Chapter 134

Chapter 134 Chapter 134 With the manga read, it was time to check the forum. Since the plot was updated in two parts, with a month’s gap between updates, discussions about the first half had long cooled. The forum was now filled with posts about the second half. [This time, I’m truly a Feng Lan fan—mastermind prophet behind the scenes!] [Old topic, Su Bei and Feng Lan’s prophecy ability analysis] [Did anyone notice a foreshadowing? What were Su Bei and Wu Jin doing in the library?] [Is there a mole in the academy besides a certain S Class student?] Su Bei never clicked on fan posts and went straight for the second hottest thread. [Old topic, Su Bei and Feng Lan’s prophecy ability analysis] [FlowerWhySoRedNo.0: The title of this thread has been discussed nonstop since the manga began, but due to the plots of previous updates, the discussion has almost always leaned heavily toward Su Bei—he seemed far stronger than Feng Lan. But after this update, I think this question deserves reconsideration. First, both their prophecy abilities are undeniably strong. Many experts have analyzed their subtle differences—one leans toward individuals, the other towards the overall event. This update fully showcased Feng Lan’s event-focused prophecy. He seemed to predict the entire incident’s trajectory, making every step precise. I believe even if Jiang Tianming and the others hadn’t stayed, Feng Lan wouldn’t have lost. Su Bei’s ability is indeed more individual-focused. Recall his every rescue or prank—they all targeted a single person. His grasp of the overall situation is barely shown, except for his frequent appearances at critical moments.] [No.1: Love analysis posts, let me read this lightly.] [No.2: I think the OP’s spot-on.] [No.3: Feng Lan’s performance this time really amazed me. Before, he was always overshadowed by Su Bei.] [No.4: Right, they’re both strong, just in different directions.] [No.5: OP’s analysis is awesome!] [...] [No.33: After this plot, I think Feng Lan’s a bit stronger than Su Bei. Individuals can’t outshine the collective. Su Bei’s extremely individualistic, while Feng Lan can command the group.] [No.34 replying to No.33: I agree, Feng Lan feels stronger.] [No.35: Hold on, what are you two thinking? Even if the OP’s right, you don’t compare a soldier to a commander, do you?] [No.36: Let me remind you, Su Bei hasn’t shown commanding skills, but that doesn’t mean he can’t. Has he ever given us too few surprises?] [No.37: Su Bei fans, stop arguing. We know you’re from a big fandom, but can’t we speak the truth?] [...] [FlowerWhySoRed (OP) No.121: Wait, why’s it getting heated??? My title says it’s an analysis post, not about who’s stronger. Both are strong, okay?] [No.122: Can’t help it, fans are like that.] [CuteCuteNo.123: Let’s try to get back on track. When Old Thief gave both characters prophecy abilities, I thought it might be repetitive. Now it’s clear there’s no overlap—Old Thief wanted to show two uses of prophecy. He loves contrasts in this manga: Feng Lan and Su Bei, Jiang Tianming and Mo Xiaotian, Wu Mingbai and Mo Xiaotian, Jiang Tianming and Si Zhaohua, Lan Subing and Ai Baozhu...] [No.124 replying to No.123: That’s true, I never noticed!] [CuteCuteNo.125 replying to No.124: I saw it in someone else’s summary.] [No.126: Jiang Tianming having two contrasts makes sense as the protagonist. But why does Mo Xiaotian have two?] [No.127: Isn’t that just random?] [CuteCuteNo.128: Seems... we’re off-topic again.] The OP was right—he and Feng Lan had developed distinctly different styles. During the final exam, Feng Lan was still confused about his role, but now, Su Bei thought he’d found his path. After this thread, Su Bei clicked the next one, discussing why they went to the library. He wanted to see if anyone guessed right. If not, he might use his “Prophet” account to nudge them. [Did anyone notice a foreshadowing? What were Su Bei and Wu Jin doing in the library?] [DoggieSanNo.0: In the last chapter, Su Bei and Wu Jin vanished after everyone split up, only reappearing at lunch in this chapter. From later events, we know they were in the library (otherwise Wu Jin wouldn’t have gone there to wait). So, the question is: instead of helping Feng Lan, what were they doing in the library?] [No.1: I’m curious too.] [No.2: Oh, so they were in the library before. I wondered why Wu Jin went there to wait!] [No.3: They went to the library to read, duh (instant answer).] [DoggieSanNo.4 (OP) replying to No.3: You...] [No.5: I think it’s related to the question about High-Level Nightmare Beasts in that Different Space. He asked about the relationship between Nightmare Beasts and humans and got an answer. This time, maybe he’s looking for a solution?] [No.6: Upstairs, is Su Bei that kind-hearted? Last time, he might’ve just been curious.] [No.7: Everyone agrees it was Su Bei’s idea to go to the library.] [No.8: Can’t help it—compared to Su Bei, Wu Jin seems so compliant.] [No.9 replying to No.8: Keep talking like that, and I’ll start shipping them!] [...] [No.27: I think No.5’s right—it’s related to that question. But not just what No.5 said. He might be researching why humans turn into Nightmare Beasts or if they can revert to humans. Since Lan Subing said Nightmare Beasts are formed from human resentment after death, their existence must comfort living relatives. Maybe Su Bei has a deceased loved one?] [No.28 replying to No.27: That’s getting angsty.] [No.29: Speaking of which, Su Bei’s background hasn’t been revealed. Feels like Old Thief’s planting a foreshadowing.] [No.30: Not just Su Bei—Mu Tieren, Ling You, and Li Shu’s families haven’t been mentioned either, right? If there’s a ‘Black Flash’ mole in S Class, it’s probably among them.] [No.31 replying to No.30: Didn’t Ling You’s family attend the last academy open day?] [No.32 replying to No.31: Forgot about that. Then she’s out as a mole.] [No.33: No.30’s got a point. A mole’s parents are likely ‘Black Flash’ members too. They wouldn’t show up at someone else’s base, right?] [No.34: So, can we rule out Mo Xiaotian as a mole? I remember his grandfather came.] [No.35 replying to No.34: I think so too, but let’s not conclude yet, since ‘Prophet’ said it.] [No.36: Speaking of, ‘Prophet’ hasn’t shown up in ages.] [No.37: Replying upstairs, I bet Old Thief found and banned him.] [No.38: Hahahahaha.] [No.39: I don’t ask for much—just want ‘Prophet’ to reveal the mole before vanishing. Leaving things half-said brings divine retribution!] Reading the thread, Su Bei gave a wry smile. It wasn’t that he didn’t appear—he just didn’t need to. He created the “Prophet” account to boost his influence. He’d already gained what he needed and was digesting it, so he hadn’t used the account. Now, he debated using “Prophet” to reveal what he read in the library. The thread had many guesses, but none hit the mark—understandably, as his reading was quite a leap from prior plots. Revealing it now would spark discussions about the origin of Nightmare Beasts, but that wouldn’t help him much. To make it useful, he’d need to mention the meteor fall, prompting readers to discuss its source, aiding his later guidance. But revealing that would be too much—purely unforeshadowed intel could draw official attention. Though Su Bei often leaked tidbits, he stayed restrained, and any oversteps were excusable as accurate guesses. He feared going too far might prompt the author to intervene. The [Manga Consciousness], the author’s subconscious, could shield him from some scrutiny, but not from other staff. After weighing it, Su Bei decided to hold off. He’d let Jiang Tianming see the book, get it into the manga, then guide readers. No rush—there was time. The next thread discussed the academy’s mole. Su Bei glanced at it and knew they weren’t thinking hard. The direction was right, but the suspects were off. Some guessed the first-year director, the second-year director, the third-year director... Su Bei wondered what the directors did to deserve this. With the manga and forum done, this update was over for Su Bei. He stretched, knowing no new plot would hit during the break. Manga updates had a rhythm, not milking one moment dry. Two plots in the break—three chapters—was plenty. The next would likely be at school. But no plot didn’t mean rest. Su Bei faced the second use of [Dream Bubble]. He couldn’t study the Destiny Compass again—last time, he glimpsed the pointer’s secret, so this chance was for exploring that discovery. He’d research today, be weak for three days, then start school—perfect timing. Like before, he made character models. But this time, too lazy to waste effort, he modeled S Class as a class. With prior experience, creating the template was quick, and he began his experiment. He studied the relationship between two or more people’s pointers. Last time, he noticed moving one person’s pointer could shift nearby ones. This was logical—a person’s fate wasn’t just theirs; it could involve a family, class, or nation. Crucially, this shift didn’t consume his Mental Energy. He’d thought mastering this pattern could yield big results with small effort. For example, in a fight, turning one person’s anger to rage could lead to another’s death, using far less Mental Energy than directly causing death. This tactic could apply to one person too—like adjusting fate to go outside when danger lurked, causing death with minimal energy. Su Bei aimed to find a pattern. He wasn’t a movie genius who could kill with a pen, but with his ability, he believed he could uncover rules. When he opened his eyes, though pale, his eyes shone, cheeks flushed with excitement. He’d succeeded! He found the pattern and developed a new ability! When two people existed, their main pointers could form a line—the key to using one to change another. In his tests, with fewer people, pointers tended to form straight lines. If two lines had a 160-degree angle, adjusting one to 170 degrees often shifted the other, aligning them at 180 degrees. With more people, pointers leaned toward forming closed circles. The closer to a circle, the more they shifted with others’ changes. Like a precise machine, when one gear turned, others followed. It was a spatial pattern—shaping multiple pointers into forms wasn’t easy. Not all pointers forming circles or lines could influence each other, or it’d be too simple. Closer proximity increased influence, as did blood ties. Beyond that, commonalities like being classmates, sharing hobbies, or frequenting the same place helped. Thinking this through was mentally taxing and might need prior investigation, but it was worth it compared to burning Mental Energy. Besides linking fates, Su Bei’s biggest gain was a new skill: “Destiny Bestowal.” Only linked people’s patterns could trigger changes—one altering another. But Su Bei found that even unlinked people, if their pointers formed a line or circle, had a faint connection. This link was fragile, like a rusty chain, breaking easily, too weak to support one pointer changing another. Su Bei could spend Mental Energy to strengthen this “chain,” letting even unlinked fates influence each other. The cost varied by number and distance. This seemed to contradict his initial goal of minimal energy for maximum gain. Using this skill consumed significant energy, seemingly useless. But it wasn’t. The low-cost tactic was for emergencies, saving scarce Mental Energy for critical moments. This skill was for behind-the-scenes use. Su Bei could silently kill someone with it. Who’d suspect unlinked people’s fates causing a death? That was its strength. Behind the scenes, Mental Energy wasn’t an issue—no immediate danger meant slow recovery was fine. Though both the pattern and skill needed practice to master, Su Bei’s strength had surged. Sorting his gains mentally, a weak Su Bei lay in bed, ordering takeout. He usually ate out or ordered, rarely cooking. He didn’t know why, but his cooking was awful—a natural debuff. Despite following recipes, the results were unspeakable. In illusions, his mom cooked for him. Alone and too weak to go out, takeout was his only option. Hire a nanny? He had the money, but letting a stranger in felt unsafe. Meanwhile, the class group chat buzzed about the Feng Family. Ordinary people lacked intel, but their group had few ordinaries. Zhou Renjie first mentioned that the uncle and his family were detained, not killed. Si Zhaohua considered stopping him, but Feng Lan said he didn’t mind. Not one to fake bravado, his sincerity let everyone discuss, curious about the aftermath. They didn’t ask Feng Lan directly, as he was swamped post-incident, only popping into the chat, unable to update in real-time. “Black Flash” was indeed wanted by the Feng Family, but that wasn’t enough—they announced “Black Flash’s” demise within three years. If not for the Feng Family’s high status and reputation as a prophecy clan, people might’ve thought it was petty revenge talk. Feng Lan explained in the chat: it wasn’t nonsense but a true prophecy from the elders’ life-draining bloodline secret art. Unlike others’ shock, Su Bei accepted it calmly. As a villain group, “Black Flash” was destined for the protagonist group to defeat. Most shonen manga spanned 3–5 years, so their end in that timeframe was logical. This showed the bloodline secret art’s power—not just a hollow name. Announcing it also regained some face for the Feng Family. The news caused an uproar—nobody expected “Black Flash” to fall so soon. No one knew how “Black Flash” felt, but others were thrilled. Feng Ling returned to the radio station, leveraging the incident to secure an Elder Council spot. Barring mistakes before fifty, she’d join as the youngest elder. The cost was ineligibility for family head—a choice she made to prevent others from using her to stir trouble, as only she and Feng Lan had prophecy abilities this generation. With her decision, the Feng Family matter paused. Issues like the uncle’s fate and family compensations awaited the red wine antidote’s development.