Zhang Meng
Martial Arts Point Allocation: Perfection in One Second
Contents
Biodata
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | Zhang Meng (张猛) |
| Gender | Male |
| Affiliation | East City Security Patrol, Third Squad (formerly); an unnamed captain’s group near Black Stone Fortress 9 34 47 |
| Occupation/Role | Patrol squad member (formerly); martial artist seeking advancement at the Beast Defense Frontier 9 34 |
| Status | Alive; last shown near Black Stone Fortress preparing to attempt a breakthrough 47 |
| First Appearance | Chapter 9, “The Patrol Squad’s Test!” 9 |
Power Progression
| Stage / Realm / Level | Chapter | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Greater Flesh Refining | 9 | Introduced at this level by Wang Zhen; still at Greater Flesh Refining when he leaves for the Beast Defense Frontier 34. |
| Bone Forging — planned, not confirmed | 47 | Receives top-grade Bone Tempering Ointment from his new captain, who says it is sufficient for a breakthrough attempt that night. No successful breakthrough is shown. |
Appearance
Personality
Zhang Meng is jealous and possessive toward Li Yue despite her lack of interest in him. He treats her growing closeness to Dongfang Yueming as a personal affront, blaming the newcomer for both her rejection and his own humiliation 9 18 19.
His hostility usually takes the form of concealed attacks rather than open confrontation. He stages a rescue opportunity, hires an attacker, and hides his malice behind false smiles. When Scorpion’s death suggests that his target has powerful protection, he immediately flees the city 10 11 23 34.
He is deferential toward stronger superiors but ruthless toward vulnerable victims. Near Black Stone Fortress, he kills a fallen martial artist with evident satisfaction, then adopts a fawning manner when his captain praises him 47.
History
Sabotaging the Newcomer’s Test
Zhang Meng serves under Captain Wang Zhen in the East City Security Patrol’s Third Squad. When Dongfang Yueming joins, Wang Zhen orders Zhang Meng to release captured Carrion Rats into the newcomer’s patrol area as a routine test of courage and combat ability 9.
Jealous of Li Yue’s interest in Dongfang, Zhang Meng secretly feeds the rats forbidden berserk-inducing drugs. He intends to injure Dongfang and then impress Li Yue by arriving as her rescuer. Instead, Dongfang kills all three attacking rats before Zhang Meng reaches the alley 10 11.
Li Yue recognizes his likely involvement and regards him with disgust. Wang Zhen makes Zhang Meng cover 20 extra contribution points awarded to Dongfang, deducting them from his following month’s earnings. Zhang Meng accepts the punishment but becomes more resentful 11 12.
Hiring Scorpion
After Li Yue rejects his dinner invitation, Zhang Meng seeks out Scorpion, a Lesser Flesh Refining outlaw. He initially offers 500 federal credits to have Dongfang’s leg broken, then raises the payment to 1,000 credits plus healing pills when Scorpion hesitates. He also supplies Dongfang’s patrol route through East District Three and East District Four 18 19.
During this period, two Azure-Scaled Leopards attack Dongfang and Li Yue. Both suspect Zhang Meng because of his unusual smugness, but his involvement is not established. Zhang Meng himself finds the beasts’ appearance strange and mistakenly assumes Li Yue did the fighting 20 21.
Zhang Meng later presses Scorpion to act. Scorpion ambushes Dongfang with a poisoned dagger and threatens to kill him, exceeding the original request to cripple him. Dongfang beheads Scorpion 23 24.
Flight to the Beast Defense Frontier
When Scorpion fails to report back, Zhang Meng uses clandestine contacts to investigate. Learning that Scorpion has been cleanly beheaded, he refuses to believe Dongfang could have done it and concludes that an expert must be protecting him 34.
Afraid of retaliation, he resigns from the patrol squad. He tells Wang Zhen that patrol work is too comfortable and that he wants opportunities at the Beast Defense Frontier, where he hopes to obtain resources for Bone Forging 34.
Wang Zhen later tells Dongfang about the resignation. Its timing strengthens Dongfang’s conviction that Zhang Meng hired Scorpion, and he develops killing intent toward his former teammate 38.
Killing for Military Merit
Near Black Stone Fortress, Zhang Meng joins an unnamed captain who advocates killing fellow martial artists as a faster way to obtain military merit than hunting beasts. Zhang Meng drives his long saber through a fallen martial artist’s heart and receives a bottle of top-grade Bone Tempering Ointment as his reward 47.
He plans to use the ointment to attempt Bone Forging and renews his vow to take revenge on Dongfang once his strength increases 47.
Abilities & Skills
Flesh Refining Cultivation
- Has reached Greater Flesh Refining, placing him above Li Yue’s introductory Lesser Flesh Refining level 9.
- No named cultivation method or confirmed higher breakthrough is provided 9 34 47.
Beast Sabotage
- Uses forbidden drugs to temporarily stimulate beasts’ potential and induce a berserk state 10.
- Turns a routine Carrion Rat test into an encounter that even Li Yue believes could injure her 10.
Saber Use
- Wields a long saber to kill a fallen martial artist near Black Stone Fortress 47.
- No named saber technique is identified.
Equipment / Items
- Berserk-inducing pills — Fed to captured Carrion Rats before releasing them toward Dongfang’s patrol area 10.
- Healing pills — Offered as part of Scorpion’s payment 19.
- Personal terminal — Used to contact Scorpion through an encrypted number 23.
- Long saber — Used in the killing near Black Stone Fortress 47.
- Top-grade Bone Tempering Ointment — Reward intended to support his Bone Forging breakthrough attempt 47.
Relationships
- Dongfang Yueming — Former teammate and target of jealousy-driven attacks; Zhang Meng continues plotting revenge after fleeing the city 10 19 34 47.
- Li Yue — Teammate and unrequited romantic interest. She rejects his invitation and suspects his role in the dangerous newcomer’s test 11 18.
- Wang Zhen — Former captain; penalizes his sabotage but permits his resignation without knowing his real reason for leaving 12 34.
- Scorpion — Hired attacker whose death prompts Zhang Meng’s flight 19 23 34.
- Unnamed frontier captain — New superior who rewards his killing of another martial artist with cultivation resources 47.