Dalian

Biodata

Background

Dalian was devastated when the Category 2 Kaiju Shanlan made a surprise landing in Lushunkou District. The three-day battle killed nearly ten thousand people and displaced over five million; the military came close to using nuclear weapons before Shanlan was killed. Prompt removal of the corpse to the Buri Dun Desert limited Kaiju-blue contamination and spared Dalian Manila's fate. 2

The Dalian City Third Social Welfare Institute lay directly in Shanlan's path. Its elderly and children were difficult to evacuate, and Xiao Shou and several older children were unable to transfer everyone before the Kaiju arrived. The attack killed Xiao Shou's adoptive guardian, Director Xiao Kaiyuan, and left a lasting trauma on the city and its future Jaeger pilot. 2 11

Post-disaster reconstruction replaced much of the destroyed urban landscape with rapidly built modular housing. A military base was established in Lushunkou both to prevent another Kaiju attack and to reassure a traumatized population that the government had not abandoned the city. 3

Dalian Shatterdome

Dalian became the site of Zhonghua Family's first Shatterdome, a 200-meter steel complex built at the Lushunkou docks. More than half of the structure extends over the sea; it has six enormous hangar doors and landward helicopter pads. 4

Taishan's home base

Taishan was assembled at Dalian from components manufactured across the country and overseas. The black-and-dark-blue Jaeger stood 89 meters tall, weighed 3,200 tons, and was powered by a chest-mounted nuclear turbine engine and reactor. 4

The city watched Taishan become a national symbol after its first deployment against Bladehead at Kowloon Port. Its victory restored public confidence and established Dalian as a central Jaeger-combat hub. 10 14

Major Incidents

Shanlan attack

• Shanlan's surprise landing exposed the lack of an underwater wormhole detection system and overwhelmed Dalian's evacuation capacity. 2
• The city suffered mass casualties and displacement, while the destruction of the Third Social Welfare Institute shaped Xiao Shou's resolve to protect Dalian. 2
• The attack's anniversary later coincided with another Kaiju emergency, reviving traumatic memories among survivors. 145

Rise of the Jaeger Combat Department

Dalian's new Shatterdome hosted the national search for compatible pilots. When military candidates failed to reach the required 80% neural-synchrony threshold, Jin Rong advocated expanding testing beyond military personnel—a policy that led to Xiao Shou joining the Jaeger Combat Department. 4 7

The base housed over 20,000 personnel across the Command Center, intelligence analysis, emergency response, logistics, transport helicopter, and escort fighter units. 8

Defense of Dalian

During a Jaeger rotation, Dalian was left temporarily without an operational defender when Crimson Flame Zhu Rong departed for Siberia and Hou Yi had not yet arrived. Two Category 3 Kaiju were then detected heading for the city, prompting Senior Colonel Jin Rong to order an immediate civilian evacuation and request Eastern Theater interception. 144

Xiao Shou refused to evacuate with his family and returned to the Shatterdome, proposing that the damaged Taishan be converted to single-pilot operation. Despite the extreme neurological danger and prior failures of the system, he attempted the connection to defend Dalian. 145 146

Society and Reconstruction

• Population displacement — More than five million residents were displaced by Shanlan's attack. 2
• Emergency shelters — Dalian adopted evacuation and underground-shelter procedures following the Shanlan disaster. 10 144
• Third Social Welfare Institute — The orphanage and care home where Xiao Shou grew up; it became a major personal symbol of the city's losses and recovery. 2 56
• Military sanatorium — A facility beside the orphanage provided Xiao Shou rehabilitation and allowed him to remain close to its elderly residents and children. 158 178
• Public morale — Dalian residents recognized the local lighthouse and Shatterdome during the military review, responding with pride to Taishan's record. 112

Notable Residents and Personnel

• Xiao Shou — Orphanage-raised Taishan pilot whose experiences during Shanlan's attack drive his determination to protect Dalian. 2 145
• Jin Rong — Dalian Shatterdome information-analysis chief, later base commander and Senior Colonel; she repeatedly directs the city's defense and evacuation efforts. 4 130 144
• Xie Yushan — Taishan pilot and Xiao Shou's neural-synchrony partner. 8 16
• Mao Shucheng — Early commander of Dalian Shatterdome before relocating much of the command structure to Hong Kong. 4 61
• Lin Huixin — Commander of the Dalian escort fighter wing and a veteran of the Shanlan battle. 16
• Li Xintong — Director of the rebuilt Third Social Welfare Institute and Xiao Shou's childhood friend. 6 56