Deviant: No Longer Human

"You!?" The man, sprawled on the rain-slick street, misread her laughter as mockery. His face, a canvas of pain and fury, twisted grotesquely under the dim glow of the flickering street lamps.

Tap-tap-tap!

The confrontation, poised on the knife-edge of violence, was pierced by a rhythmic tapping, slicing through the tense silence like a blade through silk.

"Who dares now!?" The man, his voice a blend of confusion and anger, whirled around, his frown cutting deep lines into his weather-beaten face.

"Be still, for anger serves no one," came Shi Yan's voice, firm yet imbued with an almost tangible compassion. He emerged from the shadows, his presence like a beacon in the night. Clad in a plain yellow robe that seemed impervious to the biting cold, his bald head and serene face radiated calm, giving him the aura of a monk who had transcended the worldly.

"Who the hell ar—" The man, his anger momentarily frozen by surprise, was cut off as another figure stepped from the darkness.

Whoosh!

This was Shi Lei, his reputation for mastering Dim Mak—the touch of death—preceding him. With a precision that spoke of decades of disciplined training, Shi Lei executed a swift, almost imperceptible strike to the man's neck. The confrontation ended as abruptly as it had begun.

"His sins have overflowed; his eyes were full of malevolence... may Buddha be your guiding light in the realms beyond," Shi Lei murmured, his eyes closed in a moment of reverence for the life just extinguished.

Whoooh!

Anran, propelled by a mix of desperation and calculated risk, reacted with a burst of energy. Her attack, aimed at Shi Yan, was a blend of agility and force, a testament to her survival instincts.

Yet, as her leg flew towards Shi Yan, it was caught with effortless precision, her momentum halted by his unwavering grip. The cold night air seemed to thicken around them, charged with the potential for further conflict.

"We harbor no ill will towards those yet to be born," Shi Yan stated calmly, his gaze locking with Anran's, a serene ocean meeting a turbulent storm. "Your actions, though misguided, are understood."

"Heh? Do you think your words can threaten me?" Anran thought, her frown deepening. Yet, as she felt the unyielding strength of Shi Yan's grip, her leg screaming in protest as if it had struck cold iron, she took a deep breath and let out a small nod. "You are right, then! I surrender!" Raising her hands in a gesture of defeat, she acknowledged the futility of further resistance.

Shi Lei and the other monks, silent witnesses to this exchange, allowed a brief moment of surprise to pass over their stoic faces before nodding in acceptance of her decision.

Anran, sensing the subtle shift in the atmosphere, cautiously retracted her leg from Shi Yan's hold. Her stance, wary but no longer openly aggressive, reflected her acceptance of the situation.

"As is wisdom in restraint," Shi Yan replied, the hint of a smile gracing his lips, softening the stern aura that surrounded him. "But know this—we are not your enemies, nor do we seek to add to your burdens."

Anran trailed behind the monks, her footsteps echoing softly on the ancient, stone-paved path that wound through the darkness.

The night air, heavy with the scent of impending rain, carried their words to her ears, each syllable fueling her curiosity and unease.

"Who are you? Why intervene in the matters of strangers?" she found herself asking, her voice betraying her blend of apprehension and intrigue.

"We are disciples of Shaolin, practitioners of peace, and protectors of those who seek refuge from the storms of life," Shi Lei replied, his voice a deep well of conviction and calm. The moonlight cast his shadow long and ethereal on the ground beside him.

"Where are you taking me?" Anran pressed, her curiosity now warring with a growing sense of concern.

"To a place where questions find their answers, and the weary find rest," Shi Yan interjected, his eyes capturing the moon's serene glow. "A sanctuary for those lost, and a beacon for those seeking the way."

"Who is lost? I am not lost at all..." Anran couldn't help but retort, her defenses rising against the implication.

Shi Yan, walking a step ahead, let out a faint chuckle, the sound surprising Anran with its warmth. "You may not be lost, but your path is misguided. The evil spirit you harbor is a destroyer of peace and serenity. It must be cleansed," he stated, his calm demeanor unwavering, as if he spoke of nothing more contentious than the weather.

Anran's initial impulse was to rebuff him sharply—'Why don't I cleanse your brain first, bald monkeys!' she thought bitterly, her lips pressing together in a pout.

Yet, despite her internal resistance, she found herself continuing to follow them, her curiosity piqued by their mysterious confidence and purpose.

As they ventured deeper into the night, Anran couldn't shake the feeling that something didn't add up.

They seemed more interested in her than a random act of intervention would suggest.

Or more precisely, they seemed drawn to the life burgeoning within her, a realization that filled her with a mix of surprise and apprehension.

'Did they come for me or for Xiao?' she pondered, her hand instinctively resting on her abdomen. Her expression turned solemn, reflecting the turmoil of thoughts swirling within her.

Remarkably, she still had her phone, which they hadn't confiscated. This oversight—or perhaps a deliberate choice—puzzled her further.

'Is it a trap?' The thought flickered through her mind like a shadow, fleeting but unsettling. She shook her head lightly, dismissing the notion yet unable to completely banish it.

Even if it were a trap, discarding her only means of communication was not an option.

The phone was her anchor, It was a lifeline to the outside world, yet here she was, walking deeper into the unknown with men who spoke of peace but wielded the power to intervene with decisive force.

____________

12th September, 2026

"This place isn't too bad," Josephine mused, her gaze wandering as she perched, somewhat reservedly, on the couch.

Meanwhile, Wang Xiao was basking in a moment of tranquility.

Close by, Luna had drawn up a chair, eagerly offering him fruits. Josephine, puzzled, couldn't help but wonder who this new girl really was and why she seemed so utterly devoted.

And why on earth was she donned in a business suit inside the house?

Yet, she had learned to overlook many things. This included the sight at the couch's end where Aisha, her former best friend, sat. Wang Xiao's legs were casually draped over her, and she appeared to be quite at ease with it, munching on snacks.

Shaking her head, Josephine decided to divert her attention back to Wang Xiao. "Where's that drama queen? Why isn't she around?" she inquired, her curiosity piqued at last.

Wang Xiao cracked one eye open, noting Josephine's bewildered expression. "She's probably off performing in some drama," he responded nonchalantly.

"Huh?" Josephine was utterly taken aback.

Cough!

Luna interjected with a soft cough. "What he means is, she's been recently recruited by a drama company," she explained.

"Really?" Josephine blinked, struggling to grasp the news.

Wang Xiao offered no response, neither confirming nor denying.

Finally, Josephine sighed, shifting the topic. "I've baked some cake for you. Would you like to try... It?" she asked, a hint of excitement in her voice.

"Hm," Wang Xiao nodded, showing a flicker of interest.

The day flew by in the blink of an eye, and tranquility reigned even into the following day. It wasn't until the night of September 14th that Luna, positioned closely above Wang Xiao on the bed, found herself compelled to ask, her voice tinged with fatigue, her face softly illuminated in the light, "Did your pet run away?"

Wang Xiao remained silent for a moment before responding, "We're on a quite remote island; she should be alright. And if, somehow, she still ends up killing herself, then it's just natural selection at work."

"..." Luna was left speechless, pondering his words in the quiet of the night.

_______

15th September, 2026

"What are you searching for?" Wang Xiao asked, curiosity lacing his tone as he noticed Josephine pacing the house.

She had arrived early in the morning, her eyes darting from corner to corner with an intensity that spoke of a mission.

"I'm looking for Anran. I haven't seen her around for quite some time," she responded, her voice carrying a hint of worry.

Ever since Wang Xiao had opened the doors of his secluded island home to her, Josephine made it a ritual to visit every morning. In the beginning, her encounters with Yuexiu Anran were frequent, almost daily. But now, her absence in Josephine's recent visits had sown seeds of curiosity mingled with concern.

In a world where rivals were as common as the stars in the sky, one might have expected Josephine to view Anran as a threat. Yet, she felt no such animosity. Even with Luna and Aisha constantly by Wang Xiao's side, Josephine's heart remained untroubled.

After her exhaustive search of the house yielded no trace of Anran, Josephine finally surrendered to the plush embrace of the couch.

"Has she left?" she inquired, her gaze drifting towards Wang Xiao, who was absorbed in the glow of his tablet.