Deviant: No Longer Human

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

"Hm? She might have taken a vacation," he mused, his voice nonchalant.

"You're not sure where she went?" The skepticism in Josephine's voice was palpable, tinged with an undercurrent of concern.

Her world, once vast and bustling, had shrunk to the confines of the palace, leaving her with few connections beyond its walls.

"I have no clue, but I could find out if you'd like," he proposed, his calmness a stark contrast to the storm of questions in Josephine's mind.

"You can?" Surprise flickered across Josephine's face as she approached him, a mixture of hope and disbelief in her eyes.

With a nod, Wang Xiao affirmed his willingness.

His relaxed demeanor suggested he held keys to many doors, secrets untold.

He drew his phone from the depths of his pocket, their devices a digital bridge between their worlds, interconnected.

Or why else would he appear so unconcerned?

With a few taps, he initiated the search.

"Norhaven?" The name fell from Josephine's lips in a whisper of astonishment as she leaned over to catch a glimpse of the blinking dot on the map.

"..." Wang Xiao met Josephine's gaze with a silence heavy with implications, their eyes mirroring the suprise and confusion that the discovery had spurred.

"What is she doing in another country?" Wang Xiao furrowed his brows, his thoughts racing. "It's only been four days, and she's already traversed such distances?"

Josephine was at a loss, the situation unfolding before her growing increasingly perplexing. "...Did she have a quarrel with you?" she ventured, her skepticism evident.

A flicker of irritation crossed Wang Xiao's eyes. He found it hard to believe that Anran would leave, even if he sent her away a thousand times.

"Cough... I think, you should see this, Prince," Luna interjected, her presence commanding attention in her professional black suit, a stark contrast to her usual demeanor around him.

"See what?" Wang Xiao turned, only for Luna to thrust a screen into his view. The bright light from the device cast his features in sharp relief, displaying a security footage clip.

It showed Anran being escorted away by several monks.

"When did you get this?" Wang Xiao and Josephine turned to Luna, their question unified.

"Four days ago," Luna answered without missing a beat, her calmness unwavering. Josephine's eyes narrowed. "Aren't you his secretary? Why report this only now?"

Luna's eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief as she regarded Josephine. "I don't owe you explanations," she retorted, leaving Josephine momentarily speechless.

"Okay, let's not argue for now. Luna, where did you find this footage?" Wang Xiao redirected the conversation, seeking clarity.

Luna smoothly reverted to her professional persona. "This is from the security cameras at a coffee shop in Kingshölm. She was on the island on the night of the 11th, which means they likely took her to another country on the 12th. Today is the 15th."

Wang Xiao's patience thinned. "...Why didn't you inform me sooner?"

Luna's response was a shrug, her smile innocently beaming. "Natural selection," she stated, professionally.

"..."

Wang Xiao's expression darkened, his thoughts swirling with the urge to put her firmly in her place. Luna's realization that her carefully crafted facade of professionalism might crumble before everyone caused her lips to twitch nervously.

Yet, she breathed a sigh of relief as Wang Xiao refrained from unleashing his anger, at least for now.

"Let me check on her first," he called to Li Zhiming, striding to the corner, where he intended to brief that old bastard on the situation.

Ever since learning of his daughter's pregnancy, Li Zhiming had been silently seething.

"Should we go to Norhaven...?" Josephine suggested, prompting Wang Xiao to arch an eyebrow and pause his phone call.

"Is there a way?" he asked, his suspicion evident.

Josephine nodded eagerly. "We have a private jet. We could take that and fly there."

"Would your mother allow it?" Wang Xiao questioned, his distrust clear in his tone.

Josephine shrugged as she took a seat. "Who's going to tell her? Let's just steal it."

Wang Xiao, "..."

Luna, "..."

____________

Whoosh!

At the Sylvia Royal Airfield, a Dassault Falcon 8X sliced through the sky with the grace and might of an eagle, its powerful engines roaring against the backdrop of a serene dawn.

The aircraft's abrupt takeoff triggered the alarm system, causing a symphony of buzzers and warning signals to echo across the deserted airstrip.

Inside the cockpit, Marcus's voice, laced with frustration and disbelief, bounced off the confined space. "Princess, why are you dragging me into your schemes!? I am already near retirement in few decades!" he protested, his hands gripping the controls tighter than necessary, betraying his inner turmoil.

"Silence, Marcus! Or I swear, I'll have you reassigned to guard duty in front of that ancient wall in the palace gardens. Imagine spending your days gazing at it, lost in its endless cracks and crevices," Josephine retorted sharply, her words laced with a threat that was only half in jest.

"..." Marcus was left speechless, his rebuttal dying on his lips. Sergeant Erickson, stationed in the co-pilot's seat, couldn't contain his amusement and burst into laughter, a moment of levity in the tense atmosphere.

Meanwhile, Wang Xiao, with a practiced hand, punched in their destination coordinates into the airplane's navigation system.

With the cockpit's duties handed over and the aircraft on course, Wang Xiao and Josephine made their exit, the door closing behind them with a soft click.

They stepped into the luxurious interior of the jet, a stark contrast to the business-like atmosphere of the cockpit.

The cabin was an oasis of comfort, designed to cater to the whims of the elite. Plush seating, ambient lighting, and the subtle hum of the aircraft in flight created an almost surreal sense of tranquility.

Here, amidst the opulence, only Luna, Josephine, and Wang Xiao were present, a trio embarking on an uncertain journey.

Luna, always composed, observed the interactions with a keen eye, her thoughts a guarded secret.

As the aircraft steadied its course towards Norhaven, each occupant was lost in their own musings.

"Let's hope this gamble pays off," Josephine finally broke the silence, her gaze fixed on the horizon where the dawn was slowly giving way to daylight.

As the private jet carved its path through the clouds, a peculiar tension simmered within its luxurious cabin. Luna, with her carefree presence, intensified the atmosphere as she uncorked a bottle of wine with an ease that contrasted the gravity of their situation.

Pouring the rich, crimson liquid into glasses, she handed one to each of her companions, her actions smooth yet deliberate.

Wang Xiao, observant, arched an eyebrow, his gaze sharp. "What are you up to now?" he questioned, his voice laced with a mix of curiosity and caution.

Luna merely smiled, a cryptic gesture that seemed to dance with hidden meanings.

"Take a look at this," she suggested, sipping her wine with an air of nonchalance as she extended her phone towards Wang Xiao. "She seems alive, as of now," Luna remarked casually, her tone masking the significance of her words.

Josephine, driven by a blend of concern and curiosity, leaned in beside Wang Xiao. The screen revealed Anran, seemingly unharmed but trapped within the confines of a barely lit warehouse, surrounded by looming shadows and stacks of grain bags.

The scene was eerily still, save for Anran's figure caught in a sliver of light.

"How do you have this?" Wang Xiao's inquiry was sharp, his eyes narrowing as he scrutinized Luna.

Luna responded with a boldness that took Wang Xiao by surprise. Leaning in, she allowed her hands to wander across his chest with a familiarity that bordered on provocatively. "If I can track you, tracking her is no big deal..." she whispered, her gaze shifting defiantly towards Josephine, who watched, eyes wide with shock and discomfort.

Sensing the tension and the unspoken signals between Luna and Wang Xiao, Josephine excused herself. "I would go and check the washroom," she announced, gracefully exiting the scene, leaving Luna and Wang Xiao locked in a silent confrontation.

Wang Xiao's suspicion towards Luna deepened. Her actions and the information she possessed painted her as a figure shrouded in mystery and power.

Without warning, he spun Luna around, pulling her into his lap with a maneuver that caught her off guard.

"Tell me exactly, who are you?" he demanded, his voice a blend of intrigue and authority.

Luna, caught in the act, struggled to maintain her facade. "W-What do you mean, Prince?" she stammered, her composure slipping as she pondered the implications of his question.

Wang Xiao's smile broadened, his hand gently exploring, as if seeking truths hidden beneath her skin. "Don't want to speak? No worries, I already know who you are."

Luna's response was a mix of amusement and apprehension. "Oh, really?" she queried, her eyebrows arching in surprise and concern.

Wang Xiao's assertion was unexpected. "You're a kid, a little scared kid," he proclaimed, catching Luna completely off guard.