Mayor Zao

Mayor Zao is the Mayor of Shang Mu and a supporting character in Freedom Planet who was elected some time before the events of the first game. With his city on the brink of an energy crisis, he decides to steal the Kingdom Stone during the annual pilgrimage.

History
Not soon after Lord Brevon's attack on Shuigang, Zao is met by a growing energy crisis in Shang Mu (possibly caused by Brevon himself). Desperate to take serious action for the sake of his city and to better his chances for re-election, Zao hires Spade and the Red Scarves to steal the Kingdom Stone, while sending his Soldiers in disguise to pillage the Ancient Temple as a means to distract Shang Tu. The next day, a brainwashed Prince Dail, who believed that it was Zao who ordered his father's assassination and had taken the Kingdom Stone, invades Shang Mu with his Sky Battalion, successfully stealing the Kingdom Stone with help from Serpentine.

After Shuigang's forces escape Shang Mu with the Kingdom Stone, Zao is furious, knowing that his one chance for re-election was gone. Afterwards, he sees Lilac and her friends, who had just destroyed a wretched mechanical beast. Grateful for their heroics, he invites them to a royal feast at City Hall and to discuss the Kingdom Stone. Eventually, he was convinced to let them negotiate with Shuigang for the Stone, providing the team with his last Airship still intact from the attack. However, the following morning, Dail ans his Sky Battalion attacks the Airship while it was en route. Lilac and co. managed to repel the attack, but the Airship suffered too much damage, forcing them to splash down into a river leading them to Shang Tu.