Jiang Yingying
My Life Among the Uncanny
Contents
Biodata
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | Jiang Yingying (江莺莺) 20 |
| Species/Race | Human 36 37 |
| Gender | Female 20 21 |
| Occupation/Role | Survivor of the Eye Fiend disaster; Su Wu’s companion during his escape preparations 20 46 |
| Status | Alive in reality, sheltering in the Little Temple; dies in an earlier future simulation 23 49 |
| First Appearance | Chapter 18; identified by name in Chapter 20 18 20 |
Power Progression
| Stage / Realm / Level | Chapter | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Physically strengthened; no named rank | 37 | In a future simulation, exposure to the Black Candle lit with the Little Temple’s orange flame permanently improves her physical condition. She feels stronger, her hair grows considerably, and her cheeks and eyes regain vitality. This enhancement is not established for her real-world counterpart. |
Background / History
Jiang Yingying loses both parents during the red-lantern disaster. Her father’s severed head speaks to her mother, who follows it away from Yingying; her mother’s head then separates as well. Yingying survives despite witnessing deaths that should expose her to the Eye Fiend’s killing influence 20 41.
Her survival is attributed to her pet rooster, Emergency Can, also called Emergency Rations. Her grandfather sent her the bird, the sole chick hatched from a wild pheasant and one of his hens. Su Wu identifies its ability to protect nearby people from the Eye Fiend 20.
Appearance
Jiang Yingying is described as a young woman with a pretty face and a slender figure 18 22.
- After the Black Candle’s enhancement: Her hair becomes noticeably longer, her cheeks turn rosy, and her eyes shine, replacing her earlier listlessness 37.
- At the Little Temple: She wears a thin jacket and later has a thick coat draped over her shoulders 46 48.
Personality
Yingying is frightened and grief-stricken after her parents’ deaths. When Su Wu first takes hold of her rooster, she is afraid to approach him but refuses to simply abandon her pet. In the gray fog, she clings to Su Wu’s hand or clothing and fears being left behind 18 21 38.
Her fear does not prevent self-sacrifice. When Trapped Corpses surround them in a simulation, she gives Emergency Rations to Su Wu and offers to draw the fiends away so he can escape 22.
Her trust in Su Wu develops under the influence of his Art of Speaking talent, which makes his truthful statements unusually convincing. She nevertheless faces concrete tests of that trust: she stays after seeing his inhuman third arm and later remains beside him when his body turns translucent 35 36 46 49.
Abilities & Skills
Protection Through Emergency Can
Yingying’s protection against the Eye Fiend comes from her rooster rather than a demonstrated innate ability 20 36.
- Allows her to survive encounters with the red lanterns and transforming severed heads 20 36.
- Extends to Su Wu when he remains nearby, making her presence essential to his simulated escape attempts 21 36.
- Does not provide demonstrated protection against the Trapped Corpses in the gray fog; Su Wu gives her a protective candle instead 21 22.
Candle-Based Survival Assistance
Yingying helps maintain a protected route through the Trapped Corpse Fiend’s territory 38.
- Places lit candles every three to five steps under Su Wu’s instructions 38.
- Takes turns with him extending the candle line while the corpses pursue them 38.
- The protection fails as approaching corpses consume the candles within seconds 38.
Equipment / Items
- Protective candles — Supplied by Su Wu for navigating the gray fog and resisting supernatural encroachment 21 22 38.
- Phone — Becomes a tracking medium for the Trapped Corpse Fiend in a simulation. It displays Su Wu’s account and repeated work-group invitations; she throws it away at his warning 37.
- Imperial Bell — Temporarily entrusted to her while Su Wu physically enters the fighter’s past-life simulation. She holds it ready to ring if something uncanny occurs that she cannot handle 49.
Relationships
- Su Wu — Rescuer and companion. He relies on her rooster’s protection, brings her to the Little Temple in reality, and includes her in his plan to leave the city 21 36 46.
- Emergency Can / Emergency Rations — Beloved pet rooster and supernatural protector. She repeatedly carries him through danger and is reassured when she sees him safely asleep at the temple 18 20 46.
- Parents — Both die during the Eye Fiend disaster; memories of their deaths repeatedly bring her to tears 20 36 41 46.
- Grandfather — Raised and sent her the unusual rooster that keeps her alive 20.
Story Role / Major Arcs
Future Escape Simulations
- Su Wu initially encounters Yingying with her rooster. During their subsequent journey, he learns her name and explains why she has survived the red lanterns 18 20.
- Their route is blocked by wrecked vehicles and gray fog. When the Trapped Corpses overwhelm their defenses, she volunteers to lure them away; Su Wu later confirms that she died in this simulation 21 22 23.
- In a later simulation, she remains beside Su Wu while he captures a lantern with the Corpse Buddha Ghost Hand and extracts the Black Candle 35 36.
- After receiving the candle’s physical enhancement, she discovers that her phone has become a means of tracking Su Wu. Discarding it does not stop the pursuit, which continues through nearby phones 37.
- She assists with the candle-lined escape route through the fog. The defenses are overwhelmed, and the simulation ends with Su Wu’s death 38 39.
Rescue in Reality
- Su Wu retrieves Yingying and Emergency Can from the intersection and returns them to the Little Temple rather than immediately attempting the blocked escape route 46.
- He gives her hot pot and explains that they will remain there while he prepares supplies and a plan to leave the city 46.
- Before physically entering the fighter’s past-life simulation, he warns her not to leave the temple, regardless of changes to his body 48.
- When she notices a medicinal scent and finds his body turning translucent, she remembers her promise to trust him. She sits beside him with the Imperial Bell ready 49.
Notable Quotes
“I’ll lure them away. Take Emergency Rations and go!” 22
“I trust you completely.” 48