Chapter 199

Chapter 199

After a nap and refreshing the thread, Su Bei found it flooded with replies.

[No.1: Aaaah, look what I found!]

[No.2: Long time no see!]

[No.3: Long time no see!!!]

[No.4: Been weeks, right? Prophet, were you locked up by the author?]

[No.5 replying to No.4: Plausible]

[No.6: Smelled the vibe and came running—same old flavor]

[No.7: Is OP famous on the forum?]

[No.9 replying to No.7: Use search]

[…]

[No.25: Guys, stop reminiscing—anyone notice the main post?]

[No.26 replying to No.25: Noticed. Clear as day—Mu Tieren won’t leave, Su Bei’s ability teased]

[No.27: Upstairs nailed it]

[No.28: Hearing Prophet say Mu Tieren won’t leave is such a relief. Was scared he’d go offline]

[No.29: Yeah, if he left, plus the mole, S-Class would be down to thirteen. Not few, but feels lonely]

[No.30: I’m fine with fewer people near graduation—feels real. But in first year? Total buzzkill]

[No.31: I like Mu Tieren. Honest guy, but fans are usually few]

[No.32 replying to No.31: Fans doubled after this chapter—check his super topic!]

[No.33: If he goes offline right after gaining fans, he’d be many readers’ white moonlight]

[No.34 replying to No.33: Hiss! Sounds like a good thing?]

[No.35: Pass on that. As a Mu fan, I’d rather he’s less popular than leave S-Class. Bet Mu Mu feels the same]

[No.36: You manga fans and your cutesy nicknames are something else]

[No.37 replying to No.36: All started by Jiang Jiang]

[…]

[No.81: All focused on Mu Tieren? Where’s Su Bei’s fans?]

[No.82 replying to No.81: Cheering in the super topic—author finally fleshed out Bei Bei’s persona]

[No.83: Su Bei’s vibe is mysterious, even his ability reveal is cryptic]

[No.84: Besides cool, what’s to say? Only he can see it]

[No.85: I’d prefer visible abilities—Su Bei altering fates, attacking with gears, that’s cool]

[No.86: OP, know when the author next reveals Su Bei’s ability? So curious!]

[No.87: @Prophet]

[No.88: @OP]

[No.89: You guys really treat OP as a prophet? The author said he doesn’t keep drafts, draws live. How could OP know what’s not drawn?]

[…]

Seeing posts asking when he’d next reveal Su Bei’s ability, Su Bei hesitated. Per his plan, he’d “expose” another ability in the next update, so answering now could build reader anticipation, making his next hook land easier.

But two issues: First, he couldn’t explain how he knew. As No.89 said, King of Abilities' author had no drafts—knowing undrawn content was illogical. He couldn’t let people think he was the author, could he?

Second, the next chapter was likely daily life, with no set events, making screen time uncertain. If his hook didn’t make the Manga, it’d be a false leak.

“Prophet”’s credibility hinged on never being wrong. One mistake would tank trust, a cost he couldn’t bear.

Weighing pros and cons, Su Bei skipped answering. Better play it safe—rushing risked digging his own grave.

It was Saturday, no classes. After checking last night’s thread, Su Bei got up and headed out. Even on rest days, training was a habit from childhood.

At the dorm door, he bumped into Wu Mingbai and Jiang Tianming heading out too. Usually, he’d see Mu Tieren at this hour, so spotting them raised Su Bei’s brow.

“Morning,” Jiang Tianming greeted, with Wu Mingbai echoing. But after, Wu Mingbai grinned, throwing shade at Su Bei.

Knowing Su Bei was the type to bolt at danger didn’t stop Wu Mingbai’s griping. Too dog-like—knowing the food was bad and not hinting at all.

If Su Bei had just vanished, they’d have sensed something off. But he gave an excuse, making them think he was just hitting the restroom.

Griping aside, they weren’t truly mad. Su Bei’s personality was one thing; warning was a favor, not a duty. They missed the food issue themselves—no one else to blame.

Plus, he wasn’t totally silent. Wu Mingbai later realized Su Bei’s words and actions hinted at trouble, just not caught then.

After some banter, they got to business. Jiang Tianming said, “Everyone who ate the food is awake, no lingering effects. We’re heading with Subing to see the Class Monitor. Coming?”

Su Bei thought, then asked, “Has the [Regeneration] ability user arrived?”

If not, he’d pass. He’d seen Mu Tieren’s coma—no point visiting to wish him well, as if “good vibes” could wake him.

If the [Regeneration] user was there, he’d go. Catching the ability in action would be ideal, a chance to observe such a unique power.

Even if the ability was already used, it would still be worth it—Mu Tieren would likely be mostly healed. If it couldn’t make a heart, that’d be intriguing too, revealing the academy’s next steps.

Worst case, treatment hadn’t started, but he’d get face time with the expert—useful for future connections.

“They’re here,” Jiang Tianming, clearly informed, said. “Zhaohua said they arrived early and should start treatment soon.”

Su Bei nodded. “Let’s go.”

“Me too.” A cool voice came from behind—Feng Lan.

He approached, nodded at Su Bei, and asked calmly, “When did you ‘see’ the food was bad?”

Without using [Prophecy] beforehand, Feng Lan only foresaw danger five seconds before fainting, reacting fast to use a prop for self-rescue.

Su Bei was different—clearly spotting the food issue early, not eating, and even… thoughtfully, if you could call it that, taking a big share so others ate less.

“From the start,” Su Bei shrugged. Seeing Feng Lan ponder, he suggested, “You could prophesy before every outing.”

He gave a sly smile. “Our academy’s outings, well, you know.”

At that, they exchanged knowing glances, dodging the topic. Their academy was absurd—every outing brought trouble. But as academy events, unless they swore off them, complaining was best kept quiet.

“I get it…” Feng Lan pursed his lips. Su Bei’s idea worked, but it wasn’t a long-term fix. Danger wasn’t always predictable; he needed a permanent solution.

Meeting Lan Subing outside, the five headed to Mu Tieren’s infirmary. Si Zhaohua and Ai Baozhu, already informed, were there. Beside them was a bald man in a white coat, likely the [Regeneration] ability user. Ye Lin was there too, chatting with him.

Seeing them, Si Zhaohua and Ai Baozhu rejoined the group. Jiang Tianming asked, “Not started yet?”

“Not yet, they’re discussing treatment,” Si Zhaohua shook his head, worried. “It’s not going smoothly. Dr. Zhou says he can make a heart, but since the Class Monitor’s a robot, he shouldn’t need one…”

True—robots didn’t need hearts. Mu Tieren’s case was unique and unreplicable; even a [Regeneration] user might not be able to help.

“Can only that green heart restore him?” Lan Subing frowned, concerned. “If so, I doubt he’d accept…”

Mu Tieren had strong pride. The boss claimed his everything came from that [Life Essence] green heart, so to cut ties, Mu Tieren returned it, even at the cost of death.

Would he accept it again? If they forced it to save him, he might not thank them but resent them.

With his personality, he’d likely not blame them but try removing it again. Pointless effort—they hoped for a better way.

As they talked, other classmates trickled in. Seeing so many at the door, the unfamiliar man exiting the room paused, then smiled warmly.

Brown hair, brown eyes, resembling Mu Tieren—he was clearly the top scientist who made his body.

The man didn’t chat, glancing at them before turning to Ye Lin. Though one was tech, the other ability, their goal to save was the same.

Su Bei’s group eavesdropped. Mu Tieren’s guardian, Mu Scientist, suggested full mechanization, using a chip as a heart. The tech wasn’t ready, but with specific ability users, it was possible.

Dr. Zhou suggested finding any remaining active cells in Mu Tieren. With them, he could regenerate most of him, supplementing the rest with mechanics.

Both plans were feasible but flawed. The first—full mechanization without flesh or green heart—would strip Mu Tieren’s ability.

The second, per Dr. Zhou, used one cell to clone a new person. Could they find active cells? Even if they did, would the clone be the Mu Tieren they knew?

Frowning, no one spoke, dissatisfied with both options.

Zhao Xiaoyu noticed Ye Lin, silent since the treatment talk began. “Teacher Ye Lin, got any ideas?”

“I have one…” Ye Lin hesitated, glancing at Dr. Zhou. “You’ve heard of the ‘Perfect Heart’?”

“You mean…” Dr. Zhou pondered, searching his memory, then lit up. “The relic of that high-level Nightmare Beast?”

Ye Lin nodded, troubled. “But getting a ‘Perfect Heart’ is tough, and…”

She glanced at Jiang Tianming’s group but shook her head. “Never mind, let’s think of other ways.”

“Teacher, tell us—we need to know to make it happen,” Jiang Tianming caught her glance, sensing they’d need to help get the heart.

Ye Lin hesitated, but Dr. Zhou spoke up. “There’s a high-level Nightmare Beast called the Heart Nightmare Beast. Killing it yields a ‘Perfect Heart.’ It survives ten minutes post-death, merging with any living being’s heart without rejection. If this heartless student gets it, it’d form a perfect heart for him.”

Ideal for Mu Tieren, but with only ten minutes, it had to be freshly killed. Not a problem—hire an ability user to kill one.

So why Ye Lin’s hesitation?

Sensing their confusion, Ye Lin sighed, explaining, “For the ‘Perfect Heart’ to merge without rejection, the killer must be the user, their direct blood relative, or someone closely bonded. No other interference allowed.”

Mu Tieren, comatose, couldn’t kill it. His only living relative was Life Tech Machinery Co., Ltd.’s boss, who wouldn’t help. Closely bonded? Clearly in Su Bei’s group, not even Meng Huai counted.

Li Shu frowned. “Some of us are closer to the Class Monitor than others. How do we know who’s ‘closely bonded’?”

“You’re in the same class, auras intertwined—that’s enough. Closeness doesn’t matter,” Ye Lin replied, meaning any S-Class Student qualified. But Li Shu asked not out of concern but because he didn’t want to go. Who knew where the Heart Nightmare Beast was? Killing an unknown high-level beast took effort. For the average-bonded Mu Tieren, Li Shu felt it wasn’t worth it. If it was Jiang Tianming, he’d have rushed.

His frown deepened, then relaxed. “So, if others stay in his room a few days, they’d qualify to kill it?”

Good idea, but Ye Lin shook her head. “Close bonding takes at least a week. Mu Tieren can’t last that long.”

Without a heart, even in the ability world, he couldn’t hold out. Dr. Zhou agreed. “He’s got six days max. Decide fast. I recommend the ‘Perfect Heart’—it’s the best solution. You know the flaws of the other two.”

As a professional, he didn’t blindly trust his plan, offering fair advice.

Mu Scientist knew Ye Lin’s plan was best ,but also the toughest to execute—it needed the help of students, who weren’t obligated to risk so much.

“Speaking for myself, I’m in,” Jiang Tianming said, eyes firm. “I’ve killed high-level Nightmare Beasts. With the beast’s weaknesses and a solid plan, it should be fine.”

“He speaks for us too,” Wu Mingbai said brightly, grinning at Lan Subing, who nodded her blue head vigorously.

“Me, me, me! I’m in!” Mo Xiaotian waved wildly, bouncing excitedly, as if it were a field trip.

Qi Huang rolled her eyes. “Enough signing up. If you're not going, raise your hand.”

After a pause, Zhao Xiaoyu raised hers. “I’m out. I asked Teacher—my [Happiness] purifies Nightmare Beasts, leaving nothing, including bones or props.”

Her ability suited the mission, but that buff was a problem. If she accidentally purified the Heart Nightmare Beast, it’d be disastrous. So she opted out, confident her reasoning wouldn’t draw blame.

“If prophecy’s needed, I’ll go. Otherwise, I’m out,” Feng Lan said. His ability wasn’t for frontline fighting; without it being needed, he’d just be a burden.

With two out, Li Shu expected one more. He raised his hand. “Heart Nightmare Beasts can likely resist my [Illusion], so I’m out.”

No lie—beasts like hearts or brains, with high mental energy, resisted [Illusion]. Without knowing the foe, illusions relied on mental suppression. Low mental energy risked backlash.

He looked at Su Bei, expecting him to raise his hand. Shockingly, Su Bei didn’t.

Feeling their stares, Su Bei smirked. “What’re you looking at?”

Normally, people would look away, embarrassed. But this wasn’t a normal crowd. Li Shu quipped sarcastically, “Didn’t expect you’d hunt a Heart Nightmare Beast. Admirable.”

Su Bei, unabashed, said, “Yeah, I’m just that selfless, ready to take a hit for a classmate.”

“Ugh!” Li Shu fake-gagged, then asked seriously, “So, why really?”

He thought he knew Su Bei—they shared a dislike for trouble, Su Bei even more so, a master slacker. No deep bond with Mu Tieren—what drove him to take this avoidable task?

Su Bei wouldn’t spill the truth, tilting his head. “Probably ‘cause this trip’ll be fun.”

Silence. Coming from anyone else, they’d doubt it. From Su Bei, they had to believe it.

But the truth? Hunting a Heart Nightmare Beast meant going to the Nightmare Beast world, so Su Bei had to join. Simple as that.