Deviant: No Longer Human

A sigh escaped Wang Xiao\'s lips, his breath visible in the cool air. "We were too late. And what then? If we had caught up with the hell spirit, what were we to do?"

Yin Yue\'s response carried a hint of reassurance. [Not all hell spirits are as violent as the one we faced before. The weaker their strength, the less cunning they possess. This one, however, is among the mightiest. It would not seek to harm you unless its schemes were threatened—hence its evasion. A dialogue could have shed light on its intentions.]

Wang Xiao nodded slowly, the possibility of knowledge untapped weighing on him. "Information could have been advantageous... but for now, we stand empty-handed." His gaze lingered on the shadow-strewn street, Before his eyes were drawn to a building across the way, where the first floor radiated with an inviting glow.

The sight stirred a nostalgia within him, a recollection of his own days in the Shuangxue bar, where the past had been both a comfort and a cage. With a shake of his head, as if to dispel the ghosts of memories, he decided to immerse himself in the present.

"Let\'s go inside and take a look..." he suggested to Yin Yue, more to himself than to her.

Stepping into the street, he approached the establishment. The sign above read "Hrímþurs Bar," its local name a nod to the mythic frost giants, a fitting theme for a place in Frostview Harbor.

The interior exuded a warmth that seemed to push back against the chill of its namesake, with décor that melded sleek, modern lines with rustic, natural elements.

The lighting was dim but welcoming, casting a golden hue over the faces of the patrons, who ranged from weary fishermen to young couples, all seeking the comfort of companionship and a good drink.

Wang Xiao found a spot at the bar, the polished surface reflecting the bottles of spirits behind it, each one a different shade and shape.

The bartender, a man with a thick beard and an easy smile, approached.

"What\'ll it be?" he asked in English after noticing Wang Xiao\'s nationality, his voice carrying the faintest hint of an local accent.

"Just something refreshing, thanks," Wang Xiao replied, still scanning the room discreetly.

As the bartender poured his drink, Wang Xiao\'s attention was caught by a group of patrons speaking in hushed tones.

Their body language suggested intimacy, and though he couldn\'t grasp the entirety of their conversation, they seem to be making out.

Wang Xiao sipped his beer, the chilled bitterness a contrast to the peculiar warmth of Hrímþurs Bar.

He couldn\'t help but mutter under his breath, "Weird place..." His eyes roved across the room, taking in the scene that was a far cry from the Chinese bars he was accustomed to, where intimacy was usually hidden in dim corners, not openly displayed.

This place was different—couples and trios alike shared affections without a shade of secrecy, some seemingly entangled in clandestine relationships. An open celebration of desires that, in any other bar, would have been curtained away from prying eyes.

One woman, flanked by two men, caught his attention and for a moment, his eyebrow raised in silent question.

It wasn\'t his place to judge, but the openness was concerning. He turned away, focusing on the beer in his hand, the froth atop the amber liquid a welcome distraction.

"It tastes so bitter... How do people drink this?" Wang Xiao grimaced, setting the glass aside after a few sips. The public displays of affection around him grew more pronounced, challenging his preconceptions. Two men shared a tender kiss nearby, prompting him to muse, "Has the world changed so much in the last two years...?"

As he pondered the swift social transformations, a new presence slid onto the stool beside him, her hand accidentally brushing against his. The unexpected touch jolted him from his thoughts.

"It indeed has changed," the stranger remarked, her voice a soft echo of Wang Xiao\'s inner musings.

The woman signaled the bartender with a practiced ease. "I\'ll have a glass of the house red, please," she said, her tone confident yet unobtrusive. As the bartender nodded and moved to fulfill the order, she turned her attention back to Wang Xiao.

"I\'m Lian," she introduced herself, extending a hand that was a blend of grace and strength. Her hair, a striking mix of red and black strands, framed her face in a cascade of color, reflecting her mixed Chinese and English heritage. Her English was fluent, tinged with the subtlest of accents that hinted at her bicultural background.

Wang Xiao took her hand briefly, noting the firmness of her grip. "Wang Xiao," he replied, a mix of caution and curiosity in his tone.

Lian\'s wine arrived, and she took a sip, her gaze not leaving Wang Xiao. "It\'s not often you see someone new around Hrímþurs Bar, especially one who seems so... out of place."

Her observation was astute, and Wang Xiao found himself inadvertently scrutinizing the patrons once more. "I\'m just passing through," he said, his voice neutral but his mind alert for any underlying significance in her words.

Lian\'s smile broadened, a playful glint in her eyes. "Passing through Frostview Harbor, or passing through experiences? This bar is more than just a place for drinks—it\'s a crossroads of sorts. People come here carrying their own stories, leave with new ones. Some, like you, are in the midst of discovering which story they belong to."

Wang Xiao tilted his head slightly, his gaze intently studying her face. His eyes, a striking shade of red, seemed to catch Lian off guard. She quickly averted her gaze, adopting a more composed demeanor as she lifted her wine glass for another sip. "I see you\'re from China," she remarked casually.