Deviant: No Longer Human

The attackers, four barely teenage assailants, move with a terrifying, unnatural grace. Their eyes burning with a fiery intensity as they cut through the guards' defenses.

One of the teens, a boy with startlingly cold eyes named Alex, laughed maniacally as he dodged a bullet. "Is this the best they can do?" he sneered, his voice chillingly devoid of empathy.

Another, a girl with blood matted over her hair, named Elara, joined in the fray.

Her movements were swift and deadly, her expression one of twisted joy. "They taste fear," she whispered to her herself, her face smeared with blood.

Josephine, her back against the car, watched eveything in horror. The world around her slowed down as she witnessed the chilling scene.

Her bodyguards, whom she had always seen as invincible, were falling one by one. "Please...Stop this..." she whimpered, her voice barely audible over the gunfires and screams.

In her heart, she knows it's a losing battle. The last of her guards, a young man named Liam, makes a final stand. "Get away from her!" he yelled, firing his weapon with shaky hands.

"Arghhhhhh!"

But it's futile. He is quickly overwhelmed, his desperate cry cut short.

The attackers, their faces splattered with the blood of her protectors, turned their attention to Josephine.

Their steps towards her slow, almost taunting.

The fear in Josephine's eyes was growing as she realized, she is now alone, cornered by these remorseless young predators.

The sight of their bloodied faces, wearing the lifeblood of her guards like war paint, sending chills down her spine.

The reality of her situation hits her hard – she was utterly defenseless.

Josephine never imagined it could end like this, at the hands of children who looked more like monsters from a horror story.

Tears start to blur her vision, and her lips part in a silent plea for mercy. But before a word can escape, a sudden movement catches her eye.

From above, a figure descended like a specter in the chaos.

Whoosh!

Boom!

Wang Xiao, his expression unreadable, landed with the grace of a eagle, a mere arm's length from Josephine.

The splash of water from a nearby puddle muddied her vision momentarily.

As her sight cleared, she saw Wang Xiao standing between her and the bloodthirsty teens.

His presence, both terrifying and calm. "Enough," he said, his voice calm but carrying an edge that halted the attackers in their tracks.

Alex, the cold-eyed boy, his demeanor a blend of youthful arrogance and a chilling hint of experience beyond his years, he titled his head to examine Wang Xiao. "And who might you be?" he challenged, his voice oozing with mockery.

Wang Xiao, unfazed by the bravado, looked over the teenagers. His eyes, sharp and discerning, seem to pierce through the chaos, seeing more than just the surface. After a moment that feels like an eternity, he responded with a calm and cutting voice, "You are not worth the words..."

Elara, her eyes a swirling storm of madness and thrill, stride forward confidently. "You think you can stop us?" she sneered, her tone laced with contempt and the excitement of the hunt.

But it's Alex's reaction that changes the course of the confrontation. His eyes, previously filled with cold confidence, suddenly widened in a mix of fear and realization. "T-This?" he stuttered, taking a hesitant step back, a rare glimpse of fear showing through his facade.

Elara, misinterpreting his reaction, sneered at him. "Alex? Hehe! Scared already? Good, I'll take all the credit then!"

Her laugh, a twisted melody against the gruesome background of blood.

But Alex's next words cut through her mockery like a knife. "Shut it! You mad girl, look below his legs!" he barked, his voice tinged with urgency, demanding attention.

Confused, Josephine followed their gaze downwards.

*Gasp!*

!!

Her eyes, instantly, widening with terror, landed on the shocking discovery.

The ground beneath Wang Xiao wasn't just dirt and gravel – it was a horrifying sight of blood and flesh.

The realization hit her like a physical blow; the 'water' that had splashed over her face was, in fact, blood – the blood of Alex's companions, mercilessly crushed by Wang Xiao.

!!

Time forze — Fear, respect, and a newfound understanding of the man standing before them settle in the eyes of the attackers.

Josephine, huddled behind Wang Xiao, caught in a whirlwind of emotions. Her heart racing, pounding against her chest like a frantic drum.

Her legs trembling almost giving up, as she looked up at Wang Xiao's back, her eyes were a complex mix of fear, awe, and an involuntary reverence.

The tales of knights in shining armor, once just fanciful stories, suddenly feel tangible, real.

She questioned her own senses – is this a dream or has some fantastical savior truly appeared?

In her dazed state, she barely registered the silent communication between Alex and Elara. The two, realizing the grave mistake of underestimating Wang Xiao, share a look that speaks volumes – a desperate plan to escape.

Wang Xiao, ever vigilant, sensed their intention.

In a blur of motion, a whirlwind of decisive action, he moved.

"Argh—"

"Ughhh—"

*Snap!*

Wang Xiao's movements, a study in deadly grace – his arms stretch out horizontally, and in one swift, unhesitating motion, he ended the threat of Alex and Elara.

Thud!

Alex and Elara, the once fearsome predators, were rendered lifeless in an instant, their bodies falling limply to the blood-soaked ground, their necks twisted at unnatural angles.

Turning around, Wang Xiao faced Josephine. His clothes and face remain impeccably clean, untouched by the carnage he has wrought. His voice is calm, almost gentle, as he asked, "Are you all right?"

Josephine's eyes fixed on his face, searching for a hint of the brutality she just witnessed, but finding none. Instead, a faint smile playing on his lips, an mysterious gesture that embeds itself in her memory.

Overwhelmed by a mixture of fear, gratitude, and a strange sense of fascination, she managed a shaky nod. "Y-Yeah..." she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.