Su Bei succeeded in one strike and immediately pulled Mo Xiaotian away to flee.
Unaware of anything unusual, Si Zhaohua deactivated his ability, walked over to examine the Nightmare Monkey's corpse, and asked, “Should I handle it?”
Although, as the young master of the Si family, Si Zhaohua probably would never need to cook in his lifetime, he believed it was something one should at least know how to do, even if they never had to. So he had taken the time to learn, and now was the perfect chance to put that skill to use.
Ai Baozhu, who had eaten Nightmares meat before, knew it was delicious and highly nutritious. Despite her delicate and pampered nature, she wasn’t picky about this black meat.
Hearing Si Zhaohua’s offer, Ai Baozhu conjured a small [Elegant Domain], took out a rose from it, and handed it to Si Zhaohua with a sweet smile. “Thank you, Zhaohua.”
Her implication was clear—she wanted him to cook her portion too.
That’s right; she couldn’t cook at all. Unlike Si Zhaohua, who believed it was something worth learning, Ai Baozhu was adamant that as long as she didn’t learn, she’d never have to deal with cooking. No one would ever make her roll up her sleeves and prepare a meal!
Zhou Renjie, also unable to cook, could only stare at Si Zhaohua, hoping for his share. Unlike Ai Baozhu, however, he lacked her confidence and family background, so he didn’t dare outright request anything.
Fortunately, although Si Zhaohua was arrogant, he was the kind of arrogant that disdained to embarrass others, so he didn't. Without showing any favoritism, he quickly grilled two pieces of meat, giving one to each person.
Barely a few bites in, Ai Baozhu suddenly looked at her watch and exclaimed in surprise, “Why haven’t we gained any points?”Meanwhile, Su Bei, who had already fled a good distance, glanced at his own watch and nodded in satisfaction. “Mission accomplished.”
The initial excitement having worn off, Mo Xiaotian finally started using his brain and asked worriedly, “Since we stole their Nightmares, do you think they’ll retaliate?”
Hearing this, Su Bei adopted a self-righteous tone. “What do you mean, ‘stealing’? They needed lunch, and we needed points. There’s no conflict.”
“Is that how it works?” Mo Xiaotian asked in confusion, tilting his head.
Su Bei, confident in his reasoning, casually observed the surroundings. “We haven’t picked our next mission yet, so let’s rest here for now.”
Hearing this, Mo Xiaotian hesitated and asked, “Shouldn’t we go hunt more Nightmares or eliminate other teams to earn points?”
Leaning lazily against a tree with one knee propped up, Su Bei replied in a relaxed tone, “What’s the rush? It’s only the first day.”
The group competition for the monthly exam lasted two days and allowed for point-stealing between teams. This meant that no matter how many points were earned early on, unless a team wisely chose to quit while ahead, the second day could see massive shifts in rankings.
What’s more, with the leaderboard showing point totals, teams with higher scores would inevitably become targets. Gaining too much attention early on was an unwise strategy.
Su Bei glanced at his watch and sighed. Their team currently held a commanding lead with 500 points, while Si Zhaohua’s team, in second place, only had 200 points.
Having a high score early on wasn’t a big deal—others wouldn’t immediately target them. As long as their ranking dropped later, everything would be fine.
The reason Su Bei had completed that particular mission instead of slacking off from the start was to conceal his plan to go all-in on point-stealing during the second day.
If other teams saw their score consistently low, they’d easily guess his strategy, and Su Bei’s team would become public enemy number one.
Su Bei wasn’t sure if Jiang Tianming had the same idea as him, but after two hours of inactivity, no new missions had appeared. Their team’s score had only increased by 60 points during this time.
Their hiding spot was indeed well-chosen—no one or Nightmares had approached them for two hours. While Su Bei enjoyed the break, Mo Xiaotian was already bored out of his mind. Since Su Bei was resting, Mo Xiaotian didn’t want to disturb him. At first, he sat quietly, then started jogging around for exercise, and now he was trying to start a fire by rubbing sticks together—without adding oxygen.
Su Bei: “...”
Opening his eyes to see this scene, Su Bei couldn’t help but laugh. This hyperactive kid. Just as he was about to say something, the sound of rustling leaves reached his ears.
Something was coming.
Su Bei immediately tensed, getting up to prepare for a defensive stance. In contrast, Mo Xiaotian’s eyes lit up with excitement. He gave Su Bei a pleading look and mouthed: 'Can we not hide?'
Seeing this, Su Bei sighed helplessly and nodded. With their abilities, they could escape easily whether they faced Nightmares or humans. Besides, Mo Xiaotian was part of the protagonist’s group—there was no way he’d get eliminated at this stage.
Not long after, a group of people emerged from the forest. They weren’t strangers either—Su Bei recognized them as classmates from Class F! Among them were Wu Jin and Zhao Xiaoyu. Based on the positioning, it was clear that Zhao Xiaoyu was leading this group.
The group clearly hadn’t expected to run into Su Bei and Mo Xiaotian here. A trace of caution flickered in Zhao Xiaoyu’s eyes as she stopped in her tracks.
The other Class F students didn’t exchange greetings with Su Bei either. Aside from the protagonist group and Feng Lan, most of the class barely interacted with Su Bei.
During the previous individual matches, Su Bei and his group’s rankings made it clear to the rest of Class F just how vast the gap between them was. Naturally, this left no room for camaraderie—they only felt that a gold dragon didn’t belong in shallow waters. To them, these few individuals were undoubtedly misplaced in Class F.
The only one who wasn’t part of Class F, Mo Xiaotian, wanted to speak up, but even he knew that idle chatter wouldn’t fly until the atmosphere lightened up. So, he obediently stood behind Su Bei, staying quiet.
Eventually, it was Zhao Xiaoyu who broke the silence. She smiled and asked, “Su Bei? If I remember correctly, you’re teamed up with Jiang Tianming, aren’t you? Did you two split up?”
Su Bei, not one to lie, honestly answered her question. After all, he wasn’t so weak that he needed to rely on Jiang Tianming’s name in front of a group of Class F students.
However, passively answering questions wasn’t his style. After responding to Zhao Xiaoyu, he raised an eyebrow and asked, “How did you all end up together?”
Hearing this, Zhao Xiaoyu’s expression turned slightly bitter, eliciting sympathy from those watching. But based on Su Bei’s limited understanding of her, this bitterness was likely feigned.
“The school rules require Class A to team up with Class F, but they didn’t genuinely want to include us—they were just forced by the rules. After entering the dimensional space, we were abandoned by our original teammates.”
This was an answer Su Bei had anticipated, though it was clearly a surprise to Mo Xiaotian. His eyes widened, and he said indignantly, “How could they abandon their teammates? That’s way too much!”
His words opened the floodgates for the Class F students, who began voicing their grievances one after another.
“Exactly! They were so excessive. That’s not what they said when we first teamed up!”
“Someone even mocked me, saying Class F didn’t deserve to participate in the group competition. It made me so angry!”
“You have no idea how bad it was. If it weren’t against the rules to harm teammates, they probably would’ve thrown us out themselves to keep us from dragging them down.”
As they spoke, Mo Xiaotian chimed in with indignation, like a perfect sidekick. If Su Bei didn’t know his personality so well, he might’ve thought Mo Xiaotian was deliberately stirring up emotions just to watch the drama unfold.
Of course, Su Bei wasn’t the only one familiar with Mo Xiaotian. Thanks to his frequent visits to Class F in the past, Mo Xiaotian had gotten along with most of the students there, his genuine and outgoing nature leaving a good impression.
Watching him now, full of righteous anger, Zhao Xiaoyu’s eyes gleamed with calculation. Pretending to be worried, she said, “I gathered these abandoned Class F members together to prove to the others that we’re a force to be reckoned with! But with our abilities being ineffective, we can’t even kill a regular Nightmares. Without protection, I think we’ll soon be eliminated entirely.”
She sighed deeply and gave a bitter smile. “Maybe it’s better this way. We’d probably just end up dragging others down.”
Her convincing performance immediately won Mo Xiaotian’s sympathy. He looked at Su Bei expectantly and said, “Why don’t we…”
Before he could finish, Su Bei cut him off. Turning to Zhao Xiaoyu, he said with exaggerated emotion, “That’s so inspiring! You’re even refusing help from students of other classes just to prove Class F’s worth. If I weren’t tied to my Class A teammate, I’d definitely go help you all myself!”
Zhao Xiaoyu: “…”
She was sharp enough to realize Su Bei was preemptively shutting down any chance of her roping Mo Xiaotian into helping. It was her mistake, though—she had focused too much on playing the victim and neglected the finer details, which gave Su Bei the opportunity to turn the tables.
Meanwhile, Mo Xiaotian completely missed the tension underlying their exchange. He nodded in sudden understanding and said, “Oh, so that’s how it is! I was too thoughtless. I just wanted to help Xiaoyu and didn’t consider whether you’d even want my help.”
He even offered a sincere apology afterward, which left Zhao Xiaoyu visibly frustrated, though she quickly masked it.
Still, Zhao Xiaoyu is Zhao Xiaoyu. She swiftly regained her composure and said decisively, “It’s fine. We’ll take our leave now. Good luck winning in the end.”
After maintaining her polite facade, she wasted no time turning around and leading her group back the way they came.
Just as they were leaving, Su Bei suddenly called out, “Isn’t it tiring to bring so many people along?”
Zhao Xiaoyu’s expression shifted briefly before she smiled warmly. “Of course not. We’re working together and helping each other.”
Su Bei gave her a thoughtful look before returning to his spot under the tree. He couldn’t determine the truth of her words yet, but he was certain of one thing: Zhao Xiaoyu wasn’t gathering all these people out of pure kindness.
If she had only brought Wu Jin, that would’ve made sense—they were in the same group, and being abandoned necessitated sticking together.
But bringing along other Class F students? That was entirely unnecessary. Aside from serving as a collective “experience pack” for their enemies, what other purpose could they possibly serve?
Even attempting a human wave tactic would struggle against the powerful ability users from Class A and B.
That being said, if Si Zhaohua was with Ai Baozhu, and Zhao Xiaoyu was with Wu Jin, where was Feng Lan?
Realizing this, Su Bei frowned and called out to Zhao Xiaoyu, who hadn’t yet left. “Where’s Feng Lan?”
Zhao Xiaoyu froze for a moment before realizing something. “You’ve seen Si Zhaohua’s group, haven’t you? They didn’t eliminate you?”
If he hadn’t encountered Si Zhaohua, how else would he know to ask about Feng Lan’s whereabouts after seeing Zhao Xiaoyu and Wu Jin together?
Su Bei didn’t answer, instead repeating his question, “Where’s Feng Lan?”
This was an important question, and Su Bei had a vague feeling that something unexpected might happen. After all, while Si Zhaohua and the others might abandon Zhao Xiaoyu and Wu Jin, they would never kick Feng Lan out of the group.
Did Feng Lan leave on his own? That seemed unlikely. His ability, [Prophecy], required him to stay in the rear and be protected. Besides, Feng Lan wasn’t the type to be difficult or act as a lone wolf.
If he didn’t leave on his own and wasn’t forced out, why wasn’t he with the group?
“This is exclusive information. If you want to know, then…” Zhao Xiaoyu instinctively attempted to trade the information for a benefit.
But before she could finish, Wu Jin, who had been silent the entire time, interrupted her: “He disappeared.”
At his words, both Zhao Xiaoyu and Su Bei turned to look at him simultaneously. The difference was that Zhao Xiaoyu looked utterly shocked, not understanding why Wu Jin would reveal the information so directly, while Su Bei frowned deeply, his expression grave.
“How did he disappear?” Su Bei felt increasingly uneasy. “When did it happen?”
“He disappeared as soon as we entered,” Wu Jin said succinctly, his words brief but honest. “But since we’re in the school, there’s nothing to worry about.”
This clearly indicated that something was wrong. Su Bei, viewing the situation from a higher perspective, immediately noticed the anomaly.
However, Si Zhaohua and the others weren’t necessarily at fault. From the perspective of ordinary students, the Ability Academy was considered a safe place, so nothing should go wrong. Reporting such an incident would require forfeiting the match. Since neither Zhao Xiaoyu nor Wu Jin wanted to give up, it was natural that no one reported the issue immediately.
“…Got it. Thanks,” Su Bei said after a moment of silence. He nodded grimly and reciprocated by offering advice. “Don’t go in that direction.”
For Zhao Xiaoyu and Wu Jin, their indicators were only slightly to the left, but for the others following them, the indicators leaned far to the right, almost hitting the edge.
If this wasn’t Zhao Xiaoyu deliberately setting them up, then it could only mean there was significant danger in that direction.
Su Bei hadn’t mentioned it earlier because he wasn’t feeling particularly charitable. But since Wu Jin had helped him, he couldn’t just stand by idly.
Hearing his advice, Zhao Xiaoyu and Wu Jin froze for a moment, just like everyone who heard Su Bei’s warnings for the first time. Zhao Xiaoyu quickly reacted and decisively thanked him: “Thank you for the warning. Would going in this direction be better?”
She didn’t doubt Su Bei’s words. She was smart enough to deduce that his ability was likely related to fate or something similar, meaning his advice had some basis. Moreover, they had just helped him, so there was no reason for him to repay kindness with malice.
“Yes, that’s fine.”
Although the direction wasn’t ideal, the indicators were at least in the middle range.
Once they left with the group, Zhao Xiaoyu curiously asked Wu Jin, “Did you tell Su Bei that information to gain his favor?”
She wasn’t blaming Wu Jin, especially since she had also benefited from the exchange. After seeing Su Bei’s reaction, Zhao Xiaoyu realized her earlier decision had been a mistake.
Making deals with Su Bei was fine, but getting benefits like this without strings attached was even better.
Her curiosity was more about why the usually quiet and reserved Wu Jin had taken the initiative to speak. She wondered if she had misread his character.
Wu Jin simply shook his head without responding.
He wasn’t entirely sure why he had answered Su Bei’s question. Perhaps it was an instinctive feeling that the answer was crucial to Su Bei.
While Su Bei and Zhao Xiaoyu were talking, Mo Xiaotian had been busy chatting with the others. Once they left, he returned to Su Bei’s side.
As he approached, he saw Su Bei staring at his watch, seemingly lost in thought.
Being straightforward as always, Mo Xiaotian asked directly, “Brother Bei, what are you looking at?”
Su Bei’s thumb lightly brushed the glass covering the watch’s face, his expression unreadable. “What do you think—has anyone been eliminated yet?”
“Of course!” Mo Xiaotian scratched his head, confused about why Su Bei was asking such an obvious question.
Su Bei didn’t explain further. Instead, he stood up and said, “Let’s go find Jiang Tianming.”
“Alright!” Although Mo Xiaotian didn’t understand Su Bei’s actions, his greatest strength was his willingness to follow the plans of those smarter than him.
After a brief period of thought, Su Bei had already concluded that something unusual was happening in the team competition. If he were just an ordinary student, hearing that Feng Lan had disappeared immediately upon entering, he might have suspected a problem with the dimensional portal or believed the school had taken him away.
But Su Bei wasn’t an ordinary student—he was aware that this was a manga world. It was hard for him not to connect Feng Lan’s disappearance with some kind of conspiracy.
Why wasn’t it someone else who disappeared? Why was it Feng Lan specifically?
It was well known that Feng Lan’s greatest difference from the others was his [Prophecy] ability. Unlike Su Bei, Feng Lan had already gained widespread fame for his ability before even entering the academy.
Others might not have figured out Su Bei's ability yet, but they were certain of Feng Lan's.
Previously, Feng Lan mentioned that his ability could only be used once a month. The last time he used it was before the start of the semester. By that timeline, he should be able to make a second prophecy now.
Su Bei speculated that this might be the reason the enemy took him.
But what was the enemy's goal in taking Feng Lan?
If it was simply to gain access to this month's prophecy, Su Bei wasn’t too worried. Feng Lan certainly wouldn’t die and would eventually return to the main storyline.
What worried Su Bei was the possibility that the mastermind’s goal was to prevent Feng Lan from making a prophecy about them.
In other words, they might be plotting something against all the students, and Feng Lan’s ability to foresee events could potentially predict or even thwart their plan. That would explain why they took him.
Truthfully, while Su Bei didn’t want to admit it, he felt that, from a storytelling perspective, the latter scenario was more compelling. It would also tie the main characters deeper into the plot.
If it really was the latter, and they were all part of a grand conspiracy, Su Bei would need to figure out a way to save himself.
Yes, save himself.
In most hot-blooded shōnen manga, important characters rarely die before the story’s conclusion. No matter how dangerous the situation, the characters would always manage to turn things around and emerge victorious by the end of the arc.
But Su Bei was different.
Back when he believed he had successfully ascended to the role of an important character, he asked [Manga Awareness] a critical question:
“Do I now have the same protective plot armor as other main characters, ensuring I always survive dangerous situations?”
The answer was a resounding no.
For someone like him, who had risen from a disposable background character to a significant role, the most he could hope for was not dying too easily. Expecting plot armor to save his life was out of the question.
This meant he could never let his guard down.
If the enemy had taken Feng Lan because of his prophetic ability, they would undoubtedly come for Su Bei if they learned of his similar power.
Feng Lan might survive in their hands, but Su Bei wasn’t so sure he’d be as lucky.
With that in mind, Su Bei quickly decided to regroup with the main characters. Jiang Tianming and the others wouldn’t be easily captured. Staying with them might not be entirely peaceful, but it would be a little safer.
Between peace and safety, Su Bei knew which one to prioritize.
He opened the map interface on his watch, and his expression froze. “What’s going on with them?”
“What? What’s wrong?” Mo Xiaotian leaned in curiously, momentarily forgetting that he also had a watch.
When he saw the situation on Su Bei’s map, he couldn’t help but widen his eyes. “Why are they moving so fast?”
After the brief surprise, Su Bei quickly deduced the situation. “Looks like they’re being chased. Let’s go check it out and see if we can help.”
He wasn’t worried about Jiang Tianming being chased by the people who took Feng Lan—it was only the first day, and things wouldn’t escalate that quickly.
Jiang Tianming and his group were heading in the opposite direction from Su Bei and Mo Xiaotian. Without the map, their paths wouldn’t have crossed.
They rushed in that direction, and by the time they caught up, the sky had turned completely dark.
Fortunately, the pursuers hadn’t been able to maintain a straight chase. Otherwise, it would’ve been far more challenging for Su Bei and Mo Xiaotian to catch up.
Mo Xiaotian was utterly exhausted, leaning against Su Bei and trying to suppress his heavy breathing.
In the pitch-black forest, faint moonlight provided minimal visibility. Ahead of them, a group of indistinct students appeared to be resting. The leader angrily kicked a nearby tree. “Are they rabbits or what? Why are they so fast?”
One of his teammates, equally exhausted, hesitated before suggesting, “Why don’t we just let it go? There are only two of them, and even if we kill them, we won’t gain many points.”
“No way!” The tree-kicker immediately rejected the idea without hesitation. “That damn Jiang Tianming humiliated me in the arena. If I let him go, I’ll lose all my pride!”
Hearing this, Su Bei realized who this person was—a minor antagonist from the manga, briefly shown in a single frame during Jiang Tianming’s arena match.
In that scene, Jiang Tianming stood in the background, clenching his fists in triumph, while in the foreground, this guy was doubled over, clutching his groin in pain. The image was comically memorable.
Although Su Bei hadn’t watched the match, that fleeting frame was enough to make it clear that this guy had suffered a serious loss—a direct hit to his most sensitive area. No wonder he wasn’t willing to let Jiang Tianming go!
Note: Right? Same here! If I had powers, I’d totally want something that boosts my luck to the max—it’d be so OP! 🍀✨
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