Deviant: No Longer Human

Far in the Distance…

At the very peak of Grand Lisboa, a lone figure stood against the night.

The city below flickered with morning sunlight, a sea of colors stretching endlessly, but none could pierce the dark energy field radiating from her body—an unseen force covering the entirety of Macau.

Her blood-red eyes gleamed beneath the moonlight. Her hair, a smooth, silken waterfall of darkness, cascaded down her back, accentuating the stark contrast of her pale, porcelain skin.

Who else, if not Mary?

She was here for one reason.

Watching them.

Keeping an eye on Wang Xiao's sister. His daughters. His bloodline.

That was her task. That was all she needed to do.

And yet—

She felt it.

A presence.

Far beyond the glowing cityscape, where the ocean churned with violent waves, the shadow of something monstrous reared its head.

A kraken.

And not just any kraken—a fucking demigod-tier monstrosity, tentacles whipping, beak screeching, abyssal eyes locked onto Wang Xiao.

Mary hesitated.

Why should she interfere?

He didn't need her.

She knew that.

Everyone else might think he was about to die, but Mary? She knew better.

And yet—

Something in her stirred.

A choice was made.

Her body dissolved into red dust—vanishing into the void like blood swept by the wind.

And in the next instant—

Space and time bent.

She crossed the distance faster than thought, faster than light—a blur of crimson death ripping through reality itself.

By the time the world even realized she had moved—

She was already there.

Right beside him.

The moment.

The kraken's tentacles stood just an inch away, a breath from ending him.

And yet—

Swoosh!

A gust of air.

A shift in fate.

Mary stepped forward.

Her black-and-red dress fluttered like a queen descending from the underworld itself.

Her eyes opened fully.

And then—

BOOOOOOM!

Like the abyss itself had been swallowed whole, a wave of bright red light erupted from her body—pure, annihilating destruction.

Not an attack.

Not a technique.

Just her presence, unleashed.

The kraken never stood a chance.

It vanished.

Not burned. Not torn apart.

Erased.

Everything beyond it? Gone.

The beast's final, shrieking wail tore through the night—

"SKREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE—!"

Then silence.

As if it had never existed.

Ning Xue's mind stalled.

She stared at the woman who had appeared out of nowhere, who had just obliterated a demigod-tier being like flicking dust off her shoulder.

"What…?" Her voice barely registered in her own ears.

Behind her, the soldiers stood frozen, stunned into silence.

For the first time today—

It wasn't the kraken that terrified them.

It was the man standing behind the woman.

As if nothing had happened.

The battlefield still sizzled from the aftershock of Mary's power. That blazing red light—brighter than a second sun—had swallowed the sky, only to dim within seconds, leaving behind absolute silence.

The woman who had obliterated a demigod-tier beast with nothing but her presence slowly turned her gaze toward them.

And they shivered.

Ning Xue squinted her eyes. Who the hell was this woman?

Mary's blood-red eyes swept over the battlefield—cold, unreadable. Then, she focused on Ning Xue. She stared. Tilted her head slightly.

And frowned.

"…Who?"

She didn't recognize her. Didn't remember her.

Ning Xue's heart skipped a beat.

Then—

"Great work, Mary."

Wang Xiao's voice echoed, and in that moment, something impossible happened.

Mary flinched.

A woman who just erased a fucking kraken from existence… flinched.

Then, even worse—

Thud! Thud!

Wang Xiao casually patted her back.

Like she was some loyal dog.

Mary's eyes widened slightly. Then—a faint flush crept up her pale cheeks.

She lowered her head.

What the fuck?

Xu Han, the soldier who had barely survived, felt his soul trying to escape his body.

"What the hell is he doing?!"

Being praised by Wang Xiao was either a death sentence or the greatest achievement of your life.

Depending entirely on his mood.

Mary's lips parted slightly.

And then, in the softest voice—

"Thanks… Master…"

The words drifted into the silent sea.

Fuck this.

Xu Han wanted to die.

This walking calamity wasn't just a monster—she was his fucking servant.

And just like that, every single soldier who had pointed a gun at Wang Xiao felt their ancestors crying.

A cold sweat broke out on Li Cheng's back. What had he been thinking? Aiming a rifle at this guy? He should've just dug his own grave and saved everyone the trouble.

Meanwhile, Ning Xue, who had just screamed at Wang Xiao to be careful, felt her entire existence crumble.

She swallowed.

And then, in the dumbest, most reflexive response possible—

"Are you okay…?"

Silence.

Even she wanted to slap herself.

Of course he's okay!

He hadn't even moved.

Now, both Mary and Wang Xiao were staring at her.

Ning Xue immediately looked away. 'Foolish! Why did you ask that?!'

At this point, she might as well jump into the sea and join the kraken.

Wang Xiao glanced at the golden-haired woman, whose cheeks were tinged with the faintest pink. Lovely.

Still, that wasn't enough to distract him from his real priority—fucking with people.

"No, I have some pain." He added, deadpan.

"Huh?"

Ning Xue's eyes widened. Instinctively, her energy shield fizzled out, and she stepped forward with swift, precise movements.

"Where?"

She was close now—too close.

Only a few centimeters away.

Without hesitation, her cool, delicate fingers pressed against his chest. She closed her eyes, her expression calm, focused. A healer's instincts kicking in.

Mary, standing right beside them, blinked.

What the hell is this woman doing?

Wang Xiao tilted his head slightly, inhaling—a deep, refreshing scent.

Iris. Sweet vanilla. Fresh morning dew.

He let out a slow, amused exhale. Soft fingers. A gentle expression. A delicate, feminine grace…

This was the 'Human Empress'?

"Are you still the Human Empress like this?" His voice carried a teasing lilt.

"Hm?" Ning Xue's lashes fluttered, her eyes flicking open—but before she could react—

A large hand covered her view.

And then—

Squeeze.

Wang Xiao's fingers molded into her soft cheeks, stretching her face like she was a goddamn stress ball.

Ning Xue's breath fastened—her brain stalled.

"What soft skin…" Wang Xiao muttered, tilting her face slightly. "What's your skincare routine?"

"…"

"…"

Mary slowly covered her face.

Her master found new ways to bully girls every day.

Ning Xue, meanwhile, felt like she had just seen a ghost.

Her heart pounded.

Her thoughts scrambled.

Her face burned.

And before she could even process the fact that she was just violated in the most absurd way possible—

He was already walking away with Mary.

She stood there, frozen, her expression dumbfounded.

"You! Stop!"

Ning Xue gritted her teeth, her fingers twitching. The momentary shock faded—and irritation replaced it.

Her own master was stronger than Mary.

This guy might be untouchable to the average cultivator, but to her? She had no fucking reason to be afraid.

So she didn't hesitate—she called out again.

And then—

Wang Xiao just waved her off, lazily.

Like she was some pesky mosquito.

"Don't come near me again… or I'll eat you up."

"What?"

Ning Xue short-circuited.

Bullied.

For the second time.

And she had no fucking idea how.

She stood there, stunned, dumbfounded, and deeply, utterly offended.

She did nothing.

Yet still got bullied.

Her master had warned her against humans. She never took them seriously.

Until now.

Her golden brows twitched violently, her fingers clenching into fists. This bastard…!

She was the Human Empress!

She was a ruler!

She was—

"Master," Mary called out, adjusting the gloves on her delicate hands. "Where to next?"

Wang Xiao exhaled, letting out a slow plume of smoke. He stretched lazily, then shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Anywhere but here. We've already caused enough damage."

He glanced back once—just briefly.

Ning Xue was still standing there, fists clenched, face burning, eyes filled with pure, unfiltered existential crisis.

He smirked.

Then—

With a lazy shrug—

"Another day, another life ruined."

And with that, he walked away.

____

A hundred meters away, Wang Xiao finally spoke.

"What's the status?"

Mary, walking beside him, nodded stiffly. "Mmm… I've made preparations for the night according to your requirements."

She kept her tone even, but deep inside? Her heart was pounding like a war drum.

Being near him terrified her.

Not because she doubted his intentions—but because his mere presence was overwhelming.

She wasn't used to walking alone with him.

Wang Xiao glanced at her but didn't comment. Instead—

"Oh, that's good." He nodded casually, taking a drag from his cigarette. "What about the others? Are they there already?"

Mary exhaled slowly before reporting, "Miss Eleanor and her daughter have arrived. Miss Amelia and her daughter, too. There are no signs of Miss Victoria. Other than her, all the other people you invited should be arriving soon. They wouldn't dare neglect it…"

Wang Xiao paused mid-step.

"...Yanyan came outside?"

His cigarette nearly choked him.

That was new.

Amelia's daughter never left Xianthera. Ever.

And yet, she was here?

He rubbed his forehead. "Fuck."

This was supposed to be Yue and Wenxi's night.

With Yanyan here…? Shit was about to get hot.

She had her own conditions. A special kind of issue that made her refuse to leave her room—let alone Xianthera itself.

Unless it was night.

Wang Xiao called her a 'living vampire.'

As for Victoria?

Not surprising.

She and him had been at odds for a long time.

That woman was always angry. Frustrated.

Why?

Because Wang Xiao never made time for her.

And frankly? He always thought it was just her fear of menopause kicking in.

Hah.

He chuckled to himself, taking another drag of his cigarette.

Victoria—the Spear Queen—used to beat his ass when he was younger.

Now?

She could bark but not bite.

He licked his lips.

Should he teach her a lesson?

As for preparations? Pfft.

Wang Xiao had fucking summoned all his women and daughters for a "birthday pool party."

A noble excuse.

A refined, elegant cover-up.

In reality?

It was a goddamn harem gathering.

And he? He was going to soak in some much-needed warmth today.

Of course, first things first—his little cotton ball.

That soft, untouched thing he had been preserving for way too long.

The sweetest meal should always be savored last…

But fuck waiting.

Tonight, he was going to slaughter her open—along with her sister.

The legendary dream of Wang Xiao double-teaming with his twin daughters?

Oh, it was finally happening.