A Guide for Background Characters to Survive in a Manga - Chapter 318 : Chapter 318

Translator: AkazaTL

Proofreader/Editor: JWyck

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Chapter 318

Under this peculiar closed loop, Qi Huang was one of Li Shu’s closer friends in the class. Notably, in Li Shu’s friendliness ranking, I was third, after Jiang Tianming, as I was the second person he found most interesting. I politely declined the honor.

Even so, I put on a cheerful smile and raised my hand: “I’m going too. How could I miss this show?”

I had to go. If this was tied to the main plot, I couldn’t skip it. If it wasn’t, the danger would be low, and going wouldn’t hurt.

After my stance, others raised their hands too. With nothing to do over the weekend, rather than school tasks, they’d check out Li Shu’s place.

“Too many people might cause trouble,” Si Zhaohua shook his head. “And Li Shu might not want that.”

He believed Jiang Tianming visiting would likely please or touch Li Shu, but not necessarily the rest of us.

Knowing he was right, those who’d raised their hands hesitated. We were friends with Li Shu, but not everyone was close. A class of fifteen wasn’t large, but not everyone was tight.

After discussion, Jiang Tianming’s trio—me, Qi Huang, and Class Monitor Mu Tieren—six in total, would go to Li Shu’s. The rest stayed at school, ready to assist if we hit trouble.

It sounded overly cautious, but given past mission dangers, S-Class found it reasonable.

When Jiang Tianming returned and learned of our plan, he had no objections. He gathered the Li Shu-bound group and shared what he got from Teacher Meng.

“Li Shu’s family is in business—don’t know the specifics—but Teacher said they have a ton of kids. When kids reach a certain age, they take on family business. That’s Li Shu’s reason for dropping out.”

“Family business?” Qi Huang frowned. “What business needs a sixteen-year-old? And he doesn’t seem… filthy rich.”

As a rich kid herself and close to Li Shu, she could tell from his behavior that his family wasn’t loaded. He had no worries about food or drink, but his spending wasn’t lavish.

So she assumed Li Shu was from an ordinary family, like Zhao Xiaoyu, but with Ability users, unlike Zhao’s ignorance of the Ability world.

What kind of family needed a kid to drop out of Ability Academy to handle business?

“I thought it was weird too, so I want to check it out,” Jiang Tianming nodded. “Teacher Meng said not to meddle in family affairs, so if you…”

He meant if we didn’t want to defy the teacher, we shouldn’t go.

But who here was an obedient goody-two-shoes? Even Mu Tieren was stubborn on some things. None of us would abandon a decision because of a teacher’s objection.

Qi Huang rolled her eyes: “If we didn’t want to meddle, we wouldn’t be here.”

“As class monitor, I can’t ignore a classmate dropping out,” Mu Tieren had his own logic.

Knowing Wu Mingbai, Lan Subing, and me, Jiang Tianming didn’t ask our intentions. Seeing Qi Huang and Mu Tieren’s resolve, he didn’t press: “Let’s make a group chat. I’ll share Li Shu’s address. Meet at the marked spot Saturday, 8 a.m.… No need to warn the Li family, right?”

No way the family that made Li Shu drop out and block us would welcome us. Showing up unannounced might get us kicked out.

Others shared the concern, but Mu Tieren had a different solution: “We should get a legitimate reason from the teacher to go. It’s easier to act openly.”

True—why sneak around when we could go openly? Sneaking might not even get us in.

“Who’ll talk to the teacher?” Wu Mingbai asked, his gaze fixed on Mu Tieren, clearly having a candidate in mind.

“I’ll do it,” Mu Tieren volunteered without disappointing.

That afternoon, Meng Huai learned of our plan and kept us after school: “Jiang Tianming, I didn’t know you were so impulsive.”

He hadn’t expected Jiang Tianming to insist on going after hearing about Li Shu’s family, even forming a team.

“Teacher, Li Shu’s dropout is fishy. As friends, we can’t just let it slide,” Jiang Tianming said earnestly.

But his sincerity didn’t sway Meng Huai, who rolled his eyes: “I’m 100% sure Li Shu personally told me he wanted to drop out. Going won’t help.”

“He could’ve been threatened,” Qi Huang reasoned. “Maybe something’s being used against him, forcing him to drop out. He wouldn’t suddenly hate us, right?”

Wanting to save a friend was noble, but Meng Huai sighed: “Why meddle in family matters? So what if he doesn’t continue school?”

“That violates nine-year compulsory education,” Lan Subing muttered.

That nearly made Meng Huai choke. Taking a deep breath, he sneered: “Not socially anxious now, huh?”

Lan Subing clammed up, quiet as a mouse. As class teacher, Meng Huai knew her weaknesses and had plenty of ways to handle her. She couldn’t afford to offend him over a quip.

“Teacher, just agree,” Wu Mingbai grinned sunnily. “We’re going anyway. Give us a reason, and it’ll be safer.”

His scheming nature was blatant. Fresh off threatening Lan Subing, he turned it on Meng Huai.

Seeing they wouldn’t budge, Meng Huai stopped persuading, his face stern: “Li Shu specifically told me not to let you interfere. This weekend, I’ll assign a mission. Skip it, and you’re out of S-Class, got it?”

No one expected the teacher to go this far to stop us. His hint that Li Shu didn’t want us there made everyone waver.

If we misread this and Li Shu’s blocking wasn’t a cry for help but genuine avoidance, barging in would be annoying.

“Teacher, is that true? Did Li Shu really tell you to stop us?” Mu Tieren frowned.

Meng Huai nodded, exasperated: “Why would I lie about this?”

With that answer, everyone fell silent. Jiang Tianming pursed his lips: “Sorry for taking your time. We’ll head back.”

“Go on, shoo,” Meng Huai waved them off like flies.

Leaving the office, Jiang Tianming didn’t head to the classroom but strode outside. Wu Mingbai and Lan Subing paused, then, realizing something, hurried after him.

“Hey! Where to?” Qi Huang chased after the trio.

Mu Tieren followed, sensing Jiang Tianming’s resolve wasn’t shaken, and couldn’t let it go unchecked.

Trailing behind, hands in pockets, I followed leisurely. Like Lan Subing and Wu Mingbai, I knew what Jiang Tianming was thinking. He wasn’t giving up on checking Li Shu’s place.

But I didn’t guess it from knowing him—I knew from manga tropes that this plot was inevitable, so I deduced his intent.

Sure enough, in a surveillance-free spot, Jiang Tianming said firmly: “I’m still going to Li Shu’s.”

“Why?” Mu Tieren asked, puzzled. To him, the teacher’s words were clear—neither reason nor emotion justified continuing to meddle.

After a pause, Jiang Tianming explained: “Even if Li Shu said he doesn’t want us there, he might be afraid of dragging us in. I need to see he’s okay to be at ease.”

That was possible, but not enough for Qi Huang to risk S-Class expulsion. Arms crossed, she showed rare coolness, unlike her usual carefree self: “You sure you’ll risk S-Class for a baseless guess?”

If there was evidence, she’d take the risk. For a friend, what was an S-Class spot? If Meng Huai used that threat, she’d scoff at staying.

But Li Shu clearly didn’t want them there, and Meng Huai thought it wrong. Qi Huang wasn’t unreasonable—she didn’t think stubbornness was right.

“As long as there’s a chance he’s asking for help, I won’t ignore it,” Jiang Tianming said firmly, then, with a sly glint, “Besides, who said we’d pay a price?”

Qi Huang’s red eyes flashed: “Oh? What’s that mean?”

Jiang Tianming said confidently: “Teacher only said the weekend mission can’t be skipped. We go Wednesday night, skip Thursday’s class—problem solved. Missing the mission gets you kicked, but regular classes shouldn’t have such harsh consequences.”

Exactly! Everyone’s eyes widened. They’d forgotten they could skip class, resolving the issue. Meng Huai couldn’t claim skipping class meant expulsion—they’d have grounds to argue with the principal.

“Great idea!” Qi Huang clapped excitedly. “So, plan’s on! When do we leave?”

No need to wait for the weekend—sooner was better. Jiang Tianming replied decisively: “Wednesday. Today and tomorrow, we dig into the Li family. Wednesday, we go. Hope Teacher Meng doesn’t tip off Li Shu’s family.”

From Meng Huai and Li Shu’s behavior, the Li family wouldn’t welcome them. If Meng Huai spilled, they’d likely be sent back—assuming they could be found.

Suddenly, Lan Subing remembered something, looking at me, silent since we spoke to Meng Huai: “Su Bei, why so quiet?”

I looked up from my phone, showing the screen: “Just asked Feng Lan for a prophecy. This Li family trip’s keywords: deal, bloodshed, redemption.”

I tilted my head, grinning: “Sounds like a good show.”

“Then we have to go,” Mu Tieren’s expression darkened at “bloodshed.” Hesitant before, he was now resolute. Misunderstanding or not, he had to check.

Back at the dorm, I prepped for the event. No doubt, the Li family had issues. Even without Feng Lan’s prophecy, it was clear.

Though unclear what, a family secret likely involved shady, unpublishable deeds.

To ensure smooth action, I prepared a recorder in my Storage Ring and attached a Gear-shaped brooch—a mini camera—to my clothes.

Satisfied with my gear, I thought, let me grudgingly play war correspondent. If provoked, I’d expose their scandal.

Done, I checked Jiang Tianming’s location info in the “Rescue Li Shu Squad” group.

Unexpectedly yet reasonably, the Li family was loaded. Their house was on a lake island, the lake part of their estate. The island had a small dock and several buildings.

The problem: how to cross the lake to the island undetected? Swim?

Forget whether we could all swim or reach it—the lake’s defenses were a question. If the Li family had secrets, they wouldn’t let outsiders cross the moat easily.

Whatever, the protagonist group would figure it out—I’d just tag along and slack. I stopped stressing, waiting for the event to start.

Sure enough, at school the next day, Jiang Tianming shared his idea: “A boat passes the Li family’s lake daily. At 8:30 p.m., there’s a fixed one. We can sneak onto it.”

“Why do they have daily boats?” Lan Subing’s focus was odd.

“Business,” Wu Mingbai answered casually.

But Lan Subing shook her head, unsatisfied: “If it’s business, what kind needs daily trips in such a hassle?”

Good question. I propped my chin: “Maybe business that can’t leave the island.”

They’d get caught if they did.

Lan Subing didn’t catch my subtext but was somewhat satisfied: “What’s Feng Lan’s ‘bloodshed’ about? Is Li Shu being punished?”

“Could be the Li family’s business,” Qi Huang guessed wildly. “Like the underworld?”

“That sounds a bit dangerous…” Wu Mingbai mused. “Did anyone check the Li family’s Ability users?”

Only Qi Huang or Mu Tieren could, with their connections. Wu Mingbai had a big backing now, but it was too far to use.

On this, Qi Huang said cheerfully: “I checked. They’ve got tons of Ability users—over half the family. It’s pretty impressive.”

Ability user parents didn’t guarantee Ability user kids—it was probabilistic. Even with both parents as Ability users, kids had a one-in-four chance. If one or both weren’t, it was lower.

This was surprising, but Qi Huang found something more intriguing: “Know what’s crazier? They’re super fertile! Each small family has at least seven surviving kids. Supposedly, many kids are frail and die before adulthood due to overbreeding.”

Seven-plus? That’s wild! Everyone exchanged shocked looks. Lan Subing opened her mouth, finally blurting: “Do they spend all their time making babies?”

I found the setting intriguing. In a manga plot, such a unique trait had purpose. Why so many kids? It tied to the Li family’s interests. Were the dead kids really just frail, or was there a conspiracy?

What role did Li Shu play?

As I thought of him, Jiang Tianming asked: “What number kid is Li Shu? What’s his family’s status on the island?”

“I didn’t dig that deep,” Qi Huang shook her head. Her network wasn’t omnipotent. “But Li Shu’s status should be high—Ability families value talent.”

“Then he’s likely safe for now,” Mu Tieren seemed relieved. “We just need to find him, talk, and figure out why he dropped out.”

Hearing “bloodshed,” he’d worried about finding Li Shu’s body or him gravely injured. Knowing his status was high eased that fear.

Wednesday after school, the six gathered, taking a train to Li Shu’s city. Most teens couldn’t travel alone, but as Ability users, we were pros, handling the trip smoothly.

By 7:30 p.m., we reached the Li family’s lake. The island glowed faintly, but the perimeter was dark, with only the dock lit.

No residential areas around—just a few closed shops. The Li family’s influence over the area was clear; maybe they owned it.

“We wait here for the boat?” Qi Huang asked skeptically from the bushes, eyeing the dock.

Since Jiang Tianming took charge, she hadn’t asked much, only knowing the rough plan. Now, at the moment of action, she wanted details.

“Of course not,” Jiang Tianming shook his head, turning to Wu Mingbai.

Sitting on the ground, spotless, Wu Mingbai said: “We’ve got two plans. Plan A: try boarding the 8:30 boat using A-Bing’s [Word Spirit] to suggest we’re crew. If it fails, we scatter, regroup here in ten minutes, and I’ll make an underground tunnel.”

Before, he couldn’t have—neither the Earth Element density nor control was enough to dig under a deep moat. But with the guardian god’s boost, it was no big deal now.

I asked, puzzled: “Why not start with Plan B?”

Plan A was riskier. If Lan Subing’s [Word Spirit] failed, we’d be exposed to the Li family, making island exploration harder. Digging a tunnel, though tedious, was safer and more feasible.

“Time’s an issue, and digging under the lake could cause problems. If we can go with the boat, that’s best. You think digging’s easy?” Wu Mingbai rolled his eyes.

He hadn’t tried it, but I trusted him—or rather, the author’s plot. Ignoring his eye-roll, I checked their Destiny Compasses and chose: “I’ll stay here for Plan B.”

Everyone understood. Jiang Tianming frowned: “We can’t board smoothly and have to tunnel?”

I nodded: “Not sure if the tunnel will work, but boarding won’t.”

Their luck was uniformly bad, Wu Mingbai’s slightly better but still mid-right. I couldn’t judge accurately but felt the tunnel wouldn’t be smooth either. Staying here would be smoother than going with them.

“Then we skip trying to board. Mingbai, dig the tunnel,” Jiang Tianming decided. “Others keep watch. If Mingbai makes noise, distract them.”

He looked at me, likely worried I’d vanish mid-mission: “If you spot anything, tell us. The show hasn’t started—don’t let the actors drop dead.”