A Guide for Background Characters to Survive in a Manga

Chapter 81

To be honest, I, Su Bei, really wanted to leave. I could already walk away, so why was I still lingering here? But this time was different from the last.

The last time I encountered Qingqing and her group, it was obvious there was no deeper plot behind it, just a small interlude.

This time, however, was different. I felt that there would likely be plenty of plot developments in this maze. If I left now and missed the subsequent events, who knew what kind of opportunities I’d be wasting?

Besides, even if none of those concerns existed, I still wouldn’t agree to leave. So, after briefly livening up the atmosphere, I said seriously: “The one marked by ‘Queen’ is you, so the token naturally belongs to you.”

“But the method to destroy ‘Queen’ was your idea, and you executed it,” Ling You replied expressionlessly, forcing the corners of her mouth to curve upward into a faint smile.

Perhaps because she rarely smiled, her smile was unexpectedly quite charming.

I remained very calm, carrying a roguish air: “Sometimes luck is more important than strength. If you don’t want to leave, just give the token to Si Zhaohua and his group. I’m not going anywhere.”

At this point, I suddenly winked, flashing a sly grin: “I’m staying to watch the show.”

This time, Ling You genuinely felt a slight urge to laugh. She lowered her head and coughed once: “We’ll see.”

We kept talking as we started heading toward our destination. In the maze, even knowing the destination was in the southwest corner, getting there was no easy task. Moving in one direction could lead to a high wall, forcing us to detour in a wide circle.

If it weren’t for the compass Ling You carried, we might not have been able to figure out where the southwest corner was after circling around so much.

Suddenly, the walkie-talkie crackled, and Jiang Tianming’s voice came through: “We’re being chased by the Radicals. Be careful, they’ll track down anyone with clues!”

At these words, Ling You and I exchanged a glance and quickly asked: “What do you mean? How are they tracking?”

After I asked, Li Shu’s voice came through: “I interrogated one of the people chasing us. He said their organization has an Ability user who can locate everyone who has obtained clues to the exit.”

As expected, his “interrogation” wasn’t exactly peaceful, but no one cared about that. I furrowed my brows slightly: “They want the exit clues?”

If they were after the token, that would make sense—it was a necessity, something everyone who wanted to leave needed. But wanting the exit clues...

Almost instantly, a phrase popped into my mind—waiting by the tree for the rabbit!

As long as they controlled all the exit locations, they could rob the tokens from anyone who approached, allowing them to leave. I had to admit, it was a solid plan, though it required someone with authority to stay and maintain order, or it could easily lead to internal chaos.

At this thought, I chuckled lightly: “Looks like you guys, Si Zhaohua, really need to come over. We might have to fight.”

If the exit we were heading to was already under their control, they’d surely have people guarding it. I just hoped things wouldn’t escalate to that point, or it’d be another hassle.

“Then we won’t come,” Jiang Tianming said with a bitter laugh. “We’ve got tails on us. If we went, we’d just cause trouble for you.”

Right after he spoke, Lan Subing’s voice cut in: “Do you need us to come? I’m with Qi Huang and Feng Lan.”

“You can come,” I said, having no objections. “Everyone can come. Once you’re here, we might even regroup. Oh, Jiang Tianming, you guys really don’t need to come.”

If there were indeed people guarding the exit, we’d inevitably have to fight them to settle things. If Jiang Tianming brought the people chasing them, it’d be like getting pincered, making the situation even messier.

By noon, Ling You and I leisurely ate lunch. Well, leisurely for me—Ling You clearly wasn’t as carefree.

She lowered her eyes to the roasted tiger meat in front of her and said softly after a moment: “I feel it’s a bit too quiet.”

Her words caught me off guard. Not because of what she said, but because she said it at all.

Before, she wouldn’t have uttered a single extra word, colder than someone with social anxiety. Yet now, she was actively sharing her thoughts. Quite a change.

But she wasn’t wrong. I also felt it was indeed too quiet. From the moment we got the clue to now, eating lunch, an hour had passed, and we hadn’t encountered a single person.

In a maze where three factions, including lone Ability users, had formed, there should be plenty of people. Yet we hadn’t met anyone in half a day. Something felt off.

“Let me sense,” I said, releasing my Mental Energy.

This environment, with high walls everywhere, wasn’t friendly to my ability to perceive the surroundings with Mental Energy.

The thick, tall walls greatly suppressed the spread of Mental Energy. To sense anything specific, I’d need to maneuver around the walls.

But controlling Mental Energy to bypass a wall was easier said than done. And after bypassing one side, I’d have to do the other. In a maze, it was even harder, which was why I hadn’t used my Mental Energy much before.

I closed my eyes, slowly guiding my Mental Energy, extending it along both sides of the corridor, moving, and turning.

Of course, I didn’t forget to chew on the roasted meat.

After about ten minutes, I suddenly opened my eyes, my expression grave: “We’re surrounded.”

At this, Ling You’s eyes widened, her expression sharpening: “The Radicals? How many?”

“Probably them. Five in total—three on the path ahead, two trailing behind,” I said, feeling a rare headache. “They likely sensed we have the clue and followed us.”

Five people, all Ability users capable of entering this level of Different Space. For the two of us to handle them was nearly impossible. Ling You didn’t need mentioning—she was a textbook war-type Ability user, thriving in larger battles.

I once overheard Meng Huai say that by senior year, Ling You wouldn’t need to leave the school for training. She’d be treated as a trump card, cultivating in the school.

As for me? My combat skills were indeed impressive, but they weren’t enough to take on five Ability users. I could use my Gears, but while I had an Ability, so did they. Who knew what bizarre abilities they might have?

Adjusting their Destiny Compasses was the most feasible option, but adjusting five at once was wishful thinking unless all their pointers were just slightly off to the right.

In my current state, I could adjust three people’s pointers at most before passing out on the spot.

In this situation, if those five attacked, we might as well surrender.

Why hadn’t they attacked yet? Probably because the exit we were heading to was already under their control, and they were waiting to catch us like fish in a net.

At this thought, I couldn’t help but sigh. My luck really was terrible—the worst-case scenario. But on second thought, maybe it wasn’t my luck. Maybe it was Ling You, the protagonist group’s event magnet!

“I can use my Ability,” Ling You said decisively after understanding the situation. [Plague] naturally included viruses that could spread through the air or by contact.

The former required close proximity—within five meters for the farthest—and wasn’t very lethal. But as long as it infected them, they’d weaken, making them easier to deal with.

The latter was far more lethal but less contagious, as not everyone would touch the source.

I shook my head: “No need. Wait for our classmates.”

If I really wanted to kill them, I could slap an Invisibility Charm on myself and take them out easily. The Invisibility Charm was a great tool, especially when they weren’t prepared.

But as I said, there was no need. Even if we dealt with them, their organization might send another wave, which would be even harder to handle.

Since those guys weren’t affecting us for now, we’d wait until we reached the destination and regrouped with our classmates. Those five wouldn’t stand a chance against the protagonist group.

Deciding to ignore them, we checked on Si Zhaohua’s progress, put out the fire, and continued toward the destination. Since Si Zhaohua could fly and scout the path, their progress was faster, so we didn’t worry about them arriving first and getting caught.

I had to admit, having those five tailing us was oddly beneficial. At least for a while, we encountered no accidents or ill-intentioned people. All dangers were blocked by those five.

Halfway there, I sensed again and found the five had become four. As we neared the destination, the four became three.

It was almost amusing. We hadn’t even acted, and the enemy was already dwindling. I was sure the two who disappeared were forced to leave due to tokens or some other reason.

With only one person left behind us, I didn’t bother holding back. I teamed up with Ling You to take them down, then continued forward as if nothing happened.

Soon, we stopped, looking at several massive black birds circling in the sky. We knew the destination was right ahead.

Before we could say anything, sounds of fighting came from ahead. As expected, only two Radical members remained ahead. Ling You and I exchanged a glance and hurried over to check.

As anticipated, they were fighting Si Zhaohua’s group of three. Unlike Ling You and me, Si Zhaohua, Zhou Renjie, and Mu Tieren were pure combat types. Three against two, they easily overpowered them.

Stepping on the two defeated enemies, Mu Tieren looked up and greeted us: “Finally regrouped!”

“Why’d you come from that direction?” I asked, puzzled. “Shouldn’t there be a ton of people guarding that way?”

Logically, the exit was just ahead. Based on my earlier deduction, the Radicals would surely be guarding it, waiting for their prey. Had I miscalculated?

But Mu Tieren’s next words dispelled my doubts: “It does feel like there are people behind that corner. But it’s still a bit away, and we were waiting for you, so we didn’t go over.”

I nodded in realization, smiling: “You guys arrived at just the right time.”

If they hadn’t arrived early to hold the entrance, the group inside could’ve joined up with these guys, and we’d be in real trouble.

“Then let’s head to the exit now,” Si Zhaohua said, glancing at Zhou Renjie. “Don’t act yet. Wait until we see who’s the strongest before using your Ability.”

Zhou Renjie’s Ability, [Prime Minister’s Belly Can Hold a Boat], was a powerful hard-control skill that could create a spatial displacement.

Originally, he needed physical contact to activate it, but after a month of training, Mental Energy improvement, and countless beatings, he finally managed to activate it remotely, though not from too far.

“I got it,” Zhou Renjie nodded, his face slightly grim. He’d had that half-dead expression since I saw him.

Seeing him respond to Si Zhaohua with the same look, I finally got curious and whispered to Mu Tieren beside me: “What’s up with him?”

It wasn’t that quiet—everyone here was an Ability user with enhanced physical abilities. At this distance, even a whisper was hard to miss.

But I didn’t care. My attitude of watching the drama had always been clear, and as long as I didn’t go overboard, most people wouldn’t mind.

Sure enough, after I asked, Zhou Renjie’s face darkened, but he didn’t say anything.

Mu Tieren, unlike me, was much more tactful. He just mouthed two words to me: “Qingqing.”

That jogged my memory. Qingqing’s inexplicable disappearance—no wonder Zhou Renjie looked like that. He was probably fuming, arguing with the Ability Government to sentence Qingqing to death, only for her to vanish. Let alone a death sentence, even convicting her now would be tough.

Seeing Zhou Renjie’s face grow darker, Si Zhaohua coughed: “Let’s go.”

“I’ll scout with Mental Energy first,” I said, standing at the corner and sensing. “Five people in total... and there seem to be a lot of Nightmare Birds inside?”

From my Mental Energy perception, the five were guarding the perimeter, while inside was a flock of Nightmare Birds.

It made sense. This was their habitat, and these people likely didn’t have the ability to kill all the Nightmare Birds. But that meant after defeating the five, we’d face the birds blocking the exit.

I couldn’t help but let out an annoyed “tsk.”

Turning the corner, the scene came into full view. It was a large circular platform with a black gate adorned with silver-white patterns.

Beside the gate, six or seven pitch-black Nightmare Birds rested, showing no intent to attack.

Outside were the five Radicals sent to guard the gate. They clearly expected someone to come, but when they saw our group of five, they froze.

Even more surprising was that none of the teammates who should’ve been tailing us showed up—likely already dealt with.

Handling five enemies wasn’t difficult. The only trouble was an Ability user with [Toilet Brush]. He charged forward, waving his brush, shouting: “This [Toilet Brush] is the real deal, used in actual toilets!”

Everyone: “...”

Even his teammates backed away in disgust, afraid of touching something they shouldn’t.

Si Zhaohua’s face turned green, his voice cracking: “Don’t let him near! Renjie, use your Ability!”

But in this extreme situation, Zhou Renjie stood his ground for once: “No way!”

Swallowing that guy and letting him poke around with the brush inside? He’d never eat again.

To show his resolve, he “swallowed” an enemy cowering in the back. He could only hold one at a time, so until he released this one, he couldn’t use his Ability again.

Mu Tieren, Ling You, and my faces weren’t exactly pleasant either. Who could stay calm in this situation?

Mu Tieren, usually a melee fighter, didn’t dare approach. Even he didn’t want to touch that thing!

Ling You was even less suited—her Ability was useless against such a rogue.

I could attack from a distance, but Toilet Brush Guy wasn’t a pushover. He wielded his brush expertly, deflecting most of my Gears, especially those aimed at critical spots like his throat.

No choice left—we couldn’t retreat further. I sighed and decided to use my Ability. Among the countless Gears I’d sent, one had grazed his head, successfully linking to his Destiny Compass.

I gently nudged the pointer.

Everyone saw the Yellow-Haired Boy’s face pale. The next second, Toilet Brush Guy, charging forward, tripped over his own feet and crashed to the ground.

Almost instantly, Mu Tieren stepped forward and knocked him out with a hand chop.

Seeing him fully unconscious, everyone let out a small sigh of relief. That “weapon” was a massive threat to both sides.

The remaining three exchanged looks and, after a moment, shouted in unison: “We surrender! We surrender!”

“I’ll just knock you out, no harm done, don’t worry,” Mu Tieren said gently to the trembling trio, then knocked them out the same way.

Next, Zhou Renjie spat out the one in his belly. Seeing four others down, the guy knew the situation and bared his neck for Mu Tieren to knock him out.

Now to deal with the Nightmare Birds. Si Zhaohua, who’d faced them before, looked serious: “They’re tough. High damage, strong defense.”

Their hedgehog-like appearance screamed trouble, and there were many. I was sure the ones flying above would swoop down if we attacked.

In short, we probably couldn’t win.

Even proud teens had a basic sense of their limits. A slight gap, and they’d fight fearlessly. But this gap was too wide, so they hesitated.

Si Zhaohua looked at me hopefully: “Can you use that skill again?”

He knew I’d made Toilet Brush Guy fall, and from the team battle against the Purple-Haired Woman, he thought my Destiny-related Ability was miraculous.

Facing unbeatable foes, he instinctively relied on me.

“Too many,” I said, shaking my head helplessly.

Two or three Nightmare Birds, I could handle. But this many? I’d burn out my Mental Energy and still fail.

An Invisibility Charm could work, but I hadn’t exchanged for many, and I didn’t want to waste them here. Si Zhaohua’s group was the protagonist team—I didn’t believe they’d be stumped by this minor hurdle.

Sure enough, Si Zhaohua soon had a new idea: “If we can’t fight, let’s lure them away.”

A good plan. If we used food or outside noise to draw the birds away, we could leave without a fight.

We brainstormed along his idea. After a moment, I raised an eyebrow at him: “Then it’s up to you?”

Realizing his intent, the others nodded, and Si Zhaohua confirmed: “I’ll fly up and lure them away. You guys seize the chance to leave—get as many out as you can.”

“No way,” Mu Tieren objected first. “We leave together.”

He could accept someone staying behind if the exit had limited slots. But sacrificing one for the others? Unacceptable.

Knowing his personality, Si Zhaohua rubbed his temples: “But it’s the only way. There’s no perfect solution.”

“Not necessarily,” I said suddenly.

I looked at Si Zhaohua’s Destiny Compass. His pointer was slightly right, indicating a minor setback—likely failing to leave with us.

Changing six or seven Nightmare Birds’ fates was impossible, but one person’s? Easy.

I tweaked his pointer and said casually: “Go.”

“This...” Mu Tieren hesitated but, trusting me, said nothing.

Si Zhaohua turned and left immediately after I spoke.

Soon, the Nightmare Birds seemed to sense something, flapping their wings and soaring into the sky, vanishing in an instant.

Once they were gone, we hurried to the gate. In its center was a square slot, perfectly sized for our token.

Ling You placed her token in it. The next second, the gate opened, displaying a bright red number—“5.”

“Means five can leave, right?” Zhou Renjie said excitedly. We were exactly five!

“Probably,” Mu Tieren nodded confidently.

Suddenly, rapid footsteps came from behind. We turned to see Si Zhaohua jogging over, eyes sparkling: “Someone else flew up, so I dropped down quick.”

At this, everyone looked at me, eyes full of shock.

I waved it off, but before I could speak, Wu Mingbai’s voice came through the walkie-talkie: “I got new intel. The exit changed starting three days ago.”

Note :

Looking For a volunteer proofreader/editor. Dm/Ping AkazaTL on Discord.