Xie Haining

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Xie Haining (谢海宁)
Alias(es)	Candle Dragon
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Special Response Department; one of its Four Cornerstones 40 196
Occupation/Role	Mutant operative, combat specialist, investigator, and field commander
Status	Active; cured of his brain tumor through Miracle Factor treatment 141
First Appearance	Chapter 40

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Ordinary physique	40	Introduced with an ordinary human body; his Superpower affects only his own perception of time.
Elite technical combatant	59	Becomes the department's strongest trainee in combat drills and obstacle courses, applying learned techniques with near-perfect fluidity.
Above LV1 physical condition	199	His physique is stated to be above LV1, allowing his Tai Chi redirections to function against high-level opponents.
Ranked below LV2	299	Publicly described as rated below LV2 despite defeating Level 5 Heavy Artillery through technique and timing.

Background

Xie Haining joined the Special Response Department as one of its earliest recruits. His initial ability appeared limited: he could slow his own perception of time, but his movements also slowed and his body remained that of an ordinary person. Cui Man nevertheless identified the ability's potential, reasoning that unlimited time to analyze a situation could create “infinite possibilities” if he trained hard enough. Xie accepted the position on the condition that the department protect his wife and daughter while he served. 40

He was diagnosed with a brain tumor and initially received Miracle Factor injections to slow its progression. Xiao He later donated enough blood for a full treatment, eliminating the tumor at once. Xie responded with overwhelming gratitude and immediately called his wife, Tong Xiaojie, to share the news. 123 141

After recovering, Xie resumed his role as a husband, father, and cornerstone of the department. He invited the team to his home to celebrate, where he asked Xiao He to become his daughter Xinya's godfather. 142

Personality

Xie is gentle, humble, and composed. He generally speaks softly, treats colleagues with patience, and avoids unnecessary aggression, but his calm demeanor is supported by decisive judgment in dangerous situations. 40 76

He values efficiency over showmanship. Because a single mistake could be fatal for his ordinary body, he minimizes wasted movement and treats combat as a sequence of calculations rather than a display of force. 77

His loyalty to Xiao He is especially intense. After the team learns Yinglong's civilian identity, Xie warns everyone present that he will hunt down anyone who betrays Xiao. 289

Abilities & Skills

Time Perception Manipulation

Xie can slow his own perception of time almost continuously, giving himself vastly more time to assess threats, calculate outcomes, and choose optimal actions. The ability does not directly enhance his physical body; when time slows, his own movements slow as well. 40 75

• Processes enormous amounts of information in an instant and reacts to attacks from blind spots. 75
• Maintains balance with exceptional precision, allowing smooth movement across unstable terrain and obstacles. 48
• Applies newly learned techniques almost immediately in live combat. 59
• Can track details such as bullet paths, opponents' recovery time, and hidden explosive-placement patterns. 79 86 246
• Must compensate for his normal human durability; an actual mistake can be fatal. 77

Bullet Time Combat

Xie's effective use of his time-perception ability is often referred to as unlimited “Bullet Time.” It turns his ordinary physical movements into extraordinarily precise evasions, counters, and tactical maneuvers. 59 75

• Evaded Jin Shaokang's shadow attacks with minimal movement before subduing him. 75 76
• Fought Thunder God, a Level 4 Mutant, through mobility, grenades, a Magnum pistol, and targeted joint attacks. 196
• Used careful observation to identify weaknesses in opponents such as Nash and Heavy Artillery. 243 246 299

Tai Chi and Martial Arts Mastery

Xie uses Tai Chi as a principle of redirection rather than a fixed style. His accelerated processing allows him to shift an opponent's momentum, balance, and force in real time. 199

• Redirected volleys of guided arrows without leaving his original position. 199
• Turned Heavy Artillery's supposedly indestructible, tank-shell-strength punches against him. 227 299
• Combined an opponent's weight, momentum, and force through successive adjustments to drive them into the ground. 227
• Defeated physically superior Mutants without relying on overwhelming strength. 76 196 199

Marksmanship

Because his body is not naturally enhanced, Xie routinely uses firearms and specialized ammunition. 59

• Fires tranquilizer rounds with exceptional speed and accuracy to incapacitate targets without killing them. 75
• Calculates ricochet trajectories, including firing two bullets into each other to strike enemies in blind spots. 79
• This ricochet technique is limited to close range and loses penetrating power after the bullets collide. 79

Tactical Analysis and Investigation

Xie is one of the department's most observant investigators and planners.

• Identified that Nash's explosions were likely automatic and later deduced the limitations of Nash's explosive movement. 242 246
• Helped narrow the search for a Possession user by analyzing the target's line-of-sight requirement, travel time, and likely preference for open views. 264
• Used his own capture as bait, leaving an instruction in blood and concealing an Yinglong Robot eye for Xiao He to trace. 290

Equipment

• Candle Dragon mask — Conceals his identity during operations and contains a camera for remote monitoring. 75
• Dual pistols — Used with tranquilizer rounds and calculated ricochet shots. 75 79
• Combat gloves — Made from Xia Yu's spider silk and modeled after the Perfect Cube's microscopic structure; absorb recoil and let him strike at the limit of his strength. 198

Relationships

• Xiao He / Yinglong — Colleague, close friend, and sworn protector of Xiao's secret identity; Xie regards him as a younger brother. 125 289
• Ye Wanqing / White Marsh — Fellow cornerstone and trusted teammate; Xie works with her to support Xiao and protect the team. 40 128
• Cui Man — Commander and recruiter who recognized the potential of his seemingly limited ability. 40 75
• Xia Yu / Gluttonous Beast — Fellow cornerstone; Xie regularly trains with her and gives her measured tactical advice. 141 196
• Tong Xiaojie — Wife; Xie's service is motivated in part by his desire to protect his family. 40 141
• Xie Xinya — Daughter; her affection for Xiao He leads Xie to ask Xiao to become her godfather. 142
• Makina / D.E. Machina — Opponent who became infatuated with him after he defeated her using Tai Chi; Xie informed her that he is married with children. 199
• Li Zhengliang / Qilin — Fellow combatant; Xie received Qilin's Iron Shirt technique before their joint tournament match. 226

Story Role / Major Arcs

Foundation of the Special Response Department

Xie joins Xiao He, Ye Wanqing, and Xia Yu as part of the department's original foundation. Though Xiao initially dismisses his ability as useless, Xie quickly proves that time perception can make ordinary human skill extraordinarily dangerous. 40 48

Baihua City Operation

Placed in command of the operation against Jin Shaokang, Xie infiltrates an abandoned factory alone, incapacitates the gang with tranquilizer fire, and defeats Jin in close combat. His performance establishes him as a combatant whose technique can overcome superior physical power. 74 75 76

Public Introduction as Candle Dragon

Xie is formally introduced to the public as Candle Dragon after his precise flood-rescue work. Media attention remains focused on Yinglong, but Cui Man emphasizes Xie's value as a department operative. 53 54

Mutant Competition

As one of the Four Cornerstones, Xie becomes a symbol that ordinary people can stand against powerful Mutants. He defeats Thunder God and Makina despite their superior ratings, using firearms, evasion, Tai Chi, and perfect control of momentum. 196 199

He later defeats Heavy Artillery in the international competition, publicly demonstrating that Tai Chi and technical skill can neutralize brute force. The victory challenges the ranking system's focus on raw Superpower level. 227 299

Death Amusement Park

Xie faces Adner inside the Death Amusement Park, where violence is ineffective and escape requires collecting gold coins through amusement-park games. Rather than panic, he treats the domain as a challenge and wagers that he can collect one hundred coins. 234 235

Mutator Crisis

During the Mutator conflict, Xie deliberately allows himself to become bait after suffering severe injuries. He leaves clues for Xiao He through a blood-written message and a concealed Yinglong Robot eye, enabling the department to locate the enemy prison. 290

Trivia

• Xie's code name, Candle Dragon, was publicly announced alongside Gluttonous Beast after the AL City flood rescue. 54
• He is regarded as the department's best performer in combat drills and obstacle courses. 59
• His fighting style has been compared to dancing because of its smoothness, economy, and precision. 196
• He describes Tai Chi as a concept rather than a martial art with fixed moves. 227 299
• His recovery from the brain tumor was celebrated at his home with the Special Response Department, reinforcing the team’s family-like bond. 141 142