Deviant: No Longer Human

As Li Zhiming finally exited the room, his departure was marked by a sigh of relief. The cold sweat on his forehead was evidence to the intense pressure he had felt in Wang Xiao's presence. His swift departure, almost akin to a retreat, underscored the impact of the encounter.

Click...

The door closed behind him with a soft, final sound. In the newfound silence of the room, Yin Yue's voice echoed in Wang Xiao's mind, a gentle yet stern reminder. [Your unconscious emotions and feelings have a profound effect on your surroundings. You must learn to control them. As your power grows, even the slightest lapse could lead to catastrophic consequences.

A mere flicker of emotional turmoil could lay waste to an entire city.]

"..."

Wang Xiao remained silent, absorbing her words.

"Sigh..." A sigh escaped him as he consciously calmed his mind.

Around him, objects that had begun to tremble and shake under the influence of his psychokinetic power now settled back into stillness.

Psychokinesis was indeed a power not meant for the faint-hearted or weak-willed. It responded to the mind's strength, both conscious and unconscious. Without mastery over both aspects, the power could become an uncontrollable force of destruction, endangering the wielder and those around them.

_________

Perched at the highest point in the villa, Wang Xiao surveyed the scene below with a predator's watchfulness.

His figure, almost ethereal, was silhouetted against the sky as he contemplated the potential outcomes of his recent confrontation.

Despite his confidence, a wry concern lingered in the back of his mind about Li Zhiming's next move.

'Would he dare to flee with his daughter, to escape my grasp?' Wang Xiao pondered, his gaze sharp as he scanned for any hidden escape routes they might exploit.

After all, the girl was an unintentional but valuable pawn in his game, providing him leverage over a powerful subordinate.

Once assured of Li Zhiming's departure, Wang Xiao glided back into the villa from the window, his presence as commanding as the shadow of a great bird of prey.

Descending the stairs with an almost otherworldly grace, he paused, his eyes falling on the collection of handguns and automatic rifles spread across the table.

There, a girl was engrossed in her examination of the weapons, her curiosity both profound and unsettling.

Wang Xiao observed her, a hint of amusement mingling within him.

If he didn't know her capability to handle such things, he would have scolded her for treating a grenade with the casual curiosity of a child exploring a new toy.

As Wang Xiao approached, his movements a silent whisper, the girl turned to face him, as if sensing his presence. In her hands, she held the grenade, her curiosity shining in her eyes. "Hey, do you know how this works?"

Wang Xiao, "..."

Click!

The situation escalated abruptly with the Anran's innocent click on the grenade, her voice filled with a mix of surprise and realization. "Oh, it worked..." she exclaimed as the grenade began to glow with an array of lights on its surface.

Unfortunately she didn't knew how to trigger it, this was a new model with functionalities she didn't understand.

Wang Xiao's reaction was immediate. A sigh escaped him – a mixture of resignation and urgency. In one swift, fluid motion, he used his psychokinetic abilities to seize control of the glowing grenade. With a flick of his wrist, he propelled it towards the main gate.

Whoosh!

The grenade hurtled through the air, but before it could clear the doorway, it erupted in a blinding explosion.

Boom!

"..."

"...."

"Buzzzzzz....."

A flash of intense light enveloped the room, rendering everything within Wang Xiao's vision a stark, blinding white. 'A flashbang?' he speculated, momentarily disoriented as a ringing filled his ears.

As the ringing in his ears subsided and his vision cleared, Wang Xiao quickly assessed the situation.

Relieved that Anran hadn't fled amidst the chaos, Wang Xiao surveyed the aftermath of the explosion. The windows and glass around them were cracked, thanks to the grenade's power. "Please don't do it again," he said, his voice filled with resignation.

Anran, realizing the gravity of her actions, nodded guiltily and carefully set aside the firearms.

She stood up and approached Wang Xiao, her demeanor shifting from curiosity to a more reflective seriousness.

Anran's expression of gratitude was formal, almost ritualistic, as she bent slightly, her hands raised in front of her as a sign of respect. "Thank you... for saving my life earlier," she said earnestly.

Wang Xiao was momentarily taken aback by her formal gesture. He quickly composed himself and, feigning an understanding of the situation, asked, "Did Li Zhiming tell you everything?"

Anran straightened up, her nod firm. "Hmm... Uncle Zhiming did told few things... I didn't know you were part of a new project, tracking defected Deviants."

Wang Xiao internally raised an eyebrow. 'New Project? What story has Li Zhiming concocted?' He kept his face neutral, not letting his confusion show.

Anran continued, her tone slightly awkward, "Sorry for attacking you earlier." She seemed to be piecing together the information she'd been given, trying to reconcile it with the events she'd witnessed. According to Li Zhiming, Wang Xiao was a new agent from a project initiated by Prometheus, tasked with tracking and eliminating Deviants who had defected, like Adam.

The notion seemed difficult for her to fully accept, especially given her history with Adam. "Adam... he changed after returning from the tunnel. He wasn't the person I knew before," she added, a hint of sadness lacing her words.

Wang Xiao listened, piecing together the false narrative Li Zhiming had spun. 'So, I'm supposed to be some sort of enforcer for Prometheus... Interesting.' He kept his thoughts hidden, maintaining the facade that had been crafted for him.

Seeing her struggle with the revelations about Adam, Wang Xiao added, "It's a complex world we live in," he said softly. "People change, sometimes in ways we can't predict or understand. But know that you're safe here."

Slightly hesitant, Anran looked up at Wang Xiao with uncertainty in her eyes. "But why would someone want to use Adam to kill me? I can't see what there is to gain from it."

Wang Xiao shrugged nonchalantly, maintaining the facade Li Zhiming had created. "I've only recently come out. I have no idea about the specifics."

Anran's lips pressed together in a pout, her gaze skeptical. "You just don't want to tell me."

He nodded, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips. "Yes, I don't." He walked over to the couch and settled down comfortably. Anran followed him, sitting nearby and continuing to study his face with a mix of curiosity and defiance.

"Hey, why do you have such long hair, like a girl's...?" She leaned in closer, her fingers gently exploring the silky strands of his hair. Wang Xiao's forehead creased with lines of annoyance at her forwardness, but Anran seemed unfazed. "It's so silky..."

Wang Xiao sighed, a part of him amused by her candidness. "Long hair doesn't belong to any gender. It's just a personal choice." He gently saved his hair from her slender fingers.