Deviant: No Longer Human

Chapter 199 - 199: Qi Convergence Program: Dharma Council!

Wang Xiao's assertion was unexpected. "You're a kid, a little scared kid," he proclaimed, catching Luna completely off guard.

"..."

Luna, always primed for confrontation, found herself at a loss for words. Wang Xiao's accusation hit a nerve, suggesting vulnerability where she had always projected strength.

His words were a mirror reflecting an image she didn't recognize—or perhaps, one she was reluctant to acknowledge.

"You are scared, all you Deviants are just scared children in disguise. You seek punishment and disdain as if craving validation for being above others. There must be someone superior among your ranks, orchestrating this facade," Wang Xiao mused, his voice laced with a mix of curiosity and accusation.

Luna's composure cracked, her face a mask of defiance turning to stone. "What are you talking about?" she demanded, her voice a mix of anger and disbelief as she swatted away his hands.

But Wang Xiao's grin only widened, fueled by her reaction.

He had harbored suspicions about Luna's true identity for some time, her strange presence a puzzle he was determined to solve.

Now, he felt closer to the truth than ever before, convinced she was a key figure among the so-called ghosts, perhaps the 'founding' member, her earlier stories merely fabrications to obscure her true nature.

As Luna attempted to regain her composure, her usual confidence wavered, revealing a moment of genuine discomfort.

Wang Xiao seized this opportunity, whispering provocatively, "I've always been curious about the effect of being thrust into hell from a young age... It appears I now have my answer."

"You're becoming a nuisance," Luna managed to say, her voice strained as she attempted to rise, her heartbeat thundering in her chest like a drum of war.

"Shut up and sit," Wang Xiao commanded sharply, his sudden outburst startling her into submission. "Don't move until I say!" His words were a command, leaving no room for negotiation.

Luna took a deep, shuddering breath, her cheeks flushed with a mix of anger and embarrassment. She bit her lip, a gesture of frustration and containment, as she was forced to comply.

"Now, answer me one by one," Wang Xiao demanded, his voice a mixture of intrigue and command. Before Luna could even muster a response, he silenced her with a firm pinch, pressing her lips together with his fingers. "What's your real name?" he queried, finally releasing her.

Luna paused, a flicker of irritation crossing her features before she responded with a hint of defiance. "Luna Marquez. How many times must I repeat it?" she shot back, her eyes rolling in exasperation. The discomfort of the situation was palpable, wrapping around her like a suffocating cloak.

"And your age?" Wang Xiao probed further, his curiosity unsatiated.

At his insistence, Luna's eyebrows arched, a silent question in their curve. Wang Xiao, unsatisfied with the lack of response, rephrased his inquiry, delving deeper.

"At what age did you enter the tunnel to hell?" His tone carried a weight of skepticism, clearly doubting any notion of redemption or paradise at the end of such a journey, especially one that had shaped Luna into who she was before him.

Memories, faint and elusive, flickered behind Luna's eyes. "1975," she finally whispered, her voice a mere breath in the charged air.

Wang Xiao, though somewhat prepared, couldn't mask his surprise. '1975?' His mind raced, trying to piece together the implications of her answer. "And your age at that time?" he pressed on.

"Around ten," Luna replied, a smile playing at the corners of her lips, as if amused by his persistent interrogation.

"Your parents? Alive or dead?" Wang Xiao's questions continued, relentless.

Luna's response was swift, yet it carried a hint of evasion. "I don't know," she confessed, turning her head away as if the question unearthed feelings she'd rather keep buried.

"You don't know?" Wang Xiao echoed, puzzled by her ambiguous answer.

Luna's composure returned as swiftly as it had faltered, her mischievous smile reappearing. "I don't remember," she clarified, her gaze steady. "It's been decades. Their names, their faces... they're all lost to me. To you, it might seem like fifty years, but none of you can fathom the time spent in that wretched place," she revealed, a shadow of fear momentarily darkening her expression.

"How long, then?" Wang Xiao pursued, sensing the depth of her trauma.

Luna's response was a chuckle, a sound that seemed out of place amidst the gravity of their discussion. "Forget the count," she dismissed.

"What?" Wang Xiao couldn't hide his bewilderment.

Luna's demeanor shifted, a seriousness overtaking her features. "Do you have any idea what happens in that place?" she posed the question, her tone sobering.

Wang Xiao remained silent, understanding that this was a moment to listen, to let Luna unveil the truths she harbored.

"That place is a living hell," Luna began, her voice laced with a chilling certainty. "People