Deviant: No Longer Human

Anran's frustration was mounting as she continued, her voice growing more determined, "No! Not just punch him in the face, I want to beat him into pulp! That's my life mission now! How dare he show me visions of a lazy, loafing life before tricking me into all this!"

".... Haha..." Wang Xiao listened, momentarily speechless at her rants, before a small, spontaneous soft laugh escaped him.

Her fiery spirit, even when directed at the man she didn't know was her father, was somehow amusing.

"Huh? Did I say something funny?" Anran asked, her tone shifting to one of slight embarrassment.

Wang Xiao shook his head, trying to regain his composure. "It's nothing, it's ju—"

His sentence was abruptly cut short, his attention drawn to something behind them. Anran, noticing his sudden pause, turned around with a look of concern. "Huh? Is something there?"

She scanned the empty street, her brows furrowing in confusion. "There seems to be nothing... Are you sure you sa— Wang Xiao?" Her voice trailed off in bewilderment as she turned back to find Wang Xiao had vanished into thin air.

The street, which had just moments ago echoed with their conversation, now stood silent, save for the distant hum of the harbor. Anran stood alone, holding the shopping bags, her mind racing to make sense of the sudden disappearance.

The stillness of the street was abruptly shattered as shadows began to move. Anran's trained instincts kicked in as she realized the emptiness around her was deceptive. Figures emerged from the shadows, their intentions clear from their menacing approach.

Gangsters – likely drawn by the disturbance or perhaps by a deeper motive – closed in on her. Anran's grip on the shopping bags tightened, her eyes quickly assessing her surroundings for an escape route or a potential weapon.

"Looking for someone?" one of the gangsters sneered, a crooked smile spreading across his face.

Anran, unfazed by their intimidating presence, replied coolly, "Just out for some shopping. Didn't expect to run into a welcoming committee."

The gangsters advanced, their steps synchronized, clearly experienced in this kind of ambush. But Anran wasn't an ordinary target. Her background as a spy had honed her skills in combat and evasion. Dropping the shopping bags, she assumed a defensive stance, ready to defend herself.

As the first attacker lunged towards her, Anran deftly sidestepped, using his momentum against him to send him sprawling to the ground. She quickly scanned for the next threat, her movements fluid and precise.

The fight escalated as more gangsters joined in, but Anran held her own, her agility and training allowing her to counter their attacks effectively. However, she was outnumbered, and she knew she couldn't hold them off indefinitely.

Just when the situation seemed to be tipping out of her favor, a familiar figure reappeared.

______

Minutes earlier, Wang Xiao had positioned himself on the rooftop of a nearby building, observing the unfolding scene below with a strategic eye. Yin Yue's voice, a constant companion in his mind, prodded him.

Yin Yue, [She'll waste so much time fighting them herself. Aren't you going to interfere?]

Wang Xiao was calm, his response calculated. 'I want at least one of them alive. Let her handle it for now. The one who fell first—I'll keep him. The rest are expendable.'

Yin Yu chuckled, [Quick and wicked, aren't you?]

Wang Xiao remained silent, his eyes fixed on the scene below. When one of the attackers collapsed against a street pole, knocked out cold by Anran's fierce counter, he knew it was time to act.

With a swift leap, Wang Xiao descended from the rooftop.

Boom!

As he landed, an eerie stillness enveloped those around him. The attackers' bodies bloated and then exploded in a awestrucking spectacle.

Puah! Puah! Puah!

Anran, caught in the midst of the chaos, was splattered with blood. She stood frozen, her expression one of shock and disbelief. In stark contrast, not a single drop of blood touched Wang Xiao or his clothes, as if repelled by an unseen force.

He walked over to the only surviving attacker, snapped a photo, and sent it to Li Zhiming for further information. With his task complete, he started walking back towards the villa, leaving Anran amidst the aftermath of the violent encounter.

It took a few minutes for Anran to gather herself. The shock slowly subsided, replaced by a deep contemplation. She picked up the shopping bags and followed Wang Xiao quietly, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions.

The walk back was silent, each lost in their reflections on the day's events.

As they neared the villa, the weight of their existence in this complex and dangerous world settled heavily upon them.

Anran glanced at Wang Xiao, his demeanor calm and untroubled, as if what had happened was just another day in his life.

As they entered the quiet confines of the villa, the stark contrast to the day's chaotic events was palpable.

Anran's voice, tinged with a mixture of curiosity and a hint of fear, broke the silence. "Hey, Wang Xiao," she began hesitantly, "how... How do you do that? Just... make them... explode?"

Wang Xiao remained silent for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then he shared a piece of his ability, "You just imagine altering their body, and they explode the moment you lose control."

"That's it? Can I also do it?" Anran's voice was a mix of disbelief and intrigue.

Wang Xiao shook his head, a hint of solemnity in his tone. "You don't have the prerequisites." His words were brief, leaving Anran to wonder if he was evading a deeper explanation or speaking an unfathomable truth.

Inside the villa, Anran set down the shopping bags, relieved to see their contents intact. The need to cleanse herself from the day's ordeal was pressing; the smell of blood now seemed to permeate her senses. She headed upstairs towards the bathroom, her steps heavy with the weight of the day's experiences.

Wang Xiao, meanwhile, settled into a quiet corner with the newly delivered goods. Among them were several books he had ordered, their pages filled with knowledge he sought.

He picked one up, flipping through its pages, but his thoughts were elsewhere.

Yin Yue suddenly broke the tranquility of the moment, [The attack, it was not on you, Wang Xiao!]