There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL)-Chapter 475 - 468. Traces of The Past

"We need to build a watchtower here and here," Bassena pointed his fingers at some section of the map; the one facing the marsh, and the one on the other side of the ruin.

"Do you think we’ll need another beacon in the marsh, Commander?"

"It doesn’t hurt to do it," Bassena nodded. "We’re gonna have to make it accessible, though. A hard day of magicians works, I think."

Iore groaned but said nothing, just sighed and nodded. Well...people said the best construction workers were the mages after all. Especially those with earth magic--very useful for digging up things and placing building foundations.

"We’ll sweep the route once again once the guides finish cleansing everyone--probably in two days," Bassena continued. "We’ll let the supply come from the emergency point, and once we’re done with the watchtower, as well as the public facilities, we’ll continue with establishing the road from here to the Borderland."

Bassena looked at the scouts next. "During construction, please continue to look if there’s another--easier--way we can use. If there is none, we’ll proceed with the original route."

"Yes, Commander."

Kei nodded between her typing, and then, after a few seconds, lifted her head. "Should we connect the communication?"

"Do it."

There was another rising excitement that was mixed with anticipation and anxiety. While they had connected all the beacons successfully before, this one was a different one. The beacon that was deployed in their first base was a much stronger version than the other ones they had installed before. It should be, if worked properly, managed to not only send simple text documents, but also videos--and, ultimately, allow for a video call or conference with the other side.

Well, there was a reason why Bassena snatched Han Shin to the top of the dome--the highest possible place to install the beacon.

This didn’t just mean they would be able to send more accurate reports. The biggest factor that put people in anticipation was a chance to make a call back home. If this worked properly, they could request face time with their loved ones to soothe their exhausted, heavy heart. Of course, it could only be done through Trinity’s local channel, but the management team back in Athrea would happily make arrangements for the troops’ family members to come to Athrea, or bring the equipment to their loved ones’ abode.

With bated breath, they waited for the communication central device to activate. It was painfully slow, since it needed to travel through four other beacons before reaching the borderland headquarters. But when the screen made a static sound, and a picture slowly formed there, of a face that slightly moving albeit blurry, they let out their held breaths and collapsed in relieved exhaustion.

It was done. Their job for that was done.

They patted each other’s shoulders while Kei conveyed the long report of that day’s incident to the people standing by in the outpost. That night, they would dream of calling their loved ones. They might only be able to do it once a month, or even once every couple of months--because let’s be honest, it was still a tall order--but they could do it nonetheless.

"Alright, get rest for tonight," Bassena said. "The place is safe for now, so you don’t need to bother about security."

A series of ’yeah’s and ’yeay’s filled the stadium, as if there was a match for a sports tournament. Some wondered if there was a game here on the day the world turned into chaos, but the thought was immediately shoved away by the smell of delicious food from the kitchen.

It was nothing more than a whole bunch of pre-cooked meals and instant food, but for those who just survived a battle and in hungry, even a piece of decent bread would taste delicious.

Bassena watched the espers attack the kitchen like a pack of hyenas and chuckled in satisfaction. But he also yelled and warned them to give some to the guides first.

"Where’s Zein?" he asked the guides who were scurrying over with their trays.

"Oh, Captain said he’ll go looking around the place," Dheera replied while looking in the direction of the emergency exit. "Something about looking for a nostalgic space? I don’t know where it is exactly, though..."

"I see," Bassena nodded without any apparent change in his face. "Thank you. Enjoy your meal and get ample rest tonight." freēnovelkiss.com

"Yessir!"

Bassena watched the little crowd for a few more minutes, before slipping away when everyone was focused on the food and their own task. As he walked through a path that felt mildly familiar, his nonchalant expression broke as the corner of his lips twitched. Gradually, his steps became quicker, and he almost ran at one point.

He slowed down, however, when he saw a building. It looked like a mix of dormitory and classes--or some kind of research center. Who knows? The sign and everything had been corroded, but as with everything else around the shard, the place was still sturdy. It seemed like fourteen months without the shard protection did not make the building crumble.

As of the past, there was no door at the entrance. His steps, echoing loudly in the crisp air, sounded even louder than he remembered. Or was it the sound of his beating heart that grew louder?

Bassena stopped walking at one point, turning his head to a certain room--no, hall--where they originally found the shard. According to Zein, some survivors in the city moved the shard here because more people were coming, and the area of protection the shard could provide was no longer adequate.

This time, they wouldn’t do it like that. If it wasn’t big enough, they would provide supporting devices. They would find more shards and in the end, they would unite those shards into a whole fragment.

They would liberate this place from the stifling, murky air.

But that was for later. Tonight, they rest.

Well...the other would.

Bassena shifted his gaze back to the corridor. This time he walked slowly, looking at the ground as if tracing his own footsteps from the past. The tip of his fingers tingled, remembering the way Zein dragged him out of the room when the others were busy. He recalled how loud his heart was beating at that time, and how much he tried to appear nonchalant, even though he felt like a boy who was about to lose his virginity.

Gods--how embarrassing. He acted flirty, trying to look cool and experienced, but in the end, couldn’t even hold himself back from losing control.

As his memory reached that point, his steps halted. Ah...he remembered it too...the look of disdain and disappointment. Perhaps, if Zein looked at him like the man was hurt, that would be better.

But that look was...he couldn’t even bring himself to beg.

He felt like his existence had been smeared by dirty ink in the guide’s mind. The fact that Zein didn’t act angry or avoid him afterward, just treated him like any other insignificant esper in his life...it was more devastating if Zein hurled profanities and slammed his head to the wall again.

And that memory brought a chill to his spine.

"What are you doing there pretending to be a statue for?"

Bassena looked up at the source of the melodious, amused voice coming from a man with a pretty face that leaned casually against the wall. A gentle, beautiful smile that Bassena could never dream of the last time they were here made the guide look even more ethereal.

"I was thinking about the past."

"I thought you were the future-thinking kind of guy," Zein chuckled.

"I do nostalgia from time to time," Bassena shrugged and continued his walk toward the guide. "You’re kids are eating right now."

"Good," Zein nodded.

"They seemed fine, I told them to rest for tonight."

"Okay, thank you."

"We’ll start clearing the road and constructing the watchtower once you and your kids cleanse the esper. When everything is clear and ready, the rest of the troops will come here, and we’ll continue looking for the shard after that."

"I see. Anything else?"

"...no?"

"Good," Zein grabbed the esper and pulled the man toward him--his body, his face, his lips, locking them in a kiss that was almost as hard as the one he gave in the tunnel. "Gods--you have a great mouth, but you talked too much sometimes."

Bassena laughed and held the guide’s waist as they leaned against the wall. "I was kind of nervous," he said. "Got a stage fright for a second."

Zein raised his brow inquisitively.

"You know...since it ended badly the last time..."

Zein chuckled and pinched the esper’s chin, pulling him closer. "This isn’t a test anymore, isn’t it?" he tilted his head and pecked the warm lips lightly. "I told you; you don’t have to stop this time."

"Just a question," Bassena took a deep breath as his thread of reason was growing thin. "Are we going to include guiding?"

"Obviously."

Again, Bassena sucked in a deep breath. "I’m going to be very, very hard to be controlled."

Zein smirked at the shaking amber eyes. "Let it lose, then," he swiped his thumb over the glistening lips. "Do what you really wanted to do that night."

Bassena felt the growl in his lungs as he threw the guiding tent to the room.