Deviant: No Longer Human

"Who is it? Come forward."

Her words floated gently from her lips, yet they carried a compelling force, causing the air itself to shudder and ripple as if in obedience to her command.

Concealed within the shadows of the tall wheat, the hidden figure felt a sharp pain pierce her head, stunning her into stillness.

"!!"

\'Come forward.\'

\'Come forward.\'

\'Come forward.\'

The voice, both gentle and ethereal, wove through the air, haunting in its beauty yet terrifying in its insistence, echoing ominously in her mind from all directions.

Finally, a small gap appeared in the lush wheat field as a figure, barefoot and hesitant, stepped out, slowly emerging from the sea of golden stalks.

Naomi\'s bare feet emerged first, the delicate soles brushing against the soft, cold earth, leaving a faint trail in the fine dust that covered the golden wheat field.

Her toes, tender and unmarred, seemed almost to dance hesitantly with each step, as if they were reluctant to fully disturb the serene landscape.

As she moved, the hem of her light pink gown whispered against the wheat, the fabric flowing gracefully around her ankles in a gentle caress of color that contrasted vividly with the surrounding gold.

The gown itself, made of a light, airy silk, draped elegantly over her form, its folds capturing the subtle dance of the early afternoon light.

Ascending upwards, the fabric clung softly to her body, outlining a figure both delicate and slender.

The gown\'s neckline dipped modestly, framing her neck and the soft curve of her shoulders with an understated elegance.

Finally, her face came into view, framed by loose strands of hair that fluttered slightly in the breeze.

Naomi\'s expression was a stark contrast to the tranquil beauty of her attire.

Her brows were drawn together sharply, furrowed in anger, and her eyes—usually gentle and warm—now blazed with a fiery intensity as she fixed Yuriko with a glare that seemed to burn with the heat of her emotions.

"What are you here for? Do you want revenge...?"

Yuriko\'s voice was tinged with surprise as she faced the person before her, her tone becoming taunting, her expression morphing into one of dignified one.

Naomi continued to fix Yuriko with an unyielding glare, then, softening slightly, shook her head with a light, almost dismissive smile.

"..."

Her lips momentarily twisted into a disdainful sneer, sending a ripple of unease through Yuriko.

Then, in an instant, Naomi\'s body began to shimmer, the outline blurring as if becoming part of the air itself, and suddenly, she vaporized right before Yuriko\'s eyes.

Whoosh!

Her essence soared upward with a startling swiftness, leaving a trail of shimmering particles behind its path. Yuriko gasped, taken aback by the sudden ascent.

"Hm?"

Rising to her feet, Yuriko squinted into the sky, now a canvas of change.

Within moments, the once-clear blue was overtaken by swirling, dark clouds, gathering with an ominous intensity that transformed the daylight into a threatening twilight.

Her gaze narrowed as the first drop of rain fell directly onto her face, causing her eyelashes to flutter gracefully, while the eyes beneath them flickered with emotion.

Pat... Pat... Pat...

Gradually, the raindrops multiplied, quickly escalating into a torrential downpour that soaked Yuriko completely as she stood motionless.

"..."

She could only watch like a doll.

In the following days, the Chinese television broadcasts began to cover the floods in Yunnan Province live.

The entire province was submerged under a vast blanket of water, startling and shocking the nation as if the gods themselves had unleashed their wrath upon the land.

However, as mysteriously as they had appeared, the floods receded, vanishing as if they had never existed, leaving the residents even more bewildered.

Ultimately, these startling events were merely the prologue to something far greater, causing this news to be quickly suppressed and forgotten.

_______

As the floodwaters receded, somewhere else — Shanghai found itself cloaked in a chilling blanket of cold.

Dawn unfurled with streets veiled in a dense mist, almost deserted but for the occasional flicker of car lights piercing through as hurried souls ventured towards offices and schools.

In this quietude, the Huangpu River lay covered in the same ethereal mist, its waters a hidden mystery beneath the vapors.

Nestled at the confluence of Pudong and Puxi, Lost Heaven stood—a contemporary restaurant imbued with a tranquil ambiance.

It was here that Wang Xiao had once brought Chen Meili, the receptionist from Velvet Shadows, as a gesture of appreciation—a place etched in the corridors of his memory.

Unseen by the distracted city, the mist hovering above the river began to stir, moving with an unnatural grace.

Gradually, it coalesced into the form of a person, as if the river itself were breathing life into a human figure.

_______

F1D99, Frostholm, Northern Region!

21st January, Night!

Outside the facility, a robust campfire crackled and popped against the biting cold, illuminating the faces of Shi Yan and the remaining four commanders as they, along with other Deviants, reveled in the frosty evening.

Mary had delivered a shock to everyone earlier that day, revealing that they were to be attacked the next morning.

She even disclosed the enemy\'s base location, aligning perfectly with the intel Wang Xiao possessed.

\'Is there even any need for us?\' Wang Xiao pondered, taken aback by Mary\'s capabilities, which seemed to rival those of Eveline.

With Mary present, she theoretically could single-handedly confront Gabrial\'s entire army.

So, what was the purpose of all these extensive preparations?

A short distance away, Wang Xiao found solitude leaning against a tree, growing tired of being constantly addressed as \'Lord\' and bombarded with requests for fighting techniques.

Thus, he had retreated to a spot somewhat removed from the warmth of the campfire.

The assembly of Deviants that had gathered to offer their support were exclusively allies of Mary; no others had shown up, a fact that puzzled Wang Xiao until Li Zhiming disclosed the reason.

No guardians had responded, and Europe was currently devoid of any official guardian.

Essentially, Wang Xiao would have to contact Elara to communicate his needs to the Deviants in this region to rally them here.

Nevertheless, they still would not arrive in time.

Just as Wang Xiao settled into the thought of a quiet night, the air was shattered by a deafening explosion.

Boooooom!