Deviant: No Longer Human

A big problem—

"I've already accompanied you for dinner," Mei began, her voice firm as she sought to escape the growing tension between them. "Are you coming back with us now or not?" She held his gaze, determined to get a clear answer.

She had braved countless odds to come here, driven by a single purpose: to ensure that he would return with them, back to the safety of their family.

Seeing his silence, her resolve only hardened. "I'll talk with Mom... and we can deal with that fake... together."

For some reason, referring to it as "fake" left an odd taste in her mouth, a sensation she couldn't quite shake.

Wang Xiao, sensing the shift in her demeanor, chuckled softly.

The days when he could easily bully her seemed to be slipping away as she grew into her own.

Yet, her seriousness only made him more curious. "So, how are we going to deal with him then?" he asked, a spark of mischief dancing in his eyes.

Anran had given him all sorts of strange answers when he asked her opinion.

Now, he was eager to see what his little sister—who had grown up so much—had in mind.

"??"

Mei's mind stopped working as she tried to gather her thoughts.

Confronted by Wang Xiao's question, she found herself at a loss, the fluttering unease in her chest making it difficult to focus.

Deal with imposter?

"We should... report it to the authorities," Mei finally said, her voice steadying as she found her footing in familiar territory. "If there's a fraud involved, then it's a legal matter. We can file a complaint, gather evidence, and let the courts handle it. It's the safest and most effective way to ensure justice is served."

Wang Xiao's expression faltered, the spark in his eyes dimming as he listened to her pragmatic response.

Legal solutions?

It wasn't what he had hoped to hear.

He had expected something more...decessive.

He sighed inwardly, masking his disappointment with a faint smile. "The courts, huh?" he repeated, leaning back in his chair, his fingers drumming lightly on the table. "I suppose that makes sense..."

Mei nodded, missing the flicker of disillusionment in his gaze. "Yes, it's the right thing to do. We don't want to act rashly and end up in more trouble ourselves. If we handle this carefully, we can expose the imposter without putting anyone at risk."

Wang Xiao nodded, his expression thoughtful, before placing his phone on the table.

Swoosh!

With a flick of his fingers, a soft glow illuminated the room as a hologram projected into the air, shimmering faintly. "What if the judge is part of them?" he asked quietly, his voice quiet, "In the last five years, over twenty million people have returned from the dead... What are we going to do now?"

"Gasp!"

Mei's eyes widened, her breath hitching as she stared at the flickering images before her.

The hologram displayed a tangled web of faces—judges, high-ranking executives, common folk, and law enforcement officers—all interconnected in ways that sent a chill down her spine.

The sheer magnitude of it overwhelmed her, like a mountain casting a shadow over a lone traveler.

"T-They all are...?" she stammered, her voice trembling like a fragile leaf caught in a gust of wind.

Wang Xiao's gaze darkened as he nodded. "Yes, they're all people who should have been dead."

The color drained from Mei's cheeks as the situation settled upon her, heavy and suffocating.

Her delicate frame seemed to shrink under the weight of the realization.

This was no simple threat; it was a monstrous conspiracy, rooted deep within their world—something ancient and terrible that defied understanding.

Seeing the light fade from her eyes, Wang Xiao quickly turned off the hologram, the room plunging back into its gentle, ambient glow.

He forced a laugh, trying to dispel the darkness that had crept into her heart. "You really shouldn't worry about it," he said, his tone light yet filled with a subtle warning. "At this rate, you'll give yourself a heart attack within the hour."

"Huh—?" Mei's voice was barely more than a whisper, her large eyes gazing up at him in confusion. "Heart attack... me?"

Wang Xiao's smile was gentle, yet there was a trace of something deeper in his eyes—something sad. "There's a slow-acting cold poison in your body," he explained softly, as if speaking too loudly might shatter her. "It gradually cools your blood, making it sluggish. It's not usually meant to kill, though it can, if ignored. It's more of a tool for extortion or blackmail.

You've probably had it in your system for over a year now."

Mei's lips parted in shock, her hand instinctively moving to her chest as if trying to feel the coldness spreading within her.

Her skin, usually so fair, now appeared almost translucent, tinged with a faint, unnatural blue.

This struck her like a bolt of lightning, sending tremors through her heart.

Was this poison the reason for the discomfort I've felt all year?

Wang Xiao's chuckle was soft, but it carried a note of melancholy. "Actually, the target wasn't meant to be you. If this poison was used, it's likely to scare Mother into compliance, to force her to act against her will. Who's behind it... that — I don't know."

Mei's heart raced, the fear growing within her like a storm.

With trembling hands, she reached for her phone, ready to call their mother, her mind spinning with panic.

"W-What should we do!?" she cried, her voice cracking under the pressure.

Wang Xiao's laughter, warm and reassuring, filled the room. "There's nothing to do," he said, pointing to the wine glass she had sipped from earlier. "The antidote was in the wine. If your heart is beating loudly now, it means the poison is being neutralized. The antidote is working."

"!"

Mei's eyes widened, her gaze darting to the glass.

Relief washed over her like a gentle wave, her tension slowly ebbing away.

She looked up at Wang Xiao, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears, the weakness in her expression making her seem smaller, more fragile.