NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 38
Chapter 38
The scene shifts, zooming in on Wu Jin’s arena. He wore black-framed glasses covering half his face, with hair and long bangs hiding the other half, leaving only a bit of his mouth and chin visible.
If social phobia was a disease, Lan Subing was severe, but Wu Jin was terminal cancer, so gloomy the manga added a purplish-black filter around him.
Su Bei sometimes got a purple background too, but his purple signified mystery, completely different from Wu Jin’s.
[The first to focus on this arena was Su Bei, his attention sparking questions from others. After all, though Wu Jin joined Si Zhaohua’s team, making him somewhat special, anyone could see he was doomed to lose. They didn’t understand why Su Bei cared about this arena.
On the page, Su Bei had a sly, fox-like smile: “Since you all think the other guy will win, wouldn’t it be more interesting if Wu Jin won?”]
The manga cut to a few shots of the arena, showing everyone how Wu Jin was beaten badly, retreating step by step.
This brought doubts from Jiang Tianming and the others, especially after learning Su Bei bet all his points on Wu Jin, which they disapproved of even more.
The comments were more rational, knowing the manga included this scene because Su Bei succeeded. There weren’t doubts, just curiosity.
“How’s Su Bei going to make Wu Jin win?”
“Can someone off the arena help someone on it? Is the school’s Barrier just for show?”
“If Wu Jin wins like this, is it cheating?”
The next panel generously gave Su Bei a full-frame close-up.
[In his hand was an intricately patterned Gear, faintly glowing gold, held in his distinctively jointed fingers.
Su Bei himself emitted a faint dark golden glow. Though he only glanced casually at the Gear with downcast eyes, his confident aura affected everyone, including the manga readers.
It was as if he wasn’t looking at the Gear but staring at them with those deep purple eyes—
“Since I’ve bet, he has to win, even if he wouldn’t.”]
“Aaaaah, so cool!”
“Came back from later pages, Su Bei’s killing it!”
“What kind of skill is this?”
“Damn, so alpha!”
“Feels like some CEO novel, but really cool!”
Ignoring the screaming comments, Su Bei read on. After his line, the scene jumped to the arena.
[Wu Jin had no way to counter his opponent’s fierce attacks, pushed step by step to the arena’s edge. His mouth seemed to be muttering something, opening and closing.
Just as half his foot stepped off the arena, Wu Jin’s lips curved slightly. He quickly crouched and shut his mouth.
His opponent lost sight of him, thinking Wu Jin had accidentally fallen, and walked off the arena.]
In the next shot, as Wu Jin stood and walked off the arena, the scene cut to split panels of the protagonist group. Except for Su Bei, everyone looked stunned.
Only Su Bei had an expected expression, looking at his phone, with a small “+30 Points” text beside it. Clearly, he’d made a small profit from this bet.
The comments were thrilled.
“He really won, and so unexpectedly!”
“Looks like Wu Jin planned the win himself, so what role did Su Bei play?”
“Wu Jin’s smile feels like foreshadowing.”
“Knowing the outcome before it happens, so cool! That mastermind vibe!”
The plot moved on. Initially, Jiang Tianming and the others were just amazed, but their bond quickly warmed due to Mo Xiaotian and Su Bei’s conversation.
Su Bei closed his eyes, forcibly ignoring the comments shipping him with Mo Xiaotian. He’d seen CP posts when browsing manga forums before and never understood but respected them, avoiding them. But when the CP was about him, he, a pure straight guy, couldn’t quite handle it, shivering at the sight of such comments.
Whatever, just treat it as friendship shipping.
The next part, with Zhao Xiaoyu, further proved his [Destiny Gear] seemed to have other uses. But since Wu Jin’s case was already shown, this was just briefly mentioned.
Soon came Mo Xiaotian’s match, another quick domination. Despite his usual goofy demeanor, he was a genuine Class A student.
After the match, Mo Xiaotian revealed his Ability. Then, during lunch, the manga mentioned the Class S setup.
The first afternoon match was Wu Mingbai’s. The manga showed the arena action alongside off-stage betting. The moment Wu Mingbai won, the adjacent panel showed a boy who bet on the purple-haired girl kneeling in despair, quite amusing.
Compared to his match, Lan Subing’s was clearly more compelling. Comments started worrying before her match.
“Is it Ice Ice’s turn? Can she use [Word Spirit]?”
“I know she’ll definitely win, but I’m still worried.”
“So anxious, but I must send a comment before moving on.”
Lan Subing won as expected, breaking through her social phobia with snarky comments, making the comments laugh hysterically.
Finally, Jiang Tianming’s match caught Su Bei’s attention again. He was curious how Jiang Tianming used his Ability and whether it truly had a stealth effect.
The process was as seen in reality, but with added inner thoughts from Jiang Tianming. He was never panicked, just hesitating on how to win without exposing his Ability.
[Until Jiang Tianming ran to the arena’s edge, a shadow like the big boss he killed last season appeared behind him.
The shadow pointed faintly, tugging the girl’s clothes, causing her to lose balance and fall off the arena.]
Su Bei then recalled this boss’s Ability was something like object manipulation. If Jiang Tianming could use the Abilities of the dead shadows, didn’t that mean the more people he killed, the more Abilities he’d gain?
Truly a protagonist’s Ability, impressively strong.
But as Jiang Tianming and the others worried, this Ability wasn’t suitable to reveal publicly. An innocent man with a treasure invites trouble. Even if Jiang Tianming hadn’t harmed anyone for this Ability, its existence would make others fear he’d kill to grow stronger, leading them to harm him.
For Su Bei, he didn’t care what Jiang Tianming faced. The guy was the protagonist; a side character like him didn’t need to worry. He only cared how this info could benefit him.
Directly telling Jiang Tianming, “I know your Ability’s secret,” was definitely a no-go, but it seemed useless otherwise.
No, there was one way. Su Bei soon realized he could actively help conceal Jiang Tianming’s Ability if it was about to be exposed, showing he knew the truth while boosting the protagonist group’s favor.
Thinking this, he nodded to himself and continued reading.
After the protagonist group finished their matches, they happened to see Si Zhaohua competing.
The manga author spared no effort for this opponent tailored for Jiang Tianming, giving him the same treatment as the protagonist group—a full match drawn.
Also a domination, but unlike others, Si Zhaohua’s Ability was undeniably high-tier. Those wings, those effects, felt like a different art style from the protagonist group.
In this plot, Su Bei noticed a detail he hadn’t in reality: after transforming into an Angel, Si Zhaohua was noticeably more arrogant. Or rather… much more emotionally detached.
From his earlier argument with Jiang Tianming, it was clear he wasn’t the aloof type. Based on his prior personality, he should’ve come over to taunt them.
Su Bei hadn’t noticed this at the time, too shocked by the [Angel] Ability’s holy and powerful display.
But reviewing via the manga, Su Bei immediately sensed something off. Did Si Zhaohua’s emotions become problematic after using his Ability? Was this side effect temporary or would it subtly affect his personality?
Affected by Si Zhaohua, the group went to the cafeteria in low spirits. With Mu Tieren’s rational comfort and Su Bei’s unsparing sarcasm, they rallied.
This segment sparked quite a bit of comment discussion.
“Male mom! We need the male mom!”
“Mu Tieren’s right. The enemy’s strong, but there must be weaknesses.”
“Honestly, after seeing Si Zhaohua’s Ability, I don’t know how the protagonist group can win.”
“It’s gotta be you, Su Bei, hahahaha!”
“Su Bei: Daydreaming in the middle of the night?”
Of course, there were some negative comments saying Su Bei was too harsh. He ignored these. He wasn’t money; he couldn’t avoid being disliked. He wouldn’t be universally loved, nor did he need to be.
The next plot was the second day’s matches. As Su Bei predicted, the protagonist trio each faced strong opponents. Not high-tier Abilities, but relatively countering ones.
Through these battles, they each gained some strength. Shonen manga protagonists always seemed to grow through hardship, Su Bei thought, one reason he didn’t want to join the protagonist group.
Hardship was for those who needed it; he was fine being a freeloading slacker.
[Lan Subing faced a physically strong Class C boy who trained regularly, unlike the first day’s opponent she could easily outrun. His Ability wasn’t weak either. Unless Lan Subing could use [Word Spirit], she couldn’t win.
At the last moment, about to be thrown off the arena, Lan Subing successfully used [Word Spirit], freezing her opponent. Just like in the last part, she could only use her Ability at the critical moment.]
This made rational readers realize Lan Subing hadn’t progressed much with her Ability, hoping she’d improve in the upcoming monthly exam.
[Wu Mingbai faced a Class C opponent this time, but reaching the second round with a Class C Ability showed their strength. With the first day’s students using tricky moves, this opponent was cautious, leaving Wu Mingbai no chance to exploit.
A real combat match made Wu Mingbai realize his stamina shortcomings. Like Jiang Tianming, he suffered from poor nutrition growing up, leading to average stamina.
After this narrow victory, he decided to start training seriously from today, planning to follow Class F’s training regimen with Jiang Tianming and the others’ guidance.]
[Finally, Jiang Tianming faced a ranged attacker. With the opponent not approaching, pulling tricks was hard. Like Lan Subing’s situation, he couldn’t win without directly using his Ability.
At the last moment, Jiang Tianming figured it out. He couldn’t keep pretending not to use his Ability at the Endless Ability Academy. Instead of letting it be exposed passively, he’d use it actively, at least “selectively.”] Yes, Jiang Tianming only showed the boss’s object manipulation skill, claiming it as his Ability, calling it [Object Control]. He didn’t reveal a hint of his other soul-related Ability.
Having read the first season, Su Bei knew his other Ability was highly destructive, like a laser cannon.
After their three matches, the scene unexpectedly cut to Su Bei—his conversation with Zhao Xiaoyu.
Seeing this, Su Bei couldn’t help but frown. Honestly, he didn’t want that moment drawn in the manga. His manga persona was mysterious, and actively scouting others’ Abilities felt out of character.
But surprisingly, the comments didn’t seem to think so.
“When did Su Bei and Zhao Xiaoyu interact?”
“Is Su Bei scouting intel for the team?”
“What’s that line mean? Did Su Bei really predict that, or is he tricking Zhao Xiaoyu?”
“The protagonist group can’t lose!”
“Zhao Xiaoyu’s pretty smart.”
“Wow, I’m a Su Bei fan now!”
“Even a trickster won’t betray the team. Wish my company’s people would learn…”
The reaction seemed okay? Su Bei scratched his head, surprised. Thinking it over, he figured readers had largely accepted his persona, rationalizing his actions even if slightly out of character.
This realization was good news for Su Bei. If readers had a strong impression of his persona, he could act more boldly in the future.
After this plot, it was the expected ending. The protagonist group and the foil group were finally clashing: tomorrow, Wu Mingbai’s opponent was Zhou Renjie.
Closing the manga, Su Bei quickly opened the forum. He was excited because the foreshadowing he’d planted could finally be used.
Opening his forum profile, Su Bei clicked into his previous post. He’d thought no one would care, but it already had many replies, clearly discovered as a hidden gem.
[Prophet Post] Hidden Dragons and Crouching Tigers of Class F!!!
[ProphetNo.0: … (See Chapter 16 for details)]
[No.15: Worth saving this post for so long! OP is awesome! Guessed everything right!]
[No.16: Just noticed the timestamp—it’s from when Season 2 started. OP guessed this early?]
[No.17: 66666]
[No.18: Nice, nice, fits OP’s name.]
[No.19: All six guessed right!]
[No.20: OP is awesome!]
[No.21: OP is awesome!]
[…]
Seeing the Prophet account successfully gaining traction, Su Bei didn’t immediately start a new post but checked for useful hot posts. If there was one expressing what he wanted, he wouldn’t need to bother.
[How Did Su Bei Predict Wu Jin and Zhao Xiaoyu’s Wins? What’s His Ability?]
[Didn’t Get It, How Did Su Bei Win?]
[Let’s Discuss: Differences Between Su Bei and Feng Lan’s Prophecy Abilities (Latest)]
There were many hot posts about him. A satisfied smile in his eyes, he clicked into the first.
[How Did Su Bei Predict Wu Jin and Zhao Xiaoyu’s Wins? What’s His Ability?]
[HolyFireMeowNo.0: Based on prior plot, Su Bei’s Ability is [Destiny Gear], which can predict others’ fates. But this chapter’s actions don’t feel like predicting—it’s like changing others’ fates.
Su Bei playing with Gear.jpg
Look at this image, captured when Su Bei said, “Since I’ve bet, he has to win, even if he wouldn’t.” He conjured a Gear, which then vanished. The Gear was definitely used.
But what’s odd is Wu Jin clearly won by his own plan. He kept talking to boost his presence, then at the arena’s edge, he crouched and shut up, making his opponent misjudge that he’d fallen.
Su Bei didn’t use his Ability to force Wu Jin’s win; Wu Jin won by his own scheme. So what role did Su Bei play?]
[No.1: OP, you read so closely. I was just screaming “so cool” the whole time.]
[No.2: I’m curious too. Su Bei definitely did something, but I couldn’t tell what.
If he hadn’t conjured the Gear, I’d think he just predicted Wu Jin’s win. But he used it, so he must’ve done something!]
[No.3: Love him more and more, this man’s full of secrets.]
[No.4: Didn’t think much, but OP’s words make it intriguing.]
[No.5 replying to No.1: Surveillance, analysis, got it?]
[No.6: That mastermind vibe, so cool, who gets it?]
[No.7 replying to No.6: I get it!]
[…]
[HolyFireMeowNo.22 (OP): Getting off-topic, we know Su Bei’s cool. Let me, the OP, drag it back. Anyone got an answer?]
[No.23: Probably a deliberate foreshadowing by the author, normal not to get it.]
[No.24: I want to know Su Bei’s Ability so bad. Many fanfic writers want to write but are scared of being contradicted by the original.]
[No.25 replying to No.24: What? That’s not okay! Writers, step up! Isn’t fanfic about getting slapped by canon?]
[…]
Seeing this post didn’t resolve the OP’s question, Su Bei closed it. He wanted to give an answer but first checked other posts for reasonable explanations.
[Didn’t Get It, How Did Su Bei Win?]
[ThisName’sFreeNo.0: Ugh, I’m confused. Su Bei beating the green-haired kid was fun and cool, but I didn’t get how he won. He just teased the kid, then easily threw him off the arena.
Didn’t the manga say the green-haired kid’s Ability is [Rubber Man]? Why didn’t he use it when Su Bei threw him off?]
[No.1: Hahahaha, green-haired kid. Green-haired kid: You polite?]
[No.2: Didn’t get it +1]
[No.3: Didn’t get it either, but so cool! Su Bei looking down.jpg]
[No.4: Didn’t get it +3]
[No.5: Someone explain for us newbies!]
[…]
[LeuwenhoekIsMeNo.14: My guess, not sure if right. Look at these two images.
Green-haired kid smug.jpg Green-haired kid pale.jpg
The first is when the kid stepped onto the arena, the second when Su Bei was about to throw him off. Notice the skin tone difference?
The author’s manga is meticulous; no way they’d pick the wrong color. So the kid must’ve been unwell, hence the pale face.
Typing more, back soon.]
[No.15: Detail freak spotted!]
[No.16: Who notices this? Too awesome!]
[No.17: Makes sense, so why was the kid unwell? Su Bei’s Ability?]
[No.18: Why’s everyone really calling him green-haired kid?]
[No.19 replying to No.18: Feels iconic, I guess.]
[No.20: Why not finish typing? So anxious!]
[No.21 replying to No.14: Come back! I can’t take it!]
[No.22: Maybe Su Bei’s Ability makes people near him lose their Ability or feel unwell.]
[No.23 replying to No.22: His Ability is [Destiny Gear], totally unrelated, right?]
[No.24 replying to No.22: Impossible, he didn’t use the Gear on the arena.]
[No.25: Actually, No.22’s idea seems possible.]
[…]
[LeuwenhoekIsMeNo.53: I’m back! I suspect the kid was unwell because he overused his Ability, so he couldn’t use it later. Not like No.22 said.
Simply put, Su Bei didn’t use his Ability in this match, purely outsmarting the kid.]
[No.54: Huh? Huh? Huh?]
[No.55: I’m stunned.]
[No.56: No.53’s explanation makes sense. Didn’t class say Abilities use Mental Energy? The kid’s a newbie, used his Ability so much, probably ran out of Mental Energy, reasonable?]
[No.57: Isn’t this kinda goofy?]
[No.58: I admit Leuwenhoek’s awesome, but this guess? Why not use his Ability?]
[No.59 replying to No.58: Based on my understanding of Su Bei, maybe he thought a Class C student wasn’t worth his Ability?]
[No.60 replying to No.59: Makes sense!]
[No.61 replying to No.59: Gotta say, it fits his character. Su Bei’s pretty proud, using this trickster method for a Class C student feels like him.]
[No.62: This analysis makes Su Bei even cooler…]
[No.63: Beating an opponent easily without an Ability, so strong!]
[No.64: Smart and powerful, bad personality, but hits my vibe!]
[…]
This post correctly identified why Su Bei beat the green-haired kid. Seeing the positive reception, Su Bei left it alone and clicked into the third post.
[Let’s Discuss: Differences Between Su Bei and Feng Lan’s Prophecy Abilities (Latest)]
[OPNo.0: This topic’s been discussed multiple times since Season 2 started. But this monthly exam, both revealed new stuff, so I’m rehashing it.
Known info:
Su Bei: Can predict specific individuals’ (or multiple) situations, once a week. Mental Energy seems high-tier. Latest chapter hints at a special skill, but unclear.
Feng Lan: Can predict specific events or random predictions, the former once a month. Can make accurate combat predictions.
Seems like a big difference. But I feel Su Bei’s Ability has more secrets. Once revealed, the gap will widen.]
[No.1: Gotta say, this topic’s been beaten to death. Fought over multiple times.]
[No.2: Hahaha, I love this drama.]
[No.3: Bet it’ll spark another fight. Who’s the top Prophet in King of Abilities? So annoying.]
[No.4 replying to No.3: They’re not annoyed, but I bet Su Bei and Feng Lan don’t care.]
[No.5: Really curious what Su Bei’s Ability is.]
[No.6: Let them fight, doesn’t stop me from shipping. BeiFeng CP is too good! Dual Prophets ruling the world! (×)]
[No.7: Ship it all!]
[…]
After reading the posts about himself, none explained his Ability’s new form. Su Bei knew it was time to use his forum account.
He decisively started a new post.
[[Prophet Post] Su Bei’s Ability!]
[ProphetNo.0: My last post was verified, time for a new one. About Su Bei’s Ability in this update, my guesses:
His Ability not only predicts others’ fates but can change them!
Wu Jin did plan to lower his presence with his Ability to confuse and win. But honestly, that plan was a bit sloppy.
He only lowered his presence, not turned invisible. If the opponent was careful and checked closely, they could’ve spotted him. But after Wu Jin crouched, the opponent only turned, not looked down, letting him win.
I think Su Bei’s Ability likely played a role, tweaking the fate dial, slightly adjusting the fate line, letting Wu Jin, who should’ve failed, succeed through minor changes.]
By evening, when Su Bei refreshed, the post had many replies.
[No.1: OP wrote a lot, I trust OP.]
[No.2: Yay! Finally a big shot explaining this!]
[No.3: OP seems familiar?]
[No.4: Makes sense! If Su Bei’s Ability is [Destiny Gear], just peeking at fate is nothing. Changing fate is the real deal!]
[No.5: OP’s guess is so logical.]
[No.6 replying to No.3: Isn’t this the OP of that hot Prophet post? Posting again!]
[CanEatIsLuckNo.7: It is! My confidence in this guess went from 50% to 80%.]
[No.8 replying to CanEatIsLuckNo.7: Didn’t get it, what’s the meme?]
[No.9 replying to No.8: Didn’t get it +1]
[CanEatIsLuckNo.10 replying to No.8: This Prophet OP started a post when Season 2 began, predicting Su Bei, Feng Lan, Mu Tieren, Zhao Xiaoyu, Wu Jin, Meng Huai. Dug it up, all correct.]
[No.11 replying to CanEatIsLuckNo.10: ??? So accurate? I remember Zhao Xiaoyu, Wu Jin, and Mu Tieren had almost no plot in Chapter 1.]
[CanEatIsLuckNo.12 replying to No.11: So I trust OP’s judgment.]
[No.13: 6666]
[…]
[No.42: I think OP’s right, but how to explain Zhao Xiaoyu? How did Su Bei know she’d win with her Ability?]
[No.43: Yeah, that’s still unexplained.]
[No.44: I’ll bet OP can explain. If not, pretend I didn’t say anything.]
[…]
Seeing No.42’s question, Su Bei smiled slightly and typed a reply:
[ProphetNo.71 (OP) replying to No.42:
Knowing Zhao Xiaoyu definitely wanted to win, she must’ve made a plan. Su Bei could tweak fate to make her plan involve her Ability.
Of course, the truth might not be exactly this, but I’ve explained it.]
Refreshing again, a flood of replies. Many agreed with the post, believing Su Bei could change fates. But some thought the evidence was too thin, calling it pure guesswork.
Su Bei didn’t argue. It was indeed a guess, but his last post was too, and with that as a foundation, many would believe him.
Sure enough, a quick refresh showed support.
[No.127: OP’s guess has no basis. Sounds reasonable, but zero proof.]
[No.128 replying to No.127: Check OP’s last post. Also a guess, but 100% accurate.]
[No.129: I believe OP. Su Bei can change fates! He’s always so mysterious and strong. If he could only peek at fate, that’d be character collapse, right?]
Seeing this, Su Bei closed the post, satisfied.
“Your strategy worked,” Manga Consciousness’s voice suddenly sounded. “Many on the forum believe your guess now.”
Su Bei shook his head: “Many? Not enough. I need enough to support my Ability changing in the next manga update.”
Hearing this, Manga Consciousness was puzzled: “What’s the rush?”
Su Bei didn’t answer directly, asking instead: “A question. Can something already gained be changed by readers’ perceptions? If readers suddenly think my Ability isn’t [Destiny Gear] but just a regular [Gear], would my Ability revert?”
“No,” Manga Consciousness gave good news. “Don’t worry, your changes are certified by the manga world and won’t revert due to their perceptions.”
“Good,” Su Bei exhaled, finally answering the earlier question. “I might not perform well in this team battle. My current [Destiny Gear] only peeks at others’ fates, with no attack or self-defense.”
He leaned back, sprawling on the bed: “If I perform poorly, readers won’t think my Ability is strong. So changing my Ability before the next update is the best solution.”
Hearing this, Manga Consciousness realized the issue’s severity: “What then? The current perception isn’t enough to change your Ability!”
“Let the bullet fly a bit,” Su Bei said, eyes closed, feeling the Mental Energy in his mind, answering casually. “I’ve given them the idea. More posts will discuss this possibility.”
As long as enough people discussed, even detractors would indirectly boost his perception. Now, he just needed to wait.
Besides, Su Bei knew he was only sounding pessimistic. He hadn’t given up on performing well in the team battle. It was a great chance to act, and he wouldn’t miss it.