Captain Zao

Captain Zao is the ghoulified captain of the Yangtze-31. He is the last cognizant member of its crew in 2287.

Background
A soft-spoken and surprisingly welcoming man, especially towards the Sole Survivor, an American. The guilt over nuking the Commonwealth using the missiles on board his submarine changed him. He had been isolated after his Yangtze-31 struck a mine not long after the Great War, the radiation from the damaged reactor turning the captain and his crew into ghouls.

For two centuries, he eked out an existence scavenging what he could from the destroyed city and fighting off raiders, gathering intelligence and information that would, one day, help him repair the vessel and return it to Zhongguo, his home. There, he will rebuild or die. Whatever his fate, he wants to see his home one last time. Trouble is, the Forged and other raider gangs might be a little too much to tackle for the ancient ghoul - submariner or not. His only companions during these two centuries were his crewmates. Unlike their captain, they have succumbed to radiation poisoning and turned feral. Zao couldn't bring himself to put them out of their misery.

Zao recalls firing his ship's nuclear salvo as ordered, and it is clear that he is responsible for the nuclear detonations specifically in the Commonwealth. He reflects on his actions with guilt, regretting the destruction he caused. It is possible that one of the nuclear warheads fired from his submarine was the one that created the Glowing Sea. He claims that the city was already ruined when he arrived at the port.

He seems to consider the Liberation of Anchorage "a joke." He is clearly aware the war is over, but he still holds traditional values of the Old World. He refers to the Sole Survivor as "capitalist" and "American," especially if they attempt to negotiate a higher reward for providing assistance.

Quests

 * Here There Be Monsters: The Sole Survivor can help Zao repair the Yangtze submarine.

Effects of player's actions

 * Should the Sole Survivor call Zao "commie," they will demand that they die for destroying their country and immediately turn hostile.
 * Should one help him repair the Yangtze reactor, he provides three homing beacons for small tactical nukes fired from the Yangtze as a reward, remarking that "[he does] not want to bring the fire home." Zao will also give the player character his sword, a unique weapon, if all three Charisma checks are passed.

Appearances
Zao appears only in Fallout 4.