Fang Lei

Biodata

Background / History

Becoming Chen Han’s Underling

Fang Lei survived his first instance through what he considered sheer luck. He received neither an item nor a system reward, entering Happy Kids Swimming Pool as an inexperienced player on his second instance 24 33.

At the swimming pool, he became convinced that Chen Han had deliberately helped him preserve his ticket. Interpreting Chen Han’s silence as confirmation that he was an expert, Fang Lei pledged to obey him. Chen Han accepted, despite not understanding how Fang Lei had reached that conclusion 17.

The pair entered the water together and formed a separate group from the middle-aged woman, Blondie, and the girl with the high ponytail. Fang Lei contributed an early deduction: Rule 4’s unrestricted ban on leaving the pool would require players to remain there forever, making it suspect. Chen Han’s praise strengthened his belief that he had chosen the right person to follow 17.

Surviving the Blackouts

Fang Lei noticed that black, ribbon-like objects around the pool drains appeared to increase over time. After Blondie drowned among them, he interpreted Chen Han’s earlier remark about the pool’s “deepest hurdle” as an exact prediction of the death 18 20.

His confidence in Chen Han continued to grow throughout the hourly blackouts. He believed Chen Han had deliberately staged an ankle injury to escape a supernatural swimming race, then later concluded that Chen Han had used the lifeguard’s rules to eliminate the hostile middle-aged woman 22 25.

By the fifth blackout, Fang Lei was too exhausted to reach the illuminated safe area unaided. Chen Han pulled him inside just as an anomaly’s hand brushed his back. Afterward, Fang Lei ate candy collected from the front desk and immediately recovered much of his stamina 28.

When the bloodied child known as Kid Bro approached, Fang Lei asked him to lead them out. Their departure from the pool triggered a new set of rules. Fang Lei believed he had correctly followed Chen Han’s earlier hints; Chen Han instead believed Fang Lei had independently solved the problem 28 29 30.

Finding the Exit

Fang Lei followed Chen Han and Kid Bro along the freezing path outside the pool. He became suspicious when Kid Bro demanded Chen Han’s protective towel, and was astonished when Chen Han satisfied the request by sharing it rather than surrendering it. He also noticed candy falling from Chen Han’s torn swimming trunks and interpreted it as a deliberately placed trail 30 31.

When Kid Bro demanded that the pair remain with him forever and began transforming, the arrival of the bullying children interrupted him. Fang Lei fled behind Chen Han; the stamina restored by his candy allowed him to keep up 32.

After escaping, Chen Han asked Fang Lei to choose their route. Believing this was a test, Fang Lei reviewed the remaining rules about flowers and a child’s corpse. He followed white petals to an old tree, where they discovered the child’s body alongside the corpses of the three other players 33.

The child suddenly revived, provoking a delayed, piercing scream from Fang Lei. The revived child, called Xiaobai, then guided them through the maze to the exit. Both players escaped because Chen Han had left their swimming stubs safely with the ticket seller 34 35.

Fang Lei witnessed the revelation of Kid Bro’s involvement in the class monitor’s murder and heard the announcement of Chen Han’s perfect clear and the hidden ending, “Ingratitude.” Before Chen Han departed, Fang Lei asked his boss not to forget him 35 36.

Personality

Fang Lei is fearful, deferential, and eager to secure a capable protector. He nearly collapses when the pool’s entities stare at him, worries that the middle-aged woman may target him, and becomes afraid that asking Chen Han too many questions could make him expendable 17 19 27.

His admiration for Chen Han makes him read elaborate plans into ordinary or accidental actions. He treats praise as evidence that Chen Han intends to cultivate his potential and sees requests for help as tests of his intelligence. Nevertheless, his desire to prove useful pushes him to act: he volunteers to ask Kid Bro for guidance and finds the petal-marked route despite his nervousness 28 29 33.

Abilities & Skills

Rule Analysis

Fang Lei can identify useful clues and contradictions, although he lacks confidence in his own judgment.

• Questioning absolute restrictions: Recognizes that obeying Rule 4 literally would prevent anyone from ever leaving the pool 17.
• Combining clues: Connects the instructions to find a corpse and seek flowers, then follows white petals to the correct location 33.
• Limitation: Frequently assumes Chen Han already knows the answer and is merely testing or instructing him 29 33.

Observation

• Notices the apparent growth of the black, ribbon-like objects around the drains 18.
• Detects the smell of blood during a blackout 23.
• Recognizes that Kid Bro’s sudden claim of being cold is suspicious 30.
• Spots the candy falling from Chen Han’s pocket, though he mistakenly attributes it to a deliberate plan 31.

Swimming

• Enjoys swimming in his spare time and understands the function and location of a pool’s drainage area 20.
• Can remain in the water for hours, but eventually suffers severe exhaustion and requires rescue and stamina-restoring candy 27 28.

Equipment / Items

• Front-desk candy — Collected while following Chen Han. Eating a piece rapidly restores his stamina and later helps him keep pace during their escape 28 32.
• Flashlight — Supplied by Kid Bro for the dark path beyond the pool 30.
• Bath towel — Supplied by Kid Bro; wrapping himself in it protects Fang Lei from the unnatural cold 30.
• Swimming stub — Kept safe with the ticket seller by Chen Han, allowing Fang Lei to leave through the gates 35.

Relationships

• Chen Han — Boss, ally, and rescuer. Fang Lei offers unwavering obedience, while Chen Han increasingly relies on his deductions. Each mistakenly believes the other understands more of the instance than he actually does 17 28 29 33.
• Kid Bro — Initially a guide whom Fang Lei asks for help. His suspicious demands and eventual transformation expose the danger of trusting him 28 30 32.
• Xiaobai — The revived child whose body Fang Lei locates by following white petals. Xiaobai leads both players to the actual exit 33 34 35.
• Middle-aged woman — Hostile fellow player who spreads suspicion about Fang Lei and Chen Han’s alliance. Fang Lei resents her accusations and fears becoming another victim of her schemes 17 19 21.

Notable Quotes

“Boss, don’t worry. Whatever you tell me to do from now on, I, Fang Lei, promise I’ll do it!” 17

“Boss, don’t forget me! I’ve taken all your teachings to heart!” 36

Trivia

• His scream when Xiaobai revives is compared to a pig being slaughtered. It attracts additional livestream viewers after someone claims the stream features pig slaughter inside Rules Horror 34.
• Chen Han later compares Li Hebing to Fang Lei because both imagine elaborate intentions behind actions Chen Han did not plan 41.