Chapter 335

After lying in bed for three whole days, the moment his body was free on the fourth day, Su Bei immediately drank some water, went to the bathroom, took a shower, and then went out for a big meal. You won’t die from not eating or drinking for three days, but if the suffering makes you feel like you’re dying, how is that not a form of death?

While eating, Su Bei turned on his phone, which had shut down due to a dead battery on the day he returned.

“Beep-beep-beep-beep-beep—”

As soon as it powered on, a string of notification sounds erupted from the phone. All his chat apps showed 99+ messages. Without even looking, Su Bei knew who had sent them and what they were about.

After some thought, he didn’t reply to anyone else, instead tapping into his chat with Meng Huai. Meng Huai had sent the fewest messages of anyone, just three in total.

【Let Me Work and I’ll Die: Heard you disappeared】

【Let Me Work and I’ll Die: You didn’t actually die, did you】

【Let Me Work and I’ll Die: Send a message if you’re still alive】

【Dongnanxi: 1】

Ten minutes later, after Su Bei had finished his meal, a reply finally came from Meng Huai.

【Let Me Work and I’ll Die: What do you mean ‘1’? Where are you right now】

【Dongnanxi: I’ll be back at the academy tomorrow. Just wanted to let you know in advance, teacher. Don’t tell the others, I want to give them a surprise.】

【Let Me Work and I’ll Die: Congratulations on using the right word. It really will be a surprise. So what on earth happened? Judging by their reactions, they all seem to think you’re dead.】

【Dongnanxi: I revived using an item.】

There was no reply for a long time, and then a call came through directly: “Su Bei, do you mind a video call?”

“Not at all.” Su Bei shook his head and switched to a video call himself.

When the video connected, he could see Meng Huai on the other side let out a sigh of relief before calmly asking, “What’s the price for this revival item?”

“I can’t use my ability for half a year,” Su Bei answered honestly. He planned to use this as an excuse to take a leave of absence, so he couldn’t lie.

Hearing that this was the only cost, Meng Huai breathed another sigh of relief. “Then do you plan to continue your studies? You won’t be able to participate in the academy’s courses if you can’t use your ability for six months. Besides, the Ability World is likely to become very dangerous…”

“That’s why I plan to take a leave of absence,” Su Bei interrupted him, speaking without hesitation.

He also knew that the Ability World was about to become very dangerous. Putting aside the covertly scheming Black Flash Organization, the Nightmare Beasts alone would not stay quiet.

Their very foundation had just been destroyed; the destruction of the six Boundary Stones was a fatal blow to them. The remaining small meteorite fragments could only maintain the Nightmare Beasts’ living environment; it was impossible for the Nightmare Beast World to continuously produce more of them.

Under these circumstances, Su Bei was certain the Nightmare Beasts would go berserk.

After all, if they remained silent, a slow death awaited them. The speed at which humans cleared out Nightmare Beasts was not to be underestimated. Before, they could maintain a balance of income and expenditure with humanity, but now, with no more income and only expenditure, they certainly wouldn’t last long.

So, they could either do nothing and await a slow death, or they could fight a desperate, last-ditch battle with the goal of completely annihilating humanity while their numbers were still at their peak. It was obvious which option the Nightmare Beasts would choose—it was the only one they could choose.

This was one of the reasons Su Bei was taking a leave. He had no desire to be drawn into those battles as an ordinary person. Especially since he wasn’t just any Ability user, but one of the main culprits responsible for the Nightmare Beasts’ current predicament.

Even at his peak, he couldn’t be 100% certain he could face the Nightmare Beasts’ retaliation, let alone now that he was an ordinary person.

Temporarily distancing himself from the Ability World and avoiding the Nightmare Beasts’ counterattack was his best choice.

With that in mind, Su Bei revealed his plan: “After giving them a surprise this time, I plan to fake my death to deceive the Nightmare Beasts. I’ll have to trouble you to help me with that, teacher.”

“You’ve thought it through quite well, but if you’re going to fake your death, wouldn’t it be better not to return to the academy at all?” Meng Huai asked, puzzled, then cleared his throat. “Of course, I’m not saying you should hide it from me. Just letting me know you’re alive is enough. I can help tell the other students.”

“Don’t they need to maintain a good state of mind for what’s coming?” After a moment’s thought, since he no longer needed to maintain his persona, and having already “sacrificed” himself to save them, Su Bei revealed a bit of his true nature and spoke honestly.

They would soon have to face the Nightmare Beasts’ counterattack and the Black Flash Organization; a poor state of mind would be detrimental. If they kept dwelling on his death, Su Bei worried some of them might do something irrational.

This was a manga world, after all. A moment of carelessness could lead to them turning dark and becoming villains. Although the author had some control, it was clear he couldn’t completely grasp everyone’s thoughts. Otherwise, the author would have probably orchestrated Su Bei’s gradual fade from the main group long ago.

Besides, he needed to make one more appearance to let the readers know he was still alive. Even though the author no longer intended to mess with him, the readers could still influence him. If they all believed he was dead, Su Bei worried some accident might happen.

The author had already decided to let him go; everything was supposed to be settled. If he tripped at the final hurdle, he would be furious. Moreover, one should always see things through to the end. Since he was going offline for a long time, he had to make one last appearance to let the readers know he was alive.

“That’s true. They are quite heartbroken right now,” Meng Huai said, deeply moved as he recalled the scene when he had picked them up.

With his return to the academy set for tomorrow and nothing to do for now, Su Bei finished his lunch, returned to his room, and opened the manga to read. Although his mission was completely over and it didn’t matter if he followed the plot, it was his own fake death, after all. It felt wrong not to watch.

Quickly skipping the earlier parts, Su Bei went straight to the latter half of the manga, to the scene where they were preparing to place the Boundary Stone into the machine.

Seeing the machine in the manga start beeping, Su Bei felt his heart clench all over again. The feeling of failing when you’re just one step away from success—only those who’ve experienced it can understand.

Compared to him, who had lived through it, the readers’ feelings were far less intense. In fact, there were many chaos-seekers among them. Compared to a smooth mission completion, they preferred a plot full of twists and turns.

“I knew it wouldn’t be that simple!”

“Whoops, a little setback.”

“Don’t tell me they’re going to fail the mission this time and have to wait for the next chance.”

“Can’t be helped, they couldn’t run any tests beforehand.”

“The Nightmare Beasts arrived so fast.”

“Let’s see which cute little kid is going to show off their power this time.”

Immediately after, Wu Mingbai quickly devised a countermeasure and cooperated with Si Zhaohua. After the two met up, they headed towards Lan Subing’s location. But not long after taking flight, they were targeted by several Nightmare Beasts.

Next came the perspective of two of those Nightmare Beasts. Their abilities were incredibly difficult to counter. One possessed a tracking ability and could pursue an enemy indefinitely. The other could kill its target simply by staring at them for a long enough time.

Working together, the two Nightmare Beasts had killed countless powerful Ability users.

Because time was short and they didn’t know the abilities of these two Nightmare Beasts, Si Zhaohua and Wu Mingbai only thought of shaking them off and had no intention of turning back to attack.

So that’s how it was. Reading this, Su Bei had a sudden realization. He had wondered how those two had died. It seemed that without his intervention, they would have been followed by these two Nightmare Beasts and eventually “stared to death.”

However, Su Bei was quite surprised that the author had included this scene. After this part was shown, anyone who wasn’t a fool would understand who he had sacrificed himself for later on.

Speak of the devil, the next scene was Su Bei’s sacrifice. In the manga, he suddenly sensed something, his heart skipped a beat, and then he showed a bitter yet relieved smile.

Two lines of white text were placed next to him:

“Destiny…”

“One must have a clear conscience.”

After these two lines, a dashing smile that would make Su Bei himself go “Ooh” appeared on his face. The words he spoke sounded calculative, yet were sufficiently cool: “Remember to apologize to me afterward. You actually made me pay such a huge price to save your lives.”

The next panel was a full-body shot of him alone. Against a pure black background, he floated in mid-air, his feet off the ground. The Destiny Compass was beneath his feet, and a spinning gear was between his hands. The light from the compass illuminated his face, the contrast of light and shadow filling him with an air of mystery.

It was just like the transformation sequence every magical girl has to go through…

Alright, Su Bei could only say that because the one in the manga was him. From his current position of safety, it was hard for him to feel anything about this scene. He was more like a spectator who knew the whole story.

In fact, from a reader’s perspective, this scene probably looked quite stunning. Both before and after his hair turned white, the art was beautiful, a kind of withering beauty. The soaring number of bullet comments was a clear indication that the readers were eating it up.

“Su Bei! Su Bei!”

“Wait, what is he doing?”

“What a high-level array. We finally get to see Su Bei’s ability looking related to destiny!”

“Ahhhh, why did his hair turn all white!”

“I’m sorry but this is so beautiful…”

“Holy crap, this is a sacrifice, right? Su Bei is going to sacrifice himself to save Zhaohua and Mingbai!”

“How could you be the one to do something like this, Su Bei? I’m crying my eyes out!”

Jiang Tianming and the others’ breakdown afterward surprised Su Bei a little. He didn’t know if the author was exaggerating, everyone crying and all…

It could only be said that feelings were indeed mutual. Just as he had developed feelings for his S-Class classmates, they had also developed strong feelings for him. This mutual rush of affection left Su Bei with somewhat complicated feelings.

In the final panel of this sequence, the camera focused on the spot where he had disappeared. On the ground, partially hidden by a pile of rocks, a doll that looked seven or eight parts like him was vaguely visible.

Many readers saw it, and the bullet comments exploded with excitement again.

Seeing this, Su Bei raised an eyebrow, finally getting a real sense that the author no longer wanted him dead. If it were the old author, he would have never drawn this panel in the manga; he would have been thrilled if the readers believed he was dead.

But now, not only did the author actively add this scene proving he wasn’t dead, but the earlier rescue part was also drawn with crystal clarity, ensuring he wasn’t misunderstood in the slightest.

Things were different now. Su Bei realized he had transformed from an unwelcome, accidental character into a special guest. In the author’s mind, a special guest was a character who generally wouldn’t die and existed as an easter egg.

A good thing. Su Bei lowered his head and smiled.

The rest of the plot had nothing to do with him, so Su Bei stopped reading. But even if he wasn’t reading the manga, he could still check the forums.

Because of his role in the latest chapter, eight out of ten posts on the forum were about him.

《Su Bei is dead!》

《That scoundrel author, I’ll kill you! Su Bei dying to save others, I’m seriously going to cry》

《Look at the doll at the end, Su Bei probably revived with an item and didn’t really die》

《…》

After a quick browse, Su Bei decisively clicked on the post analyzing why he wasn’t dead.

《Look at the doll at the end, Su Bei probably revived with an item and didn’t really die》

【SuBeiRevivesThenChangesNameToNo.0: Sigh, I can’t help but sigh. The person most detached from the main group dies to save them. How dramatic. But I still have to say, Su Bei is definitely not dead.

The very last panel before the scene change already speaks volumes. That doll that looks exactly like Su Bei must be his item, one that can revive him once.

If you think about it, even if Su Bei was truly “reformed” by the main group and developed deep feelings for them, he doesn’t seem like the type to sacrifice himself for others. If the scoundrel author actually wrote it that way, it would be completely out of character.

I think Su Bei probably knew he might have to sacrifice himself for the main group, so he prepared a revival item in advance. But isn’t that the advantage of a Destiny-type ability?】

【No.1: OP wrote a lot, I believe OP】

【No.2: I agree. Why are people in the other threads mourning? Su Bei is 100% not dead!】

【No.3: That foreshadowing the scoundrel author left at the end was obviously to tell us Su Bei isn’t dead. He was probably afraid we’d riot if he didn’t hint at it beforehand.】

【No.4: You’d think the old fox Su Bei would die so easily? No way.】

【No.5: On one hand, I feel like I cried for nothing, but on the other, it does seem like it was worth crying over.】

【No.6 replies to No.5: The atmosphere was just perfect for crying.】

【…】

【No.33: A revival item is so OP, there must be a huge drawback to using it. I remember Si Zhaohua’s item made her lose her ability after reviving. Don’t tell me Su Bei’s is the same!】

【No.34 replies to No.33: !!!!!!】

【No.35 replies to No.33: No! Su Bei can’t lose his ability, otherwise I’ll seriously cry myself to death!】

【No.36 replies to No.33: What a devilish thought.】

【No.37: Revival definitely has a price, but I hope it’s not losing his ability. That would be too heavy a price, especially for Su Bei.】

【No.38: Scoundrel author, if you really design it that way, I’ll send you razor blades (stare—)】

【…】

【No.72: By the way, don’t you guys think everyone’s reaction is great for shipping? I feel like I could write 10086 fanfics.】

【No.73 replies to No.72: Write! (hands over pen)】

【No.74: Red-eyed Bingbing, Jiangjiang, Mingbai, Little Huang, Zhaohua… I really want to see what the others will look like when they find out. Can I get a red-eyed Feng Lan?】

【No.75 replies to No.74: Ahem, it’s immoral, but I want to see it too.】

【No.76 replies to No.75: It would be immoral if Su Bei really died, but we know he didn’t!】

【No.77: Someone write an AU where Su Bei really dies.】

【No.78 replies to No.77: Are you a demon? Send it to me when you’re done.】

【No.79: While death is the best cosmetic surgery for a character, I’m so glad he didn’t die in the main story.】

【…】

【No.107: On one hand, I hope Su Bei appears soon to put my heart at ease, but on the other, I want him to show up a bit later, to give Jiangjiang and the others more time to grieve.】

【No.108 replies to No.107: You’re so evil. I love it.】

【No.109 replies to No.108: I’m trash, I live for this stuff.】

【No.110: Su-all and all-Su ships have new material to write about.】

【No.111: But I still hope Su Bei shows up soon. Only his appearance can prove he really survived, right? Besides, only when he appears will we know what the price of revival really is…】

【No.112 replies to No.111: God, please let the price be small. Scoundrel author, my razor blades are always ready for you.】

“By the way, I have a question.” After reading the forum, Su Bei asked aloud in the empty room, “Can I still read the manga and use the forum later on?”

It wasn’t that he planned to do anything. It was just that his solo journey ahead might be a bit lonely without them.

The Manga Consciousness, completely unlike its previous claim that it might not always be available, replied almost instantly: “Yes, there are no restrictions.”

Satisfied with this answer, Su Bei closed the manga.

Then he remembered something else. “So, if the author didn’t want Wu Mingbai and the others to die, why did he design the plot that way? It couldn’t have been just to test me, right?”

“Not quite, but it is somewhat related to you.” Since everything was over, the Manga Consciousness didn’t mind answering this question. “It started when he was talking to another author friend about you, the uncontrollable character. That guy said that since it’s the late game, it’s time to kill off a few characters, and suggested he take the opportunity to get rid of you.”

Hearing this, Su Bei couldn’t help but roll his eyes. Although he understood that from their perspective, the suggestion wasn’t wrong, the problem was that he was the one being ‘gotten rid of’. There was no way he could accept that.

“And then?” Knowing the story wasn’t over, Su Bei pressed, “Shouldn’t it have been enough to just kill me? Why did Wu Mingbai and Si Zhaohua have to die too?”

The Manga Consciousness gave a very human-like cough. “Ahem, that’s because you always managed to escape before, right? The author felt that approach wouldn’t work on you. So, the two of them started a bet. After some farcical events, the end result was that the author had to kill off several people this time. If no one died, the author would win. If anyone died, the friend would win.”

Something’s not right here, Su Bei thought, looking puzzled. “I don’t get it. Why would that friend think he could win the bet? The entire manga is under the author’s pen. Can’t he get whatever ending he wants? Even with an uncontrollable character like me, it sounds like it’s just a matter of the author not having a firm enough grasp on my character. Did that friend really think I was a character completely beyond the author’s control, with the power to decide the plot?”

“Ah, I don’t think I’ve told you this before.” Hearing his question, the Manga Consciousness had a moment of realization. “The authors in our world are different from those in your world.”

This piqued Su Bei’s curiosity. “How are they different?”

The Manga Consciousness patiently explained, “In the real world, whether it’s manga, novels, or TV shows, independent works can generally spawn a real, small world. This is something all authors know. When a small world becomes complete and stable enough, it can even be opened for tourists to visit.”

Hearing the word “tourists,” Su Bei’s brow furrowed. If a bunch of strangers from a higher dimension suddenly appeared in his world, acting with impunity, he felt it would be better for the world to be destroyed.

Noticing his expression, the Manga Consciousness quickly explained, “Of course, tourists generally exist as non-interfering souls. They can also pay more to choose an identity and experience life in the work. However, they cannot affect the plot in any way, or I will kick them out immediately. When I said I would be busy later, this is what I was talking about. I have to keep an eye on them at all times to prevent them from disrupting the manga world.”

That didn’t seem to be a problem then. The Manga Consciousness was reliable when it came to important matters. With it on watch, Su Bei felt at ease.

Seeing his expression relax, the Manga Consciousness returned to the main topic. “It’s rare for a character beyond the author’s expectations to appear in a real world, but it’s not unheard of.”

Something he had never imagined had happened, and Su Bei was greatly shaken. He had always thought their manga world was created by some kind of accident, but it turned out to be a common phenomenon.

No wonder that when the author learned of his existence, he was disgusted but not particularly afraid or shocked. Putting himself in the author’s shoes, if a character he wrote completely went off-script and didn’t follow what he wrote at all, he would be scared to death.

The Manga Consciousness had previously explained this by saying it had influenced the author’s subconscious so he wouldn’t find it too strange. But thinking back now, even if his subconscious was altered, he should have been very troubled and actively trying to write him out, not working in fits and starts like the author did.

True, the reason the author didn’t directly write Su Bei out was fear of reader backlash, but in reality, the number of times the author had actually targeted him wasn’t as high as he had initially expected. After failing twice, he hadn’t really tried any other tricks.

The author’s control over the manga wasn’t as absolute as he had thought. After all, this was a real world!

In a real world, writing a story centered around one person, it was indeed understandable that some unexpected characters might occasionally appear.

In that case, the friend’s bet with him was perfectly normal. It was reasonable for an uncontrollable character to cause any kind of change in the plot. This was also why authors disliked having such characters in their works.

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Faking your death is a no-go!