Deviant: No Longer Human

Did her choice even matter to him?

The answer was a straight — no!

His hands itched to finally teach her a lesson—she couldn't dress so provocatively in front of a man and expect not to face consequences.

As Victoria noticed Wang Xiao approaching, her face briefly froze.

However, instead of stopping, he continued to get closer, his intent clear. With a sudden movement, she stood up, the soft grass crunching beneath her feet as she jumped backward, creating some distance between them. "Nice try," she chuckled, only to find Wang Xiao had vanished from her view.

'Where did he disappear to?' she thought, an uneasy feeling gripping her. The surrounding wilderness seemed to close in, casting shadows that danced in the corners of her vision.

Suddenly, a hand wrapped around her neck from behind, the grip firm and cold, sending a chill down her spine.

!!

Wang Xiao's lips curled into a sinister smirk as he taunted, "Victoria, isn't it high time you started dressing more modestly? Your future husband wouldn't appreciate a woman parading around half-naked."

Victoria's brows furrowed in defiance as she retorted, "Why should I care?"

But in a sudden and swift motion, Wang Xiao wrapped his legs around hers, entangling her in a tight grip. In an instant, both of them toppled backwards, crashing down onto the ground.

The impact resounded with a thunderous boom!

As the dust settled, Wang Xiao's back met the hard surface, but it was Victoria who winced in pain, trapped by him.

With a hold that felt like claws, Wang Xiao locked her in an unyielding position. "Well, since you seem to enjoy this so much, perhaps I should remove even these," he sneered.

His fingers grazed over the delicate fabric of her bra, straining under the weight of her breasts, threatening to tear it apart.

!!

"You dare!?"

Victoria's eyes flared with anger, a searing intensity as she felt a level of disrespect she hadn't encountered from Wang Xiao before.

Swish!

The spear shot towards her hand from the ground with astonishing speed. Wang Xiao blinked, momentarily caught off guard by her sudden eruption of anger, causing his cheek to graze slightly against the blade of the spear.

*Splurt...*

Blood spurted out, leaving a faint, crimson trail over his face.

!?

Victoria, realizing his weakening grip, swiftly freed herself and turned around, only to discover a small cut on his cheek, now bleeding.

"Pfttt... Who told you to become brave?" she admonished with a wide, mocking smile before her own eyes snapped open, widening in anticipation.

"Hm?" Wang Xiao found her retreating a few steps, her eyes a mix of horror and confusion, before Victoria suddenly crumpled to the ground, hands clutching her head in agony.

"Arghhhh!"

Her jaw clenched tightly, body convulsing, tears streaming down her face as bone-shattering pain overwhelmed her senses.

Wang Xiao's eyes flickered with emotion, slightly curious, he whispered. "So, this is the curse of guilt...?"

He had witnessed similar instances before, but this was an unprecedented intensity.

It seemed that the malicious intent behind the attack played a pivotal role.

Wang Xiao observed Victoria's struggle, but rather than feeling concerned, he had hard time supressing his laughter, "I guess attacking with the intention to strip someone naked triggers this curse more than just attacking for real."

Victoria, gritting her teeth, shot him an annoyed look through her pain. "You... think this is funny?"

Wang Xiao, a mischievous grin forming, replied, "Well, considering you're the one who threw the spear at me, I'd say it's a bit ironic, don't you think?"

Victoria, still writhing in discomfort, retorted, "This is not funny at all. Make it stop!"

Wang Xiao, leaning on his elbow, looked down at her with an almost non-existent concern. "I don't think I have the power to stop it. It's your own conscience punishing you."

Victoria glared at him, "Conscience? I don't feel guilty about anything!"

Wang Xiao chuckled, "Well, your subconscious seems to disagree."

As Victoria continued to endure the torment of the curse, Wang Xiao leaned back, his expression more thoughtful. "Interesting... I need to be careful with this power. It's not just about what I do, but how you do it."

Victoria, still in pain, mumbled, "Lesson learned. Now, make it stop, please."

Wang Xiao nonchalantly shrugged, "Honestly, I'm clueless. Doesn't it usually just fade away on its own, though?"

Victoria's eyes shot open, her head ringing, "Ugh!" She flew towards the balcony, crashing into it, while Wang Xiao observed her impact on the walls, a twisted amusement in his expression. "Haha... This is surprisingly entertaining."

In the midst of his laughter, the hell spirit, Yin Yue, issued a caution, [It doesn't trigger based on her conscience. As long as she imagines herself harming a human, it would trigger. Not to mention, even if someone else is harming someone else, then even the sight of it might trigger the curse. It's quite vicious.]

Wang Xiao's brows arched in curiosity, 'But how?'

Yin Yue elucidated, [It's not a curse. All the ancestors of the humans in this village were genetically modified in the lost realms of time, perhaps to shield this community from wars or internal conflicts. Whatever the reason, someone altered their genes, shaping them into what they are today. There is no curse or myth, it's just a prevention mechanism placed upon them, to stop the misuse of power.]

Wang Xiao, intrigued, leaned over the tree. "Genetically modified? So, all this power and curse business is not some mystical force, but a result of human intervention in thier genes?"

Yin Yue confirmed, [Exactly. It seems like an ancient experiment to ensure peace within the community. But as time passed, the purpose got lost, and now, it's just a set of strange rules they all have to live by.]

'Ancient... How ancient...?' Wang Xiao's skepticism couldn't be contained.

The thought dawned on him that even Bing Xueli wasn't exempt from the sands of time; inheriting the seat of the ethics committee head hinted at the existence of this small world long before her.

Wang Xiao, consumed by curiosity, couldn't resist asking. His eyes roamed across the hill, taking in the entirety of the vast expanse, as he inquired, 'What truly happened in this place?'