Jian City

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Jian City (吉安城)
Affiliation	Independent human city-state
Occupation/Role	Fortified settlement and regional city-state
Status	Active; survives a gene-colony siege, though its ruling council later expels thousands of mutated residents 42
First Appearance	Chapter 21

Background / History

Jian City was founded during the Great Collapse by a village that united for survival. Its founders chose a site with river transport and hilly terrain, then built a fortified settlement there. Its name is unrelated to cities that existed before the Great Collapse. 21

By Wei Keng's arrival, Jian City remains one of the closest human settlements to the Zhushui Jiao ruins, roughly 100 kilometers east of his cluster. It retains fragments of industrial knowledge and manufacturing capability, but its social order has regressed: resources are monopolized by a few people, advancement is limited for most residents, and the ruling elite prioritize stability and factional interests. 21 26 27

The city is governed by City Master Zeng Longmu and a ruling council. Its strategists misidentify Wei Keng's settlement as a weak human gene colony and urge an immediate operation to control or destroy it before it can grow stronger. 21 22

Appearance

Jian City is a soot-darkened industrial fortress, with aging residential blocks and factories standing beside a cleaner administrative district. 21 27

• Surrounded by cement walls approximately three meters high, with defensive platforms and artillery positions. 21
• The outer walls are blackened, with moss growing in damp areas. 21
• Its defenses include rifled, breech-loading steel cannon using brown-powder propellant. 21
• The command center resembles a Great Wall watchtower, with narrow windows, skylights, steel shutters, electric fans, incandescent lights, and potted kumquat trees. 21
• Factory districts emit black smoke from iron pipes; accumulated dust has remained on nearby buildings for decades. 27
• Three layers of cement walls protect the city gates. 27

Governance and Society

Jian City is ruled through a council whose members are divided by factional interests. After the first failed expedition against Wei Keng, the council maintains a hard-line posture because accepting peace would expose the City Master's error and threaten his political position. 27

The city is part of a wider legal order in which regional cities require mayors to be appointed or enfeoffed by the central government of vassal states. This structure enables larger powers to register and recruit Beast Tamers beyond their direct territory. 23

Within the city walls, Jian City has an estimated population of about 50,000. Satellite settlements and affiliated villages outside its immediate defenses have complex blood and family ties to the city-state. 26

Mutated residents receive little public support. Minor gene-radiation effects can be treated with blood injections, but the cost is prohibitive for ordinary people. Following the siege, the ruling council expels more than 4,000 severely mutated people rather than treating them. 42

Military Capability

• Artillery defenses — Wall-mounted rifled steel cannon provide area control around the city, though their technology is closer to mid-19th-century Krupp artillery. 21
• Arms workshops — Jian City possesses four arms workshops; its largest reportedly produces no more than 100,000 bullets per year. 26
• Beast Tamers — The city fields Beast Tamers who control Dragon Horses and Mechanical War Beasts. 22 24
• Mechanical War Beasts — Armored combat creatures form a major part of the city's expeditionary strength. 22 24
• Flying dragons — Used for aerial reconnaissance; three are shot down by Wei Keng's snipers during the first conflict. 25
• Armored column — A later expedition includes six improvised diesel armored vehicles, more than forty horse carriages, roughly 500 personnel, and numerous AK-series rifles. 27

Story Role / Major Arcs

Contact and Miscalculation

Jian City first encounters Wei Keng's settlement through explorers and merchants, who report a mysterious new human gene colony to the city leadership. Without conducting a thorough investigation, its strategists conclude that the settlement is weak and recommend immediate military action. 22

The first force sent against Wei Keng relies on Beast Tamers, Dragon Horses, and Mechanical War Beasts. Wei Keng's snipers repeatedly destroy their mounts and prevent their advance, while Jian City's requested flying-dragon reconnaissance is also eliminated. 24 25

Defeat and Stalemate

Wei Keng captures 150 Jian City soldiers without suffering casualties on his own side. He feeds the prisoners, provides basic necessities, and begins educating and integrating some of them into his workforce rather than executing them. 25

Jian City's council nevertheless chooses to preserve a tough stance. It dispatches a second expedition led by Zeng Kaomu, involving armored vehicles, horse carriages, and infantry. Wei Keng defeats the force through superior tactics and equipment; Kaomu dies in the conflict, while Jian City later claims victory and mourns him as a general. 27 28 29

Diplomacy and Trade

After the fighting, Jian City sends Zeng Jiakan as an envoy. Wei Keng seeks an end to hostilities, offering to release prisoners in exchange for economic compensation and a negotiated settlement. Jian City, meanwhile, needs supplies such as edible salt and soda ash. 34

Former Jian City captives become integrated into Wei Keng's developing settlement, including agricultural production teams. Their visible productivity and improved conditions help alter Zeng Jiakan's perception of Wei Keng's territory. 33

Gene-Colony Siege

Jian City is later besieged by gene-colony forces and enveloped in dense mist that reduces the effective range of its wall-mounted guns and artillery to roughly 40–50 meters. Zeng Jiakan breaks through the encirclement to request Wei Keng's assistance. 39

Wei Keng treats the severely mutated Zeng Jiakan with surgery and blood transfusions, then moves to preserve Jian City for regional stability without committing to unlimited losses on its behalf. 39

After the immediate danger passes, Jian City's ruling council expels over 4,000 mutated residents as labor compensation for the rescue. Wei Keng accepts and treats them with his blood, restoring their humanity. 42

Relationships

• Zeng Longmu — City Master of Jian City; oversees its stability, preserved technical knowledge, and early response to Wei Keng's settlement 21 22.
• Zeng Jiakan — Merchant and envoy who negotiates with Wei Keng, later escapes the siege to seek aid for Jian City 33 34 39.
• Zeng Kaomu — Military-faction commander who leads Jian City's second expedition; dies after being defeated by Wei Keng's brigade 27 28 29.
• Zeng He — Beast Tamer sent in the first expedition against Wei Keng's settlement 24.
• Fang Hong — Beast Tamer and field commander who reports the expedition's difficulties and requests aerial reconnaissance 24 25.
• Wei Keng — Initially treated as a dangerous gene colony and enemy; later becomes Jian City's trading partner, rescuer, and the protector of its expelled mutants 22 34 39 42.

Trivia

• Jian City's City Master keeps a cabinet of tags bearing the names of Beast Tamers under his command. 21
• Cotton has become scarce enough that preserved pre-collapse clothing is considered highly unusual; most residents rely on linen fibers. 21
• The city’s local writing habits differ from Wei Keng's standard Unified Script, making outsiders easier to identify through their writing. 25