Deviant: No Longer Human

Rows of scientists in lab coats frantically checked their instruments, their faces filled with nervousness of the mission..

Across from them, soldiers sat in disciplined silence, their hands resting on their advanced rifles, eyes focused as the hum of the portal grew louder beneath them.

"Check the readings again!" a senior researcher called out, her hands trembling slightly as she glanced at the mysterious energy swirling below. "The data from the portal is fluctuating wildly!"

One of the soldiers, gripping his weapon tightly, whispered to his comrade, "What the hell are we walking into?"

"Whatever it is," the other soldier responded, "we're not coming back the same."

In the middle of the chaos, Isabelle stood at the front of the cabin, effortlessly commanding attention.

A flowing scarf hung elegantly around her neck. Her posture radiated both power and grace, her expression calm but steely.

With a single flick of her wrist, she adjusted her scarf and addressed the room. "Everyone, stay focused!" she commanded, her voice sharp yet seductive, immediately silencing the chatter. "We're about to enter the portal, and I need every one of you to be ready."

She strode confidently down the center aisle, her heels clicking sharply against the metallic floor, her presence magnetic.

As she passed by the soldiers and researchers, their eyes followed her, a mix of respect and admiration in their gazes.

Turning to face the cockpit, Isabelle's eyes narrowed, her red lips curving into a smirk. "Once we cross, there's no turning back. Hyperions, be prepared for a bloodbath on another side. Research team, I want real-time data on the portal's fluctuations." Her voice dropped to a commanding tone. "I expect nothing but perfection."

A few of the researchers exchanged glances, "Commander, the portal is destabilizing... We've never seen energy signatures like this before!" one of them reported anxiously, sweat forming on his brow.

Isabelle turned her gaze to the swirling portal below, unbothered by the rising anxiety. "Then consider this a historic moment," she replied coolly, running a hand through her flowing hair. "We're making history. So, hold on tight."

The engines whined louder as the jet began its descent toward the portal.

The glowing vortex swirled menacingly beneath them, and the entire cabin held its breath, bracing for the unknown.

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"..."

Beep! Beep! Beep!

As the jet approached the portal, security alarms blared, and red lights flashed throughout the cabin.

The entire jet began to tremble as if it had a mind of its own, slowly being sucked into the swirling vortex below.

Isabelle's brows furrowed.

She moved swiftly to the side of the cabin, where two seats were bolted to the wall, much like the soldiers' seats. She strapped herself in with practiced ease, her frustration barely concealed.

Next to her, Wang Xueying was already seated, gripping the straps tightly as the jet shook with a life of its own. Isabelle glanced at her, smiling slightly. "Still sure you don't want to send a message back home? Could be your last chance, you know."

Wang Xueying let out a long-suffering sigh and shook her head. "If I send one, it'll turn into a nightmare. Trust me." Her face betrayed the thought of Xinyue Zhilan trying a thousand different ways to keep her from coming here.

Isabelle raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, I can see that happening. Your brother... he's still at the facility, right?" She leaned back, casually crossing one leg over the other. "If he somehow manages to sneak in here, I'm not responsible."

Wang Xueying bit her lip, clearly not as calm as she wanted to appear. "He should be fine..." Her voice was steady, but the slight eye twitch betrayed her uncertainty.

Isabelle gave a small chuckle. "Get used to heavy turbulence."

Normally, her deputy would handle all the coordination, but right now, her eyes drifted toward one of the rooms at the back of the jet.

It had been sealed shut from the moment they boarded, and no matter how many times Isabelle had tried to contact Ericka inside, there had been nothing but radio silence.

'That hatch hasn't opened since we left,' Isabelle thought bitterly, shooting a glare toward the locked room. She had tried everything—orders, threats, even a friendly knock—but still, nothing. 'What in the world is Ericka doing in there? And why do I have the sinking feeling I don't want to know?' Isabelle sighed, shaking her head. 'I need a more reliable team.'

Little did she know, inside that very room, three people were quite... occupied—Freya, Ericka, and Wang Xiao.

The latter had somehow dragged both women into the jet just before departure, and, well, let's just say they hadn't been using the room for its intended purpose.

As for Wang Xueying sneaking into the portal without telling him?

Wang Xiao had already mentally added it to the list—he'd deal with her later.

But for now, priorities.

______

Beep! Beep! Beep!

The jet rattled violently as it was dragged deeper into the swirling portal, the red warning lights flashing like blood across the tense faces of everyone on board.

The world outside became a blur of colors, an unnatural vortex that twisted reality itself.

Isabelle gripped the armrests of her seat, her knuckles turning white.

The air crackled with powerful energy, the atmosphere inside the jet becoming one of anticipation and fear.

They had no idea what was waiting on the other side.

And then, just as suddenly as it started—silence.

THUD!

The jet surged forward with a heavy crash as if breaking through an invisible barrier.

For a moment, the world stood still. The alarms quieted, the rattling stopped, and the oppressive pressure lifted.

The only sound left was the steady hum of the jet's engines, as if the chaos from a moment ago had been a bad dream.

"Status report!" Isabelle's voice broke through the calm, snapping the crew back to attention as she unbuckled her seatbelt and stood, her eyes scanning the scene in front of her.

"..."

"..."

"..."

But no one responded at first—not because of shock, but because of what lay beyond the cockpit windows.

Outside, the landscape stretched out in a way none of them could have ever imagined.

The sky was a deep, almost surreal blue, like a forgotten dream. Below them lay an expansive world of wilderness, lush and brimming with life.

Towering trees, larger than skyscrapers, rose up like ancient guardians of the land, their canopies so thick they cast vast shadows on the earth below.

"This is… unbelievable," one of the soldiers muttered, unable to tear his gaze away from the scene beneath them.

The ground below wasn't barren or lifeless, but a thriving jungle of green, the air filled with the primal energy of a world long forgotten.

Giant rivers cut through the landscape, shimmering like serpents winding their way through the dense forest.

But it wasn't the greenery or the rivers that drew everyone's breath—it was the beasts.

Colossal creatures roamed the land—gigantic dinosaurs, far larger than anything the world had ever seen.

Thud-Thud-Thud!

Herds of massive, long-necked beasts plodded through the jungle, their footsteps causing the ground to tremble even from this height.

Their bodies were covered in scaled skin, shimmering under the strange, alien sunlight.

Above them, massive winged creatures—some resembling dragons, others like gargantuan birds—swooped through the sky, their cries echoing across the vast expanse.

Their scales glimmered with iridescent hues, their razor-sharp beaks glinting in the sunlight.

Some had tails that whipped through the air, creating small whirlwinds as they circled the sky like predators in search of prey.