Qi Xing

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Qi Xing (祁星)
Alias(es)	Qi Ronghua 79
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Former Survivor Base ability-user sub-team captain; later traveled with Yangyao Base personnel 20 68
Occupation/Role	Former project manager; ability user; former Vice Captain 68 93
Status	Alive 300
First Appearance	Chapter 4

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Rank A Wood Ability User	20	Fought Rank A enforcer Xiao Yi with earth-piercing vines while concealing his true strength. 20
Mid-Rank A or higher Wood Ability User	85	His true Wood Ability was assessed as at least Mid-Rank A, second only to Song Yao within the group. 85
Rank S Wood Ability	62	Advanced by consuming a Wood Ability Crystal Core; gained the ability to summon vines without relying on external plant material. 62
Rank S Middle Stage	229	Broke through after Qi Tong's death removed a restriction that had prevented further advancement. 229

Background / History

Before the apocalypse, Qi Xing worked as a project manager and was remembered by former boss Chen Jinpeng as dedicated and workaholic. He later became estranged from his younger sister Qi Tong after acting strictly toward her; when she disappeared before the apocalypse, he spent a month waiting before reporting her missing. Qi Xing later questioned whether he had repeated the abusive behavior of their father. 68 108

Qi Xing originally joined the Survivor Base's ability-user team to search for Qi Tong and became captain of a sub-team. After locating her, he left the base, claiming she was too ill to remain there safely. His departure followed the deaths of Shen Qiang and Ma Fei, placing him under investigation for murder, desertion, and damaging a Surveillance Eye. 20

He later revealed that he had acquired his ability by killing an ability user and consuming that person's Crystal Core. Rather than accept the role assigned to him by the novel's plot, he sought to seize the protagonists' position for himself and his allies. 148 152

After Qi Tong's death, Qi Xing absorbed her abilities and inherited the title of the Nether King. Bound by plot restrictions that prevented him from killing Huo Jinran or the author-incarnated Pei Yuemu, he fell into despair and attempted suicide unsuccessfully. 225

Personality

Qi Xing is calculating, deceptive, and highly pragmatic. He frequently presents himself as weak, honest, frightened, or harmless to lower others' guard, then acts decisively once he has an advantage. He manipulated Xiao Yi with a fabricated plea for his sister, concealed his actual strength from allies, and misled investigators about the Tree Spirit's Crystal Core. 20 30 93

He is ruthless toward threats and exploitative survivors, killing former teammates after their betrayal and using intimidation to obtain supplies. However, his harshness contrasts with a strong protective instinct toward Jiang Zhaosu and Qi Tong. He repeatedly risks himself for Jiang Zhaosu, provides her with blood and ability-user flesh to sustain her, and remains deeply affected by Qi Tong's suffering and death. 5 34 72 225

Following Qi Tong's death and the losses around him, Qi Xing became increasingly unstable. Jiang Zhaosu's presence remained one of the few restraints preventing him from surrendering to the urge to kill. 226 233

Abilities & Skills

Wood / Plant Ability

Qi Xing's primary ability manipulates vines and plant life for restraint, combat, escape, and defense.

• Summons thick vines from underground to attack or bind opponents. 4 20
• Restrained Old Ma and the couple living beside him. 4 79
• Reached Rank S, allowing him to create vines without external plant material. 62
• Used plant growth to escape a collapsed structure with Jiang Zhaosu and Cheng Yang. 242
• Produced a flower bud capable of saving himself and Jiang Zhaosu from a crevice. 235
• Maintains a symbiotic connection with the Banyan Tree Spirit and can control its energy. 96 97

Healing Ability

His Wood Ability includes a rare healing function, valuable because of the shortage of medicine.

• Healed Duan Yuanyuan's scar, publicly revealing his healing capability. 29
• Joined Qin Feng's group by offering healing services in exchange for food and water. 30
• Saved Cheng Yang from a traitor's attack. 72
• Was publicly identified as a B-Rank Healing Wood ability user while concealing his actual level. 68

Physical Enhancement and Combat

Qi Xing is an effective close-range survivor and combatant beyond his healing facade.

• Initially revealed himself as a powerful Physical Enhancement User while defeating Li Hu and the Square Face. 16
• Used a pistol alongside vine attacks against Xiao Yi, recognizing that ordinary bullets alone could not lethally threaten Rank A opponents. 20
• Fought Xiao Yi in an evenly matched confrontation during the New City District melee. 140

Earth Ability

Qi Xing can manipulate earth for concealment and evasion.

• Buried his group underground to evade Pei Yuemu, Pei Chixuan, and Cen Jiao. 132

Communication with Mutated Plants

Qi Xing can communicate with and influence mutated plant species.

• Persuaded the Banyan Tree Spirit to share its Crystal Core instead of fighting for it. 96
• Formed a symbiotic relationship with the spirit through a communicating branch. 97

Equipment / Items

• Pistol — Used against Xiao Yi; only two bullets remained during their confrontation. 20
• Banyan Tree branch — Given to Jiang Zhaosu as protection; later bore fruit. 109 229
• Crystal Cores — Consumed to advance his Wood Ability and collected as critical resources. 62 96

Relationships

• Jiang Zhaosu — Traveling companion and later mutual love interest. Qi Xing initially treated her as a weapon for survival, but became consistently protective, fed her his blood, and confessed his feelings. 4 34 135
• Qi Tong — Younger sister. Their relationship was strained before the apocalypse, but Qi Xing searched for her, protected her afterward, and was devastated by her death. 108 116 225
• Shen Qiang — Former teammate who participated in betraying Qi Xing; Qi Xing subdued him and ordered Jiang Zhaosu to attack him. 4
• Old Ma / Ma Fei — Former teammate who helped betray Qi Xing; Qi Xing restrained and later killed him. 4 5
• Xiao Yi — Survivor Base enforcer who pursued Qi Xing for alleged murder and desertion; later fought him during the New City District conflict. 20 140
• Chen Jinpeng — Qi Xing's former boss, who remembered his pre-apocalypse work ethic and kept his secrets after their reunion. 68
• Cheng Yang — Former associate who views Qi Xing as a mentor figure and remains loyal despite Qi Xing's wanted status. 72 242
• Pei Yuemu — Tense ally and frequent object of Qi Xing's suspicion. Their cooperation centered on opposing Chasing Moon Base and protecting Qi Tong. 177 219
• Huo Jinran — Enemy associated with Qi Tong's death. Qi Xing was compelled by the plot to confront him but could not kill him. 225 235

Story Role / Major Arcs

Escape from the Survivor Base

After Shen Qiang and Old Ma shot him to steal his abilities, Qi Xing feigned weakness, subdued both men, and used Jiang Zhaosu's hunger against Shen Qiang. He then fled the Survivor Base with her while pursued for killing comrades and abandoning his post. 4 5 20

Search for Qi Tong

Qi Xing traveled toward A District seeking his sister, gathering supplies and questioning survivors with a family photograph. His search remained central to his decisions even after he began traveling with Jiang Zhaosu. 14 18

Hidden Healer and Ability Advancement

Qi Xing concealed his combat power by posing as a Healing Wood ability user, joining groups for resources and information. He later consumed Wood Crystal Cores, attained Rank S, and established a connection with the Banyan Tree Spirit. 29 30 62 96 97

Reunion with Qi Tong

Qi Xing reunited with Qi Tong and confronted their unresolved family history. Though he argued with and pressured her over resources, he remained protective of her and became increasingly involved in the consequences of her conflict with Pei Yuemu and Chasing Moon Base. 108 116 117

Defying the Novel's Plot

After Jiang Zhaosu revealed that they were characters in a novel, Qi Xing rejected the expectation that he remain cannon fodder. He proposed competing with Pei Chixuan and Cen Jiao for the protagonist role, treating survival as a matter of changing the story's rules. 148 152

The Nether King

Qi Tong's death led Qi Xing to absorb her abilities and become the new Nether King. He rampaged against those connected to her death, but the plot prevented him from killing key protected characters. Jiang Zhaosu repeatedly intervened to keep him from losing himself completely. 225 226 233

Search for a Breakthrough Point

Qi Xing and Jiang Zhaosu identified Ye Zhiwei and Cen Jiao as possible means of altering the plot. Though emotionally exhausted, Qi Xing regained the will to continue fighting and joined their effort to find a path outside the Author's control. 237

Trivia

• Qi Xing temporarily wore a wig and makeup to disguise himself as a woman, which he strongly disliked. 182
• Jiang Zhaosu remembered him as the villain from the novel she had read, despite his repeated protection of her. 22
• In a later normal-world setting, Jiang Zhaosu finds Qi Xing asleep in his living room after working late as an office worker. 300