Everyone Is Non-Human Except Me [Rebirth] Chapter 4

“So this is the barrier you mentioned?”

Ah Zu stared suspiciously at a graffiti-covered wall full of strange symbols. In the center, sprayed in red paint, were the words: “Go f*ck yourself.”

“This is it,” Wei Huan mumbled with a blade of grass between his lips. “Last time I came through here…”

Ah Zu still looked doubtful. Ever since they snuck out, Wei Huan had been directing him from the backseat, scouring almost the entire dark zone. They finally stopped in front of this wall, and Wei Huan swore this was the barrier leading to Kunlun Void. But… it didn’t look like it at all.

“So how are you planning to get in?” Ah Zu crossed his arms and looked at Wei Huan.

Truth be told, Wei Huan wasn’t confident either. He figured as long as a sliver of his demon power remained, he should be able to pass through the wall. If not, he’d wander around the dark zone looking for a smuggling little demon and borrow their energy to slip through. But honestly, he’d never tried any of this—he was a big demon in his previous life and went wherever he pleased, totally unrestrained.

“I’ll try first,” he said, placing his palm against the wall, trying to gather demon energy like before.

Ah Zu watched nervously. “Will it work? You’re not a demon. How could a human get through this kind of barrier…”

Before he could finish, a flash of white light burst out, and Ah Zu instinctively stepped back.

Wei Huan turned to him, eyes alight. “See! I did it! Didn’t I just—”

But before he could finish, someone crashed through the wall from the other side, knocking the proud, password-recovered Wei Huan flat on the ground.

“What the h*ll…” Wei Huan sat up, patting his butt. Next to him was a skinny, scrawny boy crawling on the ground searching for something.

Ah Zu pointed at the boy, stammering, “Wh-wh-who is he?!”

Wei Huan nodded toward the wall. “Told you there’s a barrier. You didn’t believe me.”

Ah Zu was so spooked he hid behind Wei Huan. “Th-th-then he’s a demon?!”

“Why are you so afraid of demons?” Wei Huan glanced at him, only to hear Ah Zu blurt out, “Of course I’m afraid! You’re the only one fresh out of the research institute who isn’t scared—you don’t know how dangerous they are…”

“If you’re that scared, why are you all acting like a mob syndicate? How did your organization even let you in?”

Ah Zu protested, “We’re not some mob! We’re a human protection organization!”

Gotcha. That must be why they’re opposed to Research Institute 137… and the base being in the dark zone is probably to monitor it? Leah and Ah Zu don’t seem like the main combat force—there must be other members… And their “boss”—who’s that?

Too few clues. Too many questions.

“Anyway, enough small talk.” Wei Huan changed the subject and stepped up to the little demon who’d just crashed in. He crouched down. “What’re you looking for? I’ll help.”

“My glasses,” the boy replied timidly, barely lifting his head. Wei Huan spotted them immediately. “Here they are.” He picked up the glasses and handed them over. “Here.”

Though honestly, he found it odd. Passing through from that side definitely meant the boy was a demon. But… a glasses-wearing demon…

“Thanks, thank you.” The boy took the glasses, stood up, and dusted off his pants. Only then did Wei Huan notice the family crest on his wrist—two overlapping bright yellow rings, vivid and clear. Usually, the more distinct the crest, the purer the bloodline.

Chongming?

The boy looked up and gave a shy smile. “Thanks for your help.” He looked around. “Um… may I ask, where are we?”

Seeing how soft and fragile he seemed, Ah Zu wasn’t quite as scared anymore, though he still stood behind Wei Huan. “You don’t know? This is the dark zone.”

The glasses-wearing boy was startled. “The dark zone?” He muttered to himself, “Oh no, oh no… how did I end up here…”

Must’ve botched the barrier-crossing technique. Wei Huan’s heart lifted. Perfect. A little high-bloodline demon kid just dropped into his lap—now getting into Kunlun Void wouldn’t be a problem. Thinking of this, his tone brightened. “I’m Wei Heng, and this is Ah Zu. What’s your name?”

The boy pushed up his glasses, still a bit shy. “Jing Yun.”

“Nice name.” Wei Huan patted his shoulder. “You’re heading to Shanhai, right?”

Jing Yun looked surprised. “How did you know?”

Wei Huan leaned in, winked, and slung an arm around him, lowering his voice. “I know more than that—I know you’re a Chongming bird.”

“You?” Jing Yun instinctively lowered his head, hiding his eyes behind his lenses. “How do you…”

“No need to hide—it’s not your eyes.” Wei Huan pulled his hand away and flipped over his wrist. “It’s this.”

Before Jing Yun could respond, Wei Huan continued, “Are you lost? If so, how about we team up? You take me through the barrier, and I’ll guide you to Kunlun.”

Hearing this, Ah Zu immediately yanked Wei Huan back. “How dare you say those two words out loud?!”

“Look at my big mouth,” Wei Huan said breezily, giving his own lips a light smack and winking his right eye at Ah Zu. “You wanna go? I’ll take you with me.”

Ah Zu let go of him. “Eh, I think I’ll pass…” Then something struck him. “Wait, aren’t you scared? What if the demons up there capture you—or just straight-up eat you?”

“Capture me?” Wei Huan raised a skeptical brow. “What era do you think we’re in? People still do that?”

In the demon realm, the practice of keeping humans in captivity was once a huge trend. But due to some demon being excessively cruel—imprisoning and killing humans with reckless abandon—it left a lasting negative impact. Under Wei Huan’s grandfather’s firm advocacy, the Anti-Captivity Act was passed, ending the era when demon could enslave humans at will. Still, despite the law, some ultra-powerful demon clans continued to break it openly.

“I should be asking you what era you’re living in!” Ah Zu looked even more exasperated. “Do you know how many humans have been kept in captivity these past few years? Can’t even count them. Especially after the conservatives of Fanzhou stepped down and the puppet faction took over the human realm—it was basically open season. Almost every major demon clan had humans penned up. That time period…”

Ah Zu grew more and more agitated. After a pause to collect himself, he continued, “That time, people were even selling off their own kind. On the black market in the Dark Zone, a human life wasn’t worth more than a fancy meal at a high-end organic restaurant.”

Wei Huan was stunned. Things weren’t like this back when he was alive.

The times had changed—radically.

“Um, what does ‘captivity’ mean?” Jing Yun asked timidly.

This little Chongming didn’t even know what captivity was? Wei Huan was even more shocked. Chongming birds were still one of the major demon lineages, how could he be this clueless?

Still, he patiently explained: “You’re a demon, I’m a human. If you wanted to enslave me right now, all you’d have to do is brand your clan crest onto me with your demon power. Then I’d become a slave of the Chongming clan. I’d have no personal freedom—every move I make would be monitored. And…” Wei Huan paused, “with just a bit of demon energy, you could kill me. Easier than squashing a bug.”

Ah Zu got goosebumps. This guy was recounting it like he was telling a casual story.

“That’s terrifying,” Jing Yun swallowed hard. “No wonder they call it captivity. It’s literally treating humans like livestock…”

“Actually, the original name of the technique wasn’t even ‘captivity.’ There are many kinds, and this one is the crudest and most vicious—it treats humans like animals to be slaughtered. Over time, it just became known as ‘captivity.’” Wei Huan frowned, trying to recall. “The real name is probably something like ‘contract binding.’ It wasn’t originally meant for enslaving humans. There were all sorts—demons could even bind with other demons. The highest level one, I think, is called the Blood Pact… but I don’t remember exactly what it does.”

“Okay, okay, stop,” Ah Zu rubbed his arms. “That gave me chills all over.”

“You know so much, but you’re human?” Jing Yun asked again. “Then how are you supposed to lead me to Kunlun Void? I haven’t even been there myself.”

“Don’t worry. I’ve got a way.” Wei Huan did think it was strange, though—Chongming’s main clan was based in Kunlun Void, right near the Nine Phoenix clan. So how had this little Chongming never been there and even gotten lost?

Jing Yun was visibly troubled. His barrier-crossing spell had failed earlier. If he didn’t get to Shanhai soon, the gate would close. “You can really take me there?”

Wei Huan raised four fingers to the sky. “Swear to the heavens.”

“You’re crazy!” Ah Zu shoved him. “You really mean to go? The sun’s about to set—what if you… I mean, once you go up there and—”

“Scared of the dark? What, you think demons go nuts at night like they’ve got rabies or something?” Wei Huan laughed, patting Ah Zu on the shoulder. “Anyway, I gotta go. It’s life or death. If I go, I have a chance. If I don’t, I’m done for.”

Scared or not—he had no other option.

Jing Yun had already pressed his palm to the wall, golden light radiating from his hand. He turned and reached out to Wei Huan.

“Just… just be careful, alright? If it doesn’t work out, find a way to escape back here! I… I’ll be cruising around this alley every day waiting for you!” The last of the sunset lit up Ah Zu’s face a bright red—he looked silly, but sincerely so.

Cruising a dead-end alley? This guy was oddly adorable.

Wei Huan grabbed Jing Yun’s arm, turned to look at Ah Zu, and flashed a cheerful smile.

“Alright. Wait for me.”

Crossing the wall with Jing Yun took only an instant, but the barrier had more than one layer. They arrived in a fog-shrouded area. Jing Yun whispered, “This is where I got lost earlier.”

No surprise—this mist barrier was meant to test demons heading for Kunlun Void. Wei Huan had grown up there and had snuck out more than a few times. Even though he was now human, it just so happened he met a wind-aligned demon. Their magic types were similar, and with his ancestral home still in Kunlun, even fate was helping him return.

“I’ll help you,” Wei Huan said, sizing Jing Yun up. “Did you bring any token or item from your clan?”

Jing Yun shook his head.

Poor kid. Wei Huan shrugged. “Alright then—your wings. Let’s see them.”

“How do you know everything?” Jing Yun obediently revealed his wings—bright orange and yellow feathers, almost blinding. Wei Huan plucked one. “I’m a PhD in Demon Studies.”

“Really?” Jing Yun’s eyes sparkled. “Where from?”

“I issued it myself,” Wei Huan said shamelessly, raising a brow. “Now, chant the Chongming family mantra.”

Jing Yun closed his eyes. Instantly, a swirl of wind formed around them, wrapping the two inside.

“Quick—concentrate your demon energy in your wrist, use the barrier crossing spell.” Wei Huan swiftly brushed the feather across the crest on Jing Yun’s wrist, drawing a demon sigil in midair.

“Okay,” Jing Yun pressed his right index finger against his left wrist. Yellow threads of light began forming in the vortex. “But I still don’t know the direction.”

“Doesn’t matter—as long as it does.” Wei Huan lightly brushed the Chongming feather over Jing Yun’s eyes and began reciting the incantation for the passage to Shanhai in his heart. Then, he tossed the feather into the air.

“Clear your mind—focus only on the mantra.”

The feather was swept into the wind vortex, spun several times above their heads, then suddenly flew south. Eyes closed, Jing Yun immediately sensed the mist barrier being broken and grabbed Wei Huan’s arm, pulling him out of the fog.

The change in the barrier was alarmingly fast—within a blink, the two of them appeared at the gates of Shanhai University. Jing Yun was puzzled. His teleportation technique was newly learned, and he’d only intended to go to the demon capital in Kunlun Void, not Shanhai directly. How did they arrive here all at once?

The gates of Shanhai University stood tall—so tall the top couldn’t be seen, piercing into the clouds. Unlike other universities with increasingly lavish signboards, Shanhai’s gate bore nothing at all. It had been built this way from the start. Rather, the gate itself was a barrier, condensed by the first headmaster, the Phoenix. It opened once every ten years to widely recruit demon students from across the lands. One unique feature: this gate had a will of its own.

A massive tiger leapt before the red gate and paced toward it, trying to enter. But a flash of white light stopped him. The giant tiger instantly turned into human form and tried again—still no use.

Many nearby demons began to murmur.

“Even that powerful tiger demon can’t get in?”

“Yeah… guess we don’t stand a chance.”

“I heard the gate at Shanhai doesn’t judge by raw demonic power—it measures potential and insight.”

Watching this, Jing Yun grew nervous and instinctively stepped back. Wei Huan grabbed his arm. “Don’t run,” he whispered. “That tiger demon’s full of killing aura—he’s killed a lot of people.”

“You can see that?” Jing Yun was shocked.

“I guessed,” Wei Huan replied, though in truth he could sense it. Though he had no demon power left, he could still feel others’. This tiger’s aura was dark purple, full of murderous intent—Shanhai would never accept such a student.

“But I…”

“No buts, come with me.” Ignoring the crowd’s stares, Wei Huan dragged Jing Yun to the front of the gate. Jing Yun kept retreating, trying to hide behind him. “I can’t do this…”

“A man can’t say he can’t,” Wei Huan said firmly, and with a shove, pushed Jing Yun toward the gate.

To everyone’s shock, Jing Yun disappeared—he’d actually passed through the red gate.

“Huh? That guy just went in?”

“A bunch of powerful demons ahead of him couldn’t pass!”

“Wait, wasn’t that human with him?”

Realizing this, the crowd’s mood shifted.

“A human dared to come here? Is he that little demon’s pet or something?”

“And that demon just left him here? Isn’t he worried someone’ll eat him?”

“Pfft, the world’s really changed—humans can enter Kunlun Void now?”

The comments grew harsher, but Wei Huan ignored them, stepping toward the Shanhai gate himself. But the moment he moved, a fierce wave of demon energy surged behind him—full of killing intent. He quickly dodged, just as a sharp tiger claw swiped past. He turned and ran, widening the distance between himself and the tiger demon.

In the fading light, the tiger demon looked even more menacing. His human form was nearly two meters tall, eyes bloodshot, tiger stripes faintly visible on his face, both hands still in claw form—just one swipe could rip Wei Huan’s human body to shreds.

“You filthy mutt, who the h*ll do you think you are, coming here? I’m gonna skin you alive!”

The claws came at his face—just inches away—but Wei Huan lightly dodged, tilting his head aside and turning back with a bright smile. “No need for that. Sounds troublesome, and your claws don’t look suited for fine work.”

In the blink of an eye, he elbowed the tiger demon’s right jaw, then struck the left. While the tiger was reeling from the pain, Wei Huan leapt up, kneeing him in the chest, and followed with a powerful downward elbow strike to the skull—a rapid triple hit, executed at incredible speed.

“That human… is no ordinary guy.”

“So fast… But still, he’s human. Dead end for sure.”

Dazed from the blows, the tiger demon staggered back. Wei Huan winced and rubbed his elbow. “Ow, ow, ow… your skull’s too hard. Hope I didn’t fracture anything…”

Enraged, the tiger demon transformed back into his true form and lunged. His speed multiplied. Wei Huan, no longer joking around, stayed focused. Even if the old him would’ve easily crushed this kind of opponent, now wasn’t the time to be careless.

Each exchange, Wei Huan countered with soft against hard, unharmed and composed. For someone like him, a close-combat expert, reckless brute-force types were the easiest to handle.

He’d only intended to toy with him a bit, but when the tiger demon lunged again with jaws wide open, a sharp pain struck Wei Huan’s chest.

D*mn. Gou Wen poison.

As the tiger demon leapt at him, Wei Huan clutched his chest, paralyzed.

Got too cocky, he cursed to himself.

Wait—that demon aura feels familiar—

Just as the name surfaced in his mind, streaks of golden light tore across the night sky. The light, sharp as blades, slashed down. The tiger demon screamed in agony—there were no visible wounds, yet blood spilled everywhere.

Wei Huan immediately understood. The ground between him and the tiger demon ignited, a blazing line of fire forming an unbreakable wall between them. The roaring flames became a natural, inviolable barrier.

Back to the gate of Shanhai, for the first time since his rebirth, Wei Huan heard a voice deeply familiar from his past life. Cold and proud, just like before. Maybe it was the poison, but his fragile human heart skipped wildly.

“Still want to fight?”

Turning around, dozens of flaming arrows shot toward Wei Huan, orbiting him as if he were their center. The scorching flames lit up the dark sky, burning the air itself.

Same as ever—so much like that first meeting ten years ago.

Wei Huan raised both hands in a gesture of surrender, but a bright smile played on his lips. “No more fighting.”