Xue Ci

Biodata

Power Progression

Xue Ci’s documented supernatural advancement occurs in “The Cowardly Follower.” No named cultivation realms or numerical ability ranks are given.

Background

Original Life

Xue Ci’s parents divorced when he was young. He lived with his mother, but her frequent work trips meant that he spent much of his childhood with his grandmother. As she grew older, he often cared for her after school and learned to manage his own needs. Despite appearing delicate and accustomed to being looked after, he is capable of living independently; cooking remains a notable weakness 194.

Transmigration Missions

As Eleven’s host, Xue Ci enters small worlds and follows the lives of supporting characters, often people whose suffering or deaths are meant to advance a protagonist’s development. He knows the original plots and deliberately performs assigned actions, including pursuing particular characters, withdrawing from school, or preparing to be killed off 7 32 58 113 127.

The mission progress bar primarily measures the protagonist’s growth rather than Xue Ci’s personal strength. Plot deviations of up to ten percent can remain manageable, and events do not always need to unfold exactly as written 30 33 130.

An invading virus complicates these assignments. Eleven learns that it can move between worlds and become their inhabitants, having split into fragments because its spiritual power exceeded what its vessel could withstand. When the Bureau begins hunting the fragments, Xue Ci chooses to enter the final world to recover the fragment left there 30 161.

Appearance

• Build: Small and slender, with a narrow waist and relatively little physical strength. His stamina is poor during archery practice, farm work, and escape attempts 10 57 60 94.
• Face: Round eyes, thick dark eyelashes, softly rounded cheeks, and a pointed chin. His cheeks retain noticeable baby fat in several worlds 12 24 42.
• Skin: Fair and easily marked; even Gu Xu’s light pinch leaves a red mark on his face 6.
• Hair: Described as black in the village and widower worlds, and brown in the Fu-family world 41 131 171.
• Formal clothing: A fitted banquet outfit makes him resemble a fairy-tale prince; a later dress costume gives him a princess-like appearance 11 26.
• Honeysuckle form: Tender green shoots emerge from his back after he enters symbiosis with the plant 107.
• Succubus traits: His tail and wings are suppressed, while a mark on his abdomen can still appear intermittently 173.

Personality

Xue Ci is polite, soft-spoken, and shy around strangers. He tends to stay close to familiar people in uncomfortable social situations and can struggle to express anger even when he has good reason to be upset. After discovering Xie Yishu’s deception, he wants to scold him but cannot readily find the words 13 30.

He is considerate and remembers kindness. Despite being frightened by Xie Yishu, he later agrees to visit him because he remembers that Xie Yishu was injured protecting him. As a healer, he treats injured animals and rescues stranded humans, then leaves signs to help them find their way out of the mountains 33 106 107.

His apparent innocence does not prevent him from acting strategically. He deliberately softens his voice, plays helpless, provokes jealousy, and searches for loopholes in mission requirements. He is also curious and playful: he enjoys games, is excited by unfamiliar experiences, and proudly points out that he learned to ride in three days 10 42 47 159 209 225.

Romantic attachment is harder for him to understand than the tasks themselves. He questions why others care for him so intensely and later says that he likes everyone who treats him well. Nevertheless, he can set boundaries: he avoids possessive partners, ends relationships, and refuses to choose any of his exes in the office-worker IF route 107 131 134 209 225.

Abilities & Skills

Healing

His symbiosis with mutated honeysuckle grants powerful healing abilities in “The Cowardly Follower” 106.

• A few leaves completely heal otherwise fatal injuries in birds and rabbits 106.
• He treats injured humans in the mountains and heals Yu Cheng’s wounded arm 107.
• His own healing powers help his physical aches fade 107.
• At Third Base, he conceals the healing aspect of his power and registers only an ordinary plant-type ability because its rarity could put him in danger 107.

Plant Physiology and Senses

Symbiosis changes both his needs and his relationship with the surrounding environment 106 107.

• Sunlight replenishes his energy; he no longer needs human food, although he can still eat 106 107.
• He develops an enhanced sense of smell capable of distinguishing humans from zombies 107.
• Zombies do not harm him after he ceases to be human 107.
• He experiences a flowering season accompanied by heat, fragrance, and physical discomfort 107.

Mission Performance

Xue Ci uses plot information and Eleven’s guidance to perform his assigned roles 7 15 113.

• Adopts behaviors expected of his character, including conspicuous crushes, dependence, and deliberate withdrawal from friends 7 15 108.
• Watches mission progress closely and adjusts when relationships diverge from the original story 24 30 117.
• Identifies a loophole in the office-worker IF route: the plot requires an ambiguous relationship with Chu Juesheng, not an official romance 209.
• Sometimes misunderstands others’ intentions despite knowing their original character descriptions 24 30.

Practical Skills and Limitations

• Gardening: Grows flowers and vegetables; trades flowers for A Hui’s meals and fruit in the village world 34.
• Art: Takes painting classes, owns brushes and painting equipment, and later joins a residential art course 22 33.
• Horse riding: Learns to ride in three days 159.
• Basic self-defense: Kills zombies with improvised rods and sticks, but rapidly tires when surrounded 94 104.
• Archery: Reaches the target with Xie Yishu’s guidance; requires protective equipment and a drawing aid, and finds the bow and arrows heavy 10.
• Cooking and baking: His meals are poor enough that he arranges a food exchange, and his practice cakes remain unsatisfactory 34 121.

Conditions and Vulnerabilities

Equipment & Items

• Archery equipment — A longbow, arm/finger/face protection, finger tape, and a bow-drawing aid obtained through Xie Yishu 10.
• Painting supplies — Brushes recovered from his relatives’ home by Xin Yue, along with a drawing board and palette used during his art course 33.
• Red protective cords — Gives Zhao Ying a protective strip of red cloth, later a cord carrying luck points, and Lu Zhoucheng a matching couple’s cord that can block pain 36 62 90.
• Nonprescription glasses and holographic lenses — Eleven replaces the office-world character’s prescription lenses because Xue Ci is not nearsighted; he attaches holographic lenses to enter the game 63.
• Defensive wizard robes — His equipment in Fluffy Roaming. Bai Wu later increases their defense 63 65.
• Death-faking medicine — Intended to let him complete his apparent death and wait for the final five percent of the apocalypse-world mission; the honeysuckle intervenes 106.
• Protective talisman — Used by Eleven to block ninety percent of the suffering caused by his winter illness 150.
• Ring associated with Erland — Releases pale green mist that wraps around him during the castle fire 193.

Relationships

System and Cross-World Connections

• Eleven / 11 — His system partner. Provides tasks, plot information, protective measures, and emotional support; can take a fluffy physical form and becomes jealous when Xue Ci wants to keep a wolf as a pet 4 32 106.
• Virus Fragments — Intrusive cross-world presences whose pursuit by the Bureau prompts Xue Ci to enter the final world. Their behavior and his feelings toward them vary; in the real-world ending, he identifies Fu Chengsi as his least favorite 30 161 225.

Countryside Beta World

• Gu family — Takes him in and publicly establishes that he is under its protection. Hu Shenglan is especially affectionate and respects his eventual decision to leave school 3 13 33.
• Gu Xu — The protagonist Xue Ci is assigned to pursue. Becomes jealous of his closeness with Xin Yue and later helps protect him after the harassment is uncovered 7 8 30.
• Gu Ling — Protective older-brother figure who becomes a romantic pursuer. Helps him withdraw from school and returns his lost dog charm, but his rough, possessive behavior also drives Xue Ci to avoid him 33.
• Xin Yue — Close companion and suitor who looks after his comfort, accompanies him to classes, and retrieves his stolen paintbrushes 8 16 33.
• Duan Xingyan — Roommate who initially cares for him like an older brother before developing romantic feelings. Supports his decision to leave school 8 12 33.
• Xie Yishu — Tutor and trusted roommate whose helpful demeanor conceals harassment and obsessive possessiveness. Xue Ci later encourages him to seek treatment and return to school 22 30 33.

Missing-Husband World

• Zhao Ying — His husband and the world’s protagonist. Handles housework, protects his interests, and remains devoted despite their separation and reconciliation 36 58 62.
• Lu Xiunan — Zhao Ying’s twin brother, initially mistaken for Xue Ci’s husband. Becomes a jealous rival and pressures him to leave Zhao Ying 36 42 46 58.
• Zhou Qize — Offers help during Zhao Ying’s disappearance and later courts Xue Ci with visits, books, and food 36 46.
• A Hui — Trades meals for Xue Ci’s flowers, assists him with farm work, and shelters him when he escapes his pursuers 34 60 62.

Office-Worker World

• Bai Wu / Crow — His online romantic partner. Helps him in-game and becomes increasingly possessive as their relationship develops 65 70 72 83.
• Cheng Yuqing — Coworker and friend who becomes a suitor; gives him a custom snowflake necklace and confesses at his farewell dinner. They date in the IF route 83 205 209.
• Gu Yan — Company president and fake boyfriend in the main route. Uses Xue Ci’s attachment to the villa’s flowers to prolong their arrangement; becomes an ex-partner in the IF route 83 209.
• Chu Juesheng — Young suitor who seeks an official relationship in both versions of the office-world story, while Xue Ci avoids committing to the label 85 209.

Apocalypse World

• Lu Zhoucheng — Ex-boyfriend who remains protective and hopes to reconcile. Guards Xue Ci’s medical secret and intervenes against an invisible harasser 96 102.
• Lu Bo’an — Provides medical advice in the main route; is Xue Ci’s husband at the beginning of the Follower IF route 96 210.
• Duan Zeran — The protagonist Xue Ci’s role directs him to admire. Protects him during the outbreak and gives him access to the spiritual spring in his storage space 92 104 105.
• Yu Cheng — Confesses his love after finding Xue Ci in the mountains and later becomes his registered husband at Third Base 107.

Fu-Family World

• Jiang Shu — Initial boyfriend who later seeks reconciliation. Xue Ci rejects getting back together while following his assigned role 108 113 118.
• Fu Yang — Financial supporter and possessive romantic pursuer. Xue Ci becomes dependent on his care but later avoids him and refuses to confirm that they are dating again 113 117 134.
• Fu Qingxiao — Becomes Xue Ci’s partner, but their relationship ends after Xue Ci learns his apparent memory confusion was a deception. Accepts the separation and lets him leave 130 131.
• Fu Zhouxuan — The protagonist whose growth determines mission progress. Xue Ci supports his studies and celebrates his birthday; Fu Zhouxuan develops feelings for him 117 118 125 130 131.
• Song family / Song Ran — His recovered biological family in this world. Welcomes him after DNA confirmation; Song Ran helps him move and distrusts the Fu men’s intentions 130 131.

Wedding-to-Ward-Off-Illness World

• Qin Zhuo — His husband in the world’s marriage plot. Attentive to practical needs and risks a serious hand injury retrieving the snow lotus needed for his medicine 135 140 150.
• Qin Wuzhen — Qin Zhuo’s elder brother, physician, and Xue Ci’s original romantic attachment in the assigned plot. Treats his illnesses and later pursues him, but Xue Ci rejects his request to become his husband 135 137 150 161.
• Xie Qiaosi — Openly affectionate suitor who spends freely on him, learns to ride with him, and participates in his rescue from A Fei 150 159 161.
• A Fei — Bandit who holds Xue Ci and plans to marry him before the rescue 161.

Widower World

• Erland — His blood-clan husband. Sacrifices himself to protect Xue Ci and uses his memories to give him a new life; his lingering jealousy also disrupts the small world 189.
• Lu Min — Player and boyfriend whose affection raises his mission progress. Xue Ci reassures him that he feels closest to him, though their relationship remains tense and jealous 168 182 184.
• Qin Zhou — Player who investigates the castle with him, becomes romantically interested, and looks after the rabbits 172 183 184.
• Fu Chengsi — Initially aloof player who becomes attentive and cooks Chinese food for him. Xue Ci later names him as the person he dislikes most among the fragments 184 185 225.
• Bill — Persistent suitor who gives him food, jewelry, and money. After Xue Ci’s memory loss, Bill introduces himself as his husband, and Xue Ci subsequently relies on him 189 193 221.

Story Role / Major Arcs

The Beta from the Countryside

• Enters Holy Spiral Academy under the Gu family’s protection while attempting to follow a plot centered on pursuing Gu Xu and being socially excluded 6 7 13.
• Develops skin hunger and seeks discreet comfort from Xie Yishu, whose apparent kindness conceals harassment 13 15 22 30.
• Completes countryside tasks involving Song Chengzu’s false illness and paying respects to his ancestors, then withdraws from school and returns home 33.
• Reaches 100% mission progress when Gu Ling comes to see him. Asked whether he would hate Gu Ling for never letting go, Xue Ci decides he probably would not 33.

The Missing Husband Returns

• Marries Zhao Ying and settles into village life. During Zhao Ying’s absence, mistakes the injured Lu Xiunan for his husband 36.
• Becomes the focus of competing attention from Zhao Ying, Lu Xiunan, Zhou Qize, and A Hui, eventually seeking refuge away from them 46 58 62.
• Completes the final task by giving Zhao Ying a luck-bearing red cord. Progress reaches 100%, and he leaves the world after Zhao Ying reaffirms his devotion 62.

The Honest Office Worker Catfished Online

• Enters Fluffy Roaming as Little Snowman to meet the intended scammer, while Eleven reduces his avatar’s appearance to attract less attention 63.
• Develops an online relationship with Crow and is transferred to the company president’s office 65 70.
• Resigns from the Gu Group but temporarily continues his fake relationship with Gu Yan so he can keep tending the villa’s flowers 83.
• In the IF route, breaks away from his relationships, quits his job, travels, and becomes a volunteer teacher at his childhood orphanage. When his four exes find him, he refuses to choose any of them 209.

The Cowardly Follower

• Must survive a zombie outbreak until outside rescue arrives, rather than defeat the zombies 94.
• Attempts to complete his scripted death using medicine, but the honeysuckle rescues him and grants him healing powers 106.
• Lives in the mountains healing animals and stranded people, then reunites with Yu Cheng and registers their marriage at Third Base 106 107.
• After the mission reaches 100%, chooses to remain for two additional days with the people gathered around him before departing 107.
• The Follower IF route instead begins with him married to Lu Bo’an and subject to a recurring physical role punishment 210.

Xiao Ci, You Don’t Want to Be

• Follows a role involving Jiang Shu, financial dependence on Fu Yang, and friendship with Fu Zhouxuan 108 113.
• Tries to manage increasingly possessive relationships while supporting Fu Zhouxuan’s academic growth 117 125 127.
• Discovers his biological family after an attempted car accident is prevented. Reuniting with the Song family changes the protagonist’s motivation: Fu Zhouxuan must work harder to pursue him 130.
• Ends his relationship with Fu Qingxiao, moves out, and later evades Fu Yang’s attempts to reestablish an official romance 131 134.

The Young Husband Who Needed a Wedding to Ward Off Misfortune

• Occupies the role of a chronically ill young master whose marriage is intended to ward off illness 135 137.
• Survives a severe winter fever after Qin Wuzhen and Qin Zhuo obtain a medicinal snow lotus 150.
• Is rescued from A Fei’s stronghold before a forced wedding 161.
• Disappears during his birthday celebration into the virus’s protected area, then chooses to enter the final world 161.

Pitiful Widower

• Searches for his dead husband while managing the players’ escape progress and investigating the castle 168 173.
• Learns that all three players must willingly take him out of the game; allowing any to leave first would destroy the mission and small world 182.
• Recovers memories of Erland’s sacrifice, is offered a way to reverse time, and then awakens without his memories beside Bill 189.
• Escapes the burning castle with assistance from the vine and the power emerging from his ring 193.
• In the Widower IF route, completes a sealed-room mission with Bill and subsequently wakes beside Fu Chengsi 221.

Real-World Ending

• His original childhood establishes that his delicate appearance conceals considerable independence 194.
• In the final everyday-life chapter, discusses his feelings toward the fragments while playing a game, then excitedly announces that he has cleared it 225.

Notable Quotes

“I’ll remember you.”
— His farewell promise before leaving the apocalypse world 107.

“I told you, I’m very smart.”
— After learning to ride in three days 159.

“I... don’t know. I like everyone who’s good to me.”
— On his feelings toward the people he has met 225.