Deviant: No Longer Human

Yin Yue then asked, [Aren\'t you going to fight a few people before going in?]

"Wouldn\'t it be best to enter in the best state possible to conserve energy?" Wang Xiao responded, his gaze drifting towards where Gabriel and Luna were locked in a tense stand-off.

He wasn\'t overly concerned about Luna\'s ability to escape; given her light-speed capabilities, she could undoubtedly flee if necessary.

As for Gabriel\'s reasons for being here, Wang Xiao had lost all interest.

From start to finish, he perceived that everything had been manipulated, a staged play in a grander scheme.

Now, he even questioned the authenticity of Gabriel himself.

Was he genuinely acting on his own motives?

Or was someone else orchestrating these events?

A dark premonition clouded his thoughts.

He vowed to himself, if he discovered Aurora was behind the creation of Hell\'s Slave and the day\'s events, he would take drastic action upon his return.

Because if their meeting in Icevale itself was a setup, that woman, Aurora, would be too dangerous and scheming, too sinister to leave alive.

Wang Xiao stood hesitantly on the threshold of the Graveyard of Gods, his mind occupied with confusion and doubt.

All of this chaos in his mind, he realized, could have been avoided if Aurora had not spoken to him about Aegis, soul, and rebirth.

Perhaps she had even mentioned it with purpose.

He increasingly felt that uncovering the full truth was impossible until he surpassed her.

Yet, the notion of being controlled repulsed him deeply.

The idea of control was just a facade, a surface concern masking the deeper, more existential crisis swirling in his mind about his own identity.

Ever since his mysterious encounter with Valen, Wang Xiao had felt adrift, consumed by a nagging question: Could Aegis still be alive?

Aurora had hinted that Aegis was stronger than her current form.

If she, an immortal, could not die, how could Aegis have died?

And if Aegis was indeed alive, where could he possibly be hiding?

This thought seeded a deep-rooted identity crisis within Wang Xiao.

As he reflected on his interactions with Naomi—her inexplicable rescues, the benefits he seemed to continually receive from Aurora—he realized he had always been the beneficiary.

Aurora had gone to extraordinary lengths, even concocting the idea of having children with him as a pretext to remain by his side.

If she had maintained her pride and abstained from physical relationships for millennia, what had suddenly changed?

Was he still truly himself?

Did Aurora see something within him that he himself could not perceive?

What if he was the reincarnation of Aegis?

This possibility, terrifying in its implications, seemed the worst yet.

What if a part of Aegis resided within him?

If this were true, the chaotic snippets of his life suddenly coalesced into a coherent narrative, fitting together like the missing piece of a vast and complex puzzle.

But with this reality, Wang Xiao felt utterly lost...

He simply had no idea how to proceed if this staggering possibility proved to be true.

"Hey, look, an ant is standing there!"

The sound of multiple footsteps crunched on the icy ground behind Wang Xiao.

Without turning, his voice cut through the cold air, calm and threatening, "I would have kept my mouth shut if I were you."

From the footsteps alone, he could tell there were three individuals approaching.

The distinct heaviness of each step gave away their number and hinted at their strong presence.

Wang Xiao\'s unyielding stance, his back turned yet clearly ready for confrontation, momentarily stunned Xerxes.

The large man paused, uncertainty flickering in his eyes.

"Okay, big guy. You can leave this one to me." Lilith\'s voice was light but carried an undercurrent of steel.

She patted Xerxes on the back sympathetically as she moved past him to take the lead.

Wang Xiao finally turned around, his gaze sweeping over the trio now standing before him.

\'Zhao Yang?\'

His eyes narrowed slightly as he recognized the towering figure of Xerxes and, to his mild surprise, Zhao Yang, whom he knew well.

The realization clicked into place quietly in his mind.

\'He, too, is one of the four generals... This just got more interesting,\' Wang Xiao thought, a spark of challenge lighting up his eyes.

Then his attention shifted to the blonde woman, her features sharp and bitchy.

With a provocatively casual demeanor, he taunted, "You, looking like bitch in the flesh, are you going to make the first move or should we keep chatting here?"

His hand remained nonchalantly behind his back as he spoke, his smile broadening slightly.

"Oh, this one is a bit interesting. How about you become my slave, and in return, I\'ll let you keep your life?" Lilith\'s voice dripped with amusement and a sharp, calculated surprise as she regarded Wang Xiao, her gaze predatory.

"..."

Wang Xiao\'s face, however, clouded over, his light humor vanishing into a deep, controlled anger.

The muscles along his jaw tensed visibly as he braced himself for what might come next.

Before he could react—

Splash!

"Sorry, my old enemy, but you can take care of the other one."

"Y... you..." Lilith\'s confident advance halted abruptly.

A look of shock contorted her face as she stared down at the gaping hole in her chest.

Splurt!

Her hands trembled as they hovered over the wound, disbelief and pain etched across her features.

Her voice, once commanding and sure, cracked as she whispered, "Zhao Yang... why?"

Behind her, Zhao Yang stood with a relaxed, almost nonchalant expression, his fist still glistening with her blood.

He had struck swiftly and without warning, the betrayal stark against the cold, harsh landscape.

"!"

Xerxes, witnessing the scene, was visibly shaken.

His usual stoic demeanor cracked slightly, his brow furrowing as he took in the betrayal of his teammate.

His large frame tensed, a growl rumbling deep within his throat as he stared at Zhao Yang with a mix of anger and disbelief.

Zhao Yang, meanwhile, seemed unfazed by the chaos he had ignited.

His smile was cool and collected as he pulled his hand back, watching Lilith stagger.

Lilith, grappling with the reality of her betrayal, began to falter.

Thud!

Her knees buckled, and she struggled to maintain her balance. "How... could you betray Gabrial?" she gasped out, her voice a mix of agony and fury.