Deviant: No Longer Human

Renji was the first to attempt speech, his voice strained and tight. "Compensate you? Prince, you've—"

"Yes, compensate me," Wang Xiao interrupted, his tone completely dismissive, like Renji was a child who hadn't learned his lesson yet. "What, do you think your little kangaroo court means something to me? You all gather here, acting like you're delivering some kind of justice." He leaned forward slightly, his smirk turning darker, his eyes gleaming.

"But we both know that the moment I feel like it, I can snap my fingers and wipe your pathetic little meeting off the face of the earth. Don't insult me."

Renji's mouth opened, but no words came out. His entire body screamed restraint, but it was clear he was on the edge of eruption.

Wang Xiao continued, his tone casual but cutting. "You all talk about crimes, about me 'harassing' countries like it's some kind of grand offense." He shook his head, laughing softly. "Let me spell it out for you: I do what I want, when I want. You all came here thinking you could corner me, put me on trial like some weak little dog in need of taming."

He leaned back again, throwing his arms over the chair, his gaze lazily sweeping across the room. "Newsflash: I'm not one of your fucking soldiers. I'm the one who decides the rules here. You want to prosecute me? Fine, let's see how that works out. I'll break a few heads, and then we'll talk."

Zhao Lian's jaw tightened, her icy blue eyes narrowing at him. She finally spoke, her voice still steady but laced with venom. "You think the world will just let you continue this? People won't sit in silence forever, Prince. Sooner or later, your reckless behavior will come back to bite you. The world is watching."

Wang Xiao's gaze flicked toward her, his eyes darkening slightly as he took in her words. "The world is watching?" he repeated, his voice mockingly soft. He chuckled, shaking his head. "You're so fucking naïve, woman Do you think I care? The world has always been watching. And yet, here I am." He gestured to himself with a lazy wave.

"Still breathing. Still free. Still untouchable."

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, his eyes boring into hers. "You all want to gang up on me because I don't play by your rules. But here's the truth—rules are made by the ones strong enough to enforce them. And right now? I'm the strongest in the room. Which means I decide what's right or wrong.

Got it?"

Zhao Lian's lips tightened into a thin line, but she said nothing. Her anger simmered under her cool exterior, but even she knew when not to push further.

Liu Yanmei's thoughts were spiraling out of control. This is a disaster.

Her hands trembled slightly as she tried to maintain her composure. 'We came here to reign him in, and now it feels like we're the ones being dragged by the throat.' She glanced nervously at Renji, hoping he had a plan. 'There's no way we're getting out of here alive if this goes any further.'

Renji, barely holding his tongue, clenched his fists tighter, his knuckles white. "We're not here to play games. No one is going to stay quiet if you keep harassing them."

Wang Xiao smirked, his eyes gleaming with dark amusement. "Oh, is that what you call it? Harassing?" He chuckled, the sound low and condescending.

"Let me make something clear, Renji. The only reason I 'harass' them is because they don't know their place. They poke at me, thinking they can get away with it. So yeah, I destroy their little armies. Their cities. Their lives.

You want me to stop? Tell them to fuck off and stay out of my way."

Renji's face darkened, the tension in the room reaching its breaking point. 'Harassed? He's acting like the fucking victim?' His blood boiled, but he forced himself to stay silent. There was no winning this. Not here. Not now.

Wang Xiao laughed softly to himself, leaning back in his chair, thoroughly enjoying the growing tension.

Their discomfort was like a sweet, intoxicating wine, and he savored every drop. His eyes gleamed with cruel amusement, but then they darkened, his gaze flicking toward Zhao Lian.

"But hey, if you all want to start something, go ahead," he said, his voice calm but layered with menace.

Then, his eyes roamed over Zhao Lian's body, a hint of perverted excitement creeping into his expression. "And as for you, woman? You said my reckless behavior would bite me, right? What about your reckless behavior, opening that little chatterbox of yours in front of me?"

The room fell into stunned silence as Wang Xiao shifted his gaze back to Renji, the smirk still playing on his lips. "This woman here? She'll stay behind. If you can't pay with your own hands, then she's the price. Final offer."

"What!?" Zhao Lian's entire body froze, her tall, confident figure trembling as the words sunk in. Her frosty demeanor cracked, panic flashing in her ice-blue eyes.

Renji's reaction, though, was even more shocking.

He smiled. The bastard actually smiled.

"Take her," Renji said coldly, his tone betraying no emotion. "And we're even."

"!"

Zhao Lian's face paled, her cool, controlled expression crumbling as her eyes widened in disbelief. "You— You have no right to decide this!" she snapped, her voice trembling with both anger and fear. "I'm not your property! I was hired as a translator, a medium for this meeting, nothing more!"

But Renji didn't even look at her. His eyes stayed closed, as if he couldn't be bothered by her outburst. His indifference was chilling.

Zhao Lian's face flushed in fury. The arrogant bastard wasn't even listening to her!

Renji slowly opened his eyes again, but his gaze didn't land on Zhao Lian, nor did it carry any regret. His expression was calm, unnervingly so. He stared straight at Wang Xiao, completely ignoring the woman beside him. "Let's settle this," he said, his voice even.

'Be calm. Be calm,' Renji reminded himself, his thoughts icy beneath the surface. 'Every dog has its day. You may be laughing now, Prince, but you've just made a grave mistake. You don't even know who you've offended this time.'

He glanced at Wang Xiao's smug, confident face, and a cold smile crept into his thoughts. 'You'll regret this conversation, Prince. Just wait. He will take my revenge when the time is right.'

A pang of mild regret stirred within him about losing Zhao Lian—he had developed feelings for her, after all—but it wasn't enough to sway him.

Wang Xiao, meanwhile, couldn't care less what Renji was plotting in his mind. He knew the kind of scum that people like Renji were—the kind who smile on the outside, all while scheming like rats in the dark.

But he didn't give a damn. 'They could think all the evil thoughts they wanted, but did they dare say them out loud?'

'I say what I dare,' Wang Xiao mused, his eyes flashing dangerously.

He'll say I'd fuck a god, and then he'd fuck them. Every so-called divine being claiming to be above him will learn exactly who they're dealing with.

Most people are too scared to challenge the divine, too terrified of the idea of retribution from the gods.

But not Wang Xiao. Fucking cowards.