Zhou Zhi

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Zhou Zhi (周知)
Species/Race	Human
Gender	Male
Age	Around 20 during the first Paradise game 1
Nationality	Chinese 1
Residence	Jiangcheng, China 18 34
Affiliation	Paradise game participant
Occupation/Role	Wealthy young man; participant in Paradise's first two game rounds 1 11
Status	Alive outside Paradise; states that he cannot afford another US$1 million entry fee 49
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Background / History

Zhou Zhi was among the four wealthy guests invited aboard the Heart of the Ocean for Paradise's first trial. Though he insisted that he could afford the ticket himself, he reacted badly to the implication that somebody else had paid for him. He was one of the youngest attendees, alongside Asahara Naruko. 1

During the pirate-themed trial, Zhou initially hesitated at the prospect of killing people, disturbed by how real Paradise felt. He nevertheless fought when attacked: armed with an axe, he knocked a Cavalryman from his horse before being fatally stabbed while trying to seize the enemy's pistol. 2 3

The experience left him deeply shaken. Back in Jiangcheng, his previous nightlife and pursuit of women felt empty compared with the violence he had witnessed and Naruko's composure in battle. 9

He returned for Paradise's second round, partly because of his attraction to Naruko. There he joined Zhang Zhiyuan, Naruko, Qiao James, Anthony, and Jason Taylor in investigating the Glorious Fortress serial murders. 11 18

After surviving the theater operation, Zhou and Taylor infiltrated Wangshui Manor to kill Kuiqi. Zhou opened fire on a staged corpse and was immediately ambushed by Kuiqi, who killed him with a single punch before Zhou could react. 30 31

Outside Paradise, Zhou later reunited with Zhang Zhiyuan in Jiangcheng. He admitted that he had wanted to speak to someone about Paradise ever since returning, but believed that people who had never experienced it would not understand. 48 49

Appearance

Zhou is described as being around twenty years old and among the youngest of Paradise's original participants. Paradise's body reconstruction significantly altered his physical form during the pirate trial. 1

• First-game avatar — Wore tattered leather clothing and had a small but weathered, trained body. 1
• Physical condition in Paradise — Noted that his reconstructed body felt unusually energetic and strong. 1

Personality

Zhou begins as a wealthy thrill-seeker, but his enthusiasm is undermined by Paradise's realism. He repeatedly reassures himself that it is “just a game,” yet reacts strongly to pain, death, and the possibility that the world may be real. 2 3 18

He is comparatively naïve beside hardened participants such as Anthony, Qiao, and Taylor. Zhang Zhiyuan tries to protect him from the group's brutal actions, while Zhou remains eager to contribute despite being overwhelmed by direct violence. 19 21

Zhou is observant and capable of practical ideas when pressured. He notices game-system logic, recognizes when the Host has likely concealed himself, and devises the thermite plan that enables the group to break the theater siege. 12 13 23

His strongest personal attachment is to Asahara Naruko. Her fighting ability fascinates him, and her apparent death after shielding him leaves him enraged and grief-stricken despite his knowledge that Paradise can remove players from the game rather than permanently kill them. 9 18 28

Abilities & Skills

Improvised combat tactics

Zhou can identify and apply available Paradise resources under pressure.

• Used an axe to dismount a Cavalryman during the first pirate trial, though he was then mortally wounded in close combat. 3
• Proposed using thermite to melt the chains supporting the theater chandeliers, allowing the group to turn the structure into a weapon and start a fire. 23
• Carries thermite as part of the group's improvised incendiary-bomb preparations against Kuiqi. 31

Firearms use

Zhou initially has no experience with real firearms, but receives detailed guidance from Zhang Zhiyuan during the mission against Kuiqi.

• Operates a CQ-B assault rifle alongside Taylor during the assault on Wangshui Manor. 30
• Quickly becomes comfortable enough with the rifle to engage guards and fire on a suspected target. 30
• Remains vulnerable in close quarters; Kuiqi kills him before he can bring the rifle to bear against the ambush. 30 31

Familiarity with Paradise systems

Having participated in multiple rounds, Zhou understands several of Paradise's mechanics.

• Volunteers Points for Translation Tofu so the group can read case files. 12
• Recognizes that powerful equipment may be unavailable early because of difficulty progression. 12
• Identifies the Host's disappearance as likely use of a cloaking ability. 13
• Tracks exchange options, including resurrection scrolls, thermite, and the CQ-B assault rifle. 23 29

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Axe — Used during the first pirate trial against a Cavalryman. 3
• Translation Tofu — Zhou volunteers Points toward acquiring it for the group's investigation. 12
• Thermite packets — Suggested by Zhou as a means to melt chandelier chains; later incorporated into incendiary bombs. 23 31
• CQ-B assault rifle — Used during the assault on Wangshui Manor under Zhang Zhiyuan's guidance. 29 30

Relationships

• Asahara Naruko — Fellow first-round participant and Zhou's unspoken romantic interest. He is captivated by her skill in battle, and she saves him from a bayonet attack by taking the blow herself. He later asks Zhang Zhiyuan for news about her. 9 18 28 49
• Zhang Zhiyuan — Fellow Paradise participant whom Zhou comes to regard as an older brother. Zhang mentors him during combat and later reveals that he is an Interpol officer, though he secretly implants a tracking backdoor in Zhou's phone. 18 23 30 48 49
• Jason Taylor — Surviving teammate after the theater battle. They cooperate during the attack on Wangshui Manor, where Taylor witnesses Zhou's death at Kuiqi's hands. 28 30 31
• Chaoyang / the Host — Paradise's masked Host. Zhou initially treats him as a game operator, but later entertains Taylor's theory that the Host has a real identity within Glorious Fortress. 1 29
• Qiao James — Fellow original participant. Zhou criticizes Qiao for leaving the injured Kurt Dane behind during the theater operation. 11 23

Story Role / Major Arcs

First Paradise Trial

Zhou enters Paradise as a thrill-seeker but is among the first players to be disturbed by its realism. He dies during the pirate scenario after attempting to fight a Cavalryman, and the sensory memory of being stabbed continues to haunt him afterward. 2 3 9

Serial Murder Investigation

In the second game round, Zhou supports the investigation by helping acquire translation, reviewing evidence, and following Zhang Zhiyuan's leadership. He grows increasingly uneasy when the mission turns into armed vigilantism against the people surrounding the Sinclair Theater. 12 13 19

Theater Siege and Kuiqi Mission

Zhou provides the key thermite idea that makes the theater counterattack possible. Naruko later saves him during the escape, an event that changes how seriously he views the temporary loss of fellow players. He subsequently joins Taylor in the armed assault on Kuiqi's manor, where Kuiqi kills him in an ambush. 23 28 30 31

Contact with Zhang Zhiyuan

After the game, Zhou welcomes Zhang Zhiyuan into his Jiangcheng social circle and confides his alienation from people who have never seen Paradise. Unable to fund another entry himself, he asks Zhang to remain in contact and share future news of Paradise and Naruko. 48 49

Notable Quotes

“But even if I die, I'll just be kicked out of the game.” 18

“People like us... we're no longer the same species as those frogs in a well!” 48

Trivia

• Zhou says he is the least favored member of the Zhou family, though he insists this does not make him foolish. 49
• He is a regular at high-end Jiangcheng nightlife venues, but loses interest in that lifestyle after entering Paradise. 9
• He initially cannot afford to return to Paradise because each entry costs US$1 million. 49