Zhao Lei

Biodata

Power Progression

History

Recruiting Su Han

Zhao Lei discovered Su Han through security patrol records. Seeing a bereaved young man with some Secret Martial Arts ability, he recruited him as an expendable menial disciple. He initially planned to save him for a suitable assignment 21.

Approaching Su Han after his unsuccessful visit to Xu Li’s family home, Zhao Lei offered information about his parents’ killers in exchange for joining the Ten Thousand Immortals Cult. Su Han accepted immediately, surprising Zhao Lei, who had prepared persuasion, inducements, and threats. Zhao Lei gave him the Azure Waves Immortal Martial Arts: Body Tempering Chapter, identified the Self-Circulating City and Sturgeon Group as leads, and withheld further details until Su Han raised his standing 17.

The Red Fist Sect Assignment

When Su Han requested more information about the Sturgeon Group and his sister, Zhao Lei threatened to revoke his menial disciple status. He then assigned him to exterminate the Red Fist Sect as punishment for irritating him. Believing Su Han was at Ming Jin or, at most, An Jin, Zhao Lei expected the sect’s Baodan master and Hua Jin elders to kill him 21.

Zhao Lei initially dismissed Su Han’s report of success and abused him for calling. A subsequent video showing the sect’s corpses left him speechless. After Chen Yixi reported the incident to Kong Fuxian, Zhao Lei relayed Su Han’s promotion to outer disciple and assignment to the Sixth Squad 23 24.

Under Kong Fuxian’s orders, he also supplied the location of Su Han’s sister at Benevolence Private Hospital. He reported that she had been in intensive care for five days, but continued withholding Sturgeon Group intelligence on the grounds of insufficient clearance 24 25.

Su Han’s Talent and Surveillance

At a squad meeting, Zhao Lei mocked Su Han’s request for the Beacon Fire cultivation method. His ridicule stopped when Su Han demonstrated Hundred Refinements cultivation after less than a day of training. Zhao Lei was shaken that an unguided recruit had surpassed the results of their years of effort 26 27.

Afterward, Zhao Lei reviewed Su Han’s ordinary family and academic background for Chen Yixi. He suggested that Su Han might share their origins and have previous Immortal Martial Arts experience, but Chen rejected this because Su Han lacked the identifying sensation shared by their people. She concluded that he concealed a major secret and ordered the squad to watch him 28.

Zhao Lei subsequently contacted Su Han to mobilize him for the Giant Whale Sect mission and urged him to reach Jinghai City High-speed Rail Station on schedule 29 32.

Giant Whale Sect Operation and Death

During the fighting, Zhao Lei disclosed that the assault belonged to a larger operation planned over two or three years. Its intended outcome was to weaken the Earth Condemnation Bureau and seize half the outer city. He described Su Han as “halfway to being one of us” because of Kong Fuxian’s interest, but refused to explain the operation further 37.

Later, Zhao Lei interrupted Su Han’s interrogation of a wounded Giant Whale Sect expert. Confronted about the Red Fist Sect assignment, he openly admitted that he had wanted Su Han dead. He then threatened to deny him cultivation methods and intelligence and to have his family, friends, and classmates killed if he retaliated 38.

Zhao Lei believed the cult’s protection made him untouchable. Su Han instead punched through his chest without warning. Zhao Lei survived briefly and repeated his threats, but Su Han killed him with a second punch to the head 39.

Personality

Zhao Lei is contemptuous, vindictive, and quick to abuse authority. He treats menial disciples as disposable cannon fodder and turns Su Han’s requests for information into grounds for a deliberately lethal assignment. His repeated dismissal of Su Han as a “native” reflects a strong sense of superiority over outside recruits 21 26 38.

His arrogance is tempered by fear when confronted with unexpected strength. He restrains his insults after seeing the Red Fist Sect massacre and becomes wary after Su Han demonstrates his cultivation. Nevertheless, his confidence in the cult’s protection ultimately overrides that caution 26 27 29 38.

He is also fervently invested in the cult’s expansion. When describing its plans to emerge from hiding and control half the outer city, he displays fanaticism, anticipation, and pride 37.

Abilities & Skills

Qi and Blood Immortal Martial Arts

Zhao Lei is a Hundred Refinements cultivator with vitality substantially beyond that of an ordinary person 39.

• Su Han senses a furnace-like presence inside his body during their first encounter 17.
• He remains alive briefly after a punch destroys internal organs and fragments his spine, though a subsequent head strike kills him 39.
• His training included abundant resources and instruction from Immortal Martial Arts’ creator 27.

Intelligence Gathering and Recruitment

Zhao Lei uses personal information and restricted intelligence to recruit and control others.

• Finds Su Han through security patrol records and investigates his background 21 28.
• Offers information about Su Han’s parents to secure his membership 17.
• Relays hospital intelligence through the cult’s network while making further disclosures conditional on status and contributions 24 25.

Relationships

• Su Han — Recruit turned enemy. Zhao Lei introduces him to Immortal Martial Arts, attempts to have him killed through the Red Fist Sect mission, and is ultimately killed after threatening his loved ones 17 21 38 39.
• Chen Yixi — Sixth Squad captain and Zhao Lei’s superior. He reports Su Han’s background to her; she later confirms that she had ordered Zhao Lei to follow him during the operation 24 28 40.
• Kong Fuxian — Higher-ranking superior whose orders Zhao Lei helps implement, including Su Han’s promotion and access to his sister’s location. Kong’s interest in Su Han concerns his concealed secret rather than talent alone 24 38.
• Bald man and short-haired woman — Fellow outer disciples who discuss the intended death trap with Zhao Lei and join him in mocking Su Han before witnessing his cultivation 21 26 27.

Notable Quotes

“Without strength, you're an ant. Only when you have strength will we think more highly of you.” 38

“Su Han, I've got you in the palm of my hand. You'll just have to endure it. Heh.” 38