Liu Ruyan

Biodata

Background / History

Liu Ruyan is the third daughter of the Liu family, a household associated with the Yin Sect's soul-carving arts. After spending two years abroad, she returned to Jin City with Li Siqing; the pair's efforts to register their marriage encountered interference, while her relationship and progressive views brought her into conflict with her family. She enrolled in the Anomaly Suppression Bureau declaring that she wished to serve her country rather than rely on family status. 56 58

She initially obtained Chen Mo's birth-date slip to have her Third Uncle assess whether he and Li Siqing had any marital compatibility. Instead, her uncle used the Liu family's Soul-Carving Secret Technique and concluded that Chen Mo's Eight Characters belonged to a dead person or someone who had returned through a borrowed corpse. Liu Ruyan returned the slip and warned Chen Mo to keep his distance from her, as her uncle considered him an unpredictable portent of either calamity or prosperity. 102 103

After Bureau training, she was assigned to Third Squad alongside Fang Yingxia, Zheng Changkong, and Wu Gan. Her work with the squad brought her into repeated investigations with Chen Mo, including the Willow Leaf Alley case, the Ghost Market operation, and the fish-monster incident at Red Bridge. 134 145 152 163 165

Appearance

Liu Ruyan is consistently described as cool and aloof, carrying herself with an air that keeps others at a distance. Her appearance and clothing contrast with conventional expectations for a young woman of her background. 56 134

• Wore a men's long gown while dining with classmates. 100
• Wears the dark-blue uniform of the Anomaly Suppression Bureau while on duty. 145
• Has been noted wearing small black leather shoes. 134
• Drives a black Ford automobile. 141 155

Personality

Liu Ruyan is proud, outspoken, and resistant to social expectations. She openly challenges Li Jinrong's use of family influence, reacts sharply to insults regarding her private life, and refuses unwanted attention from Zhou Jiachang. 56 100

Beneath her reserved manner, she is conscientious and compassionate. She refuses to suspend an investigation merely because of heat and fatigue, takes the casualties of Third Squad's first mission to heart, and offers Fang Yingxia patient encouragement after the latter doubts her own fitness for Bureau work. 145 152 166

Her relationship with Chen Mo is marked by suspicion, irritation, and growing reliance. Though initially angered by his distrust and provocation, she later works closely with him and finds his presence unexpectedly reassuring after dangerous missions. 102 108 152

Equipment / Transport

• Mauser pistol — carried during the Red Bridge fish-monster operation while Fang Yingxia prepared a formation. 165
• Black Ford — her personal vehicle, used to transport Third Squad members during investigations. 141 155 163
• Anomaly Suppression Bureau uniform — worn during official casework. 145

Relationships

• Li Siqing — her female companion; the two seek to register their marriage despite family and outside interference. Liu Ruyan remains protective of Li Siqing and later warns her about provoking Gu Ruzhang. 58 265
• Chen Mo — colleague in Third Squad. She returned his birth-date slip and relayed her uncle's alarming reading of his fate; despite early hostility, they become regular investigative partners. 102 134 152
• Fang Yingxia — close friend and Third Squad colleague. Liu Ruyan comforts her after the fish-monster case and encourages her not to measure herself against Chen Mo. 100 166
• Liu Family / Third Uncle — her family is connected to the Yin Sect's soul-carving tradition. Her Third Uncle, the family head, used the Soul-Carving Secret Technique to examine Chen Mo's Eight Characters. 56 102
• Zhou Jiachang — an admirer whose attention she dislikes and dismisses. 100 103
• Li Jinrong — a social and ideological adversary who publicly mocks her family conflict and relationship with Li Siqing. 56

Story Role / Major Arcs

• Bureau enrollment — confronts Li Jinrong after he bypasses the reception line through family influence, establishing her rebellious values and determination to join the Bureau. 56
• Chen Mo's birth-date slip — delivers Chen Mo's Eight Characters, explains her uncle's Soul-Carving reading, and becomes entangled in the mystery of his identity. 101 102 103
• Third Squad assignment — joins Third Squad with Fang Yingxia, Zheng Changkong, and Wu Gan. 134
• Willow Leaf Alley and Ghost Market investigations — takes a leading role in daytime inquiries and is emotionally affected by Wu Gan's death and Zheng Changkong's injury during the squad's first mission. 145 152
• Red Bridge anomaly — accompanies Chen Mo and Fang Yingxia in investigating and containing a fish monster and its Tiger-Victim Ghost. 163 165 166
• Green Gang intelligence — explains Gu Ruzhang's extensive political, criminal, and Japanese connections to Chen Mo. 176