Chixia

Chixia's ancestors were migrants to Jinzhou from the Central Plains, with their later generations settling in the city ever since. The family is well-known for their deep passion and expertise in the world of spices.

As the sun painted the Jinzhou skyline with its morning light, the first sign of activity would always come from Panhua's Kitchen, where plumes of smoke billow from its chimney.

"Mornin', Mrs. Panhua. A bowl of handmade noodles, please. Extra numb and spicy." A loud and clear voice overshadowed the rising hustle and bustle of the city outside the kitchen, immediately capturing the attention of several children nearby, their eyes lighting up with admiration.

"Miss Chixia, when are we having today's Overdash lessons?" one of the children asked eagerly.

"Your students look more psyched than you are," Panhua teased as she served Chixia and the children their breakfast.

"What's the hurry, I'm not even warmed up yet! Plus, ya can't work on an empty stomach," Chixia replied between mouthfuls of spicy noodles.

For her, an energetic day begins with a spicy tingle to the taste buds.

Chixia relished each bite of spicy chili peppers, washing them down with steaming soup. Her body glowed with warmth as the food settled in her stomach.

With the last slurp of noodles, Chixia wiped her mouth in satisfaction.

"Now I'm all fired up!"

A saying in Huanglong goes: "One should do good deeds anonymously." Chixia, however, doesn't like that.

"If we all stay anonymous, how will people know who to call for help next time they're in danger?"

"A hero must shout their name loud and clear for everyone to remember!"

She set this goal on her first day of aspiring to become a hero.

Since childhood, Chixia has been enamored by superheroes like Speedster and Fiamma from Hero Plays. Their names invoked courage and comfort. She dreamed of making her own heroic name, one that would be remembered. Whenever she helped someone, Chixia always made sure to leave her mark, even teaching children to write down her name one stroke at a time.

And just like that, her name has spread throughout Jinzhou like wildfire. Her name has become a staple in the city, with people constantly calling out "Chixia" wherever they need help. Foreign merchants, unable to speak the local language, mistook "Chixia" as a customary greeting. Since everyone is shouting it, so why not follow the trend?

Despite her unwavering determination and fiery passion, Chixia still has her worries. She has been bravely battling bandits, Tacet Discords, and those suspicious figures in red on the outskirts of Jinzhou. But dangers always surface in unexpected ways, despite her efforts to protect the city.

Has she truly lived up to the standards of a hero in everyone's eyes? Despite her doubts, Chixia finds solace in the smiles of those she protects. In that moment, all worries dissipate in an instant.

On the other hand, the children of Jinzhou don't care about all of that. In their games of play-pretend, they have already given the hero's role to their fiery big sister Chixia.

Jinzhou is known for its spectacular Hero Plays, and Chixia can't get enough of them. The drum beats, poised actors, and graceful water sleeve movements never fail to impress. But her favorite technique is the Kindlefire move, symbolizing Fiamma's grand entrance. A torch is lit in darkness, shooting a fiery ball into the sky and igniting surrounding candles. The audience is mesmerized by this stunning display, as the faint smell of burning wood fills the air.

It was a familiar light and a familiar smell, one that always takes Chixia back to her childhood. She remembers journeying in the wild with her parents, setting up camps as they migrated to Jinzhou. At night, the wilderness was treacherous. The silent darkness swallowed everything in its path, including Chixia's small tent where she huddled for safety. In the dark, Chixia clung to her blankets and recited the hero stories mother read her before bed, hoping for Fiamma's protection against the lurking Tacet Discords. Soon, a small fire flickered in her mind. Little Chixia's gaze fixed on the tent's fabric wall, captivated as the flame grew brighter and brighter...

"Look! It's Fiamma!" Jiu in the seat next to her shouted excitedly as he tugged at the corner of Chixia's shirt, bringing her attention back to the stage.

And lo, the majestic Fiamma descended from the sky with a triumphant wave of his torch, causing the wicked Fluffernox to flee in a hurry. The crowd erupted in applause, with Chixia clapping the loudest of all.

After returning home from the theater, Chixia readied for patrol and grabbed a plain torch before heading out.

"You're still holdin' on to that doodad? I've lost count of the years you've had it. Didn't the department give you a lot of new equipment and stuff?" Chixia's mother remarked as she spooned a generous scoop of hot sauce into her stir-fry.

"No worries! This one's bright enough to last another hundred years!"

Chixia encountered Jiu during one of her nightly patrols. She was investigating a strange case where residents complained of weird noises on their roofs for several nights in a row, but whenever they went outside to check, nothing was there.

Armed with a torch and shrouded in darkness, Chixia climbed the roofs. As she scanned the area, a crumpled Fiamma clipart caught her eye, hidden between roof tiles.

"...?"

"...Score!"

As Chixia was about to crouch down for a closer look, an unexpected shadow leaped out of nowhere, giving her a startle. She quickly directed her torch toward the stranger, only to see the face of a small child. Taking advantage of Chixia's moment of confusion, the child snatched the clipart from her hand before quickly disappearing into the boundless dim of night.

Chixia rushed over for a quick check, but that child was already gone without a trace.

She continued her search all night until the break of dawn, when she reached a half-open window and heard a child singing, "Once I pick up the Torch Sword..."

That's one of Fiamma's lines! Chixia followed, "I will eradicate that monster!"

A small head poked out of the window, his bright eyes shining with the excitement of finding a fellow fan.

Since they were both Fiamma admirers, it made things a lot easier. After all, a person who loves Fiamma can't be a bad person!

Jiu's family had recently moved to Jinzhou, and with his parents working long hours, he and his sister were often left alone at home. His sister was timid and always worried that there was a Fluffernox on their roof. Therefore, to protect his sister, Jiu would patrol the rooftops every night.

"It's a shame I never got to see Fiamma in person," Jiu said with a hint of embarrassment, "I've only heard those lines from outside the theater. I didn't get them wrong, did I?"

"Not at all. You nailed it!" Chixia reassured him. "You should definitely take your sister to the theater and see how Fiamma kicks Fluffernox butts for yourselves. I guarantee you she won't be scared afterward."

"I... I'll pass. Mom and dad are already having a hard time as it is..."

"Here, promise me you'll stay away from the roofs from now on. It'll make my job a whole lot easier, and in return, I'll get you tickets to the plays. Deal?"

"Yes, ma'am!"

Chixia's colleagues were surprised by her decision to become a Community Patroller on the day of her graduation from training.

She went through a lot of trouble to finally join the Public Security Bureau, after multiple failed attempts at the entrance exam. She was also well-known for her unwavering pursuit of heroism. Many people were under the impression that Chixia was aiming at a higher position, and her choice left them scratching their heads.

When asked about her decision, Chixi would simply respond with a wide smile, "I just can't leave Jinzhou. The spicy noodles, the theater, and my friends: Jiu, Qianqian, Ali..."

But the real reason behind her choice was a tale too intricate for words. Only Chixia knew the depths of her decision.

The spark of her dedication was ignited during her childhood, fueled by her family's torches, and intensified by the heroic images she saw in the theater. On a particularly dark and stormy night, that spark almost went out, but it was reignited to its brightest by a bolt of lightning.

That day, young Chixia bravely wielded a torch, pretending to be Fiamma as she tried to scare off the bandits. But her attempts were futile as one of them picked her up and threw her next to her captive friend, Ali. Chixia opened her arms to shield Ali with her body, her eyes shut in fear. Suddenly, a deafening bolt struck, and when she timidly opened her eyes, lightning crashed down on the bandits, causing them to tumble and fall.

In the midst of lightning flashes, she saw the bright badge her savior wore.

Years later, Chixia finally passed the entrance exam for the Public Security Bureau, hoping to follow in those heroic footsteps. However, the enigmatic person who wielded that lightning had vanished without a trace. As time passed, she came to understand why that person must stay hidden, and why she wasn't suited to become one of them.

And so, she looked at the option for "Community Patroller," the least sought-after role, and placed a resolute checkmark next to it. Though she couldn't become the lightning, there is still something she is best suited to do: to safeguard the simple yet precious everyday lives of civilians.