Zheng Zai

Biodata

Power Progression

Background / History

Efforts to save his father

Zheng Zai’s father, Zheng Yi, was arrested during an anti-corruption campaign, and the family became prisoners. Zheng Zai spent years trying to attract enough recognition to save him. As a javelin athlete, he placed fourth in his third year, second in his fourth, and first in his fifth with a record-breaking lead. The publicity and rewards repeatedly passed him over: coverage favored the top three when he finished fourth, then only the champion when he finished second 41 46.

He subsequently climbed the Slaughter Tower and Strange Tower, hoping that supplies and merit would make the Bunker acknowledge him. His prisoner background also prevented him from receiving ordinary treatment; he sought a high Completion Level to restore his standing and obtain medical care for his apparent illness 41 44 46.

During their first shared mission, Park Mihee told him that his father had died in prison. Zheng Zai initially refused to believe her, then erupted in grief and rage at the apparent futility of his sacrifices. Seeing his desire for revenge, Wen Xishu abandoned his willingness to kill Zheng Zai if necessary and decided to keep him alive 46.

Academy appointment

After surviving Parrot’s Lament, Zheng Zai was taken away and interrogated by the Bunker Security Bureau. He refused to reveal Wen Xishu’s secrets. Jabbar, a Three Towers Academy teacher, intervened and informed him that he was a specially appointed teacher at the Academy, whose new campus was still under construction 86.

The truth about Zheng Yi

Zheng Yi was eventually publicly cleared, and Zheng Zai credited Wen Xishu with preventing his father from remaining a criminal in death. However, Officer Liu Jinsen privately gave him genuine evidence that Zheng Yi had committed the crimes. Zheng Zai could destroy it and preserve his father’s newly heroic reputation, or surrender it and acknowledge the truth 244.

After discussing the dilemma with Wen Xishu, Zheng Zai decided to return the evidence to Liu Jinsen. Concealing it would make him another person who distorted right and wrong—the very behavior he had hated while seeking justice for his father 244.

Appearance

Zheng Zai is a tall, burly man who appears around thirty, with unusually long arms and an iron covering over his mouth 41 89.

• Height: Approximately six feet three inches 41.
• Arms: Hang past his knees; Wen Xishu compares his proportions to an ape’s 41.
• Iron muzzle: Restrains his flesh-eating impulses and muffles his speech 41 86.
• Voice: Gentle despite his intimidating appearance 41.
• Teeth: Powerful enough to bite off a large piece of flesh immediately 92.

Personality

Zheng Zai is straightforward, grateful, and deeply loyal to people who treat him with kindness. Wen Xishu considers him genuinely honest. Even after his flesh-eating habit is exposed, Zheng Zai volunteers for a dangerous task because Wen Xishu has continued treating him well, accepting responsibility for his own decision rather than blaming his companion 44 91.

He is ashamed of being perceived as a monster and distinguishes his involuntary appetite from his intentions. He protests that he does not want to eat people, worries about hurting Wen Xishu, and hides his consumption of corpses from A Miao because he does not want her to see him as monstrous 56 92 143.

His attachment to his father does not erase his conscience. On the Chosen Train, he refuses the opportunity to obtain Wen Xishu’s power by killing him, saying that he could not live with murdering his benefactor. He instead offers his own power if Wen Xishu needs it 157.

Abilities & Skills

Eat Everything, Get Fully Nourished

Zheng Zai’s Eerie Sequence 123 provides nourishment corresponding to whatever he eats while protecting him from lethal harm caused by that food. He originally mistakes its bloodlust and cravings for an incurable disease 46 244.

• Health recovery: Eating flesh rapidly restores his health, demonstrated when Wen Xishu feeds him his regenerating flesh during the Museum mission 92.
• Consumption of dangerous beings: Wen Xishu identifies Zheng Zai as having eaten the anomalous Grandfather from his funeral mission 141.
• Corpse disposal: He consumes the bodies of Ayuoweiqi and Fang Tianhen after the fight with Shoe Woman’s Divine Guard 141 143.
• Appetite control: His cravings become less extreme as he gains control over the Sequence 86.

Build Up Strength, Then Unleash It

An exclusive rune acquired before his visit to Wen Xishu at the Tower of Deception Academy 244.

• Suppresses his Sequence for a period of time.
• Makes the Sequence exceptionally powerful for a short interval after the suppression ends 244.

Physical strength and agility

Zheng Zai possesses exceptional reach, explosive power, and climbing ability. When the contaminated clothing attacks Sita, fear briefly suppresses his hunger and allows him to regain control of his body 42 44.

• Dodges a tentacle and rapidly climbs onto an oversized desk 42.
• Breaks his iron muzzle through brute force 42.
• Can scale the giant study’s bookshelf when his teammates would struggle to do so 44.

Controller-enhanced combat

By consenting to a link with the Best Friend Controller, Zheng Zai allows Wen Xishu to control his movements and grant him additional combat techniques. These are item-assisted abilities, not established independent techniques 91.

The Controller tailors its techniques to the linked person. Zheng Zai’s strength initially unlocks only two ordinary qi techniques, while more powerful users could access additional finishers. Incorrect or slow commands leave him vulnerable 91.

Rule interpretation and persuasion

Zheng Zai develops his analytical skills through Wen Xishu’s guidance rather than remaining merely a frontline fighter 89 93 103.

• Recognizes that previously identified items can support later Museum demonstrations, giving the pair greater freedom in choosing new items 93.
• Learns to use mission wording as evidence and contributes to the team’s interpretation of the final hospital escape 93 103.
• Persuades Abdu to cooperate through appeals to survival, choice, and humanity; Wen Xishu recognizes his talent for rallying others 257.
• Remains vulnerable to misleading testimony: three incorrect Mystery Court verdicts give him accumulating Madness 349.

Recess

A skill used during Mystery Court to pause proceedings and investigate further 349.

• With the Mystery-Desire Twin Resonance connection active, he uses Recess while A Miao conducts targeted investigations into the families’ histories in the Desire Tower 349.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Iron muzzle / mask — Self-imposed restraint intended to prevent his bloodlust from harming others. He continues wearing it after gaining greater control over his Sequence 46 86 244.
• Fairy-tale-styled chainsaw — Chosen as his Museum reward. Soap bubbles provide crowd control, pink winged ponies provide buffs, and Rainbow Candies and Marshmallows restore stamina. Its healing can also benefit nearby allies 103 141.
• Silver Horn of Competition — One of his two orange-grade Eerie Competition rewards 263.
• Mad Scale of Chaos — Orange-grade item that creates a third-party faction corresponding to an item placed on the scale. Unlike Wen Xishu’s upgraded version, Zheng Zai’s provides no protection period against the created faction 263.
• Eerie Conference Two-Person Entry Ticket — Allows him to invite a friend into a special Strange Tower mission; he invites Wen Xishu 244.
• Gluttonous Beast Sword — Selected at Wen Xishu’s Ten-Thousand Sword Manor 364.

Temporary Eerie Competition cards

The competition temporarily removes contestants’ normal abilities, items, and stats, converting them into points for card draws. Zheng Zai begins with 254 points 248.

Relationships

• Wen Xishu — Benefactor, trusted friend, mentor, and combat partner. They name one another in Parrot’s Lament’s trust trial. Zheng Zai later refuses to sacrifice him for power, while Wen Xishu’s belief that Zheng Zai has died exposes how strongly he values their friendship 56 157 256.
• Zheng Yi — Father. Zheng Zai’s efforts to save and clear him drive his athletic career and tower climbing; genuine evidence of his guilt later forces Zheng Zai to choose truth over reputation 46 244.
• A Miao — Teammate and developing romantic interest. She accepts his frightening appearance, recognizes his kindness, and helps him resist Mystery Court’s mental corruption. Zheng Zai tells her he has much he wants to say when they return to the Bunker 143 349.
• Park Mihee — Captain during their first shared mission and the person who reports his father’s death. Her private description of him as a freak hurts him; neither Zheng Zai nor Wen Xishu names her as trustworthy in the final trial 46 56.
• Jabbar — Academy teacher who intervenes during Zheng Zai’s Security Bureau interrogation and confirms his teaching appointment 86.
• Liu Jinsen — Officer who gives him evidence of Zheng Yi’s guilt and leaves its disposition to him. Zheng Zai chooses to return it 244.
• Wang Ying — Museum team captain. Zheng Zai chooses to remain with Wen Xishu when the group splits; Wang Ying later acknowledges that the pair carried him through the mission 89 103.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Notable Quotes

“If I die, I won't blame anyone. Brother Wen's analysis makes a lot of sense, but if it turns out to be wrong, don't blame him either.” 44

“I... I can't become Wen, even with his talent. And I couldn't live with myself if I killed my benefactor for power.” 157

“If I choose to get rid of that evidence... wouldn't I become the very sort of person I hated most back when I was desperately trying to prove my father's innocence?” 244