feng Lan’s: to have the entire category as his ability, aiming for the highest potential. Thus, reading to expand his knowledge was essential.

As a 15-year-old ordinary person, his understanding of abilities was too limited.

Since he’d only recently become an ability user, his ability was still basic and easy to fabricate. But as others developed their abilities, if he only stuck to textbook basics, he’d easily be exposed.

Thinking this, Su Bei looked at the book in his hand and let out a long breath. He’d originally planned to coast through school, but he’d been dragged into this mess.

It was all the author’s and that damned killer’s fault!

He couldn’t touch the author for now, so he’d have to settle for messing with the killer.

The protagonist group had been searching for the killer this whole time. With no evidence, they could only look for students with useful abilities on campus, asking them to use their abilities to generate clues.

Their investigation had progressed to narrowing down the killer’s scope: the killer was definitely someone in the cafeteria. That meant the killer’s identity was among the cafeteria aunties, chefs, or cleaning staff.

“Brother Bei, we’re off to observe the cafeteria staff now! Catch you later!” Seeing Jiang Tianming and the others packing up to leave, Mo Xiaotian’s droopy puppy eyes sparkled. He hurriedly said his last words to Su Bei and rushed to follow.

For an ordinary 15-year-old boy, investigating a case was just too exciting! No wonder he was so invested.

The information Su Bei had gotten before all came from Mo Xiaotian. He shared their investigation progress not because he was a blabbermouth—though Mo Xiaotian was naive, he wasn’t that careless.

The reason he told Su Bei everything was at Jiang Tianming’s instruction. Su Bei knew why Jiang Tianming had him do this: first, to fulfill the promise of letting Su Bei watch the drama; second, to hold some hope of getting more clues from him.

After they left, Su Bei calculated the time and estimated they should be nearing the cafeteria. He took out his phone and sent Jiang Tianming a message: “Don’t forget the hint I gave you before. I’d be really upset if you didn’t use it.”

The message quickly showed as read, but there was no reply.

At the cafeteria entrance, Jiang Tianming closed his phone. Wu Mingbai, watching his actions, asked curiously: “Who sent you a message?”

“Su Bei.” Jiang Tianming shook his phone, his expression slightly more relaxed than before, his brows easing a bit. “He reminded us not to forget his hint.”

At this, Wu Mingbai quickly grasped the implication: “He means the purplish-red smoke hint can help us find the culprit?”

Lan Subing, overhearing their conversation, had a deeper guess: “Could he have already interpreted his Prophecy and know who the culprit is?”

—Otherwise, why would he send such a message?

Jiang Tianming nodded, sharing her thought. This was why he felt a bit more at ease now.

The culprit was definitely in the cafeteria, and they not only had the mission to find them but also faced potential danger. This had made him quite tense. But knowing there was a safety net, even cautious Jiang Tianming couldn’t help but relax a little.

But he soon realized this mindset was dangerous. Relying on others would eventually lead to trouble, and it wasn’t helpful for solving their current problem. So he refocused and looked at Lan Subing: “How’s things outside?”

Two days ago, they’d successfully stolen the phones of Sun Ming’s parents and their bodyguards.

The Lan Family outside had also started moving, targeting the Sun Family based on collected intel.

They hadn’t told Mu Tieren or Mo Xiaotian about this, as the revenge plan didn’t concern them, and there was no need to drag them into it.

The school, already displeased with Sun’s Father and Mother for threatening students, didn’t promptly provide them new phones.

Sun’s Father and Mother clearly hadn’t sensed the gravity of the situation. They thought they’d just lost their phones and didn’t suspect anything else.

Though annoyed with the school’s attitude, they didn’t make a fuss. They only needed to stay at the school for a week, and a few phones could be replaced later.

Everything was proceeding as planned. Success depended on the feedback from outside.

“The setup’s done. Dad says there’s a high chance of success,” Lan Subing said, a rare excited smile on her face. Wu Mingbai had been treated so poorly, and as his friend, she was furious. Now, contributing to his revenge—and in such a satisfying way—made her thrilled.

At the center of the storm, Wu Mingbai grinned cheerfully, looking kind-hearted, but to those who knew him, it was as if he’d sprouted little devil horns: “When they leave the school, we’ll give them a surprise.”