Wu Cheng

Biodata

Power Progression

Appearance

• Burly, heavyset build: Initially described as plump, though Shen Heng later observes that his physique is not simply fat 18 38.
• Muscle and fat: Wu Cheng calls himself “sturdy” and compares his build to that of an ancient general. Shen Heng privately likens him to Zhang Fei from the newer Three Kingdoms television series of his previous life 38.

Personality

Wu Cheng is sociable and fond of leisure, inviting Shen Heng to play mahjong and arguing that youth should be spent enjoying life rather than cultivating constantly. He also organizes a wager on Shen Heng’s breathing practice, with late-night snacks as the stakes. Nevertheless, Shen Heng’s persistence helps push him toward spending more time cultivating 19 22 39.

Cautious in combat, Wu Cheng prefers fighting from the rear and considers his shield a last means of survival rather than a reason to take the front line. He objects to bringing the unranked Shen Heng into danger and urges the team to wait for Wei Leyang before entering the sewers. Han Ling calls this cowardice; Wu Cheng insists it is sensible caution 23 25.

He frequently answers teasing with jokes or self-justification. When Han Ling mocks his reluctance to charge into battle, he argues that a great general commands from the rear. His improvisation is more practical during the sewer fight: unable to sustain adequate illumination with his ability alone, he burns his own clothes to help the team see 28 38.

Abilities & Skills

Spark

Wu Cheng’s C-rank ability produces fire that he uses for ranged attacks and illumination 18 28 46.

• Fireballs: Conjures and throws fireballs that explode on impact 46.
• Speed stacking: Can continuously stack his ability to increase fireball speed, though his attacks remain slower than Han Ling’s bullets 46.
• Illumination: States that a fireball can illuminate roughly twenty to thirty meters, but its brightness fades rapidly. During the sewer battle, he supplements it with burning clothing 28.
• Weapon incompatibility: Says that coating a gun with his ability would melt its barrel. He also admits that he is not particularly skilled with firearms 47.

Flame Falcon

Wu Cheng shapes Spark into a red peregrine falcon at his fingertips before launching it at his target 46 47.

• Explosive strike: Hits the wall-climbing Calamity Beast in the back, interrupting its screech and making it howl in pain 47.
• Reaction limits: Shen Heng estimates that Wu Cheng can reliably hit that beast within approximately ten meters; beyond that distance, it can evade him because of the delay between detection, warning, and attack 47.
• Area denial: Uses repeated falcon attacks alongside Wang Hai’s pursuit to obstruct the beast’s descent 49.

Equipment

• Large shield: A substantial shield-like weapon with a metallic sheen. It blocks a Tier 3 rat beast’s claw, although the impact drives Wu Cheng backward and its tail subsequently reaches around the shield to strike his head 27.
• Headlamp: Uses one during the sewer search; its destruction leaves the team in complete darkness 25 27.
• Communication headset: Receives Shen Heng’s location reports and Wang Hai’s instructions during the unfinished-building operation 46 48 49.

History

Shen Heng’s Arrival

Wu Cheng meets Shen Heng at the squad’s welcome dinner, defending the newcomer’s decision to verify Wang Hai’s credentials with the police as a way of respecting his own life. He introduces himself as a Tier 2 user of C-rank Spark 18.

After dinner, he bets that Shen Heng can sustain breathing practice for fifteen minutes. Shen Heng continues for more than two and a half hours, leaving Wu Cheng and the others astonished. Their plans to play cards ultimately give way to cultivation 19.

Sewer Rat Beast Mission

Wu Cheng accompanies Wang Hai and Han Ling into the sewers after a creature abducts two people. Despite his preference to wait for Wei Leyang, he retrieves the headlamps and follows the captain’s order to begin searching immediately 25.

The team encounters a Tier 3 rat Calamity Beast that deliberately destroys their lamps. Wu Cheng blocks its claw with his shield, but a tail strike destroys his headlamp—the last remaining light source 26 27.

At Wang Hai’s urging, Wu Cheng burns his shirt and trousers to illuminate the passage. The restored light helps Wang Hai and Han Ling finish the beast. He emerges wearing his underwear and covering himself with Wang Hai’s damaged jacket, then returns to the bureau 28 29.

Unfinished-Building Mission

Wu Cheng joins the investigation at an abandoned development on Linping Road. When Shen Heng repeatedly reports a beast passing the team without anyone seeing it, Wu Cheng considers whether Shen Heng has misheard. The creature is eventually found to be climbing the building’s exterior rather than using the stairs 41 43 44.

Assigned to cover the exterior walls, Wu Cheng struggles to hit the Tier 2 beast with fireballs. It repeatedly chooses his side as its escape route until his Flame Falcon lands a hit; afterward, it maintains enough distance to evade further strikes 45 46 47.

Wu Cheng objects to demolishing the building because the collapse would attract news coverage. While the team continues fighting, Shen Heng secretly relocates Han Ling to Wu Cheng’s side using a recording to disguise her absence. Wu Cheng notices the maneuver and remains silent at Shen Heng’s signal. Han Ling kills the beast, and Wu Cheng agrees to the distribution granting Shen Heng forty percent of the mission points 48 49 50.

Relationships

• Wang Hai — Captain and field commander. Wu Cheng follows his orders despite voicing reservations; Wang Hai lends him a jacket after he burns his clothing 25 28.
• Han Ling — Teammate and frequent sparring partner in conversation. She mocks his build and defensive habits, while he counters with jokes 23 25 38.
• Shen Heng — Junior teammate. Wu Cheng initially encourages him to relax, then becomes increasingly astonished by his cultivation speed and tactical ingenuity 19 39 41 50.
• Wei Leyang — Teammate and fellow participant in the cultivation wager. Wu Cheng prefers having him present before the sewer search, but later disputes his proposal to collapse the unfinished building 19 25 48.
• Li Jianguo — Logistics colleague who urges him to find a wife. Wu Cheng deflects the advice by pointing out that Wei Leyang is also single 38.

Notable Quotes

“I'm not being a coward. I'm just being cautious, staying on the safe side!” 25

“But that shield's my last means of saving my life!” 23

“You people play so dirty!” 50