Background Research on Zhu Yuan

This policewoman is part of the Criminal Investigation Special Response Team under the New Eridu Public Security. In the official character introduction on the website, I found many new details.

In the logo section of the character's faction, the corresponding text is "Criminal Investigation Special Response Team." Could it be that there are multiple factions under the New Eridu Public Security? From this perspective, the Security might be the strongest force in New Eridu at the moment. Thinking deeper, it is possible that the factions under the Security are not entirely united... but this is all mere speculation.

Since we mentioned the faction's logo, let's start talking about it. Let me tell you, this logo is quite impressive; let me break it down for you:

Its framework is derived from the badge of the Texas Rangers, incorporating numerous Chinese elements.

At the center is a decoration commonly seen on ancient Chinese architecture doors: a door knocker, which in ancient times served as both a doorbell and a talisman to ward off evil. The beast head holding a ring is not the frequently used Jiaotu but rather Bi'an, the seventh son of the Loong in legend.

Bixi symbolizes discernment and impartiality, so its image was also used on ancient government office signs with "肃静"(Solemn Silence) and "回避"(Avoidance) written on them, matching the character "肃" (solemn) at the bottom of the logo. At the top, there's the English text "criminal investigation"; below that, the letters "NEPS," an abbreviation for New Eridu Public Security.

With the faction logo explained, let's return to the character. The main colors of the character are gray, blue, and black, accented with a small amount of orange and fluorescent green. The overall color scheme is bright and lively but maintains a sense of order. The hairpin is derived from handcuffs, which adds a sense of cuteness but also distance. Additionally, from the name and the red highlights in her hair, combined with the Chinese voice actor being Mace, it's hard not to think of these two...

Of course, I lean towards the character design being inspired rather than directly related. The world of Zenless Zone Zero, I believe, is independent of other Mihoyo games.

The tie on her chest features Battenburg markings, often seen on emergency vehicles to enhance visibility, commonly used on police motorcycles in mainland China. The red and blue colors here are classic police light colors, serving as accents. The "PUBSEC" on her chest is likely an abbreviation for public security. The badge on the left chest should be the true emblem of the Security.

The central pattern is a four-pointed star with six bars; my guess is that the Security may consist of six factions.

Observant fans might notice that this badge appears very familiar.

Yes, it is identical to the one on Billy!

The device on Zhu Yuan's shoulder, visible in the video, is a component with a Picatinny rail.

This badge also appears on the muzzle of Zhu Yuan's ultimate move, making the word "JUSTICE" quite prominent.

From these points, we can boldly speculate that this badge is not a police badge but a logo of a weapon manufacturer, likely connected to the Security. Here are the reasons: First, Billy is currently mixed up with Nicole in the underworld. If this badge were truly a police badge, wearing it openly would probably hinder Nicole's business. Do you think boss Nicole would tolerate that? Second, if it were indeed a police badge, it would mean Zhu Yuan has both the Security's badge and this five-pointed star badge to represent the same identity, which is clearly redundant and illogical in design. So the truth is, this is just a weapon manufacturer's logo. Why would it appear on Billy? Here are two speculated reasons: first, Billy might be a product of that weapon manufacturer; second, it could be a keepsake from that man.

Remember Billy's character PV? The first leader he was loyal to was a man with grand ideals, the one depicted as a statue in the PV. From Billy's lines, we can infer they were likely doing justice work in the outskirts of New Eridu, so this cowboy-like man is probably a member of the Security. Either he himself is a modified human weapon, or he used the weapon with this logo. After Billy's first refuge fell apart, this led to his master either dying or leaving, ultimately leaving the twin guns and badge representing himself to Billy.

Of course, our character analysis is not over yet. Let's continue.

Zhu Yuan's belt should be the standard belt of the Security. Although this star resembles the one on the belt of the Star Knight, the two belts are vastly different upon comparison. Her pants are artistically derived from tactical pants and riot armor, and her entire body is covered with components of the handheld grenade launcher used in her ultimate move, suggesting a bit of "firepower deficiency phobia."

The animation of her ultimate move also contains many details. Some components originally on Zhu Yuan disappear in the animation, likely for the sake of smoothness, omitting the assembly process and directly materializing.

Lastly, let's talk about some other related information. Unlike other characters who use firearms and have unlimited attack range, Zhu Yuan's weapon is a shotgun, judging from the PV. Her attack range should be medium to close distance, with purple light effects during attacks and a purple effect in her ultimate move, indicating her attack attribute is likely Ether.

That's all for Zhu Yuan's character background analysis. Do you have any other opinions? Feel free to discuss in the comments.