Xiao Ya

Biodata

Background / History

Life under Lin Qin’s control

Xiao Ya lived with her parents at Jiahe Court. After her father was scratched by a zombie, her mother refused to let him go and used mental control to keep him with the family. Lin Qin subsequently killed people to feed him, forcing Xiao Ya to assist through her teleportation ability 37 38.

Xiao Ya remained conscious of what she was being made to do but could not act freely under her mother’s control. Lin Qin used her ability to transport victims to the basement, where Lin Qin dismembered them. The victims included fourteen ability users 38 39.

Encounter and investigation

During an apartment inspection, Jiang Nian and Huang Qian encountered Xiao Ya and Lin Qin on their way to obtain medicine. The family claimed that Shan Chengfei had disappeared while collecting supplies. Jiang Nian offered Xiao Ya a lollipop, and she asked him to help her father. When he said he could not, she warned him not to come to their apartment 34.

Her warning and unusual questions later attracted Cheng Jing’s attention. He and Jiang Nian also learned that the mother and daughter had repeatedly avoided apartment checks, leading them to investigate the family 35 36.

When Cheng Jing, Jiang Nian, and Huang Qian entered apartment 1805, Xiao Ya tried to run toward the master bedroom. Huang Qian restrained her with a vine and knocked her unconscious. The confrontation exposed Lin Qin’s killings and the father’s zombification 37.

Lin Qin admitted that Jiang Nian’s candy had briefly brought Xiao Ya to her senses, allowing her to warn him. She also revealed that she had intended to have Xiao Ya infected that night. Before dying, she asked the investigators to take her daughter away 38.

Guardianship and recovery

After the confrontation, Jiang Nian considered killing Xiao Ya for her involvement in the deaths but could not bring himself to do it. Huang Qian carried her out, and Cheng Jing’s group brought her case to Zhou Li 39.

Zhou Li recognized Xiao Ya as both an accomplice and a victim. He arranged for the case to be recorded and for her to face trial, while asking the team to supervise her temporarily. Huang Qian later completed the temporary guardianship paperwork 39 41.

After learning that both parents had become zombies and died, Xiao Ya suffered nightmares, emotional breakdowns, repeated desperate apologies, and suicidal tendencies. Medical staff recommended calming sedatives, which Huang Qian administered in her drinking water 40.

Xiao Ya eventually confessed her guilt while crying in Jiang Nian’s arms. Her emotions gradually stabilized, and she stopped needing sedatives, but she refused to use her ability and began keeping her hands covered with gloves 41.

Life with the team and departure

As she became accustomed to the household, Xiao Ya brought hot steamed buns to the men during night patrols. She also supported Lu Ningzhou’s courtship of Huang Qian and helped him pack when he moved into Huang Qian’s safe house to help raise her 45.

On March 10, she left Qingyun City with the group, riding in Cheng Jing’s Hummer with Jiang Nian. She stayed inside during the convoy’s battle to rescue Li Kaiyun and his children 46.

During the journey, Xiao Ya and Huang Qian drew Li Shuhui into conversation. When an earthquake collapsed a bridge, Xiao Ya remained with Huang Qian and Li Shuhui to guard the vehicles while the others joined the rescue. The group reached South City Base safely in early April 48 50.

Appearance

• Build and features: Frail-looking, with a delicate, pale face and large eyes whose dark pupils and whites are clearly defined 34 36 37.
• Initial clothing: A pink down jacket and a panda scarf covering much of her face; her clothing was dirty when the team first encountered her 34.
• Expression: Frequently vacant and unfocused during and after her mother’s control. After her rescue, she is described as neatly dressed and pretty, but resembling a soulless doll 34 37 40.
• Later distinguishing feature: Gloves worn almost constantly to prevent her teleportation ability from activating 41.

Personality

Xiao Ya is shy, quiet, and initially dependent on her mother’s permission even to accept a lollipop. Despite Lin Qin’s control, she repeatedly wanted to seek help and used a brief moment of clarity to warn Jiang Nian away from danger 34 38.

After her rescue, guilt dominates her behavior. She fears that outsiders will discover her involvement in the killings, avoids speaking or raising her head around them, and worries that her caregivers will reject her. She tries to remain obedient and does not dare help herself to the team’s food or supplies 41.

Huang Qian considers her perceptive and willing to learn despite her limited speech. As she settles in, Xiao Ya begins contributing small acts of care and participating in household life, including delivering patrol snacks and laughing at the team’s teasing 41 45.

Abilities & Skills

Teleportation

Xiao Ya can transfer a target through direct physical contact. Lin Qin exploited this ability during the killings at Jiahe Court 38 41.

• Transport: Used under Lin Qin’s control to move victims to the basement 38.
• Contact requirement: She must touch the target directly to transfer it 41.
• Glove barrier: Covering her hands prevents her from using the ability 41.
• Self-imposed restriction: After her rescue, she refuses to use teleportation despite the team’s encouragement 41.
• Secrecy: Jiang Nian explicitly asks the team to keep her ability hidden unless revealing it becomes absolutely necessary 44.

Cold Resistance

• As an ability user, Xiao Ya can withstand the extreme cold well enough to accompany the team on limited outings after an area has been scouted 41.

Equipment / Items

• Gloves — A deliberate barrier against activating her touch-based teleportation; she keeps them on even when they make eating inconvenient 41.
• Game console — Used while sitting with the team during a gathering at Cheng Jing’s safe house 41.

Relationships

• Lin Qin — Mother and controller. Forced Xiao Ya to assist in the killings, suppressed her attempts to seek help, and planned to have her infected before the investigators intervened 38.
• Shan Chengfei — Father. Xiao Ya wanted him saved after his infection; his death became part of the grief she faced after her rescue 34 37 40.
• Huang Qian — Temporary guardian and primary caregiver. Rescued her from the apartment, arranged guardianship paperwork, managed her recovery, and declined to pressure her into using teleportation 37 39 40 41.
• Jiang Nian — A special source of trust and dependence after offering her candy. Although initially torn over sparing her, he ultimately agreed to protect her temporarily and encouraged her to face what had happened and continue living 34 39 41.
• Cheng Jing — Leads the team responsible for her supervision. Agreed to take her to the base for registration rather than impose punishment himself 39 40.
• Zhou Li — Official overseeing her case. Recognized her dual position as victim and accomplice and arranged temporary supervision pending a later trial 39.
• Lu Ningzhou — Huang Qian’s partner. Xiao Ya supported his courtship, and he moved into their safe house after Huang Qian invited him to help raise her 45.
• Li Shuhui — Traveling companion whom Xiao Ya helped welcome into conversation; they later stayed together with Huang Qian during the bridge rescue 48.

Notable Quotes

“All right... then don't come, big brother... I'm sorry...” 34

“I helped Mom kill people, boo-hoo...” 41

Trivia

• Her registered name is Shan Ya; Xiao Ya is the familiar form used by the other characters 34.
• Liao Yu jokingly calls her the team’s “filial daughter” after she begins delivering hot food during patrols 45.
• The author’s note explicitly distinguishes her temporary supervision from membership in the protagonist group and states that she still has consequences to bear 39.