Deviant: No Longer Human

The garden, once a place of serenity, had transformed into an battlefield.

Whoosh!

As the first attack was launched, Wang Xiao\'s movements were a blur, his reflexes lightning-fast.

Erikson lunged forward with a powerful strike, but Wang Xiao deftly sidestepped, his hand shooting out to grip Erikson\'s wrist, twisting it sharply.

"Argh!"

A crisp snap echoed through the air as Erikson stumbled back, a groan of pain escaping his lips.

"Take this!" Corporal Vega, swift and agile, leaped towards Wang Xiao, her fists aiming for a quick one-two combo.

Whoosh!

But Wang Xiao was quicker, catching her mid-air with an effortless throw, sending her crashing to the ground with a thud.

Boom!

"Ahh!" she cried out, her body writhing in pain.

Whoosh!

"Look here, you bastard!" Jensen, consumed by anger, lunged forward with fists that sliced through the air like lightning, his ferocious energy palpable. Yet, his expression crumbled in the very next moment as he choked on his own words.

Wang Xiao, danced around his strikes with ease, a smirk playing on his lips.

Booom!

In a fluid motion, he delivered a swift kick to Jensen\'s abdomen, sending him sprawling to the ground with an "Oof!"

Lieutenant Karlsson and Private Nilsson, seeing their comrades fall, attacked simultaneously from opposite sides.

Wang Xiao, however, seemed to anticipate their moves, ducking and weaving with a agile grace.

He struck Karlsson with a sharp elbow to the solar plexus, eliciting a gasping "Ugh!" from the lieutenant.

At the same moment, he caught Nilsson\'s punch, twisting and throwing him over his shoulder, his body landing with a heavy crash beside Karlsson.

The remaining squad members hesitated, their confidence waning as they witnessed the swift defeat of their peers. Wang Xiao stood amidst them, his breathing steady, his eyes alight with a fierce intensity.

"Ugh!"

Erikson, Vega, Jensen, Karlsson, and Nilsson lay on the ground, groaning in pain, their expressions a mix of disbelief and respect. The rest of the squad, now wary of engaging further, looked to Marcus for guidance.

Marcus, his expression a complex tapestry of surprise, respect, and a hint of amusement, called off the confrontation. "Enough," he said firmly, his voice cutting through the tension. "This lesson is over."

Wang Xiao, his point made, helped Erikson to his feet, offering a hand to Vega as well. His actions were those of a warrior acknowledging the bravery of his opponents.

As the squad members slowly regained their composure, nursing their bruises and egos, the air of confrontation slowly dissipated, replaced by a newfound respect and a tinge of awe.

They looked at Wang Xiao not just as an outsider now, but as a formidable force, a master of combat whose skills were both mysterious and impressive.

Marcus approached Wang Xiao, a wry smile on his face. "Well, you certainly made your point," he conceded, extending his hand in a gesture of respect. "You\'re more than just talk."

Wang Xiao clasped Marcus\'s hand firmly, his smile broadening. "It\'s not about proving superiority," he said, his tone amiable yet earnest. "It\'s about understanding that true strength comes from within, not just from orders and discipline."

The squad members, gathered around, listened intently. The lesson wasn\'t lost on them. They had learned something valuable, not just about combat, but about respect and the different forms strength could take.

In that precise moment, Marcus inclined his body, drawing so close to Wang Xiao that his whispered words melted into his ear, "Tell me honestly, young man, what is it you\'re after?"

A vestige of amusement flickered across Wang Xiao\'s eyes before he made a discreet nod towards the shadows, away from curious and prying eyes.

Marcus squinted attentively, sizing up the situation. Before they made their way to the secluded niche, he deftly grabbed two cold beer cans from the cooler, handing one over to Wang Xiao. The cracking hiss of Marcus\'s beer opening punctuated their stride towards isolation.

"Are you seeking answers or just fond of playing games?" Marcus\'s question hung in the air like a sudden drop in temperature, accompanying Wang Xiao.

Shielding his intentions, Wang Xiao flicked the tab of his beer can, agitating the frothy contents, but he refrained from taking a sip. Underneath the playful smirk he inquired, "Your badge - it reads \'SOG.\' Precisely what do those letters signify?"

Seeing that Wang Xiao was hungry for knowledge rather than conflict, Marcus nodded, the shadows casting a veil of mystery over his expression. "SOG," he began, "stands for Special Operations Guard, an elite division within the Sylvergard military. I belong to the Cobra unit that is tasked with protecting the royalty.

Though their power has dwindled committing to our modern democratic system, the parliament still keeps us alert."

Wang Xiao received the information thoughtfully. Finally, he mused aloud, "So, you\'re not merely an officer, but a governmental spy, tucked beneath layers of deception..."

Marcus\'s face hardened momentarily, neither confirming nor denying before he offered an unsolicited word of caution.

"I\'d advise you to stay away from the women of the Royal family here, they carry an unspeakable curse." He tilted his head back, downing his beer with a gusty sigh before flashing a mischievous grin, "Haha, seems like my beer has run its course," the rascal\'s chuckle ringing out as he escaped back towards his comrades.

All Wang Xiao could do was shake his head, humor twinkling beneath his hardened facade, before discarding the untouched beer can with a distant, reflective gaze.

The display of power earlier was not merely for this casual conversation; it was a calculated move to sow a subtle seed in their minds, one that could quietly shape their perception of him.

Wang Xiao, after all, wasn\'t one to engage in a game without his own well-placed pawns.

When the opportune moment arrives, he knows he must be armed with his own formidable strategies.

In his eyes, this Colonel appears to be a reliable ally. As long as he skillfully plays his moves, not only winning the Colonel\'s support but also rallying his entire team to his cause, he\'s confident he can draw them to his side.