A Guide for Background Characters to Survive in a Manga

Chapter 57

When Su Bei saw forum posts speculating he intentionally lost, he realized it was a good cover. But it needed a plausible reason.

Not long ago, learning of “Black Flash” spies in the school, he found one. Being first or second place would draw more attention from spies than others. Not wanting to be “seen” was reasonable, right? No need to explain further. Su Bei glanced down, pushed off with both hands, and leapt easily from the five-meter-high branch. Thanks to an ability user’s physique, he could move so freely.

“Anything else? If not, I’m leaving.”

“Wait!” Jiang Tianming called out. “If you don’t want to complete the mission, why stay here?”

Su Bei thought for a moment, giving a vague answer. “Maybe it’s fate’s guidance.”

When he found another tree to rest on, “Manga Consciousness” spoke again. “I noticed you don’t seem to like lying?”

So far, aside from details about his ability, Su Bei had barely lied. He either answered truthfully or dodged, always steering others toward his intended assumptions.

Leaning against the tree in a comfortable position, Su Bei smiled faintly. “Lies can be exposed, but truth can’t. Truth is only understood correctly or incorrectly.”

This left room for flexibility, with both upper and lower limits adjustable.

If a plan failed to meet his desired image, as long as he hadn’t said it outright, he could explain it away.

But if he made a claim and couldn’t follow through, it’d be irreversible.

That was the lower limit’s flexibility.

If he’d claimed to be among the top three first-years, defeating the purple-haired woman would be hard. Readers would see him as just a standout novice, not someone who could beat a seasoned ability user.

Plus, readers loved to theorize, sometimes coming up with great ideas Su Bei hadn’t considered. Not being explicit left room for their imagination.

That was the upper limit’s flexibility.

And crucially, he genuinely liked telling the truth! Su Bei sincerely believed he was an honest, handsome guy before all this mess. Even forced to be cryptic now, he wouldn’t lose his core! (Roaring internally)

This spot was good—no one bothered him until evening. With such a big map, how could he always be so unlucky?

After dinner, Su Bei planned to scout nearby for risks but sensed a team moving not far away with his mental energy.

The team had a leader holding a rope, with five students tied behind. Clearly, these students were captured by “Black Flash.”

Might as well check it out. Su Bei had a hunch he’d know them.

At this point, few remained in the different space without being caught, and those with prior plot involvement likely made up a big chunk. Plus, five were caught at once.

With that, under night’s cover, he sneaked behind a tree and peeked. Sure enough, he recognized Zhao Xiaoyu and Mu Tieren in the team.

Their conditions differed greatly. Mu Tieren was covered in wounds, bound tightly with ten loops of rope, nearly tying his entire arms.

Zhao Xiaoyu, however, was unscathed, at the front of the five, chatting and laughing with the black-clad captor.

Su Bei observed the other students. They had minor injuries but seemed fine, showing some fear but not overly agitated.

He noticed their gazes often fell on Zhao Xiaoyu and Mu Tieren—admiration for the former, guilt for the latter.

Interesting. Something intriguing must’ve happened here.

He’d see it in the comic anyway. Su Bei withdrew his gaze, turning to leave. But as he turned, he found someone behind him.

Su Bei: “!”

Even he was nearly scared half to death, almost crying out. Luckily, seeing who it was, he held back.

Behind him was a gloomy Wu Jin, his hair covering most of his face, making him look like a ghost from a horror story at first glance.

Patting his chest to calm his racing heart, Su Bei asked, “When did you get here?”

“I’ve been following them,” Wu Jin said, referring to the captured team.

Su Bei raised an eyebrow. “You were following Zhao Xiaoyu?”

The purple-haired boy nodded.

Su Bei understood. Wu Jin likely escaped notice during the capture, thanks to his ability.

Figuring it out, he stepped past Wu Jin, ready to leave for a good sleep. But despite Wu Jin’s hair covering most of his eyes, his gaze was impossible to ignore.

Wu Jin: Stare—

Su Bei: “…”

After two steps, feeling eyes on his back, he finally turned, somewhat helplessly. “What’s up?”

“Save them,” Wu Jin said concisely.

Su Bei fell silent again, then replied, “They’ll all end up in one place. Why not follow them there and save more people?”

Finding it reasonable, Wu Jin nodded, then looked at Su Bei grimly. “Together.”

Su Bei’s third silence. He couldn’t hold back. “You know I don’t want to go, right?”

Wu Jin was honest. “I know.”

“Then you…”

Before Su Bei could finish, Wu Jin, as if anticipating, said, “But you can.”

You don’t want to, but you can.

This “can” meant not just saving them but being capable of doing so. Hearing this, Su Bei grew intrigued, no longer in a rush to leave. “How did you judge that?”

Wu Jin thought for a moment. “Emotions?”

Interesting. Though Su Bei didn’t want to save them, he could. In fact, after Wu Jin’s words, he wasn’t entirely opposed anymore.

He was sure his earlier demeanor hadn’t revealed anything—after acting so long, he controlled his expressions well. Yet Wu Jin sensed his emotions.

Wu Jin’s ability, [Silence Is Silence], lowered presence, unrelated to emotions.

So, was this sensitivity innate, or tied to the second state he showed in the comic?

“How about this,” Su Bei said cheerfully. “I’ll help save these five, and you tell me why you cover your face with hair. Deal?”

Wu Jin paused, then agreed without hesitation. “Deal.”

Now Su Bei was stunned. That easy? He felt tricked.

But he kept his word, approaching the team again. The black-clad man’s ability likely involved ropes. Normal ropes tied so loosely would let someone escape.

Ropes were similar to whips, so defeating this leader would be like defeating the purple-haired woman.

But he didn’t need to defeat him—just free the captives, which had a simpler method.

He thought, then controlled two gears, using the night’s cover to touch Zhao Xiaoyu and Mu Tieren’s ankles along the ground.

Since no one watched the back, Mu Tieren looked down and saw the bronze gear.

Zhao Xiaoyu, chatting with the black-clad man, subtly touched her temple, glanced down, and saw the gear.

Honestly, if it weren’t Zhao Xiaoyu talking with the enemy, Su Bei wouldn’t have dared touch her with a gear. A surprised scream could ruin her and alert the enemy.

But since it was Zhao Xiaoyu, no worries. She was smart and wouldn’t lose composure.

Seeing the gear, Zhao Xiaoyu’s mind raced, subtly stepping back. She recognized whose gear it was. Though unsure why Su Bei was saving her, it didn’t stop her from planning.

Obviously, saving them required attacking the enemy. Standing near him risked friendly fire, so she moved back.

“How will you do it?” Wu Jin, beside Su Bei, asked about the distant team, curious despite his deadpan appearance.

Su Bei smirked, activating gears he’d placed around, attacking the black-clad man.

Some gears carried leaves, others held wood, and some were embedded in soil. These disguised gears attacked from all directions, as if a group was ambushing him.

The black-clad man panicked. Handling the big guy at the back was tough enough. He’d only subdued him by threatening the other students.

At the same time, the big guy, who’d finally calmed down, seemed to coordinate with the outside attackers, rampaging again.

The black-clad man felt his ability being strained, his mental energy draining fast.

Under internal and external pressure, he knew he couldn’t handle a group of students, even first-years.

Merit or life? Life, of course. He abandoned his hard-caught students, retracted his ability, and fled.

Su Bei wondered if he should go over. The rescue was done, and he wasn’t one for credit. With the gears, they’d know it was him.

But if he didn’t go, he worried Wu Jin might say something to make others think he genuinely wanted to save them, ruining his persona.

As he pondered, Wu Jin suddenly said, “Impressive.”

Su Bei blinked. “I meant to ask—why do you speak two words at a time?”

“Convenient,” Wu Jin replied with two words, then, realizing it might mislead, added, “Clear enough.”

It was a passing question. Interrupted, Su Bei recalled their deal. “Now can you answer why you cover your face?”

Wu Jin nodded. “Because I’m very good-looking.”

Su Bei’s mind flooded with comic tropes—too handsome, so seeing his face causes death/fainting/love…

Thinking this, he asked directly, “What happens if I see your face?”

“You’ll be shocked,” Wu Jin answered seriously.

Su Bei: “…?”

Even seeing Wu Jin’s sincere half-eye, Su Bei couldn’t help feeling teased. “Shocked”? What kind of answer was that?

Unconvinced, he pressed, “No other effects? Seeing your true face won’t cause issues?”

In the comic, the opponent facing Wu Jin had hearts in their eyes. Pure shock seemed far-fetched.

Seeing Wu Jin nod, Su Bei decided to take the risk. “Can I see it? I’ve been curious about your face.”

As he spoke, he mentally asked “Manga Consciousness,” “If I get controlled, can you tell me afterward?” He feared being controlled or amnesiac without knowing.

Perhaps the request wasn’t against rules or was doomed to be useless, but “Manga Consciousness” agreed. “Yes.”

Whatever the reason, Su Bei relaxed. He smiled at Wu Jin, ready to see this “shocking” beauty.

Wu Jin didn’t hesitate, lowering his head to sweep his front hair back, tying it into a small braid.

When he looked up, Su Bei’s eyes widened, his breath pausing for a second.

Too beautiful, truly too beautiful!

What a face! Undoubtedly, one glance left you stunned. Every feature was refined, perfectly proportioned.

Light gray eyes paired with a pale, almost translucent face might seem washed-out on others. But on him, it gave an ethereal, otherworldly vibe.

His deep purple hair and rosy lips added bold strokes to this ethereal beauty, both divine and demonic, androgynous, indescribable.

Truly too beautiful. Su Bei had to admit he was shocked.

Clearly, Wu Jin knew his face’s impact. He tilted his head, flashing a confident smile. “What? Are you enchanted by me?”

Su Bei: “?”

First, he admitted Wu Jin looked great even with that expression, adding a youthful charm that tugged at the heart.

Second… did he have a split personality triggered by moving his hair? Su Bei couldn’t explain the drastic shift otherwise.

“Is your hair a seal?” Su Bei couldn’t help asking, gesturing. “You weren’t like this a second ago.”

Wu Jin was honest, but his words were shocking. “No, I just habitually lower my presence when my face is covered. But when I show it, I know I’m the most beautiful person in the world.”

…Something’s wrong with him?

Su Bei was tired of silences but couldn’t help another. He spoke with difficulty, “Haha, your mental state is quite unique…”

Feeling the awkwardness, he changed the topic. “Why don’t you keep your hair back? I thought you were socially anxious.”

He wasn’t wrong. Normally, covered Wu Jin seemed like he wanted to be invisible.

Wu Jin laughed, radiant and dazzling. “Hahaha, but showing up always causes trouble, right? Sometimes beauty is a sin.”

He wiped a tear from laughing, looking at Su Bei’s complex expression. “But it’s fine with you. I know it’s safe to tell you.”

“Thanks for your misplaced trust,” Su Bei said calmly.

He caught the hidden bitterness in Wu Jin’s words but, since Wu Jin acted unbothered, Su Bei wouldn’t pry.

As for Wu Jin’s latter words, Su Bei could only say he’d be disappointed. To Su Bei, every secret was potential leverage.

If there was a chance to enhance his ability, he couldn’t guarantee he wouldn’t use this secret.

Though he thought this, Su Bei didn’t probe further, despite knowing Wu Jin hid more.

He parted the grass, looking at the five-person team. They stayed put, using healing potions from the store.

Staying wasn’t a bad idea. The black-clad man might return with allies, but it was night, so they’d likely wait until daylight. Plus, he’d assume they’d left, not checking the same spot.

Seeing they hadn’t moved, Su Bei turned to Wu Jin, now gloomy with his hair down. “You should join Zhao Xiaoyu and them.”

“And you?” Wu Jin resumed his two-word bursts.

“Me?” Su Bei raised an eyebrow. “I’m off to keep wandering.”

With that, he turned into the forest without lingering, waving casually. “Hope we meet next in class.”

After leaving, Su Bei found a spot, lit a campfire, and dozed off lightly.

Waking the next morning, Su Bei habitually checked his watch. As expected, a new task appeared.

“Ultimate Mission: Destroy the enemy’s main base. After destruction, all can leave the different space.

Mission Clue: The base is a house in the forest. Have someone with tracking abilities lead, or you may not find it.

Mission Reward: 10,000 points”

Oh, looks like his earlier hint will come in handy. Su Bei raised an eyebrow, relaxing. As long as the hint worked, even if he didn’t appear on the final day, he wouldn’t lack presence.

Yes, on this last day, Su Bei had no plans to act. If he aimed to be a popular character, more plot and highlights would be better. But to use the comic to change his ability, he didn’t need to appear every time.

He no longer needed to boost presence like early on. Before reaching his final form, saying too much risked exposure. Better to lay low.

True to his word, Su Bei stayed in the tree all day. Even when classmates were captured below, he said nothing.

During this time, he studied the compass with his ability. He’d chosen a tree near the enemy base to rest, where many passed by, each with a different destiny compass.

Su Bei focused on the large pointer. The small pointer hadn’t pointed downward yet, and upward ones were known, so they weren’t a priority.

The large pointer varied greatly. After a day’s observation, Su Bei formed some ideas.

Each point on the compass likely represented fixed outcomes, but overall, it could be split into two halves. The upper half was generally good, the lower half bad.

Unlike the small pointer, the large pointer indicated major events’ outcomes, not immediate small matters.

For example, Su Bei saw a black-clad man with a small pointer left but a large pointer down. Later, he returned with Jiang Tianming captured.

Seeing Jiang Tianming caught, Su Bei understood. Clearly, it was a ploy, likely to complete the ultimate mission—destroy the base and leave the different space.

Capturing Jiang Tianming was a small victory, but bringing him back led to the base’s destruction—a major failure.

So, adjusting the large pointer was key. To save the world, he needed true victory, not temporary wins.

Su Bei felt he’d grasped a crucial part. If he appeared in the comic’s final battle, he’d just check Jiang Tianming’s destiny compass.

The world’s fate was surely tied to the protagonist—otherwise, why be the protagonist? If Jiang Tianming’s large pointer pointed down, Su Bei would shift it up.

Okay, Su Bei knew this was oversimplified, and reality wouldn’t be so kind. But with the finale far off, he’d hold onto this hopeful fantasy for comfort.