Chu Hengkong

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Chu Hengkong (楚衡空)
Alias(es)	Tentacle Assassin; Detective Chu; Inspector; Senior Inspector; Chief Inspector; New Moon Scion
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Resurrection Corps
Occupation/Role	Former assassin; Resurrection Corps inspector and detective
Status	Active
First Appearance	Tentacle Assassin 1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Mutation Hand ascension	19	Successfully undergoes ascension through the Sealing Formula array, gaining heightened physical ability, perception, and extraordinary “comprehension” for learning and refining techniques. He is subsequently identified as a pair of Skillful Hands at the particle stage. 31 40

Background / History

Before arriving in Dragon's Return City, Chu Hengkong worked as an assassin for an old-school mafia family. His assignments took him through forests, sewers, alleys, and martial arts dojos across the world, leaving him experienced in combat, surveillance, and underworld customs. Despite his criminal career, he refused an order to kill a waiter whose family had been victimized by a mafia member, instead helping the man and his sister escape. 2 18

He was caught in a ritual conducted by white-robed fanatics led by High Priest Alex. Rather than the divine being they expected, Chu descended into the ritual chamber with a glowing silver tentacle replacing his left arm. He defeated the cultists and killed Alex, identifying himself simply as an assassin. 1

Chu emerged in Dragon's Return City, where Ji Huaishu and the Resurrection Corps arrested him because of the demon-summoning ritual and his altered arm. Suspected of Imaginary Demon possession, he used Force Transmission to demonstrate that his abilities were martial rather than demonic, then offered his services to the Corps. 2 3

His first test was the capture of the demon-possessed criminal Hugos. Chu defeated Hugos by exploiting his mobility and tentacle arm, then killed the possessing demon after breaking Hugos's tusk. The performance earned him formal employment with the Resurrection Corps. 4 6

Appearance

Chu initially appears as an ordinary young man in a dark green hooded jacket, a deliberately unremarkable appearance that contrasts with his reputation and combat ability. His defining feature is the silver, glowing tentacle replacing his left arm. 2 3

• Wears his long dark-green hooded jacket during field work. 3 44
• Has a silver tentacle arm capable of extending, contracting, and splitting into multiple whip-like appendages in combat. 1 20
• Later receives a streamlined black Resurrection Corps combat suit with an empty left sleeve and spherical pauldron designed to accommodate the tentacle. 41
• Can sustain injuries to both his body and tentacles; the latter bleed silver when cut. 23 37

Personality

Chu is calm, observant, and highly strategic. He treats negotiation, investigation, and combat alike as contests in which information and initiative matter. Even when arrested in an unfamiliar supernatural city, he rapidly assessed the Corps' needs and positioned himself as a useful recruit. 3 4

His composure can appear detached, particularly after violence. He kills efficiently and without hesitation when he decides an opponent must be stopped, but he is not indifferent to innocent people: he compensated the Iron Oar Shop's owner after destroying the premises, investigated Tina's disappearance with sensitivity, and repeatedly intervened to protect victims of criminal exploitation. 6 7 15 44 46

Chu is also stubbornly guided by his own sense of right and wrong. He openly admits that he lacks patience for choices that violate his conscience, even when they may be advantageous. Ji Huaishu considers him loyal and dependable so long as he is treated fairly. 18 14

His assassin instincts remain close to the surface. Difficult fights excite him, and his enjoyment of battle can become unsettlingly intense, particularly during his duel with Du Muyan. 23 50

Abilities & Skills

Mutation Hand

Chu's ascension grants him a transformative level of bodily control and learning ability.

• Gains enhanced physical ability and sharpened perception after ascending. 19
• Possesses exceptional “comprehension,” allowing him to analyze, correct, and refine his own past movements and techniques. 19
• Learns the Dragon Village Three Thousand Sets at an abnormal pace, completing intensive foundational training that greatly improves his mobility and combat performance. 20
• Can maintain conditioned bodily responses even when mental attacks impair his conscious control. 37

Tentacle Arm

Chu's left arm has been replaced by a powerful silver tentacle, which he quickly incorporates into his fighting style.

• Functions as a whip, binding tool, flexible spear, and stabilizing limb. 1 6 22
• Can wrap around weapons or opponents to redirect attacks, disarm enemies, and create openings for kicks or punches. 6 22 23
• Its elasticity allows Chu to absorb and return force, such as redirecting compressed projectiles thrown by Hundred Palms. 23
• Can compress into a piercing strike capable of producing a sonic boom and punching through an opponent's torso. 23
• Is vulnerable to sufficiently powerful attacks and can be wounded or forced to bleed. 23 37

Martial Arts

Chu entered Dragon's Return City with extensive practical combat training, including Bajiquan, Kyokushin Karate, weapon use, and assassination techniques.

• Force Transmission — Sends force through an intermediary surface, demonstrated by striking a stone through a tabletop. 3
• Bajiquan — Uses stomping shocks, explosive punches, and close-range footwork as part of his preferred opening offense. 5
• Kyokushin Heel Drop — Uses the tentacle's pull and elasticity to launch himself into a crushing aerial heel strike. 6
• Dragon Village Boxing — Develops refined control over muscles, bones, and acupoints; uses it to disrupt opponents' bodies and dismantle Hundred Palms's Skillful Hands net. 20 23
• Ring Wind Hand — A rapid defensive technique that forms an invisible barrier against arrows, blades, and other incoming weapons. 36
• Thunder Whip — A wide-area tentacle attack. 40
• Vortex Ukemi — Uses the surrounding environment to shed incoming force and land safely. 30
• Immovable — A secret defensive art used to endure the Repulsion Halos of Visaf and Carmel before counterattacking. 48

Perception & Investigation

Chu combines an assassin's preparation habits with supernatural tools and deductive ability.

• Uses sound-based locating alongside the Iron Ring and perception pendant to build a mental map of Graystone Tower. 11
• Uses the Silver-Eyed Book to appraise Relics and identify their functions. 14 41
• Reconstructs crime scenes and fugitives' escape routes with remarkable accuracy, solving cold cases within minutes. 14
• Prepares extensively before dangerous operations, adapting his equipment and even his eyesight to the conditions of a target location. 16

Endurance & Survival

Chu's bodily control allows him to endure damage that would normally end a fight.

• Blocks a relic water-gun bullet with his palm and withstands impacts that shatter weapons or concrete. 22
• Uses the Turtle Breath Technique to delay Heart-Boring Poison while fighting Adali. 36
• Can compress his muscles to slow bleeding after sustaining wounds. 23
• Retains fighting ability despite severe burns, poison, broken bones, and tentacle injuries. 37

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Silver-Eyed Book — A mysterious book acquired after the summoning incident; later used to appraise Relics and assist investigations. 2 14
• Pendant of Perception — Enhances his perception and assists in tracking hostile presences. 2 11 36
• Iron Ring — A Relic taken from Hugos and later used with the perception pendant for sound-based location mapping. 7 11
• Water Bullet stickers — Relics attached to the back of his glove for quick activation. 16
• Refined-iron spear — A seven-foot, all-metal spear that Chu can wield effectively with his tentacle arm. 16
• Level 1 Resurrection Corps combat suit — Custom black light armor built around his unusual left arm. 41
• Sword — Used during his clash with Du Muyan in the Maiweia Club. 49 50
• Ghost-banishing talismans — Used in investigations involving spirits and Imaginary Demon threats. 15 17

Relationships

• Ji Huaishu — His captain, partner, and frequent sparring companion. She arrests him upon his arrival, later recruits him, promotes him, and develops a teasing but trusting working relationship with him. 2 6 18 40
• Ji Qiufeng — Senior Corps leader and Chu's martial mentor. He supervises Chu's ascension, forces him through the Three Thousand Sets, and trains his defensive weaknesses. 18 19 20 40
• Youyou — Snake familiar, doctor, and scholar who guides Chu through the Mutation Hand ascension process and helps explain supernatural concepts. 19 21
• Jie An — Resurrection Corps chef and senior member. Initially distrustful of Chu's loyalty, he later works alongside him in major Corps operations. 7 14 31
• Lü Xing — Veteran squad member who accompanies Chu on cases and respects his fearlessness, though he worries about Chu's tendency to attract danger. 15 22 44
• Tina — A vengeful spirit Chu seals after investigating her family's tragedy. She later trusts him enough to seek his help for Yazi and Meizi. 17 44
• Hain Lu — Tina's father. Chu promises to search for Tina, and Hain later welcomes him after his daughter returns. 15 44
• Yazi and Meizi — Mother and daughter threatened by Whitebrow. Chu allies with Yazi and kills Whitebrow to rescue Meizi. 44 46
• Du Muyan — A skilled bodyguard and sword user whom Chu battles inside the Maiweia Club; their duel is interrupted by Kaning. 49 50

Story Role / Major Arcs

Arrival in Dragon's Return City

Chu is summoned into Dragon's Return City through Alex's ritual, gains his tentacle arm, and destroys the cult responsible. After being arrested by Ji Huaishu, he earns a place in the Resurrection Corps by defeating Hugos and proving that he can be an asset rather than a danger. 1 2 6

Corps Detective and Ascension

As a Corps investigator, Chu solves cold cases through Relic appraisal and scene reconstruction. His handling of the Ghost Hound Demon Child case demonstrates both empathy and pragmatism, earning him promotion to Senior Inspector. He then ascends into Mutation Hand and undergoes Dragon Village Boxing training. 14 17 18 19 20

Rise as Chief Inspector

Chu's rapid growth allows him to apprehend major wanted criminals and defeat demon-possessed assassins. His battle with Hundred Palms reveals his proficiency in Dragon Village Boxing and results in the creation of a devastating tentacle-based piercing technique. 20 22 23

Jade Marsh Conflict

Chu accompanies Ji Huaishu into Jade Marsh in search of gold that may save Ji Qiufeng. There, swamp dwellers mistake his tentacle for a divine sign, and he becomes entangled in the All-Spirits Society's schemes, Adali's Glowing Corpses, and the attacks of the mud Glimmers. 26 27 29 36

Maiweia Club Operation

After uncovering the Maiweia family's criminal activities and ritual preparations, Chu plans an assassination operation against Maiweia. He rescues Meizi from Whitebrow, kills Whitebrow, Visaf, and Carmel, then infiltrates the Maiweia Club. Inside, he duels Du Muyan before Kaning exposes himself as the larger threat and escapes in blue-green fire. 43 44 46 48 50

Notable Quotes

“My name is Chu Hengkong. I'm an assassin.” 1

“You can pile up reasons and benefits until they reach the heavens, and still don't dream of making me do something against my heart!” 18

“Brute force without dexterity. That is not Skillful Hands.” 23

“For free. I'm a senior inspector!” 50

Trivia

• Chu has little interest in returning to his original world, stating that he has “nothing to miss” there. 12
• He enjoys roast goose lai fun and praises Jie An's cooking shortly after joining the Resurrection Corps. 3 7
• He compensated the Iron Oar Shop owner far beyond the cost of the property damage, following an underworld principle that gangs must maintain local respect. 7
• Ji Huaishu describes his dormitory as more like an unfinished “doghouse” than a proper room due to its bare furniture, dirty clothes, dust, and piled snacks. 39