The Bishop

Biodata

Background and History

The Bishop spent time at the Central Biology Institute before joining the Twilight Church. He later admitted that he joined for its biological knowledge, not its beliefs. By the time of the story, he had served in Sun City for five years 29 34 36.

He kept his main church in the poor Afterglow District rather than move it to the wealthier Radiance District. He used money donated for a new building to aid laborers’ orphans and renovate a cemetery. His medical work, support for laborers’ legal interests, and annual Festival of Radiance choir earned him considerable public trust 17 23.

Behind that reputation, he used stolen remains and fresh organs in experiments to replace and fuse parts of his own body. Nanny Cheng collected active limbs for him, and he viewed promising choir children—including Li Wei and Feng Zi—as potential sources of organs. When the cemetery’s graves were found empty, he publicly accepted responsibility for investigating the theft and entrusted the case to Tian Yuan 29 35 37.

After Wang Xiaole’s murder exposed Nanny Cheng’s crimes, the Bishop apologized to the victims and promised compensation. Li Wei then asked to speak to him privately about Wang’s missing eyes and stabbed him in front of the assembled witnesses. Pulling away the Bishop’s aged outer face revealed Wang’s eyes grafted onto his cheeks. The Bishop transformed and fought Li Wei, but Feng Zi identified his original heart beneath his right armpit; Li Wei pierced it, killing him 34 35 36 38.

The Police Department subsequently concealed his crimes and blamed the cemetery theft, serial killings, and his death on Li Wei. Many laborers continued to believe the Bishop had been their benefactor 39 40 42.

Appearance

The Bishop initially appeared to be an exceptionally old man who used a wheelchair 25.

• Public appearance: An unremarkable face, sparse gray hair, a black archbishop’s cap, a neat black robe with gold trim, and an old felt blanket over his legs 25 34 35.
• Concealed features: Beneath his aged outer face were smooth skin, dozens of eyes across his scalp, Wang Xiaole’s eyes on his cheeks, and mouthparts 35.
• Transformed form: He grew six additional arms, enlarged to more than three meters tall, and moved on his limbs like a spider 35 36.

Personality

In public, the Bishop spoke gently to children, accepted blame before angry laborers, and promised to compensate victims. His standing was strong enough that laborers knelt when he apologized and Tian Yuan treated him with marked deference 29 30 34.

Once exposed, he dismissed Twilight doctrine and described laborers as expendable material for his research. He took pride in his attempt to escape aging through biological fusion and wanted to incorporate Li Wei’s body into his own 36 37.

Abilities & Skills

Organ fusion and limb replacement

A Tier 1 biologist, the Bishop used fused tissue and replacement limbs to alter his body and pursue a form of immortality 36 44.

• Grew six powerful additional arms and expanded his body during his transformation 35 36.
• Could graft eyes and other body parts onto himself 35 37.
• Regenerated wounds to his head and torso, including a head nearly cut in half 37 38.
• Limit: His original heart remained vulnerable beneath the armpit of his first right arm. Its destruction killed him 38.

Physical combat

• Moved fast enough to appear as a blur to Li Wei and struck with enough force to smash him through a brick wall 36.
• Used his additional limbs to seize opponents and sharp fingers to attack vulnerable organs 36 38.
• Continued fighting while injured, though concentrated gravity could slow and pin him down 37 38.

Relationships

• Nanny Cheng — His confidante, who collected fresh limbs for his experiments; Li Wei also noticed that she feared him 30 35 37.
• Wang Xiaole — A church worker whom the Bishop encouraged to seek the priesthood; the Bishop later grafted the boy’s stolen eyes onto his own face 30 35.
• Li Wei — A choir recruit the Bishop wanted to fuse with his body; Li Wei exposed and killed him 35 36 38.
• Feng Zi — A choir recruit he considered a potential source of organs; she identified his hidden heart during the fight 35 36 38.
• Li Ming — The labor union president who had regarded the Bishop as a source of hope for laborers before witnessing his crimes 34 39.
• Tian Yuan — The police chief whom the Bishop charged with investigating the empty graves; Tian later protected the Church’s image by concealing the Bishop’s crimes 29 39 40.

Notable Quotes

“The theft of remains from the cemetery is the responsibility of the Church, and it is my responsibility.” 29

“They were just a group of laborers, a bunch of lowly consumables!” 37