Deviant: No Longer Human

"...How can you use me in front of everyone..."

Lying on the ground amidst the dewy grass, Eveline's butt was swollen and throbbing.

She couldn't help but voice her indignation, feeling she had been too lenient with him the past few days, mistakenly thinking he wouldn't dare to humiliate her so openly.

Wang Xiao didn't take her words to heart. "What are you going to do now then?" He tightened his belt and then conjured a cigarette from thin air, taking a leisurely puff.

"Call your daddy for help?" He winked at the already furious woman, his mocking tone making her tremble with rage.

For this heartless woman, he felt no pity.

He had once thought she was still a good woman when Aurora threw her to him, but she had been plotting against him all along.

Eveline didn't blame Aurora but Wang Xiao for everything. If not for Wang Xiao, she wouldn't have been sacrificed like a maidservant to him by Aurora.

She dared not go against Aurora, being indebted to her, but for Wang Xiao, she didn't care.

At most, she would lose her life.

This was precisely why Wang Xiao didn't kill her.

Death was too easy for some people.

Wang Xiao raised his leg, removing it from his shoe, and pressed it against her swollen butt.

"!"

"Hiss..."

Eveline sucked in a cold breath, instantly pulling herself up and glaring at him, but Wang Xiao chuckled.

"Where is that girl? Is she still waiting?" he asked while exhaling a cloud of smoke.

It wasn't his habit, but after returning, he had started to enjoy worldly pleasures.

Although furious, Eveline answered, "The owner of the restaurant arrived and recognized her. She has left with her."

Wang Xiao nodded.

She had two little dragons.

If the dragons were hurt, Aura herself would tear through space to come to their aid, so he didn't care much.

Besides, he had no desire to be labeled a loli kidnapper.

In fact, Eveline was right.

The Hidden Heaven and the bakery run by Chen Meili were not far apart, and the owners knew each other well.

At this moment, Zhenxi was with Chen Meili and Fu Yuxin.

"Oh... Keep an eye on her," Wang Xiao nodded in acknowledgment after carefully scanning the surroundings for himself, before he took a deliberate step and vanished into the void.

The girl was clearly too young for him, and given that she had parents, he dismissed the idea of adopting her outright; doing so would necessitate eliminating her father, and then dealing with her mother would become an even more troublesome task.

Unbeknownst to Wang Xiao, the true circumstances surrounding Zhenxi were far more complex than he realized.

"What type of ability is that?" Eveline frowned, puzzled as she watched him flicker in and out of existence like a phantom.

None of his powers could be grasped by conventional understanding.

The reality was that Wang Xiao harnessed dark matter, a substance that coexists alongside other elements including aether.

Even as the world suffered a scarcity of aether, dark matter continued to saturate the cosmos.

In essence, he wasn't actually traveling; he was simply manifesting instantaneously in another location.

_____

Nestled beside the tranquil Huangpu River stood an elegant riverside abode, its windows aglow with soft, inviting light.

Inside, young Zhenxi, her eyes wide with wonder, clutched two mythical dragon cubs, pausing at the threshold.

The room's gentle illumination cast playful shadows that danced upon the walls, enveloping the space in a cozy, inviting warmth.

On the plush sofa, a woman sat with rigid posture, her hands interlocked tightly in her lap, betraying her inner turmoil.

Time had sketched fine lines of worry around her eyes, which now shimmered with the glint of unshed tears.

This was Fu Yuxin, clad in a sleeveless black top, her gaze vacant.

She had been without her daughter since Zhenxi's mysterious disappearance just a day prior.

Upon Zhenxi's cautious entry, Fu Yuxin surged to her feet, her breath hitching sharply.

"Zi'er?" Her voice quivered, barely above a whisper.

The little girl nodded, her eyes now brimming with tears.

With a surge of emotion, mother and daughter closed the distance between them, locking in a tight, soulful embrace that mended the brief, painful separation.

Fu Yuxin ran her fingers through Zhenxi's hair, murmuring tender declarations and sighs of relief. "I thought I'd lost you forever," she whispered.

Zhenxi, seeking comfort, pressed closer, enveloped by the familiar warmth and scent of her mother—a fragrance of home and safety.

Outside, the atmosphere carried a different, though no less intense, energy.

Chen Meili, elegantly attired in a flowing gown and her brown curls cascading down her shoulders, concluded her discussions with the local police.

Wan Yang, listened intently, absorbing every detail of Zhenxi's subsequent recovery.

Nearby, Mr. Zhang, proprietor of the Lost Heaven restaurant, observed the scene with a look of quiet satisfaction.

He had played a pivotal role in Zhenxi's return; his staff had discovered the girl locked inside the restaurant early in the morning, prompting him to act swiftly upon recognizing her as the daughter of the nearby proprietress.

"Thank you, Officer Wan, and thank you, Mr. Zhang, for everything," Chen Meili said, slightly relieved.

Wan Yang nodded, his gaze lingering on the closed front door of the residence. "It's always a good day when we can bring a family back together," he replied, his voice low and sincere.

However, the case left him perplexed.

He had already reported to the higher-ups about the existence of the Eight Prince, but they had instructed him to keep silent, choosing to sacrifice a branch to save the entire tree.

Since the girl had returned on her own, he could only sigh in relief and close the case.

As the police and Mr. Zhang departed, the door to the residence closed softly behind them.

Mr. Zhang was slightly disappointed, as he had hoped the beautiful Chen Meili might invite him to dinner, but she, discerning his intentions and aware of his marital status, chose to maintain a professional distance.

Inside, Fu Yuxin and Zhenxi sat together on the sofa, talking quietly.

Fu Yuxin was eager to learn everything about her daughter's situation, but she tempered her curiosity with patience, giving Zhenxi the space to share at her own pace as she noticed her fidgeting with the dragon cubs in her hand.

Zhenxi, seemingly searching for someone, looked around anxiously. "Mom, where is Daddy?" she asked, her eyes wide with nervous expectation.

"Huh?" Fu Yuxin crouched in front of her daughter, surprised by the question. "What Daddy, Zi'er?" she asked, confused.

At that moment, Chen Meili, who had entered coincidentally, was stunned by the conversation. "Yuxin, Zi'er is right! It's time you find a father for her. How about Mr. Zhang outside?"

"You...!" Fu Yuxin turned around with a flushed face. "Don't throw your problems onto me!"