Translator: AkazaTL

Proofreader/Editor: JWyck

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Chapter 312

[No.36: Replying to main post, obviously not, right? The Destiny organization has no conflict with Endless Ability Academy.]

[No.37: To the previous poster, I think Su Bei is so calm because he’s in a neutral faction, getting along well with both protagonists and antagonists.]

[No.38: It feels like Su Bei doesn’t care much about betrayal. He himself seems like someone who could betray everyone at any moment.]

[No.39 replying to No.38: That’s a bit unfair. I think Su Bei is pretty reliable. Sure, he often runs off, but it’s always just him involved. When he’s on a mission, he’s never bailed or let anyone down. Like during the world competition team battles—Su Bei didn’t know the illusion was off at first, and he didn’t think of quitting, right? He was carrying so many points alone; the pressure must’ve been huge. Even if he’s strong, he wasn’t at an advantage in the world competition.]

[No.40 replying to No.39: Agreed! Our Su Bei is actually very reliable!]

[No.41: Su Bei’s clearly the type who’s usually laid-back but super dependable in critical moments.]

[No.42 replying to No.41: Though those critical moments are rare in his eyes.]

[ … ]

[No.86: Su Bei doesn’t care about Mo Xiaotian’s betrayal because he doesn’t care about anyone, right? Betrayal only matters between friends or partners. If a stranger switches sides, who’d get mad?]

[No.87 replying to No.86: Sometimes I wonder if he even considers the others his friends.]

[No.88 replying to No.86: No need to doubt that—he definitely does! Early on, helping Su Bei required payment, but later, he did a lot without reward. Like saving everyone at Vixi Holy Land—I don’t believe he didn’t have other ways to escape. Or at the world competition, he volunteered for the team battle, which had no benefit for him.]

[No.89 replying to No.88: Makes sense! Su Bei may still act carefree, but he’s changed a lot.]

[No.90: Aaaaah, I love it! A cunning guy being sincere—this is why I read shonen manga!]

[ … ]

[No.155: Off-topic from the main post, but isn’t Su Bei and Mo Xiaotian’s conversation just pure fluff? Mo Xiaotian barely mentioned his mission, just venting emotions with no substance. And Su Bei? I never realized he’s such a good listener. They finally ditched everyone to meet, with opposing identities, and it’s just pure small talk?]

[No.156 replying to No.155: Kinda funny, haha.]

[No.157 replying to No.155: Who says there’s no substance? Mo Xiaotian revealed the organization’s current state—somehow stricter. Combined with their recent closed-off research, I suspect they either developed something critical and are tightening control for a big move, or they got nothing and are taking out their frustration. As for Su Bei, he didn’t say much, but he’s not one for small talk. Chatting so long with Mo Xiaotian proves he got some intel. He was probing for Black Flash info.]

[No.158 replying to No.157: Su Bei’s truly a Destiny organization guy.]

[No.159: Too bad he didn’t get what Black Flash is up to this time.]

[No.160 replying to No.159: Good thing he didn’t ask, or that black-robed figure who appeared after he left would’ve stopped him.]

[No.161: Do you think Su Bei didn’t ask about Mo Xiaotian’s purpose here because he’s not interested, or because he knew someone was watching?]

[No.162 replying to No.161: Definitely the latter. I bet Su Bei knew that person was there.]

[No.163 replying to No.161: The latter. Su Bei stayed for this event; how could he not be interested?]

[No.165 replying to No.161: Both, probably. He’s not that invested in what Black Flash is doing—asking or not doesn’t matter much. Plus, knowing someone’s watching, he wouldn’t ask anything out of line.]

[No.166 replying to No.161: At least he definitely knew someone was watching. Otherwise, why only chat so little without digging deeper? Mo Xiaotian’s a prime target for probing!]

[No.167: It’s not exactly probing; Mo Xiaotian was clearly eating it up.]

[No.168: Mo Xiaotian has zero awareness as a betrayer.]

[No.169 replying to No.168: Only with Su Bei, though.]

[No.170: That’s just how us organization folks get along. Suggest those without one join an organization to understand Mo Xiaotian (jk).]

[ … ]

After reading the post, I closed my eyes briefly and finally steeled myself to click into the conspiracy theory post.

“Su Bei’s definitely up to something next chapter; this one’s just setting the stage”

[PureMilkPercentageNo.0: Let’s break down Su Bei’s arc. First, he knows about Mo Xiaotian’s appearance, meaning he likely knows at least part of Black Flash’s mission. Second, he got the twins who picked a fight to sign a contract to cover for him tomorrow, implying he knows something will happen at the family recognition banquet. The banquet indeed had no major incidents but plenty of minor ones, and Su Bei disappeared for a bit. The plot doesn’t say what he did, but I bet it’s tied to the guardian god. Brother Bei’s probably working with Black Flash again, but it hasn’t blown up yet, so I’m guessing he’s got other plans. Not just Black Flash’s stuff—maybe he’s got his own mission?]

[No.1: Can’t wait! I love watching Su Bei stir things up!]

[No.2: Su Bei: Body in Cao’s camp, heart in Han’s.]

[No.3: Looks like this time it’s not targeting the protagonist group but Yafei Kingdom—specifically, the guardian god. The protagonist group just got dragged in.]

[No.4: Go big or go home!]

[No.5: The plot’s been hyping how awesome the guardian god is. If something happens to It, Yafei Kingdom’s in deep trouble.]

[No.6 replying to No.5: Feels like a lot of people are gonna die.]

[No.7 replying to No.5: Let’s hope Nightmare Beasts don’t pile on, or it’ll be a real disaster.]

[ … ]

[No.45: Anyone notice something interesting? Even Mo Xiaotian, the Saint and mission leader, doesn’t know about this cooperation. Who could know, then? Only Black Flash’s leader. Su Bei’s working directly with their leader—I’m so curious about his position in the Destiny organization.]

[No.46 replying to No.45: Blind spot, you found a gem!]

[No.47 replying to No.45: Docking with their leader? Gotta be a leader himself, right?]

[No.48 replying to No.47: Hahaha, I’m starting the rumor that Su Bei’s the Destiny organization’s leader!]

[No.49: No idea what Su Bei’s here for. If he’s just cooperating with Black Flash, I can only say save the kid—the villain faction’s too strong.]

[No.50 replying to No.45: That said, Mo Xiaotian’s the mission leader in name only. The manga makes it feel like it’s just a title for clout. He doesn’t know much; he seems clueless.]

[No.51 replying to No.50: I agree, but I gotta say, Mo Xiaotian always seems clueless.]

[ … ]

The king was highly efficient; the celebration began the next day. Clearly, this wasn’t a rare event—everyone seemed well-practiced. At the venue, I overheard a couple in line ahead whispering.

“Why’s the line so slow? I only took three hours off. If I don’t make it back in time, they’ll dock my pay!” the girl stomped anxiously.

Her boyfriend grinned smugly: “Who told you to take just three hours? I took five!”

The girl jabbed him, annoyed: “Have some shame! Your company’s right nearby!”

He hugged her, chuckling: “So what?”

Behind them, Jiang Tianming and the others covered their mouths, snickering. But the conversation also made them realize Yafei Kingdom held these events often—so practiced that people didn’t even take extra leave.

“Yesterday, Tianming was right,” Mu Tieren said, frowning after the laughter. “The celebration must be essential for the guardian god; otherwise, it wouldn’t be so frequent. They don’t seem like party enthusiasts.”

If the whole nation loved parties and celebrations, they wouldn’t take such short leave. Besides, frequent events like this weren’t great for national development. There had to be a specific need driving it.

Si Zhaohua mused thoughtfully: “If just holding frequent celebrations secures a powerful being’s protection, I think it’s worth it.”

From what we could see, the celebration only wasted time, not much else. It just needed a large space like a park and a host to tirelessly praise the guardian god’s virtues all day.

After watching one performance, I turned to leave. The celebration was pointless and held hidden dangers—I had no interest in joining the crowd.

This time, Jiang Tianming and the others had learned from past mistakes and followed me immediately when I left. Ai Baozhu asked bluntly: “Su Bei, where are you off to?”

“Back to the castle. This performance is boring as hell,” I replied lazily, striding back with my long legs.

Qi Huang nodded in agreement, sounding bored: “No idea when Feng Lan’s prophesied crisis will start. Do you think the Yafei king and his people could resolve the danger beforehand?”

“Not likely,” Wu Mingbai shook his head. “If they were serious about resolving it, they wouldn’t summon the guardian god at this juncture.”

The future of mountains collapsing and earth cracking was clearly tied to the guardian god. If It didn’t have an issue, such a disaster wouldn’t happen. Earthquakes and the like were fully within the guardian god’s control; normally, It could prevent them, not let a crisis unfold.

Knowing the guardian god might have issues, the best approach would be to lower Its presence, giving no opportunity to the mastermind. But the Yafei king clearly had no such plans—not only summoning the guardian god to bless Wu Mingbai but also holding a celebration for It, almost as if disregarding Its fate.

Li Shu sighed, feeling their luck was as bad as ever. But their cheats were strong: “Su Bei, Feng Lan made a prophecy. You can’t fall behind, right?”

Provocation never worked on me; I had zero desire to make a prophecy: “I don’t have a [Prophecy] Ability. Isn’t it normal to fall behind on that?”

Normal? For others, maybe, but for me, it was definitely a dodge. Everyone knew I must’ve foreseen something but wasn’t saying.

What confirmed this was my disappearance. That afternoon, I vanished, leaving only a “Do Not Disturb” message. Seeing it, everyone knew something was up. They checked my room—sure enough, I was gone.

How to put it? It was expected, yet it hit like a terminal diagnosis. No one was surprised by my absence, but they all instinctively grew wary. Every time I disappeared, danger was near—they didn’t think this time would be an exception.

As for where I went, I hadn’t gone far—in fact, I was very close. I was at the castle’s top—not the top floor, but the very top, on the spire.

A “Balance Bed” Ability item, a “Defense Eggshell,” and a few Invisibility Charms let me set up camp on the castle spire.

After just one night’s sleep, I woke the next morning to find Yafei Kingdom transformed. Earthquakes, unseen for a century, suddenly struck nationwide with devastating force. As Feng Lan prophesied, buildings collapsed, mountains crumbled, and coastal areas faced fierce tsunamis.

The natural disaster was terrifying enough, but man-made chaos followed. Nightmare Beasts, hidden across Yafei Kingdom, seized the moment to attack, harassing Ability users and civilians aiding in rescue efforts.

I knew all this without leaving my spot, thanks to Li Shu’s real-time updates in the group chat.

This guy clearly had no passion for saving lives. Though forced to stay because of Jiang Tianming, his reluctance led to slacking. His [Illusion] Ability’s defense wasn’t bad, so even without helping, it protected him well.

In short, though he went to “help,” he just found a safe spot, used [Illusion] to hide, and acted as a live reporter for those not at the scene.

I didn’t know what the others thought, but I wanted to give Li Shu a thumbs-up. Without such a kind soul, how would I know the protagonist group’s situation?

Jiang Tianming and the others were sent out that afternoon. They had stayed to help, and with Wu Mingbai’s prior notice, the Yafei king naturally wouldn’t pass up such capable allies.

The king wasn’t idle either—these days’ celebrations were part of their strategy. Since the upcoming danger was earthquakes, the best countermeasure was to get people away from buildings for a valid reason. A three-day celebration was perfect for that.

I didn’t reply, silently watching the updates. To resolve Yafei Kingdom’s crisis, they’d need to find the guardian god—the bell-ringer must untie the bell. The protagonist group would return eventually, so I had no reason to leave.

Plus, staying here let me access hidden information.

My Mental Energy at the staircase detected the king passing by. I raised an eyebrow, jumped off the bed, and headed for the stairs. No need to guess—the king must’ve realized something was wrong with the guardian god and was going to confront It.

But due to missing information, he likely didn’t know Black Flash’s role or that the guardian god might no longer intend to protect him. Rushing to meet It, I feared he’d be in danger.

The king could die, but not now. With Yafei Kingdom facing internal and external threats, all the princes and princesses were young, and no successor had been named. If the king died, the kingdom would descend into chaos.

Rescue efforts would stall, and the princes and princesses vying for the throne might drag Wu Mingbai into it, affecting the protagonist group—a massive headache.

But if the king lived, it’d be different. As a seasoned ruler, his presence could stabilize the nation. Ministers wouldn’t abandon a still-vigorous king to choose a minor as successor.

In my view, a more interesting move would be to let the kingdom descend into chaos first, exposing some people’s ulterior motives, then swoop in with the king as a divine savior at the critical moment.

To boost my popularity, I still wouldn’t appear often in the plot to avoid being labeled a royalist. But I needed to ensure I played a role in every plot I joined. Popularity didn’t depend on screen time—some characters appeared every chapter yet were still hated. I didn’t need quantity, just quality.

Saving the king and having him reappear at a critical moment would be a dazzling move for readers.

Using invisibility, I reached the secret chamber. As I entered, I saw a massive Destiny Compass above the king’s head, its pointer ominously downward. As I suspected, if left alone here, the king’s fate was death.

I adjusted the compass' pointer to normal and eavesdropped nearby.

“What’s wrong with you?” The king’s voice was irritable. “Didn’t we hold the celebration for you? Why this sudden change? If you’re dissatisfied, just say it—don’t mess with my country!”

After his outburst, with no response, he softened: “If you have some hidden issue, whether it’s lack of energy or needing something new, you can tell us. I know this incident is huge, and fixing or soothing it will take a lot of energy. Just name it, and I’ll provide. We Yafei royals have worked with you so long—you know we don’t take threats, only soft approaches.”

Perhaps due to Gao Di An Zhuo’s centuries of dominance, the king still didn’t realize It wasn’t posturing but genuinely unable to help anymore.

Suddenly, the chamber’s floor cracked, and the king, caught off guard, nearly fell through. As a king, he had plenty of items; he dropped a bit but quickly conjured wings to fly back up.

But the enraged Gao Di An Zhuo wasn’t letting him off. The ceiling collapsed, crashing down.

The king activated another item, shattering the ceiling into smaller pieces, and switched to defense mode to avoid injury from falling debris.

Dangers came one after another—larger, harder stones attacked from all sides. The king, unable to dodge, shouted for guards.

Though meeting the guardian god, he hadn’t skimped on protection. No matter how much he trusted It, he wouldn’t fully entrust his safety to It.

Especially now, with the guardian god clearly malfunctioning, he wouldn’t come alone. As king, his safety awareness was strong. But the guardian god’s secret was critical, so while he had guards, he met It alone.

Yet now, despite his danger, no one came despite his calls. Shocked, the king realized things were out of his control.

I knew why no one came—the guards were held up by another group. Clearly, this was a planned murder by Black Flash, targeting the Yafei king.

Black Flash members blocked reinforcements, keeping them from the chamber. Gao Di An Zhuo was tasked with killing the king. Perhaps It had a special ability that made Its killing more effective than Black Flash’s direct action, or it helped avoid suspicion, so Black Flash didn’t act themselves.

Reinforcements wouldn’t arrive soon. The king kept pulling out items to protect himself; his inventory was vast, enough to hold out for a bit. But against a high-level Nightmare Beast—especially a top-tier one whose abilities could cover a nation—how could he cope? No matter how many items, they were just one-use consumables. Unless the king had a solution, it was only a slow death.

As his items ran low, with nowhere to hide and nearing despair, several Gears shot out, shattering a giant stone about to hit him.

Then I grabbed the king’s arm, slapped an Invisibility Charm on him, and jokingly said: “Need me to say, ‘Your humble servant is late to the rescue’?”