Ji Li

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Ji Li (季礼)
Alias(es)	“Lame Ji Li”; Manager Ji; Dean Ji (mission identity) 176 949
Species/Race	Human, though marked by multiple supernatural forces and heterochromatic eyes 1457
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Tianhai Hotel, Seventh Branch 232
Occupation/Role	Seventh Branch Manager; Special Executor; former Vice Dean of Tiannan Academy of Drama under an assigned mission identity 601 612 949
Status	Active 1730
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Background / History

Ji Li first appears after dying in a rain-soaked alley with his neck broken. He revives immediately, while two voices inside his mind identify themselves as Ji Li as well; three shadows are visible behind him as he enters Tianhai Hotel. 1

He has lived without aging for at least fifty years. Fragments of his past connect him to Haruyama Mirai, Tianhai’s earlier conflicts, and a failed plan that resulted in Haruyama’s death, Ji Li’s memory loss, and his present condition. 315 550 696

During the Kyoto incident, Haruyama Mirai recognizes him as an old acquaintance and directs him to Hanshan Temple, calling what she left there “seeds of hope.” A photograph later confirms that Ji Li and Haruyama had known one another fifty years earlier. 139 315

Ji Li’s pursuit of his lost history increasingly centers on Tianhai, the Gray Soul within him, the seven puzzle pieces, and the ritual in which seven former companions’ heads were used to gamble against Tianhai. 827 1502 1510

Appearance

Ji Li is a pale, long-haired man whose appearance becomes progressively more ghostlike when his supernatural powers awaken. His injuries, transformations, and possessed states frequently alter his eyes, hair, and physical condition.

• Long black hair; during Gray Soul manifestations, it can grow to his ankles or spread across the ground. 232 1502
• Usually dresses entirely in black and often carries a cane or sword. 232 1007
• His ordinary gaze is described as deep, gray-black, and unsettling; his eyes later manifest as heterochromatic, with one crimson and one deep-colored eye. 274 1099
• His right leg was rendered useless by the Puppet Ghost; the White Robe Worshipped Ghost later extracted part of his leg bone, leaving him permanently crippled. 176 1483
• After the Eighteenth Floor mission, he temporarily loses both eyes and perceives his surroundings through a supernatural field. 447
• During the Ghost Bride incident, he is transformed into a rigid paper figure dressed as an ancient groom. 1434

Personality

Ji Li is exceptionally calm under pressure, calculating risks even when facing overwhelming ghosts or impossible mission rules. He is willing to use ruthless methods—including dismembering a corpse for protection or placing himself in danger—to secure a path to survival. 176 281

He relies on observation, deduction, and an understanding of supernatural rules rather than direct strength alone. His tactics often involve exploiting a ghost’s conditions, turning an opponent’s abilities against them, or gambling on a narrow opening that others cannot see. 273 281 1013

Despite claiming that he is no longer human, Ji Li retains attachments to his past and an obsessive need to understand his identity, origins, and fate. This fixation eventually leads him to confront Destiny directly, even if doing so could cost him his life. 241 1457

His emotional stability is fragile under prolonged supernatural strain. The Evil Spirit, trauma, and his unusual physique have repeatedly caused mental splitting, hallucinations, and periods in which other personalities or entities take control. 1114 1166 1498

Abilities & Skills

Resurrection

Ji Li can return from death under extraordinary circumstances.

• He revives after being found with a broken neck in an alley. 1
• The true source and nature of this resurrection power remain tied to his supernatural identity. 1506

Gray Soul

The Gray Soul is a bizarre entity within Ji Li that can awaken, possess his body, and grant overwhelming ghost-related power.

• When it awakens prematurely, it takes control of Ji Li’s body, annihilates a Two-Star mission ghost with ease, and seeks freedom from Tianhai. 232
• Its awakening is connected to Li Yi; it protects Ji Li from Li Yi’s attempt to kill him. 400
• Ji Li can passively devour ghost entities through the Gray Soul’s power, while ghost-transformed Li Yi can do so actively. 443
• During later revivals, Ji Li can sense and interact with ghosts without surrendering consciousness completely. 442
• Gray Soul manifestations grant strong resistance to supernatural influence and can repel nearby ghosts. 445
• Puzzle-piece fragments can suppress the Gray Soul, preventing a full loss of control. 827 1502

Heterochromatic Eyes

Ji Li’s heterochromatic eyes are a powerful supernatural trait associated with his unusually heavy destiny.

• They grant him an advantage when directly confronting ghosts. 1457
• He can summon and dismiss ghosts indefinitely through them. 1730
• He uses their power to heal injured people following the Tenth Supervision Event. 1730

Multiple Personalities

Ji Li’s second and third personalities are separate manifestations created by his special physique rather than ordinary mental illness. 1166

• Second Personality — reckless, courageous, and suited to direct confrontation, but poor at planning. 655
• Third Personality — a highly observant and analytical personality capable of viewing situations from a god’s-eye perspective; it is weak in direct fights against ghosts. 655
• The Third Personality can take control when Ji Li loses consciousness, solve rule-based dilemmas, and coordinate with the Second Personality in combat. 387 655 1150
• The personalities are vulnerable because they are souls without protective measures; powerful ghosts can exploit them. 1058
• The Bronze Ancient Coffin’s active effect later forces Ji Li into a confrontation with several versions of himself, exposing a deeper fragmentation of his identity. 1488

Evil Spirit

Ji Li carries an Evil Spirit that can provide powerful supernatural perception and force, but at severe physical and psychological cost.

• He can activate it to investigate hidden paths and supernatural clues, though doing so leaves him in a trance-like state and heavily damages his body and mind. 960
• The Evil Spirit can hijack his consciousness, generate hallucinations, and intensify his mental splitting. 1114 1457
• Ji Li can sometimes use its perception to learn events ahead of other participants. 1457
• A golden Talisman to Suppress Mental Split tattooed on his back can force the Evil Spirit away during a critical loss of self. 1506

Five Elements Talismans

As the “Person of the Five Elements,” Ji Li can employ rare talisman barriers linked to the Five Elements. 1305

• Gold Generates Water — creates a barrier that freezes and weakens ghosts; its circular anesthesia effect helps Ji Li remain conscious during mental attacks. 1085 1102
• Fire Generates Earth — Ji Li’s final defensive countermeasure against the Wood Generates Fire barrier. 1113
• Heart Fire Barrier — a blood-drawn talisman based on Heart Fire that only Ji Li can wield from the Immortal Ascension Mission. 1305
• Using these talismans inflicts severe physical and mental backlash. 1085 1102

Spirit Communication and Rule Integration

Ji Li can become intertwined with mission rules in ways unavailable to ordinary staff.

• In the Qingyuan Residential Community mission, half of his soul is sealed in the guest room and integrated into the rules, making him the mission’s core. 899
• As a spirit body, he communicates with the spirits represented by Number Cards and absorbs their information in sixteen seconds. 898
• He can identify hidden mission structures, such as the distinction between apparent and concealed Paths to Life. 899
• As Vice Dean of Tiannan Academy of Drama, his assigned identity places him above the academy’s staff and ghosts, allowing him to issue orders while still requiring him to obey the rules. 949

Investigation and Tactical Reasoning

Ji Li is one of Tianhai’s strongest rule-based investigators.

• He rapidly connects disparate clues, including the Clockwise and Counter-clockwise Circle symbols. 492
• He can identify ghost weaknesses through their rules, such as destroying White Impermanence’s eyes to prevent it from identifying the living. 281
• He navigates ghost-filled environments through memory, body control, calculated distractions, and cooperation with his Third Personality. 1013
• His understanding of mission pacing and supernatural rules allows him to predict future developments alongside top-tier Branch Managers. 1144

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Bronze Ancient Coffin — an Underworld-linked coffin capable of sealing powerful ghosts; its active effect can pull Ji Li into a different dimension and forcibly decompose or split his identity. 275 1150 1488
• Stage Sword — Ji Li’s primary weapon and cane during the Tiannan Academy mission; it later shatters while resisting Tianhai. 1007 1515
• Human-bone cane — carried during the Gray Soul’s initial awakening. 232
• Sin Item sword — a sword with a chilling supernatural aura that Ji Li uses during the Republic Street incident. 601
• Puzzle-piece fragment — embedded on his left arm; suppresses the Gray Soul and can amplify supernatural power. 827 1502
• Talisman to Suppress Mental Split — a golden talisman tattooed on his back by Zhang Huairen. 1506

Relationships

• Haruyama Mirai — An old acquaintance from fifty years earlier. Her death was tied to Ji Li’s failed plan and subsequent memory loss. 139 315 696
• Li Yi — Initially a hostile counterpart with a deep connection to Ji Li’s Gray Soul. They later cooperate against the White Robe Worshipped Ghost and seek Destiny together, though Li Yi remains driven to kill Ji Li. 400 899 1483 1696
• Gu Xingjian — A powerful and manipulative ally whose goals sometimes align with Ji Li’s. He entrusts Ji Li with confronting the White Robe Worshipped Ghost. 400 1483
• Luo Xian — A fellow Branch Manager who respects Ji Li’s mission significance and repeatedly seeks his aid. Ji Li later proposes trading a calendar page for control of Branches No. 6, No. 8, and No. 9. 612 625 1698
• Female Voice — A mysterious guide who gives Ji Li information about his past and later gains freedom from Tianhai’s direct control. 315 1696
• Xiao Qian Duyue — A trusted associate who supports Ji Li but repeatedly tries to stop him from risking his life in pursuit of the White Robe Worshipped Ghost. 453 912
• Fang Shenyan — A Seventh Branch associate who rescues Mei Sheng after Ji Li is crippled and later works alongside Ji Li in several investigations. 176 754
• Miaojiang — A former Tianhai Branch Manager and leader of the Ring Organization. Fifty years ago, Ji Li pursued her after she defected from Tianhai. 550
• Tong Guan — A capable collaborator with unresolved resentment toward Ji Li, whose past actions included taking Tong Guan’s parents away. 1303

Story Role / Major Arcs

• Initial resurrection and entry into Tianhai — Ji Li revives from death, enters Tianhai Hotel, and begins confronting the voices and personalities within himself. 1
• Kyoto and the lost past — Haruyama Mirai’s appearance gives Ji Li his first concrete connection to his life fifty years earlier. 139 315
• Puppet Ghost aftermath — Ji Li survives the Puppet Ghost but loses the use of his right leg, establishing his later reliance on a cane and ruthless survival methods. 176
• Gray Soul awakening — During a Two-Star mission, the Gray Soul possesses Ji Li, overwhelms the mission ghost, and reveals its desire to escape Tianhai. 232
• Branch Manager conflicts — Ji Li confronts Meng Po, Black and White Impermanence, and increasingly earns the recognition of other Branch Managers through calculated risks. 273 281
• Qingyuan Residential Community — Ji Li becomes part of a mission’s rules, communicates with spirits, and uncovers Li Yi’s concealed Path to Life. 898 899
• Tiannan Academy of Drama — As Vice Dean, Ji Li investigates the academy’s Root Ghost, special paths, erased identities, and the academy’s restrictive rules. 949 956 962
• Immortal Ascension and mental split — The Root Ghost targets Ji Li’s heart, while the Evil Spirit’s influence drives his personalities into conflict and threatens his sanity. 1114 1118 1166
• Destiny and the White Robe Worshipped Ghost — Ji Li confronts the ghost responsible for his crippled condition, learns more about the Gray Soul sculpture plot, and joins Li Yi to seek Destiny. 1483 1486
• Defying Tianhai — After peering into Destiny and surviving the White Robe Worshipped Ghost, Ji Li recognizes himself as a variable capable of disrupting Tianhai’s intended outcome. 1506 1696
• Branch-control negotiation — Ji Li attempts to use the July 4 calendar page to gain control of Branches No. 6, No. 8, and No. 9. 1698

Notable Quotes

“We are all Ji Li! We are all Ji Li! We are all Ji Li!” 1

“I have nothing to do with you anymore. I've longed for freedom for a long time. I want to see the world.” 232

“I'll take you to see Destiny!” 1483

Trivia

• Ji Li smokes frequently, often using cigarettes as he thinks through mission rules and strategies. 320 740
• He has no meaningful social value or recognition outside Tianhai during mission periods, describing himself as someone who is only truly “a person” inside the hotel. 322
• Ji Li’s fate is so unusually “heavy” that Destiny appears to avoid direct contact with him. 1457