Lin Jie

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Lin Jie (林介)
Alias(es)	“Interpreter”; “Tactical Brain” 17 31
Species/Race	Human
Gender	Male
Affiliation	I.A.R.C.; contracted Free Hunter and “peer” of the Underworld 19 21
Occupation/Role	Hunter; Interpreter; formerly a history student displaced through time 1 17
Status	Alive 50
First Appearance	The Abyss Gazes Back 1

Background

The *Sea Witch*

Lin Jie was a history student displaced into 1888 and transported as a laborer aboard the steam freighter Sea Witch, sailing from Guangzhou toward an unknown Indian Ocean destination. He noticed the ship had departed its route before the crew’s eerie song and the disappearances among the laborers revealed a supernatural threat. 1

During the Deep Sea Resentful Woman’s attack, Lin Jie broke free from the locked hold by prying apart a rusted iron grate. On deck, he seized the fallen Webley revolver of the German investigator Karl and survived a catastrophic mental collision with the creature’s consciousness by clinging to Karl’s lingering will. 2

After escaping to London, Lin Jie retained Karl’s belongings, including the revolver and German diary. His attempt to sell one of Karl’s silver coins brought the attention of an antique-shop owner and armed pursuers, forcing him into Whitechapel. 4 5

Whitechapel and the Mist Walker

Lin Jie sheltered at 11 Dorset Street’s “Rat’s Nest,” where he established himself as a dangerous tenant by stopping a thief at gunpoint. He remained vigilant, knowing his pursuers would eventually find him. 6 7

At a church reading room, he studied Karl’s diary and connected its sketch of a Town-level UMA to the Whitechapel murders attributed to Jack the Ripper. Rather than investigate openly and risk detection by I.A.R.C. agents, he built a crime-pattern chart from newspapers and predicted the next attack at Mitre Square. 7 10

He ultimately disguised himself as a destitute drunkard to lure the Mist Walker, patiently feigning unconsciousness until it attacked. Lin Jie wounded it with the Webley, used red pigment to expose its outline, and later exploited reflected light from a mirror to disperse it after Barton and Marcus suppressed it. 13 14 15

I.A.R.C. Recruitment

Following the Mist Walker incident, Lin Jie explained his power as the Touch of Afterimage, a retroactive sensory ability that extracts fragmented impressions from anomalous objects. His account of Karl’s death cleared him of suspicion, and Barton recognized his value as an Interpreter. 16 17

Lin Jie voluntarily returned Karl’s relics to the I.A.R.C. In return, Barton awarded him the Heart of Serenity revolver and headquarters rescinded the arrest warrant against him. Lin Jie rejected formal employment in favor of a Free Hunter Agreement, becoming an independent I.A.R.C. peer. 18 19

West India Docks Commission

For his first official commission, Lin Jie investigated disappearances and thefts at the West India Docks alongside Marcus and Sergeant William Keane. Though initially regarded as inexperienced in direct combat, he identified the Gremlins’ sewer nest through the Afterimage left on a brass gear. 21 23 26

Within the Gremlin nest, Lin Jie used a pocket watch to provoke conflict between Gremlins and Mechanical Wraiths, allowing his team to bypass the guardians. He located valuable spiritual materials in the Mechanical Shrine, then chose withdrawal over confronting the Artisan Leader. 28 30 31

The mission’s high-value haul earned Lin Jie recognition within the I.A.R.C. and enabled his collaboration with Arthur Conan on a new Grotesque Armament design. 31 32

Loch Ness Investigation

Lin Jie accepted a Caution Rank mission concerning Loch Ness in Scotland. He investigated local records, folklore, and newspaper archives, concluding that the lake entity may have been an ancient guardian vilified over centuries rather than an inherently hostile monster. 35 37

Using a metal cable as a medium, Lin Jie connected to Loch Ness’s memory and confirmed the presence of a vast ancient entity on the lakebed. The experience nearly assimilated his consciousness, leaving him mentally exhausted and unable to use his perception for at least a day. 41 42

He later led William and Alistair in investigating a cult operation centered on Urquhart Castle. Their discoveries linked the Eternal Serpent Cult’s plans for the Primordial Dragon Species to a larger ritual planned for the Paris World’s Fair; Lin Jie subsequently extracted intelligence from the cult leader’s corpse and helped send a false report through its alchemical telegraph. 44 46 50

Appearance

Lin Jie is a young Chinese man whose appearance initially reflects his status as an injured, impoverished fugitive in Whitechapel. After joining the I.A.R.C., he replaces his ragged clothing with a practical hunting outfit and begins to carry himself like a professional investigator. 6 22

• Initially pale from blood loss and dressed in worn, tattered clothes. 7
• Often keeps the Heart of Serenity and Karl’s diary close to his body while in danger. 6 7
• Later wears a khaki-style hunting outfit suited to field investigations. 22 23
• Can disguise himself convincingly as a sickly, alcohol-soaked vagrant to imitate the Mist Walker’s preferred prey. 13

Personality

Lin Jie is pragmatic, observant, and strongly driven by survival. He avoids futile resistance, rapidly evaluates weaknesses in dangerous situations, and treats knowledge as his main means of overcoming stronger enemies. 2 10 16

Although he is cautious about exposing the Touch of Afterimage, he is willing to make extreme calculated gambles when passive defense offers no path forward. His decision to bait the Mist Walker and his willingness to contact Loch Ness’s ancient memory both show courage tempered by planning rather than recklessness. 13 41

He is also highly adaptive. Lin Jie moves from a hunted laborer and Whitechapel vagrant to an independent Hunter by learning from Karl’s records, professional investigators, and his own failures. He earns the trust of veteran allies through preparation, clear tactical decisions, and a willingness to retreat when the risk outweighs the reward. 22 31 36

Abilities & Skills

Touch of Afterimage

Lin Jie’s supernatural ability allows him to perceive fragmented “afterimages” left by anomalous events and spiritually significant objects. He presents it to the I.A.R.C. as an ability activated through blood contact, although the information received remains incomplete and requires his own interpretation. 17

• Extracts residual emotions, instincts, memories, and directional impressions from anomalous materials. 17 26
• Located the Gremlins’ underground nest by reading the collective will remaining in a brass gear. 26
• Identifies spiritually potent materials among large collections of mundane or corrupted components. 30
• Connected to Loch Ness through a metal cable and experienced the entity’s ancient memories. 41
• Can read the memories of the dead, though this is especially mentally corrupting. 50
• Produces vague, noisy impressions rather than complete answers; Lin Jie must analyze and verify what he perceives. 17
• Causes severe mental fatigue, dizziness, and possible loss of sanity when used on powerful entities or overwhelming memories. 17 41 42

Tactical Analysis

Lin Jie combines modern historical and criminological knowledge with careful observation to turn incomplete intelligence into workable plans.

• Produced a crime-pattern chart for the Whitechapel murders and accurately predicted the next attack site at Mitre Square. 10 11
• Studied the Mist Walker’s habits and engineered a disguise tailored to its prey-selection pattern. 13
• Exploited the hostility between Gremlins and Mechanical Wraiths rather than confronting both groups directly. 28
• Deduced the enemy’s likely base at Urquhart Castle after assessing the Loch Ness intruders’ movements and wreckage. 44
• Led the infiltration plan for the cult’s underground workshop, assigning roles around distraction, ventilation access, and document retrieval. 46

Firearms and Improvised Combat

Lin Jie relies on planning and precision rather than direct physical strength. The Heart of Serenity helps steady his mind and improves his reactions under pressure. 5 18

• Fired on and severely wounded the Mist Walker after allowing it to approach within close range. 14
• Used red pigment to make the invisible shadow-based UMA visible. 14
• Used a mirror to focus reflected light on the Mist Walker, exploiting its weakness and dispersing it. 15
• Recognizes his limited combat experience and frequently avoids unnecessary direct engagements. 23 31

Grotesque Armament Design

Lin Jie applies modern design concepts to occult equipment, emphasizing modularity, efficient energy conduction, ergonomics, and interference over direct confrontation. 32 33

• Designed a modular bracer platform capable of using interchangeable spiritual-material functions. 32
• Proposed Spirit Conduction Circuits to direct spiritual energy through predetermined paths with less waste. 32
• Guided Arthur Conan during forging by using his perception to manage the chaotic properties of the materials. 33
• Helped introduce a design philosophy that turns cursed UMA materials into controllable tactical interference tools. 33

Equipment

• Heart of Serenity — Karl’s Webley revolver and first Grotesque Armament. Its embedded Deep Sea Resentful Woman scale acts as a spiritual stabilization anchor, soothing Lin Jie’s mind, resisting low-level mental influence, and improving his reactions. 5 18 20
• Spellbreaker Bracer — Custom Grotesque Armament made with black UMA leather, Chaos Brass, and Spirit Conduction Circuits. It allows Lin Jie to actively control and release the curse formerly emitted passively by the Gremlins’ materials. 33 34
  • Halted Arthur Conan’s Astronomical Clock during testing. 34
  • Disabled a Clockwork Soldier in the I.A.R.C. Weapon Testing Room. 34
• Karl’s translated diary copy — A complete translation of Cartographer Karl’s research, containing UMA records, armament knowledge, and intelligence on the White Lotus conspiracy and Paris World’s Fair plot. 35
• Portable carbide lamp — Brass-and-glass lamp with a reflector, used for underground exploration and illumination. 22 27
• Kukri — Carried for clearing obstacles and close-quarters defense. 22
• Anti-Spirit Alchemical Bullets — Standard I.A.R.C.-issued ammunition replenished for Hunter missions. 22

Relationships

• Karl — Deceased I.A.R.C. Cartographer whose diary and revolver gave Lin Jie his first vital knowledge of UMAs. Lin Jie cleared Karl’s name, returned his relics, and later received the revolver as a reward. 16 18
• Barton Chris — I.A.R.C. Level 3 Investigator who initially pursued Lin Jie over Karl’s presumed murder. After the Mist Walker case, he became Lin Jie’s guide, advocate, and professional ally. 16 17 21
• Marcus — I.A.R.C. investigator who initially treated Lin Jie as a suspect, then became his assigned “safety rope” during his first commission. His hostility gradually changed into respect. 16 21 22
• Sergeant William Keane — Veteran I.A.R.C. tracker and Lin Jie’s principal field partner. Their relationship develops from mutual caution into strong tactical trust and personal understanding. 23 26 36 50
• Arthur Conan — I.A.R.C. craftsman and armament specialist. Lin Jie’s blueprints earned Arthur’s respect, leading to their collaboration on the Spellbreaker Bracer. 32 33 34
• Arthur Weston — Scotland Yard constable who acted on Lin Jie’s prediction of the Mist Walker’s next target, preventing a murder at Mitre Square. 10 11
• Alistair MacDonald — Scottish folklore scholar who assists Lin Jie and William during the Loch Ness investigation, particularly by interpreting the cult’s recovered journal. 38 46

Notable Quotes

“All the answers are in here. And I know far more than you can imagine... far more.” 15

“The guardian deity of the Lake of Tears and Light... I understand.” 38