Deviant: No Longer Human

"As we temporarily pause the search, the helicopters will continue scouring the area. However, I must inform you that, since we haven't found any bodies, there's a chance that... your son... might have become prey to some wild—"

"No, he isn't!" Xinyue Zhilan's voice cut through the somber atmosphere, a desperate plea.

Wang Zhihao's expression darkened, a mix of grief and frustration etched on his face.

The paramedic took a deep breath, "I hope for the best, but he should have returned to the base camp by now."

"He must have run away!" Xinyue Zhilan's accusation hung in the air.

"Run away? Ma'am, can you explain?" The paramedic couldn't help but question, his curiosity tinged with skepticism, leaving Wang Zhihao bewildered.

Xinyue Zhilan turned around, pointing accusingly at Wang Zhihao. "It's you; you were always scolding him! He ran away because of you!"

The paramedic, speaking cautiously, "Ma'am, it's a challenging situation, and emotions are high. Let's not jump to conclusions."

Wang Zhihao, adopting a defensive stance, countered, "He wouldn't run away. We might have our disagreements, but he's not that impulsive."

Xinyue Zhilan, her eyes filled with tears, responded, "You never understand him! Always pushing him, scolding him. He might have wanted to escape it all."

The weight of her words hit Wang Zhihao, and he softened, realizing the impact of his actions.

Wang Zhihao reassured, "Xinyue, we'll find him. He's our son, and he wouldn't abandon us like this."

Xinyue Zhilan, overwhelmed with emotions, admitted, "I just... I just can't bear the thought of something happening to him."

The paramedic, trying to console them, said, "We'll continue the search at first light. There's hope."

________

It was a somber eve on January 21st, 2024, for the Wang Family, standing in stark contrast to the festive atmosphere enveloping the nation.

Amidst the crackling of firecrackers, the Wang household wore a cloak of sorrow.

The air thickened as mechanically consumed meals barely bridged the gap between family members, each retreating to the solitude of their rooms.

A week elapsed, marked by the cessation of search operations. Wang Xiao, once full of life, now lingered in the realm of presumption of demise, casting a shadow over the once vibrant celebrations.

The atmosphere within the Wang Family remained heavy with uncertainty and grief.

In the obscure depths of another dwelling, an unsettling disturbance echoed. The metallic resonance of fallen utensils pierced the air.

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*Clank...*

A pair of trembling, white hands, unmistakably feminine, tried to steady themselves.

Her voice quivered, "I-Impossible..."

Yet, her body betrayed her, succumbing to an unseen force. Knees gave way, meeting the cold floor, as her complexion drained of color.

"W-Why..."

The weight of the unknown bore down on her, tears streaming down a face unaccustomed to such vulnerability.

Two decades of stoic resilience shattered in that moment, as the anguish she had long suppressed welled up, finding its release in silent sobs.

As the room remained cloaked in uncertainty, the woman clutched at the hem of her dress, her voice barely audible amidst the tumult of emotions.

"No... this can't be happening."

The resonance of her words hung in the air, a desperate plea for an explanation that eluded her.

"Please, not now."

Her trembling hands cradled a secret she couldn't fathom, and with each passing moment, the weight of the revelation pressed harder on her fragile composure.

"I never thought it would come to this... Why now..."

The words wavered between resignation and disbelief, a silent conversation with the unforeseen turns life had taken.

"I can't let anyone see me like this..."

As the tears flowed freely, she struggled to regain control, aware that the shadows that lurked in her life were not meant for public unveiling.

The mystery deepened, veiled in her silent sobs, leaving the true nature of her anguish concealed in the shadows.

______

As the New Year unfolded, surprises emerged not only for others but also for Wang Xiao himself.

Beneath the expansive canvas of the South China Sea's moonlit night, a behemoth of maritime engineering sliced through the waves. The ship, a titanic silhouette in the darkness, commanded the ocean's respect with its imposing masts and fortified hull, navigating the unknown with a mysterious purpose.

Within the bowels of one of its sealed containers, an oppressive darkness shrouded a gathering of innocent souls. The air, dense and pregnant with uncertainty, carried the subdued symphony of stifled whispers and quiet, trembling sobs. Amid this suffocating abyss, Wang Xiao stirred, consciousness slowly reclaiming its grip.

A solitary bulb cast feeble beams of light, illuminating the faces of children huddled together, their eyes mirrors of profound fear. Fragile frames shivered in the cold, a poignant tableau of vulnerability within the confines of steel walls.

As Wang Xiao awoke, disorientation etched across his face, the surroundings offered no solace, only a haunting void where memories once resided.

Wang Xiao whispered, "Where... where am I?"

In the dim-lit container, the feeble light trembled, casting wavering shadows that danced like specters on the walls.

Wang Xiao looking around the place, furrowed his brows in confusion, "What's happening? Where are we going?"

An equally perplexed voice emerged from the obscure recesses, shrouded in the darkness.

Unknown Voice resonated with uncertainty. "I don't know. They took us from our homes, and now we're here."

A chorus of muted whispers joined the discourse, each voice a thread in the grand maze of uncertainty that wrapped around them.

The Child's Voice, a delicate whisper, expressed a longing. "I want to go home."

Another voice, laced with fear, cut through the darkness.

Fearful Voice inquired anxiously. "What do they want with us?"

As the ship sailed its odyssey through the secretive waves of the South China Sea, the steel container cradled its cargo of unanswered questions and palpable disquiet.

The air within bore the oppressive weight of the unknown.

Wang Xiao, trapped in a labyrinth of confusion, clung to the flickering hope that beyond the steel confines, answers awaited, possibly lifting of the veil from this mystery.

After what felt like an eternity, the steel doors groaned open, a figure draped in an unidentifiable military uniform stepped into the dim-lit enclosure, cradling a box.

The unfamiliar insignia on the uniform heightened Wang Xiao's unease.

"We're running low on food. Eat this!" The command echoed sternly, the gaze sweeping past the huddled children, casting an involuntary shiver through the container's confined air.

With purposeful precision, the uniformed figure set the box down, a silent offering steeped in an aura of authority, and retreated with a disdainful flicker in his eyes.

*Boom!*

The reverberation of the closing door triggered a collective response. Like hungry wolves sensing prey, the children descended upon the box, their urgency palpable.

A voice, small but determined, cut through the hungry rustling.

Young Voice: "Finally, something to eat!"

Another, a bit older, eyed the contents skeptically.

Skeptical Voice: "What is this stuff, anyway?"

Amid the scavenging, a child with a voice laced with curiosity addressed Wang Xiao.

Curious Voice: "Do you think there's more where this came from?"

Wang Xiao, peering into the box, contemplated the assortment of white bread and sausages. His concern deepened as he surveyed the room.

Wang Xiao: "Are there only kids here?" The pallor on every face confirmed his observation; there was not a single soul that could be deemed an adult.

Grumble...

A low grumble echoed through the confined space, and suddenly, Wang Xiao's own stomach protested audibly. He glanced down at his own form, astonishment etched across his face.

"W-What?" he uttered, his voice a mixture of surprise and disbelief. His clothes hung on him like rags, a tattered testament to neglect, and his body mirrored the state of deprivation.

"H-How many days has it been?" Wang Xiao wondered aloud, his mind beginning to whirl.

"Argh!" A sudden surge of pain gripped his head, prompting him to clutch it in agony.

'Hey, stupid! First get that food!'

A voice, seemingly from within his own mind, jolted him back to the present. Wang Xiao lifted his head, hunger-inflicted eyes casting a desperate glance toward the cardboard box. He staggered weakly toward it.

"E-Empty?"

By the time he reached the box, the supplies had vanished, leaving nothing for him but the bitter reality of an empty container.

Seeing him standing alone near the emptied box, a girl of about eight couldn't resist approaching him tentatively. "Y-You want it...?"

!!

Wang Xiao pivoted instinctively, swiftly snatching the bread from her outstretched hand and devouring it like a starving ghost.

"Cough! Cough!"

Choking on the dryness, his eyes scanned the corner and discovered, fortunately, a water cooler. He lunged toward it, turning the tap and guzzling down the water.

*Gulp... Gulp...*

The girl who had generously offered her food stood there, astonished. Her eyes welled up with near-tears as Wang Xiao, driven by his gnawing hunger, unwittingly seized all of her provisions.

'Why is the waster so delicious today!?' Wang Xiao couldn't help but think, while continuing to gulp down more of it.

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[A/N: Please don't compare the actual chinese new year dates with the one refrenced in the novel]