A Guide for Background Characters to Survive in a Manga

28:

The notification sound baffled Su Bei, who ruffled his messy blond hair, “Why so soon this time?”

But then he realized, “Comic Consciousness” had mentioned, comics in the real world update weekly. When the comic world updates depends on when there’s enough content for a week.

But then again, it had only been two days since the last update. Could the content possibly be as much as before?

With that thought, he asked.

“Comic Consciousness” was always online and replied, “Of course, the content of these two updates can’t compare. In fact, the last update was so extensive because the author was participating in an event and needed to release more. The last one had the volume of three.”

So that was it, Su Bei realized, feeling both enlightened and absurd.

An event, so a burst of updates? This reason once again deepened Su Bei’s understanding of being in a comic world.

What to do? He really wanted to burst through the screen and thrash the author.

Taking a deep breath, Su Bei freshened up and then took out his phone to start reading the comic.

From the beginning, it was clear the author intended to pad the story, not wasting a bit of plot, picking up right after Meng Huai’s last words.

[Meng Huai packed up the cage along with the person inside, then distributed bonus points to everyone. Jiang Tianming and others argued on behalf of Su Bei, earning him the same reward.

After learning that both the cage and teleportation were innate skills of the school, Mo Xiaotian pestered Meng Huai about his ability, annoying him away. Wu Ming asked Su Bei if he had known all this, and Su Bei admitted.]

—

A brief segment of the plot carries a great deal of information, and the barrage of comments never ceased.

“Everyone’s doing well, please don’t forget the contributions of Su Bei.”

“That’s why I like Jiang Tianming, such a principled kid!”

“??? Are the cages school-provided? And teleportation too?”

“As expected of the Superpower Academy, they indeed have some tricks up their sleeve.”

“It seems that besides basic physical fitness, Meng Huai didn’t use his own powers at all when capturing the criminal.”

“How strong is Meng Huai, exactly?”

“Hahaha, Mo Xiaotian is really annoying!”

“Did Su Bei know all this already???”

“Su Bei has so many secrets.”

[The plot continues, and everyone invites Su Bei to a celebration banquet, and ultimately, Su Bei agrees.]

This segment paints the feeling of bonds quite nicely, as if they are about to become good friends. It’s a pity it’s all an act—if it weren’t for Su Bei being the person involved, one might actually believe it.

He sighed and continued reading. Su Bei knew that, barring any surprises, the next part of the story should be where he tests his powers with Jiang Tianming.

[Sure enough, the scene shifts to Jiang Tianming, who is washing up in his dormitory. After finishing, he hears a knock at the door and opens it to find Su Bei standing outside.

Su Bei hopes he can help test his powers, and Jiang Tianming agrees. After a series of operations, they obtain a gear that can predict Jiang Tianming’s future. Su Bei refuses to use it in front of him, asks for secrecy, and then leaves.]

Su Bei guesses there must be discussions on the forums about this plot point, as he has always appeared very mysterious, and this is the first time he has shown a bit of vulnerability.

But in reality, he is just being cautious. Being strong is good, but after all, reality is not a comic that one can control at will. He can’t guarantee that he will always perform effortlessly. The higher one climbs, the harder the fall. If he accidentally fails once, and he has always been strong before, it would be easy to break his persona.

By showing in advance that he is actually a novice, not yet familiar with his own powers, if something goes wrong in the future, there will be fans to make excuses for him. Moreover, this behavior can also be interpreted as deliberately taking this opportunity to predict Jiang Tianming’s fate, whether successful or not, he has a way to explain.

[Soon it’s the next day, and everyone goes to Meng Huai’s office to hand over the criminal. The hypocritical words of Sun Father and Sun Mother not only disgust the protagonist group but also the comic readers.]

“Damn, what’s with this couple!”

“Anyone who believes what he says is a fool.”

“Though it’s pitiful they lost their child, I can’t find it in me to feel sorry for them.”

“Thank goodness Wu Ming understood their decision to follow Su Bei’s advice on dealing with the Sun family’s company, or I would have been disgusted for nothing!”

“Hahaha, I can’t wait to see their faces when they leave campus and find the company has gone under.”

[Meng Huai stated they couldn’t hand over the murderer, as there was an organization behind him.

Jiang Tianming noticed Su Bei’s gaze and followed it to see a tattoo on the back of the murderer’s neck. He didn’t make a scene but asked Su Bei, receiving a profound reply.]

Seeing this, Su Bei pondered. Could he use this plot twist to lead readers to believe he was connected to the Black Lightning organization?

[After the handover, they went to eat, using a flashback to Lan Subing’s memories. It was evident she was nervous about the mission to scout the restaurant, as she was alone in the dormitory and rambled on for a while. She even sneaked out to the diner to check things out.

The scene returns to the present, where everyone notices Lan Subing’s nervousness and comforts her, followed by Su Bei and Mu Tie Ren sending her money.

Lan Subing slips into another memory, with faceless figures repeatedly making her foot the bill, depicted in two comic panels, before quickly returning to the present.

“Is this what normal student relationships are like?”]

This plotline seems designed to win fans for Lan Subing, with its many sharp details and the girl’s whimsical inner thoughts. The optimistic and strong, yet silly girl always draws sympathy. Especially since Lan Subing is currently the only girl in the protagonist group, her fan base is only growing.

The comments are indeed full of sympathy.

Among them, Su Bei finds a few compliments for himself and is instantly satisfied. He hadn’t expected such a pleasant surprise; his luck is good.

[Noise from outside the private room prompts them to open the door, revealing a familiar supporting character, the fat man. He tries to take over the room but is collectively rebuffed by everyone, with Su Bei delivering the final blow that makes him leave.

Hearing Wu Ming’s question, Su Bei explains why the other party wanted to treat them. After the meal, everyone leaves, and the class president reveals information about the monthly test.

Back at the dorm, Jiang Tianming tells Lan Subing and Wu Ming about the Black Lightning, and Lan Subing says she’ll have her parents look into it.]

“Hahaha, this fat guy really has a sense of impotent rage.”

“Good riddance! It’d be best if he got so angry he used his powers and got expelled!”

“Su Bei is so cool!!!”

“Wow, so impressive, just whisking people away like that. Hey Fatty, why did you even mess with Su Bei?”

“The monthly test… I wonder which class Jiang Jiang will go to after the monthly test.”

“Predicting everyone will be in Class A!”

After a quick glance through the comments, Su Bei was ready to close the comic and check out the forums. However, a slip of the hand flipped to the next page, and he was surprised to find that there was a bit more story.

It seems the author knew this update was a bit lackluster, so they added a special easter egg scene.

[Su Bei sits on the bed, tossing a gear into the sky. Instantly, the gear transforms into two lipsticks fighting.

The entire next panel is one image, Su Bei surrounded by question marks, looking comically cute and puzzled.

Finally, Su Bei concludes: “Will Jiang Tianming get into a fight with others tomorrow?”]

The comments were in stitches.

“Hahaha, fighting lipsticks, seriously?”

“I thought prophecies were supposed to be grand, never expected them to be this silly!”

“I’m dying, Su Bei’s confusion.”

“Su Bei: ?”

“How can you even interpret that????”

“Dying, you’re quite the interpreter.”

“Hahaha, Su Bei: Are you sick or something?”

Even Su Bei hadn’t expected the comic’s mini-theater to star him as the main character, and he couldn’t help but ask, “Did you bribe the author?”

“The Comic Consciousness” refuses to be slandered and immediately denies: “How could that be? Even the author wouldn’t know that their world has gained sentience.”

Hearing this, Su Bei is taken aback, his eyes widening: “How is that possible? When there are uncontrollable characters in the comic’s plot, wouldn’t the author notice? Like my appearance.”

He was a character the author never meticulously designed, yet now he appears repeatedly. How could the author not notice the anomaly?

This question is somewhat difficult to explain. After a long contemplation, the “Comic Consciousness” replied, “It was I who concealed it for you… To be precise, my existence prevents the author from noticing your anomaly.”

As expected, Su Bei didn’t understand. “What do you mean? I can barely comprehend that you’re covering for me, though I don’t grasp how you’ve deceived the author. But that ‘to be precise’ part, I really don’t understand.”

Generally, even if he didn’t understand, he wouldn’t ask further. After all, not understanding an explanation is his own issue. Asking further would not only make him seem unintelligent but also lacking in emotional intelligence.

But this matter was different; it was too important to him. Su Bei originally thought that since this world was a comic world, all the characters’ actions were controlled by the comic’s author. Even as a character who stepped out of the plot, he might still embody the author’s will to some extent.

But if the “Comic Consciousness” could conceal them, making the author completely unaware of his anomaly, then he could be certain that everyone has, or at least could have, their own will.

“The comic is an independent world under the author’s pen, but I am not. I am a fusion of the author’s will and the comic world,” the “Comic Consciousness” explained vaguely, “Simply put, I can grasp a part of the author’s consciousness regarding ‘Supernatural as King.'”

Seeing Su Bei’s expression gradually change from confusion to realization, it concluded, “So as long as I don’t see a problem with your existence, the author won’t realize this issue.”

This time, Su Bei understood. The “Comic Consciousness” was in the author’s mind, wasn’t it possible to keep the author from noticing him?

But the question he most wanted to know remained unanswered. The “Comic Consciousness” was also a part of the author, so in helping himself, it was as if the author was helping him. It seemed he was still a manifestation of the author’s will.

Never mind, better not to think about it now. Su Bei knew there was no rush; everything would become clear after the comic ended. If the world continued to operate by then, regardless of whether everyone had been controlled by the author before, they would act on their own will thereafter.

Perhaps only then could he truly be at ease.!