Ch'en And Hoshiguma (Arknights)

To the public, Ch'en Hui-chieh appears to be a stern Lung officer of the Lungmen Guard Department. However, she is more than meets the eye. Not only is she the niece of Lungmen's governor Wei Yenwu, but also the younger half-sister of Talulah Artorius, the leader of the infamous Reunion Movement. The sisters got separated after Kashchey kidnapped Talulah twenty years ago. Since then, Ch'en had been training diligently to protect Lungmen, hoping to see her sister again one day. She put aside her hatred for her uncle, who she believed was responsible for her mother's disastrous remarriage, learning from him how to use Chi Xiao (赤霄, lit. "Crimson Firmament"), the legendary Dragon-Slaying Sword of Yan. As time passed, she achieved most of her goals, shaping her into a person with a strong sense of justice.

As the Special Inspection Unit Chief of the L.G.D., Ch'en is a trustworthy leader known for her brilliant tactics and mastery of swordplay. Those who know her privately consider her headstrong and perhaps somewhat stubborn. She has a rivalry with her childhood friends, Lin Yühsia, daughter of the criminal leader of Lungmen's underworld, and Swire, her fellow L.G.D. colleague. Despite this, she shows her caring side to those she trusts, both Swire and her colleague and long-time partner Hoshiguma.

Another incident in her lifetime would forever change her view of her uncle and the city: She contracted Oripathy along with her senior, Nine, three years ago (the year 1094) when she got injured during a mission by an Originium bomb. She managed to keep her position at the L.G.D. thanks to Wei's influence. However, the more Ch'en dove into the inner workings of the city, especially the neglected slums, the more she uncovered her uncle's hypocrisy. Indeed, during the Chernobog-Lungmen crisis, she saw the persecution of the Infected firsthand when Wei ordered his Shadow Guards to purge the slums. Ch'en chose to betray Wei's orders, and by extension Lungmen, by going to Chernobog to stop its incoming collision with the city.

Following the fiery battle against Talulah that ended the crisis, Ch'en resigned from her position at the L.G.D. and joined Rhodes Island. During her stay in R.I., she gained many new experiences, such as the Dossoles affair during her summer vacation and her trip to Victoria with her former classmate Bagpipe. She learned to accept that not every story is black or white and has begun to question her long-standing motto of achieving justice by any means necessary. Nevertheless, she still has a long journey of learning and discovery ahead of her.

Prior to the events of Arknights: Endfield, Hui-chieh would establish House Chen, a renowned clan whose scion (and thus Hui-chieh's descendant) includes Chen Qianyu, one of the playable characters in Endfield. Members of House Chen always admired their ancestor's heroic action which became a family legend, likely referring to Hui-chieh's involvement in the Chernobog Crisis, with Qianyu seeing Hui-chieh as her role model and dedicates herself to continue the clan's swordsmanship and helps anyone in need. At the time Qianyu joined Endfield Industries, the Chi Xiao which was preserved by House Chen came into her possession, given the name "Chen's sword".

The Oni woman Hoshiguma was born in Higashi to a clan of marauding Oni. The iconic shield she wields today, named "Hannya", was in fact taken from a blacksmith, whom, along with the rest of his family, was slaughtered by her clan. For reasons unknown, Hoshiguma killed her family and destroyed her home, leaving Higashi and eventually ending up in Lungmen. There, she became involved with Lungmen's criminal underworld, though she continued to suffer great tragedy; she lost many of the gang members she had befriended, and had to kill some of them herself.

One day, after an encounter with Ch'en, Hoshiguma was recruited into the Lungmen Guard Department and slowly climbed the ranks. She eventually joined the Special Inspection Unit, with Ch'en as her superior, and where Swire; she is frequently tasked with mediating arguments between the two. As an L.G.D. operator, Hoshiguma is known for her imposing physique, her iconic shield, and her fierce yet level-headed approach in combat. Away from the battlefield, she is also an ardent motorcyclist who often races with Madam Fumizuki.