Shezhi is a wiry, middle-aged woman with the compact strength of someone who has spent decades crawling through collapsed buildings. Her movements are quiet and economical, with a slight sideways sway caused by an old hip injury. Her skin has a dry, claylike texture, crossed by fine silver cracks that glow faintly when she casts a spell. Her scalp is nearly bare except for short cords of white hair braided with copper wire. One eye is dark brown and watchful, while the other is a cloudy amber orb that reflects light too brightly. She looks perpetually underfed, yet her hands are broad, steady, and startlingly gentle when repairing delicate objects. The unexpected contradiction is her smile, which is warm, shy, and almost grandmotherly even when she is threatening someone.