Chapter 62
[[Prophet Post] The protagonist group has been noticed by the "Black Flash" organization. Predicting the Endless Ability Academy’s response]
[ProphetNo.0: rbt, since "Black Flash" is targeting first-years, the top ten in individual battles will definitely be under scrutiny. The school can’t possibly overlook this, so I bet they’ll have protective measures.
Protecting ten people at once is easiest by putting them in the same class. But Class A clearly didn’t have special protections before, and I doubt the school would make Class A special just for this incident.
Coincidentally, Class S was mentioned earlier. I think it’s a hint from the author. Class S might be starting next.]
Honestly, his claim was a bit like cheating. Most people wouldn’t connect this incident to Class S starting. But no matter. He was cheating, and it was a cheat no one could detect.
Not in the mood to study, Su Bei idly wondered who else would join Class S besides the ten of them. If nothing went wrong, Qi Huang and Li Shu, who appeared in the manga, should join.
Speaking of which, would Zhao Xiaoyu and Wu Jin have no more screen time? That seemed unlikely. But without joining Class S, their plot would surely shrink. If nothing unexpected happened, there’d likely be changes later.
After a while, Su Bei refreshed the thread, and sure enough, new comments had piled up.
[No.1: Huh?]
[No.2: Big bro, you said what I wanted to say. Huh?]
[No.3: Huh?]
[No.4: Wait, I recognize every word, but together, I don’t get it?]
[No.5: Great analysis. Don’t analyze next time.]
[No.6: Huh?]
[No.7: OP’s imagination is too wild, right?]
[No.8: Quite a baseless analysis, but you know what, I kinda think it makes sense.]
[No.9: OP’s name looks familiar?]
[No.10: Are you serious?]
[No.11 replying to No.9:
I didn’t notice until you mentioned it. This OP is Prophet! Damn! If so, I’m starting to believe his judgment.]
[No.12: Haven’t seen Prophet post in ages. Didn’t expect such a seemingly nonsensical post on return.]
[No.13: Finally caught a live Prophet post!]
[…]
[No.21: You guys got me all confused. Who’s OP?]
[No.22: I wanna know too. Why does everyone stop thinking it’s absurd once they see it’s his post?]
[No.23: To the two above, just search “Prophet” by OP’s name and sort by timeline. You’ll get it.]
[…]
[No.61: I sorted it out. OP’s kinda amazing…]
[No.62: Gotta say, the name fits.]
[No.63: First, I’ll say the main post’s guess is outrageous. Second, if it’s true, I’ll become Prophet’s blind follower! Prophet Sect!]
[No.64: I’m so curious how you always guess right? The things you predict are so out there!]
[No.65 replying to No.64:
I suspect he sneaked a peek at the author’s script.]
Why could he always guess right? Because he was cheating, of course! Looking at the comment, Su Bei smirked inwardly. Seeing the manga and using the forum were his biggest advantages, and he had to make good use of them.
After this, the forum readers’ trust in his account would surely skyrocket. Then he could use it to enhance his Ability again. He’d need to think carefully about what direction to take it.
But that would depend on his changes after the next manga update. His performance in this team battle was decent, so the next update might bring a pleasant surprise.
On Sunday, the day before school, the fifteen Class S members were finalized. Besides the ten of them, Li Shu and Qi Huang were, as expected, among the remaining five. There was also a girl who’d fought Wu Mingbai, Ling You.
Ling You was from Class A, with short, ear-length dark green hair and pale purple eyes, undeniably a cool, pretty girl. Her Ability was said to involve poison, but since Su Bei hadn’t faced her, he hadn’t looked into it.
Normally, a new member like her would draw attention, but everyone’s focus was stolen by two others—
Zhao Xiaoyu and Wu Jin had both made it!
Clearly, no one expected this. Seeing two more Class F students in the classroom, everyone looked surprised. Their individual battle results were decent but surely not Class S level?
Just then, Meng Huai walked in. Seeing everyone staring at Zhao Xiaoyu and Wu Jin, he snapped his fingers: "What’re you looking at? Think they don’t belong?"
No one spoke, but some, especially from Class A, were visibly unconvinced. Jiang Tianming and the others making it was one thing—they were top ten. But what qualified these two?
Knowing his students, Meng Huai looked at Zhao Xiaoyu casually: "Explain yourself."
Zhao Xiaoyu had anticipated the skepticism and prepared her response. She smiled generously, instantly likable: "Class S doesn’t just take those with strong Abilities. Excellence in other areas can get you in too."
"And you…" Zhou Renjie couldn’t help but want to mock, "What area are you excellent in?"
But before he finished, Zhao Xiaoyu continued naturally: "As for my area of excellence, I hope you’ll discover it as we get to know each other."
Her candid admission of her Ability’s limits, paired with a reasonable point, reduced their hostility significantly.
After all, weren’t there five Dismissed slots? If Zhao Xiaoyu didn’t cut it, she’d be Dismissed eventually. No need to make an enemy now.
Next was Wu Jin. Meng Huai had no intention of speaking for him; letting Zhao Xiaoyu go first was already protective: "Wu Jin, your turn."
Wu Jin, head down, hood covering half his face, mumbled: "The principal sent me."
Then he quickly stepped between Su Bei and Zhao Xiaoyu, as if the spot gave him some security.
Whoa! This was a bombshell.
The principal of the Endless Ability Academy was a legend, even if they didn’t know him personally. He was said to be the strongest Ability user today, with unmatched power, and no one knew his Ability.
Speaking of which, what was the principal’s surname?
Was it… Wu?
Hiss!
Those who made the connection gasped quietly, including Su Bei. He couldn’t help glancing at Wu Jin. He hadn’t thought of this before. Did Wu Jin really have such a background? Was he actually related to the principal?
Everyone shut up. Since the principal sent him, there’d be no disputes for now. If Wu Jin stayed past Dismissed and still didn’t impress, that’s when issues would arise.
Meng Huai watched their reactions with interest. He’d let Wu Jin speak for the drama. Once satisfied, he sat on the chair behind the podium: "Go up one by one and introduce your Abilities. You’ll need to cooperate a lot moving forward."
After everyone introduced their Abilities, Su Bei had a clearer picture. The only two he wasn’t familiar with were Li Shu and Ling You, so he focused on them.
"I’m Li Shu. My Ability is [Illusion]. Nice to meet you all. I hope we can maintain harmonious classmate relationships in our studies."
Li Shu’s Ability, [Illusion], was self-explanatory. At its peak, it’d be formidable, but Li Shu was far from that now. Notably, after close contact today, Su Bei finally got a sense of him. He couldn’t tell if Li Shu was sickly sweet, but his words felt a bit off.
Next was Ling You: "Ling You. My Ability is [Plague]. It usually can’t kill quickly, but once it hits, it’s nearly incurable and can spread."
Everyone: "…"
Their expressions tightened. Plague was terrifying in any era, and no one expected someone could have such an Ability! Though they hadn’t encountered it, they knew this poison was not to be touched lightly.
When it was Su Bei’s turn, he finally stopped saying his Ability was [Gear]: "I’m Su Bei. My Ability is [Destiny Gear]."
This Ability needed a brief explanation, especially with new classmates. Seeing the small pointer above Mo Xiaotian’s head already tilting right, Su Bei smiled: "One of you is about to have bad luck."
He didn’t specify who, as naming someone might prompt a reaction, causing the pointer to swing back left.
But if it was Mo Xiaotian, no need to worry too much: "Stop looking, Mo Xiaotian, it’s you."
"Ah… huh?" Mo Xiaotian’s eyes widened. "Me?"
It was his turn to go up. He walked to the podium, puzzled, and tripped as soon as he stepped up. The pointer above his head then returned to the center.
Seeing this, the others, especially those unfamiliar with Su Bei, looked at him in shock. Such an Ability was truly remarkable.
After everyone introduced themselves, Meng Huai clapped, and several caged, pitch-black Nightmare Beasts rose from the floor. Some resembled animals, while others were too deformed to identify.
"Starting tomorrow, you’ll train against Nightmare Beasts daily without breaks. One month from now, you’ll go to a real Different Space for a trial. Any questions?"
"Me, me, me!" Mo Xiaotian eagerly raised his hand.
Meng Huai sneered, and a piece of chalk flew straight at his head, making a crisp sound. One couldn’t help but wonder what was in Mo Xiaotian’s head.
"Questions won’t help!"
Since formal classes started tomorrow, the teacher left soon after introductions. Zhao Xiaoyu looked at everyone: "Shall we have a meal together to celebrate becoming classmates?"
With only fifteen in Class S, a meal could indeed bond them.
The first to respond, unsurprisingly, was Mo Xiaotian. Unexpectedly, the second was Li Shu.
The pink-haired boy smiled gently and cutely: "Sure, I’d love to get to know everyone better!"
Saying this, he was clearly looking at Jiang Tianming. Su Bei was genuinely curious how Jiang Tianming caught his attention. He guessed something interesting happened in their personal arc.
Sensing his gaze, Jiang Tianming’s face darkened. Wu Mingbai stepped in front of his friend, cheerfully asking Li Shu: "What’re you looking at?"
Li Shu wasn’t as warm with him but remained polite: "Looking at Tianming. I’m quite interested in him. Too bad he doesn’t seem keen to know me?"
Openly expressing interest in someone was disarming, though it could be ambiguous. Plus, Jiang Tianming genuinely didn’t want to engage, so no one responded.
But honestly, like Su Bei, they were curious why this seemingly gentle pink-haired classmate was so interested in Jiang Tianming. It seemed unusually intense for someone so gentle to say this publicly.
Feeling their odd looks, Li Shu didn’t mind, even smiling gently at them.
Su Bei sighed inwardly. He still couldn’t tell if Li Shu was sickly sweet. Outside Jiang Tianming-related matters, his surface manners were impeccable.
Unfortunately, his sigh caught Li Shu’s attention: "Why’s Su Bei sighing? Did my words bother you?"
Su Bei did not want to get entangled, especially after the forum speculated Li Shu might be sickly sweet. He said firmly: "I just remembered I left the gas on in my room. I’m heading back."
He turned and left.
Behind him, Mo Xiaotian scratched his head, confused: "Do our dorms have gas?"
"Idiot!" Wu Mingbai smacked him without hesitation, then turned to Zhao Xiaoyu. "Let’s skip the meal. We mostly know each other already."
Zhao Xiaoyu, sensing the awkward vibe, took the out: "You’re right. Subing, let’s head back!"
Lan Subing, socially anxious all day, nodded firmly and left with her. The others dispersed, leaving Li Shu standing there with a gentle smile.
"Heh, Su Bei, huh? Quite an interesting person."
Back at the dorm, Su Bei thought for a moment and knocked on Feng Lan’s door. Feng Lan was holding a meal card, probably about to head out for lunch.
Perfect. They went together. On the way, Su Bei asked bluntly: "Have you used this month’s Prophecy chance?"
"Already prophesied," Feng Lan said slowly, blinking. "What’s up?"
"Nothing, just curious to see what it looks like when you use that Ability," Su Bei replied.
His own Ability was entirely fabricated, so he was naturally curious about how a real prophet’s Prophecy worked.
Feng Lan shook his head: "It’s nothing special. Others say I just close my eyes, and then I get the Prophecy."
So that’s it? His made-up version was flashier, then. Su Bei nodded thoughtfully: "Can I know what you prophesied this time?"
Feng Lan shook his head, not hiding anything: "My Ability’s different from yours…"
He frowned slightly, hesitating as he looked at Su Bei: "Come to my place during the Gold Display Festival."
The Gold Display Festival started on November 11 each year and lasted three days. People showcased their year’s gains, so the younger generation called it the "Flaunt Wealth Festival."
Why the sudden topic shift? Su Bei was surprised but smiled: "An invitation? I’m fine with it, but why suddenly invite me to your place?"
"The Feng Family is an old prophetic family with many books on Prophecy Abilities. I think you should read them," Feng Lan said, his golden eyes full of sincerity. "But the elders will likely try to recruit you. If you don’t want to, just refuse."
When new Prophecy Ability users appeared, the Feng Family often recruited them. They hadn’t approached Su Bei because he hadn’t revealed his Ability initially, and their young master was in his class.
Joining the Feng Family came with constraints, requiring service to them. But for Prophecy Ability users, it wasn’t entirely bad. Prophecy Abilities were rare, and without guidance, one could easily misstep.
Noticing Su Bei’s lack of knowledge about Prophecy Abilities, Feng Lan invited him to learn more.
Su Bei caught the hidden meaning. Feng Lan had noticed his ignorance, perhaps even that he’d violated some taboo, and wanted to provide more information.
Though Feng Lan said it casually, Su Bei was touched. Exclusive knowledge was precious everywhere, yet Feng Lan offered it freely to help him understand Prophecy better.
But alongside the gratitude, Su Bei felt a twinge of suspicion. He and Feng Lan were barely friends, having known each other just over a month. Even in shonen manga, where friendships grew fast, this level of selflessness, disregarding family interests, seemed excessive.
As the destined head of the Feng Family, Feng Lan was no pushover.
Thinking this, he asked half-jokingly: "So generous?"
If more direct, he’d have added, "You don’t have a crush on me, do you?" But no need—they both understood.
Feng Lan got it, giving Su Bei a complicated look: "It’s related to this Prophecy."
Hearing this, Su Bei grew more curious about Feng Lan’s monthly Prophecy. What kind of Prophecy involved him and prompted Feng Lan to help him grow stronger?
Circling back, he asked: "What were you saying earlier? My Ability’s different from yours?"
Feng Lan organized his thoughts and said: "Different, but also similar. Prophecy lets you know others’ fates. The bigger the Prophecy, the more who know it. When I get a Prophecy, fate starts shifting."
Indeed, knowing a major Prophecy, even doing nothing, was a response, and responding could cause changes.
"Changing one or two people’s fates is fine, but if a Prophecy alters too many, the cost isn’t just Mental Energy."
Feng Lan didn’t say what the cost was, but it was clear that changing many fates came at a steep price.
Hearing this, Su Bei understood their difference. His Prophecies were small, while Feng Lan’s, though unspecified, were likely much bigger.
So Su Bei’s Prophecies were safe to share, but Feng Lan’s weren’t. Each person knowing added uncertainty, and he’d bear the consequences.
No wonder Feng Lan thought Su Bei knew too little about Prophecy. Without Feng Lan explaining, Su Bei might’ve stumbled into trouble before learning this.
Big families had their perks—deep foundations. With Feng Family resources, guiding the forum would’ve been far easier.
But joining was out of the question. Freedom was paramount to Su Bei, second only to life. Plus, with his pile of issues, joining would be a disservice to them.
Back to the point, Feng Lan’s invitation aimed to help him grow stronger by expanding his knowledge. What Prophecy prompted Feng Lan to want him stronger?
Was it specifically about him, or did it involve others too?
Testing the waters, Su Bei said: "Just inviting me’s no fun. Why not invite all of Class S? Your family wouldn’t mind befriending promising Ability users, right?"
Feng Lan thought for a moment: "But I’ve no reason to invite them."
Inviting Su Bei made sense—he needed it. Inviting others couldn’t just be, "I’m kindly letting you tour my library," could it?
So it involved everyone? Su Bei raised a brow, subtly suggesting: "Easy. What’s the Gold Display Festival for? Just invite them, and they’ll get the hint."
True enough. Inviting people home during the Flaunt Wealth Festival was normal.
Though it was odd for Feng Lan’s personality, with the Feng Family’s library as bait, no one would refuse.
As they spoke, Su Bei suddenly asked inwardly: "In the original plot without me, would Feng Lan invite Jiang Tianming and the others?"
"Manga Consciousness" knew this was directed at it. After a moment, it answered affirmatively: "Yes."
Hearing this, Su Bei smiled: "Don’t worry, opportunities will come."
As a prophet, Feng Lan was sensitive to prophetic words. Hearing this, he asked: "You prophesied this?"