Deviant: No Longer Human

Wang Xiao decided not to press the old man too much about his experiences in Prometheus, merely nodding in acknowledgement. "What about this 'tunnel to heaven' and the Deviants? And who are these Guardians?"

Li Zhiming sighed, the weight of secrets heavy upon him. "The tunnel to heaven is... complex. As for the Deviants, they are key to everything. And the Guardians? They are the overseers of it all, the ones who truly hold power.

But this is a story that goes deep, deeper than one can imagine."

Wang Xiao's interest was clearly piqued.

The pieces of a vast, hidden puzzle were slowly coming together, each information opening up new pathways.

Li Zhiming's tone was somber as he delved deeper into the mysteries of the Deviants. "The tunnel to heaven, the Deviants, and the pathway you asked about are all interlinked. The tunnel is more than it seems—it's a path to becoming a Deviant. Its entrance is hidden in Frostholm, small enough only for children to enter."

He paused, the weight of his words hanging in the air. "For over half a century, we've sent children into that abyss, ever since its existence was discovered in the ruins of Pandora. Those who enter... many never return. And those who do come back are transformed. They emerge with the composure of war-hardened veterans, some broken, some resolute, each carrying the burden of untold experiences.

It's as if they've lived through centuries in that brief span."

Wang Xiao listened intently, his mind coming up with the implications. 'A pathway that transforms children into something... Else.'

Li Zhiming continued, his voice a mixture of awe and dread. "We call those who return Deviants. They're different in every conceivable way — their thoughts, their strength, their very essence. Not all come back with supernatural abilities, but even those without powers possess a maturity and understanding far beyond their years, surpassing even the most seasoned generals."

He shook his head slightly, a gesture of disbelief.

"These Deviants, they've formed their own legion, the Legion of the Deviants — It's a term that signifies their otherness, their departure from what we consider normal."

"Despite our efforts, they remain shrouded in mystery. They've formed a cult of their own, and even among themselves, there is little to no casual conversation. Everything about them is a closely guarded secret, beyond the reach of even Prometheus and Oracle."

Wang Xiao's eyes narrowed. 'A legion of transformed children, a cult shrouded in secrecy. What exactly happens in that tunnel? And how does it connect to the greater world?' The questions only multiplied, with no answers up until now.

Li Zhiming's voice took on a reflective tone as he continued, "The Deviants lifespans vary greatly. Some Deviants die young, before they even reach thirty, while others are believed to live for centuries. Some might not physically age at all. Each Deviant is unique, making it impossible to generalize about their characteristics."

Wang Xiao processed this information, then asked, "So you assumed I was a Deviant because of my powers?"

Li Zhiming eyed him with a hint of suspicion. 'Could he really be unaware? Is he feigning ignorance, or has he lost his memory?' These thoughts churned in his mind as he nodded. "Yes, your abilities led me to that conclusion."

Wang Xiao's interest then shifted. "What about the Guardians? What can you tell me about them?"

Taking a deep breath, Li Zhiming ventured into the realm of the Guardians, a subject shrouded in even greater mystery. "The Guardians are a concept, almost mythical. We first learned of them from ancient texts found in Pandora's ruins. These texts suggested that in ancient times, each continent was under the protection of a sacred Guardian.

These beings were almost god-like, with the power to split the seas and move mountains."

He paused, noting Wang Xiao's reaction, which remained steady and unreadable. Encouraged, he continued, "To verify these claims, we cross-referenced them with religious texts worldwide—Buddhism, Christianity, the pantheons of ancient Rome and Egypt, Hindu scriptures... Any religious or mythological texts that spoke of gods were compiled and analyzed meticulously."

Li Zhiming's narrative grew more animated, his words painting a grand puzzle of intersecting myths and realities. "When we mapped out these ancient myths, we realized they don't conflict but rather belong to distinct timelines. Between these timelines, there are gaps, as though key events were deliberately erased from history.

If all these myths were combined, they'd form a single, unified religion – a complete truth."

Wang Xiao absorbed this, his mind alight with possibilities.

"And the most interesting part," Li Zhiming continued, "we found recurring figures across different cultures. These figures, interpreted in various ways and wrapped in local lore, gave rise to different religions. But when we analyzed these commonalities, we confirmed the existence of these god-like figures – the Guardians. Each possessed the power to split the earth, to obliterate continents."

"The team at Prometheus is still unraveling more about the Guardians from ancient texts worldwide. However, the existence of any original Guardian remains unconfirmed, as if they vanished into thin air."

Li Zhiming's voice lowered, "The Legion of Deviants took it upon themselves to appoint new Guardians, selecting the strongest among them. This practice has been ongoing for the last fifty years."

Wang Xiao's interest peaked. 'New Guardians, appointed by the Deviants themselves...'

"The internal nomination process of the Legion is a mystery to us ordinary humans. They rule continents, but the extent and duration of their reign remain unknown. And while these new Guardians are immensely powerful, they likely can't destroy continents single-handedly."

"The world as we know it is significantly influenced by the Legion and the Guardians. Their primary goal is to unearth any information about the original Guardians. And there's a belief, a theory within the Legion... that the original Guardians might still be alive."

Wang Xiao, processing the flood of information, finally found a thread of doubt to tug at. "You mentioned the eight continents and each having a Guardian, right?"

Li Zhiming, momentarily taken aback, shook his head as if to clear it. "Ah, about that... We always believed there were only seven Guardians. Even now, there are only seven new Guardians. But we've recently realized a mistake in our—"

He stopped abruptly, his eyes widening in shock as they fixed on Wang Xiao.

"Y-You..." His hand trembled as he pointed at Wang Xiao, his voice catching in his throat.

Wang Xiao, his brow furrowed in confusion, pressed, "What about me?"

Hiss!

Li Zhiming, sensing the growing tension, took a deep breath to steady himself. "I knew I've seen you before... Your name is also Wang Xiao..." He reached for his cell phone in a hurried motion.