Yuan Ci

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Yuan Ci (元辞)
Alias(es)	“Living King of Hell”; “humanity’s strongest fighter” 17
Species/Race	Human 17
Gender	Male 17
Affiliation	Dawn Guild 17
Occupation/Role	Guild leader; veteran infinite-survival player 17
Ranking	No. 1 on the Top 100 Elite Players by Overall Ranking 16
Status	Alive; returns to Headquarters Base after Experimental Middle School 37
First Appearance	Chapter 16, “Headquarters Base (2)” 16

Background / History

Yuan Ci has spent almost five years in the infinite survival world, encountering numerous bosses during that time. His exceptional abilities allowed him to enter an A-rank instance immediately after his beginner instance. He was not among the earliest players, but is described as the only player for whom the main system specifically changed its rules 17 28.

As Dawn’s leader, he reviews compiled instance information and coordinates runs with other veterans. After the Uninhabited Village’s unprecedented beginner true ending, he declines to compete immediately with other guilds for its newcomers, reasoning that genuinely promising players will eventually cross his path 16.

Little Skeleton later claims that Yuan Ci has entered Experimental Middle School ten times, with every visit ending in a “Sea of Corpses.” This is presented as Little Skeleton’s warning against joining Dawn, rather than a directly depicted account of those earlier runs 37.

Appearance

• Glasses: Wears glasses; Ji Xun describes his impression as that of a “cultured scoundrel” 29.
• Clothing: Carries medicine in a long coat and wears a white shirt during the school instance’s final confrontation 27 36.
• Expression: Frequently approaches Ji Xun with a gentle smile, contrasting with his icy expression when killing the corrupted Chen He 17 36.

Personality

Yuan Ci is composed, confident, and deliberately provocative. Discovering that Ji Xun neither recognizes him nor understands veteran players’ abilities excites him; Ji Xun’s dangerous presence awakens a competitive streak he has not felt in a long time. His interest quickly becomes flirtatious, expressed through teasing, repeated attempts to attract attention, and physical closeness 17 18 20.

His protectiveness is practical but sometimes secretive. He restrains Ji Xun around unknown threats, treats his injuries, and arranges an emergency escape item before sending him into the Small Auditorium. However, withholding the purpose and risks of that assignment damages their trust. He apologizes afterward and attempts to reconnect when Ji Xun blocks him 23 27 28.

Yuan Ci is ruthless toward players corrupted by an instance. He kills Chen He without hesitation and explains the Humanity Covenant as a response to past disasters, rather than treating the killing as a personal grievance. Asked how many corrupted players he has encountered, he says he has lost count 36.

Abilities & Skills

Swordsmanship and Physical Combat

Yuan Ci combines heavy-sword combat with formidable unarmed strength 20 35.

• Cuts through the lethal instrument strings surrounding the staircase landing 20.
• Severs the Administrator’s baton-wielding arm with one sword strike, although the arm regenerates within five seconds 34.
• Switches to bare-handed combat against the Administrator, landing repeated blows while showing no visible reaction to the Electric Baton’s strikes 35.
• Kills Chen He by throwing his heavy sword into his forehead 36.
• Catches Ji Xun’s attacking blade between his fingers during an uninvited nighttime visit 37.

Investigation and Tactical Leadership

Yuan Ci studies instance information, tests supernatural traps, and directs coordinated investigations 16 19 20.

• Uses a thrown Locust Stone to establish that the staircase’s downward route is trapped in a loop 20.
• Notices that third-year Class Twelve is missing from the school’s classroom lineup 21.
• Deduces that the figure wearing Wang Kaile’s appearance is connected to the lobby mirror and warns affected players to avoid mirrors 25.
• Coordinates with Wei Lin to confront the Principal while a separate team triggers the Small Auditorium haunting 26 27.
• Recognizes Chen He’s corruption and explains the danger despite the player’s apparent plea for help 36.

Player Sensing

As a veteran, Yuan Ci can sense the presence of other players. He uses Ji Xun’s ignorance of this ability to expose his newcomer status during their first encounter 17.

• Separately describes Ji Xun as feeling extremely dangerous, despite his absence from the Top 100 Ranking 17.
• Does not establish Ji Xun’s true identity in the provided chapters 17 28.

System-Imposed Difficulty Increase

Yuan Ci’s intelligence and combat prowess cause the system to raise any instance he enters by one rank. This is the reason other players call him the “Living King of Hell” 17.

• His arrival makes players fear that the originally A-rank Experimental Middle School may have become S-rank 17.
• Wei Lin recalls spending roughly half a month recovering after each of several earlier instances undertaken with him 17.
• His strength does not remove normal instance restrictions: a warning prevents him and Ji Xun from simply forcing their way through the staircase trap 20.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Heavy sword — Resembles a large medieval knight’s sword; stored in his inventory and used for cutting supernatural strings, fighting the Administrator, and killing Chen He 20 34 36.
• Locust Stone — A cheap shop-bought throwing weapon used to test the staircase loop 20.
• Butterfly special item — A thumb-sized butterfly placed on Ji Xun’s shoulder; can pull Ji Xun into the space Yuan Ci occupies 27.
• Medical supplies — Applies a bandage to Ji Xun’s cheek and offers medicine for his burned hand 21 27.

Relationships

• Ji Xun — Teammate, recruitment target, and object of flirtatious interest. Their cooperation survives a dispute over Yuan Ci’s secrecy; Yuan Ci later gives him 5,000 points for saving Su Rang and invites him to join Dawn 18 27 28 37.
• Su Rang — Dawn teammate who trusts him completely. Yuan Ci teases him about his fear of ghosts but also directs his movements and intends to improve his supernatural-instance experience 19 26 35 36.
• Qin Mi — Veteran associate involved in planning instance runs. Offers to lead a run so Yuan Ci can rest, but Yuan Ci instead assigns him to remain at the base 16.
• Wei Lin — Abyss squad captain and cooperative partner in the school investigation. Respects Yuan Ci’s ability while resenting the increased danger his presence brings 17 19 26 27.
• Hao Wei — Dawn member whom Yuan Ci frees from a mirror-induced trance; he instructs her not to go anywhere alone afterward 17 24.
• Si Qi — Dawn member who credits Yuan Ci’s message with helping him escape the dangerous dorm inspection 19.
• Doctor Zhai / Little Skeleton — Acknowledges Yuan Ci’s overwhelming combat strength, but later warns Ji Xun against joining Dawn because of his alleged history at the school 36 37.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Experimental Middle School

• First encounter: Pretends to be a teacher and tells Ji Xun to return to class. Ji Xun counters by claiming to be the Grade 10 director, turning the attempted disguise into a contest between them 16 17.
• Early investigation: Shares a classroom and Room 204 with Ji Xun and Su Rang. After evading the dorm supervisor, leads Dawn’s search of the western classroom wing and investigates the staircase ghost story with Ji Xun 18 19 20 21.
• Principal operation: Sends Ji Xun, Su Rang, and Li Anmeng to the Small Auditorium while his team fights the special BOSS. The Principal’s defeat breaks the auditorium’s seal and permits the trapped group to escape 26 27.
• Trust dispute: Reveals his butterfly safeguard only afterward. Ji Xun rejects his explanation, blocks him, and continues investigating independently 27 28.
• Final battle: Keeps the Administrator occupied while Ji Xun and the others burn the classroom building to release Class Twelve. By the time the freed students reach the sports field, the Administrator lies dead and dismembered 34 35.
• Departure: Eliminates the corrupted Chen He and reveals his reasons for entering the school: killing the Principal and obtaining an interior map for his next instance, an abandoned drug-manufacturing factory 36.

Headquarters Base

• Visits Ji Xun at night, asks to be removed from his blocklist, and transfers 5,000 points as thanks for saving Su Rang 37.
• Invites Ji Xun to Dawn, emphasizing access to hundred-player instances with double-point rewards. Ji Xun shifts from outright refusal to agreeing to consider it 37.
• Warns Ji Xun that going alone in the infinite survival world may not be wise; no acceptance of the invitation is shown in the provided context 37.

Notable Quotes

“No. I wouldn't let you die.” 27

“Every merciless rule is a lesson paid for in countless tears and blood.” 36

“Ji Xun, I hope you'll give my suggestion some real thought. Going it alone in this world might not be a good thing.” 37