Deviant: No Longer Human

As the evening sun dipped below the horizon, the sky painted itself in hues of deep violet and indigo, casting a serene twilight over the Icevale.

A crisp, cold breeze swept in from the ocean, rustling the lush palm leaves and carrying the faint scent of salt and distant pine.

The world seemed to pause, caught between the fading warmth of day and the encroaching chill of night.

Beneath the shelter of a grand marquee set by the shore, soft golden lights flickered, illuminating the elegant banquet tables adorned with tropical flowers and fine china.

Guests, wrapped in the warmth of their evening attire, huddled closer as the cool air whispered of the approaching winter.

The low murmur of conversation mingled with the soothing sounds of waves gently kissing the shoreline, creating a symphony of serenity and anticipation.

It was a night when secrets could be exchanged over wine and lost in the cold wind, never to be heard again.

The union of two souls had been completed, with only a few ceremonial rites left to fulfill.

The banquet was in full swing, a lively affair filled with laughter and clinking glasses.

On a small stage, famous celebrities from the Qing Dynasty—new age China—had gathered, their presence adding an air of prestige to the event.

At the center of it all were the main guests: a woman dressed in a stunning red bridal dress, her every step accompanied by a man clad in a traditional purple hanfu adorned with intricate golden embroidery.

They moved through the crowd like royalty, receiving warm congratulations and adoring glances.

This was the celebration of Murong Shan, the sicon of the great Murong Family, and the event\'s security reflected his status—over a hundreds of armed guards, all from the Qing Dynasty, discreetly kept watch, ensuring the event\'s safety.

Despite the grandeur and the seemingly perfect evening, not everything was as it appeared.

In the last five days, Wang Mei had not seen Wang Xiao, though the imposter wearing his face still lingered, now with an unusual smile that replaced his once dull expression.

The imposter joined in the congratulations, chatting with Qian Ruixin, while her friends playfully teased her about the upcoming wedding night.

It was a picture of joy and celebration, but Mei knew better.

Happiness rarely comes without its shadow, sadness.

Up in one of the balconies of the villa, the curtains were drawn open, revealing a scene that sharply contrasted the festive atmosphere below.

Standing by the large floor-to-ceiling glass doors were a few figures, each absorbed in their own thoughts.

A girl with her hair tied back in a rare single ponytail stared quietly out at the view, her lips pressed into an awkward line. "Uhhh... Dad?" she finally said, her voice tinged with confusion.

Turning toward the bed, she saw Wang Xiao lounging there, wearing nothing but a bathrobe.

Anran, ever diligent, was massaging his back with practiced ease.

On the couch outside, on the balcony, Wenxi was curled up in a soft, circular cotton bag, completely absorbed in her phone.

She had become quite the phone addict, her long, slender legs dangling off the side of the couch as she scrolled through her screen, oblivious to the scene inside.

The soundproof glass doors separated her from the quiet chaos within.

But Yue, standing inside, couldn\'t help but feel bewildered.

Here was her father, completely at ease, while Mary, ever the silent warrior, stood by the bed, silent and ready to turn the scene outside into a bloodbath at a moment\'s notice.

And yet, there was no violence, no upheaval—just Wang Xiao enjoying a massage.

It was almost...anticlimactic.

"No fight?" Yue muttered under her breath, puzzled.

She had fully expected her father to be plotting something grand for this marriage, especially since it involved his cousin, who was quite a beauty herself.

The girls had heard the latest gossip, that Wang Xiao had supposedly "stabbed" his own little sister—an act they figured ran in the family, given their father\'s nature.

But instead of a grand scheme or a vengeful plot, here he was, as relaxed as could be.

It left Yue feeling oddly deflated. She had braced herself for something big, something dramatic.

Instead, all she got was a scene of surprising domesticity.

As she stood there, watching her father luxuriate in the massage, she couldn\'t help but wonder: Was this really it?

Was their dad simply enjoying a quiet moment before the storm?

Or was the real chaos still lurking just out of sight, waiting to descend upon the unsuspecting guests below?

Whatever the case, Yue was certain of one thing—when it came to Wang Xiao, nothing was ever as simple as it seemed.

"You need something...?" Wang Xiao asked, motioning for Anran to stop.

As he got off the bed, Mary gracefully moved to pick up a black robe with red borders, helping him into it with practiced efficiency, all while maintaining her usual stoic expression.

She removed the bathrobe with a straight face, as if this was just another routine task in her day.

Yue stood there, feeling a strange sense of loss.

What was she supposed to ask for?

Should she tell him to go outside and start a slaughter?

Part of her was a little excited at the thought—it was rare for her father to take action, but whenever he did, it was nothing short of spectacular.

But she also didn\'t knew that if she actually asked him to go and slaughter, he probably would.

Before she could figure out what to say, Wang Xiao walked past her, leaving her standing there, mute and uncertain.

He slid open the glass door, revealing Wenxi, who looked up from her phone, her brows rising in confusion as her father suddenly appeared before her.

Her soft, supple glowing cheeks practically begged to be pinched, and Wang Xiao, never one to resist, bent down and grabbed them between his hands.

"Such a cute creature," he mused, squeezing her cheeks tightly , rubbing them between his palms, "Why don\'t you talk more to your daddy instead of this grumbling evil mechanical equipment capable of transcontinental communication?"

"Huh?"

Wenxi was completely stunned.

One moment she was peacefully scrolling through her phone, and the next, he had barged in, destroyed her tranquility, and was now squishing her face.

Before she could react, he leaned in and kissed her forehead a few times, leaving her completely flustered.

Her ears turned a deep shade of red as she tried to process what had just happened.

Quickly, she pulled out a few wet wipes from a nearby table to clean her now flushed face, pretending to glance back at her phone as if nothing had happened.

\'If you didn\'t bully me every time you saw me, I might actually talk to you more…\'

Wenxi thought to herself, half amused and half embarrassed, trying her best to maintain a cold, aloof expression.

Inside, though, she was flustered, desperately hiding it beneath her cool exterior.

"..."

Yue, who had witnessed the whole scene, felt her body stiffen as Wang Xiao\'s gaze shifted back to her.

She turned to stone, pretending she hadn\'t seen anything and wasn\'t the least bit jealous.

The last thing she wanted was to receive the same mortifying treatment in front of everyone.

"Good," Wang Xiao nodded, satisfied that everything was in order.

While his daughters were left confused by his actions, he was already glancing toward the door, as if expecting something—or someone.

Click.

The door opened, and in stepped a woman with a slightly voluptuous figure, her curvy red hair cascading down her shoulders, and her fair skin glowing softly in the light. "It\'s just as I thought," she said, her voice smooth but tinged with concern. "But there are more people here than I expected."