Tangtang

CODENAME: Tangtang

GENDER: Female

AUTHENTICATION: Qingbo Stockade

DOB: November 29

RACE: Feline

[ORIPATHY INFECTION STATUS]

Oripathy positive (infected), based on medical examination reports.

[INTEGRATED PHYSICAL EXAMINATION]

PHYSIOLOGICAL STRENGTH: Standard

COMBAT SKILL: Excellent

TACTICAL ACUMEN: Normal

ORIGINIUM ARTS ASSIMILATION: Excellent

"I reviewed the Crisis Team's reports... She mentioned being adopted, didn't she? Hmm... It's true that many have been displaced by disasters, even under the administration of the Hongshan Academy of Sciences. Have the HR Division keep an eye on her background for now. We might uncover something unexpected."

Tangtang is a member and primary representative of Qingbo Stockade. She joined Endfield Industries for personal reasons and is currently serving as Head of Endfield's Qingbo Stockade Liaison Office.

Operator Tangtang stands as perhaps the most distinctive individual among the diverse personnel the Endministrator has invited aboard Dijiang. Much like our first meeting... Apologies, I need to retrieve the recorded footage stored in my database:

"Thwack! Thwack!"

"Hey, what's this thing doing on a big airship? Looks like a three-headed iron tuskbeast. Kinda dumb if you ask me..."

"Operator Tangtang, I'm here for your onboarding inter— No, please don't slap my panel. I'm a personnel assistant from Endfield Industries..."

"So you're one of Darkmask's crew! You should've said so sooner, Old Iron-face! Here, I've got some good stuff I brought for my new Fam. Go crazy!"

After I repeatedly insisted I had no need for any Tangtang Certs, ores, or jewelry, Tangtang enthusiastically pulled a ring-shaped ornament made from natural materials from her pocket. I believe it could be defined as a woven bamboo floral wreath. She placed the wreath over one of my panels, then curiously began tapping the other two: "You're sharper than those Wuling tin toys! Why don't you come join me in Qingbo Stockade? Come on, call me Chief!"

My assessment of Tangtang aligns with others': cheerful, straightforward, unpretentious. She possesses a childlike heart, brimming with passion and curiosity toward everything... If I had to summarize her in a few words, I'd choose "a child in the midst of growing up." However, I absolutely cannot join Qingbo Stockade and conquer Talos-II with her... This has nothing to do with the endless stack of personnel files I have to process. It just doesn't quite align with Endfield's regulations.

To avoid injuring Tangtang's hands and to prevent myself from suffering "mechanical" concussion, I really should consider how to stay out of her way... Strangely enough, she always manages to find me.

— Martin Marvin Malen, Assistant, HR Division, Endfield Industries

After the Qingbo Stockade incident, we initially expected to receive a confused, grieving, or angry operator. In preparation, we had arranged some psychological intervention measures to help ease her trauma. Yet, when Tangtang arrived aboard the Dijiang via tele-protocol, her face was lit with a bright smile, not a shadow of distress in sight.

Supervisor Perlica reminded us that despite the complexity of her community, Tangtang managed to rally her scattered people with her own charisma. This proves she possesses a resilient spirit capable of bearing significant responsibility.

And indeed, Tangtang proved far more perceptive than we had imagined. Her awareness and sensitivity to situations are second to none. In planning the subsequent development of Qingbo Stockade, she consistently prioritized the welfare of its residents, skillfully ensuring that every individual, young, old, sick, or disabled, was accounted for with a blend of boldness and attentiveness, guaranteeing no one would be overlooked or forgotten amidst the busy tasks. This quality is particularly valuable to us: in work involving diverse cultural practices, having a guide who understands the complex local interpersonal dynamics and ecosystem saves us significant communication costs in our development efforts.

Tangtang has adapted to life aboard Dijiang remarkably quickly. At times, we see her walking alongside Chen Qianyu, the Endministrator, or Supervisor Perlica, her eyes sparkling, tail swaying gently. She's also made some new friends, giving them affectionate nicknames in the style of Qingbo Stockade. Moreover, everything about Dijiang seems to fascinate her, especially the canteen's vending machine... She circled it several times on her first day. An operator kindly stepped forward to show her how to insert coins and press the colored buttons to get a drink to roll out. She listened quietly, though it was hard to tell if she fully understood... That evening, the vending machine triggered an alarm, and Operator Xaihi ended up having to retrieve a stuck "Tangtang Cert" from the coin slot.

After several months of observation, our conclusion is that: not only does Tangtang not require psychological support from us, but her presence has, in fact, infused Dijiang with renewed vitality.

When we discussed this with operators familiar with her, Chen Qianyu remarked with a smile, "Though Tangtang grew up by the water, she's more like an unquenchable flame. A passing storm might dampen it, but that spark quickly reignites and burns bright again."

One afternoon, we overheard Tangtang chatting with someone, her tone as candid as ever: "The Chief's head isn't that big, kiddo. I can't keep trying to figure things out, you know. It'll just make me dumb!"

[Clinical Diagnosis Report]

Imaging scans indicate blurred organ contours with observable abnormal shadows within the operator's body. Detection of Originium particles within the circulatory system shows anomalies, presenting signs of Oripathy. At this stage, the operator can be confirmed as an Oripathy-positive.

Attending Physician's Note: According to Tangtang's own account, she contracted Oripathy during a conflict between Qingbo Stockade and the Tianshi of Wuling City a decade ago. Tangtang stated she received no specialized treatment over these ten years, only various folk remedies provided sporadically by the stockade residents. However, examination results indicate that both her Cell-Originium Assimilation rate and Blood Originium-Crystal Density are remarkably well-controlled.

When questioned about this, Tangtang replied, "Everyone says I'm the River's Daughter. The water washes the sickness away."

Could natural bodies of water truly cure Oripathy? The answer is evident: it's impossible.

[Medication Application Form from a Tianshi]

Generic Medication Name: Oripathy Suppressant

Quantity Requested: Long-term supply

Infection Site of Patient: Ocular region

Reason for Application: Aiding Qingbo Stockade

Audio Log:

"Honestly, I'm a little hesitant about delivering the medication... The first time, he threw it right back at us, shouting, 'We won't take handouts from Wuling people!' and tried to charge at us with his head... Thankfully, the watchguards were there and helped us escape. I'm not afraid he'd kill me, it's just that we can't have another incident like that.

"The girl's Oripathy is on the verge of worsening. We're aware of it, and surely they are too. She contracted it because of us. We have an obligation to treat her.

"Back then ... it was sheer chaos. The sky was pitch black, low, and heavy with rain tearing through the curtain of clouds. We trudged through the howling wind as the stockade residents charged out from behind the hills, weapons in hand, their shadows in the night like malevolent spirits...

"People were terrified. No one noticed there was such a young child in the crowd...

"The rain washed away the blood... No, no, perhaps it never truly vanished. Whenever I close my eyes, I see that girl's wounded eye, and his ... the leader's eyes. The ones that said he just wanted to survive... I will never forget them for as long as I live.

"The second time, we left the syringes near the outskirts of Qingbo Stockade, where the residents were sure to pass by.

"This time, it wasn't charity from an enemy ... maybe it fell from the sky, grew from the earth, or was carried by a beast. Thinking of it that way might make it a little easier for them to accept.

"I waited two whole days ... and it was taken.

"I waited two more days and saw the girl playing by the water. She chased long-ears along the river for quite a distance. She seemed much better.

"I don't know what will happen from here on out ... and I don't think this counts as true atonement. But I had a full night's rest, at least for that day."

Everyone called her "Younger Dame" at Qingbo Stockade because Ruan Lin had only one child of his own, and later plucked another out of the water. The first was named "One (Yi)," so the second naturally became "Younger". The folks of Qingbo Stockade always thought in simple, straightforward ways.

No one knew where Younger Dame came from. Ruan Yi said she was a kitten in a bamboo basket that he picked up. Ruan Lin said she was a treasure, the River's Daughter sent by the Ancestral Spring. A young boy nearby, hearing this, asked, if Younger Dame was born of the river, didn't that make her the river's master?! Upon hearing this, Tangtang puffed out her chest, leaped onto her bamboo hobbyhorse, and declared proudly: "Exactly! The water is mine! Qingbo Stockade is mine! All the good food and fun are mine too!"

Ruan Lin ruffled her hair and burst into hearty laughter. Soon, everyone gathered around the fire joined in, their mirth contagious enough to make Tangtang giggle along. The conversation drifted to other things, and the matter was never brought up again.

It wasn't until Tangtang grew a little older that one day, as she listened to the Stockaders talking, a thought suddenly struck her. River water couldn't give birth to a Feline like her. Where were her real parents?

Tangtang couldn't make sense of it. She spent days comparing herself to everyone in the Stockade. Some were too sturdy, others too short. Not a single one had ears or a tail as beautiful as hers.

This dilemma weighed on Tangtang for quite some time, until Ruan Lin called her over for ironpot stewed fin. Tangtang glanced at Ruan Yi's bowl, then at her own. The head, eyes, and tender belly of the fin were all in hers. As she picked out the fin belly and stuffed it into Ruan Lin's mouth, she thought to herself: "Why should I care about what the Stockaders yammer about 'mommy's touch'? Dad's cooking is delish and that's enough for me!"

After extensive investigation and verification, the HR Division confirmed that Tangtang was still an unweaned babe when she was found. Given the physiologies of a newborn, it would have been impossible for her to drift far along the river. Therefore, it is preliminarily inferred that she was abandoned somewhere close to Qingbo Stockade.

After conducting detailed examinations and evaluations of her eye, Medical Division personnel suspect that the pattern within it is closely linked to her Originium Arts. Given the pattern's high degree of regularity, it can be ruled out as a random symptom arising from Oripathy infection. Instead, it is more likely related to her familial medical history. However, after reviewing all preserved personnel records of Qingbo Stockade, no individuals with similar conditions to hers were found.

To quote her own account: "I just practiced and practiced by the water, and this pattern appeared by itself."

This is absolutely impossible. We sought assistance from HAS, and after reviewing resident archives, they were likewise unable to identify Tangtang's relatives. However, a Tianshi specializing in Yan history made a breakthrough: within the Yan documents passed down from Terra, she discovered records highly relevant to the pattern in Tangtang's eye. According to legendary accounts in the literature, this pattern symbolizes the evolution of heaven and earth, containing ancient knowledge inheritance. Yet Tangtang clearly lacks access to such learning. The Tianshi of Wuling were equally astonished by this discovery. They had never imagined that such a unique user of Originium Arts existed right within their reach.

In conclusion, the specific reasons behind Tangtang's abandonment in Qingbo Stockade ... may be more complex than we initially assumed.

After we shared the investigation findings with Tangtang, she simply scratched her head and said her origins weren't all that important. After all, she had family and friends now, living a good life. Though she did wonder, just a little, if she still has blood relatives, and how they might be faring ... She emphasized it was just a little, about the size of a small shellbeast's claw.

Tangtang still keeps the small swaddling cloth she was wrapped in back then. When handing the fabric over to us, she noticeably hesitated for a moment before returning to her usual carefree demeanor: "And remember to give it back once you're done checking!"

[Old Video Footage]

06:23:45:10

"A camera ... the gimmick that records stuff? Looks pretty cute, and it can even move. Looks like a little Lupo!"

"The Wulingers came up with this gadget. We snagged it during our last run-in with 'em. Just gotta hit this button here to fire it up... Hey, Chief, wanna take a shot and see how it looks?"

"Come on, let's do it! Hey, how'd you manage to make my legs look so short in the shot? Makes your boss look tiny!"

"Ain't you just naturally kinda— Hey hey, no hitting! It's me, I'm the short one, I'm short okay!"

"Not playing with you anymore! I'm gonna wallop that mad woman and use this 'lil' Lupo to record her getting knocked flat!"

07:10:30:15

"Damn that mad woman, off fighting for her big madam Zhuang again... Last time she got beaten black and blue by splatters, you'd think she'd learn...

"I'll just cozy up in my stockade and dodge the blightery out there... Got clean water to drink and delicious fin to eat...

"Hey, lil' Lupo, hold still! Look! Some clueless girl's practicing swordplay near the Wuling border. Let's tail her and see what's up.

"Heh, those twin swords of hers look pretty decent. The local turf has too many splatters and getting pretty dangerous. Better not let her end up as splatter-chow. And I the Chief shall take her fancy stuff off her hands."

08:36:05:55

"You took out all these splatters yourself?"

"Yep, these little buggers were no match for me. But hey, thanks for the backup! Your gunplay's pretty solid. I'm Chen Qianyu, and nice meeting you...?"

"Tangtang. Supreme Chief of Qingbo Stockade! Ever heard of me?"

"Of course! Qingbo Stockade, the ones always stirring up trouble with Wuling City... Hold up, you're not here to rob me, are you?"

"That depends. Are you a Wulinger? Your Chief is just and Wuling is the only thing on my hate list!"

"I, uh, kinda am ... wait, no. Not now. Not anymore..."

"WHAT? Did mad woman kick you out? It's fine, being a Wulinger sucks blight — Hey, why are you crying? ARGH! Don't wipe your snot on me!"

11:42:13:07

"Didn't score any treasure, and even lost a piece of clothing. This trip's a total bust... WOAH?!"

"Hey, little kitty, loitering around Wuling again? Thought I told you to skip this place."

"None of your business, mad woman! Let me go right now!"

Tangtang and Chen Qianyu huddled close as they examined the camera footage. They looked each other, bewildered and quiet. Suddenly, Tangtang snatched the device and bolted off at full speed—

"Darkmask! Pale Scribe! TAKE A LOOK AT THIS! I got some awesome vids of Green Scales' crying face! AND THEY'RE BUGGLY!"

"Tangtang!!! Stop right there!!!"

Chen Qianyu, face flushed with embarrassment, chased Tangtang around the Central Ring five or six times until Mi Fu, unable to watch any longer, grabbed and lifted both of them by the collar.

"Tangtang, I had to chase you down in Wuling, and I still have to chase you down aboard Dijiang during an official trip... Chen, why are you enabling her mischief?"

"My fellow Fam Darkmask owns this place, mad woman! You got no authority here! Let your Chief go! NOW!"

While Tangtang and Mi Fu traded verbal blows, Chen Qianyu smoothly slipped free from Mi Fu's grip, snatched the camera from Tangtang's hands, and promptly pressed the delete button on that piece of "shame." Then, sticking her tongue out playfully, she turned the lens toward the bickering duo.

The camera faithfully captured the scene. Tangtang, held by the scruff of her neck by Mi Fu, hearkened back to the past — Despite the countless chases and scuffles, Mi Fu never grabbed Tangtang by her vitals. As long as Tangtang got her act together, she could always find a chance to escape.

Tangtang never figured out why she always slipped away so easily. The observant Chen Qianyu who saw this naturally became the prize-winner of this little tussle: a video of Tangtang the Defeated Chief with drooping ears and utterly pitiful looks, one that can be enjoyed over and over again.