- The Technical Edge: He wasn't just a beat cop; he was a specialist in building clearance and tactical coordination. He understood the "flow" of a facility through its digital and structural blueprints.
- The Recruitment: The R.P.D. Operations Bureau headhunted him to modernize their Special Operations Division. He arrived as a mid-level officer, providing the veteran experience needed to guide rookies like Dehne and Leon.
- The Rivalry with Charlie: Ya Lan and Charlie sparred every Tuesday in the R.P.D. gym. While Charlie brought raw strength and street-smarts, Ya Lan brought precision and the "centerline" principle of Wing Chun. Their friendship was forged in sweat; Ya Lan grounded Charlie’s occasional recklessness, while Charlie helped Ya Lan open up emotionally.
- The "Older Brother" to Dehne: Ya Lan was the first to notice the way Dehne’s eyes lingered on the R.P.D. entrance during the morning shifts. He subtly encouraged her, noticing her quiet devotion to the late-arriving Leon S. Kennedy. He viewed her with a protective, sibling-like loyalty.
- The Assessment of Leon: Having met Leon briefly during a cross-department orientation, Ya Lan noted: "He’s green... but he sees people clearly. That’s rare in this job." He had already drafted a mental curriculum to help mentor Leon in tactical surveillance during his first month.
Born in San Francisco to Taiwanese-American parents, Ya Lan grew up in a household where bilingualism and discipline were the standards. Unlike the high-energy recruits, Ya Lan was known for his "zen-like" calm—a trait that made him a formidable presence in the field. He balanced his cultural heritage with a modern tactical mindset, becoming a master of Wing Chun and practical police CQC, focusing on the efficiency of movement in tight spaces. Before the badge, Ya Lan was a civilian contractor and surveillance analyst for a high-level private security firm.
Ya Lan was the silent anchor of the team. He didn't speak much, but when he did, the unit listened.
| Time | Event | Ya Lan's Tactical Action | | --- | --- | --- | | 8:15 AM | Signal Interference | Ya Lan notes a strange degradation in the city’s emergency broadcast signals. He suspects local interference. | | 10:00 AM | The Meeting | While Irons speaks, Ya Lan observes the Chief's micro-expressions. He records the "contradictory" orders in his mental log, noting they don't align with standard containment protocols. | | 10:45 AM | The Marvin Directive | Lieutenant Marvin Branagh gives them the "off-the-books" mission. Ya Lan preps the team’s tactical headsets and verifies the encrypted channels. | | 11:30 AM | Deployment | The Special Ops team boards the transport truck. |
The transport truck idles in the R.P.D. courtyard, the exhaust mingling with the humid, stagnant air of a city on the brink of collapse. Inside the cab, the atmosphere is heavy with the unsaid. Charlie slides into the driver's seat, his gold sunglasses masking his eyes. In the back, Ya Lan can see Dehne through the small connecting window; she looks small against the heavy tactical gear, her thoughts clearly miles away with a rookie who hasn't even arrived yet. Ya Lan slides into the passenger seat, his movements fluid and economical. He adjusts the tactical radio on his vest and checks the signal strength on his handheld tablet—the "Tech Lead" even in the face of the apocalypse. As Charlie floors the accelerator and the sirens begin their haunting wail, Ya Lan reaches up and pulls off his dark blue beret. He rolls down the window, letting the hot, rushing air of Raccoon City hit his face. He watches the familiar streets of the South District blur past, noticing the boarded-up windows and the bloodstains on the sidewalk that the official reports claimed were "vandalism."
"Something's wrong with the air," Ya Lan says quietly, his voice calm but his eyes scanning the rooftops for the 'monsters' Dehne reported. "The humidity is too high for September. It feels like the city is breaking out in a cold sweat."