Ran Jiao

Biodata

Background

Ran Jiao's fellow scouts know that she has Demon Race blood but decline to discuss her background with Wang Qi. She had departed from Chang'an before the Fei County mission, though the circumstances of her ancestry and earlier life remain undisclosed 39 46.

Appearance

• Face and eyes: Attractive features with cold, snake-like slit pupils that give her an intimidating expression 38 40.
• Changing pupils: Her pupils become round when she is startled or astonished and narrow into sharp vertical slits when displeased or threatening 38 40 41 49.
• Physique and movement: A slender, supple waist and exceptionally flexible body; her silent movements are repeatedly compared to a serpent's 38 44 47.
• Concealment: When leaving the forest for inhabited areas, she wears a large hood that hides the upper half of her face from the bridge of her nose upward 42.

Personality

Ran Jiao is reserved, proud, and reluctant to discuss her unusual eyes. She speaks little during her first journey with Wang Qi but handles practical tasks efficiently. She dislikes being treated as someone who needs special care, initially objecting when he gives her most of their roasted rabbit 40 41 42.

Cleanliness matters strongly to her: she refuses to share a meal unless Wang Qi washes after preparing the rabbit. Expecting him to find her fussy, she is instead astonished by his far stricter hygiene habits. His acceptance makes her feel less abnormal, while the hot water he prepares comforts her against the cold brought by her bloodline—a condition she hates 40 41.

Her approach to duty is hard-edged. She forcibly questions uncooperative villagers and considers Wang Qi too softhearted for sparing people who support bandits. Nevertheless, she respects his wishes and accepts his plan to use the villagers' report to locate their target 43.

Despite her cold manner, she has a mischievous streak. While infiltrating the Chen Family's house, she briefly appears at the roof opening to frighten Wang Qi before carrying out her assignment 47.

Abilities & Skills

Reconnaissance and Unusual Perception

Ran Jiao's reconnaissance skills are one of the main reasons Xu Ping pairs her with Wang Qi 40.

• Detects a rabbit concealed in dead grass sixty paces away 40.
• Spots someone hiding inside a village house before Wang Qi notices them 42.
• Uses undisturbed snow cover to determine that a large group departed at least five days earlier 42.
• Detects the presence of a formidable martial artist inside the estate and warns Wang Qi against entering the owners' courtyard 44.
• Apparently senses Wang Qi's out-of-body consciousness and sees a vision of him surrounded by flowing crimson-gold flames. She does not understand what she has witnessed 38 39.
• Sees Wang Qi despite his Light-Concealing Shadow-Masking Spell during the courtyard battle 49.

Infiltration, Lightness Skills, and Assassination

Her comrades describe her gift as particularly suited to concealment and infiltration; Xu Ping also recognizes her expertise in assassination 37 40.

• Moves soundlessly across rooftops and uses her flexible body to slip beneath the eaves 44 47.
• Enters the Chen Family's great house without alerting the soldiers guarding its entrance 47.
• Lands from an acrobatic descent with both short blades already positioned against the Chen couple's necks 47.
• Favors reconnaissance over unnecessary combat when investigating an unfamiliar stronghold 44.

Wind Whisper Spell

Ran Jiao uses the Wind Whisper Spell to exchange information over a distance of up to one hundred li 45.

• Sends their coordinates to Sima Xu while remaining hidden at Chen Family Fort 44 45.
• Receives inquiries and orders without leaving her observation position 46.
• Casts through low, hoarse, snake-like hissing accompanied by a very subtle fluctuation of spiritual force 45.
• Its exchanges lead Wang Qi to suspect that it functions like an encrypted communications channel 46.

Voice Imitation

Ran Jiao can convincingly imitate another person's voice 48.

• Copies Chen Shi's voice to accuse Zhong Qi of attempting to murder the Chen Family Head.
• Uses the false command to turn the household troops against Zhong Qi and his accomplices 48.

Close-Quarters Combat and Constitution

Ran Jiao fights with paired short swords, relying on flexibility and agility rather than Wang Qi's harder fighting style 40 47 49.

• Her unusual constitution allows her to withstand Zhong Qi's saber strike, although the impact shakes her and disrupts her footing 48.
• Protects the Chen Family Head while facing four Wandering Swordsmen simultaneously 49.
• Her stamina deteriorates under sustained pressure, making Wang Qi's supporting arrows important to her defense 49.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Paired short swords — Used for hostage-taking, close combat, and blocking Zhong Qi's saber. She also uses a sword hilt to knock Madam Chen unconscious 47 48.
• Large hood — Conceals her distinctive eyes when approaching populated areas 42.
• Bowl and waterskin — Used to drink and store the water Wang Qi prepares during their scouting mission 41.

Relationships

• Wang Qi — Her assigned scouting partner. Xu Ping pairs her reconnaissance and infiltration skills with his archery and long-range support. Their shared concern for cleanliness helps ease their initial awkwardness, though she frequently finds his habits excessive 40 41 42.
• Xu Ping — Commander who assigns her partnership with Wang Qi and directs the Fei County operation 39 40 46.
• Sima Xu — Fellow operative and communications contact. She reports their findings to him and relays his instructions to seize Chen Jingtian's parents 44 45 46.
• Chen Family Head — Initially her hostage, then someone she protects when Zhong Qi attacks. She recognizes his willingness to cooperate and reframes her intrusion as an urgent discussion 47 48 49.
• Madam Chen — Taken hostage alongside her husband; Ran Jiao knocks her unconscious after she calls for the guards 47.
• Zhong Qi — Enemy at Chen Family Fort. Ran Jiao exposes him as an aggressor through voice imitation and blocks his attack on the family head 48.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Testing the Newcomer

Bored scouts initially propose having Ran Jiao steal and hide Wang Qi's belongings. She refuses, only agreeing after they recast the prank as a test of vigilance and an opportunity to befriend a promising comrade. Inside his tent, her strange perception reveals a frightening vision of Wang Qi. She warns him to change his campsite and remain alert, then flees without giving her name 37 38.

Fei County Investigation

Assigned to work together, Ran Jiao and Wang Qi search for brigands in Mount Tai Commandery. After finding an almost deserted village, they discover that its able-bodied residents and grain have gone to the bandits. Ran Jiao reluctantly accepts Wang Qi's decision to spare the elderly residents; the pair then follow one elder to a fortified estate in southwestern Fei County 40 42 43 44.

At the estate, Ran Jiao prevents Wang Qi from approaching a dangerous martial artist and calls for reinforcements. Once the fort's soldiers leave, the partners enter the inner courtyard and overhear the Chen Family's plans to protect Chen Jingtian by shifting blame onto a servant 44 45.

Chen Family Fort Confrontation

Following orders relayed through Sima Xu, Ran Jiao takes Chen Jingtian's parents hostage while Wang Qi watches from concealment. Madam Chen's alarm draws the household troops, and Zhong Qi's arrival turns the standoff into a fight. Ran Jiao changes tactics, impersonates Chen Shi, and protects the family head as Wang Qi provides supporting fire 46 47 48 49.

After Wang Qi kills Zhong Qi and the household soldiers defeat the remaining outlaws, Ran Jiao is standing beside the Chen Family Head 50.

Notable Quotes

“You just handled a rabbit's carcass. You have to clean your hands, or you can forget about sharing a meal with me!” 40

“You're too softhearted. You don't seem suited to our line of work.” 43