Deviant: No Longer Human

Even the researchers momentarily froze, their movements halting as they turned to glance at the man who dared to speak such truths.

The atmosphere grew tense, the only sounds the distant hum of machinery and the soft clicking of keyboards.

The four commanders at Valkyrie\'s command, having been briefed about Wang Xiao\'s reputation as the slayer of Asmodeus, kept a respectful distance, wary of standing too close.

Meanwhile, Grandmaster Shi surveyed the surroundings with a keen interest, his gaze occasionally settling on Wang Xiao and Luna.

For him, too, it was his first visit to this ominous place, and the air of secrecy and slightly magical and mystical feeling only deepened his curiosity.

Luna\'s identity had remained shrouded in secrecy until now, with no one truly understanding who she was.

Yet the sight of the monk, conspicuously missing one eye, served as an evidence that significant events had happened over the past three days.

It was a silent warning to all: if they valued their vision, respect was mandatory.

"Ahem, the usual operations have been temporarily suspended," Li Zhiming interjected, his tone laced with awkwardness as he broke the tense silence.

"Hm, let\'s go down," Wang Xiao nodded, his eyes gleaming with a mixture of anticipation and thrill at the prospect of exploring what was ominously dubbed the tunnel to hell.

The enthusiasm was not lost on the four commanders and Abbot Shi either; their faces lit up with a mix of nervous excitement and curiosity, this being their descent into the depths.

Only Luna held a look of disdain, her expression one of contempt for the depths below.

As they began their descent, the stairs were initially engulfed in darkness, but with each step, sensors triggered the lights to illuminate the path incrementally.

The stairway revealed itself to be a labyrinth of high-tech security measures: hundreds of traps lay hidden, ready to activate.

This path could only be safely navigated by those with authorized access, effectively turning any unauthorized intruder into a casualty.

Even for the Deviants, known for their supernatural powers, penetrating this fortress would be a challenge.

As they made their descent, Li Zhiming shared eerie details about the tunnel: those who descended to work never came back to surface!

They lived out their lives and met their ends in the depths!

That was the grim condition set for employment in this facility!

The initiative was originally named Project Transcendence.

Its aim was ambitious: to engineer humans who could surpass the limits of ordinary humanity.

Yet, the project quickly veered into uncharted territories, spiraling beyond their control.

Wang Xiao had not fully grasped the implications until they reached the base of the tunnel.

Gasp!

There, they were greeted by an unexpectedly vast and majestic hall, starkly different against the confined, oppressive spaces they had imagined.

The grandeur of the hall left everyone momentarily stunned.

Steel plates sheathed the four walls, lending a fortified, bunker-like appearance.

At the center, a cylindrical glass structure stretched imposingly from the left to the right side of the large rectangular space.

It stood as the focal point, harboring something crucial, mysterious, and possibly ominous. Wang Xiao and the others stood at the entrance, taken aback by the sheer scale and unexpected splendor of the structure.

"Luna!?"

As the group stood in awe of the cavernous hall, a figure detached herself from the shadows, her presence almost ethereal against the stark metallic background.

Mary, clad in a dark, intricately laced gown that whispered of ancient nobility and secrets, approached them.

Her deep black hair cascaded around her shoulders, framing a face that was both haunting and mesmerizing.

Her red eyes, glowing softly in the dim light, fixed on Luna with an intensity that felt almost tangible.

Mary reached out and gently took Luna\'s hands in hers, her touch light yet filled with decades of longing and questions. "How many years has it been, Luna? Why did you never come back?"

Her voice, a melodic contrast to her stern appearance, carried a weight of sadness and reproach.

Wang Xiao turned, his gaze landing on Luna, who stood slightly awkward for a moment—a rarity that made her appear almost vulnerable.

Her expression quickly shifted as she hissed angrily.

"Mary, if you don\'t release my hands this instant, I will cut them off!"

Despite Luna\'s palpable anger, a mischievous giggle escaped Mary, who covered her face with a delicate hand, stepping back gracefully while maintaining a respectful distance. "Luna, my dear, really? I had no idea you\'d become so tender-hearted already."

Luna\'s frown deepened, and she took a deep, steadying breath to quell her rising anger before turning to Wang Xiao.

She gestured towards Mary with a swift tilt of her head, explaining, "This is Mary. She runs and owns this place. She\'s also one of the first Deviants to have ever awakened!" After Luna\'s introduction, the gaze of everyone present shifted to Mary, their expressions a mix of awe and curiosity.

"Don\'t stare too intently; I might just pluck those orbs right out," Mary teased, her voice playful yet tinged with an underlying threat.

Her smile disarmed most, causing them to hurriedly avert their eyes—everyone except for Grandmaster Shi and Wang Xiao, who continued to observe her with unabashed interest.

"Oh my, this one already doesn\'t have an eye!" Mary exclaimed with a chuckle, her gaze fixating on the empty socket of Grandmaster Shi.

She extended her palm, turning it upside down in an omnious gesture.

Whoosh!

"Let me fix that for you," she declared, her voice tinged with a playful menace.

As she spoke, the air above her hand seemed to shimmer and swirl, coalescing into the form of an eyeball.

Gasp!

The spectacle left everyone in stunned silence, their eyes wide with a mix of awe and horror.

Ignoring their shocked expressions, Mary moved toward Grandmaster Shi with a deliberate grace.

She positioned the newly formed eye against his empty socket and gently pressed it in.

Squish!

Grandmaster Shi\'s face contorted with disbelief, then twisted in agony.

"!"

A pained groan escaped his lips, growing louder and more desperate, "It hurts... it burns!"