Deviant: No Longer Human

As he took a final drag on his cigarette, he made a decision and dialed a number on his phone.

"Hey." His tone shifted, softening as he spoke.

On the other end of the line, a feminine voice answered, relaxed but curious. "Xiao Wang? What's going on?"

"I've got a situation here," he replied, his voice low and grave.

"A situation? Are you alright?" The voice sharpened, turning concerned.

He smiled slightly. "I'll send you the address. Just come."

"Wait, Xiao Wang—what happened? I'm in the middle of a case—"

But he had already hung up, glancing briefly at the missed calls that followed.

He sent her the address and room number, then ignored his phone as he turned back to the city, knowing she'd come.

There would be consequences. And he would be ready.

____

Thirty Minutes Later!

Slap!

A sharp silence descended before—

Bang!

The door slammed shut, leaving Wang Xiao outside, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. His satisfaction was interrupted by a voice.

"Do you enjoy being hit?"

Hei Lian had just arrived, her gaze lingering on the clear five-finger mark on Wang Xiao's face, courtesy of his elder sister, Wang Jiarong.

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Hei Lian had seen everything: Wang Jiarong's shock, her face buried in her hands, as if trying to make sense of the absurdity Wang Xiao had just confessed.

He'd gone so far as to suggest that she should help 'convince' Qian Ruixin to accept him.

The ridiculousness of it had only made Wang Jiarong more outraged.

It was absurd, Hei Lian thought, how he'd expected his sister to support his twisted obsession with their cousin, Qian Ruixin.

Inside, muffled voices could still be heard—Wang Jiarong's frustrated attempts to reason with Qian Ruixin, her childhood friend and cousin, who lay broken in the aftermath.

Wang Jiarong's shock wasn't merely from what she'd witnessed but from the realization that she barely knew her brother.

Until now, she'd seen him as a steady presence in the family. She had never suspected his fixation on Ruixin or the lengths he was willing to go.

Wang Xiao's smirk widened at Hei Lian's question. "No," he replied, his voice filled with mockery, "but you look like you're tempted to take a swing yourself… right now."

Hei Lian didn't flinch. She was unbothered by his warning, her gaze causal. "I didn't sense an ounce of aura from either of them," she remarked, raising an eyebrow. "They're weak. Why let her hit you?"

A slight chuckle escaped him. "That one's my sister," he replied casually, "and the one inside is my cousin."

"..."

Hei Lian's expression shifted to something between shock and bewilderedment.

She glanced between him and the closed door, piecing together the strange relationship she'd observed.

How could someone as strong as Wang Xiao belong to a family this weak?

It didn't make sense to her why he, with all his power, would play such mind games rather than simply exert his strength.

But Wang Xiao seemed amused by her confusion. "Where's the thrill in just forcing my way through?" he said, almost as if reading her thoughts. "Strength is for last resorts—or for when you're impatient to get what you want."

Hei Lian fell silent as he continued, almost to himself, "Right now, I'm enjoying myself. Watching my family react to 'normal' me, seeing how far they're willing to go before they break." His smile grew. "And if things really fall apart… well, I could just show them what I'm truly capable of, rewrite the rules of this world, or wait a few thousand years and watch them change on their own."

He gave a lazy shrug, a glint of mischief in his eyes.

For Wang Xiao, this twisted test of his family's actions was a game—a source of entertainment to pass the time and, perhaps, a calculated assessment of their loyalties and weaknesses.

He was taking notes, predicting how each one might behave in the future.

"You're weird," Hei Lian snorted, clearly baffled by his motivations.

Wang Xiao smirked. "If you were as clever as I am, you'd be standing here, not there as my prisoner."

Hei Lian's eyes narrowed. She hadn't realized just how arrogant he was. With a shake of her head, she shifted topics. "I'm leaving to take a stroll. Anran told me to ask your permission first."

Wang Xiao's brows raised, and his voice turned cool. "Permission denied."

"What—?" Hei Lian turned back, her expression a mix of disbelief and annoyance.

"She told you to ask permission, not simply inform me," Wang Xiao pointed out, a smug smile creeping across his face.

Hei Lian's jaw clenched, her pride wounded. Never in her life had she needed anyone's permission—not even her father's. With a stiff, forced smile, she asked through gritted teeth, "Can I leave the building?"

Wang Xiao's smile widened as he nodded, dragging out the moment. "You can. Now scram."

As she turned away, she felt an invisible collar tightening around her neck, like she was on a leash. She shook off the feeling, her pride already bruised enough.

___

Thirty Minutes Later!

"You—" Wang Jiarong's voice cut through the hallway as she emerged from the room, her face twisted from relief to fury in a heartbeat.

She fixed her gaze on Wang Xiao, her voice sharp. "You're not going back in. She doesn't want to see your face again. She's agreed to leave things alone for now, but any further discussion will be on her terms, not yours. If you force her again, don't expect me to cover for you."

"Oh," Wang Xiao replied, nodding with a faint smile, hiding his satisfaction. He hadn't expected his sister to handle things so quickly.

Wang Jiarong's anger was growing. She'd learned that he hadn't just pressured Qian Ruixin today, but two days ago as well.

That left her stunned and speechless.

For a brief moment, she wanted to lecture him on how to respect women.

But she could see it was useless. This wasn't the brother she thought she knew, and she doubted words would reach him now.

She'd never imagined that within a single week of his recovery, he'd manage to sow such chaos.

After Wang Jiarong left, Wang Xiao chuckled inwardly. She'd told him that Qian Ruixin didn't want to see his face again—for now. But did he care?

Of course not. He had his own plans.

"Rui…" he murmured as he quietly opened the door, stepping in with an amiable smile. Qian Ruixin, fresh from her bath, froze at the sight of him, her face paling as she clutched a towel tightly around herself.

"What are you doing here!?" she shouted, panic and anger mixing in her voice — To Wang Xiao, it sounded almost sweet.

"Oh, nothing," he replied casually, a hint of amusement in his tone. "Just thought I'd deliver the clothes you asked for." He held up a neatly folded outfit, though his gaze inspected her sneakily, admiring the curve of her bare shoulders, her collarbone, and the way her damp hair clung to her flushed skin. His eyes traced the line of her slender neck down to her slim waist and smooth, pale legs that seemed to go on forever.

Qian Ruixin's eyes narrowed, her grip on the towel tightening as she tracked his every move. "Leave them on the table," she commanded, gesturing to the farthest spot in the room, trying to keep as much distance as possible.

Wang Xiao placed the clothes down, but sensing her tension, he couldn't resist adding with a smile, "Relax. After three rounds, even a man needs a breather. You're perfectly safe."

"You…" Qian Ruixin felt her face burn with anger, her head pounding. She could barely stand the sight of him, her every nerve on edge.

Then, the doorbell rang, and her face paled even more. "Don't—" she started, clutching her towel closer, but Wang Xiao ignored her and opened the door anyway.

"Oh, thank you," Wang Xiao said casually, taking a tray from a young waitress at the door. Originally sent to deliver clothes, he'd sent her back to fetch food, a slight smirk on his face as he dismissed her again.

"What—?" Qian Ruixin watched, bewildered and increasingly wary as he closed the door behind him, setting down a tray.

Her heart raced as she eyed him, realizing he was settling in, her confusion and tension rising, unsure of his next move.

"Oh, relax. It's just food, nothing poisonous," Wang Xiao said, gesturing to the tray with a smirk.

Qian Ruixin took a deep, shaky breath, her voice laced with frustration. "Just leave. Now."

Ignoring her, Wang Xiao picked up the tray and closed the distance between them, his eyes never leaving her. She instinctively backed away, her heart pounding as her back pressed against the wall.

"You must be tired. Let me feed you," he murmured, his grin widening.

"Stay back!" she hissed, darting sideways, but he blocked her path smoothly.

"I don't want this—" she snapped, her voice growing louder. "I don't need anything from you!"

He sighed as if she were the one being unreasonable. "Come on, Rui. Just sit. One bite."

"No! I don't want anything from you, Xiao Wang. Just go." Her eyes were fierce, sparking with anger and frustration, but he only seemed more amused.