Lin Yi

Biodata

Power Progression

Zero's Charm multiplies Lin Yi's combat power by ten with every level. Equipment provides additional bonuses, so his displayed total can exceed the level-derived value 1 9 22.

Background / History

Previous Life and Rebirth

An orphan with no girlfriend or younger sister, Lin Yi devoted himself to becoming stronger. In his first life, he received the S-rank Eye of Illusion Breaking and reached level 10 with 500,000 combat power within a month. Despite that progress, he failed to enter the Human Race Top Ten Thousand Ranking and repeatedly suffered humiliation from stronger players 1.

He eventually opened an intelligence shop, using his talent to sell information for lifespan while searching for opportunities. After spending ten years' worth of assets on a ZZZ Treasury Teleportation Scroll, he entered its treasury and sat on a solid-gold toilet. He then returned to August 8, 2088—the day Zero Game began 1.

His memories gave him extensive knowledge of treasures, class advancements, talents, and overlooked novice-village opportunities. Entering Novice Village No. 4396 as the warrior Return to Zero, he discovered that he now possessed the ZZZZ talent Zero's Charm 1.

Early Hunting and Revenge

Initially too weak to kill even a Blue Slime quickly, Lin Yi concealed his anger when Ma Ke stole its final hit. He used a weapon-retrieval mechanic and practiced sword movements to pass himself off as an accomplished swordsman, discouraging further harassment until he could grow stronger 4.

After hunting caterpillars and rabbits, he defeated the Spectral Vicious Wolf and acquired several S-rank drops. He then killed the Ironclad Battle Bear in approximately two seconds by chaining normal attacks and skills, gaining access to the cavern and treasury gate beyond it 5 7 9 11.

Lin Yi also retaliated against You Duoduo, whose virus had secretly drained his lifespan and combat power in his previous life. He first killed her while using Ma Ke's name. During their later encounter, he manipulated Ma Ke into killing her again, then killed Ma Ke himself 6 7 18.

Treasury Opportunities and the Eastern Pole

Using his knowledge of the general store's hidden second floor, Lin Yi obtained access to rare treasures, including the Stardust Triangle Chain and Mysterious Q Divine Crystal. The chain's percentage-based combat-power increase remained valuable as his own power grew 14 15 17 24.

He continued north, killed players who threatened him over treasure, and selected a Silver Key from the North treasury. After reaching level 7, he sold spare equipment for 500 years of lifespan and traveled east to seize an opportunity associated with Wu Renxin's rise in his previous life 21 22 24.

Wu Renxin joined him under the appearance of friendly cooperation. Lin Yi concealed his strength, tormented him through the Endless Ant Nest, and ultimately killed him after their mutual deception came into the open. He then defeated the Endless Ant Queen 25 28 29 31 32.

When offered rare class scrolls, a class-granting fruit, a talent-granting pill, and a Golden Key, Lin Yi chose the key. He subsequently activated the Eastern Pole teleportation array, adding it to the polar routes he had already unlocked 25 34 35.

Nightmare Deadlands

Lin Yi crossed the Wall of Nightmares, which required combat power above 9,999,999, and unlocked the unique dungeon Nightmare Deadlands. He allowed his name to appear in the universe-wide race announcement, earning a random two-star equipment item while the other players in his novice village received one-star equipment 36.

Inside, he fought through Nightmare creatures before confronting the Nightmare Giant Dragon. His attack inflicted only one point of forced damage, and the dragon's Abyssal Gaze reduced him to 1 HP. An unknown force killed the dragon before it could finish him; although Lin Yi received kill rewards, the dungeon did not announce his victory 38 39 40 41.

A mysterious black-robed man then challenged him to inflict any damage on him and supplied an Experience Centipede that brought Lin Yi to level 8. Recognizing the man's mind-reading ability, Lin Yi disguised both his intentions and apparent thoughts, pretended to seek a friendly handshake, and struck the offered hand for one point of damage. He then persuaded the man to acknowledge his victory 41 42 43.

The Impossible Mission and Class Trials

Presented with a choice between five growth-type three-star equipment pieces and an incomplete four-star item tied to a quest, Lin Yi selected The Impossible Mission (ZZZZ). He also identified an inconsistency between the tempting equipment reward and the original Choice quest. Xiao Ling subsequently revealed that selecting the other option would have annihilated his soul 46.

Using the Bronze Key, he entered the Z-rank Hell-Level Class Change Trial and confronted the Asura White Tiger, which had killed him in his previous life. This time, he stopped its charge with one hand and slammed it into the ground 47.

He later wielded the Asura Blade in a hidden ZZ-rank Purgatory-Level Class Change Trial despite having failed the preceding trial. Fighting tens of thousands of Blood Fang monsters, he reached the blade's maximum 9,999 stacks. The subsequent opportunity included a Bloodfang-exclusive weapon and a Bloodfang Class Change Scroll, which he inspected; the supplied passages do not establish that he adopted the class 48 49 50.

Appearance

• Face: Repeatedly described as handsome, including during his early village encounters and later hunting expeditions 4 22 24.
• Armored appearance: When fully equipped before entering Nightmare Deadlands, he wears fitted Mountain Armor, a black Shadow Cloak, transparent wings, and glowing Spectral Fangs earrings while carrying a broad, heavy greatsword 36.

Personality

Lin Yi's central ambition is strength. His previous life's helplessness convinced him that technique alone cannot overcome an overwhelming statistical disadvantage. Although he values his intelligence and combat experience, he explicitly credits superior power—not greater cruelty or cleverness—for his victory over Wu Renxin 15 24 31 46.

He is patient when vulnerable and vindictive once retaliation becomes practical. His apparent generosity toward Ma Ke is a calculated performance, while his friendly treatment of Wu Renxin conceals a desire to make his former killer remember him. He also rejects charity offered with contempt 4 25 31.

His confidence does not eliminate caution. He recognizes that talents can counter one another and that weaker opponents can defeat stronger ones, so he fully equips himself before entering unknown danger. He avoids randomly killing passersby when doing so offers no experience and would create unnecessary enemies, but kills people who threaten him or obstruct his goals 19 21 36.

Abilities & Skills

Zero's Charm

A ZZZZ-rank, four-star talent responsible for his exponential growth 1 35.

• Multiplies combat power by one order of magnitude—tenfold—per level 1.
• Prevents him from gaining combat-power boosts from other talents 1.
• Grants 0.1% of the current level's required EXP for killing one of each type of class holder, excluding starting classes 1.
• Makes modest flat equipment bonuses progressively less important than percentage bonuses, mobility, resistances, and special effects 7 9 24 37.

Eye of Illusion Breaking

An S-rank talent retained from his previous life 1.

• Reveals information on creatures whose combat power is no more than 1,000 times his own 1.
• Extrapolates unknown maps from known intelligence 1.
• Exposes concealed enemies, including stealthy Shadowthorn Leopards 10.
• In his second life, can reveal fundamental attributes such as class, combat power, and talents—information it could not previously display 6.
• Cannot fully inspect sufficiently powerful targets; the black-robed man's panel initially consists almost entirely of question marks 41.

Combat Technique and Game Knowledge

Lin Yi combines experience from his previous life with precise melee execution 4 5 11.

• Recovery cancellation: Alternates normal attacks and skills to cancel recovery frames and shorten attack sequences 11.
• Positioning and kiting: Draws aggro, times attacks, and evades crowded enemy formations, including the Blood Fang hordes 49.
• Weak-point attacks: Targets areas such as the neck to secure vital hits 11 17.
• Mechanic exploitation: Uses out-of-combat weapon retrieval to create a misleading impression of extraordinary swordsmanship 4.
• Limitations: Low movement speed can prevent a dodge despite his awareness; true damage and percentage-based HP damage remain dangerous regardless of his combat power 5 49.

From the Heart

A trained mental technique developed to deal with thought-reading opponents 43.

• Restricts uncontrolled thoughts that could expose his secrets.
• Its advanced form manufactures plausible thoughts that support his outward behavior while concealing his actual plan.
• Allows him to deceive the black-robed man about his intention to complete the damage challenge 42 43.

Combat Skills

• Berserk Charge — H rank: Charges three meters, gains 200 combat power, damages enemies along the path, and knocks them back. Costs 50 MP and has a ten-second cooldown; Lin Yi also uses it for evasive and vertical movement 7 9 11.
• Frenzied Wolf's Wrath — S rank: An area attack associated with a 5% combat-power increase; used to clear groups and chain attacks against bosses 9 11 21.
• Leopard's Swiftness — K rank: Enhances mobility for travel, rapid approaches, and maneuvering around enemies 19 22 39.
• Ant Sea Tactics: Deploys a swarm of ants, used against the Nightmare Giant Snake and as part of his plan against the Nightmare Giant Dragon 38 40.
• Immovable as a Mountain: Provides 50% damage reduction; used to endure the dragon's Shadow Dragon Breath 40.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

Weapons and Combat Gear

• A-rank Longsword: Starting one-handed weapon. Adds no combat power but extends attack range by 0.5 meters 3.
• Green Grass Wristguard (Left): Initially listed as C rank; grants 300 combat power and 0.2 additional attacks per second 7.
• Spectral Fangs — S rank: Earrings granting 2,000 combat power and a 5% chance per attack to inflict three seconds of fear 9.
• Shadow Cloak — S rank: Provides useful movement benefits and can render him invisible for ten seconds 9 40.
• Mountain Greatsword: Heavy weapon used against the Endless Ant Queen and Nightmare enemies. Halves movement speed while held, prompting him to put it away when mobility matters more 32 39.
• Mountain Armor: Fitted armor worn when crossing the Wall of Nightmares 36.
• Transparent wings: Part of his fully equipped appearance before entering Nightmare Deadlands 36.
• Nightmare Shorts — CA rank: Announcement reward granting 150,000 combat power, 3 m/s movement speed, 15% dark resistance, and 50% less movement noise at night 37.
• Asura Blade — AZ rank: Grants 1,500,000 combat power and two additional attacks per second 48.
  • Asura One Slash: One-hit normal-attack monster kills build up to 9,999 stacks. Stacks expire after 30 seconds without another qualifying kill or after using its active skill.
  • One Slash Asura: Consumes the stacks to deal area true damage equal to 10% of total combat power × stacks. Its affected area scales with the stack count 48.

Accessories and Special Items

• Stardust Triangle Chain — FW rank: A destiny bracelet that amplifies his combat power to 120%, providing a 20% increase 17 24.
• Energy Bracelets — Z rank: Three appear in his inventory 17.
• Death-Exemption Scarecrows — Z rank: Three appear in his inventory; he treats one as protection against the risk of provoking the black-robed man 17 43.
• Agility Pill: Consumed to enhance his feet, increasing movement speed by 5 m/s 17.
• Mysterious Q Divine Crystal — ZZZ rank: Offered free by the general-store shopkeeper, who declares him fated to possess it 15 17.
• Bronze Key — ZZZ rank: Opens the bronze door leading to the Hell-Level Class Change Trial 17 47.
• Silver Keys — ZZZ rank: Obtains another from the North treasury, choosing it over two skill books 21 22.
• Golden Key: Chosen over rare class, talent, and multi-class opportunities because of its potential to unlock an unpredictable opportunity 34.

Relationships

• Wu Renxin — Former-life killer and humanity's former second-ranked expert. Lin Yi initially advises him, later feigns weakness and friendship, and ultimately kills him after exposing their hostile intentions 2 3 25 31.
• Ma Ke — Early antagonist who steals his Blue Slime's final hit. Lin Yi postpones retaliation until he can manipulate Ma Ke into killing You Duoduo, then kills him 4 18.
• You Duoduo — Source of the virus that secretly drained him in his previous life. Lin Yi kills her during their first renewed encounter and arranges another death through Ma Ke 6 7 18.
• Xiao Ling — Game guide involved in his treasury encounters and quest choices. She presents The Impossible Mission choice and later reveals the fatal consequence of its alternative 1 11 46.
• General-store shopkeeper — Reveals the hidden second-floor goods, explains destiny bracelets, and offers him the Mysterious Q Divine Crystal free of charge 14 15.
• Black-robed man — Overwhelmingly powerful, mind-reading human who supplies an Experience Centipede and tests Lin Yi. Their confrontation ends with the man recognizing Lin Yi's victory and granting the promised opportunity 41 42 43.
• Unnamed strongest human expert — Humiliated Lin Yi by trampling his face in his previous life. Lin Yi carried the resulting grudge for nine years but lacked the power to retaliate 15.

Notable Quotes

“Yazi... always repays a grudge!” 4

“You lost to me not because I'm more ruthless or smarter than you. But because... I'm stronger than you!” 31

“There was one thing I didn't lie about! What I hate most... is a handout given with contempt!” 31