Deviant: No Longer Human

Perched atop a watchtower in the heart of a National Wildlife Park, two figures huddled together in hushed conversation.

The air was filled with tension, broken only by the occasional rustling of leaves and the distant calls of wildlife.

Inside the watchtower, the bulkier of the two figures—an imposing man with broad shoulders and a perpetually furrowed brow—was speaking in a low, urgent tone.

His name was Wan Yang, a warrior who had once guarded Shanghai from supernatural forces two years ago, and now held a position of authority in the special forces, tasked with protecting the country from catastrophic supernatural threats.

"You see that figure?" Wan Yang pointed down toward the valley, his voice a quiet growl. "You need to keep an eye on him. We absolutely can't afford a war breaking out inside the dynasty."

The other figure, a slender young woman with binoculars in hand, glanced sideways at him, raising an eyebrow. Her tone was light, almost teasing. "Hm? But weren't we still confirming his identity?"

Wan Yang snorted, shaking his head as if the question itself annoyed him. "Confirming identity? What confirming identity? Just take a photo and upload it to the internet. If it gets deleted on its own, then we know it's him." He spoke with the confidence of a man who had seen it all. "I've already escalated the situation to the higher-ups.

Until they come up with a plan, it's your job to make sure the country remains intact."

The woman—Black Lotus—couldn't help but sulk. She pouted, lowering her binoculars as she muttered under her breath, "Are you really sure it's him?"

"Of course!" Wan Yang's tone was firm. "With your identity, you can easily get closer to him, gather more information. You're the best one for the job."

Black Lotus pursed her lips, clearly unenthused about the whole situation.

'The best one for the job,' she thought sarcastically. 'Or the best sacrificial lamb.'

She crossed her arms and stared down at the mysterious figure they were supposed to be monitoring.

What if this plan backfired, and she ended up the one getting slaughtered?

"Just monitor him, don't engage in any hostility," Wan Yang continued, his voice righteous and full of purpose. "It shouldn't be that hard for you."

Black Lotus wasn't convinced. In her mind, this task felt like a death sentence.

The Eighth Prince wasn't known for his mercy.

In fact, the last person who tried to get close to him ended up… well, they didn't end up in one piece, that was for sure.

She sighed inwardly. "I feel like I'm being used as a sacrificial pawn…" she muttered under her breath.

Wan Yang, oblivious to her discomfort, continued to scan the horizon.

But before either of them could say another word, a soft sound echoed up the stairs leading to the watchtower. Footsteps—light and careful—crept toward them.

Black Lotus sharp eyes darted to the stairwell, and before she could alert Wan Yang, a sweet voice chimed in from behind them.

"You want to monitor him?"

Wan Yang, who was in full tactical mode, didn't bother turning around. "Yes! That's your mission," he replied instinctively, his focus still on the valley below.

But then, realization hit him like a cold gust of wind.

Both he and Black Lotus froze, a shiver running down their spines.

Something was very wrong.

"Heh, monitor my foot," came a smug voice from directly behind them.

They spun around, eyes wide.

Standing there, camera in hand, was none other than Anran.

The young woman grinned, holding the small camera up as if she'd just captured the most scandalous footage of the year.

"Hehe… with this, I could earn some serious favors from him!" Anran giggled, her eyes gleaming with mischief.

She twirled the camera in her hand, clearly pleased with herself. "You two really thought you could spy on him? Amateurs."

Wan Yang's face drained of color. "What!?"

"Huh!?" Black Lotus gasped, her hand flying to her mouth.

The entire situation was faster than she could process.

Anran winked at them before effortlessly jumping off the side of the watchtower.

Wan Yang's instincts kicked in, his face contorting with panic. "Grab her! We can't let the information leak!" he yelled, already moving toward the stairs.

But before either of them could act, Anran, with a gleeful laugh, grabbed onto the rails of the tower and slid down the stairs as if it were a playground slide.

In a matter of seconds, she was gone—disappearing into the dense darkness below, leaving nothing but the faint echo of her laughter behind.

"..."

Wan Yang and Li Mei stood there, completely stunned.

Wan Yang's mouth twitched. "I swear… she's going to get us all killed."

Black Lotus rubbed her temples, clearly frustrated. "You think... But who the hell is she?" she muttered.

____

Roar...

As Wang Xiao drove back to his villa, the engine growled like a sleeping beast.

The evening sun was casting long shadows over the landscape, and the once vibrant sky had faded into a soft orange hue.

He had spent the whole day indulging Zhenxi's endless requests to play, and despite his reluctance, he'd given in to her whims.

After all, raising so many daughters had given him a grudging patience with little girls, though he wasn't exactly thrilled about it.

But as much as Zhenxi tugged at him for more fun, a message from his mother, Xinyue Zhilan, changed his course.

'Zhenxi's mother is at the house.'

That piqued his interest.

Wang Xiao had long been curious about the origin of the girl who'd attached herself to him so firmly.

Now, he had a chance to finally meet the "creature factory" responsible for it.

As he neared the villa, he slowed down, his senses tingling. Something was off.

He spotted the unusual crowd gathered outside his home, his eyes narrowing slightly in suspicion.

"Hm? What's happening there?" Wang Xiao muttered to himself.

Outside the villa, the scene was chaotic.

There were armed guards, his mother standing among them with a tense expression, and a small group of what appeared to be civilians—perhaps municipal workers.

But the oddest part? A fleet of excavators stood ready, along with a demolition team.

It looked as if someone was planning to tear something down.

His brows furrowed in confusion. "Why would a demolition team be here?" Wang Xiao asked himself, slowing the car to a halt.

There was something strange about the way the armed forces accompanied the municipality workers.

Was this for his house?

With a quick mental sweep, he activated his divine senses, effortlessly picking up the murmured conversations of the crowd.

"...this is the place?"

"Yeah, orders came straight from the top. We're supposed to demolish it, but…"

"Wait, is the owner some bigshot? Why's the military involved?"

"The higher-ups said to follow orders, no questions asked."

Wang Xiao blinked, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips as he pieced together the situation. 'Someone's trying to demolish my house?'

He let out a soft chuckle.

The sheer audacity of it amused him more than anything.

As he pulled up to the front gate, the gathered crowd turned their heads.

There was a brief moment of silence as they watched him step out of the car, Zhenxi still clinging to his side, her eyes wide and curious.

Honk!

The blaring sound of the car's horn cut through the tense atmosphere, drawing all eyes to him.

Wang Xiao sauntered over, his expression calm but with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

He waved lazily at his mother before turning to face the demolition team and the guards, his voice casual, yet carrying a certain weight.

"So, who exactly is planning to knock down my house?"