Zhang Caidong

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Zhang Caidong (张财东)
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Diesel Company; later Shen Mu's Human Race territory in Dhirim
Occupation/Role	Former Deputy Captain of the Transportation Department's twelfth squad; former Deputy Minister of the Transportation Department; Blue Star Human manager; Centurion and Spiritual Realm Commander
First Appearance	31

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Level 3 Warrior	31	Served as Deputy Captain of the Transportation Department's twelfth squad within the Diesel Company.
Centurion / Swadian Recruit template	185	Shen Mu enfeoffed him as the first Centurion through the Special Module for Upgrading, granting him authority to lead 10 soldiers.
Tier 2 Swadian Militia	186 187	Received the Spiritual Realm Mark Legacy and Mount & Blade Rules data; gained the body, combat memories, and equipment of a Swadian Militia.
Swadian Light Infantry	228	Upgraded from Swadian Militia, gaining improved armor, weapons, combat skills, and Spiritual Realm Legacies.

Background / History

Zhang Caidong was a Level 3 Warrior and deputy captain in the Diesel Company's Transportation Department. Ambitious and willing to disregard rules for personal advancement, he relied on his hometown friend Zhang Bo for information obtained through the Quality Inspection Department's Magic Crystal Ball. 31

After encountering Shen Mu, Zhang Caidong reported the existence of Shen Mu and his Lord Core to Diesel Company's second general manager, Xue Zhigang, hoping to gain favor. Xue treated him as an outsider despite accepting the intelligence. 44

During Shen Mu's campaign against the Diesel Company, Zhang Caidong feigned surrender while imprisoned, then agreed to assist Shen Mu's plan to open the city gate. He returned to the company and passed a divination test conducted by Zhang Bo, who confirmed his loyalty; Xue Zhigang subsequently promoted him to Deputy Minister of the Transportation Department and assigned him three Official Convoys and five Temporary Convoys. 117 119

Zhang Caidong later acted as Shen Mu's inside man. He provoked conflict between temporary workers and official employees, assassinated Minister Zhao of the Quality Inspection Department, and weakened the Diesel Company's defenses immediately before Shen Mu's assault. 131

Following the Diesel Company's fall, Shen Mu assigned him responsibility for Blue Star Humans and temporary workers. Zhang Caidong initially retained thoughts of betrayal, but his status and attachment to Shen Mu's territory grew as he managed Dhirim's Blue Star Human population. 136 168

Personality

Zhang Caidong is ambitious, status-conscious, and politically opportunistic. Under the Diesel Company, he pursued promotions through intelligence, deception, and internal sabotage. 31 44 119 131

He is also protective toward people he considers close, particularly Zhang Bo and his own followers. He welcomed Zhang Bo onto his expedition teams, attempted to shield his soldiers from Skeleton Cavalry, and rejected a risky idea to attract more Undead because it could endanger Dhirim. 222 225 204

His loyalty is complicated by his dependence on Zhang Bo. Although he gradually becomes suspicious of Zhang Bo's manipulation, their longstanding bond repeatedly leads him to trust Zhang Bo's advice and leave political crises in his hands. 207 276 277

Abilities & Skills

Warrior and Swadian Legacy

Zhang Caidong began as a Level 3 Warrior before receiving successive Mount & Blade-based transformations from Shen Mu. 31 185 187 228

• Gained combat experience and memories comparable to a Professional's Legacy after becoming a Swadian Militia. 187
• Received proficiency Specialties for the spear, long-handled sickle, one-handed axe, and running. 229
• Demonstrated a spear technique that Blue Star Humans recognized as a Spiritual Realm Legacy. 229
• Advanced to Swadian Light Infantry with enhanced equipment and combat skills. 228

Command and Management

As a Centurion and senior Blue Star Human manager, Zhang Caidong commanded Human Race followers and directed Blue Star Human personnel. 185 190

• Initially received command authority over 10 soldiers as the first Centurion. 185
• Led 20 High-Level Managers and 200 Human Soldiers in clearing Undead-infested residential buildings on Balihe Street. 203
• Organized expeditions for combat experience and follower advancement while avoiding deeper areas of Darkness. 203 226
• Managed Blue Star Humans' prayer to Shen Mu, contributing to Shen Mu's Mental Energy and Power of Faith supply. 168

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Spear 187 229
• Shield 187
• Hunting crossbow 187
• Pointed hoe 187
• Swadian Militia and later Swadian Light Infantry armor and weapons 187 228

Relationships

• Shen Mu — Former enemy who used Zhang Caidong as an inside man against the Diesel Company; later his lord and benefactor, who entrusted him with managing Blue Star Humans, enfeoffed him as the first Centurion, and granted him successive Human Race legacies. 117 131 136 185 228
• Zhang Bo — Hometown friend and relative whom Zhang Caidong deeply trusts. Zhang Bo repeatedly manipulates him while secretly working against Dhirim; Zhang Caidong only gradually develops suspicions. 31 131 167 207 276 277
• Xue Zhigang — Diesel Company's second general manager. Zhang Caidong sought his favor by reporting Shen Mu, and Xue later promoted him to Deputy Minister after Zhang Bo verified his supposed loyalty. 44 119
• Sun Zhiru — Fellow senior manager whom Zhang Caidong supported for Spiritual Realm Commander opportunities despite opposition from his former inside-agent group. 190 192
• High-Level Managers — Subordinates and political allies whose escalating conflict with Middle-Level Managers eventually undermined Zhang Caidong's authority. 203 259 260
• Swadian Militia and Human Soldiers — His followers and guards; he led them in Undead-clearing operations and sought their advancement through combat experience. 187 203 204 276

Story Role / Major Arcs

Diesel Company operative

• Leveraged Zhang Bo's access to Magic Crystal Ball intelligence for personal advantage. 31
• Reported Shen Mu to Xue Zhigang and helped set the Diesel Company against him. 44
• Returned from captivity, passed Zhang Bo's lie-divination test, and became Deputy Minister of the Transportation Department. 119

Inside man during the fall of Diesel Company

• Accepted Shen Mu's proposal to help open the city gate in exchange for freedom and protection. 117
• Created internal disorder between temporary workers and official employees and assassinated Minister Zhao, enabling Shen Mu's successful attack. 131

Dhirim administrator and Centurion

• Took charge of Blue Star Humans and temporary workers after the Diesel Company's defeat. 136
• Directed Blue Star Humans' prayer and sought advancement as a Human Race Commander. 168
• Became Shen Mu's first Centurion, then received Swadian Militia and Swadian Light Infantry transformations. 185 187 228
• Led managers and Human Soldiers in operations against Undead on Balihe Street. 203 204 225 226

Internal power struggle

• Faced pressure from High-Level Managers seeking to purge Middle-Level Managers under the pretext of removing Diesel Company remnants. 258 259 260
• Relied on Zhang Bo to manage the conflict despite growing doubts about his friend's motives. 276 277
• Retained a loyal spy among the High-Level Managers, who exposed Zhou Mo's plan to provoke bloodshed among Middle-Level Managers. 265
• Awoke after the later crisis unaware of the preceding events and accepted Zhang Bo's account of the betrayal and Undead Legion attack. 345

Trivia

• Zhang Caidong was the first Blue Star Human to receive the Spiritual Realm Mark Legacy. 186
• He was Shen Mu's first Centurion. 185
• He preferred commanding Human Soldiers over Gnolls because it allowed him to feel that he retained his humanity. 204