Lu Mei Hu

Lu Mei Hu is an XCOM sniper. "Lu Mei commenting on her stoic mindset"

- In this line of work, you don't have time to be surprised, it tends to get you killed.

Appearance
Lu Mei is of Han Chinese descent, giving her slightly paler skin and jet black hair which she often has tied up with a hair clip. Notably though she has azure colored eyes, a feature which people usually notice first. Most of the time Lu Mei is seen in uniform and she has rarely been seen in street clothes by anyone in the base, wearing a casual shirt sleeves uniform or XCOM hoodie when off duty. Most of the time though she has requested her armor to be in a blue and silver scheme which may hint at her favorite colors.

Personality
"With all due respect, I'm not exactly interesting in socialising. I do my job, eliminate the target and save people."

A no-nonsense and serious officer, Lu Mei is always focused on the task at hand with total dedication. She is motivated by a drive to help man, but feels that becoming overly attached on an emotional level is unwise and leaves people off balance. Despite the frosty exterior, Lu Mei is immensely loyal to XCOM and her squad, always performing at her best but expecting others to do so as well. While she isn't interested in socialising, Lu Mei does have respect for those who take their role seriously and is quick to berate slackers. "It falls to all of us to protect the people, we are the only line of defence. Perform at your best, there is no half assed way to save the planet."

Lu Mei's mindset comes from her upbringing, teaching her to always remember of the whole, rather than the individuals. While she doesn't follow a strong spiritual path, she does place the needs people in danger above her own, believing that it is a solemn duty to protect others if they have the means to do so. That said, Lu Mei does follow some Confucian teachings, finding a great deal of relation with them when times seem bleak. She also enjoys Tai Chi and exercise to help blow off steam after mission, a few officers occasionally join her during these breaks and have gotten to know her a little more but do not find out considerably more than others. Some of her colleges believe that Lu Mei's tough and serious personality is a façade, and that underneath lies a very different person. This has lead to some of the more playful personnel occasionally taking bets on who can start a personal relationship with her, though so far none have succeeded.

Weapons

 * XM-42 Plasma Pistol
 * Backup weapons used for close-medium range combat, Lu Mei has been trained in wielding dual pistols, at times resorting to a gun-kata style when facing multiple opponents. Both pistols are kept on holsters on the back of Lu Mei's waist.


 * XM-42E Plasma Magnum
 * A heavier plasma pistol designed more for power, each shot requires a slight charge time but delivers a heavier discharge with more recoil. Lu Mei prefers using the magnum when faced with single opponents at close range, finding the high power shots require similar focus as when sniping. The plasma magnum is kept in a holster on her left side.


 * XM-90S Plasma Sniper Rifle
 * Lu Mei's signature weapon, the plasma sniper rifle is designed for long range fire with deadly precision. When it's not in use the weapon is stored on her back.

Armour

 * Skeleton Suit
 * Lu Mei's usual armor is a standard Sketelton Suit, often favoured by her for it's balanced protective ability and still grants the wearer decent agility thanks to its lighter weight and grapple.


 * Titan Armor
 * For higher-risk missions Lu Mei has access to Titan Armor, it is considerably stronger and provides more defensive benefits than a Skeleton Suit. However, she prefers not to use it if needed as the armor weighs down her mobility in the field.

Equipment

 * Advanced S.C.O.P.E.
 * In order to improve Lu Mei's already excellent accuracy she uses an advanced version of the S.C.O.P.E., integrating several aiming technologies into a single piece. This particular model is modified to highlight targets sighted by squad mates which may be out of Lu Mei's line of sight. It is fitted onto the sniper rifle for maximum efficiency.


 * C4
 * A non-standard piece of gear, Lu Mei always keeps several blocks of C4 with her on missions, either to effect quick entry/exit or for other tactical uses. The detonator can either be set on a timer or activated remotely.

Skill & Abilities
"Even the smallest of targets can be seen or heard, picking that up makes all the difference."

Lu Mei's skills lie in her perfect eyesight, sharp hearing and steady aim. She has spent several years honing her skills to become a sniper to the highest degree. There is very little which does not get past her as she listens and watches for the slightest of movements, evaluating each incident for the chance of a threat. By combining these skills Lu Mei becomes a dangerous force to be reckoned with, able to not only spot but also eliminate enemies at a distance. At times enemy forces may close in to the point of her sniping skills becoming ineffective, in these cases her preferred tactics is to rely on her athletic abilities and keen eye to adopt a "Run & Gun" style; moving from cover to cover while firing short bursts. She is also a skilled gun-kata practitioner, using it when outnumbered and lacking cover. As a former special forces officer Lu Mei also has a vast combat experience to draw from and also helps keeps her calm in combat.

History
Born in Shanghai two years before the first invasion to Xiùyīng and and Lěi, Lu Mei's family lived out in the countryside, keeping her safe during the attacks. After XCOM successfully fought off the alien invasion China rebuilt much of its infrastructure she started pre-school and later primary school. During secondary school Lu Mei developed a talent for gymnastics and music, enjoying climbing and kayaking in her spare time. After high school Lu Mei decided to join the military academy, leading to her becoming part of the People's Liberation Army Ground Force, eventually becoming a sniper as part of the Special Operations Forces at the rank of Second Lieutenant. A few years later she was approached by XCOM and recruited into Project REBIRTH.

Notes & Trivia

 * Lu Mei is based off a character of the same name in Wingstrike's playthrough of XCOM EU.