Deviant: No Longer Human

Leaning against the tree, he closed his eyes, seemingly indifferent to the puzzled expressions around him.

Ray, however, caught the subtle meaning and nodded in silent acknowledgment.

"Wang Xiao is right," Ray continued. "We\'re beyond our school days, and now, we\'re adults. No need to cling to the groups of the past; we\'ve moved beyond those school traditions."

Emma couldn\'t conceal her surprise. "What? Ray, are you serious?" Her questioning gaze flitted between Ray and Chris, seeking confirmation.

Chris, aligning with Ray\'s perspective, nodded in agreement. "Ray\'s not wrong," he added subtly, acknowledging the natural evolution of their relationships.

Emma pursed her lips, a silent protest against the shifting days. "You guys! I thought we were friends," she voiced, a tinge of disappointment in her words.

A shared glance between Ray and Wang Xiao betrayed their silent consensus: \'This woman\'s screw is loose.\' Their eyes communicated a mutual understanding of Emma\'s immature perspective.

Time change, and so does people, why cling to it eternally?

Seth nonchalantly shrugged, "I don\'t know about them, but I have an offer to join the occupational council."

Chris interjected, redirecting the conversation, "Can we leave this discussion for later and decide what to do for today?" The question captivated everyone\'s attention, including Wang Xiao\'s.

The true purpose of their gathering had been to embark on their first adventure post-graduation, and Chris\'s suggestion brought a renewed focus to the possibilities that lay ahead.

Seth suggested, "How about we pay a visit to the Ratwalkers colony?"

"Nah, too boring."

"Then, how about heading to the edge of the lake? I heard there\'s a haunted house there!"

"It would consume the entire day; we should go somewhere closer."

"Somewhere close...?"

Unexpectedly, Chris added, "What if we explore the graveyard in the school?"

Emma and Seth shared a look of surprise, while Ray strolled toward them, joining the conversation.

"But isn\'t that just a myth?" Seth laughed, a faint unease lingering at the mention of a graveyard.

Chris maintained his composure, "I\'ve heard some students claim they spotted people taking bodies there."

Ray added, "I\'ve heard the rumors as well..."

Emma\'s face lit up with excitement, her eyes sparkling, "Then it\'s decided; we\'re sneaking into the graveyard!"

Wang Xiao shook his head, a wry smile playing on his lips, \'They never learn, do they?\'

Yin Yue agreed, [They have visited there so many times.]

Wang Xiao nodded inwardly, \'Indeed they have, but their altered memories keep them in the dark.\'

Emma called out, her voice echoing with enthusiasm, "Wang Xiao, what are you doing in the corner? Come and join us! We\'re planning to infiltrate the graveyard inside the school!"

"Yeah, yeah, sure..." Wang Xiao replied, a hint of amusement in his tone, agreeing to the plan. Deep down, he couldn\'t suppress the anticipation, knowing well the peculiar turn their adventure was likely to take.

_________

Silvertide Academy!

"Ugh! It\'s so hard to open," Seth, with furrowed brows, exerted himself against the imposing steel gates. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, testament to the considerable effort required to breach the formidable entrance.

With a reluctant groan, the gates yielded, unveiling their true challenge—the massive half-meter thickness of steel.

The physical manifestation of their difficulty in breaking in became evident, leaving the group in awe of the academy\'s security measures.

Stepping beyond the imposing gates, memories of a past incident flooded Wang Xiao\'s mind.

Three years ago...

"Hey, this place looks so silent," a younger Emma observed, her voice echoing in the stillness of the academy grounds.

Seth, his frown deepening, warned, "We shouldn\'t have come here."

Chris, glancing at peculiarly arranged boxes, added, "What\'s with those boxes?"

Ray urgently warned, "Don\'t touch the—"

But it was too late. In synchronized movements, Chris and Emma unveiled the hidden contents beneath the cloths.

A collective gasp escaped the group as their eyes locked onto the creature within.

Hissss!

Scratch!

The creature awoke violently, scratching against the grille. Seth\'s horrified voice shattered the silence, "I-Is this real!?"

"Demon cats..." Chris whispered, his words hanging in the tense air.

Emma remained frozen, her wide eyes reflecting the shock of the discovery.

The colossal cats, standing at an imposing one and a half meters, commanded attention with their predatory eyes, exuding an aura of both majesty and evil presence.

Suddenly, a forgotten scene from Emma\'s past played out in her mind, the weight of memories surfacing and causing her eyes to well up with emotion.

"Emma?" Ray noticed the sudden shift in her demeanor, gently shaking her to snap her back to the present.

"Y-Yeah..." she stammered, collecting herself. Yet, at that very moment, the faint sounds of approaching footsteps reached their ears. Instantly, the group exchanged alarmed glance, urgently speaking.

"Someone is coming!"

"Fix everything, quick!"

With a flurry of hurried movements, they meticulously restored the scene to its original state, the room returning to its seemingly undisturbed condition.

In a matter of seconds, they retreated to the corner, concealing themselves behind one of the boxes.

As the newcomers entered, recognition dawned on the group, their faces reflecting a mix of astonishment and disbelief.

They Just can\'t believe thier own eyes!

One of the newcomers was none other than Amelia, the head of the board of education, and accompanying her was Bing Xueli, along with other familiar faces from the teaching staff.

Hisss!

Boom!

With a swift, coordinated effort, they opened one of the cages, prompting the beast within to lunge towards them.

Yet, even before it could reach its target, its body violently collided with an unseen force, expertly wielded by Amelia.

The beast struggled momentarily, attempting to break free, but ultimately succumbed to its restraints.

With a defeated air, it was carefully placed back inside the cage, the encounter leaving the group in a stunned silence, the unexpected display of power from Amelia casting a shadow of awe and fear over the group.

"These are the batch of untamed beasts," Amelia briefed.

Bing Xueli nodded, "I can see that muc—"

*Gasp!*

The violent spectacle shattered Emma\'s composure, plunging her into tears. Memories of her sister and parents flooded back, each recollection tearing at her emotions.

"Who is there!"

"Come out!"

Amelia instantly spotted them, and her voice reverberated, making their hearts skip a beat in unison.