Lao Zhao

Lao Zhao is a senior in the seven-student group that challenges Murder by Midnight after He San's first visit to the House of Horrors.

Biography

Murder by Midnight

Lao Zhao urges the group to film a mocking video and argues that the scenario's murderer must be an ordinary actor. He is also the first to count eight people among the seven challengers, triggering the panic that scatters them. After regrouping with He San, he hides behind a door, uses increasingly strained probability arguments to justify waiting, and finally faints when Chen Ge's attack and Xu Wan's wall scare close in on them. (Chapters 28–35)

Appearance and personality

Lao Zhao is round and heavyset. He tries to maintain a senior's composure through jokes, improvised logic, and bold declarations, but his pale face and defensive hiding reveal that his confidence has collapsed long before he loses consciousness. (Chapters 30–35)

Skills and supernatural abilities

He uses observation and rough probability arguments to plan the group's movement, though fear makes those conclusions self-serving. He has no supernatural ability or formal advancement. (Chapters 30–35)

Relationships

• He San: Lao Zhao tries to protect and encourage his junior while also using the smaller student as cover during the final pursuit. (Chapter 35)
• Brother Feng and the student group: His count of an eighth member exposes that their formation has been infiltrated and accelerates the group's separation. (Chapters 28–33)

Items

Lao Zhao uses his phone to record the planned challenge video, but loses it after the group scatters. (Chapters 30–32)