A Guide for Background Characters to Survive in a Manga

The matchmaker was exasperated: “Are you two toxic or something?”

Her gaze swept over the crowd that hadn’t entered the restroom, eyes glinting, and suddenly she declared, “Then I won’t go either.”

At her words, the others grew anxious. Just as they were about to speak, the bespectacled man stopped them. He smiled knowingly: “Of course, but you must ensure the others can fix the restroom in peace.”

The matchmaker met his gaze, then turned back toward the restroom. The door had decent soundproofing, and it was unclear what she said inside, but when she emerged, she was alone, suggesting she had successfully persuaded the others.

Once more, faint sounds drifted from the restroom, this time lasting a long while. When it finally quieted down, the bespectacled man exchanged a glance with a man in a gray suit who had been standing beside him. The man suddenly knocked on the door: “I need my medication!”

At this declaration, those in the know remained calm, while those unaware were taken aback. The matchmaker, who had ultimately decided to follow the bespectacled man, asked in astonishment, “Are you planning to surrender?”

The bespectacled man shot her a meaningful glance before responding, “What do you mean by surrender? We’re merely stepping from darkness into light.”

Perhaps she understood the implication in his eyes, for the matchmaker fell silent, her brow furrowed.

Before long, a voice called from outside the door: “Who needs medication?”

“I do!” replied the man in gray.

The voice outside inquired further, “Is it completely voluntary?”

“Absolutely voluntary,” came the firm response from the gray suit.

Hearing this, the man outside ceased his questioning, and the sound of a lock being turned echoed, clearly indicating he was about to enter.

The group, including the bespectacled man, stood behind the man in gray, the bespectacled man with his hands in his pockets, the fabric bulging as if he held something within.

The next moment, the door swung open.

Almost simultaneously with the realization that only one person had arrived, the bespectacled man suddenly withdrew his hand from his pocket, revealing a handgun.

A dull thud echoed as the man at the door was met with a gaping wound in his forehead, his eyes wide with shock, slowly collapsing to the ground.

Even those with abilities could be easily slain by firearms when caught completely off guard. Yet, the newcomer was clearly not very strong; he seemed merely a lackey.

The successful killing of an enemy sent a thrill through the ordinary people present. A glint of pride flashed in the bespectacled man’s eyes: “Indeed, those with powers are formidable, but they are far from invincible.”

The others in his group immediately chimed in, even Liu Ge and his companions could hardly contain their excitement. After all, the few ability users who had captured them earlier had seemed utterly invincible; now, a mere mortal had slain one of them, shattering the absolute authority the kidnappers had established.

Once the bespectacled man finished speaking, he wasted no time: “We should leave quickly; the kidnappers will likely be here soon to capture more people. By the way, do you want to come with us? Anyone willing to follow can.”

His gaze primarily fell on Liu Ge and the others, though he wouldn’t mind taking Su Bei and the others along.

Liu Ge and his companions hesitated for a moment, then gritted their teeth, deciding to go for a big score. The door was already open; if they didn’t leave now, it would be too cowardly. Moreover, the fact that ability users could indeed be killed by firearms gave them a bit of confidence.

In the end, they all turned their eyes to the three silent figures of Su Bei, the eldest sister asked with concern, “Aren’t you coming with us?”

“We’re not going,” Zhao Xiaoyu shook her head, her tone resolute, “We believe the academy will send someone to rescue us.”

The two were students of the Ability Academy, so it was only natural for them to have unwavering faith in their institution.

The eldest sister looked at Su Bei again; in truth, the bespectacled man and his group did not wish to take Su Bei along, but she still asked, “Little one, you’re not coming with us?”

Su Bei also shook his head, obediently saying, “I don’t want to hold you uncles and aunts back. If you really leave, please send someone back to rescue us.”

Hearing this, the eldest sister felt a pang of reluctance. But the bespectacled man was already eager to move on: “We will. Hurry, we must go before the kidnappers really arrive.”

Upon hearing this, the eldest sister dared not delay any longer and followed the others out. Once they had all left, Zhao Xiaoyu turned to Su Bei and asked, “Aren’t you regretting not going with them?”

Su Bei sat on the ground, hands resting on his knees, chin propped up: “But you’re still here with me, aren’t you?”

“We might not stay with you,” Zhao Xiaoyu exchanged a glance with Si Zhaohua, “We plan to take our medicine, and I mean ‘real’ medicine.”

Su Bei understood that her notion of “real” was not genuine; it was a pretense to leave the reception room, unlike the bespectacled man and his group who were using the pretext of taking medicine to escape.

—

Just as Su Bei had planned, he too desired the medicine. With the storage ring in his pocket, pretending to take the drug was not difficult. Yet, he was curious how these two would manage to keep others from noticing they hadn’t actually ingested anything.

Undoubtedly, the first to be dragged back were those who had fled through the ventilation shaft. They were brought in by a few burly men, looking utterly disheveled, each face ashen and drenched in sweat. However, there were no visible wounds on them; they must have endured mental torment. This was not a challenge for those with abilities.

The last to enter was the one with scorpion braids, her cold gaze fixed on Zhao Xiaoyu and the others: “You three have been somewhat obedient. The rest of those who ran will be caught again soon enough. Consider this a lesson; if you attempt to escape again, it won’t be so simple next time.”

At her final words, the captured individuals shuddered in unison, clearly having just endured considerable suffering.

Once everyone was tossed into the reception room, they were listless. Zhao Xiaoyu decisively approached to gather information. It was then she learned that as soon as they reached the ground, they were directly seized by the lurking kidnappers.

Then, all were confined in a dark chamber, where a strange sound akin to ultrasound echoed. Those who heard it felt immense pain, as if countless needles were piercing their brains.

They had lost the strength to speak, and after giving brief answers, they fell into a weary slumber.

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Zhao Xiaoyu returned to her spot, a contemplative expression on her face: “What exactly is the definition of voluntary?”

With such methods, they could easily administer the drug multiple times, and surely everyone would be willing to take it.

But if this method didn’t count as voluntary, then how could starving them into submission be considered voluntary?

A suspicion began to form in Zhao Xiaoyu’s mind: “Perhaps after a while, we will have food.”

“What do you mean?” Si Zhaohua looked at her, confusion etched on her face. The others, too, dragged their weary bodies to gaze at her, hoping for good news.

Ignoring their stares, Zhao Xiaoyu explained to Si Zhaohua: “For the drug to be effective, we must be willing to take it. Compromising under the condition of near starvation shouldn’t fall within the realm of voluntary.”

She paused, continuing, “So I suspect they are merely creating an illusion, one that will keep us hungry until we relent. As long as we compromise before we are truly starving, it counts as voluntary. But if we hold on a little longer, they will surely provide food. Otherwise, even if we are starved into taking the drug, it would be futile.”

A woman weakly asked, “What if they really intend to starve us to death?”

“Then we will have to test it,” Zhao Xiaoyu replied, unperturbed by her doubt. “If, after we say we want the drug, they first offer us food, that will prove my guess is correct.”

At this, the woman paused, taken aback: “You suspect they will ultimately give us food; why then take the drug? Why not just wait and see?”

“Because we do not wish to place our hopes in the hands of others,” Zhao Xiaoyu answered, with Si Zhaohua nodding in agreement beside her.

Both shared this sentiment; waiting for the academy to rescue them was certainly an option, but it felt too passive, and they would have to endure much suffering in the meantime.

—

However, the two individuals had different priorities; Zhao Xiaoyu was primarily concerned with her own safety. Who knew if the kidnappers had a backup plan? Would they truly allow them to languish like this indefinitely? When the academy arrived, the first to suffer would undoubtedly be this group of hostages.

In contrast, Si Zhaohua was more focused on his own pride. After all, they were students of Class S; how could they simply wait for rescue in the face of danger? The school and family had invested in his training not to have him become a useless pawn. If there was a chance to save themselves, they should take it.

One was on the defensive, the other on the offensive, yet their ultimate thoughts surprisingly aligned.

Su Bei, who knew both of them fairly well, watched as their divergent paths converged, and couldn’t help but find it somewhat amusing.

About half an hour later, the bespectacled man and his group were brought back. Like the first team, they appeared equally disheveled, having endured considerable torment. Upon their return, they lacked the energy to stir up trouble, each retreating to a corner to regain their strength.

At this moment, Zhao Xiaoyu turned to the scorpion-braid girl who had followed them and said, “We need to take the medicine.”

Behind her stood Si Zhaohua and Su Bei.

The scorpion-braid girl raised an eyebrow in surprise, “Now?”

Zhao Xiaoyu nodded, “We were just observing whether they could escape. Since neither group succeeded, it’s likely we have no chance either. It would be better to abandon the shadows and embrace the light sooner rather than later.”

This reasoning was quite sound, especially since the kidnappers who had initially captured Zhao Xiaoyu had remarked on her keen sense of timing and intelligence. Her assertion made it all the more reasonable.

“Then let’s go.” The scorpion-braid girl didn’t question further; after all, with her present, it was unlikely these three would attempt to flee in her presence.

As Zhao Xiaoyu had anticipated, she indeed led the three to a lavish meal, claiming it was a reward for the first person willing to take the medicine.

After the meal, the scorpion-braid girl produced three pills. When she handed one to Su Bei, she clearly showed some disdain; after all, Su Bei was too young, and giving him such a precious item felt like a waste.

Noticing this, Zhao Xiaoyu’s eyes flickered, and she suddenly spoke up, “How about we let Yan Nan skip it? He’s so young; it wouldn’t matter if he doesn’t take it, right?”

“If he doesn’t take this, he can’t leave freely.” The scorpion-braid girl seemed slightly tempted but shook her head.

The implication of her words was significant, confirming a previous suspicion of Su Bei’s. Zhao Xiaoyu was taken aback: “Are all of us like this? If we don’t take the medicine, we can’t leave?”

The scorpion-braid girl glanced at her and nodded, “If you don’t take the medicine and try to leave, you will die. But there’s more I can’t disclose right now. Once you finish the medicine, I can explain in detail.”

“Let’s eat first, then. Yan Nan can take it in a few days; it won’t matter.” Due to his identity and abilities, Si Zhaohua had been mostly silent, trying to minimize his presence. Yet, despite his appearance, there was little he could do to diminish his impact.

However, to ensure Su Bei wouldn’t have to take the medicine, he finally spoke up. After all, he and Zhao Xiaoyu had a way to pretend to take the medicine, but a child likely wouldn’t have that option.

The scorpion-braid girl considered this; what they said wasn’t entirely unreasonable. After all, they could give Su Bei the medicine at any time. If it came down to it, they could save a dose for later.

—

With that thought, she nodded slightly, “Alright, you two come here.”

As she spoke, she handed one of them a red box. Upon opening it, the contents revealed the black pills. A closer look at the pills brought forth new discoveries.

This thing, L realized, was not the milky substance Su Bei had imagined, but rather a semi-transparent orb, with a hint of black within, giving the illusion of being entirely black at first glance.

Neither Zhao Xiaoyu nor Si Zhaohua hesitated; one hand grasped the pill, and they swallowed it whole without a second thought.

However, Su Bei’s attention was not on their mouths, but on the other hand that wasn’t holding the pill. Both of their fists were clenched, thumbs tucked inside.

Once they pretended to finish taking the pills, they discreetly shoved their clenched fists into their pockets, only to pull them out again, fingers unfurled.

Understanding dawned on Su Bei, a flicker of amusement dancing in her eyes. She wondered when these two had purchased storage rings from the academy’s points shop; she had intended to use such a trick to feign taking the pills herself.

From the outside, the scorpion-braid girl showed no signs of suspicion. With a mix of satisfaction and a hint of doubt, she said, “You’ve done well, but I must remind you, without taking the pills, you cannot leave. Even if you manage to fool me this time, when it comes time to depart, you will still explode from not having ingested the medicine.”

After speaking, she scrutinized their expressions, trying to glean something from their eyes. But any surprise had long since faded; the two remained composed, with Zhao Xiaoyu even feigning a hint of relief.

“So can we tell you now why we’re going to die?” she asked curiously. “Later, L, we’ll go persuade the others, hoping to lead them to abandon the darkness as well.”

Perhaps it was the last sentence that swayed the scorpion-braid girl, or perhaps it was the privilege granted only to the first group to surrender. She stood up, “Follow me; I’ll show you something.”

She led the three deeper inside, arriving at a room. The door was silver-white, resembling a bank vault. The scorpion-braid girl entered a code, then pushed the door open.

As soon as the door swung wide, an involuntary discomfort washed over the three, their gazes drawn to the oversized pill displayed at the center of the pitch-black room.

It was a crystal sphere the size of a human head, with a streak of black within. Unlike the small pills, this large crystal exuded an aura of evil yet pure intent.

“This is the ‘Crystal of Loyalty,’ an extraordinary product we developed in collaboration with others. As long as you remain within its radiation range for an entire day, you cannot leave; you must take the pills to escape. The purpose of this medicine is to ensure your absolute loyalty, compelling you to obediently follow our commands.”

Zhao Xiaoyu, without a hint of hesitation, asked directly, “So, doesn’t that mean if we destroy this crystal, the problem is solved?”

Her boldness raised no suspicion in the scorpion-braid girl, who replied with a smirk, “Since I dare to bring you here, I’m not afraid of you destroying it. Nor am I afraid to tell you that this crystal can only be destroyed with mental power. Ordinary people die upon contact, and even those with abilities face the same fate if they touch it. The stronger the ability or mental power, the more painful the death.”

“Isn’t there anyone who can touch it?” Si Zhaohua questioned, skepticism etched on his face. It seemed impossible; otherwise, how could it be placed here?

“Of course, there are those who can, as long as their abilities and mental power are not too strong, yet not weak enough to die like an ordinary person upon contact,” the scorpion-braid girl said, her confidence unyielding. “But unless one precisely hits that threshold, being too strong or too weak will result in immediate death. We’ve tested many people to find just one who fits that criterion.”

—

—

Upon hearing the words that had just escaped her lips, Zhao Xiaoyu initially thought perhaps she could give it a try. She was precisely the kind of person with abilities, yet her powers, whether supernatural or mental, were far from strong. But as the latter part of the statement sank in, she immediately dismissed the thought. The cost of trial and error was too high; how could someone as life-conscious as her dare to take such a risk?

Yet the problem lay in the fact that as long as this crystal ball remained intact, they could not escape its radius. When the academy came to rescue them, it was easy to imagine that Scorpion Braid and the others would take the crystal ball with them. What then? Would they truly face a death of explosive proportions?

Si Zhaohua had thought of a crucial point: “Is the person who can touch this crystal ball also on the island? What if he is coerced into destroying it?”

“Don’t worry, as long as you take the pill, the crystal ball cannot be destroyed.” This loophole had naturally been anticipated and sealed long ago; otherwise, Scorpion Braid wouldn’t have been so generous as to reveal the existence of that person.

At this, the eyes of the three darkened. This method had also been blocked; if that were the case, wouldn’t it mean they had to let Zhao Xiaoyu take the risk? But trial and error was fraught with danger, and should anything go awry, the price would be their lives. How could they dare?

In the end, it was Zhao Xiaoyu who first composed herself, forcing a bitter smile as she said, “We’d like to find a better room to rest for a day. We’ve suffered quite a bit these past few days.”

Scorpion Braid had no objection to fulfilling this small wish but reminded them, “Don’t forget to persuade those who came with you after your rest. We don’t want their lives; it’s best they don’t overestimate their own worth.”

—

The three of them were assigned to two rooms: Zhao Xiaoyu in one, and Su Bei and Si Zhaohua in the other. These two rooms were indeed luxurious, outfitted like suites in a five-star hotel. Fresh fruit platters adorned the tables, clearly meant for indulgence.

Gathered together, Si Zhaohua first activated a jammer in the room. This was also exchanged from the academy’s points shop, capable of disrupting supernatural abilities and electronic signals, something Su Bei had also exchanged during the team competition.

Once he confirmed that no one could eavesdrop, he finally spoke up: “We need to find that person who can touch the crystal ball. If we can take him hostage and have him bring the crystal ball with us, we’ll surely find a way to escape once we get there.”

This was indeed a viable plan, and Zhao Xiaoyu perked up: “Then let’s divide our tasks. You two look for a way to leave, and I’ll find this person.”

Su Bei thought for a moment and raised his hand: “I’ll go alone; after all, at my age, no one should intentionally cause me trouble.”

“Why would you go alone?” Si Zhaohua asked, puzzled. Although this place should pose no threat to Su Bei, who had already surrendered, he was still just a child. What could he accomplish on his own?

Su Bei winked with a smile: “Who knows, I might stumble upon some unexpected gains? Don’t underestimate a child’s initiative!”

In the end, it was Zhao Xiaoyu who made the final decision: “Then you can go by yourself, but you must return every day at noon and eight in the evening. Is that acceptable?”

—

“Not a problem!”

The night deepened, and Zhao Xiaoyu returned to her slumber, while Su Bei and Si Zhaohua finished their evening routines and retreated to their respective beds. Barely ten minutes had passed when Si Zhaohua’s voice suddenly pierced the darkness: “Yan Nan, are you asleep?”

“Not yet,” Su Bei replied instantly.

Si Zhaohua turned his head to look at him: “I’ve activated the jammer; no one can hear our conversation. Can you tell me who exactly brought you to the auction?”

As expected, he was beginning to doubt his identity. Su Bei had no intention of revealing it just yet, so he feigned hurt: “You don’t trust me?”

Si Zhaohua hurriedly explained, “I do trust you, but…”

Before he could finish, Su Bei interrupted, “Then that’s settled, isn’t it?”

After a moment of silence, Si Zhaohua continued, “Well, actually, I do have a bit of doubt about you…”

Su Bei cut him off again: “What a coincidence, I don’t trust you that much either, so I can’t tell you my identity.”

Si Zhaohua: “…”

At that moment, he finally caught on: “You little rascal, you’re not trying to mess with me, are you?”

Seeing his expression, there was no trace of hurt; he was clearly just trying to provoke him!

When Su Bei heard the phrase “you little rascal,” a common saying of Meng Huai, he couldn’t help but laugh. Even a young master like Si Zhaohua had lost his elegance; the influence of their homeroom teacher was indeed profound.

Hearing his laughter, Si Zhaohua felt even more played. He growled menacingly, “You’re finished! When we get back, I’m definitely telling your parents!”

Su Bei’s smile faded slightly as he gazed up at the ceiling: “Let’s see if you can find them first.”

The next morning, the three of them pretended to visit the reception room to persuade others to surrender, but in truth, they were signaling everyone not to give in. They left with sighs and then parted ways.

Su Bei wandered aimlessly like a true child, drifting toward whatever seemed entertaining, spending the entire day without a hint of gathering intelligence.

The people here mostly spoke foreign languages; only a few who frequently dealt with hostages could converse in their familiar tongue. Although he understood and could speak it, to maintain the facade of an eight-year-old and to keep others at ease, Su Bei pretended not to understand any of the foreign languages.

In the evening, he began reading comics in the hall, which to others appeared as study materials. Though there was no signal here, the things he had downloaded remained intact. Thus, no one suspected him; they merely thought he was very studious.

The next morning, he played all day again. After wandering through the base, Su Bei ventured outside right under the noses of the kidnappers.

Indeed, this was an island, not large, with only a single dock. The terrain rose from low to high, and on the opposite side of the dock, a steep cliff loomed. Even with the sea below, a jump would mean certain death.

That night, he pretended to study for a while before seeking out the kidnapper who had previously shown the most appreciation for his diligent efforts.

“Sister, I’ve finished the study materials I downloaded earlier. Do you have anything else here?” The brown-haired boy spoke in a foreign language, his words clumsy and riddled with grammatical errors, yet his expression was earnest. No one could doubt his enthusiasm for learning.

But the problem was, how could a group of adults, long graduated, have any study materials? He was destined to receive no satisfactory answer.

Seeing the kidnapper in the yellow dress display a troubled expression, Su Bei, ever understanding, settled for a compromise: “Then do you have any books? The teacher said that reading some extracurricular materials is also useful.”

This, they actually had, though not everyone could access it. Noticing Su Bei’s eager expression, the girl in yellow gritted her teeth: “I’ll apply for you. If it works out, you can go read. If not, just relax for a few days; learning isn’t a race.”