Wang Fumin

Biodata

Background / History

Evacuation and Shelter Life

Wang Fumin evacuated Cloudsea City with his wife and daughter during the earthquakes, hoping to return to their hometown. Their car became trapped in traffic stretching for dozens of kilometers. When his daughter pointed out scenes in the sky, he initially assumed she was watching a cartoon; he then saw the Mirages himself, including people displaying supernatural abilities 2.

The family subsequently stayed in an evacuation center housed in a large open-air stadium containing more than ten thousand tents. The government provided three meals daily and required each family of three to supply one worker. His wife, a nurse, volunteered while he cared for their daughter. Watching the Mirages and using his phone became his main pastimes 13.

Wang followed the lone survivor in Mysterious Zone 16, Zhang Ming, with growing concern. He feared that the young man's lack of a reliable advantage could make a single mistake fatal, and felt that Zhang's struggle carried the significance of competing on behalf of Great Xia. He also witnessed the blue jellyfish boarding the whaling ship in Zone 7, covering his daughter's eyes at the horrifying sight 14.

Sending the Drift Bottle

After using the bathroom at Cloud Sea Shelter, Wang found a brown medicinal bottle that identified itself to him as the Mysterious Drift Bottle. He brought it to Lu Tuyu and considered surrendering it to the government. Lu advised him to keep it, but Wang proposed sending a letter to Zhang Ming about Mount Fuji's eruption and the destruction of Zone 7 19.

Initially reluctant to part with something potentially valuable, Wang reconsidered because the bottle had recognized him as its owner and appeared ordinary to others. He and Lu packed it with a letter, photos, and medicine, then sent it down a river. A wave passed over the bottle, which flashed and vanished 20.

The Suiren Plan

Wang was frightened by the unexplained laughter accompanying the disasters associated with Zone 15. At the shelter, he then heard Great Xia announce recruitment of thirty million military personnel and the Suiren Plan's demand for 130 million workers. The scale of the undertaking left him deathly pale 28.

He remained anxious about the drift bottle's travel time and wished he could add more to the letter. Its arrival had not been confirmed, and he and Lu worried that Zhang Ming's death might bring disaster upon them as well 28.

Appearance

• Heavyset build: Described as chubby or overweight, reflected in the nickname “Fatty Wang” 2 13 16 28.

Personality

Wang is an affectionate, protective father. He buys food despite inflated evacuation prices, gives his daughter half the meat from his dinner, and shields her from frightening Mirage scenes. Even while joking with Lu about sending adult photos to Zhang Ming, he worries about what his kindergarten-aged daughter might see in the sky 2 14 16 20.

His attitude toward supernatural powers is practical rather than reverential: he wonders whether they could improve his earnings, not whether they would make him superior to others. At thirty-six, his priorities remain his loving family and substantial mortgage debt 14.

His fascination with Zhang Ming mixes sympathy, national pride, and entertainment. He follows the survivor's activities like a television series, dislikes spoilers, and admits that seeing someone worse off makes his own situation feel more bearable. Nevertheless, he chooses to use his unusual discovery to send Zhang supplies rather than leave it unused 14 20 28.

Equipment / Items

• Mysterious Drift Bottle — A brown Huoxiang Zhengqi medicinal-liquid bottle with a few drops remaining when found 19.
  • A voice in Wang's mind identified the object and recognized him as its owner 19.
  • According to the information he received, throwing it into the sea would allow a creature he designated to find it 19.
  • Lu Tuyu could not perceive anything unusual about it 19.
  • Delivery had no known timetable; Wang feared it might take months or years 20.
  • Its shipment contained a letter, photos, amoxicillin, and a cephalosporin antibiotic 20.
• Cigarettes — Wang smokes, but increasingly takes unlit drags to conserve them. Their price rose twentyfold within two days, making them a form of hard currency 2 14 28.

Relationships

• Wife — An unnamed nurse who volunteers at the evacuation center. Wang cares for their daughter during her absence and prepares to take his own volunteer turn when she returns 13 16.
• Daughter — His three-year-old child, who first draws his attention to the Mirages. He shares food with her and protects her from disturbing broadcasts 2 14 16.
• Lu Tuyu — Shelter companion and frequent discussion partner. They exchange news about supernatural events, debate the drift bottle's value, and prepare its shipment together 13 19 20 28.
• Zhang Ming — A distant survivor whom Wang watches through Mirage No. 16. Wang becomes invested in his survival and designates him as the recipient of the drift bottle 14 19 20.

Notable Quotes

“As long as he's got superpowers. I'm just worried he has no trump card and one slipup will finish him.” 14

“Information has a shelf life. What should I write?” 20