Zhuang Cheng

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Zhuang Cheng (庄成)
Species/Race	Human; superpowered individual
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Independent; seeks recognition from Luoshan as an Outer Path Wuchang 49
Occupation/Role	Xianshui University student; Ghost Story investigator; flame-based superpowered individual 1 8 27
Status	Alive 50
First Appearance	Picking Up a Doomsday Girl 1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Flame superpower awakened	Pre-story; revealed 27	Zhuang Cheng states that he awakened his ability more than four years before revealing it to Zhu Shi.
Gaze-based ignition	25	Learns he can ignite targets by looking at them, beginning with a candle wick; uses the power to defeat a demon.
Long-range flame control	26	Controls flames from roughly a kilometer away, exploding a demon's legs while preventing the fire from spreading through the surrounding woods.
Flame-body resurrection / elementalization	43	After decapitation and destruction of his brain, his body, blood, and tissue transform into flame; subsequent physical and soul attacks fail to harm him.
Flame manifestation and dimensional traversal	44 45	Manifests through flames as a flaming eye or humanoid form, tracks Kong Da, returns from the Shadow World, and splits an unfinished building with a fire attack.

Background

Zhuang Cheng pursued paranormal rumors from at least middle school onward. He investigated urban legends, studied Feng Shui and occult rituals, carried divination tools, and visited supposedly haunted locations despite being treated as an eccentric by classmates. He also exposed fabricated supernatural claims, including a student pretending to see ghosts and an overseas Feng Shui Master attempting to defraud a local wealthy man. 1 20

His persistence did not make him indiscriminate. While investigating a strange event in the wilderness, he rescued Zhu Changan from a beating. After discovering Changan's harmful behavior, Zhuang Cheng intervened for the victim, fought Changan, and cut ties with him; the two later reconciled after Changan changed his behavior. 21

Before the main events, Zhuang Cheng had repeatedly investigated sites with genuine anomalies without encountering them directly. Zhu Shi eventually concluded that he was truthful about never having seen ghosts or monsters, despite his longstanding obsession with finding them. 21

Appearance

At his first meeting with Zhu Shi, Zhuang Cheng appeared outwardly ordinary: a college student in a black turtleneck wool sweater, with his down jacket hung behind his chair. 21

• Wore a black turtleneck wool sweater during the Winter Solstice meeting with Zhu Shi. 21
• Was described as looking no different from an ordinary university student at first glance. 21
• Tends to become absorbed in his thoughts and pay little attention to his surroundings. 21

Personality

Zhuang Cheng is intensely curious about the supernatural, but his interest is investigative rather than credulous. He checks rumors personally, exposes frauds, and remains willing to question even the claims of people such as Maza. 1 4 20

He is calm and analytical under pressure. When trapped beneath the Fifteenth Floor apartment, he studied the cave's patterns and recreated the entrance mechanism rather than surrendering to panic. In combat, he questions enemies for information and adapts to their tactics. 23 24

Despite his self-image as someone drawn to extraordinary experiences, Zhu Shi considers him rational and conscientious rather than recklessly fearless. His actions toward Changan and his promise to stand with Zhu Shi show that personal loyalty outweighs his stated preference for abstract rationality. 21 49

Zhuang Cheng believes superpowered individuals are generally more exceptional than ordinary people, but he rejects political alignment within Luoshan and refuses to look down on people with whom he has a real connection. 48 49

Abilities & Skills

Flame Manipulation

Zhuang Cheng creates and controls unusually potent flames, initially presenting the ability as ordinary flame manipulation.

• Can ignite a target through his gaze, including living opponents. 25 42
• Can maintain flames after a target leaves his line of sight through a spiritual connection with the fire. 42
• Can precisely limit collateral damage; while burning a demon in a wooded area, his flames did not spread to flammable surroundings. 26
• Can ignite flames inside an opponent's body and destroy limbs remotely. 26 43
• Can generate large-scale explosive attacks, including a blast that split an unfinished building vertically. 45
• His apparent human form was vulnerable to an unseen rear ambush before his elemental abilities were revealed. 42 43

Flame-Body Transformation

Zhuang Cheng can transform his physical form into flame rather than merely wielding it.

• Reconstituted himself after Agent Kong/Kong Da decapitated him and destroyed his brain. 42 43
• His severed body, blood, and brain tissue changed into flames rather than burning as ordinary matter would. 43
• Physical attacks and soul-targeting slashes failed to injure him once he assumed this form. 43
• Can form a flaming humanoid body or a giant flaming eye before returning to human shape. 44 45

Dimensional Mobility

Zhuang Cheng can manifest where his flames are present and return from other-dimensional spaces.

• Located Kong Da through his connection to flame and manifested at the abandoned construction site after Kong Da fled. 44
• Returned after being banished to the Shadow World. 45
• His connection to flames was believed to fail in the Fifteenth Floor cave's other-dimensional space, though his later actions led Kong Da to suspect Zhuang Cheng had concealed the full extent of his mobility. 43 44

Anomalous Repulsion

Zhuang Cheng appears unusually difficult for supernatural phenomena to perceive or approach.

• He repeatedly investigated genuine anomalies without encountering them, even when demons or other threats were active at the locations. 21
• Zhu Shi notes that he does not attract uncanny phenomena in the way other superpowered individuals do. 29
• Kong Da concludes that weaker or instinct-driven abnormalities avoid Zhuang Cheng and that his mana cannot be sensed normally due to the vast disparity in their power. 45

Investigation and Deduction

Before openly using his abilities, Zhuang Cheng developed substantial experience investigating purported supernatural events.

• Identifies frauds and separates misunderstandings from credible paranormal accounts. 1 20
• Solved the cave's entrance pattern while trapped beneath the Fifteenth Floor apartment. 23
• Uses surveillance devices and gathered information to monitor anomalous situations. 12 23

Equipment / Items

• Fireflies — Surveillance devices used to overhear Agent Kong and a Demon Hunter, and to monitor Maza. 12 23
• Charred finger of Kong Da — A remnant Zhuang Cheng kept as a personal souvenir after Kong Da's death. 47

Relationships

• Maza — The time-displaced “Doomsday Girl” Zhuang Cheng picked up at an abandoned construction site. He conceals her whereabouts from Luoshan and chooses to keep her close despite the danger associated with her jinx constitution. 1 4 29 30
• Zhu Shi — Zhu Changan's sister, a Luoshan Demon Hunter, and Zhuang Cheng's friend. She initially tries to keep him away from supernatural danger, later becomes his prospective guide, and asks him to conceal his true strength from Luoshan. 21 47 49
• Zhu Changan — Zhuang Cheng's closest university friend. Zhuang Cheng saved him from an assault, later held him accountable for mistreating others, and ultimately helped motivate Changan's reform. 21
• Agent Kong / Kong Da — A Luoshan probe who initially cooperates with Zhuang Cheng while secretly operating as a Fallen Demon Hunter. Kong Da decapitates Zhuang Cheng in an ambush, only for Zhuang Cheng to resurrect and defeat him. 32 42 43 46

Major Arcs

Picking Up the Doomsday Girl

Zhuang Cheng meets Maza at an abandoned construction site and finds her handgun with live ammunition. Though initially skeptical of her claim to come from a post-apocalyptic future, he shelters her and becomes involved in the dangers surrounding her disappearance from a hospital and Luoshan's search for her. 1 3 4 34

The Fifteenth Floor Cave

After Zhu Changan discovers a vanishing basement beneath his apartment, Zhuang Cheng investigates the phenomenon. He enters the cave himself, becomes trapped when its exit disappears, and escapes by identifying the role of the black rug and reproducing the entrance pattern. 8 23

First Battle with a Fallen Demon Hunter

A goat-headed demon targets Zhuang Cheng near the Fifteenth Floor incident. Zhuang Cheng defeats it with his flames, attempts to keep it alive for questioning, and is interrupted by Zhu Shi, who reveals herself as a Demon Hunter. 24 25 26

Conflict with Kong Da

Agent Kong probes Zhuang Cheng's powers while concealing his identity as the Fallen Demon Hunter Kong Da. Kong Da ambushes and decapitates Zhuang Cheng, but Zhuang Cheng resurrects in flame form, survives attacks on both body and soul, pursues Kong Da through the Shadow World, and overwhelms him. 38 42 43 44 45 46

Pursuit of Luoshan Recognition

After Kong Da's death, Zhu Shi recognizes the scale of Zhuang Cheng's abilities and agrees to help him seek recognition as an Outer Path Wuchang rather than requiring the standard Demon Hunter examination. Zhuang Cheng agrees to conceal his full strength while observing Luoshan's factions and pledges to stand by Zhu Shi personally rather than adopt a political camp. 47 49

Notable Quotes

“Physical attacks are useless against me.”

— Zhuang Cheng, after surviving Kong Da's full-force assault 43

“But, Zhu Shi, I will stand by your side. Since you are Chang'an's sister, you are also my friend. If anyone becomes your enemy, that person will also be my enemy.”

— Zhuang Cheng 49