The youngest son of the Zhou family, Bingkun is the only child who remains at home with his mother when his older siblings leave. His brother Bingyi goes to work in the countryside, while his sister Rong follows her husband to Guizhou. The story follows the family through decades of social change.
Li Nan is a scientist whose death becomes a central event in the investigation. He dies in an explosion, and investigators initially cannot determine whether he detonated the micro-bomb himself or someone else triggered it. Bai Fan later says his encounter with her in Yan Di's apartment stairwell was part of a setup intended to implicate Yan Di.
Former Longyou Army soldier imprisoned for killing a terrorist gang and his commanding officer. Granted a special 24-hour amnesty to catch the Wolf Squad terrorists and foil a major rebellion plot before the Lantern Festival, uncovering a far greater conspiracy against the empire.
Underground city resident caught in the crisis.
Determined father transformed into a warrior to rescue his daughter from a fictional realm.
A temporary prosecutor at the city prosecutor's office who navigates multiple complex legal cases while balancing personal and familial challenges. He ultimately risks his career to invoke Article 20 and advocate for just self-defense rulings in court.
Ma Ke is the central figure drawn into the aftermath of the Malawi disaster while helping entertain a visiting Chinese delegation. He joins Zhou Wen in trying to obtain Tom Baker's report, faces threats and pressure from Harrison, and ultimately decides to speak to the press because he believes the report matters.
Jinyiwei officer and Shen Lian's colleague, falsely accused in the conspiracy.
Qin Hui is the Song prime minister whose residence becomes the scene of the envoy's murder and the search for a dangerous letter. Fearing exposure as a traitor, he orders Zhang Da, Sun Jun, and others killed after the investigation. He later admits his intended betrayal, uses a body double, and survives only to face public disgrace.
Zhong Da is a lawyer drawn into a lawsuit over allegedly fraudulent heated health shoes, and Boss Lu pressures him to secure a favorable outcome. After the body swap, he lives as Lu Xiaogu, confronting the young man's family life and his grandmother's worsening confusion while navigating the case alongside Lu Xiaogu.
An investigator probing the truth behind a bus explosion case. He defies his father's warnings to attend a banquet hosted by Li Zhitian, where he uncovers shocking clues including a hidden corpse, a violent assault, and a massive illicit fund transfer.
A skilled thief who gets entangled with a rebel film crew after finding a hidden gold map in his shoe. He assists the rebels with reconnaissance and evasion, eventually rejoining them after drawing a crucial map. Following a failed assassination and the deaths of his father and comrades, he feels immense guilt, refuses to flee, and executes a final suicidal mission to destroy the gold and kill the Japanese colonel before disappearing.
Lei Jiayin has 47 screen credits in a career dating back to 2009. Their work spans 6 cinematic universes — most prominently Assassination of Novelists (Series) with 2 titles. Signature works include Old Boy, A Lifelong Journey, White Deer Plain. Explore the interactive character relationship maps on each title page to trace how their roles connect across franchises.
Universe traveler — spans 6 universes
Related entry on Wikidata (Q15924951), public domain (CC0).
