Wei Zhi

Zhi before his death

Wei Zhi, also know by his alias Henry Grant, was a Chinese and later Chinese-American military special operative, tactician, and strategist. Initially an operative for the Chinese Army, he later defected and became the lead militant strategist for Seaboard in the United States. He led a prominent offensive and was acclaimed by Seaboard officials snd feared by his enemies, vast growth being seen under his command.

Following the Second Battle of Harrisburg, Wei Zhi was betrayed by Michael Sisk, who sought to eliminate him for his failure. Instead, Zhi escaped with his apprentice, Yun, and faked his death. He later emerged under the pseudonym Henry Grant, collaborating with Great Lakes president Jared Coleman as the lead strategist of the Great Lake military. This quickly fell through when Zhi killed Coleman and took his position as the leader of the Great Lake States.

Zhi was known for his high intelligence, complex baytle strategy, and long term planning that often took long periods of time to unfold. Before being ousted from his position in Seaboard, he was respected by his peers such as General Gardiner and Sherman, who he worked close with, as being highly sophisticated, thought out, and intelligent.

## Early Life

Zhi was born in either 1974 or 1975 in southeast China. He scored highly in school and attained higher education in the region, before joining the People's Liberation Army as an officer.

Due to his renowned performance in the field, he quickly rose ranks and changed from a base officer to a special operative, designated with highly confidential missions across the world. Zhi became involved in overseeing top-secret projects and handling sensitive foreign affairs with subordinate spies and team leaders. Zhi was assigned a newly created task force in the early to mid 2000s. Among his prodiges was a young girl assigned to the team, Yun. Zhi took an interest to her, seeing her as a daughter he never had- at ten hears old, he began training the talented child, often using her as a decoy daughter when he traveled. The two quickly formed a strong bond.

## Involvement with Seaboard

Before the release of the Jinanvirus, many Chinese spies had begun to catch wind of suspicious activity from Seaboard Technologies. Wei Zhi was sent to the United States in an effort to uncover the truth regarding the corporation and their nefarious plans. His team having converged on the company in Connecticut, he began recording vast amounts of information from hacked software, wiretapping, and stolen data.

While nearby in Massachusetts researching the information, Seaboard security leader Lyons Russel and Chief Security Officer Levi Frazier had discovered Zhi and his team. The Seaboard officials had their own men plant a counter-bug in stolen computer data, unknown to Wei Zhi. This let him be tracked, and he was immediately captured along with his team's dozen or so members.

In private captivity, Zhi was held for at least a couple months with others, while CSO Frazier attempted to extract as much information as possible. Frazier initially wanted to turn him over to the FBI. Zhi was adamant it was a bad idea, since he already knew all of their secrets hidden from the federal government. Knowing since the Chinese government was aware of many dealings of Seaboard, so must've been the American government. Frazier then wanted to kill Zhi, however, he had slowly warmed up to Sisk's ideology and the plans of Seaboard.

In a show of trust, Zhi broke free from his holding cell, killing all of his men but Yun and another young man who he trusted. He then pledged himself to the Seaboard cause, although, it was a ploy. He recommended he be given the modified virus sample, which he could release in China. Frazier and Russel conceed, however, both knew Zhi to be deceiving them. They gave him a fake viral sample, which he kept and returned to China. Zhi also believed that they may have been suspicious of his activity, so took the sample to an unaffiliated private Chinese laboratory, which confirmed it was an unmodified sample of a common cold.

Believing Zhi to have betrayed the government, paired with the fact Seaboard sent the Chinese military video and audio of Zhi falsely pledging himself, they sent agents to kill him and Yun. The two went on the run, before being found by Seaboard agents. Between helping the agents and facing certain execution from the Chinese government, Zhi collaborated with Levi Frazier's men in releasing the modified virus into busy restaurant in Jinan. He, Yun, and the Seaboard agents were able to escape the country to Thailand, where they then flew back to the United States.

## Service and Defection from Seaboard

Having proven his worth and strategic expertise, Zhi quickly rose through the ranks within Seaboard. He became a trusted member of the organization and was bestowed the title of Brigadier, assuming significant responsibilities in planning and commanding various military operations and battles. His strategy was feared, and its unpredictable but highly coordinated style meant that for many fights, Seaboard units of far fewer troops could defeat enemy forces of far greater size and strength.

Following the Second Battle of Harrisburg in 2021, which saw the Appalachian Resistance retake the city, Wei Zhi's leadership came under scrutiny. While he managed to escape the attack unharmed, the defeat was seen as a significant setback for him and the Seaboard forces under his command. In the ensuing months, Zhi became increasingly targeted by suspicious Seaboard officials, who viewed him as a potential liability or threat.

Convinced that he was being targeted for elimination or replacement, Wei Zhi made a daring attempt to rally a regiment of Seaboard troops and instigate a mutiny against those he believed to be his adversaries within the organization. He planned the takeover at Seaboard's command in Glens Falls, New York, and fabricated evidence so that his top enforcers, including a Sentinel, would help him execute the Colonel in charge of the land and air base. Wei Zhi tried to kill the sentinel afterwards, but failed. The sentinel escaped and informed the others of the mutiny, leading to an internal battle between those loyal to the Brigadier and those loyal to the Seaboard Army as a whole.

However, Zhi's mutiny was short lived. The network of loyalists he had established proved to be less reliable than anticipated, with some individuals wavering in their commitment or choosing to remain loyal to the existing Seaboard hierarchy. When it was clear he could not win, a small team helped him escaped, and Zhi later murdered them as well, believing he was safer on his own.

## Emergence as Henry Grant

By late 2022, Zhi begun to illustrate a complex plan that involved him allying with Great Lake States' President Jared Coleman. Unsure of how devote Coleman's loyalty was to Seaboard and Michael Sisk, Zhi dispatched his apprentice, Yun, to scope out his ambitions. She made contact with officials in Detroit, and was quickly able to meet with Coleman, where she hinted at the return of the Brigadier, refraining from using his real name. By February, when it was clear that the President's intentions weren't against the Brigadier, she and a dedicated squad set out to find Zhi.

The team located Zhi, however, he requested once again that his apprentice return to the rendezvous point in case there was any foul play. Unknown to Zhi, an Appalachian strike team had located him with the intention of capture. Zhi discovered this just prior to their arrival, killing a guard who he suspected to be an informant. The team, consisting of Sergeant Dakota Taylor, Corporal Leonardo Evans, Lance Corporal John Smith, and former Marine civilian Maria Burnett. The team was quick to neutralize Zhi's guards as they defended in an abandoned lumbar yard. In response, Zhi climbed to the top of a lumber rack, hoping to either have a defensive advantage or remain undetected. He realized he wouldn't be able to defend himself against the skilled force, and after being spotted, surrendered to the team. After being cuffed, the Appalachian team's vehicle drove back east. While stopped to refuel, Zhi was able to wrangle Burnett and hold her hostage, and used her to take the car and leave the others. Headed west, Zhi used Burnett's phone to contact his apprentice, who tracked the device. Just after, Burnett caused the vehicle to crash, running from the Brigadier. Knowing she was his only leverage, he tracked her down in the winter forest, and was able to locate her. Using her pistol, the two trudged through the forest before being attacked by a Seaboard rifle squad. They were able to defeat the smaller detachment, continuing to a run-down gas station. There, Zhi attempted to hotwire a car as Maria Burnett held off another small squad of trailblazers. She was briefly captured and taken into a vehicle, but before Zhi was apprehended, his apprentice, Yun, and Paul Coleman, converged on their location. Still with a detonator, after being held at gunpoint, Burnett set off a C4 charge that Zhi had near him in the hotwired car. Burnett was able to escape, and Zhi was presumed dead.

Following the fleeing of Burnett and her allies, Paul Coleman and Yun found that Zhi was still alive, albeit critically wounded. He was brought to a medical facility in Detroit, were his legs were amputated above the knees and he was treated for severe burns. Despite his state, Zhi and President Jared Coleman took advantage of the situation, confirming the idea that Zhi had died so that the already mysterious figure may reemerge with a new identity. Zhi came to be known as Henry Grant, an alias he chose due to its roots being entirely outside that of his true name. Only select officials were aware of the former Brigadier's true nature, and even among them, grew to refer to him as Henry Grant. Once recovered, he worked closely with Coleman as a strategic aid to the President's ulterior motives that went against their supposed loyalties to Seaboard. The legs of a widowmaker chassis were recovered and retrofitted by Great Lakes engineers to be used as prosthetics by Zhi.

Eventually, Zhi was introduced to the public eye of Coleman's government, and under his request, he met with Kyle Wald, who had been imprisoned by Zhi. Taking a great interest in the subject, Zhi began to delve into the psyche of Wald as he already had intentions of slowly eating away at Coleman's authority so that he may usurp him and take his place. Zhi believed Wald could be a critical support for this plan, but to his dismay, Wald was vehemently against Zhi's command and had no intentions of favoring him over Coleman. Regardless, Zhi continued to extend his authority further as a lead commander for the Great Lake States. He was quick to orchestrate new supply trade deals, military routines, and subtle shifts in both military and civil coordination with Seaboard that favored his party more. At the same time, Zhi became popular among those he led, who saw him as a bold, heavy-handed leader without falter. His truthful and pragmatic nature grew favored among the Great Lake States ranks, whereas Coleman was often seen as being agreeable, charismatic, and motivated by popularity.

Into 2024, Zhi began to analyze Coleman's leadership model, detailing his weaknesses, failures, and shortcomings. Zhi took advantage of this by subtly seeding doubt and mistrust in his ranks when it came to the efficacy of the President's command, and in turn, heightening the focus on Zhi's leadership. He built strong ties with various military leaders, and was even able to gain access to areas of highest security clearance without Coleman's allowance, as noted in his ability to visit Kyle Wald's cell when he pleased. However, Wald, despite sometimes amusing Zhi's conversations, still lacked the care to prioritize any loyalty to him over Coleman. Zhi was still determined to win Wald over in one way or another. At the same time, Zhi was undermining the Great Lake States' relationship with both Seaboard and the Appalachian Republic, and building up military ties with the Phoenix Union, New Texas Republic, and most importantly, the Midwest Coalition which he hoped to unify in the future. He intended to work towards this by fueling strategic unity and downplaying ideology among the people, hoping to overcome what he saw as the most major obstacles in Seaboard's growth- divisiveness. Zhi soon had access to the Great Lake States' science programs, influencing their projects with a heavy hand, much to Coleman's dismay.

Zhi allowed Wald to work as a scientist in the Detroit laboratory, believing that Wald's true worth lied not in his modified genetics, as Coleman believed, but in his intelligence. This had mixed results. After a laboratory manager interrupted Wald's experiments with beetles by smashing one, Wald killed the manager. Instead of punishing him, Zhi iterated that he should proceed with caution, but instructed the laboratory, including their lead scientists, to assist Wald further in his ambitions and projects, believing that this would soon reap extreme rewards. Some time later, Zhi met with Wald at his lavish apartment, speaking to him as a peer about the status of Jared Coleman and his leadership. Wald showed no outward aggression, which Zhi thought was a good sign. However, their meeting was interrupted by Jared Coleman, who by that point, had already grown weary of Zhi's ambitions.

Not long after, Zhi confronted Jared Coleman in the presence of the President's son, lead commander Joseph Walker, and Paul Coleman. Their dispute became deadly when Zhi attacked Coleman, while Commander Walker refused to intervene, already having unspoken loyalties to Zhi. The strategist killed Coleman, quickly proclaiming himself as the new leader of the Great Lake States, though he failed to capture and kill his son.

## Leader of the Great Lake States

As the leader of the Great Lake States, Zhi asserted complete control over many programs that he could only previously subtly influence. He invested more resources into the territory's research and development, and immediately cut all diplomatic ties with Appalachian President Elaine Cocklin, who he rightfully believed to be a Seaboard pawn. He kept Kyle Wald working regularly but under a close watch, which culminated into Wald's attempt to take advantage of a set of off-point guards. Wald tried to redirect a surge of power into what he deduced to be the Polonium-210 radiological weapons storage. However, Zhi suspected Wald's plans, and thus, had contingencies in place to prevent them. Wald was punished by being confined to his cell and stripped of any amenities he may've had. When Zhi believed he had cracked Wald's psyche, it turned out that Wald had made a preliminary code sequence that activated when his power override to the Polonium-210 was shut down. This surged the laboratory's battery stores, causing a major fire and damaged critical infrastructure on the central military base.

Wald escaped with the help of Paul Coleman and WID-688/Hannah, two factors Zhi failed to account for. In their escape, the Polonium-210, which Zhi had on a transfer, was destroyed, and Commander Walker was killed. However, Zhi discovered that a few of the Polonium canisters had been taken by WID-688 and Wald without destruction. Knowing of WID-688 being an android, and the existence of the Polonium which he intended to use to his advantage, he began an aggressive campaign to acquire the team and the radiological weapons. Later in 2024, Zhi became aware of Kyle Wald's reappearance as he worked with the Phoenix Union's military in their forced intervention in Midwestern affairs.

Zhi quickly probed into the causes of the battles between the Phoenix Union and the Kansas Republic and Midwest Coalition as a whole. He began to open diplomatic inquiries with the leaders of the Kansas Republic, beginning to offer military support during the Battle of Wichita. Zhi had great interests in not only the power he could influence over Kansas following this, but also Kyle Wald, his Mechnisuit, the widowmaker, and the hidden polonium. Nearing the end of the battle, Zhi traveled south to Wichita. As fighting ensued, Zhi met with the Governor of Kansas, as well as the leading commander of the Phoenix Union's offensive forces, William Herring. He first illustrated how Seaboard had been taking advantage of the Midwest Coalition's trade practices that undermined their authority, and then provided a near certain argument on how Appalachia was being used as a proxy state for Seaboard. The sides agreed to a ceasefire, which led to all three eliminating the limited Appalachian Marine forces in Wichita. Zhi had covert troops capture Kyle Wald, meeting him on a bridge over the Arkansas River following his kidnapping of Amber Thompson and WID-688. He used his threat of Thompson to get information from Wald about the location of the Polonium-210, though Wald didn't actually know the answer. After Zhi grew fed up, he stabbed Thompson through her gut. When it was clear she'd die without quick medical intervention, Wald attempted to find a way to assist the Great Lakes leader, however WID-688 tackled him and sent the two hurling into the Arkansas River.

Zhi couldn't locate them, but knew Wald would return to Thompson and his Mechnisuit in the hopes that he'd use it to his advantage. He intended to disable the Mechnisuit and spring a trap at the airfield Wald worked out of. However, Zhi could not find a way to modify the suit in time, and he quickly left, having doubts about his ability to defend himself against Wald. Wald did return, and killed those who had stayed, which would've included Zhi had he not fled prior. Zhi sent a convoy to hunt Wald down and try to acquire him, but this failed. Before Zhi even returned to Detroit, Wald, who was on a lust for vengeance following Thompson's death, used his Mechnisuit to attack the Detroit laboratory and kill all of the scientists inside- the same ones he had unwillingly worked with earlier that year. Zhi was distraught about this and put Wald into his stack of targets he intended to take revenge on.