Deviant: No Longer Human

"Brother, she—" Wang Mei began, her voice soft with concern, but before she could finish, Wang Xiao gently pinched her lips shut.

"She's Anran—and a spy. Just keep that in mind. Also, she's quite a wealthy woman," he added, pausing as if weighing his words.

"Oh," Wang Mei whispered, her gaze drifting back to the jet. "She seems a lot more than just 'quite wealthy'... and a bit strange, too."

Wang Xiao sighed, "Her 'adoptive' father is the leader of some powerful shadow organization. It runs in the family."

"..."

Wang Mei was stunned, the pieces of the puzzle falling into place in her mind.

Wang Xiao's hands rested lightly on Mei's slender shoulders as they walked through the lush grass, the soft earth yielding beneath their feet.

Vines crept along the weathered stones, and the scent of wildflowers mingled with the faint sea breeze.

Mei's long lashes fluttered as she glanced up at him, her gaze filled with unspoken questions.

She was like a delicate lotus in a storm, caught between bewilderment and trust.

"Are these the people you've been with all these years...?" Her voice was soft, almost trembling, as if the answer might shatter her fragile understanding of the world.

Wang Xiao's eyes flickered with a hint of melancholy. "Somehow, yes," he replied, his tone laced with a cryptic message that only deepened the mystery surrounding him.

Mei nodded, her thoughts falling like autumn leaves.

She couldn't quite grasp the truth, yet a teasing smile suddenly curled her lips. "But she said she was your wife."

"!"

"Th—" Wang Xiao's usually calm demeanor shattered for a moment.

His steps faltered, and he nearly stumbled, catching himself just in time.

"That's… unfortunately true," he muttered, his voice tinged with a mix of exasperation and reluctant acceptance.

The memory of the paperwork flashed through his mind.

Seeing him flustered, Mei's heart stirred with a strange mix of amusement and pity.

How had her brother, once so carefree, ended up like this?

"How did you end up like this?" she asked, her eyes searching his face for answers.

"It's a long story," Wang Xiao sighed, his tone evasive. "If I told you, you wouldn't make it back in time, and then Mom would fry you in oil."

Mei bit her lip, sensing his reluctance but unable to suppress her curiosity. "And… how do you have a daughter as old as me?"

Her voice was laced with confusion, her brows furrowing as she tried to make sense of the impossible.

Yue had called Anran 'Mom'—could her brother have really fallen so far as to become a gigolo?

"..."

Wang Xiao reached out and hit her on the forehead.

"Ow!" Mei winced, more from surprise than pain, her eyes wide and shimmering like dew-kissed lotus petals.

"It's better when you don't speak," Wang Xiao scolded, seeing through her thoughts.

Mei pouted, her lips forming a delicate pout as she stared at him with a mix of resentment and helplessness.

"So you can all keep bullying me?" she muttered to herself, though the slight quiver in her voice betrayed her fear.

Wang Xiao chuckled softly. "Yue is my daughter, and Anran… is her mother. They just… grew up overnight, somehow."

Mei's eyes widened, "Was it because of the Great Reset?" she ventured, recalling the strange occurrences that had followed the introduction of Aether.

"Yeah, because of that," Wang Xiao nodded, not bothering to correct her.

If it weren't for the Great Reset, so many things wouldn't have happened, and his life would still be his own—or so he liked to think.

Wang Xiao had come here solely to protect his daughter.

Just days ago, he learned that Anran and Yue had attended an auction in Monaco, where relics from an unearthed underground city were being sold.

They purchased an ancient-looking stone, and when they showed it to Eveline, she revealed that more of these relics could be found in the ruins here.

Fearing potential traps tied to the Greek gods, Wang Xiao insisted on coming himself, bringing Wang Mei along.

As they walked through the ruins, Mei finally broke the silence. "Will you be coming back with us?" Her voice was soft, her gaze hopeful, though she knew she had no right to ask.

She understood how difficult the past seven years must have been for him, given his journey from the mountains of China to Europe.

But she needed to know.

The thought of that imposter, whose lifeless face mimicked Wang Xiao's, always infuriated her.

But this man—her true brother—was different.

Wang Xiao's lips curved into a teasing smile. "Depends on your 'present.' If it's good enough, I might consider it."

Eveline, following behind, snorted. "Still deceiving children…" she muttered, dismissing Mei as a child despite her tall size and eighteen years.

"Present? For what?" Mei asked, puzzled.

"Tomorrow's my birthday," Wang Xiao said, his grin widening. "You'll need to give me something."

Mei blinked, realization dawning. Her mind raced for ideas.

How could she know what he'd like after seven years apart?

After a moment, she smiled, a solution forming.

"I'll give you any 'one' thing, as long as it's within my budget."

Wang Xiao nodded, surprise touching his eyes.

She was becoming more and more charming in his eyes suddenly!

Just then, Mei spotted a cluster of stones and skipped toward them, deftly avoiding obstacles.

She crouched down, examining the carvings on the stone pillars with curiosity.

Wang Xiao followed, intrigued. "Can you understand this?" he asked.

Mei shook her head, her hair swaying gently.

Eveline frowned, her eyes narrowing as she glanced at the carvings. "That's Helen," she muttered, then quickly turned away, realizing she'd spoken aloud.

"You mean Helen of Troy?" Mei asked, surprised.

Eveline turned back, her gaze sharpening.

"We've been studying a lot about gods lately," Mei explained. "They say it helps us understand the changes in the world."

Eveline frowned. "Just nonsense," she dismissed.

Wang Xiao, sensing the tension, interjected. "What are you two talking about?"

Mei stood up, exhaling softly as she smoothed out her dress. "It's… the name of the most beautiful woman in Greek mythology who caused the infamous Trojan War."

Eveline couldn't help but laugh, her radiant face suddenly glowing like the morning sun. "Just an ugly horse," she remarked with a hint of sarcasm.

Mei's face flushed instantly, her pale cheeks turning a deep shade of red.

Wang Xiao noticed the subtle shift in Eveline's demeanor since they had arrived, and he realized this might be a good opportunity to learn more about this enigmatic woman. Wasn't she from the same era? He turned to Mei, "What's Eveline talking about?"

Mei hesitated, her gaze flickering nervously. "It's…"

"It's what?" Wang Xiao pressed.

Mei took a deep breath, her voice softening as she explained. "It's about the origin story of Helen… It's sad, really. Back in those days, Zeus, the god notorious for his promiscuous behavior, pursued every beautiful woman in Greece—whether mortal or divine. One of his targets was Nemesis."

"Nemesis, the goddess of retribution, was known for maintaining balance by punishing hubris and ensuring that no one escaped justice," Mei continued, her voice trembling slightly. "She was also famous for resisting romantic advances, even from gods."

"One day, Zeus began chasing her. To escape, Nemesis transformed into various animals—like a goose, a bird, and others—but Zeus managed to catch her each time… until…"

Mei's cheeks turned a deeper red, embarrassed under Wang Xiao's curious gaze as she neared the most inappropriate part of the story.

"And what?" Wang Xiao urged.

Mei bit her lower lip, trying to muster the courage. "In some versions of the myth… she was a swan when Zeus… caught her… In others, she was… a mare…"

"!"

Mei's face was now bright red, her voice barely audible by the end.

Wang Xiao burst out laughing, genuinely surprised. "He fucked a horse?" He couldn't believe what he was hearing, even though he was familiar with the promiscuity of Zeus and Greek mythology in general.

"What hasn't that bastard tried? Trees? Rocks? And now horses?"

He shook his head, finding the ancient stories both amusing and bizarre.

At least, he thought to himself with a smile, he knew where to aim his 'spear.'

Mei pouted, turning away in embarrassment, her cheeks still aflame.

Wang Xiao suddenly recalled the beginning of their conversation. "What about Helen?" he asked, bringing the focus back.

Mei murmured in quiet resentment, "What happened? Some idiots wrote such weird stuff… It's said that in one version, Zeus turned into a swan, and they… did it. Later, Nemesis… laid an egg."

'Ah!' Mei's eyes widened in horror as she realized how much she had said.