Deviant: No Longer Human

Chapter 277: Northern Guardian —Dead?

Thirty minutes later!

Back in the district where it all began, Wang Xiao, Luna, and Aurora stood amidst the turmoil, their figures almost spectral against the despair and darkness.

"This... this is madness," Luna gasped in subtle excitement, her eyes darting around as she took in the scene of humanity brought to its knees.

Wang Xiao's face was a mask of grim determination. "It's the birth of a new world for them," he stated coldly, though his eyes betrayed a flicker of doubt at the horror his actions had unleashed.

Aurora remained silent, her gaze fixed on the sky, where the vines had woven together to form a barrier as impenetrable as it was terrifying.

Her eyes shimmered with an intense shade of green, mirroring the lush greenery around them, while her hair danced wildly in the gusting wind.

At last, she allowed herself a small, triumphant smile. "Found her..."

Whoosh!

In an instant, she propelled herself skyward, the tendrils of vines unfurling to create a fleeting passage before sealing shut once more.

"..."

"..."

"... So you picked her up from a flower shop?" Luna's eyes couldn't help but twitch.

She didn't remember any guardian looking like her!

And she didn't even know this random woman!

Was she a deviant or not? Even that was unclear in her mind!

"Yes, a flower shop," Wang Xiao nodded, his smile slightly wry.

He never knew she would indeed cause this much of a stir.

"Can I succeed in getting a similar creature if I visit that flower shop?" Luna couldn't help but grin.

Wang Xiao's brows shot up. "Your chances are slim, but weren't you into men?"

Luna shook her head, a cunning smile floating across her lips. "I'm bisexual—as long as you hand her over to me. I could also give you some adorable supernatural children in return. It's a win-win for you!" Her curiosity to dissect Aurora burned hotter than ever.

Wang Xiao's eyes twitched. "I don't need more children," he stated firmly.

After all, with Aurora and Anran, he already had two children on the waiting list.

Why would he want more?

________

Meanwhile, Clara sat inside the plane, impatiently pounding on the buttons.

Bam!

"Damn it! Can't this thing take off any faster?"

She cursed under her breath, while the pilot trembled, too frightened to utter a word.

Finally, the plane began to ascend smoothly, but the next moment, the pilot's eyes widened in shock.

"W-What!?"

His vision was shrouded in darkness as a sinister barrier emerged before him.

"!"

Booooom!

The explosion engulfed everything in a blinding flash.

Amidst the chaos, Clara emerged from the wreckage, her hair singed and smoke swirling around her.

Whoosh!

She hit the ground with a thud, her eyes scanning the debris-strewn landscape until they landed on a figure standing before her.

"You, come with me," Aurora's voice cut through the haze, her gaze assessing Clara's scorched appearance with a mix of distaste and curiosity.

Clara's nostrils flared in anger. "Why in hell would I follow you!?"

With a frustrated gesture, she unleashed her anger, causing the air to tremble and flames to erupt around her, casting a fiery glow over the scene.

"You're the one who's going to follow me—to the underworld!" Clara's voice rang out, charged with determination.

Whoosh!

In an instant, she launched herself towards Aurora!

Aurora's eyes widened in anticipation as she braced herself for the impact, watching as Clara's clothes were consumed by the flames, leaving her a blazing streak hurtling towards her.

"..."

Bam!

In the blink of an eye, Clara collided with a barrier of vines, halting her momentum abruptly.

"Enough," Aurora's voice broke through her confusion.

"Huh!?"

Before Clara could comprehend what was happening, she found herself trapped in a cocoon of vines, the earth parting to swallow her whole.

Silence fell over the scene as Clara disappeared into the earth's embrace.

Finally, Aurora surveyed her surroundings, the darkness and ominous atmosphere intensified by the dome she had created.

This might expose her existence, something she wished to avoid, but with a resigned sigh, she turned away, retracing her steps back to where she came.

________

Thirty minutes ago!

Somewhere in the District!

As the onslaught of the attack continued outside, within the confines of an underground chamber, a room constructed entirely of cold, gleaming metal stood silent and desolate.

The only feature adorning the room was a solitary golden seat positioned prominently in its center.

Before that majestic seat stood a pair of legs, shrouded in swirling mist.

As the mist gradually dissipated, it revealed the figure of a man, his striking obsidian eyes glowing with an otherworldly intensity, while his hair cascaded like strands of grey silk.

Crack!

With a deliberate motion, he flexed his fingers, the movement resembling the sharpening of claws, his gaze drawn to another figure lying motionless in the corner—a grim show of the violence that had happened here.

Maliketh's gaze shifted to the hovering displays, each one streaming live camera feeds showcasing the mayhem and destruction ravaging the city above.

A sinister smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

"The world has become more interesting," he murmured, his eyes flickering to the lifeless form of the original Maliketh sprawled in the corner.

Once revered as the strongest in the North continent, Maliketh now lay slain in his own throne room—a startling twist of fate that none could have anticipated.

And as for the individual who had usurped his identity...

______

"Here, take her," Aurora declared, flinging Clara in front of Wang Xiao within the confines of an abandoned military hangar.

Bam!

Clara recoiled, colliding against an unseen barrier.

"!"

She lifted her head, only to find herself locked in the chilling gaze of his blood-red eyes, sending a shiver down her spine.

Wang Xiao's aura and strength surged, radiating power that could easily crush someone like Clara with just a glance.

But he desired more.

Gulp...

Clara swallowed nervously, her eyes wide with fear, as his gaze continued to scrutinize her.

Why had Aurora presented this woman in such a state—naked?

Was there an ulterior motive?

Regardless of Aurora's intentions, Wang Xiao seized Clara by her hair without hesitation.

"Ah!?"

Clara winced in agony as he dragged her into the darkened depths.

"N-no, please! Wait!"

"Listen, I could tell you about—ahh!"

Her words were abruptly quelled as the dim light revealed Wang Xiao's twisted experiments on the limits of the human body.

He inflicted unimaginable physical, mental, and sexual torture upon Clara, his twisted fascination pushing her to the brink of sanity over the course of a torturous day, leaving her sprawled on the blood-soaked floor, her mutilated form left behind within the omnious silence.

"D...don't... Go..."

Her voice barely above a whisper, Clara's pale lips trembled, her mutilated fingers and toes scattered around her, her once pristine skin now marred with stained streaks, her body a horrific symbol of agony.

Yet, as Wang Xiao departed, leaving Clara abandoned to the encroaching darkness, a bunch of insects climbed upon her, their buzzing adding to her horror as she screamed in unending agony, her anguished cries echoing until her final, agonized gasp.

________

"Who are you?" While Wang Xiao was engrossed in tormenting Clara, Luna seized the moment to nudge Aurora, her curiosity piqued.

"..."

Aurora noticed Luna's approach and instinctively took two steps backward, her gaze fixed on Luna with a mixture of wariness and suspicion.

"Huh?"

Luna was puzzled by Aurora's retreat.

"Why are you stepping back? I won't eat you, okay?" she chuckled, attempting to bridge the distance between them.

But it was as if an invisible force repelled her; Aurora continued to move away, her eyes narrowed in caution.

"Don't come close," Aurora warned, her voice ringing with authority, casting a heavy atmosphere over the scene.

"..."

Luna stood frozen, the strangeness of the situation enveloping her in disbelief.

Without offering any further explanation, Aurora declared, "I'll be leaving. Tell him to find me at the Tarta—Xianthera if he needs anything."

"Eh?"

Before Luna could even blink, Aurora's body dissolved into a collection of leaves, swept away by a powerful gust of wind until she vanished entirely.

With her departure, the imposing dome she had conjured also crumbled away, allowing sunlight to flood into the space.

"..."

Luna couldn't suppress her amusement. "What's so special about that? Even I could do better," she thought, before shifting her gaze to Wang Xiao.

Below him, Clara wailed and begged, a sight that brought a twisted amusement to Luna's lips.

She hadn't realized he was capable of such cruelty!

A sudden chill raced down her spine, mingling with a mixture of awkwardness and excitement as she entertained the notion that perhaps one day, he might wield such power upon herself— subjecting her to this!

Fortunately, her innermost thoughts remained hidden from view.

________

On the 27th of October—just a few hours before Wang Xiao's return to Sylvergard.

The atmosphere inside the King's Mansion was tense with security measures tightened to the maximum.

Josephine and Seraphinne were both present, discussing recent events during Josephine's absence.

They had temporarily taken refuge in the King's Mansion, another property owned by them, seeking safety and sanctuary.