Tan Jie

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Tan Jie (谭杰)
Alias(es)	Tan Jie the Wild Boar; Old Tan 6
Species/Race	Human; genetically enhanced through gene injections 6
Gender	Male
Affiliation	East District, Gray Soil Town
Occupation/Role	East District leader and commander 1
Status	Deceased — beheaded by Bai Ye 23
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Background / History

Tan Jie ruled Gray Soil Town's East District, whose long-running rivalry with King Snake's West District centered on control, resources, and survival. When the forbidden item [Breath of Bones] could not be contained by his own people, he pressured his subordinates to gamble for it despite their fear; three of his roughly twenty core members had already died. Unable to risk confronting the artifact himself, he offered any East District resident who succeeded the status of his “brother” and deputy leader. 1

Before Bai Ye became useful, Tan Jie had treated him as expendable. After Bai Ye publicly challenged him while claiming to be a god, Tan Jie assumed his mind had been contaminated and demoted him from resident to slave. When Bai Ye volunteered for Fate Roulette, Tan Jie immediately reversed course, promising to restore his status and share the East District if he could contain [Breath of Bones]. 2

After Bai Ye succeeded, Tan Jie publicly named him East District deputy leader and presented him as a sworn brother to prevent King Snake from recruiting him. Privately, however, Tan Jie intended to let Bai Ye exhaust his vitality fighting mutated beasts, then kill him and sell the forbidden item. 5 6

Tan Jie personally trained Bai Ye in shooting and later fought beside him against the mutated hyena pack. His genetic enhancement allowed him to engage the beasts in close combat, but Bai Ye's growing influence and apparent resilience made Tan Jie increasingly wary. 7 9

Following Gray Soil Town's devastation by gray sparrows, Tan Jie and King Snake abandoned their rivalry long enough to plan a joint escape to Dawn City. They decided to capture Bai Ye and Li You, sell Li You as a superhuman test subject, and seize [Breath of Bones] to fund their entry into the city. 21

Tan Jie led five machete-wielding lackeys in the ambush. When he refused Bai Ye's demand to surrender, Bai Ye stopped time and silently decapitated Tan Jie and his men. 22 23

Appearance

Tan Jie is described as large-faced, with triangular eyes and a physically imposing presence. 8 20

• During combat, his body hair rises into hard, black wild-boar-like bristles. 6 9
• White vapor can stream from his nostrils when his enhancement is active. 6
• He carries himself with the intimidating authority expected of an East District commander. 1

Personality

Tan Jie is opportunistic, controlling, and highly protective of his own authority. He relied on public promises of brotherhood and shared rule when Bai Ye was valuable, while privately viewing those promises as disposable. 2 5 6

He is ruthless toward subordinates but cautious about risks to himself. He berated his men for refusing Fate Roulette while avoiding the gamble personally, and he planned to sacrifice Bai Ye once the forbidden item could be taken safely. 1 6

Despite his temper, Tan Jie can suppress his anger when survival or profit requires it. He endured Bai Ye's disrespect, supplied him with food and ammunition, and temporarily allied with King Snake once Gray Soil Town became untenable. 6 7 21

Abilities & Skills

Genetic Enhancement: Wild Boar

Tan Jie is a gene-enhanced combatant whose mutation grants him an animalistic defensive form and superior physical strength. 6

• His hardened black bristles function as armor against mutated hyenas in close combat. 9
• A punch can compress the air into ripples and cave in a hyena's skull. 9
• He considered [Breath of Bones] powerful enough that a direct shot would be fatal even to him. 9

Firearms and Command

Tan Jie has over a decade of wasteland experience and practical firearms knowledge. 7

• He trained Bai Ye in firearm handling and target practice. 7
• He commanded East District fighters during Gray Soil Town's defense against the hyena pack. 9
• He coordinated armed subordinates and issued battlefield orders, though Bai Ye repeatedly undermined his authority. 9 10

Equipment

• Firearms used while commanding East District defenders. 9
• Rusted machete, wielded during the ambush on Bai Ye; the blades were described as carrying magical damage. 22

Relationships

• Bai Ye — Former slave, then publicly proclaimed sworn brother and deputy leader after containing [Breath of Bones]. Tan Jie secretly planned to kill him for the artifact, then died in his failed ambush. 2 5 6 23
• King Snake — West District rival and eventual co-conspirator. The two competed for [Breath of Bones], then agreed to sell Bai Ye and Li You to secure entry into Dawn City. 1 11 21
• East District subordinates — Tan Jie ruled them through fear and expected them to risk their lives for his interests; they followed him into the final ambush. 1 22
• Li You — Intended victim of Tan Jie's and King Snake's plan to sell superhumans to Dawn City; Li You fought against Tan Jie's forces during the ambush. 21 23

Notable Quotes

“Residents of the East District, I, Tan Jie, promise you this: if any one of you can make [Breath of Bones] acknowledge an owner, then from this day onward, you will be my brother, Tan Jie's brother! You will be the East District's deputy leader!”
— Tan Jie, seeking a representative for Fate Roulette 1

“That bastard clearly doesn't take me, Tan Jie the Wild Boar, seriously at all!”
— Tan Jie, reacting to Bai Ye's defiance 6