Tong Zhao

Biodata

Background / History

Childhood

Tong Zhao’s parents divorced and started separate families, passing responsibility for him between them until his aunt took him in. Because she worked away from home throughout the year, he grew accustomed to looking after himself and traveling to school alone from first grade. He especially anticipated his younger cousin’s holiday visits, which relieved his loneliness 31.

First Mission: Tang Xu

During his first mission involving Shu Sizhuo, Tong Zhao used the name Tang Xu and introduced himself as a friend of the boy’s mother. He rescued the nearly eleven-year-old Shu Sizhuo from Fenli, escaped through a window, and sheltered him in a rented shantytown apartment 33.

Pursuers from Ode Mountain House intercepted their attempt to leave by bus. Tong Zhao escaped with Shu Sizhuo by bicycle despite receiving a knife wound across his back. Doctor Zhou stitched the injury, but the loss of Tong Zhao’s wallet, identification, and bank card left them struggling financially. Tong Zhao took dishwashing work while they remained in hiding 35 36 37.

After a month-long system outage, Tong Zhao obtained twenty thousand yuan in emotional-distress compensation and an advance on his wages. He contacted Shu Sizhuo’s maternal uncle, Hua Ruolin, who brought them back to City A with legal assistance and bodyguards 40 41.

Tong Zhao gave Shu Sizhuo a golden retriever puppy for his eleventh birthday, which the boy named Little Loofah. He later visited the United Kingdom after Shu Sizhuo went there to study, but eventually returned to his own home without saying goodbye to him directly 43.

Second Visit and Apparent Death

Tong Zhao returned under the identity Xia Zhen and became romantically involved with nineteen-year-old Shu Sizhuo. During this period, Shu Sizhuo was stabbed while protecting him 20 31 46.

Their separation occurred aboard a yacht. Tong Zhao was tied to a mast with a bleeding lower-back wound; although he freed himself, he fell into the sea before Shu Sizhuo could reach him. A system malfunction delayed his removal from the world, leaving him struggling in the water before his body disappeared 28.

The General Institute reprimanded Tong Zhao for pursuing Shu Sizhuo again and disrupting his prescribed future of business success, a marriage alliance, and heirs. Although headquarters sent female taskers to redirect Shu Sizhuo toward that planned marriage, Tong Zhao was not formally punished at that time 10 11.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Return After Eight Years

Tong Zhao secured another mission in Shu Sizhuo’s world despite the Institute’s objections, primarily to see whether Shu Sizhuo was living happily. Only half a year had passed for Tong Zhao, while eight years had elapsed for Shu Sizhuo 2 10.

They reunited at President Lu’s dinner, where Shu Sizhuo treated him as a stranger. Tong Zhao subsequently learned that Shu Sizhuo described his former acquaintance as dead. A flat tire brought them to the old residence, where Tong Zhao reunited with the now-elderly Little Loofah 2 3 5.

Believing Shu Sizhuo had not recognized him, Tong Zhao struggled between wanting to remain close and fearing another violation of the Institute’s rules. He cared for Shu Sizhuo’s apparent stomach trouble but rejected his proposal to become his lover 9 12.

Acting Work and Shi Ruohe’s Mission

Tong Zhao’s current assignment requires him to help Shi Ruohe achieve accomplishments in the performing arts. A low-paying commercial did not qualify for even one mission star. To obtain acting opportunities, Tong Zhao promised President Lu ten percent of his future film and television earnings; the urban-drama deal was later canceled after intervention from someone powerful, which Tong Zhao suspected was Shu Sizhuo 4 10 13.

Tong Zhao became Shuangting’s shampoo spokesperson, and his commercials attracted a small, enthusiastic following. During a filming pause, he worked as a costumed flyer distributor and takeout courier to afford a full year in the mission world—the longest stay available to taskers, regardless of mission completion 17 20 24.

He also supported Shi Ruohe personally: helping care for Grandpa Shi, bringing food to the set, treating Shi Ruohe’s filming injuries, and encouraging him to become a Best Actor 13 22 29.

Suspicions About Wind House

After encountering a young man who resembled him, Tong Zhao began to fear that Shu Sizhuo collected substitutes for his former lover. Hua Xiaotang’s information reinforced that suspicion, leading him to investigate Wind House and Huang Zhiyong 19 20 24.

Despite his jealousy and anger, Tong Zhao continued to worry about Shu Sizhuo’s health. He prayed for him at Wanqi Temple and secretly placed a safety talisman in his suitcase 26 27.

Abduction and Confinement

Shu Sizhuo drugged Tong Zhao at the seaside. Tong Zhao awakened after three days unconscious in a sealed room, chained by the ankle and unable to reach either the door or window. During the confrontation that followed, Shu Sizhuo falsely claimed to have imprisoned and tortured the men at Wind House 30 31 32.

Tong Zhao’s distressed reference to raising Shu Sizhuo exposed his identity. Shu Sizhuo confirmed that he had recognized him all along, then sexually assaulted him despite his resistance and pleas to stop 32 44.

Believing the Wind House occupants were in danger, Tong Zhao agreed to remain in their place if Shu Sizhuo released them. Shu Sizhuo ordered them dismissed and safely sent home, but kept Tong Zhao captive. The available passages explicitly establish that Shu Sizhuo’s earlier account of torturing them was a lie 32 45.

Tong Zhao’s system stopped responding again, cutting off his usual means of obtaining help. By Chapter 50, he was prioritizing escape from the room over completing his mission or immediately leaving the world. His unusually gentle greeting when Shu Sizhuo returned was interpreted by Shu Sizhuo as acceptance, although Tong Zhao was still considering how to get free 46 50.

Appearance

Tong Zhao is handsome, with softly defined features, dark eyes, and a slender build 18 33 50.

• Hair: Black and silky; his agent considers it particularly suitable for shampoo advertising 6.
• Smile: His eyes curve when he smiles and are compared to stars 4.
• Build: Narrow waist and pronounced shoulder blades; shorter than adult Shu Sizhuo by more than half a head 4 18.
• Voice: Clear and bright, with a slight upward lilt 33.
• Unchanged appearance: He looks the same across sixteen years of Shu Sizhuo’s life, causing others to mistake him for a younger lookalike 4 24 46.

Personality

Tong Zhao is affectionate and protective, especially toward people who are lonely or vulnerable. He nurses the young Shu Sizhuo through illness, comforts him after abuse, and later provides Shi Ruohe with steady encouragement. His own childhood loneliness also makes companionship particularly important to him 29 31 33 40.

His attachment to Shu Sizhuo conflicts with his professional obligations. He returns chiefly to check on him and works extra jobs simply to remain in the same world longer. At the same time, he blames himself for disrupting Shu Sizhuo’s intended future, even while resenting his coercion and refusing to accept captivity 10 13 20 50.

Tong Zhao is outspoken when angered. He condemns using money and power to force relationships, fights men harassing Hua Xiaotang, and refuses to tolerate an abusive delivery customer even at the cost of most of a day’s earnings. His courage does not make him insensitive to pain: he is visibly frightened of the anesthetic injections needed to stitch his back 14 16 20 36.

Abilities & Skills

Tasker Training

Tong Zhao passed the General Institute’s examinations with barely passing marks across subjects 6.

• His training requires broad practical knowledge, familiarity with different professions, and the ability to learn for unfamiliar assignments 6.
• He can undertake missions using different identities, including Tang Xu and Xia Zhen 33 46.

System Access

As Tasker 07166, Tong Zhao can communicate with a system associated with the General Institute 40.

• Obtains mission assessments, information, and paid support; quoted contact-information prices include one thousand yuan for Huang Zhiyong and twenty thousand yuan for Shu Sizhuo’s uncle 10 24 40.
• Can request compensation and wage advances through the system 41.
• Depends on its availability: major outages leave him without responses or assistance 40 46.

Acting and Commercial Performance

Tong Zhao performs in commercials and takes supporting acting work rather than pursuing fame for its own sake 4 7.

• Adapts to exaggerated advertising scripts and direction despite embarrassment 7.
• Becomes distracted while Shu Sizhuo watches a shoot, but eventually completes filming successfully 8.

Fighting and Caregiving

• Fighting: Uses kicks, punches, and improvised weapons to rescue Shu Sizhuo and defend Hua Xiaotang; he can still be injured or overwhelmed by multiple attackers 16 33 35.
• Basic care: Cleans and treats wounds, administers medicine, monitors fevers, and prepares food for people who are ill 9 33 40.

Equipment / Items

• Safety talisman: Obtained at Wanqi Temple for Shu Sizhuo and secretly placed in his suitcase 26 27.
• Dog plushie: A palm-sized yellow Chinese rural dog toy bought because it reminded him of a toy Little Loofah enjoyed as a puppy 20.
• Borrowed bicycle: Shi Ruohe’s bicycle, used for takeout deliveries while Tong Zhao claimed he was cycling for exercise 20.
• Ankle chain: A retractable restraint installed in his confinement room; permits movement to the bathroom and bookcase but prevents access to the exit 31.

Relationships

• Shu Sizhuo — Formerly his rescue target and ward, later his lover and captor. Tong Zhao remains deeply attached to him while resisting his imprisonment and sexual violence 33 44 50.
• Shi Ruohe — Close friend, fellow actor, and current mission target. Tong Zhao helps secure work for him and encourages his ambition to become a Best Actor 4 10 29.
• Hua Xiaotang — Senior colleague and friend. They fight off drunken harassers together, and she shares information about Shu Sizhuo’s apparent lookalikes 16 19.
• Hua Ruolin — Shu Sizhuo’s maternal uncle and Tong Zhao’s ally during the first mission. They become drinking companions while staying with the Shu family 41 43.
• Little Loofah — Golden retriever Tong Zhao gave Shu Sizhuo for his eleventh birthday. Their reunion sixteen years later is affectionate and painful for Tong Zhao 5 43.
• Sister Wan — His agent, who arranges commercial work and helps pursue acting opportunities for him and Shi Ruohe 6 13.
• Zhang Yi’an — Neighbor and friend who brings him homemade food. Tong Zhao promises that Zhang’s move will not end their friendship 9 13.
• Doctor Zhou — Treats the knife wound Tong Zhao receives while protecting the young Shu Sizhuo 35 36.

Notable Quotes

“Keeping a lover is wrong, and using your power to threaten others into submitting is wrong too. You shouldn't do this.” 14

“Stop... Don't make me hate you, Shu Sizhuo. Don't make me hate you...” 44