Xu Zhou

Biodata

Power Progression

Background

Xu Zhou grew up in a difficult household. His father was a gambling addict, while his mother supported the family through exhausting part-time work. According to the file Ji Wu initially reads, she died from illness during Xu Zhou's high-school years. Xu Zhou then worked while studying and faced continued demands for money from his father; his college entrance results suffered, leaving him at an ordinary university. By the time of the Anyang Island incident, his mother had been dead for three years. 17

Memories that resurface during the Blood Robe incident contradict the recorded account of his mother's death. His father demanded money to repay gambling debts, but his mother refused to surrender Xu Zhou's tuition. Their confrontation escalated into violence, and Xu Zhou returned home to find her lying in a pool of blood. He subsequently took his father to court. Afterward, while standing atop a building and unable to find a reason to continue living, he encountered Bai Zuo, who offered to give his life meaning. 82

His memories also contain prolonged humiliation and bullying, which fed his intense self-loathing and self-destructive tendencies. He later recalls having killed someone, though at that point the extent to which that past was shaped by his own will, trauma, or Bai Zuo's influence remains unresolved to him. He is subsequently described as having once been an assassin, making him more accustomed to killing than the other newcomers during the battle against Blood Feast. 10 127 170

Xu Zhou first appears as the team member associated with Bai Zuo's Character Card. He is deployed with Supervisor Ji Wu to investigate a detected Weird aura and is already a newly contracted Contract Anomalist with the Ghost Hand. 6 9 He initially believes that his admission into the organization is only because he is useful as “Brother Bai's tool.” 10

His recollection of forming his contract consists of a dim, sparsely furnished room at Headquarters where Ghost Hand was imprisoned. He signed the contract there and was teleported away without seeing the rest of Headquarters. This limited experience reinforces his early belief that he became a Contract Anomalist only through Bai Zuo rather than through his own qualifications. 71

Bai Zuo initially branded Xu Zhou and nearly reduced him to a puppet. Other Contract Anomalists discovered the situation and punished Bai Zuo, allowing Xu Zhou to participate in the Association as a normal Contract Anomalist. Nevertheless, their mental connection and Xu Zhou's attachment to Bai Zuo persisted. 89 788

Appearance

Xu Zhou is initially described as an ordinary-looking college student in a light-colored down jacket and scarf, with the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow carried across his back. Intense training, missions, and sleeplessness later leave him severely underweight and visibly exhausted before he eventually recovers. 13 116 688

• Carries the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow in a cloth-wrapped back strap. 11 13
• Has a reserved, youthful appearance that makes his combat ability easy to underestimate. 13 427
• Develops dark circles and drastic weight loss during a period of constant training and little rest. 116 117
• While controlled by the Mask of Hypocrisy, manifests a black demonic mask with blood-like tears. 128
• Later regains weight and a healthier complexion, with Ji Wu noting his visible improvement during their reunion before the Cosmic Nation mission. 688

Personality

Xu Zhou begins as timid, introverted, and deeply insecure. The danger of fighting Weirds intensifies his belief that he is useless, yet he repeatedly acts despite fear—protecting Ji Wu from the Ghost Infant and later staying behind against a Blood Robe so his companions can escape. 10 82

Bai Zuo's brainwashing leaves Xu Zhou markedly calmer, more emotionally numb, and far more efficient in combat. His changed demeanor alarms those around him, particularly Ji Wu and Zhang Lin, who see a young man who no longer resists being treated as a weapon. 89 90 111

Over time, Xu Zhou regains greater emotional stability and becomes more sociable, dependable, and protective of others. He leads newcomers through low-level missions, worries about their safety, and remains determined to improve rather than return to his former self-destructive state. 427 428 691 Ji Wu, medical staff, and regular contact with young newcomers contribute to this recovery, helping him regain some of his former cheerfulness. 428

He is strongly loyal to Bai Zuo and the Object Counter Alliance, refusing Xie Yu's invitation to join Amber. However, he is not ignorant of Bai Zuo's flaws: Xu Zhou recognizes that Bai Zuo is reliable in a crisis but can become the source of danger when no crisis exists. 99 1470

Xu Zhou dislikes troubling others and generally handles matters himself rather than asking support staff for help, despite the extensive benefits available to Contract Anomalists. 40 111 As a senior, he becomes capable of warm humor and reassurance, teasing Jiang Tianzong about his intimidating expression while helping Jian Bai feel at ease. 992

His greater confidence does not make him uniformly gentle. He can use decisive violence against people obstructing an urgent mission and employ painful interrogation methods against a captive who endangers others. He nevertheless distinguishes his own harsh experiences from what newcomers should be exposed to, withholding more vicious techniques when questioning Du Rutian. 696 1470

By his later conversation with Ye Xuan, Xu Zhou explicitly states that his inability to go on living belongs to the past. He has learned to look forward rather than remain trapped by his earlier suffering. 1474

Abilities & Skills

Adaptive Constitution

Xu Zhou is an Adaptive, possessing strong resistance to Weird contamination and the potential to gain unusual power after exposure to Weirds. 5 11

• Lets him endure the strain of becoming a Contract Anomalist.
• Makes him unusually valuable to Bai Zuo, who marks and uses Adaptives to strengthen his own capabilities. 29
• Does not protect him from psychological harm, manipulation, or self-destructive impulses. 11 89

Ghost Hand

Xu Zhou's contracted Weird manifests as pale green or bluish-white hands with long black nails. Controlling it initially places an immense burden on his mind. Ghost Hand is a B-rank, Malignant Curse-level entity, although Xu Zhou's personal rating initially falls below its level because of his limited control. 9 80 98

• Can manifest and direct multiple Ghost Hands against Weirds. 10 81
• Can force apart packed crowds to prevent civilians from being crushed. 25
• Can bind a target and open a route through a Ghost Domain for allies to escape. 81
• Its power is difficult for Xu Zhou to control in his early missions and causes severe mental strain. 9
• Eventually becomes highly proficient in its use, supporting consistently successful solo missions. 312 313
• Can open a path through the Song Tide to facilitate escape, even after his Ghost Domain begins to fail. 698
• Is primarily combat-oriented rather than specialized in tracking. 1467
• Remains useful for civilian rescue during large-scale disasters, including preventing fleeing residents from being trampled during the blood tide crisis. 1484

Ghost Domain

Xu Zhou eventually learns to deploy the Ghost Hand's Ghost Domain under combat pressure. 81 He later invokes it by the name Between the Fingers. Its manifestation darkens the sky and draws those present into a space whose ground feels like flesh, with arms emerging from below. 1469

• Restrains hostile Weirds with Ghost Hands. 81
• Enables tactical withdrawal by creating openings for allies. 81
• Requires substantial mental power; after extended fighting, Xu Zhou may be unable to deploy it again. 82
• Can be damaged and overwhelmed by a sufficiently powerful phenomenon, as occurs when the Song Tide erodes his domain during Yuki's concert. 698
• Is deployed during the confrontation with Du Rutian and withdrawn before Xu Zhou takes the captive outside to await logistical support. 1469 1471

Combat Skill

Xu Zhou's combat ability improves dramatically after Bai Zuo's intervention and continued training. By the warehouse battle, his movements are described as efficient, predictive, and honed as though by countless fights. 89 96

• Uses the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow alongside Ghost Hand support. 81
• Identifies and avoids the poisonous thorns on Love Resentment's vines before being poisoned. 96
• Protects allies against gunfire, including cleaving a bullet apart with his blade. 171
• Can overpower weaker Contract Anomalists physically; while controlled by the Mask, he easily defeats D-rank Jiang Tianzong. 128
• Wields the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow with simple, lethal techniques rather than relying on brute force, while using Ghost Hand to disrupt an opponent's abilities. 96
• Has prior experience as an assassin and is accustomed to lethal combat against human opponents. 170
• Uses terrain and enemy limitations tactically, escaping Blood Robe by recognizing that it cannot pursue him beyond the rooftop. 82

Mental Sensitivity and Protection

Having experienced Bai Zuo's mental domination, Xu Zhou becomes unusually sensitive to changes in his own mental state. When Yuki's singing abruptly makes him want to learn more about her, he recognizes that the impulse is inconsistent with his usual lack of interest in celebrities. 686

Bai Zuo's mark also provides a connection through which Heart Gu can resist hostile mental influence. This defense is not absolute: the Mask of Hypocrisy appears to overcome the mark during its control of Xu Zhou. 127

During the system-invasion incident, Xu Zhou's own mental power proves defenseless against the enormous invading presence. He nevertheless has an additional layer of protection through Bai Zuo, whose expertise in matters of the mind and soul gives Xu Zhou confidence in his safety. This is external protection rather than immunity to mental attacks. 1471 1472 1473

Investigation and Interrogation

Xu Zhou combines observation with sensitivity to anomalous and spiritual disturbances. While investigating Ye Tong's disappearance, he identifies a surveillance blind spot behind a convenience store, infers that she left through its rear exit, and follows the trail to a building with a strong spiritual-energy disturbance on its seventh floor. 1467 1468

He also possesses extensive knowledge of coercive interrogation, acquired through Bai Zuo's example and his own encounters with human cruelty. Against Du Rutian, he breaks fingers and threatens further injury to force disclosure of Ye Tong's location, while deliberately avoiding more vicious methods in front of the newcomers. 1470 1471

Equipment

• Great Xia Dragon Sparrow — Xu Zhou's primary blade and emergency trump card. An A-grade Ghost Artifact capable of harming Weirds, it can cut incoming bullets and unleash a blood-powered sure-hit strike that ignores defenses. The more blood it receives, the stronger its special attack can become, potentially exceeding its rank. Merely carrying or wielding it normally imposes no stated cost, but attempting to feed it excessive blood can endanger its wielder. 8 10 11 130 171
• Anomaly Containment Association employee identification — Grants access through the Association's perception-altering security arrangements. 80
• Healing Cards — Uses these after the Anyang Island incident to treat Kong Yubo's team, then distributes the remaining cards to the most seriously injured survivors. 36

Relationships

• Bai Zuo — Senior, recruiter, and the person who originally regarded Xu Zhou as a useful tool. Bai Zuo's brainwashing profoundly changes Xu Zhou, but Xu Zhou remains grateful for being given a reason to survive and later treats Bai Zuo's will as his own. 11 89 131 691 Their connection also provides Xu Zhou with protection against mental intrusion, although he remains aware of Bai Zuo's dangerous and irresponsible personality. 1470 1473
• Ji Wu — Supervisor and primary caretaker. Ji Wu oversees Xu Zhou's early missions, worries about his mental state, and repeatedly intervenes to keep him alive and stable. 6 10 40 82 He also works with medical staff to support Xu Zhou's recovery and later expresses satisfaction at his improved health. 428 688
• Zhang Lin — Fellow Adaptive and concerned mentor figure. Zhang Lin recognizes Xu Zhou's self-destructive condition and tries to help him reconnect with others. 11 111 116 As Xu Zhou becomes a capable senior, Zhang Lin also respects his strength and guidance. 312
• Jiang Tianzong — Combat partner and former sparring rival. Their shared missions develop Jiang Tianzong's respect for Xu Zhou's strength, though Jiang is severely injured while trying to stop the Mask-controlled Xu Zhou. 96 99 128 Jiang trains relentlessly to catch up with him, and their later interactions include familiar teasing as well as mutual trust. 313 992
• Xie Yu — Senior Contract Anomalist who recognizes Xu Zhou's potential and invites him to join Amber; Xu Zhou declines out of loyalty to Bai Zuo and the Object Counter Alliance. 98 99
• Heart Gu — Bai Zuo's contracted Weird. It has a protective connection to Xu Zhou through Bai Zuo's mark and later communicates Bai Zuo's orders to him directly. 127 693
• Mother — The central source of affection in his difficult childhood. Her death contributes to his despair, and the apparent reunion on Anyang Island briefly offers him the chance to care for her as he had always wished. Ji Wu subsequently identifies the apparition as a memory-based imitation rather than proof that she has returned. 17 18 19 82
• Yang Yu — Initially controls Xu Zhou through the Mask of Hypocrisy. Their subsequent discussion of guilt, revenge, and moral ambiguity helps Xu Zhou articulate his search for a reason to live; they later fight together against Blood Feast. 129 131 170 171
• Norden — Friend and fellow Contract Anomalist whom Xu Zhou introduces to Ji Wu. They cooperate during the Cosmic Nation investigation and escape Yuki's concert together when the Song Tide overwhelms their defenses. 688 693 698
• Jian Bai, Chu He, and Ye Xuan — Junior companions who rely on Xu Zhou's greater experience and strength during the search for Ye Xuan's sister and the subsequent blood tide crisis. Xu Zhou is concerned about their vulnerability to mental threats and initially recommends that the uncontracted Ye Xuan remain behind rather than enter the disaster zone. 1468 1470 1473 1484

Story Role / Major Arcs

Early Contract Anomalist Missions

Xu Zhou begins as an inexperienced contractor who struggles to control the Ghost Hand during the Ghost Infant incident. Despite believing himself useless, he fights to save Ji Wu and is formally made a C-rank Contract Anomalist afterward. 9 10 11

Unable to strike the Ghost Infant, he attempts to sacrifice himself to fuel the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow's sure-hit attack and tear open the enemy Ghost Domain. Zhang Lin stops him under Bai Zuo's control. After the entities are contained, Xu Zhou checks Sun Chengzhi and discovers that he is still alive, while Ji Wu cautions him against taking responsibility for every person they cannot save. 10 130

Anyang Island and the Abandoned Bridge

After seeing an apparition of his deceased mother, Xu Zhou follows her into white fog on the bridge to Anyang Island. Ji Wu follows to protect him, eventually finding Xu Zhou with a woman who appears to be his mother. 17 18

Xu Zhou verifies private memories with the woman and hopes to remain with her, but Ji Wu reminds him that the living and dead cannot stay together. He encourages Xu Zhou to use their temporary reunion to reassure her instead. Xu Zhou spends time helping her choose clothes before leaving to assist Ji Wu. 18 19

After encountering a similar deception himself, Ji Wu concludes that the apparent relatives are entities created from their targets' memories. Xu Zhou initially struggles to accept that his mother is an imitation because she has not harmed him, but ultimately acknowledges Ji Wu's warning. 19

During the later public crisis, Xu Zhou uses Ghost Hand to separate a panicking crowd, both to prevent casualties and to reduce the consequences of Bai Zuo's reckless deployment of his Ghost Domain. After the incident, he helps treat the wounded with Healing Cards and writes follow-up reports, including an account emphasizing Bai Zuo's rescue efforts. 25 36 40

Blood Robe Incident

Xu Zhou unlocks his Ghost Domain while protecting Jiang Tianzong, Zhang Lin, and Zhao Hun from a Blood Robe. He stays behind alone to delay the Weird while his companions escape. Ji Wu requests assistance from nearby Contract Anomalists and asks Bai Zuo to save him. 81 82

As Blood Robe overwhelms his domain, Xu Zhou recovers suppressed memories of his mother's violent death and his original encounter with Bai Zuo. His demeanor becomes calm and calculating, revealing the effects of Bai Zuo's earlier prohibited brainwashing rather than a newly performed intervention. He retreats through the rooftop door and realizes that Blood Robe cannot leave its rooftop territory. 82 89

Skywing A subsequently deals with the Weird but leaves without notifying Xu Zhou. Ji Wu retrieves Xu Zhou before responding officers enter the school, then takes him for treatment. Xu Zhou's changed personality and indifference to his own wounds alarm both Ji Wu and Zhang Lin. 89 90

Warehouse Battle and Object Counter Alliance

Xu Zhou fights alongside Jiang Tianzong against Love Resentment, displaying combat skill far beyond his previous level. Xie Yu offers him a place in Amber, but Xu Zhou refuses and remains with Bai Zuo in the Object Counter Alliance. 96 99

Xie Yu explains that Xu Zhou has attained an official B-rank rating by gaining control over Ghost Hand and deploying its Ghost Domain. He praises Xu Zhou's calmness, perception, analytical ability, and potential to become a powerhouse capable of guarding a region. 98

Mask of Hypocrisy Incident

While investigating a series of deaths connected to the Mask of Hypocrisy, Xu Zhou is targeted by the artifact due to his repressed emotions and violent thoughts toward evildoers. The mask overwhelms Bai Zuo's mark, turns Xu Zhou into a violent enforcer, and drives him to attack Jiang Tianzong. 127 128

After regaining consciousness, Xu Zhou understands that Yang Yu used him as a puppet. His conversation with Yang Yu helps him confront his own past and settle on a purpose: live well and continue fighting Weirds. 129 131

Blood Feast Campaign

Xu Zhou accompanies Ji Wu, Bai Zuo, and the other Contract Anomalists on the operation against the Blood Feast Armed Forces. He fights fleeing attackers alongside Jiang Tianzong, Yang Yu, and Yin Nu, displaying the composure of someone already accustomed to killing. 161 170

When his companions come under fire, he places himself before Yang Yu, Zhang Lin, and Jiang Tianzong and cuts an incoming bullet apart with the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow. Ji Wu regards the moment as evidence that Xu Zhou has matured. 171

Senior Mentor

By the time Absolute Boundary arrives at Headquarters, Xu Zhou is a B-rank Contract Anomalist trusted to lead newcomers on missions against Wandering Souls, Vengeful Spirits, and occasional Green Faces. His steadiness and strength earn their admiration. 427 428

His mentoring role is already established through successful solo missions and informal lessons in controlling Weirds. He also explains the Association's policies to newer members, including the discretion granted to Contract Anomalists when containment operations cause harm to ordinary people and the distinction between protecting humanity as a whole and guaranteeing every individual's safety. 312 313 314

His relationship with the newcomers helps restore his sociability. When he senses Ghost Hand's fear of the sleeping Absolute Boundary, he recognizes the stranger's strength and leads the group away rather than disturbing him. 428

Cosmic Nation and Yuki's Song Tide

Xu Zhou notices that Yuki's singing induces an uncharacteristic desire to learn about her, recognizing the abrupt emotional change because of his sensitivity to mental manipulation. He later joins Bai Zuo, Ji Wu, and Norden in investigating her widespread influence in Cosmic Nation. 686 688

Working with Norden and Heart Gu, he discovers a secret passage used by Yuki and Jin Junxi, but the pair have already escaped. Xu Zhou returns to report this to Bai Zuo. 693

At the concert, Yuki's song and the Song Tide reinforce one another and transform audience members into monsters. Norden's Blood Lotus absorbs energy from the tide and supplies Xu Zhou, but their defenses cannot withstand its growth. With Xu Zhou's Ghost Domain deteriorating, Bai Zuo missing, and the Time Rewind device malfunctioning, Xu Zhou and Norden retreat. Xu Zhou uses Ghost Hand to open an escape route through the tide. 698

System-Invasion Incident

Xu Zhou assists Ye Xuan, Jian Bai, and Chu He against Du Rutian. While interrogating Du Rutian, he is briefly knocked unconscious by an enormous presence attempting to invade his mind; Bai Zuo disrupts the intrusion. Xu Zhou later warns the group that Bai Zuo's protection gives him an additional defense against mental threats. 1471 1472 1473

The confrontation begins with the search for Ye Xuan's missing sister, Ye Tong. Xu Zhou follows physical clues and spiritual disturbances to Du Rutian's location, then deploys Between the Fingers when his companions cannot overcome the enemy. He forces Du Rutian to reveal that Ye Tong is hidden in a dry sewer, allowing the others to rescue her. The mental intrusion occurs while Xu Zhou is taking Du Rutian away, enabling the captive to escape. 1467 1468 1469 1470 1471

Afterward, Xu Zhou worries more about the newcomers' exposure to the invading presence than about his own safety. In a subsequent conversation, he confirms that he has moved beyond his former desire to die and explains that Contract Anomalists' relatives remain free to live their own lives or seek employment with Yi Gui Company. 1473 1474

Blood Tide Disaster

When a drop of the invader's blood mutates its surroundings into an expanding blood tide, Xu Zhou, Chu He, and Jian Bai prepare to travel to the affected country. They initially urge Ye Xuan to remain behind because he has not contracted a Weird, but the Association issues a mission to all four. The others look to Xu Zhou as the strongest and most experienced member of their group. 1484

Upon arrival, they witness the blood tide engulfing a city and civilians fleeing through obstructed streets. Xu Zhou uses Ghost Hands to prevent people from being trampled while Chu He clears vehicles to free trapped residents. Despite their efforts, the scale of the disaster makes them recognize that their strength is insufficient to save everyone. 1484

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