Deviant: No Longer Human

He trailed another kiss along Qian Ruixin's temple, his face close, his voice smooth as his words slid in between kisses, twisting her mind.

The lies he fed her were clear like sky, and he knew it—hell, maybe she even knew it.

But lies were what kept things running, weren't they? Especially for someone like her, who'd resist his every move if she knew the truth.

Thier kind might claim to hate lies, but deep down, they needed them, especially when it came to sweet-talking and spinning stories that made the bitter pills go down easier.

And, to his satisfaction, Qian Ruixin started to falter, her stiff resolve softening just a bit. She was finally listening, torn between her anger and the familiar comfort he was feeding her.

Seeing her almost give in, Wang Xiao felt a twisted satisfaction, but a flicker of disappointment too.

Part of him had wanted her to be...wiser..

But no—she was slowly folding.

Without a word, they'd settled into an "agreement."

She'd stay, she'd play along, and if it didn't work, she was "free" to walk away—an arrangement proposed by Wang Xiao.

She hadn't openly agreed, but she hadn't refused, either.

Wang Xiao knew from experience that the real issue was never that he'd forced her, but rather how he'd treated her afterward. Now that he was treating her with a strange kindness, she was growing confused, caught between her anger and the twisted reality he was feeding her.

The "freedom" he'd dangled in front of her, the notion that she could leave anytime she wanted, felt like enough of a choice to keep her in line.

Both men and women, no matter how much they try to move on, tend to hold a place for their first, and Wang Xiao knew that as long as he showed her he could change, she'd stay conflicted...

But soon, she'd realize that her so-called freedom was nothing more than a carefully crafted illusion.

Over the next few hours, he got her to spill more secrets. She let slip about Murong Shan, a supposed husband of hers, and how things had nearly gone somewhere between them.

Wang Xiao couldn't help but laugh, thinking about all those little "accidents" that had pushed her to distrust Murong, as if equating him for a bad omen.

One time Murong had crashed through her floor, landing in the basement below—that was still a favorite of his.

It wasn't even subtle; it just worked.

She'd never know that he'd been behind every one of those little disasters.

As he left her, he felt smug, knowing he had her exactly where he wanted.

Her mind was easy to play with—like a child's, really.

Or maybe it was just that he'd been at this game so long, with so many others, that getting what he wanted from her felt like child's play.

____

Later, he strolled over to Wenxi's room, where she bounced up excitedly.

"Dad, next year I want to go hiking with my friends!" she said, practically glowing.

He didn't bother with a pause. "Nope."

"Eh?"

The reply hit her like a brick, and he left the room before she could react, a grin plastered on his face as he listened to her fuming behind him.

"Wait!"

"Dad!"

Sure, hiking was fine, great even, but he knew her friends would be bringing boyfriends along, and watching her stew over it was far more entertaining than just giving her the green light.

Besides, last time she'd introduced her friends to him, it hadn't ended well for her.

One by one, her girlfriends had ended up in his bed, each one becoming his "spy," as she'd put it, and he knew the memory still made her furious.

Chuckling to himself, Wang Xiao left, satisfied with another day of keeping everyone right where he wanted them.

_____

15th November

Magic City — Shanghai!

Wang Xiao and Wang Xueying boarded an early-morning flight back from the Imperial Capital after several days away. The moment they arrived home, they were greeted by Xinyue Zhilan, who was already in a rush, preparing to leave for work outside the city.

"Don't give Mei any trouble, you two. I'll be back as soon as possible!" she called as she hurried out.

Wang Xiao and Wang Xueying exchanged glances, the latter shrugging nonchalantly. Wang Xiao had plenty of unfinished work back in the Imperial Capital, but it didn't bother him; a flick of his hand could get him there anytime.

As they approached Wang Mei, she looked up, surprised, watching as Wang Xueying offered her a small smile—something unexpectedly kind—and then brushed past her without a word.

"??"

Confused, Wang Mei glanced over her shoulder, wondering what she'd missed. Before she could say anything, Wang Xiao took the warm towel from her hands, chuckling, "Be careful with her." His cryptic warning only left her more bewildered.

What did she do?

She thought to herself. She was innocent… mostly.

Left alone as the sole man in the house, Wang Xiao had every intention of ruling over both of his sisters.

But before he could put any plans in motion, a small "fight" broke out in the living room. Voices clashed as Wang Xueying confronted Wang Mei over her secret relationship with Wang Xiao, bringing up every episode from Icevale.

Wang Xiao's patience wore thin, his ears buzzing with their bickering.

He decided to leave them to it, mentally filing away plans to "deal with them" later that evening.

_____

Evening — Inside Wang Xiao's Room

On the wall, bound and helpless, hung a woman with striking blonde hair and piercing blue eyes, now wide with confusion and fear. Her wrists were secured high above her, toes barely touching the floor, and her mouth was sealed shut with duct tape. Her gaze was a mix of anger and terror as she struggled silently.

Wang Xiao sat casually on the edge of his bed, watching her with a calm, almost bored expression. "So… what should I do with you?" he asked, voice steady and unhurried.

"Mmmghhh—!" The woman's muffled voice cracked with frustration as she tried to speak, her cheeks flushed with fury.

She was Elizabeth Monroe, the powerful CEO of Evangeline Technologies.

He hadn't brought her here to add her to his collection or indulge in fleeting pleasure—she wasn't worth his time.

Perhaps, though, she could serve a different purpose… a potential "live subject" for some of his more experimental plans.

Elizabeth's eyes darted around the room, her mind filled with disbelief.

How had she been kidnapped so easily from her hotel? She'd barely had time to realize she was missing before she'd found herself here, bound and trapped.

Wang Xiao studied her carefully, tilting his head in mock consideration. "Should I kill you first? Or torture you first?"

Her eyes went wide, the fear intensifying. "!!!!!!!"

"MNGH!!!" Elizabeth shook her head wildly, silently begging for mercy. She would do anything if it meant escaping his clutches.

Why did he want to kill or torture her? —Was he a serial killer!?

Wang Xiao chuckled, ignoring her pleas, his tone chillingly nonchalant. For now, he had no rush in dealing with her. Interrogation could wait—he was curious to see what kind of rescue attempt would be mounted for someone as prominent as Elizabeth Monroe.

Who would come for her? And where might that lead him?

Though he'd already probed her memories, her interactions with her contacts were kept solely to encrypted messages.

Still, one thing was clear: she was the one who'd ordered his family's home to be demolished. All to pressure Xinyue Zhilan, hoping to make her drop the case against Evangeline Technologies over environmental encroachment—an investigation that could open Pandora's box on the infamous Genesis Serum.

Wang Xiao leaned back with a satisfied smile. He'd already sent a sample of the serum to Isabelle earlier in the day. Now, all that was left was to see just how far Elizabeth's allies would go to keep their secrets safe.

Click!

"Brother—"

The door flew open, and Wang Xiao, poised in full villain mode with Elizabeth bound to the wall, shot his sister an annoyed glance. Wang Mei's eyes widened, and then her expression shifted to sheer disbelief, like she'd just caught him red-handed doing something unmentionable. She shook her head slowly, as if disappointed inwardly.

'Really? This is what he is up to? Tying women to walls before playing with them?'

She rolled her eyes. "She's here to see you. Every day—once in the morning and once in the evening..."

Wang Xiao felt his eye twitch. He knew 'exactly' what she was implying, and he had to bite back the urge to set her straight. As if he'd waste time playing games with Elizabeth when he had far better options. But her tone had a jab to it, and for a moment he couldn't decide whether to laugh or kick her out.

Then his brain caught up with her words. Someone here to see him?

"Daddy…"

"Hm?" Wang Xiao glanced down, and there, peeking out from behind Wang Mei's legs, was a little figure with wide, curious eyes. As soon as she spotted him, she charged forward with all the force of a battering ram.

Poof!

She crash-landed right into him, and Wang Xiao managed to catch her just in time. Little Zhenxi.

He'd almost forgotten about her...yet again!

Holding her close, a faint grin crossed his face.

He really did need to catch up with her mother soon!